Age: 58
Basic bio: Deborah is the creator and editor of The Keepthings, an Instagram-based memoir project that collects stories of the objects people keep to remember lost loved ones. Formerly the deputy editor of O, The Oprah Magazine and editor of Indianapolis Monthly, she grew up in Pennsylvania, went to Yale (where she met her ‘80s crush, now her lifelong best friend) and Ohio State (where she met her ‘90s crush, now her husband). She is the mother of a college junior.
Beyond the bio: I’m a reluctant runner and enthusiastic walker. If there’s an occasion, I’ll make it special. On the Martha Stewart scale of craftiness, I’m at least a solid 7. My current personal-improvement goal is cutting back on saying “You should…”
What makes you a grown-ass lady? Drinking wine with my grown-ass kid.
Here’s her TueNight 10:
On the nightstand: Random New Yorkers dating back to October 5, 2020; Janet Elsbach's menschy cookbook/life guide, Extra Helping; an advance copy of Catherine Newman's amazing first novel, We All Want Impossible Things; my next read, Erika Krouse's Tell Me Everything; a few books about death and material culture; Claritin and tissues so I can survive the night with our two cats.
Can’t stop/won’t stop: Being a Virgo.
Jam of the minute: Arctic Outpost Radio, a streamable station that plays old 78s 24/7. (Slogan: “Playing great shellacs from 1902-1958.”) It’s just one guy broadcasting from Svalbard, Norway, and it's almost 100% great.
Thing I miss: I’m very sentimental, so I miss pretty much everything that was here but is now gone. Except all the terrible things.
‘80s crush: See bio.
Current crush: See bio.
Latest fav find: Because of The Keepthings, I live on Instagram, and I’m continually discovering wonderfulness there. For instance, Nicole J. Georges, a graphic novelist who draws charming animals with emotional-support messages to share (a modest little elephant in a Peter Pan collar says, “Go where the doors are open”). And @poetryisnotaluxury, which has changed me from “Nope, not a poetry person” to “Sometimes a poem is just what you need!” That account has introduced me to Ada Limon and Toi Derricotte and Maggie Smith and other poets I now love.
Last thing you lost: My faith in the Supreme Court. (Hence the VOTE sweater I’m wearing here. Vote, people, vote!)
Best thing that happened recently: I embroidered a tribute to my Nana Pauline for Interwoven Threads, a crowd-sourced art project curated by Diana Weymar (the brilliant artist behind the Tiny Pricks Project; if you’re not following @tinypricksproject on Insta, you’re missing out!). Embroidering was a challenge, I impressed myself by doing it, and it was thrilling to go to the Arts Council of Princeton to find my little fabric scrap of love among all the other submissions.
Looking forward to: Going to The Netherlands in October to visit my college junior, who’ll be doing fall semester in Amsterdam.