Wings to fly?

The Women's Ski Jumping team is in Sapporo this week! Go USA!

Did you know that the US team features some of the top Nordic Ski Jumpers IN THE WORLD?! I have seen them compete. These women are truly amazing.

And yet...

The IOC still holds to their misguided notion that Women's Ski Jumping is not "ready" for the Olympics. Are they insane??? The idea that the sport is too 'young' and that the committee has to 'watch' it is ridiculous. Nordic Ski Jumping has been an Olympic sport for nearly a century. For men, that is. Not for women.

Discriminate much?

The Olympic Committee is not just watching to see how the sport progresses, they are watching to see what kind of ratings women can draw. Ratings = money = the bottom line. No ratings, no event. Shame on them.

Women deserve an opportunity to compete in the Olympics, just like the men. It's time for the IOC to step into the new millenium and give women equal opportunities in ALL sports.

Finnish Line Cover

I'll be updating my webpage soon to show this new cover alongside NOW AND ZEN. Meanwhile, here it is: a sneak preview! Be watching for updates as we count down to the release date (September)!

Serious Wimpage

So I made it.

I have to tell you, the Tokyo to New York flight is looooooong. It's weird - the first couple of times you make an international flight, it doesn't seem that bad (didn't for me, anyway) because it's kind of exciting and different and you're willing to put up with the no-legroom seats and icky airline food. But by the fourth or fifth flight? Not so much. It's kind of a 'here we go again' scenario. No thrill to alleviate the drag.

But that's not what I'm wimping about. It's COLD in New York!!! Yes, I was coddled a bit this year by Tokyo's very warm winter, but DANG! I stepped out of the airport and wanted to go right back inside. And that's after the 14-hour flight. Yeah, serious wimpage.

Of course, tomorrow I'm going shopping, so I will bravely face the cold. You know they have this huge Filene's Basement right by Union Station with a DSW right in the same building?! I am so there.

Which just goes to show you, if the incentive is great enough, any wimpage can be overcome.

Shaken... and Stirred

Earthquakes are kinda cool. I don't mean the really big ones that damage things and cause tsunamis and hurt people and stuff, but the little tremors that we feel so much here in Tokyo. They're more like little shudders than quakes, really, and it's interesting to me to feel the differences in each one.

Japan has about 1500 earthquakes a year. I am not kidding. 1500. Not many of them are severe. Some we don't feel at all. For instance, I didn't even know about the recent Hokkaido quake until friends and family from the States wrote to ask if we were OK. Quakes are so commonplace around here that they aren't really a news item. This one hit the wires because a tsunami warning was issued. Nothing happened, though.

Anyway, nature struck again this morning... about 3:30 a.m., I was shaken out of bed by an earthquake. I don't mean literally shaken so I fell out of bed or anything, but it woke me up and once I'm up, I'm up. This one lasted a long time - usually the tremors we feel last only a few seconds. This went on for at least half a minute. I could hear the house creak and doors sway gently on their hinges and could feel a little shaking, like someone was at the foot of the bed, jiggling it. That was about it. Everyone else in the house slept through it.

But for some reason, these occurrences leave me energized. It's like the earth is giving up some of its energy and I am a conduit to receive it. Plus, in my weird mind, it's exciting. I note the unique features of each quake - how long did it last, was it a jolt or a gentle shake, did it move side-to-side or undulate up and down?

I hope to never experience a full-out shake-em down earthquake, but for now... earthquakes are cool.

For Those Who Dream

We honor a great man today. A man who looked for a better world than the one he was faced with. On this day, as we reflect on the dreams that Dr. King dared to articulate, let's take a long, hard look at where we are as a nation and where we need to be.

My challenge for you today is to learn all you can about Dr. King. Listen to his "I have a dream" speech. Take his words and think of what you, as an individual, can do to make this world a better place.

Dare to dream. Then work to make that dream come true.

Big Bunnies

I'm not kidding. These hasenpfeffer are huge! Link to the story in a German newspaper lifted from agent Jenny Rappaport's blog.

Anyone else think it's kind of amusing that these rabbits, which are as big as dogs, are being bred for Korean appetites?

*ggl*

More News

Yes, there is a reason for the long silence. Leaving one agent for another is never an easy thing. Especially when the first agent is responsible for opening the door and letting you into the game. But, as these things go, the time had come to step it up, so, as hard as it was, I had to say sayonara.

However, it is with great pleasure that I announce my new agent: Elaine Spencer with The Knight Agency.

Happy New Year!

NEWS!

Yay! I just got the green light to share the news with you all.

Announcing Wendy Toliver's YA sale to Simon Pulse!!! Her new book is titled "The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren" (working title), about a band geek who turns into a Siren on her sixteenth birthday. It will be published in Simon Pulse's romantic comedy line, fall of 07. Watch for it!

CONGRATULATIONS, WENDY!!!!

HAPPY YEAR OF THE BOAR

Happy New Year, everyone!
According to the Asian Zodiac, 2007 is the Year of the Boar. In Japan, anyway. In China, some translations list it as the Year of the Pig. Kind of the same thing, but kind of... not.




For one thing, pigs are cuter than boars. Cartoon pigs, anyway. And maybe potbellied pigs. Or little baby pigs...

On the other hand, what boars lack in aesthetics, they make up for in brute strength - and wouldn't you rather have your year dedicated to a strong, bold, take-it-to-the-mat kind of animal than your basic ham and bacon variety? I'm just saying...

Whatever your preference, have a great 2007! May it be your best year yet!

Kicking and Screaming - Night at the Museum

Me, again. The book junkie. No surprise that I much prefer reading a book than seeing the movie adaptation of the same.

Case in point, did anyone see Ella Enchanted a couple of years ago? What were they thinking? The book was... well, enchanting. The movie? Not so much.

I really worried that Night at the Museum was going to be the same kind of overstretching, badly-interpreted dreck. I had read the book by Milan Trenc years ago and really enjoyed it so my toes curled when I saw the previews for the movie. The fact that critics seemed to agree with my initial reaction didn't help much.

But, as these things go, the kids wanted to see it, and so I found myself at the theater, an oversized bucket of (ugh!) movie theater popcorn in my lap... laughing. Wow. What a pleasant surprise. They actually did a decent job with this one.

My favorite characters were the cowboy and the roman dude, and of course Robin Williams made a great Teddy Roosevelt. Never did quite get the purpose of the Easter Island head, but the dinosaur bones were great. In all, it wasn't a total waste of celluloid.

I do hope it is not the only movie I get to see while in the States, however...