Welcome to my first giveaway of the year – and I’m doing it in style!  Want to win an amazing album by an all-male a capella group? Me too!  I’d like to introduce you to the Cresendudes!

(c) Crescendudes

Founded in 2005 with an equal mix of X and Y chromosomes, we are the oldest and only all-male a cappella group on the UCF campus.

3^rd place regional winners of the 2008 International Collegiate Championship of A Cappella (ICCA) and winners of Best Choreography for the 2008 and 2009 ICCA South Quarterfinals, the Crescendudes are a dynamic bunch of laid-back guys at the University of Central Florida who enjoy harmonizing, joking, and getting distracted for a few hours a week at the expense of their GPAs.

A close-knit yet very open group, the Crescendudes encourages interaction with audiences and members in a fusion of performance, entertainment, and fun. Rehearsals are built around member schedules and e-mail communication is imperative. If you are interested in joining us, having us perform, recommending a song, or just want to comment, please feel free to write us.

Webpage | Facebook | Youtube | Twitter

Want to win the album? Of course you do! …but I’m going to make you work for it by reading my interview with them first (you’ll be quizzed on it later!)

1. What is the glue that holds your group together? We’re all very different people with different ambitions and backgrounds, but when it comes down to it, we’re all a bunch of college guys who love to sing!

2. How many are currently on your roster? 16!

3. What is the best method of campus transportation? Walking, Bicycling, Tardis, or Bat Mobile? We had to vote on this one – and our answer was tied. Our two answers are as follows – Tardis (You’ll never be late to class), and The Imperial Star Destroyer Executor (Because Reasons.)

4. What is your most requested song? What is most difficult to sing? Most requested? People ask us to do “Fat Bottomed Girls” all the time. Most difficult? We don’t have a specific answer for that – many of our songs are really quite complex, and it’s these types of songs that are hardest.

5. Which is the best Avenger: The Hulk, Iron Man, Captain America, or Thor? The answer was a resounding “Nick Furry!”

6. Do you take requests? If so: Bohemian Rhapsody. Thank you. Yes. No. (That song is… stupid hard. Thanks, but no thanks )

7. What is the worst on-campus food? The gum under the desks.

8. Star Wars or Star Trek? You almost caused the group to break up over this one; it was a tough decision, but we decided with Star Wars: one of our members dresses up as a Jedi on the weekend. For fun. So we had to go for Star Wars

9. How does your group keep up with its members as they graduate? Trick Question. We can’t get rid of them.” Most of them are around the UCF area, and they come to our events! We hang out quite a bit.

10. What is your group’s favorite off-campus location to perform? Croatia. Just… Croatia.

11. What is the background of your group’s members? What drove them to join your group? And how diverse are the majors of study in your group? We come from everywhere. We have members from in-state and out-of-state. We have a diverse major-base. Engineering, Education, Hospitality, Film, the list goes on and on. Fun fact: we only have one music major!

12. You are gathering your group for an epic quest through Middle Earth. There is room for one more in your group, it is mandatory that another member is chosen. Which do you choose? An emotionally unstable elf that is known as the best “lock-pick, wife woo-er, and general elf of ill repute”, an agoraphobic wizard that specializes in nun-chucks, an egotistical dwarf that deals in information, a human ship captain who was bewitched to think they are an ent, an archer that is a bipolar hobbit, or an whiny teenage half-elf/human just beginning to learn the ways of the forest?  Our music director (whom we love very much) is pretty much already “a whiny teenage half-elf/human just beginning to learn the ways of the forest.” He’s worked out for us so far, so we chose him!

Okay, did you catch all that?  Good! Now let’s win some free stuff!

The giveaway last’s until March 26th.  There are some entries you can do more than once… so, get to it!

(c) Crescendudes

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In an epic fangasm, Starz has picked up the amazing Outlander series of books as a new television series.  I am fan-girling all over this since I have been a fan of the books since I began reading them in 2004…that’s 10 years of excitement. I can count.

