the dark cavalier
30 January 2010 @ 12:08 am
Boyfriend and I broke up Tuesday.

No, I'm not ok. Yes, I might be at some point in the future.

Just wanted to let people know–I'll be more scarce online than usual for a while.
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the dark cavalier
16 January 2010 @ 06:04 pm
I am so highly amused. I've been keeping a paper journal since I was 9. I think I'm writing in #28 at the moment, but let's assume that by the time I was 19, I had finished 20 journals. I currently have at least 40 blank journals accumulated for when I need the next blank one to write in. If I keep going at the current rate, it's going to take me the next 20 years just to fill the journals I've already bought.

Let me tell you, I lol'd when I figured this out. (Which I did because over my winter break I got 8 new blank journals. Chances that the number of blank journals is going to hold at 40? Highly unlikely, I'd say.)
 
 
feeling: highly amused
 
 
the dark cavalier
15 January 2010 @ 12:10 am
I updated my writing blog thing-y: Say Nevermore. I'd like to keep up with it more now that I'm actually writing again. This is somewhat exciting. Well, for me.

Anyway, go ahead and pop on over there. I'll probably try to update it once a week. But that might be another of those "lofty goals" that I said I wasn't going to set for myself.
 
 
feeling: accomplished
listening: "The Bonny Swans" - Loreena McKennitt
 
 
the dark cavalier
12 January 2010 @ 10:14 pm
Tonight is my last night in NYC. My boyfriend has left to go back to his family after spending the last two nights with me, and now I am all by myself and mostly packed with the apartment mostly cleaned. (The latter is something of a miracle as I thought it would take me hours to clean up, if only because I am easily distracted from and bored by cleaning.)

I wish I had something more thoughtful to say about my time here other than, "I had a really great time."

But that's about as true and heartfelt as it gets. :)
 
 
feeling: thoughtful
listening: "Border Reiver" - Mark Knopfler
 
 
the dark cavalier
I never do memes. But this one is so lovely, and an opportunity for the poets and writers on my flist to shine. Meme ganked from [info]tithenai:

Were I a summonable creature, what kind of ritual would you craft to summon me? In the vein of this post.

Post replies in comments, take to your own blogs, and spread it to the forty-two winds of the intarwebs.
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feeling: curious
listening: "Evacuate the Dancefloor" - Cascada (Yes, I feel the shame.)
 
 
the dark cavalier
06 January 2010 @ 05:27 pm
On Monday, I started a novel. Yeah, so much for not setting any lofty goals for 2010. Mira bought me a "Congratulations, you're writing again!" Moleskine (and one for herself) and we holed up in Barnes & Noble for several hours and wrote. And plotted. And then wrote some more. It was really nice. I'm excited about this new endeavor, and I am looking forward to working on it.

Today I went to Borders and bought myself a copy of 2010 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market.

I am feeling quite proud of myself.
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feeling: pleased with myself
listening: "If I Ever Leave This World Alive" - Flogging Molly
 
 
the dark cavalier
I am using the airport's free wireless (having managed to get here half blind as my contacts are in a case in my pocket, due to still having somewhat bloodshot eyes (see facebook status of last night)) and this is the last time I will have to post before the end of the year.

This past year was full of ups and downs, but I'm pleased to say that it's ending on a high note. This year featured my lowest low, so the only place to go was up, and up I went. I'm happy where I am now, and proud of the fact that I got myself here.

This year's New Year's Resolutions:

I. Write write write. I broke the writing block, but now it's time to dive back in. Headfirst. I'm not setting any truly lofty goals (except that maybe next November I'll finish NaNoWriMo), I just want to be writing again.

ii. Get my driver's license and a car. Life will be easier with both of these things.

III. Be better in school. I did well the first semester, but all my teachers seem to see some sort of hidden potential in me (or at least unused potential) and I want to tap into that. My Greek teacher seems to think that I am way better at languages than I thought I was, so I'm going to really try to figure out how to be as good as he thinks I am.

IV. Spend more quality time with my boyfriend. I miss that.

And that's it. Everything else I'm sure is fine, or on the way to being fine. :D

Happy New Year's all!
 
 
feeling: hungry
 
 
the dark cavalier
22 December 2009 @ 11:52 am
I am 21 years old today. I don't feel different–yet? I guess that might change, who knows? XD

Plans for today include getting me some sort of ID (either the sort that might allow me to drive some day, or the sort that is really only an ID), getting my ears pierced again, dinner with the rest of the people I work with/for, and some father-daughter bonding over a glass of Scotch.

