Day #8492 - Christmas Came Early

I know that Thanksgiving is supposed to come first and that's not until tomorrow, but I am almost positive that Christmas was actually on Monday night because I got to meet ten fabulous YA authors at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville.

For a librarian's/more professional perspective on why these events and independent bookstores are a great thing, I suggest you check out my book review blog here. Right now I'm about to express nothing short of love and gratitude for these writers.

You have been warned.

But seriously, who knew that Mondays could ever be so great?! First of all, the whole event was moderated by author/editor extraordinaire David Levithan (Every You, Every Me; Will Grayson, Will Grayson; Boy Meets Boy) which was fantastic. He asked great questions that someone like me who's not really in the business (yet? haha) wouldn't have thought of.

First off I got to joke around and talk about "old-school, MySpace self-portrait skills" with A.S. King, author of Please Ignore Vera Dietz and Everybody Sees the Ants, two books I'm insanely excited to read. There was Stephanie Perkins who I got to talk to and she signed my copy of Lola and the Boy Next Door. She's incredibly nice, has a sense of style I wish I were bold enough to pull off, plus she's a Nerdfighter - she's easily one of my favorite writers.

Me with Stephanie Perkins

Then there was Carolyn Mackler and Jay Asher who each signed my copy of their brand new book The Future of Us (which I'll be reviewing over at The Fuma Files shortly once my grad school semester ends). I was so excited to tell them that the students at the school I work at voted for them as some of their favorite authors and it felt really good.

Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

I continued making my way around the room and talked briefly with Heather Brewer, author of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series, and David. I asked if I could get a picture of the two of them for my students (it makes me sound slightly less like a nerdy fan-girl) and they did, which was awesome. Then David asked if I would mind taking a picture on his phone so he could send it to Heather. And I gladly did. That's right, folks. I got to hold THE David Levithan's iPhone haha. Then I got a picture with Heather and she asked if I'd gotten any swag yet. I admitted that I didn't, so she gave me a Vlad Tod tote bag AND t-shirt. You can bet your bottom dollar I checked out the first book from her series the next morning as soon as I got to work. I'm excited to give vampires another chance.

David Levithan & Heather Brewer

Rocking my new Vlad Tod shirt with Eighth Grade Bites

Then there was talking about cicadas and colored hair extensions with Jackie Kessler (The Horsemen of the Apocalypse: The Riders Quartet) and C.J. Hill (Slayers). I shared with them the secret of my incredibly bright blue hair, and in return they let me get a picture and gave me signed posters.

Jackie Kessler & C.J. Hill

Also there were Coe Booth (Bronxwood) and Jeff Hirsch (The Eleventh Plague), neither of whom I got to talk to but they both seemed incredibly nice and I'm anxious to read their books as well.

So long story short, I'm super pumped now to keep going with my draft. I know I've been a bit whiny lately that it's dragging on, this month is so long, blah blah blah, but at the end of the day, writing and telling stories makes me so incredibly happy that it's all worth it. I was so bummed when I got home that I couldn't just burn the midnight oil and write in to the wee hours of the morning, but my students and work deserve my full attention during the day so that would hardly have been fair to them. All in all, though, it was an amazing night, I'm so glad I went, and I hope I can continue going to events like this which encourage people's love of reading in the years to come.

Follow those who use it on Twitter:

Anderson's Bookshop

Jay Asher

Carolyn Mackler

Stephanie Perkins
Heather Brewer

A.S. King

Jackie Kessler

Janette Rallison (aka CJ Hill)

Jeff Hirsch

Day #8483 - Goals and Games

Today I had my first all-district institute day for work. It might not sound all that exciting, but it actually made for a very interesting day. Lots of very important library things were discussed and it made me really excited about my profession. It's easy to get bogged down in weeks going by and feeling like people see librarians as nothing but shelvers or baby sitters, but today rejuvenated my enthusiasm about the fact that while much of what I do is behind the scenes, but it still matters a great deal.

But this is (supposed to be) a blog about writing. So more on that, eh?

Yesterday I hit a bit of a milestone with NaNoWriMo, which is exciting: I hit 30,000 words, which is halfway to my goal. I'm exhausted, it's hardly my best writing, but the story is still moving forward and I suppose that's a good thing. While I'm happy to have given this endeavor a shot, I'm quickly figuring out that this particular way of writing may not be the best fit for me. I work a full day, come home and do my own school work, and then on top of that I HAVE to write 2,000 words a day. I don't want writing my story to feel like a chore, and I fear that it's heading in that direction. And more than all of that, I really like my story! If I didn't, I wouldn't be writing it!

Maybe it's just the tired talking, but let's just say that I don't think I'll be signing up to do this again next November. I have a huge amount of respect for the people that do, though - it takes quite a lot of gumption, spunk, and perseverance. It's a fun idea, just not quite my cup of tea.

