Jamie Patterson's Blog, page 21
September 15, 2011
Unexpected Gifts
I have a desk downtown that I don't often go to because it's in a room with no windows and I can't bring Huey along. It's nice to sit at my desk at home and have Huey underfoot or snoozing across the room under big, bright windows. Today, though, I went in for a short meeting and found one of my coworkers had left a copy of his book for me. His book was published in 1995 and has sold over 40,000 copies, was translated into nine different languages, and I've always been curious to read it.
It's a book meant to help people through recovery from addiction and mental health issues and is deeply personal in the way that Lost Edens is. It doesn't at all tell the full story of my coworker's own journey but shows a snapshot: it shows how he coped, how he prayed. It's an incredibly beautiful, moving collection of words that has the weight of truth to it. I am so moved by the book and by his gift of it that it will probably take me awhile to find the proper words to thank him.
I thought today while I was flipping through his pages that there are two things about everyone that is universal and yet rarely addressed: we are all seeking truth, and each of our movements have unspoken journeys trolling just below the surface. Journeys of hope, of prayer, of desperation, of expectation. Some friends and even family members were surprised by the emotion in Lost Edens. They remarked that they were there, they witnessed the events, but they still didn't know until reading the book what the journey was like for me. And how could they? We don't often talk about how we cope, or how we pray, or what it is we're thinking about underneath the motions of daily life. Which is why I think I love books so much--they can get to those unspoken journeys in unexpected ways and in ways other forms of communication just can't.
It's a book meant to help people through recovery from addiction and mental health issues and is deeply personal in the way that Lost Edens is. It doesn't at all tell the full story of my coworker's own journey but shows a snapshot: it shows how he coped, how he prayed. It's an incredibly beautiful, moving collection of words that has the weight of truth to it. I am so moved by the book and by his gift of it that it will probably take me awhile to find the proper words to thank him.
I thought today while I was flipping through his pages that there are two things about everyone that is universal and yet rarely addressed: we are all seeking truth, and each of our movements have unspoken journeys trolling just below the surface. Journeys of hope, of prayer, of desperation, of expectation. Some friends and even family members were surprised by the emotion in Lost Edens. They remarked that they were there, they witnessed the events, but they still didn't know until reading the book what the journey was like for me. And how could they? We don't often talk about how we cope, or how we pray, or what it is we're thinking about underneath the motions of daily life. Which is why I think I love books so much--they can get to those unspoken journeys in unexpected ways and in ways other forms of communication just can't.
September 14, 2011
Le Herrison
I think I already wrote about The Elegance of the Hedgehog, a book I loved (despite the ending). Absolutely loved. Trying to wipe away tears so I could keep reading, loved. The trouble is, I can't get anyone else to read it so I can't gauge if this is a normal reaction. Usually I don't care at all how other people react to books, but for this book I care. One thing I'm learning about Lost Edens is that pretty much everyone who has read it has a slightly different version of the story. It might be that there are enough gaps for people to fill in their own stories where I didn't provide details, which is kind of what I intended. For whatever the reason, it doesn't have a universal reaction. I get the feeling that The Elegance of the Hedgehog is the same way only for different reasons.
I just want to know one other person who loves this book as much as I do. My reading friends I can usually rely on have major things going on in their lives (reproducing, starting school, picking up girls on the beach--you know who you are) but would one of you please read and tell me you hated it or you loved it so I know if I'm alone on this one. Much like I was alone in the theater tonight for the late showing of Le noms de gens. Very French, very political, but I loved it. Even more so for the previews, which included a look at Le Herisson, the French film adaptation of The Elegance of the Hedgehog. Looks to be a rather faithful interpretation. Can't wait!
I just want to know one other person who loves this book as much as I do. My reading friends I can usually rely on have major things going on in their lives (reproducing, starting school, picking up girls on the beach--you know who you are) but would one of you please read and tell me you hated it or you loved it so I know if I'm alone on this one. Much like I was alone in the theater tonight for the late showing of Le noms de gens. Very French, very political, but I loved it. Even more so for the previews, which included a look at Le Herisson, the French film adaptation of The Elegance of the Hedgehog. Looks to be a rather faithful interpretation. Can't wait!
Research
I have to say, my job is pretty cool. I get to edit dissertations just before the writers defend their research so I mostly (mostly) get to see finished documents. This week I have three due: one on the measurement of oral health in relation to socioeconomic status (verdict seems to be that there is a correlation, particularly for immigrant children), one on identifying genetic loci that influence diabetes risk (seems like this researcher found one or two), and one on the relationship between snowfall accumulation and traumatic injuries at a ski resort (seems to be an inverse relationship).
This is how I spend my days: with other people's research. It's really kind of great.
I was asked why I chose the Institute for Human Animal Connection at the University of Denver to receive a portion of the sales from Lost Edens and the answer is that as an academic I believe in the power of research to affect social change. I know that there are a lot of wonderful organizations on the ground helping people directly day-to-day but I hope even a small amount of proceeds from book sales can go to help fund research that might help us understand how to provide the most effective humane education, or how to prevent animal and domestic violence, so that the organizations on the ground can be effective and relevant.
