Yes, hair, I said hair, I'm having more hair drama - not that there's a whole lot left to have drama with, but um, you'll understand.

So I wasn't looking for anything drastic; a trim.  I wanted my hair trimmed and the overall look shaped because lets face it: the last girl who cut my hair had no idea what she was doing and didn't take anywhere near enough off so it's looked like a mess for several weeks now.  Like last time we made a group appointment at Ogle but because of things out of our hands, it was just me who showed up Saturday morning. 

First mistake:  Not bringing a book.

Yes, I went sans book because I was going to go by BnN afterwords and pick up several books I'd ordered and didn't feel like starting a book I'd rush through to get to one of the shiny new ones.  Bad choice.  Why?  Because the computer system was down and no one had any idea who was scheduled to have their hair did by who.  I got there at 8:50 for a 9:00 appointment, and was 9:30 or 9:40 getting seated with the lovely Holly.  I like Holly; in a few weeks I'm going back and we're going to experiment with colors.  However, Holly took one look at the example picture I used way back in like February and called her instructor over.  Won't lie, I cringed when the instructor came over because she was a much older woman who looked like she'd have the style sense of my grandmother and even less interest in what kind of haircut I wanted.  I like my A-symetricalness!  It totally goes against my OCD symmetrical behavior and I LOVE it.

Second mistake:  Thinking granny couldn't bring it.

Granny brought it.  Big time.  She made me their classroom focus project.  About ten beauty school students crowd around me for the entire process; shampooing, cutting the guides, all of it.  Ten people asking about my hair, putting their hands in my hair, craning their heads around to look at my hair, and all of us making hilarious small talk.  None of the above bothered me; in fact I was mostly entertained by this whole fiasco.  It was a lot of fun; can't lie!  There were many funny conversations flying around as Granny hacked and razored and cut my hair down, and down, and down, and down.....

Third mistake:  Not realizing how short it got.

When I first cut my hair like this, it was just long enough in the back to fluff.  I couldn't spike it.  I used a volumizing mouse and some wax/putty stuff to achieve this super funky fun look.  Ladies and gentlemen, I can now spike my hair.  The haircut is awesome.  It's super well done, fun, everything that it should be - heck, it was done by an instructor.  But I just didn't realize how much the lady was pulling it up in the back, how short it was.  I was mostly in shock Saturday but yesterday I sat back and realized just how short it is.  I still like it, but I'll like it better in two weeks when it's grown out just a bit.

So here's some pictures of my hair:

Okay, I don't know about you but growing up I lived under some very incorrect assumption that once I reached adulthood I would no longer have acne.  What gave me this impression?  I have no idea!  Okay, I'm not a pizza face subscriber anymore; lots of drugs got rid of that mess. 

However, it's times like this past week when I have one that won't go away that I wonder when I'll ever reach that magical, perfect age when zits don't worry me anymore and shaving isn't even in my vocabulary.

I remember being in junior high and taking a general antibiotic that got rid of most of my acne and using very expensive products on my face.  I haven't taken the drugs in ages, and I really should be better at washing my face.  I have one of these Dove exfoliation guns (not really a gun but a battery operated exfoliation thinggie) and it's amazing - if I ever remember to buy extra bateries or more of the little skin rubby pads.  I'm sort of forgetful....

Moisturizer is probably one thing I don't skrimp on.  I like moisturizer.  Moisturizer makes my face feel nice.

The things they never told you about growing up: zits never go away.

I fell off the GTT wagon the last two weeks, mostly due to things directly pertaining to the subject of this week's GTT.  I've been so busy reading and writing that I haven't been blogging much, but I really had to pause and answer this question:

Do you make time to read?

Why, yes, yes I do.  In fact, I have a website/blog devoted to my reading and writing habits. 

www.CidWrites.com

Books have always had a fond place in my heart.  They're a way to escape.  To pass a long day.  To learn something.  To give my mind new things to ponder.  Books are very, very important to me.  I currently have about thirty books on my to-read shelf, and I can confirm that I've read 43 books this year alone - which I think is a bit low, but I'm not going to complain.  I buy lots of books too.  I plan on buying six books in the next week; four are ordered and will be waiting on Saturday, two are new releases coming out on Tuesday.

As a writer books are important because it's knowing the lay of the land.  Being aware of what people are buying or talking about makes it easier and better for me to have a feel on the pulse of the reader.  I have no illusions of being published anytime soon but someday I'd like to say: I'm published.

Finding time to read can be difficult.  I often read in splurges; it's very hard for me to drag reading a book out over days.  Most I pick up and read a chapter or two before work, read during lunch, and then marathon the book after work.  I tend to have a good idea of what I will and will not like so it's very rare a book will take me more than two days to read; the exception being very large books or busy times for myself.  There are even times when I've sacrificed sleep to read an entire book all night - um, last week actually.

