No longer standing

I visited Asao's workshop yesterday. Lots of activity in a little space! Robbin (hair in bun) and her wonderful assistant Lee (green shirt) were both there to help, which was great. I'm such a worrywart about these kinds of events going perfectly, so it's reassuring to know he is in the exceptionally capable hands of those two, plus Yukari (red apron). I got to hang out with Robbin's beautiful daughter Maya for a while, so I got to see new shoes and dresses and her drawings and then we almost broke a Polaroid camera while trying to shove film into it. She's 13 now and I've known her since she was 8 or so; amazing to see children grow and she is especially smart and energetic, so it's always fun to see her. Plus she gives the BEST hugs.

I somehow pulled myself away from the festivities (Asao was preparing a kami nabe party: cooking food in handmade paper over charcoal) because I had to run over to another part of Brooklyn to Caron's big book launch party! Her book is called Stuck with the Blooz, so the whole theme was blue. Her sister baked this amazing blue layer cake, and there was SO. MUCH. FOOD. Plus Blooz booze, party favors, speeches, gifts (since the day prior was Caron's birthday), family, her editor, live music, and...the books her publisher brought along sold out in a heartbeat!

She did a fun reading and I got to catch up with Daniel, who is happy and looks fabulous as always. I haven't seen him since he and Caron and I all met at Saltonstall two years ago.

I had hoped to stay longer to chill with Caron, but the party went long and I was incredibly exhausted and underdressed because the weather shifted so drastically from hot to cold. Thus, I made one of my famously poor decisions: run from the party to the subway station (one long block) to minimize time outside and warm up. I didn't calculate for how weak my muscles were from standing and walking for 8-10 hours every day this week, so my legs gave way and I went flying. Luckily, I am now skilled at falling down, so I came away with one skinned knee and a funky hip in the morning, nothing outrageous.

The funny thing was that Caron had sparkly bandages as party favors (they are referenced in her book); came in handy and a good way to cap the week. Asao flies to Syracuse tomorrow morning, so my NYC duties have concluded. I will resume the job when I get to Cleveland in a couple of weeks, but until then, it's back to work on my career + a short vacation upstate with my sister. Badly needed (though I suspect I will be working during vacay...but only writing, longhand, I promise)!