Final date poll results: [link]

Discuss in F2F thread.

Chicagoistas! My roommate is selling a fabulous little black dress (size 14) and metallic shoes (size 8):

[link]

Results of the Premium Boxed Set Vote:

Total votes: 53
No: 11
No Preference: 11
Yes: 31

I am doing some research for a WIP and would like some inpt from the Buffista Moms out there. And any Friends of Buffista Moms who are on LJ.

[link]

Ok. This is a request. Let me state FLAT OUT I cannot pay a dime; I am making the announcement because Buffistas have the most amazing, weird connections.

I am requesting books. Free books. Any books, comics, graphic novels, non-fiction, books on cartoons, books on rappers, on athletes, on gangs, on beauty, on dating, on freaking blue pandas or astrology -- BOOKS.

Y'all know I'm an English teacher and many of you know I teach in a small charter school in KC which assists a mostly Latino population. We don't have a library. I have one in my classroom, but it's stuff culled from my personal collection and odd finds I get supercheap or free.

What's really spurring this...ad, plea, call-to-arms, whatev is my Appreciation of Lit elective. Now, most kids are in here because it fits their schedule, but today, over 80% of them told me they hate reading. HATE READING. Now, I know I'm not gonna make 'em love books -- not all of them, and not overnight -- but all the research I have furiously gone through tonight indicates that INTERESTING READING material, MODELING reading, and AVAILABILITY are key in helping kids to develop a relationship with reading.

I will model. Boy, howdy, will I. I will provide availability. I will provide as much interesting material as I can -- but my, and the school's, resources are limited.

So. Anyone gotta a book? One, two, twelve, eighteen, two hundred and six -- doesn't matter. You gotta book you think a teen would look at and you want to send it to me, please, please, please -- do.

Like I said, I can't give you anything except maybe a tax letter and good karma. But still. If you ever read a book and loved it; if you are appalled by the phrase "I hate reading"; if you ever hated reading yourself and read something that turned you on, e-me. Profile addy is good.

I answer all questions. No prob. I'll be putting any books I get into my classroom, and any kids in the school can come in and check it out. I teach more than half of the students in my school. I'll take pictures. Anything. But these kids won't read until I got stuff they will read. Yes, I will be pimping libraries -- but I need something they can touch, something I can pull out and read a page from, something other students can pimp out to other students.

If I ever leave this school, the books will stay there. I swear I won't sell them or...I dunno, kidnap them into white slavery. I really, really just want to put something into a "I hate reading" students hands and say, "Dude. Give it a try.You hate it? Give THIS a try."

Immediate. Simple. Constant. ACCESSIBLE.

And you are welcome to pass this onto anyone you think might help.

Thanks, guys.

We need a thread clearly labeled, "For Profound Thanks." If I'm in the wrong place, excuse it, please.

I've been going between printing and framing recent pictures we took, so the boychild can remember his dad, and reading today's mail, and I'm a puddle. There are some amazing people on this board. You made me speechless--no mean feat. And you made H tear up, also not an easy thing. StY just nodded--he knows you all by "Whatcha cacklin' at, Mom?" second hand, and M boggled, since he had never fathomed online communities until I explained them. And he is touched and grateful to all of you, as are we.

H says the gift will be very helpful and you are all amazing people, which I could have told him.

Thank you all, very very much.

Juliana wrote yesterday

Erin, for those of us who have recently done major book purges of one sort or another, can we PayPal you? With possible suggestions, if you're needing those?

The answer is yes, yes, of course! In fact, a couple of people have books, but shipping money is a problem. I could use Paypal monies for shipping and/or book purchases.

My profile addy PayPal uses is: eringriggs AT hotmail dot com

If you do want to PayPal me, please list your Buffista name, so I can add you to the list of donors, for thank you cards, and pix.

-- Erin

x-posted to Great Write...

Girls and Science: Call for Proposals

The Feminist Press, in collaboration with The National Science Foundation, is exploring new ways to get girls and young women interested in science. While there are many library resources featuring biographies of women scientists that are suitable for school reports, these are rarely the books that girls seek out themselves to read for pleasure. What would a book, or series of books, about science that girls really want to read look like? That is the question we want to answer.

You’ll find several requests for specific proposals at our website. One calls for scientific detective stories based on the life, research, and discoveries of real women scientists. Another calls for stories featuring real young women—aspiring gymnasts, ice skaters, actors, dancers--using a knowledge of science to help them become really good at what they do. A third recognizes how popular Manga and graphic novels are with girls, and asks for imaginative new collaborations between Manga writers and artists to create adventures about girls who use real science to accomplish their goals. If any of these three book ideas interest you, please check out our website (www.feministpress.org) for more information about deadline and how to submit proposals.

But we do not want to limit our exploration. If you are a writer and have an idea for a book or series of books that is guaranteed to get girls excited about science, we want to hear from you. You may want to create a girl detective series featuring a set of friends—from geeks to sports nuts to mechanical geniuses—each with a knowledge of science that helps in solving crimes. You may want to create a story about a shy girl who goes on field trips with her favorite aunt, a forensic anthropologist, and helps to solve problems as she learns to think like a Dr. Bones. You may want to tell the story of a young science fiction writer who needs to study different fields of science in order to create her adventures. Whatever your vision, if you can write like a dream and can create works that are guaranteed to instill a curiosity about science in girls and young women, send us your proposals. We want to hear from you.

All proposals will be reviewed. Several proposals will be offered standard contracts.

Publisher: The Feminist Press at City University of New York as part of a National Science Foundation grant. (see feministpress.org)

Deadline: October 31, 2006

Format: Proposals should describe the project, the plot, characters, and length. No more than ten pages please.

How to submit: Electronic submission (word doc) to fhowe@gc.cuny.edu with the subject line "Girls and Science." Please include in the body of your email your address, phone number, email address and a short bio. Please also attach a brief sample of your writing (about five pages), and a resume that includes information about publications.

More info at [link]

Chicagoistas! My company, my department even, has two job openings. You can get more info. from craigslist here [link] and here [link]

I am a very lucky person.

As some of you have heard - thanks to the lovely Vortex - two weeks ago I had a stroke. Actually, two small strokes in a short period of time. I'm lucky because there doesn't seem to be any permanent damage. I'm a little slower and I don't have the energy or stamina I did, but everything seems to be functioning well.

I'm also lucky in my friends, not least among whom are the Buffistas. So thanks to everyone.