The Jessica You Never Knew

I've known many a character in my life, but I have never felt close to a fictional character since I picked up a copy of Sloppy Firsts in 2001 and was plunged into the insecurities, witty and bitingly honest observations of Miss Jessica Lynn Darling created by Megan McCafferty. At that time in my life I felt like this book was written just for me. I felt alone in a Clueless Crew, had one word conversations with my father, a perfect blonde (younger) sister, and a period that had been M.I.A for at least a year and a half.

I was living near Buffalo when September 11th became a day the world would never forget, I took comfort in Sloppy Firsts during this time and when it was written about in the second novel Second Helpings, I remember feeling a strange sense of "I was immersed in your life when that happened". As dorky as it sounds, it felt like a friendship. When something epic and earth shattering happens people remember the what they were doing on that exact day, I was reading about how Hy couldn't get Red Bull at the Superfoodtown that morning. (As a Canadian, I thought "What the heck is Red Bull?!! We didn't get it until 2005...just like mobile phones and the internet...har har)

Sharing in her romantic entanglements like a friend would, from the "every girl's been there crush on a boy who doesn't know your name" to the love of her life Marcus Flutie, hit close to the bone. As Paul Parlipiano turns out to be gay, I took comfort in the fact that it happen(s)(ed) to other girls, I have journals full of crushes on men that as I later discovered, did not worship the va-jay-jay. I haven't found My Manilow connection yet, the person that is the equivalent to my own best friend. I can only hope that it is messy and real like the love Jessica and Marcus share.

I have shared in her life for eight years, I have shared the chapters of her life with close friends and strangers at the bookstore. I am saddened by the fact that the final chapter is quickly approaching, but I feel privileged that I was able to find a very real fictional character that I could watch grow and mature into one of the best friends I never actually had.

www.meganmccafferty.com

gail leary

this entry is dedicated to adam dalton-wyatt, we had a lovely conversation about ghosts just now. i won the conversation by a landslide because i believe ghosts are clever and crafty and resourceful. and i have amazing haunting blueprints created for when i am a ghost. 

i got a haircut today and now i look like the philandering tv anchorwoman who birthed darling dawson leary. puffy bangs mostly, they will be corrected in time i am sure. 

my exploits have been non-existant and not very entertaining. 

i am at my dad's house for dinner, i brought my children holga and diana and we will make delightful light leaked pictures later on. 

gosh gee willikers. 

read anything by melissa bank, she is great. 

listen to silver jews, they are great also. 

will you be my neighbour

one of the reasons i love toronto is the happening upon people you know. constantly. last saturday i saw: starbucks scott, my cousin james, keane, carly, and the forever lovely suzanne. 

i am in newmarket again visiting for family day, i presented them with vintage valentines that i found on the street back in july. i want to get this for my future children: 

asking for permission to download music from a scarcastic 16 year old is not fun. remember that. 

sharing

http://www.sexypeople-blog.com/

i have this, one day i will be toned and be able to do the soul man perfectly. 

ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUVoG1RfCn0

i also have a film called "the baxter" which i've been waiting to see for awhile, found in giant tiger for 6.99

i have been catching up on big love and californication and entourage. 

stealing hearts and babies wherever she goes

i went to a family function a few weeks ago and found a child that i wanted to steal. she was so darn spunky with her baby peggy hairstyle and perma rosy cheeks. as well as being cute as a bug's ear, she's wild. two years ago she bit a hole in my stepbrother's shirt. this year she and my cousin got in countless fights. if i ever have children this is what i want them to look like.

lately radio personality ira glass has been narrating my dreams, then three other radio personalities tell stories related to the events occurring in said dreams. this american life is so awesome i have dreams about it.

my visage is on a t-shirt, because of this i am officially googleable.

it is now past my bedtime.

when i was in high school i thought about my impending death about as often as other girls my age were getting felt up in the back of a rusted brown gremlin. i still believe that the moment right before i kick the bucket will feature a splashy "this is your life" montage, complete with "judy is a punk" blaring in the background (the song was inspired by the following clip, but i think it would make much more sense for a death montage)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvoBdWeZ1GE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_HCGKuqDjE