I'm Starting the Alphabet

I remember as I was growing up, both my mother and stepdad were avid readers. They absolutely loved to go to bed at night and read until they fell asleep. They would read while they were waiting for a doctor, or for a plane, or while they were on vacation. If they were sitting still somewhere for longer than 20 minutes, they had a book in their hand.

I can remember being on a camping trip, and I showed interest in the book my mother was reading. I was intrigued because the title was a letter. “B is for Burglar” was the title. Mom mentioned that this author, Sue Grafton, was writing a series A-Z and this was the 2nd book. Every new book was another letter, and she was on a mission to get caught up on the alphabet.

My Mom and Stepdad were frequent guests of a certain motel in Santa Barbara that overlooked the water. They stayed in the same suite every time they went, which was every 2-3 months. They were, in all terms of the statement, in love with Santa Barbara. So, after getting a few books into Sue’s alphabet series, Mom quickly realized that the town in which the series was taking place, was the town she’d come to love and know as her second home. While out on a walk along the beach one day, Mom saw Sue sitting on the wall just beyond the sand. That’s when a new relationship formed. A relationship that was brought to life from the pages of a book.

I watched Mom throughout the years read letter after letter, thinking that perhaps I would enjoy these awesome detective novels she wrote. Unfortunately, I’ve never been much of a reader. It’s difficult for me to comprehend information I read, so I’m often left reading the same paragraph more than once. It’s also hard for me to visualize the scene I’m reading, in my head. This can sometimes make the experience of reading the book more frustrating. Thus, I never finished reading “A is for Alibi”.

It’s been almost a month since Sue Grafton died. I remember seeing the news alert on my phone that made me shed a few tears. I sent Mother a text, and she responded, “Oh no! I just bought her newest book, Y is for Yesterday.”

I guess the alphabet now ends with Y.

:(

Yesterday I bought “A is for Alibi”. It’s an eBook, so I can read it from my phone. I’m determined to read this series. Maybe by the time I get to Y, they’ll have turned the books into a wild and crazy movie series.

-Until next time….

In stores TODAY!

Guess what? It’s out. In stores today!

Get it here.

A Must Read Book

Remember the Taco Bell dog? Remember Yo Quiero Taco Bell? Those four words echoed through the grounds of our ranch when Gidget would arrive.

A book detailing the life of this little star, is about to be released. My co-worker and good friend, Sue Chipperton, tells the story of the Hollywood life this 12-pound starlet lived. Sue was Gidget's trainer. She lived with Sue and traveled with Sue. Who better to tell her story than the one person that knew her best? Even Reese Whitherspoon writes about her experiences with Gidget.

In July of 2009, we lost Gidget. I remember getting to work that morning and rushing in the door to answer the four phone lines that were ringing like crazy. Magazine and newspaper companies from all over the US were calling to talk about Gidget’s passing. Sad, sad day. Random people were calling our office and sending us emails telling us about how much that dog touched their lives and how incredibly sorry they were to hear about her passing.

Here's the letter Sue wrote and released when Gidget passed...

Gidget was a star.

She was a professional on the set and won the hearts of her directors and crew. During her days on the Taco Bell shoots there was never a quieter set to be found - you could hear a pin drop when she walked onto the sound stage, she commanded attention and everyone that met her fell in love with her.

Her life was full of adventures from riding in limo's, to flying on the Taco Bell private jet and staying at the best hotels - her favorite thing to do on location was her "mad dog" runs, scooting at lightning speed back and forth down the long carpeted hallways of the hotels she stayed in. Her favorite thing to do at home was lay in the California sunshine or run on the beach with the other dogs she lived with.

She rang the opening bell for the New York Stock Exchange, and it was there that her paw print was added to the 100 year old book which has been signed by U.S. Presidents, dignitaries and the thousands of celebrities who have also rang the opening bell.

At a Taco Bell convention she followed Elton John and Colin Powell onstage alongside R2D2 from Star Wars, she hit her mark on a vast stage with a stadium full of thousands applauding and cheering. She held her own when set adrift in her own boat (remote controlled by the crew) on Lake Powell for another Taco Bell shoot, it was all fun to her...She loved every minute of it.

Articles were written about her, from People magazine to Entertainment Weekly and USA Today to AdAge and thousands in between. She was featured as a question in the 90's version of Trivial Pursuit. Celebrities that met her were in awe of her much the same way their fans are in awe of them, hearing Antonio Banderas and Reese Witherspoon (among others) talk excitedly about her was a treat to watch.

