23 Birthday Wishes

Hazelnute Cake with a Chocolate Ganache and an Orange Cookie

 Another Birthday for the books! Thank you to everyone who sent me Birthday Wishes via text, social media, phone calls, cards/gifts in the mail, and most of all by simply thinking of me. It's so comforting to know that although I'm away from my California home, I am not far from your hearts.



My first Birthday in Seattle was definitely one to remember. My co-worker and friend was sweet enough to take me out to lunch and after work Michael took me to my favorite spot in town, Bottlehouse. We drank great wine and ate great food which always makes for a good time.

Best board I've had so far! Wild Boar, Cheese with Truffle, and Wine Soaked Irish Cheese

Recommended flight by our server. It was absolutely perfect.

 

The staff was amazing and knowledgeable as always with great recommendations for us to try. They were kind enough to put a candle in my dessert so I could make a wish and complimentary glasses of sparkling wine to celebrate.
 

Afterwards, I had this unexplicable craving for mac n' cheese (weird I know), so Michael and I got some on our way home and relaxed for the rest of the evening, and sometime around 9:37 p.m., I fell asleep (I guess I am getting older if I can't stay up past ten!).

Cheers to another year and hopefully another Birthday Wish come true!

Whistler Weekend & Birthdays

For the past week I've been sick with a very viscious cold right before my Whistler weekend. I was majorly bummed and still am since I'm still constantly coughing and sneezing. Nonetheless I toughed it up and off to Whistler I went. I was really out of though, so sadly, I don't have too many pictures to post, so I stole a few from Cristine ;)

Photo Cred: Cristine

Can you see me?

Before hitting the slopes! Photo Cred: Cristine

While at Whistler, I tried snowboarding for the first time by taking a 5-hour lesson. It was extremely fatiguing since my body was drained from recovering, but a lot of fun at the same time. I fell a lot as expected. Hopefully it'll turn out to be a new hobby next season, that way winter won't be as much as a bummer!

Later that night we went out for drinks in the village before dinner. Somehow Michael got this weird/creepy photo of me:

 After dinner and more drinks we met up with Michael's friends. By the time we got back it was the next day and Cristine's Birthday! Unfortunately I really dropped the ball on the whole photo thing :(

The next day Michael, Cristine, Tim, and I had a quick brunch before heading back home. The trip was a quick one, but very memorable.

The past few days I haven't done much. Just the standard resting and binge watching that accompanies a cold. Yesterday Michael and I ended up going out to dinner since we were out of groceries. Below is a photo of my last dessert at the age of 22:

Ginger Cheesecake at Tallulah's

And today, I'm 23. It's funny how you don't really feel any different. Nonetheless, 22 was a great year. I fell in love, got a job, I moved, wrote a manuscript, and did some traveling with Michael. It was also a difficult year though being away from my family, putting down my dog, and living in a new place. I am extremely lucky that my family have been supportive and understanding, and that the Armfield's have been extremely welcoming.

I'm not sure what to expect of being 23, except that I find the number 23 very awkward. I can only hope that it's another great year filled with happiness, health, love, and new adventures.

Writing Update: Reflections, Read-Through, & Revision Notes/Process

One year ago was my first day post-college. I remembered the strange sensation I had after completing my last final. Excited and so afraid of what was to come. I didn't really have a sound plan. I just knew that I wanted a break. So for about three months after I simply wrote, hoping to complete my first manuscript. I had this silly notion that I could break out into writing with this one book straight out of college. Maybe that happens for some people, but that didn't happen for me. My first novel I worked on centered on a very depressed protagonist. Being so wrapped into it, I, myself felt depressed. And the farther along I got into the manuscript, the more doubt I had in my silly notion. The doubt made me feel like I was just playing out something that would never happen.

