Ridiculously fun weekend. We had two delicious dinners with friends, each of which had a special entertaining highlight:
At A&J's, we read the most fabulous children's book to their two adorable kids. How is it possible that I'm just now learning of Fancy Nancy and the Posh Pup??? I'm a fan of any book where the first line is, "I am ecstatic!" But this entire story is filled with two of my favorite things: wonderful words and SPARKLES. So much fun, even before we had the great dinner with the grownups. What's not to love about a sparkly girl who loves dogs? I'm asking for the entire Fancy Nancy oeuvre for Christmas.
Then, the next night, at D&J's...D convinced us to play Rock Band. Now I have to say, I am (and have always been) terrible at video games. From Tetris to Pac-Man right on through to Wii Archery last month at my sister's house. Terrible. And Rock Band was no exception. But holy guacamole, playing the drums along with the faux Foo-Fighters? SO. MUCH. FUN. It had me wondering if I could just get the drum set and a pair of ear phones to use as a reward/de-stressor for when I'm writing (and if so, whether it would count as a business expense...)
Sunday morning we helped out with the kids program at church for the first time. Twenty 6 year olds, learning about Daniel from the Old Testament, and how he fasted from certain foods for a season because he wanted to honor and grow closer to God. When asked to think of things they might fast from to honor and grow closer to God, the wee one's ideas were quite creative:
"Carrots!"
"Chores!"
"My brother!"
Made me wonder what Fancy Nancy would say... :)
Happy Monday all!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Currently Reading...and Writing
I'm working on the novel (just hit 50 pages) and doing research...which means I have the CRAZIEST pile of books on my desk right now. I could be wrong, but I'd venture a guess that I'm the only person in America reading The Sociopath Next Door and Catechism of the Catholic Church at the same time.
I'm reading the books for separate characters, but because I'm writing both at the same time, I'm jumping back and forth. In both areas, I'm finding all sorts of things I didn't expect, almost bonus information: explanations for things I'd wondered about, and answers to questions I'd been afraid to ask. Fascinating stuff.
And in the midst of this, I'm loving these thoughts from Junot Diaz on his attitude towards writing after five years of struggle:
"Five years of my life and the dream that I had of myself, all down the tubes....I wasn't even interested in a Great American Novel. I would have been elated with the eminently forgettable NJ novel.... It took two more years of heartbreak, of being utterly, dismayingly lost before the novel I had dreamed about for all those years finally started revealing itself. And another three years after that before I could look up from my desk and say the word I'd wanted to say for more than a decade: done."
Here's to the eminently forgettable NJ novel! It seems like that's working out pretty well for him :)
On that note, I'm going to get back to work. I'll leave you with this hard-won tip: If you feel the urge to research sociopathic behavior for any reason (curiousity; your own eminently forgettable name-your-state novel), check it out; it's interesting stuff...Just don't do so right before bed!!!
I'm reading the books for separate characters, but because I'm writing both at the same time, I'm jumping back and forth. In both areas, I'm finding all sorts of things I didn't expect, almost bonus information: explanations for things I'd wondered about, and answers to questions I'd been afraid to ask. Fascinating stuff.
And in the midst of this, I'm loving these thoughts from Junot Diaz on his attitude towards writing after five years of struggle:
"Five years of my life and the dream that I had of myself, all down the tubes....I wasn't even interested in a Great American Novel. I would have been elated with the eminently forgettable NJ novel.... It took two more years of heartbreak, of being utterly, dismayingly lost before the novel I had dreamed about for all those years finally started revealing itself. And another three years after that before I could look up from my desk and say the word I'd wanted to say for more than a decade: done."
Here's to the eminently forgettable NJ novel! It seems like that's working out pretty well for him :)
On that note, I'm going to get back to work. I'll leave you with this hard-won tip: If you feel the urge to research sociopathic behavior for any reason (curiousity; your own eminently forgettable name-your-state novel), check it out; it's interesting stuff...Just don't do so right before bed!!!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Making A Bad Guy Bearable
In my novel, one of the main characters is bad. Not in a nuanced, complex, a-few-nice-traits-that-are-difficult-to-reconcile-with-the-rest-of-his-life kind of way. He's just a monster, who happens to look like the rest of us (think Matt Damon in The Talented Mr. Ripley). No matter how I try I can't find any softer qualities that might make him multi-faceted or interesting. He just goes after what he wants and won't stop for anything or anyone.
He's only part of the story, but I'm wrestling with how to write him so that he's at least interesting enough to keep the story moving. I'm realizing that this is one of the challenges of writing fiction: As the author, I know that the characters around him either don't know he's a dangerously self-centered creep, or are choosing for their own reasons not to notice. But they don't know. I feel like a spectator, wondering how the story will unfold, even though I've already laid out the major plot points. And every word I write about this guy gives me the shivers.
This is where you come in: I need inspiration for how to do this well! Can you think of books or movies you really love where one character is just awful? Where even the seemingly good things s/he might say or do are tinged with ulterior motive?
He's only part of the story, but I'm wrestling with how to write him so that he's at least interesting enough to keep the story moving. I'm realizing that this is one of the challenges of writing fiction: As the author, I know that the characters around him either don't know he's a dangerously self-centered creep, or are choosing for their own reasons not to notice. But they don't know. I feel like a spectator, wondering how the story will unfold, even though I've already laid out the major plot points. And every word I write about this guy gives me the shivers.
This is where you come in: I need inspiration for how to do this well! Can you think of books or movies you really love where one character is just awful? Where even the seemingly good things s/he might say or do are tinged with ulterior motive?
Monday, October 12, 2009
What's the Question?
You guys are amazing with the great ideas for my character! I never know what will make it through to a book's final draft, but I suspect that many of you will flip to a page and read something and think, "Hey--I thought of that!" Thank you!
In this spirit, I need more help. I have a couple of cool authors to interview in the next few weeks, and I must confess that I'm not always the best at dreaming up questions. (I wonder things like "What do you wear when you work at home? Have you convinced yourself (as I have) that if you're walking the dog in sweatpants at 3:00 in the afternoon, the neighbors think it's because you're SUCH a diligent worker, as opposed to a total couch potato?") But I hope we all have more interesting things to share with one another...
So here's my request: Think of someone in your life you'd love to know more about...if you could ask them ANYTHING, what would it be?
In this spirit, I need more help. I have a couple of cool authors to interview in the next few weeks, and I must confess that I'm not always the best at dreaming up questions. (I wonder things like "What do you wear when you work at home? Have you convinced yourself (as I have) that if you're walking the dog in sweatpants at 3:00 in the afternoon, the neighbors think it's because you're SUCH a diligent worker, as opposed to a total couch potato?") But I hope we all have more interesting things to share with one another...
So here's my request: Think of someone in your life you'd love to know more about...if you could ask them ANYTHING, what would it be?
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Character building
I'm making up a character. She's a newlywed, and she's Italian. That's all I know so far.
Want to help me dream her up? Tell me something about her:
What's her favorite food, dream job, hobby, most embarrassing memory?
Where was she born?
Does she have siblings?
What does she want most in life?
What is she afraid of?
I think her name is Juliana, if that helps.
Thanks in advance :)
Want to help me dream her up? Tell me something about her:
What's her favorite food, dream job, hobby, most embarrassing memory?
Where was she born?
Does she have siblings?
What does she want most in life?
What is she afraid of?
I think her name is Juliana, if that helps.
Thanks in advance :)
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Focus on the three
Three things I'm excited about today:
1. I went running and did not keel over or throw up. This felt like such HUGE progress towards a newer, fitter me that I came home and asked my husband to hide the salt shakers from me once again. He rolled his eyes, sent me upstairs, and (I'm guessing) tucked them behind THAT DOG's toy stash in the corner.
2. We have Red Sox playoff tickets!!! This is extra exciting because we missed most of the season due to the move, and because in our group ticket split, we usually only get one ticket to big games. Fenway Park, I've missed you!!!
3. Most of our clothing is unpacked and it's now possible for me to put together a complete outfit from garments found in one room of the house. (Unless there's a wedding...fancy dresses are still in a bin somewhere...) Of course, as I'm typing this, I realize that in all my unpacking, I never saw my Red Sox t-shirt, which I'll need long before the fancy dresses. ARGH. Progress, not perfection...
And in a bonus bit of excitement (to make up for the quasi-fail of #3): I went for both a walk with THAT DOG and a run today. It rained hard before and after each excursion...but not during. Love Indian Summer :)
What are your big three for the day? Do your shoes match? Did you brush your teeth this morning? Let's celebrate!
1. I went running and did not keel over or throw up. This felt like such HUGE progress towards a newer, fitter me that I came home and asked my husband to hide the salt shakers from me once again. He rolled his eyes, sent me upstairs, and (I'm guessing) tucked them behind THAT DOG's toy stash in the corner.
2. We have Red Sox playoff tickets!!! This is extra exciting because we missed most of the season due to the move, and because in our group ticket split, we usually only get one ticket to big games. Fenway Park, I've missed you!!!
3. Most of our clothing is unpacked and it's now possible for me to put together a complete outfit from garments found in one room of the house. (Unless there's a wedding...fancy dresses are still in a bin somewhere...) Of course, as I'm typing this, I realize that in all my unpacking, I never saw my Red Sox t-shirt, which I'll need long before the fancy dresses. ARGH. Progress, not perfection...
And in a bonus bit of excitement (to make up for the quasi-fail of #3): I went for both a walk with THAT DOG and a run today. It rained hard before and after each excursion...but not during. Love Indian Summer :)
What are your big three for the day? Do your shoes match? Did you brush your teeth this morning? Let's celebrate!
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
The Gospel, Coen Brothers Style
(The Twitterverse is aflutter with tweets about the implications of the FTC ruling regarding blog giveaways. But I have a $975,000 law degree that rarely gets put to use, so I figure I'll dust it off and persevere...But just so you know, the book below was FREE. A publicist sent it to me. But I'm blogging about it because I adore the author and think she's one of the most creatively interesting people I know. And because the book will help me hold my own in movie-based cocktail party conversation for years to come...)
Let me start with a confession: I like movies. Some quite a lot. But I don't retain lines from movies in the way that some folks do. No matter how hard I laugh or cry, the words characters say at those pivotal moments rarely sear themselves into my memory. This might be my husband's single biggest disappointment in me as a wife. I try, but it just doesn't happen.
So when I learned that Cathleen Falsani was writing a fun book about the deep spiritual message in the Coen brothers' movies, I knew this book would be gold for me. My only recollection of Raising Arizona is Nicholas Cage standing in front of a mobile home looking forlorn. From O Brother Where Art Thou? I've retained only an unfortunate mental picture of George Clooney in what looked like striped pajamas. And I am mortified to admit that I've never even seen The Big Lebowski. So in addition to its deep insights of significant spiritual insight, Cathleen's new book, The Dude Abides: The Gospel According to the Coen Brothers is a veritable movie culture Cliff's Notes for me.
And because Cathleen and I share a publicist, I have a copy to give to you! Here's all you have to do: Email trishryanonline AT gmail DOT com and answer this question: What movie that I probably haven't seen/don't remember should I double back and commit to memory?
You too can be part of my cinematic education :)
Addendum: Check out this cool article/interview with Cathleen in today's Boston Globe.
Let me start with a confession: I like movies. Some quite a lot. But I don't retain lines from movies in the way that some folks do. No matter how hard I laugh or cry, the words characters say at those pivotal moments rarely sear themselves into my memory. This might be my husband's single biggest disappointment in me as a wife. I try, but it just doesn't happen.
So when I learned that Cathleen Falsani was writing a fun book about the deep spiritual message in the Coen brothers' movies, I knew this book would be gold for me. My only recollection of Raising Arizona is Nicholas Cage standing in front of a mobile home looking forlorn. From O Brother Where Art Thou? I've retained only an unfortunate mental picture of George Clooney in what looked like striped pajamas. And I am mortified to admit that I've never even seen The Big Lebowski. So in addition to its deep insights of significant spiritual insight, Cathleen's new book, The Dude Abides: The Gospel According to the Coen Brothers is a veritable movie culture Cliff's Notes for me.And because Cathleen and I share a publicist, I have a copy to give to you! Here's all you have to do: Email trishryanonline AT gmail DOT com and answer this question: What movie that I probably haven't seen/don't remember should I double back and commit to memory?
You too can be part of my cinematic education :)
Addendum: Check out this cool article/interview with Cathleen in today's Boston Globe.
Monday, October 05, 2009
Win my favorite CD! (An FTC compliant contest!)
