Overheard at the BBM Household
Mr. BBM: (Going from room to room after getting home from work.) Why are all the lights on in every room? Geez, you even have a radio on down here (family room). . . followed by inaudible ranting. . .
Big I: (from upstairs) Daddy? Because we’re noisy, messy, and we forget about stuff.
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Celebrity Encounter OR I MET SEBASTIAN JUNGER!
When one of my former teaching buddies in Delaware emailed me about a Book Fair that was going to take place in Delaware, I was, at first, only mildly interested. I pictured it as a place to buy books. But when I went to the website, I was amazed at how many awesome authors and illustrators were going to be there and I just had to be there. I especially had to be there when I was that one of my all time FAVORITE writers was going to be there: Sebastian Junger.
If you don’t know the name, Sebastian Junger wrote The Perfect Storm which was turned into an international best-seller and blockbuster movie. He also wrote Fire; his latest book is A Death in Belmont.
Back when I was first married, I worked as an assistant editor for a small literary journal. I went to a writing conference and met some really cool writers like Gay Talese, and Tobias Wolf who wrote This Boy’s Life. After the conference was over, some of the talks and readings that the authors gave were broadcast on C-Span’s "About Books". They were interesting and my husband and I would occasionally check out who they were featuring. One particular night, Sebastian Junger was giving a reading from The Perfect Storm. He was mesmerizing and his writing was just amazing.
With a degree in English Writing, Creative Nonfiction, I found his writing particularly intriguing. He was the kind of writer I wanted to be someday. My husband and I went right out and bought his book and we both loved it.
On Saturday he spoke (or tried to anyway while I snapped about eight pictures of him from the front row), and was amazing.
He’s such an interesting writer and a nice person. He spoke about his latest book and then took questions. He said we had time for one more and another man and I both had raised our hands. He said, "Ok, well two." He answered the first question and then gestured in my direction and asked me for my question. I asked him about his writing process in relation to how he balances being immersed in the moment with taking accurate notes/recordings. He spent a good deal of time answering my question and then ended the session.
I jumped right up and asked him if he’d mind taking a picture with me. He said, "Not at all" and seemed almost shy about it. And then. . . HE PUT HIS ARM AROUND ME and my friend snapped our picture. I gushed about what a big fan I am of his writing and how I think he’s such an amazing writer, and how I first saw him on C-Span and went right out and bought his book and loved it. . . etc. etc.
Then, I followed him over to the book signing and he signed my book. I watched people. He signed most of them "To ‘name’, Sebastian Junger." He signed mine, "To ‘my name’, BEST WISHES, Sebastian Junger." BEST WISHES!!!!!!
I told him what a pleasure it was meeting him. I think I might have jumped up and down a bit, or a lot. It was so cool!
We also met young adult authors, Lara Zeises and Jordan Sonnenblick. They were both so interesting and really made me want to go out and get their books. Big I got a book signed by Steven Kellogg (The Mysterious Tadpole) and Mr BBM sat in on his presentation with the girls. He said he was incredible and that he illustrated the entire time he spoke. He actually made a personal illustration in every kids book.
It was an amazing day, full of really inspiring presentations that just made me want to read everything and try to write a book.
But for now. . . I MET SEBASTIAN JUNGER!!!!! And by the way, his new book is AWESOME!
Perfect Post-October
I forgot all about the Perfect Post awards last month. This month, I couldn’t possibly forget because this post got me all worked up. Jenn at Maniacal Days wrote a hypothetical letter to her boss about why she wouldn’t be in work that day. You can go read the letter yourself, but what got me about it is that it captured so clearly what so many working Mom’s deal with. I work too, but I’m lucky enough to work from home and make my own schedule.
A lot of Mom’s don’t have that option available to them, and Jenn’s letter really captures the angst of having to stop breastfeeding early due to work and the struggle of what to do when you’re sick, your child is sick, and your boss just doesn’t get it.
Congratulations on your Perfect Post award Jenn, and with it comes a wish that you’ll be able to stay at home soon! If you’d like to see other Perfect Post awardee’s you can go here or here.
