Susane Colasanti - Journal

Talk about refreshed. The cool, crisp summer breeze was blowing in through my bedroom window all night. I was under the covers, even. There's nothing like a refreshing summer breeze. August can bring it now. Well, maybe August could bring some of it but cut down on the humidity? The breeze was so amazing that it woke me up a few times around sunrise. Each time I looked out the window, the sky was an incredible shade of green or blue. Almost psychedelic. At first I was like, "Am I dreaming?" No, I was not. That's just what it's like when you get up early enough to enjoy the sunrise. Not that I'm making it a regular thing.

I just got some reader mail forwarded to me from my publisher. Love that! Actual letters are made of magic. It's wonderful to receive reader emails and Facebook and MySpace messages, too. But there's something about actual letters I've always loved. I was big on pen pals in my teen years. I love seeing a person's handwriting, if they used a cool pen, which stationery they picked out. So I'm super excited to read my letters.

These letters remind me of when I had to teach my students how to address an envelope. When I was a teacher, every year I'd assign this special project where my students would write a letter to themselves that they would read in the future. They could write about anything, focusing on what their goals are and important things that they want their future selves to remember. I'd keep the letters for as long as they wanted (up to five years) and then send them back. With their letter, everyone had to hand in a self-addressed envelope. The first time I assigned this, I was shocked to see that very few kids knew how to address an envelope. For most of them, this was the first envelope they'd ever addressed! After that first year, I always drew a diagram of how to address an envelope on the board when I was explaining the assignment. It's such a powerful commentary on how much our lives have changed.

Also powerful: Mindy Kaling Twittered that she's working on the Jim and Pam wedding ep script with Greg Daniels. EW was all over it. Talk about pressure. Can you imagine being the one to write that script? It'd be all like, "Hey, so you know how we've been waiting for this day for four years? Yeah, you're the one deciding how it looks. Good luck with that." Intensity cubed. I cannot deal with the anticipation of that ep. If I had a TV, I'd be able to watch it in a few months when it's on. Waiting until next September for the DVDs will be excruciating. I might have to take over SP's big screen for this one. But no, because then it would be out of order. Conundrum!

Today's a perfect day for some Big Gay Ice Cream Truck time. It's not incredibly hot out, so you could actually get an ice cream cone without it melting all over the place in two seconds. But I just checked his website and he's not out today! Oh, well. I'll track him down one of these days, friendly neighbors. And when I do, you'll see full documentation here. In the meantime, let's do something else fun and summery today. Enjoy the summer breeze!

Just to clarify how serious my Office obsession is, I'd like to share some things I got at the NBC Store:



My stash includes a Jam tee, a Dunder Mifflin mousepad, a Dunder Mifflin stress ball, The Office door sign, and bumper stickers for my scrapbook. And yes, that is a magnet of Pam's office drawing! So cool.

I was going to order these things online, but then I was like, Dude. I live a few subway stops from 30 Rock. I can totally go and immerse myself in Office heaven! And wow, what a rush it was. That place is crazy! They had standard supplies like Dunder Mifflin coffee thermoses and Michael's World's Best Boss mug. But they took it up a notch. They had those plush Dunder Mifflin robes that were given to employees for Christmas in season two. They had Pam's office drawing on paper. Abundant Dundies. They even had Support the Rabid arm bands from the Fun Run. But the thing that made me laugh out loud was a collection of Serenity by Jan candles. The candles came in scents like Bonfire (the one that Jan made Jim sniff) and Serenity. Serenity smells like how you'd imagine Jan would make a calming candle smell. Like she doesn't quite have a grip.

Key chains were sold out, so I'll be returning for one. I'm not sure if you're allowed to take pictures, but if so I will document the scene. Right when you go in, there's a cardboard cutout of Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin that I want to share with you. 30 Rock at 30 Rock. How meta.

For Day 8 of my blog tour at Pop Culture Junkie, I discuss what my typical day is like. Alea is also giving away a signed copy of Waiting for You, along with all other hosts of my blog tour. Yesterday's tour stop was over at Shooting Stars Mag with High School Myth #7, which is all about the karma. I also discuss the Waiting for You playlist.

And there's more!

• Reading Keeps You Sane interviewed me about the Waiting for You title and cover.
• The Book Girl Reviews reviewed Waiting for You. I love the notebook format of that blog!
• Dissecting Perfection posted an impressively detailed review of When It Happens.

