In which Seanan is in New York.: seanan

In which Seanan is in New York.

So here I am, in New York. (Technically, as I write this, here I am, in New Jersey. It seems like I always wind up staying in New Jersey while here, and commuting to New York. This is because the East Coast is made entirely of tiny little postage-stamp states. Postage-stamp states. I realize and understand that this is a California thing, but really, I don't feel that I should be able to casually wander over state lines and not really notice.) Since arriving...

...the motor on the fridge has decided to die, filling the apartment with smoke, covering the kitchen floor with water, and triggering an impromptu dinner party, complete with enormous and only semi-expected mob. One member of the mob, upon encountering certain jet-lagged idiosyncrasies of mine, wailed, "But my Seanan List* didn't include what to do about the liver hat!" Sometimes it's nice to be me.

...visited the GINORMOUS Manhattan Apple Store, in which a charming young man at the Genius Bar was kind enough to inform me that my iPod was, in fact, dead beyond all reasonable repair. He offered to zombie it for a short period of time, but made it clear that this manner of resurrection was counter-recommended, and would probably result in an army of undead Apple products shambling around the city. As I have things to accomplish this week, I declined, and will be getting a new iPod.

...visited FAO Schwartz, home of the giant piano, and many, many, many toys. I did not actually buy any toys, largely due to their tragic dearth of dinosaurs. I judged their stock most harshly. I judged their stock most harshly with the powers of my mind. (I did not, however, judge their MUPPET FACTORY with anything beyond delight and glee. Because dude, MUPPET FACTORY.)

...went to Serendipity 3 with The Agent. We consumed frozen hot chocolate, which was amazing, and had lunch, which was less "amazing" and more "faintly horrifying." My chef's salad contained a pond's-worth of watercress, an orange, a cup of fruit salad, steamed asparagus, and avocado. This is what those of here in the real world like to refer to as "overkill." We split a sundae after eating. This, too, was overkill, but in the good way, since we received roughly enough hot fudge to replace all the mucus in the average human body.

...ate an apple cider doughnut. What the hell is wrong with some people?

...went to visit everybody at Orbit (Mira's editor). I'd already met my editor (at World Fantasy) and my contact in the marketing department (far more pleasant than Vel's Marketing Department), but it was a real treat to meet all the other folks involved in making the book a reality, including the art director who did the cover design (which is, I must admit, fucking fantastic). After our meeting, The Editor2 took The Agent and I out for lunch in Grand Central Station. Sadly, this involved cutlery and bread service, rather than hot dogs of questionable origin and things scraped off of crusty bakery trays, which is what I think of when you say "hey, let's go eat in the train station."

...passed out cold from a migraine and lost approximately sixteen hours. Because sometimes, jetlag hates me.

(*She was actually equipped with a Seanan List to assist her in surviving our encounter. Presumably this list came with a box labeled "In Case of Seanan Break Glass." The contents of the box are left to your imagination.)

How's been by all of you?

bercilakslady

November 10 2009, 23:17:07 UTC 7 years ago

New comment

liver hat?

I've been wishing that I could get down to NJ to hug

ladymondegreen. Virtual birthday hugs just aren't the same.

seanan_mcguire

November 11 2009, 00:01:58 UTC 7 years ago

Liver hat! The liver, used as haberdashery.

dormouse_in_tea

7 years ago

jacylrin

vixyish

November 10 2009, 23:22:32 UTC 7 years ago Edited: November 10 2009, 23:23:49 UTC

I'm so happy you're not dead!

...wait, let me rephrase that last bit.

...liver hat?

November 11 2009, 00:02:12 UTC 7 years ago

Liver hat. It's nice for your hair!

alethea_eastrid

November 10 2009, 23:24:37 UTC 7 years ago

um, Seanan? Do I want to know how you know the volume of mucus in a human body, or am I happier in ignorance.

also, Apple Cider Doughnuts are made of Om and Nom and Yum.