Chaotic Cupcakes
I volunteered to make cupcakes for Big I’s Halloween party at school. (It’s the Mom guilt. I can’t go to the party with Lil C and I don’t have a sitter.) Because I’m a perfectionist over-achiever, I had to do something super cool. No ordinary cupcakes would do. So, I found an idea for jack-o-lantern cupcakes and went to town.
Lil C is quite content playing in her port-a-crib, so she hung out in there while I put orange icing on the cupcakes. Then I heard Big I cracking up laughing. "What’s so funny?" I called to her. "Lil C is undressing herself," she laughed. She could barely talk she was laughing so hard. I walked over to the crib and there’s Lil C without her little jeans, with her zip up sweatshirt off, and her tank top pulled up and over her head, bunched behind her neck holding her in a full nelson. She spent the entire afternoon wearing only a diaper and protesting loudly if I tried to redress her.
When she was sick of her crib, I brought her into the kitchen while Big I and I cut green leaves candies into pumpkin stems and arranged chocolate chips into jack-o-lantern faces. In the time it took to finish the cupcakes for school, Lil C:
- pulled all of my Tupperware out of the cabinet
- pulled all of the snacks out of the cabinet including a bag of pretzels that she emptied completely onto the floor
- removed every single school paper that Big I has ever brought home from school from Big I’s folder and spread them out around her in the kitchen
- removed each and every letter magnet that she has and threw those on the floor as well
- tried to remove my cleaning products from another cabinet
- pulled out pots and pans and threw those on the floor as well
When she went towards the pantry closet, I decided that decorating the extra cupcakes for us was going to have to wait until later. I sort of attempted to tidy up the kitchen before acting class, but gave up because dressing the squirming naked baby took quite a bit of time.
When we all arrived home tonight, Mr. BBM was greeted with the kitchen from hell and leftovers. After dinner, I finished decorating our cupcakes and was directed by Big I to make them "creepy." I did my best. I know my skeletons look like they have some irritable bowel issues, but I only had one kind of icing and Big I was still thrilled despite the poopy-pants skeletons.
I think I have to change my blog name to "Black Belt Betty Crocker".
Be sure to check back for costume pictures tomorrow!
If you are interested in fantasy football, you can check out my latest post at Save the Soldiers. It’s all about making lousy decisions which is what fantasy football is all about right? The post is called Serving and Devouring Crow 24/7 and can be found here.
I’m also participating in the Carnival of Family Life this week and those entries, along with a link to my sad little chipmunk story can be found here. Check them out!
And to all the new visitors and commenter’s, a big BBM "Welcome" to you!
These boots were made for walking
At J’s request, the story of how the boots became mine and how I explained them to my husband. . .
I did not have any intention of buying these boots. I saw them last week. I searched on the internet for the best deal and found none. Last week, I purchased a coupon through Big I’s school for $5 which entitled me to 25% off all day today. Last night, my husband gave me a princess cut diamond solitaire necklace for our anniversary to match the earrings he bought me for Mother’s Day.
I was completely surprised (although I shouldn’t have been considering he was very very late getting home). He’s a last minute kind of guy. So, I really was having no urge to buy the boots today.
Then I saw them. I had just finished some Christmas shopping and I saw them in all their glory. They were calling to me, just waiting for me.
I asked to try them on, hoping that I would hate them. I hoped they wouldn’t be comfortable.
But they were. . .
I handed them back to the sales girl and told her "no thanks". I told her I was going to "think about it" and maybe come back later. She said, "O.k. but just so you know, we only got one in each size. . ."
I sat there while Lil C chowed on some cherry puffs and then I decided that I had to have them. And here they are. . .
Now I just need a denim skirt to go with them. . .
And as far as the explanation. . . it went something like this:
Me: I was bad today.
Him: Why?
Me: Well, let’s just say you already got me a Christmas present.
Him: Huh?
Me: (revealing large box from closet and showing him) Aren’t they awesome?
Him: What’s the damage?
Me: Well, they were on sale. . . and I got an additional 25% off.
Him: What’s the damage?
Me: $160
Him: AND THAT WAS ON SALE???
Me: I’m lying. They were $149, marked down to $139, and then I had the coupon, so I paid $104. That sounds so much better than $160, huh?
Him: (laughing)
Ta da! Good luck with your purchases ladies! That’s how its done!
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