Here's a photograph of Ingrid Law, author of Savvy.
I wish I could meet her in real person, and this is why:
"Always on the hunt for her own savvy, Ingrid Law has dabbled in costume design, floral design, and fiber arts. She has sold shoes, worked in a bookstore, helped other people get jobs, and assembled boxes for frozen eggplant burgers. Today, she writes and imagines with her thirteen-year-old daughter in a lovely old mobile home called "Ploppy," which they like to believe is a cross between a spaceship and a shoe box. They enjoy writing on its walls and painting on its ceiling, and have filled their home to the brim with wonderful things like good books, fluffy pillows, a ukulele, and the aroma of baking muffins. Visit Ingrid at www.ingridlaw.com." (back flap)
When I read that description, I stewed about it for days. Because I so do not live in a named home with writing on the walls and the smell of baking muffins. Nope, my house has a number (1117) instead of a name, and the walls are a celery leaf green, and the only thing baking in my house lately are Lean Cuisines.
I so have not had five different interesting jobs. Nope, my job, basically, has been teaching elementary school for twenty four years except for the few summers that I sold Chanel at Marshall Fields.
It's felt rather like a safe life, a life I can stay on top of, until I read Ingrid's biography. Now it feels like a tight ass life, and I'm not only looking for my own savvy...
I'm looking for something to paint on my ceilings.
Other stops along the tour can be found here:
A Christian Worldview of Fiction, All About Children’s Books, Becky’s Book Reviews, Booking Mama, Cafe of Dreams, Fireside Musings, Hyperbole, KidzBookBuzz.com, Looking Glass Reviews, Maw Books Blog, Never Jam Today, Olive Tree, Our Big Earth, The 160 Acrewoods, Through a Child’s Eyes
Like you, I would aspire to such a life. But if I had it, could I live with it? I am big into order and organization, so an alternate lifestyle like that might drive me insane. This is probably why I dream of writing but probably never will. My surroundings do not promote creativity! I worked as a number cruncher, and now I stay home and cater to my family. I would love to sit and have lunch with this lady!
ReplyDeleteWow - I love that concept of savvy! I don't know anyone who lives in a mobile home, either. I am popping right over to her website, and I am also putting this very fun, odd, entertaining sounding book on my list! Thanks, Bellezza.
ReplyDeleteMight I recommend painting a few constellations? Or the Morse Code alphabet? (Both ideas from Frank Gilbreth, the Cheaper-by-the-Dozen father. You'd like him, in the mood you're in.)
ReplyDeleteBut isn't that what books are about? Taking us out of our tight ass lives for a little while, to return appreciating new things and determined to make some changes.
my son's room is like her house! he is very artistic and we have allowed him to paint, write, etc on his walls in his room. It's pretty amazing really.
ReplyDeleteGreat comments.
ReplyDeleteI do live in a mobile home but I have not named the thing and there is no writing on the walls or paint on the ceiling.
Wow. I always thought I'd be a cool mother. When did I turn into such a monster?
I can remember my kids spray painting the outside of our garage in Alaska and writing with rocks in the paint on the car. I think that's when the monster stuff was born. I drummed it into their bums that you do your artwork on PAPER ONLY.
[...] Bellezza, the artistic one, called attention to Ploppy, Ingrid Law’s old home, which has writing on the walls. [...]
ReplyDeleteSandy, I'm big into order and organization, too, otherwise how could I be a tightass? ;) I didn't work anywhere near numbers, in fact I've tried to avoid them most of my life, but as I always tell my class, "A clean job site is a happy job site." Until it makes me feel very uncreative.
ReplyDeleteI guess we do what is most important to us, and I love the soothing feeling I get from a simple and clean environment.
Qugrainne, I think you would enjoy it as a read aloud to your class. Only, I'm not sure what grade you teach. Still, I think even big kids/adults would enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteNoel, we're just studying Marconi in Social Studies, and I'd love to put the Morse Code alphabet up in our classroom! What a fun idea! I remember reading Cheapter By The Dozen a dozen years ago. Times 4.
ReplyDeleteAnd, yes, that IS what books are for!
Sara, that's why your son will graduate from High School and mine may not. He needed some of that self expression, and I think it took me too long to let him get it out. What did your son put on his walls? I always wanted to paint Tolkein's Middle Earth maps on my son's, which I think he'd still probably like.
ReplyDeleteSally, you're like me. But, I guess we could let them paint the walls and ceilings now if we wanted. At least I'm entertaining the idea.
ReplyDelete