FAIL, Borders. Fail. I asked for a coupon for this weekend. "50% off our very best books" (10 choices), "our very best CDs and CD box sets" (20 choices), "our very best games and calendars" (17 choices), and "gifts" (all gifts? Books are gifts but somehow I don't think you'd agree for the purposes of this coupon) doesn't cut it, especially since I very much doubt the books I want are in those TEN titles. Seriously, ten? That's your Black Friday sale? Have fun with that. I'll wait until you're more desperate for shoppers and send out a real coupon, or I'll go across the street to your competition who DID send me a coupon.

Dear Borders:

Barnes & Noble sent me a coupon for 25% off one book this weekend. Would you like to match their offer? I will not be shopping until Sunday, so please make it last until then.

Thank you,
Person who wants to buy more books for Christmas gifts

*

I decided I'd better post now because I might not be home until after midnight tonight, and then only briefly. After work I'm going to kickboxing and then I'm possibly seeing New Moon. I don't think I'll make the showing in digital projection so I guess I get regular NM, but honestly, I probably won't even know the difference. Then I'll have to head to the 24 hour CVS, gather my stuff, and hang around there until midnight. I haven't been to that CVS since August when they hassled me about my internet coupons ("These are copies!" "No, they're not!" "Yes, they are!" "Uh, no, but if you're not comfortable taking them, give them back and I'll leave." "They've been cracking down on coupons lately." "I said you don't have to take them. Just give them back and I'll go." "We'll take them.") but I don't have a choice now. I just hope the bitch shift supervisor who always works Sunday mornings isn't working.

It's a good thing I stuck my coupons in my car this morning. I don't know how early is too early to get there but I'm thinking I'll have time to stop for something to eat between NM and CVS, unless I stuff myself with popcorn at the movie. When you only go to one or two movies a year, you can do that with no guilt.

After CVS we'll be leaving for my mom's. I should still be able to post at least once a day (NaBloPoMo, you know) but I probably won't be reading my flist until I get back home.

So, I'm sitting in Human Geography right now. It's Spirit Day, so I'm wearing my jeans and my Spirit Day shirt. At 2:24 today, the bell's gonna ring and I'ma have a FOUR DAY WEEKEND!!!! I'm so excited. But I really can't believe that tomorrow is Thanksgiving and that Christmas will soon follow. It's like... didn't I just start my Freshman year? And now I'm a little over a quarter of the way through. A lot has happened these past few months. I just kind of want to... step back from it all.

For starters, my older brother, Tim, was deployed. He tour will be about seven to eight months. He's in Iraq now, and he'll be moving on to Afghanistan later. He's coming home this summer, and we're all going to go to North Carolina to see him. Or, at least that's the plan. My mom, dad, and two youngest brothers went to base with him before he got deployed, since we're using his truck while he's gone. I don't think my dad is gonna wanna give it back to him when he comes home. :D

I'm going to miss my brother. He joined the Marines about two and a half years ago, and back then his getting deployed seemed so far away. But... well, now he's in Iraq and it's all so unreal. The time passes way, way too quickly. Before I know it, I'll be done high school, in college, and... well, it scares me. It scares me that time is passing by so fast. I wish it would all just slow down. It seems like my graduation is so far off, but really, it's not. Four years passes by in the blink of an eye, if you think about it. I'm having the time of my life right now, and I don't want it to be over.

I've gotta head to math now. Bye!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, which, as regular readers know, is pretty much my favorite holiday. Mostly because it is an eating holiday, and who doesn't like that? Because I ate my way around Philadelphia, however---huge breakfasts! best brunch ever at the Continental! Dinner at Davio's and Parc!---I'm also making this a moving holiday. As in, the treadmill is my friend. As are lunges, sun salutations, and push ups. I am sure somewhere there is a formula for how many miles, lunges and push ups you need to do to balance out a turkey dinner, or two. But I'm too lazy to look it up. Hey, I'm on vacation!

