1. This is the week the weather changed. It’s cool in the mornings, not humid: the air doesn’t feel like a giant sponge you have to fight your way through, as it has since, well, May or so. Flip side of the cooler temps, though, is that EVERYONE is suddenly sick. My daughter came down with some bug last weekend, coughing and entirely stuffed up, and now my husband’s got it. I feel like everyone I see is clutching a tissue or sneezing. ICK! I’m already obsessive about hand sanitizer and hand washing, so I’m not sure what else I can do, other than eat kale constantly (antioxidants!) and stay a few feet back from, well, everyone. Which is somewhat harder to do when you have a drippy, affectionate preschooler who wants to sit in your lap, share your food and sneeze in your face. Wish me luck.
2. I’ve admitted a lot of embarrassing things on this blog. Three words come to mind: Honey Boo Boo. But the nice thing (or one nice thing) about the internet is that no matter what kind of embarrassing stuff you like, you can find someone else who is into it as well. Which is how I came to find out that I was, in fact, NOT the only person obsessed with the reality show Starting Over when it was on. 
Remember? They took all these women who needed to “work on their lives,” put them in a house and gave them life coaches and tasks and Time to Grow and Heal. It was cheesy and wonderful and then, after three or four seasons, gone. I’d forgotten my obsession with it until I saw one of the coaches, Iyanla, on GMA the other morning. And it all came back! So I tweeted about it, wondering if anyone ELSE remembered it, and sure enough, TONS of people did. Clearly, I am not the only one who wonders how the cast is doing today. Reunion special? Anyone? No? Maybe there’s a DVD somewhere….
3. Speaking of TV, the fall premiere season officially began this week. Being such a TV person (see above, Honey Boo Boo and Starting Over) it’s one of my favorite times of the year. So far, I’ve watched GO ON, with Matthew Perry, which I liked but was not fully in love with. Part of this, I think, is that like his last show, MR. SUNSHINE, the character he plays is sort of a jerk. I understand he does not want to be Chandler Bing anymore. It makes total sense. But he plays likeable SO well. I wish he’d give it another shot. I’m really loving THE NEW NORMAL, because it is cute and funny AND has a Real Housewife among the cast members (another embarrassing, but true, obsession of mine). But my favorite new show—or new to me, anyway—is The X Factor. I mean, it has Britney Spears. How can I NOT watch? I love her expressions, her glasses…everything. I used to be a big fan of Idol, back in the day—longtime blog readers I am sure remember—but I gave up on it when they ran all those really mean audition specials, making fun of people who really believed they could sing. The world is mean enough without me CHOOSING to tune in and see more of it. So far, I’m not seeing that on this show. Plus Demi Lovato! I mean, honestly. All I need is nice Matthew Perry and I wouldn’t require another show, ever.
4. I just went to the mall to look for some good fall shoes. But I swear, EVERYTHING is boots. Rain boots, cowboy boots, riding boots. Short boots, tall books, big boots, small boots. (Isn’t that a Dr. Seuss book?) They’re cute, but the bottom line is I am NOT a boot person. They don’t look good on me, especially the riding/tall kind. I think it’s my calves. I have issues. I DO have a pair of cowboy boots my husband gave me, and I do wear those sometimes, with jeans, but not on a daily basis. I need something OTHER than Danskos for daily wear, especially when I go up to NYC in a few weeks and have to walk around a lot. (I get blisters EVERY SINGLE TIME I go to New York, no matter how old and broken in my shoes are. I have learned to pack band-aids in bulk.) I keep thinking this boot trend will peter out and be replaced with something else, but so far, no luck. So if I’m wearing cute black pants, or cute jeans, and I DON’T want to go boots but do want to be dressy, what do I do? Jenny Han, are you reading this? HELP! (Yes, I know this is just about shoes. I told you: issues.)
5. In related news (kind of) I’m getting a new author photo taken next week. I love my current one, but it’s been four years since it was taken, so I think it’s time for an update. Plus, I was still rocking my post-baby double chin a bit in that one, and I THINK it’s gone now, although has been replaced by some divots on my forehead that I swear appeared the SECOND I turned 42. I know I should probably get my makeup professionally done, and hair blown out, but..what I’ll REALLY do is do the best I can with the stuff I just got at Sephora (love an excuse to go there) bust out the flatiron, and then head up to my friend Kristin’s studio and hope for the best. She took the last one, and understands I both 1) hate getting my picture taken and 2) do not photograph well. Now I just have to figure out what to wear. Black turtleneck? Oh, WAY too author-y. Flowery dress? Might be too much. Really, the best I can hope for is that I get a decent night’s sleep and have enough time for my face to NOT look like I’ve been hit with a frying pan, as it does most mornings when I get up. Yeah, I’m aiming low. A boot person would SO not do that.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Hi Sarah, there is always clogs to wear instead of boots! I love my Birkenstocks. Even though they are a little on the pricey side, they last for what seems forever and fit to your feet. I watched the X-factor premiere as well and I absolutely loved it. Good talent, bad talent and an awesome panel of judges.