I saw Ryanhood in concert yesterday...I'd forgotten how inspiring live music is.Their show has the distinction of being both less embarrassing than my first concert (Shaun Cassidy), and less revealing than the last big show I went to (Janet Jackson--I had an odd seat on the side of the stadium and could see backstage, where Usher--her opening act--did a, um...complete costume change). The Ryanhood guys managed to keep their clothes on AND give us one of the best live shows I've seen in a long time. They talked about all the things I wanted to ask exactly what I want to know about the musical life on the road: the creative process behind their songs, what it's like to wake up in Idaho and go to bed in CA, how they keep grounded in the middle of such an unusual life...it was like that show Behind The Music, only live & interactive.
Ryan and Cameron are friends of ours, so I was able to score some swag to give away here on the blog :) I have an autographed picture AND their new CD. To win, email trishryanonline AT gmail.com and tell me: What question have you always wanted to ask your favorite musician?
ADDENDUM: Just read this bizarre ruling by the Federal Trade Commission, and their plan to regulate these sorts of blogger giveaways. So, in the spirit of full compliance, here goes:
The CD you could win was not a freebie. I paid for it (due to a fantastic up-sell by the lovely girl running the merch table, who pointed out that if I got a CD with my T-shirt, I wouldn't need to paw through my wallet in the hopes of finding smaller bills. I want her to work for me!)
But yes, the picture was free, and I shamelessly worked my connections to get it autographed. But given that I'm pretty sure Ryan and Cameron would have signed the picture for anyone, I'm not sure this counts as "special treatment given as payment for endorsement" per the FTC.
And finally the enjoyment and inspiration I promised will come from listening to their music? It has not been substantiated by any official study, organization, or governmental oversight group.
(It could be. It just hasn't been yet...)
There. Now you know!
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Life in the Circus
Around this time every year, I post my "I Love Autumn" blog. I can't help it. This time of year feels like an extended birthday party to me--all my favorite colors on the leaves outside, I get to pull out cute jeans & sweaters after months spent trying to hide some body part or another from the public eye, the urge to walk briskly down the street because this time of year is when new things start and I don't want to be late... Love it.
I really dig new beginnings, truth be told. My parents have a basement full of furniture and high quality hand-me-downs they've been saving for most of my adulthood, waiting for me to land somewhere permanent (like a house with more than 900 square feet). I've been at this grownup thing for awhile now, and it doesn't look like my life is going to be of the "4 bedroom colonial on 3 acres where they lived for 25 years" variety. And on days like today, when new things are starting and I'm excited about it all, I'm okay with that.
I've been thinking a lot lately about how life doesn't turn out the way we think it will. Or for some folks (and I'm thinking of the big brother character in Jonathan Tropper's novels: super jock in college, marries the prettiest cheerleader, goes into the family business...and then wakes up sometime in his mid-30s to realize he hates his life) everything turns out exactly as planned, only it feels unsatisfying. What do we do with this?
I have to admit that I kind of dig the adventure of things changing every few years, so long as the people in my life are constant. I can handle a high degree of circumstantial uncertainty around jobs and living spaces so long as I'm connected with people. In all my ups and downs, I've seen how human connection builds a safety net underneath you, so that no matter how fast you might be falling, you won't crash. It's terrifying when it's you in the free-fall, but when it catches you, it's an amazing thing to behold. And now I feel like a more seasoned trapeze artist, I guess: what we're trying is still pretty risky, but I have confidence that even if I mess up, something will catch me.
How do you deal with life not turning out the way you expected? Do you like it that way, or does it freak you out?
I really dig new beginnings, truth be told. My parents have a basement full of furniture and high quality hand-me-downs they've been saving for most of my adulthood, waiting for me to land somewhere permanent (like a house with more than 900 square feet). I've been at this grownup thing for awhile now, and it doesn't look like my life is going to be of the "4 bedroom colonial on 3 acres where they lived for 25 years" variety. And on days like today, when new things are starting and I'm excited about it all, I'm okay with that.
I've been thinking a lot lately about how life doesn't turn out the way we think it will. Or for some folks (and I'm thinking of the big brother character in Jonathan Tropper's novels: super jock in college, marries the prettiest cheerleader, goes into the family business...and then wakes up sometime in his mid-30s to realize he hates his life) everything turns out exactly as planned, only it feels unsatisfying. What do we do with this?
I have to admit that I kind of dig the adventure of things changing every few years, so long as the people in my life are constant. I can handle a high degree of circumstantial uncertainty around jobs and living spaces so long as I'm connected with people. In all my ups and downs, I've seen how human connection builds a safety net underneath you, so that no matter how fast you might be falling, you won't crash. It's terrifying when it's you in the free-fall, but when it catches you, it's an amazing thing to behold. And now I feel like a more seasoned trapeze artist, I guess: what we're trying is still pretty risky, but I have confidence that even if I mess up, something will catch me.
How do you deal with life not turning out the way you expected? Do you like it that way, or does it freak you out?
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
The Art/Craft of Persona development
I read an article last night about a fashion designer. The author made an interesting comment, saying that this man was "more of a craftsman than an artist" in his approach to creating new fashions. I've been wondering what that might mean ever since.
As near as I guess, a craftsman takes things that already exist and makes them into something different, whereas an artist puts words or color or shape onto something that was blank or formless? I'm not sure.
I'm a little uncomfortable with words like this, to be honest. Of course, I'd be delighted to be called either an artist or a craftsman at pretty much anything; it they're terms of honor. But maybe that's why the words make me squirm: they carry so much heft in terms of expectation. Doesn't it feel like artists and craftsmen should have more of a persona than the rest of us? That they should know or have access to hidden realms of creative power or something?
Most of the writers I know don't orbit in this rare air. We're more like worker bees, putting word after word on a page, trusting that over time it will amount to something. I guess that can become a persona of sorts, but not in quite the same way. It's not a fun persona...
I love to read about folks with big, fun personas (personii?)...I think I'd like to have one. As I read this article (it was in the New Yorker, about the creative director of Burberry) and another one about the genius/lunatic designer who is decorating Gwen Stefani's new house, they both had this ambiance about them that set them apart from the rest of the world, like little kids playing dress up or something. It looked fun. I mean, who wouldn't want to go through the whole day being melodramatic and demanding that bold splashes of color be tossed across the room?
I'm not sure if I buy it, though. I wonder if maybe they really ARE like little kids playing dress up when they're interviewed, when they're in public...but when no one is watching, they're just gifted people who work really, really hard at what they do?
Okay, I'm rambling a bit here. Let me get to my question: If YOU could have a persona (and I'm pretty sure that you can) what would it be? If someone from the New Yorker showed up today and asked you where you were taking your inspiration from in this season of your artistic development, what would you say?
As near as I guess, a craftsman takes things that already exist and makes them into something different, whereas an artist puts words or color or shape onto something that was blank or formless? I'm not sure.
I'm a little uncomfortable with words like this, to be honest. Of course, I'd be delighted to be called either an artist or a craftsman at pretty much anything; it they're terms of honor. But maybe that's why the words make me squirm: they carry so much heft in terms of expectation. Doesn't it feel like artists and craftsmen should have more of a persona than the rest of us? That they should know or have access to hidden realms of creative power or something?
Most of the writers I know don't orbit in this rare air. We're more like worker bees, putting word after word on a page, trusting that over time it will amount to something. I guess that can become a persona of sorts, but not in quite the same way. It's not a fun persona...
I love to read about folks with big, fun personas (personii?)...I think I'd like to have one. As I read this article (it was in the New Yorker, about the creative director of Burberry) and another one about the genius/lunatic designer who is decorating Gwen Stefani's new house, they both had this ambiance about them that set them apart from the rest of the world, like little kids playing dress up or something. It looked fun. I mean, who wouldn't want to go through the whole day being melodramatic and demanding that bold splashes of color be tossed across the room?
I'm not sure if I buy it, though. I wonder if maybe they really ARE like little kids playing dress up when they're interviewed, when they're in public...but when no one is watching, they're just gifted people who work really, really hard at what they do?
Okay, I'm rambling a bit here. Let me get to my question: If YOU could have a persona (and I'm pretty sure that you can) what would it be? If someone from the New Yorker showed up today and asked you where you were taking your inspiration from in this season of your artistic development, what would you say?
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
History: The Musical
I wrote ten pages yesterday to Paul Simon's Graceland. I was vaguely aware of this album when it first came out back in the late 80s--I spent as much time as anyone else back then bopping along to the radio as he sang, "You can call...meeee...Al..." But it wasn't a pivotal landmark of time and place for me, the way it was for some folks.
My pivotal landmarks are far more embarrassing, but it's all coming out now that I'm writing a novel and need to imagine characters in earlier parts of their lives. And I'm finding an eclectic playlist as I take this little jaunt down memory lane.
I started listening to romantic music with themes of love & loss as soon as I was old enough to spin the dial on my Dad's beat up old radio. So far before I had any idea what I was singing or what it meant to be "lost in love," lyrics by Styx, Air Supply, and Journey filled the room as I belted them out into my hairbrush. They mixed in with the tunes from the Grateful Dead and Crosby, Stills & Nash drifting out from under my brothers' bedroom door, and my parents' steady rotation of The Captain & Tennille, Tony Orlando & Dawn, and the Mamas & The Papas. (To this day, I equate having an ampersand in your name with musical success of a certain sort...)
Eventually, I moved on to REM and INXS...even an embarrassing phase with A Flock of Seagulls. And I'm not sure how it happened, but I know every word to every song on at least two different albums by The Who.
When I read Jancee Dunn's novel, Don't You Forget About Me, I realized how powerful songs can be in acclimating a reader to a certain time and place. So that's what I'm trying to do. It's fun, and embarrassing, and dredging up all sorts of random memories I'm not sure what to do with. So I'm trying to capture it on paper, seeing what sort of scenes result that I probably wouldn't have come up with except for this infusion of musical memory.
How about you--what are your musical landmarks?
My pivotal landmarks are far more embarrassing, but it's all coming out now that I'm writing a novel and need to imagine characters in earlier parts of their lives. And I'm finding an eclectic playlist as I take this little jaunt down memory lane.
I started listening to romantic music with themes of love & loss as soon as I was old enough to spin the dial on my Dad's beat up old radio. So far before I had any idea what I was singing or what it meant to be "lost in love," lyrics by Styx, Air Supply, and Journey filled the room as I belted them out into my hairbrush. They mixed in with the tunes from the Grateful Dead and Crosby, Stills & Nash drifting out from under my brothers' bedroom door, and my parents' steady rotation of The Captain & Tennille, Tony Orlando & Dawn, and the Mamas & The Papas. (To this day, I equate having an ampersand in your name with musical success of a certain sort...)
Eventually, I moved on to REM and INXS...even an embarrassing phase with A Flock of Seagulls. And I'm not sure how it happened, but I know every word to every song on at least two different albums by The Who.
When I read Jancee Dunn's novel, Don't You Forget About Me, I realized how powerful songs can be in acclimating a reader to a certain time and place. So that's what I'm trying to do. It's fun, and embarrassing, and dredging up all sorts of random memories I'm not sure what to do with. So I'm trying to capture it on paper, seeing what sort of scenes result that I probably wouldn't have come up with except for this infusion of musical memory.
How about you--what are your musical landmarks?
Monday, September 28, 2009
The Trees in the Forest
We're settling in: we've found most of our underwear, acquired internet access and groceries, and THAT DOG is in a standing feud with the pigeons on our next door neighbors' roof, daring them to land on our windowsill one more time. So far, it's the start of a good life :)
I'm reading Donald Miller's long-awaited new book, A Million Miles In A Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life, where he talks about thinking of our lives in terms of story: are we living a good story or a bad one? Are our lives dull, or filled with fake drama, or stuck in some other predictable rut that keeps us from really living? It's making me laugh and think at the same time (no small feat; I'm not really a multitasker...)
I've been blessed with enough wild ups and downs in my life that I've rarely been bored or felt like things weren't interesting. But I'm not always sure what to make of what happens--it's only in hindsight that I can see how things have fallen together to propel me towards something (or away from others). In the meantime, I just try to notice what's going on.
Reading this book reminded me of a conversation I had with my editor as we worked on my first book, as we considered a chapter about why I quit my career in law. It was a longish tale that included a partner in another firm jumping from his 37th floor office window, two associates running away in the night and stealing a bunch of clients, and even a murder-suicide. "It's quite a story," my editor said. "But it has nothing to do with you finding the right guy, or the right God." She was right, and we pulled the chapter. I thought it might fit into my second book, but it didn't make the cut there, either. But someday, somewhere, the story will fit perfectly and I'll be glad I waited, and glad I wrote it all down.
I'm working on a novel now, and slightly overwhelmed by the task of creating lives for characters, rather than just recording my thoughts on how real life events unfolded and what happened as a result. It's a huge responsibility, creating people and lives and actions that have consequences no one imagined or intended! I'll confess that I'm cowed by the magnitude of it. But still, I'll write ten pages of SOMETHING, knowing that it may end up in this book or it might get filed away for another project. One thing I've learned about writing is that if you get an idea down on paper, it becomes part of your story you can go back to at any time.
