Time to Take Off

The time is right, dear readers. It's time for the final post and a sweet goodbye to Write Novel, Buy Eggs. Thanks to friends and the friendly (mostly) strangers who have read, commented, or contributed to what my pal Jen calls my "quirky little blog." Blogging is a funny thing. For me it started out as a creative distraction while I attempted to write some sample chapters for a book proposal. The book, I eventually discovered, was one I had no passion to see through to the end...or even the beginning, to be completely honest here. When I started the blog, I didn't realize that, though. I was inspired by lists and writer Sasha Cagen's short-lived T0-Do List magazine, which I used to follow when I lived in the Bay Area, and her book by the same name. I entered my first spare and artless post in June 2008. Over the last two years I've blended food references, literary events, books, daily minutia, and random nods to the band X into the lists. My initial feeling was that you can learn a lot about yourself from lists, so I kept a pretty lean format. A food writer friend didn't seem to get it and suggested I include some narrative. I tried it. Then another writer friend quickly let me know she missed the lists. One author told me she loved reading the posts each morning. She said she felt they were like "little prayers." I liked that. In the end, whatever your motivation, writing a blog has to satisfy you first. I know a lot of people blog to promote themselves and their work. That's cool. That was never it for me, though. I mean it wasn't even an option: nothing to promote, no agenda. I'm sure I'll start up another blog at some point (and if I do, I'll include a link here). Meanwhile, I'm leaving the blog online for my archival amusement, maybe yours, too. It's been a pleasure. I'm going to keep listing offline. I might even dig up that old book proposal or, better yet, start a new one.

Artwork by Sister Louisa (aka Grant Henry) brightens up my den

Peg Board Theory

When I lived in San Francisco I would drive over to Oakland on weekdays to write in a spare room I rented from my Graphic Designer friend, Shanti. Easily distracted on sunny afternoons, she and I spent many hours walking around Lake Merritt, a little oasis located a block away from her apartment on Grand Avenue. As we walked, we looked for our favorite goose, Mel, and discussed crappy boyfriends, good books, freelance work, and what we wanted to eat later at El Huarache Azteca. At some point she explained to me the Peg Board Theory. It goes something like this: We only have so many pegs in our life. Eventually our peg board gets full and we have to lose some pegs to make room for new ones. Right now my peg board is full and it's not necessarily with pegs I even wanted there in the first place. It's time to stand back and pull some pegs. It's time to start making way for new experiences and opportunities. As I write this I'm holding the peg called "blog." I think we know what's coming next.

* Peg board image found at RC Airplane World

Reclaim Bedroom Territory

E-mail blast project for JJ

Clean house

Find box with holiday decorations

Thank-you notes

Drink Emergen-C

Open mail

3 p.m. pick up Rx

Send Amy Sedaris book to furlinedteacup

Walk Lola and Luke

7 p.m. DecaturDocs "Bouncing Cats"

Dinner with CB

Keep dogs out of bedroom

* Lola and Luke tucked in for the night

Friday Fanfoto

Inspired by writers, foodies, musicians, friends, and others, we're giving the to-do list the day off on Fridays and posting pics of folks who keep us grounded, motivated, and, most of all, revved up:

Who doesn't love Gene Wilder? Ask fans their favorite Wilder movie moment and you'll get all sorts of responses. Mine is his and Peter Boyle's dance number to "Puttin' on the Ritz" in "Young Frankenstein." And, of course, there are all the great comedic moments with his frequent film partner Richard Pryor. My friend Ann counts "Haunted Honeymoon" as a must-see, a perfect blending of Wilder's genius with that of his late wife's, the sparkling Gilda Radner. Now in his seventies, the actor has released his third book, a collection of stories, What is This Thing Called Love? The actor-novelist was interviewed earlier this year on NPR. He'll be appearing this Sunday in Atlanta at the 19th Annual Book Festival of the MJCCA. It should be super duper.

Simply Interviewing

Getting a byline for a Q&A seems silly when all you do is throw out questions and let two friends do all the talking. Still, I'll take it. The premier issue of Simply Buckhead magazine includes my interview with Atlanta novelists Emily Giffin and Susan Rebecca White. You'll find the new publication online and in shops and restaurants around the swankier parts of town. Starting on page 18, the writers talk about their connection to the community, each other, and dish about their writing lives. Emily shares her favorite coffee house for working away from home and Susan lets fly with shout-outs to her favorite food haunts.

* Image of "Women Talking" found at Kyle Moriwacki's photostream on Flickr

Cleaned Out

It was great having company for the past week but now the house is quiet and my friend is back with her family in California. Meanwhile, my kitchen looks like Sevananda exploded nearby. Here are the food items left behind by my dear friend, my first "clean eating" houseguest:

African Red Bush herbal infusion

Container of steamed broccoli

Bowl of cooked brussels sprouts

Three-day-old big salad

Organic instant oatmeal

Tamari with seaweed rice cakes

Gluten-free crackers

Pure green decaf tea

All-natural hummus

Stir-fry rice noodles

1 mango

4 Lemons

A quartered grapefruit

Bunch of raisins

Half a bag of organic walnuts

Let's just say it's been interesting cooking for and dining out with someone who doesn't eat wheat, dairy, or processed sugar and who avoids spicy foods and doesn't drink alcohol or indulge in caffeine. Despite the detours to Whole Foods, we still managed to eat out. I'm happy to report she put away the following: pork-filled cabbage rolls at Pura Vida, Brunswick stew at Brick Store Pub, a heaping plate of veggies from the hot foods line at Your Dekalb Farmers Market, a Farm Burger on a gluten-free bun (not bad, by the way), peppermint tea at Java Monkey, and a gorgeous bowl of osso buco with preserved lemon, served over white beans and spinach at Leon's Full Service. Before she arrived, she told me was trying to put on weight. She came to the right person.

* Grapefruit watercolor by artandaudiogirl at Photobucket

Bone Appétit

As Día de Los Muertos approaches, let's pray there are taquerías in the afterlife.

Image found at City Food Magazine.