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Books, Birds, and All Things Creative
Created on 2008-05-26 03:22:40 (#15697634), last updated 2009-08-04
59 comments received, 49 comments posted
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Basic Info| Name: | birdnerd630 |
|---|---|
| Birthdate: | 1980-06-30 |
| Location: | United States |
BioI have been blogging here for the past few months, but all of my entries have been private. But since I'm going public with my fun reading challenge, I thought I should explain 'me' to those friends I haven't spoken to lately.
I travel as often as I can, and so far the coolest places I have been are New Zealand and South Africa, where I happened to live for two years. Living in South Africa got me out of the habit of being on the internet all of the time, and so by default I had fallen behind on things like blogging. But my good friend Addi suggested it to me, as I am a writer and it is a fun way to get words out there. So this blog will record the adventures and struggles I am encountering in my 28th year of life. Here's a small summary:
I am an author, working with an editor from a major publisher(who also happens to be a wonderful person and a good friend) to get my first book, "Mirror Earth," up to snuff. Currently I need to work on plot and character development, so I am revamping the outline to send to her, hopefully by the end of the summer. Definitely expect updates!
I am obsessed with all things avian, and have worked at bird zoos pretty regularly for the past 5 years as either an employee or a volunteer. There is hardly anything cooler than watching a child when you stand in front of them, owl or falcon or parrot on your arm, and see the sense of wonder on their face. Lucky for me the National Aviary is located in Pittsburgh, so I volunteer one day a week with the birdshow department. Expect the occasional funny antic or picture!
The other thing I am tackling this year is to lose around 80 lbs. I put most of it on last year with the stress of breaking up with my ex and moving back to the states from South Africa. The most exciting thing is I am entering in a 12-week fitness challenge that starts around Sept. 3. I'll have the chance to win a grand prize of $25,000, or one of six secondary prizes of $10,000 each.
I have enjoyed taking photographs for over ten years. Currently I am using three different film SLR cameras and look forward to getting a DSLR one of these days. You can check out my flickr page to see my latest pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/27928022@N03/
I also enjoy working with my hands, whether it is pottery, using a jigsaw and wood for an art or building project, or doing wonderful things with glass.
And music-wise, once Addi moves into her new house we are going to get our girl group (called A to Z) up and running (I am a singer and musician, playing guitar, sax, and percussion, amongst other things!).
That's about it! Expect updates on any or all of these topics in addition to the reading challenge!
ps, in case you missed it, the reading challenge is this: As a writer, I am always wanting to expand my knowledge of books that are out there and authors that are 'living the dream,' so to speak. So I set a challenge for myself: Discover 50 new authors by the end of the year.
When I started in the middle of July, that was basically two new authors a week, but I have had to cut that back to one to two a week, depending on how busy I am. I figure something is better than nothing!
This idea came to me from a letter I was writing. For a few years now I have indulged in the very guilty pleasure of writing old-fashioned letters to authors whose books I read and enjoyed. I have heard back from many of them, some of them quite well-known. Getting a letter from one of these authors in the mail is for me the equivalent of getting a movie star's autograph. Other than discovering new authors, the best part of the challenge for me is that every week I will write letters to the creators of these books. In addition to my reviews and progress, this blog will also cover any responses I receive. I am hoping that 3 out of 4 authors reply, but we will see!
I would love recommendations, but please, I would prefer authors who are alive or their books will have to wait until next year to be read!
I travel as often as I can, and so far the coolest places I have been are New Zealand and South Africa, where I happened to live for two years. Living in South Africa got me out of the habit of being on the internet all of the time, and so by default I had fallen behind on things like blogging. But my good friend Addi suggested it to me, as I am a writer and it is a fun way to get words out there. So this blog will record the adventures and struggles I am encountering in my 28th year of life. Here's a small summary:
I am an author, working with an editor from a major publisher(who also happens to be a wonderful person and a good friend) to get my first book, "Mirror Earth," up to snuff. Currently I need to work on plot and character development, so I am revamping the outline to send to her, hopefully by the end of the summer. Definitely expect updates!
I am obsessed with all things avian, and have worked at bird zoos pretty regularly for the past 5 years as either an employee or a volunteer. There is hardly anything cooler than watching a child when you stand in front of them, owl or falcon or parrot on your arm, and see the sense of wonder on their face. Lucky for me the National Aviary is located in Pittsburgh, so I volunteer one day a week with the birdshow department. Expect the occasional funny antic or picture!
The other thing I am tackling this year is to lose around 80 lbs. I put most of it on last year with the stress of breaking up with my ex and moving back to the states from South Africa. The most exciting thing is I am entering in a 12-week fitness challenge that starts around Sept. 3. I'll have the chance to win a grand prize of $25,000, or one of six secondary prizes of $10,000 each.
I have enjoyed taking photographs for over ten years. Currently I am using three different film SLR cameras and look forward to getting a DSLR one of these days. You can check out my flickr page to see my latest pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/27928022@N03/
I also enjoy working with my hands, whether it is pottery, using a jigsaw and wood for an art or building project, or doing wonderful things with glass.
And music-wise, once Addi moves into her new house we are going to get our girl group (called A to Z) up and running (I am a singer and musician, playing guitar, sax, and percussion, amongst other things!).
That's about it! Expect updates on any or all of these topics in addition to the reading challenge!
ps, in case you missed it, the reading challenge is this: As a writer, I am always wanting to expand my knowledge of books that are out there and authors that are 'living the dream,' so to speak. So I set a challenge for myself: Discover 50 new authors by the end of the year.
When I started in the middle of July, that was basically two new authors a week, but I have had to cut that back to one to two a week, depending on how busy I am. I figure something is better than nothing!
This idea came to me from a letter I was writing. For a few years now I have indulged in the very guilty pleasure of writing old-fashioned letters to authors whose books I read and enjoyed. I have heard back from many of them, some of them quite well-known. Getting a letter from one of these authors in the mail is for me the equivalent of getting a movie star's autograph. Other than discovering new authors, the best part of the challenge for me is that every week I will write letters to the creators of these books. In addition to my reviews and progress, this blog will also cover any responses I receive. I am hoping that 3 out of 4 authors reply, but we will see!
I would love recommendations, but please, I would prefer authors who are alive or their books will have to wait until next year to be read!
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External Services:
 | birdnerd630@livejournal.com | |
 | kestrel630 | |
Schools:
North Hills High School - Pittsburgh, PA (1992 - 1998)Allegheny College - Meadville, PA (1999 - 2002)
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abigaillouise, addibec, angrywalrus, ask_next_week, birdnerd630, cassandraclare, drewtwig, dsfedor, dskestrel, etzelism, feightclub, greekfire01, joeyphoto, lauren_myracle, mccrimmonator, robinelaine, sarah_mlynowski, thegraybook
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