"FIVE SECONDS"

Home from that Omaha and it's a regular love-fest with Chairman Meow. What a sweet kitten. I had a wonderful weekend in Nebraska. The drive out on Friday was forch, the wedding on Saturday was lovely and festive, the reception was fun and social, brunch this morning with the Omaha Lit Fest crew at my very beloved French Cafe was perfect and the drive back was painless. It's good to be home, though. I might be fighting a bit of a cold, so I am vitamin-loading, water-guzzling and about to go to bed. Tomorrow, I am taking care of that Baby Neptune (Mermaidhead's baby), which I am so excited to be doing. He's such a funny little guy.

"AND IF YOU LIKE YOU CAN BUY THE RING"

Word. I am blogging via BlackBerry again, heading at the moment towards the Iowa border to make it to Omaha this evenng for a wedding tomorrow. I have a little lunchbag packed with ToFurkey sandwiches on toast so I don't have to hunt for vegetarian fare in Iowa. Which is never a great idea, unless you really like iceberg lettuce and fries or are in Iowa City.

How was Thanksgiving? Mine was lovely. PNC281, Irish Ho and I served up some dinner and dished up to-go boxes at the community kitchen. We met a guy named Jim from Rome and he and I bonded over bemoaning the American breadmaking industry. Some of the same volunteers were there from last year, as were some patrons. I just love my Thanksgiving tradition.

Okay, back to the road. More later, dolls.

"I WAS DETAINED"

Hidey ho. Looks like I'm doing a little article about Peru for a travel publication, got a bite on another idea I had for a small series of pieces, so I'm putting that proposal together, yadda yadda.

Ohh, before I forget, see some adventures in Omaha here, here, here and especially here, ha ha, courtesy Jami Attenberg.

Anyway. Now, I'm going to hop a train and go to Chinatown and buy a tiny block of tamarind paste and enjoy the lovely weather. (Snow will be here before we know it.) Sure, I can probably get tamarind at the supermarket around the corner, but it's a nice day for a train ride, and I kind of like buying little bits of things from ethnic grocers. Plus, I'm up for a little adventure.

I have this and this on Craigslist if any of youse are interested. More to follow. I'm doing a major toss-out campaign and it is lovely.

"ASK ME, UH-HO-HO, ASK ME"

• New Jewcy post is up, this time an open letter to Madonna.

• This pic (proof that I actually do some work at these festivals) is linked off of Galleycat today from the litfest set.

• Tomorrow night, Wednesday, September 19th, 8pm, I'm doing The Nod at The Uptown Writer's Space at 4802 North Broadway in Chicago. $5 donation requested.

"SECONDS TO SPARE"

Blogging via Blackberry again. From my cozy bed in the art studio in Omaha. Yawn.

Yesterday was bizz-ay. Remember how last year I blogged all weekend during the lit fest? Not a moment to spare this year! But, tomorrow, I will write a long post with all the goods. In a nutshell, though, Omaha is lovely as ever, my hosts are charming and generous, the panels were a hill of fun yesterday, the Dollar Store Show went well, I met a lot of great people, I talked with a few people I already know and/or met last year, the weather is chilly and I couldn't be hapier about that, Jami Attenberg and I are driving back to Chicago today just after the author brunch this morning, I now own a t-shirt with Timothy Schafert on it, and... I think that's it. For now.

"FIVE SECONDS TO SPARE"

First attempt to blog via Blackberry. I get an iffy signal here in Omaha, so who knows if this will work.

Anyway.

It's chilly and lovely and I'm still in bed, having slept in the attic art studio of a lovely local couple. I have a skylight window over my head and it looks fallish.

The trip out was great- Jami Attenberg (no idea how to make a link via Blackberry) and I tried very hard to name my next book, marveled at the amount of gangsta rap on the radio in Iowa, listened to a few great mix CDs instead, ran after a few feral kittens in a gas station parking lot, and read local real estate listings, amazed how much house you can buy in Iowa for the price of half of a condo in Chicago. She snapped a pic, too, of my bangs sticking straight up in the wind when the sunroof was open; maybe it will circulate shortly.

I have a bit of work to do this morning before the panels start up so I suppose I should get my ass up. Something about being under warm blankets early on a chilly morning, though, makes me want to stay put.

"THE STORY OF MY LIFE"

Oh my, I have a lot to tell all of youse.

So, I fainted yesterday, twice. I think the unforch sniffley-sinusey thing reached my ears or something. It happens. I'm a fainter. I've fainted before and always when I have a good head cold. Anyway. It wasn't a big deal-- I was awake about a second after hitting the ground both times, but still. Fainting. How Victorian! The first episode was on the sidewalk in front of a bunch of construction workers. I felt it coming and started to bend and reach for a stoop, so my head wasn't far from the ground, at least, and I opened my eyes right as I heard, Damn, that hot bitch just fell the fuck out. Uh, thank you...?