Real partying won't happen until I get to NYC, I think. Mostly because most of my friends here have gone elsewhere for the holidays. So I'm going back to where the friends I left behind are. Can't wait to see them all. :D

...

Guys. I'm 21! *does a little dance*

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In case you still want to get me something: You can find my wishlist here!
 
 
feeling: drunk (ok, not really, tehe!)
listening: "Hello, Seattle" - Owl City
 
 
the dark cavalier
19 December 2009 @ 10:37 am
I am out of the dorm (as of noon yesterday) and officially on Winter Break! (And you would not believe how much homework I have for the break. Greek teacher assigned so. much. homework. *flail*)

You know what I am so excited to do? Read a ton of books. I want to round out the year having read 100 books. I'm at 84, so I have a ways to go in... a week and a half? (Yeah, totally not going to be able to read 16 books in that time, but still.) And also knit a lace shawl. I don't have the giant blocks of uninterrupted time for that at school. Or the patience, really. But I'm going to do it over Winter Break. Because I can.

Also, I will be going to NYC for New Year's and I'll be there for about two weeks. I can't wait to see everyone.

+++

I will be 21 in 3 days! You can find my wishlist here!
 
 
listening: Whatever is playing where I work.
 
 
the dark cavalier
ATTN: NYC PEOPLE

I need a place to stay for the nights of Jan 3-5 while my mom is in town and needs the use of her apartment (which is where I'll be staying the rest of the time). Anyone want to hang out for three days? ([info]girasola, I'm looking at you.)

Thanks in advance!

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I will be 21 in a week! Whoo!
Don't forget to request a holiday card! + You can find my wishlist here!
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feeling: curious
listening: The West Wing theme
 
 
the dark cavalier
12 December 2009 @ 01:25 pm
I got cleared by my boss for vacation time! *cheers* This means I'll be spending New Year's in NYC!! (And also that I won't be away from my boyfriend for a whole month, just most of one.)

I'm super excited.

Also, I want to make a quilt this break. Not knitting, but sewing. Just because. I think it will be interesting. Maybe my mom will let me use her sewing machine (and teach me how to use it, again).

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Don't forget to request a holiday card! + You can find my wishlist here!
 
 
feeling: ecstatic
 
 
the dark cavalier
08 December 2009 @ 08:21 pm
I seem to be on a YA kick at the moment. I just blazed through Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series. Which was great. And now I'm craving YA fantasy. I've already read Holly Black's Modern Faerie Tale books, which I loved. And I've put a reserve on Melissa Marr's trio of books (Wicked Lovely, Ink Exchange and Fragile Eternity) at the library.

BUT GUYS. WHAT ELSE SHOULD I GET MY HANDS ON??

Also seeking: Paranormal romance books. I've read (to my shame) all the Anita Blake and Meredith Gentry books. I've read Patricia Brigg's Mercy Thompson books (and have a reserve on the newest one at the library, I am so itching to get my hands on that), and I decided to go ahead and reserved the first two of Kim Harrison's The Hollows series at the library too. But that's all I got. Ideas? Suggestions? Preferably featuring vampires, were-creatures/shapeshifters or elves/faeries.

I will be reading for my whole winter break. Like I don't do enough reading here at school to begin with. Hah!

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Don't forget to request a holiday card! + You can find my wishlist here!
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feeling: curious
 
 
the dark cavalier
03 December 2009 @ 02:09 pm
Ok, this dance!fight/sex might be the hottest thing I've seen in a long while. Holy crap. *watches it again and again and again*

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Don't forget to request a holiday card! + You can find my wishlist here!
 
 
feeling: hot
listening: "Lo Hecho Esta Hecho" - Shakira
 
 
 
the dark cavalier
Calling all people with cartilage piercings!

I'm looking to put a few more holes in my ears, so I thought I would ask some of you all.

1) How did you get it done? Gun or needle? Did it turn out ok the way it was done?
2) Where did you get it done? What sort of place should I look for?
3) How much did it cost you? Did you get your money's worth?

I'm thinking some more earrings might be my birthday present to myself. But I don't know a whole lot about this, having never really thought that I was going to get more piercings. So tell me everything you know!!

