Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Tell Me It's No Great Loss, OK?

Tomorrow night Diana Gabaldon, author of my literary delight, The Outlander series, will be at a local bookstore tomorrow night. You have to have a ticket to attend, and the way you get a ticket is to buy her new book, A Breath of Snow and Ashes. Sadly for me, it doesn't seem that I'm going to be able to attend. Reason number one is that we are on that same, old, moldly poor streak, so spending nearly $30 on a book (even one that I am sure I will love) seems a bad choice under our current situation. Reason number two is that my husband has worked two 24 hour shifts in a row (still there now) plus will be gone for most of the day tomorrow. Then he will be gone for most of Thursday and then another 24 hour shift on Friday. If he comes home tomorrow night to have me walking out the door to meet Diana Gabaldon, I think he will be sorely disappointed.

Sigh.

So, I am trying to comfort myself about this. My 13 year old son also helped. After I told him how excited I was that the new book is out (and I AM! I am just about hyperventilating thinking about getting my paws on the next book!!!!!) I asked him to help bring me out of my disappointment in not being able to go. I said, "Ok, so, I go and buy a $28 book, then get to be in a crowd of other Outlander-happy women who will watch Diana Gabaldon speak and read to us, and then wait in line, clutching my book, standing next to other women, all of whom will be telling how much they love the Outlander books and how they discovered the Outlander books and how much they are looking forward to reading this new one and stuff like that. Then I will eventually get to the front of the line where I will meet Diana Gabaldon, hand her my book and ask her to sign it, and say something very basic about how I love her books--as if she hasn't already heard that same comment dozens of times before during this same event. And then I will leave, and go home and start reading."

My son says, "Yeah, Mom, you don't need that. Why would you want to go hang out with a bunch of other middle-aged women for that anyhow?"

Middle aged?

Did he actually call me middle-aged?

What is there? A sign on my forehead that says INSULT ME, PLEASE! ??

I notified my son that 34 is NOT middle-age. He said that he figured the cut off for young was the 20s, and after that you were into middle or old age. I assured him that middle age is probably somewhere more like 45 or something....right? Exactly when does middle age begin, folks? I know it can't be at 34.....I'm just getting ready to hit my best years yet!

So, yeah! Who needs a night out with Diana Gabaldon and some of my friends from my book group (who, admittedly ARE middle-aged or beyond)? Not me! Nosirree! I will just sit on my husband's lap and congratulate myself on not spending $28.

3 comments:

Marilyn said...

I would GLADLY give you the money for the book but that won't put you sitting on your husband's lap. If the table was turned and there was a marvelous hunting guy at the local sporting goods store meeting and greeting his greatest fans (like your husband)and he wanted to go even though he had been gone for days-would he go?
In my opinion, since the life expectancy of women in the US is now 78 I believe, I suppose that middle age would be starting at 39. The next question-where does middle age end and old age start???Things to ponder........

Gretchen said...

Hmm, I think middle age must be about 5-10 years older than you currently are. So for me, middle age is about 45 LOL. I wouldn't go stand on line either, for that very reason, that she has had hundreds of women just like us who stood on line just to say they loved her books. It must all start to sound the same to her after a while. A book signing would be more meaninful if she were doing it as a favor to you because she knew you, rather than because you bought a ticket for it. It would be neat to hear her read from the book, though. As for me, I'll be waiting until next year for the paperback version. I couldn't justify $30 for a book for myself.

Unknown said...

Hey, I know you're looking for comments that tell you it's not worth it, but . . .

And I know it's too late anyway, but . . .

I've been to two book signings -- one by Sandra Boynton and one by Richard and Linda Eyre. You know what -- they were cool experiences and it was fun to be there and hear the authors talk. I remember those times with pleasure whenever I see those autographed books. Granted, Sandra Boynton would HAVE to be fun 'cause she's all about joy, but for future reference, I would say it's worth the trouble. There's nothing like being there . . . if you can.

Smiling SiouxsieQ