8/30/2005
So many people are suffering in Louisiana, and as with any sudden tragedy, there are probably many horror stories that haven't made the news yet. Not everyone could get out, of course -- the critically ill who couldn't be moved from hospitals had to stay...what did their families do? I suppose they had to leave them and hope for the best. How did people without cars get out? The people who got to the Superdome and survived are lucky, but there's no air conditioning in there...it must be just awful.
8/29/2005
Last report from Carl in Baton Rouge for a while, since he's lost power:
Laptop has about 2 hours of battery power, which I'm conserving. Baton Rouge is getting its hardest punches now, and this will probably be going on for another 2-3 hours. One radio station reports 71 trees down in East Baton Rouge Parish.
At times it's quiet, but then that familiar woosh outside my window makes me wonder if I'm about to see a tree branch in my bedroom. Holes in the roof of the Superdome, I hear. Amazing.
Laptop has about 2 hours of battery power, which I'm conserving. Baton Rouge is getting its hardest punches now, and this will probably be going on for another 2-3 hours. One radio station reports 71 trees down in East Baton Rouge Parish.
At times it's quiet, but then that familiar woosh outside my window makes me wonder if I'm about to see a tree branch in my bedroom. Holes in the roof of the Superdome, I hear. Amazing.
8/28/2005
HOLY CRAP
Carl forwarded this warning that came from the NWS in Slidell, La. It's so strongly worded that some were questioning it:
MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS...PERHAPS LONGER. AT LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL...LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.
HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY...A FEW TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. ALL WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT.
AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD...AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS...PETS...AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK.
POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS...AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING...BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED. FEW CROPS WILL REMAIN. LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BE KILLED.
N.O. TV has all the updates on who's evacuating (several parishes). Scientists are comparing data.
Carl forwarded this warning that came from the NWS in Slidell, La. It's so strongly worded that some were questioning it:
MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS...PERHAPS LONGER. AT LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL...LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.
HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY...A FEW TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. ALL WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT.
AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD...AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS...PETS...AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK.
POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS...AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING...BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED. FEW CROPS WILL REMAIN. LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BE KILLED.
N.O. TV has all the updates on who's evacuating (several parishes). Scientists are comparing data.
8/27/2005
8/26/2005
Home Stretch
Two more weekends of proofreading, and then my novel is done.
I won't have to be constantly scared anymore: Scared of sending it out too soon and being rejected, scared of getting it out too late after someone else wrote something with a similar plot.
Scared of not finding the right words to emotionally reflect what's in my heart.
Namecalling
They said on the radio that Jerry Seinfeld just had a baby boy named Shepherd Seinfeld, and Soleil Moon Frye just had a girl named Poet Goldberg. Those are kinda cute, I think. But then they said Penn Jilette's kid is named Moxie Crimefighter. What's he going to call his pet dog, Jennifer Elizabeth?
More writing nonsense
"Scenes from a Holiday" including "Carrie Pilby's New Year's Resolution" hits shelves two months from today.
Two more weekends of proofreading, and then my novel is done.
I won't have to be constantly scared anymore: Scared of sending it out too soon and being rejected, scared of getting it out too late after someone else wrote something with a similar plot.
Scared of not finding the right words to emotionally reflect what's in my heart.
Namecalling
They said on the radio that Jerry Seinfeld just had a baby boy named Shepherd Seinfeld, and Soleil Moon Frye just had a girl named Poet Goldberg. Those are kinda cute, I think. But then they said Penn Jilette's kid is named Moxie Crimefighter. What's he going to call his pet dog, Jennifer Elizabeth?
More writing nonsense
"Scenes from a Holiday" including "Carrie Pilby's New Year's Resolution" hits shelves two months from today.
8/24/2005
Trends
Hours after posting my link to Flying Spaghetti Monster, I saw a guy in the PATH station wearing a WWFSMD? T-shirt with a picture of His Stringiness!
Also, I hear that Jess Liese read her Nicemodernist Manifesto at KGB last night. That means it's cemented into the annals of literary history.
Hours after posting my link to Flying Spaghetti Monster, I saw a guy in the PATH station wearing a WWFSMD? T-shirt with a picture of His Stringiness!
Also, I hear that Jess Liese read her Nicemodernist Manifesto at KGB last night. That means it's cemented into the annals of literary history.
8/23/2005
Random scene from Sixth Avenue
Please explain in detail your problem.
A few months ago, my template all of a sudden acted weird, and putting in various codes or re-choosing it didn't help, so I had to choose a new template.
