Aw, come on, cut a girl some slack.

[minxy]

I'm going to break down my 2009 for y'all so far. By week.

Week <1: I was in Oregon with my family after an ice-storm related cattywumpus of a weird Christmas break schedule. But it was good.

Week 1 proper: My friend Lily arrives to visit for the first time since we both left Oregon. She was just going to stay for a weekend. We trip about to the Getty down south, and into boats and on the ocean because I knew she'd like that. It was a big weekend.

Week 2: I win an apartment! Also I finagle a hell of a lot of money transferring all over the place, and no checks bounce ever. And Lily is still here. Also I moved! With the help of a couple of friends, and fortunately right across town, but unfortunately before my apartment is in move-in condition. All of this is ultimately to my benefit, and I love that Lily liked the town enough to stay for a week and help me haul boxes around. And she's a low-maintenance guest of the very best kind. And yet, a bit stressful. I mean, a bit *more* stressful.

Week 3: Unpack boxes, coordinate deliveries of appliances, try to catch the inauguration despite not having cable or internet in the new place, and by the way write a fellowship grant proposal. The deadline for the proposal is thoughtfully bumped back a week by the funding institution, but with only one hour's official notice. Lame, but good ultimately. And I got all my appliances delivered and installed and working. Never mind the gas leak instances (plural, and fixed.)

Week 3 weekend: Oh my God I think I'm unpacked. Day of relaxing in my cute little shoebox includes sleep, knitting, breadbaking and a glass of wine. Good day Sunday. Saturday I got a lot of laundry done and changed out the showerhead. It was one for the history books.

Week 4 so far: I'm going to see my Mom in San Fran this weekend, which is cool. I'm getting the post-stress illness I was expecting which is lame. eta: but I discovered documented evidence for the number 9.12, as abyssinia4077 reminds me. 9.12 ftw! \o/ /eta

And.

Yesterday, in the parking lot on my way home from work, I got in my first car accident ever. Perfect driving record ruined! Only not, because I got that speeding ticket once when I was 25, and also the accident was not my fault and is minor. Still, I am extremely dubious that any kind of car accident requiring repairs is potentially a good thing (my dad's position since I can get more stuff repaired? Or something?) even if the girl admitted fault and gave me a claim number already to contact her insurance.

Stupid fender-bender. I'm sick, universe, please don't be messing with me any more. Today, at least. I'm done for today. Damn, did I park on the right side of the street for streetsweeping day? *head/desk*

Remember when I used to post about fannish stuff? That was fun. Especially since while I was gone (off having a January, rather,) Racefail 2009 happened. Maybe there was some good came of that, but reading through rydra_wong's links is very sad-making (if in some cases, exquisitely, beautifully well-written and sad-making.) Because the thing about seeing all of that in retrospect makes you see these wonderful, eloquent people holding up under so much attack and looking so alone.

All I can think to do at the moment is write up a post on brilliant authors of color I have read lately, maybe repost the sci-fi authors of color list. Seems to me, that might be a positive thing to do, to celebrate authors of color I found because of my involvement here. Because someone pointed out that I'd have to try harder to overcome the privilege of the PR system; so I tried harder, and it was pretty damn rewarding.

And really, at it's best, this journal is about boosting really wonderful written work, so.

Coming soon: fiction recs.

It's been an eventful year so far.

Comments

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

*hugs you super tight*
(and sorry I wasn't on AIM when you poked me earlier)
*hugs you some more*

(you forgot 2.19! (am I remembering that right?))

*hugs you some more*

(also, I realize this isn't an overly glee-filled post, but for some reason I was reading it and I thought "oh, wow, if I manage to get to SoCal in May I maybe get to see _minxy_" and I got excited)

*hugs some more*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

I did! And it was 9.12, but who's counting?

(I was just going to whine about being sick, np)

You're coming to SoCal in May??? We must scheme! (I'm not technically *in* SoCal, but it's a mere technicality. I can *get* there!)

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

I had the individual digits right at least!

(my ears are always open when you need to whine)

[I thought I told you before, but given my recent track record it's eminently possible I imagined the entire conversation and then decided it had happened. College 5 year reunion - first weekend in May - and depending on whether I can rearrange my only final exam I might try to sneak out a few extra days in CA. I will definitely let you know when I have more solid plans.]

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Wait wait! That sounds familiar, since I myself have my college 10 year reunion in May as well. I'll be gone for a week in there, probably from the 16th through Memorial Day. My girls, they like to plan and they have this stuff organized already, see.

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

:::gentle hugs::: take good care of you please.

[princessofg.livejournal.com]

i for one would love that link to sf authors of color or books you would rec.

and happy frelling new year.

[minnow1212.livejournal.com]

Eeep at the accident--best of luck in working out the insurance ramifications and paperwork.

[delphia2000.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear you didn't suffer any need for the 'people body shop' from your accident...cars are replaceable. You aren't.

I look back on my days of living solo with much fondness. I wish you much happiness in your new nest!

And yes, please POC sf book recs! I'm reading more this year. Have you read any Pearl Buck? Not a POC, but raised in China with a unique perspective. She's awesome.

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

Mine is literally the beginning of May - 1,2,3 and we are NOT organized :)
Anyway. Will let you know! Am excited (well, excited about the reunion *and* about the possibility of seeing you)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

I did. I think. I'm taking tomorrow off to go see my Mom in San Francisco. I think it's a bad sign that the idea makes me so relieved I feel like crying, but it's clearly a good idea.

I'm tired, I admit.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Thanks, happy frelling new year to you too.

I fail at the fifty books by authors of color challenge, but I have been consistently reading and finding new authors. While it wouldn't be a massive list, or even particularly new names, etc, it would be boosting great authors.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

The girl who hit me immediately claimed fault and has been working with me so graciously to get insurance sorted out. So now I find myself in a rental with my car scheduled for an estimate in the morning. Effort, yes, but I'm really pleased it worked out with 100% liability to them.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

I'm pretty good. Just your normal stress and illness based aches and pains.

I already love my new place. It's small, but there's so much character in the space and it fits my priorities perfectly. (who needs a big T.V.? I need a gas stovetop and a full oven!)

[princessofg.livejournal.com]

cool; i will check out your list. somehow i had not clicked that you were doing that.

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

*more hugs* Being human is more than a strange experience sometimes. I wish it were less that way.

Travel safely.

[lyr]

Good on you for getting all unpacked so fast! I moved over New Year's, and I'm still a little bit in boxes. Partly that's the drag factor of my new puppies trying to help, but it'd still be nice to feel totally moved in. I hope your new apartment is a very happy-making thing. Oh, and also, I hope your dad is right and the whole car accident incident works out to be a good thing after all.