In other news, I'm totally pumped that the first full trailer for The Hunger Games came out today! The trilogy continues to blow my mind as well as fly off the shelves of my local libraries. Katniss is such a brilliant character and I love that she doesn't remind me of anyone else. As with any film adaptation, I'm nervous about how faithful they are able to stay to the novels, but I have high hopes. Anyway, if you haven't seen the trailer, check it out:

Day #8110 - Dear Monica

On a spring day almost two and a half years ago, I started this blog in preparation for my trip to Verona, Italy. This past summer, a movie came out featuring my beloved city and sharing with the world a story about Romeo's Juliet that I never heard of while I was there: for almost longer than people can remember, people from around the world have been writing letters to Juliet and asking her for advice. For at least the last 70 years, she has been writing back (or at least her secretaries have been on her behalf).

Not going to lie, I'm not the hugest fan of Romeo & Juliet, but I think that's largely due to the fact that the only time I've read it, I was 14 and looking at the situation through cynical 21st-century eyes. I mean, come on. Over the course of four days, a 16-year old and a 12-year old fall in love, get married, and end up committing suicide almost accidentally? Seriously?

But the story is everywhere in Verona and during my six weeks there, I at least learned to appreciate the spirit of the story. So upon seeing the movie and reading the book Letters to Juliet this summer, I decided to embrace the role Juliet has had in my life and I wrote her a letter of my own the day before my 22nd birthday asking her about patience.

Today, my mom came up to my room telling me that I had gotten a letter from Verona, Italy in the mail. My jaw almost hit the floor.

A short, handwritten letter is now laying in its envelope on my desk. Not very long, but still very thoughtful and I'm just still in awe that it's actually here. I don't know if I was expecting some sort of automated, fill-in-the-recipient's-name-here sort of thing, but what I have is great. Not to mention, she offered some great advice and a fresh perspective. Is it hokey? A little bit, but I'll take it. Maybe I wasn't too fond of Juliet when I first read her story, but maybe it's time that I give the play a second chance after all these years.

Me and the Juliet statue that stands outside the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre on Navy Pier, a gift from the City of Verona. I also have a picture with her twin that stands under the "Juliet Balcony" in Italy.

Day #8076 - Ode to Sports Movies

October is a unique time of year as far as the world of sports in North America is concerned. Baseball is heading into the home stretch with the World Series coming our way. Football is about a month into the season. Hockey's pre-season is ending with the promise of a new chase to the Stanley Cup about to be under way. Even basketball is in the midst of training camp with their regular season starting at the end of the month. And for those of you who follow professional soccer on this side of the pond, that is still going on too. Yes, all (male) major league sports are present in one way or another during October - a busy time for the networks in addition to the MLB, NFL, NHL, NBA, and MLS.

But even though there's such a wide variety of real sports games to be watching this time of year, I'm going to give my little ode right now to sports movies. I love them, I always have. More often than not they're stories about the underdog team or athlete working hard and with just enough guts and determination, they're able to beat whatever Golliath they're facing. And as corny as it may be, I love it when these sports tales are commenting on something much greater than just the final score. Miracle wasn't just about a hockey team, it was about a country needing something to believe in when it felt hopeless. Remember the Titans was about more than high school football, it was about looking at race relations in 1960s America and the idea that a small group of people, even a high school football team, can make a difference. The Replacements captures the idea of having a second chance to live your dream. The incomperable The Mighty Ducks shows how even misfits have a place to belong. And though I'm not really one for watching golf, The Legend of Baggar Vance uses the game of golf as a metaphor for life, something that "can't be won, only played."

But that's not always the case, they don't always win or end in the traditional happily ever after, and those stories (fiction or fact) are almost even more endearing to me. Rudy is based on the true story of a young man who only ever dreamed of playing Notre Dame football, and for all his hard work for four long years, he got to dress for one game and participate in two plays. In Mystery, Alaska, a small-town Alaskan team puts up a hell of a fight against the New York Rangers and though they fall short when the final buzzer sounds, the movie is about a team with a lot of heart who really didn't lose when you consider the big picture.

I could go on and on. True, I love it when a movie or story is based on something that actually happened (such as Invictus - if you haven't seen it, you should), but they all carry the same tone with me. Sometimes, it really is more than "just a game" and though winning is always the preferred outcome, the bigger message is about laying it all out on the field, ice, court, etc. and giving the situation your absolute best so that when you do walk away or look back later in life, there are no regrets. So here's to the sports movies and the many metaphors they stand for.

Oh, and Go Blackhawks!!

Day #8065 - Let the Fall Begin

Happy Autumnal Equinox, readership! As is my custom on every equinox (and solstice), here is my traditional balancing an egg on its end picture for your viewing pleasure.

