HOSPITALITY, RISING STARS, AND WISDOM FROM A PRIEST

LIFE OF A BOOKMAN

Bookman: 1. a person who has a love of books and especially of reading. 2. a person who is involved in the writing, publishing, or selling of books. Oh, hi that's me!!

Hostess of the Mostest: I didn't get much reading done last week, but I did crack open Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect. This book was handed to me by a friend, and when I asked my mom if she'd read it (mom = queen of all things business books) she mentioned it was a good read! I believe that no matter what business you're in, the pursuit of over delivering will never steer you wrong. There's so much joy born from a surprise and delight!!! And I suppose that applies to personal matters too – whether it's mailing a posto, or delivering flowers for no reason. Now is a really good time to give people more than expect from you. And while we're at it, give yourself that too ;)

What I'm writing: Team, how do we feel about me giving you the deets on That Second Novel as I write it (I'm still in outline form!!)? I didn't tell you much about That Novel as I was writing it the last 3+ years. Mainly because I didn't want to spoil it for you!!! But do you care? Would it be more fun to be brought along in all the specific details of subject matter, character matters, plot development? Hit reply and tell me what you think: vague overviews or all the juicy deets and spoilers??? This will be a two year journey, so choose right!!!!

WOMEN’S STUDIES

What gets passed down becomes our history. A few for the canon:

I went down a Kamala Harris and Kimberly Guilfoyle rabbit hole after reading “The Long Strange Saga” of Kamala and Kimberly. It detailed what was going on in the first circle of San Francisco power players in the early aughts. Kamala and Kimberly were both massively talented rising legal stars who had a falling out. We know who Kamala Harris is and where she ended up. But what I didn't know was that Kimberly Guilfoyle ended up as a right wing TV star, after marrying and divorcing Gavin Newsom...then becoming engaged with Donald Trump Jr.

I felt two things while reading this: 1) why are women always pitted against each other making their disagreements seem petty, childish and gossipy as SF coverage did. We know men have equally as petty and emotional squabbles, sometimes more so, but no one talks about them like that.

2) What happens to the careers of most “rising stars” when they marry powerful men. It's something I've been paying attention to. When does it work? When does her career not get cannibalized? I'm not talking about two stars in their own right coming together (al la Taylor and Travis, or Beyonce and Jay Z , or Jlo and Ben RIP), but more what happens when the woman is on her way up?...feel free to talk me out of this?

PASS IT ON

Stories are heirlooms. Here's one of mine:

This weekend I was in Dallas visiting my siblings and parents for an annual church gala that we've attended since I was in college. We got gussied up and rocked that charity affair!!! The rest of the visit was action packed: Friday night football game to watch my nephew rock the drumline, a 5:45am wake-up call to see the Plano Balloon Festival launch their big ole balloons at sunrise with my youngest nephew, a North Texas percussion-off (they won first!!!!!), a Cowboy's game with my oldest nephew, and some quality facetime from 5 miles away (name this animal!!!!!) with my little niece who I didn't get nearly enough time with.

It was a great reminder of a story relayed to me, originally shared by a Priest, after an unusually tough week of business decisions: “I've sat with over 1000 dying people. In their final moments no one reaches for accolades or accomplishments. They reach for loved ones.”

This weekend I got to reach for all the right things, and my cup is full!!

Woman on xx