Ashley Crandall considers her regular bike rides a critical part of her therapy.

On Memorial Day, many folks will be headed to the beach. Ashley Crandall, 28, has a different destination in mind. The Glen Burnie, Md., resident will be getting on her bicycle in Washington and setting off on a six-day, 325-mile journey to Virginia Beach for the Ride2Recovery Memorial Challenge presented by UnitedHealthcare.

The event is one of several organized nationwide to raise money for cycling programs designed to help injured veterans — like Crandall. The former helicopter repairwoman, who retired from the U.S. Army in January, developed post-traumatic stress disorder overseas.

“The most difficult part is being around people again,” Crandall says. When she started treatment at Walter Reed in 2009, one-on-one chats were unbearable. But she soon recognized that socializing while bike riding was more comfortable. “On a ride, you’re next to someone,” she says. “And you can just talk.”

Her therapist wrote cycling into her treatment plan, and Crandall began training seriously to join the Ride2Recovery Challenge that year. The following year, she had built up enough confidence that she and a friend were able to help guide a group of beginning riders. “It’s nice to have that glimpse and see that maybe I can be the person I used to be again,” she says.

Maybe she can be even better. This is a tough route, Crandall says, and although she spends hours each week training with a group in Bethesda, going mile after mile against punishing headwinds wears her out. “It’s easy to just give up. But no one does,” she says.

That’s more remarkable when you consider who makes up Crandall’s company — vets with every conceivable injury, including brain damage, amputated limbs and blindness. Innovations in bike design make it possible for all of them to take part in the ride. “No matter what excuse you can come up with, there’s a way around it,” Crandall says.

Being a part of the group gives injured service members a sense of belonging that’s often elusive, she says. “And when they get on a bicycle, they look normal. Nothing makes them stand out,” she adds.

That’s part of her pitch to other wounded vets when she tries to convince them that riding a bike can be part of their recovery process, too. She tailors her approach to the individual. So when a woman with PTSD was scared of people passing her, Crandall offered to ride directly behind her to make her feel safe. When it’s someone who’s worried about his or her weight, Crandall brags that she dropped 30 pounds in one season by riding.

Crandall also enjoys visiting the gym, swimming and kayaking. “Those are wonderful, but they’re more individual,” she says. “Cycling is the only social interaction I get during the week. For me, it’s not just training.”

And this isn’t just a ride to Virginia Beach. It’s a symbol of the distance Crandall and so many of her fellow service members have traveled.

The Ride2Recovery Challenge is just one of several events the program runs to support cycling for wounded veterans. Find out about single-day rides as well as Spinning Nation, an indoor cycling fundraiser held by participating health clubs, at Ride2recovery.com.

Instructor Angel Stone, left, strives to keep the mood light and the workout hard.

If the evil queen in Snow White wanted to find a mirror to interrogate, she’d be out of luck at Biker Barre, which opened last week near Eastern Market.

Co-owners Jane Brodsky and Katie Fouts decided not to install walls of mirrors in their two-story fitness studio, which boasts a sky-lit room with 30 bikes for indoor cycling classes on the ground floor and a second space upstairs devoted to ballet-inspired sculpting.

“We’re about having fun here, and most people hate on themselves when they’re looking into a mirror,” says Fouts, who thinks students will get a better workout without the distraction.

Brodsky says they’ll also get a better workout than they used to at Red Bow — the name of the studio before it migrated across Capitol Hill and added cycling. Barre can’t be beat for muscle toning, she says, but mixing it up with low-impact cardio leads to even more fantastic results.

Katie McManus, 38, is one of several students eager to test Brodsky’s theory. Last Thursday night, she took a cycling class immediately followed by a barre class. (There aren’t any combo classes on the schedule yet, although Fouts and Brodsky say that’s a possibility for the future.)

“I like the idea of doing both,” McManus says. “These are classes I can stick to.”

The expansion into cycling is also attracting male students. Jayce Newton, 33, hadn’t been interested in trying barre, but he was game for getting on a bike — and likes the idea of a specialized fitness studio.

