BibliOphelia's Place

Remember I said it would be interesting to see what would happen if my man moved back over here to the East coast?

Well, dear Reader, I married him.


This is us, on our wedding day, two weeks ago Sunday.  It was a traditional Jewish wedding.  The rabbi who performed the ceremony was SA's family rabbi from Johnson City, Tennessee.  He'd done my honey's Bar Mitzvah 30 some odd years ago, and did his grandmother's funeral a few years ago.  You know you have something special when your officiant gets all choked up.  You can hear all the sobbing in the background on the video.  I had two people come up to me and tell me it was the most beautiful wedding they'd ever been to.  It was in my in-laws' living room, and we had about 25-30 people but it was indeed truly beautiful.  More so than my first wedding, with my princess gown and fancy hall and 150 guests.  Absolutely a day I'll never forget.

We look pretty happy too, don't we?  I don't think I've ever had anyone look at me with that much love.

We've also moved; we're renting a house with a yard, and we got a pooch. ( Leading to the discovery that I am truly a cat person.  I MISS MY KITTIES!!)

We had our big housewarming brouhaha last weekend -- celebrated my daughter's graduation (I now have a high schooler) and my honey's 50th birthday (I married a card carrying AARP member!).  Hopefully now that is over, we can settle into a routine and things will become some sort of normal.

We've had some pretty big ups and down, and I've discovered that with great love comes great responsibility, and great pain.  You suddenly have the power to really, truly, deeply hurt someone, and they have the power to reduce you to a bowl of soggy shredded wheat.

Anyway, dinner is on the grill, I have a kitchen to clean up, and we have to call it an early night.  Even though there's blueberry martinis calling our name...

Well, even though I said I wouldn't do it again, I did it again. I bought my ticket to Comic Con 2008. After surviving (barely) my first time out there this summer, I felt I'd earned my geek badge of courage. But then I realized, I'm a pro now! I can go back out and actually enjoy myself. I won't be walking around looking like a newb with my mouth hanging open, feeling like a hayseed in a Heroes shirt. (Which I got signed, by the way). If there is anyone here contemplating a trip out to San Diego (aka Nerdvana) here are a few tricks and tips to make you look like you know what you're doing, even when you don't:

1) Get everywhere early. Like, crack of dawn early. And I mean everywhere. Even such panels as "the meaning of comics in academic settings" has a line. If you get there at opening the line will be around the block, and all of the good swag will be gone.
2) Conversely, get everywhere 5 minutes late. Said lines are gone. And trust me, there will always be an empty seat in comics in academic settings. And the swag changes every hour anyway.
3) Read the event guide cover to cover. Read the ads. Lots of the writers, artists, and celebrities do signings at industry booths. I met James Kyson Lee and Kristin Bell on the exhibit hall floor.
4) Pack a spare suitcase or take advantage of the Federal Express booth in the lobby. You will be leaving with mounds of shit, most of it free. They literally throw the stuff at you.
5) By protectors for your posters and photographs. Those really dorky looking people with the tubes on their backs are actually quite smart. You will get posters. You will need something to carry them in. As for the protectors...well, let's just say that soda accidents do happen and you won't need to commit seppuku if your autographed picture of you and James Kyson Lee is in the middle of said accident. (I speak from personal experience. I had a protector on mine when it happened. That is why I am still here.)
6) Stay the hell away from the center of the exhibition hall, where all of the major entertainment companies have booths. Sure you want to see Jessica Alba. So do 100,000 other drooling fanboys who haven't had sex in ages. It isn't pretty.
7) Conversely again, if you must visit said area, go on a Saturday. Yes, Saturday is the busiest day. But that is because of the Heroes panel. As all 150,000 fan peeps of any and all genders will be busting a gut to get into that panel, the exhibit floor is safe. Of course, you may only meet George Takei for the 90th time (if you have been to any convention, ever, you have met George, God love him). But you will get swag that no one else is knocking you over for!
8) Don't pay any attention to those who say a) don't use the con's atm and b) don't eat at the con concession stands. The rates at atm are no worse than at your hotel, probably, and unless you really want to walk six blocks to your bank, it is the most convenient way to get cash if you need it. Which you will. A lot. Ttust me. As for the food, what the hell are you doing eating at a con anyway? (Geez, you probably actually SLEEP during a con too). But seriously. The food is no worse, or no more expensive than any of the "deals" the local restaurants foist onto unsuspecting fans. (I paid $10 for a lousy turkey and cheese sandwich on white bread, a chocolate chip cookie, and a can of coke at one of them. I had a personal pizza and soda for $6 at the con).
9) Have your camera on ALWAYS. There are so many things that are just unbelieveable...Daleks that actualy move, Jabba the Hutt, Batman made entirely of Legos, scantily clad persons of all genders (my personal favorites are the Spartans. Hands down. Sigh). Of course some of those people should not be in those outfits. Ever. But those are worth photographing too. Great fun at the water cooler.
10) And finally...if you have a teenage daughter who puts the squee in fan girl...remember, silence is golden but duct tape is silver. 

(Originally posted on my OKCupid account on 9/14).

This is going to be a tough one...my screen name is so blasted long!!!

