Brooklyn Comes to Decatur

The Association of Writers and Writing Programs conference hits Atlanta this weekend, and there are some cool events happening all over town. Probably the coolest is Wordsmith Books’ Brooklyn in Decatur author event on Thursday, beginning at 7 p.m., at the Decatur Library (just around the corner from my lovely new abode). The event is featuring four hot Brooklyn-based authors. Cool, huh?

I’m going to be there. I even won books from my favorite Baby Got Books. You should be there.

And there’s beer!

For more information, check out Wordsmith Books’ blog.

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The Perfect Sunday

I woke up yesterday to a surprise of rain. I love rainy Sundays … being awakened by the splattering on the roof ... watching drop slither down the window … the rain painting the yard a deeper green ... letting its laziness soak the bones. No more energy expended than to pad down the hall, make a strong cup of coffee, curl my pajama’ed bottom under a blanket, and listen to the drops before CBS Sunday Morning began. The rain-induced sloth relaxed me for the first time in weeks.

In the afternoon, after a nap with the cats, we were treated to one of the best parts of a Georgia winter: a surprise of sunny and seventy. The cats and I dashed out to spend our first afternoon on our new deck.

The view above. Yes, the sky was that blue.

Otto explores the deck …


… while Maggie chills and checks out the scenery.

A book, a glass of lemonade, birds flitting about … and we three were happy as clams.

Does anyone know why clams are so damn happy anyway?

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It Was

Quite simply, the best date I’ve had in years.

He said I looked “devastatingly beautiful.” I flirted and charmed. He wooed and teased and treated me like a queen.

I’m still swooning.

And that’s all I have to say about it.

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Str8jacket Hits the Airwaves

Our beloved Jeremy, of Str8jacket fame, and his band of merry men hit the big time this weekend on the Discovery channel.

As the boy writes:

It’s official! Our goofy “Future Weapons” spoof was chosen to be part of the one-hour Discovery channel show, “You Spoof Discovery.” It will air this Sunday, Feb 25 @ 10 p.m. (EST). Discovery Channel stated that they will also post the video in its entirety on www.discovery.com. Pretty cool! The spoof was written and directed by Jeremy, stars Trey and Holt, and was filmed by Allister and Holt. Mike Rowe* (from Discovery’s “Dirty Jobs”) is set to host the parody show. Set your DVRs, and watch the cocky Navy Seal and the sweaty, sloth-like guest explore the wonderful world of “Rocks.”

Yeah, so the Oscars will be on … but the boring awards will be presented during that time, so switch over and watch Jeremy’s moment in the TV sun. Or stay up for the 2 a.m. repeat.

* What a babe. I even watched his homes-for-sale show when we were in Baltimore. Gawd, I love cute, funny, smart men. Just like Jeremy.

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Cup's Tips on Moving

Now that my move is complete, I’m ready to share the bits of relocation wisdom and insight I picked up during the last six weeks of hell.

Don’t leave your favorite neighborhood for a good deal. That’s what I did in 2005, and I regretted it every damn suburban day. I’ve already had more visitors at my new place than I did in my two-plus years in the ‘burbs.

Pick your new beaux wisely. A man who works at a large paper company is the perfect mate during moving season. He’ll keep you stocked in boxes of all shapes and sizes. If you’re lucky, he’ll be kind enough to come by and help on his way home from work. Make sure the other beau has a van and the ability to make you laugh when you do something stupid. Because you’ll do stupid a lot.

Lift with your legs, not your back. Especially if you’re at the end of fortysomething. I pulled it. I strained it. I pushed it to its max. I’m still hobbling … and facing the fact that I’m no longer a spry young thing. (Note to self: If you use the word “spry,” you said goodbye to young a long time ago.)

Toss it. If you come across a box that hasn’t been opened since the last time you moved, dumpster the sucker. That sundress you wore on your first date with Dan in 1995 is a decade out of style, and who are you going to show it to anyway? (Magazines with R.E.M. on the cover are exempt from this rule. Forever.)

Forget short skirts for the next three months. You know you’re going to stumble and fall and slide across the floor many times, so those scabbed, rug-burned knees ain’t gonna be pretty for a while. Buy a new box of those large Band-Aids and have plenty of Neosporin on hand.

Beware of natural gas. When lighting the gas fireplace, remember that it’s lit match first/gas key second — and only light a fire when you’ve had plenty of rest. Thanks to an unfortunate process backasswardness after three hours of sleep, I am now sans eyelashes and the first row of hair. Have to admit, though, that the moment my face was engulfed in blue flames was pretty cool; it reminded me of the melting Nazi at the end of Indiana Jones.

Speaking of utilities. Be sure you’re out on the last day of your electric service; it’s no fun moving in the cold and dark of January.

Budget wisely; you're about to go Target-broke. You know you’re going to go in there every time you move a load into the new place, so start saving those pennies and quarters now. Who wants to move the old mop to the new place when that Michael Graves one is so cute? You might want to put some of those dollars toward Target stock since you'll be upping their profits for the quarter.

And, finally … Avoid moving at all costs.

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Let's Try This Again

You know it's bad when you see your blogosphere disappearance mentioned in the comment boxes of other bloggers. You have shamed me thoroughly. I appreciate your recent comments and e-mails and phone calls. To quote Sally Field … okay, I won’t go there.

I. Am. Back.

I’ve missed reading your blogs, and I’ve missed blogging. I thought I was back … but … well … okay, there’s no great excuse. Life just got in the way.

And that life is quite interesting these days. From moving away from the ‘burbs back to my neighborhood ... to some funny move-related mishaps … to two-point-five great concerts so far this year … to Yin and Yang (my biggest distractions of 2007) … well, I have a lot of blog fodder for the week, and I’ll try my damndest to post every day and get back in the routine. And catch up on your blogs.

This time, kids, the bitch really is back.

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