There's a big parade today in Boston! Ostensibly, it's to celebrate the Celtics winning the NBA championship, but I think that's just a cover. Why? Because the REAL reason to celebrate is that Steve and I were married four years ago today!!! Now I realize that four years isn't all that big a deal in the history of long marriages. But if you know a bit about me and my relationship history, you understand that this qualifies as an official miracle. (I'm expecting a certificate verifying this miraculous status to be Fed-Exed from heaven later this afternoon :) )
In lieu of a newsy post, here's a link to a fun interview I did yesterday with Debbie Chavez. It gives a bit of background on how I went from a will-try-anything spiritual searcher attempting to connect with my inner woman through interpretive dance workshops (um, embarrassing!) to finding real happily ever after.
(And the wacky news she shares right before the interview is PRICELESS. You'll love the piece about "EMMA.")
Happy Thursday!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Total Turn Around
I'm pretty fired up about the Celtic's win last night. Not so much because of the championship, but because it represents such a total turn-around from where they were last year. Last June, the Celtics were reeling from a season so disastrous that everyone was calling for these two guys (Coach Doc Rivers and team captain Paul Pierce) to be shipped off to some remote island to wrestle lions. The team simply stunk. And now? Complete turn around.When we make changes, the results change. I find that encouraging :)
(I've blogged more about this over at 40 Days of Faith, if you want to check it out.)
In other news:
Author Holly Kennedy has some BRILLIANT advice for writers.
Legally Heidi is engaged! Pop on over to congratulate her :)
And here's a link to a talk I gave on Sunday about wrestling with questions of faith and prayer.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The Making of a Superhero
I'm reading a book about being heroic right now. It's totally provocative and interesting (as some of you might know, I've wanted to be a superhero since I was a little girl), and yet at the same time, in the middle of all this inspiration, I keep falling asleep.
Steve and I were talking about this last night--how there are different seasons in each of our lives. Right now, I'm in a season of needing some extra sleep, after two months of planes, trains, automobiles and hotel rooms. Fortunately, though, these seasons change on a regular basis, so it's okay to doze off in the middle of hero training. (Actually, having seen the previews of Will Smith's new movie, I think catching up on my sleep before learning to fly or leap tall buildings might be a VERY good idea. It seems like depth perception and sound judgment are valuable skills in the superhero world...)
That said, here's how I began my superhero training yesterday (in between naps): I drove around the suburbs searching for a good cry. I played Patty Griffin songs. I wondered about a dead squirrel on the side of the road, and where he was going when the car came along. I watched the rain hit my windshield and searched for hidden meaning in the clouds. You know, helpful tear-producing activity, because I needed to cry.
Nothing is wrong in my life. I'm not sad. Just the opposite, actually: I'm a bit overwhelmed by everything that has happened over the past year or so, and how wonderful it all is, and a good cry is an oddly helpful way for me to process that. Have you ever felt this way? If so, you understand that when you feel this urge coming, it's best to figure out a way to do something about it, lest it burst forth like a shaken soda in the middle of some public gathering. Sometimes, it's smart to ease the pressure ahead of time.
So I'm driving through the rain, tears welling up, and I'm already starting to feel better. And that's when it hits me: I'm in a new car, and there are NO TISSUES of any form anywhere in the vehicle! Now, I'm a rather liquidy crier; no small polite sniffles for me. So if I continue on my present course, I'll have nothing but the floor mats and/or my t-shirt (which is cute and new and NOT something I want to use as a hanky) to sop up my emotional purge.
So I stop. I turn Patty Griffin off, and switch to the sports channel. I push the squirrel from my mind, and notice how well the windshield wipers work. I put the cap back on that bottle, and hope that it won't blow.
My first lesson in superhero preparedness? BRING TISSUES.
Steve and I were talking about this last night--how there are different seasons in each of our lives. Right now, I'm in a season of needing some extra sleep, after two months of planes, trains, automobiles and hotel rooms. Fortunately, though, these seasons change on a regular basis, so it's okay to doze off in the middle of hero training. (Actually, having seen the previews of Will Smith's new movie, I think catching up on my sleep before learning to fly or leap tall buildings might be a VERY good idea. It seems like depth perception and sound judgment are valuable skills in the superhero world...)
That said, here's how I began my superhero training yesterday (in between naps): I drove around the suburbs searching for a good cry. I played Patty Griffin songs. I wondered about a dead squirrel on the side of the road, and where he was going when the car came along. I watched the rain hit my windshield and searched for hidden meaning in the clouds. You know, helpful tear-producing activity, because I needed to cry.
Nothing is wrong in my life. I'm not sad. Just the opposite, actually: I'm a bit overwhelmed by everything that has happened over the past year or so, and how wonderful it all is, and a good cry is an oddly helpful way for me to process that. Have you ever felt this way? If so, you understand that when you feel this urge coming, it's best to figure out a way to do something about it, lest it burst forth like a shaken soda in the middle of some public gathering. Sometimes, it's smart to ease the pressure ahead of time.
So I'm driving through the rain, tears welling up, and I'm already starting to feel better. And that's when it hits me: I'm in a new car, and there are NO TISSUES of any form anywhere in the vehicle! Now, I'm a rather liquidy crier; no small polite sniffles for me. So if I continue on my present course, I'll have nothing but the floor mats and/or my t-shirt (which is cute and new and NOT something I want to use as a hanky) to sop up my emotional purge.
So I stop. I turn Patty Griffin off, and switch to the sports channel. I push the squirrel from my mind, and notice how well the windshield wipers work. I put the cap back on that bottle, and hope that it won't blow.
My first lesson in superhero preparedness? BRING TISSUES.
Monday, June 16, 2008
THAT FROG is home!
It's true! The suitcases are stowed in the closet, my moisturizer has been restored to its rightful place in the bathroom cabinet, and Oscar (the latest dashing addition to the fabulous frog collection) is resting happily on the bookshelf in the living room. We are HOME for the next month.It's been an amazing book tour. Truly more than I could have imagined, in so many ways. And I'm happy to say, it ended on as great a note as it started:
On Thursday night, I was in Princeton NJ with an amazing group of women. I was there because of the fun invitation of my friend A.J. She and I met at the Festival of Faith & Writing in April, and she became my hero almost immediately.
I can't tell you how much I admire her approach to life; whether the subject is writing, marriage, faith, pregnancy, or the care & maintenance of a toddler, she takes it all in stride. (Not to mention the fact that she's not AT ALL shiny in pictures!)And many thanks to Mary, the director of Women's Ministry at Westerly Road Church where we gathered that night. She and her spectacular team threw a great, fun event and it was a honor to be part of it. I'm so glad I have Oscar as a fun memento!
On Saturday night, I was back here in Cambridge for the final night of the tour. Unfortunately, however, blogger won't let me download anymore pictures, so I'll have to tell you all about it in my next post. Let's just say it was the ONLY event to feature sushi, Korean BBQ, funny Chinese immigration tales and a chef with 1,000 names...
Now, I'm off to clean the accumulated crud out of the toothbrush holder. It's the glamorous life, for me!
:)
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Off to New Jersey
I'm about to head out to South Station to catch a train to New Jersey. I never thought to pray for a lack of natural disasters while traveling in the North East before, but after last week's adventures...
If you're in the greater Princeton area, I'll be at Westerly Road Church tonight at 7:30pm--come on by! It's been great to meet so many blog friends in my travels for the book, and I'd love to add to the list. (And if we meet, please remind me to take a picture! I'm in the very bad habit of forgetting to USE the camera I bring with me, which makes the results rather disappointing!)
Happy almost weekend!
If you're in the greater Princeton area, I'll be at Westerly Road Church tonight at 7:30pm--come on by! It's been great to meet so many blog friends in my travels for the book, and I'd love to add to the list. (And if we meet, please remind me to take a picture! I'm in the very bad habit of forgetting to USE the camera I bring with me, which makes the results rather disappointing!)
Happy almost weekend!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Where to begin?
It was an EVENTFUL weekend!I went to Chicago for the Printers Row Book Fair, and met up with two of my favorite blog friends that I've "known" (you know, in the online sense of the word) since I started blogging a couple of years ago: Swishygirl and Manic Mommy! (Here we are with Ina, the lovely volunteer who hooked us up with special Author Superfriend Badges so we could get into different events).
Back when we realized we'd all be at Printers Row, Manic and Swishy invited me to go on a road trip to join in the launch party for fellow blogger Jess Riley's awesome book, Driving Sideways. Of course, I jumped at the chance...what could be more fun than to drive to Wisconsin? (We had many opportunities to answer this question in our unexpectedly crazy journey, but more about that in a bit...)
First, we saw Jen Lancaster and Stephanie Klein. (I got this picture by following Manic and Swish into the room where the authors were signing their books. We jumped ahead of an ENTIRE line of people, because Manic said, "We know the authors!" And they do: JL & SK greeted them like long-lost friends. Me, on the other hand, they quickly identified as a Swishy/Manic minion, but I was fine with that. I'll roll in their entourage any day of the week!)
Jen and Stephanie engaged in a VERY interesting conversation about how to write about certain delicate (and not-so-delicate) subjects, knowing that various family and friends will someday read what they've written. They've reached rather different conclusions on how to handle this, which gave Swishy, Manic, and me lots to talk about once we got into the car and pointed our headlights north.
Then it started to rain. And rain some more. Sheets, buckets, cats and dogs...like nothing I've ever seen. Lighting all around us, no other cars on the road. Little did we know we were in the middle of a tornado. We wouldn't find THAT out until the next day; we just thought, "Wow-Wisconsin has some intense weather!"
Here is the eye of the storm, which lasted approximately eight minutes of our ten hour round trip:
Undeterred, we drove on (and on and on), largely due to the fact that there was really no reasonable place to stop. We passed dozens of billboards offering adult entertainment, but somehow three girls pulling off the road in a storm to seek solace in a porn shop seemed too much like the beginning of a horror movie...so Swishy gripped the wheel and got us to Oshkosh.
It was totally worth it. Here is the gorgeous Jess Riley:
We got to meet her husband, her best friend who inspired one of the main characters in the book, her adorable nephew, even her Mom & Dad...it was great! People kept bringing PILES of books for her to sign, but we tried to be gracious and share her with her adoring fans. It helped that there were yummy meatballs and other culinary concoctions to tide us over.
My computer battery is running low, so I'll have to save part two of this post--where we try to find our way back from Wisconsin without using any highways--for tomorrow. (I think I'll call it: "Fond du Lac: I'm not Fond du the Lack of highway signs..." ) But before I hit post, let me share two things you might not know about Manic and Swishy that they'd never tell you. It's amazing how their superhero powers work together:
First, EVERYONE loves Manic. No matter where we went, she won people over--waiters, McDonalds workers, NYT bestselling authors. If you meet her, you'll be overcome with an urge to fetch her a drink and/or rotate the tires on her car. She's that fabulous.
And second, Swishy is a man magnet. I sort of guessed this from meeting her before (you may recall my Charlize Theron references), but we were only hanging out with girls then, so I had yet to appreciate the full impact of Swishy on the males of our species...and the females. I actually witnessed firsthand when we walked into one place: a girl saw Swishy and instantly grabbed her boyfriend and started making out with him. Later, when she had to go to the bathroom, the girl actually made him HOLD HER PURSE, lest there be any doubt that he was taken. Hysterical.
