Friday's Writing Essentials: Thinking About Writing

If I had the energy, I’d write about my daughter Kate who’s giving her parents their first grandchild.  She lives in sunny California and texts me nearly every day.   Usually it’s a hey yo, what about those Mariners.  Sometimes a simple, 4-1 joy.  Or, James and I went golfing in Las Vegas and we met some pros.  These days it’s, the baby is the size of a raspberry.  Then, a couple days later, just four words, it’s a green olive.  I text her back, isn’t that about the same size as a raspberry?  She texts back, well it’s only been three days.  I love Kate.  She’s quirky and beautiful and she’s mad about me.  She’s my favorite child.

If my neck wasn’t killing me, I’d write about my other daughter back in Seattle who’s getting married in about three weeks.  Susan’s flying out in a few days, and I’ll pop in for the festivities about a week later.  I need to lose about four more pounds to be able to fit into that James Bond-slim-Sixties-cut-jet-black Hugo Boss suit I bought for Kate’s wedding, barely squeezed into for Aaron’s wedding, and now it’s touch and go for Sarah’s.  Can’t wait to get back to Seattle.  Funny thing is, we’ll probably be sleeping in Sarah’s room.  Our son and his lovely wife Emily are house-sitting for us, and it wouldn’t be cool to kick them out of the master bedroom, so it’s Sarah’s room.  Susan says that bed is more comfortable, but personally, it gives me the creeps.  I love Sarah.  She’s the free spirit.  Very musical, a hipster, feisty at times and loves Bob Dylan.  Levi’s his name, the thief.  I’d hate him for taking my last daughter, if it wasn’t for the fact that the guy is as nice a human being as ever there was.  Makes it more of challenge to despise a guy that calls you up to ask if he can date your daughter.  He’s a gem.  He’d have to be to win Sarah.  By the way, Sarah’s my favorite child.

Did I mention Aaron?  I’d write about Aaron, but he wouldn’t approve.  He’s my oldest, and my favorite child.  He’s in his fifth year of a PhD program in biochemistry at the University of Washington.  He thinks he’s pretty cool, but he doesn’t know jack.  At least not like his pops (or so he calls me).  Aaron is very cool, plays soccer like a madman, loves red wine and loves Emily.  They want to live in Italy, which is not cool, but what can you do?  Plan vacations accordingly.

If it wasn’t after midnight and if I didn’t have to give a presentation tomorrow on the crossmatch antibodies reacting to mucin polypeptides, I’d write about Susan, who knows she’s loved by her obnoxious husband, the one that sometimes follows her around the house with a blank look, head right over her back shoulder, mumbling the chorus of Sad-eyed Lady of the Lowlands (…my warehouse eyes, my Arabian drums, should I leave them by your gate, or, sad-eyed lady, should I wait?)   Susan is my answer, my raison d’etre, my all-in all, my best friend, my shrink, my lover, my spiritual counselor, my critic, my encourager and my back-scratcher.  We take long walks around Beverly or on the beach, play Scrabble and Trivia, go on drives up and down the coast, listen to that mocking bird nearly every day outside our window, holds hand in public, and sit and look dull on the couch together every morning drinking our coffee and sighing.  She stands by me through it all.  Susan is by far my favorite wife.

Well, that’s about it.  I should write about my family sometime.  It’s difficult to write about your family in a short space.  I’m finding that out.  For all the things I’ve left out, please remember, I’m not really writing right now, just thinking about writing.  Out loud.  

What are you waiting for?  Start thinking about writing.

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Written by Edward Nudelman, who is also a Books Correspondent for Gather:  POETRY CENTRAL

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