All Business

Alright, kids. In lieu of a normal post, I have some business to attend to.

1. Curly-Haired Me
I took this picture of myself this morning, and I think I'm gorgeous in it. Awestriking*, in fact. And I felt the need to draw your attention to it, because I'm a shameless attention whore with a vain streak. ADMIRE ME!

*See #5

2. Slogan/Catchphrase Contest
So I'm currently having a new header designed for me by Delicious Design Studio, and I'm super excited about it.

And a realized something: I wish my blog had a slogan. Or a catch-phrase. If I want one, I've got to come up with it fast (as she's working on it right now!), but everything I come up with is unusable, for one reason or another. I've been making suggestions for a lot of blog titles recently, and I think I'm pretty good at wordplay with those, but somehow I'm not as good at this... Maybe it's just because it's for my own blog?

ETA: The TITLE (angelaboration) will not be changing. I'm looking for something to come after the title in the header. A phrase of description or something.

Anyway, I've decided to turn it into a contest. If you come up with a brilliant slogan or catchphrase, and I use it for my blog, I will send you a $10 gift card for iTunes**. I know, I know... That's awesome of me. Yeah, well. I'm ripping off your creativity, so it's the least I can do. Leave all your suggestions in the comments section. :-D (Oh, by the way, if I end up using any of these, you're not allowed to sue me for intellectual property or anything. If you send it to me, I claim it as my own. I'm trading you the gift card for it.) PLEASE HELP ME!

**(Note: If, like Brian, you do not have iTunes, we'll work something else out.)

Lame things I've come up with include:

- The perfect blend of sugar and spice
(Ack! Corny! Plus, I don't think it's even true. It's more a blend of Sweet and Sour -- wink to anyone who knows me in real life!)

- Secretly Cinderella
(which doesn't make sense unless you know one story about me that I can't post on the internet... If it ever got out, it might hurt the feelings of a few people I have no intention of hurting)

- Actress, Model, Dancer, Whatever
(the title of a song, and not entirely true... except for taking pictures of myself, I'm not a model)

- Drama Not Included
(definitely a lie)

- Thief of the Spotlight
(I started calling myself this in a Brit Lit class in high school, although I can't remember why. I think I've outgrown it)

- Groove Is in the Heart
(my theme song... but laaaaaaame)

- Average Everyday Sane Psycho Super Goddess
(A song lyric... It feels like cheating to rip something off of a song)

- Limited Time Offer
(doesn't make sense)

ETA - Elaborations on the Theme of Angela
(in the vein of "Variations on a Theme"... I think it's a bit too "hitting you over the head with my blog title")


Maybe you can do better? *crosses fingers*


3. Grab My Tunes!
Have you ever listened to my playlist and thought, "Wow, Angela has the best taste in music EVER"? Well, you're right. I do.

A lot of times when I can't find a song that I want on my playlist online, I'll upload it to my NaBloPoMo page, and then link to it from there. And I realized... there's probably a way for you all to download the stuff that I've uploaded... But I'm not exactly sure how. Anyway, if you'd like to try right-clicking away at things, I upload it all here.

Also, I'm pretty sure that if you click the "URL" links next to songs on my playlist here, you can get to the sources... You might want to try that as well.

So good luck, sailors! And if you figure it out, let me know so that I can share it with the rest of the class.

(or if you really want something, let me know and I'll e-mail it to you)


4. Novel-In-Progress
The editing process is getting more complicated as I go. I changed a lot this time through. For example, Tyler was a nameless, voiceless character before, and there was only a vague reference to Xan having an ex... Everything that mentions him is new material (and yes, I have ideas of how to use him). Also, there were two other love interests (one of whom was deleted entirely, and the other of whom, Martin, has turned into a married character who has mattered very little so far...)

But because I'm changing so much, not everything that I wrote before makes perfect sense now. On the plane to CT, I finally read everything I wrote in November (I've been reading a chapter at a time, just like you)... and I had to delete an entire chapter. Too much has changed. So I'm almost out of material to edit (I think there are 4 or 5 chapters left), and then I've got to start writing new stuff... but I don't know where it's headed!

Anyway. That's the real reason I took a week off: to stretch out my pre-written material for as long as possible while I figure out how to continue the story. My goal is to write another 30,000 words in April, like a mini-NaNoWriMo. We'll see if that works.

But don't worry... Even though I don't know fully where it's going, the journey isn't a vague mess. The next two chapters are SO worth reading. :-D

5. Awestriking
I don't understand why "awestriking" isn't a word, but awestruck and awestricken are... My friend Heidi and I have decided to start using it as a word. Help us spread it around, and hopefully it'll catch on like wildfire.


Much love and many blessings,

~A~


P.S. I know I already told you to listen to "As a Blonde". You should also really listen to "Big Hair" by The Chenille Sisters, which is HILARIOUS.

P.P.S. While you're at it, I have just become reacquainted with "Sister Golden Hair" because of this theme, and I love it. Oh, and I also love "Suicide Blonde" by The Weepies. And I dig "Red Hair", too. And "Wig in a Box". (Dude, I'm obsessed with music.)