The great Canadian get-together

I wish I could say the evening had been an unqualified success, but I really can't. There were good things, and there were things to improve for next time, and I'm going to document both as best I can.

anguine, but that will be rectified next time. mizheekay would have been a bit intimidating, I think, if I hadn't been reading her lj and therefore been aware of a few things. Chalk one up for lj, there. We had some time to chat - a couple teacher anecdotes, some personal history stuff, and the usual first-meeting chitchat. That was nice. In a similar vein, triatic and I hit it off well. I'm looking forward to getting to know them better.

On the downsides were items like location and planning. Due to a comedy of errors and no one being really aware of all the details, no one really realized exactly how far from Ad Astra the new location was. In a similar vein, it might have been quicker for sassy_fae and I to take the GO into Mississauga and take transit from there, rather than going all the way to Union and then back west along Bloor. It was nearly eight o'clock by the time we got there, and most others had been there forty-five minutes by that time. So when people started preparing to leave by ten, I was a bit nonplussed. I felt like I was just getting going. Hopefully next time we can find a location convenient for TTC people AND those in Brampton to make it to conveniently. Also, no one apparently realized how many people were coming - so no one called ahead. That meant that for the first half hour after sassy_fae and I arrived, we were moving tables and seats in an effort to be all together in our own party. The pub itself was excellent, and the food was wonderful and reasonably priced.

That's the run-down. Overall, I had a good time, and my impression was that others did too, for the most part. It was a shame melskunk and her husband couldn't stay longer, though.

Baby's up, and I have to get ready for my aunt to arrive in two hours. I wonder if I can squeeze in a workout, here? I think I'm going to try, but if I do it has to be soon. TTYL, lj, and I plan to take the digital camera with me when we go fabric shopping so I can show the costume/crafty people on my list the wonders of Ottawa STreet.

Ow.

That's it. I need a pair of cross-trainers. Pronto. That $25 gift certificate for the specialty shoe store will finally get used this week. I can't continue to work out when every workout causes pain like this, and I refuse to stop working out. Therefore, new shoes it is.

Hopefully by Wednesday.

Ow.

Bits and Pieces

I just spent an hour or so adding things to the Dreamcarver book, finishing scenes, making sure the number of guns on the ship was the same in each of the scenes where they were fired, putting page breaks at the end of each chapter and making sure the chapter numbers were correct - that sort of thing. I still have at least a thousand words to write, of a scene that's been giving me some trouble. I'm going to have to finish it soon. Other than that, there's only one spot I can think of that needs a touch-up. My editors will definitely disagree with that assessment, but then, that's what editors do. There will be changes that will make it better, but I've mostly finished my author's edit. Oh, there are a few chapter titles missing, too. I'll have to fix that.

I bought a pretty multicoloured sheer fabric that comes in a three-metre width for Elizabeth's swag. Because it's so wide, I only had to buy one metre of it - it will drape a metre or so on either side of the window, which is exactly what I want. My aunt took it home to serge it for me on her machine, and I bought some little white swag hooks. It cost me less than $25. I'm pleased - I had no idea it would be that cheap.

We've decided on a simple A-line slip dress for Elizabeth, with an overlay of some kind of sheer fabric to set it off. We also bought the broadcloth for the mock-ups, just so we get the fit right. This will be an interesting process. I'm thinking I should take a sewing class. All I know how to do is straight lines. For piece-quilting, that's all I need, but if I'm to make outfits for Elizabeth I need more.

I'm sleepy this afternoon. I had no nap, so I think I'll be in bed early tonight. No game this weekend, which is nice. I wouldn't be able to stay awake for it. Next weekend is the Inherit the Earth campaign. It's always fun.

I'm going to go lose a few games of Java Settlers to computer robots. I doubt I'll win anything with my mind so foggy just now.

Interesting article. . .

At least, for someone who is educationally inclined.

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/Features/Columns/?article=IQmain