Sunday, May 30, 2010

30. There is Only One More Day in May

I had lunch with a friend the other day and she was asking me what I’d been up to, and I said, well, one thing is, I’ve been blogging every day in May.

'I had to,' I explained. 'I made an announcement that I’d blog every day in May.'

I could tell she thought that was strange.

‘That’s strange,’ she said — that’s how I could tell – ‘Why would you do that?’

I didn't know, but I have just now remembered. It was:

1. to celebrate ten years in publishing and the release of The Ghosts of Ashbury High in North America on June 1;

2. to form a symbolic bridge from the Ashbury books to the Cello books; and

3. to cast a spell in order to let go of something — to let go of something that had started with an unkind review but had gathered itself into much more — a bird on my shoulder! — which I think was really fear.

Now, some people might think that a celebration, a bridge, and a spell are a lot to ask of the simple act of blogging every day. They might point out that it’s fairly standard, daily blogging, and that actually a lot of people do it in November!

Note, however, that November only has thirty days.

So, I am confident that all three items above have been— or, at least, that they will be achieved by the conclusion of tomorrow’s post.

Furthermore, it turns out the spell is going to have both retrospective and prospective effect! That is, it will apply to all the fears I have ever, or will ever, have. (So I won’t need to keep coming back to this blog and saying, listen! listen! I’m in trouble! – although I do hope to come back sometimes and say hello.)

In addition — and I hope you will be glad to hear this news — the spell is going to work on your fears too! Sweet and beautiful readers of this blog, I am so grateful to you for listening, and especially for your comments. They have been unimaginably generous, and yes, you people are treasures. (Also, two people I know have also been blogging-every-day-in May, one an old friend, the other new, so obviously, the spell should work for them, too, if they wish to take up this offer.)

Now, if you ever find yourself thinking, ‘hang on, that spell can't be working — I feel afraid!’ you just need to write a two-minute novel in questions on the topic of your fear/anxiety, and then you turn that novel into a paper aeroplane, and throw it as far as you can, and the spell will be rebooted, and you will never be afraid again.

So, that’s good news.


*

The other day, my neighbours gave me a jar of maple syrup — it can be tricky getting good maple syrup in Sydney, and the neighbours had just got some from Vermont, so they poured some into a little jar and gave it to me.

Living in Canada left me with three new addictions: snow, blueberries, and maple syrup. I don’t think the neighbours even know that!

On one side of my house, an angry dog and a broken fence; on the other side, unexpected, perfect gifts. Sometimes you just have to know which way to turn.



*

In other good news, last night my mother called and said she’d found a solution for my lower back pain! She said she was talking to a friend at Tai Chi about it – about my lower back – and turns out what I have to do is, I have to go into a pet store, any pet store, and ask them for this cream that people rub onto dogs and horses for their muscular problems.

This friend of my mother’s swears by it. Her husband used to have trouble just getting out of his chair and, as for a short walk to the shops, that was agony for him! 'But then he tried this cream, this dog and horse cream,' my mother’s friend explained, 'and now he gallops.'

10 Comments:

Blogger Karen Mahoney said...

I hope the spell *does* work for me, too. I could do with some magic in my life.

I'm so glad to have got to know you better this month - I really hope you blog a bit more often after it's over. Obviously not every day, but maybe... maybe once a week? I'm going to do that. Promise myself that I will blog once a week - minimum - every week.

I used to blog more often, but then I realised that I don't always have something to say. So I need to remember that I should only post when I actually have something worthwhile to share.

Everything you've blogged in May (so far) has been worthwhile. I have truly loved reading every post!

Kaz
xo

p.s. See you tomorrow!

11:57 p.m.  
Anonymous Rose said...

"Spell" has to be one of the greatest words ever, along with "secret".
I've loved reading your blog every day, and as a thank-you I will ask the school librarian tomorrow to buy some of your books so the whole school can read them!
That cream sounds awfully interesting, though I hope you don't sprout hooves and a tail, cause Charlie might get a tad concerned.
<3

2:33 p.m.  
Blogger Jaclyn Moriarty said...

Okay, Kaz, I will try to blog more often now, and I hope you do too - thank you for your kind words. And thank YOU, Rose, for your plans re the school librarian. I agree with you about spell and secret, they're beautiful words - and I laughed at my mother about the horse cream. I think I might try seeing a physiotherapist instead...Jx

6:44 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for all your hard work this month Jaci, I too have enjoyed every post! I will certainly miss it next week!!!

If you need a good physio message me, I am all too well acquainted with back issues! As you know from my need of pilates!

Libby xx

9:56 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for all your hard work this month Jaci, I too have enjoyed every post! I will certainly miss it next week!!!

If you need a good physio message me, I am all too well acquainted with back issues! As you know from my need of pilates!

Libby xx

9:57 p.m.  
Anonymous Tammy said...

I do actually like Gilmore Girls, and when I say 'like', I mean, I have seen every single episode, so perhaps it is a little more?

Your baby shower experience made me think of Rory's dad's girlfriend's baby shower - you should watch it, it made me laugh. Which is your favourite of the boyfriends?

I love that your blogs are so like your books by the way. I mean, of course they would be. But I was reading Amelia the other day and it was so you! and this post is about spells and secrets, just like Buttermilk Pancakes :)

10:37 p.m.  
Blogger Unknown said...

Reading your new blog entries is the perfect way to end my story-filled day.
Today I went to uni to study for exams, but instead I finished reading Harry Potter: the Chamber of Secrets, and I came home to study more, but rather I finished the end of another story I was reading - The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen.

Hehe, also, cello has been a major part in my life, so naturally I am SO SO excited for your new books to come out! AHHHHH!!!! EEE!!!

11:33 p.m.  
Blogger Patti said...

Oh, I hope you'll continue to blog often. I am not exaggerating when I say that reading your posts are one of the highlights of my day. Please keep it up!

8:20 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I've loved reading your posts this last month. So thank you :-) I'm glad you aren't too worried about the nasty review any more. I've read all your books, and I love them. I think the majority of people love your books, and reading a bad review wouldn't put many people off because it's easy enough to realise that everyone has different tastes, and just because the reviewer doesn't like your book doesn't mean the reader of the review won't. Wow, what a sentence :-) It's true though!

Anyway, I really just wanted to say thanks for blogging for a month, and I think your books are awesome! By the way, is that animal cream the same thing as people deep heat?

12:45 p.m.  
Blogger Jaclyn Moriarty said...

Hey Libby, thanks, my back got better and then I pushed Charlie up the hill on his tricycle today and it's bad again. But at least now I know the reason.

Tammy! I am only on season 2 of the Gilmore Girls - I am new to it. So I don't know about the baby shower episode, I'll look for it. And boyfriends? There's more than one boyfriend? Well. I'm not sure how I feel about that, but I suppose it was inevitable.

Elleira/Ariella, I like the sound of your story-filled day, and I wish I could hear you play the cello. I think it would inspire me.

And Patti, that's a lovely thing to say; and kittykat, thank YOU also, and as for that horse-and-dog cream, I asked my mother, and she said she thinks it might be the same as deep heat only somehow more powerful because it has to get through the fur on the horses and dogs ...

thanks again to everyone, and sleep well tonight. Jx

9:47 p.m.  

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