But the best thing about Manic & Swishy? They're girls' girls. They wouldn't take your man, or make you rotate their tires... that's just not how they roll. Love them!
More tomorrow :)
Friday, June 06, 2008
There was an old man in a yurt....
This astounds, baffles, and exasperates me. A girl agrees to tie herself to a man two decades older than she is with a 15 foot rope, live a celibate life with him forever (in a YURT no less) and people are flocking to her for relationship advice?
Shouldn't there be some point at which we look at the people we're seeking counsel from and think, "Do I really want to end up where s/he is?" How many of us want to end up tied to an old guy in a yurt???
I wonder if this is where my parents thought I was headed, all those times I came home and explained how they needed to spread salt around their house to absorb any negative energy, lest they suffer harm when Mercury came into retrograde?
At the very least, spiritual exploration gives you funny stories to share at cocktail parties. You know, once you've left the yurt and vaccummed up all the loose salt from your parents' living room...
:)
Shouldn't there be some point at which we look at the people we're seeking counsel from and think, "Do I really want to end up where s/he is?" How many of us want to end up tied to an old guy in a yurt???
I wonder if this is where my parents thought I was headed, all those times I came home and explained how they needed to spread salt around their house to absorb any negative energy, lest they suffer harm when Mercury came into retrograde?
At the very least, spiritual exploration gives you funny stories to share at cocktail parties. You know, once you've left the yurt and vaccummed up all the loose salt from your parents' living room...
:)
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Animal Planet
THAT FROG has a Facebook page.
THAT DOG won't eat potatoes, even when it's mandated by the United Nations. She's holding out for the International Year of the Hot Dog.
THAT SQUIRREL left a partially eaten corncob on the railing of our front porch. Apparently, he's enjoying seasonal produce, although I'm not above shipping him to New Jersey with promises of sweet corn to get him and his leftovers out of my yard.
And, best of all...THAT SISTER found a one-eyed Pomeranian by the side of the road. (I can't even say "One-eyed Pomeranian" without laughing.) What makes this doubly funny is that she was on her way to the vet anyway, with a stray cat that has made it's home on HER porch. My niece has named the stray Sophie, giving all of us the impression that we now have a THAT CAT in the family. Try it: "One-eyed Pomeranian" Admit it, you're starting to giggle...
THAT DOG won't eat potatoes, even when it's mandated by the United Nations. She's holding out for the International Year of the Hot Dog.
THAT SQUIRREL left a partially eaten corncob on the railing of our front porch. Apparently, he's enjoying seasonal produce, although I'm not above shipping him to New Jersey with promises of sweet corn to get him and his leftovers out of my yard.
And, best of all...THAT SISTER found a one-eyed Pomeranian by the side of the road. (I can't even say "One-eyed Pomeranian" without laughing.) What makes this doubly funny is that she was on her way to the vet anyway, with a stray cat that has made it's home on HER porch. My niece has named the stray Sophie, giving all of us the impression that we now have a THAT CAT in the family. Try it: "One-eyed Pomeranian" Admit it, you're starting to giggle...
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Potato Party
The United Nations has declared 2008 the International Year of the Potato. Apparently, potato awareness is at an all-time low worldwide, and the people we trust to facilitate world peace have chosen this as a key action item for this year's agenda.Always ready to help, the lovely Wikipedians have prepared an entire page on how to celebrate IYOP. This page includes inspiring photos of a heart-shaped potato and some purple spuds, along with a handy, two-item list of "Things You'll Need" (1. Potatoes. 2. Information about potatoes.)
It also shares the puzzling news that the potato--an important potential source of nutrition, according to the U.N.-- loses most of it's vitamins when baked, boiled, or fried...but should not be eaten raw because our bodies can't digest the starch. I know I'm no expert at this cooking thing, but what exactly is left in terms of preparation techniques if you take the big three out of the mix-- Toasted? Flame broiled like a Whopper? Smoked?
I plan to celebrate with a bag of Ruffles. You know, just to do my part.
Mugged
I collect mugs.
There, I said it. Out loud, to other people (which we all know is the first step to admitting you have a problem...)
It started with the leaking mug debacle earlier this year. As I cast about frantically for new ceramic to contain my morning beverage, it occurred to me, "Wait--mugs don't have to match, do they? Why can't I have all sorts of different mugs, for different things???" I went to the Pfalzgraff outlet and picked out a couple (okay, four) assorted mugs to replace the ones that leaked. No big deal, right?
Then I went out on the road. Have you noticed that hotels don't give you coffee mugs anymore, but rather those icky styrofoam cups that hold approximately three ounces of liquid? I don't despise much, but those cups are on the list; I can almost FEEL the chemicals attacking my mouth as I drink. And that's before the cup bends in some weird way and slips out of my hands, showing me just how much of my stuff three ounces of liquid can cover. ARGH.
My solution? I decided to BUY a mug in each city I visited! It would be the most practical of souvenirs, something I'd really use, and then could take home to remember the visit, all for under $10. This worked well at first. I found a white mug with a starfish pattern in Chicago, a gorgeous blue and white mug in Grand Rapids. When I was in Atlanta for a TV show they GAVE me a mug (okay, it was on the set for me to sip from while taping and I wandered off with it by accident/on purpose...)
It was all good until I saw the giant city mugs in Starbucks. Then, in a flash, I became that sucker who needs a 27 gallon mug to show that I've ordered a latte in five different cities. (And don't even get me started about the special Boston mug featuring the Public Garden...that's where Steve proposed! Don't we HAVE to have that mug???)
But yesterday, it happened: the unavoidable sign that I've crossed the line from enthusiast to person with a problem: I found myself in Bed, Bath & Beyond, asking three different sales associates if they could help me find a MUG TREE, because I'm out of cupboard space to support my mug habit and need a stylish way to leave them out on the counter.
A MUG TREE?!?
My friend Peter says that the time to draw the line on material acquisitions is when your stuff needs stuff--in this case, when my mugs send me out with a shopping list. He has a point. But I'm heading out to a reading in Connecticut on Thursday. And then Chicago on Saturday. I'll need new mugs for memories, won't I?
I wonder if Ebay has mug trees?
There, I said it. Out loud, to other people (which we all know is the first step to admitting you have a problem...)
It started with the leaking mug debacle earlier this year. As I cast about frantically for new ceramic to contain my morning beverage, it occurred to me, "Wait--mugs don't have to match, do they? Why can't I have all sorts of different mugs, for different things???" I went to the Pfalzgraff outlet and picked out a couple (okay, four) assorted mugs to replace the ones that leaked. No big deal, right?
Then I went out on the road. Have you noticed that hotels don't give you coffee mugs anymore, but rather those icky styrofoam cups that hold approximately three ounces of liquid? I don't despise much, but those cups are on the list; I can almost FEEL the chemicals attacking my mouth as I drink. And that's before the cup bends in some weird way and slips out of my hands, showing me just how much of my stuff three ounces of liquid can cover. ARGH.
My solution? I decided to BUY a mug in each city I visited! It would be the most practical of souvenirs, something I'd really use, and then could take home to remember the visit, all for under $10. This worked well at first. I found a white mug with a starfish pattern in Chicago, a gorgeous blue and white mug in Grand Rapids. When I was in Atlanta for a TV show they GAVE me a mug (okay, it was on the set for me to sip from while taping and I wandered off with it by accident/on purpose...)
It was all good until I saw the giant city mugs in Starbucks. Then, in a flash, I became that sucker who needs a 27 gallon mug to show that I've ordered a latte in five different cities. (And don't even get me started about the special Boston mug featuring the Public Garden...that's where Steve proposed! Don't we HAVE to have that mug???)
But yesterday, it happened: the unavoidable sign that I've crossed the line from enthusiast to person with a problem: I found myself in Bed, Bath & Beyond, asking three different sales associates if they could help me find a MUG TREE, because I'm out of cupboard space to support my mug habit and need a stylish way to leave them out on the counter.
A MUG TREE?!?
My friend Peter says that the time to draw the line on material acquisitions is when your stuff needs stuff--in this case, when my mugs send me out with a shopping list. He has a point. But I'm heading out to a reading in Connecticut on Thursday. And then Chicago on Saturday. I'll need new mugs for memories, won't I?
I wonder if Ebay has mug trees?
Sunday, June 01, 2008
I guess I have more faith than I thought...
A little while ago, I spilled an entire glass of Cabernet Sauvignon in the living room. All over our living room, actually: I doused the couch, the rug, the coffee table, the wall...I even caught THAT DOG square in the face, sending her into a fit of alcohol-induced sneezing.
As I rushed to the hallway to grab some towels, I blurted: "Jesus, you turned water into wine...any chance you could reverse the process???"
I'm not sure if it's miraculous intervention or scotchgard, but I'm happy to report that our couch and rug are clean. THAT DOG looks like she's just back from her first frat party, but other than that, things are pretty much back to normal :)
(Addendum, 52 minutes later):
Okay, things just got a WHOLE lot better! Check out this very cool piece in Sunday's Chicago Sun-Times by columnist Cathleen Falsani (you gotta love a girl who entitles her blog, "The Dude Abides"). It mentions a certain book, with a certain frog...and the story of how my best friend Kristen saved my life with a check, a key, and a discreet Fed Ex delivery. Good stuff!
As I rushed to the hallway to grab some towels, I blurted: "Jesus, you turned water into wine...any chance you could reverse the process???"
I'm not sure if it's miraculous intervention or scotchgard, but I'm happy to report that our couch and rug are clean. THAT DOG looks like she's just back from her first frat party, but other than that, things are pretty much back to normal :)
(Addendum, 52 minutes later):
Okay, things just got a WHOLE lot better! Check out this very cool piece in Sunday's Chicago Sun-Times by columnist Cathleen Falsani (you gotta love a girl who entitles her blog, "The Dude Abides"). It mentions a certain book, with a certain frog...and the story of how my best friend Kristen saved my life with a check, a key, and a discreet Fed Ex delivery. Good stuff!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
40 Days of Faith (and mixed metaphors)
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about raising my expectations: of life, work, romance...even God. I guess it's all these hours on trains and planes, which has given me WAY too much exposure to things that chip away at my hopes.For example, the last magazine I read included several cheery articles reminding me of things I've neglected to worry about. Apparently, I'm way behind. It told me (in graphic detail) how I need to worry about catching something grotesque if THAT DOG licks my face...becoming something grotesque if I don't slather myself with SPF 4000 from February until late November...and making the whole world grotesque if I buy jeans that are anything less than 100% organic cotton. And if my 401k isn't fully funded? I should probably quit life now, because I'm taking up too much room on the planet.
By the end, I was pretty fed up. I mean, this is what I'm supposed to be focusing on to get from where I am to where I want to be? Really???
And don't even get me started about the relationship advice, which was varying takes on the same theme: "Marriage is disappointing; make sure you have good girlfriends to see you through..." ARGH.
Rather than simmering in my frustration, though, it made me want to push back, to swim against the tide of all this worry and doubt. And the basic rule of swimming is: Don't swim alone; use the buddy system. So I thought I'd invite you to swim with me.
In my book, I describe a time when the pastor of my church asked us all to ponder the question: "What do you want Jesus to do for you?" He based this on passages from the Bible that suggest that God enjoys interacting with us over specific prayers; that God is okay if we have specific desires for our lives, and maybe even put them inside us because he wants to help us get there. I was quite sure everyone else in our church was praying for world peace; I snuck off to a corner and asked Jesus to bring me a husband.
