Sometimes I forget that this blog really can just be a blog, i.e. something I use to entertain myself and also to enjoy the community of people out there reading it, instead of a place where I pressure myself to be brilliant and witty and interesting. So in the spirit of not really trying to be brilliant and witty and interesting, I’d like to do something that I’ve done before to great success and entertainment. So, shoot. Ask me a question about anything in the wide magnificent universe* and I’ll probably answer it over the course of the day. Leave your own blog-link and it’ll appear in the question, leave an email and it won’t.
* Actual questions about the universe and its wide magnificence will probably be relegated to our handy accessory, the Husband Feature. Questions about fashion, though, are encouraged.
The questions are starting to roll in, and they’re “after the jump”, as all the cool people say.
What’s your favorite show these days? What fashion trends do you predict for spring (that you would wear)? If travelling to NYC in July (as I am) what sort of wardrobe do you recommend? And are there any Must-sees that are off the beaten path? (this is my 6th trip to NYC). – akaellen
My favourite show these days is almost definitely House or Grey’s Anatomy … hrm, medical dramas? But neither of these compare to the awesomeness of the entire Buffy series on box set, which is currently taking up my time and energy, oh yes, LOVES. Also, Firefly rocked the face right off my very face.
I’m not really good at predicting trends, but I’m looking forward to continuing last year’s flowing skirts trend, and I’m also seeing a lot of 1970′s cut spring dresses in the mags, which I look forward to because, hello, psychadelic patterns and empire waists = so much fun.
I think one of the big must-sees for New York is Queens. Spending a day wandering around Long Island City, riding out to Forest Hills for some unbelievable pizza at Nick’s, taking the subway to Corona to get some Italian ice from the Lemon Ice King of Corona and sucking on it while sitting under fairy lights watching old guys play bocce in the town square? Seriously? Can’t be beat. Most tourists, though, miss this side of the city completely. And a lot of snobby Brooklynites, I might lovingly add.
Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? -Pete
Pete, you’re spending a little too much time with Queen, is all I have to say.
What are you absolutely favorite blogs? What blogs do you check up on every day? And why do you love them so? -Jen
This is sort of like being asked to pick the dodgeball team, because I basically read ALL the blogs I read every day, but I would be lying if I didn’t say there were those I click on more readily these days when I see them in my Kinja. I feel like it’d be a little unfair, though, to list them (although I will say, I check on Kristin a lot lately because I like that dame and because I know she’s going through stuff). So I can honestly say, look at my links page. There isn’t a blog on there I won’t check every time they post something. I don’t link to make friends or make people happy – those really are the blogs I read every time they post.
I usually lurk here. I’m leaving a question today because I recently found out that a movie version of The Golden Compass is in the works. I had never heard of the “His Dark Materials” trilogy until I read about it on your blog and then read it and fell in love with it. So my question is, are you excited about the movie and will you go see it? I also have a bonus question: Are you generally able to watch book-based movies objectively or do you always compare them to the book (and point out the movies’ shortcomings)? -Susan
I WILL be seeing the film(s), because I really adore those books and I’ve heard that Pullman has been fighting to keep the anti-dogmatic message true to form. But yes, you’ve hit the nail on the head – it’s a blessing and a curse to see books I love turned into films. John le Carre said something fascinating about this process – he was talking about how brilliantly Alec Guiness portrayed George Smiley in the BBC adaptations of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley’s People. He said he’d never again be able to write George Smiley, because Smiley had BECOME Guinness in his mind, so the character was no longer elastic, existing only in le Carre’s mind. I feel that way, a little, about my favourite books turning into movies. I love the experience of seeing those stories put into images but it’s bittersweet. They exist now, outside of my mind. Somone else has – no matter how accurately – shaped the visuals of something that was entirely in my head. Even when it’s well-done, it’s taking something away from me.
I would love to hear the story of how the Tribe (your group of friends that you refer to frequently) assembled. You’ve mentioned that you didn’t grow up in New York, so how did you all meet and become friends?
