I started the morning by reading the first couple dozen issues of Crossing Midnight by Mike Carey, about Japanese twins born on either side of midnight and the spiritual consequences of an offering made by their father. It was haunting and definitely an American writer's approach to Japanese interactions within a family. It's interesting to see the differences between it and what I'd expect of a Japanese manga. I'd highly recommend it as well.
I read all of Zombie Powder and really really enjoyed the various views of a younger Tite Kubo. I need to draw Gamma and C.T. Smith a few times. I have to admit it makes me think of an original fiction with the pairing of a flamboyant high-end razorgirl dressed in steel blues with a British researcher with glasses and excellent Read or Die paper magic skills... *laughter*. Yes,
Carl then did me the huge favor of offering to sell me all four books. So I am taking him up on the offer and bringing them home with me.
I also read Bookhunter by Jason Shinga, who also drew and wrote Fleep, about a man in a phone booth. The bookbinding details were amazing. *laughter* Especially after having done some of it, it was cool to see the excellent detail in the book itself.
I slept in until 10am as well. This is pretty much Heaven. *laughter*
I slept in, I read, I had Greek style yogurt for breakfast, we then drove to Mountain View and hit Daiso, a $1.50 store, where pretty much everything was from Japan and was just $1.50, which looked, to Carl, a lot like a 100 Yen store. There was a *lot* of stuff, including Platinum refills for my Japanese brush pens. They're so much more expensive from other places, I had to buy them along with extra calligraphy brushes, toys for Jet and some hair ties that were extra long and looked very keen. There was a *lot* of stuff I wanted, and I bought all the things I really wanted and some extra origami paper for Jet.
I was really hungry when we were done, so Carl got me to an In and Out burger, which only exists in California. It was great, as usual, everything, even the fries, made to order, and the grilled onions were sweet against the beautifully toasted bun and cheeseburger. I actually had a Coke, and it was good.
From there we went to Earl and
Then we went to the domicile of
We had coffee at a Sufi cultural center that served real Turkish coffee, and when they had no decaf I consciously decided to toss my Lenten no caffeinated coffee vow to the winds, as I would not get the chance again. I'm merely mortal. And I had the best, single mug of coffee that I've ever had in my life. It was as black as sin and twice as sweet, infused with the richness of cardamom, and so well infused there was the mirror sheen of oils on the surface. It was thick and rich and utterly gorgeous, and an experience I cannot regret. The grounds were an inch thick in the bottom, and I did not disturb them beyond what I could drink.
It's also probably why I'm so awake at the moment. There will be consequences as I have to be up at 9 tomorrow.
The memory feather pendant is now warm against my throat and compliments the feathers of my Phoenix sweater quite well.
Thank you,
Dinner was at Satsuma's a little sushi place in a strip mall. It was great, and I enjoyed it a great deal along with the company of everyone that was there. Everyone had fun looking through my sketchbook and seeing how I was progressing. Both
Baskin Robbins was dessert, and the drive home was filled with amazing conversations with Carl. I love his mind and how he goes in ten thousand directions and there's no need to explain things or slow down we jump between plots and authors and games and fun things to do and other possibilities and he's funny and fun and has that incredible voice and we can talk about everything and anything. Plus he's a great host and always so accommodating.
I love talking with Carl.
Oh! And the boys said that my fish bowl had made it into the art auction, so they could get pictures!! Yay! So I shall put up pictures when I get them, and, as usual, it was bought by the same woman that bought my previous bowls, so if I really want to visit the fish, I will be able to. *laughter* But I'll have pictures.
And I've realized that my brain is now aching to write again. Write the next chapter to get the cliff-hanger done with and Jyuushiro is aching for me to get to him (another reason I'm experiencing mild insomnia) and write the game up that has been haunting me and write a fic with C.T. Smith from Zombie Powder with a prompt from
I never thought I'd say that, but it's really hurting to not write with so much other stuff going on.