I got the job offer today . . . and I got the figure I was hoping to hear, without really expecting to get it.  The new salary is effective 4/1, and I can apply for benefits a few days afterward.  I will also be able to get raises provided I get good reviews (which I'm not worried about).

*dances*

This is just random crap about me, cribbed from two similar memes I did on LJ.


1.  I believe in reincarnation, and throughout my life I have been drawn to certain areas and things without really knowing why, especially the Titanic, Gettysburg, and the Scottish Highlands.  I sincerely feel I lived in these places.

2.  In one of the book series I am working on, I am taking a page from Tolkien, and developing a language, including grammar rules.  It won't be nearly as in-depth as Elvish, but it does have quite a bit of work in it.

3.  I can purr.  Seriously.

4.  I played trombone from fifth grade through my senior year of college.  We didn't have an orchestra at my small school, but I participated in marching band, jazz band, pep band, concert band, trombone choir, and in solo and ensemble contests.

5.  My love of costuming started at the Lord of the Rings Trilogy Tuesday event, when I saw so many amazing costumes . . . that others had made from scratch!  I had never had any interest in sewing until then; now I love it.  And I am still friends with quite a few of the people I met at the theatre that day.

6.  My favorite movie of all time is Ever After.  I've been entranced with it ever since I saw it in the theatre opening night.  My VHS tape literally broke from use because I watched it so much in college (it has since been replaced with a DVD version).  Not only are the costumes stunning, the prince handsome, the music lovely, and it has da Vinci in it (one of my favorite historical figures) but it affirms my belief that I will find my true love someday.

7.  Sweeney Todd is a fascination of mine.  My mother introduced me to the Sondheim musical when I was ten, and I quickly fell in love with it.  I currently have seen two versions of the show live, have four versions on DVD (Lansbury/Hearn, Tim Burton, Ray Winstone, and the PBS special), six books (including the novelization of the original penny dreadful series and the complete libretto of the musical), two versions on CD, and several collectible pieces (I love the razor replica from the movie).

8.  I've always enjoyed the theatre, but never wanted to be onstage.  I worked the lights for two years in high school, and then my English teacher (who served as the director for the plays) convinced me to try out for the senior play.  I was only in the chorus, but only because I was insistent on not having a speaking role.  I was told that I would have had a supporting role if I had wanted it.  Now I wish I had gone for it, because I had a great time.  Once I move and get my finances in order, I would like to get into community theatre.

9.  For the past three years, I have made 95% of the Thanksgiving dinner by myself (the exception was the gravy).

10.  My favorite color is midnight blue.  The colors rounding out my top five are silver, bronze, royal purple, and dark teal.

11.  Most people know how much I love books, especially fantasy novels, but only a few know that one of my favorite authors is Charles Dickens.  I try to read A Tale of Two Cities every couple of years, and I read "A Christmas Carol" every Christmas Eve.  I also enjoy Victor Hugo and Herman Melville.

12.  My dream house would be surrounded by forest, with a brook nearby and the only sounds those of nature.  I garner much of my strength from nature, so to be immersed in it would be simply amazing.  Add a small stable with four or five horses and some riding/hiking trails and my little slice of heaven is complete.

13.  I traveled by myself for my first sojourn overseas - my trip to Scotland in July 2007.  I joined up with my tour group the day after I arrived, where we visited several Harry Potter based sites.  We even got our copies of Deathly Hallows at midnight in Edinburgh at the bookstore where Jo Rowling used to pass by on her way to the cafe where she wrote part of Philosopher's Stone, often stopping to look in the windows, dreaming to one day see her book in print there.  It was an amazing trip, and I still talk to a couple of the people I met there. My favorite purchase from Scotland was the complete set of the Harry Potter books in hardcover in the British editions.  So many wonderful experiences *wistful sigh*

14.  I graduated Valedictorian of my high school, and the speech I wrote for the occasion was even published in the local paper.  (So technically, I AM a published writer - LOL).  I compared the years of high school and the people there as the production of a film.  Even after almost 12 years, I am still proud of that speech, and my accomplishment.

15.  Roller coasters!  Whee - I love them!  The bigger, the better.  I haven't been to a theme park in years, but I freaking love Cedar Point, especially since it is only about 2 1/2 hours from here.  They simply have the best coasters, and so many to choose from.

16.  My favorite (specific) animals are the Arabian horse, the Siamese cat, the Bengal tiger, the Irish setter, and the golden eagle.

17.  I am a member of a sorority.  I joined Kappa Delta when I was in college, and held several offices, including Sergeant-at-Arms, Secretary, and Chapter Excellence Chairman.

18.  I attended Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, OH (Go Falcons!) and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.  I majored in Computer Art and minored in Painting (specializing in oils).  If I could have afforded to go a fifth year, I would have added a minor in Photography and a second major in Art History.

19.  Speaking of Art History, besides the two core classes I took, I also took classes that focused on Japanese, Chinese, Indian, and Southeast Asian art.  In order to better understand the symbolism of the art, we learned the basics of Buddhism and Hinduism.  These studies led to my fascination with different religions.

