As Always, Julia

When I purchased this book in December, I originally thought these were letters between Julia Child and her husband, Paul Child. However, these are the letters between Julia and her friend/ publicist/ editor Avis Devoto.

As Always, Julia seemed quite timely to me, as I am endeavoring to write my first book. There are many days where I am absolutely plagued with self doubt (and so was Julia). And Julia had a dear friend who said: You're on to something! Write, write, WRITE!

I've got that friend, too. Her name is Annette Wells, and maybe when/if/Godwilling I make it in the writing world, I've got much to say about how encouraging Annette has been in my endeavors.

The book is amazing in the fact that the letters are real. (Mailed back and forth from Paris to Massachusetts). They talk about things like are these newfangled dishwashers any good? Would people really use an electric mixer? Have you heard of MSG? McCarthy is mid-reign of terror at the time the book is written, and both the Devoto and the Child families are on his radar. It's fascinating.

Word to the wise: this is a LONG book. 400 pages of tiny type. But it's quite good.

Five stars out of five stars.

What drives you?

I recently posted this picture on Facebook, along with a tag line about Bob being calm and centered, and I'm usually all over the place- busy, busy, BUSY!

I love January, because it's a beautiful gift every year. A gift of new beginnings, a chance to tweak your life and make yourself better than you were last year. A fresh slate.

So I start January with a bunch of lists, and most of them are empty. For instance, I'll have a list where I will record every book I read that year, or every mile I run. Two nights ago, I was sitting in bed making a list in my journal, and Bob says to me, "What are you making a list of- things you plan to make lists of?"

All these lists mean one thing: I'm not short on motivation. What I AM short on is time and energy. So my big goals this year are:

1. Finish my manuscript.

2. Find an agent.

3. Sell the novel.

4. Run a sub 2 hour half marathon.

5. Run 1,000 miles (Or MORE!)

6. Read 52 books (Roughly one a week)

All of this while balancing my amazing family, and the job I hold dear to my heart: teaching. Oh, also throw in a move sometime this summer to... still don't know where yet.

It's enough to cause a heart spasm. So maybe goals are good. They're a starting place. And motivation is necessary to kick start me in the gut (thus sitting here ready to write before 6:00 am on a Wednesday morning).

But I think breathing is important too. And playing tea party with Margot without thinking about the other thousand things that need me at the moment.

Somehow it will all get done.

~Namaste~

An Object of Beauty

Bob gave me the book, An Object of Beauty, for Christmas (Actually, Book-Eve- December 23).

It's an interesting book about the last 15 years in the Art World, specifically in NYC. It's cleverly written and is obviously well researched. The best part of the book is that when a painting is described in the story, there is a full color picture printed on that page with it. So the reader gets a vivid description and gets to see it for himself.

The plot was strong, but the character development was marginal. The formatting and all the things I learned about art made up for the fact that I didn't feel strongly one way or another about any of the characters.

Another compelling read by Steve Martin, renaissance man. I mean really- is there ANYTHING this man can't do? (I might have a slight crush on the guy).

Four out of Five Stars

Top Ten

I was thinking about the thinking I'll be doing tomorrow... for my "official goals" for 2011, and I started to mull over 2010.

You could make a top ten list for just about anything, and I wanted to see what friends remember from the year.

I'd love to hear your pics, in any category you want. (And they don't really have to be ten, they could be two).

*Obviously my friends and family are more important and more enjoyable than anything on this list, that goes without saying. So AFTER my family and friends...

Top Ten Books Read In 2010:

1.The Help

2. South of Broad

3. The Speed of Light

4. People of the Book

*Okay, those are only 5. But those were the BEST 5 of the bunch this year* 5 Stars to each of them.

