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January 22, 2007

Ode to Macaroni and Cheese

Thankful for Being Thankful

Since this is my last week as a guest blogger, I’ll begin by expressing my appreciation to Lani, Beth, Eileen, Alesia, Whitney & Michelle. Your invitation to guest blog has been a wonderful welcome into the most-excellent world of “published writer.”

This is my new hobby, being appreciative. It stems from the book I’m currently reading, EAT PRAY LOVE by Elizabeth Gilbert. And what’s so great is that once you start thinking of things to appreciate, the feeling snowballs until suddenly, the least little thing becomes worthy of adoration. Here, I’ll show you what I mean.

1. I appreciate cordless telephones. I know most people consider the true godsend to be cell phones, but really, the cordless telephone was revolutionary.

2. I appreciate the writers of Grey’s Anatomy. I appreciate it from a TV viewer’s perspective and also from a writer’s perspective. The characters are quirky and complicated and so very flawed. Watching Grey’s Anatomy for the past few years has taught me as much about writing as has any book I’ve read. For any Grey’s fans out there, did you know that the show’s writers post their behind-the-scenes thoughts after the show airs? Thought last Thursday was sad, with George’s dad dying? Check this out: www.greyswriters.com.

3. I appreciate Trader Joe’s. For so many, many reasons.

4. I appreciate the fact that I looked out my window tonight and noticed IT WAS SNOWING! (In Tucson!) I also appreciate the fact that this is a rare occurrence.

5. I appreciate Netflix. When I think back on all the time I used to waste in the aisles of Hollywood Video, it makes me cringe. I never left that place feeling good, or smart. I always worried I’d made a wrong decision. And I hated the late fees almost as much as I hated driving out there to return unwatched movies before midnight to avoid them.

6. I appreciate google. And wikipedia. The internet(s), in general. Amazon.com, in particular. (Words don’t do these things justice -- you either get it or you don’t.)

7. I appreciate ipods and itunes and irobots and laptops and flash drives.

8. I appreciate myspace. I especially appreciate the fact that I’m thirty-nine years old and I HAVE A MYSPACE PAGE AND MOST OF MY FRIENDS DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. (the pathetic thing, though, is I’m not quite sure how to brag about it. Does it make me “hip” or “cool” or “with it” - ??? Someone please let me know.)

9. I appreciate my itty-bitty battery-operated gadget that locks my car doors. I used to think they were pretentious (certainly, some people used them pretentiously) and a perfect example of an unnecessary invention, but I’ve changed my mind. I also appreciate the fact that minivan doors prevent kids from denting the doors of other cars. (I will not, cannot, express appreciation for minivans themselves. They are neither hip nor with it nor cool and they never will be. They fall into the category of a necessary evil.)

10. I appreciate Lewis Fresnaye, to whom I assign the designation of “inventor of macaroni and cheese.” (thanks, wikipedia!) And I appreciate all who came after him, for their efforts at refinement. I enjoyed macaroni and cheese as a child. I enjoyed it as a poor college student, and I enjoy it as a mom. Before the invention of any of the other things on my list (quite possibly including snow in Tucson), there was macaroni and cheese. It’s always been there for me, both a comfort and a mainstay, in the kitchen cabinets of whatever house I’ve lived in, and I’m sure it will still have a place in my cupboards when everything I mentioned above is no longer cool, or hip, or with-it.

Congratulations to Cate Olson of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, and Billie Bininger of Lancaster, Ohio! As winners of the Veil of Roses drawing, you’ll be receiving a signed copy of my debut novel in the mail pretty darn soon. To further express my appreciation for entering the drawing, I’ll be sending along an extra-special treat as well (see number 10 above!).

Posted by Laura Fitzgerald at 2:01 AM | Comments (7)

Comments

Posted by: The LC Eileen at January 22, 2007 11:14 AM

Posted by: Jo at January 22, 2007 12:21 PM

Posted by: Beth at January 22, 2007 12:47 PM

Posted by: Janina at January 22, 2007 10:37 PM

Posted by: Lani at January 23, 2007 9:43 AM

Posted by: Laura Fitzgerald at January 23, 2007 10:58 AM

Posted by: Jo at January 30, 2007 3:51 PM