And question two: Do you envision yourself staying in New York long term, or would you consider living anywhere else? -Jaimie
Believe it or not, the tribe is borne entirely out of Colorado + Sarah Lawrence. Long ago in the ether of the 20th century, Biscuit’s good friend Belinda came to SLC. She made friends with a group of people, Biscuit came to visit and loved NYC so he moved here, and became friends with Belinda’s friends at SLC – Jeb, Luke, Bill and Barrie, to name a few. Shiv and Conrad also rolled in through Jeb, they’re also SLC alums, and we got Ben through Jeb as well. I got to know Biscuit through Conrad, even thought I’d known Bill and Luke since I got to SLC as a freshman. Kate and Jen, we got to know through the blogs, Stuart and Mark as well (who’s dating Stephanie who’s MY good friend from our early days in New York). Then there are a lot of wonderful girlfriends and boyfriends who’ve come into our lives through all these people, and roommates and new friends and old friends and things. It’s really incredibly organic and amazing, and they’re one of the main reasons I’m still thriving and happy in New York.
I would never want to leave New York because I just didn’t think I could hack it anymore, or enjoy it. New York challenges you every day to keep loving it, to stay committed. If I left, if and when I do, I hope it will be because the thing I’m going to is as exciting if not more so than the city. Until then, I will find a million ways to love this place, even when it drives me crazy.
What will you do if you don’t get into grad school?
Of course, you totally will. But let’s just pretend you don’t. Do you have a Plan B? -Emily
Good, tough question, Emily. Yes, I definitely have a Plan B (or, as I like to call it, my “IN CASE OF FAILURE, PULL LEVER” Lever). I don’t want to really detail it here, but I can say this much – it involves radically reshaping my current life and committing more hours of each day to writing than I ever have before. It might also involve puppies.
What’s your stand on those adorable little flats with skirts? If yay, what length and style of skirt do you find them to be cute with? If nay, do you think there are any acceptable exceptions? -Polichick
Well, I’m not graced with perfect legs and I’m short, so I usually wear some kind of heel with a skirt, especially if it’s either 1. short or 2. long. However, I do wear that lovely spring/fall length, right at the knee, with flats all the time. I try not to wear anything bulky, though, sticking to a slim tee or a tank and a blazer, so that I don’t get top-heavy without the heels to pull it off.
1. Why are people still wearing UGGs and ponchos? 2. Do you have a favorite airplane story? Or just a story in general you tell to everyone you meet? -Devlyn
1. Seriously, Devlyn, I HAVE NO IDEA. I have never, ever worn a poncho. I’ve worn a shawl wrapped over my shoulders in a poncho-esque manner but DAMNIT, it’s not a PONCHO.
2. I went through this brief phase in 2000-2002 (okay, that’s a two year phase) where, when people would actually drag me out from behind my book to “chat”, I’d start lying voraciously and enthusiastically about everything they asked. I don’t do that anymore mainly because Stuart is there and I wouldn’t be able to keep a straight face. However, this IS one airplane story that several of my friends have fallen to bits laughing over, which is the Passive-Agressive BITCH OF AN AIRLINE ATTENDANT story. Kate’s laughing RIGHT NOW, as she reads this, because I think she’s the one who thinks it’s its the funniest. It involves a man who looked like ZZ Top and some VERY PRECIOUS BLANKETS. It’s really better told in person, so if we ever meet, remind me of this.
When you were a kid, what were the top 5 “things” you wanted to be when you grew up? Now that you’re somewhat more grown, what are the top 5 jobs you’d love to have?
What are five things you want to do that you haven’t yet done? (that should keep you busy for a while right?) -Mayumi
When I was little, I really wanted to be an architect, a vet, an actress, an English professor, or a professional jockey. As you can imagine, there’s only one left on that list that I still aspire to, albeit begrudgingly.
Nowadays, my dream jobs that I’d never really make a career are: an interior decorator but only if my clients had great personalities, limitless funds, and absolute trust in my taste. An owner of an awesome coffee shop (matt, me and the llamas are looking at YOU). A travel writer. A children’s toy designer. A geneticist. And of course, a writer – but I’m going to make that happen, so it doesn’t count.
