The weekend has been long but good. Friday was a fun day of running to local spots pushing votes for my book. I didn’t go anywhere I wouldn’t have anyway. No cold calling. The interactions were engaging and I got some practice with my spiel (I’m terrible). People were good sports, taking out their phones, muddling through a host of hurdles till they arrived at my (current) book title; Passing Through, vote for this book page. The link is below in case you forgot (ahem) to vote, or were too busy (cough) or waited till you got to the office so you could corral your office mates (clap). Remember, please, to vote from all your emails – it appears the emails count – not necessarily the owner. So, for example, if you have 5 different emails – you have 5 different votes. Enough said – there are 8 voting days remaining until the contest officially ends. Just Do It – as Nike wisely states – just do it! You have nothing to lose and you give a starving artist (not really but it sounds good) a shot at the big time. Or at least a shot at some time. 18 more votes will move me to another category – so – in the holiday spirit of giving…

The top three contenders (those with the most votes) will be offered some form of a publishing contract (from my understanding), which better happen or I’ll be pissed. Too much time and energy for anything less. Lots of good people – some I’ve never met, many from online writing communities on Facebook that took the time and energy to consider me and my dreams. Even if they didn’t (consider me or my dreams), which is highly possible, they voted. If you follow my blog and haven’t voted yet, kindly take the time now and let me know you did by posting a comment. Of course friends and family went into overdrive and I am grateful. (As long as they buy books too. Sadly – I’m incorrigible! But I am a proponent of my book – I think it’s a worthy topic of discussion and study and deserving of support and interest.) I am a believer that most people are good under normal circumstances, this has proven my belief system to be based not solely on my hopes but on evidence.

 http://soopllc.com/blog/book-ideas/passing-wendy-karasin/#.Up3XPPssyfA

Saturday was all about my daughter who returned home from college with all her stuff. ALL. HER. STUFF. Really, she will student teach for the next few months at a local high school. My little girl (who is taller than me) will be an English teacher of students not much younger than herself.  My front hall is filled with debris, to say nothing of the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. But it’s okay. I’m psyched to have her around. Saturday night I went to dinner with friends, at (supposedly) a good steak and seafood restaurant. Everything was going fine until the end of our meal when the manager stood near our table and rudely yelled over us to a busboy on the other side; “Hey, when these guys (meaning us) are done, move this table down. I have a table of 6 coming in.” Well, not even a fast food chain manager would behave that badly. Ridiculous. My date got up to speak to him explaining that he probably could have found a nicer way to express himself.  The rest of us refused to get up in protest and pretended to remain deep in discussion (so no one could catch our eye.) The piece de resistance was when my date returned to the table, they had taken away his chair. They took away his chair! We laughed so hard we had to leave. Sunday was a resting day. Watched the Jets game, THEY WON!!!, worked on my book, put a few more of Nicole’s items away. It’s going to take a while. But that’s alright, I’m in no rush. We’ll see if I’m feeling the same way a few days down the road.

Peace out and VOTE!