small things...

Christmas in Laguna

I was on my own this year for Christmas.  Not to say I didn’t have options or places to go or people to be with – just that the decision on what to do this year was solely up to me.  And what did I decide to do with my own big decision? head to the beach.

I took off on Virgin Airlines midday on Christmas and landed in LA around 6:30 pm.  It was dark of course, but I found my way to the hotel in Laguna Beach about an hour south.  I couldn’t really see the ocean, but I could hear it and it was LOUD.  I am lucky in that where I live, I can hear waves crashing nearly every night – but this was different.  like a roar.

Falling asleep was easy – staying asleep was a bit more difficult  I awoke with the first peeps of light.

I ordered room service

And hung out with a new friend while I waited for my pal Beth to arrive

 

We spent most of the 3 days we were in Laguna sitting on this deck, or walking on the beach and also eating.  The food was not so awesome, but the views made up for it.

Look closely..I think there are a couple paddleboarders also watching the sunset

Every night at low tide these rocks would be revealed and groups of folks could be seen poking around them looking for something.  We could never figure out exactly what they were looking for…mussels?  One guy filled a bag each night with whatever treasures he found.

Our hotel with the ocean view.

Not everyone survived the holiday unscathed,

So – my first Christmas on my own or w/out family was a success.  The trip was great and I loved spending a few days with a good friend in a new town. 

I will always miss spending Christmas with my parents.  It will always make me sad that I will never get to experience that again – but I will keep on trying new things, making new traditions and enjoying every sunset.

I hope yours was a very merry xmas!

xo

Erin

On not exactly meeting someone famous

I didn’t mention it, but when I was in Maine we went to a party.  It was one of those ‘hey-pals-let’s-finish-those-leftovers!” kinds of parties.  My friend Wynn calls it “Thanksgiving Rewind”.  The hosts were good friends of my host.  It was a nice enough party in a cool house with cool guests.  Like really cool guests.  Like no-offense-maine,-but-where-did-all-these-hipster-cool-people-come-from? cool.

What I’m trying to say is that they were cooler than me.  Which isn’t hard to do, but I thought maybe in Maine, coming from the greater-chicagoland-area – i thought maybe that would give me some leverage.  not so much. 

Turned out I had met a couple of them before – the last time I went to Maine when I went to see entirely different people.  There were people at this party who were from Brooklyn and from Berkeley and from Maine, of course. 

I was feeling shy and tired so mostly I hung out with my nephew who was also feeling a little tired and shy.  For a while we sat on the couch with a guy who looked just like this guy:

(source)

In fact, it was this guy. 

Michael Chabon.  Pulitzer prize winner, O.Henry award winner.  He wrote The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay and  Wonder Boys and The Yiddish Policemen’s Union.

But he was just at this party with his wife and their kids, hanging out with their friends and for a brief moment sitting on a couch with me and my nephew. 

And it’s silly now, to feel so excited to have not exactly met a writer I really, really admire.  You’d think I’d be disappointed that I didn’t know who he was by face, but I’m not. I’m excited to know that he was just a nice guy at a little party in Maine playing with his kids and snuggling his wife and eating leftovers.

But now when that conversation comes up when people rattle off the famous people they’ve met, I might add this one to my list – right after the one I tell about meeting John Wayne on an elevator.

Another story for another day.

NaNoWrimo wrap up

11,223

That’s how many words I ended up writing during the month of November.  A far cry from the 50,000 goal, but I’m happy with it.  It’s so much more than I’d ever written in that short amount of time.

What went wrong: As soon as I lost a little steam I completely let go of it and I just didn’t get it back.  As I mentioned in this post writing has to be a choice for me.  I hear writers say that they write because they have to write, are compelled to do so, cannot help themselves from it.  It is and it isn’t that way for me. 

What went right: I wrote 11,223 words!  The story moved forward, new characters popped up from the ether.  And I really, really like what I wrote.

I’m still figuring out how to incorporate writing into my life. Some things need to go to make room.  that is do-able. I just need to do it.

 

xo

erin