Latest / In Real Life With Holly B. / Connections, Coffee Shop Strangers, & a Letter to Cash and Sully: Day 2 of the 30-Day Challenge
Transcript
- Holly B.: everyone, welcome to In Real Life with Holly B. Day two. I made it to the second day of the 30-day podcast challenge. Although this podcast will hopefully go beyond day 30, at least I made it to day two, right? So that's an accomplishment in itself. I just finished recording a podcast episode with Alexa Big Wharf. She is the host of Alexa's Book Marketing and Publishing Chat Podcast. We had such a wonderful conversation. And I've been listening to her podcast for a very long time. I've also attended her Women in Publishing Summit, which happens in the spring. So coming up in just a few months. And we were talking about how to make those connections with people. And so this is this concept that I it's not new. It's as old as time, but. Because I feel like it's something important and that we need to talk about more, it seems to be sort of bubbling up in all these different scenarios. And if I can just help, one person make a connection, then it's not that it's my job, but my job is done. So we were talking about how to take your book from just being on a bookshelf to in the hands of different types of readers. And in my case, I have collaborated with different people. gone to yarn stores, I've gone to galleries, and they're carrying my book. We're doing different things with yarn, with I've had custom teas made. I could go on and on about that. But what I said to Alexa before we finish was that I really want to build on this idea. And that again is what this podcast is hoping to start. Start a conversation. I'm hoping that this conversation will begin for you with other people, perhaps, or you'll think of making connections in a different way. There is a coffee shop in town. It's one of the big franchises, of course. And I used to go frequently to sit there and write. It was something that just worked for me at that time. I don't really necessarily need to be at a coffee shop anymore. I'm happy being alone here in my shed to write. But every time I would go to that one particular location in the city, This older gentleman would come in. He would sit couple tables over. I had my, AirPods in. And of course, I am an observer of people. And so I would watch what he would do. And he would wait until someone sat down beside him. And immediately he would start chatting with them. In fact, one day he did the same to me. He sat down beside me, and I think he waited for an opening and he chatted me up. And of course I'll never turn anybody down for some great conversation. So, I pulled out my AirPods, and that was far more important than what I was doing on the computer. And we chatted. And I think that that gentleman was looking to make connections. Clearly, it was something that was already part of his life. He's part of that generation. But it wasn't the first time I saw him do that. He would do this over and over. And he probably does it daily. It's not a coffee shop that is near to where I live. But every time I went, He was there somehow. And it was lovely to have that conversation with him. And I watched him have the same types of conversation with all kinds of people. One time with I believe a father and his daughter, little young child. And it was just really quite beautiful to watch that exchange happen. Which brings me back to the book that I mentioned yesterday, Theo of Golden by Alan Levi. And I just finished the epilogue today. And it was fantastic to see those beautiful the book come full circle and you get that completion. So that is a book that where you will feel complete, you will have an epilogue. There's even an author's note where he narrates the author's note. It was beautiful. But that gentleman reminds me of Theo, who was going around throughout the cafe. Collecting these art pieces. I don't want to say much more than that. And that gentleman really reminded me of that connection that you can have, that you can create with people. We'll get into introvert, extrovert, ambivert later, but I just want to share that story with you. So, seeing as this is day two, I promised you my first letter would be from me to my boys, my fur boys, Cash and Sully. Yes, I'm still dealing with this cold. So Stick with me, all right? So a little reading here. Get your cup of coffee or your cup of tea and have a little listen. Try not to cry. No, actually, no, go ahead and cry. It's fine. I might cry. Cash, are you listening to this? Because this is for you. Dear Cash and Sully. If you could understand these words, I'd want you to know that I couldn't imagine the last 12 years without you. Mmm. That one hit. Cash. You came to me at a time when I was grieving my father's death, but we had also just lost chance, a rescue dog whose life was too short. I never experienced such a high energy dog, and your shenanigans were plenty. Remember during the first week when you jumped out of Zane's bedroom window like you were a superdog, not a broken bone or dimmed spirit. All you had to do was look at me with those dark brown eyes, and all was forgotten. I never once thought about giving you up. I do apologize for blaming you for all of those cushions and ripped blankets though. All those times I believed you were the instigator and it was Sally. Cash, we welcomed you in August twenty fifteen and what a ride it's been. Remember on day three, when your dog dad let you out of the room after work, I was still at work, he left to get supper, and you jumped out of Zane's second story window? I wonder what was going on through your mind. The neighbor saw it all happen and you just kept running. We hadn't even finished the adoption papers, and I had to call the shelter to let them know. Thank goodness you were fine. That was my first clue to what was to come for the next decade. We've been here for it all, and you don't realize how you've enriched my life, or maybe you do. You kept me moving, and walks were endless. Your energy reserve is bottomless, truly. I can't imagine you any other way. So, what did we do to manage your energy? Your high reactivity? We got another dog, of course. His given name was rugger, but it didn't match his soft exterior, his timid eyes. The shelter attendant chose him as a good candidate because in her words he was so broken. Aren't we all just our own version of broken? Gary came up with the name Sully and it fit your sweet personality. What you two have taught me is more than I ever imagined. Acceptance, stillness, and how to have fun with no goal. I try not to focus on the future and what amount of time we have left. Rather, I focus on how far I can throw that red ball as you cash, chase it and run it in the opposite direction while Sally watches from the sidelines. You've taught me both you've both taught me to be a better human. I woof you very much. So that is my very first letter from me to Cash and Sully. I also dedicated my first self-published novel to Cash and Sully. The novel is called North of Broken and Forever Home. it started out as auto fiction, but I recreated their rescue stories. So basically, I also recreated a family and now it is fiction. I gave Sully a voice. So that he could narrate his own version of the story. if you want to read more, well, you know, you can always pick up the the book. It's on Kindle. One day I'd love to have it in audio. I'd love to bring Sully's voice to life. And I hope you enjoyed that very first letter. There are twenty twenty-nine more to go. some will be letters, some will be anecdotes. Sad, happy. I'm here for all of it. And I realize how difficult it is sometimes to To talk about our pets and when they've lost they've left us. But I want to leave you with this. I believe the same. when when I lost chance, and I've lost many dogs over the span of my life, chance was my sole dog. I cried for days, and Gary cried for a few days as well. I there was no way I was never not going to get another dog. There it was just no question because the love that that dog gave me. It was unbelievable. And so how could I not want to experience that? Again, there's the tears. it's an experience. I hope everyone feels between humans and animals and life. I hope you have a love for life unlike no other. go hug your dog, go hug your cat, your turtle, your fish, your pig, your goat. Whatever it is. care for them deeply, accept them for who they are, and I will see you tomorrow. Thanks for hanging in there. Bye for now.