In other news, the day has come: my daughter has grown out of her crib. She's been jumping in it like crazy, and now that it's broken twice we've decided to stop fixing it and just take it as a sign that's she's ready to move on. Even if we aren't. And I don't think we are. I mean, I plan to put a mattress on the floor, baby proof the entire bedroom, and put a big gate on the door. But what if she still gets up and runs around in the night? How do we get her to stay IN the bed? I have these visions of her just collapsing by the door in a heap after running laps once we've turned out the light and said goodnight. Oh, dear. Some might say, do you really want to try to do this over the holiday? (And by some, I mean my husband.) But the truth is, we have a lot of family in town this week, all of whom are dying to spend time with Sasha. So if we have some sleepless nights (me or her) at least there is backup. Anyway, wish us luck. And if you have anything that really worked for you, big kid bed-wise, please share if you feel like it, I need all the help I can get.

Finally, I'd like to give a little thanks. I think I spend too much of this blog whining about stuff, especially lately. I am overdue for a little gratitude, which is why I am so glad Thanksgiving is tomorrow. It's a chance to slow down, sit down, and be with the people I love. To remember how lucky we are, in so many ways, for health and togetherness and each other. I'm grateful for my daughter, who is making me a better person, and my husband, who has been doing the same for a long time. I'm grateful for you, my readers, for all the support over the last year, and for friends, who get me through, and my dogs, even though they kind of drive me nuts. I'm grateful for Friday Night Lights, and Modern Family (the best new show on TV, I swear!) and for the fact that Jennifer is still on Top Chef. I'm grateful for Pop Secret Homestyle popcorn (even though I MUST find a way to stop eating it) and for coffee and chocolate. And chocolate and peanut butter together. I could go on, and on, and I plan to, in the days and weeks and months following. For now, though, I'm going to step back from this laptop and go hang with my family. I hope you all have a GREAT holiday.

The DVDs are here! *slides portable DVD player into travel bag*

I set up my book blog on Sunday night and I made it pretty last night. I was going to use Wordpress on my domain, but I ended up hosting it on Wordpress.com. Although, now that I think about it, if I want to include pictures maybe I should have set it up on my domain. This way I'll have to host the photos on Flickr or Photobucket or someplace like that. Anyway, I think it's about ready to go but I'm going to wait until the first of the year to start using it. I also want to set up a CVS/couponing blog. I need a good title for it first.

It is crazy how many people have read the Twilight series, people you wouldn't expect. I was talking to someone at work today about New Moon (she saw it; I haven't) and she was telling me about other people we know who read them. Not just saw the movies, but actually read the books. I never would have guessed that about them.

This scene is one of my favorite Callie/Arizona scenes ever* and Callie's not even in it. Maybe I should say it's my favorite Arizona scene, but it's about Callie. Anyway, I think I love Arizona a little more than I love Callie.

I watch it every morning. It's my little ritual. I watch it and then I listen to Sweet Caroline from Glee and then I can go to work.

*I should mention that I haven't seen all of their scenes yet because my DVDs ARE STILL NOT HERE.

Good morning from Philadelphia, where, honestly, I'm a little peaked. (That's pronounced peek-ed, in case you were wondering.) NCTE has been SO much fun, though. I've gotten to catch up with old friends, meet a ton of great librarians and teachers, and eat a lot of great food. In fact, I am thinking I am going to have to go totally low-carb or no carb once I am back. For now, though, I am indulging in huge breakfasts, lots of cheese and bread, and, um, chocolate. At least for the next couple of hours.

Last night, I attended a cocktail party for ALAN, which is always a blast. All the big author names were there: Deb Caletti, David Levithan, Lauren Myracle, E. Lockhart, Sara Zarr, plus a ton of others, too many to list here. I spent a lot of the party searching for Lara Zeises, who I was so excited to finally meet in person, but I could never find her. Today, I'm doing a panel, and then I get to pack up and head home to my daughter, who apparently is crazy congested and refusing to blow her nose. My husband is MORE than ready for me to take over chasing her around with a tissue. And then it's Thanksgiving! Which means, um, more carbs and dessert. I see a lot of time on the treadmill in my future. But man, it has been so worth it. The food is GREAT here. And I haven't even had a cheesesteak! Maybe at the airport. THEN I am going totally carb free. Really!

Have a great day, everyone!