So yes, the answer to the question is, yes.

[[ if you would like to peek at the books I've read you can check out my website or even find me on goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/cidreads  ]]

So another week of dance classes, and I have to say that I think at times I look more like a fish floundering on land than an actual dancer.  Tonight one of the ladies in my class and I spent half the time looking at each other with very lost looks on our faces and laughing with one another.  The thing is that the usual instructor was there this week - where last week we had a substitute.  6:45 rolled around, the music went on and she started a sink-or-swim session.  I think I succeed in moving in the right direction, but there's no way I'm doing this stuff right; we won't even discuss what I look like doing it.  But it's fun!  And my arms and all sorts of me hurt.

If you're into comics, the Boondock Saints comics are out.  I'm subscribed to them via Heavy Ink.  Comics are a very recent addition to my reading library.

Right now I'm reading an amazing Zombie book called Feed; I'm sort of anticipating being up later on tonight with nightmares, so I'm half tempted to draft this blog and publish it after that wake-up, but tomorrow is Thursday and I should be a good girl and do my Girl Talk Thursday since I've missed the last two Thursdays!

I'm constantly entertained by things that happen on Twitter.  Like, the random stuff I say that complete strangers pick up on and reply to.  It's funny to me.  For instance, I twittered something to the affect of, I have a Dr Pepper. What do you have?, and got like 50 replies with what other random people had.

Today I realized I haven't picked up knitting needles in weeks. Going to try to fix that on Sunday, since, wow, Sunday's Crafty Day.  I totally forgot!  Oopse.

And it's a holiday weekend! That's uber exciting.  And I might have plans for Monday, so that's a step up from my current habit.  Oh, and I'm getting my hair cut this weekend.  Finally!

I won stuff! I won a companion to the Dexter tv show from Grasping for the Wind.  Super excited.

I've read several books.  Still needing to write outstanding book reviews on my other blog.

Writing - a lot.

Having friends over at various points for movies.

And oh yeah! Belly dance!

So I'll talk about my belly dance class I went to.  It was super fun, and I felt kind of silly, but that's expected when your body isn't used to moving in certain ways.  I think I'm really going to like it.  I mean, by the end of the class my arms hurt, I could feel the burn in my thighs and I felt the workout through my upper body and abs.  I need to practice at home, which I've been bad about because of my fanatical writing, but I will get better.  I even bought belly dance music and one of my writer-friends-who-shares-my-brain bought me a hip scarf at the ren fair this weekend.  I'll now have jangly hips.  I may or may not post a picture of me wearing said hip scarf.  There will be no video of me dancing.  None.

Got to see The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus this weekend which was sort of sad to see Heath Ledger's last film.  There's a really ominous moment early on in the movie where it kind of hits you: he's dead.  The movie was really nifty.  I'm supposed to watch it tonight again.

Also saw two movies I didn't care for: Nine (the musical) and Defendor.  Both were very disappointing.  Nine I knew was the story of a filmmaker, but it was just downright depressing at times.  I re-watched it yesterday and became even less impressed with the music.  Defendor was just all round depressing, though I love Woody Harrelson after Zombieland, I wish I would have passed on this movie.  It wasn't funny, it was depressing and sad.

Yup.  This week should be lots of writing because I'm wanting to finish one novel this week and I have a lot to accomplish.  Though next week should be more interesting as far as social interaction goes.

Thanks to those who have contacted me willing to help with research. I appreciate it!

I've gone from being an every-day blogger to a, you-might-think-I've-fallen-off-the-edge-of-the-world blogger.  *sigh*  I'm sorry!  There's either nothing going on or I can't possibly think of anything interesting to say that's not something like, 'I'm writing.' or 'I just wrote this really cool scene where so-and-so does THIS and whats-his-face does THAT! It's awesome!'  Because as much as I know it excites me, I don't even pretend to think that anyone wants to hear a minute by minute replay of my writing.

What is new is that tonight I start dance classes.  Yes, dance classes.  I'm taking a belly-dance class this month, well, for the next four weeks.  After tonight I'll know if I'm a once-a-weeker or a twice-a-weeker; I'm thinking twice a week, honestly.  I'm already looking at hip scarves.  I'm not too excited about the whole belly-dance costume, but the hip scarves are super nifty.  I'm sure I'll have all sorts of interesting bits to say tomorrow about my dancing experience; heck, I might even surprise you and double blog!