20.  I love being out in nature, especially in forests.  I also love ponds, rivers, and lakes.

21.  I will be attending DragonCon for the sixth year this year, and I plan on finally getting an Eternal Membership.

22.  My favorite type of movies are historical, action, sci-fi, and fantasy.  I also like many war movies and the occasional western.  Horror movies, however, I can do without.

23.  I've only been sewing for a little over four years, and out of everything I've made, only one thing has not been a costume (or for a costume) - and even that dress was based off of Fleur's Yule Ball gown from Goblet of Fire.

24.  I am addicted to Harry Potter - ask anyone who knows me well.  I got hooked in 2000 and have an extensive collection - many books, statues, wands, magazines, a few Noble Collection replicas, action figures, games, etc.  I have written several blogs about it, and am working on a novel-length fanfic.

25.  My favorite HP character is Snape, and I vouched for his loyalty to Dumbledore ever since Prisoner of Azkaban.  I even served as his defense attorney in a mock trial that was put on at a local convention - and yes, I won!

26.  My favorite food is potatoes.  I love potatoes!  Mashed are my biggest weakness, but baked, broiled, parsleyed, sauteed, fried, whatever, equals yum in my book.

27.  I love to cook and bake.  One of the things I am looking forward to when I move is making meals for my friends.  Cheesecakes are what I love to make the most, even if they aggravate me by cracking occasionally.

28.  I drive a 2000 blue Toyota Camry.  My previous car was a 1991 blue Toyota Camry.  Any guesses as to what my third car will probably be?  ;)

29.  I have a custom license plate that says RAVNCLW.

30.  I am a book fiend.  I usually read about 50 books a year, plus 6-7 different magazines on top of that (several of these weeklies).  My favorite genres are fantasy, sci-fi, history (medieval, Asian, Renaissance, Civil War, and Edwardian), biographies of Civil War personages, and anything else that strikes my fancy (I have books on ships, New Orleans cemeteries, haunted Ohio, the development of the chariot, and astrology).

31.  As a Civil War buff, I want to see as many battlefields as possible.  I've been to two so far - Chickamauga and Gettysbug, but plan on visiting at least three new ones this summer.

32.  I've always grown up with both cats and dogs, with no fewer than two of each at any time.  It will be weird when I move not to be surrounded by animals.

33.  I adore horses and am a fairly good rider.  I used to ride my neighbor's horses when I was young, and I leased a horse for eight months when I was in sixth grade.  I've mostly ridden Western, but have some experience in English as well.  Someday I want to own several horses, and learn how to jump, learn basic dressage, and drive.

34.  Horse racing is another interest of mine.  I try to watch the Triple Crown races every year, and I still enjoy a good fiction or reference book about the racing world.

35.  As a night owl, I tend to be grumpy in the mornings.  In a perfect world, I would be up from 10am to 2am.

36.  I do not like Mexican food.  Which is strange because I've liked almost every other cuisine I've tried, including Indian, Greek, British, and Japanese.

37.  If I won the lottery, the first thing I would do is pay off all my debts.  Then I would invest some into savings and other secure methods.  Then I would set up some scholarship funds, donate some to charity, commission the building of a cottage in the woods, and then go traveling for a couple of months.

OK, I guess I've ignored my poor Myspace account long enough (as many of you know, I have been spending most of my online personal site time on LiveJournal - feel free to friend me there too if you have an account).  Anyway, I've decided to do a catch-up post for you all on here.  :)

In no particular order:

1.  I finally started researching my costumes for this year.  I am hoping to do up to six - two new for Marcon and four new for DragonCon.  For Marcon, I am planning on doing Susan's lavender dress from Prince Caspian for the Masquerade, and Rosalie's baseball outfit from Twilight.  For DragonCon, I am planning an original design for a Moulin Rouge-inspired can-can dress, the new Luna Lovegood outfit from Half-Blood Prince (the pink coat and Spectrespecs), and if I have time, Susan's farewell gown from Prince Caspian.  Also, for the first time, I am planning on entering the Dawn Costume Contest!  My original design is being postponed, so I am going to wear a dress based off an artwork - the key will be in finding a seamstress.

2.  I am also planning on taking a nine or ten day road trip in June or July, meeting several con/LJ friends and seeing historical sites, including Civil War battlefields, the Biltmore, and maybe Fort McHenry and/or Colonial Williamsburg.  Whether I can go depends on my tax refund.

3.  Been downloading, screen-capping, and posting a bunch of HBP pictures!  Can't wait for the movie - midnight show!  I've already asked for that Friday off.

4.  Did a lot of memes.

5.  Saw Watchmen on opening day.  I thought they did a really good job on it, and I was happy they were so faithful to the comics.

6.  I've begun work on a new project.  I want to take series of photographs with people in fantasy and medieval costumes, and then use Photoshop to transform them into looking like old, cracked oil paintings.  I am experimenting with the look right now.

7.  Another bad tooth, another root canal I have to have.  *sigh*  Curses on my weak enamel.

8.  The job is still going well, and I should be a regular full-timer with benefits April 1!  (No, this is not an April Fools' joke).  Hurrah!