“I think the whole concept of going to the gym is outdated,” he says. Other guys seem to agree. One notable sighting at Biker Barre so far: Caps player Mike Green.

All students invited to use the facility’s amenities, including a first-floor lounge (with free Wi-Fi); two bathrooms stocked with shampoo, face wash, hair ties and towels; and a big changing room with a curtain that’ll keep you decent. Brodsky, who’s expecting a baby in July, is also working on setting up child care options soon.

No need to rent or wear cycling shoes at Biker Barre (738 7th St. SE; 202-733-1009, Bikerbarre.com) — the pedals work with regular footwear. A single class (barre or cycling) is $22. Multi-class passes are available at a discounted rate. For this month, you can get 5 classes for $50.

I have a box of mementos in my closet. Recently, I found the box disturbed, and I’m pretty sure it was by my 12-year-old daughter. There are some photos in there I had taken when her dad (who I am separated from) and I were first dating. While they’re not pornographic, they are of the “boudoir” variety. I find myself angry at her but also embarrassed. How do I address this? -Seeing Red

Ah, boudoir photos packed away in a closet. How downright Victorian. Someday soon, most kids will be unearthing their parents’ spring break photos on the Internet!

Your anger is understandable, but remember that she’s 12, she’s curious, and although she needs to learn to respect your space, coming down too hard on her can ruin the entire tone of this discussion. And what of the discussion? Figure out the main points you want to convey, which I’m guessing involve privacy, female sexuality, body image and relationships. Choose a quiet, private time to have the talk. As squirm-inducing as you find this conversation, her nausea is probably worse. Once you get your points across, you can reassure her that you never need to talk about it again.

It’s Not Too Late To Fix the Flake

My sister has ruined so many family gatherings because of her flakiness and lateness. I no longer expect her to show up at anything, and if she does, I know she’ll disrupt everything with her lateness. My parents, however, treat every event like they have no clue what she’s going to do, and just get upset all over again. How can I stop this constant frustration? -Tired of the Holdup

You’ve got two problems. One is your sister’s behavior, but the second is your parents’ reaction.

Ideally, you’ll handle both through individual conversations. I’d urge you, as aggravating as your sister’s behavior must be, to make sure you do more listening than talking. Depression, social anxiety or substance abuse problems can manifest themselves as flakiness. Or, perhaps she simply can’t be bothered to care about other people’s feelings. Regardless, she needs to know that her behavior hurts others, and you can offer your help in trying to improve it. Tell your parents that it bothers you to see them continually upset by her actions, and that it’s time for a reality check. Otherwise, your sister’s not the only one ruining these gatherings.

Zezeh Zax, holding the baby in a blue shirt, teaches Samba Baby to youngsters.

Forget the tutu and tap shoes. The options in kids’ dance classes are broadening beyond the basics so parents can introduce those tiny feet to other ways to bust a move — and a few different cultures, too.

BloomBars, a nonprofit community arts space in Columbia Heights, launched Samba Baby in January. Every Wednesday morning, instructor Zezeh Zax is responsible for controlled chaos: a group of tykes (ages 6 months to 5 years) dancing with one another and their parents.

Zax, founder of the ZeZeh BraZil Dance Troupe and a former Carnival queen from Sao Paolo, Brazil, goes over the basic samba step: Switch your feet quickly, keeping one foot down as the other heel taps in front, and create a full-body bounce. But she isn’t concerned about technical accuracy.

“We have to teach the kids more that it’s OK for them to be themselves, to dance however they want to dance, and they should be happy and enjoy,” says Zax, who peppers the 45-minute class with Portuguese words for the body parts she’s moving.

Jeanne Fekade-Sellassie, whose husband and 18-month-old — who likes to shout “Samba! Samba!” around the house — attend the class weekly, says it’s been an educational experience. But the most important lesson is just that dancing is a good time.

