Caution: Sick Girl Writing

I held out as long as I could. I made it through I don't even remember how many storms this winter. I shoveled my car out of countless piles of ice-cold snow, some of it finding its way into my coat sleeves. I sat on a ridiculous number of trains next to people who were hacking and coughing and sneezing, almost never covering their mouths to keep their germs to themselves. I have left my umbrella at home, only to find myself running in the rain to the subway station. I've bypassed the OJ in favor of tea. And yet somehow, I never got sick...until now.

Really, I hate to even admit it because it has always seemed to me that once you actually acknowledge a cold, it only gets stronger. Like saying "I'm sick" out loud feeds the cold's power somehow. Well, not admitting it didn't stop me from coughing myself to sleep last night or constantly feeling like I had a lump in my throat. Ah, well. It was bound to happen sooner or later.

I guess I should just be grateful that it's happening now and not next month when things are really going to hit the fan for me. I already told you about the mother/daughter book club I'm doing at the Montclair Public Library on May 14 and the story meetings I'll be doing every two weeks from now on. (I had the first one last week and it went well. I pitched an idea that got pretty good responses. We'll see if it goes anywhere.) Now I've also been asked to participate in Career Day at an elementary school in the Bronx on May 18. And then there's the following week...

I assume you guys have heard of American Idol, yes? Well, guess who's going to the finale? THIS GIRL! I actually won two tickets (including airfare and hotel) to the finale shows on May 24 and 25 in Los Angeles. Did I or did I not tell you in an earlier post that I win stuff like this all the time? Seriously. I think the only reason I haven't won the lottery yet is because I hardly ever play. And believe it or not, this isn't even the first time I won a free ticket to L.A. When I was in fourth grade I entered a United Negro College Fund essay contest and won two tickets to anywhere in the world that TWA flies. Anywhere in the WORLD! Of course, if I won that today, I'd be off to Australia or New Zealand or Japan or something. But back then, I had just moved to New York from Los Angeles and had never even gotten to say good-bye to my friends. I was 9 years old and homesick. So Los Angeles it was. My dad came with me, and later on my mom had to go to L.A. for work, and we were all there at the same time. We had so much fun going to Venice Beach, Sea World, Disneyland, our old neighborhood... The only thing missing was my brother. So this time I'm taking my brother with me.

By the way, I'm really hoping one of the ladies wins it this year. I'm pulling for Haley or Lauren. Although I wouldn't be too upset if Casey took it home either. And how is it that they're letting Scotty get away with singing a country song every single week? I'm just saying. That would never fly if Simon was still around.

But I digress... I'll be in Los Angeles for five days. As you can see, it'll be a busy, busy couple of months for me, so you may not hear from me much, but I'll try.

In the meantime, send me any and all advice you can give me for that book club thing. It'll be my biggest crowd yet, and I'm nervous. Gulp. So tell me what you would want to talk to me about if we were in a Your Life, but... book club together. Also, congrats to the three winners of my books in Princess Bookie's Contest Craze. It's so nice to know that I've got fans in Texas and California. You'll receive your prizes soon!

All right, I'm off to my parents' house. I'm hoping they'll feed me and give me orange juice and a warm blanket. You're never too old to be babied when you're sick, am I right?