"Olive Kitteridge" by Elizabeth Strout

This book is awesome. But what I want to talk about isn't the linked short stories within these covers, but the author interview that follows them. In it, not only is Strout interviewed, but her fictional character Kitteridge is, too.

And it's a complete joke. These stories have pathos that crash over you, again and again, like a set of tidal waves. As a reader you really go somewhere with Olive and her town of Crosby, Maine. But then to reach the end and begin the interview, hoping that Strout might explain where these characters came from and how their sum narrative arc was choreographed, and instead find Olive has been cheapened to coy remarks to the interviewer and Strout--well, I felt taken advantage of. Like Ralphie from "A Christmas Story," where Annie's secret message is a crummy commercial for Ovaltine.

In one of these stories, a character rips pages out of a magazine that contain a short story that reminds her too much of her sorry state of affairs. In reading this interview, I wanted to rip it out of the book so it wouldn't contaminate what is truly remarkable writing.

Technical Difficulties

I know. I can't believe I'm going to give up this car in three weeks, either.

I Heart Austin Palmer

And you thought I was done with cursive.

Earlier this week, the ESOL teacher whom I'm assisting said she pays extra attention to her penmanship when writing in cursive on a student's paper. She said many English language learners aren't very familiar with cursive. Which is not something I'd thought about before.

Most cursive and print letters are similar, which I'd imagine make things pretty simple for an English language learner. The uppercase Q is a perfect quagmire, but most letters aren't as difficult. Like the "M" or "m". If you could recognize the printed versions, you'd probably recognize their cursive counterparts.

I think it was my dad who sent me an email forward with sentences consisting of words with some letters out of order. But, because there's enough that's correct, you can read the sentence perfectly well. Your mind makes the correction. (I tried to find a link for this, but wasn't successful. Anyone know what I'm talking about?)

While I like writing and cursive, my cursive is actually a hybrid of cursive and printing. I sort of took the letters that I like from each type, and made my own writing. But this could be difficult for ESL students. So I tried to make my comments only in cursive. Except for my capital "F"s. Too fussy.

Knedle

I mean no disrespect to my family or my heritage, but these plum dumplings are the best thing about being Slovak.

Underneath

The bookstore at the junior college where I take my Spanish class was robbed this afternoon.

I was in there this evening returning a book, and after the cashier had adroitly dealt with a rude customer (who wanted to return a book without a receipt, and wasn't going to take no for an answer), she helped me. I felt compelled to apologize for the rude customer on behalf of all bookstore patrons. The cashier seemed to take it in stride, saying, with more than a twinge of sarcasm, "People like that make my day." Then she told me about the robbery. I was shocked and asked if she were okay. She said she was, but still shaken up. It was appalling that she was even still working. Shouldn't you get to take the rest of the day off, paid, when you've been held up?

Obviously, the rude, receipt-less customer had no idea what that cashier had been through earlier in the day when she was berating her. I lost my cool earlier this week when a neighbor's dog--running loose without a leash--was nearly hit by Bryan's car, and then ran into our garage and wouldn't leave. I shouldn't have yelled at the girl who owned the dog, and who was frozen on the street, refusing to come and get her dog. Maybe she had just been yelled at by her coarse father, maybe kids at school tease her for being chubby.

Dotting One's Eyes and Crossing One's Tees

In Spanish class last week, we students had to write sentences on the board. As I was walking up, I overheard one student tell another, "I don't even remember how to do it. It's pointless."

She'd been referring to cursive writing.

I just picked up a piece of chalk and began writing, but what I really wanted to do was turn to her and say, Cursive is extremely practical! People may not often write anything of substantial length anymore (thanks, Twitter), but when they do, cursive is faster and easier on your hand.

I hear lots of kids aren't able to read analog clocks, because it's no longer taught in grade schools. And this cursive-phobic student was younger than me. I am not going to use either example as proof of our society's decline. I fancy myself an optimistic person. And anyhow, I think society keeps getting better (cruise control? Hello!). But I think cursive--and pens and pencils in general--adds something to our society and the way we communicate.

Writing is slower than typing. Which gives you more time to think about what you're writing, and therefore more carefully consider your words. Which just may lead to better writing. Or at least writing that's more thoughtful. I've reaped this benefit with fiction writing umpteen times.

Sure, a cursive capital "Q" looks pretty funny. And both types of "z"s have an awful lot of loops. But, come on. Handwriting. It's so simple. It's tactile. It's real. And if you're left-handed, it's wonderfully messy.

Growth Spurt

The seed packet said these beets would be ready for harvest in 58 days. 77 days in, they are half-inch nubs. I'm hoping they'll hit their teenage growth spurt--although without the awkward voice and bad skin--soon.

This season's to-date fig count: 43.