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Allison Larkin

Internationally Best-Selling Author

You are here: Home / Neil is awesome / Things I Haven’t Blogged About

Things I Haven’t Blogged About

October 7, 2008 Filed Under: Neil is awesome, writing

Issue 3 of Slice Magazine is out with a reprint of my Bathtub Mary story. I got my copy in the mail, stared at it for about an hour and then called my husband and got all weepy when I told him about it. The issue is fantastic. Great stories, and a fascinating interview with Salman Rushdie. I’m going to a junior high English class on Friday to talk about the story (they’ve been studying it this week).

Neil was in town two weekends ago for a seminar and came up a day early so we could hang out. He and J had never met, and it was just so cool to get to hang out with my old college buddy and my husband. We made pizza on Friday night, drank some wine, looked at my scrapbook from college, and talked about everything from TED videos to the trials of tribulations of being a drama major. I wanted to write a post about this and talk about the turns in the road, the people we lose (or have to cut loose) along the way, and the blessing that is the people we get to keep and grow up with, but I’ve been a little stuck in my head lately, and getting sort of nostalgic and sappy. I think it’s best to keep the sap content low around here, so I’ll just tell you this: Neil is freaking awesome, and you should totally check out his Cambodia project if you haven’t already. Also, he draws incredible cartoons.

My friend M was in town the night before I left for Ohio. For some reason, disasters always try to keep M & I from getting together. This time, it was a flat tire (mine, and I had to hit the road at 6AM), but M came over and hung out with me while it was being taken care of. Another time, we ended up in the animal emergency room with the cat (back when she had four legs). Okay, I guess we’ve only had two disasters, so that’s not always, that’s just twice. Anyway, it was great to see M, even if it was just a short visit. And she offered to read through some pages for me, which is a total bonus, because M has a gift for editing.

My writing group is starting up again tonight after taking a little break for the end of the summer. I’m super thrilled, because I work best with deadlines, crave feedback like it’s soggy, be-sprinkled box cake, and get to listen fantastic writers read their work. Writing group is one of the great great joys in my life, and I always feel like something is missing when we break.

I’m toying with the idea of taking a day trip to the town where my main character has taken up temporary residence. Probably in November, because that’s when that part of the story takes place, and I think that November in this part of the world has a feel to it that magnifies certain things. I could certainly write these pages without taking the trip, but it’s a little luxury I am willing to afford myself. It’s not a long drive, and it’s possibly an excuse to stop in and have tea with an old friend.

What’s new with you?

3 Comments

Comments

  1. Ben says

    October 7, 2008 at 6:04 pm

    Funny you should mention getting back into the swing of the writing group! I’m just trying to force myself into writing more creatively again. Blogging is a great routine but I used to spend time putting a hell of a lot more effort into my creative work. Maybe that’s something to keep us busy in the winter months :)

    Reply
  2. Willow says

    October 9, 2008 at 3:39 pm

    What’s new with me? My daughter brought me a worksheet for making a life mission statement. I’ve looked at it and realized,’Wow, that’s a lot harder than I thought it would be.” And, I’m knitting a few things. I think knitting and designing is like writing. Seasons of high and low, writer’s block/design block.

    Reply
  3. Mickey says

    October 17, 2008 at 6:40 pm

    I wanted to say about your last post that those are the only sprinkles worth eating.

    Reply

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Okay, fine. Her jacket is reversible and we kinda Okay, fine. Her jacket is reversible and we kinda match. I admit it. Alright? We all knew this was coming. None of this should be a surprise to any of us. #dailyroxydog #huskychihuahua #dogjacket #peoplewhomatchtheirdogs
Just a dog in a puffy jacket that matches her lawn Just a dog in a puffy jacket that matches her lawn chair. And she likes it! #dailyroxydog #chihuahuamix #ilovemydog
We are in the habit of starting and ending our day We are in the habit of starting and ending our days side by side in our lawn chairs, while the light rises or dims. It’s still chilly at the outer edges of the day. Sometimes Roxy shivers. I bought her a sweater, but she won’t wear it. Sometimes I try to wrap her in my jacket, but she’s not having that either, so I throw her ball and try to get her run and then she comes back to her chair, warm for a little longer. #dailyroxydog #huskychihuahua #dogssittinginchairs
“I got a secret I should tell. I’m going up to “I got a secret I should tell. I’m going up to heaven in a split pea shell.” ~ @petermulvey43 Words Too Small to Say
Happy as a dog in a freshly dug nap hole. #dailyro Happy as a dog in a freshly dug nap hole. #dailyroxydog #huskymixesofinstagram
I saw this little dresser at my favorite magic ant I saw this little dresser at my favorite magic antique store sometime in November and didn’t buy it. But then, of course, I kept thinking about her. She’s the perfect size for my office, and I found those drawer pulls hilarious. When I finally went back in December, I told myself I was shopping for wall art, because I assumed she would be gone. But she was right where I’d seen her last: balanced on another dresser with boxes of old picture frames and tchotchkes piled on top (the true mark of a magic antique store). I didn’t even realize she had a towel rack — that she was a wash stand, not a dresser — until I asked about the price, said I’d take her, and my favorite magic antique store person asked if we needed to unscrew the towel rack to fit her in my car. I suspect this little sweetie is not from the days of necessary wash stands so much as from a country kitchen in the 80s. She was in rough shape, and not made from wood worth stripping and re-staining, but her price reflected that. I had to disassemble that door and put it back together, but I’d been in the market for some experience working with old furniture, and she made me feel brave about trying. I thought about painting her something more neutral, but I’m so glad I didn’t. She deserves to be pink. She’s not perfectly painted and needs a few touch ups. I learned some things about chalk paint and finishes. The drawers stick a bit. Eventually, I’d like to line them with fabric and when I do, I might plane the edges to smooth things out. But goodness, I love her in a way that I wouldn’t if I hadn’t spent time cleaning away her cobwebs and scrubbing the grime from her hilarious drawer pulls. She’s also become a little shrine for the book I’m working on, which makes me love her even more. I’ve always been a person who sees some soul in certain things, and I’m learning to cherish that idiosyncrasy, because there’s so much joy to be found in a brave little toaster or an underdog wash stand. We’re not here in the world for all that long. We may as well love some bright little things. #furnituremakeover
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