End of EBay

Well, my eBay sales went pretty well. The fanciest piece, a purple Coach bag that my aunt had high hopes for, did not meet its reserve. I think my aunt wanted to keep it, so now she can. Everything else sold, and I spent a good hour tonight packaging it up. I don't know why I feel the need to use cute tissue paper from Target and funny stickers, etc. in my packing. I guess it's because I know the purchasers rate me, but I think it's more than that. I think it's my whole need for people to like me that makes me waste more time than necessary when sending out eBay items. Oh well. Hopefully it brings a smile to someone's face.

One of my eBay buyers lived in a nearby town, and we scheduled a time to meet at Target (while I was buying the tissue paper). When we met, I said, "This is kind of like a blind date," meaning that we were meeting for the first time but didn't know what each other looked like. I think she got it. I hope she didn't think I was a creep. Oh well. She liked her purchase, anyway. I hope she gives me a good rating.

Narwhals are Cool

There is nothing on TV these days. They need to have great shows on soon, to take away some of the pain of going back to work. Is that why TV shows are new in the fall? To help ease the evening lives of those of us who work in schools?

I'm watching a show about Narwhals. Very neat, with their horns and their "melons" (the puffy part of their head). When I was at the teacher retreat a couple weeks ago, we played a game where we had the name of an animal taped to our backs and then we had to walk around the room asking people questions about our animals until we guessed. I was an Orca, and I guessed pretty early on. I am a good question asker. There was one guy, though, who was a narwhal, which was pretty hard. I kept giving him crazy clues, like "You're the unicorn of the sea" and "You know that B-52's song 'Rock Lobster?' In the song, your animal goes like [weird narwhal sound from "Rock Lobster]." He never guessed. Ah well. The game was fun. I love stuff like that. Hence my summer obsession with Zoo Tycoon. Speaking of computer games, there's a new Sims2 expansion pack coming out next week. That should ease the beginning of the school year-- except all of the hours I spend playing the Sims should be spent typing in my novel. I'm not very far- just 15 pages in. I'm a little worried about when I'll have the time to type. Especially with my carpal tunnel, I can only type for about an hour at a time. It has been suggested that I hire someone to type it, but I edit as I go, and I have weird parts where I have to switch stuff around. I guess I'll just keep chipping away. Chippy.

Moonie

I was back at work today full time. It's always so anxiety producing, going back to work after summer. The library is always in a state of mess, and I dread having to figure out where everything has gone off to. But it was a pretty good day, and I saw some nice people who reminded me that going to work every day isn't so bad. Although waking up when it's dark out...

Speaking of, I read there is a lunar eclipse happening tonight. I feel like I always miss out on eclipses. I remember as a child there was a solar eclipse, and I was so afraid that my eyes would burn out that I didn't even look. Loser. The only eclipse I remember seeing was during the day in college, and all of the shadows looked like moon slivers. Was that a partial solar eclipse? I hope that when I wake up this morning I remember to look. And hopefully it won't burn my eyes out or turn me into a lunatic or anything like that. Speaking of lunatics, in my mass of mail at work I received two DVDs of L. Ron Hubbard: An Introduction to Scientology. They were free and came with a hand written note from Tom Cruise (just kidding- it was actually from Kirstie Alley. Not.). I am strangely tempted to watch it. Can you imagine- an eclipse and Scientology in one night? The possibilities.

Saleslady

This week I have spent two long, hard days selling my aunt's purses on eBay. Every summer I usually have one eBay burst of selling, and usually it's for other people's goods. I think the reasons I usually sell other people's thing are a) I don't often buy things I don't need or use and, therefore, have to get rid of (those who know me may argue about the massive amount of shoes I have, but I would argue back that I still wear them all) and b) I don't own anything anyone else would buy. That's not entirely true, since I have sold some of my clothes (and have a pile ready for next summer's sale), but for the most part other people (mainly my aunt and my sister) have nicer stuff. I like the eBay thing because it's really fun to go online to see if people are watching or bidding on my items (my favorite part of the whole thing is the bidding frenzy that sometimes happens at the end). My least favorite part is putting the stuff up on the site. It takes so long! I would say I spent a total of eight hours putting up nine items! I had to take the pictures, write descriptions, figure out starting bids, etc., then upload and type everything in. That's one of the reasons I do it only during the summer. That, and we can't look at eBay at my job (it's blocked).

