That's Life: Julia, Julie and me

Issue of August 21, 2009 / 1 Elul 5769

Dear That’s Life,

It’s rare to see part of your own life played out onscreen.

During my viewing of “Julie and Julia,” a number of different moments on screen seemed to be actual moments from my life. No, I do not walk around saying, “Bon Appetit!” in a heavy accent nor have people complimented me on my Boeuf Bourguignon.

While I do like to eat and I really enjoy cooking for others who also appreciate good food, that’s not what I mean. Rather, since many people have likened this column to the keeping of a blog, some of the lines that are hurled at Amy Adams (playing Julie Powell) remind me of things people have said to me since I began this column three years ago.

Julie’s boss calls her into his office after she’s basically been caught playing hooky. “I just don’t want to end up on your blog,” he tells her; she reassures him that he won’t.  Haven’t I heard THAT before? What about the monosyllabic answers I receive all the time from people who think that everything they say is ‘on the record’ and so all of their answers are completely guarded?

It was quite funny when Julie has a fight with her husband and he angrily warns she does NOT have to write about everything that happens to her and that he does NOT want to read about this in her blog. I don’t think anyone else in the theater found that scene to be particularly funny — why would they? My husband and I found it hysterical — we have had this conversation numerous times. The number of topics about which I am not allowed to write seems to keep growing.

I also completely appreciated the moment when Julie realizes that people are actually reading what she writes. As a blogger, I can imagine that it must be difficult to write your thoughts and feelings, send them out into cyberspace and then wonder to no end if anyone is out there, reading what you’ve written or sharing similar experiences. It must be very lonely sometimes.

For months after we started publishing this column, I could not believe people actually read it. Not that I didn’t think the column was worth reading, but it still took me by surprise. I really enjoy hearing that I am part of some people’s Friday night ritual: Shalom Aleichem, Kiddush and ‘That’s Life.’  I love when people tell me, “Hey! That happened to me, too!’ And I really appreciate it when someone tells me I simply made him or her laugh. While relatively few people write in, it’s nice to know that readers are out there — the same way Julie is comforted when people begin posting comments in response to things she has blogged.

Thanks for reading.

MLW