Wow, I've just spent two hours arranging my farm on Farmville. I'm still not done. I have to figure out where to put my horses and all my topiaries. And I need more fences.

It made me sad to do it, but I changed my default icon from Michael/Sara to Richard/Kahlan yesterday. I changed my layout months ago but I resisted changing the default icon until now. I'm really thinking about a different layout entirely, either Richard/Kahlan or Callie/Arizona, but I haven't decided yet. I have so much else to do that I probably won't (and shouldn't) seriously think about it for awhile.

I need many more Callie/Arizona icons, and also Legend of the Seeker icons. I have several Richard/Kahlan icons (but you can never have too many) but I want Denna ('cause of Team Denna) and Cara icons too.

My Grey's DVDs have finally made it to their next postal distribution center in Missouri. Now they just need to head east and I should get them soon. That's what I've been thinking for the last week, so I won't be surprised if they don't show up until Wednesday when we're heading out of town for the holiday.

( Legend of the Seeker 2x03 - Broken )

Why aren't you watching this show? It took me almost two hours to watch that episode because I kept rewinding and watching every scene at least twice. I might have a little obsession and YOU SHOULD TOO.

STILL no Grey's DVDs. WTF? No wonder the seller didn't charge shipping. I could have driven to Memphis and picked up the DVDs at the postal distribution center myself by now. I probably could have walked there and back.

I really want to see New Moon but I'm waiting until after Thanksgiving. Maybe the first week of December?

I got a free Redbox code in my email today, and I found some free Blockbuster Express codes too. I also found out that there's a BE at my favorite gas station. I'm not sure where it is, as I've never seen it. I would think it would be outside? The Redbox at Walgreens is, anyway. Maybe I'll go inside and look for it sometime. I need to go in more often anyway, to look for coupon tearpads.

Why haven't my Grey's Anatomy DVDs moved from Memphis since Saturday? I WANT THEM NOW. If I don't get them sooooon I am going to cave and watch all the scenes on Youtube and I don't want that to happen.

I think I'm going to need a picspam.

1. Tomorrow, I leave for Philadelphia and NCTE, which means today I am running around trying to get ready. I was telling one of my babysitters about this trip, and how I'd be doing two talks and signings and author dinners, and she just shook her head. "I just don't see you like that!" she said. "It's like you have an alter ego!" And she's right. Days like today, when I'm loading up my Nice Clothes and Cute Shoes and getting into Work Mode, it does feel kind of strange. Worlds colliding, and all that. To my babysitters, I am just the neurotic person who always collapses, exhausted, the minute they arrive. I disappear upstairs, do something for a few hours, and then return. Little do they know! It's like my little secret. Anyway, the events at NCTE are for attendees only, but on Sunday, the 22nd, I'm doing two public events. At 9am I'll be at Chester County Books and Music to do an author breakfast with the fab Laurie Halse Anderson (go here for more info). And for more info on the benefit at Children's Book World, where I'll be from 1-3, go here and scroll down a bit.

2. Ever since my daughter was born, she has looked JUST like her father. The only people who think she takes after me in any way have never met him. People keep telling me that this will change, that eventually she may take on more of my features. In the meantime, though, I am seeing little hints that she is, in fact, a lot like me. Such as the fact that lately, she's REALLY into two things: shoes and cupcakes. And, of course, books. Genetics works, folks. That's my girl!

3. They're talking about this huge cruise ship right now on GMA, and it's SO making me remember my Love Boat obsession when I was a kid. I used to watch it every Saturday night, and I totally wanted to be Julie McCoy, cruise director. She got to carry a clipboard and eat at the captain's table and go to exotic locales! It seemed like the best job ever. I bet this huge new ship would blow Julie McCoy's mind. There' s a mall! A spa! Manufactured waves so you can surf onboard! And I have a feeling the cruise directors, if they even still exist, do not carry clipboards. That's so 70's. They're probably all robots by now.

