doing it for the fat lady

Laura Boyce (laboyce@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu)
Wed, 16 Jul 1997 17:49:49 -0400 

Hello!  I am new to the list.  I am terribly happy to have found it. 
Now I can ask all of the questions I have ever wanted to about the
Glass's etc and get answers back!

Briefly (don't want to bore anyone):  discovered Catcher in the ninth
grade (although I can't remember when exactly - how bad is that?).  I
remember discovering Franny and Zooey though.  It's kind of up there
with "what were you doing when JFK was shot".  "Franny and Zooey" was
sitting in the locker of my friend Ari in ninth grade (I plug my friend
because we must thank those that give us great gifts - whether they mean
to or not).  The white cover with green printing called out to me. I
borrowed it; I was hooked.  

I must admit (possibly with trepidation) that my life has been heavily
influenced because of JDS's writings.  I have a B.A. in religious
studies.  (I wrote a paper on Vedanta of course).  I like to write
parenthetically (like Buddy in "Seymour an Introduction"), but maybe
that could also come from Stephen Wright (the comic) who joked (deadpan)
that he sometimes speaks in parentheses but no one can hear him.  I have
delved into haiku (remember Issa's - "O snail, climb Mt. Fuji, but
slowly slowly) because HE liked it.  Ring Lardner for the same reason. 
When I find that I can't do it anymore, I keep going for "the fat
lady".  Etc.  I think you must get the idea.  I have been influenced ( a
nice discussion of Oscar Wilde's response to how art cannot influence
one could follow from here, but it won't) to say the least. And I am
happy because of it.  

Being an only child with an only mom, I read alot to occupy myself. 
Authors I have enjoyed that weren't Salinger were:  Vonnegut, Thomas
Hardy, John Knowles, Flannery O'Conner, etc.

Hermann Hesse is another favorite of mine.  "Narcissus and Goldmund"
especially.  Okay, "Demian" too.

I have nothing to read at the moment and would love and appreciate
suggestions.  

Thanks for having me aboard.  I am excited to be a part of this.

P.S. Does anyone else where a large watch on their hand, too?