Before The Enormous Debacle (which I will hereinafter refer to as "TED") and our resultant move, I was thinking a lot about how in the arts, discipline gives us freedom. Hard work produces options and flexibility later on down the line. I want that. So today, I'm going after it. Not just saying, "Hey, I saw this forest!" but doing the hard work of remembering and writing out each important tree.
How are you feeling about your story today?
I'm reading Donald Miller's long-awaited new book, A Million Miles In A Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life, where he talks about thinking of our lives in terms of story: are we living a good story or a bad one? Are our lives dull, or filled with fake drama, or stuck in some other predictable rut that keeps us from really living? It's making me laugh and think at the same time (no small feat; I'm not really a multitasker...)
I've been blessed with enough wild ups and downs in my life that I've rarely been bored or felt like things weren't interesting. But I'm not always sure what to make of what happens--it's only in hindsight that I can see how things have fallen together to propel me towards something (or away from others). In the meantime, I just try to notice what's going on.
Reading this book reminded me of a conversation I had with my editor as we worked on my first book, as we considered a chapter about why I quit my career in law. It was a longish tale that included a partner in another firm jumping from his 37th floor office window, two associates running away in the night and stealing a bunch of clients, and even a murder-suicide. "It's quite a story," my editor said. "But it has nothing to do with you finding the right guy, or the right God." She was right, and we pulled the chapter. I thought it might fit into my second book, but it didn't make the cut there, either. But someday, somewhere, the story will fit perfectly and I'll be glad I waited, and glad I wrote it all down.
I'm working on a novel now, and slightly overwhelmed by the task of creating lives for characters, rather than just recording my thoughts on how real life events unfolded and what happened as a result. It's a huge responsibility, creating people and lives and actions that have consequences no one imagined or intended! I'll confess that I'm cowed by the magnitude of it. But still, I'll write ten pages of SOMETHING, knowing that it may end up in this book or it might get filed away for another project. One thing I've learned about writing is that if you get an idea down on paper, it becomes part of your story you can go back to at any time.
Before The Enormous Debacle (which I will hereinafter refer to as "TED") and our resultant move, I was thinking a lot about how in the arts, discipline gives us freedom. Hard work produces options and flexibility later on down the line. I want that. So today, I'm going after it. Not just saying, "Hey, I saw this forest!" but doing the hard work of remembering and writing out each important tree.
How are you feeling about your story today?
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Grateful Girl
It's been a week of packing, goodbyes, awkward conversations, and running off to Target at least three times every day for more bins and boxes. I'm exhausted.
And yet in the heart of my exhaustion is a little beam of excitement. I'm not sure where it comes from--it could be having my sister fly out for 36 hours to pack our entire house and share glasses of wine as we chatted late into the night. Or receiving emails from friends in Cambridge (and friends coming to visit Cambridge this fall) who don't even care what happened to us here, but are just glad we're coming back. Or having a few key friends here tell us that our relationships are worth the effort of continuing. All those feel like so much more than we could ever hope to deserve. And yet they're ours--they're real and they've happened. I'm awed, and grateful.
It makes me think of a passage in the Bible that talks about how when you've received a lot, a lot is expected of you; that all of this love is in our lives for a reason: so we can love other people even better because of what we've received.
I'm excited to start.
Tomorrow: a long drive, a new home, and a fresh new chapter of our lives. I've had a line from the Grateful Dead circling through my mind all week:
Sometimes the light's all shining on me
Other times I can barely see
Lately it occurs to me...what a long, strange trip it's been.
I think that about sums it up.
Yay for new beginnings in familiar places :)
And yet in the heart of my exhaustion is a little beam of excitement. I'm not sure where it comes from--it could be having my sister fly out for 36 hours to pack our entire house and share glasses of wine as we chatted late into the night. Or receiving emails from friends in Cambridge (and friends coming to visit Cambridge this fall) who don't even care what happened to us here, but are just glad we're coming back. Or having a few key friends here tell us that our relationships are worth the effort of continuing. All those feel like so much more than we could ever hope to deserve. And yet they're ours--they're real and they've happened. I'm awed, and grateful.
It makes me think of a passage in the Bible that talks about how when you've received a lot, a lot is expected of you; that all of this love is in our lives for a reason: so we can love other people even better because of what we've received.
I'm excited to start.
Tomorrow: a long drive, a new home, and a fresh new chapter of our lives. I've had a line from the Grateful Dead circling through my mind all week:
Sometimes the light's all shining on me
Other times I can barely see
Lately it occurs to me...what a long, strange trip it's been.
I think that about sums it up.
Yay for new beginnings in familiar places :)
Thursday, September 17, 2009
A.J. Jacobs is back!
The awesome A.J. Jacobs has a new book out! It's called The Guinea Pig Diaries: My Life As An Experiment. You should buy it, both because he's one of the best writers I know (in his last book he somehow managed to make pithy, funny, heartfelt observations about everything from ritual bird sacrifice to the challenge of stoning adulterers in this modern age) and because he's one of the best all-around people I've ever met.Last year when my book came out, A.J. was on the list of authors I contacted in the hopes that he might write an endorsement (or "blurb" as they're known in the biz). His book about obeying every rule in the Bible for a year hit stores at about the same time, and even though he was in the throws of his own publicity push, he was astoundingly helpful and encouraging to me, the newbie author. He wrote an amazing blurb. We had coffee after his appearance in Boston, and did an event together in New York. He could not have been more supportive, or generous. I kept saying to my husband Steve, "I know he seems like a normal guy, but trust me, he's a BIG deal!"
So it's with great delight that I say: Run, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore and pick up The Guinea Pig Diaries. You'll get both entertainment AND the great feeling of knowing you've done something to cheer on one of the coolest author/husband/dad/writers out there.
Just this morning I had a conversation with a friend about how great it is to have a book to escape into when life seems overwhelming. This, my friends, is that book :)
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Keeping your eye on the ball
I'm still thinking about the U.S. Open. About Kim Clijsters, to be specific, and something she said about how she managed to hang in there against some pretty tough competition to with the tournament. I can't quote her exactly, but it was something to the effect of, "I just focused on each individual point--putting whatever just happened behind me." She described how even though the goal of winning is always on her mind when she plays, she had to focus on each point, one at a time, to get there.
That's a great description of where I am now.
As I mentioned, we've taken a little vacation to catch our breath--so far we've gone to the beach, enjoyed lots of hugs and long talks...and taught my niece to jog! (She and I determined that the secret to running a long way is making sure you have a swingy ponytail and relaxed thumbs...)
Today I got the cool news that my editor loves my new book (!!!) which is a great way to kick-start a new chapter in life. We've found a new apartment back in the Boston area, and have been welcomed home most enthusiastically. We're starting to feel like ourselves again, which is good. We just keep focusing on the next point.
How about you? How do you put the past behind you and keep your eye on the future?
That's a great description of where I am now.
As I mentioned, we've taken a little vacation to catch our breath--so far we've gone to the beach, enjoyed lots of hugs and long talks...and taught my niece to jog! (She and I determined that the secret to running a long way is making sure you have a swingy ponytail and relaxed thumbs...)
Today I got the cool news that my editor loves my new book (!!!) which is a great way to kick-start a new chapter in life. We've found a new apartment back in the Boston area, and have been welcomed home most enthusiastically. We're starting to feel like ourselves again, which is good. We just keep focusing on the next point.
How about you? How do you put the past behind you and keep your eye on the future?
Friday, September 11, 2009
Our new life, so far
We're catching our breath. We've spent two days at the beach, watching THAT DOG dig giant holes in the sand and watching waves crash around our feet, and three evenings introducing my nephew and niece to U.S. Open Tennis (the niece: "I just LOVE Melanie Oudin, Aunt Trish!...wait...which one is Melanie again?") I read THE HELP which provided an unexpected reminder that sometimes you do the unpopular thing because it's the right thing to do, and AFTER YOU which was a great escape into another world (and had me thinking of my potato chips as "crisps" as I munched away yesterday). I'll be grateful to both authors when I see those books on my bookshelves in the days to come...you remember the things that get you through life's complicated patches.
And what's helping the most are the waves of supportive emails and phone messages from friends near and far, along with our families who are rallying around us like champions. It's hard to express gratitude for all the little bits of support that keep us propped up, and yet it feels extra-necessary to try. So THANK YOU, everyone.
We'll have a family lobster dinner with my parents tomorrow, and then head down to Cambridge to reunite with our church family and give a lot of people some big, heartfelt hugs. Life is, as I mentioned, complicated...but there are silver linings and patches of sunshine everywhere. I hope they're shining through in your world, too :)
And what's helping the most are the waves of supportive emails and phone messages from friends near and far, along with our families who are rallying around us like champions. It's hard to express gratitude for all the little bits of support that keep us propped up, and yet it feels extra-necessary to try. So THANK YOU, everyone.
We'll have a family lobster dinner with my parents tomorrow, and then head down to Cambridge to reunite with our church family and give a lot of people some big, heartfelt hugs. Life is, as I mentioned, complicated...but there are silver linings and patches of sunshine everywhere. I hope they're shining through in your world, too :)
Monday, September 07, 2009
Putting "Believe" to the test
So last week I mentioned that I had to eat a frog. I've been silent all week trying to figure out how to explain everything that happened without crossing the crazy tangle of invisible boundaries that have popped up all around me. Life gets messy sometimes.
The frog was actually a meeting I had to go to. Steve and I had some concerns about some things where we worked, and I sensed that perhaps it wouldn't go all that well--that there would be conflict, rather than conversation. I'm not a big fan of conflict, so I was dreading what I feared would be an awful meeting.
It turns out I had no sense of what awful could look like before that meeting. But now it's been quite well defined.
To make a short story even quicker (and there is something to be said to ripping the whole band aid off at once rather than dragging things out) Steve resigned from his job, and I resigned from the odd assortment of responsibilities I'd been given to go along with it. We'll be moving back to New England in time for football season, which is good because I can't even imagine Sunday afternoons in winter when all that is on the TV is the Jets and the Giants.
We're a little banged up emotionally, and it might take some time before we get back to the place where we can believe people when they tell us things. Hopefully not too long, though. As my sister reminded me yesterday, I have quite a history of bouncing out of awful situations and landing in good places. We're excited about how that will unfold here. Let's just say there's lots of room for God to do cool things.
I've been watching the U.S. Open this week, a welcome diversion. The announcers talk again and again about the difference between the players who have a positive attitude and the ones who get down on themselves. It's good to hear. Unexpected breakout Michelle Oudin has the word "BELIEVE" on her sneakers. I think she's onto something :)
The frog was actually a meeting I had to go to. Steve and I had some concerns about some things where we worked, and I sensed that perhaps it wouldn't go all that well--that there would be conflict, rather than conversation. I'm not a big fan of conflict, so I was dreading what I feared would be an awful meeting.
It turns out I had no sense of what awful could look like before that meeting. But now it's been quite well defined.
To make a short story even quicker (and there is something to be said to ripping the whole band aid off at once rather than dragging things out) Steve resigned from his job, and I resigned from the odd assortment of responsibilities I'd been given to go along with it. We'll be moving back to New England in time for football season, which is good because I can't even imagine Sunday afternoons in winter when all that is on the TV is the Jets and the Giants.
We're a little banged up emotionally, and it might take some time before we get back to the place where we can believe people when they tell us things. Hopefully not too long, though. As my sister reminded me yesterday, I have quite a history of bouncing out of awful situations and landing in good places. We're excited about how that will unfold here. Let's just say there's lots of room for God to do cool things.
I've been watching the U.S. Open this week, a welcome diversion. The announcers talk again and again about the difference between the players who have a positive attitude and the ones who get down on themselves. It's good to hear. Unexpected breakout Michelle Oudin has the word "BELIEVE" on her sneakers. I think she's onto something :)
Monday, August 31, 2009
Can't believe I forgot...
...the two other great things happening:
The U.S. Open starts today! My love for this tournament makes no sense at all, but the very idea of it makes me smile. Tennis is a fun sport to watch. I'm always amazed by what it looks like to watch the players fight so fiercely--against each other and with themselves--up so close. You can almost read their minds, the cameras are so close to their eyes between some shots. It's intense. And there is part of me that has always felt like a bit of a Manhattanite, even though I have no viable claim whatsoever to the title :)
Donald Miller's next book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years comes out any minute. I'm a fan of his, anyway, and this book looks especially good. He's writing about living a story, which is a really cool concept. I'm excited to see how he pulls it off. Here's a provocative interview between Don (I use his nickname, like we're close buddies...) and his publisher, if you want to check it out.
