Just in time! Kind of funny you traveled the country and across the Atlantic at the peak of this surge unscathed…only to acquire it in the most domestic way. Many apologies and I’m glad you’re on the mend. We were able to get our kids vaccinated last night after a few weeks of school where every sniffle raised my blood pressure!
I’m not sure if it was an error, but I got my copy two weeks ago to my excitement. It was absolutely delightful and the art is gorgeous! Even though my twenties looked different, I think the *something* that’s so charming about her journal is that it captures that feeling that’s relatable to everyone looking back nostalgically on that decade of our lives. When you’re 25 you sort of live with the two halves of being Very Confident in being an adult now while also feeling like a teenage imposter in adult clothing. Reading Carson’s journal reminds you of that headspace, but also looking back you can see that your twenties is just play-acting at adulthood…just a baby figuring it out while setting the trajectory of your entire life. There’s a stress of 25 that you might be ruining that trajectory, but there’s a kindness in looking back from middle-age and thinking “kid, it’s all gonna be ok”
It definitely was also a fun read as a fan of the band, especially since Grace Cathedral Hill is a fave.
Now the question is, will the rap video be released to the public? 😆
Ugh, the never-ending Covid dance :((( My disabled 7YO also got sick his first day back, but thankfully just with a run-of-the-mill cold. RE: Carson’s new book, man—the way you describe your early years together in Portland hits many a twinging chord for me as someone who was also stumbling through her 20s in PDX. The almost fond embarrassment of peering back at your little still-forming identity from those years of self destruction and self discovery. Cant wait to pick up the book :)
Indeed, we lasted 8 days into our new school year before all getting Covid… glad to have gotten it out of the way, on one hand… last year we tested positive as our car was all packed up for an Autumn Break trip in October, so I guess we’re ahead of the curve this year… can’t wait to get Carson’s book; thanks for reminding me! 🖤
Ah Covid, my kids made it two whole weeks of school before bringing it home. I can’t wait to read Carson’s new book, I’ve been anxiously awaiting its publication since she first started teasing it!
We have somehow avoided Covid so far. No small feat with two feral kids under the age of 5 who tell stories while licking surfaces without a care in the world for germ theory.
I'm so excited to buy Carson's book today at Malaprops in downtown Asheville, my preferred local retailer.
I’m going to look and see if my local book store brings in some copies. Our late teens and twenties just are more exciting than the “real adult” years.
In my twenties I was excited to close a bar and eat pizza on a porch until 4am. Now, nearing 40, the very idea of all that booze and grease makes me check if I took my Pepcid today.
Congrats to Carson! And congrats to you on getting through Covid which, as I know from my own recent experience, is truly no fun. Both my wife and I came down with it several weeks ago, and emerging from what seemed like a never-ending dark cavern of coughing and fever and spotty sleep, in retrospect, seems a bit of a minor miracle. I live down near Ashland and was hoping to drive up to Porchland on the 10th to hear her and you at Powell’s but real life (writing deadlines) intervened and I wasn’t free till today, Friday the 13th, a day which sounded both propitious and fortuitous for an additional reason: I saw on your dullandwitlessboy website a large announcement that you would be down doing a reading from The Stars Did Wander Darkling on Friday the 13th at Powell’s! And that Carson would be joining you in conversation…! I couldn’t believe my luck… so I got in my car and made the drive up… only to discover, alas, that the reading apparently happened… two years ago, on Friday, Sept. 13.
Fortunately, I can see the parallels here… as wanting to attend a reading that happened 24 months ago…has, I think, a certain resonance with wanting to read pages written nearly a quarter of a century ago. Or maybe not. I also feel a bit like the mythic Seaham sleepers, whom Archie stumbled upon… or, more accurately, was led to, by Oliver’s zebra. If, some day, another zebra leads you to these words, I hope it will also communicate to you my desire to some day hear both of you bringing life to your collective words, as you read and speak them once more.
I was struck after reading your post how indignant 25 year old me would have been at my Kindle needing to be charged last night, cutting reading time short. I can almost hear the contemptuous rant about needing to plug in a book. It's the little things, as they say.
At any rate, Carson's book sounds fascinating. Definitely going to check it out!
/edit! I'm actually covid *negative* not *positive* 🤦♂️ I'll be masking at the event today in any case...
I was really confused why you'd be so jubilant about testing positive still! 😅
Just in time! Kind of funny you traveled the country and across the Atlantic at the peak of this surge unscathed…only to acquire it in the most domestic way. Many apologies and I’m glad you’re on the mend. We were able to get our kids vaccinated last night after a few weeks of school where every sniffle raised my blood pressure!
