I told you it wouldn’t be a whole month until I came back again. Nano is going very well. So well, in fact, that I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. It usually drops in week 2, so we’ll see how much I hate this story and everything it stands for in another 8 days or so. I’m no longer surprised that this happens, but every year I’m surprised by how genuine the feelings of loathing are. You would think I would have learned by now that this is a phase.
Brian participated in the annual Baked Potato Decorating Day contest at his work, held every year on November 1st. He won for his impressive rendition of Bag End, complete with round carrot door and broccoli Party Tree. I am still upset by his refusal to let me make hobbits from tater tots, but I shall live through my disappointment. His prize was $45 to Barnes and Noble, and we spent a blissful evening among the stacks of books.
“Do you want anything?” Brian asked me toward the end of our perusal.
I started laughing. Because I want everything, of course. They’ve come out with those amazing gilded Barnes and Noble Classic editions of American Gods and Anansi Boys, A Wrinkle In Time, Shell Silverstein poems, Cthulhu mythos, Robin Hood, Moby Dick, The Eye of the World, 10 Wizard of Oz books… Moleskine has Harry Potter special editions sitting on the shelf. I have not yet read Rene Ahdieh’s latest. America’s Test Kitchen has a gigantic cooking bible. I’m dying to purchase a slew of romance novels, and Uprooted. They have a vast collection of color-your-own postcards and a Pusheen luggage set. I still need the Puffin In Bloom copy of the Little Princess. They had fancy hard-backed editions of The Silmarillion. When I said I wanted everything, I wasn’t kidding.
“Don’t worry about me,” I said. I’m used to drooling and not buying. Also, I didn’t help with the potato and I can’t remember the last time Brian bought books. He picked up three and has been spending his nights reading, like I usually do, which is reward enough.
Writing and reading your heart out are what November is for. We have a good start on that over here.
Casey E. Hamilton 