When your native tongue is Lit Geek!

Okay-- so, sorry I didn't report back last night. So. Tired. Also, I had to make up word count.

But teaching at the East Bay chapter of RWA was a blast! Lovely, lovely authors--all of them kind and accepting, and I felt right at home. Their usual room was hijacked by somebody (there was much grrrrrrrr about this--heads will roll!) and we had a smaller classroom and it was packed to the gils. (See the chapter's promo picture of me with Kilby Blades, who, bless her, was the one who asked me to speak <3 nbsp="" p="">
But there was enough oxygen for people to breathe and to laugh at my jokes and I was much encouraged.

I got to use a real life example in my speech--I was talking about character communication.

"Yes, so very often people don't talk--but that doesn't mean communication doesn't happen. As an example, you may notice the little favors at your desk? Well, my Mate and I got up early this morning to get me here, so that I might have my coffee, and I was halfway through my coffee--when all good insights come--when it hit me. I had left the bag with the favors at the hotel. So I said this to Mate. Who went, "Really? Dammit." And then he stood up, gave me a kiss, and muttered, "I'll be back in a minute."

"Thank you Mate. I love you."

"Grumble grumble grumble."

"But ladies, I submit to you, that you all have those favors, and my Mate just said 'I love you' very very clearly, without saying a recognizable word."

Many, many hands were held to chests, and then I hit them with, "And he got me a SPACE HEATER for my WRITING SPACE for Christmas!"  I told him he will be much in demand after my passing--people got misty-eyed, I swear.

He doesn't believe me. That's okay. We can let him think I"m the only one who sees what a marvelous Mate he is.

Anyway--I talked to people. It was OUTSTANDING. And then we came home and there was napping, and the kids didn't feel great on Sunday so... we went to a movie. We have been trying to see Ford vs. Ferrari for MONTHS. And it was good. So good. Laughed my ass off. Cried like a baby.

Had a very lovely date weekend that was not officially date weekend with my Mate.