Tots go similarly gaga for the chance to swing their arms like elephant trunks to the beat of fast-paced drums at Kukuwa Kidz Club. Clarendon Fitness introduced the class, an African music and dance lesson geared to 2- to 4-year-olds, this spring, and plans to offer it again over the summer.

Instructor Stacia Hughely is happy if kids simply give it a whirl. “They just get to move and just hear the drums — you know, something different than they hear on their radio every day,” Hughely says.

That formula has worked well for Zumbatomic, the child’s play version of the Latin dance class Zumba. Geared to kids ages 4 to 12, it’s not exactly the sexy shimmying adults are used to in their classes.

“The main difference is the choreography,” says instructor Jeannie Monroe, who teaches at the Sport & Health Club in Herndon. “Zumba for adults is all in the hips. To keep it kid-friendly, we don’t concentrate on hips, we concentrate on the whole body.”

To get the group of six girls ready for the hourlong class, Monroe has them tap their toes, squat and clap to tunes from “Yo Gabba Gabba,” a popular kids’ TV show. Next, the Latin beats drop as she breaks down the steps to the cha-cha — cross one foot over the other and quickly march in place three times — the cumbia, the merengue and the salsa.

To prevent boredom, she brings in props such as jingly skirts and maracas, and alternates between dance routines and games. Students create their own freestyle moves and then have the rest of the class follow along, which Monroe says promotes leadership and confidence in addition to calorie burn.

“It’s kind of like doing an exercise class,” says 10-year-old Emma Shacochas. “But it’s really fun at the same time.”

Take the Lead

Want your kids to give these dance classes a spin? Samba Baby is offered Wednesdays at 10 a.m. at BloomBars (3222 11th St. NW). It’s $10 for one session or $100 for 12. Zumbatomic is available at gyms and studios throughout the region, including Herndon Sport & Health (13037 Worldgate Drive). Visit Zumba.com for addresses and times. Clarendon Fitness (3100 Clarendon Blvd.) isn’t currently offering Kukuwa Kidz Club, but plans to put it back on the schedule.

Sam, 31, is a Maryland state delegate. Jaime, 29, is an attorney. They’ll live in Rockville after the wedding.

The Main Event: A June 9 affair in a Capitol Hill church. The reception will be at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and they’ll have a popcorn bar.

How They Met: In church. “Behind the last pew, center aisle, at 7:45 p.m. on a Sunday night. Some things you don’t forget,” says Sam.

First Date: Pizzeria Paradiso in Dupont and frozen yogurt near the zoo.

How he Proposed: Halfway through a long run in a snowstorm (they were training for a half-marathon), he popped the question near the Lincoln Memorial. “After I said yes, I made him run the remaining six miles.”

When She Knew: Last Thanksgiving, when he agreed to wear a T-shirt she’d decorated with a felt turkey.

Celebrating Heritage: Since they couldn’t get an elephant for Sam (who is Indian) to ride in on, he’ll arrive in a convertible. Some of his family will be traveling outside India for the first time to attend the wedding.

Family Traditions: She’s sewing a piece of lace from her great-grandmother’s wedding gown into her dress.

Michael, 31, is an editor and writer. Mary, 30, is a freelance writer. They live in Southeast D.C.

The Main Event: They will wed June 15, outdoors, in the evening. There will be lawn games, readings by poet Pablo Neruda and Bob Dylan songs for the processional.

How They Met: As MFA students at the University of Arizona.

First Impressions: “He seemed to take writing very seriously.”

First Date: “I made him go see ‘Step Up 2’ at the dollar theater. He pretended to enjoy it.”

How he Proposed: On their third anniversary, after seven courses at the Inn at Little Washington.

Pet Names: She calls him “You,” he calls her “Woozy.”

When He Knew: After they started living together. “I was thinking of moving and wanted to take her with me, wherever I went, and then I realized what that meant.”

Steve, 27, is a software developer. Emalee, 25, works for the government. They live in Arlington.

The Main Event: A destination wedding on Captiva Island, Fla. Guests will ride a trolley from the beach ceremony to cocktail hour and reception.