Five things I want to do that I haven’t done already? I’m going to limit this to things I know I will accomplish in my lifetime. Okay, I want to travel around the world for a few months on one of those awesome globe-traveler tickets. This doesn’t have to be soon, in fact, I’d love to do it once Stuart and I have kids that are in the right age bracket to enjoy it (read: 10-12). I want to have kids. I want to at least get NEAR Everest, if not climb it (as was my former ambition). I want to own and adore a house, have a place where the work we do with our hands enriches it, the memories we make reverberate through the rooms. And I want to fulfill the promise I made to my dad that we’d rent an RV and drive across the U.S.
There, that took me six minutes.
1. Have you ever been to Andorra?
2. As a young’un did you believe in anything supernatural; Egyptian deities, Santa? I totally used to roller skate around convinced that the chicks from Xanedu were going to beam me up into some kind of eighties heaven where everyone had feathered hair and wore head bands.
3. If you haven’t been to Andorra have you ever met an Andorran(?) native?
4. Without looking it up, do you know what langues are spoken in Adorra?
5. Who’s the most well known person you didn’t recognize until someone else smacked you. I just interviewed um, what’s his name that guy from the Capote movie and beyond thinking hey, that’s an actor guy who just won something, for the life of me I couldn’t think of his name. And still cant’. -Sohosally (who, if you don’t know, is singularly responsible for those FUCKING AWESOME CRACKED-OUT OWLS.
DAMN, woman. Take it easy on that root beer. OKAY: As for Andorra and it’s peoples (Andorrean? Andorrian? Andorrite? Whevs). Okay, I had to look it up on wikipedia, so I think that clears up whether or not I’ve been there. I’ve also never met anyone from there, and I restrained my eyes from seeing what language is spoken, so I also don’t know. THANKS FOR SHAMING ME INTO REVEALING MY IGNORANCE, THERE, PAL. Sheesh.
Okay, supernatural powers: Look, I really believed in the Greek gods until I was about nine. I also had an active and far-reaching imagination, but I didn’t actually believe in anything except one thing. I really believed my stuffed animals were real. So imbued with personality were they, that even to this day, when Bow Bear has been lying face down on the floor for days and I pick him up, I swear I see a little guilt-inducing scowl of disapproval on his face. I SWEAR.
I tend to either recognize celebrities immediately or they escape my notice entirely. My favourite realization-of-approximate-fame moment, though, was when I was crossing Seventh Ave on a sunny day, talking to Beth on my cell phone. Garry Shandling was crossing in the opposite direction, also on his cell phone, and as I realized it, I apparently made some sort of shocked and amused face of recognition, BECAUSE HE MIMICKED IT AND SMILED. It was AWESOME.
Who is a writer that you recommend? I actually picked up Connie Willis through your blog, devoured her entire corpus, loving each one more than the last. I’m looking for a modern, since I don’t usually hang out in the post-1970ish stacks.
And don’t send me to the Booklist, I still am not over the whole Dashiell thing! -Simon
Oh, Simon, you are so adorably curmugeonly! I’m sorry about the Hammett thing, really, I just didn’t like Red Harvest as much as I liked Maltese Falcon, which I didn’t like as much as The Big Sleep, and I read them all in rapid succession so the grade was more a relative thing. That said, I used to be very intimidated by contemporary literature. Bookstores used to overwhelm me, leading to what I lovingly refer to as “The Thomas Hardy Syndrome”, where, even though I find old Tom to be a RIGHT BORE sometimes, I’ve read his entire body of work out of an inability to try a new author.
So, on the one hand, I would refer to you to Audrey Niffenegger because I haven’t met a person YET that didn’t love The Time Traveler’s Wife. But that’s just one book and I sense, my friend, that you’re like me and you enjoy devouring whole troughs of books by the same author, just for the compare-and-contrast delight.
Let me then recommend (if you’ve already read any and all of these guys, let me know and I’ll think up a few more) you make immediate waves into John Le Carre (specifically the Karla trilogy and The Spy Who Came In From the Cold, don’t start with his more recent stuff – the Cold War is where he shines). If you think you have to be a snob about Le Carre because it’s spy fiction, THINK AGAIN. Some of the most sublimely subtle protracted drama you’ll ever read.
