Hellloooo!

Just an update on my book event schedule. I've had a few additions I haven't had a chance to add to my website. You find me:

In New Jersey at--

Ridgewood Library on Thursday 4/28 at 4pm

Watchung Booksellsers in Montclair, Saturday 4/30 at 11am

Over the Moon Toys in Highland Park, Sunday 5/1 at 1pm

+++ four school events at area elementary and middle schools.

Get in touch with me if you have questions about any of the events. (you can also reach me at my website margaretcardillo.com) Come out of if you can! Pearls galore and little treats for the tots, plus a scarf-tying demo. And how useful is that?

More blog postings coming soon. One I'm particularly excited about--my edition of Kids Say the Darndest Things. I've got some doozies from my school events!

xo,

Margaret

Finding meaning behind March Madness

Well, I'm full swing into college basketball. Just as I had predicted. I know myself so well. And today I read this great little piece by a 14 year old that I thought was so poignant. Sharing it below.

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1z7WD9YCjDw0tep-yMrNtFsWF5Vsab5htXSB5QAr15VU

Grip it

Life is a basketball game. You cannot go through it without other people. The time gradually runs out, so take as many chances as you can and take advantage of the precious minutes. Do not rush or wish away the time. Sometimes you hit the right spot, and sometimes you don’t. Not every shot or every day is the best. A coach is someone you look up to in life. There is always someone to guide you and teach you new things. Always try your best. Work with others and share the ball. Share your glory, share your generosity, share your wisdom, share your humor, share. But also be greedy sometimes. Take shots; don’t constantly pass. Alone time and individuality is essential and vital. Use the losses, the air balls, the complete misses, and failures as ways to learn and be better next time. Bond. Take time to stop and simply reflect. Love, travel, laugh, study, learn, think. Compliment someone. Wear a uniform. Literally? No. But have your own number that stands out in the crowd. Be yourself. Have your own personality and build an identity. Face it, you can’t have someone else’s title or jersey number, so cherish your own. Grip the basketball firmly, and do the same with your life. Make sure you know what you want and how to ask for it. Jump high for the ball, jump and go over the top. Assist. Make passes, and help other people in life. Give more than you receive. Do at least one active un-bargaining service or duty each week. If others don’t recognize your deeds or humane actions, keep doing them anyway. Continue giving without receiving. Watching others’ glory can be hard, but the best thing to do is just cheer for them. Treat them how you would want to be treated; support. As the time diminishes, kick the switch up a notch, give in the fuel, and go for your dreams and goals before you regret anything.

By: Paris Anne Rosenthal, age 13

Stuff MY MOM says...

For my mom's birthday the other day, the family headed to the beach. Which, doesn't sound particular special, especially when you live about 2 miles from one. But, as most Floridians will attest, the closer you are, the less you go.

So, we're at the beach and my mom is reading a particularly horrid looking book....just one of those "she has a secret! but, poor girl, she's too scared to get close to anyone. and then she befriends an old woman. Nothing really happens, but still...It's the summer that will change both their lives FOR-EVER!" Boring for me, but something I imagine older ladies to gobble up like Twilight.

I took it out of her hands and examined it. "How do you like it?" I asked.

She turned to me, put her sunglasses down and said, "What do I think? I think they should sell a gun with it to put us out of our misery."

Looks like she'll be reading Twilight next.

It's official. I'm officially depressed there's no more football until August. I stumbled around on Monday, lost...wondering what I was going to do at 8pm. Luke (husband) is no help. He's worse than I am. Maybe I need a dog. Or a plant.

I know that soon, maybe not tonight. Maybe not tomorrow night. But soon I will get very very excited about college basketball. I can feel that it's coming. But it's a little like that feeling of getting one of your favorite band's new cds. You loved their last album. You listened to it every day, maybe even twice a day, and it made you feel magnificent and free, even if you were just driving to the grocery store. And then you go and you get their new cd (or you DOWNLOAD it, whatever, you know what I mean) and you're scared. Are you going to love it as much as you loved their last album? Will you even like it? What if you hate it? Can you even put it into the cd player? Yes, yes you can. Trust. Trust that you will love it. Trust that they will not disappoint.

Okay. So, maybe that analogy doesn't work as well as I thought it would at the beginning of my post. But the point is that, I'm going to trust that I will get back into college basketball and that I'll survive without football. Just like I'll keep loving The National with every album that comes out, because they're an awesome band, and that's the way it works.

Post-est with the mostest (oh yes I did!)

First post. Something I've been putting off but decided: hey, it's the stroke of midnight on January 25, 2011. Your very first published book is now officially on sale. And your oldest brother has turned 33, things are happening in the world. People are posting, kissing, eating, sleeping...why shouldn't I post?

Reasons I'm afraid to post:

1) I'll sound dumb

2) I'm afraid I'll run out of things to say

3) I'm afraid I'll say too much

But tonight feels like a good time to throw caution to the wind, to be three sheets to the wind, to get gone with the wind...whatever it takes. I'm happy to be here.