Overall, it's been a great week.
On Monday I found out that a group at MS is interested in interviewing me for a producer position. I always get nervous about the infamous interview loop, but hopefully having been through it a few times will help me to be successful this time. I hear great things about the group, so that's a plus, too. It all came together quickly, which I am not sure is a positive or a neutral thing. The interview is May 7th, so I have a few weeks to drive myself crazy about it.
I met Jacquelyn Mitchard this week. It was a great experience. She was so real and funny, not at all the aloof artiste that I figured such a famous author might be. I told her that I knew Michelle and she seemed excited about it, "Isa is Michelle! You'll see, it's all Michelle" she said as she signed my book. I even sent her an e-mail message that night about what a great experience it was to meet her and she responded the next day. I didn't figure that she would be so prompt!
Work has been good this week. I am fixing many broken links. Oddly, I kind of enjoy it. It's like a treasure hunt.
Wendy has asked me to read something at her wedding in August. I even get to pick the piece out. I have no idea what to read yet...I don't want something cheesy or something that's read all the time. I like to make things difficult.
No big plans for the weekend yet. I hope that the weather is nice. Maybe I'll stroll around Greenlake.
This was an interesting weekend. My friends have all this drama! I found out Marie is having another baby in December. Keely has to leave the apartment that she moved in to three weeks ago. Wendy is engaged and getting married in August! Geesh! What more could be going on??
Easter Sunday was such a nice weather day. It was quite warm!
I peeled 15 lbs. of potatoes for Easter dinner! Made half regular and the other half garlic cheese. They went over well, but I still have a lot of the garlic cheese left since it got put out on the table last and everyone was probably full. That's okay; I'll eat them. :)
The rain is back today.
Generally, I don't write haikus. My poems hover around the 14 line mark, probably because of my fascination with sonnets. But as I was sifting through my new journal today, looking for scenes to type into the novel (which as it turns out, the journal I needed is, of course, at home), I saw the beginning of a poem. I decided that the idea wasn't substantial enough to stretch out into my normal 14 lines,but intrguing enough to me to format somehow. So, I decided upon the haiku form. Of course, this is a rough draft, but this is what I have so far.
It's been pretty slow for the past week, which I am grateful for in comparison to the previous 2 weeks when I worked a crazy amount of hours, but I also hate having nothing to do. It's taken all I have to stay here.
I'm working hard on the Seattle Live Literature redesign. I think it's going to kick butt compared to what we have now. But, redesigns are never easy. However, I'm learning a lot, and not just about code, so it's all good. A guy from England, who is working on a similar site, actually contacted me via e-mail about my strategy, etc. about getting the site up and running. I am pretty pleased about that and excited. He's already asked a lot of questions that Wendy and I have thought about but put on hold for now since our main focus has been the calendar. Also, we are probably bringing on someone to fill a producer-like role so I can focus more on site manager responsibilities as well as write more. This really could be a nearly full-time job.
I went to a new church on Sunday and enjoyed it. Surprisingly, the minister called me last night. I don't think any of the churches that I've been to have done that, so that was definitely a plus in their favor.
Yesterday it was all sunny and nice; I wore sandals to work. Today it's rainy and crappy out. It's always this time of year that I start feeling antsy about the weather and start daydreaming about the return of the sun and all the fun things that there are to do in the summer. I am definitely a child of summer.
I was tired of the Peter Max calendar pictures that I like thumb tacked to the wall because it's impossible to find 12"x12" frames, so while I was at Cost Plus on Saturday, I found a 12"x36" frame. Now, I had four of those calendar pictures designated for the living room, but since that was the longest frame I could fine, I sacrificed the one that I liked the least and with a little creativity, "matted" and framed the other three and hung them over the sofa. Also while at Cost Plus I bought some really cute red, hanging candle holders and they hang on either side of the frame. Quite cute and cozy. I also bought a new vacuum cleaner at Target and boy does that thing suck things up. Not only did it suck up all the wads of blond (yes it is blond!) hair all over the place and all the grey Mika fur, but it also tried to consume my cell phone charger cord and the closet curtain. I swear the floor is a shade lighter now. Of course, I still didn't do the dishes, but I will...
Steve and I went to the Woodland Park Zoo yesterday. My prayers for sunshine were answered and it was a nice day. A little chilly, but it wasn't raining, so that was great. we went specifically to see the baby tigers but unfortunately, the line closed at 2:00 pm and we got to the line at 2:15. We did, however, get to see Hensa (the baby elephant) splashing around in her pool, so that made up for it. What is it about baby elephants, well maybe baby animals in general, that makes them look happy all the time? Baby humans really don't have that trait. Then we went to a nice restaurant in Green Lake called "Dukes" and had steams clams. Yum! He lent me a different Tom Robbins book, so that I will give Mr. Robbins another chance after the catastrophe of Skinny Legs and All.
I bought the new Jacquelyn Mitchard book Friday night, Twelve Times Blessed. I've always liked Ms. Mitchard; her book Deep End of the Ocean was one of the two first books I bought after I graduated from college and was relearning how to "read for fun." I liked the book and also enjoyed the fact that she is from Wisconsin. A couple years ago, someone told me, although I don't remember who it was, that a friend of mine from high school, moreso from childhood, Michelle Jewel, was an assistant to Ms. Mitchard since Michelle was a student at the UW-Madison. Fast forward to Friday when I am holding the book in my hands and reading the bookflap where it is mentioned that the character has an assistant. Immediately, I wondered if that character was at all based on Michelle. That night I read the introduction, and sure enough, it is written, "...thanks to Michelle Jewel...for being a body double." I became so excited! I feel like I am one step away from knowing this "famous" person! The author is actually going to be reading somewhere locally this month and I am going to try to get to it. Maybe I'll get to tell her the story or at least tell her that I know Michelle. :)
The workout bag is in my car and I plan to use it this week!
It's been sunny for the past couple days, but still a little chilly. Last night on the way home, though, it hailed a bit. Strange.
I read this morning that Scott Foley and Jennifer Garner are splitting up. Finally! Now I can marry him!
I have chewed my finernail and surrounding hangnail beds to nubs. It is even a bit painful. I hate it when I do that? How do I stop chewing my nails?