When I was in second grade I went to a small private school. My parents weren’t always into the details of the activities that were going on, so I often missed things like, “Dress Like a Pioneer Day” and “Bring an Ethnic Dish to Share Day”. There was also this one time I missed the part where I was supposed to give an oral report on an historical figure. I’d chosen Clara Barton because I thought her name was cool and the drawing of her on the cover of the easy-reader biography in the school’s library was pretty. I didn’t open the book, though, until right before it was time to give my report; I had it hidden under my desk while other kids gave their presentations, desperately trying to find out information on this Clara Barton person before my turn. Micah (who came from one of those families where the mom makes quilts and cookies from scratch and stuff, and who grew up and married my dear friend Jen) even had a chart or something, I’m sure, and probably gigantic pictures glued to pieces of foam board or whatever to illustrate his report, but me? Nope. No foam board. No charts. No dot-matrix printed notes. Nothing.

The night before, I had remembered the report was due, and that my book was still in the classroom. I called my grandparents to see if they had anything to help me, and my grandfather dug something out of a history book and read aloud the handful of sentences he found on Clara Barton. I was like, “That’s it?” and he was like, “That’s it.” so I wrote down what he said and hoped it would be enough.

Back to the class room: there I was, stomach sinking, heart pounding, hair everywhere because I hadn’t discovered hair gel yet, armed only with a few notes scratched on paper, some information about her early life from the book hidden under my desk (it hadn’t occurred to me to SKIP TO THE END to get to the important stuff), and the sentences from my grandpa that I knew I couldn’t repeat verbatim because that was a kind of cheating called “plagiarism”, which we had just learned about.

“Amber!” said the teacher brightly, “You’re next!”

I trudged to the front of the class room.

The report was a disaster, of course; I stumbled through it, making things up for a while, and then I trailed off and shrugged, and just stood there while everyone looked at me.

“She founded…?” my teacher prompted.

I shook my head.

“…the…Red…?”

“The Red…” I sniffed.

“The Red…uhhh…” A tear rolled down my cheek.

“The…Red…er…I don’t know.” My tiny shoulders slumped, and I felt like a total loser; a feeling I can remember like it was last week.

Clara Barton founded the Red Cross; it was her biggest achievement by far, and I had forgotten it in my report.

I hadn’t thought about all this in years, but it was on my mind when I went to bed last night, and disrupted my sleep. With the move(s) going on, Hey Brooklyn has gotten shoved around a bit, and I had only scratched the surface of preparing for today’s noon interview (normally I write the questions a few days prior, let them “marinate”, and then come back and edit to final the evening before). It was fine; they were great guys and I’m pleased with how it turned out, but the behind-the-scenes of it all was rougher than usual.

I’ve never actually had a bad interview, and I don’t have a reason to believe I ever will; I have a strict “Awesome People Only” policy, and having an awesome interview subject is 98% of the battle.

Still, every time I sit down behind the mic to do an interview, there’s always part of me that flicks to “worried about ‘Clara Barton moments’”, and I get the faintest hint of that “oh! shit!” feeling. Then, of course, I crack open my notes, and rock it out, and it’s great. But I guess I’ll never really grow up in that way.

At least now I have better hair.

I left with plenty of time to get to my appointment today but I went to 8th Avenue, not 8th Street. With fifteen minutes to spare, I drove the few miles to the proper address and arrived at 3:04. Ok. Not bad. I dropped off my gear and dashed off to park, thinking it would take me no time at all.

I ended up driving about ten miles in a three-block radius. After about fifty swear words, several angst-filled poundings on the steering wheel, and a handful of prayers to gods I don’t actually believe in, I found a spot and arrived back at 3:45. This was a new personal low of mine, and I was ashamed. Also, we are nearly out of gas, and I’ve gnawed off several fingernails.

My interview went well; I get to meet the most interesting people and today was no exception. Lotta offered me water, I accepted, and it came sparkling, in a glass, with a lime. Classy! Note to self: buy limes and put them in guests’ drinks. It shows thoughtfulness.

Her newest book comes out today, and I flipped through it while we were interviewing. The projects really do seem simple, and there are several patterns included with the book. There are things to make for toddlers, too, including bibs, rattles, crib bumpers and quilts.

Order here

When the Brooklyn Flea had it’s opening weekend, I noticed that a lot of vendors had done special items for the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens 2009 Sakura Cherry Blossom Festival. There were cherry blossom tee shirts and pink cupcakes and things like that. Jane, from Foxy & Winston, made a Cherry Blossom print, and I admired it while I shopped her booth (and chatted with her Mum, who is the loveliest lady ever). I didn’t buy it, but I thought her Sakura print would be a good addition to Baby Art week, so when I went home I looked for it in her Etsy shop. It wasn’t there, so I asked about it the following week (and if you’re wondering now if I go to the Brooklyn Flea every Sunday, the answer is, “yeah, pretty much.” I know this makes me teh lame. You don’t have to send me with emails telling me so, certain people.)

She said it wasn’t up on Etsy yet but if I gave her my email address she would send me photos of it. I handed her my “Hey Brooklyn” business card and (because I am networky! and a savvy business lady!) and was all “Oh, by the way, I think you’d make an awesome guest for my podcast!” and she was all, “Oh! I’d love to be on your podcast!” and now I have an interview scheduled with her next week. So awesome. Anyway, this is the print. I think that it, too, would make a very pretty addition to a little girl’s nursery.

There are matching note cards, too!

Limited edition print, $15

This is the Kaiser Cartel’s song “Oh No”. The video makes me happy.

I interviewed them for Hey Brooklyn, and the show is up today. You can listen on the site, or on iTunes by typing in hey brooklyn.

Happy weekend.

I’ve noticed that medium-size life disappointments have a tendency to be mercifully bitter sweet, but this one… it’s just bitter. I am too sick to go see Heather Armstrong, one of my idols, as she kicks off her book tour in Manhattan tonight.  Also, this morning, I had to cancel a Hey Brooklyn interview with a husband and wife duo who own a bakery and make, among other things, butterscotch brownies.  BUTTERSCOTCH!  BROWNIES!  I’m missing out on butterscotch brownies and Heather Armstrong.  This is officially the worst day in the world.  Ever.  Total.  Infinity.

photo from dooce.com

Yahoo! It’s up! Go listen! Most exciting birthday ever! This might even beat my 9th birthday, when the weather was so freakishly warm that my parents took me and Gus out for hot dogs on the beach to celebrate AND my 11th, better known as the blizzard of ’93, which I spent watching TV all day combined.

edit: err… um… guess I should have posted a link. HeyBrooklyn.com

This is a tiny bit old; it took me a while to figure out the editing. In case you are all, wtf? I was on my stomach in bed at one in the morning. That should explain a few things.

I’m launching a podcast! I’ve mentioned it before; it’s called “Hey Brooklyn” and in it I’ll be interviewing the owners of small, creative businesses in Brooklyn. I’ll be photographing them in their workspaces, too, and you’ll be able to listen to the show on the website and download it on iTunes. The website is up now, but looks nothing like the finished project will be. I have my slave darling husband working on that now.

I contacted Sarah Miller, one half of the design firm Miller/Cormier and writer of the fascinating typography-centric blog oatmeal&cinnamon and asked her to design a logo for me. I told her I wanted it “doodely” and fun, but from there she could just rock it out with her own unique style. She did, and I love it and JUST WAIT until you to see it! You’ll love it, too.

The podcast will be launched on March 13 which is the first day of SXSW Interactive, and, much more importantly, the anniversary of the day that I was launched into the world myself. It seemed fitting.

Happy weekend!

photo by me