Remember that time I went to Paris twice in one month? Yeah, me too. With all the non-stop fun happening, I haven't even had time to upload and post my fun pics from my trip with the Rob. It was short, but sweet. I think my favorite was our trip to the Rodin. It was a gorgeous day and we sat in the garden among the sculptures and roses eating our homemade lunch and talking about life.
The more I'm around gardens, the more I want one. I do have a shared garden in my new flat (or a "shared jungle" as Zeph calls it). Maybe I'll actually try to make something of it. I've never had anything even resembling a yard in my adult life, but I sure wouldn't mind having roses. And peonies! Oh, I'd die for peonies. Anyone else have gardens in the city? What do you grow?
Though it's far too cold to actually don a bathing suit, this past weekend, we had a little beach barbecue just outside Edinburgh at Tyninghame. We brought a miniature, disposable, fairtrade barbecue in a box (did you know they make those?) to cook sausages and roast marshmallows. And of course, I continued my education about things that actually live in nature.
We drank cider, but wished we'd brought a bottle opener (or ANY utensils, for that matter) when we hurt ourselves trying to get the things open. Charlie, one of Scotland's leading environmentalists, may have gone for a long run in his boxers and crashed a wedding up the beach (or maybe he just ran around the other side of the rock and sat down for a bit.) The highlight of the day was our spontaneous gymnastics competition. I won points for my cartwheels and round offs.
But the main event was clearly the family showdown between Torcuil & Iona in the most challenging of all feats: the headstand. There was some debate about who actually did the better headstand, and to be honest, I still can't decide.
So I put it up to you, dear readers. Who had the better headstand? I can see a few things-- I mean, Torcuil's overall posture is straighter, but he clearly hasn't learned to point those toes or keep his legs straight. He is, however, 6 feet tall. Iona has great point, but is bent at the hips. What do you think?
I'm sitting here in my new kitchen, listening to BBC Radio, nibbling some oat cakes and drinking my house-brew homemade coffee from Artisan Roast. I keep trying to go back to St Andrews, but there's always a good reason to be in Edinburgh (it's definitely not the weather). Today, I really will go back, but only to return again the next day with another big suitcase. In the meantime, here's all the other stuff I'm snacking on....
Heard this Bon Iver interview and new single yesterday on BBC Radio 1.
I keep thinking about this essay Jonathan Franzen wrote in the New Yorker about isolation, re-visiting Robinson Crusoe, rare bird watching on Masafuera island, and most importantly, his friend David Foster Wallace. It's a whopping 28 pages, so you have to be committed. If you don't have a subscription, let me know you're serious, and I'll send you a copy.
If I weren't a writer, maybe it would be fun to be a font designer. I like this site for fun fonts.
More bedding I'm lusting after. Stop it. Stop it, Ryann.
The pleated front thing that's happening right now is sort of delightful to me in an aesthetic sense, (sort of makes me think of nerd girls and people who work on newspapers-- hey, that's me!) but less delightful because of how I'm built. I'm short (duh) with narrow hips, wide waist and a big rib cage, so most of those high-waisted things just don't look good on me. There's exactly one style of them that look right on me. I have a pair of khakis from H & M that do the trick. But look at these cute jeans!
I had to break down and order a monogram mug online. I just couldn't wait until the Anthro opened here... I got the F mug though instead of R. It was cuter.
Dena made this is awesome idea board for my room on Olio Board. It's keeping me motivated while I schlep suitcases and heavy things all over this windy city. Today, I went out in a leather jacket and a winter coat and scarf and was still cold. Sigh.
I'll be excited to get everything in there and feel settled. Getting the room painted was a milestone though. Parma Grey turned out to be a much more straightforward blue than I had hoped for... I was hoping for some dimensions. But it is still a pretty color and I especially like the look of my new vintage Lothian map against it.
