Happy Blog-o-versary to me!

A glimpse back at the archives tells me that I started this here little blog on 12 January 2006. Three years ago! My blog has apparently past the terrible twos and is into the even terribler (if my friends with small children are to be believed) threes : )

As this date coincides with my return to the day job, I'm not sure my brain is up to coming up with any deep and meaningful posts on the last three years or blogging in general so instead I'm going with Mel's meme of threes (feel free to join in - doesn't have to be your top three, just three of your favourites):

Three favourite colours: Cobalt blue, hot pink and aqua

Three favourite drinks: Lime and soda, magaritas, vanilla coke (when I'm allowing myself to drink coke)

Three favourite sounds: Cats purring, my friends laughing, the ocean

Three favourite books: Sunshine by Robin McKinley, Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie and Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold

Three favourite songs: One by U2, Heavenly Day by Patty Griffin, The One That Got Away by Pink

Three favourite celluloid men: Captain Jack Sparrow, Captain Malcolm Reynolds, Captain Jack Harkness (I sense a theme)

Three favourite foods: Lindt dark mint chocolate, fresh baked bread, guacamole

Three least favourite things: Big hairy spiders, the sound of my alarm clock, throwing up

Three favourite defunct TV shows: Buffy, Firefly, Coupling

Three favourite things about writing: Watching the progress meter get further along, solving a story problem, days when the pages flow and time vanishes

Three favourite current TV shows: Top Gear, Torchwood, Battlestar Galactica

Three favourite places: Scotland, my couch and the beach

Three favourite pastimes: Reading, writing, watching movies

Three words that describe you: Creative, smart, practical

Three favourite movies: Pirates of the Carribean, Field of Dreams, Stage Beauty

Three guilty pleasures: Cheesy sports/dance movies; slightly stale supermarket doughnuts, Gossip Girl

Three things you'd grab in a fire: Cats, computer, purse

Three favourite genres to read: Urban fantasy, regency historicals, romantic comedy

Three places you'd like to go: Tuscany, the Maldives, New York

Three favourite genres to write: Urban fantasy, paranormal romance, romantic comedy

Three random facts about yourself: I have two and half kidneys, I sing in the car, My legs itch when I peel potatoes.

Back to the real world

Tomorrow it's back to the day job and the real life routine. I didn't get everything done that I wanted to get done - the garden remains a wilderness and my writing was slow (then again, it's always slow over Christmas even though I conveniently forget this fact every year) - but I did get other things done, got completely off caffeine again, saw all my friends, did lots of lazing around reading and watching dvds and, best of all, stuck to my exercise routine which has a way of vanishing when I'm on holiday. I've even cranked it up a notch or two.

Given that 2008 has to be dubbed the year of inconsistent exercise for me (partly due to health reasons but partly due to slackness), I'm hoping this is a trend I can continue. I've bought some pilates dvds so that I can still do a session even on the weeks I miss class (and have done them over the break so I hopefully will not have the usual oh-ow-ow-ow-ow-I-have-not-done-pilates-for-a-bit that usually comes after a brea) and (miracles do happen) I've found that I'm really enjoying my cardio sessions thank to my Cardio Coach mp3s. Normally I listen to music or occasionally my Brain Sync walking meditation tapes (which are good for steady walking but don't really make you push). But I used to always find I got bored and it's hard to push yourself. I wanted to add some interval training sessions to my cardio to help with the general fitness and weightloss goals and I'd downloaded Cardio Coach Volume 1 ages ago after reading about it on Dietgirl's blog but due to said year of inconsistent exercise hadn't tried it until a few weeks ago. Funnily enough I love it even though it's longer and harder than I've ever done on ye olde elliptical before. I sweat a lot and get that good exercise buzz at the end (like I used to get from Spin or Step only without the sore butt from spin or sore knees from Step). So I've bought a few more (thanks to convenient buy two get two free sale they had recently) and my cunning plan is to try and add a volume each month (they seem to get generally longer and harder though you can tailor them by skipping sections). So by the end of Jan my aim is to be able to do all of Volume 2.

I know there will be weeks when I fall off the wagon when you add the day job back into the mix but I feel better and sleep better when I exercise so I'm going to try and do my best to minimise these this year.