How They Met: At a Halloween party at James Madison University that his fraternity organized.

First Date: He took her to his fraternity’s winter formal a few months later.

First Kiss: On the staircase during the winter formal. “She acted like she was going to whisper something into my ear but kissed me instead, and I didn’t object.”

How he Proposed: At Willow Restaurant in Arlington, also the place where they had their first “real” post-college date.

Family Traditions: Emalee, her mother and Emalee’s younger sisters (who are twins) will be wearing pearl bracelets made from their grandmother’s pearls.

When She Knew: While on a trip with her mom. “She was telling me about her love with  my dad when she knew he was the one and I realized that was exactly the way I felt about  Steve.”

What inspired you to start this blog?
Part of it was my grandmother, Bluma, who passed away six years ago. I was very close with her when I was growing up, and I was inspired by her spirit and her intellect. And she also had these great scrapbooks of older women who were all dolled up. It was like everyone of her generation dressed up no matter how much money they had.

So when did you start documenting women of a certain age?
When I moved to New York City, I’d walk around and see all these older people who were so active. They were also all so dressed up! Then it hit me that I wanted to inspire people by photographing them.

You shoot everyone from 60-something rocker chicks to an elegant, 80-year-old jazz dancer. What do they have in common?
I think all these women think positive thoughts. They’re determined to be happy and live life to the fullest; even if they have pain, they fight through it. They’ve got a dedication to enjoying things.

How is that joie de vivre reflected in their clothes?
I think they’ve developed a sense of freedom and confidence. And perhaps they used to dress for a day job, and now they can just please themselves and express themselves.

How do they express themselves?
Often, it’s through accessories. With their bodies changing, there might be clothes they don’t want to wear, but the accessories become more important. Maybe it’s a dramatic hat or a great pair of gloves.

What do you think younger women take away from seeing these chic seniors?
I think the point is not to fear getting older — embrace every stage of your life. There’s such an obsession with youth culture, I’m just trying to show examples of women who feel a confidence within themselves. Now I get emails from young girls, and they say they’re not afraid of aging.

What do these older people get out of being documented?
Every day, a woman or man I photograph will say, “You made my day, you made me feel good about myself.” I like that I’m giving them visibility.

Old Schooled

What style lessons can we learn from our elders? Express staffers look back to their grandparents for inspiration.

“Growing up, I always complimented my grandma for her simple pearl earrings. I adored her, and I loved how pretty they were on her. She wore them everywhere and with everything. For my 13th birthday, she sent me my own pair. Those simple pearl studs have become my wardrobe staple. In fact, I’m wearing them today. And she’s still around, so I never hesitate to tell her how lovely her pearls still look on her!” – Morgan Schneider, world editor

“When I was a kid, the old photos of my Grandma Nellie looked so chic — she was young in the 1920s, and black-and-white snapshots of her featured fur wraps, flapperish frocks and, always, a “look-how-much-fun-I’m-having!” smile. By the time I knew her, she wasn’t as movie-starrish, but she still rocked a dramatic red lip and dressed up for parties. I think of her now when I’m tempted to not make an effort to fancy up for dinner out — or I forget my favorite lip gloss.” - Jennifer Barger, styles editor

“My grandfather always told me I could marry whoever I wanted, as long as he met two qualifications: he be a good parallel parker and own at least ONE suit. He wanted to make sure I ended up with a man who had a little class and was ready for anything.” – Holley Simmons, assistant lifestyles editor

“My grandmother, Lucille, owned a bar in South Carolina with my grandfather called the Casablanca. She was a lounge singer there, and was always done up with beehive hair, Shalimar perfume and a flowy, forgiving-but-glam tunic. She taught me that movement and comfort need to be considered as much as style. I think about her when I wear low heels, though flats were too casual for a lady like her. Still, she had to be able to regulate if things got out of control at the bar.” Shauna Miller, senior arts editor

I’ve been invited to spend Memorial Day weekend with my boyfriend’s family in the Hamptons. The trouble is, I’m a poor working girl. Can you please recommend some summery flat sandals that will look good enough to impress these people without bankrupting me? — Molly

Manolo says, as always, the Manolo suggests saving your monies and buying the most super fantastic shoes one can afford, for such purchases will give the most satisfaction over the long term, in comfort, beauty and admiration from those who know quality when they see it.

