Please Buy a Book

My first job out of school was working for Random House. I started in the marketing department of the educational division and then moved into the children's book division at Knopf. My job, as assistant to the Editor in Chief was to read the slush pile. Seriously boring. Try reading submissions from all over the country about speaking dogs, cats that sail and birds that teach the alphabet. When my boss was out, I took naps in her office.

BUT, I do love to read. And this week's NY Magazine article on the decline of the book business has me feeling sad. So I plan to go out and buy a book. And the book I'm going to buy is James Frey's Bright Shiny Morning. I'm going to buy it because I'm listening to it on CD as I drive into the city and I think it's great. And I'm going to buy it because I think he got a bum rap when he wrote his memoiors and was exposed as exaggerating elements of it (tell me who doesn't). And because Oprah Winfey made him apologize on her show. And last, because this story in New York Magazine says his book isn't selling well -- and I love it.

Lesson of the day - Don't believe everything you read. Take that anyway you want but I swear the part about the nap is true.

Tina Fey for President

You have to love it when even the gossip magazines get into politics. I'm not sure when US Magazine became the conscience of the democratic party, but they followed up their critical cover story on Palin with a brilliant home page homage to Saturday Night Live's broadcast last night with the headline "Watch Tina Fey mock Sarah Palin."



Here's another funny thing about US. My sister works for a major retailer that sells US and other magazines at the check out line. They got calls about their Sarah Palin cover story from customers demanding it be removed or they would no longer be customers.

This story has a happy ending. The retailer refused to pull the magazines. But when will they do as so many advertisers have done before? Give in to the threats of the religious right who know how to mobilize hundreds of individuals to complain?

We live in a scary time in the United States. Thank goodness for US Magazine (honestly, I don't read it - if I have to get my gossip, I will read PEOPLE every now and then - this may change now).

May all the families in middle America read it. And GET IT.

A Lesson from Rove

In today's NYTimes, Frank Rich notes: "Karl Rove for once gave the Democrats a real tip rather than a bum steer when he wrote last week that if Obama wants to win, “he needs to remember he’s running against John McCain for president,” not Palin for vice president."

I think I said that about a week ago. I can't believe the amazing talent that Obama has working on his behalf is only now getting it right.

Republican's play dirty. They do it on the local level with push polls and bullying tactics. And on the national level by lying.

Smart, intelligent people HAVE to take this on. I was at an event last week and someone said, we can be persuaders. People will listen to you - your friends, your family, anyone.

I may go canvassing in New Hampshire. Those "sure" things don't look so sure anymore.

A Bad Disney Movie

Tonight on Entertainment Tonight or one of those silly programs, Matt Damon was interviewed at the Toronto Film Festival saying that Sarah Palin is a "terrifying possibility." He added that what the Republicans are doing with Sarah Palin is like a A Bad Disney Movie. My experience with Disney Movies is not happy and light. Usually there's no Mom - the kid's an orphan, there are lots of bad guys and happily ever after usually isn't. I don't know if that's what Matt was thinking. My impression was that he thinks -- and I agree -- that all this Sarah shit is out of hand.

In fact, I think it is really a "bait & switch" by the very clever Rovatics who brought us 8-years of Bush. Seriously, all we're talking about is this stupid woman. We should be talking about the stupid man -- McCain. He's the dumb ass running for President. He's the one whose judgment needs to be questioned. He's the one no head of State from any other country will speak with. He's the one who in a single decision, showed that any independent mindedness left in his head has evaporated into the Conservative ether.

But the "fairy tale" story is also something my favorite opinionator opined on today. Thanks to Mom for reminding me to read Maureen Dowd. One of my favorite lines: "Why put out a press release about her teenage daughter’s pregnancy and then spend the next few days attacking the press for covering that press release?"

I donated money to Obama yesterday. It is the only way I can stay sane.

Confession

I didn't realize how local politics got under my skin until I saw a sign for a republican candidate who is challenging "my" candidate on the road that takes me home everyday. It's a small local road and I walk my dogs up and down it at least three times a week.

So when I saw her signs, I did what anyone who knows me would expect -- I took them down.

Feeling a little guilty, I asked around. Apparently the signs - which were not on private property, but strategically placed on curbs that don't front anyone's home -- are illegal. Signs can be placed on private property, but any signs on public land, can be removed. Technically it's probably the town's job to take them down, but as my town is ruled by a King who forbids the lesser staff in town hall to even talk with him, I doubt he'd enforce sign removal for someone in his own party.