9.  I lost one of my kitties three weeks ago (wow, has it been that long already)?  Reina succumbed to her feline leukemia, but fortunately, she did not suffer and died in her sleep.  She was about 13, we think (she was a stray that adopted us).  I miss her a lot.  :(

10.  I finally attended my first band concert!  A group of us went to see Lovesick Radio perform at a bar in Heath.  I met one of the group members too, since my friends knew them.  I had a great time and hope to see them again when they come to Newark next month.  They are a local band - check them out!

11.  I added to my Harry Potter mini bust collection with the rare Werewolf Lupin.  Only 500 of these were made, and I happened to find them still selling at regular price on the company's website!  Score!  Now I still need to get Ginny and preorder Sirius and Kreacher.  I would love to have the Quidditch Harry and Quidditch Ron, but since I already have a style of each, I will wait on those for now.

12.  Always reading, I am two-thirds through my twentieth book of the year.

13.  In February, I caught a minor flu.  I was really sick for two days, and then it lingered for another week after that.  I can't complain too much though, because that was the first time I've had something worse than a little cold for three years.

14.  Took a bunch of pictures of the snowstorm on Jan. 28.

15.  Helped Dad with the inventory of his Star Trek collection.  Lots of goodness there.

Cross-posted from my LJ:

Yes, I know there is still 1 week left in December, but I am not sure if I will have the time to do another long blog until after the holidays.  Therefore, I decided to go ahead and post my Year in Review blog now.  Unfortunately, it's not as exciting as it has been in years past, but it's a tradition now, and I will stick with it.

January

I finished my job as a Store Manager at Hallmark on January 5 and filed for unemployment benefits shortly afterward.  I had been a Store Manager for eighteen months, but when my store was closed, I decided it was time to move on.  I had been offered a position at a store in Mansfield, but retail was not a good fit for me, and I took the chance to leave gracefully and with no hard feelings.  My three weeks vacation and personal day were paid out to me, which allowed me to pay the bills for the first month while my unemployment was processed.  I took the first few weeks of my unemployment off just for me, catching up on some books, watching movies I hadn't seen in years, and rediscovering my love of video editing, icon making, and photography.

February

I began actively job hunting this month.  There weren't a lot of leads, but i did register with some temp agencies, with the hopes of landing something as an admin or a data entry specialist.  Focusing on upgrading my office computer skills, I ran a couple of tutorials on Word and Excel to learn some new things, and practiced my typing to try to get my speed up a little.  I met with a career counselor that Mom knows, and she helped me fine-tune my resume.

March

Like typical Ohio weather in March, this month was rather dreary.  I received no interviews from anywhere, even though I expanded my job search from Newark/Granville/Heath to New Albany/Northern Columbus/Westerville/Gahanna.  I sent out numerous resumes, spoke with seven different temp agencies, and attended my first job fair, with no results. 

April

One of my best friends, Joanne, turned 30 this month, and she was having a birthday party with a group of her friends up in Lakewood (near Cleveland).  I hadn't seen her for months, and hadn't been up to her place in a couple of years, so I took advantage of having a weekend off and spent three days with her.  I was introduced to this group, and we bonded pretty quickly.  They partake in a group called Dagorhir (foam weapon medieval/fantasy battles) and their big national battle (called Ragnarok) is held every June in Ohio.  They invited me to go camping with them then, and they even tried to convince me to move up there!  It's nice to be so loved - LOL.  Even though Joanne got sick from a bad hamburger, we all had a wonderful time, and one of the Lakewood group, Kida, makes the best-ever pina coladas.  I am hoping to get back up there soon to see them all again.

Also in April, my friend Marcy got married!  I knew her from high school, and even though we didn't talk much at the time, we grew closer in college.  I was one of her bridesmaids, and this was the second wedding I was a part of (at the first, my friends Sidley and James, I read a poem at the ceremony).  We had the bachelorette party at the Funny Bone at Easton, and then went to Gameworks, where I quickly got back in my groove at the skeeball area!  The rehearsal and dinner were the following night, and then the ceremony was held on April 25 in Columbus.  It was  abeautiful ceremony, and Marcy looked so gorgeous. 

May

May means one thing for me - Marcon!!!!  Marcon is a sci-fi/fantasy/etc convention held here in Columbus, and I have been helping out with it for three years now (I am already planning on assisting in 2009).  Many of my friends also volunteer, and I attended a planning meeting earlier in the month, and then there was the con itself.  I served as a panelist on three panels (one on Harry Potter and the OOTP movie, one on The Prestige, and one on Firefly/Serenity). 

For the first time, I also entered the Masquerade in my Susan Coronation gown from Narnia.  I entered solely for the experience, not really having a skit or performance of any kind - I have ideas for future costumes, but this year I merely wanted to know what to expect.  So imagine my shock when I actually won an award for Workmanship in the Novice Class!  I felt like I was in a dream; I didn't think I heard my name correctly.  It felt so amazing to hear my friends screaming my name and whooping it up, and the audience clapping - for me!  It wasn't the first time I've ever won a costuming award (I got one at the Yule Ball at DragonCon in 2007 for Best Accessories as book Luna Lovegood) but this was surreal for me.  I've never thought my costumes were all that great, and Susan was only the second one I was happy with, so this made me feel a lot better about what I could do.

