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Circle Time: The Show and Tell Weekly Thread

Welcome back to Show and Tell. 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. In fact, we hope you do go back to your blog and post your own Show and Tell item and then return with the link to your post. Details on how to participate are located at the bottom of this post.

Let’s begin.

Many of the books on our bookshelves are signed because we either know the author or have met the author or have been forced to attend very awkward social gatherings with authors either due to work or school. My favourite ones based on story alone (as in, the story about the signing vs. the book–though I love their books too) are Jasper Fforde, Norton Juster, David Malouf, Paul Muldoon and then the two I am going to show today: David Sedaris and Mark Leyner.


(Ignore the fact that I tucked this copy of the book between a lot of Israeli fiction. Also ignore the fact that I seem to own copious amounts of A.B.Yehoshua)

We went to hear David Sedaris read from Me Talk Pretty One Day back in 2000. It was when Josh and I were engaged but not yet married. After the reading, I wanted to get my book signed, but Josh felt awkward about waiting around to talk to David Sedaris. We actually had a question about Sedaris’s Baltimore reading the next day, but Josh felt shy asking it. So I busted up to the table after the crowd had cleared and asked the question for Josh.

I also asked him to sign my book and Sedaris asked me if I wanted anything specific beyond my name. I said, “can I choose anything?” And he said, “you can choose anything–I’ll write it.” So I said, “I want it to say, “to Melissa, the bravest woman in the world.” He scrawled it across the page and handed the book back to me. Then he asked for my book again and added two words and handed it back again. This is what it now said:


He said even if it wasn’t true, it made for a better story. And so it does.

The Mark Leyner reading was during college in Madison, Wisconsin at Canterbury’s bookstore. He mentioned during the reading that he had stolen something from the hotel he had stayed in prior to Madison and planned on giving it to someone during the reading. After the reading, I went to get two books signed. He was about to sign the first one without looking at me, but then suddenly looked up and startled. He reached into his bag and pulled out a shoe horn.

“I’m so glad you came up to have your book signed. I wasn’t sure if you had stuck around after the reading and I wanted to give this to you–the shoe horn I stole from the other hotel. I had noticed you in the second row.”

Hence my first book is signed:

Afterwards, my friend and I got coffee in the cafe and he joined us at our table for a few minutes. I still have the shoe horn.

What are you showing today?

Other People Standing at the Head of the Class:

  1. Bloorb This!
  2. Lee’s Things
  3. Worth it All
  4. Mixing it Up
  5. Fertilized
  6. The Problem with Hope
  7. Who Shot My Stork?
  8. Age 30 – A Year of Books
  9. Busted Babymaker
  10. The Sweet Life
  11. Imagine Alyzabeth An
  12. Flutter of Hope
  13. Of Love and Loss
  14. Life After Infertility and Loss
  15. Slaying, Blogging, Whatever…
  16. Kore Chronicles
  17. Churp, Churp
  18. Weebles Wobblog
  19. Creating Motherhood
  20. Lupus Pie
  21. The Road Less Travelled
  22. One Hardy Swimmer
  23. Punch Drunk
  24. Baby, Borneo, or Bust
  25. Living with the Cards I was Dealt

  26. Bee Bangbage
  27. Working on It
  28. The Life and Times of Me
  29. It is Written in the Stars Above
  30. Mommy Sparklykatt
  31. Spuddy Buddy
  32. The Making of a Family
  33. What Wuz I Saying?
  34. Relaxing Doesn’t Make Babies
  35. I’m a Smart One
  36. Hurry Up n Wait
  37. Stop the Train, I Wanna Get Off…
  38. Serenity Now!
  39. Fractured Rainbows
  40. I Won’t Fear Love
  41. The Only Constant is Change
  42. Fertile Ramblings
  43. The Therapist is In
  44. Who’s next? Anyone? Anyone? Don’t be shy–just bring your item to the front of the room. I may be a little slow on moving people into the post, but don’t worry–if you leave a comment with a link to your post, I will move it up during the day. Oh, and you’re not late at all unless you’re reading this Tuesday evening and then…well…yes, it is a bit late for this installment, but why don’t you hold off and post it next weekend and add it then?

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 Sunday (or earlier in the weekend or on Monday if you can’t do Sunday), 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.
  • Label your post “Show and Tell” each week and then come back here and add the permalink in the comments section below (make sure you don’t just comment that you participated: add a link to your blog in your comment so people can click over). I post a new Show and Tell post every Saturday night or Sunday. I usually move people up into the body of the post every few hours.
  • Oh, and then the point is that you click through all of your classmates and see what they are showing this week.
  • 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.

52 comments

1 Lee { 06.07.08 at 6:33 pm }

Mel, those are fabulous autographs and stories!! Thanks for sharing.

I’m new to the Show’n’Tell thing. Be gentle if I get it wrong.

http://leesvoice.blogspot.com/2008/06/drawing-day-2008.html

2 chicklet { 06.07.08 at 6:59 pm }

I love the surgically enhanced one, that alone makes me want to read him!

