I am re-reading “Forever, Erma” after hearing about a friend of mine who attended a Writer’s Workshop in Dayton, OH (home of my alma mater) on the writings of Erma Bombeck. I’ve been a fan of Erma since I was able to read, giggling throughout my childhood and now well into adulthood. I still laugh at the same lines – she’s at the emergency room because her son ate paint tint clutching a dish towel as her only accessory, and when asked what kind of paint tint it was, she and her husband answered “sky blue, don’t you see his shirt?”
That humor is seamless and simple.
I’m concurrently reading Joan Didion’s “Year of Magical
Thinking” as she winds her way through the grief at the sudden loss of her
husband. A bit heavy, a bit less simple, but the perfect balance with Erma.
Late last night I was smiling as I put down my book (Erma,
not Joan) and realized I haven’t written a word all year on this blog. I haven’t written much creatively at all,
although I did write a line at work that might be considered well done. After
replying quickly to an email, I sat back and thought – “no that’s not right” so
I quickly composed another with the opening line: “I responded too quickly and
didn’t allow my indignance to percolate.
Here’s my real opinion…”
Indignance to percolate – thanks Erma and Joan. Reading good writing makes me a good
writer. And it also nudges me to write
more.
Here are some other good Erma one-liners:
“Marriage has no guarantees. If that's what you're looking
for, go live with a car battery.”
“If you can’t make it better, you can laugh at it.”
“Dreams have only one owner at a time. That’s why dreamers
are lonely.”
And my favorite: “Never lend your car to anyone to whom you
have given birth.”
Speaking of which Happy 23rd (?!?!?!) Birthday to my baby
girl, Paige. I love you.