4. There was a story in the news yesterday with this shocking truth: movie popcorn is NOT good for you. As Seth and Amy would say, "Really?" I mean, come on. It's loaded with butter and oil and we eat it by the tubful. Did you really think you could tell yourself the fact that it's high in fiber somehow cancels that out? (Can you tell I have tried this argument myself, before?) I've written here recently about my obsession with microwave popcorn, but that is a whole different thing. Movie popcorn is like dessert. But man, is it good. I haven't been to the movies in FOREVER but I honestly miss the food more than the films themselves. If Netflix could figure out a way to ship a tub right to your door, they'd make millions. Not that it would a good thing, necessarily. I'm just saying.

5. Speaking of movies, New Moon opens today, and MAN talk about media saturation. It's everywhere! I missed Stefanie Meyer on Oprah the other day---I'm hoping they'll re-run it---but I do wonder what she's doing today. I mean, talk about having an alter ego. She's a mom, and a regular person, but also this total DEITY as far as readers are concerned. It's not like it's her first movie or anything, but whoa, it's gotta be a little overwhelming. I hope she is having a nice, big cup of coffee right now, or green tea, or whatever is her morning drink of choice. Maybe she'll go buy some cute shoes or something, to celebrate. Have some ice cream. Or movie popcorn. Whatever she's doing, I hope she's getting to enjoy it. What a crazy ride. I can't even imagine.

Have a good weekend, everyone!

A couple of weeks ago I joined legendland, a Legend of the Seeker community that holds different kinds of competitions (fic, graphics, trivia and other stuff like that). I've participated in a few challenges so far and I have reinstalled PSP so that I can attempt some graphics. We'll see how that goes.

I know there aren't that many LotS fans on my flist but if you are one, you should join legendland and ask to be put on Team Denna, 'cause that's my team.

Go Team Denna!

First and foremost, a correction: my event at Chester County Books on Sunday, the 22nd, is at 9am, NOT 9:30. Whoops! And for those of you who asked, the events at NCTE on Friday and Monday are open to attendees of the conference ONLY. However, the events on Saturday are open to the public. For a full---and hopefully all correct---list of what I'm doing where, check out my appearances page.

Clearly, I am trying to do too many things at once. That's when I make mistakes. Witness what happened to me at the co-op in Carrboro yesterday, when I put the wrong PLU on a bag of bran muffins. The woman at the register looked at the bag, then at me. "I think you have the wrong code on here," she said. She seemed really disappointed in me. "You reversed some digits." I looked at the bag, and my squirming toddler in the cart, who I was trying to calm while juggling my own cup of coffee, and said, "Oh, sorry. It's bran muffins." She said, "I guess you have a bit of dyslexia this morning." I just looked at her: there were no words. I'd been up since 5:45! It was just two numbers! Honestly! Nothing like being scolded by a hippie. Oh, well. It WAS my mistake.

On a related note, Dear Whole Foods, I love you. From, Sarah.

You know who doesn't make mistakes like these? Laurie Halse Anderson, that's who. Luckily, we do have other things in common. Like the fact that we are BOTH in the process of getting brand new spaces to write, built by our awesome carpenter husbands (we also share that: writers and carpenters are a good match, apparently. At least, that's my experience). Anyway, Laurie's writing cottage is TOTALLY awesome. You can get the whole story by watching this super cool video she posted here.

I don't have a video---I can't even get my PLU right!---but I do have a couple of new pics from my still-in-progress office. The electrician is currently putting in the switches and fans and light fixtures, and the painters are done! Check it out:

Here's the main room, with the apricot/terra cotta color.

This the conference room. So Parker and I don't have to meet at Whole Foods or in our spare room, on the floor, anymore!

The stairs leading UP to my room, where you can see the blue we picked for the rest of the garage. Ahhhhh....soothing. The blue is also in the bathroom.

We still have to get the carpet in, the cabinets, and a bunch of other stuff. Finally, though, it doesn't feel so premature to start weeding out and boxing things up for the move over. And that is so nice, as I love anything that involves buying containers and organizing them. I might be PLU challenged, but I can ROCK my labelmaker. Step back, hippies!

Have a great day, everyone!

Movie Night did not happen (again) last night because of one important missing item: the movie. It came today though. Now I just waiting on my Grey's Anatomy season 5 DVDs. I have the weekend off so I'm really looking forward to getting the DVDs and overdosing on Callie/Arizona scenes. I have found a lot of them on Youtube but I want to wait to get my DVDs. I'll probably have to rewatch the season 6 scenes on Youtube though.

