Buffy is Dead.

Yes, Buffy saved the world a lot.  But sadly, my Buffy did not.  She died only 2 years after I took her out of the box, all shiny and new, full of promises for a brilliant manuscript.  She was a lovely laptop.  Very hot headed and stubborn, but she got me through 2 years of writing my first book.  Her ego is a little banged up, as well as her exterior.  But she was faithful.  Even during her temper tantrums of completely going black for no reason, she still saved my most important baby: my manuscript.  She will be missed, but it really is for the good of humanity that she actually kicked the bucket.  Because I was about 10 minutes away from killing her myself.  But I totally loved her, I really did.  Honest.

So now it's time for another hopefully more faithful and more powerful laptop to make her appearance:

Meet Buffybot, my new Macbook Pro. (if you are unfamiliar with the Buffy series, the Buffybot is a Robot Buffy that was made for Spike during season 5.  Yeah, you just gotta watch it)

Yes folks, I woke up Monday morning to a bright and shiny new Macbook Pro sitting on my desk.  I think Hubsters was sick of hearing me whine about my laptop.  He was actually probably ready to shove 'ol Buffy down my throat.

And OMIGOSH I love it.  But I have NO CLUE how to work it.  I couldn't even figure out how to maximize my safari screen.  But after hubs fiddled with it, we figured it out (you have to actually drag the box from the bottom corner to make it bigger- how cool is that?) (and OMG, she's SO quiet! She doesn't sound like a jet engine taking off like Buffy did!)

Anyway.  I need tips, tricks-of-the-trade and any cool info you can give me about my new Macbook!  All you mac lovers out there, please throw me a bone because I'm SO clueless.

And I totally need to apologize for being non-existent on blogs this week.  I am working more than usual because of the snow days we had, and I'm playing with my new computer!  I'll try to get caught up this week!

AND I want to say a big HELLO! to all my new followers!  Sit back, relax, and enjoy the drivel!

Firsts

First "First": Well guys it's finally happened.  As I was reading blogs and commenting yesterday, I was shocked to find the SAME word verification on a blog that I had seen just moments before on another blog.  I never thought in a million years that the word verification thingy repeated itself.  But, folks, sadly it has.  I'm a little disappointed.  I thought blogger was better than that.  But apparently it loves "ingsibe" so much it needed to use it twice.

Second "First": Tonight is my first time on the chopping block with the new crit group.  And let me tell you, this group consists of three of my best friends I've made in this blogging community.  They are so sweet but honest and will tell me how it is no matter what.  Which makes me a tad bit nervous.  But at least they think I look pretty when my video freezes every couple seconds.

Third "First": Little Monster and I survived our first 4-day stretch of snow days off from school.  Barely.  Creepy voices and lipstick stains aside, we had a blast.  Although it does make me a little worried about summer vacation...I'm getting used to this whole school thing.

Fourth "First": This is the first time I am in the vicinity of 22 awesome YA authors.  They are all secretively holed up in a lodge 30 minutes from me staring at moose heads and stuffed animals.  Not of the toy variety.  BUT they are doing awesome chats at 8pm eastern every night until the 8th.  So I can at least pretend I'm in the same room as them.

Fifth "First":  Buffy battled "The First" and won(ish) against it.  Okay, she kind of turned her town into a huge sinkhole, and there may be another hellmouth in Ohio.  But whatever.  She's still awesome. 

These have been my "Firsts" lately (okay except the Buffy one- I watched that a long time ago- but I just had to put it. I mean, c'mon...it's Buffy). 

What "Firsts" have you experienced recently?

P.S. Go check out Shallee's blog from Life, The Universe and Writing.  She's doing an awesome contest for a great cause.  For every 5 dollars you donate to help her friends from Ghana go to school, you'll get entered into a contest for a critique of your first chapter from an agent!

P.P.S. AND this is my first time making it to 200 followers!  Thank you so much you guys- you totally rock.  Like, if I could come through that screen and kiss you, I would.  But I won't because, well, we can't do that.... yet.  Anyway.  Thanks for reading my drivel and actually caring to follow.  Love you, and you, and you, and you over there Mr Lurker- I love you too.