Books read in 2009

I'm doing this in a post again this year...it's easier to manage. These are my read for the first time books in 2009. Newest at the top, oldest at the bottom.

Also, given that I've started reading e-books on the iPhone a lot more than I used to read e-books when I only had the computer to read them on, I'm going to keep track of whether I read things electronically or on paper. So (e) means, funnily enough, read in e-book. The iPhone is a pretty good e-reader but I'd still like Apple or someone to invent THE great e-reader that has a book sized screen, is light, is prettier than the Kindle plus not locked to Amazon (plus hey Aussies can't download stuff from Amazon anyway), less expensive than the current e-readers and will do multiple formats. Till then, it's iPhone for me I guess.

Books read in 2009

Revealed: A Prince and a Pregnancy - Kelly Hunter
Tempest Rising - Nicole Peeler
The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
Hero - Heidi Cullinan (e)
Smooth Talking Stranger - Lisa Kleypas
Start Me Up - Victoria Dahl
The Edge of Impropriety - Pam Rosenthal
Can't Stand the Heat - Louise Edwards
Extras - Scott Westerfeld
Specials - Scott Westerfeld
The Demon's Lexicon - Sarah Rees Brennan
Flesh Circus - Lilith Saintcrow
The Forest of Hands and Teeth - Carrie Ryan
Dark of Night - Suzanne Brockmann
The Thief - Megan Whalen Turner
Tailspin - Denise Rossetti (e)
Strange Angels: Betrayals - Lili St. Crow
Sealed and Delivered - Jill Monroe (e)
Triumff - Dan Abnett
Below the Belt - Sarah Mayberry (e)
Nightkeepers - Jessica Andersen
Demon Moon - Meljean Brook
Bound to Shadows - Keri Arthur
Pretties - Scott Westerfeld
How to Ditch Your Fairy - Justine Larbalestier
Uglies - Scott Westerfeld
Covet - JR Ward
Unseen Academicals - Terry Pratchett
An Echo in the Bone - Diana Gabaldon
Rampant - Diana Peterfreund
Soulless - Gail Carriger
On the Edge - Ilona Andrews
Demon Angel - MelJean Brook
To Catch A Bride - Anne Gracie
Burning Up - Sarah Mayberry (e)
Angel's Blood - Nalini Singh
Exposed: Misbehaving with the Magnate - Kelly Hunter
Fledgling - Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
Dating the Rebel Tycoon - Ally Blake
Breaking Loose - Tara Janzen
Magic Flutes - Eva Ibbotson
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer
Santa Olivia - Jacqueline Carey
Julie and Julia - Julie Powell
Storm Born - Richelle Mead
A Duke of Her Own - Eloisa James
Redemption Alley - Lilith Saintcrow
Seize the Fire - Laura Kinsale
The Laurentine Spy - Emily Gee
Playboy Boss, Live-in Mistress - Kelly Hunter
Since the Surrender - Julie-Anne Long
Naamah's Kiss - Jacqueline Carey
Mortal Sins - Eileen Wilks
Suite Scarlett - Maureen Johnson
Salt and Silver - Anna Katharine
Bound By Your Touch - Meredith Duran
The Sharing Knife: Horizon - Lois McMaster Bujold
Tantalize - Cynthia Leitich Smith
Don't Tempt Me - Loretta Chase
Fragile Eternity - Melissa Marr
Tribute - Nora Roberts
This Duchess of Mine - Eloisa James
To Beguile a Beast - Elizabeth Hoyt
The Shadow Queen - Anne Bishop
Not Quite a Husband - Sherry Thomas
She's Got It Bad - Sarah Mayberry (e)
Vision in White - Nora Roberts
Evernight - Claudia Gray
Strange Angels - Lili St. Crow
The Accidental Sorcerer - K.E Mills
What I Did For Love - Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Magic Strikes - Ilona Andrews
Something Borrowed - Emily Giffin
Then Comes Seduction - Mary Balogh
Star Light Star Bright - Anne Stuart (e)
The Secret Countess - Eva Ibbotson
House of Many Ways - Diana Wynne Jones
Bone Crossed - Patricia Briggs
Lady Elizabeth's Comet - Sheila Simonson (e)
Magic Strikes - Ilona Andrews
Bar Sinister - Sheila Simonson (e)
The Game - Diana Wynne Jones
A Cousinly Connexion - Sheila Simonson (e)
Ironside - Holly Black
The Tale of Hill Top Farm (e) - Sarah Wittig Albert
Corambis (e) - Sarah Monette
Tempt the Devil - Anna Campbell
Dear Fatty - Dawn French
Aunt Dimity's Good Deed - Nancy Atherton
Aunt Dimity and the Duke - Nancy Atherton
Silent on the Moor - Deanna Raybourn
Baby Proof - Emily Giffin
Plum Spooky - Janet Evanovich
Hunter's Moon - David Devereux
Aunt Dimity's Death - Nancy Atherton
Something Blue - Emily Giffin
The Demon's Librarian - Lilith Saintcrow (e)
Midnight Alley - Rachel Caine
Dead Girls Dance - Rachel Caine (e)
Like Water For Elephants - Sarah Gruen
The Dangerous Duke - Christine Wells
Code of Conduct - Kristine Smith
Virgin River - Robyn Carr
Glass Houses - Rachel Caine (e)
Talk Me Down - Victoria Dahl
Dogs and Goddesses - Jennifer Crusie, Lani Diane Rich and Anne Stuart
The Pagan Stone - Nora Roberts
Wild Thing - Anne Stuart (e)
Salvation In Death - Nora Roberts
Marked - P.C Cast and Kristin Cast
Forever In Blue - Ann Brashares
The Soldier and the Baby - Anne Stuart (e)
The Second Summer of the Sisterhood - Ann Brashares
The Dragon's Bride - Jo Beverley
Cinderman - Anne Stuart (e)
One More Valentine - Anne Stuart (e)
Coraline - Neil Gaiman
The Demon's Mistress - Jo Beverley
Dead Men's Boots - Mike Carey
The Duchess - Amanda Foreman
Night of the Phantom - Anne Stuart (e)
Chalice - Robin McKinley
When Gods Die - C.S. Harris
Black Magic Woman - Justin Gustainis
Kiss An Angel - Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Hot - Julia Harper
Carpe Demon - Julie Kenner (e)
Precious Dragon - Liz Williams
The Demon and the City - Liz Williams (started in 08)

