The New York Times Sunday Style Section Made Me Cry

While it is true I have not lived in The City for many years, I will always identify myself as a New Yorker.

I was born here. I'm a native.

Sunday I was quoted in my hometown paper. And I cried. A totally unexpected reaction. It took me utterly by surprise. Who cries about being in the Sunday "Style" section of the New York Times?!

Me. I do.

You see, when my Great Aunt Vera, whom I loved dearly, was alive she had been a well-known fashion designer. When I was little, there were quite a few 1970's weekends where my father would open up to the "Style" section of The Times and say "Look Devra, here's a fashion sketch drawn by Aunt Vera." Did I have much knowledge of what it meant for my Aunt Vera's pen and ink sketch to be featured in the New York Times? No. I just knew I felt proud to have an aunt who got to have her drawings in the newspaper and I sometimes dreamed of having my own drawings in the paper too.

Last week, as Kara Jesella interviewed me, I didn't think to ask her which section of The Times would carry her article.

Saturday night I found out the article would be running in the "Style" section of the Sunday edition.

Then it hit me. My appearance in the "Style" section is my Great Aunt Vera signalling she is proud of me. I feel happy tears roll down my cheeks and-borrowing a cleaned up version of a phrase from this guy- I am smiling like a madwoman.

BlogHer Bound!

We're going to BlogHer tomorrow! Devra will be presenting a case study for the media training session. The faciliated by two top notch media experts,The Sarcastic Journalist and Don't Gel Too Soon.

Aviva and Devra can also be found at the BlogHer Yahoo Internet Cafe and Bookstore on Friday July 27 from 12:00-12:30 PM. Come by and visit us. We know it's right before lunch, so if you want to stop by, pick up a book (or bring one you already own) and have us sign it we promise to write freakishly fast!

CNN, YouTube, Presidential Debates: Go forth and question and critique the candidates about issues pertaining to parenting and beyond.

If over 7,000 people have watched me as "Crawfish Et Toupe" on YouTube...

...And over 10,000 have watched Aviva on YouTube singing back up in a choir for
Hazel Miller.




Now it's your turn...

CNN is bringing the presidential primary debates to YouTube. Questions have been submitted by citizen journalists across the blogosphere. This is awesome because how many of us have yelled at our TV "Why are you asking questions that take longer to ask than answer? I want to hear the candidates address..." (I do hope I am not the only one out there who thinks the questions are often way too long and meandering. Bueller? Anyone? Anyone?)

There will be a live YouTube feed on Monday, July 23rd from 7-9PM EST.
The Democratic debate from the Citadel in Charleston, S.C.

Don't worry about missing it because there will be a re-feed of video portions by topic and you can send in a video critique of your very own.

Then the next live YouTube feed will be The Republican debate Monday, Sept 17, from 7 to 9 p.m. (ET) in Florida. If you want to submit a question or a video critique, or you need more information about the CNN YouTube Presidential Debates go here.

If you send in a question or video critique,let us know so we can subscribe to you on YouTube. Wearing a crustacean costume and choir robe is optional.