The minutiae of war

Have we already been at War two days? How did that happen?

So, it’s dangerous being right by the Merchant area. I’ve already come away with a purple lace parasol for Goth/Victorian/faerie outfits (I want to add black fringe around the edge) and a pair of amber earrings to go with a necklace I have (the latter were actually on my To Buy list). I’m seriously considering a ring and some dark blue plaid linen to make a peplos, and Ken’s got his eye on two books, one about period maps and one a serious of essays about Da Vinci and Italy. Ack. And that’s before we discuss the fact that the four of us don’t have nearly enough lanterns for our encampment….

We watched some equestrian stuff today, and Morgana and I lusted after a gorgeous rider in a short Romanesque tunic, leather armbands, black hair, dimples, and a British accent. Oh, the horses were gorgeous, too… Ken and I worked a shift at Gate, and would have worked a second shift except a fresh wave of volunteers showed up. For lunch today we ate at a food merchant who made awesome garlic fries, and I made nom nom nom noises as I ate them. I took pictures of decorative painting on pavilions, the tasty equestrian rider, and the pink clouds of the sunset.

The best part, of course, has been seeing friends we haven’t seen in awhile due to Ken being gone so much and me being so busy and unable to drive at night, etc. We’ve had to endure numerous hugs and various squeals of delight. It’s a tough life…

And, of course, it wouldn’t be an SCA event without someone trying to talk me into taking on a volunteer position. A Society-wide volunteer job, no less. It’s a huge compliment to be thought of as having the skills, of course, but…augh!

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Currently Reading: R is for Ricochet, Sue Grafton
Lately Listened To: drumming, and lots of it
Recently Watched: thoroughly yummy horse guy

To war, to war!

I know, I know, so remiss about keeping in touch. Can I say it’s because we’ve been so busy? Just reacclimatizing to have Ken home is work. (Good work, yes. Fantastic and amazingly wonderful. But it still, weirdly, takes a little work.)

Oddly enough, we’re in a hotel, and I’m snagging a few minutes while Ken’s in the shower. We went to a Queensrÿche concert last night, then drove up to Bakersfield. We’ll be gallivanting around Great Western War for the next few days. Today is Pirate Day! Arr! (Okay, it’s Pirate Day for Morgana and I, because we wanted an excuse to wear our pirate outfits again, and for anyone else who chooses to join us. But it’s not official Pirate Day where GWW is concerned.) I forgot all my piratical jewelry. So I guess I’ll be shopping today!

The Queensrÿche concert was fantastic. The Canyon Club normally has long dinner tables in front of the stage, but for some reason they didn’t have them there tonight (people who came for dinner ate at the round tables that usually flank the long ones). So when the GA crowd (including us) got in, we pretty much walked right up to the stage. Ken and I were four or five rows back. We had a blast talking to a wonderful family: Mom Monica, Dad Matt, and 16-year-old Daughter Holly. (Hi, if you’re reading this!) They were a blast, so enthusiastic and fun. Holly’s a Styx fan, too, and I had my “concert purse,” so I amused her by pulling out confetti and buttons and a Ricky pick and, of course, the Lawrence wrist cuff.

A higher percentage of Queensrÿche fans are male, so it was harder to see. (The guy directly in front of me for part of the show had long dark hair that he kept flipping back, not realizing he was brushing against my face. But his hair smelled good, which I figured was a nice bonus.) A little crazier and drunker, but nowhere near a mosh-pit-type situation. I discovered that while I pretty much know all of their music from their first EP through Promised Land (after that their albums are kind of…not quite great), I only actually know lyrics to songs from Empire and Promised Land. I had no idea I didn’t know the lyrics to so much of their stuff! (Then again, Sarah and I were driving around this summer listening to a Gowan CD, and realized we didn’t know half the lyrics. How utterly embarrassing.)

So, GWW-ing (it’s a verb if I say so) for the next few days, and then on Sunday, after a bit of War, we’ll jump in the car and essentially head to San Diego (close enough) for a Styx concert! Yay, Styx concert! And all Styx, not with Foreigner and Def Leppard glomming up all that stage time!

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Currently Reading: The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold (just finished); R is for Ricochet, Sue Grafton (about to start)
Lately Listened To: Lullagoodbye, Taylor Mills
Recently Watched: Ghost Hunters (hey—it’s research!), Torchwood

Book signing!

I'll be participating in a group book signing on October 14 at the Barnes & Noble in Encino, sponsored by the Los Angeles Romance Writers of America chapter (LARA). I'd love to see some friendly familiar faces there!

Best of all, when you buy books that day and present a voucher when you pay, a portion of that money will go towards supporting LARA. (And it's tax-deductible, too!)

Here's the info:

Date: Sunday, October 14
Time: 12-2 p.m.

Barnes & Noble
16461 Ventura Boulevard
Encino CA 91436

Downloadable vouchers and flyers about the event can be found here. Or, if you prefer, drop me a note and I'll send them to you as e-mail attachments.

Hope to see you there!