... likes purple, The Little Mermaid, Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter, Jane Austen, Showtunes, 80s music, smell of freshly-cut grass after a rainstorm, reading, writing, sewing, costuming, blogging, web site design, amateur (digital) photography, anime ... dislikes onions, kiwi, water chestnuts, rudeness, bad drivers, unprofessionalism, stupid people ... adores the husband, the nieces and nephews, and the cats ... currently obsessed with digital scrapbooking ... watches The Amazing Race, America's Next Top Model, LOST, Ugly Betty, Stargate SG-1 (and whatever comes next off the Netflix queue) ... currently re-reading The Wheel of Time series ... wishes for many things ... dreams of throwing her own masquerade ball ...
... tinkers with BrianandGabby.com, ViewMaster (Writing Blog), SM: Millennial Earth (Fanfic) , Sketch 'n Etch (Layout Archive) , See 'n Sew (Costuming LJ) ... and her other writings can be found on FictionPress.com or FanFiction.net ...
... is friends with Alys, Christine, the Fowkes Family, Manda, Reva and Sami ...
... is a member of Faerie Fashion, HP Cosplay, EGL Fashion, EGL Plus, Masquerade Ball, MeezerLuv, Siamese Cats, BaaaabyAnimals ...
... visits CNN, Craigslist, Boyis, Cosplay.com, WFAA.com, Neil Gaiman, and many other sites ...
... can be contacted by her guestbook or by email (gabby at nonchalant.nu).
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Version 22 of nonchalant.nu features fanart of Disney's The Little Mermaid -- my favorite movie. I love Ariel and how she chooses to pursue her dream, no matter what. This beautiful image is copyrighted to Daniela Uhlig and used with permission. The flowery, swirly frame is by Michelle Coleman. Colors used include red and tan, with dashes of green. Fonts used are "Tiranti Solid" (logo) and "Arial" for text.
The previous version (thumbnail below) featured America Ferrera (currently of Ugly Betty fame), with background paper by Michelle Coleman, Sun by ShabbyPincess and corners by Gina Cabrera. Fonts used are "Galahad" and "Arial," with the colors of turquoise-blue, brown and gold. Version 21 was implemented on May 22, 2007.
Friday, March 04, 2005
NaNoEdMo (beginning of) Day 4 - Hours Accomplished: 4.Now, since March has about 5 weeks (give or take a few days), total hours that I need to accomplish by the end of this week is 10. Hmmm. Or, 1.66666... hours a day. I actually meant to get up this morning and write, but I didn't feel good, and thus went back to sleep, sleeping through my newly set alarm, but getting up in time to make it to work. However, I do plan to edit some tonight, and muchly tomorrow.
I'm still having a hard time of everything matching up, as far as the same "voice" or style goes -- namely, mine. Since I wrote bare bones, letting go of my style, it has been harder to edit that back in. I did have a really good paragraph last night that was really cool, so I was happy about that. But, overall right now, the same flow with which I began the prologue has only come out in bites and pieces throughout the rest.
I will begin Chapter 5 tonight. I have 16 overall, which granted, isn't that many. And really, I think that, once I'm done with it, I will rename them, to something like Part, or Section, or something more cool. I don't really see them as chapters.
I think also, I may be having a hard time because right now, it is more fleshed out, but as I get to the end, it won't be, so it might be easier to work with. However, the last half of Chapter 4 (or maybe the whole thing, can't think right now), is one of my favorite parts. I like the character interaction and I like what happens, because while I didn't mean for it to happen, everything happened as it should in real life. I think.
I think my other problem is that, it's set in modern-day. And while it does have fantastical elements to it, my "fantasy" setting style of writing has to be more defined, not so surreal and ethereal. Frankly, I'm a little lost on what this novel is. It doesn't seem to fit a genre, and I think it's starting to bother me now.
Anyway, blah blah on the novel. I have so much to do with it, it's not even funny. But I think, maybe, one day, once I've worked on it so much that what I have right now is but a shadow of what it will be, then I think it could be good. I think.
Gabby posted at 1:29 PM CT ...
and 0 had something to say.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
NaNoEdMo (beginning of) Day 2 - Hours Accomplished: 2.So I actually edited last night. For two hours. And I can't stand it! As I was busy typing and whatnot, I was thinking that there were other things I needed to do. While I was set to the task at hand, I wasn't absorbed in it like I am with writing. It is SO much easier to write than edit!
And I think it's because writing can consume me. I have so much in my head that needs to be put down, that it's easy -- long, but easy. But editing. I don't think I can do two hours a night. Writing for two hours was feasible, but not this. So, tonight I will edit for one hour, and do a few other things for my other free hour. And I think I will attempt editing one hour in the morning, and one hour at night, at least for the next few days.
We'll see how this works. It may be that I can only do one hour a day during the week, and then several during the weekend. But I finally found a Buddy on the NaNoEdMo boards, so that's good.
Now, as for the weekend:
At Brian's job (he works at his apartment complex, which is the "student housing" for UTD, where he's a student), they gave him a day off for his birthday, so he chose to take this past Friday. He asked me if I would take the day off as well, so we could spend it together. So I did. ^_^
Our first step that day, was to pass by my apartment office, because I had a package waiting for me, then to pick up my mail. And, Brian forced me to submit a service request to have my hot-water knob on my kitchen faucet looked at, because it hasn't worked in a really long time.