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Don't forget to request a holiday card! + You can find my wishlist here!
 
 
feeling: curious
listening: "Monster" - Lady Gaga
 
 
the dark cavalier
27 November 2009 @ 02:59 pm
HELP ME WITH MY NOVEL.

You're job? Look over the things I've posted here, and request some sort of drabble or scene thing, anything that will help me keep writing. It could be something that would necessarily be in the book, or not–as you like. :D

My story's vitals. )

There's probably tons of boring exposition I could do about the kingdom this is set in and all that... Which I would gladly write if I had any idea what the answers were to those questions. Yay not knowing anything about your own made up world!

HELP ME, GUYS.

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Don't forget to request a holiday card! + You can find my wishlist here!
 
 
feeling: devious
 
 
the dark cavalier
25 November 2009 @ 12:16 pm
If I'm going to make up my word count, I have to write approximately 10k per day for the next five days. Yike. But I'm trying! I have.... 1063 so far today. *keeps going*

There's so no way I'm going to make it. This makes me so sad.


11194 / 50000 words. 22% done!

This meter makes me want to cry.

ETA: 2330 so far. I'm chugging right along. My goal for work today is 5000. That's not so lofty, I think. I'm almost halfway there!

P.S. It's weird writing smut at work. >.>


12461 / 50000 words. 25% done!

ETA still later: Ok, I didn't make my goal for today at work. Which means.... a late night while I make it up when I get home. ¬.¬ Whoops?


13183 / 50000 words. 26% done!
 
 
feeling: rejected
 
 
the dark cavalier
19 November 2009 @ 01:10 pm
*flail* I am considering writing 20,000 words of smut. Less plot, but at least I know I can write that. Since, uh, I still have no idea how to get from A to B in my plot. It's not cheating if I use characters from my novel, right? >.>
 
 
feeling: cranky
listening: "Stretched on Your Grave" - Kate Rusby
 
 
the dark cavalier
17 November 2009 @ 11:38 pm
I broke 10k! Whoo!

Everybody.... celebrate? XD


10131 / 50000 words. 20% done!

(Yes, I'm behind, even on my modified schedule. I stalled a bit when I realized my plot wasn't fleshed out enough. Shhhh. Don't tell anyone.)

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Also, don't forget to request a holiday card!
 
 
feeling: accomplished
listening: "Maneater" - Nelly Furtado
 
 
the dark cavalier
We're getting on towards that time of year again. I've already seen a couple of posts for Christmas cards, and lest I forget to do it until too late, I'm going to follow along with the early trend.

So.

If you want a holiday card from me, post your name and address in the comments. Which are, of course, screened.
 
 
feeling: cheerful
 
 
the dark cavalier
14 November 2009 @ 01:34 pm
I. Ok, I know everyone got upset that Jake Gyllenhall would be playing the guy from Prince of Persia (whose name I don't actually know) being that he's white... But GUYS. I'm totally reserving judgment until the movie comes out. Because holy crap. That trailer looks amazing.

II. I am behiiiiiiind on my word count. Not because I'm running out of steam in writing (which is what would usually happen) but because life gets in the way. While it's a good thing that I'm really in the swing of things writing wise, I want to actually do this thing! Life, why are you so hard.


8122 / 50000 words. 16% done!

III. I wanna read my book. But I want to write too. Why are those two things mostly impossible to do at the same time?
 
 
feeling: working
listening: "Hunter" - Dido
 
 
the dark cavalier
11 November 2009 @ 05:25 pm
I'm writing again. This is a personal victory for me. I should get drunk and celebrate.

Or, y'know, write some more.

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6003 / 50000 words. 12% done!

I scrapped the first 6 days for the month, and then recalculated my daily word count for 24 days and 50,000 words. Appx. 2084 words a day. So far, I'm doing grand.

ETA: P.S. That's yesterday's word count. I'm not done with today.
 
 
feeling: accomplished
listening: "The Blues Are Still Blue" - Belle and Sebastian
 
 
the dark cavalier
07 November 2009 @ 10:23 am
I had my wallet stolen last night. They took mine and a friend's, but not either of our iPods, her bottle of Valium or her phone. So here's hoping that the none-too-intelligent thieves (who took nothing of any real value, except my passport, which I'll deal with) will dump the wallets when they realize that they only got $21. My wallet, at least, has plenty of contact information in it.

