introductions, introductions

The cottage from The Holiday.
The cottage from The Holiday.

Dear Internet,
Happy early Svein Forkbeard day. I’m in the wilds of Connecticut prepping for the series of holiday events that will be happening over the course of the next few days. Tonight most of the Connecticut family is heading to the midnight service and I’m thinking of joining them. There is something about theological rituals during the holidays that I still yearn for even though I do not prescribe to any particular religion.
Like previous years, I’m in the throes of making holiday cookies. This year the list is small: macaroons, white chocolate cranberry oatmeal, no bakes, sugar, and finally, gingerbread cookies. I’m shipping cookies to my brother and TSTBEH and of course, leaving some for the Connecticut family. Since the next couple of days is going to be jammed with family activities, I’m stealing time when I can – like waking up at 5:30AM to start the prep work for the cookies and the cornbread stuffing for the big meals that are happening today, tomorrow, and Boxing day.
Nick Frost plays Santa!
Nick Frost plays Santa!

It’s also time for holiday episodes of my favorite British TV and radio shows. So far Stella, the first part of the Zurich episode of Cabin Pressure, and first episodes of Good Omens have played. Then of course come the regulars and new shows that are upcoming like: Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, and Miranda. This is yet another reason why I love the British: the unabashed love for holiday episodes of their favorite shows which Americans give no fucks about.
But I have to reaffirm the bigger news than holiday cookies and TV shows; though in my world, those are very good things.
Skaldic Press Presents
Reminder about the 4x a month newsletter from Skaldic Press (my publishing arm) that includes updates from Exit, Pursued by a Bear, so glad is my heart, and other adventures in addition to Skaldic Press. Includes themed GIFs. You can check out the archives for a better taste of what to expect and then subscribe below.


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The Lisa Chronicles, Vol 1: 1998
Also another reminder that my book is now available for pre-order. Publishing date is January 31, 2015.
From the blurb:

In 1998, having an online diary was a brave new world. Mailing lists, communities, chat rooms, and more all sprung up over people’s favorite diarists. Now we would call them bloggers. But then, THEN was a whole ‘nother beast. Then writing online was intimate. Then it was more personalized and personal. Then writers had less shtick. Not much was expected of these online exhibitionist scribes other than the ability to tell a good tale and regularly update.
I miss those days.
I never expected to get rich or famous, but what I wanted was to be able to connect to others who were like me. The scared, the frightened, the brave, and the bold. (No relation to the terrible soap opera of the same name.) I wanted to eat the world and in 1998, what better way to do that was through the Internet?
What can you expect from the first volume? Love, conflict, obsessions with people, places, and things. Rotating cast of characters and adventures. Sprinkle of song lyrics here and there. Pop culture references galore. Sex. More sex. Profane words and a bipolar girl desperate to connect with a world she did not understand.
While this work has been edited for grammar, clarity, and the obvious typo, it remains largely unchanged from when it first appeared online nearly two decades ago.
And lastly, every word here is true.

So if you’re intrigued by the book description or want to help support me thanks to the saga of #teamharpy, I would be most grateful if you would pre-order the book.

[amazon template=image&asin=B00R2808QE]

<<<<>>>>

Not much else is going on in my world right this very second other than prepping for the holidays and editing my book. Typically I feel some sort of sadness and isolation since my family and I are not very close, but while I feel some semblance of that feeling this year, being around people who care kind of lessens the pain. I still feel awkward and out of place, but when do I usually not feel a disconnect to others’ lives?
The drugs may stabilize my moods, meditation may help me deal better with impulse feelings, but some things about me will just never change.
xoxo,
Lisa

This Day in Lisa-Universe: 2013, 2011, 2002

Happy Svein Forkbeard Day!

Wednesday_wishes_you_many_happy_returns.JPG
Wednesday wishes you many happy returns

Dear Internet,
On this day a millennia ago, Svein Forkbeard was declared king of England. Because you have to love a name like Forkbeard, and Vikings, we’ve decided to start celebrating December 25th as Svein Forkbeard Day. Because – why not?
We did things half-assed backwards this year — presents were opened over the course of weeks and the rest of the loot this morning, even though the tree had not even been dragged up and put out. TheHusband was extra good to me this year: I scored a new pair of Tieks, a new winter jacket, new earrings, lipgloss, a bluetooth keyboard that will double with my iPad and MacBook Air, and the new Zelda game for my DS3. The best gift was the milk frother I had added to my list at the last minute, which showed up in time for unwrapping and which I am totally in love with. TheHusband received a new bag from Rickshaw, new Pumas, tshirts, socks, a new Harmony remote, fancy bluetooth mouse, and some kind of special router so he can do some dev work.
After the presents were unwrapped, oohs and ahhs were allotted, I put the tree up while TheHusband started on today’s dinner.
Holiday tree, 2013

A few years ago, I asked the Internet to trim our tree and the Internet did not disappoint! Almost every ornament on the tree came from someone across the globe and I love them for it. What makes this tree even more special is the how many of those who shipped us ornaments knew our personalities (or made very good guesses). Doctor Who, Sherlock, Britishisms, Pugs, Books, Gnomes, Jane Austen, and the list goes on.
Again, thank you. You are now part of our yearly tradition.
May tonight be merry and bright with your loved ones close and have a wonderful new year.
x0x0,
Lisa

This day in Lisa-Universe: 2011

A gentle reminder: Ho. Ho. Ho. (Holiday Card Exchange, 2010)

Keep-Calm-Christmas
Wanted: Your addresses.
Why: To exchange holiday greeting cards.
When: Holiday season, 2010.
A gentle reminder to all my peeps that I’m doing holiday cards this weekend. If you’ve emailed/FB/IM’d me your address, I’ll be sending you an email this weekend with ours. Please get your address to me by end of this weekend, as I will be sending cards out Monday/Tuesday (12/6-12/7). Yes, I do send them internationally.
Please feel free to email, Facebook, tweet, LiveJournal or comment here with your address. Or if you prefer another method, let me know that too.
I got loads of songs from various peeps for the Holiday Mix, 2010, that I’m hoping to do this weekend or next. I’ll post that when I’m done.
Happy Holidays,
The Throbbings
(Lisa, Justin + Wednesday The Pug)

Ho. Ho. Ho. (Holiday card exchange + Lisa’s M-Fing Holiday Mix, 2010)

Keep-Calm-Christmas
Wanted: Your addresses.
Why: To exchange holiday greeting cards.
When: Holiday season, 2010.
Every year I make a vain attempt to send out holiday cards and in some years, it happens but in others (like last year), it does not. 😉 Now that the major big stuff is over (I’ve graduated from Wayne and have gotten married), I’ve got a bit more time to work to spend on sending cards out this year.
The one caveat for this year is that I do not know where we’re going to be living in the month of December. We could be back in Grand Rapids or in another city entirely. I will not know until the end of the month (November) how this is going to play out, so, if you’d like to send us a card (Lisa + Justin and Wednesday the Pug), I am more than happy to update you when we get settled.
Please feel free to email, Facebook, tweet, LiveJournal or comment here with your address. Or if you prefer another method, let me know that too. If you’re interested in sending us a card, indicate that so I can notify you when our address is updated. If I already have your email address, I’ll be sending out an email within the next week or so with something similar to this.
IN ADDITION, I am (hopefully) will be mixing another holiday mix this season. I am soliciting for suggestions for a non-traditional non-denominational holiday muzak. Think kitsch and eyeroll, like 50 Shekel’s “Chanukah Jam” and “Jingle Belz” by Bootsy Collins with some Tom Waits and Pogues (always obvs choices) thrown in. Contact me at the above locations for your suggestions.