Hi Sarah! If you’re not a boot person, then you can try a nice oxford; they’re dressy but casual, and if you get a soft, real leather one, you will never get a blister!
There’s also the new ‘slipper shoe’ style that’s really popular right now!
omg I used to love starting over, I forgot about it too!
I wear clogs all the time but I’m old
First time commenter – but as a runner and cyclist, I have to advocate for a product called Body Glide. It’s non-greasy, non-staining, non-icky, and comes in a deodorant style tube. Rub it on the blister-prone spots on your feet before you go out, and viola: no blisters, no mess. You can even buy it in little travel tubes to keep in your purse. And even if you buy a bigger version, it’s not liquid or gel, so it won’t cause any trouble at airport security. Wear those cute shoes in comfort!!
You should wear Chuck Taylors. They look cute with everything.
Black turtleneck? Flower dress? No, no, no. You need to channel your inner Danielle Steel for author pictures. There’s a woman who fully committed to a theme. Sailor outfit while at the captain’s wheel of a ship! Lounging in a chair in a polka dot dress that matches the curtains! Coordinated accessories with her dog. Think big, Sarah!
I love your current picture…it actually looks nice as compared to the “nice” aka wierdo photos some other authors get…eww..
As a lover of FNL, you really should be watching Parenthood too! Same writer as FNL so several of the FNL actors make appearances, and its just an awesome & funny/touching show!
Good luck with your new photo! I think you should wear your favorite outfit/something you feel really comfortable and good in (not your pajamas though.
haha). The rest will be a piece of cake! 
Hi, Sarah! I am a boot person, however, when not wearing boots, my favorite fall/winter shoes came from Born. They have a slight heel to them, but they are the most comfortable pair of shoes I own, I even went to an all day festival wearing these shoes and had no feet problems after. They have something for everyone, boots, casual, flats, heels. bornshoes.com
I’ve always thought you looked lovely in your author pictures, so I think you’ll be fine
Dear Sarah, I discovered Your books a few weeks ago, and I am enchanted by the way You are writing them. I would like also tell You that I came across Your name reading the interview with Richard Peck and it was Him who recommended Your writing. I admire His writing (You know the famous Grandma Dowdel !!!) so I felt obliged to make closer acquaintance with Your books. So far I have read “Just Listen”, “Along for the Ride” and “Lock and Key” (I read them in the Polish translation because I have not at this moment access to them in English, but I will for sure try to get them read in the English language.
Especially, I am impressed by “Just Listen” and Your sincerity and courage to put things just on the edge, like it is in the real life.
I would like to add that I am certainly not a teenager, but I love reading good books for children and young adult as I consider this kind of literature the most worth to read.
Additionally, I find Your blog very informative and spontaneous which I value the most.
With kindest regards and love,
Anna
I LOVE that for your author photos you don’t get your hair and makeup professionally done! It makes you seem really down to earth and humble and sweet, which is so nice and refreshing! And with books as AMAZING and PHENOMENAL as yours, it would be easy to have a big head. But you don’t, and that’s why you’re my favorite author ever.
I turn 45 in a few weeks. I told my children I would finally claim 30 a few years back. I used to wear heels and I miss them, but my feet can’t take the agonizing pain the next day. I love boots but I can’t wear them daily because I can’t afford to have 20 pairs. I agree with Amber, Born puts out a pretty comfortable shoe. I’ve also decided that I like comfort more than anything and have found Mary Jane’s are cute with most anything and they feel good. My favorite brands are: Merrill their Barefoot line and Taos. I hope your family is well soon, colds suck. I’m reading Dreamland right now and I love it. I only have a few more titles to go before I’ve finished your collection. It has been a fun ride traveling back to my youth. Thank you.
Ecco shoes are also very comfortable. Plus, to wear with cute jeans, there are so many nice flats (slipper shoe?) out there now, a definite must.
I was just reading your list and for number 1 you could take Airbourne. It’s a chewable tablet in different flavors that I take when I go on airplanes but they are great for preventing sickness. I think that will help you. I have not gotten sick the past few times I’ve flown because I’ve taken those and before it seemed like I always got a cold after flying. Good luck.
Hi,
I am not really a boot person either! I usually just wear my running shoes.
Your photo actually is a lot better than most author’s pictures.
You should wear something you feel comfortable in (but not your pajama’s).
The X Factor is awesome.
Hi,
I just gotta know, what is up with the guy always staring at him when he first enters the group 
I really like the show Go On; seeing Matthew Perry as a “jerk” is really funny to me.
Loved Starting Over and I am so in love with The New Normal, I watched the second episode three times, I just can’t get enough, ALREADY!!
Sarah, try some Sperry Top Siders for a fall shoe that’s casual with jeans. They’re super comfy and I’ve worn them on a trip to NYC before and had no issues! Hope that helps!