Now my NEW template is all of a sudden acting weird, running a line down the right side right through my posts, changing the margins, and pushing my sidelinks to the bottom.
Please explain in detail your problem.
A few months ago, my template all of a sudden acted weird, and putting in various codes or re-choosing it didn't help, so I had to choose a new template.
Now my NEW template is all of a sudden acting weird, running a line down the right side right through my posts, changing the margins, and pushing my sidelinks to the bottom.
People will try to get anything into Wikipedia.
I laughed very hard at this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:
Votes_for_deletion/Log/2005_August_20#
The_Fox_and_the_Hound_Steal_Money
Also please see the new Wikipedia entry for "Flying Spaghetti Monster." It's a brand new theory of creation, and actually shows in-depth pictures of the Flying Spaghetti Monster who created humankind.
I think it's time for me to go to sleep now.
I laughed very hard at this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:
Votes_for_deletion/Log/2005_August_20#
The_Fox_and_the_Hound_Steal_Money
Also please see the new Wikipedia entry for "Flying Spaghetti Monster." It's a brand new theory of creation, and actually shows in-depth pictures of the Flying Spaghetti Monster who created humankind.
I think it's time for me to go to sleep now.
8/21/2005
Another boring update on revisions.
I spent a crazy amount of time this weekend revising a particular part of the book that needed fixing...which included writing it two different ways, editing them both, and in the end, choosing the better one but throwing in a dash of the other.
I think I'm almost done.
There are no big problems to overcome, no big research to do, no parts I like that really really should be cut out. It took - what? - nearly four years to get this far.
Someone asked me today what I think of a certain author who writes two books a year. I said, well, he may be more talented than I am. Or, he may be writing stuff that's closer to his life, which means less research, less figuring things out, less trial and error.
It's going out in Sept, I think. (And to think, around last September, I was hoping for November! But I would have been lying to myself if I thought it was ready then.)
I also got to do laundry this weekend, so I feel all caught up.
I spent a crazy amount of time this weekend revising a particular part of the book that needed fixing...which included writing it two different ways, editing them both, and in the end, choosing the better one but throwing in a dash of the other.
I think I'm almost done.
There are no big problems to overcome, no big research to do, no parts I like that really really should be cut out. It took - what? - nearly four years to get this far.
Someone asked me today what I think of a certain author who writes two books a year. I said, well, he may be more talented than I am. Or, he may be writing stuff that's closer to his life, which means less research, less figuring things out, less trial and error.
It's going out in Sept, I think. (And to think, around last September, I was hoping for November! But I would have been lying to myself if I thought it was ready then.)
I also got to do laundry this weekend, so I feel all caught up.
8/19/2005
8/18/2005
8/17/2005
Woke up, put on clothes, etc.
Quarterly Disclaimer: Every few months I post this disclaimer, which is...
If you're someone who barely knows me, and you read my brief comments on this blog, you only know a tiny tiny percent of me, maybe less...so please try not to form judgments! I know it's hard. Feel free to ask me questions. There is more to know.
Yes, sometimes I think of something funny and put light, goofy observations here, but I'm not like that all the time. This is a place to add pithy remarks, maybe help friends and acquaintances and readers keep up with a few things I'm doing, but there is plenty about me that's not on here. And I don't put really personal stuff here.
So don't worry that I will write about you. And don't be afraid to ask me questions personally. There is much more than what you see, and some of it might even be very different.
For instance, I think this website is really something.
Quarterly Disclaimer: Every few months I post this disclaimer, which is...
If you're someone who barely knows me, and you read my brief comments on this blog, you only know a tiny tiny percent of me, maybe less...so please try not to form judgments! I know it's hard. Feel free to ask me questions. There is more to know.
Yes, sometimes I think of something funny and put light, goofy observations here, but I'm not like that all the time. This is a place to add pithy remarks, maybe help friends and acquaintances and readers keep up with a few things I'm doing, but there is plenty about me that's not on here. And I don't put really personal stuff here.
So don't worry that I will write about you. And don't be afraid to ask me questions personally. There is much more than what you see, and some of it might even be very different.
For instance, I think this website is really something.
8/16/2005
8/15/2005
8/14/2005
Love
In the Sunday Times Styles section every week, they have a column called "Modern Love." This week's story is from a woman whose friend Tina kept pining for her ex-boyfriend, Marcus. Marcus was wonderful and Tina could never get over him, but he broke up with her twice to travel or pursue projects or do whatever, and she told him the second time never to contact her again. Then, Tina told the author that Marus had just e-mailed her. He told her he would always love her, never stopped thinking about her, etc. He didn't ask her to come back, though. So she didn't respond.