This time around I actually got scolded by eBay. One of the things I was putting up was an organizer in the style of Louis Vuitton. So I wrote in the description "Faux Vuitton," along with the actual brand name. Well, whoops, that's illegal. They sent me a message and deleted the item. I decided it wasn't worth putting it back up. Tres embarrassing. I don't like getting in trouble. I'll let you know how the auctions turn out.

Zzzzzzz

I am tired. Tired as a giant poo that is very tired. If this does not make sense, it is because I am tired. I came back from the New Teacher Retreat (where I was a facilitator) yesterday, and I don't know if it was the physical activity, the all day-ness of it, or the fact that I haven't done much of anything (in terms of going out and socializing) all summer. I hope it's not West Nile. I did get two mosquito bites (even WITH the deet spray. What's up with that?). Maybe I'll take a nap.

Soon, I shall begin the mega process of typing my novel. It's not nearly as stressful or creative as the actual writing process, but I can't seem to get started. Perhaps I am trying to hold onto the shred of summer vacation that is left before I go back next week. I emailed my editor and asked what would happen if my book ends up sucking. Was that a stupid thing to do? Should I just automatically be filled with confidence about my books? Most authors must wonder this, no?

Because of my end of summer stresses, I have taken to watching episodes of The Monkess. Eight years ago, when I got my first true librarian job, I bought myself The Monkees video box set (of course now I'd love the DVDs, but they're really expensive) as a reward. Since I was such a fan back in junior high, the show is incredibly familiar and comforting to me. So, blog readers, care to share what TV shows you use as comfort? (That means you should post comments. Cause most of my readers don't seem to like to do that. Sigh.)

Second Novel Complete!

Well, I have done it. With essentially less than one week left of my summer freedom, I have finally finished the first draft of my second novel [wild cheers from the audience]. I'm not quite sure how the book is yet, seeing as I started writing two months ago, and I don't really look back much. I'd rather keep the forward momentum going and then deal with all of the changes when I begin to revise. My next step is to type all of the words into my computer, and I'm already trying to figure out a comfortable set-up. My laptop hurts my wrists too much, but my desktop keyboard is way too low right now. I believe the desktop is better ergonomically, so I may have to rearrange. Perhaps I will commit to five hours a week of typing or something. I don't know. I usually have to make a little schedule to get myself to do something. It's pretty exciting, though, so it shouldn't be too hard to get me to do it. The scary part will come after the typing is finished, when I have to print and actually read the book again. Then I'll write all over it and remember the parts where I just said, "Ah, I don't really know what to write here, so I'll just fix it later."

I have edited this post and taken out a poll I made where I asked for your opinion on the tentative title for my new book. I received two no votes (meaning, against the title), but I don't like the negative vibes so I took the poll down. I'm such a wuss.

Final Fantasy

I'm in a funk (how many posts will I start that way?). Rain, end of summer, etc. I have been eating up a storm. My awesome next door neighbors gave me a bunch of their garden tomatoes and some homemade salsa. Today I chomped on that. I am truly in the home stretch of my novel, with only three to five chapters left. But I didn't feel like writing at the library today. I am feeling massive guilt about going back to work and leaving Tobin at home alone all day. We have so much fun together. And he's very soft. Yesterday, also a funk day, I ended up writing in the guest bedroom at home instead of at the library. It wasn't bad. I may try to do some writing later today. We'll see. I was panicking so much about having to finish this week, but it's really almost done and I'm the only one setting that deadline. The book will be finished well within the time line my editor and I have set. Granted, I know it will feel great to have it finished- but maybe a part of me doesn't want to finish? Perhaps it signifies the true end of summer? Or maybe I'll miss the creative process? Or the characters? Or maybe I know when I finish it means I have to type the whole damn thing onto my computer? And then revise, revise, revise? Hmmm... We may never know.

In Today's Panda News

Yes, I am now reporting panda news. Maybe my sister was right (see panda blog below). But this story is pretty cool. It has a happy, lucky vibe to it:

4 pandas born in China on same day

Baby pandas are pink and funny-looking when they are born. Could this possibly be the dorkiest blog post EVER?

Old Lady MySpace

I am confused (and apparently old). How do people get so many freakin' friends on MySpace? Particularly new young adult authors? Am I supposed to send out friend requests willy nilly? I only intend to update my MySpace page periodically. I plan to use it as a sort of place holde, directing people to my webpage and this blog. But I have heard that it is a great way to get in touch with teen readers, so I'd love to have it figured out by the time Get Well Soon comes out. Are there any readers of my blog who could give me a tiny tutorial?