Marcon was also wonderful because I met two women who have become good friends (and LJ buddies) for the first time.  Many shout-outs to Cassandra and Lesa!

Finally, just before Marcon, I went to the midnight showing of Indiana Jones 4, and an opening night showing of Prince Caspian - the first movies I had been able to attend in 2009.

June

Over the previous few months, I had been toying with the idea of doing photography professionally.  I almost minored in it in college (if I could have gotten the last required class in within my four years, I would have) and have constantly been complimented on my work.  I seem to have an eye for finding something unique, especially in nature - I love landscapes, flowers, and other elements of the natural world.  However, I have done some portrait work too for friends, and they turned out pretty well (a few examples are on my Myspace page).  Therefore, after researching to see what was available, I used part of my tax refund to purchase a 12.2 mp Canon Rebel XS1 with 18-55mm lens, an external flash with two flashes on it (upper and lower), a new sturdier tripod, a camera case, and a handful of filters (UV, 4-point star, diffusion, and a macro set).  I designed a logo, letterhead, business cards, pricing lists, and example sheets.

I had my first time trying it out at a BBQ that my friends, Stacy and JP, held at their new home.  It's wonderful being able to take action shots without unintentional blurring!  Later that month, I did a photo shoot with my good friend Andy, both at Dawes Arboretum and the woods behind his home.  I ended up with over 350 pictures!  I completely enjoyed it, and I felt so creative and refreshed.  The photos turned out amazingly well - Andy even liked them, and I'd heard he normally didn't like pictures of himself.  His mom ordered about ten prints right then and there, and she wants me to do a photo shoot with her daughter and the entire family (both of which have had to be rescheduled - we are looking at early 2009 for getting those done now).

June also marked the month when I began really focusing on getting DragonCon costumes done.  I was planning on going to a nearby Ren Faire in October during Highland week, and being of Scottish descent, I was determined to have a traditional Scottish outfit for it, that I would premiere at D-Con.  So during breaks while job hunting (still no results, although I had one interview for an admin position through a temp agency, with no callback) I researched my family name and associated clan.  I learned that I am descended from the MacAskill sept, which is affiliated with the MacLeod clan, and learned about my tartan.

July

July stretched as long as the hot summer days.  No interviews, and I was becoming worried and frustrated about not finding a job.  I re-doubled my efforts, sending out more resumes, hitting the temp agencies in person twice a week (using up lots of gas), and attending another job fair.  On a good note, my friends Andy and Kelly decided that the three of us would get an apartment together - it is time for us to be out on our own, and sharing an apartment would be a good way to start (none of us want to pay full rent for at least a year).  I met up with my friend Candace for dinner before going to a midnight showing of The Dark Knight, and I gave her money to pick up the Comic-Con exclusive Fred and George busts for me (I collect these works of art from Gentle Giant).  I was also introduced to Merle through Grace, who recommended her to me for a headpiece.

August

AAAAHHHHH!!  August is Stress Month, a.k.a. Time-is-Running-out-Before-DragonCon Month!  I spent most of the month (minus job hunting) feverishly sewing!  In the end, I did have three new costumes - my Scottish Lass garb, my Tonks Advance Guard (which I was pretty happy with - it marked the first time I've gone way off pattern, including making a mock-up; I even made the hoodie and necklace) and my Dragonmaster dress (which was an original design, using colors I typically don't use, and is one of the best costumes I've done yet). 

On a good excellent note, I had two interviews, one at Chase and the other at McGraw-Hill.  And I got the Chase job!  I was finally employed again!  And not a moment too soon, because the unemployment ran out just then.  I was making a little less than I had at Hallmark, but more than unemployment, and I finally had my foot in the door.  As a temp, I had to work as such for four months (meaning no benefits or paid time off) but after that timeframe, I could post for regular full-time positions.

At the end of the month was DragonCon.  I'm not going into too much detail (there is a whole other blog with THAT writeup) but it was a wonderful time - much better than the disappointments I suffered last year.  I actually got quite a few pictures taken of me in costume, something of which I am unfamiliar with, being quite overweight and not drop-dead gorgeous, and also being quite shy.  The Tonks costume got the most pictures, and I had a LOT of compliments on the Dragonmaster.  I had both George Takei and Cirroc Lofton loving my Scottish garb, and I met several people that I either befriended on LJ shortly before the con (Leiko, Brandy ) or afterward (Lance, et al).

September

September began with very good news.  I had entered twelve of my photographs into our county fair for the first time (7 color, 5 b&w) and five won awards!  I came away with a third, two seconds, and two firsts - not bad for a first-timer!  The job at Chase was going well, and I befriended a couple of my co-workers.  Even though we got hit with Hurricane Ike, we were lucky - only losing power for about nine hours, and having very little damage.  And I turned 29 - I didn't do anything for my birthday (eh, haven't had a party since I was 18, not a big deal *shrug*) except stay home and watch all four Indy movies and all three Pirates movies. 

