I suck.

I know it. Whatever, get over it.

SO - The Texas Book Festival was fun. HUGE, but fun. I read together with James McWilliams, who shares JC's maiden name (well, it's not his maiden name, obviously....) He wrote a book called A Revolution in Eating, about how food shaped early America. He's awfully entertaining, and can actually speak extemporaneously, something I cannot to AT ALL. I felt a little uncomfortable reading in the Capitol Extension Building, so close to Rick Perry, so I pick a pretty clean passage to read. Though I guess if the governor says Mofo, I can say fuck, right? And it was a great crowd, only partially packed with family, and I met tried-and-true blog reader Mary and new-and-welcome blog reader Trailing Buffalo. And all was well.

Then I went home. I love Austin, but I was very, very glad to come home.

Robert is the best dog ever.

Night before last I did a reading with Amanda Hesser at the KGB Bar in the east village. I'm such a terrible New Yorker that I've never been to the KGB Bar before, though Eric has. It was great fun. A very young cool crowd - hip, but not too, you know, like real people. And everyone bought me gimlets. And I got to see "Sally", and "Heathcliff," and Stephanie, and Lisa&Konrad&babyMax, who's this baby like you wouldn't fucking believe. He's a cartoon baby. He's the baby to end all babies.

And Amanda really is tiny. And she really is cute. And we went out to eat after, at some pasta place called Frank's, and it was nice, though I made the mistake of getting the special ravioli, and you know how when you're with real food people you always feel like you got the wrong thing? Well, that's how I felt.

And that's my week so far. Except that also, I had lunch with a very famous Hollywood person. Not a movie star, more of a other-side-of-the-camera type. Which was creepy, but good. The caramel fondue helped.