Swan Tower - Birthday Egotism

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Sep. 1st, 2007

05:23 pm - Birthday Egotism

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Every year I feel obliged to explain this post, because it's a little bit odd.

Some time ago -- four years, I think -- I was having a crappy birthday. Nothing big and dramatic; just the kind of day that makes one slouch angstily in a chair and think, "I'm twenty-three years old, and what do I have to show for it?"

This was a stupid question, and so I set out to prove that to myself. You see, I'm veryverygood at being self-critical. Not so good at patting myself on the back. Ergo, I made a post about the Awesomeness of Me: all my accomplishments, all the things I had learned, all the things I could do, everything I might be proud of in my life to date. I made myself do so publicly, because the point was to toot my own horn for once. And I didn't let myself put in any qualifications or disclaimers -- which was damn hard for me. Nothing but the positives, all in one place so I could go back and re-read it if I ever sank back into that Slough of Despond.

And this has become a tradition.

Mind you, this year's birthday has been fantabulous so far. Lunch with friends, then a road trip out to the Exotic Feline Rescue Center -- in five years of living here, I'd never managed to go. It's sunny and the perfect temperature (as far as I'm concerned), I had ice cream, I'm relaxed and happy. But this is tradition. So here is this year's update of Birthday Egotism: everything from the last year that I'm proud of.

So. I'm twenty-seven years old. What have I got to show for it?


Let's start with writing. My second novel was published in October and is still selling at a steady rate of more than a hundred copies a week, which is encouraging. (So's the first one, while we're on the topic of numbers.) I've written four short stories, sold three and a reprint, and had three previous sales appear in print. I've also written my eighth novel, which I can say with confidence is by far the strongest one I've produced yet. I'm so very proud of it.

I've been a guest and panel moderator at a con. I've given interviews. Newbie writers have asked me for advice, both in a craft and business sense. I've come up with several intriguing notions for series that I can't wait to pursue someday.

Academically, I've presented a conference paper on the drow (I love my line of study), and had presented in absentia the first collaborative conference paper I've ever attempted. I've agreed to write an article for an upcoming journal issue. I've pitched and had accepted two different course proposals, and last week I started teaching on my own for the first time, with positive results.

I've planned most of half of a wedding, in cooperation with my wonderful fiance. (Maybe I should post on his upcoming birthday about the awesomeness of him.)

I've traveled to England, my first trip abroad since 2002.

I've played in several games, creating characters I'm very fond of, some of whom managed to get all the way to the end of the games in question. I've been in a Regency LARP that's one of my best gaming experiences in recent memory, and gotten numerous compliments on my achievement of sewing a Napoleonic Era naval lieutenant's uniform. I've made more character soundtracks (and one two-disc set for the aforementioned novel). I've brought to a successful conclusion the first tabletop game I've ever run, and my players still reminisce about it to this day. I've (as of today) had one of those players ask me out of the blue if I'm ever going to run "that dragon game," an off-the-cuff notion I cooked up nine months ago. (Since the asker is "not a gamer," this is a particular accomplishment.)

I've co-hosted the inaugural Indiana Milk & Cookies, and been asked repeatedly when we're doing it again.

I've moved and decorated the new residence. I've started cooking more, including one or two recipes that I halfway designed myself.

I've gotten friends addicted to TV shows and books I think they would like, in a pleasing affirmation of my ability to judge such things.

It's been a quieter year than some, but a good one. And today is a lovely milestone marking the change from one year of my life to the next. If such things are omens, then this upcoming year will be lovely.

And full of other things to be proud of.

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From:[info]kendokamel
Date:September 1st, 2007 10:26 pm (UTC)
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Well, happy birthday!
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From:[info]swan_tower
Date:September 1st, 2007 10:30 pm (UTC)
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Thankee. ^_^
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From:[info]stevenagy
Date:September 1st, 2007 10:53 pm (UTC)
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Just think how good a birthday you'll have when it's one of the big years, like 30, 40 or 42. Happy b-day. :-)
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From:[info]swan_tower
Date:September 2nd, 2007 02:30 pm (UTC)
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42 will amuse me. ^_^
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From:[info]elizawrites
Date:September 1st, 2007 11:11 pm (UTC)
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Happy birthday! I had no idea you were younger than I am.
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From:[info]swan_tower
Date:September 2nd, 2007 02:30 pm (UTC)
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I have a hard time remembering which of my friends who are physically around me are older or younger than I am. <g>
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From:[info]danielmc
Date:September 1st, 2007 11:17 pm (UTC)
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happy birthday!
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From:[info]swan_tower
Date:September 2nd, 2007 02:30 pm (UTC)
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Thank you!
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From:[info]unforth
Date:September 2nd, 2007 12:09 am (UTC)
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Well first, a huge happy birthday!

Lets see...congratulations again on the completed manuscript, so recently out the door; the Regency costume was in fact fantastic, I think we need to convince [info]buzzermccain to run the follow up on December 16th - I'd postpone leaving until the 17th if she'd do that; you've also been asked to run the dead emperor's politics game repeatedly, which aughta also be encouraging, and though the game of yours I've played fell in to last years one of these (I do believe it was in there) I'll reiterate that the Apocalypse game was utterly awesome (I've been thinking about it a lot cause of all the kimono around); and lastly, for my part the getting addicted to TV shows was lots of fun, and the advice to this new writer has been helpful (yay round 4!). ;)

I'm gonna toss one in, too, which is that you've been a great friend!! A major achievement! :)
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From:[info]swan_tower
Date:September 2nd, 2007 02:31 pm (UTC)
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Thanks!

