I was up till about 2:00 a.m. doing by duty as a judge (that is, reading till my eyes bugged out) and now am going to take the morning to look over A Death at the White Camellia Orphanage and The Throne of Psyche for tomorrow's radio interview in Binghamton. And I'll pick out a couple of things from The Foliate Head and Thaliad to read. I have so many other books rattling around in my head that I need to remind myself of my own, I fear. After that I must catch up on all sorts of house-related drudgeries.
Yesterday my eldest turned 23 in North Carolina, and went out to dinner with my mother.. It makes one feel remarkably grown--even more than the 25th wedding anniversary on the 16th. One is sailing fast on the big slide, taking corners roughly at times, but exhilarated.
Slide... That reminds me that when he was 27 months old and I was nine months pregnant, Ben begged and begged me to go down a slide in the park with him. I did, rather slowly. Then at dinner, I suddenly realized that I could not eat any more, and that I had certainly better not eat dessert. The golden daughter with curly hair who I had known would be mine when I was a little girl was born the next morning. Her baby silks fell out before long, and then I had to wait a good long time before the pale curls appeared.
Monday, July 23, 2012
8 comments:
Alas, I must once again remind large numbers of Chinese salesmen and other worldwide peddlers that if they fall into the Gulf of Spam, they will be eaten by roaming Balrogs. The rest of you, lovers of grace, poetry, and horses (nod to Yeats--you do not have to be fond of horses), feel free to leave fascinating missives and curious arguments.
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RE: Today, yesterday, and nostalgia
ReplyDeleteI've decided to, though not figured out how to, implement the following philosophy:
1. I am going to stop doing the "Beatles" versus "The Police" math. (For example, the time between when the Beatles broke up and when I graduated college was 16 year. The time between when the Police broke up and now is 26 years.)
2. Reducing my packrattedness by 90%. Yes, I'll keep some letters, some writings from years past, and a selection of child's drawings, schoolwork. But I won't keep it ALL.
3. I am going to stop asking "what would have happened if" and double-down on "what I can make happen if."
If I can do any of these three things well (esp. #3) I think I'll be a happier man.
1. You have a more number-oriented brain than I do! Once I get beyond family birthdays, it all falls apart...
ReplyDelete2. I am working on that one now. Unfortunately I have no neat children, but I think that is the way with most. I was perfectly neat until Ben was 18 mos. old, when he discovered how much fun it was to throw things over his shoulders. Been downhill and a mess-battle ever since. My rule is that the downstairs must be neat! But I have a dream of upstairs neatness, and I believe that involves a whole lot of throwing away.
3. Yes, that's wise. I occasionally repent of some things--my own mistakes, particularly. But in terms of vocation, I know that much of what has happened to my books was out of my control, and that I simply try to do what's best for the future and not worry too much about it. Of course, what's best (as, where to put money and time) is a bit of a puzzle sometimes.
Have a great interview, Marly!
ReplyDeleteAny interview where you don't forget the names of your characters or come off as an utter dork is good by me! (Don't worry, I'm aiming higher than that...)
ReplyDelete:-)
ReplyDeleteXD, Mole!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of memories of our children, this past weekend we had a visit from a nephew who was close to our daughters in their growing up years (still is but has been living overseas for years). An old home movie on tape was dug up and watched with much laughter and tears - hilarious scenes of their little plays and skits whenever all together, 'directed' by our eldest, the oldest of the cousins. The granddaughters just loved seeing their mom and aunts and cousins when so much younger. Missed having his sister and our eldest with us. A twinge of sadness in seeing my late father, father-in-law and mother-in-law.
ReplyDeleteGood luck and much fun with the interview, Marly, I'm sure you will be marvelous.
It must have been okay because my mother approved! She's pretty demanding...
ReplyDeleteI just got in and I guess the replay is on now. Might listen to it on the website when I get brave.
Laughter and tears: always a good thing with a family. Lovely that so many of you were together.