Hi Pam--

I've been reading your site since the squishy days and I always enjoy your writing. Sometimes I feel like I'm eavesdropping, but I love to read about your Hollywood adventures. It can be so easy to stay in the "safe" job, on the easy path. But I love that you wanted to write for a living and you made the choice to do all the hard stuff it takes to make that happen. You've been brave, and I think that's cool.

The fact that you occasionally use pamie.com (always for good; never for evil) to urge your readers to activism is even cooler. Yes, I'm seeing Fahrenheit 9/11 this weekend. Yes, I have sent some books to the San Diego Public Library. Here's a summary of my little contribution to the Youth Services Department at the Vista branch:

*Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry -- because it was on their list; it's a Newberry Medal-winner about race

*Speak -- even though it wasn't on their list, because I love it and think everyone should read it

*And Then It Rained: And Then the Sun Came Out -- because it's written by Crescent Dragonwagon, who, in addition to having a great name, wrote a great cookbook called Passionate Vegetarian

*Huevos verdes con jamon -- because I couldn't resist Green Eggs and Ham in Spanish

Thanks for filling pamie.com with laughter, pondering, and good causes.

laurie

P.S. I don't have a website of my own, but I'd love it if you could link to my friend Jackie's site. She's the coolest person I know and her journal is filled with thoughtful writing on activism, writing, and motherhood. She's my hero.