But the Manolo also sympathizes with the poor girls, who must work the double shifts at their dismal dreary jobs in the new media sweatshops, posting on the corporate blogs and Twittering and Facebooking all day long for the Man.

Indeed, the Manolo knows exactly what it is like to be poor, so poor that you must fashion your own super fantastic, impress-the-rich-people-in-the-Hamptons sandals out of strangely colored shells and tangled fishing line you have collected near the wastewater outlet pipe that discharges near the pier under which you are sleeping.

And so he would recommend you the Gwyneth from Sam Edelman ($80, Zappos.com) as being the moderately priced, cutely blingish flat sandals that will keep the people of the Hamptons moderately appeased. It comes in the black, the silver and, our pick, the natural brownish hue.

Making the Braid

Waist Management
Painters like mondrian and designers like Diane von Furstenberg know the punchy power of color blocking. Now, even if you’re sartorially challenged and incapable of wielding a paintbrush, you can master mixing shades with Keggy’s line of belts and changeable buckles ($38 for one belt and buckle, shown), now in stock at Sassanova (1641 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-471-4400). Other belt hues include orange and lemon; buckles range from bejeweled circles to enamaled squares in blues and greens.

What a Jerky
Call off the search: We found the beef. It’s tucked inside packages of Krave gourmet jerky (Kravejerky.com). All natural and low fat (promise!), the tender-not-tough snack is made from quality cuts of meat packed with protein and void of nitrates, hormones or any other artificial crud. Varieties include chili lime beef, smoky teriyaki pork and — our fave — lemon garlic turkey ($7). Pack them for a hike, pair them with a crisp beer or crumple some into cookie dough before baking.

Bloom Service
You planted basil on your balcony with good intentions. But tending to it can be a drag on your A. Ocean City weekends and B. brain. Ikea’s new Jubel self-watering pots ($6-$10, Ikea stores) come in an ingenious, two-layer design: Plop your plant in the inner one, fill the outer with H20 and two little wicks draw the liquid up toward the roots.

Piece-able Kingdom
KIDS change their minds approximately 8,508 times a day. You need a toy that keeps up with their oscillations. Enter Karl Zahn’s morphing wooden animal figurines ($19 a piece, Areaware.com). Each creature has a removable head, torso and tail that can be interchanged to create such beasts as alligators with alpaca heads or elephants with — holy genetic modification! — horse tails.

Malcolm Mitchell is like a lot of chefs: He dreams of being the Food Network’s next big thing. The only difference: He has a good chance at actually getting his name on the cable giant’s line-up. The Washingtonian is a finalist on Season 8 of “Food Network Star,” (Sun., 9 p.m.) Mitchell, an exmember of the Navy and personal chef for celebs like Mary J. Blige and the NBA’s Washington Wizards, is under the tutelage of Bobby Flay in the 15-person competition that awards one deserving chef with his own Food Network show.

What’s the difference between being a personal chef and cooking on the show?
The nerves add up when you got that camera in front of you. Your confidence level goes slightly down because you’re getting critiqued. I’m used to being critiqued, but not on this level. I wanted to look good in front of Bobby. I wanted to make him proud he picked me on his team.

What’s Bobby Flay like?
He’s kind of like me, but just a different color. He’s smooth, he’s got a little swagger and he has crazy cooking chops.

How good is his burger versus others in D.C.?
That’s tough for me because my good friend is [Good Stuff Eatery’s] Spike Mendelsohn. They’re neck and neck. I’m going to go with … that is tough. Put it like this: They got great burgers, but let me tell you what I’m impressed with at Spike’s spot. He’s got the sickest milkshake in the city. That toasted marshmallow is sick.