October

I had been called in for jury duty this month, for the first time, and I drove down to Columbus and got to experience the entire courtroom scene.  It was the first time I've ever been in a courthouse, so it was kind of cool, honestly, and if I got reimbursed for jury duty at my job, I would have loved to have served.  However, I had to put in a plea for financial hardship, and I was dismissed.  I hope I am called again once I can commit to it.

My best friend Grace and her wonderful Thomas were married earlier this month, and they had a reception/Halloween party called the Hallowedding party in the latter half of the month, which is where I first met Lindsey .  The week after, I helped out at Narnia, the theme for Beggar's Night this year at the Shamblin family's home.

November

My position at Chase was ending mid-month, but I landed another temp position at the department where I am currently working.  I enjoy the work here more (Property Preservation - Home Lending/Default) and the people are very friendly.  There is always food being brought in and we are constantly having jeans days (we get to wear jeans through the rest of the year).  I am trying to learn as much as possible, and my supervisor has said several times she wants to keep me on as a full-timer *crosses fingers*

I voted in the historic election, stayed up to watch the election results, and listened intently to Obama's wonderful acceptance speech.

I've also started tweaking my Dawn costume design - I really want to do the costume contest next year.  And I have set a goal of having a first draft of the first book in my fantasy series ready to go out to publishers and agents by Halloween 2009.  It is time for me to start using my gift of creating worlds and memorable characters.

December

This is when it has finally hit me that I am no longer in retail - my nights and weekends are free.  I have been enjoying the holidays again, and my spirit is back.  The last few years I have had no interest in Christmas as anything than a day off of work, and been too tired to go anywhere or do anything.  I was even sick of holiday music before December even came.  It is almost impossible to believe how much has changed in a year - the only sad thing for me is my inability to get things for all of my friends.  It is definitely not about the getting for me (which is nice, don't get more wrong).  I have much more fun finding things for other people, wrapping it in pretty paper, curling the ribbons, picking out the perfect bow, and seeing the joy in their faces when they see the surprise inside.  Being off work for most of the year hurt my Christmas budget this year, and I know my friends won't care, but it is the part of the holidays I enjoy most, so it is a little sad for me.  They will still be getting homemade cookies though when I come to visit!


 . . . So that is 2008.  I have a feeling 2009 is going to be an amazing year.  I no longer set resolutions - they will just get broken anyway.  I do have things I hope to accomplish in the coming year.

I want to have my book accepted for publication.

I want to get serious about eating right and exercising, and start losing the weight, not just for my self-esteem, but for my health.

I want to make two or three really cool costumes.

I want to enter the Dawn contest.

I want to meet more of you - those I barely know, and those of you whom I've never met in person).

I want to return to Gettysburg.

I want to return to Scotland, and to see my family castle.

I want to keep working on my photography, not only making personal sales of portraits or engagement photos (both of which are in the works) but also possibly selling landscapes and animal shots to calendar companies or somesuch.

I want to get my own place, with a couple of my friends, and start to have a social life.

I want to begin dating, and get into a serious relationship.


I hope all of my friends have had a good 2008, and I wish you an amazing 2009!!

There are moments in a person's life when time seems to stand still.  Most are happy occasions, like falling in love, the birth of a baby, accomplishing a long-fought-for goal, or spending time in nature on a perfect day.  Some are sad occasions, like seeing the suffering of a loved one, or hearing that a dear friend or family member was suddenly killed.  And some are just plain terrifying; I had one of those moments today.

It begins back in August of this year.  I have been driving to DragonCon for four years now, and a few weeks before the big event, I always take the car in to my mechanic and get any major work done then, and have her checked out to ensure all systems are good.  This year was actually an off year for tuneups, so I decided to get new brakes installed.  The front ones would have been fine through January, but I had the money saved up, and being the worrier/must-try-to-plan-for-all-conceiv

Considering it has been over a month since I've posted a blog here (I tend to use my LJ account a lot more these days)  I thought I would update those of you not on LJ of my doings recently.

1.  The most exciting thing (for me, anyway) has been the creation of a second LJ account, strictly for my writings, specifically the fantasy series I've been working on for four years.  I am committed to posting an update once a week, and having made that commitment, and knowing that others will be reading it, I am now obligated to fulfill my duties.  I have set a goal of having a completed manuscript of the first book in the series ready to ship out to publishers and agents by next Halloween.  I've been itching to write again, and this story will not leave me alone.  If you are interested in following my progress, as well as having access to character information, notes on my writing process, and maybe even snippets from the story, feel free to check it out at http://reynara-tiglion.livejournal.com.  I don't think you have to have an account to read the posts, but you do need an account to get the updates and to comment, as well as any "friends only" or other screened posts I may make.

2.  I have been working at JP Morgan Chase for two months now, and have been enjoying my job.  It's only a temp position, but after four months, I can post out to regular positions in the company, and even though I don't get benefits right now, I do get the employee discounts and the opportunity for as much overtime as I want (I've been averaging about 4 hours a week of OT).  It's nice making money again and not having to put things on credit cards.

