Everything I own in the world.
Posted by Grá on Mar 3, 2010 in Dear Diary
2
Birthday! Kinda sorta!
Posted by Grá on Feb 28, 2010 in Dear Diary
Best birthday-party-not-actually-on-my-birthday evar!
The guys from extanto got me a great travel sweater and an inspector gadget parka. Nina brought a sticker for my computer and a card that made me cry.
Ben made hummus and Holly made tex-mex tacos. Blake and Tiffany brought tons of food. Loreen made the best cupcakes ever and mine had a candle in it.
They sang three different happy birthday songs to me, including (most appropriately):
May the candles on your cake
Burn like cities in your wake.
Dancing didn’t quite manifest, but we had music and food & wine and five conversations spread through three rooms. The kids played upstairs and occasionally came tearing through the house. We played games and talked and laughed and laughed and laughed.
Going to bed tired and happy.
Tab close
Posted by Grá on Feb 26, 2010 in Dear Diary
Holy crap, i have less than six days till i fly to Europe!
Don’t want to carry any extra weight, so i’d better get rid of all these tabs.
Art
I love this Marco Fusinato project called, “Music Is What Numbers Feel Like.”
I’ve been researching logo trends for my day job. Some fun stuff here.
I’m also lately fascinated by Smashing Magazine, which is full of cool design tips.
Travel
Since i’m bouncing around the world, and have no money, i’ve been spending a lot of time on the Couchsurfer’s Site. Particularly making sure i do it in a safe fashion.
While i’m in London, i’m really hoping to visit the T-Party writing group.
World
I keep forgetting that i plan to read this article on How To Make America More Innovative.
I want to read this economics book, “Whoops!: Why Everyone Owes Everyone and No One Can Pay.”
Personal
Just in case folks who knew danele are reading this. My old friend Devon posted videos of danele’s memorial service.
Writing
I’m curious about developing a few television shows. These two articles cover one’s way too formulaic for my taste, but still have interesting information.
My writing has been on hiatus while J and i work through our separation stuff and i get ready for Europe, but i plan to get back on track querying agents and submitting stories in a week or so.
Ok, going to bed …
Blessed.
Posted by Grá on Feb 19, 2010 in Dear Diary
I really am.
My friend Leslie lent me a car so i could run errands before i go. Holly knew J and i were sad, so she got us each a massage. Neil offered me a house to stay in while i’m in Scotland. My ex is throwing me a birthday party. Three people have offered me backpacks and tons of people have given me suggestions and advice.
Sometimes i let myself forget how many people care, how lucky i am to have all these folks in my life.
But not today; i’m letting myself feel blessed. Love you all.
OMG! Going to Europe!
Posted by Grá on Feb 14, 2010 in Dear Diary
Hi,
It’s so true! I’m flying to the UK in March and heading vaguely east starting in April.
So, friends, family and teh rest of the internets, where should i go? What should i do? I’m looking for advice, stories, warnings, whatever. Starting in April i have an open schedule and nearly unlimited time (although very little money.)
Do you live in Europe? Want to recommend a city? Looking for a visit? Want to put me up? Have any friends out there? Let me know!
I haven’t taken a vacation in ten years. Help!
Grá
What’s going on
Posted by Grá on Feb 10, 2010 in Dear Diary
Hi.
J and I have known for awhile but it took us a long time to tell our friends, even longer to tell our families. But at this point I think most people know we’re splitting up.
For a divorce, it’s going fantastically well. We don’t feel bitter or angry. We still love each other. We still like each other. I don’t think either of us did anything wrong. My friend Neil blogged (near the bottom) that he and his ex-wife work much better as friends and neighbors than as a married couple. I think something like that is true for us too. There’s so much we love and appreciate about each other, but there’s a whole subset of our relationship that isn’t making us happy. More importantly, we’ve been worried that we’re growing less when we’re together than when we’re apart. It’s more complicated than that, but that’s the basics.
And that’s sort of the crux of it. We’ve been married almost four years. The core of our vows was to support each other to grow, even if it meant not being together. So, it’s been good, and sad, and confusing … and in the end we’re just doing the best we can and trying our best to be good to each other.
In three days we’re doing a divorce ceremony. Part of that will be affirming that we’re not completely leaving each others’ lives and that neither of us can predict the future. After the ceremony is done we’re going to have a potluck and wake.
We’re been doing pretty well slogging through packing up and splitting our stuff, figuring out money and making sure both of us will be okay after I go. We’ve decided not to talk for six months while we get used to life as whatever we are after we’re not married.