Here's a sweet gift from the Universe: The Waiting for You pub date, May 14, is also when the season finale of The Office will air, which is also their 100th episode! I can't watch it since I have to wait for the DVDs to come out, but I am anticipating this season more than any others. I love having fun things to look forward to. Book Release Week rocks!

1. So I called Ben & Jerry's and it turns out that Yes Pecan! never existed in pint form. It was only available at scoop shops during January. I saw a photo of the pint in New York magazine, but that was only a mock-up. I don't know why B&J didn't distribute this flavor in stores. It would have made a bajillion dollars. It's all good, though. The Coffee Heath Bar Crunch and Mint Chocolate Cookie flavors are very real.

2. February is the coldest month. Most of you know by now that I don't do winter. I simply do not care to participate. Well, sledding is fun, but I don't have a sled anymore and hilly areas aren't exactly nearby. This year, I'm determined to remain fearless in the face of freezing temperatures. I have a warming plan involving many layers. Yesterday, it was below zero with the wind chill. It's warming up now and Sunday is supposed to be 53 degrees. See, it's all about riding the wave.

3. I know the Postal Service is suffering, but what's this about cutting back to a 5-day mail delivery week?

4. Mayor Bloomberg explained the source of the weird maple syrup smell that has been invading Manhattan. He declared the Great Maple Syrup Mystery solved.

5. Here's one of my fave JIm and Dwight interactions. I wanted to post the Hotel Hell one, but I couldn't find it. This one also rocks.

I recently updated my Facebook status to: Susane is bummed that she's too old for trick-or-treating. Some comments came back insisting that you're never too old. But really? If I showed up at your door with my pillowcase, would you give me a fun size Milky Way?

And what would I be?

Some costume ideas that come to mind are on the obscure side. Like this one:



I could go as an eyeball fish! This is actually a photo of microscopic marine life near Hawaii. That's a swordfish on the left and a sunfish on the right. I'd go as the sunfish. Photo by David Liittschwager.

Or I could go as Honk-Honk-Ashoo:



Isn't he so cute? He's a pillowhead from the book by Ralph Cosentino.

The ultimate costume would be to go as the Pam half of Jim and Pam:



Except SP doesn't watch The Office. And we're going to see Speed-the-Plow tonight, so we can't be anything anyway.

What are you going to be?

1. Laila is visiting from San Francisco. She was the inspiration for the Laila character in When It Happens. You know it's close to Halloween when pumpkin (for her) and ghost (for me) cookies abound. Laila was really excited about the cookies:



2. Washington Square Park has been under construction for what seems like forever. I am happy to report that it's almost done! The fence is still up, but I used my Harriet the Spy skills to document this for you. And yes, I did have a spy notebook and spy route in fourth grade, just like Harriet.



3. My weekend will be very exclusive. Only two guests are invited: me and the Waiting for You copyedits. I've decided to use purple as my colored pencil choice for the manuscript. Also, I have designated my place as a Dwight Schrute workspace.



Dream big.

Okay, my responses to major show events aren't exactly breaking news. I'm usually a year (or 10) late on reporting, since I have to wait for the DVDs to come out to know what happened. Of course I knew Jim and Pam got together in season four of The Office because I'm alive and all. And I'm crying a river that there are only 14 episodes in the whole freaking season. But nothing can spoil my excitement over fresh eps. I ran to Circuit City and snagged the box set for $32.99, which came with this limited edition stapler in Jell-O mold keychain, inspired by season one!



As you know, Big Haircut is the primary reason for my obsession (and, yes, I do like Jim better with his season three job interview haircut).  Especially since I am connected to John Krasinski by two degrees.  This was John after he heard about that: 
Poll #1254269
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: None, participants: 4

Was the anticipation of Jim and Pam getting together more exciting than them actually being together?

After assorted pomp and huffufle from certain people insisting that the British version of The Office is better than the American version, I Netflixed that stuff. Is it funny? Sure. Is it better than the American version? No freaking way. Steve Carell blows away all of the British characters put together. Are you seriously telling me that the other Dwight is better than Rainn Wilson? I'm thinking not.