Even more, I can't wait for these heavenly sheets (you know how I feel about sheets!) and the curtains. Bad news about Edinburgh... anything that gets delivered to my flat when I'm not here goes to a Post Office that is a 40 minute (!!) walk away from here. Seriously? Makes me wish I could drive an adorable little Figaro like this one. I suppose I'd need to get my driver's license back to do that....
Today, I went to an Antique Festival in Ingleton (more on that later) painted my room Farrow and Ball's Parma Grey (thanks Iona) ate at Hector's and this was the song I had in my head. Happy Sunday!
Happy birthday to the baby who lights up my life, little Miss Tigerlily. She is such a joy in every way. How she waves to me on Skype and smiles with her big two front teeth. She's everything I love about her mom, plus a whole lot of her own special qualities. And I will always have a very special bond with her because I was there from the very first moment of her life. I can't wait until she's older and I can be her wacky and eccentric cool artsy Aunt Ryann, but I'm also excited for every moment in between. Tigerlily, I love you!
Sorry this post is so late. Thanks for being down all day, blogger! (And for deleting things!) I was rather busy today anyhow, packing to move stuff to Edinburgh and turning in my last short story of the semester. The last thing I'll turn in before my dissertation. But I have exciting news!
New Yorkers can hear our fan fave, The Villain's Girl at York Theatre's NEO 7 Concert. That's New/Emerging/Outstanding at the wonderful York Theatre uptown THIS Monday at 7:30PM! Here is all the info below. Annoyingly, they did not put my name on the poster... sigh... but it is on the program, so I guess that's good.
If you're in NYC, check it out. I mean, it's Elphaba, singing VOTE! Clearly, we're on a mission to get everyone who's ever been in Wicked to sing songs from VOTE! ha ha. Happy Friday!
Blink, and you'd miss it. It's already here, the end of the program. Today was our last class, last workshop. About half the class was already gone and what was left was this tasty reduction-- the core group that's been giving each other feedback all year. It was a nice, productive workshop. I think we all got a lot out of it.
Afterwards, we went to lunch. Later, we'll play pool with Don Paterson. And I think that the only reason I'm not filled with anxiety about savoring these last bits is because I don't have to leave. I think if I was only allowed to stay the one year, I'd be a wreck. Because, at least for me, it's not enough. I feel like I just got here. And that I'm just starting something.
Which is, of course, because I am. In a lot of ways, I'm just beginning the real work I came here to do-- a lot of which was writing, but a lot of which was something bigger than that in my life. A feeling I wanted to have about the world and my place and my work's place in the world. I wanted to feel on solid ground again about what I do and what I think about what I do. The value in what I do.
It's easy to let other people assign value to what you do. If you have anything public, and you go on the internet, it's very easy to see the value that other people assign to what you create. But I was raised in a Buddhist organization who's name means Value Creation. And I can't help but want to go back to that. To just keep creating whatever value I can in whatever way I can.
And like the great agent Sara Douglas once told me, the greatest of decisions you can make in your career is deciding who to listen to. I've pared it down to just those I need. And I trust that all the rest will fall into place somewhere within this time I've carved out for myself-- here on the North Sea, in Edinburgh, and all the other places of the world where I'll be looking for valuable stories.
This was sort of The Song for everyone when we got here, but I think it's better now than it was then. Sometimes, I think about where I'd be emotionally, mentally, whatever, if I had stayed in New York. But in the end... I just think this:
One of the great joys in life is finding people who share your passions and ambitions. Especially when it comes to artistic endeavors, I just love knowing other people who don't make excuses and just go out and carve out a space for themselves in the world. Those are my favorite people.
Yesterday, after our last poetry seminar (about Poetry & the Spirit-- more on that later) we went out for drinks with D. Pats, our esteemed and genuinely hilarious professor. My pal (and new neighbor!!) Sarah and I were talking about starting some arts consulting pre-festivals. I was so excited to start work on a consulting project. Sometimes, it's easy to think of yourself as low on the food chain. Then I think about how much I've learned in the last ten years and how much advice on starting shows I give away for free.