Also, John Irving. Now, I know I’ve gotten a lot of flack for loving this dude, but DAMN, I love this dude. His body of work isn’t consistent, though, so start with Hotel New Hampshire or Prayer for Owen Meany, also awesome is Setting Free the Bears. Again, if you’ve already read him, you might understand why I picked him – his style may not be subtle or even astounding, but his characters are literally unforgettable and his stories are very human.
Then, if you haven’t already, there’s Marquez. I think you’d love Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Simon, he’s so dedicated to the divine and the surreal. It’s like Phillip Pullman means F. Scott Fitzerald in South America. If One Hundred Years of Solitude is (understandably) intimidating, start with Love in the Time of Cholera or Chronicle of a Death Foretold. And when you DO read One Hundred Years, remember: the point isn’t to differentiate all the same-named characters. The point is to see them as a repeating, undulating cycle of personality and interaction.
If ALL of these authors are ones you’ve already read, set me off on a different track, but I consider them, as collections of work, to be some of my favourites. Just thinking about them makes me want to go home and hug my bookshelves.
I bought a denim skirt today at ATL ($25!) and Kevin revealed to me that he is not really a fan of denim skirts. But this one is grownup and fits well, so I told him I liked knowing what he likes and doesn’t like, but I’m wearing it anyway because I like it. Tell him that denim skirts are appropriate for grownups and will never go out of style. Also tell him he looked really cute in his orangey-red springy checked shirt. -jen
Kevin, like Jen’s skirt. Denim skirts are completely apropriate for grownups and also, Jen looks hot in them. Also, I like your shirt.
What would we do if we hung out together in New York? What would we do if we hung out together in San Francisco?
Also, how adorable will your children be? Cute overload dot INDEED. -Leah
Leah, I’m pretty sure if we hung out in EITHER city, we’d just drive Stuart and Simon crazy by cooing and giggling at each other and then taking pictures of the other taking pictures of us. Also, in New York we’d: eat pizza at Nick’s, drive miniature boats at Central Park boat pond, make fun of pompous art at MoMA, sneak bourbon out of flasks on the Staten Island ferry, and get very drunk on pitchers of cosmos in my living room whilst playing something incredibly geeky like Book Lover’s Trivial Pursuit.
In San Fransisco, I have no idea how you’d get me away from the seals, so that’s totally your thing.
Our children will be obnoxiously friendly with enormous eyes, like a BUSHBABY. Kristin and I have already decreed this.
If you and Stuart got tatoos testifying to your love, what would they look like (a cute quote, or you as a mermaid and him as a sailor)?
Also, which celebrity makes you cringe? -Sarah
Stuart and I would probably never get tattoos testifying our love (HELLO, that’s what the blogs are for) but if we did, I hope we’d get WE MET ON THE WEB tattooed across our shoulderblades.
Kate Hudson, for some reason, makes me want to claw my own eyes out with a spoon and fling them at people. ACK ARGH SNAAARRRF. I can’t explain it. Tom Cruise, however, ALSO causes the eyeball-flinging rage, and I can explain that – HE’S INSANE AND WE’RE STILL LISTENING TO HIM TALK INSTEAD OF THROWING HIM INTO AN INSANE ASYLUM. Seriously, if we can actually put that man on national television and act like the crazy monkey-poo-flinging nonsense he’s spouting is normal, then I vote that my local screaming cat lady should be president, because clearly insane = the new sane.
That is all.
Theme song if you had one? Like, everytime you walk into a room everyone would think of this song. It wouldn’t necessarily have to play but people would think of it. Like Vader or Sinatra.
Closing credits song for your movie? The first few notes of what song would kick in when you said your triumphant/tragic/poetic/ironic/clever/brilliant/poignant final line?
Former aspiration that you look at now and go: Umhmm. Yeah, I ‘m not so into that idea anymore. I was young! I was in love/brokenhearted! I was lost! Please pass the whiskey my friend!
Favorite meal whether for the company, the food, the wine, the location, blah, blah, all of the above or just one? -Kahli
Man, a theme song? I used to say Vienna, by Billy Joel. It’s probably still true. But for the longest time, the song I’ve related to the most, that pleases me the most when I hear it and its relevance to my life, is probably New York City by They Might Be Giants.
