Comma comma down doo-bee-doo down down....

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: I had so much fun with Jenn’s meet-cute post, and it got me thinking about what was the opposite of meet-cute? Leave-cute? Of course, bad breakups. (I hope you recognize the song "lyrics" in today's title...)

We don’t want to go anywhere upsetting today, of course, but breakups can be pretty funny. Yes, they can.

Once I broke up with a perfectly nice guy because we went to see the Robert Altman movie Nashville, and I adored it, adored it! And he loathed it. How could that be, I wondered? And I finally said “you know, if you don’t love that movie, I can’t see a future for us”. And that was the end of that.

And on the other end, once a guy broke up with me, saying: “Hank, you may absolutely be the perfect woman, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you are just not a good enough tennis player, and I can’t live my life with that.” And that was the end of that.

How about you, Reds and readers? Any ridiculous breakups?

HALLIE EPHRON: My nastiest breakup came after my boyfriend dropped me at the airport for a trip to Ghana (I had a summer job) and then (I found out later) he ran off to reconnect with his ex-girlfriend. To add insult to injury, it turned out the plane I was ticketed on was over-sold and I had to find a way back to my parents’ apartment in New York, tail between my legs, and never did get to Ghana. A week later I reconnected with the boy I’d dumped … who turned out to be the keeper of a lifetime, my Jerry.

DEBORAH CROMBIE: I think the worst would be the boyfriend who dumped me for my best friend (I was sixteen, he was eighteen.) I was also friends with his younger sister, and when I would come over to see the sister, ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend would be naked in bed, holding court like John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Ouch. However, I am now friends with him on Facebook, and sort of named a character after him in A KILLING OF INNOCENTS, so I suppose time heals all wounds.

JENN McKINLAY: This reminds me of Seinfeld and all the ridiculous reasons they would have to break up with people – a close talker, a face painter, they had something off-putting like wart remover in their medicine cabinet, etc. I dumped a guy because he was a horrible tipper – inexcusable. And I was dumped because I am freakishly tall. Dude might have thought about that before he asked me out. Sheesh.

RHYS BOWEN: I was once the dumper to a very nice boy and still feel bad about it. I had a boyfriend in Germany whom I was very keen on. But I was back in England at college so I met this boy called Alex and went out with him. He started to get too keen on me so a friend told me to write him a letter to break it off saying it wasn’t fair to my regular boy friend. I did this and regretted it instantly. It really hurt Alex. I hadn’t realized until then how much he liked me. Until then I hadn’t realized that guys have feelings too!

LUCY BURDETTE: I have one for each side. I think it was in eighth grade and my sister was having a boy-girl party as she was a year older. My mother must have suggested that my friend Laura and I could also each invite one boy. Oh, the drama! Hers declined, but mine accepted, and then I went into full panic mode. He came, but I don’t think I even spoke to him because he was wearing tall white socks. Did you hear me sisters? Tall, white socks! I’m so sorry Jay I was that shallow😁

Worst dumping line, when a guy I’d been seeing for a while and liked very much, said to me: I think we could have a nice enough life. And that was the end of that!

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Lucy, talk about damning with faint praise! My silliest breakup was with the archaeology professor I started dating in my senior year. He was twenty years older than I, and though he had a lot of nice qualities (and I thought he was hot) I came to realize I was both too mature for him - yes, I’m being serious! - and also that I was too young to spend all my couple-time socializing with academics in their early forties.

I was living in DC, and he was in upstate NY, and the breaking point came after I saw a matinee of FOOTLOOSE. Walking out of the theater, I thought, “I’m wasting my youth on this guy! I want to have fun and go dancing!” So I sent him a dear John letter. And then the skunk confessed he’d cheated on me when he was at his dig the past summer!!! I was so glad I’d kicked him foot-loose.

About ten months later, I went to a GW graduate student mixer and met this curly-haired redhead named Ross. And yes, we did go dancing and had lots of fun!

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Jen, you are not freakishly tall. And SO agree about the tipping thing--that is just the "tip" of the psychological iceberg.  Julia, I love that movies were the catalyst for both of us! Lucy, “a nice enough life”?? Whoa. How about you, Reds and Readers? Any funny stories about breakups?

Let's do...LUNCH!

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Lunch, lunch, I love lunch. I’ve always loved lunch. For 40-some years as a reporter, I looked forward to it every day, it was a lifesaver and a sanity saver. I do remember, though, the franticness. Once on the way back to file a story, I was so hungry, but SO late, so I ran into a sandwich place and said:

“How long for a tuna sandwich?”

And the guy said: “Two minutes!”

And I said: “Too long!” And raced back to the car and my story.

(And that’s how stressful TV news is. That's what taught me to always carry almonds.)

But now, working from home, I am still excited about lunch. I will admit, most days I have half of a turkey and swiss sandwich on rye bread with Honeycup mustard, Siete chips and a half-sour pickle. If we have arugula, all the better. SO BORING, I know, but I am in love with it. I don't usually have lunch until 2:30, yes, 2:30. But it's perfect.

How about you, Reds and Readers? Are you a lunch fan? What's on the menu?

HALLIE EPHRON: I’m a big fan of food in general, so what’s not to love about LUNCH?! Especially a fan of last night’s leftovers. Alternatively, I love any excuse to heat a pair of frozen cheese blintzes and eat them with sour cream and canned cherry pie filling. Not healthy but very satisfying.