November 11 2009, 00:02:40 UTC 7 years ago

You're much, much happier in ignorance. Also, I thought apple cider doughnuts were made of sugar, flour, and cider.

alicetheowl

emurphy42

starmalachite

November 10 2009, 23:27:47 UTC 7 years ago

FYI, Einstein Brothers Bagels is currently offering pumpkin ones. Not sure about CA, but there's bound to be one around in NYC or NJ. (Yeah, yeah, I know, *real* bagels don't come from chains -- but they're all some of us can get.)

Love to your hosts.

November 11 2009, 00:02:59 UTC 7 years ago

I don't actually like bagels. But thank you for the tip.

deire

November 10 2009, 23:28:36 UTC 7 years ago

The lobster in my head is singing.

November 11 2009, 00:04:01 UTC 7 years ago

Yay!

fireriven

November 10 2009, 23:30:57 UTC 7 years ago

I have been trying to ninja my phone into a pdf reader because there are things that I must read! That only exist as pdfs! And I'm not around my computer enough for that to be a totally efficient way to get this stuff done.

I also have a presentation next week and two term papers due in the equivalent of two weeks. 0_0 Pls halp. Send love.

Have fun in NY/NJ! No more migraines!

November 11 2009, 00:47:32 UTC 7 years ago

I'm doing my best to avoid them, I promise.

xanath

November 10 2009, 23:33:26 UTC 7 years ago

That salad sounds like the basic materials you'd need to make one Swamp Thing. Yikes.

But I think I could try an apple cider doughnut . . . once.

November 11 2009, 00:47:54 UTC 7 years ago

The salad did not self-animate. Sadly. That would've been awesome.

desperance

November 10 2009, 23:40:14 UTC 7 years ago

My chef's salad contained a pond's-worth of watercress, an orange, a cup of fruit salad, steamed asparagus, and avocado. This is what those of here in the real world like to refer to as "overkill."

Oscar Wilde, confronted by the same problem: "Kindly tell the chef, when I ask for a watercress sandwich, I do not want a loaf with a field in the middle of it..."

November 11 2009, 00:48:08 UTC 7 years ago

Oscar Wilde is awesome.

valdary

November 10 2009, 23:50:00 UTC 7 years ago

That sounds like my kind of salad. I get very annoyed by salads that consist of a lettuce leaf two slices of tomato and a slice of cucumber. My definition of lettuce is a wet green thing artistically draped across a plate to disguise the fact that the restuarant is too mean to give you proper salad vegetables.

On the other hand I looooooove watercress, it actually tastes of something.

My "In case of Seanan" emergency box would need to contain genetically engineered dinosaurs, and microscope slides of exotic pathogens. Do they sell those in Boots the Chemist?

November 11 2009, 00:48:48 UTC 7 years ago

I'm a big proponent of Stuff In Salads. I just like Logical Stuff In Salads. Chef's salads, for example, should not contain Michigan. Or pineapple.

I approve of your emergency box.

janetmiles

vincentursus

scifantasy

November 11 2009, 00:11:47 UTC 7 years ago

the GINORMOUS Manhattan Apple Store,

One of three. (And a fourth is opening in a couple of days.)

Besides the passing out from the migraine, this sounds like it's been fun so far. Hope it keeps up.

November 11 2009, 00:49:02 UTC 7 years ago

I am a happy blonde!

You need a new user pic.

blythe025

November 11 2009, 00:32:29 UTC 7 years ago

"I did not, however, judge their MUPPET FACTORY with anything beyond delight and glee. Because dude, MUPPET FACTORY."

Well said. Well said, indeed.

I so want to go to New York. And now the importance of such a trip is tripled, because dude, MUPPET FACTORY.

November 11 2009, 00:49:12 UTC 7 years ago

MUPPET FACTORY!

fatherofdragons

November 11 2009, 00:36:09 UTC 7 years ago

If I had to pack an "In Case of Seanan" emergency box, it would contain a twelve pack of cold Diet Dr. Pepper, a box of Luna Bars (not sure what flavor, though -- I'd probably go with Caramel Nut Brownie, since that's what my wife eats and we have in the house), a universal charger (works on almost any model of laptop *and* iPods) and a copy of the 1985 paperback edition of IT. What else could I possibly need in there?

angel_vixen

November 11 2009, 00:57:54 UTC 7 years ago

Candy corn and possibly something pumpkin-flavored, in case of extended contact. :)

AngelVixen :-)

dornbeast

More Expand

tezmillertm

November 11 2009, 00:57:10 UTC 7 years ago

frozen hot chocolate --think my brain just exploded with awesomeness. Must try this beverage!

