Tag: words

feelings

question

abby mumford

if you could tell your younger self anything, what would it be?

me? i’d tell younger me to start wearing heels because she’s not getting any taller.

i’d tell her to pay more attention in math class. she will need to know how to add and subtract in real life.

i’d tell her that she actually likes brownies baked from a box better than from scratch. (sorry mom, i’m sticking with betty crocker.)

i’d tell her to learn to read a map. and i’d tell her it’s okay to get lost because she does (and always will), but it’s those detours where her character is built. and i’d tell her she should always go in the direction opposite of what she thinks she should do. it’s the only way she’ll ever get to her end destination.

i’d tell her she wins an olympic gold medal (and see what sport she focuses on) because maybe that dream could still be cultivated.

i’d tell her to keep up the thank you notes because there’s nothing quite as lovely as receiving a handwritten note.

i’d tell her to ease up on the worrying and self doubting.

i’d tell her to take her parents’ advice more often. they actually do know what they’re talking about.

i’d tell her that when things go wrong, THAT’S when you learn.

but i’d only say those things in the barest of whispers because the information really sticks when she learns it for herself.

convos with strangers

conversations with strangers #6

abby mumford

even though my mom taught me not to, here’s why i’m talking with strangers.

i pulled into the grocery store parking lot and got out. unfortunately, my finger didn’t move as fast as the rest of me and as a result, got smashed in the car door.

a few seconds later, i could breathe through the pain, but looked at my finger and there was blood everywhere. i couldn’t exactly go into a store like that, so i plunked my purse onto the trunk of my car and got out tissue. i noticed someone out of the corner of my eye and it’s the guy putting away the shopping carts. he was making his way over to me (i parked next to the cart holding area), so i’m not exactly sure if he was just doing his job, coming over to comment on my stupidity, or was maybe going to offer some concern? when it was clear he had something to say, i looked away from my damaged finger and over to him.

him: i was just trying to read your jersey.

me: oh. um, well, it says devils lacrosse club.

him: are you a good player?

me: i was. this is from high school.

him: where was that?

me: new jersey.

him: oh, yes like the [new jersey devils] hockey team. are you going to play in the Olympics?

me: i wish. it’s not an Olympic sport yet.

him: it’s not? too bad.

i couldn’t agree more, and it has been a lifelong (unattainable) dream of mine to be in the olympics, but come on, look at me in this moment. i couldn’t be less of an Olympian. i just shut my own finger in the car door. clearly, i’m going to need some more time.

perhaps i’ll be ready for the 2016 summer Olympics.

and, for the time being, at least the guy took my mind off the incredible pain of my stupidity.

convos with strangers

conversations with strangers #4

abby mumford

(i know, i know, you want an italian recap. you’re going to have to wait a little longer as i struggle with some serious jetlag. and, to refresh your memory about why i’m talking with strangers, here’s the deal.)

a couple of weeks ago, i was back in wonderland, aka porter square books. i had time to browse and oh boy was it fun to sift through the titles and skim through the jackets with nothing more important on the agenda than picking new books for my TBR list. they didn’t have the book i originally came in to buy (DIE FOR ME by amy plum), so i picked up HOLD ME CLOSER, NECROMANCER by lish mcbride mainly because of this review, but also because i find it impossible to walk out of a bookstore with empty hands.

“you’re all set?” the man asked.

“yes, this, and could you order a book for me?”

“sure thing. what’s the title?”

“DIE FOR ME by amy plum.”

he types some stuff into the computer. “i don’t see it. you said it was called DIAPER ME?”

me, mentally pointing to the name of my blog, can’t decide whether to make a joke or repeat myself. i settle for the latter, but wonder if he’ll even be able to understand me due to my barely contained laughter.

“oh,” he says, giving into his own chuckles, “i thought it was some kind of parenting book.”

feelings

be brave by veronica roth

abby mumford

i seem to be happening upon a lot of articles recently about how peoples’ brains work. this one on fear by veronica roth is borderline genius and took an indescribable amount of courage not only to write but to post for the whole of the interwebs to view. it’s important (for me right now) because i need to be brave in writing, in life, and in going to sleep*, so i’m hoping to take a page out of her book (tee hee).

read it.

that is all.

*things i never thought i’d say: sleeping is hard to do (when you’re the only one in the apartment.)

book club

BOOK HUNGRY: the sky is everywhere

abby mumford

who says you have to be crowded into the living room, kitchen, and/or dining room to hold a book club? we are ladies of the 21st century. we don’t need no stinkin’ couches. so pull up a blog and join in the conversation.

the members of the BOOK HUNGRY are (alphabetically): patty blount, kelly breakey, karla nellenbach, vanessa noble, alyson peterson, cynthia reese, elizabeth ryann, and myself. here’s the deal. we pick a book to read. we discuss via email. we post a review on our individual blogs on the same day (3rd thursday of the month). we link to each other. done. i know, genius. click on each one of their names (above) and it’ll take you to their review. browse. enjoy.

this month’s BOOK HUNGRY selection is:

THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by jandy nelson

what it’s about from amazon: When her older sister dies from an arrhythmia, 17-year-old Lennie finds that people are awkward around her, including her best friend. While dealing with her conflicted feelings toward her sister’s boyfriend, her anguish over Bailey’s unexpected death, and her sudden curiosity about sex, Lennie must also cope with her unresolved feelings about her mother, who left when Lennie was an infant. Debut author Nelson expertly and movingly chronicles the myriad, roller-coaster emotions that follow a tragedy, including Lennie’s reluctance to box up her sister’s belongings and her guilt over bursts of happiness. The portrayal of the teen’s state of mind is believable, as are the romanticizing of her absent mother and the brief scenes of underage drinking and sexual exploration. Chapters are typically anchored by brief snippets of Lennie’s writings. This is a heartfelt and appealing tale. Girls who gobble up romantic and/or weep-over fiction will undoubtedly flock to this realistic, sometimes funny, and heartbreaking story.

my opinion:

*KERPLUNK* that’s the sound of my jaw hitting the floor.

this book? oh my, this book. it is one of the MOST GORGEOUS books i’ve ever read. ever. ever. the prose is luscious, the poems are divine, the images are vivid, and throughout it all, the emotions, the love, the anger, the betrayal, the giddiness, the pain, the love! but most especially the grief, are tangible. plain and simple, the story and the characters are flat out orange.*

jandy doesn’t use big words. she doesn’t try to show off her intelligence or confuse you with deeper meanings. she simply picks the very best word for the story at hand and lets it radiate, and let me tell you, you’re going to need sunglasses. she is a master of both prose and poetry. it’s not fair really, i mean, there are these bits of poetry at the beginning of some chapters and OMG! if they’re not the most stunning poems i’ve ever read. they make emotion accessible. in fact, the poems wring out so much emotion, the pages drip with it and you’re doused with the excess. AND YOU WILL LIKE IT.

i haven’t even mentioned any of the relationships or specific characters because my words are pale and meager and, you guys, seriously, just pick up this book and read it. proceed with caution, but PROCEED. and quickly! you can thank me (and jandy) later.

* “orange is…the color of extraordinary.” pg.32

p.s. as an added bonus, HERE’S an interview (done by gayle forman) with jandy nelson. the authors of my two favorite books that were released in 2010. so much goodness is going on in there!

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