cat picture + jennifer :: true things.

Hey there, strangers.

Lots of stuff, lots of stuff. Lots of good stuff. Midnight blogging, too. Hello, friends on the other side of the world who are enjoying this lovely March morning. My cat just fell asleep on my arm after attacking my hands. He does stuff like that. It merits a picture.

Oh, Oliver. If you'd stop being cute, I'd stop taking pictures of you.

Anywho, my friends, in 24 hours I'll be watching

The Hunger Games {!}, 

and probably dying a little bit inside. The question is whether or not it will be the good kind of dying {because there are two kinds, you know}.

It gets me to thinking, do any of you remember this? I had so few readers a year ago when the casting craze began, I'm not sure who knows. I've felt funny about saying anything since then, but it's true.

I grew up going to church with Jennifer Lawrence and her family. Yes, that Jennifer Lawrence. I know. I know. It is amazing. I am so happy for her, and proud beyond words. It is also incredibly weird because, well. You know. I knew her as a little kid, and not as freaking Katniss. The bragging rights pretty much end there, but now you know. In case you didn't before. I just... had to tell you again. I don't even know why. But it's a true thing, and I like for people to know true things about me.

We love you, Jennifer. Louisville girls represent.

award! sparkfest! ash to nash! finding peace! all the good stuff.

First of all, if you haven't taken a gander at the Harry Potter Zipline photos, please do. It really happened. You won't regret it.

Second-- and most important-- ly, here are some things that are going on:

1. We have moved our bed into the den. Pretty much everything from the bedroom, actually, has been moved. Some call this "packing," I call it "in-house camping." It's a mess, but it's also pretty fun to have a double bed, two couches, a coffee table, two bookshelves, a TV, and a small dining table with two chairs and a bench in one room (don't worry, it's an unusually large room).
1a. We're buying a new mattress and bed frame when we move. I can't wait to show you guys this bed. It's so odd. It has WHEELS. We're looking at a huge bookshelf with wheels, too. Good thing our new bedroom is tiled. Oh yes, tiled.

2. With the end of camp, I've been looking at my summer goals, again. The only ones that probably just aren't going to happen are to watch less TV and exercise daily. I know, I was doing so well. But!
2a. Even though I haven't gotten as much done as quickly as I would have liked this summer, I'm feeling pretty good about my writing. Have I gone through my entire rough draft yet? Well, no. But I have been doing a fair amount of planning and aligning events in my head and my notebook, which will hopefully help me figure out the direction of everything once I really get into revisions.

3. The lovely Deirdra at A Storybook World has given me an award! Just because! I am so thrilled. Seriously, you blog folks are awesome. I know I should say this more often, so I'll try to make up for it now:

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

When I started blogging, I had no idea what I was getting into. All I knew was that I wanted to write, and I wanted others to read. I've noticed how some bloggers can cultivate huge followings in the span of months, and while that is awesome, I do not possess such skills. I am a networking sloth. I struggle with putting myself out there, I really do. So, again, THANK YOU. I am so encouraged.

So fun and pretty!
(Also, I'm relieved to know I'm not the only one being entertained, over here.)

4. Speaking of putting myself out there, I'm going to be participating in Christine Tyler's Sparkfest in a few weeks. Hooray! I hope you'll join me; blogfests are so much fun. And so is Christine's blog, The Writer Coaster. Let's show some love.

5. Have you guys heard about From Ash To Nash?                     (look there it is! -->)
Anyone outside of this area probably doesn't care, but as a resident of the East Tennessee/Western North Carolina region, this is thrilling. A book signing in Knoxville! Who'd'a thunk? And so, I will be there, at Union Ave. Books, next Sunday afternoon. If you are going to be there, too, please tell me! Especially if that means you also live in this area. Friends we shall be, I say.

6. Speaking of the East Tennessee/Western North Carolina region, an amazing thing happened at camp a few weeks ago: I stopped caring about being cast as an extra in The Hunger Games. A good move, on my part, because they never called me. :) Look at that, a smiley face. And you know why?
6a. There are so many wonderful things going on in my life, these days. Really. I have a wonderful husband, fantastic friends, two highly entertaining cats, and a whole world that exists solely in my imagination. I don't NEED to be in The Hunger Games to feel good about myself. That's what it was, for a while. I wanted to be a part of something that made me feel significant. I also wanted a chance to see Jennifer Lawrence again, I won't lie (that's not just a pipe dream-- I knew her {i.e. her brother} back in Louisville... for those of you who hadn't heard that a thousand times over, already). Also, since I'm being brutally honest about myself, I felt a bit... possessive of the story. As if The Hunger Games existed solely for me, and so OF COURSE they would let me be a part of it. I thought that if no one called me, it meant that I was not good enough for the story I loved, had no presence, was doomed to never act again. But the truth (or at least part of the truth)?

I don't live in the right state.

A crap-ton of people went to those casting calls, and most of them lived in the immediate area. I like to think that I'm not half-bad at the things I do, but I also knew I wasn't going make such an impression that the distance wouldn't matter. And that's okay. I don't regret going out for it. Now that I can look back without the butterflies or the gut-pounding high hopes, I see the day for what it was: a fun morning with friends and coffee and good conversation, a profound learning experience, and something I will always be able to say I did. What's not to love about that?

So, how's the beginning of August faring for you, my friends?

about louisville and jennifer.

