it's the risk that i'm taking, i ain't never gonna shut you out

After signing off zee internet last night, I wrote two pages of what may turn into the prologue for the project that I've codenamed my 'gargoyle young adult romance novel', even though it has evolved well beyond gargoyles. I have a ton of work and research and brainstorming and plotting to do before I can really begin writing it, but the first two pages were fun. It's also quite interesting and wonderful to write something that immediately has its own unique, distinctive voice -- it's utterly different from my Regency romance voice, although I'm going to have to read some more young adult books to see how much snarkiness is allowed or whether the heroines have to be dramatically earnest in their struggles.

I can't let myself get too distracted by it, though, since I still have Madeleine and Ferguson's story to finish -- and I must finish it now, if only because the people who have read the first half may kill me if I don't produce a polished version of the second half. So the gargoyles, and the heroine who awakens them (currently code-named Holly, although that, like absolutely everything else, may change) are going to have to chillax just a bit longer until this book is finished.

However, I didn't write today; instead, I mostly played. I got a massage first thing in the morning (which for me is ten a.m.) in San Jose, which was somewhat lackluster; I had to do it to use up a credit before it expired, but I chose the massage poorly and ended up with some weird version where the masseuse sprinkled Chinese herbs on my back, covered me with heated buckwheat-filled blankets that made my hotblooded self overheat, and generally wasn't nearly as good as the massage I had on Wednesday. After that, I proceeded immediately to my old office, where I had an extended lunch with Gyre -- he was in good form, and I'm glad I got to see him before the holidays. Then, I went to the gym, persevered despite my desire to rebel against the tyranny of the elliptical, and then came home and relaxed for an hour.

I then met up with Joann and Jane around five p.m. for a delicious early dinner at a 'healthy' Korean bibimbap place near my old office. Healthy shouldn't really be in quotes, since it was actually quite healthy (which may explain why my stomach is growling, although I guess that could also be because dinner was seven hours ago). It was quite lovely to see them; this was a rescheduled version of our every-six-weeks friendship renewal dinner, although Tolu couldn't make it. Joann has one of the best blogs (well, only blogs) among my friends, since she blogs about her eating adventures, and so she took photos of our food for a post she may or may not ever write -- hopefully she gets back into blogging, since I miss the blogging she did while living in Singapore.

Sadly, dinner had to come to an end eventually, and I then made a v. quick trip to Target to pick up wrapping paper and a couple of other items before coming home and procrastinating/working on zee romance blog until now. And now, I should go to bed; I have a packed day tomorrow, including a holiday party with the San Francisco romance writers in Berkeley, a bang trim in the evil city, and a birthday party for Chris Boyd. And it's only nine months until I'm thirty -- which means that this Christmas will mark the thirtieth anniversary of my conception. I will ignore the inevitable 'ew' that comes of contemplating my parents conceiving me on Christmas and merely recognize that my youth is fading. And on that cheerful note, goodnight!