Hrm, the movie of my life? I’ve actually never thought about my life as a movie. Especially since I have no idea how it’d end. But if it ended the way life does, with a long happy one and death, I’d like “I’ll Follow You Into the Dark” by Death Cab for Cutie to play then, I suppose. Life really is just about love and who you choose to be with you for it.
I think wanting to be a lawyer is my “Uhmmmmm” moment. I got seriously misguided by the fact that I’d be GOOD at it, which allowed me to sort of overlook whether I actually WANTED to do that with my life. I’m naturally pretty realistic and pragmatic so it seemed to make sense with my life goal of Not Dying Penniless and In Debt, but it’s just not how I want to spend my life (or not spend it, as the reality of it usually is).
Honestly, my favourite meal is probably fajitas at Lupe’s in Houston. Or a bowl of queso and chips at Magnolia in Austin. Or, wait, steak and wine at Bugaboo Creek in RI with my parents. French Roast on our anniversary with Stuart. The steak and risotto and plaintains we made on Eleuthera, with Jen and Kevin. And ANYTHING I EAT at Mario Batali’s restaurants. Burgers at Fuddrucker’s with my dad, or ceasar salad at Paragon (in Providence) with my mom. French bread and cheese on a weekend morning at home with Stuart. Favourite meals are all about the people and the familiarity of it.
I want to play! Okay:
1. Have you been back to Africa since you lived there as a kid,
2. Have you thought about going there with Stuart to show him where you grew up, and
3. How do you take such fast showers? (Krissa takes exceptionally fast showers for a girl. Like, 5 minutes max. Crazy.) – Steph
HAHAHA this is hilarious, it took me a minute to realize that this was MY steph (yes, Mark, she’s also MINE). That showers thing THREW me.
1. The last time I was technically in Africa was 2001, in Egypt, when my parents lived there during my college years. But I don’t entirely count that because I didn’t LIVE there, just visited. So, we lived in Africa from 1984 to 1991 (roughly) and from 1994 to 1997, and that was the last time I lived there.
2. Yes, god yes, I want to go back. Not everywhere, really – Morocco, Stuart’s already been to, Tunisia and Cote D’Ivoire are not nostalgic places for me, only nostalgic times. But Kenya and Egypt, I’d say, are very high on my re-visit list, this time with Stuart.
3. Seriously, it’s a SHOWER! Not a feature-length MOVIE! I’m in, I clean my body (Lush’s Honey I Washed the Kids soap), I shampoo my hair (Pantene Pro-V Amino Protein Volumizing), I condition with the matching conditioner, I brush out the tangles with a paddle brush, I wash my face with Cetaphyl face soap, I rinse my hair, and BAM, I’m OUT. On to better things. Showers are nice and all, but so is sitting around eating bon-bons.
HI Krissa,
Sorry you’ve been going through the horrors of uncertainty. It sucks doesn’t it.
Anyway, questions – fun!
What’s your favorite show these days?
What fashion trends do you predict for spring? (that you would wear)
If travelling to NYC in July (as I am) what sort of wardrobe do you recommend? And are there any Must-sees that are off the beaten path? (this is my 6th trip to NYC).
Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?
Ooh, ooh, I love these type of blog posts! My questions for you are:
What are you absolutely favorite blogs? What blogs do you check up on every day? And why do you love them so?
I’m asking because I’m finding that there are a lot of crappy blogs out there. I’d like to surround myself with some quality writing, and it helps if the blogs actually have a point of view (not that mine necessarily does, but, if I have to ask myself, why am I reading this, then I can’t be bothered, you know?). A prime example of a fabulous blog in which I check up on every day is YOURS!
Any others out there like yours I should be reading? Thanks!
I usually lurk here. I’m leaving a question today because I recently found out that a movie version of The Golden Compass is in the works. I had never heard of the “His Dark Materials” trilogy until I read about it on your blog and then read it and fell in love with it. So my question is, are you excited about the movie and will you go see it? I also have a bonus question: Are you generally able to watch book-based movies objectively or do you always compare them to the book (and point out the movies’ shortcomings)?
