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The Winding Down of Summer (Pictures)

22 August 2011 / friends, geekalicious, life, pictures

Summer will be officially over in a month. That makes me sad. I’ve been waiting all year for it, and it’s already almost over. I’m not looking forward to nine more months of cold!

Aidan went back to Ohio on the 14th. It was not a happy day. He was actually fine until it was nearly time for him to board. He didn’t sob, but he was whimpering and crying and that made ME whimper and cry. Didn’t help that I was alone; Adam was in Atlanta to celebrate his grandmother’s 80th birthday. So, what did I do when I left the airport? Went shopping, of course.

As you all know, Borders is going out of business. I went there and got some books and started Christmas shopping. How disturbing that it’s already time to start sort of thinking about Christmas shopping?

I miss my little boy. *sigh*

The first weekend of August, I went to MuseCon. It was everything I could have asked for in a con. For one thing, SJ Tucker was the guest of honor. I had been aware of that since 2010, and I’d already blocked this weekend for the con. If SHE’S there, then I’m there. Secondly, the con was less sci-fi based and more creativity based. There were two photography panels, a fire spinning show, and I even got to participate in an improv class! The hospitality suite was incredible. Loads of my con friends were there, and I got to make some new friends. It was awesome. It was also very relaxing. The panels and workshops were long, and there was a lot of downtime. There were people sitting in the lobby playing instruments and singing. There was time to sit and have great conversations with people. There was a wedding; my friends Lizzie and Eric got married. The sound system didn’t want to cooperate during the processional, so the guests all hummed Canon in D as the bride was coming down the aisle. Gorgeous. And finally, it was in the Itasca, IL, Westin, and I LOVE Westin hotels. We had a really good time and I am very much looking forward to going next summer.

Then, if that wasn’t enough s00j (and let’s face it, there’s never enough s00j), she did a show at the Life Force Arts Center that Sunday night! Check out this beauty:

🙂

Also since I last wrote, I cleaned like a madwoman. The poor apartment needed it. I’ve been doing more yoga, eating more junk food (eek), and reading more books. My face has been breaking out like a teenager’s, and I can’t figure out why I’m suddenly being so blessed by the acne gods. Maybe it’s the junk food. :O Anyway, I’ve made some major life changes (OK, just one) and I’ve been so much better for it. 😀 Oh, and I got this neat little toy:

LEGO-compatible Doctor Who building set

I also got some really cool Monster High and She-Ra stuff b/c my awesome friend Seanan (who TOTALLY gets the doll and toy thing) was nice enough to pick them up for me when she was at Comic-Con a few weeks ago. (No pix yet! Soon, my friends. Soon.) I have FIVE Monster High dolls coming in the mail from Amazon. It is my goal to own every version they make of Frankie Stein because I adore that doll. So basically, I’m getting three Frankies, a Spectra (YEA!) and a Cleo de Nile. Because I’m crazy. And as far as my doll obsession goes, these are the less expensive ones that I’m gaga over.

I’ve begun blogging for Sharemickey.com, a social network site for Disney fanatics like myself. If you’re into Disney, you’ll want to check this site out. It’s pretty rad. My first post will be up this Wednesday.

Summer’s winding down, but there’s still a lot to look forward to. There’s the Chesire Moon show this weekend at the Life Force Arts Center, the new Doctor Who starts Saturday (OH YEAH), a party thrown by one of my favorite yoga teachers, a wedding shower, Labor Day weekend (a possible trip to Ohio in the works), and another wedding! So yeah, it’s going to be busy but not overwhelming, which is good.

OK, I think that’s about all. I’m getting hungry. Also, I’m hearing noises coming from the kitchen that sound cat-made, which can never be good. ‘Til next time!

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Hearts To You

27 February 2011 / friends

This post is dedicated to all you guys I met and communicate primarily with online. ♥

I’ve been posting on Plurk for almost three years now. In those few years, I’ve managed to become a part of a core group, and my days feel empty if I don’t get into some shenanigans with them at least once every day. We’ve developed this little circle, and it’s awesome. We have our own words and initialisms, we have inside jokes, and sometimes we Skype. Some of them met up last September for the TOA–the Tour of Awesomeness–in San Francisco. I remember when they were talking about it as an abstract thing, and then when it actually happened? Yea, freaking cool. I missed out on that, but I am holding out that the next TOA will take place in Chicago.