As the author of this piece points out, it's quite possible that Tina was doing the right thing by ignoring Marcus, as much as she loved him. Yet, Tina always talked about him. The author finally meddled in Tina's business by phoning Marcus and telling him how Tina really felt about him. Eventually Marcus got back together with Tina...and they got married!
I bring this up because you just never know what can happen in life and love, especially when you're young, and there are no hardfast rules. Sometimes people have a great relationship in college or when they're in their early 20s, but there's something missing or something wrong, and they don't know if they should break it off and hope for something better (after all, they have a lot of dating years ahead), or accept the shortcomings and make an effort to stick it out.
There is no right answer to that. The couple can get married, and one or both of them might meet someone who is much better for them and regret it. Or, they might break up and realize how hard it is to find another kindred soul, and realize they should have gotten married.
The book "He's Just Not That Into You" would have told Tina in this tale that a guy who breaks up with her twice is not treating her well enough. In most cases, that's true. If someone wants to be with you, even if they need to work on their projects, they're not going to dump you. And chasing after them doesn't change their mind. But in this case, this couple broke up twice and ended up married.
The only thing that sometimes helps people make decent decisions about love is time. You know a lot more in your 30s about how you relate to other people, and what dating is like, than when you're 22. But sometimes, the opportunities are fewer. What to do?
How can you be 22 and forecast what's ahead? If you're really in love with someone, or really being treated badly by someone, the answers to what you should do are obvious...but if it's not that cut and dried, it can be hard to figure out.
Anyway, that's just something I was thinking about. Sometimes missed opportunities and regrets are harder to deal with than things that simply didn't work out. But you can't always know until later what the outcome will be.
(By the way, the woman in the piece was not really named Tina, but I left the paper at the coffee shop so I don't remember what her name was. It was probably a fake name in the story anyway.)
And now....
This has nothing to do with that, but I had to share it from my recent Sopranos viewing because it's funny:
Tony Soprano: We're the f--- have you been? You're late!
Christopher: Sorry, the highway was jammed with broken heroes on a last-chance power drive.
In the Sunday Times Styles section every week, they have a column called "Modern Love." This week's story is from a woman whose friend Tina kept pining for her ex-boyfriend, Marcus. Marcus was wonderful and Tina could never get over him, but he broke up with her twice to travel or pursue projects or do whatever, and she told him the second time never to contact her again. Then, Tina told the author that Marus had just e-mailed her. He told her he would always love her, never stopped thinking about her, etc. He didn't ask her to come back, though. So she didn't respond.
As the author of this piece points out, it's quite possible that Tina was doing the right thing by ignoring Marcus, as much as she loved him. Yet, Tina always talked about him. The author finally meddled in Tina's business by phoning Marcus and telling him how Tina really felt about him. Eventually Marcus got back together with Tina...and they got married!
I bring this up because you just never know what can happen in life and love, especially when you're young, and there are no hardfast rules. Sometimes people have a great relationship in college or when they're in their early 20s, but there's something missing or something wrong, and they don't know if they should break it off and hope for something better (after all, they have a lot of dating years ahead), or accept the shortcomings and make an effort to stick it out.
There is no right answer to that. The couple can get married, and one or both of them might meet someone who is much better for them and regret it. Or, they might break up and realize how hard it is to find another kindred soul, and realize they should have gotten married.
The book "He's Just Not That Into You" would have told Tina in this tale that a guy who breaks up with her twice is not treating her well enough. In most cases, that's true. If someone wants to be with you, even if they need to work on their projects, they're not going to dump you. And chasing after them doesn't change their mind. But in this case, this couple broke up twice and ended up married.
The only thing that sometimes helps people make decent decisions about love is time. You know a lot more in your 30s about how you relate to other people, and what dating is like, than when you're 22. But sometimes, the opportunities are fewer. What to do?
How can you be 22 and forecast what's ahead? If you're really in love with someone, or really being treated badly by someone, the answers to what you should do are obvious...but if it's not that cut and dried, it can be hard to figure out.
Anyway, that's just something I was thinking about. Sometimes missed opportunities and regrets are harder to deal with than things that simply didn't work out. But you can't always know until later what the outcome will be.
(By the way, the woman in the piece was not really named Tina, but I left the paper at the coffee shop so I don't remember what her name was. It was probably a fake name in the story anyway.)
And now....
This has nothing to do with that, but I had to share it from my recent Sopranos viewing because it's funny:
Tony Soprano: We're the f--- have you been? You're late!
