Thanks to all of you who signed on last week in response to my tiny social media campaign. Please keep spreading the word (this post has a share button), so that maybe I can get the numbers up enough to keep my East Coast agent interested. Readers sometimes ask me how it is that I can remember so much from decades ago. I am not sure what the trip wire is—what works in the clichéd manner of Proust’s madeleine—but it might be as simple as a line recalled (how can you forget when your mother asks your boyfriend if he’d like a “roll across the table”?) or it might be an especially well-worn and treasured object. Take the sofa bed from my first grown-up apartment on West 104th Street in Manhattan. In my gypsy grad-school days it traveled with me from West 111th to West 107th to 340 Riverside Drive to my first apartment with Mr. Landi, and then, as newlyweds, it accompanied us to Vermont, only to get lost in the landfill of time (sort of like the marriage).
Thanks for reminding me of the potato meal in itself. Also, the Rodin drawings I was not aware of when I saw his studio in my travels. I'll have to pursue Kirk Varnadoe's exhibit of his drawings. Thanks for sharing your memories.
Thanks for the baked potato recipe as my Mom did them...I had forgotten! And for sharing the story of your life, of course! I always look forward to the continuing story.
Loved your story Relate to it personally. As a young student I too planned on an academic life. It went off the rails very quickly after my 18 year old self eloped and then had a baby boy when 19. I tried to continue But commuting to Columbia at night from NJ when I had a baby at home and a part time job So I quit and fell into teaching elementary school. After 2nd son I had the good fortune of a next door neighbor who actually asked me the Mary Oliver question you quoted. I didn’t know the answer that day but her further proposals led me to recognizing a field never before considered. I began to paint. !!! I also make baked potatoes the same way and it’s the best I hope you get a book contract Ann
This may be a second posting--I'm having a hard time signing in. But this is a wonderful Sunday night habit, both for the delicious writing and the delicious recipes. Keep it up and shared the link with our friend in the foreign service. We'll see them over Thanksgiving...
Your story is both interesting and timely, I can relate to wanting to complete a PhD and putting it aside, leaving academics to become an artist, I did and am still now in my early 80’s.
Being young was a wonderful adventure, as was school, no regrets, lived to tell the tale, your recipe for baked potato a favorite.
OOPS got that wrong. Susan Spano now lives here in Las Vegas, and we have been very glad to get to know her
Ellen
That potato sounds like a great meal ! Plan to have it tomorrow. I love reading your "memoirs."
Thank you Ann! Great reading you always!!!
"A roll across the table"! Brilliant. It'll be the title of my next show
Thanks for reminding me of the potato meal in itself. Also, the Rodin drawings I was not aware of when I saw his studio in my travels. I'll have to pursue Kirk Varnadoe's exhibit of his drawings. Thanks for sharing your memories.
CAn't wait to make a baked potato! And happy to hear that you're doing some reviews for Trend!
You bring back those times so vividly for me. Can almost here Sally calling you to the phone.
Thanks for the baked potato recipe as my Mom did them...I had forgotten! And for sharing the story of your life, of course! I always look forward to the continuing story.
Just love all your stories. Shared some of them with my son, who loved them too. Edpecially the saucy ones.
Loved your story Relate to it personally. As a young student I too planned on an academic life. It went off the rails very quickly after my 18 year old self eloped and then had a baby boy when 19. I tried to continue But commuting to Columbia at night from NJ when I had a baby at home and a part time job So I quit and fell into teaching elementary school. After 2nd son I had the good fortune of a next door neighbor who actually asked me the Mary Oliver question you quoted. I didn’t know the answer that day but her further proposals led me to recognizing a field never before considered. I began to paint. !!! I also make baked potatoes the same way and it’s the best I hope you get a book contract Ann
This may be a second posting--I'm having a hard time signing in. But this is a wonderful Sunday night habit, both for the delicious writing and the delicious recipes. Keep it up and shared the link with our friend in the foreign service. We'll see them over Thanksgiving...
Your story is both interesting and timely, I can relate to wanting to complete a PhD and putting it aside, leaving academics to become an artist, I did and am still now in my early 80’s.
Being young was a wonderful adventure, as was school, no regrets, lived to tell the tale, your recipe for baked potato a favorite.