Skool

I am having a wonderful semester at the college where I teach, with engaged and talented students. I taught a section in my Memoir class about the graphic novel. We read Persepolis and then I had them draw, in graphic novel form, a scene from one of their essays. Below: students hard at work, and a few of the end results. So impressive!

In my other course, photographer Amy Tierney joined us last week as a guest speaker and told us what it was really like choosing to live a creative life. She's so creative that she insisted we take a class picture.

Look at those cool kids!

A Place Called Home

I am so happy. I have finally consolidated all my websites into one brand spankin' new one. You are just a few clicks away from seeing my new novel's book cover, reading about some upcoming writing workshops, and the like.

CLICK HERE

Thanks!

Oh, Hi, Ojai!

Last week I was feeling nudgy, stuck, overwhelmed and uninspired. I had so much to do, write two lectures, finish reading a book, write two midterms, edit my novel, submit my play, deal with my new website, and I couldn't find the energy to do any of it from home. I have my usual writing spots - The Writers Guild Library, various coffee shops, hotels and the like, but I knew I needed, really needed, a getaway.

That's when I decided I wanted to go to Ojai.

Ojai. Sigh.

Lovely Ojai: only an hour and a half from L.A. and yet it feels like you are on vacation far, far away.

I found a wonderful coffee shop on Yelp, got a cheap but funky hotel on a website, and crossed almost everything off my 'to do' list. I loved every second of it.

 Colorful coffee house, great coffee, too.

 I got a lot done, I swear.

 C'mon. How can you not love a hotel that provides a record player AND a Crystal Gayle record?

Took a long, long walk around the neighborhood - even found and returned a lost dog. Wish I'd taken a picture, but it all happened so fast...you'll just have to believe me.  

 Mailboxes of Ojai.

Maybe my fav used bookstore in the world - Bart's Books - located in a home and outside of the home. Just spectacular. I browsed for an hour before hitting a new coffeeshop to finish the final projects...

New coffeeshop. It was over 100 degrees that day, so I chose to sit inside with the air conditioning. I drank lots of iced coffee and tea drinks before finishing stuff and heading back to L.A.

Do you ever take staycations?

Upon Closer Inspection

When you cross the bridge over the lagoon in my neighborhood, you reach an area that, at first glance, can best be described as rich tract housing. But like with most things, upon closer inspection it is full of wonderful details.

Crossing the bridge

The neighborhood is designed on a grid, and most homes face public parks

Sure, some houses are tacky, but others are funky and classy:

Tacky or funky? You decide...

There are fun little details all over the neighborhood:

You just have to open your eyes.

The Curve

I find that I am often behind the curve, especially in my pop culture consumption. I caught The Sopranos years after it first aired (loved it) and still haven't seen a single episode of Orange is the New Black. I have just discovered Louis C.K. and have been binge watching these dark, brilliant, thoughtful, funny episodes at an alarming rate. Everyone was talking about him years ago, and now I finally get it.

My friend John, from college, was ahead of the curve. In 1986 he was obsessed and consumed with the Brady Bunch. He even wrote a book proposal and submitted it to a prestigious publishing company. It was rejected. Flash forward 5 years and the Brady Bunch was everywhere - books, theater shows, movies. John's only flaw was that he was ahead of the curve.

My book "Bear Witness" is finally coming out in March. This labor of love was essentially finished a few years ago but it has taken this long to find a publisher. My impatience with this project has been palpable, but now I am wondering if things are unfolding just as they should be. In the past few weeks I've learned of two other "true crime" or rather, "inspired by true crime" projects that are slated for release in the coming months: Miss Meadows, a film starring Katie Holmes and initially inspired by the Polly Klaas case, as is my book, and The Face of an Angel, starring Kate Beckinsale and inspired by the Amanda Knox case. Perhaps some things aren't ahead of or behind the curve, but simply riding the curve? I suppose only time will tell.

Someone Loves my New Rug