Author Visit & Book Signing: Avi

Kendall and I paid a visit to the Little Shop of Stories in Decatur, GA this week to meet Avi! I read a few of his books when I was younger, and they are all page-turning novels. Fantastic! So, when I heard he was going to be in Decatur, I made plans to go.

I won't tell you the stuff about him that you can read on his website...I will give you the good stuff. His name comes from a nickname his little sister gave him. She couldn't say his real name, which is Edward, so "Avi" came out. He was a very very poor student all through his school years. One of his English teachers said that he was the worst student & writer he had ever seen. When he was a senior in high school, he made up his mind that he would be a writer. Of course, everyone (including his family) said that he couldn't be a writer. When his first book was published, he refused to give his family credit by using their last name, so he used his nickname!

He said that writing is very difficult for him and that if a writer thinks that they're good, then they're probably wrong. He said that he writes and rewrites each manuscript about 70 times. The book that took the longest to write took 14 years. The shortest (S.O.R. Losers) took a day to write.

A quote from Avi: "Writers don't write writing, they write reading. If I don't make you want to turn the page, I haven't done my job."

Rant, anyone?

This is a rant about several different things I have encountered today. I will try to keep it brief.

1. Dunkin Donuts---Kept prices the same but cheapened the product. I would rather have a good donut for a higher price. Too bad that I won't be going there again. Keep your cheaper donuts.

2. Church---A rattle (or any other noisy toy) is not a church-appropriate toy. Take your baby/kid out if they are making noise. It is not appropriate to open noisy packages of food for your baby/kid during church. Be considerate of others please. I appreciate not hearing the sermon 2 weeks in a row. Thank you.

3. Posterboard---Cashier, when I had you the pasteboard that I would like to purchase, I would appreciate you NOT wrinkling it. I went through great pains to find the last two pieces that weren't already wrinkled and then you go and wrinkle them. Thank you.

Too Much Rain

There was a drought. We complained that we couldn't use our water freely.

Now there is basically a flood (has rained about 70% of the days in the past few months). We complain that it rains too much.

Personally, I like the drought. It encourages conservation and the sun is usually out. I HATE this rainy weather and don't think I ever said "we need more rain."

My point is that we should find contentment in what we are given, especially with the things we have no control over. Easier said than done, yep. Good luck in this conquest.

I Want to Buy a Book So Bad!!!

This is what my son said to me yesterday. They had a visit from Tammy Carter Bronson yesterday at their school, which I think is so neat! I am not familiar with her books & illustrations, but I am sure she is quite talented. (This is coming from a girl who can doodle her butt off but can't draw a stick person to save her life. I am sure there is a place for doodlers...)

I never liked it when people told me what to do and I still don't. If you tell me not to do something, I will probably do it. Therefore, I never enjoyed reading when I was a kid because books were chosen for me. I wanted nothing to do with those books. The only one I remember liking halfway was A Farewell to Arms by Hemingway. (Thought: Maybe I could get all the books I grudgingly read as a kid and reread them to see what I like.)

Kendall loves to read. Nonfiction. The boy has the Guiness Book of World Records and Ripley's Believe it or Not! memorized. At age 9, he still loves to have stories read to him by his mom, which I think is cute. I should probably encourage him to try a short chapter book on his own. We have read a few together, but how cool would it be to have the kid whose nose is buried in a book? (My best friend growing up was this child. She even missed a spelling test once because she was so engrossed in Roots that she did not hear the teacher say it was time!)

I hope that his love for books, facts and reading continues! I love it!

Can Someone Please Explain?

WHY are our elementary school children wasting 30 minutes every 6th school day to go to Spanish class? They are learning NOTHING. My son, who is in 3rd grade, who has had "4 years" of Spanish, just asked me what the word "adios" means. Seriously?

Why are the children who can barely read or write English going to Spanish class? Wouldn't that 30 minutes be better spent working on their first language? Why are children who cannot add going to Spanish class?

I get the whole thing about exposing our children to other cultures, but something has to take higher priority. Taking a second language should be extra and optional at that age...and probably only for those children who are way ahead in their grade-level work. The core subject areas (reading, writing, arithmetic) are the most important skills that a person should learn. Then move on to something extra. I wonder if I can exempt my kid out of Spanish class or is the government-run "educational" system going to force it down his throat whether he likes it or not? What if Spanish is against my religion?

And who are they kidding that 30 minutes every 6th school day is going to benefit anyone? Oh wait, it gives a Spanish teacher a job...hmmm...yep, that's it.

Sorry for those of you who believe in the public school system, but it sucks. I have no problem with the teachers in general, so if you are reading this and you are a teacher, don't be upset with me. Just explain this whole Spanish nonsense to me PLEASE.

I hate writing titles. Make your own title, please.

My mind is overflowing and it is intimidating me. Kind of like drinking water from a fire hydrant.

As far as my Etsy Shop goes, I constantly swing back and forth on the eager/daunted/overwhelmed pendulum. Now only if pendulums could swing three ways. The short side of it is that I don't want to waste my time doing this for no money, but I also don't want to spend all my time sewing/promoting/selling, etc. I still have a husband, son and dog to raise, folks.

Speaking of the husband, ***puts on whiner hat***, I miss him. His traveling for work (even though it's only 1/2 the time) is wearing on me. It is rough having to switch back and forth between lonely single mother and loving housewifemommy every other week. It's not about the two roles, it's about the switch. Just when I get used to something, POOF, it's uprooted and I get to play the alter ego. ***Takes off whiner hat.***

I was thinking about this situation we're in and I noticed that I've sort of shut down on Kit. When he's home during a week or just on a weekend, it's almost like we don't even speak to each other. We're not mad or anything, but for me it's almost like I know that the "break up" is coming, so I push away so it doesn't hurt so badly. Yes, I cry every single time he leaves. Every damn time. I've never liked to be alone (hence my "never single" approach to dating) and this is no exception. Yes, I have Kendall and Junior but I want my husband.

On a lighter note, I've come to realize that I'm pretty funny. I think of things to say while driving and can't write them down so I forget. Maybe I need one of those little pocket recorder things. See ya at the Punchline!!!

The New Year/Resolutions

I refuse to make any resolutions just because it's a New Year according to the calendar we use. I refuse to celebrate that it's a New Year. Why? Well, I COULD celebrate the fact that I get to throw away my old calendar, but I don't have a new one yet so that's not much fun. I COULD resolve to lose weight, go to bed on time, save money, etc., but we all know how those things turn out, don't we?

My point is that our celebration/resolve doesn't have to be saved up for January 1st. I am always thankful that I have another day of life, and I constantly resolve/revise my "program." Try it. It works better. Be like the cool kids and don't wait for January 1 with all the other losers. (You're not really losers, I just thought it would be funny.)