The other day while Dante was being interviewed for his meet and greet an idea was born when the question: if you were a crayon what color would you be? The idea was to write a letter to Crayola posing as a second grader in hopes to get free crayons. Literally, we died laughing and so did customers as they got in on what in the world we were doing! I ended up going home that night and picking up my book (Letters From a Nut) reading a few entries which was filled of ridiculously funny letters to companies asking or telling them about something, in which was hard for me to put down but is where I got my idea for today.
Both Dante and I wrote thank you letters saying how we appreciated something. Dante ended up writing Little Debbie Snack Cakes saying he was in 3rd grade and loved their Zebra Cakes along with Nutty Bars! He asked questions such as: How many snacks do they make in a day, when did Little Debbie get on the box and would they ever think about bring back the PB&J oatmeal cookies. He even closed out the letter with a hand drawn picture of himself and telling the company they were smart to put a pretty girl on the box.
As for me, I ended up writing my Art/Cooking teacher from grade school, for I had known her since I was 12. She watched me grow up and saw everything from my wild and crazy side to the deep in art and peaceful centered self. In school, I had a roller coaster of a time as most kids do, but she was always there guiding me, challenging me and pushing my creative. I believe that when you find someone who does these things that they deserve to be told that they not only helped shape us but we have become better because them. So, I wanted to let her know how important she was to me. The thing is, I wanted to tell her years ago when I was still in college but with me, never being in my home state or her, no longer working at the school I attended, I had no real way of letting her know. She was unlisted from the phonebook, didn’t have e-mail and when trying to find ways to get in touch with her I was only lead to dead ends. Until out of the blue, I made a trip home and went to visit the Warhol Portrait Exhibit, to my surprise after 5 years I ran right smack dab into her. Surrounded in a room full of silk screens and silver factory balloons, I hugged her like I had just ran into Warhol himself. I wanted to know how she was doing and what she was up to as a game of 101 questions came to mind. I was given a short amount of time with her in which we shared a good hardy laugh and I told her how I’ve wanted the chance to say how much of a saving grace she had been for me and that when I couldn’t think of creative ideas I would always take myself back to the little art cottage that I had grown to know so well in my youth. The thing that stuck with me the most though, was when I asked her “Out of all days, what made you come to the exhibit today?!” She said “It’s funny, I came to try and find inspiration and look, I ran into you.” I had come to look at prints that I studied in art history classes and looked at in books, I was on the edge of my seat thinking “WOW, I’m going to get to see Warhol up close and personal” Yet, when I saw her, I couldn’t have given two shits, the fact that it happened, made for the greatest gallery showing’s I’ve ever experienced. Now, being several weeks later, I finally made myself sit down and write her, reiterating the fact that she was and is so very special.
I love writing letters, I love sending mail. I like letting people know that they are important. I feel that if you wish to say something to someone why not do it, for we only live once and we may only have one opportunity to tell them. I never thought I would get the chance to say what I wanted to, to her but because of a serendipitous moment I got my chance. Who knows if I will get to stay in touch with her or how things will play out but in my head I had wished that if I could have told anyone how much they influenced me and made me feel like I could do something amazing with my life, it was her. So don’t be so afraid to put yourself out there and share you feeling because at least you get to say you put them out there and you did what you wanted. You won’t look back and wonder... what if you get to say I did it and it was (insert adjective)!
Today:
Song: Zero 7 - The Pageant of the Bizarre
Quote of the day: “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
Fav food consumed today: Baja Chicken Soup
Craving: Key Lime Pie
Drinking: Water
Random fact: Receiving mail makes me feel special! When I get a magazine, letter or package I can’t wait to open it! As a kid, my Grandma Belle use to send me a kids news paper with word searches and games along with a letter filling me in and telling me she loved me... so maybe it's old school but it's the best school to be in!
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