E-spouse and I are heading off to the wilds of Ohio for his 20th high school reunion tomorrow. We’re leaving the kids behind with their grandparents.
Ahhhhhh, three nights of uninterrupted sleep (E-spouse, are you reading this? Focus on that word: UNINTERRUPTED. No hallucinations. Please, please, please).
Also, three days of no cooking, no cleaning, no picking up toys, no breaking up fights.
But, no warm kid snuggles, no silly uncontrollable giggle fits, no chocolate-smeared faces, no illogical, creative, random kid conversations.
But it’s all good. After all, they are so damn cute when I’ve been away from them. And I’m a better parent for the break.
I’m not taking my laptop. I know. Try not to faint dead away from the shock. But the time we have is pretty booked up already, and the time that isn’t booked with friends and former classmates, I want to spend reading, walking, and being.
My Mother’s Day present was a gift certificate to Asheville’s cool indie bookstore, Malaprop’s, so yesterday I browsed there, searching for the perfect airport companions. I first settled on Elliot Perlman’s Seven Types of Ambiguity. I wouldn’t typically chose this book, given the hoity title, but I vaguely remember reading something amazing about it. Also, it seems like it might be exactly my kind of read–a literate, edgy, psychological thriller. Oh, and it’s about obsessive love. Who doesn’t want to read about obsessive love? Haven’t we all been there?
The second book I chose is a collection of short stories called Bottoms Up: Writing about Sex. I’ve been writing some short erotica lately, but I realized that I haven’t read much. I chose this collection because it features a couple writers I know and like: Michelle Tea and Robert Gluck. Also it was published by Soft Skull Press. I have no idea who they are, but I like their name.
So, that’s what I’m going to do when I’m not talking to various members of the class of ‘86. Read about obsessive love and sex. Walk around Cleveland in the rain. Maybe take a few notes, on paper, for next week’s rocking blog posts.
Happy weekend, all.
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you’re such a genius.
I am humbled by the light of your greatness. (thanks for helping me on the link thing.)
…and I gather from your selections that you MUST have already read Gravity’s Rainbow, because if not you’d surely be buying it, because it is AMAZING
AMAZING…I’m reading it right now.
Devin Walsh contends that he is the finest wordsmith working with the English Language living today, and I can’t disagree.
Have a good trip,
best to the hubby,
chall
Malaprops is the greatest store in Asheville. I drove up from Clemson one weekend just to buy books.
soft skull press was the company that published fortunate son after st. martin’s press recalled it in 1999.
Class of ‘86? So young!
Pynchon is damn good, it’s true, but I like me some John Berger better. Mmmmmmmm.
Big soft spot for Sherman Alexie too, but that’s a whole ‘nuther story.
Safe travels. Have fun in Kucinichland.
JA
Tremendous! Sounds like a great weekend…and yes, we are always better parents when we get a child break from time to time. Have fun!
My guess is you will out-pretty everybody at the reunion and will not be invited back. Hit ‘em with your best blog, Mama.
Sounds great- all of it! And good for your for not taking your laptop …
Hey I just found your blog- excellent! I just had my 15 year reunion last weekend. Was great seeing everyone, even though high school was not always the funnest.