All right -- so I have my (I think) finished draft of my first-ever query letter to a print magazine (BUST) all ready to go.

If anyone with experience in writing query letters to magazines wants to (please god) take a gander at it before I send it out, please e-me at my profile addy.

PLEASE. And thank you.

Wow - I saw the excellent deal for Fringe season 1 - but Amazon has a number of Buffista favorite shows on sale, (Including season 1 of Mad Men for $9.99.)

My doggy lama blog post today is based on something I learned from Sparky about how to help a lost dog.

It's the first in a series and mentions a new service for helping find lost pets in the DC area. Give it a click if you are interested and please face/tweet/pass it on if you are inspired.

Full disclosure: I do not profit from the service, but my part-time employer does.

Heyas, my friend Amy has been commissioned to write a biography of Joss Whedon, and awesomely, Joss and just about everyone he has worked with have been enthusiastically participating. Now Amy is looking toward fandom with a questionnaire. See her letter below:

I am writing a Joss Whedon Biography which will be published by Chicago Review Press and Aurum Press in Fall 2012.

I'm very excited to get responses from Joss fans from all over fandom and beyond to include in the book, and have created a short questionnaire. If you would like to participate or have any questions, please contact me at whedonresearch@gmail.com.

(A little about me – I'm a founding member of PopGurls.com, a pop-culture web magazine. I'm also a Director in the MTV Promos department and have worked in online and on-air media for over thirteen years.)

Thanks, Amy Pascale

Peoples, It is time to think about the Annual Winter Celebration of your choice Secret Gift Exchange of Awesomeness. AWCSGEA for short, flows off the tongue doesn't it.

Join in the Ohhhing and the Ahhhing. The Squeeing and the Plotting. I want to use elfster again this year, so email me: b(dot)org(dot)msbelle(at)gmail.com if you are IN!

No real spending limit, whatever feels right. All best efforts to deliver main gift by 12/31.

Now I will earworm you - It's beginning to feel a lot like AWCSGEA!

It's National Punctuation Day, a topic I know is hot and beloved to many Buffistas.

I wrote a little post about it, iffn you want to go read and raise a glass about sexy, sexy punctuation: [link]

(There's also a newish post about how to get started on resume writing, for those who might need a little inspiration.)

5 people will be doing the gift exchange unless I get more emails. You know you want to. It'll make you more popular. All the cool kids do it. The first one is free.

So, I know I haven't been around much lately, but I wanted to pop in and share my kinda big news.

I'm getting married! He asked me last night, and I knew I'd be crazy to say anything but yes. He's the Batman to my Ladybug Girl (no really...there's a drawing to prove it), and I'm expecting a happily ever after. Who knew this girl would get a happily ever after? Actually, I think you guys did... And I finally believe you!

Us: [link]

Batman, Ladybug Girl, and Toto the Wonder Dog: [link]

The Ring: [link]

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

Time to delurk, people!

"Delurking 1: Because we don't always check our e-mail."

Stop by and say hello, whether you're a regular person or not. Also, take a moment to update your location on the map if you have moved recently.

Ok, peoples - Everyone who has emailed me abut being in the gift exchange extravaGANza (geeGAN for short) should have gotten an email invitation from elfster. Go in and set up your elfster account if you have not already done so. You need to enter an address so your gifter can see it, you can set it so only your gifter can see it. Fill out your likes/dislikes, make a wishlist, the whole shebang.

There is still time to get in on this, we will not draw names until sometime between 10/24 and 11/1.