Yeah, we really need that follow-up game. Even though I have no idea how I'd go about arranging Gaffney's death while still acting like a proper lady. <g>
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From:[info]sapphohestia
Date:September 3rd, 2007 03:19 pm (UTC)
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A follow-up game would be awesome!

A very happy belated birthday! I'm sorry I couldn't bake you something yummy, but I suspect your boy made sure that there were tasty things about.
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From:[info]swan_tower
Date:September 4th, 2007 03:13 am (UTC)
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He baked me cookies. With his new mixer! ^_^
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From:[info]wadam
Date:September 2nd, 2007 01:11 am (UTC)
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Happy birthday! I'm glad you made it to the exotic feline rescue center. It's one of the coolest places I've found since moving to indiana.
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From:[info]swan_tower
Date:September 2nd, 2007 02:32 pm (UTC)
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I'm seriously considering signing up as an occasional volunteer.
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From:[info]wadam
Date:September 2nd, 2007 03:04 pm (UTC)
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You'll have to tell me how that goes for you. It's something that I had always wanted to do, but never got around to.
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From:[info]calico_reaction
Date:September 2nd, 2007 02:35 am (UTC)
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Happy Birthday! :)
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From:[info]swan_tower
Date:September 2nd, 2007 02:32 pm (UTC)
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Thanks!
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From:[info]dsgood
Date:September 2nd, 2007 05:38 am (UTC)
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Happy Birthday!
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From:[info]swan_tower
Date:September 2nd, 2007 02:32 pm (UTC)
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Many thanks.
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From:[info]azorielios
Date:September 2nd, 2007 08:05 am (UTC)
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Happy Birthday!

To this day, I really wish I lived in the area if only just for continued interaction with you, your fiancee, and a few others down there. I would have loved to be part of a sitdown game run by you, by the way - if an opportunity ever comes up that I can do so and you're running, beware of begging on my part.

Though it always throws me that you're actually younger than me - with your list of accomplishments in general, it just feels like you should be older than me. *shrug*
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From:[info]swan_tower
Date:September 2nd, 2007 02:33 pm (UTC)
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It's one of the great regrets of my life that it isn't really feasible to keep all the cool people I meet in one place forever. Everybody's scattered across the country, alas. (Or even in foreign countries.)
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From:[info]azorielios
Date:September 9th, 2007 08:03 am (UTC)
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Forever my regret - I've told my wifey that my one reasonf or staying in Indiana is too keep all my friends close (on a relative scale of close, of course).
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From:[info]swan_tower
Date:September 9th, 2007 03:56 pm (UTC)
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And your enemies closer? <g>
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From:[info]gollumgollum
Date:September 4th, 2007 04:04 am (UTC)
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Huh. What's that like? (;

Miss you, Chuck.
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From:[info]azorielios
Date:September 9th, 2007 08:01 am (UTC)
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Miss you too, Mags. Need to find time to get down there and hang with all the cool peeps.

*Telepathic hugs*
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From:[info]squishymeister
Date:September 2nd, 2007 12:55 pm (UTC)
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Happy B-Day!
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From:[info]swan_tower
Date:September 2nd, 2007 02:33 pm (UTC)
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Muchas gracias.
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From:[info]ninja_turbo
Date:September 2nd, 2007 01:38 pm (UTC)
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Otanjoubi Omedetou Gozaimasu!

I'm sorry I missed your call. Here's hoping your evening was even more awesome than the first part of the day.
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From:[info]swan_tower
Date:September 2nd, 2007 02:34 pm (UTC)
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Kyle got me Night Watch for a present; I thought you might be among the interested parties for coming over and watching it. Another time, perhaps.
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From:[info]akashiver
Date:September 2nd, 2007 02:28 pm (UTC)
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Happy B-day, oh high priestess of awesomeness!
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From:[info]swan_tower
Date:September 2nd, 2007 02:34 pm (UTC)
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<attempts to look regal and priestess-y>
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From:[info]ombriel
Date:September 2nd, 2007 05:04 pm (UTC)
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Happy Birthday! :D
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From:[info]swan_tower
Date:September 4th, 2007 03:13 am (UTC)
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Thankee kindly.
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From:[info]ricerurouni
Date:September 3rd, 2007 09:55 pm (UTC)
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Happy (belated) birthday.

I may have to steal this idea for my birthday in a few months.
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From:[info]swan_tower
Date:September 4th, 2007 03:13 am (UTC)
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It's a tradition I've come to quite like. I mean, egotism once a year isn't a bad thing.
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From:[info]gollumgollum
Date:September 4th, 2007 04:05 am (UTC)
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AND you got to hang out with me till all hours of the morning. I mean really...not many other folk on this planet could claim something so cool. *strut*

<grin>

BAPPY HIRFDAY!1 Congrats on a nice, quiet year of awesome. (:
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From:[info]swan_tower
Date:September 4th, 2007 05:07 am (UTC)
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Are you back in town?
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