Wednesday, March 26, 2003
So many things to write about. The cruddy situation at work is off limits. I just can not allow myself to dwell on the negativity that exists. Other topics…
War on television
Happy hour
Lowering my meds
Running into Rosies
Playing Suzette
Writing
1) I can not believe the coverage the war is getting. I am avoiding tv like the plague. I don’t mind reading about war but I firmly believe that we should not be able to watch war. I do not want to see bombing and tanks. It is great that we have technology BUT soldiers are prepared for war in a way that the viewing public is not. My father-out-law (Michelle and my term for each other's parents since we can not legally married and thus do not officially have in-laws) is a Vietnam Vet and the things he saw in Vietnam are still disturbing to him- not that I have heard it directly from him- but Michelle has told me snippets of what she learned from interviewing her Dad for a project in college. I just do not feel equipped to handle what could potentially be shown in war coverage so I just have not been watching it.
2) Next topic, completely unrelated…yesterday was a goodbye Happy Hour from the Higher Ed students. It was super sweet and made me feel like people will actually miss me when I am gone. I even got a gift. So sweet. When to New Deck with Michelle, Michael and Suz afterwards for chicken fingers. That place has the best chicken fingers and fries. Love it!
3) New topic, again…unrelated…went to the psychiatrist today. He lowered my meds by a third! Says I am doing really well. I have a checkup in 8 weeks. It felt good.
4) New topic… ran into two “Rosies” today…Rosemont alums. Michelle refers to her friends from college as “the Rosies.” Saw a girl I was on RA staff with in Borders. Nice to catch up if even for only a few minutes. Then, I chatted with a woman who had graduated from Rosemont in the 70’s. She was sad to see that Rosemont’s campus is so inactive. She was on campus today and remarked that she would have thought it was Spring Break because there were no girls around. I told her that there never are. It is so sad. Rosemont is such an amazing place and I really wish more girls would realize what a blessing going to a women’s college is. I will never regret that decision. Rosemont was such (and continues to be) a blessing in my life.
5) Playing Suzette… My friend Suzette talks to everyone…and I mean everyone. Suz says that Michelle and I are very Northern. Perhaps it is the Southern gal in her. Anyhoo, an example…this summer we were in Vancouver with Michael and Suz. Suz asks three different people for directions to the aquarium in the park. The first person did not sound confident enough when he gave directions so she asked a second person just to confirm. She asked the third guy because he looked like a local and she likes to meet the locals. Okay, maybe I am exaggerating about that, but not by much. Suz really does just talk to anyone. It is one of the (many) great things about being friends with Suz- she will ask the dj at the bowling alley to play different music, she will always ask for directions. It is a hoot and very helpful.
Anyway, moral of the story is that I went to Borders tonight to hear Jennifer Haigh read from her novel Mrs. Kimble which I finished reading approximately 7.5 minutes before the reading. While I was at the reading, I talked to people I don’t know. I don’t do that very much- thus I was "Playing Suzette." It is not that I am socially phobic or anything. I just like minding my own business in public. I hate when people talk to me on the street. I hate when people talk to me in the supermarket. I just want to go about my business without interruption. I read a book or listen to headphones (sometimes both) while riding public transportation just so people will not bother me.
I talked to Jennifer Haigh and Jennifer Weiner both! Granted, it was small talk and not especially bold of me but talking to anyone at all that I do not know is pretty big for me. The fact that I talked to this Rosemont alum in line at the book signing made me "feel some type of way" about myself. I wish I could express that better but my friend Charman used to use that expression all the time and I sometimes feel that it is the perfect expression. I was excited to meet Jen Weiner- she is VERY pregnant!
I feel sort of weird about the fact that I bought Jennifer Haigh’s book and had it signed and did not buy Jen Weiner’s and do the same. Money is so tight right now though. I should not have bought Mrs. Kimble but I really wanted a signed copy after hearing her read from it. It was so amazing to hear her voice of the characters. Of course the author is always going to have a precise voice for her characters. It was so interesting to hear. I have Good in Bed by Jen Weiner and desperately want to buy In Her Shoes which I just took out of the library. I know that eventually I will buy it. It is my next book to read. I am going to start to read it tonight. I just felt awkward after I realized that Jen Weiner was right there, Good in Bed is one of the best books I have read in the past few years, and I did not get her to sign a book. I am fairly certain that we live in the same general neighborhood. I will hopefully catch her on her next book tour. I know she is working on novel #3 although with the baby coming, who knows when that will come out.
I have aspirations of writing for a public audience but I just do not know if I am creative enough to write fiction which is what I really love. Perhaps I will use some of my upcoming free time to work on it. The book reading tonight just really made me think about my own wishes to be a writer. Maybe someday.