Interestingly, the things I am most upset about losing are the things with sentimental value. My passport will be a bitch to replace, yes, but it has the stamps from when I went to England with my dad to see The Oysterband. And I've had that library card since I was three. That's the thing I'm most upset about losing.

And the $20. But y'know.
 
 
feeling: annoyed
 
 
the dark cavalier
05 November 2009 @ 01:24 pm
I promised pictures from Halloween, and this time I actually made pictures happen. Thus, I present to you: Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn )
 
 
feeling: chipper
 
 
the dark cavalier
31 October 2009 @ 01:26 pm
Guys, I've gone crazy. Round the bend. Off the deep end. Past the point of no return.

I'm going to really try NaNoWriMo this year.

Now either, my new-found school work ethic will allow me to succeed this year, or the work of school will drown me and I will completely forget that I ever had dreams of writing novels.

So hoping for the former.

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Oh, P.S. For the next month and a half my boyfriend and I are the same age. Happy birthday, baby. ♥

ETA: P.P.S. Also. There's this contest over here at [info]fangs_fur_fey which could win you a Kindle. The chances might be small, but it's a Kindle. So it's totally worth trying.
 
 
feeling: completely nutty
 
 
the dark cavalier
28 October 2009 @ 05:31 pm
It snowed today. And then it kept snowing. I think it has stopped now, but I don't trust it to stay stopped. Somehow I'm always expecting to suddenly be knee deep in snow.
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feeling: cold
 
 
the dark cavalier
24 October 2009 @ 10:31 am
My Halloween costume is going to be amazing. I just wanted to share that. (I swear, this year, there will be pictures.)

Also, I'm now looking for a cheap used car. My aunt and uncle's car would cost too much to get in working order once we'd already spent a ton of money getting it here. So I'm poking around. (Yay Craigslist?) If anyone knows someone who's selling a good used car for cheap (and relatively close to me, if possible) you should let me know. :D

(I want some new icons and I totally don't know of what or really have time for it. Booooo.)
 
 
feeling: calm
 
 
the dark cavalier
14 October 2009 @ 05:03 pm
My boyfriend wrote me a love letter. Possibly the sweetest things he's ever done. (Unsolicited. XD)

I have loves for him. ♥
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feeling: loved
 
 
the dark cavalier
06 October 2009 @ 10:47 am
I, uh, might have swine flu. (Or H1N1 or whatever.) My boyfriend was diagnosed as a "might" and he and I are experiencing the same symptoms. So... yeah. All I can do is treat the symptoms and try not to infect everyone else.

Hopefully, I'll kick this thing soon. I have things to do this week.
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feeling: sick
listening: "Last Days of the Century/Constantinople/Last Days" - Al Stewart
 
 
the dark cavalier
Totally getting a car. Even better... a FREE car.

(Car is being donated to my pathetic "can't get to work without begging rides off friends" cause by my aunt and uncle. And also because they are getting a new second car, and thus can get rid of their old second car.)

Still! Yay car!

...now we only have to figure out how to get it here from Brooklyn...
 
 
feeling: ecstatic
 
 
the dark cavalier
24 September 2009 @ 01:40 pm
4th Pirates of the Caribbean movie news!! Coming summer 2011, Pirate's of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

I haven't even read the Tim Powers book and I still think this is pretty awesome. :D
 
 
feeling: excited
listening: "Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum..."
 
 
the dark cavalier
GUYS.

GREEK. IT WILL KILL ME AND EAT MY SOUL.

If I had known I'd be coming here, I'd have taken Latin and Greek at St. Ann's. Or at least Greek and French (since those are the languages I need here). Luckily, I have three years of French from St. Ann's to supplement Jr. and Sr. year here. I would so not be looking forward to having French kick my ass as much as Greek is now.

Still, I think the fact that my Greek teacher is awesome and fun is the only thing that makes me do even semi ok in this class. Because I want him to like me and not hate me because I suck at Greek. (And also, I want to play with his pet kitties, and he might not let me do that if I start failing?)
 
 
feeling: quixotic
 
 
the dark cavalier
06 September 2009 @ 11:42 am
Guys, it's weird but oddly comforting to be a college student again after so long. First week was awesome, and highly manageable (so I probably won't die when the work load increases) and that makes me happy.

We're almost through The Iliad. We're reading Aristotle in Lab, going through Euclid's propositions and reproving them in Math, and learning ancient Greek (holy crap is that one hard).

