Author: Stacy Horn

I love the air shaft views in my bedroom. They just say “New York” to me. I imagine the view might get depressing on the lower floors, but on the top floor I have the combination of dark and sky.  The best of both worlds.

So, I’m writing a proposal for my next book, about making up for the science education I lack. What stops me every time I start to work on this proposal is the realization that I will actually have to learn science.

I’m still scared I can’t.  I’m trying to tell myself it will be an absorbing way to spend the next few years, and when I’m done I will have a better understanding of so many things.

I will be better off than I was before.

AND, they say that learning staves off dementia and Alzheimers.  HEY.  Maybe I should pick a new career and write about learning how to do whatever it is I chose.

I started a Things I Want to Do list the other day, which included things I might write about:

– embed with military in Afghanistan and write about it.
– write about science.
– live in a different city for a while.
– See:  Alaska, India, Scotland, and take a tour of obscure, barely inhabited islands.
– Places I’d like to work: the Medical Examiners Office, New York Public Library, Municipal Archives, National Archives.

Oh, I just remembered another idea I was toying with, when I realized I didn’t want to do anything that meant leaving the cats behind, something to do with exploring New York, but it’s not very full formed yet, so I want to wait before posting about it.

I took this picture of a friend of a friend, it was sometime in the early 80’s.  She was an actress and needed head shots. She wasn’t happy with the photograph because it came out ever-so-slightly out of focus.  Turns out I needed glasses, but I wouldn’t discover that for a couple of more years.  I’ll tell you though, looking at this years later, I was okay!  Except for that needing glasses thing.  And the under-exposing thing.  But I remember thinking, “I have to find another way to make a living,” and I was better than I thought.  Ah yes, being young and stupid. Those were the days.  

I signed up for a podcasting class that’s being held at the Apple store in Soho today. I did this in a flurry of “ohmygod, how am I going to promote my book” angst. I also signed up for an imovie class, but I didn’t make it to that one.

I figured I’ll just film some interviews, or go places with a haunted history and make a short movie, nothing fancy. And that I already know how to do.

Except why am I making more of an effort with podcasting?  More people look at YouTube videos than listen to podcasts, right?  Or do they?  I don’t know.

In this picture Finney’s going, “What’s that?  Get it, get it, get it, get it, get it, get it, get it.”

This is a detail from my 4th grade class picture.  That’s me in the red dress.  I’m in a sea of fair-haired, fair-skinned children.  Even among the brunettes I’m the darkest. I used to think I was adopted, but now I’m thinking my mother had an affair.  Everyone in my family has light features except for my mother and me. Okay, thinking back to their earliest friends … which guy had dark skin and hair? No one is jumping out at me.

And do I have the worst helmet haircut of all time or what??

I remember most of those kids.  I can’t name them all, but I remember them. That boy to the right of me — of the kids in this detail, I vote him the most likely to succeed.  I wonder what he’s doing now.

I’ve never given the command “rise and shine” much thought.  It was always said to me at a time when that was the last thing I wanted to do so it has negative connotations, but really, it’s a nice idea.  Rise!  Live.  Shine!  You are the sun and the stars.

I pass by this store most days.  I love Mexican Day of the Dead art.  I don’t want to actually own any, I do not want to accumulate any more stuff, I’ve gotten to that point in life where I’m just sick of having stuff unless it’s something I need (exceptions: clothes and earrings).  But I enjoy looking at it in the window.