We spent the next 40 Days praying for our deepest desires, and the results were rather astounding. So I thought that doing something similar--asking God together for the deepest desires of our hearts, the pieces of life that we're missing--might be a fun way for us to swim against the tide of low expectations together. Or raise the bar. Or some combination of the two.
I've created a new blog: www.fortydaysoffaith.blogspot.com. Starting on June 1st, I'll post there every day for 40 Days: thoughts about asking God for big things, words of encouragement, inspirational stories. And you can jump in as you want, commenting on your hopes and dreams; we can cheer each other on. Whether you're a person of high faith, low faith, or no faith at all, you may have noticed that it's easier to believe that something wonderful (like a husband, or a book deal, or a happier outlook on life) will happen for someone else rather than for you. I'm hoping we can capitalize on that, toss whatever faith we bring into one collective pool, and each end up someplace better than where we started.
So if you're game, come on by. I suspect it will be a fun place to hang out this summer!
Monday, May 26, 2008
A bad idea, no matter how you look at it...
We went out for dinner Friday night. A romantic "welcome home" dinner was what we had in mind. What we got instead was me running to the bathroom over and over again for the next five hours, while Steve quoted NBA star Charles Barkley's T-Mobile commercial: "That's why I DON'T eat shrimp!"
ACK.
The worst part of this story, though, is that two nights later, when faced with dinnertime AGAIN and no food thawed, I actually said, "Hey--we still have some money left on that gift card--we could go back to _______! I mean, what are the odds of getting food poisoning twice?"
ACK.
The worst part of this story, though, is that two nights later, when faced with dinnertime AGAIN and no food thawed, I actually said, "Hey--we still have some money left on that gift card--we could go back to _______! I mean, what are the odds of getting food poisoning twice?"
Thursday, May 22, 2008
If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere...
Omigosh, I love New York! AMEX can schedule my commercial anytime, and I'll be ready for my close up. The reading with A.J. Jacobs last night was super-fun (although I can't believe how many pictures I forgot to take), and I'm excited to be hanging out with the book club from Redeemer Presbyterian Church tonight. In between, I'm guessing there might be shopping :)
Right now, I'm sitting in the lobby of the hotel (that's where they keep the free internet access), watching hoards of high school students on their way to visit the Statue of Liberty. Bless the parents brave enough to chaperone THAT trip...I can't even imagine! And someone's baby is VERY unhappy to be checking out.
Time for me to get some coffee :)
Right now, I'm sitting in the lobby of the hotel (that's where they keep the free internet access), watching hoards of high school students on their way to visit the Statue of Liberty. Bless the parents brave enough to chaperone THAT trip...I can't even imagine! And someone's baby is VERY unhappy to be checking out.
Time for me to get some coffee :)
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Audacious
I am here in gorgeous Grand Rapids, driving what may be the funniest rental car I've ever seen. Truly, this vehicle is an engineering marvel...it looks like someone left a Tahoe and a VW Beetle unattended in the back lot, and this is their love child. In a way, though, it reminds me of THAT DOG (a cocker spaniel/afghan mix): not necessarily something God intended, but rather unique and charming once you get to know it :)And, speaking of unique and charming, I've been thinking about my upcoming book events. Specifically, how to make them more interesting and interactive (Paige's recent blog post is to blame; she made me realize that EVERYONE has more fun when an author brings more to the table than just, "Hi. I wrote a book. Let me read to you for a few minutes...")
As I mentioned to Paige and the awesome folks I met that night in Philadelphia, I've been thinking lately (okay, mourning might be the better word) about how Barak Obama stole my favorite book title. The Audacity of Hope may be the single best title I've ever heard. I mean, can't you just SEE that emblazoned across the top of my lip glossed bullfrog??? It's the theme of my entire life. And--let's be honest--the life of every single interesting person I know.
After all, for any of us who dream that life could/should/would be about more than clocking hours in a cube--that we might secretly be a writer, or an entertainer, or even a super hero-- audacious hope is the name of the game. Because it take some audacity for any of us to believe that our lives could be more than the sum of the parts we see strewn about in front of us on any given day. And yet we have to believe, right?
So THIS is what I'll be talking about tonight in Grand Rapids at Schuler Books on Alpine (7:00pm). And tomorrow at Borders in New York City (also at 7:00pm) with A.J. Jacobs.
(A.J. doesn't know about this whole audacious hope thing yet; I should probably send him an email, right? But then again, WHO embodies the audacity of hope better than A.J. Jacobs???)
And as for my spiffy rental car? I'm christening it the AUDACITY MOBILE. Who knows? Maybe it will become THE car for superhero transport! There's certainly enough room in the back for the entire League of Justice...
Thanks, Paige, for inspiring me to raise my game ;)
Sunday, May 18, 2008
The attempted weekend
We tried to go to the Red Sox game on Friday night, but it was pouring outside. Raining cats and dogs (and cows and sheep and even the occasional wombat) such that I officially ceased to care whether our boys in red beat the team from Texas. In lieu of the game, we went to a sports bar for dinner and sat by a table of TWELVE kids, all under age nine. They were pretty adorable, I must say...especially one little girl, who sat there staring at the flat screen TV, picking her nose, and eating it. I'm not sure why, but that absolutely cracked me up. Made me wonder what food group her nose nutrition falls into? (It's kind of like the portabello mushroom question, right?)
We also tried to buy a car. Really tried. But after a weekend spent shopping for hybrid cars, I now understand Goldilocks's dilemma. Everything we looked at was great, but yet not quite right: too big, too small, too expensive, to complicated. We had a brief moment of glee and excitement when we sat in the hybrid Camry, but then we popped the trunk--yikes! I have purses that hold more. Let's just say there's no chance of mobsters hiding bodies in the trunk of a hybrid Camry. (I bet Toyota could build a commercial around that...)
Right now, I'm trying to pack for this week's trip to Grand Rapids/New York City. There's an open (empty) suitcase near my bed, and clothes that should probably be in there sprawled from one end of our condo (where the washing machine lives) to the other (where I hung some things in the shower, hoping the wrinkles would magically disappear). Here's my big dilemma, though: what to READ on the plane. On two of recent trips, my luggage was at or over the weight limit, and hardcover books were a prime culprit (because really, how heavy can a pair of cute heels be?) So for this trip, I'm deciding between paperbacks: Anita Shreve's LIGHT ON SNOW, Jen Lancaster's SUCH A PRETTY FAT, and Chris Lowney's HEROIC LEADERSHIP.
Important decisions, no? I'm consoling myself with the fact that should I need more choices, chances are I'll be able to find a bookstore somewhere in my travels :)
We also tried to buy a car. Really tried. But after a weekend spent shopping for hybrid cars, I now understand Goldilocks's dilemma. Everything we looked at was great, but yet not quite right: too big, too small, too expensive, to complicated. We had a brief moment of glee and excitement when we sat in the hybrid Camry, but then we popped the trunk--yikes! I have purses that hold more. Let's just say there's no chance of mobsters hiding bodies in the trunk of a hybrid Camry. (I bet Toyota could build a commercial around that...)
Right now, I'm trying to pack for this week's trip to Grand Rapids/New York City. There's an open (empty) suitcase near my bed, and clothes that should probably be in there sprawled from one end of our condo (where the washing machine lives) to the other (where I hung some things in the shower, hoping the wrinkles would magically disappear). Here's my big dilemma, though: what to READ on the plane. On two of recent trips, my luggage was at or over the weight limit, and hardcover books were a prime culprit (because really, how heavy can a pair of cute heels be?) So for this trip, I'm deciding between paperbacks: Anita Shreve's LIGHT ON SNOW, Jen Lancaster's SUCH A PRETTY FAT, and Chris Lowney's HEROIC LEADERSHIP.
Important decisions, no? I'm consoling myself with the fact that should I need more choices, chances are I'll be able to find a bookstore somewhere in my travels :)
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Kermit was right...it's not easy
We're looking at hybrid cars. I'd love to say it's because I'm a devout lover of the environment who longs to wrap my arms around our planet and give it a great big hug...but that would be a bit of a fib. We're looking at hybrids because our current car is a giant, gas-guzzling sedan and we're not sure how long we can keep him in the style to which he's become accustomed.
We bought Xavier George (Steve named him from model number, XG350) a few years ago. Admittedly, we weren't exactly savvy shoppers--my mom was in the hospital (she's fine now, I'm happy to say) and we weren't sure when I'd need to drive up to Maine on short notice, or what exactly I'd be driving to. The car we had was too unreliable for emergency times, so we headed out to find a new one.
We were both so distracted by everything going on with my family that we narrowed our "must have" list down to two things:
1. A trunk big enough to fit Steve's gigantic goalie pads for the days he plays hockey; and
2. A tan interior, so THAT DOG'S fur wouldn't show too badly during spring when she sheds.
Needless to say, we stumped the sales guys. I mean, who buys a car based on trunk size and matching the interior to their dog??? Still though, we could have done worse. Xavier George has been a fabulous auto, right up until the cost of filling his tank came to equal the cost of sending him to college.
So the hybrid search begins, and I have to ask: do any of you drive hybrids? Do you like them? I rode in a Prius cab from the airport the other day, and on Boston's crazy, beat up roads it felt a bit like riding a roller skate down an Olympic mogul course....
But I wonder, does it feel different when you're driving? Or would I be so distracted by all the money I was saving on gas that I'd ignore the increased chance of peril? Encourage me, oh wise blog readers! Help me be glad to be green!
We bought Xavier George (Steve named him from model number, XG350) a few years ago. Admittedly, we weren't exactly savvy shoppers--my mom was in the hospital (she's fine now, I'm happy to say) and we weren't sure when I'd need to drive up to Maine on short notice, or what exactly I'd be driving to. The car we had was too unreliable for emergency times, so we headed out to find a new one.
We were both so distracted by everything going on with my family that we narrowed our "must have" list down to two things:
1. A trunk big enough to fit Steve's gigantic goalie pads for the days he plays hockey; and
2. A tan interior, so THAT DOG'S fur wouldn't show too badly during spring when she sheds.
Needless to say, we stumped the sales guys. I mean, who buys a car based on trunk size and matching the interior to their dog??? Still though, we could have done worse. Xavier George has been a fabulous auto, right up until the cost of filling his tank came to equal the cost of sending him to college.
So the hybrid search begins, and I have to ask: do any of you drive hybrids? Do you like them? I rode in a Prius cab from the airport the other day, and on Boston's crazy, beat up roads it felt a bit like riding a roller skate down an Olympic mogul course....
But I wonder, does it feel different when you're driving? Or would I be so distracted by all the money I was saving on gas that I'd ignore the increased chance of peril? Encourage me, oh wise blog readers! Help me be glad to be green!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Home!
I'm home! The alarm went off at 5am this morning in Chicago, and I clicked my heels together like Dorothy, hoping for some supernatural transport. It came in the form of a driver named Danny who got me to O'Hare before rush hour. Three cheers for Danny!
Now I'm eating pasta, petting THAT DOG, and planning to take a nap.
Happy Wednesday :)
UPDATE (3 hours later): Nap was great. Woke up to discover this priceless gem on Galleycat, and almost wet my pants, I laughed so hard. (My favorite part is where he asks, "Wait-my book can have it's own Facebook page? I thought that required...you know, a face?")
Now I'm eating pasta, petting THAT DOG, and planning to take a nap.