3.  I've been enjoying the weather.  We actually had some nice fall days!  I discovered a small pumpkin in our back yard, and took some pictures of it, as well as what appear to be maple seedlings growing in our side yard.  I can't wait for the first good snowfall to test out the new camera I bought back in June!

4.  I can't remember if I mentioned the new camera before, but I bought a very nice Canon 12.2 megapixel, along with a new tripod, an external flash and a variety of filters.  I hope to get a telephoto zoom lens for it next year.  I am planning on doing some freelance photos, mostly portraits and scenic shots, with hopefully a wedding or two as well.  I've done a couple of photo shoots already with some friends, and can't wait until I can get into it more often.

5.  Decided on my 2009 DragonCon costumes - woohoo!

6.  I entered 12 photos into our county fair for the first time, and ended up winning 5 awards - 1 third, 2 seconds, and 2 firsts!  Not bad.

So that's about it for my life.  Nothing new in the relationship department (still single and looking), nothing new in the moving department (although it looks like it will be next spring - with Kelly - whee!), and nothing new in the major life changes department (which is both good and bad).  And I will try to do better about updating things in here - I guess the next thing is an overhaul of my profile - maybe next month.

Thursday:  Andy and I left about 7:45am, an hour later than I wanted, but it was hard for both of us to get moving.  We stopped at a McDonald's for breakfast once we got past Columbus, and drove straight through until we stopped for gas and lunch in northern Tennessee, where Andy took over the driving until about an hour before Atlanta, when I switched back.  Traffic was smooth until the last five miles before our exit.  Major construction (with a normal 7 lane highway reduced to 2 lanes) and some event going on two exits before ours led to some horrible congestion.  It took over an hour to go those last five miles.  We arrived at the hotel about 6:45pm, got the car unloaded, checked in, and headed over to get our badges about 7:15pm. The pre-reg line was the longest I've ever seen it for a Thursday; it took about 70 minutes to get my badge.  After that, I picked up my parade ribbon, and we headed to Hard Rock to get our traditional D*Con pins, then back to the hotel for unpacking and perusing the pocket program.

Friday:  I spent the first part of the day finishing the DM dress and the Scottish skirt.  (I've already vowed to not change my mind about D*Con costumes after the end of October, and WILL have them finished a week before con next year).  I changed into the Scottish garb and headed to the Walk of Fame to get my autographs.  The first one I got was George Takei (Sulu).  He complemented me on my outfit and was curious as to whether it was really my family tartan.  We talked about our respective trips to Scotland and raved about Edinburgh and the beauty of the Highlands.  He had a great smile and was a real sweetheart.  Next was Nathan Fillion (Mal).  OMG!  He is even cuter in person *sigh*  I didn't get to talk with him long because of the long line, but I did get a wink from him *girlish giggle*  Then I met Avery Brooks (Capt. Sisko) who wanted to know exactly where in Ohio I was from, because he went to school at Oberlin - how cool.  He shook my hand and was very pleasant.  Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko) was also very sweet (and cute).  He was also curious about the Scottish garb, and I got a wink from him too.  Finally, I met Michael Dorn (Worf), whose voice is as amazing in person as it is on the screen.

After that, I went to do some shopping in the dealer's room and one of the exhibitor halls.  I came out of them with a beautiful print by Nene Thomas, all three seasons of Slayers on DVD, the D*Con exclusive short story anthology Here be Dragons, the new D*Con t-shirt, the first three Dark Ivory comics (all signed by Joe), and a set of Dawn foil trading cards. I talked with Zeke, Joe, and Eva at the Linsner table for about fifteen minutes - I gave my greetings from Grace and Thomas, and we chatted about how things were going.  I met Cassandra in the eveing to pick up my Party Vador 'Vator badge from her, and ended up going with her to see the Costume Contest.  I also ran into Joe.  I met up with most of the others in the evening and hung out with them some, taking a few costume pictures at the Marriott.  They were headed to a party, and I had to get up early to finish Tonks' coat, so we parted ways about 11pm.

Saturday:  I woke up at 7am in order to go outside and hammer snaps into Tonks' coat.  Then I got dressed as her and walked down to the staging area for the parade.  While waiting, I talked with quite a few of the other HP costumers who were marching, a couple of whom I have talked to online.  (How come I always seem to pick the hottest costumes to march in, too?)  The parade went well, and afterwards, those of us who were members of Mischief Managed (an online group formed for those marching in HP costumes in the D*Con parade) met up in the Marriott for photo shoots and talking.  After the meet-up, I went to take a shower and change into the Dragonmaster.  I attended the Tamora Pierce panel (she is SO awesome!) and then went to take a few pictures.  I ran into Lesa and we headed into the other exhibitor hall I had not been in yet, where I got the newest Serenity RPG book.

After that, I went back to the hotel to change into some comfortable clothes and watch the Firefly panel on DCTV, since the line for it was way too long.  After that nice break, I changed back into the dress and returned to the con, hanging out at the Marriott and taking some more costume pictures.  I met up with the others and hung out with them for a couple of hours.  We all returned to our hotels to change into regular clothes and then Andy and I went to meet up with them at the Days Inn (except for Sidley, who was sleeping).  Well, they had been drinking; I ended up being the only sober one, which was quite funny, actually.  I love hanging around people who are funny when drunk.  :)  We got back to the hotel around 4:45am and promptly went to sleep.

