But, I'm having trouble asking it, because I can't find an email, mailing address, or phone number. And I reject social media. I used to explain to people why I don't participate, as a defense mechanism maybe. Like, I wanted them to see how I'm too cool or I'm above it or something, when the truth is more that I can't mentally handle it. So, I just avoid it for my own protection. Delusions are scary.
I didn't think it would be so hard to contact Jad Abumrad to ask him a question. But the world is changing faster than I am able to keep up with. Well no, that's not exactly right...what I mean to say is that we're both going fast but in slightly different directions. I am becoming more solitary as the world becomes more connected. Some people are bothered by my nonparticipation in social media. Some people are jealous, but not really. Like how you think it'd be nice to be a lesbian some days just so you wouldn't have to deal with men because they're fucking terrible but actually you love men, and women are the ones who really terrify you. Only in this scenario it's a normal, well-adjusted woman shaking her head going, "I wish I could get off Facebook but I have coworkers and friends and family and children and people who care about me."
Reminding me I don't.
I do, of course. Well not the children, but family and other people who care about me. I just feel in my gut for a moment like I don't, when people say things like that. I can be overly sensitive sometimes, just randomly. Overly dramatic internally. I own up to it as a flaw.
I have a Twitter account for Richard Ramm, which I can handle mentally because it's about the website and my writing and not me. I mean, the website is obviously about me, but only like three people in my real life know about this website. What I'm trying to say is, I have a Twitter account, but barely. I have very few followers because I won't follow people I don't actually want to hear from and I am not famous yet. I am not complaining. I don't even care, I'm just mentioning Twitter and my lack of any other social media presence because I don't know how to ask Jad Abumrad a question.
The other day I listened to the most recent Radiolab with the CRISPR update. I got so excited, because I had forgotten that the original podcast on CRISPR was the inspiration for my novel. A few months ago while moving, I found a scrap of paper on my desk with 'Jennifer Doudna!' scribbled on it, but I'm terrible with names so I couldn't remember who she was or why I had used an exclamation point. Yay, now I do! And then I got even more excited when I remembered that the episode about the 'frikis' in Cuba at the HIV sanitarium was actually the original inspiration, except that was a different novel (which turned into this one as soon as I heard about CRISPR, so either way Radiolab-inspired.)
The name of my book is there's no such thing as crazy. I would apologize for the lack of capital letters in the title, but Inky, the character who chose it, has a major problem with capital letters. He would be disturbed if I capitalized it just to please everyone. The book is about DNA. And genius. And love. And punk rock.
High on the excitement of it all and with a burning question for Mr. Abumrad, I got on the Radiolab website. I found a short bio but no personal contact info. I visited his personal website, which has contact forms for speaking and music bookings, but I wasn't going to misuse that when I clearly have no work to give the man and that's just rude. It said on the same page that if I had a question for Jad, I should pop by Twitter and say hello. So I did exactly that, but I haven't heard back. I might be doing it wrong, though. I'm not even really sure I know how to tweet. I mean, I definitely tweeted, but as far as trying to say hello to a specific person...I did the @JadAbumrad at the beginning of the tweet but I don't know how to send him an actual message because I think he has to follow me for that to be possible.
So anyway. I'm sending it out to the universe with high hopes and a smile. :)
My burning question for Jad Abumrad: Who better to read my book than the musician who created Radiolab?