GO SEE THIS PLAY

So Blair Singer is a not only a phenomenally talented writer who is currently writing a movie for me at MTV, but he's a wonderful human being as well. And talented--did I mention talented?

Anyway, he has a new play opening called THE MOST DAMAGING WOUND -- click here to read more about it and buy your tickets. Because Blair is that cool and you really should support good writing.

But even more importantly click here to see the trailer that his 3-year-old daughter Eliza shot because it's just too cute.

So if you're in NY, go see the play. And if you're not in NY, make a special trip TO NY to see the play. Apparently you're allowed to bring snacks into the theatre, which should make it even more enticing. Actually, what I was told was that I could bring a Diet Coke in. Snacks--ie. candy, cookies, cupcakes--were not discussed.

But give it a try.

Meanwhile, in other news, the Halloween parade is going down 6th Avenue. I live on the corner of 6th Avenue. Suffice to say it's very loud.

Please don't feed the mermaid

If you're in New York and you want to see something surreal on Wednesday, come to Datavision, located at 445 5th Ave. at E. 39th St. at 11am where you'll be able to see me sitting in a front window display space--yes, you read that right--reading from a Sony Digital Reader as part of National Book Month.

From the press release thingy:

WHO: Beginning Oct. 1, World-renowned speed reader and Guinness World Record-holder for memory, David Farrow, will live and read his way through 30 days (or 720 hours) in a front window display space in New York City to coincide with National Book Month.

WHY: In an effort to combat a nationwide decline in reading, particularly among young people, Sony Electronics is spearheading a “Reader Revolution” with the goal of sparking the imaginations of young readers and engaging the public in digital reading and the donation of 15 million eBooks to schools nationwide.

For every page Farrow turns on his Sony Digital Reader, Sony will give an eBook library of 100 classic titles to a U.S. school. Sony’s goal is to provide 150,000 eBook libraries, or 15 million eBook classics, to schools and learning institutions nationwide.

WHAT THE HELL I HAVE TO DO WITH THIS: I have offered to be a “relief reader,” which means that I have agreed to sit there like something in an aquarium so the poor guy can go to the bathroom or get something to eat.

To be honest, I have no idea what the hell I have gotten myself into. When I finally took the time to read the fine print, all I could think of was this hotel in L.A. on Sunset Blvd called The Standard where, in the lobby behind the reception desk, there's a woman in a glass cage. I can't remember if she was supposed to be a mermaid or not, but that's what I seem to recall. Maybe that's just because I like mermaids.

Anyway, if you're around and have nothing better to do on Wednesday morning, come by and check it out.

But please don't feed the mermaid.

Or heckle her.

I take that back--if you bring cupcakes, you can feed her.

Sadly I won't be reading from CINDY ELLA because, um, it's not currently part of the Sony eBook library. That being said, neither is ARE YOU THERE GOD, IT'S ME MARGARET, CATCHER IN THE RYE, or FROM THE MIXED UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER, which were the other books I asked if I could read from, so at least I'm in good company.

When I have some extra money...

...after the apartment is painted and furnished and all that good stuff, I am going to become an art collector.

Specifically I am going to become a collector of my friend Susan Burnstine's photography. Click here to see her work.

I met Susan a million years ago when she was dating a friend of mine and then we re-met through the internet. I don't know if she was shooting back when we were friends, but I was astounded at her talent as a photographer. She has an exhibit opening in Woodstock on Friday, which happens to coincide with when I'll be there, so it'll be great to see her work hanging in a gallery.

I probably don't need to remind you that my 40TH BIRTHDAY is coming up in January...in case, you know, you want to get me a gift I will cherish forever...

How NOT To Get A Guy

I haven't written here in a million years because I've been way too swamped working on stuff that's scheduled to be on bookshelves at some point in the semi-near future.

Plus, to be honest, I haven't come across anything particularly witty lately.

Until this morning.

Click here for a link to Ariel's column this week. Personally, I found it hysterical. Maybe it's just because I know and love her, but even if I didn't, I'd still find her brilliant.

Do your part to get Obama elected...become a Schlepper.

Click here to watch a really funny video. (BTW, the guy in the video is my friend Alex Desert from L.A. who has one of the greatest smiles in the world.)


Interestingly enough, the book I'm working on now is about a girl who goes to Florida to visit her grandmother....

Yeah, me, too...

Look at this...two posts in less than 12 hours.

Anyway, this is a line from a review of CE that someone just brought to my attention:

"I wish real life would always let you end up with the guy you want to be with all along."

Um, yeah, me, too.. why do you think I'm a WRITER?! So I can control SOMEONE'S world!

Has it been almost a month...

...since I've written?

Um, yeah.

I have lots of excuses as to why..actually, I have one...and when you hear it, you'll understand why I haven't written:

I MOVED.

Which meant the following:

1. Hours spent surfing Craigslist for apartment listings
2. Schlepping around Manhattan to look at said apartments (FYI? "Cozy" and "charming" translate to beyond small and beyond old)
3. Finding an apartment
4. Freaking out about shelling out so much money (can you say 15% of annual rent broker's fee?!)
5. Packing.
6. Unpacking.
7. Countless trips to Bed Bath & Beyond and Container Store (thank God I live across the street).
8. Numerous visits to Crate & Barrel website to decide which couch to buy for O'Neill to use as an oversized scratching post.

Add in writing, MTV, deciding what to wear to baby brother's upcoming wedding on Saturday (I take that back - to be honest, I gave that about five minutes thought, while in the shower this morning, and thankfully came up with an idea right then and there), and before you know it almost a month flies by.

But now I'm in and settled. Well, as settled as one can be without a dresser which means that all my clothes are still in boxes.

I adore my apartment. I adore it even more now that they've removed the fiberglass bathtub liner that had so much water underneath it that it made it feel like I was trying to balance on a raft when taking a shower. And I'll adore it even more when the re-glaze the tub on Thursday.

I even adore my Barbie kitchenette. At 39 years old I no longer feel bad about the fact that I don't like to cook...because if I did, I'd be miserable because there's no room to make anything more elaborate than an English muffin.

It's funny -- when I moved to NY last year I walked around for the first six months saying "How could anyone live anywhere but NY?" and now that I've moved down here, I walk around saying "How can anyone live anywhere but down here?" I'm quickly becoming like most NYers I know -- where I start to get anxious when someone suggests I leave my three square block radius for dinner.

I love my new home and I love NY (August 29th was a year) and I love my life.

It's all good.