( Mel's tweets from Twitter, hidden behind this cut. )

The vid is totally safe for work, little kids, brains and everything else.

I've finished and enjoyed immensely The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes. There are more to read but I jumped around of course and rifled through to Love Street, which I also liked. Then I skipped along to Petrefax, which I also enjoyed. Song of Orpheus made me sad of course, and it was also a very good read.

But it's Death that I really, really, really liked. The Sandman is good, but it shouldn't surprise anyone that Death turned out to be my favorite character.

Anyway, I still have an immense amount of reading that-a-way and am looking forward to it.

As for Disney News, it's official! March 1st to the 4th we'll be staying at the All Star Movies resort (lol!) on site. Since it's pretty much our honeymoon and our first (and probably only for a long time) vacation. So we figured we might as well go now before the bills overrun us again xD

We got a package deal, which also includes the "Key to the Magic Kingdom." The package deal includes the price of the hotel stay, as well as three meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner with two snacks a day for the entire four days. The Key is a Card that we pretty much wave around when we want to each and our free meal tracking goes on that.

Since we told our MAGIC KINGDOM :D (Please picture Disney-esque super happy voice!)booking agent we were pretty much celebrating our Honeymoon, they're giving us "Just Married!" pins. She told us to, "make sure you wear it all the time! You just never know what will happen!" Of course, the thirteen year old in me super excited urged Shawn after to find out what 'magic' might happen. Apparently anything from free Champagne, free food, gifts and 'other surprises.'

The first year I went for a day to Disney, I had a point and shoot. The second year we went for a day, I had the Fuji. This year I have the Canon, an 8GB card and a back up 4GB as well as a video camera and I plan on putting it all to good use. A lot of use. Lots and lots of use.

YOU CANNOT IMAGINE THE EXCITEMENT GOING ON, ON MY END RIGHT NOW.

I literally have no words. I've been there twice already, but a single day cannot encompass all that is Disney, and I will have four.

Considering that makes me feel like I did standing in the middle of the Magic Kingdom park. Overwhelmed with glee and on the verge of happy tears.

I'm going to Disney!

DISNEY!

Expect a lot of OMG DISNEY posts until after march. Just sayin'.

I'm going to try to bring all of you there, with me when I go, through pictures and video if I can!

( Mel's tweets from Twitter, hidden behind this cut. )

( Mel's tweets from Twitter, hidden behind this cut. )

Happy birthday nounsandverbs!

I hope today was a great day of lolz, family, fun, snickers, delicious sarcasm and quote games.

While you were celebrating today, I monkied around in Turkey Creek with Shawn, had fun, took some great shots for stock photos and what not.

We walked for two hours and are hoping to motivate ourselves to walk for a half an hour a day at least. We're called it out "Walk for Disney," to prepare us for our four day stay. It was really cold here and it was fantastic.

I spend the day reading really and away from teh internets, which sometimes a very good thing too.

I'ma go watch me some QI with Stephen Fry now, niiiiiiiiight love you internets

This dream won't leave me alone!


And they gathered beneath him, his massive body prone and chained upon the rock heaved and strained. The earth shook slight each time he wept and pulled the shackles taut.

The wind screamed around them kicking up sand that scoured angrily at their pale, pampered skin. Kings and Queens nattered on to themselves as they filled the ten empty stone thrones, ignoring his hair-raising moans of pain. They ignored him, as above he madly gibbered to himself about questions and freedom.

Eventually however, one by one they settled and one by one while his weeping raged on, they asked him questions. Bound to serve, bound to answer he gave them their inane questions.

He who was once a God, He who once made them and gave them life--now, nothing more than a ceremony to appease the egos of fat men feasting on corruption and power.

Oh, how he mourned. How his soul broke. And he railed against his chains, weeping.

This Christmas has been the Christmas of books, which I am ecstatic over. I haven't had the chance nor extras really, for books lately. And while it's true that I have had plenty to read in the form of the internet, I can't help myself from thinking it's not exactly the same as a good story or written tale.

So here's my reading list so far for this year, some books, some comics. I think I've got quite a healthy collection to get through before I worry about adding more.

Finished:
The Gathering Storm, by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
Orcs, by Stan Nicholls

Recently purchased/Given & will read soon:
Sandman collection, by Neil Gaiman
The Tattoo Fairies trilogy, by Melissa Marr
The Last Dancer, Daniel Keys Moran
Assassin's Quest, book 3 of the Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
The Long Run, by Daniel Keys Moran
Manxome Foe, Travis S. Taylor

Recommended to me:
The Mammoth Book of Comic Fantasy featuring Neil Gaiman, Harry Harrison, Terry Jones & more.
One Door Away from Heaven, Dean Koontz
Sign of Seven trilogy, or The Circle Trilogy, or Key Trilogy, Nora Roberts

I still have lots left on my Barnes & Noble gift certificate for e-books as well, but I'm having a hard time finding good fantasy/sci-fi selections at lower prices. I can get a romance novel with maybe a dragon or two in it and 23092302392032 romance novels featuring Vampires, but sci-fi and Fantasy seem to be not as plentiful to download.