Top Ten Everyday Pleasures (That don't break the bank):

1. Writing a chapter in my novel- a chapter I feel great about.

2. Reading an excellent book.

3. Finishing an excruciating run.

4. Enjoying a seemingly effortless run.

5. A date with Margot at the Bread Peddler on a Saturday afternoon.

6. Playing backgammon with Bob every night at dinner.

7. An excellent glass of Merlot.

8. Clean sheets.

9. Skyping with my parents and Bob's parents

10. Walking around Olympia, especially in the Farmer's Market with a cup of Batdorf and Bronson coffee. -It's heaven, I'm telling you!

Top Ten Happy Memories from 2010:

1. Bob returning home from Iraq.

2. Margot's first... smile, crawling, walking, teeth, etc. They're all great.

3. Bev's wedding. It was lovely and fun, and an amazing opportunity to see my dear friends from college who I miss SO MUCH!

4. Margot's Christening, with all of our families there.

5. Margot's first birthday (with friends and family attending).

6. Running two half marathons and a full marathon. It was incredibly empowering after having a baby.

7. My cousin Hana's visit out to Washington. It was very cool to play tourist and have late chats into the night.

8. The first week or so when the idea of writing a novel occurred to me. (It's been great since then as well, but that was magical for the first little while).

9. Any time I spend with my friend Annette. She's grounded and nurturing. She's a great book critic/ editor/ sounding board.

10. The day I realized I weighed less after the baby was born, than before. (In Birmingham, on Bev's scale. She saw me go berserk with happiness. It's shallow and stupid, I know. But it felt like a victory to me!)

It's been a fantastic year. Tough, but still positive.

I'm really looking forward to next year... I'm sure it will be outstanding as well.

How do you work this thing?

I'm writing my first book, and let me tell you... it's a roller coaster of an experience.

Some days when I sit down to write, I feel enthused. (Someone call the Pulitzer board. I'm on to something here!)

Other days, I'm hopeless. Who wants to read this load of ...?

Either way, I sit down almost every day to write. I started this process about a month ago, and I think I've taken three days off total. I just finished writing chapter 11, and am somewhere around page 75 (give or take the editing I do from day to day).

But the thing is this: I don't know how you're "supposed" to write a book. I just know what seems to be working for me. I turn out all the lights in the office, close the blinds, and pull the (huge) monitor of the Mac right up to the edge of the desk... and begin to write. -With my noise cancelling head phones on... usually Muse or Red Hot Chili Peppers or Over the Rhein on iTunes playing.

I'm my novel's first reader (as Stephen King points out), and I'm excited to see where it's going to go. I just wish I could get past this business of feeling like a flunkie. Don't all writers start somewhere?

I sort have adapted the Powerball adage which is something like "Somebody's got to [write, be published, be an author, etc.]. Why not you?"

Why not, indeed!

Fall Favorites

Man I love fall! Every year, starting back in college with Bev, I've celebrated some version of "Fall Day." When the stars are aligned, Fall Day actually coincides with the autumn equinox. But usually it doesn't.

In our little town house in college, Bev and I would make a batch of Wassal (hot spiced cider) and banana bread. I'm thinking of one year I was a Big Sister, and my Little Sister was not impressed with our efforts to celebrate pumpkins and the like. Remember that, Bev? I think she just wanted to go to the mall or something lame like that. Oh well.

Last year I celebrated fall with little, tiny Margot and Bob's parents who were in Washington to visit.

But this year, it was wonderful to have my little family back together again. We've actually celebrated Fall Day a couple of times this year! We went to the apple orchard one weekend, and the pumpkin patch another.

Who knows what kind of autumnal activities I'll find for my family to do together this weekend? Stay tuned...

Corn Maze 2010

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Today we met our friend, Kim, and her boys (and their friends) for a tour through a corn maze. Despite growing up in Indiana, I'd never been to one before, and it was a lot of fun.

I admit, I gave zero input on which direction we should turn at any given point. Bob was all over the map reading, and he ensured we reached our destinations in a timely manner.

Poor Margot was not a huge fan. We went right after mass, and she was ready for a nap, but she gamely hung in there for an hour and a half or so.

All in all, it was a great Sunday fall activity for the whole family.