The weekend before the big weekend

In the midst of our last-minute frenzy of wedding planning, my co-workers threw me and Jo a surprise engagement cocktail party on the rooftop of a co-worker's apartment building on Friday evening.

Great night for a cocktail party--and we were surprised.

On Saturday night at 10 PM, Ethan and I decided we should hit the town. We ended up at Chelsea Piers hitting $50 worth of golf balls into the netted chasm between Manhattan and New Jersey.

I met Jo for lunch today--a place on 19th Street called Burgers & Lobster. We're taking our families here for dinner this coming Saturday night--first-time meeting.

We are far from prepared for next Sunday. But we are pretending not to be panicked.

Book reading in Brooklyn this weekend

I'll be reading at Powerhouse on 8th Bookstore in Brooklyn this Sunday, September 28!

More info here.

Anyway, the thing is, what I really mean: Bernie Taupin's worst lyrics

Someone saved my life tonight, Sugar Bear.
(And then he rhymed it with "Didja dear?")

So excuse me forgettin'
but these things I do
You see I've forgotten
if they're green or they're blue
Anyway, the thing is, what I really mean
Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen
(This is an example of gotta-hand-in-these-lyrics-in-an-hour.)

So where's the Shoorah she sang
You know I hear it again my friend
Where's the Shoorah, she came upon it
Waiting to sing her back
'Cause she likes to sing about
Where's the Shoorah she sang
(Such a great melody. Kick-ass choir doing the back-up. Elton sings it with such devotion it makes you want to believe in God. But if there is a God, why would he allow lyrics like these?)

And now she's in me
Always with me
Tiny dancer in my hand
(I'm picturing Elton having just swallowed Tinkerbell, then spit her out in his hand. But surely that can't be what he means. Can it?)

Mars ain't the kind of place to raise the kids
In fact, it's cold as hell
And there's no one there to raise them
If you did
(I like the "If you did" at the end, just to put an exclamation point on the badness.)

Okay, out of my system. I can go back to bashing Bob Dylan.

A lot going on

I was in Cayman this week for work. I thought the hurricane was coming the first day...

But it cleared up enough to go for a run on the beach. Afterwards I sat on a lounge chair and looked at the stars. A semi-cloudy night in Cayman is still better for star-gazing than a clear night in NYC.

My co-workers are unimpressed by giant lizards lurking near the office, btw, but I had to take a picture.

I was visiting the Cayman and UK offices to signal the end of my all-consuming project of the past six months: launching our new office and studio in NYC. I was in charge of everything from finding the space to negotiating the lease to choosing the decor...

It turned out great, and I was able to bask in the glory for about 24 hours. Then--new projects. A year at a startup is like five years at a large company. 

On the book front, Three Grumpy Trucks is off to a good start. How to Become a Knight is finally appearing face-out at some B&Ns. Ten Tiny Toes board book (released in March) is still plugging along. Three books in a year; can't complain about that.

Most important, I'm back home in NYC. Jo and I had dinner in Little Italy and talked wedding plans.

We will be married at the Turtle Pond in Central Park. These are our body doubles, for context...

Our reception will be here, at Nomad Rooftop...

There's a lot going on. I hope I don't drive Jo crazy.

Sitting on the sofa at 1 AM

Yes
I'm blessed
Don't care who knows it
Yes
I'm blessed
Don't question, don't oppose it
Got a girl
so beautiful she knows it

Life is long
at least if we're lucky
Sometimes great
sometimes downright sucky
But today
I'm blessed
I'm blessed
I'm blessed
Screw the rest
I'm blessed

Book reading

London