Brandon Sanderson

     On Thursday night I had a terrible time falling asleep. I tossed, turned, kicked, and just about went insane trying to catch some sleep. This sleep deprivation was all thanks to the fact that on the very next day I was going to meet Brandon Sanderson . . . my idol.

      I don't know if I've ever talked about Brandon Sanderson to some of you but he is . . . well he's AMAZING. He creates these totally cool worlds, but even better are the magic systems he creates. I read a lot, but never before had I read anyone s books and thought man this is soooo freaking original. I'm not saying other authors aren't original or anything. Heck Brandon himself says he does use some of the archetypes and what not, but to me he is one of a kind in a way I can't begin to explain  . . .


     I always talk about people like Lynn Flewelling, Jim Butcher, and Terry Brooks. They are totally amazing authors and I respect them like crazy, and can't wait to meet them. Lynn, who I met, is awesome in that her books are dark, they have really strong characters, all this stuff I can't explain. She wrote the Nightrunner series and the Tamir triad. She made her main characters gay in a time when it was like omgz what was she thinking?!?!? For this and many other reasons I love her. I wish I could afford to go on that cruise with her. Jim saved me with his Codex of Alera series, way back before I had picked up Brandon and as Harry Potter was coming to an end. Terry came before all of them and showed me that the genre I love most is fantasy.

     Despite all the things that make me like all these awesome authors none of them can top Brandon Sanderson in my mind. I know there are plenty of authors out there that I have yet to read, and I will continue searching for them. Maybe one day there will come an author who can knock Brandon down from the mental pedestal I've put him on, and I anticipate this. I want to see other people show true skill, be original in a time of  . . . sameness.

    So having somewhat proclaimed my love for Brandon it comes as no surprise that meeting him was a big deal. I remember walking into Mysterious Galaxy and finding the place PACKED. When I went to see Lynn there were like 30 people, but this room was easily at over a 100. I couldn't even see him, but I remember hearing this voice. It was perfectly  . . . ORDINARY. I was like is THAT him? I followed the voice through the crowds. It WAS him. I couldn't believe it, my idol was  . . . HUMAN! I know that sounds weird, but I've idolized him for like 4 years now. This didn't diminish my admiration, it increased it. Here stood this totally normal looking man, and he was EPIC. I wish I could have peeked into his mind!!!

     He was talking about Michael Whelan the dude that did the cover art. I was mesmerized by such a seemingly normal voice. Avidly sponging in his words, smiling, laughing, wishing I was closer to look him directly in the eyes. I wanted him, no NEEDED, him to see what he meant to this lowly aspiring author. I'm not going to go into great detail about what he talked about, although I will surely remember it forever.

This is the cover art it's sooo freakin beautiful it's my desktop background

    After he was done with talking, reading, and the Q & A it was time for the signing. We had to form a line. I was at the end of the first third of people to see him. I met this totally nice couple with a baby. She was a friend of Brandon, but also a fan like me. We chatted about Brandon and books. It was fun, but always in the back of my mind was this voice saying you're getting closer!

     And then I was at the beginning of the line, hyperventilating and going crazy because he was within my sight! Then it was my turn. The feeling is very hard to explain but it's something like my best Christmas, best birthday, that queasy feeling after karaoke the first time, spending a day with a boy you love, and a myriad of other crazy emotions.  And while all this was going on I teetered towards him with all my Brandon paraphernalia. I gushed and, inadequately, tried to express my love. I told him my name, asked him when he would be back in town, and all sorts of gibberish. Nothing consequential. He looked me in the eyes, asked if I had any questions and all I could say was . . . sorry I forgot them. His mere presence had turned my brain into gelatinous goo.

the quote is from his book Warbreaker it says Unknowing ignorance is preferable to informed stupidity.

   He signed my laptop with a quote of my choosing while I stared on adoringly, in his eyes that adoring look was probably a creepy look. And when he had signed all that, and dealt with my creepiness, my turn was  over. I walked away giddy and somewhat, and this oxymoron will sound totally stupid, blissfully forlorn.

    I had met him, but I failed miserably in distinguishing myself. I didn't get a picture or anything, that's how out of it I was!!!  It is now my goal to meet him again, and this time make a lasting impression. To be myself. Next time I will bring my questions written down, but hopefully I won't need them. Next time . . .

Zombie Apocalypse

    So two nights ago I fell asleep under the god of epic dreams that is Michael Cera in his Scott Pilgrim form, and my dream was . . . WICKED!

     It started with me in the hallway of an indoor high school. I was being totally kickass & kicking some zombie ass! Then I withdrew into a bathroom when the numbers grew too much for me. After a few minutes I hear knocking on my door & my group is telling me to run down the hallway to the room we had secured, they were holding down the line for me. I hurried in, and was followed in by Hector and Chewie. They were dirty, but so was everyone. So the group consisted of a bunch of guys and like two hoes, but they didn't count for much. These girls were in charge of making we were all cleaning, quickly sponging up all the zombie goo and making sure we had no abrasions.

