Jamie Patterson's Blog, page 22
September 9, 2011
Too Late to Turn Back Now
As an airline employee travel is very different than for the normal traveling public. We only travel when there are seats available so heading to the airport is always with the knowledge that maybe we'll be on a plane to London in an hour or maybe we'll be in the car on the way home. Every time the airplane door closes and they haven't asked me to get off the plane to make room for a paying customer, I think "well, I guess I'm headed to London tonight."
Today I picked up a few boxes of finished copies of Lost Edens from the distributor for the party on Sunday and as they were loading the boxes into my car, I thought, "well, I guess I wrote a book."
It feels a lot like it does before takeoff: exciting and yet strange that it somehow worked out!
Today I picked up a few boxes of finished copies of Lost Edens from the distributor for the party on Sunday and as they were loading the boxes into my car, I thought, "well, I guess I wrote a book."
It feels a lot like it does before takeoff: exciting and yet strange that it somehow worked out!
September 8, 2011
Back to the City
Just a few more shots of the cabin. We're all happily back in the city, now, but it was a nice little trip. Here's Huey sunbathing in a clearing, his favorite thing to do.
My mom, Madeleine, me, Siena, and Huey on the deck of my parents' cabin.
Big Decisions
My youngest brother, James, is probably one of the smartest people I know. And I know a lot of really, really smart people. He's credited with one of my favorite lines in Lost Edens (p. 203). When he hit his early 20s he decided he was old enough that he needed to have educated opinions on important issues like abortion and the death penalty so he researched both sides of the topics and made informed decisions.
My sister and I were talking about this on our drive to the cabin and agreed that we admired his willingness to engage in unbiased research on topics most of us just have an opinion about based on experience or perception. Then we agreed that we both needed to start with smaller potatoes. Things like: what's our favorite song? Favorite book? Band? I think I have two pretty firm answers for the first two and the last one is between Dave Matthews Band, O.A.R, Red Hot Chili Peppers, OkGo, Goo Goo Dolls, or Snow Patrol. Beatles would be included but I don't think you can include Beatles because they'd win every time, right?
Favorite book: Wide Sargasso Sea. Hands down. I'm afraid to read it again and find that it doesn't move me like it did at the first reading. I read it a few months before the events in Lost Edens took place, which might be a bit telling, but I've never had a book change my view of the world the way this one did. I was a huge fan of the Bronte sisters, though, and even went to their house in Haworth when I was 18 to go brood in the moors, so to have a book upset the world of Jane Eyre so completely might also have contributed to the upset it caused in my world.
Favorite song: Without question, Ice Cream by Sarah McLachlan.
Once I decide on the band issue I'll move on to the serious stuff!
Sarah McLachlan - Ice Cream (Official Music Video). Watch more top selected videos about: Sarah McLachlan
My sister and I were talking about this on our drive to the cabin and agreed that we admired his willingness to engage in unbiased research on topics most of us just have an opinion about based on experience or perception. Then we agreed that we both needed to start with smaller potatoes. Things like: what's our favorite song? Favorite book? Band? I think I have two pretty firm answers for the first two and the last one is between Dave Matthews Band, O.A.R, Red Hot Chili Peppers, OkGo, Goo Goo Dolls, or Snow Patrol. Beatles would be included but I don't think you can include Beatles because they'd win every time, right?
Favorite book: Wide Sargasso Sea. Hands down. I'm afraid to read it again and find that it doesn't move me like it did at the first reading. I read it a few months before the events in Lost Edens took place, which might be a bit telling, but I've never had a book change my view of the world the way this one did. I was a huge fan of the Bronte sisters, though, and even went to their house in Haworth when I was 18 to go brood in the moors, so to have a book upset the world of Jane Eyre so completely might also have contributed to the upset it caused in my world.
Favorite song: Without question, Ice Cream by Sarah McLachlan.
Once I decide on the band issue I'll move on to the serious stuff!
Sarah McLachlan - Ice Cream (Official Music Video). Watch more top selected videos about: Sarah McLachlan
September 7, 2011
1969 Fiat Roadster Convertible
One of the first readers of Lost Edens was the incomparable Sue Greenberg who I remember telling me that she loved what I did with the cars in the book. I always thought this was so funny because it wasn't until years later, rereading the manuscript, that I realized the cars kind of are their own characters. Another friend told me she had no idea what a 1969 Fiat Roadster Convertible looked like but she had fun imagining. Imagine no more. Here's what my car looked like, only mine was red. I had a seat belt for Huey but he hated, absolutely hated, driving in this car; too much wind for the little guy. I loved it, though. Someday I'll own a classic again when I live in a milder climate. Oh! Or when I own a garage!