In case you wanted to know what I've been up to. :D

P.S. I'm older than some of the people in grades above me. It's weird.
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feeling: cheerful
listening: "My Eyes" - from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
 
 
 
the dark cavalier
Oh man. And I thought NaNoWriMo was scary: 3 Day Novel
 
 
feeling: giddy
 
 
the dark cavalier
You know, I've been following the SF/F blow up pretty actively. I'm... well, not surprised, but frankly amazed and gladdened to see not just the readers but the writers of SF/F get into these debates, and become a community.

For those wondering, the part that I've been following, started with the now deleted diatribe against "homosex" by John C. Wright. [info]johncwright has since deleted the post, but it was rather... opinionated. It was harsh. The quote I remember best went something like, "I [John C. Wright] am equating homosexuality with bestiality, necrophilia, pederasty, and other sexual neuroses." There were other things in that list, but I can't remember them all.

ETA: For those really interested, the deleted post was cached. It is not necessary to read this in order to get my post, but if you want to see, feel free. Also, apparently, the quote I remembered is from somewhere in the comments, and not included in the cache.

Hal Duncan wrote an open letter to John C. Wright which is long, but every word of it is a piece of brilliance. Elizabeth Bear weighed in, too, insofar as she says that she agrees with Mr. Duncan. So far, though, [info]yuki_onna (author Cat Valente) has had the best response.

From [info]yuki_onna:

"It's a pretty simple equation, really. Limited lifespan divided by number of books it's possible to consume due to vagaries of money and mortality equals I am not buying your books if you behave like a fuckmuppet in public."

(As an aside, "fuckmuppet" is my new favorite curse word.)

"Guys, learn this rule. Love it. Embrace it.

Every time you bloviate offensively on the internet, a reader swears off your work for life.

It is so easy to lose readers. A cranky day at a con will do it. A single bad book will do it. Insulting an entire swath of readers, calling them evil and immoral, or shouting their concerns down and swearing at them? Especially when SFF readership has rather a lot of the sort of readers you're likely to insult with this kind of nonsense? Will do it so incredibly efficiently it'll make Bookscan spin. Especially if you happen to be a midlist or indie writer, and can't weather decreased sales with a shrug and a grin."

(I have added her to my friends.)

P.S. He seems to be sorry. Though, uh, apparently he had to talk to angels in order to achieve that.

P.P.S. If anyone has any questions about what happened/is happen, feel free to ask. I shall try to answer as best I can.

P.P.P.S. John C. Wright and his wife are both Johnnies (alums of my soon-to-be school). I was slightly sickened upon learning of this.
 
 
feeling: amused, in a sick sort of way
 
 
the dark cavalier
If mice had an Armageddon story, it would be about The Big Noise (the vacuum), which sucked away all their food and homes, leaving their world scarred with deadly blights (mousetraps) and monsters (cats and other rodent hunters), either killing them or forcing them to flee their home and find a new place to live.

...and yet, I feel zero qualms about cleaning out this room. Mice begone!
 
 
feeling: amused
 
 
the dark cavalier
Home again, home again.

Monday morning saw me and my father pulling out of South Orange, NJ and onto the highway headed west. Four days in a car later, and I'm back in Santa Fe, NM. It's weird to be here. And I miss my boyfriend. I won't see him until we move into our dorms–26 days and counting.
 
 
feeling: alone
 
 
the dark cavalier
Plans for the rest of the summer (and into the school year) are beginning to be finalized. The newest–and most relevant–change is that I'll be leaving for Santa Fe a whole month earlier than originally planned: the plan now is to leave on the 26th, about two weeks from now.

For those on east coast, I'll be busy that whole weekend (Saturday I'm planning on working my last day at the yarn store, and then leaving early Sunday), but there's still some time for farewells and all that. For those in Santa Fe (which might be all of one (I'm looking at you [info]blondebebop)), I'll probably be there by August 2-4. And then I'll be there for the long haul. Plans, I'm sure, can be made.

This is a little sooner than planned, yes, but I'm kind of looking forward to having some extra time out there. I'm not looking forward to leaving my boyfriend behind–but it's only a month. And I will have things like getting my drivers license to distract me.
 
 
listening: "Stray Italian Greyhound" - Vienna Teng
 
 
the dark cavalier
Stolen from [info]tussah:

Think America's got talent?
Think Britain's got talent?

No, my friends.
Україна має талант. (Ukraine's got talent.)

 
 
feeling: enthralled