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Zick on Living on Earth! Yes, That Show on NPR!

Saturday, May 30, 2020

The meadow last evening. That's real. Surreal, even, but I was there seeing that light slamming across the grasstops.


Virtual. Virtual is a hard word for someone so grounded in the real, so connected to the minuscule and the larger happenings in nature. I am not a huge fan of virtual anything. However, I'm warming to the concept, mostly because I have to. If Zoom is the only way I'm going to get to see my family, I'll take it. We're all so far-flung that we're actually talking more now than before quarantine. Still, not getting to see my sisters and nieces and nephews when I was to have my May booktour in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Connecticut hurts. I miss them. I wanna see some of these sweet grand-nieces and nephews, too!!



I've left the left sidebar of my blog, where all the speaking engagements live, untouched. I know I should remove them, because none of them are happening now, but I'm superstitious about it. So there they sit, links and all, and I'm assuming everybody knows they won't and can't happen. That's bad practice, but there you go. I had a lot invested in that book tour. It was where I could introduce Jemima to everyone in person. I could sign books for people. I could shake their hands or give them a hug, as warranted. All that seems like a distant dream now. And, as has happened to so many others the world around, the spring income I'd counted on vanished like snow in May. We're all having to do some fancy footwork to compensate.

One event in my canceled book tour is still happening though, at 6:30 pm on June 1, 2020, and I'm over the moon about it! It's here: Living on Earth: Good Reads on Earth with Mass Audubon. Yes, that "Living on Earth," that you hear on National Public Radio! Woot! I feel very lucky!

Clicking that link will allow you to register in advance to get in on the Zoom videoconference between the wonderful radio host Bobby Bascomb and me. (You won't be on the screen, but Bobby and I will).  We'll talk about blue jays and Saving Jemima, and I know it's going to be a ton of fun. If you haven't Zoomed, it's easy; you just click a link and are admitted to the meeting. Zooming's just one of those skills we all have to pick up in the Age of Rapid Accomodation to Everything Being Upside Down. You'll have an opportunity to ask me questions, live, at the end of the interview, which should be fun for everyone.

Remember Jemima?? 

I did a Facebook post about the event last week, and the 100 spaces available for the webinar filled almost immediately! In response, Living on Earth increased the capacity to 5,000! Isn't that cool? It reminds me of one of my favorite things to hear when I travel to give a talk: the scrape and clang of more folding chairs coming out of the closet. It's virtual, but it's real in its own way.

It's a great honor to be part of this series. I've always loved listening to "Living on Earth," and now I get to be a part of the show. Won't you join us?  Click here!  Living on Earth: Good Reads on Earth with Mass Audubon

6 comments:

I'm THRILLED for you! May the rest of the first edition of Saving Jemima FLY out of your storage!

Wonderful! I will look forward to this .
I’m so lucky and happy I was able to attend the Ding Darling /Sanibel Island part of your book tour before all the cancels happened...A memorable weekend .

I am sad that the chance to see you in person in MA was taken away, but am very much looking forward to Monday night. Virtual is better than nothing!

I zoomed for the first time. Of course I had to remove a bunch of crap off my phone to make room for the app, but so worth seeing and hearing you talk about your book. I always wondered why I've never come across a bluejay nest when they are so abundant here in Ontario. Sneaky you say? Can't wait for my book to arrive. Renée(aviancanadian)

If only I had had myself together enough to see, absorb and understand this a few days back! I will go look to see if there's a podcast version I can hear. Wonderful that NPR was able to beef up the seats, too! I pass my copy of Saving Jemima (and your other books) everyday and feel lucky to virtually know you :)

@Jen, you can catch it at https://tinyurl.com/jemimareplay This link will take you to LOE's Facebook page, where it's archived. The first few minutes are dead air and a static screen, but then it kicks in. Hope you see this and are able to get there.

JZ

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