Besides the dance class, I've been thinking heavily about tattoos.  For several years now I've had standing plans for a full sleeve on my left arm.  I love the memory-tree idea and in my head it looks uber cool.  However, now that I'm in a professional environment - I have learned how much I hate wearing longed sleeves.  Plus, it's Texas and Texas is freaking HOT in case you don't already know.  I'm toying with the idea of cutting the tattoo down to a half sleeve, get it designed to look like a stained glass window and just have multicolored stars hanging from it so it mirrors the stained glass window on my right arm.  I'm not sold on the idea at all, which is why I must now begin the stewing process.  This probably also means I most likely will not get a tattoo in 2010.

I'm also still in limbo about my two submissions for press; I have 12 days left until no response means no acceptance.  I'd really prefer a rejection letter, personally, but understand that not everyone has time for those types of things.

My family is doing well.  Dad is of course experiencing some changes to the way he does things but he's coping and things are good.

Hmmm ~ Oh! I finished Avatar: The Last Airbender and recently came to understand that the movie will really be three movies.  I sort of died a little on the inside when I heard that.  I don't have much faith in Shammy, can you tell?  I could stomach one movie, but three is trying my patience.  I should be open minded, I know, but I like the series.

And I got a new phone. I think that's the end of my exciting news.

I'm posting this here because I think the people I need to poke for brainstorming read this blog rather than my writer's blog. 

In June I'm going to be starting work on a new young adult novel; the particulars I'm not discussing in type, but will if you want to know more.  It deals with religion, beliefs, the issue of free will, and the normal gamete of teen issues.  I'm interested in collecting personal stories that can inspire things that happen in the novel.  Funny, gritty, difficult - all of it.  I'm also interested in the really hard questions teenagers have about religion, beliefs, etc - and not just Christianity; please don't assume that the novel just deals with one belief.  The idea is satirical, think Lamb, and I want to address hard problems.  No, I don't want to answer everything, in fact I'd rather bring up issues and have the characters stumble through them and not always make the best choices - because hey - people mess up.

Anyways, if you want to contribute to my "research", comment here.  If you'd rather not comment publicly, you can email me at my writerly email address: Cid AT CidWrites DOT com 

Appreciate all the help!

I'm having a wonderfully boring weekend.  Well, except with these pictures not printing out well, but other than that I've gone shopping and written and watching Burn Notice.  I'll probably finish season 2 tomorrow and then pick up season 3 of Dexter.  I need to poke people to see if they want to watch season 3.... but that goes on the to-do list.

On of my fav authors, Robin McKinley, is doing a giveaway of arcs for her new book. I'm uber excited, but also uber tired so I'll have to work on my entries tomorrow.

I'm drinking far more Dr Pepper than is probably healthy

Wrote a very promising short story.

And this is turning into a list of items.

I'm reading a book about pirates. It's pretty neat.

Prom. Oh my the memories.  I guess it's odd because I went to three proms; two of my own and a friends.  See, our little podunk country school let Juniors and Seniors go, so totally exciting, right?  I scrounged around for pictures last night but couldn't find anything.  I'm assuming they're all at my parents house still, which is a bummer!

I remember knowing that no one from my school was ever going to ask me to prom, so I don't have a fairy tale moment of being asked by some guy and having a romantic evening.  In fact my dates had a tendency to refuse to dance with me. For serials.  And I never even got to have a big, fancy, fun dinner with my friends.  We tried one year, but an unnamed party sort of ruined that because they wanted to do something stupid and slap 'romantic' on it, and the other plans fell apart.  It's the one thing, from my three proms, that I wish had been done differently: I wish that I had spent more time before prom with my friends doing a fun dinner or something silly or fun.

My junior year was really special because I did the second installment of the Duct Tape Stuck at Prom.  So the outfits weren't as cool as they are now - bite my toes!  I worked my arse off - by myself to make those and I'm proud of them! I still have the corsage.  The dress was actually black based plaid, done with red, green and yellow.  It was an insaine outfit, complete with an underskirt, overskirt, bodice, and removable sleeves.  I made the guy a duck-tailed suit jacket in red that I wound up wearing most of the evening.  Duct Tape isn't warm, fyi.  Prom it's self that year was fun because my group of friends was awesome.  We didn't dance, but we did play with our napkins and made ourselves the prom Taliban or something.  I think I have a picture in a frame somewhere with a friend of ours wearing a turban made out of napkins with the caption, "Osama bin Bobbied".  We thought we were very funny.

My senior year what I really wanted was a pretty prom dress.  What my mom wanted was something that didn't have spaghetti straps, showed off zero cleavage, and boring.  Since we couldn't agree on anything I decided to again make my dress!  Everyone asked me what I would do to top last year with the duct tape, but seriously - how could I?  I went for fun and made a plaid prom dress and went with a really good friend of mine in a clashing plaid.  It was super fun.  We wore converse, and black rimmed glasses and stripy socks.  I think my favorite picture of this prom is my date and I with my skirt hiked up and his pants hiked up showing off the socks and shoes.  Again, we didn't dance, but if I remember right - we did play cards, at prom.  And I think this was the year that the post-prom-party involved a full casino being set up at our high school.  And I vaguely recall staying up all night watching bad movies and then going to church to only be told that I had to perform in like.. half an our four times straight.  Yeah, prom I remember as being a blast, the day after suuuuucked.

