Rollercoaster

It’s more than a little ironic that National Public Radio aired my story about rollercoasters this morning. The last month has been a figurative rollercoaster for me, ending today, on of all occasions, my 38th birthday.

If you’re a regular reader of Ellipses, you already know about the lows. You might be one of the readers who have written a note of encouragement. Or even a one-liner telling me to just get over it (thanks, I needed a little of both).

I won’t belabor the point, except to say that there have been a lot of agonizing downturns that rival any 200-foot drop on a coaster.

The highs? I’ve talked about some of those on this Web journal, too.

Remarkably, there have been other high points that I can’t discuss in a lot of detail. One of them, certainly, was the way in which my readers — and many of my colleagues — offered their unwavering support during a difficult time.

I’ve also fielded several interesting book and TV opportunities that were completely unanticipated. But most of all, I’ve been pleased that all of my existing clients have indicated that my contributions are still welcome.

Yes, every one.

So back to the NPR coaster piece. I think this is some of my best work for public radio to date — I really like the way the sound tells the story. Lots of respect to my editor, Michael, for helping me pull everything together. And Kudos to Alison in Washington for expertly engineering the piece.

Like almost anyone who rides a coaster, I’m grateful to be back on terra firma.

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

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