I’m not sure if it was an error, but I got my copy two weeks ago to my excitement. It was absolutely delightful and the art is gorgeous! Even though my twenties looked different, I think the *something* that’s so charming about her journal is that it captures that feeling that’s relatable to everyone looking back nostalgically on that decade of our lives. When you’re 25 you sort of live with the two halves of being Very Confident in being an adult now while also feeling like a teenage imposter in adult clothing. Reading Carson’s journal reminds you of that headspace, but also looking back you can see that your twenties is just play-acting at adulthood…just a baby figuring it out while setting the trajectory of your entire life. There’s a stress of 25 that you might be ruining that trajectory, but there’s a kindness in looking back from middle-age and thinking “kid, it’s all gonna be ok”
It definitely was also a fun read as a fan of the band, especially since Grace Cathedral Hill is a fave.
Now the question is, will the rap video be released to the public? 😆
To add: I think we all appreciate the nostalgia of early internet, pre 9/11 times too - thanks so much to Carson for sharing!
Ugh, the never-ending Covid dance :((( My disabled 7YO also got sick his first day back, but thankfully just with a run-of-the-mill cold. RE: Carson’s new book, man—the way you describe your early years together in Portland hits many a twinging chord for me as someone who was also stumbling through her 20s in PDX. The almost fond embarrassment of peering back at your little still-forming identity from those years of self destruction and self discovery. Cant wait to pick up the book :)
Indeed, we lasted 8 days into our new school year before all getting Covid… glad to have gotten it out of the way, on one hand… last year we tested positive as our car was all packed up for an Autumn Break trip in October, so I guess we’re ahead of the curve this year… can’t wait to get Carson’s book; thanks for reminding me! 🖤
Ah Covid, my kids made it two whole weeks of school before bringing it home. I can’t wait to read Carson’s new book, I’ve been anxiously awaiting its publication since she first started teasing it!
We have somehow avoided Covid so far. No small feat with two feral kids under the age of 5 who tell stories while licking surfaces without a care in the world for germ theory.
I'm so excited to buy Carson's book today at Malaprops in downtown Asheville, my preferred local retailer.
I haven't even read this yet and already I'm transported back to my first summer in NYC, at 25, no job, starving, on fire. I can't wait to read this.
I’m going to look and see if my local book store brings in some copies. Our late teens and twenties just are more exciting than the “real adult” years.
In my twenties I was excited to close a bar and eat pizza on a porch until 4am. Now, nearing 40, the very idea of all that booze and grease makes me check if I took my Pepcid today.
Congrats to Carson! And congrats to you on getting through Covid which, as I know from my own recent experience, is truly no fun. Both my wife and I came down with it several weeks ago, and emerging from what seemed like a never-ending dark cavern of coughing and fever and spotty sleep, in retrospect, seems a bit of a minor miracle. I live down near Ashland and was hoping to drive up to Porchland on the 10th to hear her and you at Powell’s but real life (writing deadlines) intervened and I wasn’t free till today, Friday the 13th, a day which sounded both propitious and fortuitous for an additional reason: I saw on your dullandwitlessboy website a large announcement that you would be down doing a reading from The Stars Did Wander Darkling on Friday the 13th at Powell’s! And that Carson would be joining you in conversation…! I couldn’t believe my luck… so I got in my car and made the drive up… only to discover, alas, that the reading apparently happened… two years ago, on Friday, Sept. 13.
Fortunately, I can see the parallels here… as wanting to attend a reading that happened 24 months ago…has, I think, a certain resonance with wanting to read pages written nearly a quarter of a century ago. Or maybe not. I also feel a bit like the mythic Seaham sleepers, whom Archie stumbled upon… or, more accurately, was led to, by Oliver’s zebra. If, some day, another zebra leads you to these words, I hope it will also communicate to you my desire to some day hear both of you bringing life to your collective words, as you read and speak them once more.
Can hardly wait to read it. Congratulations to Carson. ! Im hoping to attend Nationale on Saturday. Hope you’re better.
The book is beautiful. 💚 Reading it again. Glad you’re feeling better.
Looking forward to getting a copy of "One Week in January."
I was struck after reading your post how indignant 25 year old me would have been at my Kindle needing to be charged last night, cutting reading time short. I can almost hear the contemptuous rant about needing to plug in a book. It's the little things, as they say.
At any rate, Carson's book sounds fascinating. Definitely going to check it out!
Sorry about the Covid, such a drag. I pre ordered this book. I will be diving in later ♥️
Looking forward to seeing it and adding to our Meloy/Ellis art collection!
Ah, I'd been planning on attending the Cedar Hills talk on Friday, but I didn't know you'll be at the main location this evening!