Nora and Me

The other day I decided to pick up an audio book at the library. I had every intention of picking up something from Bill Bryson, but everything by him was in cassette. Since I have no device that plays a cassette anymore I had to pass on Bill. As fate would have it, my eyes kept floating to Nora Ephron's I Feel Bad About My Neck. Now, I'm a huge fan of Ms. Ephron (You've Got Mail is my personal E-Ching - a truly great source of wisdom and poignancy that has been radically underestimated), but I haven't been compelled to read (or in this case listen) to this tome simply because of my forty-some young years. (Yeah - you thirty-somethings are giggling to yourselves and I doubt you twenty-somethings are even reading this.) Anyway, as it turns out, Nora had some pretty darn good advice for me - just in the nick of time!

Apparently, I have one more year to enjoy my neck.  AND, I shouldn't have given up wearing my bikini so quickly. Just as I suspected. (Actually, I came to this conclusion about five years ago on my own.) Oh, what am I saying? It doesn't matter how old a woman is. Once she's past 21, doesn't she always feel too old? I distinctly remember visiting my alma mater after graduating from college, being hit on at a college football game and telling some young fool, "I'm much too old for you" at the ripe old age of twenty-two.( Of course, I was desperately in love with someone else at the time so perhaps I just felt really old. Yes, it was your father, Alex.) I was probably ready to retire my bikini back then already!

Anyway, back to Nora. She's absolutely awesome and I think everyone should read (or listen) to this book!  How's that for a trite description. Honestly, I think somehow we were connected in another life somehow. Perhaps we were best friends or even respected adversaries. Or maybe I was just her maid. But really, there are a few eerie similarities between Nora and me...

• She's an outrageously successful writer. I want to be an outrageously successful writer. Or even a somewhat successful writer. Or even tiny bit successful.
• She's makes me laugh. I make me laugh.
• She agrees that everyone should wear black turtle necks. Black turtles happen to be my favorite.
• She lives in New York City. I don't live there and I've only been there once, but it was cool.
• When she gets lost in a FABULOUS book, she blocks all and everyone out. SO DO I! (Love her chapter on rapture...it's a delightful description on escapism.)

What I love most about Nora is her sense of self, her courage and the fact that she's a hopeless romantic. So, of course, she's my hero. 

Bucket list item - MEET NORA EPHRON!  See any similarities?

(This is the only photo of me in my black turtle. It was a horrible, horrible hair day, but my neck doesn't look too bad, does it?)