exciting times

I should be in my office, at my desk, working on my book, but instead I'm on my couch watching the news. I'm a Canadian citizen so I can't vote in the US, but this is a time when I really wish I could. Instead, I'm addicted to the news. And on election day, instead of voting, I'll be phone banking for Obama here, at 30Barack, an impressive community of phone banks in LA organized by my friend Aditya. They made over 17,000 calls yesterday alone from under 300 people.

In other news, Rocky and I went for a lovely hike this morning in Runyan Canyon with a friend. It rained last night for the first time in a while, so the air was fresh and clean. Speaking of Rocky, he got skunked in our backyard at 1:30am the other night. We had just come back from the premiere of the film DOUBT, which our friend had produced. Side note: we had seen the play before, also excellent, but the movie was even better. Anyway, once Rocky got sprayed we quickly sprang into action and sequestered him in the front patio area while we figured out the next step. Alex got on the computer, and within minutes had the answer. Tomato juice you might be guessing? That's what I thought, but no. That only masks the smell. A hydrogen peroxide concoction was the solution. Alex went out and bought the ingredients and by 2am, we were both plastic-gloved and applying the mixture to his fur. The thing about Rocky is that if you're touching him at all, he'll take it, and will generally accept all forms of grooming and inspection in exchange for human affection. We were thinking it would be a good start and we'd figure out a better solution in the morning. But the most amazing thing happened: it worked. It got out the stench, and after a round of towel drying, Rocky was once again house-ready and he didn't have to face a night of sleeping outside (the horror, of horrors -- for me, anyway).

I've been getting the sweetest, most flattering emails from readers who loved the book. It's been so great hearing from you all. Thank you for the support and encouragement.

I wrote a guest blog on writing the book from two points of view as part of being author of the month for Harmony Book Reviews. You can read it here.

The Compulsive Reader, who has also featured me as author of the month, posted a playlist of songs that inspired me and/or are featured in the book here. But, here it is again:
1. Such Great Heights (The Postal Service)
2. Together (The Raconteurs)
3. Digital Love (Daft Punk)
4. Reckoner (Radiohead)
5. Synchronicity (The Police)
6. Breathe me (Sia)
7. I Feel it All (Feist)
8. Brand New Colony (The Postal Service)
9. Hide and Seek (Imogen Heap)
10. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) (The Arcade Fire)
11. Viva La Vida (Coldplay)
12. The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades (Sufjan Stevens)
13. No One (Alicia Keys)
14. Yellow (Coldplay)

Okay, I must get back to the news...I mean work, of course!
J