There is a lump in my throat the size of... I don't know... a gerbil, probably. Not in an emotional way so much as a nervous way. Why, you ask? Well. Because the extras casting for, uh, Artemis, looks like it's moving on to finding people for the Capitol. And, you know. I'd really, really like to be a part of that. They've got my info. I guess I just have to wait... again. Sigh.

In other, moderately related news, being home in Louisville is fun because Jennifer Lawrence is a big deal to everyone, not just folks who follow The Hunger Games. And, let's be honest, those folks are a little scant in Knoxville (no matter how much we supposedly read). I went to see X-Men last night with a friend, Dani, who used to babysit Jennifer, and when James McAvoy kissed her on the cheek, Dani leaned over to me and stage-whispered, "JAMES MCAVOY JUST KISSED HER!" Another friend from church growing up, Matt (we'll call him Matt W, because I have a lot of Matts in my life), was there with his girlfriend, and we sat and talked about what Jennifer was like as a kid all through the credits. We kept talking until the lights came back on, and then talked some more in the hallway. One highlight was Matt W saying, "That's not Mystique. That's... ... ... ... ... Jennifer."

I can't imagine how strange and exciting seeing her as Katniss is going to be.

Baahh!

And if you're wondering if I'm blatantly name-dropping for the fun of it, I guess I am.
But, hey. It's legit. :)

In other news, I turned 26 yesterday, I still have a hundred pages left of Monsters of Men, and I'm going to be starting my first week at camp on Monday. This is going to be a good summer.

[but pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease pick me for filming in August]

some linkage, and assorted jennifer aftermath.

First off, anyone out there easily stressed over lending books to your friends?  I know I am.  Thus, it rarely happens.  But look!  Now you can have your very own library system!  Do I want to buy this out of practicality?  Amusement?  Both?

Second, if you drool over miniatures and dollhouses like I do (and why would you, normal person that you are?), grab a paper towel or two before perusing this incredibleness.

And I found some cool things.  Don't roll your eyes, please.  I know I have a much smaller audience than most of the bloggers who are discussing big issues like Hunger Games casting, but I'm allowing myself to get into it.  I believe I have a fair excuse (see previous post).  And once I get it out of my system, you won't have to hear about it anymore.  Just let me get it out of my system.

From an awesome blog my darling husband found, called WORD for Teens,  this really neat photo mash-up:

And from mockingjay.net, the official Hunger Games fan site, this super-exciting banner:

And awesome fan art poster:

I don't know about yousguys, but I'm ready.

More non-Hunger Games-related blogging later.  Promise.

because we could all use a little more gush and squee.

There's no questioning how I feel about The Hunger Games.  I read the whole trilogy twice through in five weeks.  Remember that?  Remember how often I gripped at my heart and stammered over my own words?  And have you noticed how I still can't stop talking about it, six months later?  How it invades my thoughts for days at a time?  Maybe you haven't noticed that last one, but I sure have.


You'd think I'd have moved on by now, but it's only getting worse.  I feel uneasy recommending the books to people, for fear that they'll hate them and I will take it personally.  Because, likely, I will.  Sheesh.

Well, if you've been following the buzz, you can see where this might be going.  How they got it all wrong and ruined everything by casting a tall, blonde, 20-year-old as Katniss.


Not so, my friends.  Not so.  I'm here to tell you that they got it right.

And also maybe to jump up and down and scream in your face a little about how (ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh) it's Jennifer Lawrence!

Is there a not-stupid-sounding way to say that she and I are from the same town, and that I grew up going to church with her family, that my mom remembers when she was born?  That all of Louisville is a-flutter with her, that I set aside my usual Oscar-grievances because there's no way not to watch, when you know a nominee?


How's that for an equation in self-destruction?  The film version of your favorite book + an incredible actress you still think of as the twelve-year-old sister of a boy in your Sunday School class... as the main character.  As Katniss...

KATNISS!!!

And that equals my mind right now.  Totally blown.

I spent the whole day at work yesterday telling every possible person about this.  None of them had read the books or heard of Jennifer Lawrence.  I told them anyway.  I jumped up and down every time I went into the back.  I started squealing while straightening clothes.  I almost threw up a couple of times.  Every thought was taken up by trying to wrap my mind around the fact that Jen Lawrence is going to be Katniss Everdeen, and that I used to know her. That I'm not making it up.  And that this is going to be the best thing ever.


Around my lunch break, I calmed down enough to remember something:  Jennifer looks nothing like how I'd pictured Katniss.  Oh, no.  People are going to hate this.  They are going to hate me for being so excited.  She's pale, she's blonde, she's got all the wrong features (though, there, I disagree).  This could be a disaster.


I know this is how some people will feel, and I don't blame them.  But to those people, I say:  go watch an interview with Jennifer.  Listen to her voice.  Watch her eyes (which, indeed, are rather grey).  No.  No, it is definitely not a disaster.  This girl is incredible.  Have you read this announcement?  Allow me to quote from the article what Suzanne had to say:  


"'Jennifer’s just an incredible actress. So powerful, vulnerable, beautiful, unforgiving and brave... I never thought we’d find somebody this perfect for the role. And I can’t wait for everyone to see her play it.'”


There you have it, folks!  If the author is behind the decision, how can I not be?  Regardless of the fact that, you know, I sort of know the girl.


Eeeeee!!!!!


Jennifer, I am so proud of you.  You represent home so well.  You will be excellent, and you already shine.  Go knock 'em dead.  :)