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Validation's not just for parking

Being a writer, I straddle an odd combination of narcissism and insecurity. On the one hand I hate sharing any of my work for fear people will steal it (it's really that good!) and on the other hand I don't want to show people my work for fear that it stinks (it really does). But there is one good thing that comes from sharing work- it is VALIDATION. Oh, man- that grand, glowing mystery stuff that is surely what was in the briefcase in Pulp Fiction.

It is so nice to have put your soul out and get it returned unsquashed (probably because they are too busy stealing my character's name!)- oops! Slipping again....

But it isn't just my writing that needs validation- it is everything- today we had an office lunch- and I swear I notice exactly how popular my items are- like, for instance, all my Fritos- gone! Yea! And for birthdays we have cake and last year the girl who has to bake mine asked what I liked and I said Strawberry. Well, she made a face, and basically whined about it- but this year she ended up having to bake cakes for both me and another fellow- so she baked one chocolate and one strawberry- guess whose cake was more popular? The Strawberry, thank you very much!

I'm telling you, this is not good that I'm so aware of this. But I hear that recognition is the first step.

I can't help it

I know I said no more on James Frey- but- why does his new book "My Best Friend Leonard" (or some such) look like a chick-lit? Pink cover and all? I keep spotting it and thinking it is the new Meg Cabot....



In other news- I'm now addicted to Sudoku. It's this numbers (or Numb3rs) game, if you'd rather.

BigJim- hmmm...bet he *embellished* that, too!

Okay, last in my three part series on Frey. Cuz, I'm already losing interest. I've just got to say, this embellishment thing is kind of a guy-thing, though, isn't it? I mean just another Fish Tale gone awry... It was this big! No- It was thiiiiiiiiiissssssss big! Speaking of- what's with the website "bigjimindustries" - I mean really- an industry? And *big*??? Come on, Jimmy, fess up- *it* is as long as your stay in prison, am I right?

Ok- joking aside- I do think this is a male problem- maybe not with all males, but definitely some. No, no- not the *size* problem- although...Anyhow- Once I was taking a stroll through the ship (I used to work for a cruise line) with the doctor and we passed the Captain. Howyados', hows the weathers, a little gossip on the issues of the day, and the like. Nothing exciting from my point of view. At lunch, we're chatting about the issues of the day- and Doc is all- "I had a meeting with the Captain about that...blah blah blah." Now, come on- a meeting? Like a sit down, hash it out, stated my opinion and changed and reformed was it sounded like from him. Meanwhile, I'm scratching my head wondering what I missed- because I WAS AT THAT *MEETING* and it sure didn't sound as revolutionary as all that. So maybe guys are just born exaggerators... what do you think?

OK- so back to our topic at hand- The Larry King transcripts are up (I had to tape the interview and am now so over it, I'll probably not even watch) but, from the transcripts- Frey skirted the questions, asserting the heart of his story- alcoholism and drug abuse- was pure. Oprah called in and decided to stand by that, although, I think she was on the fence before calling to pardon Frey at the last hour. (About as close as lawbreaking Frey will be to a pardon, apparently)

My favorite quote of the transcript (and not because of anything Frey-related- just think it is funny in an Oh-no-he-didn't! kind of way):

"FREY: I don't think -- I think you could probably find people who would dispute every memoir that was ever published. And a lot of them have been disputed. When Jerzy Kosinski's "Painted Bird" came out and became a big success several years afterwards, people said, "You know what? Jerzy Kosinski never went through the Holocaust." It's happened with a number of recent memoirs. It tends to happen with a lot of the more high-profile memoirs.

KING: And Jerzy killed himself. I'm not suggesting"

I'm not suggesting...Larry King- you crack me up.

Monday Morning QB's & Hypocrites

Lordy- just checked Frey's Amazon comments and found pages and pages of "angry" reviewers...or so they would have you believe. I doubt any of these are actual book reviews- from actual readers... Jan 10th and 11th and so on- all you can find are reviews about the book being a fraud and decrees of a book of lies. Well, gee- easy to say now isn't it? I mean, okay- some people had doubts, but when you go public waving your "I knew it!" flag now it is the sort of ridiculousness of a Monday morning QB. Besides- who is the embellisher now? Writing a negative comment for a book you never read is.... embellishing. And for all the reviews before TSG report- did you really love it or did you just want to sound like one of the cool kids at Mizz O's lunch table? All I have to say is that IF I had recommended the book- people would probably say- "gosh, Cin, you really think this is good? I mean, all the swearing and vomit and Capitalization? I dunno."That's the power of the big "O" for you.

This is a great example of why Amazon comments are stupid. Anyone can say anything, anytime.

As for my opinion on what Frey is accused of doing- well- this just goes to show how desperate people are to sell books- and just how hard it is to actually do it. I can't say I blame him for trying. I can't imagine doing that to my family, so I'd never. But, it wasn't like he set out to inspire people or even to be an Oprah pick- he just wanted to sell his book. The rest was just a ride he took along with that wild train. Perhaps it has derailed, but I doubt it- he just sold a couple more books, he's made a good deal of money, and I bet there will be more people buying this book (and all that fiction he couldn't sell before) even knowing the "truth."

Gotta love a good train wreck, huh, Mr. Frey? Maybe someone will use yours in their Autobiography...