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Yes, I love lunch, especially when it gives me a chance to read. Love leftovers, especially soup, or (I know it’s a cliche but it’s so good) I’ll make avocado toast with good bakery sourdough, one of the tiny avocados from Trader Joe’s, olive oil, lemon juice, flakey salt, sriracha, and radish sprouts from the farmer’s market. Totally yum.

JENN McKINLAY: Big fan of lunch but I never eat it unless I’m meeting friends for lunch, which I do a couple of times each month. At home, I’m more of a snacker and a nice plate of cheese and crackers with pickles and olives can get me to dinner no problem.

RHYS BOWEN: Meeting friends for lunch is what keeps me sane! I have lovely friends both in California and Arizona whom I meet regularly (Jenn. Waving at you!) and escaping from work and concentration for lunch is just perfect. When I’m home alone it’s whatever I can grab. In winter I make big soups with whatever I can throw in. Summer it’s salad, or avocado plus whatever protein is left over.

LUCY BURDETTE: Gotta have lunch! And usually before noon. I don’t too often go out for lunch, although I love seeing friends, but it takes up a lot of time and I’ll often eat more than I should. The best thing is leftovers such as some of the delicious pea soup I made the other day or lentil soup or anything in that family. If I have a little cottage oat biscuit to eat on the side, that’s even better!

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Count me among the lunch fans, both at home (sandwiches! With fancy mustards!) and going out to a restaurant. It’s also become a bit of a trend with my friends to do lunchtime entertaining, and I love it. You go to someone’s house on Sunday afternoon, enjoy good food and conversation, and get home before dark. You don’t have to think about whether to say yes or no to a drink, because what’s on offer is coffee, tea and fruity seltzer. Honestly, it’s an ideal way to entertain.

How about you, Reds and Readers? Are you a lunch fan? What's on the menu? Your turn to order!

It's "Tell Us A Good Thing" Day!

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Oh my gosh, the NEWS. So we are not talking about any of that here.

Let me tell you some good things. And then we want to hear yours!

These are the animal tracks in the snow on our patio. Look at all the creatures! Birds (one of them going in circles, pretty funny), rabbits, squirrels, Jonathan filling the bird feeder. And I think a cat, although…whose cat? Mystery cat.

Also in our back yard, this is a cardinal in the rhododendron in the snow. What a perfect photo!


My adorable grandson has a big role in his high school musical, IN THE HEIGHTS and we are going to go to NY to see him. Aww. 


I made beef stew and it was delicious! I did not forget the beurre manie and that really makes a difference. I did not take a photo. 

So, Reds and Readers, with the power of positivity, tell me three good things in your life. NOT book things. Just other things in your life.

HALLIE EPHRON: I had to think awhile for this one since. I’m going to share 1, which is that I am thrilled to have been invited to teach mystery writing in Paris this spring. More details to come. Good thing 2: My grandson gave me a hug without me begging for it. Good thing 3: I haven’t yet slipped on the ice.


DEBORAH CROMBIE: Good thing 1) Watching my granddaughter and her team play soccer. (Indoors for the winter season.) Watching these ten -year-old girls brings me so much joy. They have such promise, and you can see their developing personalities in the way they play. And I love that although they play hard, they are not downhearted when they lose.

Good thing 2) I stepped out the back door for something last night and there was a blazing sunset. I had to watch in awe until it had faded to dark.

Good thing 3) Still meditating with a cup of tea in front of the new faux Christmas tree every morning. Must take it down this week but enjoying it so much for now.


JENN McKINLAY: Good things! I have an amazingly good thing to share but I can’t yet. Darn it! But I managed to get my Christmas tree and holiday decorations down. And I have plenty of work to keep me busy this year which I am grateful for given the crazy times we’re living in.


RHYS BOWEN: Jenn–teaser! No fair. Good thing number one for me is having John home after battling pneumonia, and a very scary time.

Good thing 2 is that Clare and I have finished our next Molly book and it’s ready to go off to Minotaur this week. And it’s good.

Good thing 3 is the sun is finally out again after a period of non stop rain, and the view from my windows always enchants me, especially as a lot of people still have their Christmas lights on.


LUCY BURDETTE: good thing number one, my dear old friend Yvonne has been visiting for the week and I’ve enjoyed seeing Key West through her eyes. (She thinks we are always always having fun, so don’t tell her how much time I spend working or watching television lol.)

Good thing number two: it’s the seventh anniversary of T-bone’s Gotcha day. I nearly didn’t select him because there were so many cats in the SPCA that it was completely overwhelming. He was the right cat for me and for us and besides, he’s gorgeous and very good at social media.

Good thing number three: (see number one above.) We saw the most gorgeous manatees on our morning walk the other day. I consider a manatee sighting to be a wonderful omen! 

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Lucy, congratulations on T-Bone’s Adoptiversary! My pets loom large in my “good things” column as well, so for number one, I’ll put how lovely it is to sit in the comfy settle next to the kitchen woodstove, reading a good book with the Shih tzus around me.

Number two - getting daily pictures and videos of my grandson “Paulie!” His moms are rightfully shy about having his face online, so you’ll just have to take my word he’s the cutest little chubby-cheeks ever (exept when he has his mobster face on.)

Number three - I’ve already started pulling together my tax info and getting everything down on a spreadsheet for my accountant. I know, most of us don’t think of getting taxes done as a good thing, but I for YEARS I was always late and had to get an extension - which I then sometimes didn’t meet! So it’s a thrill to know everything will be in Kevin’s Dropbox as soon as I get the last 1099-R form.

HANK: Taxes, argh. SO glad you are making it a postive. This is all so great! Perfect. Now your turn, Reds and Readers! Tell us a non-book good thing!