ASSIGNMENTS:
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Annie Grossman
Brooklyn, New York USA
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REPORTS:
PREVIOUS NEXT
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My stepfather, Ralph:
Annie doesn't take sugar in her coffee, drinks it with milk like her mom each morning. She doesn't wear much makeup so I don't imagine she is in front of the mirror much, worrying about her pretty face. She may spend some time walking around in a white terry robe, holds her little cat, showers in her little bathroom and clicks on her little air conditioner. I think she must not spend a lot of time fussing about her outfit, her choices being direct and stylish. Annie spends some time on her email before going out, unless she is working, writing, reading, researching. She spends time talking to her mom, they are very close, it is a day to day relationship which I'm sure she is happy about. She might take her funky bicycle a few blocks across Brooklyn to buy something domestic or edible. She'll take the subway into Manhattan to hook up with a friend for lunch, it could be a hole-in-the-wall or it could be the Four Seasons. She will rub elbows with the rich and famous and not so famous in the course of a day (she is plugged in). She asks and listens and forgets nothing. She takes and makes calls on her call phone, but is not obnoxious about it. She is prompt to meetings and even calls me from time to time just to say Hi which is always a highlight of my day. Interviews, reviews. She makes a plan for some upcoming trip. She eats out a lot I think. She visits Beatrice who is nearly blind, brings her something nice, brings her niece and nephew to visit sometimes. Annie goes to shows of all kinds. New York girl, she has friends of all colors and shapes and affectations, increasing that cadre daily as she pursues her writing career. She is out there every day on the streets and in the offices and at the events of New York City, making a life for herself.
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My great aunt, Beatrice:
I think you do a lot of interesting things. You write. You garden. But first thing, I guess you get up. You have breakfast. If it s a Wednesday, you come and have breakfast with me in my apartment. Otherwise, you eat whatever you find in your refrigerator. It s kind of a potluck breakfast. Then you don t do the dishes right away. You leave them for a while in the sink. Then you go buy a paper. Or maybe it s delivered. I think it s delivered. You scan it. You make mental notes about different things you read. Then you do the dishes, because it annoys you if they sit there for too long. You don t have coffee, because making it is too much effort. Then, after that, you don t do very much. You make some telephone calls to friends. Then you have lunch. You eat whatever you can prepare without a lot of effort. Maybe peanut butter and jelly. After lunch, you work at your desk. You write. Sometimes you do it by hand, sometimes at the computer it depends on your mood. You write about whatever you ve been commissioned to write about that day. Then, you make more calls. You spend a lot of time on the phone. Then you have dinner. You go out. You go alone if you have no one else to go with. You just go somewhere in your neighborhood. You spend as little money as you can get away with. Then you watch TV. Then you call it a night.
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My mom, Vicki:
Annie's average weekday always starts with her not particularly wanting to get out of bed....there is an awareness of awakeness and then a roll -over. Then a little petting,cuddling, kissing time with Sylvia, the wonderful cat. Perhaps put up some water for coffee during a slow shuffle to the bathroom. After Annie will get cozily dressed as she no longer has to go to an office..but note!: she doesn't work in her pjs. Then on to breakfast..homemade yogurt with or without berries or granola or such...or a visit to the local coffee house..by foot or a spin on the funky orange/green bike. Then maybe a yoga class to refine her gracefulness. After that work out, back home to plant a few marigolds in the window box to complement the view of the landlord s laundry hanging across the path. Pat Sylvia. IM mom...enough procrastinating...work on the next book chapter. IM Rebecca. Spar with her book writing partner over latest chapter. Call Teri. Go to the deli for some take out lunch and stop at the hardware store to flirt with the young salesman and buy something to fix something that needs fixing. Back home. E-mail from editor who had given her freelance assignment.... that submitted story needs more work. Grrrrrr. (will get to that later) finish the chapter...e-mail mom to see what she thinks about the new chapter. Get on that edit. OOPs! Gotta go. Will be late for pottery... train to Manhattan to go to pottery. Break handle on pitcher, but like glaze that happened on bowl. Working on a new little vase that is coming nicely. Leaves and meets her friend Dan for a drink somewhere downtown. Together they take train together back to Bklyn. Hug goodbye...Annie walks carefully home from the subway through nighttime streets, vigilant but casually, keys at the ready and visions of Model Mugging techniques in her head. Open the door...Meow, meow reciprocated with a kiss...throw off the clothes, brush the teeth, get on the pjs and get into bed to read a little bit. Lights off, smile in head, life is good......
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