I like the rain. I just hate driving in it.
Out here at the Base, I pretend that I live in Scotland, and then the gray gloom doesn’t bother me so much. I love the Canada geese flying overhead, honking, as if they’re going somewhere important. They’re not, but their instincts tell them it’s time to fly in formation, so they gather, spread wings, and take off, fly a couple of hundred yards, then settle downon the grass to eat and poop some more. Life as a goose. It’s not so hard.
I’m in the midst of last-minute Literati scheduling and PR-ing. Madness, I tell you. The living room is overtaken with baskets of stuff for the raffle. I’m plotting out classroom space and open mic and the like. May I just say ACK. If you haven’t heard, check out Alameda Literati right now. All ages welcome. It’s free. It’s for you. Honestly, I don’t just do this for my health.
Got a fortune in my cookie the other night that says “Let your social instincts off the leash and talk to everyone.” So watch for the announcements in the Alameda Sun and elsewhere: I’m back at the Sun as of Nov. 1 as publisher and executive editor. Officially. That makes the week of Oct. 29-Nov 3 a bit insane. Ending one job, taking on another, staff transitions and then Literati. Don’t worry if you hear nothing from me for a few days. I’ll be probably very busy. Nothing personal.
Part of that transition is press releases to the publishing world, and announcements to local groups and key players. That has been going well. The fortune cookie is right, so far. Talk to everyone. I do. Just more than I have been.
Next week is also the Paden School Walk-a-thon. If you’re of a mind to sponsor the Boy for a few bucks, let me know. He’s hoping his class will win a pizza party. This weekend is homecoming at AHS and an away game for EHS at Berkeley. So all three girls are excited. A man is fixing the raccoon-hole in the roof. I am excited about that. And tonight we’re heading into the City to see Jimmy Buffett at the Filmore. So the Man is excited, too. In fact, it’s his favorite day of the year.
We’ll see how it all goes. I’m off to Emeryville to work at The Monthly today, and interview Rabbi Steven Chester of Temple Sinai, who will be featured in our December issue on people of faith. I also need to make a stop at Laci’s Museum for a short Textiles piece. If you see/hear of any quilt shows or other art exhibitions in the East Bay or SF featuring fabric as art, weaving, knitting, textiles, etc., let me know. I have been writng about that for The Monthly and enjoying it. I think I mentioned the riveting exhibition I saw at the Judah L. Magnes Museum about a year ago featuring all hand embroidered and appliqued scenes from the Holocaust, from one woman’s memories as a child. Unbelievable, awe inspiring, humbling, devastating works. It’s no longer on display but it was magnificent. I’m always interested in seeing more, and the Laci’s exhibition features needle lace, “Born of thread and air…”.
And, last but certainly not least, I was pressured into joining up with the NaNos this year, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha….That is, the National Novel Writing Month deathmarch, wherein one writes a 50,000 novel in 30 days. That’s about 1666 words a day. I set up a blog to write on. That is this: http://www.juliasnano.blogspot.com/ if you want to watch me slog through it. And now that all of you know about it, I can’t pretend it never happened. Now thepressure’s on. Fortunately I have a novel in mind and plotted out already, so I just have to do it. DO IT! Ha! But there we go. We start Nov. 1 and cough up 1500-2000 words a day till we are done. I’ve done that here, without even blinking. (Actually, this is just 680 so far.)
But with a big scoop of plot, a sprinkle of attitude, a handful of charcters and tongue firmly planted in cheek, I think we can do it. Check it out and let me know what you think so far, starting Nov. 1. Because that’s when the fun begins.
And did I say Nov. 1? Yes, the day I start my new job as publisher and two days before Literati. See why the maniacal laughter? See what I mean? Insane.
OK, then. Happy trails.