November 11 2009, 03:06:48 UTC 7 years ago

It is SO GOOD. If you have the chance, absolutely do.

stagemanager

November 11 2009, 01:32:20 UTC 7 years ago

I loathe to be pedantic, but it's technically Grand Central Terminal, not Station.

November 11 2009, 02:01:00 UTC 7 years ago Edited: November 11 2009, 02:01:19 UTC

What's worse than a pedant?

A pedant without a citation.

November 11 2009, 01:48:57 UTC 7 years ago

Presumably this list came with a box labeled "In Case of Seanan Break Glass."

I would imagine that to be the economy package. Considering the multi-faceted, highly talented source of chaos and destruction that you seem to be when you aren't focusing your attention on creating something, I'd think the box would have to include antivenom, DDP, a towel, and half a dozen other things that I wouldn't be able to guess at.

The deluxe package would probably include a chainsaw, antibiotics, and a shotgun, in case of zombies, pandemic, or velociraptors, respectively.

How's been by all of you?

I'd tell you, but I'm not really interested in finding out if people can die of boredom by experimenting on you.

November 11 2009, 03:07:28 UTC 7 years ago

Your package is pleasing unto me.

ceosanna

November 11 2009, 02:11:34 UTC 7 years ago

It sounds like a very productive trip!

I was in NYC with a friend in late September, and we made our own muppets. I think we entertained the employees with our glee.

November 11 2009, 03:07:41 UTC 7 years ago

Awesome! And I'm sure you did.

sdelmonte

November 11 2009, 02:11:44 UTC 7 years ago

An army of undead Apple products would be welcome if they ate all the Windows products.

November 11 2009, 03:07:51 UTC 7 years ago

I would miss my computers. :(

kat_merle

November 11 2009, 03:17:07 UTC 7 years ago

I suggest for an ARC giveaway contests that we all create Seanan lists and in case of emergency boxes. I am amused to see what all gets put on/in those things :)

professor

November 11 2009, 03:59:35 UTC 7 years ago

I second this contest idea.

asthecrowfly

November 11 2009, 03:51:47 UTC 7 years ago

Yay for good trips!

I missed the first session of my teaching certification tonight because I had to tend to one of my roomies, who's joined the zombie pandemic

("Doc, does he have H1N1?" "He's got flu. Everybody in this county with flu pretty much has swine flu. Fun, huh?")

and is now languishing on the couch.

November 14 2009, 14:57:33 UTC 7 years ago

Hooray for the zombie pandemic!

Deleted comment

November 14 2009, 14:58:09 UTC 7 years ago

We're not bad, we're just drawn that way. Also, the Northern California secessionist movement has yet to gain proper traction.

November 11 2009, 12:36:25 UTC 7 years ago

See, I think I could manage without a Seanan List. But I'm known to be rather weird.

November 11 2009, 16:49:58 UTC 7 years ago

I think you're being quite reasonable. I might be wrong, but it seems that a flexible, responsive mindset and a carefully selected box of supplies would be of more use than a list.

saaski_moql

November 11 2009, 19:09:02 UTC 7 years ago

Considering I spent most of my childhood growing up in New Jersey (Elizabeth, New Jersey, even), and have spent plenty of time going back and forth from Michigan to both NJ and NY, I have fun watching people visit. Postage stamp states, perhaps, but PACKED WITH THINGS.

You should go visit the Toy's R' Us store in Times Square if you get the chance, just to see it. It has a Ferris wheel.

November 13 2009, 00:29:53 UTC 7 years ago

And dude, really? New York is so not a postage stamp. It's freaking huge.

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