Anyway, as of today a small teaser trailer has been released and a few still shots of the characters. One of the shots in the trailer shows Claire in her 1940′s dress:

(c) Starz

I have decided that I have the curly brown hair and need to pull off this costume for Denver Comicon and stuff. STUFF!

The planning stage has begun, and I have the pattern narrowed down to two options. The biggest hurdle is that you only see the dress in a few short glimpses in the trailer and only in this one still shot. I can deduce from those that the dress is knee length, has long or 3/4 length sleeves, and features a black belt.

Here are the patterns I have been looking at for this dress:

What do you think?  Do you like either of these or have your own opinion on a better pattern? Please share

After I pick a pattern it’ll be fabric shopping time *yay!* and then sewing! Wish me luck!

Good news. I haven’t died. Just been busy.  A few quick updated before I drag my tired self off to bed!

1) I got my 2014 RomCon convention tickets! YAY!

2) I’ll be getting my 2014 Denver Comicon tickets soon! WOOT!

3) My husband and I obsessively watched all three seasons of Game of Thrones. We are now hooked, fans, and totally ready for season four to start! #ilovejonsnow

4) Outlander, the novel, was picked up be Starz! Filming has already begun and I am fan-girling HARD CORE over it!

5) For the next 48 days I am participating in a writing challenge. Wish me luck! I am still working on the novel I started for 2012 NaNoWriMo. The plot got a major overhaul over the last year, and I’ve put it down for months at a time. I am back at writing, though, and enjoying it.

6) I turned 32, my daughter turned 3, and my husband turns 32 in a week. When did we get so old?

7) I’ll be going on my second hunt, for elk, this upcoming November. Wish me luck for that, too!

8) Plans for this year’s family vacation are in full swing, and just waiting for October to roll around so we can enjoy Disneyland.

9) I haven’t picked a Bag of Holding interview question theme or poll for 2014…any suggestions? Last year’s interview theme was zombie apocalypse survival and the poll was best Firefly episode.

10) I cried when I lost my doctor. Goodbye 11. :*(

That’s it for tonight! <3

- Rhianna

(c) Capital Tees

Today I am allowing myself to mourn the lost of MY doctor.  Even though I had friends telling me for years to check out Doctor Who it wasn’t until Matt Smith that I actually checked out an episode and was hooked within the hour.  He will always be MY doctor, and I am sad to see him go.  I love his personality, his screw driver, his mannerisms, and his adventures. I most certainly adore his wife. I thought Matt Smith was brilliant in the roll, and I am glad the market for bow ties and Fez’s has picked up due to the show.   The 11th Doctor is what made me get sucked into the show and go backwards to watch the 10th and 9th. Although this isn’t the first regeneration I have seen, it’s the first where the next Doctor is an unknown for me.  Before, when I watched a regeneration there was always the “known” that Matt Smith was the end result. Now there is a blank slate which is filled with hope and anxiety.  So, until December, I will say my goodbyes to my 11th Doctor.

(c) Unknown :(

(c) Doctor Who

(c) Doctor Who

PS: I hate Clara.

The time for NaNoWriMo is upon us!  National Novel Writing Month celebrates the writer in all of us by helping to free us from road blocks and “I can’t possibly be good at this” and instead focuses on the experience and just getting the words on paper (or in 0′s and 1′s).

Although I am not participating in NaNoWriMo this year (too many insane plans), I would like to encourage you to give it a try!

Would you like to know more about NaNoWriMo? Check out these posts:

• National Novel Writing Month: Introduction
• National Novel Writing Month: Getting Started
• National Novel Writing Month: Pre-Launch
• National Novel Writing Month: Making Newbie Mistakes
• National Novel Writing Month: Road Block
• National Novel Writing Month: The End

And I have kept up with what I wrote last year. I have moved it all onto Google Dirve and work from Google Docs now.  I have a few beta readers who read my work as I fix it up and write more. My story/plot has changed, and so has my prologue and first chapter.