If you win, what’ll you do?
I want to open up a restaurant. I’m looking in D.C. and Richmond. As a private chef, with these A-list celebrities, my food is private. I want more people to taste my food.

If you could cook only one meal for yourself, what would you make?
Turkey loaf with mashed potatoes, green beans and a little marinara sauce — like my mom makes. Pure comfort food.

How did serving in the U.S. Navy influence you?
I got to travel all over the world and taste different foods and cultures. Growing up in D.C., you get that American palate. Hot dogs, burgers, you know. Travel opened my eyes for food. It helped me to see this is what I want to do.

Did any country stand out?
Italy. There’s no fuss, no muss. It’s just real straight-forward food.

Which Wizards did you cook for?
JaVale McGee, John Wall, Rashard Lewis, Kevin Seraphin. Wall can eat anything!

Would you rather cook for yourself or have someone cook for you?
I’d rather have someone cook for me. Are you crazy?

My excuse for not participating in Bike to Work Day today is pretty good — I thought. From my apartment in Baltimore to downtown D.C., I’d be looking at a 50-mile ride, which would take me way past quitting time. And probably well into Saturday.

But when I use this line of reasoning on bike advocates, they explain that participation requires only that you bike for a portion of your journey. So MARC commuters like me count if we pedal to or from our stop. Biking to a bus also qualifies, as does driving over to a trail you use to get to the office. Think of it more as Bike at Least a Little to Work Day.

If you can manage to bike to a Metro station, that’s something WMATA would like to see you celebrate more than once a year. It’s expensive to build more car parking, and it’s not even remotely feasible in most places. So how can more passengers find their way to the trains? By arriving on foot or by bike. A study WMATA released in 2010 set an ambitious goal: to increase the number of riders who get to the station by bike from the 1,600 it counted (that’s about 0.7 percent of Metro riders) to 12,000 people in 2030.

We’re starting to see changes at stations reflecting this bike boosterism. Over the past few months, WMATA has installed new racks for 140 bikes. And on Tuesday, the first Bike & Ride facility was unveiled at the College Park station. It’s a 2,400-square- foot enclosed space with room for more than 100 bikes. You can’t enter unless you have an access card (which costs a one-time fee of $5) that serves as both your ID and payment method — parking costs 5 cents an hour between 8 a.m. and midnight, and 2 cents an hour the rest of the time.

That means most folks storing their two-wheelers while they’re at work will have to pony up an extra 50 cents a day for the service, but they won’t need to worry about returning from the office only to find that their bike’s been filched. (And it sure beats paying bus fare.)

The Vienna and King Street stations are scheduled to get similar facilities in 2013, and more Bike & Rides are on the way in D.C., Maryland and Virginia, WMATA promises.

So before too long, no one will have a good excuse for not participating in Bike to Work Day. At least a little.

At age 90, legendary actress Betty White is juggling a packed schedule. In addition to participating in public-speaking events in support of animal welfare, she’s starring in two TV series (“Hot in Cleveland” and “Betty White’s Off Their Rockers!”) and recently published “Betty & Friends: My Life at the Zoo.” White speaks Thursday at the Smithsonian Associates program “Betty White’s Animal Instincts” at Lisner Auditorium and will swing by the National Zoo Friday for a book signing. (Both events are sold out, but there is a wait list for Thursday’s event, and more tickets may be released.)

You’re so busy. How do you find time to sleep?
I don’t require a lot of sleep. I’m never ever in bed before midnight and I’m up at 6 every morning. If I get four, four and a half good solid hours, I’m good.

When did you become an animal activist? 
I’m not an activist. I’m an advocate for animal welfare. I don’t get political.

What inspired your advocacy?
It was two animals: my mother and my father. My love of animals started in the womb. It’s always been my fascination.

How do you react when you hear about cruelty to animals?
The human animal is not the most humane animal in the world. There are people who get a kick out of being cruel, not only to animals but to kids and to each other. I just don’t understand. It’s mind-boggling how they can live with themselves.

