Words Written: [tour bus]: ~600

Got some potentially very exciting news this morning (even more exciting than the Red Sage offer!), but as it’s still in the beginning stages, I can’t say any more. So you’ll all have to suffer with me. (Except for those of you on the OCW list, because I posted there for advice.)

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Purrrrr…I just had an amazing massage. I almost fell asleep.

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So, more Stygian and weekendy goodness.

Friday’s concert was out in Palmdale, and originally we planned to go out early enough to go to the big cat sanctuary in Rosamund, but we were waaaaay too sleepy to get up in time. We’d also arranged to meet with Fran to see Serenity, and managed to squeak in at the last minute (in part thanks to her excellent directions and info on where the secret entrance to the mall was).

What can I say about Serenity? Damn, what a movie! What a ride! Joss Whedon still rules. I don’t want to give anything away, of course, so it’s hard to say much more. It’s a very emotional movie. However, I’m not sure that the emotion is evenly balanced. How can I put this? The first thing everyone talks about as they leave the theatre, the main feature of every discussion I’ve had and review I’ve read, isn’t the thing that movie focuses on, isn’t about the overall plot or the focus character(s). So no matter how I feel about the thing, no matter whether I agree with Joss’s decision regarding the thing, I’m seeing that the thing is getting more precedence than the plot and focal character(s). So that seems unbalanced to me.

If you’ve seen it, you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, then I hope that paragraph was obscure enough. Also, if you haven’t—what are you waiting for? Go! Go now, foolish one!

Ahem.

After the movie we met up with Naoko and had mall food (quite yummy Mediterranean food for Ken and I). I saw that Naoko had been shopping at Hot Topic. And something came over me. Rabid determination. By gods, I was going to get that towel from Lawrence, or die trying. As soon as I was done eating, I blasted into Torrid (because their clothes are more suited to us busty types), found a salesgirl, and requested something that would give me maximum cleavage. (I was already in a pushup bra and moderate-cleavage shirt.) As she led me through the store with something in mind, I saw The Shirt up on a display: purple, stretch velvet, spaghetti straps, plunging neckline. Mine. Mine now. I tried it on, and refused to take it back off.

Now, I’ve always had an issue with skinny-strapped tops because I hate the exposed, floppy bra strap look. And this shirt was causing that a little bit. But I had A Plan. I charged over to Claire’s Boutique, snapped up a pair of sparkly hair clips, clipped the straps together where they met at the neckline of the shirt, and handed the now-empty card to the salesgirl to ring up. This was Power Shopping at its best. (I hate clothes shopping under the best of circumstances, but it’s fun when there’s determination and obsession involved!) (Oh, and the sparkly clips are perfect, but I may have to go back to Torrid and get one of their “Groupie” pins. [eg])

Long story short, we got ourselves into the front row. And Lawrence spent the entire concert trying and failing to meet my eyes.

It probably didn’t help that I held up a sign that said “You make me wet. I need a towel.”

I got my damn towel, thankyouverymuch. :-) And a Nonconsolation Polaroid.

Afterwards, I bought a short, flippy skirt (that says STYX across the butt [g]) from Casey, their merchandise guy (who, when I said hi to him before the concert, asked me if I was going to be trouble. I said, “In a shirt like this, how could I not be trouble?”), and then a small group of us (Ken plus six of his Heaux ;-) ) wandered to the back of the venue where the buses were. We politely stayed outside of the gate, which was open so that vehicles could come through. It was flanked by a section of vertical bars.

We watched REO Speedwagon hop on their bus and go. We chatted. And then I saw Lawrence walk between the buses. Something came over me. I pressed myself against the bars and batted my eyelashes at him. He said what I thought was, “I like your top” and continued on.

I turned around and was informed by my fellow Heaux that what he really said was, “We have to talk.”

Oh. (She said in a tiny voice). Eep.

He came back a minute or two later and ended up hanging out and chatting with us for about half an hour. Just talking, laughing, very casual. This is when that picture of the two of us was taken. ;-) I won’t bore you all with everything we talked about, but if you want details, I’d be happy to send them along. Strip clubs did come up in the conversation.

In related news, I’m officially Helen’s “date” for two Lawrence solo concerts in Canada in February. (Yeah. Canada in February. That wasn’t great planning.) She got tickets, and wants to take me rather than her boyfriend (who she’s just taken to his first Styx concert and introduced to the band members). I think there’ll be five of us total (and without Ken our Security Guard to rein us in! Look out…). It’s to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his second (and best-known) album, Strange Animal, and the show will be with a full orchestra. Too cool. I’ve been a fan of his since that album came out (a result of not having MTV in our podunk town, so I watched Canadian video shows).

So, um, yeah. That whole experience was pretty much a highlight of life so far. Onwards and upwards! (Well, not far upwards; he’s not very tall. But I’m going to be a good girl and not make any “downwards” comments…)

Saturday was Ken’s 40th birthday party. A lot of people didn’t RSVP, and of those that said they were coming, almost a third failed to show up. What is it with people? Oh well. Ken had a fantastic time, and that’s what’s important. And the important people showed up. ;-) Lots of food, wine and spirits, desserts (lots of desserts!), and good conversation and laughter.

Sunday we took the bike down Hwy 1 (overcast and gorgeous) to Santa Monica, to the Nuart Theatre, the closest place Mirrormask was playing. Oh my gods. Absolutely stunning. Just incredible. The theatre was packed, which was wonderful to see, and I hope against hope that it gets a full nationwide release, because this movie deserves to be experienced. If you even remotely liked Dark Crystal or Labyrinth, do not miss this one. It’s better.

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Right, so, off to War tomorrow, back sometime Sunday afternoon/evening. Taking the laptop. I finally figured out what I wanted to write for my own Sex in Transit story, and the beginning just spewed forth today, so I want to keep up the momentum on that, plus Teresa sent back our co-written story for the same anthology to finished up. I figure even if I can do 500 words/day, that would be great.

Now, however, I’m off to curl and up and watch some TV with my beloved before bed. G’night, pets, and sweetest dreams.

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Currently Reading: The Goth Bible, Nancy Kilpatrick
Lately Listened To: various radio stations
Recently Watched: Supernatural