The Angel’s Guardian by Rhianna Ulrich is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License. You cannot copy, use, modify, change, doodle, stare at too long, email, mail, hand deliver, orally relay, gossip, fax, interpretive dance, eat, etc. this work at all ever. Don’t be an asshole. Thank you.

The Angel’s Guardian by Rhianna Ulrich is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License.

Prologue:

The woman’s red and grey hair shone in the firelight as she gathered her children close and huddled them into the warmth of the blankets and furs.  The youngest, Willie, ran up clutching an old worn book to his chest.  The cover was long faded and many pages had fallen out only to be haphazardly placed back in.

“Which one shall I read, then, laddie?  The one of the Pirate Noel? Or perhaps the story about your Great Auntie Reverence?”  Picking up Willie, she tucked him into her lap and opened the book for them all to see.

“Momma, momma; I want the one about Grandad!”

“No, read about the Angel of the Lake!”

“I want this one, momma.” Little hands and voices struggled to overpower the others before she sighed loudly and shut the book, pinching tiny fingers lightly.

“Since you canna get along, I will read the story I want tonight, hellions.” There was a collective grumble of discontent amongst them.

“But momma, you always tell the same one,” came a whine from beneath the blanket, but they all settled down and stared up at her face.

The book was opened once more and flipped to one of the first few pages.  They were easily the most worn and someone had sewn and waxed the pages back in with care. The children snuggled in, and a few closed their eyes.

“Long ago there was nothing, save for the sun and the land.”

“Nothing, momma?”

“Not a thing: no water, no mountains, no animals, no flowers.”

“Not even a biscuit with honey?”

“No, Willie. Not even a biscuit with honey. Hush now.”  She gave her youngest one a squeeze and then continued. “There was only the sun and God, who spent His time traveling.”

“But He was lonely.”

“Indeed He was.  He longed for a friend. So, one day, He took his heart and split it into two.  He kept one for himself and the other he planted in the ground for ten years.  When He came back, Lilith arose from the ground, and so did the moon.”

“Lilith was bad!”

“Hold your whist, child. I am getting there.” She paused to see if there would be any more interruptions before continuing. “God and Lilith were happy to have each other, but were still lonely.  So, together they mixed their tears and planted them in the ground as well.  After ten days, plants began to sprout.  Overjoyed at their creation they tried again. This time their tears became the fishes in the sea. Next to be born of their tears were the animals and then, finally mankind.  God, delighted with their creations, became friends with mankind.”

“But that made Lilith mad, right momma?”

“Willie, stop ruining the story!”

“Hush to you both.  Yes, lad, Lilith was jealous of the time God spent with their mankind creation.  In her anger, she caused a great flood which killed many of the people God was friends with. Saddened, God split his heart once more and forged Lucifer to help keep Lilith from destroying any more.  Together, God and Lucifer turned Lilith into a spirit so she could no longer hurt anyone.”

“And that is why the moon only comes out at night! Because it was sad that Lilith wasn’t there anymore!”  The eldest spoke up to finish the story for her mother proudly.

“Ah, but there is more!” She turned the page carefully to depict a great warrior with wings wielding a great sword. The delicately painted and inked drawing had a few spots of water damage, but it did not take away from the grace of the angel.

“Worried that she may return again and destroy His humans, God and Lucifer mixed their tears together and planted them in the hopes that they could create defenders for them.   After a time their tears sprouted into two beings: one with wings like a bird and the other with wings like a bat, but both with the body of a man.   These became mankind’s first safeguards against Lilith.” She turned the page once more to show another man, this one with wings that seemed to be made of the softest leather and a tiny set of horns on his head.   He was posed in the midst of nocking an arrow in his large golden bow.

“There was harmony for many generations, until both Lucifer and God began to notice mankind showing malice towards one another. After all, they had been created by God and Lilith.  Studying them, Lucifer noticed that not all people showed the influence of Lilith. So, it was decided that God would take his Angels up into the sky and watch the humans from above. From there, he would make sure that those who had pure hearts would be rewarded.  Lucifer took his Demons down into the ground to watch from below. His demons would ensure that those with corrupt hearts would one day understand the hurt they cause upon others.”