The U.S. Open starts today! My love for this tournament makes no sense at all, but the very idea of it makes me smile. Tennis is a fun sport to watch. I'm always amazed by what it looks like to watch the players fight so fiercely--against each other and with themselves--up so close. You can almost read their minds, the cameras are so close to their eyes between some shots. It's intense. And there is part of me that has always felt like a bit of a Manhattanite, even though I have no viable claim whatsoever to the title :)
Donald Miller's next book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years comes out any minute. I'm a fan of his, anyway, and this book looks especially good. He's writing about living a story, which is a really cool concept. I'm excited to see how he pulls it off. Here's a provocative interview between Don (I use his nickname, like we're close buddies...) and his publisher, if you want to check it out.
Things I'm happy about today
Little stuff that seems worth noting:
We have oceans of birds migrating across our yard. I can't even exaggerate how many there are because I couldn't count that high if I tried. It's like they come through in waves of 1,000 or so. It's bizarre and beautiful and something else I can't quite describe that probably has to do with awe.
We watched BEE MOVIE this weekend (sound warning for those of you reading this in a place where a loud link would be awkward). Unexpectedly funny. I love that Jerry Seinfeld did something so unlike what I'd expect from him. His hysterical tutorial about the importance of bees to society (along with the bird exodus I mentioned above) make me remember that God orchestrates life on a much grander scale than I'm aware of. If he thought up migration and pollination, I can probably trust him to work out the details of my life dilemmas.
And I had a great conversation with my agent this morning about new perspectives for book #3, and the restorative benefits of time in the country.
Oh! And the frog is mostly eaten. Still some bits of garnish on the plate, but I'm not sure they're required. It's good to be frog-free
All in all, life on this Monday is complicated and unexpected, but moving toward something entirely other than what I could have imagined...in a good way. And at least it's not dull :)
How about you? What are you happy about today?
We have oceans of birds migrating across our yard. I can't even exaggerate how many there are because I couldn't count that high if I tried. It's like they come through in waves of 1,000 or so. It's bizarre and beautiful and something else I can't quite describe that probably has to do with awe.
We watched BEE MOVIE this weekend (sound warning for those of you reading this in a place where a loud link would be awkward). Unexpectedly funny. I love that Jerry Seinfeld did something so unlike what I'd expect from him. His hysterical tutorial about the importance of bees to society (along with the bird exodus I mentioned above) make me remember that God orchestrates life on a much grander scale than I'm aware of. If he thought up migration and pollination, I can probably trust him to work out the details of my life dilemmas.
And I had a great conversation with my agent this morning about new perspectives for book #3, and the restorative benefits of time in the country.
Oh! And the frog is mostly eaten. Still some bits of garnish on the plate, but I'm not sure they're required. It's good to be frog-free
All in all, life on this Monday is complicated and unexpected, but moving toward something entirely other than what I could have imagined...in a good way. And at least it's not dull :)
How about you? What are you happy about today?
Friday, August 28, 2009
The hum and the crunch
Still munching on this frog.
Music helps me get over big hurdles. I left my first marriage playing Martina McBride's Independence Day over and over again on my car's CD player as a reminder to myself that as scared as I was, this was the right thing to do and life would somehow turn out okay. (Of course, somewhere around the NY/Connecticut border, I realized that she was actually singing about a mother who burned her house and abusive husband to the ground. That seemed extreme. So I threw the CD away at a rest stop and switched to Stevie Nicks' Landslide. "I climbed a mountain and I turned around" seemed to capture my dire situation without all the flames.)
Today I'm listening to Brooke White's High Hopes and Heartbreaks, which might just be the best CD title ever. I'm not repeating any one song this time, but rather absorbing and reflecting on the overall message that life is interesting and exciting and messy, and rarely turns out the way we think it will. And I'm thinking about an email I received yesterday from a friend I hadn't spoken to since high school. She's faced down more frogs than I can imagine over the past decade, and yet is doing amazingly well. I wonder if stories like hers--about survival, and finding the next chapter of your life so you can thrive--are so popular because we all have frogs that land on our plate at one point or another, and we long for proof that the effort will be worth it, that there's new life on the other side? I'm grateful to be back in touch with her.
How about you? What music gets you through the challenges? What encouraging stories?
Music helps me get over big hurdles. I left my first marriage playing Martina McBride's Independence Day over and over again on my car's CD player as a reminder to myself that as scared as I was, this was the right thing to do and life would somehow turn out okay. (Of course, somewhere around the NY/Connecticut border, I realized that she was actually singing about a mother who burned her house and abusive husband to the ground. That seemed extreme. So I threw the CD away at a rest stop and switched to Stevie Nicks' Landslide. "I climbed a mountain and I turned around" seemed to capture my dire situation without all the flames.)
Today I'm listening to Brooke White's High Hopes and Heartbreaks, which might just be the best CD title ever. I'm not repeating any one song this time, but rather absorbing and reflecting on the overall message that life is interesting and exciting and messy, and rarely turns out the way we think it will. And I'm thinking about an email I received yesterday from a friend I hadn't spoken to since high school. She's faced down more frogs than I can imagine over the past decade, and yet is doing amazingly well. I wonder if stories like hers--about survival, and finding the next chapter of your life so you can thrive--are so popular because we all have frogs that land on our plate at one point or another, and we long for proof that the effort will be worth it, that there's new life on the other side? I'm grateful to be back in touch with her.
How about you? What music gets you through the challenges? What encouraging stories?
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Bon Appetit!
I have to eat a frog. It's a big one, and totally not something I would have put on my plate. But life isn't always a serve yourself buffet.I've read this book (it was the first thing I thought of when I saw the hardcover edition of my first book). You'd think it would help. It all sounds so reasonable in the abstract: start with a big bite, keep a positive attitude, note your progress not how far you have to go before it's over... But it's not so easy when applied to real life. I mean, we're talking about something so yucky that the best analogy is eating an amphibian. That's some pretty gross stuff.
So help me, awesome blog friends: how do you make yourself do unpleasant yet necessary things? Any tips?
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
The real story
Yesterday afternoon I dove into this book (I'm slowly making my way through my TBR pile...) It was intense, but I expected that. What I didn't expect was the lesson I learned afterward as I scrolled through the reviews on Amazon.com. A huge number of readers were FURIOUS over the bait 'n switch the author pulled, promising her sister's story and spending 98% of the book telling her own instead. I didn't disagree with their assessment, but I was surprised by how angry they were.
They weren't disappointed in her story--it was almost as grim as her sister's. But they hated being duped into buying the book based on something different than what it actually was. The general sentiment was that either your story stands on it's own literary merit or it shouldn't be published. But you shouldn't lie to readers.
It made me think of a few other books I've felt disappointed by for similar reasons, and made me take a bit more seriously the relationship between my titles and the stories I tell.
What do you think? How much leeway do you give the relationship between a book's cover and it's content?
They weren't disappointed in her story--it was almost as grim as her sister's. But they hated being duped into buying the book based on something different than what it actually was. The general sentiment was that either your story stands on it's own literary merit or it shouldn't be published. But you shouldn't lie to readers.
It made me think of a few other books I've felt disappointed by for similar reasons, and made me take a bit more seriously the relationship between my titles and the stories I tell.
What do you think? How much leeway do you give the relationship between a book's cover and it's content?
Monday, August 24, 2009
It's still summer, right?
This is the longest I've been away from this blog since I started recording my random adventures and THAT DOG's shenanigans a few years back. I've missed you, blogsphere!
As I mentioned over at 40 Days, we had a bit of a family emergency. My awesome Uncle Chris died somewhat unexpectedly. As Steve and I drove north to be with family members who came in from all over the country, I thought it would be better to unplug for a bit and just be there, rather than blogging/tweeting/facebooking the experience. I love the support that comes from sharing bits and pieces of life with folks I wouldn't meet any other way. But at the same time I sometimes find myself thinking "Wow-this will make a great tweet!" when I'd be better off focusing on what's going on where I am.
So I feel like I've de-fragged a bit from that state of automatically translating every experience into 140 word sound bites! Still though, it's good to be back :)
Speaking of life getting back to normal...I have two new novels that I'm carving out time to read before summer is over:
Jonathan Tropper is one of my writing heroes. His stuff is just so fantastic, and his latest, THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU is getting rave reviews. I'm alternating between being sad I haven't been able to read it yet, and remembering that this is why I love books: they don't disappear if you don't catch them in the first 20 minutes after they go live.
But I can still be at the front of the line to buy Julie Buxbaum's AFTER YOU when it hits my local bookstore tomorrow.
How are you stretching out the last days of summer? Or better: what are you excited about for autumn?
As I mentioned over at 40 Days, we had a bit of a family emergency. My awesome Uncle Chris died somewhat unexpectedly. As Steve and I drove north to be with family members who came in from all over the country, I thought it would be better to unplug for a bit and just be there, rather than blogging/tweeting/facebooking the experience. I love the support that comes from sharing bits and pieces of life with folks I wouldn't meet any other way. But at the same time I sometimes find myself thinking "Wow-this will make a great tweet!" when I'd be better off focusing on what's going on where I am.
So I feel like I've de-fragged a bit from that state of automatically translating every experience into 140 word sound bites! Still though, it's good to be back :)
Speaking of life getting back to normal...I have two new novels that I'm carving out time to read before summer is over:
Jonathan Tropper is one of my writing heroes. His stuff is just so fantastic, and his latest, THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU is getting rave reviews. I'm alternating between being sad I haven't been able to read it yet, and remembering that this is why I love books: they don't disappear if you don't catch them in the first 20 minutes after they go live.
But I can still be at the front of the line to buy Julie Buxbaum's AFTER YOU when it hits my local bookstore tomorrow.
How are you stretching out the last days of summer? Or better: what are you excited about for autumn?
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Think about direction, wonder why you haven't before
I have to say, the pickle party post is a tough one to follow! But I'll try...
Over on my other blog tonight, I mentioned a quote from R.E.M. that I've heard so many times, but never really thought about before:
"Stand in the place where you live, now face north. Think about direction, wonder why you haven't before."
I think maybe this caught me now because I heard two talks at a conference today that inspired/challenged me to think about my direction, and how I spend my time each day.
In the middle of one of the talks, this sneaking suspicion came over me that I'd lost direction (or, as I once heard a pastor say, I'd "lost the plot") in my life. In the middle of the session, I grabbed a pen and jotted down my priorities on the back page of my notebook. I included all kinds of things: writing, family, friends, THAT DOG, God, Steve, writing, family, church, and then moved them around and around based on two criteria:
What don't I ever want to live without?
If something HAD to go, what would it be?
It was surprisingly easy to line things up, and daunting how out of whack I've gotten in planning my days. I felt an odd sense of hope in this wake-up call, though, like I have a chance to get back on track now, rather than live with regret later.
Have you ever had a wake up call like this when you think about direction? If so, how hard was it to break old habits and recalibrate?
And don't worry...even though canning pickles is not ANYWHERE on my list of life priorities, I'm grandfathering the party in under the "time with friends" category...I'll make sure to report back on every slice and jar :)
Over on my other blog tonight, I mentioned a quote from R.E.M. that I've heard so many times, but never really thought about before:
"Stand in the place where you live, now face north. Think about direction, wonder why you haven't before."
I think maybe this caught me now because I heard two talks at a conference today that inspired/challenged me to think about my direction, and how I spend my time each day.
In the middle of one of the talks, this sneaking suspicion came over me that I'd lost direction (or, as I once heard a pastor say, I'd "lost the plot") in my life. In the middle of the session, I grabbed a pen and jotted down my priorities on the back page of my notebook. I included all kinds of things: writing, family, friends, THAT DOG, God, Steve, writing, family, church, and then moved them around and around based on two criteria:
What don't I ever want to live without?
If something HAD to go, what would it be?
It was surprisingly easy to line things up, and daunting how out of whack I've gotten in planning my days. I felt an odd sense of hope in this wake-up call, though, like I have a chance to get back on track now, rather than live with regret later.
Have you ever had a wake up call like this when you think about direction? If so, how hard was it to break old habits and recalibrate?
And don't worry...even though canning pickles is not ANYWHERE on my list of life priorities, I'm grandfathering the party in under the "time with friends" category...I'll make sure to report back on every slice and jar :)
Monday, August 03, 2009
Lookout Larry...
I've been laughing on and off for several days now, because my awesome friend Chemistry Girl invited me to partake in some quality girl time next Sunday. If you know me at all, you know there's not much I like more than hanging out with the ladies. But this gathering will be a new experience for me...We're going to can pickles.
It's never occurred to me to can pickles (or peaches or peas or tomatoes, for that matter). I have vague memories of my Mom doing this type of project, most of which involve her saying, "Stand back! This water is hot!" and me watching in baffled frustration as she ruined some perfectly good cucumbers. (I've always liked cucumbers.) And since then, I've always been certain that my canned-good needs could be satisfied--inexpensively and with a minimum of effort--by my local grocer.
But I'm living in a new place now, and my new friends can pickles. And if they're willing to take novice me under their wing, why would I say no?
