early post: gratitude, of course

I wrote a post. It was too deep and convoluted. I scratched it.

Since I won't be near a computer this weekend, here are some things I am grateful for. There are only a zillion more, so it's just a sampling. I like living in gratitude, not that I succeed all the time, but I try. You waste less time plotting people's demises.

So, here goes:

1) the traditionals: health, family, friends, job (I'd like less of the job, please)

2) pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread/muffins, pumpkin pie Blizzards from DQ, and pumpkin malts from Culver's

3) books--they save me, help me, amuse me, annoy me, and make my life whole

4) the women in this photo--all 2009 Debs--and the diversity of thought and experience they brought me during our YALSA weekend this month

5) #4 repeated again and again, related to all my writer friends and acquaintances. I heart writers a million times over.

6) the TaTas, my writing group, who deserve awards for how good they make my writing

7) Flux, my publisher--awesome and extraordinary

8) my agent, Amy Tipton--also awesome and extraordinary

9) lemon water (do I always mention this? I think so)

10) my students, who give me amazing character ideas and make me laugh

Happy Thanksgiving, American friends. I'm grateful for you, of course.

In the photo, l to r in back: Neesha Meminger, me, Malinda Lo, Megan Frazer. In front, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, Cynthea Liu, Lauren Bjorkman. We had a ton of fun!

Dun dun dun--it's here!

OK! It only seems appropriate that I write about HP 7 today. If you're not a Harry Potter geek, I think you still know that the 7th film comes out today (part 1, anyway). I hope it lives up to the hype.

And now, stealing shamelessly from Tahereh Mafi, 5 reasons (each) why it would be cool to date an HP character:

WHY I'D DATE SIRIUS
1) bad boy
2) furry to cuddle with (and a dog takes up less space in a bed)
3) smart ass
4) cool kid, so I'd be cool by virtue of hanging out with him
5) good at hiding
This does not take into account the fact that he's spoiled, which is kind of a turn-off.

WHY I'D DATE LUPIN
1) free time every month while he's werewolfing
2) gentle when he's not a werewolf
3) shabby = low maintenance
4) protection from the big V with his DADA skills
5) cool pets like grindylows

WHY I'D DATE RON
1) funny
2) funny
3) dorky
4) funny
5) big crazy family

WHY I COULDN'T DATE DUMBLEDORE: I'm straight.

WHY I'D NEVER DATE HARRY: eeeew. Too much like a brother.

It's always the books that have my heart--always!--but the movies will do, and it's fun to geek out once in a while. In my house, HP is like comfort food. No other book to read? Get out the HP discs, and let's listen (we're in love with Jim Dale, too). And it doesn't make you fat, like frozen pizza will.

OK! Hot-cha! Off to work so I can stand in line with a non-guilty conscience later. Woo woo!

Seven things I am doing instead of writing

Finding time to write these days is like finding a lost kitty--the reunion is joyous, but kitties are quite elusive, especially when it's noisy and chaotic. All I want is my skulls, my Black Hills, and my ghosts. Is that too much to ask? It seems to be. But Ray and Callie sit patiently on my table, waiting for me, as characters do (thank god--can you imagine if they got up and walked around? Eeek.).

Here's what I'm doing instead of writing, right this instant:

1) grading my students' discussion posts

2) listening to Stevie Wonder on the 70s music channel on my TV (this is no hardship)

3) listening to my kid play a video game my spouse lets him play, one that came out this week and I HATE it, but I lost that battle, no pun intended

4) gluing the treadmill key back together

5) reading A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS in preparation for teaching it (also not much of a hardship)

6) prepping for a reading tonight (also not much of a hardship, but it's 90 miles away)

7) wrapping birthday gifts for mailing

All of it serves a purpose, of course. BUT I NEED TO WRITE. I love my family, my students, the people who read my books, the people who need birthday gifts, all of it. I love what I do in life. BUT I NEED TO WRITE.

Hear me? I NEED IT.