Lynn Flewelling's Blog, page 13
July 28, 2012
London Olympic Security
Don't worry, Mitt. They've got it covered.
Book Signing Reminder
Just a reminder that Kate Elliot and I will be signing books at the Mysterious Galaxy bookstore in Rodondo Beach today at 2:30!
http://www.mystgalaxy.com/event/2012/07/28/day
http://www.mystgalaxy.com/event/2012/07/28/day
July 25, 2012
Ramadan
Still in San Diego at Doug's conference. Last night Zaneb, one of his Iranian students, invited us and some others from the graduate program to a local Persian restaurant. She is a devout Muslim, so we waited until after dark due to it being the month of Ramadan, during which Muslims cannot eat during the day. When we arrived there were several groups of men smoking and playing backgammon on cafe tables outside on beautiful wooden boards. I love backgammon.
The owner ushered us to an inside table at once, telling us that he was expecting a crowd as the sun set. As the patrons crowded in, I noticed that the women in our group were the only ones in the place.
We ordered various kabobs that came with huge portions of basmati rice, naan and yogurt dip, roasted tomatoes, and a pepper that turned out to be wickedly hot. Zaneb brought us cups of strong black tea and showed us how to hold a sugar cube on our tongue to sweeten the tea as we drank it.
Not only were the portions more than generous, the waiters kept bringing us free things: a banana, melon juice, rice mixed with something green and heavily sugared, a lovely custard topped with ground pistachios. The common thread was sugar. Apparently this is customary during Ramadan, giving you energy to get you through the next day's fast.
Zaneb is a lovely young woman, very intelligent, very sweet and welcoming. She wears the headscarf tied under her chin and a long coat. It was clear that she was enjoying sharing her traditions with her advisor and friends and we were honored by her generosity. At one point she demonstrated how one food was eaten, then apologized to Doug for instructing her instructor. (Doug encounters this a lot with his foreign students)
During the meal she spoke of the difficulty of finding Halal meat, and how much she misses her husband and 5 year old son while she is in the program (You live on campus for a year of very intense study for the GIS Masters degree). Doug told me later that she is lonely, in part because of the complex restrictions that govern her life. She must eat halal, avoid contact with male students as much as possible, cannot go out socializing with the other students because there's usually alcohol involved. She and some of the other Muslim women students were interested in swimming lessons so they could use the pool at the complex where the students live, nicknamed 'The Gulag'. Doug and his wonderful office administrator, Debbie, arranged for special women-only hours for them, had a visual barrier erected to protect their privacy, and found a swim teacher. But swimming during Ramadan is not allowed, so lessons are suspended until next month.
Being a good Muslim is clearly not easy in the US, and I admire her devotion. It was a little sad, though, at the end of the great evening that the women could all hug good bye, but Doug could not even shake Zaneb's hand to thank her.
The owner ushered us to an inside table at once, telling us that he was expecting a crowd as the sun set. As the patrons crowded in, I noticed that the women in our group were the only ones in the place.
We ordered various kabobs that came with huge portions of basmati rice, naan and yogurt dip, roasted tomatoes, and a pepper that turned out to be wickedly hot. Zaneb brought us cups of strong black tea and showed us how to hold a sugar cube on our tongue to sweeten the tea as we drank it.
Not only were the portions more than generous, the waiters kept bringing us free things: a banana, melon juice, rice mixed with something green and heavily sugared, a lovely custard topped with ground pistachios. The common thread was sugar. Apparently this is customary during Ramadan, giving you energy to get you through the next day's fast.
Zaneb is a lovely young woman, very intelligent, very sweet and welcoming. She wears the headscarf tied under her chin and a long coat. It was clear that she was enjoying sharing her traditions with her advisor and friends and we were honored by her generosity. At one point she demonstrated how one food was eaten, then apologized to Doug for instructing her instructor. (Doug encounters this a lot with his foreign students)
During the meal she spoke of the difficulty of finding Halal meat, and how much she misses her husband and 5 year old son while she is in the program (You live on campus for a year of very intense study for the GIS Masters degree). Doug told me later that she is lonely, in part because of the complex restrictions that govern her life. She must eat halal, avoid contact with male students as much as possible, cannot go out socializing with the other students because there's usually alcohol involved. She and some of the other Muslim women students were interested in swimming lessons so they could use the pool at the complex where the students live, nicknamed 'The Gulag'. Doug and his wonderful office administrator, Debbie, arranged for special women-only hours for them, had a visual barrier erected to protect their privacy, and found a swim teacher. But swimming during Ramadan is not allowed, so lessons are suspended until next month.