Sunday: I slept until about noon, and then changed into Tonks again.  I went with Andy to the Walk of Fame (after a stop at Security to pick up his badge, which he evidently lost the night before).  While he was waiting in line, I talked with another girl dressed as Tonks, and then the two of us got Chinese food at the food court.  After lunch, we headed to the Anne McCaffrey signing at what we thought was an early time, but we were still quite a ways back in line.  He took a nap and I snuck a few more costume pictures from our spot.  I got my People of Pern signed this year and Anne said she loved my (purple) hair.  The woman helping her told me when she first met Anne, half her hair was red and the other half purple!

After the signing, Andy went back to the WOF and I went to the YA Costume Contest judging.  I talked with a few other people waiting to enter, and we wished each other well.  The judging went smoothly and then I returned to the room to grab a snack and freshen up.  Then I went to the Yule Ball and took quite a few pictures.  I talked with a very nice gentleman dressed as Sirius that I had met at the parade and the MM get-together, and also ran into Lesa and some of the other MM people too.  I stayed until they announced the costume contest winners.  I didn't get anything this year, but that was okay, because I still don't feel I deserved my award from last year and the winners' costumes were REALLY good.

I returned to the Marriott after that to take some more costume pictures.  I met up with the others  and hung out with them for some time.  While they were speaking to an artist, Andy and I sat down and talked with a couple of other people who were sitting across from us.  The Sirius guy stopped by too and we talked for a few minutes.  Then we all headed to the Days Inn to just hang out away from everyone else.  We talked about how good the con had been this year, possible group costume ideas for next year, watched some Project Runway, and somehow got on the topic of "sexy" costumes (topped with Andy's comment about a "Sexy Dobby").  [This "sexy" stuff was based off a really stupid, but funny, thing on Youtube, where this guy says he has a bunch of costumes to sell, and they all begin with "sexy."]  Pat gave me a D*Con fun pack he had made for everyone with candy, small toys, and a mix CD in it and then Andy and I returned to the hotel and began packing.

Monday:  I finished packing in the morning, and then called for a luggage cart and for the car to be brought around.  We loaded the car and then had it reparked, and returned to the con to hit all of the dealers' rooms one last time.  There, I picked up a copy of The Watchmen and the three newest Serenity comics.  We had lunch at the food court and then went back to get the car, leaving Atlanta about 2:30pm.  I drove through Georgia and Tennessee, where Andy switched off when we got gas.  We passed Sid's van around Knoxville.  We stopped south of Lexington at a Cracker Barrel for dinner, and then again in northern Kentucky at a DQ for an ice cream cone.  We got back to Andy's house about 1am, where his mom and Kelly were waiting up for us.  They helped unload the car and wanted to hear all about the weekend.  I finally went to sleep about 2:15am.

Tuesday:  I woke up about 12:15pm, and the three of us (Andy, Kelly, and myself) ran some errands, picking up apps from McMillen, stopping at a bank for Kelly to pick up an app, and spending some time in a really cool used bookshop Kelly told us about.  This place is literally Flourish and Blotts from the HP books!  Books are everywhere - on tons of bookshelves, in cupboards, on tables, stacked on the floor.  It's everything a bookshop should be - the kind of place you have to move things around to see what is there, and in turn, finding all kinds of things you would never have noticed.  I walked out with five books, and can't wait until I have the time and money to go back.  We then grabbed some lunch and then Kelly ran to work, and I left for home shortly thereafter.

So that's that - another D*Con for the books!  I am already planning for next year

I learned my new fact for the day, and it was a good one! I was looking online to see if I had a family tartan at all, for a Scottish lassie costume I want to do. I knew my family name is derived from the Gaelic MacAscaidh, and there are distant family members in Ireland and Scotland. Well, as I learned more, I became fascinated. Evidently, the family name comes from Askell, the last Norse King of Dublin, and descendants of him were based on the Isle of Skye, and then moved into the mainland of Scotland. There, the family became known as the MacAskills, or McCaskills, and were a sept (family unit) allied with the MacLeod clan. Of course, there are many spelling variations of the surname, mine being one of them. Because of this allegiance, I can wear the MacLeod tartan, as well as the MacAskill tartan.

Here is a picture of the MacAskill tartan:



Unfortunately, the tartan itself is too expensive for me to purchase (right now, anyway). I would need about 7 yards for my outfit, and it goes for about $75-78 a yard or meter. Ouch! Granted, it is handmade in Scotland, but yeah, that's pretty expensive. So I am currently looking for cheaper versions on ebay and other sites of the MacLeod tartan. I'm hoping I can get it for less, being a more popular and well-known tartan.

But, so, yep, my lifelong love of Scotland and Ireland definitely makes sense now. No wonder I felt so at home in the Highlands. And I'm descended from a king, too!

