mary e. pearson

And it's a doozie! 




The road trip is almost over--wow, have we ever covered a lot of miles.  And I am happy to see that the beautiful and quirky corners of your worlds make The Miles Between  feel right at home.  Check out the latest stop.    I burst out laughing when I saw the--

Well, you will just have to see for yourself.  Mira would love it!

I think this makes TEN different states so far!

Thank you jodyfeldman  for squeezing into the car (the seats weren't too sticky, were they?) and sharing your miles!

1.  I got some shoes to wear to the Nebula Banquet next Saturday that are not only cute, but they are COMFORTABLE too.  Really.  I am not much of a shoe person.  My favorite attire on my feet is nothing.  But last year at ALA, Amanda Jenkins turned me on to a brand I hadn't tried yet, Sofft.  Problem was I couldn't find them in any stores around me so I took a chance and ordered some online. Yikes. But they fit perfectly and I loved them.  I figure I've hit my jackpot for the month.

2  Got the UK jacket rough for The Adoration of Jenna Fox in the mail.  Very cool.  It comes out in the UK next spring.  As soon as I have the final I will post it--it does involve a very blue eye.

3.  Feeling very poor after paying taxes on Wednesday, wondering if I should return above mentioned shoes.  But they are comfortable . . .

4.  In my last blog post I talked about book ownership and the impact it had on me, and it reminded me of the programs, Rolling Readers, and First Book, that are committed to getting books into the hands of young readers--books that they can keep.  I will never forget when Robert Condon, the parent of one of my students and also the founder of Rolling Readers, asked me if he could come read to students in my classroom every week.  Even with second grade I had a packed curriculum and hesitated, wondering how I would fit it in, and then of course, I slapped myself up the side of the head and told myself, what is more important than reading?  And how wonderful that my students would get another role model reading to them besides myself.  Mr. Condon came faithfully every week and read three picture books to my class each time.  They loved it.  At the end of the semester, he gave each student the hardcover picture book of their choice.  As long as I live I will never forget the look on one student's face as she received her book.   She hugged it to her chest, smiled so wide, and very nearly floated for the rest of the day.  She was from a poor immigrant family and I knew without a doubt it was the first book she had owned, but after that day, I knew it wouldn't be her last and I secretly chastised myself for even thinking for a moment that I didn't have time for Mr. Condon to visit my classroom each week.

I've noticed this for a long time, but New Yorkers, and maybe the rest of the country, seems to spend a fortune on shoes.

This morning on the Today show they were talking about Saks new shoe department that has something like 100,000 pair of shoes--and I'm sure they all cost something equal to a downpayment on a house.

Both of these pair from Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus are over $500. I think I have broken a hundred dollars on a pair of shoes, twice in my life--and then I felt guilty.
Is this an East coast vs. West Coast phenomena? Yes, us Californians do have Payless and flip flops, but even so, when I wear heels I don't lay out that kind of money.

What is the most you've ever spent on a pair of shoes? (be brave--and honest!)

Maybe I have too many flip flops in my closet so I don’t get the flap but good grief, does it really matter if the straps go around your toes or between your toes?