Celebrate safely and keep it classy!

Day #8058 - And Many More

Don't really have anything to blog about today readers, except here's a big shoutout to my parents - today is their 26th wedding anniversary! Woot Woot! Congrats!

Day #8037 - LEEP Write Run

Hey there, readership! I promised you a slightly more detailed account of my birthday, though there's honestly not a whole lot to say. After a good run on the treadmill in the morning, I spent a good portion of the day at the library checking out the children's books I need to have read for my class next week and taking notes on them. Came home, had lunch, and after I got myself satisfactorily organized for the semester, continued on my quest to finish re-reading all 7 of the Harry Potter books. (FYI I finished Deathly Hallows Tuesday around 2pm because I took my time, thus ending my 4,100 page journey.) My grandma, her sister, and my bro's gf came over for dinner, there were some hockey-themed gifts (!!!), and then my next door neighbors joined us for cake. Their 6 year old daughter drew me a lovely card and told me that the picture on the front was what she thinks I'll look like in my wedding dress - I tell ya, kids say the darndest things and it was adorable so I couldn't help but smile. But honestly, I very ordinary day and that's what made it so good.

So what else is new besides being 22? My grad school classes started yesterday (I'm in what's called the LEEP program through U of I) - I've had two 2-hour lectures online so far, and I think they've gone pretty well. So far I'm interested, which is a good start. I'm proud of myself for staying on top of the readings so far and keeping organized - not so difficult right now because the projects haven't started yet, but hey, baby steps.

In addition to my many hours of reading and notetaking, I've found a revived love for my journal. Pages and pages of ramblings can be good for the soul, and plus I've adopted the use of multi-colored pens which just makes it even that much more fun.

And then there's the running. Now I would not call myself an athlete by any definition - mostly I take advantage of the treadmill in my basement because I know I should take care of myself (especially given my high Nutella intake). But yesterday, my friend Heidi convinced me to register do do the Mad Dash on Madison 5K sponsored by the Blackhawks downtown next month. It's coming up quick, September 18th, and I haven't done a 5K in over two years. For the last two days, I've run a mile and a half on the treadmill which is big news for me, but I can't even remember the last time I ran outside. However, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited. It gives me something to work on everyday that I won't get graded on, and it feels good to run after sitting and doing homework and online lectures during the day. All in all, good times.

So that's it from Wednesday. Keep it classy, readers, and until next time...

Day #8035 - Birthday Blog!

Getting this in just under the wire!

Reader's Digest version for now:
Yesterday I was 21. Today I'm 22. Was a completely ordinary day, and because that was the case, one of the better birthdays I've had in a long time because I didn't hype it up before hand. Good times.

Day #8034 - Another Year Gone

In just under an hour and a half, my life as a 21 year old will be over. I know that a lot of people joke that turning 22 means your life ends because it really means you're an adult (because now you've had a year of legal drinking, which means you ought to be more responsible about life), but I have mixed feelings. It has been one crazy year.

It's hard to believe that this time last year, I had just moved in to Barton Hall, yet to experience the joys of CI403, and the chaos that is student teaching was still five months away. It feels like all of that was so much longer than a year behind me. So being 21 was full of big changes - legal life, a temporary return to dorm life, leaving the campus that had been my home for the last three and a half years, surviving a semester as "Miss Fuma - Student Teacher", graduating from college, changing my life plan and starting my master's degree, a new puppy, travels near and far, I could go on and on and on. There have been plenty of ups and downs, many of which have been documented either here or in my journal, but I made it. We're back here again.

So I should be hitting the sack soon seeing as tomorrow, in addition to being my birthday, is also the first day of the new school year. My classes don't actually start meeting until Tuesday, but I'm going to go to the library and try to get ahead on some homework anyway. So so long, 21. It's been quite an interesting time to say the least. Catch you on the flip side.

Day #7991 - The Long and not-so-Winding Stacks

Every year in the back of the iBook (the assignment book that U of I sells that's all school themed) there is a list of things students should do before they graduate. And let me tell you, when I was a freshman I thought this was the coolest list ever. Like an undergraduate Bucket List. Some of the things were more common ("Play frisbee on the Quad", "Attend a barndance") while others were a little more out there ("Attend a lecture that isn't one of your own").

(On a sad note, "Ring the bells at Altgeld" isn't on this year's list, which is a bummer because that was seriously one of the coolest things I have done on this campus. Also gone is "Get free condoms from McKinley." - what is this public school coming to??)

Another item that was cut from this year's list that I had always wanted to do in the past was "visit the main stacks in the library," but for whatever reason, I just never got around to it. But today, that changed. As further part of our orientation (and we didn't even really start the class part of our class until 3:30 this afternoon), we got to take a tour of the Main Library building including going into the stacks. Awesome? I think YES!