Show and Tell is wasted on elementary schoolers. Join several dozen bloggers weekly to show off an item, tell a story, and get the attention of the class. In other words, this is Show and Tell 2.0. Everyone is welcome to join, even if you have never posted before and just found out about Show and Tell for the first time today. So yank out a photo of the worst bridesmaid's dress you ever wore and tell us the story; show off the homemade soup you cooked last night; or tell us all about the scarf you made for your first knitting project. Details on how to participate are located at the bottom of this post.Let's begin.
You will be learning this week about the tantrum from hell in reverse order, from aftermath to the bowl of spaetzles that ignited the 18-hour tantrum (intriguing, no? I mean, how could a bowl of German noodles do that much damage?). After calm descended, Josh and I went out to dinner to celebrate the release of the book, Navigating the Land of If, and then swung by the bookstore to see if it was on shelves.
We stopped at Barnes and Noble and went up the escalator towards the fertility section. My heart was pushing itself up towards my ears, thumping and thumping until Josh triumphantly yanked it from the shelf and handed it to me. I promptly burst into tears and an employee reshelving books walked past to ask us (not noticing the fact that I am wailing in the aisle) if the stack of books resting nearby were ours. We told him no and then stood staring at the cover for a long time.
Josh snapped a few pictures of my tear-stained, blotchy face and then gave me a long hug. The man returned and said, "I know the others weren't yours, but are you planning on buying that book?" Josh said, "we're not buying it, only because my wife wrote it." The employee was delighted and asked what it was about, and upon seeing the title said, "aaah, I will not be reading that book. We do not have any problems with fertility. I have four kids."And while you may believe that was the best thing said in the aisle (because who doesn't enjoy having others remind them that they are normal whereas you are a little mess of ill-functioning ovaries and clotty blood), the man continued to tell me that I was the second author he had ever met. Which seemed a little strange since he works in a bookstore that holds readings, but he told me the only other author was Ronald Rood, who wrote the saucily named How do You Spank a Porcupine and Animals Nobody Loves. He met Mr. Rood at the age of four when he saved him by pulling him out of a lake.
At that point, the man pretended that he was going to jump from the second story fertility section into the escalator bank below and told me to save him, and what I wanted to tell him was that I had considered that very act during the ten days I was on Reglan but had reconsidered realizing that two stories was not enough distance to do the proper amount of damage and purchased the Time Traveler's Wife that night instead. After we all shared a nervous, uncomfortable laugh, we realized that my coupon was actually for Borders and decided to head a mile down the road to the other bookstore.
We found my book again in the fertility section and had another brief cry.
After we went book shopping and used my coupon, we headed out to a fake French cafe--by which I mean that it calls itself French and employs people who speak French, but there is nothing really French about it so it reminds one of the scene in Better Off Dead--for cake and coffee after learning that the diner nearby uses caffeinated root beer in their root beer floats.
What are you showing today?
Click here or scroll down to the bottom of this post if this is your first time joining along (hint: link to the permalink for the post, not the main url for your blog and use your blog's name, not your name). The list is open from now until late Tuesday night and a new one is posted every week.
Other People Standing at the Head of the Class:
Want to bring something to Show and Tell?
- If you would like to join circle time and show something to the class, simply post each Saturday night (or earlier in the week or on Monday if you can't do the weekend), hopefully including a picture if possible, and telling us about your item. It can be anything--a photo from a trip, a picture of the dress you bought this week, a random image from an old yearbook showing a person you miss. It doesn't need to contain a picture if you can't get a picture--you can simply tell a story about a single item. The list opens every Saturday night and closes on Tuesday night.
- You must mention Show and Tell and include a link back to this post in your post so people can find the rest of the class. This spreads new readership around through the list. This is now required.
- Label your post "Show and Tell" each week and then come back here and add the permalink for the post via the Mr. Linky feature (not your blog's main url--use the permalink for your specific Show and Tell post).
- Oh, and then the point is that you click through all of your classmates and see what they are showing this week. And everyone loves a good "ooooh" and "aaaah" and to be queen (or king) of the playground for five minutes so leave them a comment if you can.
- Did you post a link and now it's missing?: I reserve the right to delete any links that are not leading to a Show and Tell post or are the blogging equivalent of a spitball.
- If you want it...
I've now placed a Show and Tell archive on the sidebar that will be updated each week in case you miss it. And click here for the icon code if you wish to have it for your blog. It links to the archives.
46 comments:
Mel,
I just want to say CONGRATULATIONS and that had to be one of the best moments for you seeing your book on that shelf!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for everything you do in this IF community.
You are the BEST!!!
It's so much more real on the shelves!
Someone in my family who's written several books likes to go to bookstores and ask to sign the copies they have on hand. Autographed books (complete with little sticker that says they're autographed) tend to sell better than regular copies, so bookstores are happy to oblige.
But one time, a bookstore made him show ID. Because someone had come to the store and pretended to be an author, but was in fact just a crazy guy.
My point being, you are the real author, not some crazy lady.
Hooray for you!!!
That is just SO awesome! I'm so happy for you. I can only imagine how awesome that must have felt!
Mel, I am sooooo happy for you!
What a wonderful feeling it must be. A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS !
How exciting! Congratulations!
Blech, sorry you had to hear that nice little stab at the old ovaries from the worker.
Congrats, yet again!!!
Congrats my dear strawberry friend. You never fail to inspire and impress me. As absurd as it sounds I am so very proud of you.
Much much love.
That is SO COOL!! I would be taking pictures too! Glad you went to dinner to celebrate.
I've been looking but haven't found it yet here (or received my copy yet from Amazon.ca, argh!).
