Huh.

So. That's the original trilogy finished. Just typed "The End." into the last book. 

I think it's almost a year to the day since I started the first novel, which is kind of amazing, that it got timed this way. 

There is a strange feeling of melancholy that comes over me when I finish a novel. Which is not to say that I'm not happy with it, because I am, very much. But I just spent a year in the narrator's head, a year falling in love with her hero and everyone else around her. I just spent 167,308 words being her, and now I find that her story is told, and it's all very bittersweet, to have that first draft out there. I'll miss the process of getting to know her, of figuring out what happens to her next and how it will tie into the rest of the story. I've never written anything as plotty as this trilogy. I've really never written anything quite like this trilogy. And it was extraordinarily fun to be in the middle of it. 

But now I'm on to the next thing! I have ideas for Brem and Athena and Fortuna and the Doctor and Rose, and for another original novel that I'm going to let turn over for a bit in my head. 

And now, of course, I'm at the hard part in the novel-writing process: trying to sell it!

A New Englander Moves to New Orleans, Chapter Four: The Actual Move Itself

It was late when we finally arrived in New Orleans. We dragged ourselves to the hotel, and found our room, which was once again on the fifth floor. Notable because my new apartment was also on the fifth floor.

( OMG, you guys. Such a messy, emotional *mess.* )

A New Englander Moves to New Orleans, Chapter Five: Settling In, a Bit

All of the moving issues aside, I am getting settled here. I admit it was a bit sad and lonely having to do most of the unpacking by myself, but it's done now, and everything is set up and the apartment feels like a place where I live, which is nice. The stupid "nothing on the walls" thing actually worked out well, because the prior occupant left all his nails and I kind of enjoyed not having to nail my own stuff (even if some stuff is in kind of weird places I wouldn't otherwise have chosen).

You know how, at the end of House Hunters, they always ask people what they think about the house? (I watch A LOT of House Hunters.) And people are always like, "OMG IT'S AWESOME I LOVE IT." Yeah, I am the opposite of those people. The reason I make a good renter is I always find a million things that make me happy I don't own the place. Here, it's the discovery I made that there is no garbage disposal. I've never lived without a garbage disposal. I am completely flummoxed by this weird lifestyle. Plus, because I am terrified of attracting even the whisper of a cockroach, this means I now empty my garbage every day. Whereas I literally used to do it once every couple of weeks (not having food in the garbage meant it never really smelled). The air conditioning is a bit loud and is not digital (on the other hand: at least it's not a window unit, which I steadfastly refused to do). I've already complained about the parking space, but the pool's also been a huge disappointment: They never seem to run the filter system that circulates the water, so it just looks like one big stagnant mosquito-breeding pool to me and I won't swim in it. (Apparently, not everyone has my admittedly-picky pool standards: Today I took a field trip to a nearby bar. When I left, there was a pair of sandals in the pool, one floating on the top, one resting at the bottom. They were still there when I came back an hour later. Excellent.) However, on the plus side of things that I love, I am a fan of the fitness center in the building, which is always deserted and pretty well-equipped and has a great lending library thing. And the showers here are AWESOME. I love a nice, hot shower (especially in the wintertime, of course, so that's less of an issue here), and the faucets here are great and strong enough to wet my extremely thick hair and the water's nice and hot. And the tub seems to be comfortable. I haven't tried it out yet, but I plan to do that this weekend. Certainly way better than the tub I had in Cambridge, which left much to be desired. So, on the whole, a mixed bag, but I'm starting to like it more than I dislike it. The view out the bedroom windows is a lot of comforting buildings, there's a great sunset view from the balcony (which I adore having, especially since I don't like the pool), and I am enjoying the open living space again. I can hear a church's bells chiming if it's quiet enough, and I love that, and the sound of the streetcar passing by the building (which I can hear if I'm outside) is really nice and comforting. And it's nice and quiet and there's no Running Little Boy over my head. So, I think I'm pleased with my choice for the next two years.

I have slowly been growing used to all the little things I'd forgotten about living in New Orleans, like how the cold water out of the tap never actually gets cold (this never fails to confuse me, I really never get used to this), and the way they are constantly forcing you to make U-turns (whereas Boston refuses to let you ever make a U-turn). The GPS is actually awesome at taking me routes that allow me to take lefts, so I've been loving the GPS. I've also been loving re-discovering this "left turn on red" thing if you're turning onto a one-way street, which I'd forgotten about and appreciate the practicality of. (I am, however, not enjoying all the potholes. I'd totally forgotten that the roads are actually worse here than in New England. How do they manage that?)

I've made a list of a few bistros and wine bars that look charming and like places that I would like. I've been getting to know Magazine Street again. I found some pottery that I'd actually been looking for for ages, so that was a WIN, and I'm going to buy it for myself as a treat with my first paycheck. I found a hairdresser I think seems promising, and I made an appointment to go there. I am completely in love with the corporate America corridor across the river, where there's a Barnes & Noble and a Target and a movie theater and a Bed Bath & Beyond, and the drive home takes me over the bridge with the city skyline in front of me, and it's my favorite approach into the city and makes me feel like I can take a breath.

So my request is this: I need to make a New Orleans list (I never did finish the Boston list, although I did some more stuff that I didn't report, so I'll have to update that). Leave me a comment, let me know what should be on the list.

Also, if you are in New Orleans or the New Orleans area, or know someone who is, or you're going to be, and you would like to meet up to do something, fannish or un-, send me a PM, I'd love to hear from you. While I am enjoying all my free time, it's weird to go from having a jam-packed schedule to so much open calendar space. I'd love to fill a bit of it!

(Also, if you have any recommendations for places to go that serve good tea and will let me sit and read and/or write for a little while, please let me know! I know I'm hoping to find a Tealuxe in New Orleans, which is somewhat impossible, but I'll take any suggestions!)

P.S.

Sorry for the multiple posts tonight, but: I just realized I didn't even mention the fact that all of my furniture is chipped now, and they managed to SHATTER a Tiffany lamp that I had. I didn't pay a huge amount for this lamp initially, but now it's apparently some kind of collector's item that's doubled or tripled in value or something. And, more importantly, I absolutely adored this lamp. Sigh. Claim fights ahoy...