This won't be a small endeavor. Last I heard, there were five of us, 80+ pounds of cukes, untold gallons of vinegar...and important decisions to be made regarding whole vs. sliced, slices vs. chips, and straight vs. crinkle cut. I'm working mightily to come up with some opinions on the perfect pickle between now and Sunday!
I think the day will be hysterical, and tons of fun. But I have to admit that when my friend emailed her plan to do 15lbs of pickles I panicked, wondering what on earth Steve and I would do with that amount of ANY food product, let alone one so specialized. (I even spent a whole afternoon trying to come up with a viable pickle-themed decorating scheme for our apartment, where every room would be adorned by a few thoughtfully-placed jars...) Since then, fortunately, the ladies have assured me that I can do just a few pickles...
But if you're a member of my family, start planning your January meals around pickles, because that's what I'll be putting under the tree at Christmas!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
The Love/Hate in a Novel Lists
As promised, here are the things I LOVE to see in a novel:
1. A beach or lake setting
2. Siblings
3. Perspectives of characters from different generations as they experience the same events
4. Romantic relationships in progress
5. All relationships in progress, actually (I'm not a big fan of new characters showing up in chapter thirty-six.)
6. Meaningful spirituality
7. Humor
8. Details about unique family rituals
9. Dogs
10. Heroism
And another list of things that I'm not such a fan of:
1. Hopeless settings
2. Love that seems so impossible that it hurts to watch
3. Stereotypes of beleaguered new moms
4. Plots that hinge on a character making a choice I don't think s/he'd actually make
5. Cats, hamsters, gerbils
6. One-dimensional bad guys (or girls)
7. Unbelievable careers
8. Unrelenting personal devastation
9. Characters that seem unconnected to anyone or anything
10. Sad endings
Now YOU might be just the opposite: you might hate a story about brothers who train dogs on the beach as their Uncle looks on and does tai chi...and love a story about a lonely spinster who had to give up her gerbil collection because she found a baby on the front steps and hasn't showered in three weeks but must find a way to fend off the evil mayor who is determined to take down the house that has been in her family for generations so he can build a strip club....
You get the idea. We all like different things, and that is a spectacular thing. But as we go into our book project on Saturday, I found it really helpful to think about what I like and what I don't, so I can make sure me and my characters are hanging out in a place we want to be. How about you?
I'll close with a great quote from Jeanine Mason, one of the contestants on So You Think You Can Dance:
"This whole experience has shown me that I'm capeable of so much more than I give myself credit for."
I'm believing that in 42 days, at the end of this adventure, we'll be able to say the same :)
1. A beach or lake setting
2. Siblings
3. Perspectives of characters from different generations as they experience the same events
4. Romantic relationships in progress
5. All relationships in progress, actually (I'm not a big fan of new characters showing up in chapter thirty-six.)
6. Meaningful spirituality
7. Humor
8. Details about unique family rituals
9. Dogs
10. Heroism
And another list of things that I'm not such a fan of:
1. Hopeless settings
2. Love that seems so impossible that it hurts to watch
3. Stereotypes of beleaguered new moms
4. Plots that hinge on a character making a choice I don't think s/he'd actually make
5. Cats, hamsters, gerbils
6. One-dimensional bad guys (or girls)
7. Unbelievable careers
8. Unrelenting personal devastation
9. Characters that seem unconnected to anyone or anything
10. Sad endings
Now YOU might be just the opposite: you might hate a story about brothers who train dogs on the beach as their Uncle looks on and does tai chi...and love a story about a lonely spinster who had to give up her gerbil collection because she found a baby on the front steps and hasn't showered in three weeks but must find a way to fend off the evil mayor who is determined to take down the house that has been in her family for generations so he can build a strip club....
You get the idea. We all like different things, and that is a spectacular thing. But as we go into our book project on Saturday, I found it really helpful to think about what I like and what I don't, so I can make sure me and my characters are hanging out in a place we want to be. How about you?
I'll close with a great quote from Jeanine Mason, one of the contestants on So You Think You Can Dance:
"This whole experience has shown me that I'm capeable of so much more than I give myself credit for."
I'm believing that in 42 days, at the end of this adventure, we'll be able to say the same :)
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Reading to inspire writing
I'm over at my friend Mary's blog today, talking about the book that kicked my butt back into gear as I was working on the manuscript for book #2.
But I'm soooo busy that day...
I've been a little out of touch with the calendar this summer. I had two dates circled in bright red: the day my manuscript for A Maze of Grace was due, and the day we left for vacation. Since then, it's all been a bit murky.
This morning I realized that August 1st, the day we're kicking off Want to Write A Book? How About This Month? (and I say "we're" kicking it off because I can't imagine trying this alone) is Sunday. THIS Sunday. And on this Sunday, I have events I'm expected to be at during every single minute from 7:30am to 7:30pm. Not my favorite sort of day to begin with, but a truly TERRIBLE day to start a novel.
I almost canceled. I was all set to push the start back a day to Monday. But then I thought about the almost 100% fail rate of anything I've ever started on a Monday (there's a reason no one gets married that day) and decided to stick with the original plan.
Here's the thing: there's NEVER a good time to start a book. We will always be too busy, have too many balls in the air already, too many people/things/obligations competing for our attention to possibly add one more. Oh well. The best writers write anyway. So that's what we're going to do. We'll start out by aligning ourselves with the cream of the crop and figure out a way to write no matter what. I'll focus on Chris Baty's First Law of Exuberant Imperfection: "The quickest, easiest way to produce something beautiful and lasting is to risk making something horribly crappy."
It doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be a start.
That, I can do.
ADDENDUM: Yep, I just realized that August 1st is Saturday, not Sunday. Which is actually worse, in terms of my schedule...but better in terms of the cool story I'll have to tell about overcoming adversity when my novel comes out :)
This morning I realized that August 1st, the day we're kicking off Want to Write A Book? How About This Month? (and I say "we're" kicking it off because I can't imagine trying this alone) is Sunday. THIS Sunday. And on this Sunday, I have events I'm expected to be at during every single minute from 7:30am to 7:30pm. Not my favorite sort of day to begin with, but a truly TERRIBLE day to start a novel.
I almost canceled. I was all set to push the start back a day to Monday. But then I thought about the almost 100% fail rate of anything I've ever started on a Monday (there's a reason no one gets married that day) and decided to stick with the original plan.
Here's the thing: there's NEVER a good time to start a book. We will always be too busy, have too many balls in the air already, too many people/things/obligations competing for our attention to possibly add one more. Oh well. The best writers write anyway. So that's what we're going to do. We'll start out by aligning ourselves with the cream of the crop and figure out a way to write no matter what. I'll focus on Chris Baty's First Law of Exuberant Imperfection: "The quickest, easiest way to produce something beautiful and lasting is to risk making something horribly crappy."
It doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be a start.
That, I can do.
ADDENDUM: Yep, I just realized that August 1st is Saturday, not Sunday. Which is actually worse, in terms of my schedule...but better in terms of the cool story I'll have to tell about overcoming adversity when my novel comes out :)
Monday, July 27, 2009
On Winning A Pulitzer
I'm gearing up for "Want to Write A Book? How About Next Month?" this week, reading Chris Baty's wise words on doing just enough--but not too much--planning.
One thing in particular that caught my attention was his admission of how badly he crashed & burned when he tried to write a "serious" book, rather than the kind of story that came naturally to him (you know, the kind he'd actually like to read...)
I've been thinking about this. I tend not to like serious books unless they speak specifically to something I'm thinking about in the moment. So Steinbeck's East of Eden rocked my world a few weeks back because I was working on a talk about sibling rivalry and how it traces all the way back to Cain & Abel. But then a friend recommended this Pulitzer Prize winner, and I barely made it past chapter three. Yes, the author captured the grim bleakness of certain (perhaps many) lives. But no matter how I tried to force myself to buckle down and appreciate the lyricism of the prose (or whatever I was supposed to be captured by) I couldn't get past the basic truth that the characters were not folks I wanted to spend time with.
Which means that no matter how interesting it might be to win a Pulitzer, I'd likely make myself miserable trying to write something along these lines. We have to WANT to spend time with our characters, in the situations they go through. We have to care how things turn out. (And we shouldn't have to be reminded of this, but somehow, I do...) Chris' wise words:
"As you plan your book this week, remember, above all else, that your novel is not a self-improvement campaign. Your novel is a spastic, jubilant hoe-down set to your favorite music, a [forty]-day visit to a candy store where everything is free and nothing is fattening. When thinking about possible inclusions for your novel, always grab the guilty pleasures over the bran flakes. Write your joy, and good things will follow."
A spastic, jubilant hoe-down? Sign me up!!!
Chris also made a good suggestion for this week I'll pass along:
Make two lists:
1. Things you love to see in a novel (situations, settings, relationships, time frames...)
2. Things that make you drop a book unfinished into the "to be donated" pile.
If they're not too embarrassing, I'll share mine later this week :)
One thing in particular that caught my attention was his admission of how badly he crashed & burned when he tried to write a "serious" book, rather than the kind of story that came naturally to him (you know, the kind he'd actually like to read...)
I've been thinking about this. I tend not to like serious books unless they speak specifically to something I'm thinking about in the moment. So Steinbeck's East of Eden rocked my world a few weeks back because I was working on a talk about sibling rivalry and how it traces all the way back to Cain & Abel. But then a friend recommended this Pulitzer Prize winner, and I barely made it past chapter three. Yes, the author captured the grim bleakness of certain (perhaps many) lives. But no matter how I tried to force myself to buckle down and appreciate the lyricism of the prose (or whatever I was supposed to be captured by) I couldn't get past the basic truth that the characters were not folks I wanted to spend time with.
Which means that no matter how interesting it might be to win a Pulitzer, I'd likely make myself miserable trying to write something along these lines. We have to WANT to spend time with our characters, in the situations they go through. We have to care how things turn out. (And we shouldn't have to be reminded of this, but somehow, I do...) Chris' wise words:
"As you plan your book this week, remember, above all else, that your novel is not a self-improvement campaign. Your novel is a spastic, jubilant hoe-down set to your favorite music, a [forty]-day visit to a candy store where everything is free and nothing is fattening. When thinking about possible inclusions for your novel, always grab the guilty pleasures over the bran flakes. Write your joy, and good things will follow."
A spastic, jubilant hoe-down? Sign me up!!!
Chris also made a good suggestion for this week I'll pass along:
Make two lists:
1. Things you love to see in a novel (situations, settings, relationships, time frames...)
2. Things that make you drop a book unfinished into the "to be donated" pile.
If they're not too embarrassing, I'll share mine later this week :)
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Want to write a book? How about next month?
Toward the end of my vacation last week, I felt my brain starting the slow spin indicating it was coming back to life. I found myself mulling over a couple of new writing projects. One of which was a novel (which is such a bizarre thing for me to think about that even now I'm wrestling with the urge to backspace right over that last sentence).
I've never wanted to write a novel. It just seems too daunting, vast and without boundaries to create an entire story without the pre-made decisions and check points non-fiction/memoir provides. And yet...I might try.
Anna Quindlen is one of my writing heroes because she moves so easily between fiction and non, books and articles...she has the dexterity that marks her as a master of her craft. (Ditto Barbara Kingsolver). I spent parts of last week reminding myself that at one point, they had to face a blank page in a new genre, too. They had to try...
So I'm going to try. And I wondered if maybe, some of you might like to join me?
Here's what I'm thinking: I have a blog called 40 Days of Faith. I'll need some faith for this, so I thought that might be a good place to post. (We can call it 40 Days of Fast Writing or something...) Starting August 1st, I'll post an inspirational/funny quote about the writing life, and share/brag/confess/admit how much writing--in pages and/or words--I did or didn't do that day. You can do the same in the comments, and we'll cheer each other on. Our goal will be to have a finished rough draft of something--memoir, novel, screenplay, whatever--that has a beginning, middle, and end. You know, something we can revise until Christmas :)
If you're curious, the book that inspired me to take the leap is Wendy Wax's The Accidental Bestseller, a novel about four friends who met at a writing conference and supported each other into life as published authors. I love that idea. So I thought maybe we'd try something similar, and see what happens.
If you want to join in, here's what you can do between now and August 1:
1. Click over to the 40 Days Blog and leave a comment to say "I'm in!"
2. Read Chris Baty's No Plot No Problem for some great inspiration (and if you've read my book, then when you see the name Paul Griffiths on page 55 you can say, "Hey--I practically know that guy!")
3. Check out Wendy's book and think about the one character who writes 20 pages a day, rain or shine, the one who treats her pages like brushing her teeth or eating dinner--something you wouldn't dream of skipping if you could possibly help it. Now granted, it makes her a little crazed and almost costs her all her relationships...but what might it mean for each of us to move writing from "optional" to "required" for six weeks? I'm excited to try.
