What I'm Reading: ArmchairBEA, Day 1: Introductions

ArmchairBEA graphic courtesy Arcmchairbea.com and Boquilla's Window

ArmchairBEA is the Internet/social media version of BEA: Book Expo America. BEA is a chance for readers, authors, and publishers to mingle and share their love of the written word.

I missed ArmchairBEA this year, which is a shame because it's my favorite way to hear about new books and to find new book bloggers and BookTubers. So I'm going to hop on board the hype train after it's already left the station (can you even do that? idgaf) and throw my hat in the ring.

The first prompt is, as usual, a simple introduction prompt. In case you wanted to know more than what's on my About Me page!

I am . . .

Most basically, I'm an American expat in Stockholm who makes STEM-inspired jewelry when she isn't reading or working.

Currently . . .

I have such a backlog of new jewelry to photograph and list on Etsy. I wish the productivity fairy would pay me a visit. :(


I love . . .

I love being creative, which sounds like such a banal, dating profile thing to say, but there you have it. I love to sit down and make something new, especially if it involves blending disparate media or ideas. I love it so much that I actually put off doing it as much as possible to prioritize other things that I feel like I "should" be doing. =/


My favorite . . .

My favorite thing right now is candles. I decided that if I was stuck with having to be an adult, then I was at least going to give myself the permission to indulge in my favorite childhood and teenage things that I either wasn't allowed to do or never got to do enough. Chief among them are candles and incense, but since JV is sensitive to smells, that rules out incense (and stinky candles). Candles it is!

My least favorite . . .

I still hate bureaucracy.


My current read . . .

Oh, so many! I have two that I'm reading for group obligations:  Madonna in a Fur Coat for my Internet book club and The Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide for my in-person critique group. I've also borrowed The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage from a critique group friend, a book that is relevant to my ongoing writing project and my jewelry! Finally, my Swedish book of the moment is Karin Boye's Kris.

My summer plans . . .

I'll be traveling to the US in August for a wedding.

My buddy . . .

My buddy Aaron is the one getting married! Here we are in Beijing during Lunar New Year 2010:

Myself (center left) and Aaron (center right) partying it up in Beijing.

There's actually a great story behind that random party shot. Aaron is conversant, if not fluent, in (Mandarin) Chinese, and when I touched down in Beijing on the evening before Lunar New Year, he put that Chinese to good use finding us a place to eat. All of the restaurants anywhere near our hostel had been closed all day, or closed early. When we got here, they initially turned us away, too, but he finally switched to Chinese and explained that it was my first night in Beijing, and that I had just flown in from Seoul without any dinner and there was nowhere else to eat. Even the convenience stores were closed! Either his Chinese, my sad story, or both convinced them to let us in, and we shared a huge company meal, complete with alcohol and dancing.

And now he's getting married!

My blog/channel/social media . . .

I'm on Twitter (@kokoba42) and Facebook (KokobaJewelry). I theoretically have Pinterest but the spammier it got to use, the less I wanted to use or post there. And I would rather eat rusty nails than start a video channel.

The best . . .

The best part of this trip will definitely be seeing so many of my friends in the US who can't take the time (or spend the money) to come see me in Stockholm.