Posted on 07/10/2018 12:17:25 PM PDT by Simon Green
A few months before my 42nd birthday, I was out to dinner with friends and found myself seated next to a well-known older male writer.
I happened to be in the final stages of finishing a proposal for a memoir about being a single woman over 40 without children, and was inwardly marveling at the timing of our encounter. I was a fan of his. Perhaps he might offer some wisdom? Words of encouragement?
As drinks were delivered I sketched the outline of the story: No one had prepared me for how exhilarating life could be on my own. I was traveling all the time, doing what I wanted, when I wanted, released from the fear of the clock that had dogged me through my 30s. Conversely, no one had warned me of the ways in which it would actually be difficult; my mother had been very ill, for instance, and part of the book was about caring for her.
No sooner had I finished than the famous writer placed his glass firmly on the white tablecloth, leaned back and declared: “Glynnis MacNicol, you have a terrible life!”
Not exactly the feedback I was hoping for.
He continued: “You’re all alone in the world, and have no one to help you.” He turned to my friends, dramatically interrupting their conversation. “Do you know how terrible this woman’s life is? She’s all by herself!”
My friends managed to snort back their drinks, barely. “But I’m fine,” I protested lightheartedly, hoping to return the discussion to writing. “I’m quite enjoying myself.”
He took a disbelieving sip of his drink. “I want to help you,” he said. He then instructed our server to wrap up his untouched steak and insisted I take it home.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I am happy that this selfish, bratty woman has no children. Kids deserve better. But, no, I don’t believe she’s happy.
Just wait, honey.
Today I took my child rock climbing.https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1790/42433613155_427cdf39f8_h.jpg
Our daughter got hired for a TV show. They hired 100 kids for 85 euros a day. The first day they all get filmed storming the stage. Then the second day (which they have to wear the same clothes for) they start getting asked unscripted questions and depending on how well they answer is how long they participate on the show.
She danced twice before on TV but this is a good thing.
Instructions are to wear Autumn clothing because that is when the TV show is aired. Told my wife:Go. Mall. Buy.
Starts Monday.
Wow! I'll have to put that right on my reading list! Hope it has lots of exclamation points!!!
I may have to get someone to ghost-read it for me!
Maybe Yuri Testikov or Alton Benes can write a forward? Or she can put in a chapter about an affair with either or both of them? Or with J. Peterman? Yes!!! Where's Lipman? Must miss!!
Yes, it's Noreen!
She's been having "trouble" for a long time. d;^)
I had a high school English teacher that I really did not like at all. I would have said I hated her guts back then. I always made "D's" and "F's" in English classes. I even had to take three English courses in my last two years of high school just to graduate in the "General" curriculum.
I have had this paragraph on my facebook profile for several years:
In spite of all of the falderal with high school English, numerous times through my rewarding career in telecommunications, as a Senior Technician and currently as a Program Manager I have been thankful for the by rote drilling of Latin and Greek roots, prefixes and suffixes in Mrs. Forbes' English class.
I later discovered that someone else had created "The Olive Forbes Word of the Day" fan page on Facebook.
Even now, as an old man, I want to giggle inside when I think about how I hated her then and appreciate her so much now.
That’s awesome! I’ve done some Latin & Greek roots, but not nearly enough. I should do more.
*lol* Yup, I don’t think Bob Grant would disagree with your assessment of him as a “misanthrope.”
(You comment also reminded me of Florence King, who penned the “Misanthrope’s Corner” opinion piece in every National Review magazine decades ago, when it was still a reliably conservative voice......)
“You are truly taking part in the divine act of creation.”
Children and grandchildren are a blessing.
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