War on television
Happy hour
Lowering my meds
Running into Rosies
Playing Suzette
Writing
1) I can not believe the coverage the war is getting. I am avoiding tv like the plague. I don’t mind reading about war but I firmly believe that we should not be able to watch war. I do not want to see bombing and tanks. It is great that we have technology BUT soldiers are prepared for war in a way that the viewing public is not. My father-out-law (Michelle and my term for each other's parents since we can not legally married and thus do not officially have in-laws) is a Vietnam Vet and the things he saw in Vietnam are still disturbing to him- not that I have heard it directly from him- but Michelle has told me snippets of what she learned from interviewing her Dad for a project in college. I just do not feel equipped to handle what could potentially be shown in war coverage so I just have not been watching it.
2) Next topic, completely unrelated…yesterday was a goodbye Happy Hour from the Higher Ed students. It was super sweet and made me feel like people will actually miss me when I am gone. I even got a gift. So sweet. When to New Deck with Michelle, Michael and Suz afterwards for chicken fingers. That place has the best chicken fingers and fries. Love it!
3) New topic, again…unrelated…went to the psychiatrist today. He lowered my meds by a third! Says I am doing really well. I have a checkup in 8 weeks. It felt good.
4) New topic… ran into two “Rosies” today…Rosemont alums. Michelle refers to her friends from college as “the Rosies.” Saw a girl I was on RA staff with in Borders. Nice to catch up if even for only a few minutes. Then, I chatted with a woman who had graduated from Rosemont in the 70’s. She was sad to see that Rosemont’s campus is so inactive. She was on campus today and remarked that she would have thought it was Spring Break because there were no girls around. I told her that there never are. It is so sad. Rosemont is such an amazing place and I really wish more girls would realize what a blessing going to a women’s college is. I will never regret that decision. Rosemont was such (and continues to be) a blessing in my life.
5) Playing Suzette… My friend Suzette talks to everyone…and I mean everyone. Suz says that Michelle and I are very Northern. Perhaps it is the Southern gal in her. Anyhoo, an example…this summer we were in Vancouver with Michael and Suz. Suz asks three different people for directions to the aquarium in the park. The first person did not sound confident enough when he gave directions so she asked a second person just to confirm. She asked the third guy because he looked like a local and she likes to meet the locals. Okay, maybe I am exaggerating about that, but not by much. Suz really does just talk to anyone. It is one of the (many) great things about being friends with Suz- she will ask the dj at the bowling alley to play different music, she will always ask for directions. It is a hoot and very helpful.
Anyway, moral of the story is that I went to Borders tonight to hear Jennifer Haigh read from her novel Mrs. Kimble which I finished reading approximately 7.5 minutes before the reading. While I was at the reading, I talked to people I don’t know. I don’t do that very much- thus I was "Playing Suzette." It is not that I am socially phobic or anything. I just like minding my own business in public. I hate when people talk to me on the street. I hate when people talk to me in the supermarket. I just want to go about my business without interruption. I read a book or listen to headphones (sometimes both) while riding public transportation just so people will not bother me.
I talked to Jennifer Haigh and Jennifer Weiner both! Granted, it was small talk and not especially bold of me but talking to anyone at all that I do not know is pretty big for me. The fact that I talked to this Rosemont alum in line at the book signing made me "feel some type of way" about myself. I wish I could express that better but my friend Charman used to use that expression all the time and I sometimes feel that it is the perfect expression. I was excited to meet Jen Weiner- she is VERY pregnant!
I feel sort of weird about the fact that I bought Jennifer Haigh’s book and had it signed and did not buy Jen Weiner’s and do the same. Money is so tight right now though. I should not have bought Mrs. Kimble but I really wanted a signed copy after hearing her read from it. It was so amazing to hear her voice of the characters. Of course the author is always going to have a precise voice for her characters. It was so interesting to hear. I have Good in Bed by Jen Weiner and desperately want to buy In Her Shoes which I just took out of the library. I know that eventually I will buy it. It is my next book to read. I am going to start to read it tonight. I just felt awkward after I realized that Jen Weiner was right there, Good in Bed is one of the best books I have read in the past few years, and I did not get her to sign a book. I am fairly certain that we live in the same general neighborhood. I will hopefully catch her on her next book tour. I know she is working on novel #3 although with the baby coming, who knows when that will come out.
I have aspirations of writing for a public audience but I just do not know if I am creative enough to write fiction which is what I really love. Perhaps I will use some of my upcoming free time to work on it. The book reading tonight just really made me think about my own wishes to be a writer. Maybe someday.
Comments:
Post a Comment
