my many lives

Whew. Talk about taking a long break from blogging, eh? I feel guilty but it seems like each time I sit down with the intention to say something, I get pulled away by homework or something else. Work is busy. MBA classes are requiring lots of out-of-class work (wah!). Wedding plans...yeah, I ought to get started with those. Not to mention a friend of DF's visiting from France for four days (which was great fun but meant playing hostess and doing a lot of entertaining and cooking and stuff). So um yeah, the blog...

I'm gonna try to get back in the groove. Even if I don't have anything pithy to say. heh.


So, this being a blog supposedly having to do with romance novels...I read one recently! Scandal by Carolyn Jewel. Yes, I know, I'm late to the party but as they say, better late than never. Due to my busy schedule, I actually took the time to read this over the course of a week rather than in one fell swoop (my usual M.O. for book-readin') and it fit the pace of the story, I think. I enjoyed the attention to detail, the characters and the reformed-rake story being turned a bit on its head. It was heartbreaking in places and scorching hot in others. A very satisfying read. Thank you to Rosie for providing me with a copy. This is an author I'm going to keep a look out for.

In music news, my favorite band in the whole wide world released a new album. Yes, that band, the incomparable U2. Being the massive fan that I am, I can't be objective. It's the kind of album that is a grower, lots of interesting ideas and musical bits and bobs that are completely familiar if you've been listening to their 20+ year canon but that might seem random and odd if your only exposure is megahits like "With or Without You" or "Beautiful Day". In other words, I heart it! lol. My favorite song on the album is called Magnificent and you can listen to it here.

Lastly in the spirit of romance and stuff, I give you this photo of DF and I at the Cherry Blossom Festival in D.C. last weekend. Crowds of people, lots of wind, but we managed to keep warm. ;-)

Out of Africa

Hello friends! I am back from my trip as of monday evening and although I'm swamped with overdue work and homework, I wanted to throw up some pictures. Here's a few from my very very busy and incredibly awesome trip.


Famous mud mosque of Djenne (UNESCO world heritage site)


The morning view from my mat on the roof where I slept the first night we trekked in Dogon Country.


Dogon village where we spent another night on the roof (if you look to the right just above center, you can see the campement with the mats on part of the roof).


Chief of the village where we visited a Peace Corps volunteer for a day.


Yes, termite mounds can really get that big (and even bigger!)


Sunset on the Bani River in the port city of Mopti.


Regular traffic scene in the bustling capital city of Bamako, my home for two years. The locals have taken to calling it Obamako. *g*


My adorable goddaughter and my future sister-in-law. :-)

africa here i come!

As I mentioned earlier, I'm off to Africa on Friday. Will be leading a group of 10 people on a 10-day trip to my old stomping grounds. Of course I'm terribly excited but also apprehensive at being in charge of everything. Lots of details and a jam-packed itinerary. But it will be great to be back there, to visit all of the sights and to give lots of gifts to DFs family. :)

Here are some pics to give you an idea of where I'll be...

We'll be trekking up in this area for two days and nights. It's rugged and beautiful and totally fascinating. The villages we will visit are places I have been to before. I think the hikes are doable by everyone in the group. Hey, if I can do it, anyone can. I'm soooo not physically fit. lol. Of course, temperatures are in the 100s now, so we'll be taking it slow (and staying put during midday).

Crazy fun at the open market in the capital city. This was my view every day going to and from work. Total chaos. But it all works out in the end.



mmm, I hope I get to eat some of my favorite dishes. Groundnut stew, riz au gras, and good ol' rice and sauce. Fried plaintains too. Oh yeah.

So I'm not sure if I'll get a chance to blog between now and Friday, but I'll certainly have some stories to share in a week or so. K'an b'en sooni!

some things

This is gonna be fast and random because I am about to run out the door to work. So a bulleted list of items in no special order.