Several months ago, Maureen Johnson http://www.maureenjohnsonbooks.com/index1.html lost a bet.
She had to face her fear of flying high on a trapeze.
Then she got swine flu and had to cancel.
But yesterday, Maureen met her fear. And her fear looked her in the eye and said, "Sucks to be you today, Maureen Johnson." Then it cracked its knuckles and said, "Boo-ya!" just for a little extra flavor. I love Maureen's fear. It's funny.

Lest you feel any pity for her, please remember that MJ made me do this at Christmas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GRtNvvef08

Oh, I could watch this video all day long. Oh wait, I have watched this video all day long. I can feel your appendix, too, Maureen. It is screaming.

Please to enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvRoYH7T2aA

Cohutta: Susie is excellent and nice to just look at. Like when you've got nothing to do you can just look at Susie, smell of her hair.

Um, okay.

I wore my new winter coat for the first time today but I had to carry an umbrella as well. It rained for most of October. This is our first really good soaking of November. It's different from last month's rain. Both are cold but this rain has the promise of winter. It wants to remind you that it's almost Thanksgiving and Christmas and that if it was only a little colder, it would be falling to the ground as snow instead of water.

It's a good night to stay home and catch up on TV. As soon as I finish with my Facebook games I'll finish up the episode of Three Rivers that I started this morning. Then there's the PB rewatch and after that will either be Movie Night or, if Jason is still grading papers, Vampire Diaries.

After about four straight days of rain and wind, the sun finally returned to us here this weekend. It was SO nice. My rain gauge was overflowing, it had gotten such a workout. And while I know it's good for my garden---we've got baby bok choy and a bunch of greens coming in---it is not so great for my mental state. I was feeling soggy both literally and figuratively. It's nice to be drying out, so to speak.

In other news, we're coming to the end of both Project Runway AND Top Chef, my two favorite reality shows (and really, the only ones I watch any more. Until Rock of Love returns. I mean, I am only human, and I am here for Brett. But I digress.). Both TC and PR have been really good this season. And Top Chef makes me want to cook, which is a nice benefit. Project Runway just makes me want to shop, which is...well, not so good. I'm kind of on a self-imposed restriction right now. We'll see how long it lasts. Anyway, I'm trying to figure out my favorites for the finales, which is tough. On PR, I really like Carole Hannah, and even more since she got a nasty stomach virus and STILL kept working. I also like Althea. On Top Chef, we have been all about Jennifer for weeks now, but she seems to have lost her confidence. Which I can totally relate to. What she needs is a little pep talk from Coach Taylor. Jennifer, if you are reading this---and I really doubt you are---you should pop over to YouTube and look for some vintage Taylor clips. He will talk you back around. Trust me! I do it all the time.

Also, just days before I leave for NCTE, my camera has died. My brand NEW camera, the same one I lost and then miraculously found. I'm beginning to think, though, after the loss and now the breaking down, that maybe our relationship was just not meant to be. It's such a cool camera, this thin, red, sleek thing. It's like I was dating above myself, and holding onto this guy is more trouble than it's worth. What I need is a big, clunky camera my daughter can drop on the floor, all practicality. It's good to realize these things. I am a dork. I need a dorky camera. Maybe I'll add a neck strap just for emphasis.

Finally, a Coco update. She's doing well, pretty much totally recovered, which is great. She is also, however, on so many freaking medications it's ridiculous. When we went to the vet last week they added TWO more---Zantac and a digestive drug---so now she's taking phenobarbital (for seizures) an antibiotic (for the pneumonia she got at the vet) and these two new ones. It's crazy. We practically need a part-time nurse to keep up with it all. Also, I am somewhat concerned that one of this new drugs is making her more hyper than ever. I mean, she's always been a nervous, yappy kind of dog, but GOOD LORD. She's like a whirling dervish these days. Poor Monkey is just running from her because she won't leave him alone. I guess another call to the vet is in order. Maybe I'll ask the nurse to do it.

Have a great day, everyone!