Happy Wednesday :)
UPDATE (3 hours later): Nap was great. Woke up to discover this priceless gem on Galleycat, and almost wet my pants, I laughed so hard. (My favorite part is where he asks, "Wait-my book can have it's own Facebook page? I thought that required...you know, a face?")
Monday, May 12, 2008
Live, From Studio SB
I was on TV today!!!
(Note: I had planned to blog about my flight yesterday from Boston to Chicago: Asking if any of you know why United has that bizarre 3'x5' red floor mat at each gate to "welcome" their frequent flyers; telling you about the guy in the back of the plane who fell sound asleep the minute we took off and spent three hours snoring LOUDLY, in between bouts where he stopped breathing altogether.... But if I were reading this, I'd be thinking, "ENOUGH about the snoring plane dude, Trish...tell me how someone who trips over her shoes and spills coffee everywhere she goes survived a ten minute segment on live TV???") So here you go:
Truth be told, I spent the whole morning--from the moment I woke up to the lovely chiming alarm clock at 5:30am--worrying about spilling something on myself. I had an entire emergency backup outfit waiting in the car in case had one of my unfortunate collisions with liquid, but I'm proud to report that by refusing all beverages, I made it to the set unsullied. My Aunt Debbie came with me to the show, which was great...she even knew one of the hosts. I knew I could count on her to speak up if I came out of the ladies room with lipstick on my nose, but fortunately (okay, miraculously) it never came to that.
The actual filming--what I thought would be the most stressful part--was surprisingly normal. The two hosts of The Harvest Show, Chuck and Kelly, were friendly, engaging, conversational...totally easy to chat with. They asked great questions and I think I answered them in a way that was at least coherent. And I managed to get through the entire interview without using the word "determinator," making this a personal best.
I thought the whole camera thing would be weird, but the chairs were turned towards each other so I couldn't see them at all. What I could see, though, was a giant flat-screen TV of the segment we were filming, which made me think deep, reflective thoughts such as, "Wow-I'm really pale!" Profound, and focused in the important moments. That's me.
I realized midway through the segment that my habit of looking up/down/off to the side when I think about an answer probably looked weird on TV (I noticed that Chuck and Kelly managed to keep their eyes upright, facing actual people) so I tried to correct mid-stream. But overall, it was fabulous and fun, and much more natural than I ever expected.
You can check it out here. (If you click on the link for Monday May 12, I'm the second interview, about 30 minutes into the program.)
Tuesday, I'll be reading & signing at Borders Books in Evanston, IL, which is outside Chicago. David Sedaris will be there a month from now, so this is kind of like me being his warm up band, right? Like Gwen Stefani & NoDoubt going on tour with U2???
(Sure Trish, It's just like that...)
Hope to see some of you there :)
(Note: I had planned to blog about my flight yesterday from Boston to Chicago: Asking if any of you know why United has that bizarre 3'x5' red floor mat at each gate to "welcome" their frequent flyers; telling you about the guy in the back of the plane who fell sound asleep the minute we took off and spent three hours snoring LOUDLY, in between bouts where he stopped breathing altogether.... But if I were reading this, I'd be thinking, "ENOUGH about the snoring plane dude, Trish...tell me how someone who trips over her shoes and spills coffee everywhere she goes survived a ten minute segment on live TV???") So here you go:
Truth be told, I spent the whole morning--from the moment I woke up to the lovely chiming alarm clock at 5:30am--worrying about spilling something on myself. I had an entire emergency backup outfit waiting in the car in case had one of my unfortunate collisions with liquid, but I'm proud to report that by refusing all beverages, I made it to the set unsullied. My Aunt Debbie came with me to the show, which was great...she even knew one of the hosts. I knew I could count on her to speak up if I came out of the ladies room with lipstick on my nose, but fortunately (okay, miraculously) it never came to that.
The actual filming--what I thought would be the most stressful part--was surprisingly normal. The two hosts of The Harvest Show, Chuck and Kelly, were friendly, engaging, conversational...totally easy to chat with. They asked great questions and I think I answered them in a way that was at least coherent. And I managed to get through the entire interview without using the word "determinator," making this a personal best.
I thought the whole camera thing would be weird, but the chairs were turned towards each other so I couldn't see them at all. What I could see, though, was a giant flat-screen TV of the segment we were filming, which made me think deep, reflective thoughts such as, "Wow-I'm really pale!" Profound, and focused in the important moments. That's me.
I realized midway through the segment that my habit of looking up/down/off to the side when I think about an answer probably looked weird on TV (I noticed that Chuck and Kelly managed to keep their eyes upright, facing actual people) so I tried to correct mid-stream. But overall, it was fabulous and fun, and much more natural than I ever expected.
You can check it out here. (If you click on the link for Monday May 12, I'm the second interview, about 30 minutes into the program.)
Tuesday, I'll be reading & signing at Borders Books in Evanston, IL, which is outside Chicago. David Sedaris will be there a month from now, so this is kind of like me being his warm up band, right? Like Gwen Stefani & NoDoubt going on tour with U2???
(Sure Trish, It's just like that...)
Hope to see some of you there :)
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Life Lessons
We just got back from our DC/Philadelphia tour. After hours on trains, planes, and practically every vehicle Toyota makes, I've learned a thing or two...
1. I can't drive and eat a Wendy's cheeseburger. I think I can, but I can't. Next time I decide this might be a good idea (you know, so I can get to my destination that all-important six minutes faster), I might as well just squirt whatever top I'm wearing with mustard and throw it away.
2. I shouldn't eat a cheeseburger from the Amtrak club car. I'm not sure anyone should, but it's too late to be making such sweeping generalizations. Suffice to say that from this point on, I'll take minor hunger pangs over heartburn. Not a tough choice.
3. People are worth it. I've met the most amazing folks this week. From Heidi and Megan in DC, to an anonymous blog friend I'll call "Drinks & Fiddles" I met for coffee when I first got into Philadelphia, to the incredible Paige who was part of the wonderful crowd at the fun girls' night event last night (not to mention my newest blog friend, JP), all the travel and bad cheeseburgers and hours of driving were totally, TOTALLY worth it.
I'm too exhausted to describe it with any sort of clarity, but I'm extra grateful for all of you I'm meeting on this tour. Who knew a frog could lead to such great friends?
Good night, all. Sweet dreams :)
1. I can't drive and eat a Wendy's cheeseburger. I think I can, but I can't. Next time I decide this might be a good idea (you know, so I can get to my destination that all-important six minutes faster), I might as well just squirt whatever top I'm wearing with mustard and throw it away.
2. I shouldn't eat a cheeseburger from the Amtrak club car. I'm not sure anyone should, but it's too late to be making such sweeping generalizations. Suffice to say that from this point on, I'll take minor hunger pangs over heartburn. Not a tough choice.
3. People are worth it. I've met the most amazing folks this week. From Heidi and Megan in DC, to an anonymous blog friend I'll call "Drinks & Fiddles" I met for coffee when I first got into Philadelphia, to the incredible Paige who was part of the wonderful crowd at the fun girls' night event last night (not to mention my newest blog friend, JP), all the travel and bad cheeseburgers and hours of driving were totally, TOTALLY worth it.
I'm too exhausted to describe it with any sort of clarity, but I'm extra grateful for all of you I'm meeting on this tour. Who knew a frog could lead to such great friends?
Good night, all. Sweet dreams :)
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Lost & Found, VA edition
Yesterday, I learned that I should never, ever (really-under ANY circumstances) rent a car without saying "Yes please!" to the nice man at the rental counter when he asks if I'd like a GPS. Even when I'll be in a city I've been to before. Even when it's a place I used to live.
We spent most of yesterday lost in Northern Virginia, which isn't all that hard to do, given that so much of this area is newly developed and looks pretty much the same. But the special and unique part of our getting lost was that we somehow wandered so far past where we were headed (I kept saying, "I think it's just a bit further, up here on the right...") that we ended up IN THE WOODS. On a DIRT road. Passing abandoned farms that look like movie sets for some horror flick. Not good.
When we finally found our way back to civilization, we abandoned all our plans for errands and other useful endeavors and headed directly to our friends Gavin & Emily's house so we could pat their puppy. This is Soren. Can you see why some quality time with him makes life much better?
He's only eleven weeks old, but there is every indication that he'll grow up to be a very fine THAT DOG in his own right. Which you all know is high praise :)
Yesterday's other redeeming feature was last night's book signing. I'll admit, it was a little (okay, a lot) humbling: It was my first time as an author to come up over the stairs to the area where I'd be reading to see...two people. Every author knows this day is coming, the day you'll be reading to some random guy browsing the Science Fiction section next to the podium and giving directions to the bathroom. And yet you hope against hope it never will.
Steve was there, as well as Gavin & Emily. So when you add in lovely Anna, the Borders employee, we had seven of us all together. Rather than pretend that it was normal to read aloud into a microphone for an audience of seven, I asked everyone to introduce themselves so that at the very least, we'd all be friends.
This is how I met Megan, who should be paid by every bookstore in the greater DC area to attend author events. She asked the BEST questions...I wish I'd recorded it. It was like a dream, chatting with her about writing, dating, sorting out life. Megan is new to the blog world, so if you're reading this today Megan...Welcome! And thank you :)
AND THEN, my next audience member introduced herself, and it was HEIDI!!!
Now, I get rather excited to meet blog friends...I almost couldn't do the reading, because all I wanted to do was sneak off to a corner and chat. If there'd been a restaurant next door, I would have suggested we all move there and order chocolate martinis :) Heidi took approximately 14 forms of public transportation to get to the reading, which absolutely makes her my hero. And she explained blogging to Megan in a better way than I ever could have, which made the whole event like a little party where everyone kicked in something to the conversation.
SO, all that to say...it was one of those lemon-ish days that turned out to be filled with lemonade. Thank you Steve, Gavin, Emily, Soren, Anna, Megan, and HEIDI! I'm a grateful girl.
Next stop: Philadelphia!
We spent most of yesterday lost in Northern Virginia, which isn't all that hard to do, given that so much of this area is newly developed and looks pretty much the same. But the special and unique part of our getting lost was that we somehow wandered so far past where we were headed (I kept saying, "I think it's just a bit further, up here on the right...") that we ended up IN THE WOODS. On a DIRT road. Passing abandoned farms that look like movie sets for some horror flick. Not good.
When we finally found our way back to civilization, we abandoned all our plans for errands and other useful endeavors and headed directly to our friends Gavin & Emily's house so we could pat their puppy. This is Soren. Can you see why some quality time with him makes life much better?
He's only eleven weeks old, but there is every indication that he'll grow up to be a very fine THAT DOG in his own right. Which you all know is high praise :)
Yesterday's other redeeming feature was last night's book signing. I'll admit, it was a little (okay, a lot) humbling: It was my first time as an author to come up over the stairs to the area where I'd be reading to see...two people. Every author knows this day is coming, the day you'll be reading to some random guy browsing the Science Fiction section next to the podium and giving directions to the bathroom. And yet you hope against hope it never will.
Steve was there, as well as Gavin & Emily. So when you add in lovely Anna, the Borders employee, we had seven of us all together. Rather than pretend that it was normal to read aloud into a microphone for an audience of seven, I asked everyone to introduce themselves so that at the very least, we'd all be friends.