I've never wanted to write a novel. It just seems too daunting, vast and without boundaries to create an entire story without the pre-made decisions and check points non-fiction/memoir provides. And yet...I might try.
Anna Quindlen is one of my writing heroes because she moves so easily between fiction and non, books and articles...she has the dexterity that marks her as a master of her craft. (Ditto Barbara Kingsolver). I spent parts of last week reminding myself that at one point, they had to face a blank page in a new genre, too. They had to try...
So I'm going to try. And I wondered if maybe, some of you might like to join me?
Here's what I'm thinking: I have a blog called 40 Days of Faith. I'll need some faith for this, so I thought that might be a good place to post. (We can call it 40 Days of Fast Writing or something...) Starting August 1st, I'll post an inspirational/funny quote about the writing life, and share/brag/confess/admit how much writing--in pages and/or words--I did or didn't do that day. You can do the same in the comments, and we'll cheer each other on. Our goal will be to have a finished rough draft of something--memoir, novel, screenplay, whatever--that has a beginning, middle, and end. You know, something we can revise until Christmas :)
If you're curious, the book that inspired me to take the leap is Wendy Wax's The Accidental Bestseller, a novel about four friends who met at a writing conference and supported each other into life as published authors. I love that idea. So I thought maybe we'd try something similar, and see what happens.
If you want to join in, here's what you can do between now and August 1:
1. Click over to the 40 Days Blog and leave a comment to say "I'm in!"
2. Read Chris Baty's No Plot No Problem for some great inspiration (and if you've read my book, then when you see the name Paul Griffiths on page 55 you can say, "Hey--I practically know that guy!")
3. Check out Wendy's book and think about the one character who writes 20 pages a day, rain or shine, the one who treats her pages like brushing her teeth or eating dinner--something you wouldn't dream of skipping if you could possibly help it. Now granted, it makes her a little crazed and almost costs her all her relationships...but what might it mean for each of us to move writing from "optional" to "required" for six weeks? I'm excited to try.
I wish...
...I'd thought to start our wedding like this:
Priceless, right? All the best to Jill & Kevin, and all their fun friends. (My guess is that that was a VERY fun reception...)
Priceless, right? All the best to Jill & Kevin, and all their fun friends. (My guess is that that was a VERY fun reception...)
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Philosophical musings three days back from vacation
We're back! It was so relaxing--a great week hanging out with my sister and her family, doing girlie-things with my little niece, and laughing with Steve about a million little nothing/somethings that we hadn't had the time to notice in awhile. Steve and I even got to go out on the boat with my Dad, something that hasn't happened in a long, long time.
Last year, I spent my week in Rangely sitting by the lake reading (okay, absorbing might be a better word) a book of quotes by C.S. Lewis I'd grabbed from the library. It gave me some heady, happy moments, in that it felt like every word was an inspired encouragement written just for me.
So I went into this year wondering what my amazing, fabulous, inspirational book would be. I'd just finished writing my own book, and was still negotiating the transition of our entire lives from Cambridge to Ithaca, so I was pretty depleted (Read: so tired I barely knew my name). But no such book was forthcoming. I had some fun reading moments: escaping into a couple of novels, finding my friend Paul mentioned in a book on writing a novel in a month, sitting around the fire at night with Steve, Meg, and her husband Pat as we all dove into different worlds. Good stuff. But I didn't find the book or the paragraph or the single sentence that I could tack up over my desk here at home to remind me of why or how to live.
I needed that sentence.
But a strange thing happened when we got back (after Steve recovered from the food poisoning, and I recovered from the 11 hour drive and the Burgar King chicken sandwich): I felt like down inside, I knew something about my life--what to focus on, what is extraneous and stressful and needs to go--that I didn't know before. I'm not afraid of blowing it anymore, even if things blow up around me. I'm not sure I can describe it, but it's good. Better than a pithy quote, better than a book that stares at me from my shelf and says, There must be something more... Something inside that feels suspiciously like God saying, You're gonna be amazed by how this all turns out...just wait.
I'm not always so good at waiting. But if I'll be amazed? I'll try a little harder :)
Thanks for listening. It's good to be home!
Last year, I spent my week in Rangely sitting by the lake reading (okay, absorbing might be a better word) a book of quotes by C.S. Lewis I'd grabbed from the library. It gave me some heady, happy moments, in that it felt like every word was an inspired encouragement written just for me.
So I went into this year wondering what my amazing, fabulous, inspirational book would be. I'd just finished writing my own book, and was still negotiating the transition of our entire lives from Cambridge to Ithaca, so I was pretty depleted (Read: so tired I barely knew my name). But no such book was forthcoming. I had some fun reading moments: escaping into a couple of novels, finding my friend Paul mentioned in a book on writing a novel in a month, sitting around the fire at night with Steve, Meg, and her husband Pat as we all dove into different worlds. Good stuff. But I didn't find the book or the paragraph or the single sentence that I could tack up over my desk here at home to remind me of why or how to live.
I needed that sentence.
But a strange thing happened when we got back (after Steve recovered from the food poisoning, and I recovered from the 11 hour drive and the Burgar King chicken sandwich): I felt like down inside, I knew something about my life--what to focus on, what is extraneous and stressful and needs to go--that I didn't know before. I'm not afraid of blowing it anymore, even if things blow up around me. I'm not sure I can describe it, but it's good. Better than a pithy quote, better than a book that stares at me from my shelf and says, There must be something more... Something inside that feels suspiciously like God saying, You're gonna be amazed by how this all turns out...just wait.
I'm not always so good at waiting. But if I'll be amazed? I'll try a little harder :)
Thanks for listening. It's good to be home!
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
All day/All night/All day
Book due day after tomorrow. A day and a half, to be exact. Less if I sleep. Which I haven't been. It's really too bad writing isn't like law school, because I'd have some serious library cred if I'd have pulled these kinds of hours back then. (But if writing were like law school, I'd also spend every day longing to run away to some small mountain town to live in a tent until my grim, sad life finally ended, so I guess that exchange wouldn't really be worth it).
Just thought I'd drop in with an update.
Back to work...
Just thought I'd drop in with an update.
Back to work...
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Video?
Just read this interesting post about mistakes video bloggers make, after watching a great video blog by singer/songwriter Brooke Fraser and thinking, "Hey, maybe I should try that!"
Do you like video blogs? Why or why not?
Guide me! I know video killed the radio star, but who knows what it might do to further the creative reach of a blogging D-lister??? :)
Do you like video blogs? Why or why not?
Guide me! I know video killed the radio star, but who knows what it might do to further the creative reach of a blogging D-lister??? :)
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Anti-Boredom Month starts tomorrow!
I was late to the party for the International Year of the Potato, and almost missed International Sushi Day due to lack of focus. But for once, I'm right on time for an important moment in human history, where we focus our energies for a month on the worldwide problem of boredom. THIS is a movement I can get behind 100%.
I was notified of this important event in an email from Alex Fayle. His thoughts on this are so great, I thought I'd just copy them here to pass along the inspiration:
"July is Anti-Boredom Month and I want to know: Are you bored? Does life not thrill you? Do you wake up each morning excited to start your day, or do you drag yourself out of bed hoping that maybe something different will happen?
A great song from the 1990s, Being Boring, says "We were never feeling bored because we were never being boring."
Yes, that's right - boredom is a totally self-inflicted problem. If you're bored, it's because you're being boring. If your life isn't going the way you want it to, then you are choosing a life that's not as thrilling as it could be. In his book Stumbling on Happiness, Daniel Gilbert talks about how even people whose life choices have been seriously limited by health issues call themselves happier than average because they are out there pursuing their dreams.
They're not bored because they are not being boring.
So, what are you doing to not be boring? I don't mean, what are you reading or thinking or talking about - I mean what are you doing?
If you're not doing anything then I suggest you brush off your dreams, take a good look at them and if necessary, get some help to put some excitement back in your life.
Because honestly, we're not here long enough to put up with being bored."
There you have it. Inspiring stuff, right? One morning recently when Steve and I were talking over some of the growing pains of moving to a new state to take new jobs, he said, "But you know what? Our days here are NEVER boring." We laughed together, knowing that we were on the right track.
Two things I've done recently to not be boring:
-Planned a trip back to Cambridge with a new friend to attend a cool conference.
-Admitted in public that I once cut all my sister's hair off.
Today, we'll see what happens to fend off the boring. But it's on the radar :)
How about you? What have/could you do to celebrate Anti Boredom Month?
I was notified of this important event in an email from Alex Fayle. His thoughts on this are so great, I thought I'd just copy them here to pass along the inspiration:
"July is Anti-Boredom Month and I want to know: Are you bored? Does life not thrill you? Do you wake up each morning excited to start your day, or do you drag yourself out of bed hoping that maybe something different will happen?
A great song from the 1990s, Being Boring, says "We were never feeling bored because we were never being boring."
Yes, that's right - boredom is a totally self-inflicted problem. If you're bored, it's because you're being boring. If your life isn't going the way you want it to, then you are choosing a life that's not as thrilling as it could be. In his book Stumbling on Happiness, Daniel Gilbert talks about how even people whose life choices have been seriously limited by health issues call themselves happier than average because they are out there pursuing their dreams.
They're not bored because they are not being boring.
So, what are you doing to not be boring? I don't mean, what are you reading or thinking or talking about - I mean what are you doing?
If you're not doing anything then I suggest you brush off your dreams, take a good look at them and if necessary, get some help to put some excitement back in your life.
Because honestly, we're not here long enough to put up with being bored."
There you have it. Inspiring stuff, right? One morning recently when Steve and I were talking over some of the growing pains of moving to a new state to take new jobs, he said, "But you know what? Our days here are NEVER boring." We laughed together, knowing that we were on the right track.
Two things I've done recently to not be boring:
-Planned a trip back to Cambridge with a new friend to attend a cool conference.
-Admitted in public that I once cut all my sister's hair off.
Today, we'll see what happens to fend off the boring. But it's on the radar :)
How about you? What have/could you do to celebrate Anti Boredom Month?
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Real Life, East of Eden
I didn't find the quintessential book on making it work "even after," but I found this article in the NYT implying that lots of couples do.
Not sure if this is happy news, or sad? I wish the article went deeper, explaining not just WHY betrayed spouses stay (children, finances, complications in disentangling lives) but HOW.
I'm 100% for making marriages work whenever possible. But I'd love to hear from the trenches how people are doing it.
(Random passing thought: has anyone read Elizabeth Edward's latest book? Does she talk about this?)
Thanks for your help with this, everyone! And to pay you back for all your recommendations...
I'm speed reading EAST OF EDEN by John Steinbeck for a talk I'm giving tomorrow. It's one of the best novels I've ever read (and one of the few about which I've ever agreed with Oprah). AND it has the added bonus of being a classic, so you can feel proud of yourself for reading it ;)
Not sure if this is happy news, or sad? I wish the article went deeper, explaining not just WHY betrayed spouses stay (children, finances, complications in disentangling lives) but HOW.
I'm 100% for making marriages work whenever possible. But I'd love to hear from the trenches how people are doing it.
(Random passing thought: has anyone read Elizabeth Edward's latest book? Does she talk about this?)
Thanks for your help with this, everyone! And to pay you back for all your recommendations...
I'm speed reading EAST OF EDEN by John Steinbeck for a talk I'm giving tomorrow. It's one of the best novels I've ever read (and one of the few about which I've ever agreed with Oprah). AND it has the added bonus of being a classic, so you can feel proud of yourself for reading it ;)
Monday, June 22, 2009
Book help!
I'm working on a tough section of my new book--it's about betrayal. Not between Steve and I (thank God) at least not in the way you think of with married couples cheating on each other. But I'm writing about watching it happen close-up, and how much it scares me, and the things I try to do to keep tempting demons at bay.
One of the things I do when I'm scared is I read. I love memoirs because I learn from these glimpses into other people's lives--things to try, things to avoid. In some cases (especially stories about normal folks, living relatively normal lives) it's like test driving strategies, seeing how they fit.
I've read a ton of books about marriage, more than I could ever list here. A fair number of these dealt with betrayal (the most recent being Isabel Gilles' HAPPENS EVERY DAY). Now, as I close out my chapter, I'm longing for a story of a couple who survived--the story of a husband and wife who stayed married, who pieced things back together and are back working toward their happily ever after.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
One of the things I do when I'm scared is I read. I love memoirs because I learn from these glimpses into other people's lives--things to try, things to avoid. In some cases (especially stories about normal folks, living relatively normal lives) it's like test driving strategies, seeing how they fit.
I've read a ton of books about marriage, more than I could ever list here. A fair number of these dealt with betrayal (the most recent being Isabel Gilles' HAPPENS EVERY DAY). Now, as I close out my chapter, I'm longing for a story of a couple who survived--the story of a husband and wife who stayed married, who pieced things back together and are back working toward their happily ever after.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Happy International Sushi Day!
