A somewhat goofy mini-collection of stuff I’ve been reading, stuff I’ve been thinking about and oh, some completely random crap.
Basically the stuff that never gets mentioned here because I’m not the kind of person who can just make some teeny little point. Not into the whole brevity thing, as the Dude would say.
Actually, I’m under the strict compulsion to write ten pages about anything on my mind. So this is me. Practicing brevity.
I know I promised goofiness yesterday, but …. yeah, sorry.
No goofiness.
Tired and cranky. I’ll tell you about it later.
But hey, lots of great stuff to read! Happy Wednesday.
Item! Post No. 9 in a series that I love even though it continues to not really have a clear purpose or function.
Item! I am a sensitive flower!
I was reading this post by Kate about Selective Sound Sensitivity Syndrome … and was so fascinated/shaken up by it that it was only at the end that is sunk in how weird it is that my blog had inspired her to write it.
Part of me wishes I’d never heard of SSSS (which, I must say, seems a very inappropriate name for it).
Part of me wishes desperately that I’d known about it as a kid.
I have memories of my mother chastising me for being too noisy while eating apples or for swallowing too loudly.
And just wanting to disappear and never be noticed again. Hello, pattern!
When all along it was probably her own hypersensitivity and had nothing to do with me at all. Realizing this totally made me want to cry.
But it was also a really useful thing to have read.
Item! Noise!
Speaking of sensitivity, another useful and thought-provoking post about noise and what it does to us. This one from brand-new Shivanaut Joan Spear.
Also, note the picture with the sweetest little boy in the entire world. Seriously. I look at that picture and just want to schnuggle that kid and cover him in kisses.
Item! This is one of the most profound posts about the self-work process that I’ve ever read!
Diane confronts her demon, recognizes that it’s not actually a demon, still doesn’t like it and puts it under a tree, and bravely documents the whole process for us.
A beautifully written piece that everyone should read.
Item! Having someone believe in you is (yes, still) incredibly powerful!
So I’ve been thinking about this a lot in the past few weeks. Specifically with regard to my complicated relationship with writing, but also in a much larger sense.
And even posted about it and made a declaration to you.
This is an astoundingly moving story from Emma that demonstrates this principle wonderfully. It made me cry. But in a good way.
I’ve read this post six times. Seriously. Read it.
Item! Would you like to read a story about a building? Because I think you should.
This piece from Ulla Hennig (Old and new — a story from Berlin) is just lovely.
I’ve never liked Potsdamer Platz … too lonely for me. A lot of Berlin is pretty haunted and there are parts where I simply cannot go without falling apart. It was so sweet to have the building’s perspective on this one.
Also, this is kind of off-topic but I find that most of the buildings in Berlin are especially chatty. They’re constantly telling me stories. Some are better stories than others, of course.
This one is a good one!
Item! This is sad! But there is also comfort in it.
This post by Black Hockey Jesus about seasons and writing and loss just blew me away.
I like all his stuff but this one struck me as especially poignant and especially important, somehow.
Item! You should read this (hilarious) book! Plus I have an extra copy!
If you hang out here much, you probably know Johnny B. Truant, writer of the blog The Economy Isn’t Happening, who hangs out here in the comments and says weird and witty things.
If you hang out on Twitter (and really, why aren’t you there so I can buy you a drink?), then you also know that I am quite enamored of his fantastically zany blog which is one of my favorite things to read.
Anyway, he put out a book called *May Contain Nuts, which is highly entertaining and generally wonderful.
And because he’s my obsessive stalker exceptionally thorough, he sent me two copies.
One of them you can’t have! Mine! Mine!
Sorry, got distracted. But the other copy of his marvelous book? I’ll happily send it to one of you lovely people.
Say something in the comments about how much you adore Johnny B., and I’ll make Marissa choose someone to send it too, because I’m the worst person to work for in the entire world.
Or I could draw from a hat. Assuming I can find one that I’m not actually wearing at the moment.
That is all.
Apologies for the lack of goofy. Hope you got as much good stuff out of the links as I did.
Our fairly normal posting schedule will continue. At least until next Wednesday. Because who knows what can happen on a Wednesday.
Selma and I will be back to our usual stuff tomorrow. And may even have slept, which (I hear) does wonders for everything.