Christopher: Sorry, the highway was jammed with broken heroes on a last-chance power drive.
8/12/2005
Hmm...looks like the annual Hurricane Watch on this blog, from Aug. 15 to Sept. 15, when we usually see most of them up here, may have to start three days early!
"Forecasters said the storm could strike the coast anywhere from South Carolina to New Jersey." - AP
"Forecasters said the storm could strike the coast anywhere from South Carolina to New Jersey." - AP
Training
Author Jennifer Weiner comes up with the best reason to take off from blogging that I've ever heard:
"Posting will be infrequent for the next week or so, as we are dealing with the nascent stages of toilet training."
I sent her an e-mail:
Re: Toilet training/blog
Date: 8/11/2005 12:00:54 AM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Lizzner
To: Jennifer Weiner
What are you training your toilet to do?
Caren
Author Jennifer Weiner comes up with the best reason to take off from blogging that I've ever heard:
"Posting will be infrequent for the next week or so, as we are dealing with the nascent stages of toilet training."
I sent her an e-mail:
Re: Toilet training/blog
Date: 8/11/2005 12:00:54 AM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Lizzner
To: Jennifer Weiner
What are you training your toilet to do?
Caren
8/11/2005
Be thankful
I always wanted to write a
whole post in hypertext.
Be thankful this isn't a novel!
(Yet.)
---------UPDATE: Sam from Hawaii writes:-----
My God, you're a genius and you don't even know it! A whole novel, in color! I'll call it "The Bad Acid Trip"...
No. The hypertext thing means that you can click on any word, and it's a LINK. Get it?
I always wanted to write a
whole post in hypertext.
Be thankful this isn't a novel!
(Yet.)
---------UPDATE: Sam from Hawaii writes:-----
My God, you're a genius and you don't even know it! A whole novel, in color! I'll call it "The Bad Acid Trip"...
No. The hypertext thing means that you can click on any word, and it's a LINK. Get it?
8/10/2005
Scene from a newspaper story meeting.
REPORTER 1: ...And I'm writing about the high school band, and one of the guys was out there naked...
ME: Does he play the flute?
OTHER REPORTER: Caren!
REPORTER 1: No, French horn.
In other snooze...
Someone asked for an explanation of "Goat Watch." In short, there is a house near my father's house with a pet goat tied up out back. I have offered my half-sister, who's 13, $20 cash if she finds out the goat's name by the end of the summer.
REPORTER 1: ...And I'm writing about the high school band, and one of the guys was out there naked...
ME: Does he play the flute?
OTHER REPORTER: Caren!
REPORTER 1: No, French horn.
In other snooze...
Someone asked for an explanation of "Goat Watch." In short, there is a house near my father's house with a pet goat tied up out back. I have offered my half-sister, who's 13, $20 cash if she finds out the goat's name by the end of the summer.
8/09/2005
8/08/2005
This really happened.
I was driving around yesterday doing errands and I stopped at a traffic light. I looked to my right, and the guy in the car next to me was motioning for me to roll down my window. So I did.
Then he said, "Do you know why Italians don't like the Jehovah's witnesses?"
I said, "I don't know. Why not?"
And he said, "Because they don't like ANY witnesses."
Then the light changed and the guy and I took off in different directions.
I swear, weird as this is, it actually happened.
Is there a new New Jersey trend of telling ethnic jokes at lights?
I was driving around yesterday doing errands and I stopped at a traffic light. I looked to my right, and the guy in the car next to me was motioning for me to roll down my window. So I did.
Then he said, "Do you know why Italians don't like the Jehovah's witnesses?"
I said, "I don't know. Why not?"
And he said, "Because they don't like ANY witnesses."
Then the light changed and the guy and I took off in different directions.
I swear, weird as this is, it actually happened.
Is there a new New Jersey trend of telling ethnic jokes at lights?
8/07/2005
Woke up, put on clothes.
It's another beautiful day!
Sorry to those I owe e-mails to. I'm catching up...
Curious about the New York literary scene? Read Jessica Liese's Nicemodernist Manifesto. It's fun! It's nice!
It's another beautiful day!
Sorry to those I owe e-mails to. I'm catching up...
Curious about the New York literary scene? Read Jessica Liese's Nicemodernist Manifesto. It's fun! It's nice!
8/05/2005
Someone told me to stop having my book critiqued and just submit the damn thing already. Probably good advice. I have to remind myself that editors make changes, too. They may see something special in it the way it is and ask for some changes - there's no way I'm going to head off every possible criticism, or everyone's opinion.