The second faintyroo was leaving the Mac store. What was I doing int the Mac store? Well getting a new laptop, of course. Long story, but my harddrive was dead as a overdosing coke whore yesterday. One minute in full action, the next kaput. Luckily, I back up my work and had my ass covered for the most part, so I left with a new MacBook, only slightly awesomer than the MacBook I watched die moments before.

Anyway, I got that taken care of and bonk. And, again, I came to a second after I hit the ground. I felt kind of brain-freezey for a few minutes after, but fine the rest of the night. Today, on the mend. Just sniffley today. No throatey hurty or nothin'.

Anyway. What else? Yesterday I got a sweet invite to do The Nod-- a cool show men-about-town Joe Janes and Done Hall put up where bloggers read some of their favorite-est, fun-est posts before an audience. That'll be Wednesday the 19th at the Uptown Writer's Space and it's a kickass deal for only a $5 suggested donation. (Fear not, I'll remind you.) But, that's not until I get back from the (Downtown) Omaha Lit Fest. Which will be awesome. Just as it was last year. In fact, I think this year will be way bettah.

Speaking of good, we're over halfway to my fundraising goal for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event. And guess what? Because of all of youse and your support, I'm in the top ten fundraisers for this event in Chicago. How cool is that? Got a buck or two burning a hole in your pocket you want to fork over to the cause? Click here!

"ACCEPT YOURSELF"

Shalom, I cut bangs. I like them. They sort of force me to not be so fussy about my hair. And, they look a little bit rockabilly, which, doy, I like very much. Not baby bangs, just bangs, long, floppy bangs, but they're awesome.

Speaking of awesome, the black and chrome Mini I lust after is parked across the street. Who are you and may I please have your car? What? You can have my car. That would totally be fair. Ohh, speaking of cars, not next weekend but next, when I head to Omaha for the (Downtown) Omaha Lit Fest, (gosh,ilovethatwebsite) I'll have company this time. Jami Attenberg is flying to Chicago then driving out with me. Won't that be a fun time? If our Omaha mojo continues, it's bound to be an adventure-- remember the semi-barfight she and I got into last year the night before the lit fest? (Her take on it--- I always forget about the sweet couple that helped dispose of the ne'er-do-well.) Yeah. Oh, and the night we arrive, I'm doing the Omaha edition of Jonathan Messinger's delightful Dollar Store Show. Same piece I did in June, complete with drill sgt. and fratboy impersonations by yours truly.

Going to see Mermaidhead after I do a cuppla things. She's counting the days. If all goes as planned (and g-d forbid it should not, kaynahorah, puh puh puh) we'll all get welcome little Neptune into the world next week.

"I WAS HAPPY TO STAY"

Tonight, I went to Timothy's second reading in the area, at a Borders. I function poorly in suburban settings, and was a few minutes late, but it was a marvelous reading, of course. While there, I crossed paths with the wonderful and dear Melanie Lynne Hauser, who I'd met for a nanosecond last year at the (Downtown) Omaha Lit Fest but didn't get the pleasure of sitting down and really talking with until tonight. So great. So energetic. Love her. (Uh, you know what I'm going to say. Books don't buy themselves. Ahem.)

Anyway. I got all of my plants in order today. Green onions and dill planted, basil, Roma tomato, and lavender seedlings moved to respectable terra cotta pots.

I got some good writing done today that I was glad to have written at the end of the day. I don't know where it'll find a home, but it's a sweet, shy little short story. I'm happy with it.

Anyway, I have a bi of work to get finished this evening before I retire. I don't know that I've yet caught up on sleep from the past few weeks of state-hopping and friend-seeing. Worth every minute, though.

"ASSEMBLE THE WAYS"

Hello, hello! Plenty to discuss today. First, another piece of news I've had to keep quiet is now yours to know. I am reading with one of my very favorite people. It doesn't get much better.

May 22nd
Amy Guth and Timothy Schaffert Reading
The Fixx Coffee Bar, 7:30 pm on
3053 N. Sheffield Ave. in Chicago

This is that awesome little coffee bar right by the Vic Theater. Know it and love it. The place is great, the owners are great. You'll never want to set foot in a Starbucks again. This reading, ladies and gentlemen, is going to be great. You'll love Timmy and his writing so, so, so much.

Next item on the agenda is a shameless vanterie sans scruple. I have another piece up over on Six Sentences today called "At Sevens". Feel free. I'll wait here while you check it out.


Thanks!

So, last night, a relative I haven't seen in yeeeeears was in town, so we got together for dinner and caught up, which was a lovely time. After, a series of evens led me to be reminded how easily threatened I am when it comes to feeling vulnerable or weak. When did I turn into a fratboy? Feel vulnerable and act out? Great plan, Ames, great plan. It really accomplishes little but making me look neurotic instead of vulnerable, then feeling as if I must explain myself, which only leads to vulnerability anyway. Oy.

Anyway.

I'm working today on odds and ends today and getting ready to take off to Austin on Monday. Must go to the post office. Must. No fooling around. Oy.