Jane Green's Blog, page 136

The art of letter writing

A couple of days ago I read an article asking if summer camps can revive the lost art of letter writing. Now that I am nearing the end of my first summer sending a couple of Smalls to camp, I consider myself something of an expert.

And I'm wondering…whose letters are they receiving that the author of the article might think that, because they sure as hell aren't from my kids.

I have had, oh, maybe six letters, combined, over the entire summer, and they have been along the lines of: "Hi Mom...

Lilith Fair

Back in the day, I was a major concert-goer, and when I say back in the day, I am talking of around thirty years ago. Oh, I've seen 'em all, baby: Springsteen, Bowie, The Police, Michael Jackson. I've seen Melissa Etheridge, Lyle Lovett, Soul II Soul. Oh, and Donny and Marie live.

Yes. Did I mention this was a hundred years ago?

I am not, these days, a concert-goer. I would far rather listen to music in the comfort of my own kitchen. In fact the only live music I regularly make a point of...

Stars – they're just like us!

One of my favorite magazines has a lot of pictures of slebs on the cover, all of them make-up free. The implication being, I think, that they all look rather ghastly without make-up, and decidedly unglamorous.

I spent my breakfast poring over the pictures, and I found myself thinking that in almost every case, they looked lovelier without. Perhaps I am wired differently, but I liked seeing the real person, and they did indeed appear real, which they do not do when they are all glammed-up for ...

Addictions

I have now gone a week without using Twitter. Well, okay, just a tiny bit, but only to respond to people, and to post up work-related things, rather than tweet incessantly about the intimate details of my life.

I will be honest and say it is hard. I am currently breaking two major addictions: shopping, and tweeting. The shopping ban has been enforced by Beloved as Figless Manor is at half-mast, and we keep having conversations with people saying things like, 'oh, it's only $800 more,' and...

Lobster time again

I came home this morning to find a large white box on my doorstep, with a picture of a lobster on the front, and the words Lobster-gram on it.

Uh oh, I thought. This box may look harmless, but I'm pretty certain I know what's inside. I gingerly sliced it open, removed the polystyrene lid, and using a fork, lifted the bubble wrap and greaseproof paper. Two pairs of beady eyes looked back at me. They were black. With twitching legs. Very much alive.

I have killed lobsters once, and once only. I w...

The Men in My Life

For a very long time I haven't had a lot of male friends, and I thought this was because it's one of the unspoken laws of marriage: you don't get to make new male friends. Frankly, I always thought this was rather sensible, compounded by one of the funniest books I've read this year: What the Hell is He Thinking: All the Questions You've Ever Asked about Men Answered, by Zoe Strimpel.

This book is beyond fascinating, filled with everything you ever wanted to know. And of course she asks: Can ...

Happy Birthday Mr President

The President is coming to town tomorrow, for two fundraisers, one for the Wall Street set, and one for the smart set, after which he will record an episode of The View for Thursday morning.

Should you wish to buy a ticket for the fundraiser, it will cost $30,400. Yes, that's right. You did read it correctly. $30,400, or, if you're bringing a husband too, $60,800.

I like our president very much. I think he is thoughtful, and curious, and clever, and right now, he has the worst job in the...

Breast Density madness

Last week I went in for my annual mammogram, fully expecting the same outcome as last year: the density of the breast tissue is such that, in my case, the mammogram cannot be trusted to tell you the result, and so I have to have an ultrasound as well.

Today the radiology department just called to make my appointment. She explained that CT Governor Jodi Rell has now passed a law stating that breast density information must be provided in mammograms, which is crucial in the early detection of...

Thoughts on camp

I am now back home after something of a record for me – fifteen hours of driving, mostly by myself, over a three day period, to visit the two middle Smalls at Sleepaway Camp.

I was not a huge advocate of Sleepaway Camp, largely because I didn't grow up with it. I do vaguely remember being shipped off to something called Colony Holidays one Summer, and another year to Junior Holidays, the British version of US camps, which were held in boarding schools and huge fun. I loved Colony, even though ...

Off to Camp

The Eldest Son and Mini-me have been gone all Summer, and I am not faring well. They are off at Sleepaway camp, one in Maine, one in New Hampshire, and they are there until mid-August, which frankly, is too long for me. Their father spent his youth at Sleepaway camp, so it is as familiar to him as waking up in the morning, but for me, growing up in England, it is a completely alien concept, and whilst I know they are having a wonderful time, I have missed them enormously.

On the other hand...