I made some changes tonight. I feel less anxiety now, and I can go to sleep. But will I still love these changes in the morning?
I made some changes tonight. I feel less anxiety now, and I can go to sleep. But will I still love these changes in the morning?
8/04/2005
Woke up, put on clothes, went to work.
Two friends of mine have an essay in the Black Table today about how to get away with a cheap date. It's actually pretty funny.
Malice points out that Slate agrees with him that Hillary wouldn't be fun to hang out with.
Okay, you win, so...I'm not inviting her to my next sleepover. I still will vote for her.
I mean...does anyone else characterize their world leaders in such a disrespectful way? gimmie a break. gimmie a break.
break me off a piece of that kit kat bar.
Two friends of mine have an essay in the Black Table today about how to get away with a cheap date. It's actually pretty funny.
* * *
Malice points out that Slate agrees with him that Hillary wouldn't be fun to hang out with.
Okay, you win, so...I'm not inviting her to my next sleepover. I still will vote for her.
I mean...does anyone else characterize their world leaders in such a disrespectful way? gimmie a break. gimmie a break.
break me off a piece of that kit kat bar.
* * *
Cherries make a great snack at work.
8/03/2005
Thanks for all y'all's support. I know that I can't listen to every critic. It's just that I'm scared of rejection. But really, even books that sell a million copies have their detractors, so not everyone is going to like everything.
Someone wrote that if Melville listened to critics, Moby Dick would have been a love story. I already thought it was.
I guess you've seen this news
about how this year's going to get even worse for hurricanes. Don't they say that every year? I'm a fan of hurricane hype, and even I think this is too much.
That said, Aug. 15- Sept. 15 is usually when the biggest ones hit where I am, so the Barometer Blog and I will be watching. The link to the NWS hurricane center is on the right.
I hope everyone has a splendid Wednesday.
Someone wrote that if Melville listened to critics, Moby Dick would have been a love story. I already thought it was.
I guess you've seen this news
about how this year's going to get even worse for hurricanes. Don't they say that every year? I'm a fan of hurricane hype, and even I think this is too much.
That said, Aug. 15- Sept. 15 is usually when the biggest ones hit where I am, so the Barometer Blog and I will be watching. The link to the NWS hurricane center is on the right.
I hope everyone has a splendid Wednesday.
8/02/2005
R.H.
Someone just e-mailed me a new critique of the first 100 pages of my manuscript.
The stuff I thought was the best stuff was the stuff she didn't like, or thought needed improvement.
How am I supposed to figure this all out?!?! This is all so confusing.
People wonder how I could possibly spend four years on a book. This is why.
I don't want it to be rejected. I want it to be as good as it can be.
But that means...more work.
And yet, people e-mail me because they want me to read their books and critique them. I love doing that, but I tell them that I can only read the first 10 pages right now...because I just can't focus on anyone else's entire manuscript when I'm in Revision Hell.
I guess the only consolation is that everyone has a different opinion, and I just have to use my judgment, most of all, and then follow the consensus. I just wish I had constant guidance, but that's too much to ask of anyone.
I've given up on projects before, but I'm NOT giving up on this one. It has a lot to say, and it's interesting - it's just the beginning that needs more work. Luckily, I DO have ideas on how to fix it.
Someone just e-mailed me a new critique of the first 100 pages of my manuscript.
The stuff I thought was the best stuff was the stuff she didn't like, or thought needed improvement.
How am I supposed to figure this all out?!?! This is all so confusing.
People wonder how I could possibly spend four years on a book. This is why.
I don't want it to be rejected. I want it to be as good as it can be.
But that means...more work.
And yet, people e-mail me because they want me to read their books and critique them. I love doing that, but I tell them that I can only read the first 10 pages right now...because I just can't focus on anyone else's entire manuscript when I'm in Revision Hell.
I guess the only consolation is that everyone has a different opinion, and I just have to use my judgment, most of all, and then follow the consensus. I just wish I had constant guidance, but that's too much to ask of anyone.
I've given up on projects before, but I'm NOT giving up on this one. It has a lot to say, and it's interesting - it's just the beginning that needs more work. Luckily, I DO have ideas on how to fix it.
8/01/2005
A week or two ago, a woman (I can't even remember who or where) found out my age and said to me, "You're only a baby." Then, yesterday, I was at a friend's bridal shower and another friend's mom referred to her, me, and our friends as "the kids." It's nice to still be considered part of "the kids" by someone, although I would guess it won't happen too much longer.
Someone found this blog by putting the following into a search engine: "But I don't have another one. When we entered the abbey our worldly clothes were given to the poor."
