9

Good morning dears,

So I don't really have too much to say, just want to keep with blogging this time around. I always say that and then stop for a month or two...so hopefully I didn't just jinx the hell out of myself. Darn.

I'm starting to feel back to normal after my stint with stomach flu. I was pretty nauseated all day yesterday, but took some zofran and feel pretty good today. I hope that it is over now...I tried eating some Subway last night (which I've been craving for a week now) and could barely eat the little 6er. It was the most depressing thing ever after losing all of the contents of my stomach and being unable to eat for a day for fear of getting sick. Sigh...I will have to try again later.

After I get out of work around 3:30 I am going to a friends house to watch Pathology (a movie we watched one night a few years back that was so creepily awesome). Well I found it, randomly, at Big Lots a couple of months ago and have been meaning to take it to her house. Finally, we have a movie night to watch it at her apartment. And of course, I forgot it... So I have to go completely out of my way all the way home and then back out to her place. I might pick up a pizza on the way and then we can just chill out and watch our weird, grotesque movie. Now I just have to hope that she doesn't cancel (she does that sometimes).
So I consider myself some sort of "cheap traveller" in the way that I search and search for SUPER cheap plane tickets (RT). I will look for weeks and not find what I want (cheap enough) and then one day I get an email from "airfarewatchdog" (love) and they will have RT tickets to NOLA for $204 and I jump on them. I have been searching for a couple of weeks now for my yearly trip to New Orleans and haven't had much luck. The cheapest I found were around $220 and that's just not good enough for me. I am probably the weirdest cheapo that I know. I will be stingy when it comes to plane tickets, but if I can buy a custom Harry Potter sweater for some insane price, I will buy it. I am such a nerd. I actually did buy one though....okay two. I bought two, damnit. I made one custom to my favorite books by Cate Tiernan as well. I'm such a sucker.

Anyway, I haven't gotten my "WHOA" number yet and I'm getting a little worried now because the prices are getting steeper for the hotel and I always stay in the same hotel. I WANT to stay in a new one, for variety, but the location of the Chateau on St. Philip and Chartres is just too good to pass up and is in walking distance to a cute little (always vacant) bar that is close enough to drink at late in the evening to where I don't feel like I will get mugged on the one block walk back.

So please please wish me luck. If anyone has any tips (I probably know them all by now) I'd be grateful. I usually look on Tuesdays (I've heard they are cheapest and they are that day) but haven't had luck. It will be my third trip to Louisiana and I'm absolutely in LOVE with it. I cannot explain the love I have for the atmosphere in the state. It fills me with such a warmth...perhaps like having a baby? :) I just can't explain it. Must be my weirdness seeping out.

Hopefully I can get something booked soon. I really wanted to go in March, but now it looks as though April will be better.

I will upload pictures from my movie/girls night tomorrow (if it happens).

Also, I am SO amped for this book signing. You all know I'm a huge book nerd and last year attended my first book signing by Richelle Mead (Vampire Academy) and it was SO much fun. She is a funny gal and sweetie. And might I add...a Michigan native. So I met her, she signed 4 of my books and a book tote that I made. I plan on having my favorite authors sign it. So on Friday, February 15, Ally Carter (Gallagher Girls and Heist Society) is going to the SAME book store in Lansing to do a signing. It's about an hour and a half drive which isn't bad at all. I'm SO excited. I just need a friend to go with me to get the other half of her books signed for me since they have a limit...or well...the last time there was (4). Either way, I need someone to talk me through the drive. I've been reading Gallagher Girls for about seven years now and the last book is coming out this fall. I have been wanting to read her other series "Heist Society" but I'm nervous I won't like it. I always do that. Anyway, I downloaded the nook app on my droid for free and downloaded a sample of the first heist book and liked it. And since this is a Heist book tour for Ally, I will buy the first one and have her sign it. I'm SO excited. Only 9 days left :)

I think that is all, better get back to work.

xoAmanda