Unglamorous but ulcer-free

I'm back from a Canteenful trip to New York. Our first fundraiser, held in the ridiculously cool and weird apartment of Arnold and Pam Lehman, was a big success. Check out T magazine's video tour of their place.

I also had the chance to help teach at our new creative writing workshop for middle-school students. The kids were amazing—more on that another day.

For now, I'll leave you with these Fair and Honest Appraisals of My Appearance courtesy of The Bumbys, who provided party entertainment. For $2, they each look at you for about five seconds, then type out an index card (on an actual typewriter) that says something like this:

i feel that you're from a coastal area...
little things that upset most people
do not faze you...you will likely lead a long life
that is completely free from ulcers...
i feel that you smile when there is an awkward pause in the
conversation. luckily you have exceptionally
white teeth and fantastic oral hygiene habits.

—Gill Bumby

you look like a surfer chick or a snowboarder or
heck maybe even a telemarketer. if we went jogging
together, you would smoke me. your hair
is very luxurious and if you wore more glamorous
clothes you could totally rock the
flapper-girl finger waves
hippies can wear lipstick without sacrificing their morals

—Jill Bumby

For the record: I was wearing lipstick, and the one time I tried to surf was a serious failure. But I do floss regularly.