Whatever the case- the Larry King interview should be interesting.

James Frey - Felony Use of Flagrant Capitalization

There is a big stink from The Smoking Gun on the accuracy of events in the "non-fiction" memoir: A Million Little Pieces (an Oprah Book Club pick if you live under a rock). Seems this most hated soccer playing outcast frat boy might have stretched the truth a bit... or as he might have penned it: Most Hated Soccer Playing Outcast Frat Boy.... My hard hitting question for Mr. Frey- what's with all the Caps??? Huh? Punk?

From TSG's report, Frey was just about every guy I knew in college-just your average drug-dabbling drunk who liked to imagine their life was just a little more exciting than everyone elses.

As for Mizz O getting duped into checking the author photo every couple of pages to ensure that the guy in the book really did survive it all... well, I'm really not surprised. I realized Mizz O didn't possess the shovel with which to dig truths when she questioned the Olsen twins on their weight (aired shortly before Mary-Kate was outted for her eating disorder). Mizz O seemed to take their giggled answer that because they were short and couldn't wear normal sizes that they just didn't know what size they were and that weight was not something they even gave a thought to. Mizz O just smiled and nodded, and went on with other questions...

I'd like to see Frey on Dr. Phil for compulsive embellishment- that would be some good TV! They could duel with phrases like "Get Real" and "Hold On".

Just an FWI

Which FYI... means FYI... because my silly brain keeps telling me F- WHY?-I. Seriously, I don't often even catch it...

(and FWI... since I'm trying to blog more in 2006- this is the quality of post you should expect to see much more of. Sorry, I've protected you as long as I could.)

It's a Dog Eat Cookie World

Last night I was chatting with my Mom, telling her about how Kodiak (my chow/shep mix) sometimes has this look on his face and way of jogging that totally reminds me of Bowser (my deceased full Chow). SO, this prompts her memory and she starts talking about this comic strip I created a gazillion year ago dedicated to all of Bowsie's antics. I titled it "It's a Dog Eat Cookie World" (TM).

Now, if I do say so myself, I had some talent there. I sometimes come across these old cartoon strips and think- hey, those are pretty good. They really captured his dog-a-nality... They are funny and well drawn.

So, I tell this to my Mom- and she agreed... which struck me as odd, because while, of course, she liked them- she never really suggested I do anymore than hang up my markers. I asked her about that and she seemed surprised and speculated that the reason she never encouraged me was most likely because and I quote, "You probably had about 9 thousand irons in the fire."

Finally! See, my mother is very, very opinionated- problem is- she never ever, ever, ever shares her opinion about you, with you (which usually means, I assume the worst). Obviously the above example is very innocuous- shouldn't offend me at all- and it absolutely doesn't (hence my reply- "Well, don't I always?")- but I was so happy to finally, actually hear her tell me her true opinion and not just smile and nod and glaze over with that- well, whatever you want to do is just lovely, and why oh why would I have anything critical to share?- look on her face.

I should say- in her defense- she absolutely does encourage my writing (as do all of family and extended family)- but, when I share my story ideas with her- she starts to get that look- and now I know that it doesn't mean "I don't know, Cin, that story just doesn't resonate with me" - it means: "Uh, oh- sounds like too many irons going into the fire!" Which, I can live with...

The Accountability of Cin

No longer will judging myself be my responsibility....I'm relocating that task back to the public at large where it belongs.

New for 2006, a little feature of my blog will include highlighting the little things in my life that sometimes go unnoticed and sometimes keep me up at night kicking myself. So, instead of ignoring them or beating myself up with them- I'm just going to get them out there- send them out into the world with this little blog, where they will get the credit or condemnation they deserve. So for starters:

Why I'm a self absorbed idiot:
Yesterday we returned from two weeks of vacation- a co-worker whom I adore (she's knowledgeable, warm, crafty and is one of the only people who always remembers to include me in her department's functions- see my office is in another department's area- so most people are too confused to include me in the birthdays and cake and whatever- but not this wonderful woman)- so, she comes into my office first thing, and I'm all distracted with a failed hard drive on the AS400 that, like, runs everything financial, and she needs her user ID reset. So I ask how her holidays were... "Could have been better" she replies, sounding on the verge of tears. Then it hits me- her brother died in a tragic car crash like two days before we went to break (someone else had to use her profile- which was why her password no longer worked). I knew this! I felt like a complete idiot!

Why I'm a hero:
Today, in the office bathroom- the toilet paper was a full roll- jammed in its plastic casing and refusing to come out. I sacrificed my fingers, getting them horribly scraped on the serrated shredding apparatus- but am able after several attempts to free the paper so that it would work properly throughout the rest of its existence. I'm sort of a germ-a-phob in public restrooms, so this was above and beyond. I had to use copious amounts of "Luxury Foam" (Luxury foam? It's soap! There are no pearls of satiny-softness in it- it isn't even infused with lotion or a pastel color, even.)

So, okay- they don't exactly balance each other out... and, admittedly the hero thing was still a selfish act... but, hopefully, over time, we'll start to see a trend toward a kinder, more unselfish Cindy...

Whadda Shockkkaahhh....

The first shocker of 2006- Lindsay Lohan admits to bulimia. No, really? I'm so glad that's all been cleared up- I'd hate to think of all the girls out there who thought diet and exercise might have been the culprit.