Got the first DVD in the mail from Netflix the other day and finally watched the first episode.

Is anyone else watching this? I keep hearing how good it is–and I saw the DVDs in the store the other day, and it has a money-back guarantee if you don't like it. Wow. Is that desperation or cockiness?

Anyway, I saw the first episode and knew (spoiler; highlight to read) that Street was going to get majorly injured. So no big surprise there. I wasn't sure whether they were going to win that game or not, and that, just like in real life, had me on the edge of my seat, heart pounding, palms sweating–as if my beloved Michigan was playing. (By the way, that comment does not give anyone license to talk about last week's game, okay?)

But…I haven't felt the urge to pick it back up and watch any other episodes. Hmmm. Should I?

Watching Kyle Chandler is nice though. He has a great voice–almost rivals Alan Rickman's, though it's not quite as rich. I remember Chandler from the television show Homefront, which my Music Man and I absolutely loved. (Anyone remember that?)

So what's the verdict: should I put Friday Night Lights in for my morning treadmill workout (starting next week), or watch Buffy reruns? Or finish HEROES?

Too bad Homefront's not on DVD. That, I would watch.

Was checking my Web site stats today, and found several hits from an Italian message board. Looks like they're talking about the Italian release of The Rest Falls Away–apparently, this October (she says in surprised delight).

Can anyone translate to confirm or deny?

E' ufficiale…ottobre mi manderà a vivere sotto ai ponti:

Generazione dopo generazione, uno dei discendenti della famiglia Gardella deve accettare il destino della stirpe e diventare cacciatore di vampiri. Questa volta la prescelta è Victoria, diciott'anni ancora da compiere. Mentre la sua vita si snoda tra la folla delle sale da ballo e le strade solitarie, il suo cuore è conteso tra il più ambito scapolo di Londra e il suo enigmatico alleato…

Now, I'm off to check with my agent to see if she knows. (Guess I could have started there, huh?)

And I'm dying to see the Italian cover! 

I'm over at Marta Acosta's blog this week, and she asked me some interesting questions–one of which I couldn't answer. (It had to do with writing lyrics for Joss Whedon's musical version of my books. Anyone want to take a–heh–stab at it?)

Anyway, she asked me the following question:

You've mentioned that you were influenced by Jane Austen's novels, particularly Pride and Prejudice. Her books were social satires and she was always very aware of the restrictions and hypocrisies of her own society. Will readers find social criticism in your novels, or any allusions to modern situations?

And for today, I'm going to answer it as I did there (you can pop over and see the rest of the interview if you're so inclined): 

Yes indeed. There were two main things I was thinking about as I wrote The Rest Falls Away, and I hope that these themes are there for all to see:

First, that as women, we often try to have it all: the home life, the perfect house, the career, the family, the husband, etc. We want to be Super Woman. Well, it doesn't always work out–many times, there are sacrifices, choices, and mistakes made because we try to do too much. Unfortunately, I'm not sure many of us could do it all–and do it all WELL. So I tried to show that in my book when Victoria believes she can have it all.

Secondly, I wanted people to remember that those who protect and serve us–the firefighters, the doctors, the authorities: those whose calling is to take care of the majority of us–all make sacrifices in their lives in order to do so. Just as Victoria does.

I hope that people gleaned these thoughts from the story.

So, er, did you? Maybe?

To school that is. Yay. Oh, yay. Ohhhh yay.

Come on all you moms and dads, rejoice with me!

The summer was fun, really fun–but they're just as ready to go back as I was for them to go.

So, this year is a milestone for me too, as all three of them will be in the same school (a new one) and all day long. W00T.

And thus, it's a new era and a new year, and what does one do in a new year? Why, one makes New Years resolutions, of course!

Here we go:

1. I'm going to work out at least three days a week–immediately after they get on the bus. (Which means my blog entries might be coming up later in the day unless I write them the night before. Which happens. Sometimes.)

2. I'm going to keep up on the laundry. (Ha!) No, really, I am!

3. I'm going to make their lunches more often instead of relying on hot lunch.

4. I'm going to eat more healthy myself.

5. And, oh yeah, I'm going to write at home more often than I have been.

So, what are your plans for the "new" year? Is it a new year kind of feeling for you? Or do you wait for January to get really serious?