How do you spend your time?

My brain is dead after a long drive back from the beach (which was lovely and relaxing) so it's meme time.

Spotted on MizKit. Movie Meme. Apparently if you've seen more than 85 of these you have no life. I figure it probably just means you like movies? Copy the list and put an x next to the one's you've seen.

(x) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(x) Grease
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest
() Boondock Saints
() Fight Club
() Starsky and Hutch
(x) Neverending Story
(x)Blazing Saddles
(x) Airplane
Total: 7

(x) The Princess Bride
() Anchorman
() Napoleon Dynamite
(x) Labyrinth
() Saw
() Saw II
() White Noise
() White Oleander
() Anger Management
(x) 50 First Dates
(x) The Princess Diaries
(x) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 12

(x) Scream
(x) Scream 2
(x) Scream 3
() Scary Movie
() Scary Movie 2
() Scary Movie 3
() Scary Movie 4
(x) American Pie
(x) American Pie 2
(x) American Wedding
() American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 18

(x) Harry Potter 1
(x) Harry Potter 2
(x) Harry Potter 3
(x) Harry Potter 4
() Resident Evil 1
() Resident Evil 2
(x) The Wedding Singer
() Little Black Book
(x) The Village
(x) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 25

(x) Finding Nemo
(x) Finding Neverland
(x) Signs
(x) The Grinch
() Texas Chainsaw Massacre
() Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
() White Chicks
() Butterfly Effect
(x) 13 Going on 30
(x) I, Robot
() Robots
Total so far: 31

() Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
() Universal Soldier
() Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
() Along Came Polly
(x) Deep Impact
() KingPin
(x) Never Been Kissed
(x) Meet The Parents
(x) Meet the Fockers
() Eight Crazy Nights
() Joe Dirt
(x) KING KONG
Total so far: 36