     For some weird reason there was a bed in this room. Vince and Chewie were laying on this bed along with some other fool. I couldn't tell who he was. Hector was standing guard over the door. His blood sample had been taken already by one of them hoes. They were busy with something or Chewie didn't trust them, but somehow I had to take his blood sample. My hand was totally shaking, as I was trying to concentrate on that little vein. I made sure there was firm pressure, and then inserted the needle. Chewie hissed, but I concentrated on removing the sample. It took a few minutes for the test to come through . . .

    Chewie passed, but Hector failed. It took an hour for the zombiefying to take place. i said Hector let's go look for more supplies. Make the best of your last coherent minutes of life. I promised him a swift death before the process was completed. He joked about how he was gonna grow a  tail, true story he said. Always trying to scare me, even in his last moments of life. We had just walked outside when . . . my mom woke me up!!!

    This was very upsetting as it was one of the coolest dreams I'd had for a while. Last nights dreams were just scary and unnerving, but let's not talk about those. So here's a vid of the anime that I'm sure instigated my zombie dreams.

To summarize a year . . .

    A LOT has happened since I last blogged a year & a half ago. I am an aunt to twins, I'm almost freaking 22, and my best friend has moved away.

     One of the most memorable thing of 2009 apart from my nieces being born and turning 21 was Vince's & Maritza's Halloween extravaganza!!! It was awesome seeing Matt dressed as a woman, a Waldo Vince, Bubby/Queen of Hearts Maritza, and so many others. But the greatest fun came in the after party! Once everyone was pretty much gone & we were down to 7 the REAL fun began. I will keep the names to myself but if you were there you KNOW who you are!!! There was some groping, lap dancing, and all around giggles. Like I said this is a night that will be recalled as the most epicest of epic after parties!!!
   
     Almost turning 22? Not so much. I still feel like I am 17. Of course the day I turned 21 is a day I will never forget. I still remember Maritza waking me up from my 15 minute nap at exactly midnight . . . I also remember the moment being slightly ruined by another certain friend's dumb text. When I looked up there was a lovely little cake lit up just for me, and I was with my 2 besties Vince & Maritza. I blew out the candles & we proceeded with the drinking! My first drink was tequila with squirt, old school Mexican style!!! Rosie showed up and all sorts of craziness ensued, of course I can't remember a lot from that night. But highlights were me trying to get into the microwave, trying to go through a wall cuz I swore the bathroom was there, cussing Vince out in Spanish, and refusing to drink water for fear it was spiked!

     Another memorable event was Maritza's birthday. Having a gay old time at Chuck E Cheese's followed by some good old partying. There was plenty of drink and plenty of fun as well. Of course craziness ensued. There may have been some groping on my part of another poor attendee but that is all I shall say on that matter. Point is it was the AWESOMEST party I've been to this year.

     Then my 2 best friends moved away. I experienced a period of loss and disorientation. trying to find things to fill in the gaps that had consisted of them. Surely but slowly this happened. The things I filled so said gaps with aren't an exact fit but close enough that my heart doesn't twinge as much. I miss them dearly & have visited them twice already. I wish I could go more often, but then again you can't always have things your way. I feel this is something a lot of us need to learn, and have freaking Burger King stop telling us we can have things our way cuz that's all sorts of lies! Anyways I hope to get to see them this upcoming month, but I have a feeling I won't see them until October . . .

     All sorts of things happened this summer, of course summer was kicked off by Maritza's & Vince's housewarming party. They once again proved why they are reigning King & Queen of a good shindig. I also went clubbing for the first time!!! It was at gay club called Numbers.It was totally a new experience for me. First of all I ain't no dancer, so it took a margarita & 3 shots to get me up on that floor. Then there was watching the go go dancers, watching men stick their hands into the sausage bin and after having their grand old feel leaving a generous tip. Then that one dancer with the boxer briefs designed with a special sock 4 his junk so when he was all grinding all up on his stage you could see his wiener swing around . . . interesting stuff indeed. It was fun and also disappointing. The disappointment being that after a margarita & a total of 5 shots I went home perfectly sober. lolz

    Of course there was all sorts of other craziness and I have all my friends to thank 4 a pretty awesome summer. Ironically the only place I didn't visit this summer was the beach. That makes me all sorts of sad, but I think going there would have made me sad as well for it would have reminded me of the Summer of Maritza. We spent sooo much time at the beach, washing away our sorrows and having a grand old time. And last but not least I would like to end this blog by saying that Scott Pilgrim is the AWESOMEST movie so far this year, and it would take the whole year but there is still Harry Potter . . . soooooo go watch Scott Pilgrim & keep your hands to yourself cuz Michael Cera is MY man!!!!!