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Reposted from Facebook on account of my friends list here doesn't quite overlap the one there.

So during the last few years, I've discussed separately with at least Kat, Wendy, Amber, and possibly others the idea of getting together and having a "sewing circle"-type thing, since I know so many cool and creative people, and our busy lives mean that we often only get together for gaming or going out. The season, which features increasingly earlier nighttime and cold cocoony weather, has made me want to bring this to fruition. Even though this semester is not as bad for Adam as last year's were, I've still ended up having a lot of free evenings while he works, and have spent a lot of them working alone on my crafty projects. But it would be more fun to have company, so would people be interested in coming over and working on creative stuff some night this week or later? Since we are living in the Enlightened Twenty-First Century, guys are welcome too! I know there are a lot of you who paint miniatures and stuff. Come over and sew, knit, draw, découpage, scrapbook, write structured poetry, etc.! There can even be tasty refreshments.

I'm usually completely free Monday and Wednesday nights, and occasionally on Tuesdays. Fridays and Saturdays are less reliable, and Thursdays and Sundays are, of course, gaming. It's been indicated that Monday the 12th may be a possible good night for some. Let me know!

Now you will feel no rain,
For each of you will be shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
For each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no more loneliness,
For each of you will be companion to the other.
Now you are two bodies,
But there is one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling place,
To enter into the days of your togetherness.
And may your days be good and long upon the earth.

It's called the "Apache Wedding Prayer", and even though I know it probably has nothing to do with the Apache Nation or any other native tradition and was probably created by a Hallmark copywriter, it still gets me teary-eyed every time I hear it. It was the closing reading at our wedding, and it comes to mind today, on the third anniversary of the day we got most of our friends and family together to celebrate the love we share. Here's to many more.

Happy birthday to guendolen_sama!

The role of Tyrion Lannister has been cast in the HBO Game of Thrones pilot!

http://winter-is-coming.blogspot.com/2009/05/first-cast-member-and-director.html

I don't think I've seen anything this actor is in, but various forums discussing the show have suggested he'll be great in the part. I'm very excited that the show seems to be making progress. I would love to see it onscreen, and HBO won't pull any punches when keeping to the...rather gritty spirit of the series, unlike the little I've seen of ABC Family's rendition of the Terry Goodkind books.

*Everyone who offered birthday wishes/reassurances of my continued nondecrepitude. Thank you all. ::hugs and kisses::
*The David L. Lawrence Convention Center, which didn't fall down while we were there, and which seems to be a perfect venue for our poor itinerant Tekkoshocon.
*Downtown Pittsburgh, which is quite pretty in spring.
*Fondue.
*Fondue with LOBSTER.
*Baccano!
*Adam, who provided for me an awesome and wonderful weekend, and who is getting me a new bike so pghkitten can go ZOOM all around the city and grow fit and healthy!
*Did I mention Baccano!?

I am happy and lucky and full of fondue. It has been a great birthday/convention weekend.

I suppose it's not surprising, given that they are growing up in a house steeped in King, zombies, Lovecraft, and goat skulls on the guest room bookshelf (really!), but it's still amusing:

The kittens have apparently developed a liking for horror entertainment.

They've begun deliberately hanging out in sinks and the bathtub, sitting directly under the faucet and staring expectantly up at it. They wait there until I turn on the water. Then they freak out, skitter away from it, vacate the premises, shake their paws, and bathe themselves furiously.

When I turn the water off, they jump back in the sink or bathtub, sit down under the tap, and wait for the water to return.

It's so damn hilarious.

Thank you, Vatican City, for periodically giving me these little reminders about why I left the Church:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090309/od_nm/us_washingmachine_1

Seriously, wow, what a proud and empowering message to offer for International Women's Day.

Happy birthday to sol_blackstar!

Just a moment ago, Mina tried to jump onto the computer keyboard--she likes to sit right in the middle of it--and slipped, ending up hanging onto the edge of it for dear life. In the process of flailing, she ended up completing a search for the word "uyuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu" on YouTube.

The best part is the fact that seven matches came up. :)

...to little__one! Have a great day!

...Although I wouldn't be terribly surprised if it were actually true.

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/teammates_pretty_sure_ben

I would like to report, with great hometown and indeed home neighborhood pride, that one of our favorite local eateries (local enough that we could probably hit it from our house with a slingshot, if we got the angle right), Big Jim's, was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives last night. Serendipitously, we happen to be eating there with our erstwhile realtor tonight. This makes me a very happy pghkitten.