We do video memes (which I am really behind on, oops). We send each other Christmas cards. One year we made mix CDs for each other. (I still owe Sun one, actually.) We’re all different races. We have different backgrounds and different professions. We’re all over the U.S. and the world. And yet, we all just mesh. And it’s good. I adore them all.

I have friends in all sorts of pockets on the Internet. I have friends who love American Girl like I do, and we talk dolls. Well, they talk dolls and crafts, I mostly listen/read and soak it all up. I have friends who I play FarmVille or Cafe World with. That’s the main thing we have in common, but I’ve seen so much generosity from people from a little flash game on Facebook. That blows my mind.

Even though I’ve been laying low on the writing front (although that’s changing with a quickness YAY), I am still very passionate about and involved with the kidlit world. It’s hard not to be, being married to an author. I met Adam indirectly through an online friend/critique partner (who is now an agent and an author). It’s also hard not to be, when I am as passionate about books and reading and teens as I am. I know that once I get back to pursuing publication, I’ll be surrounded with a lot of support from people in the industry, because that’s just how the kidlit world works.

My favorite, though? Is when fandoms cross over into personal friendships. It’s pretty easy, I mean, you KNOW you have at least one thing in common, right? Why else would you be part of that fandom? I’ve met people on the Disney World community whose weddings I ended up attending. I met a dear friend from American Girl message boards, and ended up celebrating Valentine’s Day and my birthday with both of our families. (And it’s been way too long since I’ve seen her and I miss her a LOT!) Some people I met because we started a comment thread on another person’s blog and realized we had a lot in common and a lot to talk about. The Internet has definitely made the world smaller.

I’ve known my friend Ivy since 1997. It all started because she was searching for someone who had SINGLE, NOT LOOKING at a relationship status in his or her profile on AOL. She emailed me, and we’ve been friends ever since, and she was a bridesmaid in my wedding in 2008. Because of people I have met online, I’ve had the chance to travel to places I thought I’d never go. My first trip to Disneyland was because of my dear friend Amy, who felt I needed a pick-me-up when I was going through some hard times. I’ve been to San Francisco and San Jose to visit people I have met online. And if I find myself going to a city where someone I’ve met online lives, I try to meet up with that person, even if it’s just for lunch, and a lot of them have done the same for me.

I’m always finding new and interesting people online. I read and comment on their blogs, @reply them on Twitter, and sometimes end up developing some really neat relationships because of it. So, to all of you who are funny, kind, creative, insightful, and best of all, open to making new friends online, hearts to you. ♥ You’re part of what makes the Internet so fun.

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It’s Just Life & It’s Good! (Pictures, Long)

30 November 2009 / christmas, friends, happy, life, pictures

Oh, hi y’all. As you know, I haven’t updated in a while, so I apologize in advance for the longevity of this post. I’ve been around, as those of you who are on my Facebook know, but typically it’s been a busy few months, what with four quarter at Schawk (can’t believe another one has passed), family visiting, friends visiting, and just… life, really.

Which is great, by the way. So much to be thankful for these days.

Earlier this month, Aidan came to visit for several days. It was awesome! He’s so mature and smart. And he’s turning out to be quite the bookworm. Hmm, wonder where he could have possibly gotten that? Seriously, one day, he read five books. Impressive! Anyway, when he was here, I took a day off from work to spend time with him. He loved that. I took him downtown to look at the Macy’s store windows, and he got to see Santa Claus!

Poor thing was totally tongue tied when Santa hugged him, but it was such a sweet scene. I had to keep blinking back tears. Santa was an absolute sweetheart to Aidan. Aidan also wrote and sent a letter to Santa that day, and he was beside himself when we peeked into the news studio (a couple of them have their windows uncovered and passersby can watch live broadcasts) and someone inside waved at him. The most random thing happened to me that day, too. We were looking at the windows and interacting or whatever, and a stranger came up to me, told me I was a good mom, and gave me a hug!

Later that week, Adam’s family came to town to visit. They loved spending time with Aidan and he loved spending time with them:

Aidan went home that Sunday, and I was sad to see him go. He is always excited to fly alone, so the good-byes aren’t terrible (for him).