I would love to hear the story of how the Tribe (your group of friends that you refer to frequently) assembled. You’ve mentioned that you didn’t grow up in New York, so how did you all meet and become friends?
And question two: Do you envision yourself staying in New York long term, or would you consider living anywhere else?
I hope this question isn’t off-limits, but:
What will you do if you don’t get into grad school?
Of course, you totally will. But let’s just pretend you don’t. Do you have a Plan B?
De-lurking after 3 years of reading,
Emily
Fashion question:
What’s your stand on those adorable little flats with skirts? If yay, what length and style of skirt do you find them to be cute with? If nay, do you think there are any acceptable exceptions?
1. Why are people still wearing UGGs and ponchos?2. Do you have a favorite airplane story? Or just a story in general you tell to everyone you meet?
Thanks! ^_^
When you were a kid, what were the top 5 “things” you wanted to be when you grew up?
Now that you’re somewhat more grown, what are the top 5 jobs you’d love to have?
What are five things you want to do that you haven’t yet done?
(that should keep you busy for a while right?)
Ooooh fun! Fun FUN! I’m all coked up on Root Beer so I may post a bunch. Here’s the first:
1. Have you ever been to Andorra?
2. As a young’un did you believe in anything supernatural; Egyptian deities, Santa? I totally used to roller skate around convinced that the chicks from Xanedu were going to beam me up into some kind of eighties heaven where everyone had feathered hair and wore head bands.
3. If you haven’t been to Andorra have you ever met an Andorran(?) native?
4. Without looking it up, do you know what langues are spoken in Adorra?
5. Who’s the most well known person you didn’t recognize until someone else smacked you. I just interviewed um, what’s his name that guy from the Capote movie and beyond thinking hey, that’s an actor guy who just won something, for the life of me I couldn’t think of his name. And still cant’.
Me and my root beer high will now leave you to your answering. Sorry for sugar induced typos.
Who is a writer that you recommend? I actually picked up Connie Willis through your blog, devoured her entire corpus, loving each one more than the last. I’m looking for a modern, since I don’t usually hang out in the post-1970ish stacks.
And don’t send me to the Booklist, I still am not over the whole Dashiell thing!
Sally, about Andorra…. do you know what I’ve discovered about Andorra?
Well, it relates to France! Because when you’re elected president of France! you get to not only be president of France!, you’re also CO-PRINCE OF ANDORRA!
That has GOT to be, like, the best perk in the entire world: incidental monarchy. Like, does Jaques Chirac just wander around going, “hi, i’m Jaques Chirac, and I was elected under a largely fair and restrictive democratic process that the people of 18th century FOUGHT PRETTY DAMN HARD to bring about, but HEY! I’M ALSO CO-PRINCE OF ANDORRA! BOW TO ME, MINIONS!”
BECAUSE I WOULD.
Simon, I’m so over-the-moon delighted that you like Connie Willis (I loved the To Say Nothing of the Dog/Doomsday book combo but in my little heart, Passages is still my favourite), but I must humbly defer to first Biscuit, then Shana for their guidance into the wonderful world of Willis.
I bought a denim skirt today at ATL ($25!) and Kevin revealed to me that he is not really a fan of denim skirts. But this one is grownup and fits well, so I told him I liked knowing what he likes and doesn’t like, but I’m wearing it anyway because I like it. Tell him that denim skirts are appropriate for grownups and will never go out of style. Also tell him he looked really cute in his orangey-red springy checked shirt.
What would we do if we hung out together in New York? What would we do if we hung out together in San Francisco?
Also, how adorable will your children be? Cute overload dot INDEED.
If you and Stuart got tatoos testifying to your love, what would they look like (a cute quote, or you as a mermaid and him as a sailor)?
Also, which celebrity makes you cringe?
No, no. There is no more unread Willis left for me — when I like a writer I go through their works like a dose of salts (and yes, PASSAGES is my favorite as well). I’m just looking for another writer.
And I think the co-Prince thing works for San Marino as well, if you get elected President/Prime Minister/Whev of Italy. Just in case the France thing doesn’t, y’know, work out.
Theme song if you had one? Like, everytime you walk into a room everyone would think of this song. It wouldn’t necessarily have to play but people would think of it. Like Vader or Sinatra.
