Neil Gaiman won a Newbery!!! And the talktalktalk continues..

Really. I couldn't be happier, in this one little moment.

a) I like Neil Gaiman. The man makes me do happy dances, and has for over 15 years.

b) I have childhood love of the Newbery Medal. You get a Newbery; your book is damned good. (Julie of the Wolves. Bridge to Terabithia. The Hero and the Crown. Holy CRAP, these books were good! A Wrinkle in Time. The King of the Wind. The Island of the Blue Dolphins. More!!)

c) I used to read a lot more as a kid. Argh.

Anywhoo, I am pleased that someone I loved as a teen and continue to love as a grown up, has won something that I loved as a kid.

I am counting blessings and thinking about things that make me happy. These things aren't necessary, but they will probably continue to keep February bearable: crackers, coffee, and gallons of red wine. The red wine is, in a slightly emo-y way, for my heart. And for my cholesterol!

Recent events have brought a continuing theme back to the forefront, and the awesome Nels brought it up again yesterday. Moving sucks, and it's not the answer to everything (I will remain basically the same person anywhere I go, my flaws will be the same, my inability to caulk a tub will be the same).

But I also don't have to stay here. And this is the time of year when Minneapolis and I love and diss on each other. Just like all the other transplants, honestly. I ignore her, she passive-agressively tries to break my car. I become white and blubby, she becomes grey and mean. Where else could a person go (possibly with a small animal or two?)

I don't have a "good" reason to move. Except for that stupid theme that keeps popping up.

My dad told me that problems will be the same anywhere you go, weather or location don't really matter. *sigh* But it's fun to dream..

- Chicago! yes, my Vaudeville is already there. What do I like? I like improv. Chicago, I would be another tiny swimmy fish in a gigantimous ocean of improv. But, I would learn lots lots. It would be hard and cold, but I would probably meet people to hang out with. hrm.

- Portland! Goddamn, Portland is the prettiest of pretty. Right now, it's mired in public official sex scandals. Could a person find a life in Portland? My friends Steph and Dave moved out there about a year ago, and if Facebook picts are any barometer of how happy people are.. I think I could afford Portland.

- People keep bringing up Seattle. Holy crap, I could afford Seattle! And Seattle seems to be an unknown underdognick according to a.. website! It must be true. Huh. According to another website, it rains a REALLY REALLY REALLY lot in Seattle. Again, must be true. But there's coffee and beer to stave off the suicide.

- NYC. Ohhhh, this is Nels'. If I lived in maybe Brooklyn, Queens or the Bronx, I could maybe afford NYC. I get speechless when thinking about NYC. It's what you don't know that you don't know.

- L.A. It's warm there. I have a tiny number of connections there. I could find a job and get to know my air conditioner and swim suit. But.. I like southern California. I honestly do.

- Somewhere as of yet unknown!! wwooooOOOOOooooooo

- Minneapolis. Stay here, quit my bitchin', and figure shit out.

I wish I had a trade. Right now, my trade is the ability to talk to strangers in character. And teach 1-2 hour workshops. And who knows what might change. But, again, it's nice to blather.

I'm gonna get off my computer and do stuff. ha! Take that, stuff!

Onward.