Ok, I've started drawing up some pricing lists and such for my photography (I am trying out being a freelance photographer, specializing in portraits and scenic pictures). So if you are in the Central Ohio area, and want some portraits done, shoot me a message. I have both color digital and black & white film available, and will provide a proof CD. As soon as I get my prices determined and set in stone, I'll get some flyers and try to get a basic website up with the information. I can also do photo retouching and basic slide-shows onto DVD.

I started looking at digital and film SLR cameras and lenses online too; I hope to be able to get more professional cameras soon.

I'm excited about this! More excited than I've been about something in a while. Hope it pans out.

By the way, I do have samples of both my scenic and portrait photography here on Myspace; look in the folders labeled as such.

Thanks to all of you who have been supporting me in this!  

This year's Marcon outshone last year's by several factors.  Here is a breakdown:

Thursday:  Arrived to the hotel about 8pm.  Checked-in, unloaded and parked the car, and relaxed.  Ordered some room service (a piece of really good apple crumb cake) and downloaded Harry Potter fanart.

Friday:  I picked up my badge at the green room and ran into quite a few of friends in there.  Attended a panel on costume construction, from 2D references to a 3D costume.  After that, I went to a bullwhip demonstration, which was really cool.  Later, I ran into most of the the ORCs, and got caught up with them.  Brannon, Jeff, Pat, and I popped into the art show, where they pointed out a really nice Alan Rickman print that I was determined to get.  The four of us went to the food court to get food, and hung out at the hall table for a while.  Heh, I know I did something after that, but I sure can't remember what in the hell it was now.  Then I retired to my room, and fixed a seam that was coming loose on my Susan dress, and wrote the monologue for the emcee.

Saturday:  Slept in later than I wanted, so I was a little haggard in the morning.  I  dressed as Luna Lovegood (complete with lion hat and Quibbler), grabbed a bite in the green room, and headed to my first panel, on the Order of the Phoenix film.  After that, I attended the Deathly Hallows panel, and met up with Grace for lunch and to place a bid on the Alan picture.   Then I headed to my room to shower, change into regular clothes, and lay out everything for Susan.  I also confirmed with Andy that he was still doing my hair, checked e-mail, and then went to the art show to look at everything, placing bids on three more items.  Then I had my Firefly panel, which was packed with people, and then raced to my room to change into Susan.  I was so nervous about the workmanship judging, because I had no idea what to expect, and I was so in awe of the other great costumes there.  I was so sure my work wasn't that great.  But the judges didn't kill me (or even give me evil looks) and Grace was there to calm my nerves.  After that, Grace and I grabbed some dinner, I checked my bids, and we waited in the green room for me to be lined up for the actual masquerade. 

I remember being extremely nervous until I actually walked on stage, and then I simply fell into the routine I had been practicing for the last two weeks, even though I was half-blind without my glasses and the lights were so bright I couldn't see anything except the spots.  When I left the stage, it was just like Grace had said - it was euphoria!  I got my picture taken, and then returned to watch the rest of the masquerade (including seeing Julie in her Bellatrix and the ORCs in the Guitar Hero skit).  We all sat together to wait the results.  Lo and behold, I was stunned, shocked, surprised to get a workmanship award for novice class.  I had been so sure I wasn't going ot get anything, and hadn't planned on it.  I had entered this year more for the experience than anything.  But when my name was announced, and all of my friends just started screaming for me, I was so happy.  I guess my work is better than I expected, and I am really ready to take it up several notches.  Anyway, Julie and the ORCs got awards too (Julie for Judges' Choice and the ORCs for Best in Show - 5th year in a row, baby)! 

After that, I changed back into regular clothes, and went down to the art show to wait for the bidding to end.  I won all four pieces of the artwork I had bid on - hooray!  The I met with Grace, Julie, Sister Sola and Lesa (meeting the last two formally at that point) at the bar, where we had drinks and talked.  Most of the ORCs came down to the bar too, and then we headed to the dance for a little bit.  Then we heard there was karaoke set up at the consuite, but it was shutting down when we got there.  But we stayed and waited for COOKIES!  And then bedtime at 3:30am.  Although my roomie Kelly and I talked for another 45 minutes after that.

Sunday: Woke up with little trouble, surprisingly.  Got my shower, grabbed a snack in the green room, picked up my artwork, and attended another costuming panel, followed by the Psi Phi Columbus group picture.  Then I went to my panel on The Prestige, but no one showed up.  I talked to the other two panelists for a half-hour, and then we decided to leave.  I called Grace and met up with her, SIster Sola, and Julie S. at the dealer's room, and bought a couple of things.  We met for lunch, and then I took my stuff up to the room and began packing, taking two trips to the car.  I met up with the ORCs as they were leaving and talked for a little bit, and then met up with Grace and Sister Sola again for dinner at the hotel restaurant.  Then we went down to the Dead Dog party, and played Apples to Apples with a very large group (I think about 25).  I said good-bye to Grace about midnight.  Got another shower, and did some more packing.

Monday:  Met with Sister Sola for breakfast, and then we split off to finish packing and head out.  Checked out, drove home, end of con.


So, overall, a wonderful time!  I made some new friends, caught up with some I hadn't seen for far too long, won an award I hadn't expected to win, did some partying, and had some great discussions.  Now on to DragonCon!