If you’re new to Steff Metal, Up the Irons! is a semi-regular feature where I give a little shout out to all the awesome stuff going on in my life and in the world. It’s a way to remind ourselves that being alive, and being a metalhead, or a goth, or a satanist, christian, geek, freak, mainstream, mother, or any mixture of the human being persuasion, is completly awesome. For this reason, you should write your own lists and post them in the comments, or on your own blog.

This week, I give metal horns to:

My new boots

My parentals coming to visit for the weekend for my birthday!  \m/  My birthday in 6 days!  \m/   The fact that I’m 25 and the celebrations last all WEEK.  \m/  Our “Great Bogan Train Robbery” party next weekend – we rented a carriage on an old steam train and about 25 metalheads are riding around all day, having a tea party and dressing up in steampunk / victorian gear! (there WILL be photos)  \m/  I had my first EVER impulse buy (I normally think about these things for months, and I never buy shoes. I hate shoes) a pair of Jeffrey Campbell wedge boots, and they’re beautiful  \m/  My husband, who laughed about my new boots, whereas if it had been him and a new cymbol, I wouldv’e made a frowny face  \m/  Arch Enemy, for inspiring my novel edits  \m/  German classes, which are filled with adventurous people are are teaching us so much  \m/  My husband, for getting me the best birthday present ever – an easal to paint my artwork on  \m/  My blog readers, for filling in my 2010 reader survey with such awesome answers  \m/  nasty gal – new favorite shopping site  \m/  Chocolate self-saucing pudding – the fuel for life  \m/  jazz-inspired metal – it’s the next big thing  \m/  Life and the universe, for treating me so well :)