That Monday, I scarfed down a cheeseburger from Portillo’s and saw the burger again a few hours later. I woke up Tuesday morning feeling sort of OK, so I headed out to work, only to end up exhausted and weak from the commute. I ended up leaving a few hours early. I wasn’t feeling good at all. Wednesday morning, I woke up feeling sort of OK, so I decided to brave it again even though my brain/body was telling me not to. I was 100% worn out when I got to work. I must have looked like hell. My manager eventually came and suggested that I go home. I left work at one, and was in bed by two. Thursday morning, I woke up very hungry, ate a big breakfast, and was back to normal by Thursday afternoon.

The next weekend, I got to hang out with Ricky Luna. For those of you who have known me for some time, you’ll know that I’ve been a fan of this former Mouseketeer for several years now. We had an awesome time together. He, his manager and family, and Adam and I just hung out, doing the touristy thing. Navy Pier (mmm churros), Pizzeria Due, parade, and then we came back here and hung out for hours. It was one of the best days ever.

Ricky just recently dropped an album that is super amazing. If you love electronica, you’ll love his music. The album’s called Electro Bomba, and I seriously cannot stop moving when I listen to it. I can’t even describe it, except to call it Electro Bomba, but it has a lot of what I like in good dance music. You can download a free 45-minute mix here, and you can buy the album here on iTunes. If you want to only get selected tracks, I recommend My Fitted Hat (Raw Mix) and Eyes Wide Shut and Smile (Sonrisa). Arms In The Air is also pretty damn awesome, as is the title track. Seriously, trying to choose a favorite on this album is like trying to pick a favorite child. I can’t do it. I don’t say that about a lot of music. So, download the free mix. What have you got to lose?

After all that excitement, last Monday, Adam took me to the American Girl store, where he had me pick out my birthday present. Yes, it was about a month too early, but he knew I’d want to pick her out myself, and neither of us wanted to deal with the store as the Christmas holiday draws closer. And when your husband is Adam Selzer and he asks you if you want to go to American Girl Place, you say yes!

Anyway, I came home with …….

Julie!

Julie is the 1974 doll, which is special to me because that’s the year I was born. So it was cool to get a doll for my birthday who represents my birth year. And she’s so pretty. Why did I wait so long to get her? I’m in LOVE with that doll! I think she is going to be the one doll I actually keep in her time period. She’ll be my 70s girl.

Last Wednesday was my last day at Schawk 2009. I made it through this fourth quarter with no printed errors (Go Ronni!). It’s kind of weird knowing I don’t have to go to work tomorrow–all I have scheduled is a 2:30 massage at the Cortiva Institute. Starting tomorrow, I’ll be a homemaker, something I’ve never been! I mean, I stayed home with Aidan when he was a newborn, but this will be different. For one thing, I’m not sure where my next job will come from, or when. But Adam’s working full time now, so it’s going to be my job to keep the house, which he’s been doing all this time. I’m excited about it.

I figured that I need to make a schedule, though. Else I’ll end up playing FarmVille, Cafe World, and The Sims all day. So, here are things I MUST do every day:

1. exercise for at least 45 minutes (conveniently, the Electro Bomba free mix is 45 minutes)
2. write for at least an hour
3. some sort of special project (with Christmas coming up, this will be easy)

I’m actually going to write stuff down in my planner and hold myself accountable. It’s important.

Thanksgiving was awesome. Jeff and Deborah came over and we ate GOOD food. Four different kinds of dressing/stuffing, cheddar mashed potatoes, corn, pumpkin peanut butter soup, macaroni & cheese, and of course, a nice, juicy turkey. We played Super Mario Bros. for Wii (awesome game), and hung out and had a good time. Friday, I stayed in. Had to avoid those crowds, but Adam and I went out on Saturday. Dropped off laundry, and I just about finished Aidan’s Christmas. I’d like to get him something EPIC though. We’ll see. I haven’t begun to shop for most people. Will wait until December 1st. Same to put up my tree and decorations.

I’m looking forward to having December off from work. Just me recovering, and getting things done around the house. It’s going to be nice. And it’s my favorite season! It’s going to be more awesome because Aidan will be here in Chicago! YAY!!!

With that, I’m off. The ZzzzZZzzzZs are catching up with me. Til next time!

