How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are

I'm buying this book this week:

How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are: Love, Style, and Bad Habits: Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan, Caroline De Maigret, Sophie Mas: 9780385538657: Amazon.com: Books

 

WASHINGTON D.C.: MOST LITERATE, MOST ALONE.

I find it fascinating that both these news stories broke today:
D.C. is the 2nd best city for singles: http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/2014/best-cities-singles/

It also is the #1 most well-read, most literate US city. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2014/02/06/washington-d-c-is-still-americas-most-literate-city/

WASHINGTON D.C.: MOST SINGLE PEOPLE, MOST LITERATE.

This leads me to the following questions:
Are smart people shitty at dating?

Are smart people too intelligent to date? Meaning too aware of the pitfalls and tragedies dating can bring, so therefore avoid or reject it.

Are people in DC so busy reading books and articles on the internet they do not need human interaction?

Are people in DC too socially awkward and nerdy to find partners?

Are intelligent people arrogant, too picky when choosing a mate?

IS THIS WHY IT'S SO DAMN HARD TO DATE HERE????

this video explains my theory:

Whiskey & Women

http://guestofaguest.com/washington-dc/calendar/2013/october/whiskey-women-book-signing-and-tasting

http://www.amazon.com/Whiskey-Women-Untold-Bourbon-Scotch/dp/1612345646


 

I went to a Whiskey tasting/Book signing last night. I figured, "i am a woman and i like whiskey." I didn't finish the flight because I wanted to walk - not stumble home.

I got the author to sign my book and he had a very clever inscription i want to share with you, dear reader:

"S, may your scotch always be neat!"

har har har!!!

i had told him my favorite was scotch, Laphroaig


:)




i like going to random things and meeting people and not knowing what is coming next. although people complain that it is not good to focus on the future, i find the future to be a wondrous mystery - the possibilities are endless and everyday you open it up like a little gift to add to your glass menagerie collection. And when you stand back to look at it, so many people and memories whisper from the shelves. 

You never know who or what will walk into your life. It's exciting.

Seeing Nicholas Sparks

I took a chance and saw an Author Talk at 6th & I with the the incredibly humble and charming, Nicholas Sparks.  And i even got a signed copy of his new book with my ticket purchase!

I enjoyed the talk so much more than I had expected. I thought Mr. Sparks was going to be somewhat of a "Godlike" character - very elevated, knowing his talent and being arrogant.  My first assumption is that people that are THAT successful must be like this, even if they try to not show it - to me, Oprah and Tom Cruise act like this. Very smug it seems.

So - to my absolute surprise, Sparks has none of the arrogance and all of the talent.  He was so enjoyable to listen to.  He spoke on his new book, "The Longest Ride", his writing process, what it's like to have a good majority of your 18 novels adapted into movies, and life in general.

Some moments i loved, as a writer:

• He said he gets a "seed" of an idea and this grows into a novel. He said he doesn't know where that seed comes from, but when he gets one that sticks with him he writes about it and sees where it leads him.
• He writes for 5 hours a day, averaging a novel in a 5 month period.
• A lot of his characters are based on his experiences, specifically the people he has known and loved in his life, ie: he spoke about his wife, grandparents-in-law, brother, sisters and children. 
• "Writing is hard" - He wanted to emphasize that he just doesn't sit down and have things effortlessly flow from his fingertips
• "I'm a writer not a typist" - It's easy to type out a bunch of words onto paper, but not to write a bunch of words on paper.
• Although all of his stories take place in the South, he tries to challenge himself by writings characters he is not - ie: he is a white, male - he writes characters from different gender, races and religious backgrounds.
• He does not classify himself as a romance novelist, ie: anything with Fabio on the book cover.  He says his work are novels about life and life has great romance and love stories in it, but they should not be classified strictly as "romance novels"

Some moments i loved as an audience member:

• One question asked was, "what was the hardest character to stop writing about, or walk away from when you were done writing about them?" He answered it was Jamie from "A Walk to Remember" because that character was based on his sister who died of cancer at a young age. I got misty eyed when he told that story and talked about his sister and her life and how that was shown in the book.
• He personally believes that every person will do the right thing most of the time. and most of the time we all have the best intentions.  But sometimes we screw up or are flawed. And that is how he writes his characters. 
• He was really funny!!! You'd think he'd be serious, but he was so light hearted and happy.  Not a moody, serious writer.
• He lives in a small town in North Carolina, which i love
• He based "The Notebook" on his wife's grandparents love story. 

Sparks definitely seems like a person who enjoys life, works hard for his success and tries to take in all the good and bad and enjoy every moment. I love people like that!  I wish i could be more like that.