If I had listened to Huey, and Zadie before him, I would have had more information to make decisions from. I just wasn't educated. I'd like someone else in my position to get the information I was missing on how to identify subtle signs of animal abuse and with that knowledge be empowered to make a decision based off of a terrified dog, or a mysteriously injured cat.
Any research that can be undertaken to understand the connection between humans and animals I'll be a lifelong supporter of. Actually, I'm a supporter of any research at all. Undertaking unbiased research fueled by curiosity and passion for a topic surely is one of the more honorable tasks in life. But I might be slightly influenced by how I spend my days.
I'll let you know when I'm able to write a check to the Institute for Human Animal Connection. Selling a few books will need to come first!
This is how I spend my days: with other people's research. It's really kind of great.
I was asked why I chose the Institute for Human Animal Connection at the University of Denver to receive a portion of the sales from Lost Edens and the answer is that as an academic I believe in the power of research to affect social change. I know that there are a lot of wonderful organizations on the ground helping people directly day-to-day but I hope even a small amount of proceeds from book sales can go to help fund research that might help us understand how to provide the most effective humane education, or how to prevent animal and domestic violence, so that the organizations on the ground can be effective and relevant.
If I had listened to Huey, and Zadie before him, I would have had more information to make decisions from. I just wasn't educated. I'd like someone else in my position to get the information I was missing on how to identify subtle signs of animal abuse and with that knowledge be empowered to make a decision based off of a terrified dog, or a mysteriously injured cat.
Any research that can be undertaken to understand the connection between humans and animals I'll be a lifelong supporter of. Actually, I'm a supporter of any research at all. Undertaking unbiased research fueled by curiosity and passion for a topic surely is one of the more honorable tasks in life. But I might be slightly influenced by how I spend my days.
I'll let you know when I'm able to write a check to the Institute for Human Animal Connection. Selling a few books will need to come first!
September 13, 2011
Wherever you go, There you are
Last fall I was walking around the park right next Westminster in London and it was an absolutely perfect fall day with a perfectly blue sky. Conditions were just so so that the jet streams of planes were clear white streaks in the sky. I remember sitting there on a bench overlooking the Thames and feeling so lucky to be there at that moment to witness such a beautiful day. This morning, I woke up to an absolutely beautiful morning on the lake and then drove downtown. As I got closer to the city, I noticed that the same sky that was over me that day in London was over the Minneapolis skyline.
It's like what they say: wherever you go, there you are.
It's like what they say: wherever you go, there you are.
Books and Books
It's still so shocking to me to hear that people have read Lost Edens. Sometimes in one or two sittings, which is even more shocking. Sometimes when I hear someone has read Lost Edens I feel like asking them about it like I ask about road races: how far did you get? Did you finish? So it's surprising to hear they've finished, particularly when there are so many books I don't even start let alone finish.
I can't walk into a bookstore and walk out with just one book so in the last year I've accumulated a bit of a "to-read" stack. I was just looking for a new read and went to my shelves to see what I have in my stockpile, just waiting to be read. I was kind of shocked by the stack (below) but also kind of pleased: I have choices ranging from Harry Potter to Gertrude Stein. When I first moved in I had a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf built on the largest wall and at the time I had only a handful of books because I'd lost most of my collection during the time in Lost Edens and in the move from San Diego. My mom was kind of horrified by the idea of empty shelves and wanted me to fill them with books I would read but I insisted on filling them with books I had read--she might be pleased to see that 5 years on the shelves are full and filled in part by the "to-read" sort of book. And so back to Lost Edens. Always surprising to hear it didn't become part of someone's to-read stack. Except for my sister, the only family member who hasn't read it. I told her she could wait until the next book, which will be funny. Really, really funny.
I can't walk into a bookstore and walk out with just one book so in the last year I've accumulated a bit of a "to-read" stack. I was just looking for a new read and went to my shelves to see what I have in my stockpile, just waiting to be read. I was kind of shocked by the stack (below) but also kind of pleased: I have choices ranging from Harry Potter to Gertrude Stein. When I first moved in I had a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf built on the largest wall and at the time I had only a handful of books because I'd lost most of my collection during the time in Lost Edens and in the move from San Diego. My mom was kind of horrified by the idea of empty shelves and wanted me to fill them with books I would read but I insisted on filling them with books I had read--she might be pleased to see that 5 years on the shelves are full and filled in part by the "to-read" sort of book. And so back to Lost Edens. Always surprising to hear it didn't become part of someone's to-read stack. Except for my sister, the only family member who hasn't read it. I told her she could wait until the next book, which will be funny. Really, really funny.
September 12, 2011
The end of Summer
Today it's 89 degrees in Minneapolis (32 C) and so much like summer it's heartbreaking. Heartbreaking because on Wednesday the high will be 58 degrees, a 31 degree drop and even if we do have a long fall, with drops like that summer is most certainly over.