She was photographed by the best, the directors of photography on her Taco Bell shoots ranged from Jeffrey Kimball (Top Gun, Mission Impossible II) to Guillermo Navarro (Pan's Labryinth) and still photographers included William Wegman who shot her alongside one of his famous Weimaraner's.

She graced the red carpet at many movie premieres, including Legally Blonde II which she starred in.

There will never be another Gidget. Everywhere she went she stole hearts and made people smile.

Her star will shine forever... 

 

Check out the website. Get the book. Come to the book signing. There are two of them. One in Los Angeles and one in New York. This weeks People Magazine even mentions the book. Check it out…

Let’s Talk Books

I’m not someone who has ever enjoyed reading books. I find it difficult to picture things I’m reading about, so prefer seeing the movie instead. With that being said, I recently had the urge to spend money I didn’t need to spend, on a few books. Here’s what I got…

I haven’t decided which order I’ll read these in, but rest assured, I’ll share my thoughts when I’m finished with each.

Have you read any of these? What can you tell me about them? Was it money well spent?

Started, but not finished

Several months ago, I purchased Eat.Pray.Love. I’ve never been a fan of reading books, so it seemed obvious to me that an audio book was definitely the way to go. I became addicted. I listened to chapter after chapter, until…

…the incident with my iTouch. Ever since then, I haven’t been able to listen to it. I refused to pay for it again, so there I sat, patiently, until the movie came out.

The movie has been out for two weeks, and I have yet to see it. I was certain it would be crowded the first weekend it opened, so I wasn’t going to rush in and battle the obnoxious movie theater crowds. Now that the excitement and newness has worn off, maybe a late night Sunday showing would be fun. Or, I’ll just go buy the book and finish the story. I really want to finish her story.

Please Don’t Promise Me Forever

Absolutely fell in love with this, so immediately had to share. Enjoy!

I want us to love each other one day at a time...

...and string all those days together like the
precious things they are...

...instead of trying too hard and promising too much.

Please don't expect me to always be good and kind and loving. There are times when I will be cold and thoughtless and hard to understand.

But it will only be because of the weather or the flu or one of my moods...

...not because I love you less. Please remember that.

Please don't think about all the things that could happen to us. Don't think about other people coming between us. Don't think about outgrowing each other or growing out of love.

Please do think about all the good things that could happen to us. Think of growing closer to each other, finding new reasons for being together...

...and think of loving. I will, too. I am right now.

Please don't get mad at me if I forget your birthday or some special day we share...

...and please remember that there is an "everydayness" about what we have that is beyond birthdays and anniversaries.

That's why, sometimes, I may not remember one special day...because ALL our days are special to me.

Please don't ever sign a letter "as ever."

Please don't be too easy on me...or expect me to be too easy on you.

Both of us have room to grow, and both of us have to grow if we want to hold each other's love.

Please don't ever give me too much of yourself or take too much of me. In our togetherness we still need our private places.

Please listen to me when I'm talking to you...

...and please don't ever think about someone else when I kiss you.

Please don't start an argument or make me look foolish in front of other people...

...but when we're alone, don't feel like you're walking on eggs. Go ahead and say what you think. If I need telling off, tell me off.

Then we can have our fight and make up and love again. Just us.

Please remember to call me sometimes for no reason except that you feel me thinking about you, needing your voice.

Please don't ever lose that laugh of yours-it's such a real laugh.

And never change the way you brush my hair back from my eyes and smile when I'm trying to be very serious...or the little odd ways you have of saying things that make you "you", one of a kind, the one I love.

Please let's not use politeness and busyness and silence to avoid our problems and the places where we hurt. If something is wrong let's go after it and make it right.

It's a good feeling to think of growing older with you, but, please, let's not ever grow old.

I want us to always hang on to the newness that we have right now. And let's never be ashamed of our innocence, of the child within us. Let's never give up our dreams.

Please don't try to keep it from me when you're feeling down. I'll never be able to share your joy if you try to protect me from your sadness.

Please don't ever say never...

...and please don't promise me forever. All I ask is that you love me now.

And please know that I love you more today than I ever have before. I can't promise forever, but I can promise you today with the hope and belief that there is a beautiful tomorrow in store for us.

 

-Hallmark