I lucked out with Orcs. The entire book was $1 and had fantastic writing within character actions with one another. Lots of fun snark and funny moments in between quick and simple descriptions, blood, sex and fighting. Not bad at all :D

This year seems like it might also be my year to read. I'm looking forward to it, I think I need to get back to doing so.

Any recommendations? Sci-fi and Fantasy are my primary loves, but I'm down and open to trying just about anything lately. Expand the old brain pan and such.

Very happy to see Ubique's Monthly has been revived and has started this month to 2010 with a bang.

Ubique's is a newsletter for the players, by the players. See all the "This Just In," and "In Other News"? That's 100% player submitted content. You can share your SL's, what has happened to your character in the last month, character business and so much more by submitting your character news here: Submit to Ubique's

I'd love to see those of you on my friends list who RP and haven't yet had the chance to peek at UM to do so tonight. Consider it another fantastic resource to connect to players and keep up with who is who and what is what.

UM's a great resource and truly I'd like to see it continue, but it can't without our stories and updates! So check it out!

Reading last nights texts and im conversations now. ROFL I rock. I said everything I wanted to and nothing I would regret. A great way to start the New Year!

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY goes out to my newest live journal friend in this insanity called my posts: esper3k!

This is an early wish for a HAPPY NEW YEARS evening my friends. Whether you are surrounded by family you love, you like, you tolerate or hate--remember, at least, it's family.

Whether you are with someone you deeply love, admire, have a huge dork crush on, sorta like, are using for the sexin' tonight--remember that you're with someone and it's warm.

Whether you are alone and content to be, wishing for family instead, wishing for your loved one, feeling okay, depressed, worse--remember that I'm thinking about you right now. I will do so all night, so you won't have to spend New Years thinking there isn't a single person out there in the world who doesn't have you in mind.


This year I:

• Survived an immigration scare (brought on by myself, but still)
  
• Visited my parents
  
• Said the things I have always wanted to say to my mother. Said the things that should have been said to my mother. Apologized. Hoped. Loved.
  
• Got married
  
• Participated in Flash Fiction month
  
• Turned 31
  
• Started working with clay
  
• After five or six years of watching it happened, finally tried to participate in NaNoWriMo.
  
• Opened an Etsy shop
  
• Wrote more fiction/fan fiction/just wrote more in the past year than I have ever written in my entire life.
  
• Earned my first $100 without having to rely on Shawn (other than to drive him nuts. "YES BUT IS IT CUTE? DO YOU THINK IT'S CUTE?" "I AM A MAN. I AM NOT AN EXPERT ON CUTE." "BUT, BUT, YOU PICKED ME!")
  
• Learned that there were areas in my life that needed to be cleaned out. That I was letting some very unhealthy relationships and mentalities form.
  
• Felt closer to all the people I know online (which the irony is, I've not yet met--but I plan to someday, I hope! I will have a house and YOU--yes, YOU!--will come over for supper!) than I ever have.
  
• Been completely and totally floored by people online and their love, support, and responses to the crazy stuff I do.
  
• LEARNED THAT IN MARCH WE WILL BE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD FOR THREE NIGHTS AND FOUR DAYS.

thephatgeek

Grandma's Christmas cactus were all in bloom today and I promised I would take a picture of them for her when they were ready. So today after recovering from strange and wonderful dream, as well as much coffee and much bolstering, I went and took some pictures of her plants.



There's a funny sort of life-reference in here with Christmas cactus; a plant that seems terribly dull and prickly all of the year until it explodes in beautiful, delicate white, red, and maiden's blush pink flowers at the end of the year.

EDIT WHILE UPDATING THIS JUST IN:

OMFG

OMG

OMG <3 <################ I JUST GOT

GUYS I JUST GOT A BELATED CHRISSYMASS GIFT FROM THE MAIL GUESS WHAT IT WAS GUESS OMG GUESS NO WAIT I WILL SHOW YOU:



Courtesy of the awesome-est dork on the face of the planet, Horam's player <3 OMG THANK YOOOU!

Last night I dreamed of a barren place.
( I had one of those story dreams, and an odd one. Click here if you wanna read :D )

So as I may have told some of you, I got a snuggie (Which is the navy blue rumpled awesome softness that is the backdrop in this made-for-youtube video), some cash, some candy and come cute pet stuff this year for Christmas.

But Santa gave the gift that outshone everything else, really.