You have a great TV persona — nice yet naughty.
I’m afraid I have a rather bawdy sense of humor. But I don’t like dirty jokes. I enjoy double meanings.

What’s it like being 90?

You don’t feel the age. It sneaks up on you and all of a sudden the calendar tells you [you’re 90]. But I don’t feel any different now than when I was 50. I’m blessed with good health. It’s awfully easy to enjoy old age if you’re not feeling rotten.

An indiscreet question: There’s supposedly a nude photo of you from years ago circulating on the Internet. Is it real?
Somebody put that together. I think that’s going a little bit too far. I was really upset about it. I never posed nude in my life. And my problem is that if I had posed nude, I’d just get laughs.

I don’t know — my young colleagues were excited when I told them I was going to speak with you.
They just dig old ladies.

Backstory: Betty White got her start in acting in the late 1930s and landed her own radio show, “The Betty White Show,” in the late ’40s. Two televised incarnations of the series followed, one from 1954-1958 and another from 1977-1978. She’s won seven Emmy Awards for her work.

Jenny Lawson — better known as the Blogess — has compiled some of her best-loved tales into a new book, “Let’s Pretend This Never Happened.”

If you hear the name Beyonce and think, “really famous singer,” then congratulations! You live on planet Earth. If you also think, “giant metal chicken,” then you’re familiar with Jenny Lawson, known around the Internet as the Blogess. Her book, “Let’s Pretend This Never Happened,” is a sick, twisted, hilarious memoir covering a childhood filled with dead animals (her dad is a taxidermist) and the rest of her offbeat life. Lawson will be making two area appearances this weekend, and you can be pretty sure someone will bring her a dead animal as a present. (You can learn more about Beyonce the Giant Metal Chicken at Theblogess.com.)

Why Her New Book Took 11 Years to Write

“Let’s Pretend This Never Happened” actually predates the Blogess blog. “It was a book before it was a blog,” says Lawson. “When you go from blog to book you have to repackage everything because you’ve told all your stories. I knew to save all my best stories for the book.”

Family Benefits

Lawson relied on friends and family to read her drafts, and had everyone who appears in the book read their own chapter. “Perspectives are different, so I wanted to make sure they didn’t have anything to add or anything to take out. But it was also nice because so often they would say, ‘Oh, I have pictures of the raccoon wearing Jams!’ Because otherwise no one is going to believe that story.”

On Breaking Records

At press time, “Let’s Pretend This Never Happened” has spent three weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, an accomplishment that Lawson never anticipated. “My goal was to finish the book before I turned 40, and to seal it up into a box and have it for my daughter one day,” she says. “The thing that I have to keep reminding myself of is that it did so well because it resonated well. I think a lot of people bought the book because they liked the blog, but I think the reason it’s stayed [on the bestseller list] is that so many people read the book and realized, ‘I’m not the only weirdo out there!’ They can say, ‘See, I’m not the only one that thinks Jesus is a zombie!’”

In April, two African American men sued ABC for rejecting them as potential suitors on the “The Bachelorette.” “I never even had a chance,” one claims, charging that the show gives more time and consideration to white applicants than to people of color.

Indeed, “The Bachelorette” cast is pretty darn white. The new season, which began Monday, had one black suitor, who was quickly spurned by new bachelorette (and single mom) Emily. So the lawsuit seems to make a legitimate point.

But I have a question. Shouldn’t ALL MEN sue “The Bachelorette” for making us look REALLY STUPID? Let’s consider some of this year’s suitors.

Jef. Jef can’t spell his own name! Also, he rides a skateboard without a helmet while hanging onto the back of a limo.

David. A songwriter, David wrote a song about Emily. It goes like this: “Emily. EMILY. EM-I-LY. Uh oh. Emily.”

Travis. He carries an ostrich egg that he will care for as if it were Emily and her daughter.

Tony. He says: “What has two thumbs and is going to marry Emily? This guy!” Tony, I hate to break the news to you, but JUST ABOUT EVERY MAN ON EARTH HAS TWO THUMBS.