Author: Melanie

An ordinary man can . . . surround himself with two thousand books . . . and thence forward have at least one place in the world in which it is possible to be happy.
— Augstine Birrell
Yesterday’s Writing Group prompt: What character would you like to be from a work of fiction?
Whoa. This is hard. I read a lot. Like, a lot. And I read even more when I was younger, so I’ve read a lot of fiction in my life.
I love Laura Ingalls from the Little House books. When I was a kid I read them all over and over, and I loved imagining Laura’s life on the frontier. I wanted to make maple candy on the snow and help Pa build the smokehouse for the ham and run my hands over the bolts of calico Laura and Mary picked for their new dresses.
Another book that immediately came to mind was In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson. I haven’t read this book in probably more than 20 years, but I still remember Shirley Temple Wong and the summer she spends listening to the (then-Brooklyn) Dodgers on the radio. Her family has recently emigrated from China to New York City, and the book chronicles her efforts to fit in and learn a new language. She feels a kinship to Jackie Robinson, the first black man to play in the major leagues, because she feels they share the same struggles.
Cannie, in Good in Bed, by Jennifer Weiner is another favorite. The highest compliment I can pay Jennifer Weiner (and I’ve told her this, actually) is this: In the book, Cannie gets unexpectedly pregnant, and much of the story is navigating the pregnancy while dealing with an ex-boyfriend, a weight problem, and a difficult family. I read this book at a very hard time in my life, shortly after I lost my hearing. At the time, when I slept, I slept HARD. I would read this book every night before bed, and there was more than one morning I woke up entirely surprised to find that I myself was not actually pregnant. That’s how deeply this book worked its way into me. A lot of people dismiss Weiner as chick lit, but that severely underestimates her and does not do justice to the kind of books she actually writes.
Also, I basically feel an affinity for every protagonist Elizabeth Berg ever created.

If I could have, I certainly would not have chosen this particular form, given the bony ideal of our society.  Mine would have been taller, leggier, skinnier-armed.  But since I wasn’t consulted in the matter, and since I walk around in these curves every day, sleep with them every night and wake up with them again, I’ve had to make peace with them.  Consequently, I’ve come to think my body is quite lovely and womanly.
— Geneen Roth*

Today’s Writing Group prompt: Tell us about a skill (other than writing) that you’re currently working on building in your daily life.

So many.  Mostly, or most importantly, I’m working on my health habits.  This means that I’m trying to make making healthy choices a habit.  This means that I’m tracking my food intake and trying to pay attention to my hunger cues.  This means I’m going to the gym or otherwise exercising more days than not (right now it’s 4, so I’ll take it), even when I really don’t want to.  This means I’m learning to recognize that surge that happens after something stressful that automatically makes me think, “I must eat to fix this thing I don’t want to feel anymore, and don’t give me any of that carrot stick shit.”

This also means that I am exhausted.  And resentful.  And hungry. But I keep trying.

* I’m not there yet, but this kind of acceptance is what I strive for.

“Place settings (not plastic; all forks must have four prongs).”
– Van Halen 1982 tour rider, via The Smoking Gun

Today’s Writing Group prompt: Name 5 items you’d demand to have everywhere you went if you were famous enough to do so.

How fun is this?  I love to read the stars’ riders and I wonder if it’s really true that, for example, Jennifer Lopez demands an all-white dressing room, right down to the flowers, or whether there’s any truth to the “only ___ colored M&Ms” rumors I’ve heard about any number of people.  So, let’s see – what would I demand?

1. Cheese, obviously.  Lots of cheese (I’m a simple girl – cheddar, smoked Gouda, Swiss – nothing too smelly or soft) and assorted crackers.

2. Champagne.  Ever drink champagne straight from the bottle?  Try it – it’s SO fun.

3. Chocolate fountain with assorted things for dipping – pretzel rods, strawberries, marshmallows, graham crackers, etc.  I once went to a conference with one of these and a huge buffet of stuff to dip.  It was, uh, not my finest moment.

4. Massage table with warming device and a massage therapist on call.

5. Game room – ping pong, pool, air hockey, puzzles, board games, cards, etc. – fun for all ages!

(I write each day’s post without looking to see what others in the group have said so far so as to avoid any undue influence.  This was the first day I was sorely tempted to look first.  I didn’t, though, and so I suspect my list is a bit pedestrian, but I’m really looking forward to seeing what everyone else came up with!)

I’m not afraid of heights, but the idea of falling from them, well, that I’m afraid of.
–– from Cerulean Sins, by Laurell K. Hamilton

Yesterday’s Writing Group prompt is a visual one (I have no idea why it’s so small; click to enlarge):

I’m not a big fan of heights (though I wouldn’t say I’m afraid of them), so this kind of freaks me out.  It’s Photoshopped for sure, right?

I don’t know what it is; maybe because I’m clumsy and fear that I’d make one wrong move at the top there, trip over myself, and fall all the way down.  I do love scaring myself by thinking about it, though – that sinking feeling in my stomach imagining the free fall. But the crunch at the end makes me shudder.

I’d love to go skydiving.  Well, I say I’d love to, but I wonder if I’d chicken out before I ever got in the plane.  I think if I got in the plane and up in the air and strapped to the tandem guy, I’d do it for sure.  If I made it that far and chickened out, I know I’d regret it.  I know a bunch of people who’ve done it and they all say it’s amazing.  Maybe one day.  With a friend (David will never, ever go, and might disown me if I do).

(Sorry this is late and so lame.  Yesterday was my birthday so I was busy having a great day!)

My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint. 
— Erma Bombeck

Today’s Writing Group prompt: Next to godliness, or just keeping yourself off of Hoarders?  Where do you fall on the cleanliness/organization spectrum?

Well.  I’m not that married to clean, so much as I am neat.  I actually actively dislike the idea of cleaning, especially dusting, though I love the end result.  But clutter makes me crazy, which means David often makes me crazy.  Look, I just took these pictures of our respective desks, no staging involved:

And so it goes.  If I took pictures of our dressers, the level of clutter would be comparable.  Basically, this is a thing I’ve just come to accept.  I more or less ask him to limit the clutter to these two areas (and his half of the closet) and keep the rest of the house clear, and that works for us.  When it starts to bother me, I remind myself that company doesn’t spend time in our bedroom and we can always close the door to the office if need be, and when it’s just us, who cares?  Relax, lady.