jaysaint Getting it all down on paper…

Hey Friends, we’re in Atlanta today. If you’re so inclined, we’ll be at Ru San’s in Midtown for dinner tonight at 7. Leave a reply here or shoot me an email if we should be on the lookout for you.

1. If I see you at a buffet-style restaurant and you are making an enormous mountain of the most expensive food they have on offer, I will judge you.
2. If I see that Damon has Tivo’d something obnoxious I will delete it if I think I can get away with it.

I have an conundrum:

In the course of my unpacking, I am unearthing quite a collection of Bibles. Some of them even have my or Damon’s names engraved on the cover. I don’t want all these Bibles. I suppose I could stick them in the back of a closet, but I feel resistant. I love my old family Bibles, but these newer ones are reminders of a time in my life that wasn’t particularly good. Or, rather, it was chaotic and terrifying.

That said, it wasn’t the Bibles that made it so. They were innocent bystanders.

I’m aware of some of your (plural) feelings about religion/Christianity/Bibles. And I might even agree with some or all of it. I’m not religious. I don’t believe it’s the infallible word of God or anything inherently mystical. And yet, I can’t just throw them in the garbage. It also feels wrong to just chuck them on the Good Will pile.

I’m a big believer in treating things sacred to others with respect. I wouldn’t throw a Koran or a statue of Buddha in the garbage. I do not like “hilarious” or otherwise ironic religious art. I know there’s a line somewhere for me, and I’ve never bothered to define it. I wouldn’t have a problem pitching a copy of Dianetics, for example.

So. What do I do with these Bibles? I do know that I seem to be dismissing every possibility. My last option (the Hail Mary, you might say) is that my oldest friend is coming to visit soon, Perhaps I will hide them in his suitcase. I think he would understand, and have the good sense to never mention it.

On an entirely different note: We’re going to Atlanta next weekend! I’m excited for many reasons, and seeing old (and new) friends is at the top of that list. Sunday afternoon we’re going to take up residence somewhere for a few hours to invite anyone interested to come say hello and meet Alden. Any suggestions for locations would be much appreciated.

I’ve seen ‘s passing references to Paperbackswap.com. (PS — I said you gave me the referral so maybe you’ll get a prize!) It rose to mind as I unpacked box after box after box (after box) of books. I admit that I am still unwilling to part with most of them. But, do I really need to hang on to The DaVinci Code? I do not. Neither do I need all my pregnancy books or some of the various works of minor non-fiction that I will definitely never read again. I did find myself thinking “Hey, I’d love to read some other books by Mark Helprin/Margaret George/Edward Rutherford/etc/etc.” So. I signed up. I’ve mailed off two books (some random week-by-week pregnancy guide and Female Chauvinist Pigs) and am thrilled to say that I’ve got a copy of Prince Caspian on its way to me. I have my old Chronicles of Narnia in its little cardboard case, ready to go onto Alden’s bookshelf. But somewhere along the way I lost Caspian. And I haven’t been able to find one that matches the others. I don’t want a new set. Both because I’m cheap and because I want him to have the old books. I’ve poked around for that book for a few years now, and Paperbackswap has saved the day.

I’m overwhelmed with the possibilities. What else should I have my new friends mail to me?

Is anyone else on PBS?

We closed on Monday. The movers came on Tuesday. Family (mom, cousin, mother-in-law, Damon’s sisters, first sister’s boyfriend, second sister’s three-year-old) came on Friday. We threw Alden and niece a joint birthday party on Sunday. I did a major presentation for the president of my company on Tuesday. The last of the family left on Wednesday. Now it is Thursday. And now you understand where I’ve been lately.

I’ve also become one of the bloggers for HGTV’s Design Happens. Come see me!

Alden now has two reliable English words. The first is “bye bye” which is rendered so poignantly, as he usually says it only after someone has left his sight. And then it comes out as a sigh.
He has also, not surprisingly, learned “no.” Except what he says is, “Ooooh no. Nonononono.” It’s always soft, and drawn out. Today he sat on the kitchen floor and pointed at the cat food dishes and said “Oh no. No no no.” so sadly. We rewarded him with a Talbot’s catalog to massacre and then everything was fine.

This kid is so cute. The folks at Babble agree. Mr. Congeniality can be found on the runner up list.