I had a friend at run club tell me once that she needed to get her social schedule in place before it got too cold because otherwise people in Minnesota don't go out in the winter. I'm afraid I'm one of those people. Except this winter, I suppose, because I've signed up for the Big Sur Marathon at the end of April. Again. This will be the fifth marathon I've signed up for in the last year and if I run it, it will only be the second one I'll have run. I think I'll blame the hospitalization in May and the publication of a book on my lack of ability to keep up on the road. Or perhaps I could blame the unpredictable weather in Minnesota?
I had a friend at run club tell me once that she needed to get her social schedule in place before it got too cold because otherwise people in Minnesota don't go out in the winter. I'm afraid I'm one of those people. Except this winter, I suppose, because I've signed up for the Big Sur Marathon at the end of April. Again. This will be the fifth marathon I've signed up for in the last year and if I run it, it will only be the second one I'll have run. I think I'll blame the hospitalization in May and the publication of a book on my lack of ability to keep up on the road. Or perhaps I could blame the unpredictable weather in Minnesota?
Snoring Baby
I can't help it, I think this video of my little niece Madeleine snoring her little tiny heart out is hilarious! So sweet.
Uploaded by www.cellspin.net
One More bag o' Clothes
With this latest bag of clothes out of my closet I decided to try and sell some clothes at a consignment nearby. After all, most of the clothes came from this very consignment, so why not?
They took their time looking through the bag, which meant I had to take my time looking through their store and it was a little too dangerous for someone not meant to be shopping for another 8 months. Because here, at this consignment, there were one-of-a-kind pieces. If I didn't buy right then I would never be able to buy them.
But I walked away.
And guess what? They didn't want a single piece of clothing back. Which was good and bad: good, because it confirmed my decision to get rid of them, and bad because why the heck did I buy them in the first place? Question for the ages.
They took their time looking through the bag, which meant I had to take my time looking through their store and it was a little too dangerous for someone not meant to be shopping for another 8 months. Because here, at this consignment, there were one-of-a-kind pieces. If I didn't buy right then I would never be able to buy them.
But I walked away.
And guess what? They didn't want a single piece of clothing back. Which was good and bad: good, because it confirmed my decision to get rid of them, and bad because why the heck did I buy them in the first place? Question for the ages.
September 11, 2011
Community
We had a really lovely party today in my parents' backyard to celebrate the launch of Lost Edens. It'll be another month or so until the book is in stores and another two months before it's available on Kindle so it was a nice chance, too, to offer the book to friends and family.
I had one guest ask about a week ago how we were going to commemorate 9/11 during the party and I really didn't have an answer. To be honest, I didn't see much of a connection other than the date. Then I thought about it a little more and thought maybe there is a connection, after all:
I was in New York within a month of the attacks and stayed as a Red Cross worker until November. I knew New York before 9/11 and I know New York after and it was a different city during that time. Everywhere I went the kindness of strangers, particularly when they learned I worked for the Red Cross, was overwhelming. I've never had more offers for Thanksgiving dinner and I've never had so many people (particularly in New York) look me in the eye and greet me. It was as if through this kindness to each other that we were all reassuring each other that we would be okay.
With Lost Edens one of the motivations for publishing was so that people who have gone or are going through something like I did would know that they will be okay. Another motivation was that I was so supported throughout the time chronicled in Lost Edens by friends, family, and perfect strangers, that I most certainly owe this debt of kindness. So Lost Edens is my kind gesture, my greeting to those who need reassurance that all will be well again. The world will right itself again. The human spirit is resilient in tragedies big and small and we're all here to help each other through, in ways big and small. I experienced the truth of this in New York 10 years ago and I've been experiencing that with every person who writes to say they were touched by Lost Edens.
Might be a bit of a stretch to connect the two but I thought the commemoration of 9/11 today came in the form of a community coming together and I'm so grateful to everyone who came.
The only shot I got of the afternoon was before everything started. It's of Huey, of course:
I had one guest ask about a week ago how we were going to commemorate 9/11 during the party and I really didn't have an answer. To be honest, I didn't see much of a connection other than the date. Then I thought about it a little more and thought maybe there is a connection, after all:
I was in New York within a month of the attacks and stayed as a Red Cross worker until November. I knew New York before 9/11 and I know New York after and it was a different city during that time. Everywhere I went the kindness of strangers, particularly when they learned I worked for the Red Cross, was overwhelming. I've never had more offers for Thanksgiving dinner and I've never had so many people (particularly in New York) look me in the eye and greet me. It was as if through this kindness to each other that we were all reassuring each other that we would be okay.
With Lost Edens one of the motivations for publishing was so that people who have gone or are going through something like I did would know that they will be okay. Another motivation was that I was so supported throughout the time chronicled in Lost Edens by friends, family, and perfect strangers, that I most certainly owe this debt of kindness. So Lost Edens is my kind gesture, my greeting to those who need reassurance that all will be well again. The world will right itself again. The human spirit is resilient in tragedies big and small and we're all here to help each other through, in ways big and small. I experienced the truth of this in New York 10 years ago and I've been experiencing that with every person who writes to say they were touched by Lost Edens.
Might be a bit of a stretch to connect the two but I thought the commemoration of 9/11 today came in the form of a community coming together and I'm so grateful to everyone who came.
The only shot I got of the afternoon was before everything started. It's of Huey, of course:
