I’ll be there via Zoom! And will properly rsvp in the morning. I love a real book but do most of my reading on a vintage iPad mini because I can’t have nice things. Jane, your ice cream incident is in my wheelhouse. No matter how hard I try I’ve always flailed my way through life, leaving a trail of coffee stains in my wake. My clumsiness is how I got two brand new knees at the baby age of 49. It’s a lifestyle.
This might be the first time I’ve ever finished a book club book in time! I have 23% left, which I can knock out on Saturday. It’s hitting close to home in so many ways.
By the way, I have spilled food and bevs on my phone while reading that way too. Prefer the paper option, as I, like you cannot have nice, particularly electronic, things.
While we were merrily enjoying our book club, this "editor of major magazines" wrote me the most ridiculous review of AJ PT ever. I'm probably going to post it on jane's phone, but I couldn't stand to not come here and immediately tell you guys (my friends) about it.
He had submitted an article months ago about meeting me at another editor’s house party - which I had actually singled out as the worst pitch I have received at AJPT yet. So then today he wrote a long letter about why he is unsubscribing. I’m sure I will publish it here for discussion- so he will get published here that way after all, I just realized. A win win!
You may be interested in particular, Rachel, because it's about editorial standards he says I am not upholding. I'll be interested to hear what you think. Also, it meant a lot to me that you came to the meeting today. I know how busy you are!
Wait, what?! An "editor" is taking it upon himself to find fault with a supportive group of women, sharing their personal stories in a safe space? Okay then...😡🤦♀️
Oh, I'm super excited to read that now. I haven't opened my New York Times yet. I'm still on my phone, eating leftover bagels and hyped up on coffee. I had such a great time with you all.
I was shocked that I didn't even feel tired. Or not that tired at least! It was a really invigorating time. You all have such unique voices in your comments and your posts and then to see them and hear them live was awesome!
I was so revved up! Which is something because I’m recovering from a sinus infection and didn’t sleep very well. I’m tired now, but I also spent the past hour working on Massive Wardrobe Purge ‘25. Trying on clothes is exhausting.
I can’t make it tomorrow, but hope to participate in the next book club meeting. I’d love to see a recap of the group’s thoughts in the comments. My overall take - it was a compelling story but the meandering style of the narrative made it a little hard to follow at times.
I love hearing your take on it. We will talk about that point more tomorrow. Also, I'm sure that further discussion of the book will happen in the comments, so I look forward to talking to you more about it after I take a nap.
I love that you read with ice cream even knowing this could happen! I think it shows you were absorbed in the book. I’m such a messy eater that I’ve mostly stopped reading print books and eating. Occasionally I’ll eat a finger food but still get that on the pages and I hate that. Plus I read a lot of library books and it’s SO gross to get a book that someone else has already splattered.
So I read on my phone or Kindle while eating. My boyfriend laughs at me because I read any spare moment, even brushing my teeth.
Excited for the book club! Which reminds me to get the book for my local book club now a month ahead rather than wait because I’m trying to leave cramming for book clubs behind me. Feels too much like school homework.
Also, every time you mention being a night owl I cringe inside that I asked you to speak so early for Open Secrets Live! I would have made it lunchtime if I’d known! I forget that not everyone is at their perkiest at 6 or 7 like me.
There is so so much I want to respond to in here! It's perfectly adorable, for one thing, that you read even while brushing your teeth. And please don't think about that speaking time. It's good for me to have to do things in the morning sometimes & that was a perfect event in every way and I got so so much out of it. You kept it so interesting, I could not have felt less tired. Now let's just see if I nod off during our meeting tomorrow and you can wake me if so!
I can't wait to be there, via Zoom! I'm like you, Jane - I prefer good, old-fashioned books with pages that I can scribble on.
Ugh - I couldn't believe it...except, of course, I could, and you all predicted it! I was so ready for the show this morning, obnoxiously singing "I wear black on the outside, because black is how I feeeeeeel on the insiiiiide" as I picked out a dress to wear. And then, while I was at work, I heard my phone buzz and it was Jeff, my wonderful fiancé:
"Babe... I hate telling you this but I was just looking up information on Foxwoods for parking and it says the show is cancelled. ☹️ 🫂"
Gahhh!!! It turns out that some lunatic threatened to shoot Morrissey while he was onstage during a Canadian concert. While said (American...surprise!) lunatic was arrested, Morrissey decided to cancel tonight's show, here in CT, and an upcoming show in Boston, as well. Oh well - at least I got to see him once, when I was in my 30's, and I get to spend Sunday morning with all of you! Yay!!! I couldn't be more excited! <3
I pregamed for you yesterday am, listening to an hour of Morrissey and The Smiths as I worked out. Heaven knows we’re miserable now about this violent culture but perhaps we can have a sad, moody sing along Sunday as part of services.
Oh my God, I am a multiple beverage person (minimum three always of varying heats) also and I'm not sure how I'm going to handle that tomorrow because with this catering thing all I was able to do was get us a box of coffee. I feel like I need OJ and another cold beverage – for me most likely iced tea currently - to be all set. Help!
You have to acquire a separate trove of beverages for yourself. I will gird my loins and make it to the sketchy Walgreens and buy sparkly water and juice. You know a bev u want, and that’s half the battle. I have to stop saying bev, it’s obnoxious
I groaned out loud when I saw the Morrissey news yesterday! At least this time he had a somewhat reasonable excuse for canceling. Does that help? 🥴 I saw him 15 or so years ago. A friend was a huge fan and I took her as a gift when she finished her masters degree. Part of the gift was that I would refrain from making fun of Moz for the entire night. The joke was on me, because I had a really good time. I’m sorry your show didn’t happen.
It was so much fun to meet you all this morning, via Zoom! I love that I can place your faces and voices with your names, now! I'm looking forward to doing this again, next month! <3
Thanks for being the first one to come here and say it! I really got so much out of that with you all today. What an amazing group of minds and Alyssa, I appreciated you also, like me, referring back to specific passages you had marked. (On the other hand, Robin seemed to have them all memorized! Again, amazing minds! I love you all!!)
Awww that is so sweet…when are you posting the options for the next one? And what did people think??? I loved that book - it made me want to keep pushing my own writing too.
I need to buckle down and read the book. I bought it when the Book Club was announced and have read a few other books instead, lol. I hope to read it today so I can participate tomorrow. If not, I'll be prepared for the next Book Club.
At least Morrissey had a reason for cancelling this time. I've been thinking about getting tickets for a show relatively near me but things like this hold me back. I've seen him twice already so I'm not sure if I even need to go again.
I'm not at all concerned if you haven't read the book. I'm still not finished and I talk about books I haven't read all the time. You can still have opinions and input. Who cares, really? Come!
Audiobooks are Messy Mandy’s methadone. I am always so embarrassed to loan books to friends, knowing a Swedish fish or teriyaki sauce may be stuck among the brilliance. I need a bib. Maybe some new Sassy merch to go with our embrace of aging.
That's a coincidence because when Corynne told people to email her she didn't put the ".com" on the end of her email address and I think she and I've had this conversation before where she doesn't think it's necessary to put it on and I thought it was. Really seriously though, what do I know? I'm glad you got it right in the end. So so happy my other cohost will be there. See you bright and early!!
Major love to commenter Beatrice for liking this post within seconds after I published it at 11:37 PM (my time, at least). Thank you, sweetie!
I’ll be there via Zoom! And will properly rsvp in the morning. I love a real book but do most of my reading on a vintage iPad mini because I can’t have nice things. Jane, your ice cream incident is in my wheelhouse. No matter how hard I try I’ve always flailed my way through life, leaving a trail of coffee stains in my wake. My clumsiness is how I got two brand new knees at the baby age of 49. It’s a lifestyle.
This might be the first time I’ve ever finished a book club book in time! I have 23% left, which I can knock out on Saturday. It’s hitting close to home in so many ways.
By the way, I have spilled food and bevs on my phone while reading that way too. Prefer the paper option, as I, like you cannot have nice, particularly electronic, things.
"It's a lifestyle."
Robin, you are so damn quotable and we are so damn much alike. I'm really looking forward to time together on Sunday!
Gotta say, your ice cream-covered book makes me feel better about myself. I’m not alone! 😹 So looking forward to tomorrow morning!
Interesting coincidence: Today’s NYTs has a beautiful article about children’s author Robert Munsch, who was an alcoholic and now has Parkinson’s and dementia. It was interesting to read it after today’s awesome discussion. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/magazine/robert-munsch-author-children-books-dementia.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
While we were merrily enjoying our book club, this "editor of major magazines" wrote me the most ridiculous review of AJ PT ever. I'm probably going to post it on jane's phone, but I couldn't stand to not come here and immediately tell you guys (my friends) about it.
Okay, who do we need to target? I’m scrappy. Or will be after a nap.
Haha perfect me too. I will tell you everything. He is probably seeing these comments and getting his counter arguments ready so let's be strategic….
Did he just randomly write it or do you know him? It sounds like a doozy.
He had submitted an article months ago about meeting me at another editor’s house party - which I had actually singled out as the worst pitch I have received at AJPT yet. So then today he wrote a long letter about why he is unsubscribing. I’m sure I will publish it here for discussion- so he will get published here that way after all, I just realized. A win win!
You may be interested in particular, Rachel, because it's about editorial standards he says I am not upholding. I'll be interested to hear what you think. Also, it meant a lot to me that you came to the meeting today. I know how busy you are!
Wait, what?! An "editor" is taking it upon himself to find fault with a supportive group of women, sharing their personal stories in a safe space? Okay then...😡🤦♀️
Precisely!
Women, men, and people of all genders, of course! 🙂
Oh, I'm super excited to read that now. I haven't opened my New York Times yet. I'm still on my phone, eating leftover bagels and hyped up on coffee. I had such a great time with you all.
A friend sent the article to me and I read it immediately because I didn’t trust myself to remember it once my coffee buzz wears off.
Totally worth the early morning to meet everyone! Such a good time!
I was shocked that I didn't even feel tired. Or not that tired at least! It was a really invigorating time. You all have such unique voices in your comments and your posts and then to see them and hear them live was awesome!
I was so revved up! Which is something because I’m recovering from a sinus infection and didn’t sleep very well. I’m tired now, but I also spent the past hour working on Massive Wardrobe Purge ‘25. Trying on clothes is exhausting.
I can’t make it tomorrow, but hope to participate in the next book club meeting. I’d love to see a recap of the group’s thoughts in the comments. My overall take - it was a compelling story but the meandering style of the narrative made it a little hard to follow at times.
I love hearing your take on it. We will talk about that point more tomorrow. Also, I'm sure that further discussion of the book will happen in the comments, so I look forward to talking to you more about it after I take a nap.
I love that you read with ice cream even knowing this could happen! I think it shows you were absorbed in the book. I’m such a messy eater that I’ve mostly stopped reading print books and eating. Occasionally I’ll eat a finger food but still get that on the pages and I hate that. Plus I read a lot of library books and it’s SO gross to get a book that someone else has already splattered.
So I read on my phone or Kindle while eating. My boyfriend laughs at me because I read any spare moment, even brushing my teeth.
Excited for the book club! Which reminds me to get the book for my local book club now a month ahead rather than wait because I’m trying to leave cramming for book clubs behind me. Feels too much like school homework.
Also, every time you mention being a night owl I cringe inside that I asked you to speak so early for Open Secrets Live! I would have made it lunchtime if I’d known! I forget that not everyone is at their perkiest at 6 or 7 like me.
There is so so much I want to respond to in here! It's perfectly adorable, for one thing, that you read even while brushing your teeth. And please don't think about that speaking time. It's good for me to have to do things in the morning sometimes & that was a perfect event in every way and I got so so much out of it. You kept it so interesting, I could not have felt less tired. Now let's just see if I nod off during our meeting tomorrow and you can wake me if so!
I can't wait to be there, via Zoom! I'm like you, Jane - I prefer good, old-fashioned books with pages that I can scribble on.
Ugh - I couldn't believe it...except, of course, I could, and you all predicted it! I was so ready for the show this morning, obnoxiously singing "I wear black on the outside, because black is how I feeeeeeel on the insiiiiide" as I picked out a dress to wear. And then, while I was at work, I heard my phone buzz and it was Jeff, my wonderful fiancé:
"Babe... I hate telling you this but I was just looking up information on Foxwoods for parking and it says the show is cancelled. ☹️ 🫂"
Gahhh!!! It turns out that some lunatic threatened to shoot Morrissey while he was onstage during a Canadian concert. While said (American...surprise!) lunatic was arrested, Morrissey decided to cancel tonight's show, here in CT, and an upcoming show in Boston, as well. Oh well - at least I got to see him once, when I was in my 30's, and I get to spend Sunday morning with all of you! Yay!!! I couldn't be more excited! <3
I pregamed for you yesterday am, listening to an hour of Morrissey and The Smiths as I worked out. Heaven knows we’re miserable now about this violent culture but perhaps we can have a sad, moody sing along Sunday as part of services.
This is wittiest comment, you win.
I want to publish a book of her comments and nominate them for a poetry prize, they are consistently so eloquent.
With appreciation from your fellow fan, Jane
Ah shucks
AJoy and A Long Story walked into a book club …
I will need like 3 different bevs for this much felicity so early…I need to plan here
Oh my God, I am a multiple beverage person (minimum three always of varying heats) also and I'm not sure how I'm going to handle that tomorrow because with this catering thing all I was able to do was get us a box of coffee. I feel like I need OJ and another cold beverage – for me most likely iced tea currently - to be all set. Help!
You have to acquire a separate trove of beverages for yourself. I will gird my loins and make it to the sketchy Walgreens and buy sparkly water and juice. You know a bev u want, and that’s half the battle. I have to stop saying bev, it’s obnoxious
Aw, thank you, A Long Story! I love the pre-gaming and I can't wait to see you tomorrow morning! <3
I groaned out loud when I saw the Morrissey news yesterday! At least this time he had a somewhat reasonable excuse for canceling. Does that help? 🥴 I saw him 15 or so years ago. A friend was a huge fan and I took her as a gift when she finished her masters degree. Part of the gift was that I would refrain from making fun of Moz for the entire night. The joke was on me, because I had a really good time. I’m sorry your show didn’t happen.
Thank you, Robin! It was definitely a bummer!
It was so much fun to meet you all this morning, via Zoom! I love that I can place your faces and voices with your names, now! I'm looking forward to doing this again, next month! <3
Thanks for being the first one to come here and say it! I really got so much out of that with you all today. What an amazing group of minds and Alyssa, I appreciated you also, like me, referring back to specific passages you had marked. (On the other hand, Robin seemed to have them all memorized! Again, amazing minds! I love you all!!)
🤗
It was such a good time! You’re all fantastic!
I can’t make it today, but I LOVED this book!!!! Can’t wait for the next title :)
We had so much fun – or I did at least! I'm excited to see your shining face at the next one!
Awww that is so sweet…when are you posting the options for the next one? And what did people think??? I loved that book - it made me want to keep pushing my own writing too.
I need to buckle down and read the book. I bought it when the Book Club was announced and have read a few other books instead, lol. I hope to read it today so I can participate tomorrow. If not, I'll be prepared for the next Book Club.
At least Morrissey had a reason for cancelling this time. I've been thinking about getting tickets for a show relatively near me but things like this hold me back. I've seen him twice already so I'm not sure if I even need to go again.
I'm not at all concerned if you haven't read the book. I'm still not finished and I talk about books I haven't read all the time. You can still have opinions and input. Who cares, really? Come!
Audiobooks are Messy Mandy’s methadone. I am always so embarrassed to loan books to friends, knowing a Swedish fish or teriyaki sauce may be stuck among the brilliance. I need a bib. Maybe some new Sassy merch to go with our embrace of aging.
A Sassy bib! I need one!
💕📚💕
Thanks, Ibrahim!! I'm hoping you will join!
Also, I am an idiot: I forgot to add the ".com" to the email address when attempting to email Corynne. I shall try this again, right now! 🤦♀️
That's a coincidence because when Corynne told people to email her she didn't put the ".com" on the end of her email address and I think she and I've had this conversation before where she doesn't think it's necessary to put it on and I thought it was. Really seriously though, what do I know? I'm glad you got it right in the end. So so happy my other cohost will be there. See you bright and early!!
🤗