Interview with Jancee Dunn

Here’s a link to my interview with Jancee Dunn
We have so much in common. She’s from Jersey. I’m from Long Island. Both home to big hair in the 80’s. Both home to rock persona’s and great bar bands.
She writes for Rolling Stone I read it. The person I call Noah used to write poetry in Rolling Stone Unlike me he’s a good poet, but and I will say this to his face I might be as good a writer. Gave writing up because when I was about nineteen he told me that I was a better writer than he was Doubt he remembers. Would never want to make him feel guilty as he’s a truly good person. He claims to read this blog. Sure. Do know he’s proud.
We were kids. Cooper has Melanie videos. He loved Melanie and Donovan, me not so much. We had a life size cut-up of Donovan. I wasn’t sure if we had an apartment or a record store.
But enough about…

Jancee was from the land of shag carpets. So was I. Now I’m in the Shag Capital, North Myrtle Beach and this is Shag week. People come from all over to listen to music and dance. They begin early in the morning and go to late at night.

Jancee was a VJ for MTV1. I watched MTV. My dad starred in a commercial for MTV that I will get out of video and onto DVD and in here. It was a pretty famous commercial at the time–regular people who watch MTV. I knew every person in the series and there wasn’t anything regular about any of them.

Jancee met Mick. My dad devoted too much time to making sure that I never met him, or any Stone. It was his sacred duty as a good father, and he took those responsibilities seriously

When I write dialogue with my dad I can hear his voice. His dialogue practically writes itself. I used to number his lectures:
Just give me 2081.
And he would.
He was a very successful CPA and was used to people listening to him. Only the three women in his life, the people most important to him didn’t.

Jancee is very close to her family. Her father lectures also, but they don’t seem to have the same bite. Both our fathers seemed befuddled by the modern world.

Jancee takes her mother along on interviews. My mother would have loved that. My parents were in China in 1979. Issac Stern was staying at the same hotel. The Chinese people revered him.

Bob Hope was also staying at the hotel. The Chinese people probably thought my father was more famous, god knows why, but people always assumed he was. My mother befriended him. Bob Hope I mean. She couldn’t stand his humor or his politics.
But Pia, he seemed so lonely. I felt so sorry for him. Somebody had to recognize him and tell him how important and well known he was.

Jancee’s mother could make friends with anybody. So could my mother. It’s a gift that embarrassed me at times. I thought of her as part of a huge mother network. It felt as if anybody had a mother mine would meet them. And tell them about her wonderful daughters.
I don’t want to brag. Their children don’t visit them or call them everyday. They might be___(fill in super success in any field) but you’re mensches.

It’s good when ones mother thinks she’s a really good person.

God knows, if there is one, I’m not a religious person. Neither was my mother. But I will always be thankful that the Jewish holidays came early in 2001. They were the last time I saw her.

This is the first year I can be rational about her and 9/11 and all that. I won’t be writing about 9/11 anymore. It’s too political.

I will be writing mother stories. Like Jancee I lucked out in the parent department. Like Jancee my parents knew that I thought so.

Reading Jancee’s book and then doing the interview with her made me think good stories about my parents.

Good books do that to me. They immerse me in their world and then make me think.

I so enjoyed reading a memoir where the parents weren’t dysfunctional. It helped me focus on my book more. I thank Jancee for that.

I’m all in a tither because I will only be here for two weeks more then have to go home. My niece Jacquelin is turning thirteen today. Her Bat Mitzvah will be in early November. I have to help my sister.

I have to prep and sell my apartment, see doctors, get my hair done constantly. Work on my book. Real life things. Blogging, unless you’re blogging, to make money, isn’t real life. It’s a luxury that I can’t really afford.
MizzyB, one of the all time blogging originals and greats, can tell you about that.

If I’m disassociating myself it’s not because I don’t love pure blogging but because I have to. Read Cooper on impure blogging. Her posts continue to amaze.

Writing is the only thing I have ever really wanted to do. This blog has helped me realize that the dream can be a reality. I’m putting the discipline I once put into blogging into writing.

If people understand, I thank you–and Chandira must thank you a lot. Ask her how she ended up in America. It’s a great love story and I’m a sucker for them.

Doug you were the first to believe. Bone you were a close second–well after Cooper–and I’m so glad that 3WW has been taking off. Knowing how decisive you are…..

The Wombat might be young but in youth there is brilliance and truth. Sort of like great wine but….

I’m hoping that when I get home things will fall into place. Life seems so complicated and then becomes so easy. And if I tell myself that enough…

I don’t stumble, twitter, blogalog, digit etc. When all that began to become popular I realized my kind of blogging had seen its day. I continued to blog my way and will continue to because I do believe that good writing has a place in the blogosphere and it’s not up to other people to tell one how to blog, why she should blog, and how she should blog.

I should add that I have an entire category on 9/11. Most people who read my blog know my feelings and my personal experiences.

Until we as a nation are willing to discuss how 9/11 changed a city, and are ready to discuss what type of services will be available for all people affected, in case of another attack, I can’t talk about it anymore.

For my own sanity I want to write on more fun subjects. For now I’m personally burnt regarding all issues.