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Johnny B. is pretty awesome… I make the mistake of reading his posts while my students are working, and I have to cough a lot so they don’t know I’m laughing my head off. You shouldn’t think that you don’t provoke the same reaction, though… *grumbles* you bloggers and your dang humor. 😉
This post was great for two unusual reasons. One, I got a fantastic plug, and two, I got to read BHJ’s post… which RESONATED LIKE A BASTARD with me.
I think all funny people have some emotional issues. Which is probably why I’m so stable.
A NOTE THAT HAVI DIDN’T MENTION: This book is signed TO HAVI! Who the hell else will have not only a signed JT book, but one that is signed to Havi Brooks? Nobody, that’s who.
Much love, Havi.
Johnny Truants last blog post..Unfortunately, pants
Oh, and by the way, I’m actually just “Johnny Truant.” Had to be JohnnyBTruant on Twitter because some dolt had taken JohnnyTruant. The B means nothing, but can be read either of two ways:
1. As an homage to Johnny B. Goode.
2. Ebonics. As in, “Johnny ain’t in school. Johnny be truant.”
And SURPRISE SURPRISE, “Unfortunately, Pants” is back up as my most recent post! It left, but is back!
Johnny Truants last blog post..Unfortunately, pants
@JohnnyB – But I think of you as JohnnyB! Don’t take the B away from me …. it will launch an identity crisis. And since it’s your identity we’re talking about, we can’t have that.
Also, “Johnny be truant” is a perfectly cromulent sentence.
@Aylad (or would you rather be AyladB? Because you *can*) – Awesome. I am perfectly willing to not be funny, though. Or at least to work on it. Whoah, already working.
AAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA! There are like two people I know who would get a “cromulent” reference. This is so awesome. You may keep the B.
Also, this only proves I need to stalk you more. I’ve FedExed a creepy letter and some of my hair. You’ll need so sign for it in saliva.
Johnny Truants last blog post..Unfortunately, pants
Johnny Truant rocks my whole sock drawer. I still can’t believe I won his lameness competition. I’ll never beat that.
And I loved Diane’s post. It was incredible, and very moving. But that rock is also cute.
Joely Blacks last blog post..All about weight, normality and the view through the mirror
Crap. I had to add another blog to my feeder. Because Johnny has embiggened his role as a blogger with his cromulent performance. Or some such.
stephs last blog post..Free Your Mind: A Whole New Meaning
“And just wanting to disappear and never be noticed again. Hello, pattern!”
Tell me about it! There are lots of things behind my not wanting to be noticed thing, but this is definitely one of them.
My sister and I drove each other crazy, as both of us had SSSS. Every time I sing in public (which is almost never, but I was at a carol concert at Christmas) I remember her, because she used to get really upset when I sang quietly along with my walkman, because all she could hear were the Ss. I still have a compulsion to suppress the Ss when I sing.
I think it’s especially hard with food related stuff, because it creates all kinds of really unhelpful feelings around eating, which, frankly, is not an area most girls need to be any more messed up in.
Kates last blog post..The Dance
Damn – you can get me to lose an hour or two perusing the gems you turn up. It’s also true they tend to pierce my heart. It goes and hides in a corner (and whimpers and sulks a little), because it (thinks it) will never write that well. Thanks for the links.
Meredith
Havi,
you absolutely made my day! Thanks so much for mentioning /recommending my blog post. It was a kind of writing experiment, done in my second language, and I never thought it would be worth getting mentioned by you. I have learned two things, one thing about me (trust myself more) and you (you’ve got your reading eyes everywhere). Thanks again!
Ulla Hennigs last blog post..Blogapalooza
(bursts through door panting)
Sorry I took so long to get here! I wanted to say thanks for the words about my post. Silly grin time!
I also wanted to comment about safe spaces, I think there was another post about it earlier in the week. Actually, I’ll find it and comment there. Sorry to whirlwind at you!
Emma Newmans last blog post..Into the shadowy corners…
Thank you for introducing me to Diane Whiddon-Brown and her sparkly rock.
Some major astrological shifts or what? but I had a ‘breakthrough’ (of a 28 friggin year pattern) last week that I also just wrote about but have not yet had the courage to post.
Think I do now… thanks to certain brave women I am surrounding myself with.
Ginas last blog post..discomfort creates awareness