There were lots of plot similarities, so I should give props. The pilots of both versions were essentially the same, including the scene where Michael fake fires Pam as a "joke." And even though the other Jim doesn't look like John Krasinski, there were a couple scenes where I saw him in profile or he made that classic Jim face at the camera and I thought, Dude. The similarity is scary. But The Office I know and love is the only one for me.  It rules supreme.  As Michael Scott would say, it's not even like comparing apples to oranges.  It's more like comparing apples to something that sucks way more than apples.

Since Sarah Dessen writergrl is on vacay (actually, she just got back yesterday, but is still transitioning), we are all missing her weekly Friday Five. So this is the lame substitute edition, which will hopefully provide some sort of informative and/or entertaining ramblings.

1. Something I have been suspecting for a while is finally out there. Cell phones and kids aren't the best combination.  Well, they're a problem for anyone who holds their cell phone against their head, actually. Harmful electromagnetic radiation is transmitted to a cell phone as long as it's on, so holding the receiver close to your brain is probably not the best idea. Using the phone remotely (e.g. connecting it to an earpiece) significantly reduces its potentially carcinogenic effects.

2. Margo Rabb of the much discussed "I'm Y.A. and I'm O.K." article was interviewed on NPR.  Listen here:


3. I've finished watching all four seasons of Felicity. I was thrilled to discover that the magic of season one was back in season four, all sweet and intense with excellent dialogue. I was bummed that we never got to find out what's in Meghan's box, but was impressed that the last five eps were dedicated to a what-if Sliding Doors scenario where Felicity tries to end up with Noel instead of Ben. Especially since this wasn't even originally planned. The last ep was supposed to be the standard you've-watched-us-for-four-years-and-now-we're-all-graduating one, but then the network said they needed five more eps. Four was a great season, but my fave is still season one. Just like with a certain other teen show:



4. This sucks.

5.  Below is my fave joke from The Office.  What's updog?

Your TGIM thought of the day is brought to you by Dan in Real Life, which you must see immediately.

Mitch:  It was like an angel walked into the room.

Dan (eating corn):  This corn is an angel.

You would think that a person who has never owned a TV would be less interested in watching the Emmy Awards.  But actually, loving The Office, Grey's Anatomy, 24 and The Daily Show the way I do means that this was a big year.  And my good friend and neighbor, Michelle, has a big TV to match.  Hmmm.  You can see detailed info here, but I also have a few things to say.

For example.  What's up with that shot to T. R. Knight when the animation thing (before the host, who was some guy named Ryan something, came on) mentioned the shunned Isaiah Washington?  Hasn't George been through enough?  Especially after not winning tonight (a travesty!).


Anyway.  I was majorly bummed when both The Daily Show and Late Show with David Letterman (which will always be Late Night in my heart) got shot down in a double-whammy effect of what the eff was that?  And not just because when I was a teen I would tape Late Night and watch it the next day after school, recording the Top Ten lists and best lines in my special Late Night notebook.  Dude, I even wore Adidas when everyone else was wearing Keds just because Dave wore them, that's how obsessed I was.


Jeremy Piven absolutely deserved his win (even if it was over Drama).  Ari Gold is totally brill.  And Jeremy is sweet.  When I got my picture taken with him after the Neil LaBute play Fat Pig (before the days of Entourage - my love for Jeremy goes way back), he pressed his cheek right up against my cheek like we were old friends.  He said, "There's love for me in New York."  You got that right.


I'm a big Grey's fan.  So it was hard to accept the fact that they did not win for best drama (of course The Sopranos had to get it, everyone knows this, duh, but it's still hard).  But what was even harder to accept was the personality of Katherine Heigl (thanks for clearing up that pronunciation, by the way)...not exactly shining through.  More like blinding everyone with insensitivity.  Here's a hot tip:  You might want to think before you speak.  Like, when you say, "Even my own mother didn't think I had a chance in hell of winning" when your own mother is sitting right there as your guest, it might come off as...oh, I don't know...insensitive, perhaps?  Especially when your own mother then looks as if she's about to burst into tears as the camera cuts to her while you're rambling on with the rest of your speech.  Oh, and about that speech?  We didn't need to hear that you've been "working [your] ass off for seventeen years."  Sweetie, some people in that room have been working their asses off for seventy years.  Simmer down now.


