Today is the day to ask permission.

While I was away this weekend, I was very sad to hear Augusten Burroughs mention on NPR that recent Zulkey.com interviewee Judith Moore recently passed away.

Moving on to something much less serious:

Sample Book Titles Based on the Truly Original Formula

Actual Title: Truly Original: A business biography. One man who overcame polio to establish one of the largest family-owned pest control companies.

Formula: [positive adjective/synonym for originality] + [Your First Name]: A [relevant descriptor] [synonym for 'story.']. One [man/woman/etc] who [synonym for 'defeat'] [disease/affliction] to [synonym for 'create'] one of the [superlative positive adjective] [insert descriptor here] [establishment].

Examples:

Just Claire: A Short Story. One girl who perservered over being 5'4 to establish one of the dumbest websites on the Internet

Only Andy: A Typist's Tale. One man who subdued his rheumatoid arthritis to found the #2 most successful transcribing service in Paducah, KY.

Simply Susan: a Knitter's Narrative. One woman who perservered over friends who didn't appreciate her to create a cute little baby-booty sewing business out of her home.

Unique Eunice: an Unemployment Autobiography. One college graduate who hung in there despite not finding a job after school to create one of the messiest apartments on the Eastern seaboard.

Thrifty Wendy: An inspiring story of a broke, unemployed graduate student who stretched her barely-there budget by switching to 1-ply, store-brand toilet paper so she could afford more beer.

Ceramic Susan: An Artisan's Apologue. One word-oriented person who triumphed over clumsiness to make on the pottery wheel thick, heavy dishes perfect for holding used tea bags.

Have you written one for yourself? Send it in: I'll update through the day.