swan_tower | Birthday egotism, 2009 edition.

There's a tradition in my life I failed to uphold last year, because the moving truck had just shown up in California with our belongings, but I think the decision to skip it was a mistake.

See, there are some things I'm very good at -- like being self-critical. Veryvery good at that one. Possibly too good. I'm not so very good at enjoying my own accomplishments without constantly dwelling on "but it didn't turn out quite as well as I hoped" or "okay, I've done A, but not B, C, and D."

Some years ago I found myself having kind of a crummy birthday, the sort where you dwell morosely on another year gone by without much to show for it. To counteract that gloom, I wrote up an LJ post listing every skill and accomplishment I possessed -- and I forbade myself to qualify or belittle or play down any of them. Only good stuff, with nary a negative word. I made myself shove my ego into the spotlight, because sometimes, that's really what your psyche needs.

I've done that every birthday since, except last year. So here's what I've done in the last two years, that I can be proud of.

I'm twenty-nine years old today, and what do I have to show for it?

I got married. To a wonderful man who didn't mind planning half or more of our wedding, and who after all this time still sometimes bakes me brownies or brings home flowers because he thinks I need a bit of cheering up. He is goofy and kind and smart and amazing, and he is the bedrock of happiness in my life.

I've written two novels and most of a third, and achieved a two-book contract to continue a series I love; I've seen two books of that series on the shelves of stores and in the review pages of magazines. I've also written five short stories and a novella, that latter being my first experiment in web publishing. Over six hundred people have downloaded it. I've sold thirteen short stories and seen thirteen appear in print. I've sold audio reprint rights for four stories and seen (heard) three go live. I've recorded an audio reading for one podcast, and done voice work for a second. I've held my first bookstore event. I've gotten Honorable Mentions in two Year's Best anthologies.

I've traveled a bunch: to London twice, for research, to Las Vegas for my mini-honeymoon (where I saw Cirque du Soleil and Penn & Teller, both awesome), and then all over the Mediterranean for my mega-honeymoon, including Greece, Turkey, and omg I finally went to Italy. I saw Pompeii. Which was kind of a pilgrimage for me. I've done two-thirds or so of a cross-country drive, from Indiana to California. (I've packed up the worldly possessions of me and my pack-rat husband and shipped them off to California where I unpacked them again, and if you don't think that's an accomplishment, you can come do it for me next time. <sticks tongue out>) I've made plans to go to India in October. I've gone to, oh, six or seven cons? Something like that. With many wonderful panels, sometimes alongside authors that are like unto gods to me, boggling over the fact that I'm a professional like they are. I've finally gone to Yosemite National Park, after realizing it's in my backyard, assuming a backyard it takes hours to drive across.

I've learned a metric crap-ton about English history. I've started studying Japanese again. I've begun karate training, advancing four belts in a bit less than a year (up to orange with a black stripe), and gone back to fencing a little. I've learned to cook a broader array of meals that involve actual cooking. I've played in lots of fun games, both tabletop and LARP; I've made costumes and soundtracks and other fun stuff for them. I taught a course on creative writing in science fiction, fantasy, and speculative horror, and it was hands-down the most rewarding teaching experience of my life, one that I think may have a lasting benefit for at least a couple of my students.

I've refused to let myself feel this list should be longer.

That's everything I can remember at the moment. Now I'm going to get dressed and go find myself a nice lunch -- no way in hell am I eating leftovers today -- and then I will spend the rest of the afternoon doing Things I Like, because I have officially declared today a day off work.

To borrow a phrase from

mrissa, happy my birthday to all of you. It would please me very much if you all went and did something you enjoy today, because September 1st is a good day for enjoyable things.