• I heart internet frends! One of my blogging buddies (she knows who she is) offered to send me a new book that I was envying and that she had already read...and then she tossed in like 7 more books in the envelope! zomg, I am salivating over all the house of reading fun ahead. mwah to friends!
• As I mentioned elsewhere, I am off to Africa in less than 2 weeks for a 10 day trip with a group. I'm the leader of said group, so that's a little scary in terms of being organized and responsible for so many. But I can't wait to go back and see my old haunts, speak the language and show off the fabulous culture.
• One of my personal hopes for said trip is to see if I can snag some good ethnic printed cloth for use in the wedding. We shall see.
• I have a 12 page midterm to write for one of my classes. Glurg.
• My other MBA class is interesting and I'm enjoying it but we have to produce and present a case study every single week with a group. Needless to say, it is taking a LOT of my time (witness the blog...or lack thereof)
• Work is busy busy and not only do I have to catch up on things but try to get ahead so that the week I'm in Africa is not total chaos. Not exactly sure how this is going to happen, so it is stressing me out.
• Last night I was trying to throw together some sort of Mexican dish and during the onion saute, I sprinkled what I thought was chili powder only to find out it was ground cloves. This led to a rethink of the dish and I added coriander and curry powder in an attempt to rescue it. The result was edible but weird. Note to self, pay attention with the spices!
• I still love my apartment.
• I have been made aware that my blog is suffering from a shortage of Richard Armitage pictures. The sitution shall be rectified upon my return from my trip. Robin Hood Season 2 is available on netflix and waiting in my queue. woot!
• President Obama's speech last night was totally full of win. DF and I were watching and cheering and discussing the whole way through. Worth every long moment I spent working on the campaign last fall.
• Oh and I hope I get to see this man and his band play while I'm in Africa. Sooooo gooooood! (and um, he's a nice singer too)

Happy Wednesday!

final verdict. win!

So after receiving my dress in the mail on Monday, I was dying to try it on and see how much altering it would need. As luck would have it, my cousin called me at work yesterday to say she was in town and would I like to do lunch? I told her about how the dress had just got here and she was all like, zomg, let's go to your house and try it on! So we did. *g*

And.....



It. Fits. Like. A. Glove.



All I need is the train/pick-up thingie.



zomg, it fits! hahahahaha. Ok, I just had to share because that's almost creepy.

In other news, I am blogging over at the DIK blog today. Come and check out a hot Sean Bean as Napoleanic War hero Sharpe!

The dress arrives!

K, so you may recall my post about trying on a 100 or so wedding dresses. After much review of the photos and advice-getting from friends (including some of you!), my mom, my fiance, co-workers, etc. I decided that I was quite partial to one of them.

My cousin who went on the dress expedition with me and who is going to be my best woman (maid of honor, whatever) is also getting married this year and was ALL OVER tracking down my dress for me. She found the exact same style and designer...THE dress...being sold on ebay for like half of what it would cost at a boutique. So after hemming and hawing and soul-searching, I finally took the plunge and bought it. And it arrived today! Here it is nestling in the box.


And as much as I want to try it on, I think I'm gonna wait until either DF or my cousin are here and can help me with it. I'm too scared to screw it up or to get it dirty or rip something while trying to get it over my head or something. heh. So for now it is hanging in the spare room closet.



yay! Now I just have to take it in to the local bridal place and they will do any alterations I need. I'm quite amused by the way our engagement and wedding plans have been done on the cheap and online. Ring, dress...all those pricey things. I am so NOT embarrassed to admit it either. It's a new world and why should I pay more than I have to?

MLM - Gobsmacked!

The past few weeks have seen me slide into more and more blog neglect as work and school obligations intensify. I feel guilty and keep thinking I ought to post more but then I open up the blank page and get writers block. Sux. But here's something very noteworthy which is not only easy to blog about but FUN!

As you may or may not know, my pal lisabea has been busy scribbling great m/m stories in addition to maintaining her outrageously entertaining blog Nose In A Book. And just last week her first story was released!

First of all, check out the cover...



Tasty, no? Makes you wanna see more. Here's a brief synopsis...

No more Mr. Nice Guy.

Mild mannered Mark Meehan’s good judgment flies out the window when he finds his lover banging another man. Things go from bad to worse as Mark’s crazy revenge scheme uncovers shocking secrets—sending him straight into the arms of hunky lawman and old friend, Tony Gervase, a man of limited patience and secrets of his own.

Hunky lawmen? Crazy revenge and no more Mr. Nice Guy? Oh yeah, I'm so there. Without giving away the whole plot, let me just assure you that there is gonna be witty fun and hawt smex all rolled up into one tasty treat of a story. You know you wanna read it. So surf your way on over to Aspen Press and get your copy today.

Happy ManLove Monday and Congratulations ms. bea!!!