I was in my rights to remove the signs. And I would do it again. Just like every spring I trim the lilac bushes growing in my neighborhood.

She Shoots Wolves and Bears

I can't promise this will be my last post on Sarah "it's all the media's fault" Palin. But I've gotten so much good stuff from folks, I can't resist.

Let's start with John Stewart who pointed out that while she said "no thanks to that bridge to no where," she did in fact support it and took the money to build it.



I don't think anything more needs to be said about why this woman is not qualified to be one-step away from the presidency.

I just may stop now and focus on why McCain - who put me to sleep last night despite my son prodding me awake about 6-times - has shown how inept a leader he will be and why other world leaders refuse to speak with him.

"I'm Sorry" Works

This is a lesson I've learned over and over and over again. Bad news happens. When it does, be honest and if need be, apologize.

This week an internal memo outlining talking points and details on a mass layoff at a media company was somehow "sent to all" in a company-wide email. Shit happens. In our digital age, it will continue to happen. And as bad news travels at lightening speed, no sooner had this email been sent company-wide than it appeared on an industry magazine's web site. Shit happens again.

Here's where there was a missed opportunity. The company never said "we are sorry this happened." They never apologized to their staff and they missed an opportunity to say they were sorry in the media. In fact, in a conversation with the reporter who wrote this story, he said to me that if only they acknowledged this mistake and said they were sorry, the story could have taken on a whole different tone.

We are all human and we all make mistakes. "I'm sorry" goes a really long way.

I Love Debbie Phelps

When I first heard that Chico's was talking with Debbie Phelps, mother of swimming phenom Michael, I knew it was a brilliant marketing move.

Women constitute the largest viewing audience of the Olympics. I know I sat there riveted every time he swam. And the fact that NBC constantly showed Debbie Phelps and her daughters in the stand certainly made this a family story.

Chico's is in need of an image update - or at least a reason to reconnect with their core audience. They have lost me for sure. Partly because their styling has changed. I've got a couple of really great tops that I love, but every time I go in the store I think the clothes look old fashioned.

I'm obviously not their target. But I will go stop in next time I go by a store. Debbie is their customer. And there are a lot of Debbie's in this world. This is a huge step for women over 50 in the marketing arena. Dove was out there first and others have followed. Nice that Debbie won Gold as well...

The Juno Effect

I know I take things way to seriously. And I should be thrilled with McCain's STUPID choice for VP. Afterall it can only benefit the democrats. But I think he has set women back beyond the stoneage.

Why is ok for a teenager to be pregnant? Why is ok to tell girls today that being a Mom is a great job? Why aren't we telling girls they too can pursue the American Drean?

By putting Sarah Palin on his ticket knowing (if he really did know), that her teenage daughter was 5-months pregnant, McCain is by turn saying teen pregnancy isn't a problem. It's a personal choice.

I'm sorry, but I don't think so. I think parents have to do their job. Enabling bad behavior is a choice. And those who enable it are not doing their job as parents. And if they can't do their job as parents, how can they be next in line to run this country?

Not for nothing, but teen age pregnancy is on the rise.


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And furthermore, good Old John even opposed funding to prevent teen pregnancy:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/02/mccain-fought-teen-pregna_n_123132.html

Ok, just one more thing. When I was in high school, if a girl got pregnant, she got an abortion. Today, it seems that is not an option. And soon it will be illegal -- I have no doubt. So even if you look at how it is treated in pop culture today - say as in Juno - the girl was at least smart enough and given the support to understand that she had a future and wasn't ready to be a mom. I don't want to make a judgement here on poor Bristol Palin, but her boyfriend's myspace/facebook page makes it clear he ain't ready to be a daddy.

What's Keeping Me Up At Night (1)

SO, lately we've been hearing these loud screeches at night. I first heard it when I took the dogs for a walk. (I'm taking them, trying to make sure they know I'm the leader of the pack). It was a loud screech sound.

  ">http://www.owlpages.com/sounds.php

Naturally, I thought it was a screech owl. My husband heard it. It kept my son up one night. And one night when I could not sleep I could hear it like it was right outside the window. So I investigated. Turns out, it's not a screech owl, but a barn owl. Right in our very own woods here in Wilton.

It eats mice and chipmunks. It will be getting fat this year. I hope.