I then turned around and sort of last minute went to my prom date's prom - and wore a borrowed dress because it was so last minute.  It's a pretty prom dress, and I have no idea how I got away with wearing it!  It was one of those sheath things with the bodice in some layered sheer-on-satin material that was beaded and pretty and a full length skirt.  We decided to revisit the converse and socks theme, and because of that we were almost kicked out of his prom.  For serials.  The teachers all came over and threw a fit - not because he was wearing a thrift store suit and brand new converse, but because I was wearing converse with a dress.  The student class president got involved; I was friends with her and all I know was that at some point she threatened to leave the prom herself.  It was a huge drama fest, but in the end we also had a lot of fun.  And I can say I was really and truely almost kicked out of prom!!!!

So my experiences with prom were not the fairy tale kind, they were the fun with friends kind and in the end, I think that's best.

I've decided I want an iPad.  Like seriously want.  I mean, yeah having one because they're just cool and the newest thing would be cool - but it's more than that.  Yeah, Apple comes along and decides, 'Oh we'll do this!' and single handedly changes an entire industry.  Think about the iPod.  Yeah there were MP3 players and other similar devices but nothing quite like the iPad with it's buying power, the iTunes, all of it.

Now, lets think about the iPad.  I've been on the fence about eReaders.  Why?  because of my iPod.  Don't get me wrong! My iPod is fantastic!  My problem is with me and how I've changed my music tastes since changing over to digital music.  I no longer flip through my music asking myself, 'What do I want to listen to?'  I scroll to the play list or I pick out what comes to mind and I listen to that.  I miss new albums.  I forget stuff is on my iPod and just don't listen to it.  I've gotten lazy about finding new music, etc.  What would happen with books?  Would I buy them and forget to read them because they don't populate my to-read shelf?  There's whole lines of eBooks that don't even enter print I'd like to be able to read.  It would be nice to not have to haul books around with me all the time.  It would also be awesome to have everything I want or need all on one device; books, writing, internet, twitter, email - all of it!

With all of this said - I was still on the fence.  Until the other day when I realized that Marvel comics have put out an app so that you can actually read their comics on the iPad.  My biggest gripe about eReaders was the lack of color; if I buy an eReader I want to be able to do all prints on it.  Comics are interesting to me and I think I would buy them if it wasn't such a hassle to simply buy them.  I've also listened to several comic-adict friends talk about how the comic companies will NEVER digitize! ....oh hey lookie what Marvel's gone and done! It sort of solidifies it for me; I want an iPad.

Of course I now have to save up the like.... $800 it'll take to buy it.

Okay, I simply must figure out a reason to make these, if only for the fun bit about popping the balloons!!!!

In other news.... um..... I'm writing. A lot.  Did I mention I was going to do the Story a Day challenge for the month of May?  Well I am.  So far it's spawned two chapters of a middle-grade fantasy and a big chunk of a longish short story named after the main character, Pele.  I'm actually posting these rough drafts as I go in the spirit of the challenge, so if you decide to read them, please understand they're very uber rough.  I'm also still writing on my novel and I've sort of picked up writing a little fan-fic.

This boils down to: Cid is writing a lot.

It also means Cid isn't all that interesting, so she talks about herself in 3rd person and imagines her life being narrated by Jessica Stiles.

Okay, not really, that was a book reference to Going in Circles where the character deals with some circumstances by imagining her life is narrated by John Goodman.  The book is fantastic and I review it here.

So what's on the slow-cooker for me?  Well... this week I think not a lot.  I'm watching a lot of Dexter, the tv show with the serial killer, in preparation for another novel I want to write.  I'm subjecting my temporary roommate to it, and I'm sure she wants to clobber me by now  ~__^  She gets the patience award in my book.  The Red Pyramid comes out today; it's written by Rick Roiden, the same guy who wrote The Lightning Thief.  I'm thinking I'll camp out at BnN and read it tonight but buy it next week when he's doing a book signing in Southlake.  I make perfect sense in my head!

Last night was the book club meeting I completely forgot about.  I'm sort of glad I didn't read the book.  I'm also sort of planning on not reading the next book: Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  Sorry, just... not interested.  And now I believe I will eat lunch; it's cooled down enough I can eat it and not burn my tongue off!

Ps - yes, my dad is doing great - thanks all for your well wishes and all!!!

[EDIT]

I had to add this because it was just too good to pass up!