This is how I met Megan, who should be paid by every bookstore in the greater DC area to attend author events. She asked the BEST questions...I wish I'd recorded it. It was like a dream, chatting with her about writing, dating, sorting out life. Megan is new to the blog world, so if you're reading this today Megan...Welcome! And thank you :)
AND THEN, my next audience member introduced herself, and it was HEIDI!!!
Now, I get rather excited to meet blog friends...I almost couldn't do the reading, because all I wanted to do was sneak off to a corner and chat. If there'd been a restaurant next door, I would have suggested we all move there and order chocolate martinis :) Heidi took approximately 14 forms of public transportation to get to the reading, which absolutely makes her my hero. And she explained blogging to Megan in a better way than I ever could have, which made the whole event like a little party where everyone kicked in something to the conversation.
SO, all that to say...it was one of those lemon-ish days that turned out to be filled with lemonade. Thank you Steve, Gavin, Emily, Soren, Anna, Megan, and HEIDI! I'm a grateful girl.
Next stop: Philadelphia!
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Dog in Maine, Frog on Tour
I just left THAT DOG in Maine, placing her care in the capable (albeit sticky) hands of my niece and nephew, dog-sitters extraordinaire. Steve and I will be traveling this week, taking the frog book on tour in Washington DC and Philadelphia. And while THAT DOG is a Philly native who has friends in dog parks across our nation's capital, the idea of squishing her into the cargo hold of a plane is more than I can bare (bear? How can I not know how to spell that???)
Anyway, I'm terrible at leaving her. I imagine her sulking off in a corner, spending every moment pining for us and wondering why we abandoned her. The truth? I suspect that at this very moment she's following a small child across the living room, hoping a cookie will crumble. She'll have a happy week of scarfing down wayward goldfish crackers and scraps of PBJ's. I think she'll be okay :)
Here are some pics from the two signings this weekend. How do I love bookstores? Let me count the ways...First, the amazing display created by the Harvard Coop:
And me signing a book for my Dad at the Borders in South Portland, Maine.
This was a funny moment. You see, I gave my parents a copy (if you've read the book, you know that they've earned it...) But being the awesome, supportive Dad that he is, he bought another copy. He had me to sign it "To Whom It May Concern," because he can't imagine which of his fishing buddies--he's a retired lobsterman--he's going to give a book about how his daughter sorted out her love life. Can you imagine that conversation??? Makes me laugh, just thinking about it...
Here's the incredible Borders staff: Stephanie, Craig and Shanna. I ADORE them. If you're ever in Maine, stop by and say hello--they're fun folks to know :)
Next stop: Borders in Bailey's Crossroads, VA-- Tuesday night @ 7:30.
Anyway, I'm terrible at leaving her. I imagine her sulking off in a corner, spending every moment pining for us and wondering why we abandoned her. The truth? I suspect that at this very moment she's following a small child across the living room, hoping a cookie will crumble. She'll have a happy week of scarfing down wayward goldfish crackers and scraps of PBJ's. I think she'll be okay :)
Here are some pics from the two signings this weekend. How do I love bookstores? Let me count the ways...First, the amazing display created by the Harvard Coop:
And me signing a book for my Dad at the Borders in South Portland, Maine.
This was a funny moment. You see, I gave my parents a copy (if you've read the book, you know that they've earned it...) But being the awesome, supportive Dad that he is, he bought another copy. He had me to sign it "To Whom It May Concern," because he can't imagine which of his fishing buddies--he's a retired lobsterman--he's going to give a book about how his daughter sorted out her love life. Can you imagine that conversation??? Makes me laugh, just thinking about it...
Here's the incredible Borders staff: Stephanie, Craig and Shanna. I ADORE them. If you're ever in Maine, stop by and say hello--they're fun folks to know :)
Next stop: Borders in Bailey's Crossroads, VA-- Tuesday night @ 7:30.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Flyin' the (Harvard) COOP
I'll be reading/chatting/signing my book at the Harvard Coop Bookstore tonight at 7pm!This feels like a bit of a full-circle moment, as the Coop was one of the places I came to all the time when I first moved to Cambridge, when I was sorting out the scraps of my life and not sure what to do with the long hours of every day. I didn't have job, or a plan. But I had THAT DOG, and enough money to buy a small cup of coffee.
At least three times a week, THAT DOG and I would walk to Harvard Square to "fly the Coop," as I jokingly called it (when you're alone a lot, it's amazing how funny you think your own little sayings are...) THAT DOG would prance in like she owned the place, head held high, ignoring the outreached hands of small toddlers who squeeled, "doggie! doggie! doggie!" as we passed by. We'd head up the spiral staircase, around past all the rows of novels I longed to read, and up to the third floor. In those days, even THAT DOG knew that the self-help section was where I needed to be...she waited patiently for hours as the two of us sat in the window seat overlooking the square, me searching for answers, her keeping an eye on the action down below.
Tonight, I'll be up on the third floor of The Coop again, talking about the answers I finally found. I won't have THAT DOG with me (partly because she steals focus, but mostly because I'm afraid someone will feed her one of the Hersey's Kisses I'll be passing out and she'll leave something unfortunate on the carpet) but still, it will feel like a homecoming, in a bookstore I love.
If you're a Cambridge/Boston-area blogger, come on by!
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Party Pics!
We had a party last night! After all, when a new frog hops out into the world covered in lip gloss, what can you do but celebrate? My sister Meg and I spent two days scouring greater Boston for everything we thought we'd need...buying everything from plates to ice to votive candles (because what kind of evening would it be if you ran out of votive candles?) as if we were hosting the summer Olympics. Not such efficient party planners are we. But what we lack in common sense, we make up for in sheer enthusiasm. Here are a few pics:
First, the incredible cake my friend Laura made...can you believe it? That's her, slicing into the masterpiece:
This is me telling the story about the guy who came out of the closet on our first date:
...and this is Steve's family laughing at me:
George from the Harvard Coop Bookstore, selling lots of books:
Which I then signed, until my already tough-to-read signature morphed to something that looked like "T4foh Ry9g--th6#kz f4 cob4ng!" (And check out Steve off to the left in the green shirt...one of our friends asked him to sign his book, given that he's the hero of the story :) )
This is my incredible sister:
and my amazing friends who dressed like waitstaff and handed around hors d'oerves made by Rob the culinary genius, who managed to evade the camera:
and Christopher Greco, who played his song Here and Now, which I describe in the book. This was the one moment in the evening when I came dangerously close to the ugly cry...Meg treked clear across from the other side of the room to bring me Kleenex:
and of course, my handsome hubby, helping me thank our family & friends:
It was a great, fun evening...enough to make every second of writerly angst totally worth it :)
First, the incredible cake my friend Laura made...can you believe it? That's her, slicing into the masterpiece:
This is me telling the story about the guy who came out of the closet on our first date:
...and this is Steve's family laughing at me:
George from the Harvard Coop Bookstore, selling lots of books:
Which I then signed, until my already tough-to-read signature morphed to something that looked like "T4foh Ry9g--th6#kz f4 cob4ng!" (And check out Steve off to the left in the green shirt...one of our friends asked him to sign his book, given that he's the hero of the story :) )
This is my incredible sister:
and my amazing friends who dressed like waitstaff and handed around hors d'oerves made by Rob the culinary genius, who managed to evade the camera:
and Christopher Greco, who played his song Here and Now, which I describe in the book. This was the one moment in the evening when I came dangerously close to the ugly cry...Meg treked clear across from the other side of the room to bring me Kleenex:
and of course, my handsome hubby, helping me thank our family & friends:
It was a great, fun evening...enough to make every second of writerly angst totally worth it :)
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
A Frog is Born!
I couldn't sleep last night. Too excited...too awed...too worried about whether or not it's okay to wear jeans to one's book launch party (they're pretty jeans, and I'll wear them with elegant, peep-toed shoes--does that make a difference?)And now morning is finally here and I can say the words I've been longing to write since I drafted my first essay back in high school: My book comes out today! I know that this not news to most of you, my awesome blog friends who have been hanging out with me through this whole process--getting a contract, writing/re-writing/re-re-writing/trying to keep the whole story in the same tense, discovering that my cover would have a giant bullfrog and glossy red lips on the front...it's been a crazy two years filled with all sorts of unexpected fun, and I'm so grateful for you guys who have shared this trip with me--thank you!
Here are three ways you can take part in today's celebration, if you're in a partying kind of mood:
1. Get the book! As I understand it, first week sales are super-important, so a huge thank you in advance to all of you who invest (or have invested) your hard-earned money in my story!
2. Win the book! Head over to Manic Mom's blog and leave a comment about your first (or worst) kiss...we'll be sending a signed hardcover copy to the best smoochie tale!
3. Name the book! Last night when I wasn't sleeping, I realized that THAT FROG needs a name! So I thought we'd make today NAME THAT FROG day!
What does he look like to you? (Wilbur comes to mind...or perhaps Percival???)
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Quality Time
My sister is coming to visit today! There will be shopping! There will be chocolate martinis! There will be embarrassing scenes at Target when we both hear a favorite Bee Gees tune blast over the sounds system and break into moves from Saturday Night Fever!
And after it's all over, we'll both leave the state for awhile to let things cool down :)
I'm off to the train station...in the meantime, if you've seen the subtitle of my book (specifically where it mentions "faith" in between "finding" and "happily ever after") and wondered if that might be more than you want to sign up for, check out Nilsa's thoughtful review here.
Tomorrow, remind me to tell you about my first big speaking experience, and how what I said is now a podcast....and how listening to it made me realize that there's no such word as "determinator," no matter how much I might wish it so...
And after it's all over, we'll both leave the state for awhile to let things cool down :)
I'm off to the train station...in the meantime, if you've seen the subtitle of my book (specifically where it mentions "faith" in between "finding" and "happily ever after") and wondered if that might be more than you want to sign up for, check out Nilsa's thoughtful review here.
Tomorrow, remind me to tell you about my first big speaking experience, and how what I said is now a podcast....and how listening to it made me realize that there's no such word as "determinator," no matter how much I might wish it so...
Monday, April 28, 2008
Big Weekend, Tired Monday :)
Hi All! I'm happy to report that THAT DOG is doing much better. She had a seizure, which has happened before, but now she's okay. Have you noticed that everything is more scary when it happens at 4am? Anyway, she's back to full wiggly happiness now, so thank so much for your encouragement and prayers.
It was a crazy weekend, here in the Frog Tour zone! On Saturday, I was at the amazing Grub Street Writers Conference, The Muse and The Marketplace. What an elegant, fun gathering of folks who love writing. Per usual, I made a bit of a spectacle of myself: I walked into the room they had set aside for presenters to prepare our talks, and sat down at a table with another woman. "Hi, I'm Trish Ryan," I said, extending a hand. "Hi Trish," the woman responded, "I'm Anita Shreve."
I gawked. I stared. It was one of those moments you dearly hope you'll handle with grace and composure, and I blew it completely, blathering like a star-struck groupie at Rolling Stones concert. Still though, she was gracious and lovely and gave me great tips about going on a book tour. ("Zicam," she said. "You'll want to get some Zicam.")
After I pestered her to sign a book (I am SO set for Mother's Day) and she went off to greet her adoring fans, I gathered my thoughts for my own presentation. The official title was, "Memoir: Behind the Scenes," but what we really talked about was "How not to get sued when you're writing about your ex boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse."
