I'm definitely a California girl, but not in a beach bum sort of way. I just love the state and don't really ever think I'll live anywhere else (though I love to travel). I've lived in Orange County, Riverside, San Francisco, and most recently San Diego county.

I did an undergraduate degree in English at UC Riverside and recently graduated with a J.D. from UC Hastings. I took the California bar in 2006 and passed - that's the scariest exam ever created, I think - it's certainly the scariest one I've ever taken (and waited 6 months to get the results for)! I'm currently looking for a first attorney job in my beloved Southern California.

I definitely prefer Southern California to Northern - I love the food and SOME of the culture in Nor. Cal., but the weather in So. Cal. has it all beat to pieces!

That being said, people headed to San Francisco - savor the days when it's not freezing, foggy and windy! Use them to visit the amazing restaurants (especially the various types of Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, and Moroccan places), the museums, and don't forget to attend the annual Friends of the Library Book Sale at Fort Mason. A whole warehouse full of books for $1 each - I think I may make an annual pilgrimage back to the City just for that! Don't forget that Napa and Sonoma are only an hour away and absolutely lovely even when the City isn't.

Ok, back to me -

Books:

As I said, I'm a huge sci-fi/fantasy fan, leaning heavily to fantasy. My favorite authors, in no particular order are: Jacqueline Carey, Anne Bishop, Laurell K. Hamilton, Mercedes Lackey, Anne McCaffrey, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Kim Harrison, George R. R. Martin, Charlaine Harris, Robert Aspirin, David Eddings, Raymond Feist (though I've lost interest in his most recent works - but seek out the trilogy he wrote with Janny Wurts (Daughter of the Empire, Servant of the Empire, Mistress of the Empire), Orson Scott Card, and Guy Gavriel Kay.

Games:

I'm way more into board games than computer/console gaming. That being said, I've worked for an online game for about 8 years now called Gemstone IV, put out by Simutronics. It's a very old school game, sort of D&D in text - or WoW or EQ, but without graphics. In official terms, it's a text-based, medieval fantasy MMORPG (massively multi-player online role playing game). I think it goes with all the reading :)

Food:

I'm a huge fan of going out to all sorts of ethnic restaurants, reading about food prep and watching food shows. That all being said, I rarely cook! I never claimed to make sense.

Well, if you've read this far... I'm amazed at your perseverance! Sadly, there's no prize for getting here :P