Kiss-kiss from the fingertips to you, lovely reader:
My nail salon was out of my nail color. For anyone who has ever met me in person since the mid-90s there is a very good chance you know that my fingernails are generally blue. Specifically: Essie’s Aruba Blue.
I love this color. I stumbled upon it by complete accident but it became my signature color. Something about it was unique and deep and reminded me of vacations (the name, sure, but it also happens to be the exact color of the horizon on a perfect day.)
I have used this color for so long that at one nail salon in midtown the women called me “Miss Blue” and had it ready for me when they saw me come in.
(Side note: I have always preferred NYC’s factory-like lunchtime nail salons where the manicure is barely ten bucks, now $20 with inflation, tax and generous tip. I am not going for a spa treatment but rather to be silent for forty minutes in contemplation of my life. It is also the only way to get me to sit still long enough for my nails to dry.)
But for several months now, my favorite (very cheap!) nail salon has not had my color. I have tried many variations that are nearly the same color but those have now also run out and not been replaced. It was with a heavy heart that I went in last week and settled on an emerald green polish.
Might as well, since it doesn’t matter. It isn’t my color. Doesn’t feel like “me'.”
The young nail person said with a little tut-tut, “You should be happy to try something new. People like a change!” Her voice barely hid her disdain for this woman who can afford a manicure and isn’t happy with the color. And without thinking, I snapped at her.
“I don’t want a new color. I don’t want to be explaining to everyone why I have changed color. I don’t want to be thinking or talking about fingernails at all! I was happy!”
And then I apologized and gave her a good tip because I realized I wasn’t talking about fingernails at all, I was talking about divorce.
My nails are currently emerald green.
Writing news:
My interview is live on Doggerel Diaries podcast! Me and the guys discuss the pitfalls of pigeonholing, why writing gets no respect, the absurdity of being and of course my creative output as well as the outreach I do for writers: Listen here!
I wrote this piece for Fourth of July. (there’s a paywall, sorry)
Locus Magazine featured Brooklyn Books & Booze in their most recent issue, including a photo of all of all the readers and a cool list of all the authors who attended (making me feel HORRIBLE for the people whose author names I don’t know - I only know first names of most of these folks!) And there was a sad, egregious omission of the lovely Ben Francisco! Probably more authors were left off too - give that it feels like this reading series is populated by mostly amazing writers in the audience!
Otherwise I’m writing grants - of course. One down, three to go.
But also! Working on my novel edits. Still haven’t come up with a good routine, but at least I’ve opened the document several times. “Writing practice” takes practice.
Wrote a new flash fiction piece. Waiting to hear. Got rejections a lot this week. FUn times.
Just finished editing the best novel I’ve read in years. I really hope you agents and editors out there take notice of Rick Wormwood. The guy has written a potential bestseller that makes Eat Pray Love feel like cardboard (which, to be honest, it always has, just cardboard with juvenile glitter on it. Don’t eat that stuff.) His book is meat. And also great crusty French bread. You’ll love it. The working title is Repeat Engagement. Seek him out and ask to see this book, you won’t regret it I promise.
Saw Suffs, Cirque du Soleil (Kurios), a couple of movies, the D&D show 20 Sided Tavern. Drag Cats: Jellicle Ball….I can’t remember what I’ve told you and what I haven’t.
Which probably means that things are looking up.
Random Final Thought:
Montreal is a gem I wish I’d known about sooner. I might have traveled there three or four times per year. It’s got an old town to rival Europe and its main lingua is Franca and that makes it feel European as well - but its soul is British because of, well, Canada, eh? And thus it is easy to slip into. Like a pair of fancy stilettos that actually fit and don’t give blisters. Dance all night.
Miss Blue or Miss Green, you're wonderful!
Greetings from Oakland -
I just went to Montreal for the first time and had the same thought!! Wish I had been going there for the past twenty years