(Originally published at Anywhere Is…)

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Just Thinking (Pictures, Long)

24 May 2009 / friends, pictures, ronni

2 Mountain Dews + 1 Afternoon Nap + 1 Life Dilemma = Night Owl Ronni In Full Effect.

Although I’ve been doing some thinking, and I’m coming to peace with the life dilemma. Now I just have to wait it out. That part will be hard.

Ordered my mom a Molly American Girl doll. She told me how she always wanted one, and always wanted to get ME one. She doesn’t have to get me one now (although I’d LOVE it if she did), but I did want to get HER one. I ordered it Friday night. Not sure when it will get there because of the holiday and all.

Lilacs are growing in the neighborhood. They smell amazing.

It’s 3am and there are people outside running up and down the street and screaming.

Here’s a few pictures of Jess. These do a bit more justice to her. I wish I was better with a camera, though when it comes to photographing the dolls.

I cleaned today. I mean yesterday. Cleaned my room and the bathroom. Both look much better now.

Crookshanks is sleeping on the other end of the couch. He’s sort of snoring. It’s cute. Today, he managed to get on the cabinet above the stove. Once he got up there, he had this look on his face like “Oh crap. How do I get down?” Adam and I were laughing, and Crookshanks’s expression changed to “What are you laughing at? This is not a laughing matter. How the hell am I supposed to get down?”

He made it down, though.

Jeff and Deborah came over for a cookout. They brought steaks and ribs. Jeff had marinated the ribs and they tasted amazing. I haven’t had ribs in years. Mmmm. Meat.

Seeing those two is always a treat. Deborah is a total sweetheart and we get along so well. I really hope we can all see each other more often this summer. I wish I could see ALL my friends more often. Getting around Chicago can be a pain when all your friends live way north. *sigh* The train takes forever, and driving is a nightmare! But some things are worth the hassle.

Hung out with Becky last weekend. We had lunch at The Cheesecake Factory. It was good, and the cheesecake was yummy. Becky time is always good.

Thank goodness for this 3-day weekend. I need it. Then next week, Rebecca will be released! I plan to be at the store when it opens, and meeting up with some other AG Collectors. It should be a lot of fun. And the week after that, some friends will be in town and want to do lunch. Then a con. Then Aidan comes. Busy busy. I hope I get time to rest in all that. AND clean Aidan’s room. Because for some reason, even though I NEVER go in there, that room keeps getting very messy. I don’t get it. Adam must be doing stuff in there.

I never did announce my Disney blog. Oops. It’s here. I pretty much only talk about Disney and dolls these days (Aidan if not those two things), so I started the Disney blog to jabber on about my upcoming trip and stuff like that. Maybe I should do something like that with my dolls, too. Just so I won’t bore poor Adam talking about them all the time. He says that he loves seeing me so happy when I play with them or even just look at them, but come on. He’s a typical guy. Typical guys don’t dig dolls. Although he is very supportive of people playing with toys, no matter what their age!

Sarah Dessen posted her tour dates. She and Laurie Halse Anderson will be TOGETHER at Anderson’s Bookshop either July 11 or 12 (I have to confirm with someone, I am seeing differing dates on different websites). I AM SO GOING. I’ve met Laurie before, and she is simply amazing and awesome. I’ve been dreaming of meeting Sarah for a long time, and I HAVE MY CHANCE. !!!!!!!!! So yes, I am definitely going to make it to that event one way or another, I don’t care what it takes. I mean, it’s SARAH DESSEN, you guys. I will probably faint when I see her, or cry, or something else equally embarrassing. I remember when I met Meg Cabot, how nervous I was. But I am so excited. Not only is Anderson’s one of the best indie bookstores EVER, but two of my favorite authors will be there, AT THE SAME TIME. It’s too much!

We went to the Illinois Young Authors Conference with Adam last weekend. It is so awesome to see how the kids respond to Adam. He’s wonderful with them. A good speaker, inspiring, and realistic. Plus, meeting authors, getting out of Chicago for a night is always good for me. Normal, IL reminds me a lot of Columbus, OH.

I was sick last weekend until Tuesday. Monday was the worst of it, though. My sinuses hurt SO bad I could barely keep my eyes open. Once that part broke, though, I was on my way to being normal again. Being sick stinks.