Of course, I'll always give advice away for free to my friends. But think of all those people out there with ambition and no resources. No idea even where to begin. So we're going to be there for those folks. Consider this your pre-announcement. And once Sarah and I figure out the deets, I'll announce more. If you know of anyone planning anything in any of the Edinburgh festivals, check back. Because for a (very small) fee, you can have all the stuff rattling around our brains.
Sarah's already done it successfully with her LOVELY company and website for children's literature consulting/editing, The Lighthouse. Sarah and her business partner have a pretty amazing track record and background. I know a couple of you out there are aspiring children's and YA authors (including me!) so I thought you'd appreciate knowing about them!
I think it's just great. I can remember sometimes where I just wanted someone who knew what they were doing to guide me. And I can think of no sweeter, more knowledgeable, smiley lady to guide anyone than Ms. Sarah Stewart. Check them out on their website, and facebook too!
Whenever I'm busy with work (big story due on Friday!) and various other less than pleasant responsibilities like moving, I try to focus on the upside. Which will eventually be the decoration of my room. Dena's been helping me! Along the way, I've found a lot of cute stuff that I'll have to pass on, but I thought I'd share with all of you!
A lot of sweet people have written to me about their upcoming moves to Scotland/Edinburgh/etc. I love talking to you about making international moves. (Make sure you watch out for those visa issues!) And I remember when I was just waiting to move... it seemed so far away. I spent a lot of time looking at Scotland things that made the big move day seem sooner. Here are some of the Edinburgh-related goodies I found on Etsy. Because shopping is really good procrastination.
PS- Speaking of shopping Edinburgh, I asked for an Edinburgh city guide on Design Sponge, and I got one! Quick, someone give me something else good to wish for, like World Peace!
Every day, I say I am going back to St Andrews, and then the lure of something fun with friends keeps me in Edinburgh another day. Yesterday, it was Zaza and The Vicar of Dibley, more furniture assembly, and a beautiful walk in Edinburgh Botanical Gardens.
The day couldn't decide what it wanted to be until well after lunch time yesterday. Raining, beautiful and Sunny, raining again. But it finally decided on sunny and so we headed out for some great fun exploring the Botanical Gardens and surrounding neighborhoods-- and having a city girl like me learn about new nature-y kinds of things-- like Monkey Puzzle ;)
We got to the rock garden and the tribute to the Queen Mum. There was the most adorable red-headed little girl frolicking in the labyrinth hedges. You know how I love me some red-headed children.
And a big Happy Birthday to the magnificent Steven T. Jamail. He makes my whole life (And everyone who hears his music!) better. I just love him! Okay, I really am going back to St Andrews today... as soon as this rain lets up.
shell-covered walls in the memorial to Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
It's no secret I don't have the funnest time on Mother's Day. But I have been mothered by a whole lot of surrogate moms who completely rock my world. And first and foremost of those is a little special somebody known as the Adi-Mommy.
My best friend's family is sort of one of those package deals. You don't just get a best friend-- you get a whole set of siblings and uncles and dads and the most rocking super mom I have ever witnessed handle a big-time business and a huge blended family.
I think about her and me and everyone in the room when Emily herself became a mom-- probably the greatest moment of my life so far. And when I think about major life events and having a mom there to give me advice, or feel a woman's presence, it somehow doesn't seem like a slight because I know that Adi-Mommy will be there.
Happy Mother's Day-- to her, to all the amazing surrogates who have acted as mothers to me throughout my life, and to all my beautiful friends who are mothers.
No matter what you might have thought of him personally, we've lost one of the great giants of drama this week. At his best, he really was a master craftsman. Everyone blames the book of a musical. The book is the hardest. Everyone knows that. Yet, if there is a perfect book of a musical, it's probably Gypsy.
