"Good evening, BOSTON!"

(yeah, big rock and roll style announcement. Go with me on this, yeah?)

So. I'm going to be in Boston and then NYC, itinerary as follows:

Getting to Boston this coming Thursday evening, 8 December. Will be staying with Jon B and his wife, both of whom I'm going to bring lovely prezzies because they rock.

Friday, 9 December: run around with Vortex (YAY! coming up from DC to hang with me), and anyone else who wants to hang and run, or slide, or whatever the street conditions are likely to be, during the day. I haven't been in Boston since the early seventies, so treating it as essentially a new city for me to fall in love with.

Evening of the same day, 6:30 to 8:00 pm, will be signing with the wonderful Clea Simon, at Kate's Mystery Books. Dinner? Before or after? Anyone?

Saturday - free day! Want to see lots and lots of people.

Sunday - Visiting good friend in Reading for her tree-trimming party.

Monday - morning flight to NY. Staying at a comped suite at the Trump Tower on CPW; Monday and Tuesday are pretty much booked, but will be seeing AmyLiz and Jess and my daughter. There will be a really good dinner involved - I'm thinking maybe Afghan food.

Wednesday - home.

So, if there's a list or something, let's do it, and exchange cell phone numbers and stuff.

Because, Boston!

Just wanted to let everyone know that I'm moving this week. I'm not going to post my address publically, but email me if you'd like it and I'll send it along.

Hello! If there is any spare Buffista job-ma lying around, I would really appreciate it. I'm attending a career fair for a company I'm very interested in working for (who is specifically looking for MEDICAL WRITERS OMG). Since I never got a response to all the résumés I sent, this is my chance to beat them the fuck up make a good impression in person.

Quick update regading life as I theoretically know it: I'll be going to Guatemala for the month of January to learn spanish and be a hippie. Safe-travel-ma and no-Montezuma's-revenge-ma would be most appreciated.

Cashmere will be grey for a while. She had some light spotting, today. She's already been to the hospital. They checked her and everything is fine. She is home now, but is on modified bedrest at least through the weekend.

Please send her good thoughts, prayers, and whatever you've got.

Hey LA-istas, I will be in your fair city doing the holidays with the family thing from Wednesday, 12/21 until New Year's Day. Whoop whoop! The parents, DH and I are taking a driving trip to the Grand Canyon after Christmas (pray for no bloodshed) but if people would be up for meeting and greeting pre-Christmas, I am all for it. Profile address is good.

Well, shit.

I've just been fired.

'kay, I exaggerate: I've been informed that although they WILL be employing me for the rest of the year, my 2-year contract is now a 1-year contract. ie I get to spend the rest of the Academic year working as a substitute teacher in an American school...but don't get to go to the British school that I was actually recruited for when it opens.

Do they have any complaints about my professionalism or performance? Nope. But they still fired my ass. And my flatmate's ass.

So - EverythingTurningOutForTheBest-ma is politely requested. I'm a bit pissed off about this, but I really don't think that I've screwed up here, so I'm not too upset. Hopefully this will mean that I get to go to China or Japan or Thailand or Poland or somewhere interesting in 2006. It's maybe a good thing. But still... -ma would be appreciated, 'cause it's all a bit up in the air and shitty right now in the world of me. But, you know, nobody died. It's just work. And I've got enough notice to be able to get myself set up with a new job next year, insh'allah.

Still sucks, though.

Hi everyone, just wanted to tell you all that Ross proposed on Christmas! I know I am not here much anymore, but I still think of you all often and keep up with the major events through Sumiko. I am the happiest girl in the world right now, and I wanted to share it with you all! I'M ENGAGED!!!!!!!!

To all the wonderful Buffistas who sent me holiday cards to welcome me to my new home--thank you. I only got a handful of other cards, and it meant a lot to have enough to put up in my living room.