But I’ve also found it’s true in everything, particularly wherever and whenever I have to reach out into the world of STRANGERS to promote and request.

Today, I received an unbelievably silly (frankly utterly specious) email from someone liaison-ing with a rising New Age “Star” that was bizarrely, fundamentally, and patently false.  (Enough said, I want to spend less than 17 seconds on negativity).

And then a sponsor scheduled a meeting.

And I had several great client and prospective client calls.

And Sanjay in India did another change for me in record time on another part of my web-world.

And several great people rallied and endorsed my novel.

And several people I’ve never met sent me nice emails about how much they like this blog.

And Belle was –– of course –– utter perfection.

So while it is quite tempting to dwell on the fakery rather than the simple comforts of old-fashion, good neighborly behavior and basic human decency –– I’m going to concentrate on the results of the Numbers Game.

It turns out … The Good Guys are actually winning.

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I love Vistaprint but it is always a bit of a hassle when after you complete your order and start the Check Out process, they insist on making you go through what feels like a dozen pages of optional add-ons (keychains, hats, coffee mugs etc.) when you just want to order one thing.

I was, however, spellbound by the idea of ordering a notebook with a cover of my new book cover, so I did.  And here is is, a spiral bound notebook with my book cover on it:

It’s going to become my Book of Positive Aspects –– a phrase from Abraham-Hicks –– about my new book.

It’s all too easy to get so caught up in the marketing tasks that you suddenly feel like all you’re doing is trying to sell a White Elephant to the masses.

And then you get a wonderful emails from an awesome person like my friend Ann Brosnan in Holybourne, a village in Hampshire, England, who not only requests to read the novel, she then shoots you a second email back to say that she spent the whole afternoon and evening engrossed in the book and loved it.

IE, it’s easy to forget how much you actually love your own book and that, as SARK posted yesterday on The Face Place:

I’m so happy my Book of Positive Aspects about My Actual Book is going to be my chance to stay connected with all I love about this book (and I do love it), and not only that, looks uncannily like it.

Counting the seconds until Tuesday, UPS.  Counting…

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[And as an aside, I completely admit to having a Raul Esparza fascination/passion/obsession;  in fact, everyone should.]

Why that song?

Well, along with skyping non-stop to India –– Sanjay finished around 3 am his time –– for website adjustments, I’ve been texting and emailing close friends to simply give a five star rating or write a 2 line review for the novel on iTunes.

We’re in the pre-launch phase and having a significant number of likes and reviews is vital to … well, EVERYTHING.

And honestly, it takes literally 30 to 90 seconds.

You open up iTunes.

You search for my last name.

You find the novel, DOWNWARD DOG.

And then you rate and/or review.

[And P.S. PLEASE, if you're reading this, just shoot me an email and I will send you a FREE copy of the eBook so you can truly read it.  I would love that.]

[And P.P.S. –– I will ALWAYS remember you and ALWAYS be appreciative for an endorsement –– my recall of support is encyclopedic and meaningful.]

But seriously –– this costs nothing and takes 90 seconds.

It’s very … little.

I realized last night that my focus was off –– I was focused on the people who hadn’t responded to the request yet, rather than on those who had.

And yes it is true that I had to force Adrian to rank me on itunes while at a wine bar, only because the handsome hipster model-bartender got involved and was like “Dude, it takes under a minute.  And while you’re at it, would you also vote for my Mom on Edible Something or Other.”  [Which of course I did immediately.]

Probably the delay is because it seems so little and easy, and therefore feels trivial (while in my mind it’s very “Life or Death!” ala Rachel Zoe’s “Everything Is On The Line!”)

But I too easily brushed over both Philip and Daniel emailing me yesterday asking me what they could do to help the cause.

Or the vast enthusiasm I’ve gotten from Adrian for the website revisions (check out the home page slider is you want to be Wowed.)

Or that 9 dear friends have already written reviews and, as of this morning, 17 have ranked the book.

Or that I’ve kept poor Sanjay up until 3 am working on this dutifully –– and perhaps quite ironically as well, since his only request is that I give HIM a five star review at the agency through which I’ve hired him.

Thus, I’m shifting this blog from slightly overwhelmed and complain-y  to one of TOTAL APPRECIATION for all those who are rallying to the cause, and supporting the work.

And I LET GO to realize that not everyone defines themselves (as I do) by their cracker jack response to email.  Perhaps Sunday is THE day that many loved ones will spring into action.

And ff there’s any way I can give you wonderful people, individually or collectively five stars, I will.  [And obviously that means you, Sanjay, first of all.]

For, as Sondheim extolled more than a quarter century ago, it’s the LITTLE things you do together that make PERFECT RELATIONSHIPS.

And while I do love Raul endlessly, I have to say, ultimately it’s all about Elaine Stritch (always).

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Vimeo and Youtube pages revised.

Worked on the slider for this website for 3 hours via Skype w/an AWESOME guy in India.

Claimed my author page on GOOD READS (and now there’s a lot more to do).