It's International Sushi Day! When it comes to sushi, I long to be an honorary Asian. (I'd be totally willing to swap genealogies with someone hailing from Japan or Korea who longs to tip back a pint on St. Patrick's day...)The first time I had sushi, it was a business lunch. I was a brand new attorney, anxious to look like I had my stuff together. I didn't, so this made for some stressful days. I gulped down California rolls and sashimi and a giant clump of fish eggs wrapped in seaweed. I was so proud of myself, this Irish girl from Maine (who'd never even had Chinese food until she was almost in high school), gamely using my chopsticks to stab bits of fish and rice and cheerfully choking them down. I have almost no recollection of what any of it tasted like going down, because I was so busy trying not to make a fool of myself. But I remember quite vividly what it tasted like coming back up...
I spent that whole afternoon throwing up: at the office, on the sidewalk, back at my apartment. When it was over I thought sushi was the toughest weight-loss plan I'd ever encountered.
Two days later I woke up in the middle of the night craving Nigiri Sake (a slice of raw salmon on rice) and I've loved it ever since. Bizarre, but true. I think the not throwing up afterward has a lot to do with it, along with putting an early end to my law career. My stomach couldn't handle both law and sushi, so a choice had to be made. I'm pretty happy with how that's turned out :)
Tonight: celebration sushi style!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Goings on about town...and a question
A new post over at the 40 Days blog, about taking in the big picture...
Stayed up until midnight last Friday so I could be www.facebook.com/trishryan ...
I'm tweeting like a bird (even though I should be soaring through manuscript revisions)...
Talking a lot, about some interesting things...
Just read two books I'd been given to review and HATED them. So disappointed. (And if you're an author and I have your book on my TBR pile, please don't worry, I can guarantee it's not you...I'm pretty sure these two authors don't follow my blog). What should I do? Do I have to review and be honest, or can I just donate the books and move on?
Stayed up until midnight last Friday so I could be www.facebook.com/trishryan ...
I'm tweeting like a bird (even though I should be soaring through manuscript revisions)...
Talking a lot, about some interesting things...
Just read two books I'd been given to review and HATED them. So disappointed. (And if you're an author and I have your book on my TBR pile, please don't worry, I can guarantee it's not you...I'm pretty sure these two authors don't follow my blog). What should I do? Do I have to review and be honest, or can I just donate the books and move on?
Thursday, June 11, 2009
What would Miss Manners say?
THAT DOG keeps begging to go outside so she can eat some wild animal's poop. Sorry girl, that's pretty much never gonna be okay...
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Packing for vacation (at least in my mind)
Apologies for the silence. I've been posting every day over at the 40 Days blog, and moving huge chunks of my new manuscript around from one place to another...and then putting them all back where they started. And for a super-huge treat when I need a break, I catch a DVR'd episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. Not exactly the stuff scintillating blog posts are made of.
Still, I missed you guys! I thought I'd drop by to share a glimpse of the pile of books I'm excited to read when I come up again for air. We're going back to Lake Moose next month for vacation, and I'm already stocking up, planning to bring a suitcase full of books, a bathing suit, and a tube of sunscreen. My version of traveling light.
Here's what's in the pile:
Julie Buxbaum's THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE, now out in paperback!!! I have wanted to read this for SO long I can't even tell you (both Manic Mom and Swishy raved about it when I saw them in Chicago last summer, but life was just too crazy then and I wanted to read it when I'd have time to really take it in)
Jen Lancaster's PRETTY IN PLAID. I adore Jen, love her writing, and I spent my teen years in the same decade of bizarre fashion options as that she writes about here. She went for argyle and alligator shirts, I went for giant hoop earrings and ripped I-wanna-be-Madonna t-shirts. But deep inside, I longed for a shirt with an open-mouthed reptile on the front. I may buy an extra copy in case I laugh so hard that I drop the book in the lake (which is what happened when I read SUCH A PRETTY FAT ...)
Julie Klam's PLEASE EXCUSE MY DAUGHTER. Her mother took her out of school to go shopping...need I say more?! It's the childhood I wish I had (see: deep longing for open-mouth reptile shirt, above)
Mary F. Pol's ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE. She's from Maine!!! I read snippets of the hardcover edition right before we moved, and loved her style and the funny, honest way she shares the unexpected path her life has taken. Can't wait to read the whole thing.
What's in your to-be-read-this-summer bag?
Still, I missed you guys! I thought I'd drop by to share a glimpse of the pile of books I'm excited to read when I come up again for air. We're going back to Lake Moose next month for vacation, and I'm already stocking up, planning to bring a suitcase full of books, a bathing suit, and a tube of sunscreen. My version of traveling light.
Here's what's in the pile:
Julie Buxbaum's THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE, now out in paperback!!! I have wanted to read this for SO long I can't even tell you (both Manic Mom and Swishy raved about it when I saw them in Chicago last summer, but life was just too crazy then and I wanted to read it when I'd have time to really take it in)
Jen Lancaster's PRETTY IN PLAID. I adore Jen, love her writing, and I spent my teen years in the same decade of bizarre fashion options as that she writes about here. She went for argyle and alligator shirts, I went for giant hoop earrings and ripped I-wanna-be-Madonna t-shirts. But deep inside, I longed for a shirt with an open-mouthed reptile on the front. I may buy an extra copy in case I laugh so hard that I drop the book in the lake (which is what happened when I read SUCH A PRETTY FAT ...)
Julie Klam's PLEASE EXCUSE MY DAUGHTER. Her mother took her out of school to go shopping...need I say more?! It's the childhood I wish I had (see: deep longing for open-mouth reptile shirt, above)
Mary F. Pol's ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE. She's from Maine!!! I read snippets of the hardcover edition right before we moved, and loved her style and the funny, honest way she shares the unexpected path her life has taken. Can't wait to read the whole thing.
What's in your to-be-read-this-summer bag?
Friday, June 05, 2009
It ain't quite like that
Here's a great blog post about how authors wish the publishing process worked. For the record, my parents believe it works this way too, and look at me with genuine perplexity when I try to explain that no, my editor doesn't mind if I spend the afternoon watching back episodes of The Real Housewives of NYC/Orange County/NJ on my "lunch hour" (and might even encourage it if at some later point I write something funny about their romantic escapades).
On a completely unrelated note: I'm visiting my sister now, and before leaving for school this morning, my niece said "I don't want you to go home today, Aunt Trish...all the fun will go with you!"
Love that child. Time to get on a plane before she realizes I'm only fun in 36 hour increments :)
On a completely unrelated note: I'm visiting my sister now, and before leaving for school this morning, my niece said "I don't want you to go home today, Aunt Trish...all the fun will go with you!"
Love that child. Time to get on a plane before she realizes I'm only fun in 36 hour increments :)
Monday, June 01, 2009
Day One: Ready to Go?
As some of you know, there's a chapter in my book called "40 Days of Faith," which tells the story of an experiment my church ran in the first year I went there, where we prayed and asked God for something that really mattered to us (something we couldn't pull off on our own) every day for 40 days. I prayed for a husband. The results weren't immediate, but let's just say that when the answer finally arrived, I was quite pleased with the results :)
Last year when my book came out, a bunch of us here online did this experiment together. I created a special blog, and we spent June and a bit of July talking about how to involve God in the deepest desires of our heart. It was a spectacular experience, and I knew when it was over that this was something I'd like to repeat.
Today's the day! June is back, and over at www.fortydaysoffaith.blogspot.com we're kicking off another spiritual adventure. Come by, check it out...and if you have a dream (or five) that seems out of reach, join us.
For me, June feels like the "official" start of summer...I'm excited to have something fun like this to do to celebrate :)
Last year when my book came out, a bunch of us here online did this experiment together. I created a special blog, and we spent June and a bit of July talking about how to involve God in the deepest desires of our heart. It was a spectacular experience, and I knew when it was over that this was something I'd like to repeat.
Today's the day! June is back, and over at www.fortydaysoffaith.blogspot.com we're kicking off another spiritual adventure. Come by, check it out...and if you have a dream (or five) that seems out of reach, join us.
For me, June feels like the "official" start of summer...I'm excited to have something fun like this to do to celebrate :)
Saturday, May 30, 2009
I can be pretty in plaid!
I received a mysterious email today from Manic Mom. It said "Go. To. My. Blog...That is all :)" Being the obedient girl that I am, I hopped right over, to see that not only had I won a signed copy of Jen Lancaster's new book, PRETTY IN PLAID, but Manic (who is so BFF with Jen that she's listed on the book's acknowledgment page) filmed the drawing to post on YouTube:
Jen is EXCEEDINGLY gracious and displays a real knack for rolling with the punches in this video, especially in the place where Manic said, "You know Trish Ryan..." and Jen goes along and said, "Oh sure! I know Trish Ryan!"
Here's the truth: Manic introduced Jen and I last year at a book conference. I was one of approximately 1,000 adoring fans, but because I'm a friend of Manic (FOM) I went with her to the front of the line and got to meet Jen personally...for approximately 22 seconds...before we moved out of the way of her hoards of other adoring fans.
But if she ever comes to Ithaca for an event, I'll be her local Manic Mom :)
THANK YOU Jen, THANK YOU Manic...I can't wait until my book arrives! In the meantime, I'm heading to the mall to find a pink sweater to toss over my favorite yellow t-shirt...LOVE THAT!
Jen is EXCEEDINGLY gracious and displays a real knack for rolling with the punches in this video, especially in the place where Manic said, "You know Trish Ryan..." and Jen goes along and said, "Oh sure! I know Trish Ryan!"
Here's the truth: Manic introduced Jen and I last year at a book conference. I was one of approximately 1,000 adoring fans, but because I'm a friend of Manic (FOM) I went with her to the front of the line and got to meet Jen personally...for approximately 22 seconds...before we moved out of the way of her hoards of other adoring fans.
But if she ever comes to Ithaca for an event, I'll be her local Manic Mom :)
THANK YOU Jen, THANK YOU Manic...I can't wait until my book arrives! In the meantime, I'm heading to the mall to find a pink sweater to toss over my favorite yellow t-shirt...LOVE THAT!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Trish is in need of some dish(es)
If I eat one more plate of grilled chicken with a side of broccoli, I think I just might scream.
I'm in a total dinner rut. It's gotten so bad that I'm tempted to cook up the Tater Tot Casserole recipe I found in the book by the family with 18 kids (I'm oddly enamored with them, but I don't think I'd fit in my jeans next week if left alone with a pan of tater tots baked with cheese and cream of mushroom soup...)
Can you help? If you have a favorite recipe that doesn't involve eggplant or scallops (0r tater tots), could you PLEASE post it in the comments below?
Thanks in advance. Until then, I'm off to grill more chicken...
I'm in a total dinner rut. It's gotten so bad that I'm tempted to cook up the Tater Tot Casserole recipe I found in the book by the family with 18 kids (I'm oddly enamored with them, but I don't think I'd fit in my jeans next week if left alone with a pan of tater tots baked with cheese and cream of mushroom soup...)
Can you help? If you have a favorite recipe that doesn't involve eggplant or scallops (0r tater tots), could you PLEASE post it in the comments below?
Thanks in advance. Until then, I'm off to grill more chicken...
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
In the Spirit of Adventure...
For those of you who dig spiritual things, here's a link to a new post on this year's 40 Days of Faith blog. We'll be starting again on June 1st, so if you feel like giving it a try, leave a comment here or over there. The more the merrier :)
In other, equally exciting news, the new season of So You Think You Can Dance starts tomorrow night!!! Now admittedly, I'll watch almost any reality show on TV so long as the participants aren't eating vipers or dangling over the Grand Canyon in a thong. But SYTYCD is the one that makes DVR a vital part of my budget (because no matter where I live, I always have some sort of class or talk that night).
I can't wait!!! I'm moving the coffee table out of the way now, just to be ready!
Addendum: I just checked my DVR at lunch and realized that SYTYCD premiered last week! How did that happen? I'm mortified to have missed it. Sliding my coffee table back into place in shame...
In other, equally exciting news, the new season of So You Think You Can Dance starts tomorrow night!!! Now admittedly, I'll watch almost any reality show on TV so long as the participants aren't eating vipers or dangling over the Grand Canyon in a thong. But SYTYCD is the one that makes DVR a vital part of my budget (because no matter where I live, I always have some sort of class or talk that night).
I can't wait!!! I'm moving the coffee table out of the way now, just to be ready!
Addendum: I just checked my DVR at lunch and realized that SYTYCD premiered last week! How did that happen? I'm mortified to have missed it. Sliding my coffee table back into place in shame...
