Yes, I am a woman of simple pleasures.
Another simple pleasure is the sandwich I am eating -- that is, if one can consider a sandwich that is like unto the food of the gods to be a simple pleasure. Take heavy white bread -- sourdough or sheepherder's or some such. Put a little butter in a frying pan, on low heat. Put the bread in. Spread some cream cheese on one side. Spread some sundried tomato pesto (so yummy it should be banned) on the other. When medium-toasted, lay some variety of oven-baked turkey on one side, close the sandwich, carefully transfer to a plate, and eat. Yum yum yum. Not the healthiest food on the planet, but oh, so good.
I will pause now, and eat some more sandwich.
I finished my sandwich, and read a story. I'm reading _Hot off the Net_, a new anthology that just came out with a story of mine in it! :-) It's an odd piece, actually -- less a story than a monologue. A string of fantasies, only lightly linked. But it was a lot of fun to write - "Girl Behind the Fantasy". Obviously, you don't need to buy the book to read the story -- and in fact, you don't need to buy the book to read any of the stories, since they were all collected off free sites on the net (with permission and pay, 'cause the people at Black Books are honorable-types). But it's a nice collection nonetheless, and if you like holding books in your hands, you might want to check it out. Two stories by Maiden Voyage authors, who I am very glad are finally published (Bronwen and Jordan Shelbourne). I really like Bronwen's story, "Ripe" -- the one by Jordan isn't his best, I think, but still worth reading, certainly. I also really liked Raven Kaldera's "Mother's Sons" -- I'm going to try and coax my fiction editors into trying to get it for Clean Sheets. Trippy story.
Gosh, it's been almost a week since I wrote you last. It was a very full Christmas week, and I'm not sure I have the energy to cover it properly. Highlights include Christmas Eve dinner at the Benjamins' (friends of Kev's parents), where I had a really nice long talk with Kev's dad over dinner. We were both slightly tipsy on wine, and less reserved with each other than usual. Nice. Let's see...also got both cute and lovely presents from Kev and his family, including but not limited to a tape of _To Have and Have Not_, some Stash Chai, a cobalt blue and silver pendant with Celtic knotwork, a little English teddy bear (to be named Teddy, I think, as my other bear is named Bear, and I wouldn't want to get them confused), and a really stunning candleholder. Candleholder doesn't do it justice.
Picture this silver tree, about as tall as a regular desktop computer, mostly barren -- it's winter, and from it hang conical tea light candleholders, like pale blue icicles. I had seen it at a Nature Company store a few months ago and mentioned to Kevin that I lusted after it. He remembered. Good boy.
I cannot remember if I've already mentioned my roommate gifts, but one thing cannot go unmentioned, which is the red apron Ellie found for me, with the following Shakespeare quote: "Come, woo me, woo me, for I am in a holiday humor, and like enough to consent." :-) :-) :-)
Let's see...I also went to my first ever live major sports game. Susan (Kevin's sister) took me to a Sharks game (hockey). I'm not sure whether I enjoyed the game more, or the comments of the clearly Canadians sitting around us, yelling at the ref, arguing the play with each other. Lots of fun, in any case, although I actually found the frequent fights kind of annoying -- not in themselves, but because they interrupted the actual game. Susan enjoys them, though -- I think they're her favorite part. Maybe 'cause she plays hockey herself, and enjoys seeing other people knocked to the ground. I dunno.
In other news...well, my mermaid story has been rejected yet again, though with a kindly note from Asimov's. I wish I had something else to send them, but I don't think any other sf/f is ready right now. Will have to hunt. I'm not giving up on this story yet, although with six rejections collected, maybe I ought to. It's going to Odyssey next, I think, in England. Maybe a foreign audience will appreciate it more. Also got a 'forwarding order expired' from Bryan Cholfin at CRANK! -- anyone know what their new address is?
And hey -- I almost forgot. Lots more than two of you wrote in to tell me that you were here when this journal got started (if somewhat intermittently). So here's a big thanks to Jackie, David, Barbara, Carl, Espen, Dale, Ben, Jalava, and Tom for sticking around so long. Guess I can't be too boring... :-)
And before I go, the book report. Finished _The Porcelain Dove_, very happily. Read and absolutely loved Connie Willis's comedic time travel novel, _To Say Nothing of the Dog_. If you know and love either Wodehouse or Sayers (especially Sayers), I think you'll really enjoy this one. Most of it takes place in Victorian England, though it bounces around a fair bit. Very very funny. Currently deeply into Iain M. Banks's _Excession_, very confusing hard sf novel at first, but things are coming clear. I think it would help having read more of his other Culture novels first. _The Player of Games_ was excellent, if I haven't mentioned it before.
Boy, what a disjointed entry. Anyway, hope everyone had a reasonably pleasant holiday, and has fun plans for New Year's. I've got two definite parties and one possible to go to, so it may be a bit hectic. Also lots of people around -- Elissa was visiting last night (we watched _The English Patient_, which I really liked and Roshani disapproves of (romanticization of adultery)), David and Heather get back today, and I may have people from Chicago crashing at the house (Eric, Alex and Alan). It's all a bit unclear. Soon, it will be calm, though. (Yeah, right. :-)