Kiefer Sutherland:  always a gentleman, looking sharp, 24 theme playing all officially in the background, still not winning for best lead actor in a drama.  My conclusion:  that sucks.  Here's what should have happened with that:


In a fabulous moment of synergy, Steve Carell presented for best variety show and The Daily Show finally won!   Yay!  Jon Stewart is so hot that it didn't even matter when he gave his speech with some lipstick on his lip.  You go, Jon.  Work it!  Own it!


In an even more thrilling moment (if you can believe that), Steve Carell ran onto the stage when Jon Stewart called him up to accept the best lead actor in a comedy award, which he completely deserved.  Way to stick it to the man (the man, in this case, being some lame dude who won and wasn't even there).  In other news of The Office, shout-out to Greg Daniels who won for writing an amazing ep.  And in a most excellent Dwight Schrute style competition, Rainn Wilson battled Kanye West and beat his butt to a pulp.  That's how long I been on ya, nephew!  But when both The Office and Entourage lost in the best comedy smackdown, I had to call it a night.  There's just no excuse for that kind of inappropriate behavior.

 

I've been waiting for this day for so long I can't even tell you.

And now it's finally here.

Season Three of The Office has been released.  And I have been to Circuit City to buy what was probably the first copy to be sold today.  It was fresh off the rack and looking gorgeous.  And at the bargain price of $29.99, by the way, because when I saw their $39.99 price tag with no hint of a new-release sale, I was not having that.  The cashier picked up on my adrenaline rush and gave me the online price.  Sweet.



New Office eps are a huge deal in my life for the following reasons:

1.  Jim Halpert rocks my world.
2.  I am addicted to this show and refuse to undergo treatment.
3.  Since I've never owned a TV, I don't even know what happened with Jim and Pam.

You may be wondering if there's a particular reason I don't have a TV.  Yeah, there is.  Lots of them, actually.  I can also explain why I don't have a cell phone (or even a cordless phone) or a microwave or call waiting or a freezer.  But that's a whole other blog entry.  Since I don't have a TV, that means I have no idea what's happening with my shows.  I watch The Office, Grey's Anatomy, and 24 when they come out on DVD (on my awesome iBook).  Oh, and SP has gotten me into Entourage.  So I have to wait until everyone's already seen the whole season and attempt to avoid spoilers and there's all of this excitement and anticipation built up and then a day like today arrives.  And life is good.

Now.  Here's the question.  Do I devour all 22 episodes in a frantic marathon viewing frenzy?  Or do I space them out, restraining myself over a few weeks, only watching one or two eps a day?  You may think I'd want to watch them all right away to know what happens.  And of course I can't wait to find out (I've heard that Pam walks out of her wedding, but chose not to absorb this information as factual).  But what happens when you inhale all of the eps in one extended sitting is that then you don't have any eps left.  They're all gone.  And that's a very lonely feeling.  Whereas if you contain yourself and don't OD, you can maintain your level of excitement for a much longer time period.

I prefer the stretching-it-out method.  Anticipation is a rush.

Announcement: I am connected to John Krasinski by a cool two degrees.


You're probably wondering how this is possible. I know! Especially if you're a friend of mine, in which case you are painfully aware that I adore "The Office" and the best character ever, Jim Halpert, played by John. Because I go on and on about these things so much that my friends eventually slip into a yeah-you-already-told-me-that semi-catatonic state out of extreme boredom.

Here's what happened. I finally picked up my June/July Jane magazine the other day. It's a shame that Jane will no longer exist after the August issue. It's been real, all the way back to my high school Sassy days. So I was reading that page with the photos and bios of the contributors for the issue and there was a photo of Jean Villepique. A girl with the same name was in my high school class, which was a tiny class in a tiny town. But I was like, this can't be her. Except the picture kind of looked like her. I was still like, no way. But then it was like way because I Googled her and found out that it's the same Jean. Oh, and of course she lived here in NYC up until a couple months ago. I could have walked over for a reunion. And I'm not even sure why this is such a big deal. The energy of connections, I guess.

But this isn't the point.

Jean Villepique was on an episode of "The Office," which I would know by now if I had a TV. I always have to wait for the previous season to be released on DVD before I get to watch. But I found a photo from the ep on her friend's blog. She's just standing there, right across from John Krasinski. So John and I are, officially, connected by two degrees.

I love these days.

Today is 07.07.07 and that means time to celebrate. Like on 05.05.05 when Michael Scott had that party.



Or on 8.8.88 when I was in Italy and there was a total lunar eclipse that night.

Righteous things always happen on days like these.