Anyone else on Goodreads? Anyone else want to do the 2011 Reading Challenge with me? My goal: to read/listen to 75 books in 2011. I'm already averaging 2 books a week. :-)

Today's writing was mostly about imagery and locating a cluster of logic errors that need to be addressed. Both of my characters need rational reasons for the choices they make in this chapter. But exploring the options took me to 17,033 words. More than 1/3 of the way to Mockingjay!

I have Veterans Day off and classes are canceled, so I'll be getting my oil changed (and trying to find out why my car doesn't like to start after I put gas into it), having lunch with my mom, talking to my banker (yes, they're opening the bank just for me!), and probably writing a whole bunch. Friday, I get to get up extra early to take Mike to the airport for a 2-day business trip down to St. Louis. And then it's the weekend. Whew.

I fear what would happen to me with this much coffee involved: 2010 TWIN CITIES NANOWRIMO WRITING TOUR & PAJAMA PIZZA PARTY!

There are five coffee shops, one pub (or Denny's, for the non-drinkers), and a 6.5-hour pizza/slumber party. Still, I think I might do it, this year. Sleep is for the weak! (Of course, with my luck, this'll be the weekend we're doing our next paranormal investigation...which is in a similar vein of no sleep.)

I'm working on character bios at the moment. Dear main character, your father is not allowed to be more interesting than you. Knock it off.

I was just pulled over twice tonight in one area of town for having a headlight out--once a few seconds after turning on the car and noticing the headlight was out, and once on the way back from an unsuccessful trip to the auto parts store (already closed). Ftl, people.

I'm currently listening to The Hunger Games and having odd moments with the voice actress, because she's also the one who read Chelsea Cain's Heartsick books. I keep expecting her to break out with "Beauty Killer Task Force."

Back at work after a super special 5-day weekend. It looks like we have projects to keep us busy, again.

I finally got my writerly resource for my NaNoNovel (a writers guide to life from Prohibition through WWII), but all I really want to do write now is write scenes from my rbls. I had one stuck in my head to the tune of "Rock That Body" by The Black Eyed Peas today that made me reread all of "Parallel Lies" tonight.

Also got The Birthday Massacre's new album, Pins and Needles. Will be listening to it tomorrow and reporting back.

Today, I cleaned the house, made the world's best gazpacho, and watched Inception. We were the only two people in the theater for Inception, which made for a much better viewing experience.

I am attempting to formulate a response to the movie (beyond continuing to shake my fist at the Internet for making jokes about the movie shortly after it came out that gave away what was going on), but my major reaction was this: Who are these people? And which one is my main character? Yeah, yeah, it's Leo, but--as opposed to, say, his character in Shutter Island--it didn't seem like it was completely his story. The visuals were really intriguing (and there was a purpose for the visuals rather than just, "hey, look what we can do!"), but I left the theater with an empty feeling that was separate from my regular Sunday blues.

At least I have a clean house, lunch for the week, and clean sheets! :-)

Made fennel tzatziki this weekend. I'm looking forward to slathering it on toast. Mmm, Greece!

Mike is taking me to a mystery concert this weekend. I'm trying to avoid looking up who it could be, but it's difficult. :-) I do know who's playing at the concert in the park next Tuesday--that would be me, and the last time I'll be playing with the community band for a while. (The practices are on Tuesdays, and Japanese will be running Tuesdays and Thursdays through December.) As much as I loved my high school band director, our director has a great sense of humor. And I just got my clarinet repadded. Sigh.

I'm suffering from "eyes are bigger than...well...eyes" syndrome. It's taking me a long time to get through The Windup Girl (I'm about a quarter through), and my next book on CD (The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, which we're reading for the office book club) is already ready at the library. I'm hoping to get done with Who Fears Death soon, however. I'm loving the book, and I'm enjoying actually reading it--which is a rare thing, these days. Then I'll have The Girl Who Played With Fire and another book on writing historical fiction coming up next. (I need to finish the former before my aunt--whose book it is--heads back to California.) And I have three additional books I'm reading to research the novel. And The Road to Saya. Too many storylines! My head will be exploding soon...

Finally figured out the next section of my novel. The hero leaves his home and meets up with others who can help him along the way... Sadly, outlining the first few chapters and starting two stories ("Sitting in Judgment" and "Sirens") are all I got done during the Write-a-thon. (I started the stories and then realized they were ideas, not stories. I need to work more on plotting before I charge off with no map.) I'm currently trying to determine the size of my Fail Donation. :-)

Barnfest music festival today. When we arrived in Red Wing, it had just finished raining. Then the sun came out. I spent most of the concert huddled under my umbrella, reading about the different types of mines and how they were constructed, trying not to fry. There was an adorable tomcat, gray with white boots, and I spent a while paying homage to him and then trying to look-but-not-touch the harps that they make at Hobgoblin Music. They're beautiful. The concert was a lot of familiar material in a lovely setting.

Whenever I see Johnny from Storyhill, he makes me think of Ian from my reallybiglongstory. In fact, "Johnny" is Ian's nickname. It's what Aysha calls him.

Oh, rbls. Someday I will find a use for you beyond keeping me sane.

I applied for The Job after spending 3-4 hours working on my online resume. The application window is open for another two weeks, and I don't know when they'll be having interviews, but I'll keep everyone updated. (And I'll try not to spend too much time worrying about whether or not I'll be rejected just because I didn't finesse the keywords enough.)

Mike and I had a long conversation on Monday night about the current season of Doctor Who.

( A few spoilers, and plenty of opinion )

Currently reading: Who Fears Death (and enjoying it immensely!) and The Road to Saya
Currently listening: The Windup Girl (which I'm liking a lot as well--I was hooked when they introduced the megadonts)
Currently researching: Coal mining!

I haven't been updating as often, lately, so I keep forgetting what I've said and what I haven't.

For example, did I mention that I'm going to California over Thanksgiving instead of Florida? We'll be arriving in LA and driving up to Thousand Oaks on November 24th and leaving on November 29th. If anyone's going to be around LA then, want to meet up? I'll post a reminder closest to the date.

Other than that...I'll be applying for Lindsey's job tomorrow. If I get it, I'll be making less money, but I'll have health insurance, paid holidays, and (not all that much) paid vacation/sick time. If I don't get it, I'll be out of a job come February or a little later. Lindsey's last day is August 3rd, so I'm hoping I'll know soon one way or the other.

Finished The Lost Girls, Ooku: Volume 3, and Firestarter over the weekend. Currently listening to The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and reading The Road to Saya.