That’s all for now. Shall I think that my eyelids are ACTUALLY starting to grow heavy? Dare I hope? Oh well. Even if they aren’t, I’m signing off for now anyway. Ciao.

(Originally published at Anywhere Is…)

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What a Week! (Pictures, Long)

4 April 2009 / aidan, disney world, friends, life, living in chicago, pictures

Lots have gone on since I’ve last updated. I’ll try to make it simple for simplicity’s sake. This post is long!

· Riley has a friend! I went online looking at AG dolls just to see what was out there, and to decide which one I would eventually purchase. Well, last Sunday, I was Googling QVC and American Girl and came up with a random lucky link. Ruthie, one of the dolls I was considering, was being sold with her accessories, a book, a hair brush, and an extra pair of pajamas for $76. Whoa? The doll and paperback book is $95 when purchased through regular channels. All that extra stuff with the doll? You’re looking at about $160 right there. Factoring in shipping and tax, she came to $86. I couldn’t pass her up. (I’m pretty sure I wasn’t supposed to stumble upon this link–it is not searchable at QVC.com.)

She arrived yesterday (4 days before she was scheduled to!) and she and Riley took to each other right away!

· This morning, my friend Kari, who I’ve known online for years now, flew into Chicago to visit with some old college chums. This morning, we all met up for brunch at Le Peep. I had the Belgian Waffle Combo like I always do when I go.

Of course, Kari and I took some pix!

· Earlier this week, Joey and Rory were at my work singing for us and chatting with us. Joey’s voice is so amazing and unbelievably beautiful. She makes it sound easy and effortless. They’re both very nice and I wish them the best tomorrow at the ACM Awards!!

· Today, I got to see RENT!!! They’re in Chicago until April 12, and Adam and I popped into a matinee. We were in the orchestra seats, row W, which was pretty good. Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal were amazing as Mark and Roger, and Justin Johnson was absolutely STUNNING as Angel. Lexi Lawson was amazing as Mimi. Actually, they all did a wonderful job and this production was OFF THE HOOK. I was smiling and clapping while tears were streaming down my cheeks.

Afterward, Adam and I met up with one of the stage hands and we waited in line while a few of the cast members came out. I got my picture with John Watson, who plays Mr. Jefferson and other roles, and Adam Haplin, who plays Gordon other little roles.

After all of THAT excitement, I got to pretend I was Mimi when the theatre was almost empty:

What a rush, let me tell you! I’m no Lexi Lawson or Rosario Dawson or Daphne Rubin-Vega, but it was fun anyway.

· I booked another Disney trip!!! Disney is offering Free Dining starting in August, and it took me about 20 minutes to decide to think about SERIOUSLY taking Aidan. He’s at the perfect age and I really want to do this for him. I got a quote from Mouse Fan Travel instead of going directly through the Disney site this time. Why have I never done this before? My agent, Suzy, is awesome. This place allowed me to hold a spot for three days while I waited to hear back about getting the time off work. Then once I put down the deposit, she told me the day my ADR window will open, and said she’ll make them for me! If a special deal comes up, this agency will apply the savings proactively. No fees, so hidden little leprechauns to catch me by unpleasant surprise. So, Aidan, Adam and I are going in August for a few days. We’re staying at Pop Century. I like the theming at the place. So cool. It won’t be a terribly long trip, and it’ll be crowded and hot, but the food will be free and we’ll make the best of it. We’ll be at DISNEY WORLD!

Naturally I am very excited. Aidan doesn’t know yet. I’d been debating on how and when to tell him. Some people tell me to wait until just a few weeks or days before. Others tell me not to tell him until we get there–but Aidan is way too bright to fall for that one. Someone else asked me why not tell him when he’s here in a few days? That way he can help me plan! We’ll do some sort of countdown, some activities, and just get ourselves totally worked up. So, I think I’ll tell him when he is here… but I’m not sure how yet. He’s really into guessing games lately, so I think I’m going to go that route. Should be awesome.

OK, I think that’s all from this week. My first week of April has been crazy! But crazy in an amazing, I am very grateful and extremely blessed way. ♥ I am truly happy, and so excited for Thursday evening!!!!

Until next time!

—————-
Now playing: Perry Farrell – Going All the Way (Into the Twilight)
via FoxyTunes

(Originally published at Anywhere Is…)

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