In less than a month i’m off to Europe to find adventure (and do a bunch of writing). I’m scared, and sad, and excited and numb all at once. I really appreciate all the support my friends have given me …
… and if you’re reading this and you want to reach out to one or both of us, we would love that.
So that’s it. Hope this clears up all the vague European references.
Love to you all,
Grá
was ist das Bloggen?
Posted by Grá on Feb 4, 2010 in Dear Diary
Oh yeah, hi.
It’s been awhile, sheesh.
So much has happened in the last month, so much is happening. I’m not quite ready to go into yet.
I’m sitting in bed, just shy of 1 am, writing this with a fountain pen. (Ok, fine you’re reading it because i transcribed it into my blog.) Writing with the pen feels nice and i’m reminded that i promised i’d write my next novel this way. I should.
Anyway, yeah, i’m busy and overwhelmed, but slogging through. Changes are coming, but that’s for the next post. I’m going to make an effort to carve out time for music and art so i can post it on here.
So, if i haven’t lost you all with my rude absences, keep your eye on this spot. There’s great adventure coming … maybe even a few challenges and pleas for help.
Hope you’re all well, Talk to you soon.
Grá
[music] A harmless little peice of downtempo (techno-pop)
Posted by Grá on Dec 3, 2009 in Bleeps, Crashes and Squawks
Emily made me do a track tonight. It’s been a while since i’ve done any music, so i sat down for an hour and made this. It’s not much, but it’ll do for tonight.
Off the top of my head, i call it “loosenyourtie.”
tab close
Posted by Grá on Dec 1, 2009 in Dear Diary
Need to save my browser again.
Tech
The Super TV-Be-Gone Kit, i am SO making one of these!
The slightly awesome, slightly creepy Minimum Wage Machine. Spits out pennies when the user turns a crank to produce electricity.
Many different plans to Build Your Own Solar Panel Array.
I’m really geeked about all the Open Source Hardware projects popping up all over the place.
I’m thinking about getting a membership on the Instructables site. I do likes to make me some stuff. 
I was just thinking that touch screens needed some tactile variation. Cool!
I’m appreciating MAKE’s Mischief Maker’s Holiday Guide. Ohhhhh yesss.
Under the “yeah, it was a little too good to be true” category, IBM claims to create AI Cat Brain Life.
World Change
Idealist.org, an awesome project to bring together motivated people for positive world change. Nice!
I’m so incredibly geeked about this Urban Green Housing project in Dallas! (more pics here.)
An interesting look at Not In My Backyard.
When i look at PolitiFact’s Obameter, while there’s plenty i wish Obama was doing differently, he has so far kept quite a few of his promises.
Health
After playing with Blake’s iPhone exercise app, i’ve been looking at Linux exercise programs. The three i’ve seen so far are SportsTracker, Open Fitness and Kipinä, (which looks to be open source.) We’ll see what works.
Books
Thinking about Neil’s “The Graveyard Book,” which i’m *ahem* just now reading (don’t tell Neil!) i’m looking over Kipling’s The Jungle Book for reference.
Neil also mentioned The Oblique Strategies deck at some point. I like the idea, wanna get a set for myself, or maybe ask for them for the holidays. [UPDATE:] I found an online generator. Cool. 
In a recent conversation, Ellen Datlow mentioned the seminal horror/sci-fi story Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell. I didn’t *ahem* mention that haven’t actually read it yet. *embarrassed*
Work
Sarah and i are looking at lots of ESL jobs. Also here. Oh, and i might need an International Driving Permit if i end up in Europe.
I need to register my new startup, Extanto with the Central Contractor Registry page.
I also need to register us with The Lime Exchange.
Writing
Some awesome writing advice on i09 these days. One on “Your Crucial Character Isn’t Working. What To Do” and another from Ray Bradbury’s “Advice To Struggling Writers.”
Another writing book i’d like to pick up. Writing for Video Game Genres: From FPS to RPG.
These Tell Me A Story cards are cool and kind of cute.
Misc
This is neat. Learning new languages with Sign Language as an intermediary. Where Are Your Keys?: The Language Fluency Game.
I used to juggle and Sarah wants to learn. I need to remember to show her this sometime. Eight Reasons You Should Learn To Juggle. With advice on how, too.
The World’s Most Beautiful Poop. What else can i say?
I love Love LOVE this Tom Gauld print, “Characters for an Epic Tale.” SQUEE!
And, once again, my browser feels much lighter. Ahhhh.
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