Get Well Soon nominated for Quick Pick!

It's a Sunday afternoon, and Matt and I just trimmed our unruly hedges. Loads of fun. Not.

Just wanted to let you know that Get Well Soon has been nominated for a YALSA Quick Pick! Coooooool!!!

Most popular!

Ha! I was doing one of my many Amazon searches for Get Well Soon, and I think someone must have pre-ordered it today because it has a decent ranking. And check this out: Get Well Soon is number 86 on Amazon's list of
The most popular items in Illness. Updated hourly.
Hee hee. That's a funny list to be on. Probably by the time you read this, I will be off the list. Until the book comes out (October 2!) Then look out illness list!!!

Dentist Shmentist

I saw the dentist yesterday. I used to love going to the dentist. My pediatric dentist was the best, and so were his hygienists (who, let's be honest, do most of the work unless something major has to be done). The office was fun, we got to choose from a menu of fluoride flavors (although, drooling in the sink? not a fan), and when I left I got to choose a toy- sometimes two! The dentist always made me feel like I was his star pupil, which is why I continued seeing my pediatric dentist until I was 27 and he told me it was time to stop. It was one of the worst days of my life. Now I see the same dentist that my parents see, and he's crazy. Actually, he and his twin brother share a practice, but I normally just see the one. He is way too picky about things. So is the nature of the dentist, I suppose, but enough is enough. Yesterday the dentist (which was the brother twin, since I made a last-minute appointment) was considering whether one of my gums was too low, and maybe I would need a gum graft. As if! And he didn't even say it to me- just to the hygienist. He kept referring to me as "the patient." What a creep. Like I'm coming back for a gum graft. That's crazy talk. I was all ready to see a new dentist (a woman), but she canceled on me and then I couldn't get a timely appointment, hence going back to the twins. But I think I'm done with them. Too much weirdness. I wish my pediatric dentist would take me back.

Panda Love

I am not an animal lover. Not in the sense that I make cutesy noises whenever I see animals or feel the need to pick up someone else's cat or dog (I feel the same way about babies). I like an individual animal with a good personality who likes me back (like my beloved Tobin). I may have already mentioned all of this in an earlier post, but I'm getting to somewhere new: Somehow I am all about pandas lately. My sister pointed it out. It's kind of weird. A few months ago (and I do believe I posted on this), I found these adorable pictures of baby pandas. They were so hilariously cute that I printed them up and taped them to my Chandler's assignment notebook (um, I work in a middle school, OK?). And then there was my recent visit to the San Diego zoo, where I snapped a picture of a picture (which you can see at my Comic-Con Photos link) of a baby panda. I was looking and laughing at the picture for so long that other zoo goers came by to see what the hullabaloo was about (when I reread that sentence, it sounds really creepy. I wasn't actually howling with laughter for twenty minutes or anything, but I was snapping pictures and laughing a bit. I'm not that crazy). The final straw in the panda milkshake is my computer game, Zoo Tycoon, which I was inspired to start playing again after visiting the zoo (it is nice to sometimes take a break from The Sims). I have been playing one of the difficult challenge adventures where you have to build a zoo, make it get a five star rating, where you will then have the chance to buy a male panda for $50,000, whereupon the zoo will give you a female panda. You win once the pandas mate and have a baby. I kept talking this up to everyone I saw (ie. my husband and my sister), hence my newly proclaimed panda obsession. My sister even joked that she was going to start buying me panda themed items. Uh oh. It's not like I think about pandas at other times. Except for now, when I'm writing about them. The only other time in my life I had an animal obsession (and this was a real obsession, not like this supposed panda one) was in early junior high. For some reason, I was obsessed with cows. I had a whole cow drawing I used to do, and a song, I believe. It's sort of a blur to me now. What was that about?

And for those of you wondering, my pandas have mated twice now, and have two adorable, computer panda babies.

Comic-Con Photos!

Click here (or go to www.juliehalpern.com/comic_con_photos) for some pics from my recent trip. If you have a slow connection (or possibly if you don't), it could take a long time to load. Or not. Please comment! I want to hear what you think!

Lame Poll Apologies

I know that catalog poll is really pathetic. I just felt like making a poll. Does anyone have any suggestions for a GOOD poll? I wish they could be fill in the blanks, but this poll thing only does checks. I'd write more, but I have to go watch my pandas in Zoo Tycoon.

Catalog shoppers?

