Literary Discussions with Pre-Teens

I have crossed some line, some where.  I've always prided myself on the volume and depth of the books I read. I've kept a list since 1994 of every book that has passed through my hands. And yet I've noticed for the last several months that my most engaging literary conversations come not from like-minded adults, but rather from the pre-teens in my life.

When I went to see my niece Katlin, age 11, over Christmas, she was horrified to learn I'd seen the movie Eragon without first reading the book. She pressed her copy into my hands with the words, "I've read this. You need to read this, too." I went home, read the book, and mailed it back to her with a note outlining how the book was--as she had claimed--infinitely superior to the movie.

The Eragon discussion continued Sunday during the Superbowl when I found myself seated next to my 11-year old neighbor. He was reading a book I thought was Eragon, but that turned out to be something else. "Have you read Eragon?" I asked.

"Yes!" he said. "Both of them."

"I haven't read the second one yet," I admitted.

His eyes widened. "Do you want to borrow my copy? You have to read it. I'll bring it over to you this week."

We then continued on to a discussion about the July release of Harry Potter. I'm very much looking forward to the release while my neighbor feels a disconnect with the spirit of the books, having to wait so long between volumes.

 Okay, so it's not a treatise on War & Peace. But I'm floored at the inside-out level at which these kids know these books. Both my niece and neighbor had opinions on the plot, characters, the suitableness of the actors selected to play the characters, and the pacing of the Eragon books.  I could have held the same conversation with an adult.

Which is both fun and sad. Fun, because these kids that I've always known as kids are coming into their own minds, with likes and distinctions and it's fascinating to listen to their opinions and they reasons they give for holding them. Sad because... they're coming into their own minds, with likes and distinctions.

I'm grateful to have them. Once Harry Potter comes out, I'm going to be dying to have someone to discuss it with. 

Makeup at 75% Discount!

It really doesn't take much to make me happy. Today we were at CVS (Blair, aka "Coupon King," decided we needed to stock up on something like 80 rolls of toilet paper and 20 boxes of Kleenex--tissue, anyone?) and I wandered into the makeup aisle. I'm not typically one for buying makeup. I own mascara bottles that probably have new and undiscovered forms of bacteria residing in them. But I like to look at the products and pretend I know what to do with them, so off I went.

Well, call it Christmas in February folks because half the makeup was labelled 50% off and the other half--oh, oh, catch me before I faint--was 75%.  Can you say bonazi?

Blair found me twenty minutes later, huddled on the tile floor among mounds of "mocha almond glaze" for eyes and "lucious luminenscent lipstick," also, oddly enough, in mocha almond glaze. 

"Right," he said looking at me. "I'll just be over in the asprin aisle until you're ready to go."

I came to my senses and whittled my horde down to two lipsticks, 1 super cool eye-color thingee where you put it on dry for a daytime effect and wet for a metallic night look (I have no where I currently need to wear a wet, metallic eyeshadow look to, but one never knows), and a clear base nailcoat--all for the low, low price of $13.12.  Happy Day!

My fun continued when we returned to the car and our errands. I ripped open the new lipstick. "How does this look on me?" I asked.

"Great," said Blair. It was true. The color looked smashing. Bonus. There's nothing worse than buying new makeup only to discover it makes you look like Elizabeth Taylor during the fat years.

I pulled down the visor and applied eyeshadow--also stunning.

I'm telling you--we women never outgrow our little girl enamorment of makeup. Having new stuff out of the box is like sneaking into your mom's stash, trying everything on at once and then leaving her room with powder and rouge dripping off your 5-year-old face and hoping she won't notice.

I'm off to a superbowl party in my new mocha almond glaze lips and eyes.  If the Colts win, I think I'll go all out tomorrow in celebration and wear the eyeshadow in wet metallic.

I'm pulling for ya, fellas.

How I Stole My Neighbor's Cat... Again

There has got to be some sort of AA program out there for people like me.  "Hi, I'm Dena, and I steal cats."

For those of  you who have not read part one of the "Dena steals a cop's cat" story, click here. For the rest of you, read on.

