Author: Stacy Horn

Literally and figuratively.  No matter how much I do each day, my to-do list never seems to get smaller.  But today I’m going to work all day long until I collapse on the couch tonight (to watch Grey’s Anatomy, please say it’s on tonight).  Here’s what I have to do:

– Get questions ready for interviews I’m conducting tomorrow (for an NPR piece I’m doing).
– Get interview answers ready.  I’ve learned that I blank out when people ask me questions. So what I do is figure out what people are likely to ask me beforehand and come up with answers.  I read this over whenever I’m about to be interviewed.
– Get pictures copied.  When I’m invited to do a reading I like to do a Powerpoint presentation with great pictures instead.  Readings are dull unless the reader is someone like David Sedaris. I’m not David Sedaris. Not every place has projectors however, so I’m making packets of pictures to hand out for those places.
– Pick readings.  For places that insist I read.
– Practice Powerpoint presentation.
– Pick outfits for readings and presentations.
– Get caught up in email.
– Talk to Betsy about my next book.

This is a picture of the windows at the Tenement Museum. The artists are Sook Jin Jo and a group of students from the Jacob Riis Neighborhood Settlement House.  I like how the reflection of the snow from across the street looks like clouds.

I was at a memorial (a very moving memorial) and Toni Morrison read a passage from one of her books.  I couldn’t find the whole thing, but I did find the last paragraph.

”At some point in life the world’s beauty becomes enough. You don’t need to photograph, paint or even remember it. It is enough. No record of it needs to be kept and you don’t need someone to share it with or tell it to. When that happens -that letting go – you let go because you can. The world will always be there – while you sleep it will be there – when you wake it will be there as well. So you can sleep and there is reason to wake. A dead hydrangea is as intricate and lovely as one in bloom. Bleak sky is as seductive as sunshine, miniature orange trees without blossom or fruit are not defective; they are that. So the windows of the greenhouse can be opened and the weather let in. The latch on the door can be left unhooked, the muslin removed, for the soldier ants are beautiful too and whatever they do will be part of it.”

I mean, Holy Mary Mother of God.  It takes your breath away.  The whole memorial took my breath away.  I don’t want to say too much, but I sat and listened as one person after another got up and talked about this man, growing more astounded at the effect that he had on so many lives, countless lives really.  Apparently he gave Toni Morrison her first review and championed her at the beginning of her career.  How many lives were subsequently touched by that kindness?  And that was just one of so many.  You should have heard these people.

Makes one want to shape up a bit.  I had a picture of Finney I wanted to post, but now that doesn’t seem appropriate.  This is a picture of the graveyard Joseph Mitchell wrote about in “Mr Hunter’s Grave.”

Even though I did a nice thing for myself today.  I went to the salon and got my hair all spruced up.  I’ll relax tomorrow.  Oh, wait.  Can’t.  Okay, the next day.  Remind me to talk about The Bachelor.  After how many years of promising shocking rose ceremonies, for the first time they deliver.  And how.  

Here’s a ghost bike I passed on the way to getting my hair done.  The signs say that 100 pedestrians and 14 cyclists were killed last year.

I just came here to post on my blog and then I looked at the time.  No time!  So what picture did I take when I went out? Snow on garbage!  Later!

I’ve got a really packed day.  But next week is my official publication week!  Actually, March 10th is the official pub date.  I’m going to do my best to try to enjoy this.  This being the fruits of my labors. Please let there be some fruit.  

This weekend I emailed every single last person I know asking for help.  Probably some of you reading this got that email.  I felt so uncomfortable sending it, but you only get something like four weeks for a book to hit.  If it doesn’t they remove it from the shelves, return it to the publisher, and make room for the next new books.  That’s it.  Years of work over.  Next! People who make movies have it worse. They get what?  A weekend?  Wait, did I already explain this? Am I losing it?  (Probably.) 

Big snow here.  The schools are closed.  I’m happy for all the children of New York City.

I took pictures of the snowfall outside my window.  Normally I pick the best one and post that, but I thought I would post the three I was considering.  At the end I will say which one I would have gone with.

Maybe I need to get closer.  I love the park sign.  And the guy shoveling.

Maybe I should try to get even closer!

I would have gone with the first one.  I have to go out in that in a little while, so I hope to get better shots.  Meanwhile, here’s a guy who really knows how to photograph snow.  It was taken by Joey Ivansco/The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, via Associated Press (and I got it from the New York Times).