September 6, 2011
Best of What's Around
Things I learned today: there is a scholarly journal legitimately titled "Thrust for Educational Leadership." Don't know why but I think this is hilarious. Other things I learned: There are people in the world who sell dirt, and other people in the world who offer sales on cow manure (who knew?). Others who sell rocks (if only I'd thought of that!). The drive Up North was clearly marked by one really terrible dissertation (where the thrust for leadership came from) and some very interesting sights along the back roads. Oh! And, according to billboards, all the good stories begin at Grand Casino in Mille Lacs so I know where to go when I need to work on my follow-up to Lost Edens. Duly noted.
Following just over three hours and getting my nice new white car completely filthy from dirt roads we arrived at my parents' cabin a little worse for the journey, although it is beautiful up here (as evidenced by my exciting footage of Huey on the beach, below).
It was worth all the trouble, though, for the evening I had chatting with the neighbor next to my parents. She read an early copy of Lost Edens and as the publisher of the local paper, the evening was an interview of sorts for a story they will run sometime in October. It was actually really great to field questions about the book as I've realized I learn so much about it each time I'm asked a new question. It was also really great to feel with complete certainty that the book will help someone.
Even better, though, is that this woman is exactly where she wants to be. In life, in spirit, in geography. The former I'm always questioning and the latter I'm never satisfied with, so it was nice to spend time with someone so content. She said she and her husband went somewhere for a week each year until they realized they just wanted to be here, on this lake, in these woods. She asked about the opening scene and what it was that made me and my parents realize I needed to get out of the woods and back to the city and the answer was surprisingly simple: this isn't a place you can be and not be perfectly comfortable with your life. I came here a breath after a major life change and didn't have the tools to deal with it. The silence and water and woods did nothing but make the pain louder. The city provided the distraction, and the professional help, I needed.
This neighbor is about to celebrate her 22nd anniversary and describes herself as one of the lucky ones, and it's true. She married her best friend and each morning they get up and go out to their deck overlooking the lake and try to solve the world's problems. They never do, she jokes, but what a great thing that they make a stab at it. She told me if I ever decide to get married again that I should ask myself two things:
1. Am I so happy I want jump on a rooftop and tell the world how much I love him?
2. Would he do the same for me?
I honestly can't imagine such a thing right now but at least I know what to keep an eye out for: someone I'd want to be stuck in the woods with and I'd want to jump on a rooftop for. See the things I learned today?
DMB Dave Matthews Band - The Best of What's Around
Powered by mp3skull.com
Following just over three hours and getting my nice new white car completely filthy from dirt roads we arrived at my parents' cabin a little worse for the journey, although it is beautiful up here (as evidenced by my exciting footage of Huey on the beach, below).
It was worth all the trouble, though, for the evening I had chatting with the neighbor next to my parents. She read an early copy of Lost Edens and as the publisher of the local paper, the evening was an interview of sorts for a story they will run sometime in October. It was actually really great to field questions about the book as I've realized I learn so much about it each time I'm asked a new question. It was also really great to feel with complete certainty that the book will help someone.
Even better, though, is that this woman is exactly where she wants to be. In life, in spirit, in geography. The former I'm always questioning and the latter I'm never satisfied with, so it was nice to spend time with someone so content. She said she and her husband went somewhere for a week each year until they realized they just wanted to be here, on this lake, in these woods. She asked about the opening scene and what it was that made me and my parents realize I needed to get out of the woods and back to the city and the answer was surprisingly simple: this isn't a place you can be and not be perfectly comfortable with your life. I came here a breath after a major life change and didn't have the tools to deal with it. The silence and water and woods did nothing but make the pain louder. The city provided the distraction, and the professional help, I needed.
This neighbor is about to celebrate her 22nd anniversary and describes herself as one of the lucky ones, and it's true. She married her best friend and each morning they get up and go out to their deck overlooking the lake and try to solve the world's problems. They never do, she jokes, but what a great thing that they make a stab at it. She told me if I ever decide to get married again that I should ask myself two things:
1. Am I so happy I want jump on a rooftop and tell the world how much I love him?
2. Would he do the same for me?
I honestly can't imagine such a thing right now but at least I know what to keep an eye out for: someone I'd want to be stuck in the woods with and I'd want to jump on a rooftop for. See the things I learned today?