After that, it was off to the airport to catch a flight to Ithaca, NY. My newest travel tip? Don't ever schedule a flight where the word "Dash" is the name of the aircraft. Imagine being air born in a Prius, only without the good feeling of knowing you're helping the environment (and with the terrible feeling that you might soon be PART of the environment in whole new way...)
Still though, it was worth it. I got to give the talk at the Vineyard Church of Ithaca, which was great, especially since when I walked in, the first thing I heard was two guys talking about the Red Sox and the Celtics...really, what could make a New Englander feel more at home in New York??? And what an amazing place to see spring finally bloom...now I understand those t-shirts that say "Ithaca: It's Gorges."
And finally, I came home to this amazing blog post by Larramie. It's like that old show, THIS IS YOUR LIFE! for my Frog Book.
I'm tired, my throat is achey and sore from so many fun conversations, and THAT DOG wants to go for a run in the rain...still, it's a great day here in Trishville :)
It was a crazy weekend, here in the Frog Tour zone! On Saturday, I was at the amazing Grub Street Writers Conference, The Muse and The Marketplace. What an elegant, fun gathering of folks who love writing. Per usual, I made a bit of a spectacle of myself: I walked into the room they had set aside for presenters to prepare our talks, and sat down at a table with another woman. "Hi, I'm Trish Ryan," I said, extending a hand. "Hi Trish," the woman responded, "I'm Anita Shreve."
I gawked. I stared. It was one of those moments you dearly hope you'll handle with grace and composure, and I blew it completely, blathering like a star-struck groupie at Rolling Stones concert. Still though, she was gracious and lovely and gave me great tips about going on a book tour. ("Zicam," she said. "You'll want to get some Zicam.")
After I pestered her to sign a book (I am SO set for Mother's Day) and she went off to greet her adoring fans, I gathered my thoughts for my own presentation. The official title was, "Memoir: Behind the Scenes," but what we really talked about was "How not to get sued when you're writing about your ex boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse."
After that, it was off to the airport to catch a flight to Ithaca, NY. My newest travel tip? Don't ever schedule a flight where the word "Dash" is the name of the aircraft. Imagine being air born in a Prius, only without the good feeling of knowing you're helping the environment (and with the terrible feeling that you might soon be PART of the environment in whole new way...)
Still though, it was worth it. I got to give the talk at the Vineyard Church of Ithaca, which was great, especially since when I walked in, the first thing I heard was two guys talking about the Red Sox and the Celtics...really, what could make a New Englander feel more at home in New York??? And what an amazing place to see spring finally bloom...now I understand those t-shirts that say "Ithaca: It's Gorges."
And finally, I came home to this amazing blog post by Larramie. It's like that old show, THIS IS YOUR LIFE! for my Frog Book.
I'm tired, my throat is achey and sore from so many fun conversations, and THAT DOG wants to go for a run in the rain...still, it's a great day here in Trishville :)
Friday, April 25, 2008
Diagnosing THAT DOG?
THAT DOG had a weird, scary night last night. She woke up around 4:00am and I could hear her wandering around the bedroom. When I got up to check on her, she was just standing there, staring off into space, unable to move. She snapped out of it enough to get up on the bed, but has been spacey, just sort of lying there, ever since.
I'm off to call the vet...
I'm off to call the vet...
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Philadelphia Freedom
Okay, it's happened... I got an email the other day from a friend I knew when I lived in Philadelphia...She'd mentioned to someone we both know (a guy she didn't realize I'd once dated) that I'd written a book about my spiritual attempts to sort out my love life. Apparently, he was a bit concerned that he'd see himself in my pages...that he might be THAT FROG.
"No worries," I wrote back quickly, "he's not in there." Still though--awkward!
Philadelphia was a train wreck for me, romantically speaking...my dating history could be a exhibit in the amphibian house at the Philly zoo. But now that that's behind me, I'm excited to go back and see the city with new eyes. It's been calling to me: Lisa Tucker's fabulous new novel THE CURE FOR THE MODERN LIFE is set in Center City, and Kelly Corrigan's memoir takes place in the same suburb I lived in in law school (there's something wild about reading a memoir and thinking, "I've shopped in that drug store!")
But what really drew me back to those days was Jen A. Miller's amazing travel guide THE JERSEY SHORE. Now I'll confess, when I first moved to Philadelphia, the whole "down the shore" thing baffled me--I thought, Pennsylvania doesn't have a shore...does it?!? But then a friend drove me down to Margate for the day, and suddenly I understood. Jen's book brought back such great memories--the summer my girlfriends and I rented a house in Avalon and spent every weekend soaking up rays by day and dancing at the Princeton at night, the smell of the ocean as you drive over the bridge. It was a much-needed break from the intensity of my newly minted legal career, and Jen captures all that and more.
My favorite part of the book are Jen's essays about her own time down the shore--her family memories, more recent tales of going back and exploring. If you're looking for a way into summer this year, this is a great read! You can win a copy on Jen's blog --just send her a picture of her book in your part of the world.
And I'll be in Philadelphia--creating brand new, happy memories (and hopefully meeting Jen in person)--on Wednesday, May 7th. If you're in the tri-state area, come on by :)
"No worries," I wrote back quickly, "he's not in there." Still though--awkward!
Philadelphia was a train wreck for me, romantically speaking...my dating history could be a exhibit in the amphibian house at the Philly zoo. But now that that's behind me, I'm excited to go back and see the city with new eyes. It's been calling to me: Lisa Tucker's fabulous new novel THE CURE FOR THE MODERN LIFE is set in Center City, and Kelly Corrigan's memoir takes place in the same suburb I lived in in law school (there's something wild about reading a memoir and thinking, "I've shopped in that drug store!")
But what really drew me back to those days was Jen A. Miller's amazing travel guide THE JERSEY SHORE. Now I'll confess, when I first moved to Philadelphia, the whole "down the shore" thing baffled me--I thought, Pennsylvania doesn't have a shore...does it?!? But then a friend drove me down to Margate for the day, and suddenly I understood. Jen's book brought back such great memories--the summer my girlfriends and I rented a house in Avalon and spent every weekend soaking up rays by day and dancing at the Princeton at night, the smell of the ocean as you drive over the bridge. It was a much-needed break from the intensity of my newly minted legal career, and Jen captures all that and more.
My favorite part of the book are Jen's essays about her own time down the shore--her family memories, more recent tales of going back and exploring. If you're looking for a way into summer this year, this is a great read! You can win a copy on Jen's blog --just send her a picture of her book in your part of the world.
And I'll be in Philadelphia--creating brand new, happy memories (and hopefully meeting Jen in person)--on Wednesday, May 7th. If you're in the tri-state area, come on by :)
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Further thoughts from the FF&W
My favorite quote from the entire conference came from Carlos Eire, author of WAITING FOR SNOW IN HAVANA. He was on a panel with another memoirist (who shall remain nameless because her comments were so bizarre that there's simply no nice way to write about it) who had just insinuated that no one but her--and perhaps Carlos, given that he'd won the National Book Award and all--should even attempt to write a memoir, because we're essentially just delusional hacks looking to pad our own egos.
I was mortified. I'd just met a bunch of new writing friends at the conference, and shared how excited/awed/amazed/grateful I was to have a memoir coming out in just a few days. Her comments made me want to crawl under my chair in shame. What if she's right? I thought, panic welling up inside me. Who am I to think that my story matters to anyone but me?
But then Carlos saved the day! "As a historian," he said, "I wish everyone would write a memoir. Imagine what a treasure that would leave for future generations?" He went on to suggest new legislation that would require everyone to have jotted down a few notes about their lives in order to receive social security, which I thought was both hysterical and brilliant.
Yay Carlos!
And I've heard from several (awesome, kind, wonderful) people that HE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME NOT is on bookstore shelves and landing on doorsteps from Amazon, eight days ahead of schedule. If you're one of the (awesome, kind, wonderful) folks who buys a copy, I hope you enjoy :)
I was mortified. I'd just met a bunch of new writing friends at the conference, and shared how excited/awed/amazed/grateful I was to have a memoir coming out in just a few days. Her comments made me want to crawl under my chair in shame. What if she's right? I thought, panic welling up inside me. Who am I to think that my story matters to anyone but me?
But then Carlos saved the day! "As a historian," he said, "I wish everyone would write a memoir. Imagine what a treasure that would leave for future generations?" He went on to suggest new legislation that would require everyone to have jotted down a few notes about their lives in order to receive social security, which I thought was both hysterical and brilliant.
Yay Carlos!
And I've heard from several (awesome, kind, wonderful) people that HE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME NOT is on bookstore shelves and landing on doorsteps from Amazon, eight days ahead of schedule. If you're one of the (awesome, kind, wonderful) folks who buys a copy, I hope you enjoy :)
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Festival of Faith & Writing = Good :)
The conference was AMAZING. I can't describe it all now, but I'll share more later. Just a quick fun story and then I've got to get some sleep:
I'm walking through the concourse at the Detroit airport (a mere 67 gates or so) when I see Allison Winn Scotch's book in the bookstore. Allison blogged recently about why her publisher changed the cover for the paperback edition, and it was fun to see the new one in person. Without thinking, I whipped out my camera and snapped a picture, which drew several puzzled stares from other customers. "It's my friend's book," I explained (leaving out the fact that Allison and I only know each other online, which might sound a bit stalkerish...) "Is it good?" one lady asked. "It is!" I said. "I bought it in hardcover and just loved it." The lady picked it up, read the back, and proceeded to the checkout counter. She was followed by another woman who had overheard our conversation. Both of these fine ladies, by the way, fit the new target demographic Allison's publishers are hoping to reach with the new front picture, so three cheers for the wise people who make book cover decisions! I love the way our online author community supports each other, and if felt great to be part of that, drawing new readers her way. Especially because, as she points out, early sales make a big difference in the shelf life of a book. Go ponytail girl!
And that was just the beginning...
I'm walking through the concourse at the Detroit airport (a mere 67 gates or so) when I see Allison Winn Scotch's book in the bookstore. Allison blogged recently about why her publisher changed the cover for the paperback edition, and it was fun to see the new one in person. Without thinking, I whipped out my camera and snapped a picture, which drew several puzzled stares from other customers. "It's my friend's book," I explained (leaving out the fact that Allison and I only know each other online, which might sound a bit stalkerish...) "Is it good?" one lady asked. "It is!" I said. "I bought it in hardcover and just loved it." The lady picked it up, read the back, and proceeded to the checkout counter. She was followed by another woman who had overheard our conversation. Both of these fine ladies, by the way, fit the new target demographic Allison's publishers are hoping to reach with the new front picture, so three cheers for the wise people who make book cover decisions! I love the way our online author community supports each other, and if felt great to be part of that, drawing new readers her way. Especially because, as she points out, early sales make a big difference in the shelf life of a book. Go ponytail girl!
And that was just the beginning...
Thursday, April 17, 2008
She of few words
THAT DOG doesn't like it when I travel. When the suitcases come out, her little brow furrows right up and she paces around after me like an anxious grandmother. Last night she made her displeasure known in a whole new way: THAT DOG, who has been housebroken for 11 1/2 years, peed...a gallon...ON my travel itinerary...which was lying in the middle of our bed...
24 hours later, Steve is still doing laundry.
24 hours later, Steve is still doing laundry.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
On the road again...
I'm packing!
