This has been quite the busy year for me, I do have to say. I haven’t kept up on the blog as well as I should have but my hands have not, by any means, been idle.
Since my last post, I went to Jacksonville Florida for the week of the 4th of July. I got to stand on a beach for the first time in my life and look out at the ocean. I almost threw up. One look at those waives and the way they hop right up on the shore and I was like, “Nope, not getting in that.” Not to say I didn’t go stomp in it but swimming? Not a chance. We (my coworkers and I) ran along the shore and collected seashells (my pockets were so full of sand…) and when the sun went down we walked for at least a mile up and down the dark shore watching the moon rise over the ocean and I was struck by its magnificence over and over. It made me realize that the ocean is not just a place or a bunch of water, it’s a living thing. Like a giant, wet blob-monster that just wants to play but might squish (or drown) its people-toys like a child who squeezes their pet gerbil too hard and laughs when it’s eyes pop out, then cries when it just lays there with its tongue hanging out instead of running on its wheel.
I’m not used to seeing my horizon move and bob and sway the way the ocean horizon does. Obvious, since I’m in Utah, a moving, swaying horizon would mean that everyone was probably going to die since that would have to be one hell of an earthquake and the Rocky Mountains would come a-smashing down.
On the 4th of July, I traveled with my coworker Christine out to St. Augustine, which is the oldest constantly settled city in the US. It had cobblestone streets and all kinds of museums and amazing architecture. We sat on the walls of the old Spanish fort Castillo de San Marcos, whose walls were made of brick that was full of seashells. It was built in 1672.
We watched the fireworks launched over the bay from a barge that waited until the full moon rose, big and red over the ocean before they set off and it was like bombs bursting in air—not to sound patriotic or anything—framing that moon like a tribute.
I love fireworks, but rarely do they take my breath away.
I came back from Florida with a brain full of new experiences and unpacked my luggage, did laundry, and packed em right back up again because about a day later my friend Ginny and I drove out to San Diego. We didn’t get to go to Comic Con this year because of their browser issues, as in, they didn’t tell anyone that they couldn’t use certain browsers so many people didn’t get tickets. But we had already paid for out hotel so figured we’d just go enjoy a week on the coast. And enjoy it we did!
We went to the San Diego Zoo and Disney Land (my first time in America), we went to SeaWorld, walked around downtown around the convention center where we ran into Robocop and saw all the Bat mobiles. We even took a tour of the USS Midway, which was a personal pleasure because the last time I’d been on an Aircraft carrier I was a little girl, walking on the USS Ranger, holding my dad’s hand and gazing about in fascination at all the planes and white uniforms and metal walls. Call me a dork but I think warships are cool.
Last, we went to the beach. Compared to Jacksonville Beach it was a little gross but I found some seashells to take home.
Not long after that I went camping and river rafting with my friends Diane and Yousuke. I’ve gone hiking and even slipped into a few concerts and festivals with my friend Daina.
On top of all of that, I’ve kept on writing. Every day.
I’m reading through the final revision of my first book, the one I finished in…April. And I’m officially half-way finished writing book two in the series. It’s 250 pages in and since book one turned out to be just over 500 I figured 250’s a good spot to call half way.
I really have to give a huge shout-out to my best friend Diane though. She’s been copy-editing it and it’s been a LOT of work. She’s helped me in ways I never thought anyone ever would and she always kept me going and writing more when I got lazy. Seriously, she would give me this…look. And I’d get a case of the Oh-yeah’s? and go write some more.
I’ve told her already but I want everyone to know that I wouldn’t have been able to do it without Diane. She’s like the muse who crams logic down my throat when I’m being stupid and kicks me in the butt nice and hard when I start to lose my drive.
Currently reading:
