Welcome to How I Got Here, Part Deux

“I wonder what I should read next,” I wondered aloud at work one day. Stephanie, from the cubicle across from me, said, “I know exactly what you’re going to read next.” The very next day she handed me four paperbacks with odd titles about hobbits and rings and towers and things.

“I’ve actually been meaning to read these for a while,” I said. “I even started The Hobbit in sixth grade, but I never finished it.” For some odd reason I was told it was “too advanced” for me. (Never mind that a ten year old Rayner Unwin didn’t have a problem with it.)

I ripped through Bilbo’s adventures in no time and was eager to begin on the first book of the trilogy Ed: Hey, it’s NOT a trilogy. It’s a single novel published in three volumes for post-war economic reasons. But a funny thing happened to me on the way to Rivendell. I got a bit lost. First, I couldn’t figure out where Bilbo went. He turned eleventy-one, then vanished. And we’re left with Frodo? Are you kidding? Bilbo’s the hero. What kind of sequel is this?

A few chapters into it, I found myself in Austria on business. I decided to start over, in a clear frame of mind and away from it all. My second start was much better. The story gripped me exactly the way it did millions before me. I remember not being able to put it down until I knew if Strider, Legolas, and Gimli would catch that band of orcs heading to Isengard. I was simply stunned to find out Gandalf the Beige was actually Luke’s father. And who didn’t cry at the end when Aragorn finally defeated Oz and married Professor Trelawney?

In all seriousness, though, I took to (what’s since come to be known as) The Books like a duck in water. I’ve read them once a year since then with no plans to stop any time soon.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves now.

Next in the series: The first book I wrote.

In the meantime, watch this.

HIGH isn’t high. It’s an acronym for How I Got Here. In place of telling the planet how much I weigh this week, I thought I’d branch out a bit and give an extended, multi-part “About Me” series of posts.

(Besides: I created that custom “summer vacation” graphic at the top of this page for a reason. And I’ve only used it once so far! And, out of curiosity, has anyone actually noticed that banner graphic changes based on the post’s category?)

When you come to a blog, it’s easy to forget you’re probably just looking at one tiny slice of someone. And it’s probably safe to say it’s not even the most important slice. (I’m probably wrong, but it at least gets me through the day clinging to the hope that there’s more to some people’s lives than regularly posting pictures of celebrities in bathing suits.)

Now I’m not a writer, but I play one on the internet. And since it’s still what I aspire to (yes, there’s more to my life than regularly posting funny weight and food stories) I thought I’d tell you How I Got Here.

Part 1

It was late 1991 and I was at over at a friend’s house. The movie 2001: A Space Odyssey was on. Near the end, as HAL was being systematically shut down, he spit out an odd bit of information. He told us he was activated on January 12, 1992. “Hey!” I exclaimed. “That’s only a couple months away. We should have a party!”

And so we did. On January 12, 1992 a bunch of friends got together for a HAL party. We watched both movies and ate little snacks in the shapes of Monoliths. (Okay, so we didn’t have monolithic stacks. But we should have.)

When the movies were over, the party’s host asked me if I’d read any of the books. I replied, “no” without even having to think, because frankly, I didn’t read at all. Not fiction, that is. Being a born and bred geek, all my reading tending toward learning and not for entertainment. He handed me the three-book series and I read them rather speedily.

“Wow, that was pretty cool!” I thought to myself after closing the last book. Then I wondered if there were other books out there in the world or if those were the only three. Well, you may all be shocked to learn this, but apparently there were more than three books to read. I know! Crazy, isn’t it?

Next in the series: The next four books.