Look what we did!

So some of you may have already been over to Bee's and seen the poem extant already. For those of you who don't visit Bee, you really should! But here's the poem posted anyway:

It's cold outside and the wind is rattling the window.
A ghostly, pale image is reflected in the panes.
The future unwritten
batters against the glass.
The leaves in the trees are talking to each other,
soft wistful whispers,
bringing me the memory, murmured promises and eager breath.
Frozen fingers bring me back
the cold harsh reality of my world.
I want more.
The match flares.
The icicles entwines,
and a shudder envelopes me as it drips down my spine.
Burning deep inside,
while waiting for the light of day,
wondering what it holds.

Isn't that the coolest! What I loved the most about this process was how much of everyone I saw in each of your lines. That was so much fun...

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In other news, over at Fox's den, we've had the great reveal of her gender. Kind of strange to think of you in gendered terms, Foxy, but it feels like a new adventure too. Blog on!

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I did pick up the new Octavia Butler book and I am going to wait to crack it. I don't know if I'll be able to wait until the holiday trip home, but I realized that if I start it now, I'm never going to get my holiday cards out.

I'm struggling with the whole issue of holiday gifts this year. I'm planning on stocking gifts for my family being my art this year. But that feels really strange. Mostly it feels strange because I worry they'll take one look and turn up their noses at it. I've gotten mostly positive responses from people so far, but my family, bless them, are midwesterners. My parents, if they don't like it, will be polite and sweet, but I worry about Sister (who once cut short a museum visit with me and mom so she could go tanning). She "teases" me about things that she doesn't understand about me. It's hard enough to deal with when it comes to my food choices, but something like this would feel really personal. I'm sure it will be all fine.

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While in the bookstore this a.m., I passed by a calendar of Orlando Bloom. I have to admit that it just doesn't seem right that Orlando Bloom has a calendar.

Don't get me wrong - I like Orlando. He's a cutie. He has a tendency to make movies that involve swords - always a plus in my book. He's a tolerably good actor (although to be fair there's never been anything that seems to have stretched his abilities yet).

But I really have to wonder, if you are doing a calendar at such an early point in your career, what more is there to strive for? It's like doing a "greatest hits" album when you've only put out one album.

In a related note, I've rented Ringers: Lord of Fans...about the impact of the LOTR trilogy on generations (that would be starting with the books, of course).