Then we were going to go to the DPS office, so he could get his license renewed. However, he didn't bring his insurance. So we went back to his car. Then he couldn't find it there either, so he had to go online and print it out. THEN we headed back out, but first stopped at James Avery so I could get my claddagh polished (it was on the way), and... just for kicks, tried on some rings. Yeah, THOSE kinds. I tried on this lovely 3/4 carat round solitaire in white gold. It was pretty, and looked nice on my finger. Heh. A little pricey, well, only considering that I found that lovely three-stone ring for about the same price -- in platinum. But, I digress. Brian found it amusing that I got him to look at rings, when we were just getting my claddah polished. Heehee. (Just as an interesting side note, we had about 3-4 people ask us that day when we were getting married. Uhm, we're not engaged, peeps. Heehee....)
We then made our way to grab a bite to eat, and then to the DPS, where we had to wait forever! Then, we made our way to Dallas Piano Warehouse and probably spent a little too much time (Piano story to follow after the weekend recap). After that, we made our way to Fry's, to go look at MP3 players (his b-day gift, but the one we found that he really liked he thought was a little too out of my price range, and I told him I would look online to see if I could find it cheaper). And then we decided to get a bite to eat at BJs, but the wait was too long, and so we decided to hit Red, Hot and Blue, where we had lots of meat! (It's Cajun BBQ.) And, because of a small bug that skittered across our table after the meal was finished, we got some comp certificates for next time. Heh!
We then went back to my place and finished watching all of the Stargates that we were behind on (several hours worth), and I kept falling asleep -- and it wasn't even that late. And at some point we also watched Labyrinth. I think. Somehow my time frames are a little confusing here.
Next morning (Sat.) (read: afternoon) was Brian's actual B-Day, and I went to pick him up at his place, where we went to Starbucks to hang out a little before we were to go to lunch to meet some of his friends (which I had arranged) at bd's mongolian. While several people were late, I had a good time -- and one of his friends gave him tickets to the symphony for that night! (Actually, we knew about it the night before, but still....) After a fun lunch time, several of us went to Nickel Mania -- a nickel arcade, where we spent way too much money playing, and beating the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game, in addition to Brian and I playing against each other in a game of Dance Dance Revolution. I tell ya, it was tiring, but OH so much fun! Really makes me want to get a PS2 and a game (and dance pad) of DDR!
After that, we made our way home to get ready for the symphony at the Meyerson in Dallas. OH WOW, my baby can dress up! He was looking sharp in his charcoal suit, with the green sateen shirt I had gotten him for Christmas, and the matching green and black/charcoal striped tie. I mean, he was droolalicious. REALLY. Really. He was so handsome I didn't know what to do with myself. Or him. But... thankfully, I'm a good girl and behaved as we headed out into the rainy evening and the symphony.
We enjoyed the symphony and each other so much that evening. Unfortunately, I had to go to the store after that, to buy stuffs to make him dinner on Sunday, so that probably took off a little of the "magic" of the evening, but we still had a good time.
Once home, we decided to start reading Lemony Snicket to each other (we bought the first book a few weeks back). It's so sad! :(
The next evening was the Oscars and his birthday celebration with Jennifer, Russell and Shawn (Jenn and Shawn just moved again) and I, and I made enchiladas, my spanish rice, and a southwest caesar salad. And... on his request, a red velvet cake.
All in all, a good birthday for him (seeing as his last birthday, apparently, he sat at home alone), and I was pleased that I had made it good for him.
THE Piano Story:
Some time ago, Brian wanted to take me to go look at pianos. Just for fun. I learned how to play a LONG time ago, but only took 3 years' worth of lessons. While I sing and I do know some music, I do want to continue my piano playing, and pick it back up. I can struggle with easy stuff, but.... Anyway, apparently Dallas Piano was getting rid of some inventory, and we hit the store. I found this beautiful upright (a little taller, so the sound was a little richer), in a light cherry wood, for about $3700. It's an investment. It sounded wonderfully. It was beautiful. I wanted it. And then, when I was offered financing for more money to throw in a computer (and get a better financing rate (why the computer? cuz I want one and that was my other big purchase that was overshadowing the piano)) it made it even more worthwhile to think about. $120 a month for a piano and a computer! Oohhh... it was so good. Too good, almost. But sense won out. I don't NEED a piano. I don't have anywhere to put a piano. I'm not anywhere good enough to justify having a piano. So... Brian promised me that one day he would buy me a piano -- as long as we bought it at a place, like Dallas Piano, where you could upgrade to a grand, using the same price that you paid for the original piano (as a trade-in), so one day he could get me a baby grand for my dream home. And he suggested that maybe a keyboard would suffice me for now. Maybe... but it was such a pretty piano.... *le sigh* And THAT's the piano story.
I have an awesome friend, boyfriend, partner in Brian. We're very well suited for each other, and I think we're very good for each other. ^_^
Gabby posted at 12:24 PM CT ...
and 0 had something to say.
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
So today begins NaNoEdMo (http://nanoedmo.org). That's right, I am finally, officially attempting to edit my novel from NaNoWriMo of 2003.I am shunning friends, family and loves ones to undertake this endeavor. I feel very alone right now. Heh, not really. Sorta. I guess it's because I knew several people doing NaNoWriMo. It's a little harder to get people to do NaNoEdMo with you.
But, here I am. Without a buddy. Anyone want to be my buddy?
So, for the next month, I will have daily (hopefully) updates. Thankfully, NaNoEdMo is about hours spent, not words written. 50 hours. Of typing. But still.
So, here I go.
NaNoEdMo (beginning of) Day 1 - Hours Accomplished: 0.
Hey! It's early in the day and I'm at work. I plan on doing some tonight. Honest!
Maybe tonight I'll also post about my great weekend spending it with Brian in celebration of his birthday (and the sad story of how I almost bought a piano and a computer -- all at the piano store).
Gabby posted at 12:09 PM CT ...
and 0 had something to say.