I’m at http://www.bloorb.com/2008/06/show-n-tellin-it.html

3 Joanna { 06.07.08 at 7:00 pm }

How cool. It’s so great to have something like that to look back fondly on. Thanks for sharing it.

Here’s my add for this week:

http://worth-it-all.blogspot.com/2008/06/show-and-tell-with-mel.html

4 My Reality { 06.07.08 at 8:03 pm }

So are the boobs surgically enhanced?

I decided to play along this week. I will never be able to figure out how to put the graphic on my blog, it took me forever just to add a picture!

Here is the link to my post:

http://mynewreality.wordpress.com/2008/06/07/show-and-tell/

5 Fertilized { 06.07.08 at 8:35 pm }

I love those autographed books!

Count me in again:

http://fertilizeme.blogspot.com/2008/06/show-and-tell-3.html

6 Jess { 06.07.08 at 9:00 pm }

http://virtualworldtourjess.blogspot.com/2008/06/mels-show-and-tellits-80s-night-oh-what.html

I did it this week!!

And could you let me know how I can make the show and tell icon centered on my blog? When I try to add the center tags is screws it up. :p

Your autographs are TOO COOL.

7 Io { 06.07.08 at 10:50 pm }

I love David S. Now if you could get some hot Dave Eggers signature action, I will be so jealous my head will explode.

I’m showing and telling!

8 Heather Johnson { 06.07.08 at 10:50 pm }

Here’s the link to my Show and Tell for this week. Can’t wait to see what the rest of the class has got!

9 Busted { 06.07.08 at 11:57 pm }

My show and tell is up!

10 Vee { 06.08.08 at 12:24 am }

That is a great story! I love autographed books. I have few of my friends children’s books signed by her she is an illustrator. It makes them so much more special.

Here is my link
http://sweetvee.blogspot.com/2008/06/
show-and-tell-moosh.html

11 Alyson & Ford { 06.08.08 at 5:03 am }

Great show & tell. We love having books signed and I am doing that for my new daughter’s book collection when ever possible.

We are “in” again this week. Please add us!

http://alyzabethan.blogspot.com/2008/06/3-word-sunday-to-do-lists.html

Alyson LID 01/27/06 (IA China)

12 That Chick Over There { 06.08.08 at 5:35 am }

I only have a couple of books autographed by the authors, and I hold on to them like they are freaking gold.

Your collection is awesome!

13 Delenn { 06.08.08 at 7:05 am }
14 Robyn { 06.08.08 at 7:18 am }

I’m pea green with envy. And the autograph is the icing on the cake. I’m with chicklet – makes me want to go right out and get reading.

I’m putting my hand up for Show and Tell again this week. You can find it at http://www.korechronicles.wordpress.com

15 Lauren { 06.08.08 at 7:48 am }

Here’s mine

Thanks for sharing your books!

16 Cricket { 06.08.08 at 8:24 am }

Mel, you have the most incredibly creative ideas. I wish I had half your energy level!

Here’s mine with Pile o’.

http://cricketchurping.blogspot.com/2008/06/show-and-tell-pile-o.html

17 Lori { 06.08.08 at 8:42 am }

http://weebleswobblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/show-tell-these-boots-were-made-for.html

Those are great stories. You do have a way of getting noticed, don’t you? I mean, for a shy wallflower.

18 Dianne/Flutter { 06.08.08 at 8:48 am }

Mel, I love the books and the inscriptions! I laughed out loud. Love it!

So here is my first attempt 🙂

http://flutterofhope.blogspot.com/2008/06/show-and-tell.html

Oh by the way, my work computer doesn’t allow me to answer my yahoo account. It’s tomorrow. 🙂

19 Lee { 06.08.08 at 9:34 am }

Realized I forgot a backlink to this post in mine. All fixed now. Apologies.

20 JuliaS { 06.08.08 at 12:34 pm }

Got my show and tell up now and off to view the others. :0) This is my favorite part of the weekend!

Life After Infertility and Loss

21 calliope { 06.08.08 at 12:36 pm }

those are AWESOME!! so so priceless. I have a napkin signed by one of my favorite actors that says, “Great TITS!” (TITS, of course is what we called our theatre workshops- “Theatre in the square”) but sometimes I don’t tell people that bit…heh.

Today is my first show & tell. I think I did more telling than showing, but here is the link:
http://creatingmotherhood.com/2008/06/08/sunday-is-show-and-tell/

22 DC { 06.08.08 at 1:25 pm }

LOVE the custom autographs! Great story!

My Show and Tell for this week is about my honeymoon:

http://lupuspie.blogspot.com/2008/06/show-and-tell.html

Please check it out! 🙂

23 loribeth { 06.08.08 at 3:14 pm }
24 Trace { 06.08.08 at 4:41 pm }

Pretty neat!

I thought I’d give this show and tell stuff a try.

http://1hardyswimmer.blogspot.com/2008/06/show-tell.html

25 DD { 06.08.08 at 5:24 pm }

I don’t know if Late is necessarily Better than Never, but here it is:

Show and Tell: Dough Trough

26 Caba { 06.08.08 at 6:13 pm }

Love it! And I love that David Sedaris book! It’s one of my favorite reads … I’ve read it a million times, and I can’t help but still laugh every time. I want to get his new one that just came out.