There's no telling what kinds of stories will come out about the man, now that people in the biz no longer fear his retribution, but before all the mud may or may not start to fly, I want to take a moment to give respect to the irreplaceable Arthur Laurents. When you're a shark, you're a shark all the way.
Gillian Gamble is perhaps THE go-to artist/photographer in St Andrews. She's definitely a gem from the Family Dreamy I love so much. She uses the natural ideal locations around St Andrews and adds her own touch of fairy tale. Snow White and Alice in Wonderland inspired shoots are just a few of the many.
She's also great with illustrations and graphic design. I'm thinking about her a lot now that I'm back in design mode for my new house. Check out her blog! She's on facebook too.
Iwoke up this morning in my sun-filled new bedroom after a long day of traveling. It feels nice to be planning a room for myself again and think about all the things I will write here this Summer. (Well, what of Summer I am actually here with all my travel plans.)
Oddly, moving into this new place makes me think of New York. Of moving into the three apartments I lived in there. How each move opened something up-- new neighborhoods and friends and ways I thought about myself. Cementing my own aesthetic even as I kept moving.
I'm a pretty serious and constant "Choice-maker." I make a lot of decisions. So I'm pretty much always weighing the cost of those decisions. Trying not to dwell too much on those costs is the only way to stay sane. Because I'm basically feeling like I'm going to be happy no matter where I am at this beautiful stage. Stay tuned for more adventures from flat #10.
My dear pal Rob has already been traveling for over a month and still has almost a month left, so he was in desperate need of some new books. I never pass up a trip to any book store, let alone famous Paris English language bookshop, Shakespeare & Company.
Rob came out with a fat stack (including the super fat Freedom. I tried to get a DFW for him, but thought, really, he should start with the essays) and I came out with a new writing journal.
The history of the place is pretty great. An American expat who didn't really want to go back, rents a room, the room gets over run with books from his studies at the Sorbonne. He starts using his room informally as a bookstore until renting out an apartment in 1951 across from the Notre Dame. The place has been pretty much the same ever since.
There are beds there and my friend tried to stay there once, but gave up, apparently because of bed bugs. I hope that issue's been resolved.... Check out this book for more of the scoop.
Even if you can't get to Paris, I hope wherever you are, you can take a few minutes in a big (preferrably leather) chair with a good book to help you coast from midweek to weekend.
The beautiful parts of cities are...well, beautiful. But then there's the quirky, weird, kitschy, personal side. You can find a bit of that in North Paris, where I'm staying this trip. It feels a bit more like large parts of NYC-- some parts even feel a bit like that dodgey block on 41st between 9th and 10th.
Art!
Do you want to take a magic carpet ride over Paris?? There's a store for that!
Or you can just have a fun card reading courtesy of your friend & hostess
Sorry this post is so late. Today has been weird for several reasons. The Bin Laden thing, the flying to Paris thing (I was cutting it pretty close to my flight) and several fafs once I got to Paris. But all is sorted now and I'm reflecting for a moment on Saturday night at the Balmoral. The reels were a bit weird, but the company was great. Well, up until someone had too many Pimms and ended up throwing things from a third story window. That's not classy. That's how you know it's time to go home.
Some days are perfect. Today was one of them. Sun, outdoors, parks, friends, home-made scones with butter and quince jelly. Even some pink champagne as a reward for hauling boxes of books. If every day is like today, Edinburgh is going to be a great place to live. Thanks Iona, Kris, Zeph, Torc & Linda for the laughs.
, rare bird watching on Masafuera island, and most importantly, his friend David Foster Wallace
. It's a whopping 28 pages, so you have to be committed. If you don't have a subscription, let me know you're serious, and I'll send you a copy. 
, more furniture assembly, and a beautiful walk in Edinburgh Botanical Gardens. 
. I tried to get a DFW for him, but thought, really, he should start with the essays) and I came out with a new writing journal. 