Being a good Muslim is clearly not easy in the US, and I admire her devotion. It was a little sad, though, at the end of the great evening that the women could all hug good bye, but Doug could not even shake Zaneb's hand to thank her.
July 24, 2012
Today's Best Typo
"Alec work in a warm bed." Suggestive AND ungrammatical!
San Diego Idyll
For those not following my Twitter ramblings, I'm in San Diego for a mini working vacation while Doug attends a conference. Came down Saturday and will go home Thursday. Was supposed to go home today, but couldn't bear to leave! Lovely hotel room, excellent weather and food. Had a massage this morning (my anniversary present from Doug) and then hoofed it to a run down local laundromat. A day of contrasts. :) Working now in the room, resting up for another night of socializing with friends also at the conference.
Saw this sign on a padlocked door at the laundromat. Another punctuation fail, I'm assuming.
Saw this sign on a padlocked door at the laundromat. Another punctuation fail, I'm assuming.
July 19, 2012
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
So I'm sitting here on the couch, minding my own business and writing, when I feel something tickling the top of my head. I reach up and it is some sort of small bug! Instinct takes over; beetle is flung across the room onto the hearth and lays there accusingly motionless, making me feel guilty that fear overrode mercy. I'm sure it didn't mean me any harm. Ten minutes later Zoe takes notice and goes over to snuffle it in preparation for making it an afternoon snack. Apparently this roused the beetle, for it took flight and made it to safety behind the blinds.
No harm, no karmic foul, apparently.
No harm, no karmic foul, apparently.
July 18, 2012
July 17, 2012
Info Overload
Got up, turned on the TV, opened the laptop, got out my phone to check email.
Doug (watching TV): Ha, what do you think of that?
Me (looking up): Think of what?
Doug: What the commentator was talking about.
Me: I wasn't paying attention. I was checking my mail.
Doug: The topic was people needing to unconnected to electronic gadgets because they're distracting.
Doug (watching TV): Ha, what do you think of that?
Me (looking up): Think of what?
Doug: What the commentator was talking about.
Me: I wasn't paying attention. I was checking my mail.
Doug: The topic was people needing to unconnected to electronic gadgets because they're distracting.
July 14, 2012
Comic Con 2012
One day of Comic Con has absolutely knackered us! How do people do the whole thing?? Did a 10 am booth signing that went great, walked around in the madness, had lunch with my editor, walked around in the madness, was on a terrific panel with the likes of Robin Hobb, Patrick Rothfuss, Chris Paolini, and NK Jemisin that went very well. At the book signing that followed I got to know Nora (NK) and she ended up coming to dinner with Reece Notley (editor of Glimpses and good friend), Anne Cain (the wonderful artist who did the cover for Glimpses). She is a delightful person and I intend to dive into her books asap. Hours of great conversation and more delicious food than anyone should eat at a Brazilian steakhouse.
Over dinner we had a very good conversation about writing across racial lines. Nora, who is black, and Reece who is Asian urged me to consider it. I have in a fashion, with the Retha'noi, Zengati, and Dravnians, who are all people of color, and I dealt frankly with slavery in Shadows Return but to boldly write an actual real world black character with all that entails culturally and politically, I admitted quite honestly, scares me to death. It's not that I wouldn't consider doing it; I would just be worried about getting it wrong and doing an appropriation. But Nora and Reece gave me lots of good advice and encouragement and it's all grist for the mill.
Over dinner we had a very good conversation about writing across racial lines. Nora, who is black, and Reece who is Asian urged me to consider it. I have in a fashion, with the Retha'noi, Zengati, and Dravnians, who are all people of color, and I dealt frankly with slavery in Shadows Return but to boldly write an actual real world black character with all that entails culturally and politically, I admitted quite honestly, scares me to death. It's not that I wouldn't consider doing it; I would just be worried about getting it wrong and doing an appropriation. But Nora and Reece gave me lots of good advice and encouragement and it's all grist for the mill.
July 12, 2012
Guest Blogging Today
First of all, thank you, all,for giving David such a warm welcome!
I'm a guest blogger today, over at Laura Anne Gilman's LJ. http://suricattus.livejournal.com/1537837.html
I'm a guest blogger today, over at Laura Anne Gilman's LJ. http://suricattus.livejournal.com/1537837.html