27 Tracy { 06.08.08 at 6:48 pm }

I LOVE both of those stories! Fantastic…fun…thanks for sharing.

28 JuliaS { 06.08.08 at 6:53 pm }

Mel – your show and tell is great! I have to admit I thought at first “Mel is surgically enhanced??” And had you envisioned as some sort of bionic blogger . .. :0) Those are great inscriptions. (And you also got me thinking on next week’s s&t – thanks!)

29 Queenie. . . { 06.08.08 at 7:06 pm }

I’m in. Or, I will be shortly, when I finish my post. I’m a little late to class this week.

30 wanttobeamom { 06.08.08 at 7:33 pm }

He. He. I love the book signing stories!

I have a Show ‘n Tell this week.

http://cardsdealt.blogspot.com/

Thanks for doing this! It’s fun!

31 Katt { 06.08.08 at 7:52 pm }

Loved reading about those autographs!

Here’s my somewhat pathetic show and tell for the week. Yummy though!

http://sparklykatt.blogspot.com/2008/06/show-and-tell_08.html

32 donna { 06.08.08 at 7:58 pm }

Wow! That’s so cool. I think books are treasures and to have one autographed is really cool.

Here’s my entry

33 MamaSoon { 06.08.08 at 8:03 pm }

I’m also new to the Show and Tell. This is fun. I love the autograph coming alive. I’ve referenced a Show and Tell here.

You have such a way of uniting people. It is a gift.

34 Sarah Barah { 06.08.08 at 9:38 pm }

I have only a few autographed books. What treasures you’ve got!

Here’s my entry for the week.

35 Kim { 06.08.08 at 9:57 pm }

What a great show and tell! I love the stories! Here is mine –

http://whatwuzisaying.blogspot.com/2008/06/show-and-tell-2.html

36 annacyclopedia { 06.08.08 at 10:11 pm }

This week’s Show and Tell is over at my new location: http://annacyclopediaisworkingonit.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/show-and-tell-3/

And I am just dying of jealousy over your amazing David Sedaris story. How awesome! I adore him even more now after hearing that story. Well done, you brave surgically enhanced woman, you!

37 Natalie { 06.08.08 at 10:23 pm }

I’ve decided to join in this week.

http://lunardreams.net/baby/?p=1164

38 Kymberli { 06.08.08 at 11:02 pm }

It’s late, but here’s my entry.

I’d like to see a pic of the shoehorn.

39 Sam { 06.09.08 at 2:06 am }
40 astral { 06.09.08 at 6:26 am }

What a great opportunity to meet the author and I love that you chose what he wrote.
Here’s my show and tell:
http://itiswritteninthestars.blogspot.com/2008/06/this-picture-was-taken-because-of-how.html

41 momofonefornow { 06.09.08 at 10:16 am }

better late than never. I was going to post yesterday but we lost power for 6 hours again. I finally just went to bed.

42 Anita { 06.09.08 at 9:39 am }

I’m back with my item for the class Mel! My goal this week is to comment on each and every one of the Show and Tells.

Here’s my link 🙂
http://hurryupnwait.ca/?p=103

43 PiquantMolly { 06.09.08 at 10:25 am }

Wait, you went to college in Madison? We need to chat.

44 serenity { 06.09.08 at 10:37 am }
45 Arian { 06.09.08 at 1:21 pm }

Here’s mine! I love reading everyone’s show and tells!

http://fracturedrainbows.blogspot.com/2008/06/show-and-tell.html

46 kate { 06.09.08 at 2:43 pm }

David Sedaris is MAGIC. He even made me appreciate my mother-in-law (http://theonlybeeinyourbonnet.blogspot.com/2008/05/how-i-learned-to-tolerate-my-mother-in.html). I’ve heard him speak twice, and would go again in a heartbeat. I haven’t gotten his newest book yet, but I will be going to the bookstore this weekend to do exactly that.

Thanks for sharing!

47 Julia { 06.09.08 at 2:51 pm }

I am late, but I am here. And I have a doctor’s… erm, electrician’s note for why I am late. Here: http://wontfearlove.blogspot.com/2008/06/show-and-tell-better-late-edition.html

The surgically enhanced is hilarious. And I am a bit jealous of that story and all the other ones you insinuate having. I love Sederis, mostly from This American Life. His sister is on too sometimes, and she is pretty funny too.

48 VA Blondie { 06.09.08 at 6:04 pm }

I want to play,too. I have finally posted my show and tell!

http://vablondie.blogspot.com/

49 JamieD { 06.09.08 at 8:40 pm }

That is the best – not only an autograph but a great story to boot!

I love David Sedaris and would LOVE to hear him read from Me Talk Pretty One Day!!

50 Kristin (kekis) { 06.09.08 at 10:48 pm }

Love Sedaris & love Show & Tell! Please count me in – http://www.fertileramblings.blogspot.com.

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