"I'm a flibbertigibbet"

Angelica, from Joe Versus the Volcano

Or, at the very least, someone with more enthusiasm and interests than time. Which surprises no one who has met me, I bet.

Let's see... I'm still crocheting, though slower than before. And I am woefully behind on photographing my projects. Still, I finished my shawl made of silk, and will be getting good pictures of it hopefully this weekend. In the meantime, a preview:

Yet to be photographed are two hood/scarf thingies, an onion holder, and other things that slip my mind at the moment.

Speaking of pictures, I had to send my primary camera in (the Canon Rebel XT) for repairs to the focus mechanisms. In the meantime, I bought a little pocket camera, which I am delighted with - the Olympus FE-280. Tiny and fun, with a video mode that I lay with constantly.

My truck is also not among the functioning items of my life, although my dad assures me that it should be much improved by Saturday. He has loaned me another truck, which dislikes me immensely. Every time I figure out its latest quirk and drive it somewhere in triumph, it develops a new hitch and I am baffled again. I think it just misses dad.... Sometimes, I regret not being mechanical.

The novel has been giving me fits, because I decided that my very entrenched subplot was too ridiculous to continue, came up with a simpler (and I truly believe better) storyline to accomplish a much stronger conflict and story overall, and then became increasingly frustrated at my clumsiness in making the changes. So I set it all aside for a while, and have retreated to reading many novels by authors who I think do things right - or at least, ways I enjoy reading. So, new books have been bought! And most of them read! I love to read, and truly believe that many weeks, it is the only thing that keeps me from running screaming into the abyss. Of course, so has being a Wiffer* and listening to Will Write for Wine...
*you can hear my voice in the intro to the one year anniversary show, if you're so inclined... it's a little ways in.

So, some (more) recommendations:
Lani Diane Rich has written several books, which I finally own all of, yay :) And if I have ever made a recommendation that has appealed to you, go out and buy A Little Ray of Sunshine! I love this book, and have been pressing it on friends and family (all of whom have reported back positively, as well.) It's both funny and touching, and currently in my top ten books of all time. Although I would cheat, and just name my top ten favorite writers, and insist upon keeping all books from each author. I've enjoyed all of her books, but my other two favorites (at the moment) are Time Off For Good Behavior and The Fortune Quilt.
Lani has kindly led me to several other authors, such as Joshilyn Jackson. Her gods in Alabama totally stole my heart, and Between, Georgia was a delight also. Her latest was released in March, and is on my gotta have list.
And, shame of all shame, despite minoring in literature and devouring books like candy, I must confess that until recently, I had never read Pride & Prejudice. I figured it would be hard to get into, written so long ago, and it was something I always figured I would eventually get around to, because it is after all a classic. But no hurry... At CherryCon, I received a copy of Flirting with Pride & Prejudice, edited by Jennifer Crusie and with essays by other authors I love, like Alesia Holliday, Mercedes Lackey, and Lani naturally. So I bought it, devoured it in one reading, read it again, read the essays, reread P&P, and well, I was wrong, wrong, wrong. It's wonderful, and much imitated (Bridget Jones' Diary and Clueless) and frequently referenced in other works of fiction (Ex and the Single Girl, by Lani) and referred to as "the mother of all romance novels" by Jenny herself. So, if you haven't read it, it's worth it. Promise.
I also managed to track down some of Alesia Holliday's books that were missing from my collection (no joy on Blondes Have More Felons yet). Initially, I read her American Idle, and loved it - laugh out loud funny at parts, with a heroine I felt like I knew. She also writes as Alyssa Day, the Warriors of Poseidon series, which is great fun as well. So, I found Seven Ways to Lose Your Lover and Nice Girls Finish First, both of which I devoured within hours of getting in the mail and enjoyed. On a more serious note (but never dreary, or too serious) I also read her first book, the nonfiction novel Email to the Front. It was amazing, and brought tears to my eyes. I cannot imagine the courage it took to write it, and share it with the world.
I read a lot more books, but will save some for another post. And I met Lani, Alesia, and Jenny; they are among the kindest and smartest people I have ever had the privilege to speak to. Each one is recommended here due to the merits of their books, though. All of the authors I met online as a Cherry and at CherryCon have taught me a lot about who I want to be. You know, when I ever finish my first draft and make it into a coherent story ;)

There was something else I was going to ramble about, but once again, the Buffy Musical (Once More with Feeling) has called to me, and I must go watch it again. While I play Bookworm. And, er, think about my novel. No, really.