Monday, May 25, 2009
THAT DOG v. Oprah
The only one in our little family more excited than me to see the latest edition of O Magazine land in our mailbox was THAT DOG. While I was ogling the adorable puppies on the cover and looking forward to wonderful tales of love and joy penned by fellow canine fanatics, THAT DOG was calculating how this nice thick issue would give her just enough height, when piled upon our several back issues of Mens' Journal, to reach the depths of the bathroom wastebasket and pull out all the used tissue goodness lurking therein.
But having a size advantage on the pup (not to mention opposible thumbs) I got the magazine first. I flipped it open, while THAT DOG stared at me impatiently. You can imagine my dismay when the first thing I read was a heartbreaking, dismal essay by a woman who moved to my same new city, with a dog approximately THAT DOG's age...immediately after which said dog died.
Aaaaaaaack!
It was horrid. Awful. And yes, I know all about the seasons of life and that sooner or later, all pets go off to meet at that great country farm in the sky...but I don't really want to read about it happening here, to a dog like mine.
So if anyone has a birdcage that needs fresh pages to line it, I have a magazine ready to go. (I'll make it up to THAT DOG by leaving the wastebasket out where she can reach it on her own, with an extra tissue or two thrown in for good measure...)
But having a size advantage on the pup (not to mention opposible thumbs) I got the magazine first. I flipped it open, while THAT DOG stared at me impatiently. You can imagine my dismay when the first thing I read was a heartbreaking, dismal essay by a woman who moved to my same new city, with a dog approximately THAT DOG's age...immediately after which said dog died.
Aaaaaaaack!
It was horrid. Awful. And yes, I know all about the seasons of life and that sooner or later, all pets go off to meet at that great country farm in the sky...but I don't really want to read about it happening here, to a dog like mine.
So if anyone has a birdcage that needs fresh pages to line it, I have a magazine ready to go. (I'll make it up to THAT DOG by leaving the wastebasket out where she can reach it on her own, with an extra tissue or two thrown in for good measure...)
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
A little of this, some of that...
Last night was Girls' Night: Friends, ice cream, wine, and the American Idol finale. I haven't watched this season, so it was interesting to come in at the end and see the final two. Our crowd was resoundingly in favor of Chris (LOVED the guitar & drums number...Simon was SO wrong...) with one vocal Adam fan keeping my living room full of non-voters from being completely one-sided. Both guys are pretty amazing, but I have to ask (for those of you more familiar with the Idol scene) WHAT WAS that last song they made them sing??? It was kind of ridiculous, totally written for a female vocalist, and way too high for either of them. I know that the one judge (WHO is she???) wrote it, but still, it was kind of a mean thing to do to those guys. Your thoughts?
In other news, I just found out that my author pic for book #2 has to be in by June 8th. Which means that if things don't go well with the new hair stylist in my new town tomorrow morning, we'll be looking at me in that green sweater for two more years. (Please pray or send good thoughts as you're inclined...)
I just started THE LAST SUMMER (OF YOU AND ME). It's sunny outside, and I almost feel like I'm at the beach with the characters. Love that :)
In other news, I just found out that my author pic for book #2 has to be in by June 8th. Which means that if things don't go well with the new hair stylist in my new town tomorrow morning, we'll be looking at me in that green sweater for two more years. (Please pray or send good thoughts as you're inclined...)
I just started THE LAST SUMMER (OF YOU AND ME). It's sunny outside, and I almost feel like I'm at the beach with the characters. Love that :)
Monday, May 18, 2009
Off to Edit. And...
(Okay, that title sounds more suggestive than I intended...)
I'm going into hiding this week, working on the revisions suggested by my editor for Book #2 and scanning every song lyric I can find for subtitle inspiration. And between chapters, I'll be watching this video. See the backup singer in the orange dress? My goal is to perfect her shimmy: arm waves, the occasional kick ball change, funky wiggle during the chorus...love it. Every girl needs a good disco shimmy, and this is the one I want!
I'm going into hiding this week, working on the revisions suggested by my editor for Book #2 and scanning every song lyric I can find for subtitle inspiration. And between chapters, I'll be watching this video. See the backup singer in the orange dress? My goal is to perfect her shimmy: arm waves, the occasional kick ball change, funky wiggle during the chorus...love it. Every girl needs a good disco shimmy, and this is the one I want!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Needed: bins & a labelmaker for inside my head
Do you compartmentalize? My head is swimming, and I could use some tips.There are 101 things are swirling around in my mind vying for attention, and I'm having trouble pinning any one of them down for more than four minutes to make progress. My manuscript for book #2 is coming back for revisions, I'm working on a proposal for book #3, and in two hours I have a radio interview about book #1 (that I'm so terrified I'll forget to call in for that I've postponed all errands until this afternoon.) I have two fun talks to write, and five books to read that I think might give me wise and pithy things to say in those talks.... And yet here I sit in a heap of things that need to be done--things I'm actually excited about doing--not sure where to start. (I'd try the "eat the biggest frog first" approach, if I could size up the different frogs...)
In the middle of this, I'm staring at an amazing quote I copied into my journal back in November by Robert McKee:
"We stretch toward the bests and worsts because story--when it is art--is not about the middle ground of human experience."
So true! But how do we go after that when so much of real life is middle ground? Can I simply skip getting a NY driver's license or taking my dog for this year's round of shots? What about the towels that have been sitting in the dryer since Monday night? At some point, the middle ground needs some attention, too.
Maybe I need Julie Morganstern?
How do you manage the ups, downs, & middle ground of your human experience? How do you put the 100 other things on hold so you can focus on the one? How do you pick which one?
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Destiny's Child?
When I dropped him off at work today, Steve said to me, half-joking, "GO TO YOUR DESTINY!" It's a running thing we have from the Olympic runners who were twin brothers and used to say that to each other every morning before they went out to train. Usually, it's inspiring.
Except today. Because right after Steve said, "GO TO YOUR DESTINY!" we both realized that my next stop was Target, to buy toilet bowl scrubbies.
So here I sit at 9:42 am, my destiny achieved.
There you have it.
Except today. Because right after Steve said, "GO TO YOUR DESTINY!" we both realized that my next stop was Target, to buy toilet bowl scrubbies.
So here I sit at 9:42 am, my destiny achieved.
There you have it.
Monday, May 11, 2009
An actual Big Thought
I'm reposting because what I wrote below is vague, shallow, and silly and really, who cares? Here's what really stopped me in my tracks in Texas:We threw a giant outdoor festival for the survivors of Galveston. They've been through two storms that essentially wrecked the island, and we wanted to help and encourage them. Part of my job was to stand on a chair with a bullhorn and tell the incoming folks what they'd find inside. Three things made them look like they wanted to mow me down so they wouldn't miss out: Free haircuts (because who has money for that when you've lost everything?), free family portraits (these folks had lost all their pictures), and a small gold ticket for free groceries. I didn't know whether to cry or throw up, the need was so great, and what I could offer so small. All I could do was smile, try to convey some love and encouragement, and run through my mandatory shpiel as fast as possible.
A friend who was in the prayer tent told me about one woman he met who was hoping God might help her husband get off of drugs...but this was the THIRD thing on her list, after a safe place to live and a job.
I asked a fellow Vineyarder, the wife of our national director, "When does this stop breaking your heart?" "It doesn't," she said, hugging me. "That's the gift of compassion." Here's the thing, though: I don't have the gift of compassion. But what I saw there rammed through all my defenses and made me want to do whatever I could to help these folks. And sometimes the best you can do is run through your shpiel as fast as possible, and then pray for miracles as the crowds stream by.
Big thoughts from a big state
So sorry to have disappeared for a week. I know that violates the cardinal rule of blogging. And it was a week full of bloggable moments, so it broke my heart a little to have no internet connection in the conference center and an iPhone that didn't want to play nice with Blogger.
In a nutshell, the conference was awesome. It was a morning, noon & night kind of event (I'm not sure my blogs would have been coherent had I posted) and I'll likely spend the better part of this week processing it all.
There were great reminders about how easy it is to get off track from what we're called to do with our lives by the urge we all have to please the people around us. So today, I'm thinking about how to resist that without becoming one of those weird creative types who thinks the world is out to get them.
I saw an VERY gifted public speaker who challenged me to raise my game when I speak--when you're really prepared, I realize, you can connect with the audience at a whole different level.
And I met some folks who have been pursuing big dreams for years, and realized that pursuing big dreams is challenging. I tend to forget that. But if something is easy, it probably isn't worth dedicating a whole life to, right?
So that's what I'm mulling over today, now that I'm back in NY with the hawks, our neighbor's pony, and the chickens down the road.
More tomorrow :)
In a nutshell, the conference was awesome. It was a morning, noon & night kind of event (I'm not sure my blogs would have been coherent had I posted) and I'll likely spend the better part of this week processing it all.
There were great reminders about how easy it is to get off track from what we're called to do with our lives by the urge we all have to please the people around us. So today, I'm thinking about how to resist that without becoming one of those weird creative types who thinks the world is out to get them.
I saw an VERY gifted public speaker who challenged me to raise my game when I speak--when you're really prepared, I realize, you can connect with the audience at a whole different level.
And I met some folks who have been pursuing big dreams for years, and realized that pursuing big dreams is challenging. I tend to forget that. But if something is easy, it probably isn't worth dedicating a whole life to, right?
So that's what I'm mulling over today, now that I'm back in NY with the hawks, our neighbor's pony, and the chickens down the road.
More tomorrow :)
Monday, May 04, 2009
No snakes on the plane (or at the hotel, or in the conference center...)
We're flying to Galveston, Texas this morning for the Vineyard National Conference. I'm excited! I dig getting together with folks from all over the country who like to talk about God and the cool things that can happen when we pray instead of freaking out. As someone with a propensity to freak out, these kind of get-togethers are good for me.(Especially since I just did a Google search for a picture of Texas to put with this post and found, in addition to the usual "don't mess with Texas" logo, a photo of a guy holding a terrifyingly gigantic Texas rattlesnake. NOT what I was looking for. Granted, it was on the Urban Legands website, but their version of "disproving" it was to say that the perspective of the photo might be off, and that the snake might be "only" seven feet long, rather than nine. LIKE THAT MATTERS!!! I'm already fighting off queasiness because the plane we're taking out of Ithaca is so tiny it has the word "Dash" in the title; I hadn't even thought about snakes. Esh. Note to self: Don't freak out. Pray....)
I'll be twittering from the conference. If you're curious about life down South (or this Northerner's take on it) you can follow along at www.twitter.com/trishryan.
All week, I've had the song "Deep in the Heart of Texas" going through my head, despite the fact that Galveston isn't in the heart of Texas at all. There must be another Texas song, right? Anybody have one? (It will give me something brave to hum on the plane...)
Friday, May 01, 2009
Mop Flop
Sorry for the radio silence this week--I was sick. The good news is that it had nothing to do with pigs or the flu. But suffice to say that the few thoughts I had yesterday were not of the bloggable variety.
Feeling better today, and have an admission to make and a question for you all. First, the admission: on Tuesday, I mopped a floor (several, actually) for the first time in my life. I'd done the whole sponge-on-the-end-of-a-long-stick kind of mopping before, but never the swingy-strings-that-could-substitute-for-a-pretend-horse-when-you're-five kind of mopping. You know, REAL mopping. Given the grungy state of the linoleum floors in our apartment, I went into the endeavor with high hopes and big expectations.
HUGE letdown.
I mopped with all my might, but the floors look essentially the same. No scum was scrubbed off. The dirt barely even budged. The only solace I take from all that effort is that our floors are now VERY disinfected (I wasn't sure how much Pine-Sol to use, so I opted for the "if some is good, more is better" approach.) So now I have dirty floors you could eat off of, and the whole place smells like one of those scented cardboard trees you buy at the gas station to make the inside of your car smell better. A strange result, and probably not enough to inspire me to mop again.
So tell me, helpful, domestically-able readers: Why do you mop? Did I miss something?
Feeling better today, and have an admission to make and a question for you all. First, the admission: on Tuesday, I mopped a floor (several, actually) for the first time in my life. I'd done the whole sponge-on-the-end-of-a-long-stick kind of mopping before, but never the swingy-strings-that-could-substitute-for-a-pretend-horse-when-you're-five kind of mopping. You know, REAL mopping. Given the grungy state of the linoleum floors in our apartment, I went into the endeavor with high hopes and big expectations.
HUGE letdown.
I mopped with all my might, but the floors look essentially the same. No scum was scrubbed off. The dirt barely even budged. The only solace I take from all that effort is that our floors are now VERY disinfected (I wasn't sure how much Pine-Sol to use, so I opted for the "if some is good, more is better" approach.) So now I have dirty floors you could eat off of, and the whole place smells like one of those scented cardboard trees you buy at the gas station to make the inside of your car smell better. A strange result, and probably not enough to inspire me to mop again.
So tell me, helpful, domestically-able readers: Why do you mop? Did I miss something?
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