on the way to the grocery store

Walking up the stairs from the subway (I walk the stairs for exercise) something shiny caught my eye:


So, I stop to see:

And get a closer look:

A nice message for the day!

final fish?

Long-time readers of my blog posts may remember when I was tormented by fish (from this post and this post)--images of fish seemed to swimming in my subconscious, popping up at me randomly and incessantly, as if reminding me that I needed to make a fish book. I thought I had exorcised them when I wrote Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, where a goldfish's voice is finally heard. That, I thought, would be the end of my bizarre fish sightings.

But I was wrong. Today, in the mail, I received this mysterious package:
Strangely, it seemed to be for to one and from myself (but I didn't send it, at least I don't think I did).

Inside is a small white box that contains a....


What?

Yes, it's some kind of fish pin--a real fish encased in resin, then made into a pin.

Accompanying this box is a card that is addressed to "Megan" from "Judith." I don't know a Megan (spelled this way) or a Judith. And who is Andrew? A husband? Son? Boyfriend?



Very curious! Very mysterious! It's like a beginning of a novel! Perhaps it is some sort of sign, a message that there are more fish wanting to be set free from my subconscious. That another fish book is in my destiny.

Or that I just opened Megan's birthday gift from Judith. Sorry, Megan!

go fish

Just wanted to let you know I am still being tormented by fish. Even though I am at a loss of what all these fish want from me, they continue to invade my presence. You'd think while I'm biking, I would be safe(because you know how much a fish needs a bicycle). But witness this recent photo of me, taken just a mere five days ago. See anything fishy?



Fish, fish, fish...there's a caldecott somewhere in there. Or a trip to the psychiatrist.

grace and the giant...

Recently, I've been rereading one of my favorite children's books James and the Giant Peach. Since then, I've had many a giant fruit sighting. Perhaps something is calling me to write...

Grace and the Giant Orange? Don't like that? How about...

Grace and the Giant Strawberry?

Too bad I wasn't able to get a photo of the giant pineapple.

tormented by the subconscious

Recently, I have been obsessed by goldfish. For some inexplicable reason, I am drawn to them. I feed them at the lake:



I spend too much money buying decorative paper with goldfish motifs:



And I eat goldfish crackers as if I'm starving:



Usually, this means there is a story idea brewing. The last time this happened was when origami animals seemed to envelop me. They kept appearing and reappearing (even though I couldn’t fold a paper crane to save my life) until I finally gave them their own book in “Lissy’s Friends.”



So now, obviously, there must be goldfish swimming in my subconscious that are demanding to be set free. Of course, I don’t know how to do this. Any ideas? Do you guys ever suffer the torment of an idea wanting to be formed?