Closing credits song for your movie? The first few notes of what song would kick in when you said your triumphant/tragic/poetic/ironic/clever/brilliant/poignant final line?
Former aspiration that you look at now and go: Umhmm. Yeah, I ‘m not so into that idea anymore. I was young! I was in love/brokenhearted! I was lost! Please pass the whiskey my friend!
Favorite meal whether for the company, the food, the wine, the location, blah, blah, all of the above or just one?
Fun post. Thanks for the lovely distractions as always.
xo-knn
I want to play! Okay:
1. Have you been back to Africa since you lived there as a kid,
2. Have you thought about going there with Stuart to show him where you grew up, and
3. How do you take such fast showers? (Krissa takes exceptionally fast showers for a girl. Like, 5 minutes max. Crazy.)
Um, sorry, but THE MEAL? Unless you don’t want to. But like, I still have 10 minutes at this here desk. So, you know, entertain! Dance monkey!
Uh, thanks!
OMIGOSH! Give me five minutes, Kahli.
Well, you haven’t technically “met” me, but I hated Time Traveler’s Wife. Well, I can’t really say I “hated” it, since I couldn’t even finish it, but I found it a little dopey, in that Horse Whisperer sort of way.
No offense, obviously, I’m sure you’d say the same thing about books I have loved. It just wasn’t my deal.
Maybe something really good happens and you can convince me to finish it? Is that a question?
Okay, this is very weird. I read LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA last week because I had not read Marquez, and I thought, what if there is a quiz in the afterlife and I have to admit that? Loved it. I currently reading THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE. How did you do that?
I would take umbrage at the curmudgeon remark if it wasn’t true.
And I have read very little Irving, so there it is. CIDERHOUSE RULES next.
But I am still a little freaked about the Marquez/TIME TRAVELER thing.
A nuts-and-bolts question for you:
How did your blog community come about?
As a blogger with no community or network of blog buddies, I am often wondering how folks connect with other bloggers. Did you shamelessly promote your blog and if so, how (notwithstanding the etched-in-snow tribute I saw in your photos!)? Do you happen to have a real-life friend-group who is into blogging? Did you start out a little fish and link to everyone hoping they’d link back and slowly become a big fish?
Also, how does one go about building a pretty site like yours with very little html skill?
Thanks thanks.
-Elli
I’m confused. Where are you answering these questions? I’m interested in some of the answers, but I don’t see where you’re doing it. Also in the comments? Somewhere else? Individually via the authors email?
So yeah I guess that’s my question. Or questions rather.
Shannon, they’re “after the jump”. You have to click on “Continue reading….”.
They’re all there!
Easy question this time, since I’m late to the party:
Why did the C become a K in your name?
Gopi, you know, my name – on its own – is CCC. I’ve never liked this, so when I started going by Krissa, I had the choice between letting it be Chrissa or Krissa (in Greek, where I got the name, it’s an X, so….) I decided to go by Krissa so that my initials became KCC.
Ta da.
Krissa! I think I’m a little late to be peppering you with any additional questions, but I just wanted to give you a sha-na-na on your goal to climb Mt. Everest (or at least get near). I returned about two weeks ago from six weeks travel in India and Nepal. And although I was in the Annapurna region (opposite direction in Nepal from Everest), the scenery, mountains, etc. is just totally unreal. You MUST go. But I warn you: spend HOURS on the stairmaster before you take off. Woof! That is some tough hiking.
If I’m allowed to have seconds, and you want to do one more:
Do you eat fruity yogurt? If so, do you prefer pre-mixed or fruit on the bottom. If not, why?
xox
I’m jumping in late as well … intrigued by this Q&A. My question (if you’re still in answer mode): how did you build such a wonderful, loyal, active readership? Any advice for relatively newbie bloggers?
Lovely post. Now all I need to do is come up with a question that begs to be answered…
How do you stay motivated to keep up this blogging? Is it the fans?
Oh, you suck big time. That was a low blow mentioning fajitas at Lupes! How I crave them. My family still eats there at least once a week. Yes, geographically, I am far closer to Houston than you are, but I want those fajitas now, and I am stuck out here in the desert.