A series of life-changing events followed that I won't get into, but once those three months were up, I put that manuscript away, got a full-time job and moved to Seattle to be Michael and to start a new life. I stopped writing for a long while through this transition. For once, attempting to write filled me with dread and anxiety. The doubt continued to plague me, even though I wans't aware of it.

After awhile, I started to miss writing. My dream of being a writer, no matter how much I tried to stifle it, never went away. So one day I printed out my manuscript, went to a cafe, and read it. I didn't even get past page 30. It was truly awful. I knew then that this wasn't the manuscript that would take me where I wanted to go. Sure it was disappointing, but it was also a realization that 1) I still wanted to be a writer and 2) it was time I got over the dread and anxiety.

So I started on a completely new idea, M2, printed out the second draft and read it. Though it needs tons of work, I can say that after my read-through, I was not disappointed. I was proud. This was such a change compared to my read-through of M1. M2 had a story I was falling in love with. M2 had characters I cared about. And last of all, I enjoyed writing M2 and continue to do so despite the difficulties.

I'm now making tons of revision notes too take me into my third draft. There's still a lot of work ahead, but I finally feel like I'm going somewhere with it.

Book Review: Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer

Rated 5 stars out of 5

Overview:

Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard.

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

Review:

Cress is probably my favorite out of the three books so far. Meyer definitely picked up the pace on this one with such a great plot line. Not to mention, the perspectives of all the characters were all distinct, making it enjoyable. Meyer definitely took the time in this book to show character growth. The character Cress as a new edition to the gang was very delightful. She definitely represents the romantic in all of us and her relationship with Throne was very interesting to see. I love how Thorne's character got more of a spotlight in this book, his anti-heroism just makes him more of hero without him realizing it. As for Cinder, we finally see her step us as a leader and accept her responsibility as a revolutionary. And of course, Kai's growth as a selfless emperor.

I've enjoyed this series so much, I can't believe I'm going to have to wait another year for Winter!

Book Review: Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer

Rated 4.5 stars out of 5

Overview: Cinder is back and trying to break out of prison—even though she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive if she does—in this second installment from Marissa Meyer.

 

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother, or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana.

An NPR Best Book of 2013

Review: Just like I finished Cinder in two days, Scarlet was no exception! Meyer brought everything back beautifully. Though I down rated it .5 due to the fact that I'm not too much of a fan of Scarlet and Wolf, these two new characters were interesting of course, but they were nothing compared to Thorne and Cinder. I liked watching Cinder and Throne's friendship grow more than Scarlet and Wolf's. Nonetheless, it was still a great story and it was thrilling to read how Meyer wove the Little Red Riding Hood tale into the plot line. The Lunar Chronicles has been such an entertaining read for me. It's been such a while since I've read such an awesome series!

Book Review: Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1) by Marissa Meyer

Rated 5 stars out of 5

Overview: Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Review: A retelling with a neat twist, you won't be able to put this book down! I mean, a cyborg Cinderella? Yet Meyer does it well with such engrossing writing. Though you already know the fairytale of it, you will still be surprised with all of the worldbuilding and enthralled with the characters. I read this in two days! As I write this review, I'm already starting book #3 in the chronicles. I'm that hooked. So why five stars? Well for one, the writing was great. Very fluid and clear in its details which is a must since this is set in New Beijing in the future. Second, though it's a classic fairytale, Meyer brings novelty in to it with cyborgs, an evil Lunar Queen, and Kai a new emperor (move over Prince Charming!). Third, I thought the pacing was very well done keeping the tension close enough to keep you reading.

If you pick this book up, you will not regret it.

So, it's been a week...

Since I've read or worked on my M2. It kind of feels... weird. I was thinking about it this morning and was suddenly overwhelmed. I lost a week of writing time! I could have been farther along if I had just kept writing. These were my thoughts as I stood in line this morning at Starbuck's waiting for my coffee. It took me a half a minute later to realize that my thoughts were nonsense. There was a reason I was putting distance between my story and I.

I needed to see it with fresh eyes.