I cried when I found it too.
That is so cool! That had to be the greatest feeling! Thank you for everything! You are one amazing woman!
My only meek form of comparison is opening a book in a bookstore to find myself in a footnote. This must be like that, times about a million. I'm so insanely proud of you, and honored to know you.
"French fries... French bread... French dressing..."
Love you - congratulations - doing a happy dance!!!
Congratulations...for TWO reasons! 1. for the book - all your hard work finally paid off!!!
2. 50 Show and Tells, that is so fantastic.
All the best for everything that you do....God bless!!!
LOLOL@the fake French!!
Congratulations and thank you for all you do. Aside from the employee it must have been an awsome moment.
That must be so very cool to go into a bookstore--and see YOUR book! Congratulations!
What an amazing experience to have. I can't even imagine what that must be like, to see my own book on the shelf of a bookstore. Wow for you, and wow for all of us that you give so much to us, all the time.
That's absolutely amazing! What vindication for all of the hard work you have put in to making this space in the blogosphere and allowing people a place to turn to for advice and frienship. The book is absolutely amazing and everythign I so wish I had 6 years ago when i really needed something to read to help me understand IF and all it entailed. Now I am so thankful to have your book to refer people who come to me looking for advice- I will immediately tell them, the first thing you need to do is read this awesome book by Melissa Ford.
CONGRATULATIONS!!! That is so, so exciting, and as soon as I am off bedrest and have the opportunity to visit a bookstore the first thing I'm doing is checking to make sure they have your book. It will be the first time I'll have seen a book in a bookstore written by someone I "know".
I'm ecstatic for you!!!!!! What a classic infertility experience with that dolt of a clerk.
I tried to nab myself a copy too..but my Borders didn't have it yet. I've got it on order...hoping it gets here soon!
Enjoy the fruits of your labor!!!!
Eve
Congratulations on the book!!!! You're so awesome in all that you do for us. Thank you!
-Mary (aka Meepit)
(P.S. you've probably noticed that my link is at the bottom twice. I realized that I'd put my main blog link in instead of the post's permalink so I put that in again. My humblest apologies.)
What a wonderful moment! I am giddy for you.
And what an odd little man to be employed at B&N. Oh, well. I guess he has to work somewhere.
Mel - I'm late for class. Just here to drop off my work and run!!! Literally - out the door - but WILL be back to really read and respond to your big news!!!
I'm reading it - it rocks - you rock...XXX
I can only imagine what that moment was like for you Mel. Congratulations!
That is a WONDERFUL show and tell!!!
And I am LOVING the book. I wish I'd had it a year ago.
I can't help but think how different (better) things would have been for me had this book been around during my IF times.
And then, how much better you have made the world for people who have yet to visit the Land of IF.
Congratulations Mel!!!!!
I'm back and that was a the best Show and Tell ever.
No splotchy shots uploaded, huh??
I have to say your husband is real gem - and the guy in the isle...well, not a carnavour of books, obviously.
Congrats again!
OMG!!! I was just over at Amazon, and they have only ONE copy of your book left. You have SOLD OUT AMAZON!!!!
Congratulations (and no worries. . .it says they'll have more in soon).
Your book is IN THE STORE! GAH!
This is SO cool, to know that the book is actually out there on the bookshelf. Just think about how many (more) people you are helping, all around the world.
Congratulations!!!
Congratulations, HIGH Five and A Big Booty Shake!! Your smile on reaching for your book is beautiful, brings tears to my eyes, I kid you not.
MAZEL TOV!!
Yay! That's awesome. Congratulations.
Huge congrats sweetie. You are a real rock star in the ALI community and I want to thank you for everything you have brought to my life.
It's so very cool that your book is on shelves! With other authors! You're an author!!!!!
What a beautiful sight. Thanks for sharing the pictures with us. I teared (? tore? what is the past tense of tear?) up upon seing the book on the internet! I can only imagine what you must be feeling!
Mazel tov again!
(My copy is on it's way. Can't wait to get my grubby hands on it.)
A big congratulations to you, Mel!
I went to my Barnes and Noble here today to find the book...alas, they did not have it, but I placed my order! In 4 days, I'll be reading it from cover to cover...can't wait!
Congrats, again! :)
I can't imagine how amazing a moment that must have been for you. Congrats!
You are really quite an amazing lady and I'm so proud for you!! :)
That's beautiful Mel. Hoorah
How surreal it must be to see a book you wrote on the shelf.
Congratulations!
I just wanna say a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS!!
I'm new around here and its clear your a key stone for this comunity.
Totally awsome and thank you!
Congratulations! I'm going to go to the book store here in town this week and see if it;s there. If it is, I'll take pictures. If not, I will DEMAND they get it NOW! ;o)
Belated Congrats!!
I remember finding your posts on ivillage asking for people to share their experiences, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back when. The CL of the clomid/ovulation induction board there had a negative, not rational reaction ... rejecting the notion that a book could 'educate' her relatives and friends. She basically poured cold water on your post ... if she only knew who she was dumping on. I think she also reported you for violation of iv terms of service and the post was removed, preventing people who didn't catch your links from finding their way to your miraculous blog. Thank goodness I'd bookmarked it.
Best wishes! Go Mel!
Cheers,
D.
Congratulations. What a great post and such a fantastic moment.
I can't imagine what an 18 hour tantrum looks like.
i'm an idiot. i did it wrong! please feel free to delete my link! LOL
(will work on my show and tell post and then do it properly). :)
thanks!
dawn
http://www.blondedawn.com
That is just so cool. Congratulations on such a BIG THING!!!!
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