She closed the book softly and told her children the rest from her heart.

“And that, my little ones, is why we are so important. Every once in awhile God sends down one of His Angels to make sure Lilith stays asleep and to make sure we keep our hearts full of love.  When He does, we take care of the Angels so the Angels can take care of us.”

“Is that why Aker lives with us?”

“That’s right. He’s our Angel.”

“Can I have an Angel, too, momma?”

“Not until you are older, Willie.  God makes sure he picks only strong grown men who eat their vegetables to get Angels, so you better start gobblin’ up your carrots.”

“Yeah, Willie, eat your carrots,” someone taunted.

“What do you do with an Angel?  Does he stay outside with Smokey?”

She gave Will an exasperated look. “Now, boy, does Aker stay outside with the dog? No.  You be treatin’ all Angels with respect or your pa will be tanning your behind.  We take the Angels God gives us and help them live, son.  We help them thrive when they are here; it is a lot different than heaven, you know.  We become their family.  A sacred bond.”

Chapter 1:

I was on fire. As in – the burning of 10,000 suns scorching along my back – on fire.  It had finally happened: my good ol’ rust-can Betty had kicked the bucket and was going down in a fiery fit of blazing glory.  I swerved off the highway, unbuckled my seatbelt, leaped out of my 2-door P.O.S. car, and dropped fluidly into a roll.  Mom would have been proud to see the grace I just showed after 25 years living as the resident cliché bookworm butterfinger. I would have to try to remember to let mom know that she was lacking the correct motivation when I was younger to get me to be a dancer; fire melting the skin off my body worked wonders.

Attempting the whole stop-drop-and-roll thing left me falling down the slope of the shoulder and gathering up every piece of dead grass on the way. I briefly wondered how much worse the dead grass would make the fire (it is amazing how much thinking one can do while on fire) before realizing that I had hit the bottom of the hill and my back didn’t burn anymore. Rolling a few extra times just for good measure, I finally stood up and hesitantly reached an arm around to touch my back and assess the damage. I was imagining a steamy, gooey mess that used to be flesh, and possibly some hard crunchy charred areas.  A small condolence would be that my long brown hair would be saved since I had it up in a ponytail.

I couldn’t feel anything but the cotton of my shirt and bits of dead grass. Doing my best impression of a dog chasing its tail I did a few complete turns before giving up and just taking my shirt off completely.  From what I could feel my back was whole and had no burned areas on it whatsoever.  I could hear my mom now enjoying that, although I was on fire, I was at least lucky enough to have an entire shirt to cover me up, even if it wasn’t doing it’s job right now.  We won’t go over what she would say about me being sans-shirt on the side of the road with dead grass in my hair, though.

I ran my hand along my back – smooth skin. Thank God.  But how?  I trekked up the hill I had rolled down and checked out Betty; she was flame free and just fine.  I used her side window to check out the reflection of my back.

What the hell?!

Nothing but smooth, unblemished skin.  Well, I guess I couldn’t exactly say unblemished. I now sported an intricate angel wing tattoo that ran between my shoulders. It hadn’t been there five minutes ago.

“Fuck me.”

Dever Comic Con was my second “con” event – the first being RomCon a few weeks earlier.  They were both very different, and both awesome in their own way.

My whole family went to Denver Comic Con on Saturday and Sunday, so I had my husband and 2 year old in tow. Although we all had a GREAT time, it was exhausting as well. My husband says next year he only wants to go one day, but I want to go for all three if I can. They had a gaming room we didn’t find until the end and it would have been neat to play Settlers of Catan with others.  Artists Alley was AWESOME and I wish I would have spent my cash there (and had more wall space in my home to display it!).   The face painting for the kiddos was a nice addition for our family, and I really liked seeing all the costumes. Some were SO amazing!  And it was neat to see the attention my daughter got for being dressed as baby chell.