Star Wars: Darth Vader light saber chopsticks.

And to further prove to you I am the biggest dorkface on the planet, I made a video of them.

Yes.

BEHOLD:

I am a day late in wishing probably one of the most talented people I know, happy birthday.

HAPPY ONE DAY LATE BIRTHDAY, toeknuckles!

She's an inspiration to me. This woman has talent coming out of her pinkie toes and some days she doesn't realize it, but its there. It touches everyone around her and while she might try and convince you it's something else--don't listen. It's definitely her.

Sorry for being late :s

What seems like a small bathtub's worth of black cherry rum & irish cream rests lovingly at the bottom of our refrigerator awaiting New Years.

This year my New Years resolutions are:

To keep at it. Whatever It is.

Pretty simple drunkey mclush celebration here at Pence House--what about you?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY rendergirl

You are an amazingly fantastic lady and I am sorry I'm late in the day to wishing you a good one. I hope it was kick ass in its own way and that you remember you are loved. ♥

Christmas Eve is the time when the Pence family decides to celebrate--the gift opening, the sweets and egg nog all happen the night before Christmas day, so that Christmas day is knows as the day of recovery and sleep.

I made butter cookies, sugar cookies, peanut butter fudge, meatballs, goulash, meatloaf, grandmas corn casserole and heavenly rice.

The goulash went well, surprisingly. Grandma ate some of it then took half of it home. When I asked grandma how I did with the heavenly rice, she shook her head side to side slow and sad then informed me, "Not even close. Doesn't taste like how my mother made it at all."

I love Grandma.

Thus sparked the conversation from everyone, those that ate it and those that didn't, of: Yes, but does it TASTE good?

The egg nog that I made from an Alton Brown recipe with bourbon lasted less than four minutes. At first when I tried to get everyone to try it, they were all terribly polite about 'not right now.' So I got smart and said, "WELL I'M GOING TO HAVE SOME :D" and that started a landslide of, "Well if you're getting one get me one too?"

I brought them out and set them down and went back in to grab more pre-poured christmas-y glasses and heard a chorus of, "Holy crap! This is good!" along with, "WOW, this IS good--" and by the time I brought out more, there were empty glasses already.

I think the christmas gifts I made for everyone went over well this year! Kim commented about how she too, liked hand-made gifts a lot, and my Mom in law set fire to candle a few minutes after opening it.

This year I got Star Wars Darth Vadar chop sticks from "Santa," and a snuggle from Grandma. Kim gave up some kitty-cat food samples, a pen, a coupon off pet food should we ever decide to try purina, and $.

After, to steer the conversation away from animals because food & animals are generally all we talk about and it apparently drives Kim's boyfriend, Ritchie, nuts, he asked about god and the bible. That opened up the floodgates between Mark, Phyllis, Ritchie and Shawn about Christianity in general and weird faqs as well as skirting around some very obvious things--such as I think Ritchie might be an Atheist but he was trying to say that without saying it.

Believe it or not, the discussion went well until Grandma looked confused and fell quiet at ten pm and we decided to ask her if she wanted to go home.

Of course, if you were following this blog earlier and all the squealing, I got early christmas gifts from my internet friends who are sexy beasts: Sculpey bright colors clay pack, a Barnes & Noble virtual gift card & four books from yellowrosetx.

I liked this year's Christmas a lot and it's funny, because I was worried that because we didn't have much to give each other this year it would some how feel lacking. It's funny what the brain and the heart do when they collide with one another!

I already desperately miss Christmas and don't want it to go even though it's Christmas day. I put up so many shiny things and have enjoyed looking at them year round. I will miss the snowflakes, the tinsel, the tiny tree, the LED snowflake lights and snowflake garland in our room--I'll be sad when it's time to take them down! Everything will seem plain for a long while after!

I hope this Christmas sends joy to all of you this year!

The cookies I made tonight:


Out of the holiday cooking I have to do I've finished:
Grandma's goulash
Meatballs
Cookies
Swept living room
dust living room
mopped living room

I still have to finish:
Meatloaf
Heavenly rice
Peanut butter fudge
Corn casserole
Home made eggnog
clean kitchen
sweep kitchen
mop kitchen quickly

I can move the eggnog to tomorrow, since I want it as fresh as well as cold. The corn casserole only takes an hour to cook, so that can also be moved to tomorrow and since I won't be done cooking until then, the kitchen cleaning will have to wait until then as well. So I have to get the meatloaf & heavenly rice done and we're good for tonight.

Also, I am so glad there's a lot of damn space between the next Thanksgiving & Christmas. I'm happy and cheerful and love the holiday seasons but being pretty much responsible for making it happen has also made me very tired and not wanting to cooking anything ever again for another ten months.