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I've had two spam emails on my gmail account this week and I'm annoyed. the Spam box is super nice though.

I knew I shouldn't have used that address for my hotel reservation.

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I am so bored at work. So it's time for memes! Comment if you want me to write about your niftiness. Please give me something interesting to do.

neat people, part the first

catelin Someone I don't know once said Cate possessed the tenacity of Alabama Whitman, Patricia Arquette's character in True Romance. I am hard pressed to find a more apt description than one of a woman who would just not give up. It's something that I've seen in her, a strength of will that is both awesome and terrifying. She has lived so much in such a short span of time, and carved this enormous, beautiful life out of the world. She is the truest sort of friend a person could ask for, and one of the few people I could stand to be with for three days in a car. How could you not like this woman? She's smart, she's funny, she's artistic, she's pretty, and she has the best house ever complete with a hot tub. I challenge you to find someone who could better represent the beauty and magic of Texas.

violetisblue Despite the fact that she isn't a fan of the NaNoWriMo movement, Vali is the person who inspired me to actually do that this year and begin seriously putting my novel down on paper. I don't know how long I've been following her progress on the Quiet Project, but it's been fascinating to me. Her stories frequently blow me away and if someone doesn't publish her it will be one of the greatest literary crimes of the 21st century. She's got a wicked sense of humor and writes with such sharp flair. As luck would have it, she also writes about food in an unpretentious and fun manner, so much that I frequently wish I lived much closer to her house. Her descriptions, in all subjects, are spot on brilliant.

calledmara Dana is one of my oldest LJ friends. We've been through many incarnations of ourselves. The thing about Dana is that she manages to preserve a certain sense of self no matter how painful her life might be at the moment. She's endured far more than her share of miseries in the past few years. But I get that sense that for all the new ring of cynicism in her words, that Dana will always be at heart someone bright and full of passion. I mean, this is the person who pretty much raised Ladyfest out of the dirt in her town and helped raise thousands and thousands of dollars for much needed social services. Much as I rant about the faux annoying hippies of my generation, Dana is following in the footsteps of the true, good hippies. The world is a better place for her presence.

niftiness, continued

lawnrrd Jon is one of those people that I wonder if one day he'll disappear entirely and then turn up twenty years later in some Budapest cafe with a lot of really weird stories. He has one of those boyish, cherry smiles that could get a body into all sorts of troubles. He balances a lot of disparate elements in his life, which is an admirable thing. I know he probably doesn't see it that way, but I can appreciate his effort to reconcile two very different lives into one. I hope that he can find his equillibrium, and that being up all the time with a new baby doesn't turn his brain into mushy peas.

feckalyn Sasha is one of those LJ cheerleaders who gets a real kick out of the interaction of a million digitized lives. Plus, she's one absurdly lukcy cat. Who else do you know that survives six blood clots in the lungs? Just thinking about that gives me hives. She's in the nursing field, and I really enjoy reading about her work with people. I think there are three types of people who go into medical work - the people who want to make money/just have a job, the people who want power over other lives, and people who care about providing good care to others. I would say she definitely falls in the last category, based on the way she writes. I like to see people who actually care about their work.

silentjack One day, Tom is probably going to turn into Faulkner. But a scarier, modern Faulkner who mixes his words up with music. Just a gut feeling. His brain is a giant warehouse, full of mysterious packages, dustry trunks with foreign sticks on the metal bands, and obscure objects draped in sheets. If you're lucky, he'll show you around the place. I don't pretend to know much about the modern state of music, but if you wanted to see where the future might be you should investigate Tom's stuff. He's a good apple, and I like a man with some grey in his hair. It gives him that instant aura of experience. Plus, he cooks and you can't go wrong with a guy who does that.

nifty people, third installment

alainn_sorcha What is there not to like about Sarah? Here is someone who never fails to bring up an interesting point, or an especially witty sarcastic remark. She's got cool shoes, and cool hair. She throws a good party, and bitches with me about the nonsmokers. I think she has some apt and sharp insights on people, and a conversation with her is just as educational as a college lecture. She's also one of my most active friends and gave up a lot of her free time to be involved in election politics and voter registration. She will kick your ass at cards.

ladypeculiar The Negam is an exotic creature living in an eccentric cage in a very large city. She is a fearsome natural predator, but also possesses the capacity for boundless goofy fun. Nut the really interesting thing about Megan is that she so full of energy, and that she has one of those limitless hearts. She's passionate about her art, and you have to love that in a person. Plus, she took me to this fabulous Ukrainian restaraunt once, and bought me a really absurd delicious drink in a bar, contributing to all the fabulous eating and drinking during my NYC visits.

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rockstarbob These entries come out of the blue, and it's like listening to snatches of a radio at night. You're never sure what program is on, or what you will hear. I'm still putting pieces together into one big mosaic, shaped like a person. It has the air of realism, laid out with graceul lines. One of the ways I know that I want to get know a person is noticing their literary interests. She's already added one book to my list of things that I need to hurry up and read instead of endlessly perusing magazines.

oh my

I wrote 50,000 words in 29 days. And the story isn't over. I've got ideas already for revisions and modifications, and it's hardly my best writing. But oh my oh my I wrote 50,000 words.

more of the nifty

coyotegoth This man has done a lot of things this year. He's done more things than most people do in multiple years. For all his travelling and soul seeking, this isn't just another self centered person. He's supportive of the causes he believes in, and goes the extra mile on his bike or by plane to back them up. Fred is one friendly, interesting fellow.

baseproduct What can I say about Brett? He's an old fashioned gentleman for sure. With a blend of cynicism and idealism, he's passionate about his art and his politics. Riotously funny, with a ready smile and a genuine laugh he made working in the trenches much more bearable. We sure do miss him there, but we're glad he's made his escape. now if only he would escape back to Austin to play with us more often... i'd trust Brett to have my back in a bar fight and I know he'd crack some righteously funny jokes about it later while we held ice packs to our heads.