We've had a mild winter here in North Carolina, but today the predictions were finally for white stuff to fall from the sky. As per schedule, milk and batteries sold out at stores, schools and church groups were cancelled, and the entire state was put on emergency alert for the expected 3-5 inches.

I look out my window about 8 AM and see snow. The sky is gray and chilly. I sip my coffee and ponder my neighbor's house through my kitchen window. Surely he'd have a 3-month old kitten inside on such a morning. Surely. So there'd be no harm in performing a small test...

I walk to my back porch. "Here kittykittykitty." A flash of fur darts down my neighbors steps and comes racing toward me. No trying to catch kitty this time. He practically leaps into my arms.

That's all it took. "You're staying inside with me where it's warm," I declare. I set his room back up with food, water, litter, toys, and what I've now come to think of as "his" cat bed. Guilt set in (and no small fear I'd be whisked off to jail) so I called my neighbor and told him I had again stolen his cat. Ever the good sport, he said it was fine with him if I kept Snowball inside with me for the day.

We had a ball! We played and rocked and he gave my arm a good tongue bath and once again he fell asleep, purring, cradled next to my heart. Oh my GOD. Like I'm ever going to let this little guy go.

At least that's what I was thinking until Blair called. "How's your day?" he asked.

"Guess what I have in the dining room," I whispered into the phone.

"What?" asked Blair, cautious.

"The kitty!" I shrieked.

The desperation in Blair's voice ran through the line. "Honey. Honey. No," he pleaded. "Look, you're going to have to figure out a way to deal with this. " He paused. "You can't take someone's cat every time there's inclement weather."

I didn't want to hear it.

"It's fine. Our neighbor knows I have him, " I said.

"It's their cat," said Blair. "Not yours. Do you understand that? Hold the phone close to your ear. NOT YOURS."

Now I was on the defensive. "Well I wouldn't have had to bring him in if they had him inside, " I said, bristling.  "It's snowing and cold and he's too young to stay out in this."

"It's not that cold," said Blair.

"What do you want me to do? Just put him back outside?" I scoffed.

"Yes," said Blair.

I said I'd think about it. I hung up and went outside. It was sleeting, but it really wasn't terribly cold. I wondered if my neighbor thought I was a complete loon for taking his cat. I wondered if I cared. I wondered how far I could get across the state line with Snowball in the back seat before Blair got home.

Then I went back inside and scooped Snowball up. I covered him in kisses as I walked to the back door. "Time for you to go home," I said and set him down. He sat in front of the screen door for a moment, looking at me as if puzzled. Then he took off down the steps.

I called my neighbor to let him know I'd freed his cat (and also so he would know kitty was outside and he could bring him in his house at any time). 

I'm going to continue to struggle with this. I'll admit I probably jumped the gun today, bringing Snowball in when it really wasn't all that cold. But there's also no way I'm letting a kitten sit out in bad weather when I can do something about it.

Like I said, I think I need an AA group. Maybe be assigned a buddy I can call each time I'm tempted to cat swipe. That or I'm going to have to be placed under house arrest with an ankle braclet that alerts animal control each and every time I leave my home.

Life is not easy for an animal lover...

Quick! Need Your Input

I need new business cards designed and printed to reflect the upgrades to my web site.  Here are ideas I have for how to structure the cards but graphic design is not my gift, so please everyone let me know what you think.

My thoughts are these:

SIDE 1:

Simply has "Dena Harris ...write for you" in the format seen in the main header on my website. Question: Should the background for this side of the card be a solid color (and if so, what color?) or should I try to replicate the faded text that is the background on my web site?

SIDE 2:

 This side has all the contact info - phone, fax, e-mail. I want my web site address to stand out. I also think it would be nice to either:

• repeat the "Dena Harris...write for you" logo
• Or, include a line like, "Fast, Reliable Feature Article & Corporate Writing"
• Or it could read "Feature Articles & Corporate Writing"

I've already contacted a printer for a quote for a 4-color, 2-sided, quality stock card. I expect them to get back with me soon and I'll need to provide guidance for card layout. Your thoughts?