Wednesday, January 19, 2011

An Ode to the Treat in my Mailbox

Yesterday was one of those crazy, milestone, everyone-said-it-would-never-happen days. 

I went to my mailbox and guess what I found?

Evidence that someone in this universe is actually paying me for my words. For all the if's, and's and but's. And double for the that's.

Here's a picture of the check:
Let's zoom in and get a closer look:
p.s. Anyone who can get the hidden references in here gets bonus blog points, to be used as blog dollars on bonus blog day, which is the same date as the date on the check.
There was a time not long ago (Okay, it was September 15th) when I would've given away my book for free.

I think e.e. cummings said it best in his poem "Little Check"

LITTLE check
little silent Advanced Check
you are so pretty
you are more like a love letter

 

who found you in the mailbox
and were you very sorry to leave New York?

Oh how I waited
but you were very fast!

see i will comfort you
because you smell so sweetly
i will kiss you
and hug you safe and tight
just as your mother would,
only don't be afraid 
 look the words
that sleep all the year in a dark computer
dreaming of being taken out and allowed to shine,


I’ll hang you in the window
for everyone to see

and how they'll stare!
oh but you'll be very proud
and my little hubby and i will take hands
and looking up at our beautiful check
we'll dance and sing
“If I was a sculptor, but then again, no”

I'm off to go waste my money on cheap caffeine and a buttload of cinnamon bears.

Drinks are on the house! (Not my house... I can't afford it. If's, and's and but's have flooded the market recently, causing a rash of foreclosures.)

added: Seriously, anyone catch the references on the check? Anyone?

24 comments:

  1. Congrats Brodi! Yum, cinnamon bears.

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  2. New iPhone for Brodi? And I love that poem from e. e. cummings, he's definitely the best. :)

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  3. Heather- ee is the best. And why do you think I need a new iPhone? The cover keeps all the cracked parts from falling out just fine. And a new one won't have the same crunch.

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  4. I could say you just massacred one of my favorite Cummings poems - the Little Tree. But you were so very clever and discreet about it, I can only say, hot dang! You deserve every penny of that little check. And I'm so glad it came!! Go right ahead and hang it in the window for all to see! Loved seeing you last night Brod.

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  5. Cath- This poem is my absolute favorite poem of any poems, and I do feel a little bad about messing with it. When things like that happen, I just walk away from my computer and pretend it isn't there.

    So good to see you too! We need to do it more.

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  6. You have the answer to Life, the Universe and Everything? In the form of a check? You're so cool!

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  7. And the answer is... 42! Yay Jenilyn, the new trivia king!

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  8. I am so happy--all is well--now you can rub two nickels together! One beautiful, bright spot in dreary January.

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  9. Eden- How did YOU know the check was for two nickels? Oh, wait. You weren't being literal, were you.

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  10. I know that the LTUE=42 is from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. It has to do with the ultimate answer to the ultimate question (which no one knows). I'm not sure if there are any other references.

    Whoever sent you this check is very clever and thoughtful! How fun to receive something like this in the mail!

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  11. Jenni- The check sender is indeed very thoughtful and very clever. Good job on the HGG reference.

    Now, there's one more little bit of trivia. Anyone?

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  12. Hmm, I don't seem to remember the subject of that poem being a check, but my memory may just be a little fuzzy. Congrats on the payment! Do you know Abel Magwitch personally or through a friend?

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  13. Yay Lulabell! Magwitch - the mysterious benefactor of young Pip - is one of my favorite characters in literature.

    You win the blog bonus buck!

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  14. Sadly, I've come too late to win blog bonus bucks. Oh, the things I could have purchased!

    I actually read LTUE and thought of the BYU conference next month--are you going? I'm volunteering! Yay!

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  15. That is a very cool check! I am definitely liking it....and your rendition of the poem. :)

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  16. Robin- Don't worry! There will be more chances to win blog bonus bucks in the very near future.

    I'm not sure yet if I'm going to the LTUE conference. I totally forgot about it! Now to check my schedule...

    Kristin- Thanks! I have a feeling e.e. cummings fans are not very happy with me at the moment. I am ashamed.

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  17. I did get the LTUE thing, because I actually read that book. But I must say, not sure I got the book itself. Which isn't to say I didn't love it because I did. Congrats! I can't wait to read that book of yours!

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  18. O, to get paid for work! I'm so glad it happened to you, Brodi.

    Me, I got to BE the answer to LTUE last year for a day during a triathlon (ha, ha, don't ask, I barely lived) because 42 happened to be my age, and they wrote my age really huge in permanent marker on my calf, so that any twenty-year-olds would feel humiliated if I beat them. Which I didn't.

    Didn't scrub my leg for three days, though. I LIKED being the answer to everything. Alas, all things must pass...it wore off.

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  19. Suey- I know, isn't Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy crazy? And awesome?

    Elena- I'm jealous! I've always wanted to be the answer to Life, the Universe and Everything! Unfortunately I'm only the answer to Dishes, the Laundry and Every speck of dust.

    And that answer is: 35.

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  20. Yes! I won a blog buck! Now, what exactly is the exchange rate between blog bucks and regular bucks?

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  21. Sweet! So are you taking me to NY with you?

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  22. Lulabell- Blog bucks are non-transferable. (I don't make the rules).

    Amy- Of course! I'm taking everyone to New York!

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  23. NOTHING better than a ck., in the mail, then in the bank--enjoy those bears and caffiene!!!!!!

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