DMB Dave Matthews Band - The Best of What's Around
Powered by mp3skull.com
Up North
Minneapolis is on the southern half of the state of Minnesota, which means people here refer to "Up North" as pretty much anywhere a few hours north of the city and beyond. If someone says "I"m headed Up North this weekend," they usually just mean they're going to their cabin, or a friend's cabin. Might be in Brainerd, might be in Duluth, but both are Up North.
Today I'm headed Up North with the ladies to my parents' cabin; my first time up in over five years (since the scene in the first chapter of Lost Edens). I think my mom thinks I haven't been back for reasons related to that scene but really it's just that (a) I work all. the. time, and (b) I'm afraid I don't get the whole cabin thing. I live on a lake in the city that is bear, bat, and tick free--why would I want to drive three hours north to a different lake that isn't? But today. Today I am. With a toddler, an infant, and two other brave adults. Oh! And one dog. If we survive the trip there will probably be lots of really exciting pictures of Up North to come!
Today I'm headed Up North with the ladies to my parents' cabin; my first time up in over five years (since the scene in the first chapter of Lost Edens). I think my mom thinks I haven't been back for reasons related to that scene but really it's just that (a) I work all. the. time, and (b) I'm afraid I don't get the whole cabin thing. I live on a lake in the city that is bear, bat, and tick free--why would I want to drive three hours north to a different lake that isn't? But today. Today I am. With a toddler, an infant, and two other brave adults. Oh! And one dog. If we survive the trip there will probably be lots of really exciting pictures of Up North to come!
September 5, 2011
Morning Fog
My first real job out of college was as an assignment editor at a news station in Kansas City. It was the overnight shift so it would typically be me in a dark newsroom listening to scanners, waiting for a big story to wake a reporter and photographer up for. This morning I came in before six to the Regional Tower at MSP to a dark room, scanners chopping in and out, and it took be back a decade or so. It's a foggy morning and it's my last morning shift so I'm particularly appreciative of how beautiful it is up here watching the day come up on the city. Here's a shot of fog from the river coming up and over the A and B rows.
September 4, 2011
Wind Chill
Today Minneapolis had a wind chill (58 degrees F) and I busted out a jacket for the first time. Today was also my last long Sunday at the airport so, as it is with life, the sweet (I get two days off in a row for the first time in 5 years!) with the bitter (wind chill!!). We (the sisters mentioned in the last post) also started chatting today about two really cool ideas for Lost Edens: mother/daughter reading groups and sorority reading groups. Perhaps with the cooler weather I'll find myself back on a college campus or two. Probably my favorite time of year and nothing beats a nice cool breeze, Better Than Ezra playing, leaves scattering in the street, and walking through a college town. Preferably Lawrence, Kansas, but hey. Any town with a college or university is like home to me.
Find more artists like Better Than Ezra at Myspace Music
September 3, 2011
Sisters
Thank God for sisters. I had a nice morning with mine shopping for a dress for her to wear to the Lost Edens book party next week, getting our hair done, eating fried egg sandwiches, and drinking ridiculous amounts of overpriced coffee and tea.
We went to a little family-owned jewelry store to look around and I told the owner I'd be back on June 20, 2012 when I'll let myself buy again. We had a super entertaining conversation about how interesting it is the things we think we need. She said just this morning she was set on going to buy her husband plastic hangers so he wouldn't have to use wire hangers, even though he sure didn't care what he used to hang his clothes on.
Every day I'm reminded of how much I have and how much I don't need--and I have to say shopping today with my sister wasn't at all hard. I saw nothing I couldn't live without because I had closets full of clothes I clearly could have lived without because I forgot I had them or they went to charity in unceremonious black trash bags. Oh! Or they went to Kerry, my sister's sister-in-law, who thankfully took a bundle of clothes off my hands. Like I said--thank God for sisters!
We went to a little family-owned jewelry store to look around and I told the owner I'd be back on June 20, 2012 when I'll let myself buy again. We had a super entertaining conversation about how interesting it is the things we think we need. She said just this morning she was set on going to buy her husband plastic hangers so he wouldn't have to use wire hangers, even though he sure didn't care what he used to hang his clothes on.
Every day I'm reminded of how much I have and how much I don't need--and I have to say shopping today with my sister wasn't at all hard. I saw nothing I couldn't live without because I had closets full of clothes I clearly could have lived without because I forgot I had them or they went to charity in unceremonious black trash bags. Oh! Or they went to Kerry, my sister's sister-in-law, who thankfully took a bundle of clothes off my hands. Like I said--thank God for sisters!
