What Day is it, Anyway?

First of all, who signed me up to receive Field and Stream magazine?

Second, some occurrences: Today our neighbor pulled into his driveway with “Children of the Sun” by Billy Thorpe blasting at full volume from his speakers. Yes, I had to Google the artist. He turned his engine off, but left the key a click forward to continue to barrage his (and my) eardrums with this irritating song, which sliced through a perfectly peaceful afternoon which had, until minutes before, only contained the faint chorus of crickets and the sweet, begging chirrups of the goldfinch fledglings following their parents from tree to tree. It had been quiet in my neighborhood. A rarity, as most days are filled with sirens, motorcycles, airplanes, car alarms, broken mufflers, public domestic brawls, endless barking dogs, and the low shudder of blasts from the quarry a block away.

So his intrusion into my peaceful day pissed me off. Fully irritated, I climbed into my car to run some errands, and guess what was blasting from my own stereo, nearly at full volume?

Yep. “Children of the Sun” by Billy Thorpe. Thank you, WAPL.

I drove right to Target for the weekly financial bloodletting, and of course I had to see if my book was in. It was! One copy left. I slipped a signed book plate in the front cover and perused the rest of the books on display…no, I wasn’t lurking about, hoping to pounce on an unsuspecting customer! I know it totally looks like that, but…well, okay, maybe just a little. But I wasn’t there more than fifteen seconds, I swear. Just then an adorable young woman and her boyfriend entered the book section. “I know, but I don’t want to buy a hard cover,” I overheard her say. And you can guess what I did next.

“Hey! Looking for a good book?”

Yeah. I’m shameless like that. Later I told J and he said, “God, you’re such a nerd.”

“Why? Just because I nearly jumped in her lap and read her my book?”

“Well, that, and…many reasons, really.”

It’s important for your spouse to support you. Never forget it.

And speaking of book stuff, you probably won’t believe me (even I’m skeptical of myself at this point), but I just heard Driving Sideways is going back for a fourth printing. I know! But I’m telling the truth, really. After hearing the news I sent my editor an email: “Yay! I feel like the little engine that could!”

J’s response? “God, you’re such a nerd.”

Oh! And I’ve discovered one benefit of having a summer cold. When you take your dog to the dog park and she urinates on a bird carcass and then rolls in it? You can’t smell her on the way home! And you can’t smell her while you’re brushing her for her bath, either.

Where I’ll be Wednesday, August 13:

Harry W. Schwartz Bookstore
10976 N. Port Washington Rd.
Mequon, WI

What time? 7 pm sharp.

What for? A reading ... and stuff.

Why? Because I’m amping up the entertainment level to compete with the Olympics.

Aren’t you still sick? A little, but I’ll bring hand sanitizer before I sign your book.

And isn’t it your mom’s birthday? Yes! I’m bringing a tasteful and useful gift.