Full Days

The last two days have been incredibly busy. In fact, I am so exhausted that I should probably be asleep this very moment, but I had to check in with the internet and then, for fear of forgetting some of my blog ideas, I decided to take a shot at posting.

Right now, it is the annual convention for the association that I work for. That means that our members from across the state of New Mexico have gathered in our fair city and we are hosting them. Since the association has a staff of 13, each of us has to do quite a bit of work in order to be prepared for the 300+ attendees. Yesterday, my work included making two posters and having them emergency printed, designing a new flyer, and various other not-so-exciting tasks that kept me working late. This was a tad frustrating because I had someplace really important to be last night: a reading by David Sedaris at my favorite bookstore (which is about to go out of business). I managed to race home, feed the dogs, change into more comfortable but less impressive clothes and make it to the reading in time to get a really good seat.

David Sedaris is absolutely one of my top-favorite writers of all time and this reading could not have come at a better time in terms of my need for inspiration. There's something about Sedaris's casual style and the way in which he writes about everyday occurrences in extraordinary ways. He manages to put into prose the complexity of human thinking and he thinks just like me. Plus, he makes me laugh. Anyways, the reading was great, one essay he read is in this week's New Yorker and it had me laughing hysterically. Go read it.

Anyways, after the fabulous reading (during which David Sedaris was introduced by the mayor and proceeded to proclaim him the "cutest mayor in America") there was a book signing. David made a joke about how he was collecting money in a little black plastic cauldron. He said nobody HAD to give him money, but if we did, he'd like us better. Being somewhat star-struck and very much desiring that this larger-than-life author like me, I gathered all the coins from my purse -- which totaled 85 cents -- and when I finally got up to the table to have my books signed, I plunked the coins in his bucket and made a joke about how he cleaned me out. And so, he signed my book, "To Jodi -- Thanks for the Money. David Sedaris" (Dad, if you're reading this, stop now -- unless Father's Day has already passed.) I also asked him to sign a new book that I purchased for my dad for Father's Day. During the reading he had made a plug for the book which is a collection of stories he chose and then introduced. Basically, he said we should buy if for our dads for Father's Day because dads do not really care what they get and the money from the book goes to a kick-ass literacy center in New York. Plus, he assured us the stories were good. So, I thought, "Hey! Great idea!" Because I have had an insane week or two and did not yet have a gift selected. So I told Mr. Sedaris that I had taken him up on the suggestion to buy my dad the book and asked him to sign it. In my dad's book he wrote, "To Bruce -- With the pleasure of meeting your enchanting daughter. -- David Sedaris."

Now, "Thanks for the money." was kinda funny, I will admit, but he called me enchanting! I realize he probably wrote that because he knew it would make any father feel great to read. But I am going to pretend he wrote it because after exchanging three or four sentences of less-than-stellar dialogue with me he realized that I am not only incredibly cool, but also that I will someday be either a) on book tour with him, b) reading my essays in Carnegie Hall c) accepting the Pulitzer or d) all of the above. David Sedaris thinks I am enchanting... aaahhh...What really happened last night is that I was enchanted.

Well, there is more to tell including a great coincidence, my love for country folk, the definition of "grub up", an explanation of my fascination with border culture, an encounter with an old friend who could be an alien, and why I am sad to be moving away after having a day like today... I will give it all a shot tomorrow. I'm spent.