Event Ratings:

Fun scale (out of five): five

Family-friendly scale (out of five) : four

Would I go again: Hell yes!  I already have cosplay ideas…

Things to remember next time: 

• There will be LOTS of people
• Meeting celebrities costs money, boo!

So, I guess it turns out I never actually recapped RomCon 2013! What madness is this?!

RomCon was AMAZING, and my first official convention for anything.  It was a great introduction into this “con” thing, and I am so glad I went.  My con started with breakfast and meeting two authors: Elizabeth Essex and Marsha West. Both were amazing, and Marsha and I became fast friends.  We con was filled with events, and I don’t think I spent any ‘dead’ time because there was so much to do.  My fan girl moment was meeting Gena Showalter.  But I also caught up with Darynda Jones, a friend of mine, and met Heather Graham and Shyla Colt.  There were many MANY other authors there – so many that it was impossible to meet them all!  There were so many intimate chats, talks, and presentations that I couldn’t make them all since some overlapped. I was able to attend the paranormal chat, the intimate chat with Darynda Jones, and a few of the game activities (Clue with all the paranormal authors, how to survive the apocalypse (I sat with Heather Graham!), and that’s not including the meals.  There was a bingo lunch (which satisfied my inner Bea Arthur), a comedy show and dinner, and Vegas night.  My absolute favorite event was the night the erotica romance writers put on their faux bachelorette party. Let me tell you, those girls know how to party! All of the events had authors meeting and greeting their fans and participating! It was neat to meet them all on a personal level. There were also a few vendors, but my favorite was Poly’s Pleasures Chainmail. Their chokers are amazing!!

Want to see my photos? I wish I had taken more, but I was busy having FUN!  Check out the photos here: /galleries/romcon-2013/

Event Ratings:

Fun scale (out of five): five

Family-friendly scale (out of five) : 0 – this is not a kid friendly event

Would I go again: YES! I am already signed up for RomCon 20141!

Things to remember next time: 

• A corset is an any-time acceptable piece of clothing at RomCon
• Bring an extra bag for the free swag!

Hunting gets a very bad wrap from a lot of people who tout the following as their big turn off: “how could you kill/hurt an innocent animal?”  To which, I can easily reply: “Please, let me know what that cow/chicken/pig/turkey did to you that it was OK in your book to have them killed for you.”  I also struggle with the idea that getting your meat from the grocery store is more “humane” than hunting it yourself.  Let me know how the treatment of cows/chickens/pigs/turkeys/etc. on a meat farm is better than an animal who has had a taste of free air and the wild, who has a chance to outsmart his hunter, etc.  I’m not going to say I don’t get 99.9% of my meat from the grocery store; that would be a lie – but I can say that I don’t make an asinine assumption that those animals are treated better because they were raised on an overpopulated farm and force-fed to make them bigger and taste better.

It puts them directly in touch with their meat food. When they eat this meat, they know what the animal looked like, how it lived, how it died. They don’t have to worry that it was some “downer cow” that was so sick it couldn’t even stand, as it was lifted by forklift into the slaughtering line. The hunter hasn’t let someone else do the dirty work for him…The hunter knows that this animal has died with dignity and its carcass was treated with respect.  (Answer by ThorThpot fromWhy do people like hunting? | Answerbag http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1060167#ixzz290pXVQLH)

I was able to get rid of hypocritical ties I may have had myself and do the “dirty work” myself, and I am extremely proud of that.  I am also amazingly proud of myself for watching and helping during field dressing – which I had been very anxious about beforehand (I seriously did NOT want to toss my cookies).  It was definitely not as messy and gross as I had assumed it would be.  It wasn’t pretty, but it wasn’t a gore fest either. I felt it was important and responsible of me as a hunter to watch the entire process and not just shoot, smile for some pictures, and then pick up a mounted head a few months later.  In my opinion, part of being a responsible and good hunter includes the grosser parts like field dressing. I also took my kill to a meat processor.  My family enjoyed Antelope steaks, German sausage, Italian sausage, and snack sticks for many months.