I absolutely love packing for a trip--wondering what I'll be doing, what the weather will be like, who I'll meet and end up becoming friends with. On my last trip (to snowy Chicago) I met Rachael, the featured soloist chosen by Patti LaBelle in Clash of the Choirs. So now I'm only one degree of separation from being a able to carry a tune! I mean, friendship works that way, right? Your talents just sort of rub off on each other? Maybe on my next trip I'll meet someone carrying a clean white purse...
Tomorrow, me and my gigantic suitcase (there's a chance I'm a bit of an overpacker) are heading to Grand Rapids for the Festival of Faith and Writing-- a gathering of thousands, where we'll spend three days talking about two of my favorite subjects. If only the authors of HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU were coming...then we could add relationships to the mix, the weekend would be perfect!
Hopefully I'll get to blog from GR, and share the excitement of my first-ever writing conference with you all. In the meantime:
If you were designing the perfect conference, what would the topics be? (Presume for the sake of this question that the conference will be rated PG :) )
I absolutely love packing for a trip--wondering what I'll be doing, what the weather will be like, who I'll meet and end up becoming friends with. On my last trip (to snowy Chicago) I met Rachael, the featured soloist chosen by Patti LaBelle in Clash of the Choirs. So now I'm only one degree of separation from being a able to carry a tune! I mean, friendship works that way, right? Your talents just sort of rub off on each other? Maybe on my next trip I'll meet someone carrying a clean white purse...
Tomorrow, me and my gigantic suitcase (there's a chance I'm a bit of an overpacker) are heading to Grand Rapids for the Festival of Faith and Writing-- a gathering of thousands, where we'll spend three days talking about two of my favorite subjects. If only the authors of HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU were coming...then we could add relationships to the mix, the weekend would be perfect!
Hopefully I'll get to blog from GR, and share the excitement of my first-ever writing conference with you all. In the meantime:
If you were designing the perfect conference, what would the topics be? (Presume for the sake of this question that the conference will be rated PG :) )
Monday, April 14, 2008
Black (or brown or navy) is the new white
THAT DOG and I spent this morning picking the winners for the Frog Blog Bus Tour (with a very scientific system that might have included me spreading names out on the floor and seeing which ones she stepped on...) But I couldn't find email addresses for some of you. So I'm putting a call out to the following lovely blog friends...email me your addresses!
Rachel
I Sass
Sarakastic
Colleen Snell
Suzanne
Patti
In other news...Steve and I went bargain hunting on Saturday at the Wrentham Outlet Mall. Oh, the happiness! I found a cute spring top (I'm going on faith that warm weather is coming) and some pants that were sized in terms of whether you're "straight" or "curvy" (which may be the grown up equivalent to those "Husky" jeans they make for chunky pre-adolescents, but whatever...) But the highlight of the trip was this conversation:
Me: "Honey--come see this purse. It's gorgeous, and it's like half-price, then another $50 off, then marked down 30% off of that!!!"
Steve: "But it's white."
Me: "So? It's almost summer. A white bag is perfect for summer!"
Steve: "But honey, you spill things."
Me: "What do you mean?"
Steve: "You know: coffee, tea, ink from pens. It would only be white for about fifteen minutes, and then you'd be sad."
Me: (Nothing. I mean, what could I say? He was right)
On the way out of the store, I tripped. On nothing.
Steve: "What happened? Are you okay?"
Me: (embarrassed, trying not to laugh) "I fell off my shoe."
Steve: "Imagine if you'd had a white purse..."
Rachel
I Sass
Sarakastic
Colleen Snell
Suzanne
Patti
In other news...Steve and I went bargain hunting on Saturday at the Wrentham Outlet Mall. Oh, the happiness! I found a cute spring top (I'm going on faith that warm weather is coming) and some pants that were sized in terms of whether you're "straight" or "curvy" (which may be the grown up equivalent to those "Husky" jeans they make for chunky pre-adolescents, but whatever...) But the highlight of the trip was this conversation:
Me: "Honey--come see this purse. It's gorgeous, and it's like half-price, then another $50 off, then marked down 30% off of that!!!"
Steve: "But it's white."
Me: "So? It's almost summer. A white bag is perfect for summer!"
Steve: "But honey, you spill things."
Me: "What do you mean?"
Steve: "You know: coffee, tea, ink from pens. It would only be white for about fifteen minutes, and then you'd be sad."
Me: (Nothing. I mean, what could I say? He was right)
On the way out of the store, I tripped. On nothing.
Steve: "What happened? Are you okay?"
Me: (embarrassed, trying not to laugh) "I fell off my shoe."
Steve: "Imagine if you'd had a white purse..."
Thursday, April 10, 2008
On The Bus!
How funny is this picture? It's amazing what Google Images can dig up! This is my new inspiration for the countdown to my book release: Team Frog Tour. It reminds me of some wise words author David Kuo told me about the true nature of book publicity: He said that getting the word out about a book is like driving a wagon (or, in this case, a bus)... you go around and tell people, "Hey! I've got a bus! We're going somewhere!" and ask them if they'd like to come, too. Ideally, you have a big bus, and there's much demand to get on it and all the seats are filled.So...Welcome to the Team Frog Tour Bus! As you look at this picture, that's me in the upper left corner, with THAT DOG waving from the next window. (I'm not sure who let the cat on, but here's hoping THAT DOG doesn't see it...she doesn't really understand cats; things could get awkward.) Steve is up front driving, which is good--he has a better sense of direction, which increases our likelihood of getting beyond the Cambridge city limits.
As my way of inviting you all aboard (and HUGE thanks to those of you who have been--figuratively at least--standing at a Team Frog Tour Bus stop since way back when I began this blog!) I thought I'd do a pre-publication test drive and see if a Team Frog BLOG Tour might be possible?
Here are the specifics: If you'd be interested in posting a Q&A or review of HE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME NOT on your blog in the month of May, leave a comment below. On Monday, I'll do some sort of random selection process (I wish THAT DOG had thumbs...she loves to be included...) and send out as many advance copies as I have on my dining room table. Of course, anyone who would like to post about my book without an advance copy is more than welcome, and will receive a heartfelt note of appreciation in my illegible handwritten scrawl. (You won't know what I wrote, but the love will shine through...)
Welcome to the Team Frog Tour Bus! It should be a fun ride :)
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
The Squirrel has a Girl
You do NOT want to know what was going on in the tree outside my window this morning when I woke up. You just don't. Let's just say that our audacious, hard-partying, rodent neighbor has no trouble in the pursuit department. No passive squirrel is he.
I'm off to the craft store later to get some poster board & markers. I'm thinking a giant "TRUE LOVE WAITS" sign might be just the thing to slow his roll.
I'm off to the craft store later to get some poster board & markers. I'm thinking a giant "TRUE LOVE WAITS" sign might be just the thing to slow his roll.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Are you in touch? Am I?
I had an interesting conversation with my friend Dave last week. Someone we both care about had just received some bad news. I asked Dave how this friend and his wife were doing, and he said, "They're doing well, actually. They're both really in touch with their emotions, and I think that helps them process everything coming at them right now and stay present in a way that's helpful."
I was baffled by this response. You see, Dave is not a guy who throws around phrases like "staying present" easily, nor is he one to enthuse at great length about the importance of validating every feeling that wanders by during the course of the day. So the fact that he singled this out as a determinative factor for our friends' well being during this challenging time was provocative.
It made me wonder: Am I in touch with my emotions? Do I want to be? How do you even know? My emotions aren't located in some nicely designated spot where I can reach for them when I find myself with twenty free minutes and a box of Kleenex. I'm simply not that organized. They wander by, and I sort of acknowledge them or push them away--much like the email ads I get from various stores offering 20% off something I may or may not need--to be dealt with later or (more often) ignored and deleted. Now, I'm not completely shut down. If I hear the song "If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands," I can decide pretty quickly whether or not I should clap. But when I've gone through tough times, I've found that my feelings would lead me quickly down a pretty grim path if I followed them, so I mostly chose not to. I guess it's a survival instinct of some sort.
A singer I like wrote a blog post once, about not letting her emotions grab her by the tale and swing her around anymore, and that's kind of how I feel. I clap when I'm happy, and cry when I'm sad (and I've learned to hop on the treadmill when I'm angry or frustrated, as it's best to be away from all means of communication when that happens :) ) But I don't have an inner gauge recording my emotional temperature at any given moment; I just sort of live.
How about you? Are you in touch with your emotions? How does that work for you?
I was baffled by this response. You see, Dave is not a guy who throws around phrases like "staying present" easily, nor is he one to enthuse at great length about the importance of validating every feeling that wanders by during the course of the day. So the fact that he singled this out as a determinative factor for our friends' well being during this challenging time was provocative.
It made me wonder: Am I in touch with my emotions? Do I want to be? How do you even know? My emotions aren't located in some nicely designated spot where I can reach for them when I find myself with twenty free minutes and a box of Kleenex. I'm simply not that organized. They wander by, and I sort of acknowledge them or push them away--much like the email ads I get from various stores offering 20% off something I may or may not need--to be dealt with later or (more often) ignored and deleted. Now, I'm not completely shut down. If I hear the song "If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands," I can decide pretty quickly whether or not I should clap. But when I've gone through tough times, I've found that my feelings would lead me quickly down a pretty grim path if I followed them, so I mostly chose not to. I guess it's a survival instinct of some sort.
A singer I like wrote a blog post once, about not letting her emotions grab her by the tale and swing her around anymore, and that's kind of how I feel. I clap when I'm happy, and cry when I'm sad (and I've learned to hop on the treadmill when I'm angry or frustrated, as it's best to be away from all means of communication when that happens :) ) But I don't have an inner gauge recording my emotional temperature at any given moment; I just sort of live.
How about you? Are you in touch with your emotions? How does that work for you?
Monday, April 07, 2008
NJW
I haven't worn pants that aren't made of denim in over a year. I own pants not made of denim from the last time I worked in an office. But if you were to ask me today how my life has changed since getting a book contract, my answer would be, "I wear jeans (or flannel) every day." I have swank dress jeans, slightly hip tapered jeans, and beat up jeans for walking the dog. In my mind, denim is suitable for every occasion.
This wouldn't be a problem, except that I have several events coming up where jeans are not welcome, where I'm expected to wear normal pants of some sort, and I'm absolutely at a loss as to how to do this. What shoes do I wear with normal pants? What belts? What do I do if I spill coffee? (I mean, denim hides everything...) So this week is officially No Jeans Week in the Ryanhood, so I can spend seven days practicing...if you see me out and about with some absurd looking outfit, please be kind and know that I'm re-learning the basics of dressing myself.
This wouldn't be a problem, except that I have several events coming up where jeans are not welcome, where I'm expected to wear normal pants of some sort, and I'm absolutely at a loss as to how to do this. What shoes do I wear with normal pants? What belts? What do I do if I spill coffee? (I mean, denim hides everything...) So this week is officially No Jeans Week in the Ryanhood, so I can spend seven days practicing...if you see me out and about with some absurd looking outfit, please be kind and know that I'm re-learning the basics of dressing myself.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
All those years I waited, and now...
I just received the strangest email. It's from Joe in Africa, and has all the trappings of the usual, "send me your checking account information, as you've won the Nigerian lottery..." But Joe doesn't want my bank statement. Instead, he wants me to move to Africa, marry him, and take care of his two children. He gave me his phone number, as he'd like me to call.
The sad thing is, there was a day when I might have considered this...
Which leads me to the next thought (or thoughts) that occurred to me last night:
Thought #1: There are actual dates on my book tour! This is real! It's going to happen!
