Dido Dido Didion

My Pets,

I was going to tell you to read Joan Didion's marvelous memoir "The Year of Magical Thinking," the clearest, most truthful assessment of that most painful of life experiences--losing a loved one. What makes the book even more wrenching is its chronicling daughter Quitanna's illness, which we the reader, unlike Joan at that point, know she too will lose. I am telling you, girls, this book gives me new respect for Joan, whose oeuvre I could take or leave. A little Joan always went a LONG way with me, and this book at 227 pgs is a little Joan, but it is succinct and richly textured in ways some of her other works are not.

But then so much has happened--the death of Kitty Carlisle--the end of an era, darlings!--I guess it is going to be up to me to keep the doyennes of New York City society going--a cancer scare from my doctor (I don't believe it!); let me tell you, darlings no one is getting my "Wizard of Oz" or "Song of Bernadette" DVDs just yet; the shootings in Virginia which only demonstrates America's propensity for refusing to learn any cultural lesssons taught it; wasn't Columbine enough, already?; my friend Tom's sensational act at NYC's Standup Comedy Club last night, and a future gig by the woman of my dreams, the legendary Arna Zucker, in Rhode Island on May 12. Darlings, how much more can I stand? When I said 2007 was going to be a year of drama, I was not kidding. And this from a drama queen too!

Not to mention, girls, the autobiography of my role model, Rue McClannahan,
"My First Five Husbands, And The Ones Who Got Away." Rue starts breezily off with "This book is about my life and experience and anyone who does not like it can jolly well lump it!" You tell them, Rue!

Sweeties I just don't know. World events are whirling faster than Courtney Love on speed that I just can't keep up. I need a man to hold me. I need Mel....I mean Ted. Stay tuned for future postings on my fabulous and dramatic life, plus I promise shortly to start posting my fiction.

Love you all, darlings!