Installed the code that’s in the STORE on this site –– and other places –– that allows folks to instantly purchased the book … Then realized we should add the video to the whole magical way of ordering the book.

Another round of Youtube updates to reflect this.

Updated various pages on this site.

Compulsively checked in w/iTunes all day to see how many reviews we have.

In the end, somehow corresponding all day with my editor on the UES, the production manager for my publisher midtown, the tech guy in India (he finished at 2 am his time, ie, he’s a true hero) … have all brought me pretty much up to speed.

And simultaneously ready for bed at 7:55 pm!

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All this amongst my primary activity of WAITING for all to be finalized with the cover and having the pre-sale links for the novels come to life on iTunes.

And I think it’s actually going to happen now.

Meaning tomorrow(ish).

But really, really soon.

And then I can actually take the entire VISION for the novel off the marketing drafting board and into the Real World.

Until then … Chomping at the Bit.

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I mean, I do love it for its own sake.

The questions are a) does it convey that this is the story of a bad boy b) is it too bright since this story involves LOTS of night?

But then again, maybe –– especially for an ebook where the cover is truly the size of a postage stamp –– maybe that it’s cool and classy is all that matters.

It is all rather exciting though since as soon as we finalize the cover it’s literally hours before we’re available for pre-launch sales on iTunes.

Anyway … what do you think?  Would you buy a copy of this book (judging by its cover?)

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It’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment my yoga adventure really began –– sometime around when I was 11 or 12 and read my first yoga book and started doing poses –– but a MAJOR chapter took place at the Laughing Lotus in NYC where I did my teacher training and taught for nearly a decade.

I’ve been back a bunch since retiring from the Lotus, and yet it’s now been a year and a half since I’ve taken a class at the center.

First of all, I walked past the entrance to the building since it’s been entirely remodeled.

Secondly, the whole floor has been taken over, so instead of heading down the hallway and hanging a right, you take a right, then a left, then you’re in the middle of things and then … you’re there.  [IE, the space is totally re-configured.]

Two of the senior teachers and I exchanged effusive greetings and I reunited with several wonderful, longtime students –– although none of the karmis at the front desk had the vaguest sense of who I was.

I almost reenacted  the scene with Will Ferrell and Christina Applegate in ANCHORMAN, THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY:

Ron Burgundy: I don’t know how to put this but I’m kind of a big deal.

Veronica Corningstone: Really.

Ron Burgundy: People know me.

Veronica Corningstone: Well, I’m very happy for you.

Ron Burgundy: I’m very important.

Anyway, although I felt both totally at home and a complete stranger, taking class with Dana was the same as ever.

Inspiring and athletic.  Incredibly sophisticated in its sequencing, yet seemingly spontaneous and improvised.  Dazzlingly inventive yet rock solid.  And mostly feeling like you’ve somehow drifted into a really great party that you really wanted to be at for years –– one where you were totally welcome and at home –– and in lots of ways, never, ever want to leave.

So even though I didn’t recognize the entrance to the building, and 95% of the people didn’t recognize me, there was something unbelievably spectacular about being back at the Lotus and taking a Dana class on a Friday afternoon.

Maybe you can come home again …

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Maybe it’s that –– for the first time since college –– I felt like an out-of-town author.

[Although technically, I was doing a stint in graduate school in LA when my first book was published.]

Somehow Angela Lansbury showed me what a bestselling author could expect when coming to Manhattan to meet his or her editor and their staff, although –– for better or worse –– thus far there’s not been a single body left behind in my wake.

[P.S.  The meeting was triumph –– everyone seems to fully appreciate my endless self-promotion, which I personally find horrific and exhausting –– and I will have to focus on other mysteries such as why those kids across the street kept waving and shouting at me as I was jumping rope on the terrace.]

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I didn’t drop it –– just put it into my bag –– but somehow the screen was semi-shattered.

After a visit to the Apple Store with Belle, I did upgrade to the 5 (let’s be honest, I’m in it for the long haul with Apple) and decided also to splurge on the Applecare.

This means I can have 2 “no fault” instances in the next year where I can just get the phone replaced for $50 –– even if I decide to explore cleaning it in the dishwasher.

There was, therefore, a moment where I debated about getting the rubber case for my new phone –– which, by the way, did nothing to protect the iPhone 4 –– given that I have 2 opportunities to get this phone replaced for a mere $50.

It seems almost self-defeating to have a case as thick as the salesperson did for one’s new phone when the whole point of the iPhone 5 is its sleek, thin elegant appearance.

And so for now at least, I’m celebrating that –– without my phone covered by any protective rubber casing –– I’m living Life on the ($50) Edge.

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Film captures images at 24 frames per second, and my editor and cinematographer and I spent hours shaving off 4 frames (or a 1/6 of a second) or adding 2 (or 1/12 of a second) and it often makes all the difference in the world.

It really is the little things –– the completion of a gesture, less than a heartbeat more in a moment –– all in fractions of a second –– that completely redefine … EVERYTHING.

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