1. Have your music library ready.
2. Choose one song from your music library whose title starts with the first letter (or number) of your LJ name.
3. Repeat this process with each successive letter (or number) in your LJ name until you run out of letters (or numbers).
4. Post up your results.
5. BONUS POINTS: Upload your mix (whether it's individual songs or a .zip of all the the songs) and include the mix in your post

B - Bad Day, Daniel Powter
I-   I'm Not Okay, My Chemical Romance
B - Beautiful People, Marilyn Manson
L - Lullaby, Dixie Chicks
I -  Intuition, Jewel
O - One Wild Night, Bon Jovi
P - Pump It, Black Eyed Peas
H - How to Save a Life, The Fray
E - Eyes Like Yours, Shakira
L - Love is Alright Tonight, Rick Springfield
I - It's Not over, Daughtry
A - Accidentally in Love, Counting Crows

No 4 or 5, unfortunately.  Only two songs with numbers on my playlist, and I'll include them as I don't have anything else! 100 Years by Five for Fighting and 1985 by Bowling for Soup.

Yes, my taste is eclectic.  I have everything from hip hop to country to gothic/alternative to easy listening (Josh Groban). I have 237 songs on my iPod so far.

By the way, I love the fortysomething group, even if I never post to it.

Saw Becoming Jane this evening.  Just proves my theory that men named Tom are Very Bad News.

It's a shame that she was such a gifted writer yet had so little happiness in her short life.  Or maybe that lack is what made her writing so beloved hundreds of years after her death.  What a trade off.  Reminds me of the questions we used to ask in high school:  Would you rather be beautiful or smart?  Would you rather have true love or be artistically gifted and famous?

The first one is easy -- if you are smart, you can find ways to become beautiful.  Dumb seems to be forever...

I don't know about the second one.  See my previous post about J.K. Rowling.  I want them both!!!

New meme -- "Four Things"

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Librarian
2. Preschool Teacher
3. Bookseller
4. Receptionist

Four movies I've watched more than once:
1. The Sound of Music
2. Grease
3. U2 Rattle and Hum
4. Amadeus

Four places I have lived:
1. Miami FL
2. North Miami Beach, FL
3. Hallandale, FL
4. Kendall, FL

Four T.V. Shows that I like to watch:
1. Heroes
2. Doctor Who
3. Medium
4. Blood Ties

Four places I have been:
1. Orlando, FL
2. London, England
3. Cozumel, Mexico
4. San Diego, CA

People who e-mail me (regularly):
1. Beth
2. Karen
3. Marika
4. Bert

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Baked ziti
2. pad thai
3. stuffed grape leaves (with tzatzki sauce)
4. white chocolate fondue

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. away someplace peaceful with a stack of good books
2. getting a massage
3. soaking in a hot bubble bath with a good book
4. St. Augustine

Four blessings of mine:
1. my family
2. my friends
3. my animals
4. my career

Things I am looking forward to this year:
1. going to San Diego Comic Con again
2. all od the upcoming anime conventions
3. my daughter graduating middle school
4. someone commenting on my LiveJournal!!!!

I have been to three conventions in as many weekends and today went to a toy and collectible show, which was like a giant dealers room.  I am totally wiped out and broke.  Although I am very grateful to the gentleman who sold me all of the graphic novels at half off (or more).  I know what I'm going to be reading over the next few days.

I've been really bad about watching what I eat and I think I've only exercised once in the last month.  I did buy an armband holder for my iPod Nano so maybe that will motivate me to get back on my treadmill.  I don't know what is wrong with me; I've been so drained lately.  Well I do guess all of those conventions will do it.  San Diego Comic Con was major and exhausting both physically and emotionally, then to turn around and go to Orlando the next weekend for AFO...not so smart, maybe.  It's also been so darn hot and humid here.

Excuses, excuses.

In a way I'm glad school is starting back Monday and things will return somewhat to normal.  I have a lot of things on my plate for the next few months at work.  I tend to overschedule activities and wear myself out.  I am thinking about signing up for a class on graphic novels at the local community college.  It sounds interesting and would actually be useful for my job. I've been checking my work email just so I'm not too overwhelmed when I go back Tuesday but I have close to 100 I'm going to need to address.  Yuck.  that's the good thing about going away on vacation, I don't check my work e-mail.

As you can see, relaxing just isn't me....

I have to write this in a hurry because my teenaged daughter (that's a synonym for demon from hell) wants to use the machine. She's begging me for a wireless laptop.  I am thinking about it.  Actually I should  buy it for me.  I keep thinking I will write a novel and if I had a laptop the last of my excuses would be gone. (Not like I don't have a regular computer, or a pen and paper for that matter).

I am on day 6 of my 10 day "do nothing" vacation.  My familial unit (that's me, the demon from hell, and my mother) went to see Hairspray this afternoon.  It was wonderful.  I love how the songs sound like happy, traditional Broadway songs until you catch a lyric like "we're the right people, white people" or the one about eating pork...very funny.  I never did see the original movie. I wonder if I should.  Not that I'm big on comparing things.  Something, or someone, always comes up short.

We (D.F.H. and myself) saw Stardust last night.  It was wonderful too.  A movie adapted from a book -- and I actually liked it.  It's a much better adaptation than Princess Bride, I think (that movie made Buttercup too delicate, and left out all of her best lines). I would see both Hairspray and Stardust again.

There's still a couple of movies I want to see, including Becoming Jane, Bourne Ultimatum, and Rush Hour 3 (yeah, I've heard it sucks, but that is part of the fun).

I want to go shopping.  I want to check out this new mascara made by Bare Escentuals.  I don't need to go shopping and I need a mascara like a hole in the head but....it has one of the really skinny wands that I like.  I live to find the perfect mascara.  I have these wussy blond eyelashes (I got gyped out of the blond hair, though, which is unfair because if you have to have pale eyelashes and white milkmaid skin, you should at least get the perk of blond hair t go with it). But sensitive skin.  And I hate clumpy mascara.  Anyway, I digress.  I'll wait to go shopping when I have a friend to go with.

I'm going to go read instead, and relinquish the computer to D.F.H.