Stuff and nonsense.

(Funny statues in the Vatican)
Here are some things we have been up to:

1. Trip to Rome! I called a mandatory Spring Break and we ended up in Italy. I highly reccommend this trip if you have time. The city is such the opposite of Dubai. We rented an apartment very close to the Trevi fountain and Spanish steps. Because I am lazy, here is a link to the pictures on facebook.

Roma!


More Roma!

2. I have been writing up a storm. I have a very cool idea for a very different book and am now at 80,000 words - should be finished the the rough draft next month. I hope to start looking again for an agent by the end of this year.

3. We both have kept our jobs. Some friends here have not been so lucky. Eric and I are both grateful to be employed.

4. I turned 29 last month and had a surprisingly amazing day.

5. I seem to have lost my sister. If found, please return to the Brandts. Seriously, no communication for going on 6 months....

I have a case of the 'I wants.'

A little extra time at work, huh? I should be busy at work on the new book, but this is way more fun.

Hope all is well in your part of the world...

Erin posting made me want to post.

A busy month. Here, some pictures tell more words than I can.

I is pretty sumtimes.

I am still alive - this is my new author picture. I have others, and they are good too. My friend Heidi is way talented.

Uhh...processing September - too busy.

States = good.

Paris plans in December.

My second attemp at a book trailer.

For funzies.

My first attempt at a book trailer.

Thoughts?

So, it's been awhile.

A lot has been happening since our trip to Muscat.

In no particular order:

1. Going to Dubai World Cup (fancy pants races and getting to wear a hat)

2. Getting my gall bladder out!!!!! Health care in the UAE is fantabulous...having a gall bladder attach is not. Can you say screaming in agony? Can you also say weight loss?

3. My parents visiting.

4. Deciding to publish my next book, which will be out later this year - I hope!

5. Eric's been to Cairo (twice).

6. Turning 28.

7, Almost no contact with Dr. Erin Brandt!

8. Helping plan my 10 year HS reunion (from Dubai).

9. Not working a lot - between vacation and recovery and a lot of time watching bad TV.

10. A trip to the beach with my new work which was full of hijinxery.

Omaniacs!

So, Eric and I took our first trip out of the country and drove to Muscat, Oman for the weekend. It is SO relaxed compared to Dubai, and was a nice change for us. The drive was easy - about 4.5 hours - roughly the same distance between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, although we did have to drive through a bit of a sandstorm to arrive. Muscat is the type of city easily accomplished in a day, so we spread things out, and explored the beaches, the port, and some of the shopping for Saturday and Sunday. All in all, it was the kind of place you stop and say, "Maybe we should think about moving here..."

One more stamp for the passport! 0 Brandt's Hedgehogs seen.