() A Cinderella Story
() The Terminal
() The Lizzie McGuire Movie
() Passport to Paris
() Dumb & Dumber
() Dumber & Dumberer
() Final Destination
() Final Destination 2
() Final Destination 3
() Halloween
() The Ring
() The Ring 2
() Surviving X-MAS
(x) Flubber
Total so far: 37

() Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
(x) Practical Magic
(x) Chicago
() Ghost Ship
() From Hell
(x) Hellboy
() Secret Window
() I Am Sam
(x) The Whole Nine Yards
() The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 41

(x) The Day After Tomorrow
() Child’s Play
() Seed of Chucky
() Bride of Chucky
(x) Ten Things I Hate About You
() Just Married
() Gothika
(x) Nightmare on Elm Street
(x) Sixteen Candles
(x) Remember the Titans
() Coach Carter
() The Grudge
() The Grudge 2
(x) The Mask
() Son Of The Mask
Total so far: 47

(x) Bad Boys
() Bad Boys 2
() Joy Ride
() Lucky Number Slevin
(x) Ocean’s Eleven
(x) Ocean’s Twelve
(x) Bourne Identity
(x) Bourne Supremecy
() Lone Star
() Bedazzled
() Predator I
() Predator II
() The Fog
(x) Ice Age
() Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
() Curious George
Total so far: 53

(x) Cujo
() A Bronx Tale
() Darkness Falls
() Christine
(x) ET
() Children of the Corn
() My Bosses Daughter
(x) Maid in Manhattan
(x) War of the Worlds
(x) Rush Hour
() Rush Hour 2
Total so far: 58

() Best Bet
(x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(x) She’s All That
(x) Calendar Girls
() Sideways
(x) Mars Attacks
(x) Event Horizon
(x) Ever After
(x) Wizard of Oz
(x) Forrest Gump
(x) Big Trouble in Little China
(x) The Terminator
(x) The Terminator 2
(x) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 70

(x) X-Men
(x) X-2
(x) X-3
(x) Spider-Man
(x) Spider-Man 2
(x) Sky High
() Jeepers Creepers
() Jeepers Creepers 2
(x) Catch Me If You Can
(x) The Little Mermaid
(x) Freaky Friday
(x) Reign of Fire
() The Skulls
(x) Cruel Intentions
() Cruel Intentions 2
() The Hot Chick
(x) Shrek
(x) Shrek 2
Total so far: 82

() Swimfan
(x) Miracle on 34th street
() Old School
(x) The Notebook
(x) K-Pax
() Krippendorf’s Tribe
(x) A Walk to Remember
(x) Ice Castles
() Boogeyman
(x) The 40-year-old Virgin
Total so far: 88 (apparently I already have no life)

(x) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(x) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(x) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(x) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(x) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 94

() Basketball
() Hostel
(x) Waiting for Guffman
() House of 1000 Corpses
() Devils Rejects
() Elf
(x) Highlander
() Mothman Prophecies
(x) American History X
() Three
Total so Far: 96

(x) Titanic
(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
(x) Shaun Of the Dead
() Willard
Total so far: 99

() High Tension
() Club Dread
(x) Hulk
() Dawn Of the Dead
(x) Hook
(x) Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
() 28 days later
(x) Orgazmo
() Phantasm
(x) Waterworld
Total so far: 104

(x) Kill Bill vol 1
() Kill Bill vol 2
(x) Mortal Kombat
() Wolf Creek
(x) Kingdom of Heaven
() the Hills Have Eyes
() I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
() The Last House on the Left
() Re-Animator
(x) Army of Darkness
Total so far: 108

(x) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(x) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
(x) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(x) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(x) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(x) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
(x) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
() Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 115

(x) The Matrix
(x) The Matrix Reloaded
(x) The Matrix Revolutions
() Animatrix
() Evil Dead
() Evil Dead 2
() Team America: World Police
() Red Dragon
(x) Silence of the Lambs
() Hannibal

Grand Total: 119

Given Star Wars Episode 4 came out when I was seven and I'm now thirty years on from that, that's not only an average of four a year if they span time fairly evenly. Hardly not having a life. Though I will admit to easily watching far more than four movies a year : ) Or maybe it's the particular movies that are supposedly bad for you?

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!

May 2009 bring you peace, love, happiness, good health, good friends, good times, good writing days (for those of us who need them) and much success chasing your dreams!