Hunters do a lot to help our environment including this small list: providing funds (their license fees and more) which go towards wildlife conservation and management, population management, and providing food for their families.

Here are the stats from my hunt:

- Before it started, I wished for a clean, painless kill for the antelope done with one shot

- I killed one antelope, with one shot – a clean kill

- The shot was made at 258 yds

- The antelope is considered a “trophy” kill – meaning it is larger than normal

- His horns are 15″ on one side and 15.75″ on the other

- The kill was made on my second day of hunting at 6:50am, about 15 minutes after we hard started that morning

- The entire first day was an exhausting attempt to find different herds, a buck that was big enough, etc.  This particular buck was the last one we saw the day before – we hadn’t attempted a shot because it was far to late in the day

- My dad went on the trip with me as an observer.  He is an experienced hunter. I am glad we were able to bond so much over this trip!

- We went through an amazing group: J&D Outfitters and Guide Services. I highly recomend them.

- My guide was Steve. He was awesome! Please ask for him if you decide to give hunting a try – he really helped me!

Here are some photos from my hunt.

Proud Hunter
(c) Rhianna Ulrich, Bill Colli Jr., and Steve Gentile 2012

Me and my dad!
(c) Rhianna Ulrich, Bill Colli Jr., and Steve Gentile 2012

Me and my guide, Steve
(c) Rhianna Ulrich, Bill Colli Jr., and Steve Gentile 2012

I wish I could tell you that I have been on an amazing vacation and that’s why I haven’t been posting – but that would be a lie. In reality my life just got pretty crazy for awhile.

I thought I would write a bit about how I survive returning from a vacation.  I have noticed throughout the years that I end up getting depressed when I return from a vacation where the room looked like this:

(c) Comfort Inn

But my house looks like this:

(c) ourhumbleabodeblog

Because, let’s face it…packing looks like this:

(c) Unknown :(

So I have been trying really hard to follow these few ideals the past few years and have found that they work:

1. Change the sheets on your own bed right before you leave and make the bed all pretty.
2. Make your child pick up all their toys before they can head off to the airport with you on an exciting trip.
3. Wash all the dishes in the sink.
4. Vacuum the night before.
5. If you have the time, catch up on laundry.
6. Make sure you put away whatever you decided NOT to pack.
7. Make sure your bed is free of any clutter.
8. Spray a nicely scented room spray in your house before you leave.

It may not be like this when you get home:

(c) Four Seasons

But having a clean house to come home to that looks like this isn’t so shabby, either!

(c) Rhianna Ulrich 2008

Disney has  lot of stuff that is marketed to be right out in front. Sometimes, though, there are little-known hidden Disney gems.

(c) Disney

El Capitan Theater and Disney’s Soda Fountain and Studio Store – Disney owns the El Capitan Theater located in downtown Hollywood in California. This small-ish theater is always decorated to the nines, premieres and shows only Disney films, often has a secondary side event (kids play area, art gallery, movie props, etc.) that coordinate with what is showing, and special events.  Disney also owns the ice cream soda fountain next door. Not only is the food and ice cream great, but the small store there sells a few things I haven’t seen anywhere else.

(c) Disney

Character Calls – You can get a Disney character to call your child up on their birthday for free! How cool is that?!  You can set the phone number, select a character from the available list, and select the time.

(c) Rhianna Ulrich 2011

Harmony Barber Shop – You can get a haircut right off of Mainstreet USA at DisneyWorld in Florida!  The barbers there pay special care and attention to children going in for their very first haircuts!

(c) Rhianna Ulrich 2008

Baked Potato Stand – There is a baked potato and corn stand at Disney World in the Magic Kingdom. I am not sure why no one believes me, but it is one of the best places to stop for a hot and filling snack/meal.

(c) Disney

Disney Mickey Mouse Flip Book – This new tool lets you play with animation, learn how it works, and create your own animated clip! Check it out, I had fun playing with it for hours!

Do you have any hidden Mickey gems? Share them below!