Thought #2 (Prompted by an email exchange with Manic Mom): Omigosh, I've kissed a frog in every single city I'm scheduled to visit! ACK!
Even more embarrassing was the realization that I can share these stories without giving away a single thing you'd read in my book...I kissed so many frogs that dozens were edited out of the manuscript, just to keep the thing to 300 pages. (I wonder if I could score some publicity in some Amphibian News Magazine with this angle???)
Anyway...Here are the dates we've firmed up so far. And in anticipation of this tour, I'll be featuring frog kissing stories from each of these fine cities on my blog. This should make sure I'm still humble when I get the call from Oprah :)
BOSTON Saturday April 26, 2008
The Muse and the Marketplace Writer’s Conference
Workshop on Memoir: Behind the Scenes
Omni Parker House Hotel
60 School Street, Boston
ITHACA, NY Sunday April 27, 2008
Ithaca Vineyard Church
335 North Plain Street
9:45 & 11:30am
CAMBRIDGE, MA Friday May 2, 2008
The Coop at Harvard Square
1400 Mass. Ave
7:00pm
SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE Saturday May 3, 2008
Borders
430 Gorham Road
7:00pm
WASHINGTON DC/NORTHERN VA Tuesday May 6, 2008
Borders-Bailey’s Crossroads
5871 Crossroads Center Way
7:30pm
PHILADELPHIA, PA Wednesday May 7, 2008
Location TBD
7pm
NEW YORK CITY Wednesday May 21, 2008
Joint reading with AJ Jacobs, author of The Know It All and The Year of Living Biblically
Location TBD
NEW YORK CITY Thursday May 22, 2008
Redeemer Presbyterian Women’s Book Club
7:30pm
CHICAGO Saturday/Sunday June 7-8, 2008
Chicago Tribune Printers Row Book Fair
NEW YORK CITY Thursday August 7, 2008
Backspace Writers Conference
Memoir Panel with Gail Konop Baker, Jenny Gardiner, and agent Elisabeth Weed
10am
My hidden theme for this tour will be a celebration that I'm no longer tempted to respond to internet proposals!
The sad thing is, there was a day when I might have considered this...
Which leads me to the next thought (or thoughts) that occurred to me last night:
Thought #1: There are actual dates on my book tour! This is real! It's going to happen!
Thought #2 (Prompted by an email exchange with Manic Mom): Omigosh, I've kissed a frog in every single city I'm scheduled to visit! ACK!
Even more embarrassing was the realization that I can share these stories without giving away a single thing you'd read in my book...I kissed so many frogs that dozens were edited out of the manuscript, just to keep the thing to 300 pages. (I wonder if I could score some publicity in some Amphibian News Magazine with this angle???)
Anyway...Here are the dates we've firmed up so far. And in anticipation of this tour, I'll be featuring frog kissing stories from each of these fine cities on my blog. This should make sure I'm still humble when I get the call from Oprah :)
BOSTON Saturday April 26, 2008
The Muse and the Marketplace Writer’s Conference
Workshop on Memoir: Behind the Scenes
Omni Parker House Hotel
60 School Street, Boston
ITHACA, NY Sunday April 27, 2008
Ithaca Vineyard Church
335 North Plain Street
9:45 & 11:30am
CAMBRIDGE, MA Friday May 2, 2008
The Coop at Harvard Square
1400 Mass. Ave
7:00pm
SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE Saturday May 3, 2008
Borders
430 Gorham Road
7:00pm
WASHINGTON DC/NORTHERN VA Tuesday May 6, 2008
Borders-Bailey’s Crossroads
5871 Crossroads Center Way
7:30pm
PHILADELPHIA, PA Wednesday May 7, 2008
Location TBD
7pm
NEW YORK CITY Wednesday May 21, 2008
Joint reading with AJ Jacobs, author of The Know It All and The Year of Living Biblically
Location TBD
NEW YORK CITY Thursday May 22, 2008
Redeemer Presbyterian Women’s Book Club
7:30pm
CHICAGO Saturday/Sunday June 7-8, 2008
Chicago Tribune Printers Row Book Fair
NEW YORK CITY Thursday August 7, 2008
Backspace Writers Conference
Memoir Panel with Gail Konop Baker, Jenny Gardiner, and agent Elisabeth Weed
10am
My hidden theme for this tour will be a celebration that I'm no longer tempted to respond to internet proposals!
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Three things
I was driving around the other day with two of my friends, GPS In Her Head Girl and One Degree of Separation from Anyone You'd Ever Want to Know Girl. (We were in a rented, bright red Chrysler convertible in the middle of the blizzard, but that's another story...) We ended up in one of those conversations about what you'd grab if your apartment was on fire. Presuming all people and pets were accounted for, what material possessions would you want to make sure made it out? One Degree of Separation Girl mentioned her photo albums. GPS In Her Head Girl wondered if she could carry her Kitchen Aid Mixer down all those stairs. Not being a foodie or much of a photographer (indeed, I brought my new camera on this trip and never took a single picture) I was at a bit of a loss.
This morning, though, I know. If Steve and THAT DOG were safely downstairs, I'd grab:
1. My overpriced, totally worth it slippers. These were my birthday present this year, and they bring me more happiness than any pair of shoes I own. Before I got them, I saw two girls in the front row at a Celtics game sporting their slippers and thought, "How can they do that?" Now I understand. I'm convinced they make me a better writer, a better friend...a better person all around. I guess warm feet will do that.
2. The Cure for the Modern Life by Lisa Tucker. I'm 2/3 of the way through this amazing book and can't imagine not being able to find out what happens. The story has just sucked me in in the best possible way, and the primary female character keeps reminding me of how strident and blind we (okay, I) can get sometimes when we cling to our principles over everything else, refusing to see things as they really are. I've never met Lisa Tucker, but her bio says she lives in Philadelphia...do you think she'd let me buy her lunch when I'm there next month for my book? (Probably not, weird blogger girl you're all thinking. But still, I can dream!)
3. My to-do list. Not very romantic, but if my scribbles every disappeared, I'd have no idea how to recreate them, or what to do next.
The one time my house WAS on fire, for what it's worth, I grabbed THAT DOG, my laptop, and my photo ID with the imaginary last name I was using to hide from an ex. I stood outside while the firemen rushed in, dreaming of the new secret life I'd start after my old one had gone up in flames. I guess you can officially say life isn't going all that well when house fire comes as good news, huh? I'm happy report that things are better now :)
What would you grab?
This morning, though, I know. If Steve and THAT DOG were safely downstairs, I'd grab:
1. My overpriced, totally worth it slippers. These were my birthday present this year, and they bring me more happiness than any pair of shoes I own. Before I got them, I saw two girls in the front row at a Celtics game sporting their slippers and thought, "How can they do that?" Now I understand. I'm convinced they make me a better writer, a better friend...a better person all around. I guess warm feet will do that.
2. The Cure for the Modern Life by Lisa Tucker. I'm 2/3 of the way through this amazing book and can't imagine not being able to find out what happens. The story has just sucked me in in the best possible way, and the primary female character keeps reminding me of how strident and blind we (okay, I) can get sometimes when we cling to our principles over everything else, refusing to see things as they really are. I've never met Lisa Tucker, but her bio says she lives in Philadelphia...do you think she'd let me buy her lunch when I'm there next month for my book? (Probably not, weird blogger girl you're all thinking. But still, I can dream!)
3. My to-do list. Not very romantic, but if my scribbles every disappeared, I'd have no idea how to recreate them, or what to do next.
The one time my house WAS on fire, for what it's worth, I grabbed THAT DOG, my laptop, and my photo ID with the imaginary last name I was using to hide from an ex. I stood outside while the firemen rushed in, dreaming of the new secret life I'd start after my old one had gone up in flames. I guess you can officially say life isn't going all that well when house fire comes as good news, huh? I'm happy report that things are better now :)
What would you grab?
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Time to Stretch
The lovely Nilsa posed a great question in response to my post yesterday about the inspiring stories I heard at the Chicago conference: "So," she asked, "what's the first thing you're doing (or continuing to do) with your life?"
I thought about that all day. Her question stumped me. I'm an idea person, so I can happily go along for months pondering fun new thoughts and ideas, never stopping to plan out my actual application. (It's sort of like if I bought one of those fancy Kitchen-Aid mixers: I'd be totally excited about owning it, imagining all the great things it could help me create, but six months could go by, I'd never have pulled out the manual to learn how to use the thing.) So I was grateful for her question.
Here's what I've come up with for an answer: One of the speakers--her name was Julia-- talked about how we're created to have our feet on the ground and our head in the clouds. She elaborated, explaining that while we have to deal with the practical stuff of real life--irritating bosses, dirty bathrooms, our neighbor's dog who poops on our lawn--we can do so with with an understanding that God does stuff, that there is real heavenly power available to us to help, and God can intercept and rearrange our circumstances in ways that exceed our expectations. Sometimes, I forget this.
The truth is, I tend to be either/or, vacillating between practical and spiritual, with no link between the two. For example, when I arrived in Chicago, I was mired in real life; my entire body was on the ground, in the mud & muck of stuff I had to get done in order for life to work. The week before, I'd floated around on a puffy pink cloud of optimism, certain the world was my oyster, but forgetting to thaw food for dinner, return my library books, or do the laundry that contained every last pair of my underwear. So I totally related when Julia said, "LADIES! Some of you need to STRETCH!"
So that's my take away from the conference: I'm going to STRETCH. When I'm overwhelmed by worry and stress and fear and doubt, I'll stop and ask God for help. And when I'm dreaming of heavenly possibilities, I'll throw in a load of laundry. This is my new alter-ego. We'll see if my 5'4" can reach heaven and earth simultaneously :)
I thought about that all day. Her question stumped me. I'm an idea person, so I can happily go along for months pondering fun new thoughts and ideas, never stopping to plan out my actual application. (It's sort of like if I bought one of those fancy Kitchen-Aid mixers: I'd be totally excited about owning it, imagining all the great things it could help me create, but six months could go by, I'd never have pulled out the manual to learn how to use the thing.) So I was grateful for her question.
Here's what I've come up with for an answer: One of the speakers--her name was Julia-- talked about how we're created to have our feet on the ground and our head in the clouds. She elaborated, explaining that while we have to deal with the practical stuff of real life--irritating bosses, dirty bathrooms, our neighbor's dog who poops on our lawn--we can do so with with an understanding that God does stuff, that there is real heavenly power available to us to help, and God can intercept and rearrange our circumstances in ways that exceed our expectations. Sometimes, I forget this.
The truth is, I tend to be either/or, vacillating between practical and spiritual, with no link between the two. For example, when I arrived in Chicago, I was mired in real life; my entire body was on the ground, in the mud & muck of stuff I had to get done in order for life to work. The week before, I'd floated around on a puffy pink cloud of optimism, certain the world was my oyster, but forgetting to thaw food for dinner, return my library books, or do the laundry that contained every last pair of my underwear. So I totally related when Julia said, "LADIES! Some of you need to STRETCH!"
So that's my take away from the conference: I'm going to STRETCH. When I'm overwhelmed by worry and stress and fear and doubt, I'll stop and ask God for help. And when I'm dreaming of heavenly possibilities, I'll throw in a load of laundry. This is my new alter-ego. We'll see if my 5'4" can reach heaven and earth simultaneously :)
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