You know, I must have done a really good job when I went through my phase of calling up companies to stop sending me catalogs because I don't' receive ANY. It's kind of weird, although probably best in terms of spending (and the environment, of course). But I was at my sister's today and came across a catalog for Boden. I remember this company because a woman I used to work with was a crazy catalog shopper, and this one was one of her favorites. They have very cute stuff, which I am considering (although I really need NOTHING. I can't even fit the clothes I have into my drawers and closet. I pretty much wear the same clothes all summer, but I try to be funky duuring the school year). In the spirit of catalogs, I have decided to do my second blog poll (I think polls are freaky fun, don't you?). It's kind of a lame one, but what the hey.

Do you order from catalogs or online?
	Catalogs. I call and order over the phone.
	Catalogs. Then I look up the items and order online.
	I look at websites and order online.
	I only shop in stores.
	Other
Free polls from Pollhost.com

I wanted to do a poll that asked you which catalogs you order from, but I couldn't think of any. So after you answer this complicated and thought-provoking poll, why not comment on the blog with your favorite catalog?

She's Gone

I made a mistake. I stopped caring about So You Think You Can Dance, and now my favorite dancer is off. I guess it wasn't that important to me because I can't even remember her name (Sara?). But she was good and totally cute and will be missed.

I just spent two and a half hours at the library writing. I usually can only manage up to two hours, but I have been on a roll. I think it's because I finally know where this new book is headed, and I like it. I just hope that means when it is time to go back and edit the first portion, it doesn't suck. What's fun about writing is that I know the general direction and major plot points of the books, but the character development and little scenes just come about as I write. So when I went into the library today thinking I was going to write a particular scene, I ended up writing a lot of other scenes building up to it. In fact, when I go to write next, I still won't be at the scene I thought I was going to write today. Weird how the brain works.

Matt and I watched Extras on the plane rides to and from San Diego. It is soooo funny. Painful, at times, but great. I can't wait until season 2 arrives from Netflix. One of the best parts about the show is how much Matt was laughing aloud. He is not an emoter, and even when he thinks things are funny he's not a major laugher. But he was totally laughing on the airplane. It's so funny- laughing on airplanes. I remember when my sister and I were on a plane to somewhere and they were showing some movie, I forget what, and I blurted out a laugh (which is one of the many ways I laugh) and people around us turned to look at me. They were not watching the movie. It is a very unique circumstance: watching movies on planes. You are sharing a space, but not necessarily the same experience. Is there anything else like that?

Well, my visit to the San Diego Zoo has inspired me to start playing Zoo Tycoon again, so that's what I'm going to do now. Must save the endangered species!

Late. Tired.

My plane from San Diego got in last night at 10:45. I figured another half hour to get our bags, get to our car 700 miles away in remote parking, and then another 40 minutes to drive home. Wrong. Frickin' O'Hare. Why does it take so long to get the bags? And the whole while we were near this icky inbred family with two mulleted teen daughters and two icky, whiny, bratty children who the parents ignored the entire four hour flight. And you'd think that past 11:00 on a weeknight would mean no traffic, but that's when they do the construction (when AREN'T they doing constriction?!) on the highways. So we sat for the longest time- at least 45 minutes- to go three measly miles, where we finally got off to take an alternate route. We got home at 1:00 am, and Matt promptly made some ramen. Tobin was meowing at us like crazy. I think he gets more attached as he gets older, just like I get more attached to him. Such a cutie. We all then slept in until 11:00 am today. But I was still very good and productive, writing up a storm at the library and then heading to the gym for my Zoomba class. Love the Zoomba. It's like dancing, but it's exercise! Now if only my gym would offer one of those strip exercise classes. Not that I want to take my clothes off at the gym, but it sounds like it would be so comical that you'd forget you were exercising. Unless you have to wear high heels. Cause I'm not very good at that. Has anyone out there tried one of those classes?

I was supposed to go to the dentist tomorrow, but (so random) my therapist called me on my cell phone while I was away to tell me that the dentist- a new one for me who my therapist recommended- had to cancel and couldn't get hold of me. One of the reasons I was trying a new dentist in the first place was because my other dentist kept cancelling. How is this acceptable? So I'm not quite sure what to do- make an appointment with my old cancelling dentist, or with my new cancelling dentist?

Check Out My Video

Click here to watch an author promo video I made for Get Well Soon (on the Feiwel and Friends website). Isn't Tobin the cutest? And why do I sound like an elf?