Forget School Supplies and Think Nora Ephron

“Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.” --Nora Ephron

Whew!  When I read that quote, I immediately felt better about my neck, myself, my silly attraction to school supplies and my previous lengthy post titled "School Supplies."  After seeing the quote on a quest for something else (can't remember what now), I thought I would just edit that post, include the justifying quote, and then be on to something else.

Well, let's forget the editing of that post and just go on to something else...like Nora Ephron.  Too bad there will be no more of her books and commentaries.  I've read a lot of her work and still laugh and think about her quirky wisdom and advice.  And yes, I do feel bad about my neck as most women of a certain age do, but I am glad about a woman such as Nora Ephron. 

Not being able to spontaneously recite interesting or famous lines from books, movies, or even songs, I turned to Google, always the smartest thing in the room.  (The husband is not here right now.)

I typed in "Nora Ephron quotes" and was successfully greeted by so many funny, thoughtful lines.  I simply could not quit reading them, laughing and pondering them all.  I won't copy and paste them all here; you can find them and enjoy them next time you're online.  You will probably agree that an essay, or blog post, could be written on any one of them.

But the following lines of a dialogue in Ephron's movie/play, Heartburn, really spoke to me.  I guess it's because I always seem to have a story.  My niece used to grab the camcorder when I arrived at family gatherings, ask me something, and then start recording away.   (Hmmm.  I better find out what she did with those!)  Anyway, maybe this is why I turn things into stories.  How about you?

“Vera said: “Why do you feel you have to turn everything into a story?”
So I told her why.
Because if I tell the story, I control the version.
Because if I tell the story, I can make you laugh, and I would rather have you laugh at me than feel sorry for me.
Because if I tell the story, it doesn't hurt as much.
Because if I tell the story, I can get on with it.”