It’s been a crazy few weeks, I’ve been going nonstop, and blog brainstorming hasn’t been high on the priority list. So much is going on that I have to skip events in order to get any rest. By last Sunday night, I was so completely exhausted that I collapsed on the couch and watched 33 webisodes of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. (I’ll be catching up on the other 33 plus the Lydia videos ASAP.)
Anyway, despite my exhaustion, I had a few friends over on Tuesday night to watch the election returns. I just thought a small, cozy gathering with snacks in front of the TV sounded nice, and it was! For the occasion I baked an apple pie in my beloved Emile Henry ruffled pie pan. I used this recipe (but using Pillsbury pie crust) and give it two thumbs up.
Last night the Tigers played Christian Brothers in an exhibition game to unofficially open the season! Our first real game is Monday night against UNF. I also got all my season tickets from Kathy and Daniel – we ordered them together and I paid them back. I had been waiting for this magic moment for years! Obviously I’ve been going to most of the basketball games for a long time, but there’s something about being an official season ticket holder. I’m proud to be even more invested in my team and my alma mater. I’d also love to socialize more with the other season ticket holders around us this year. It would be awesome to have a “basketball family.” I told Kathy we should pass around some sort of Getting To Know You survey.
Speaking of Tiger things, I did the True Blue 5K on campus last Friday night! I never ran at all until last year, so successfully running the majority of this race, with minimal walking, was exciting. I barely set a new record time for myself, despite briefly losing my shoe early on when a girl stepped on it and sent it flying. I’m not a serious runner, but I felt really good about this experience.
So that’s the latest.
1 Comment + Posted in: baking, fitness, life lately, tigers
On Friday, my friend Myla Smith released the music video for her latest single, “Slow Down,” from her new EP Drugs. I’m excited to say that I participated in the filming of the video about a month ago! Myla needed another pair of arms to do things around the periphery of the shot, and I was happy to help. The shoot was SO much fun! Especially for a Pop-Up Video junkie like me – I now have a much better understanding of the behind-the-scenes process. It’s all more complicated than it looks!
By Saturday morning, the video had 45,000 views. Now the count is over 75,000! On top of that, Drugs hit #1 on Amazon‘s singer-songwriter album charts this morning. #1!!! I am THRILLED and proud to see Myla get some of the attention and exposure she deserves after years of perseverance and hard work. I’m also not surprised that the message of “Slow Down” is resonating with so many people. I need to hear it every time. May this be the beginning of even bigger things!!!
PS – next time my elbows will be seen by 75,000 people, I’ll be sure to exfoliate.
3 Comments + Posted in: friends, music
I painted this abstract tree “masterpiece” at Pinot’s Palette last night with some co-workers. It is now brightening up my cubicle. Yay!
How about some Friday Links?
♥ Throughout November, when you bring a jar of peanut butter to Muddy’s for the Mid-South Food Bank, you’ll get a free Tomboy cupcake! I don’t know about you, but I’m about to stock up on some peanut butter. There is a limit of one per person per day.
♥ Stories From The Brooke’s diet got her out of an awkward situation. This post just made me laugh, and commiserate, as do all her posts.
♥ Native Born on not expecting everyone to like you. I go through phases of heavy struggling with this, and am currently in one, so I needed her words of freedom.
♥ If food is your love language: Theology of the Kitchen Table from Preston at A Deeper Story. (If you’re not following A Deeper Story, you’re missing out!)
♥ I’m still thinking about a recent post at Carolyn Custis James’ blog about interpreting Ephesians 5 differently. I’m not saying I take her thoughts or those of the article under discussion as absolute gospel truth, but it’s a fascinating angle on things.
♥ Some writing thoughts that resonated with me: Life. Edited. on coming out of the writer’s closet, and Chasing Blue Skies on Why I Do What I Do.
♥ I recently discovered the fantastic ministry LOVE AND RESPECT (NOW). I think their stuff is interesting no matter what phase of life you’re in. Well, their recent blog post It’s Just Coffee gave me a (needed?) smack upside the head this week. I felt like the author had invaded my thoughts while I was asleep, Inception-style, so close was it to my own feelings. I’ve felt uncomfortably convicted ever since. Now if only the whole world would get on board with her conclusions.
Happy Friday!
2 Comments + Posted in: what i'm into
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And All The Stars by Andrea K. Host
I got this from Netgalley and already reviewed it here.
Singles At The Crossroads: A Fresh Perspective on Christian Singleness by Albert Y. Hsu
I came across this book at the thrift store in Jacksonville. It only cost a dollar and seemed more positive and practical than other books about singleness, so I gave it a try and am so glad I did. This isn’t your usual “coping with the disease of singleness while waiting for a spouse” treatise. It really opened my eyes to the false perceptions of singleness that are deeply embedded in Southern Christian culture. Hsu proclaims singleness and marriage to be EQUALLY valid and valuable states for Christians, and provides Biblical support. He debunks the myth of being “called to singleness” and the attitude that marriage is a prerequisite to true adulthood. While he can be a little too pragmatic at times, I was really refreshed by his words. I’ll be sharing more personal thoughts inspired by the book if I can ever get them together coherently.
Real Life and Liars by Kristina Riggle
This novel is told from three perspectives: Mirabelle, a middle-aged hippie mom who’s just been diagnosed with breast cancer, and two of her adult children – Katya, struggling to live the perfect life with a successful husband and kids, and Van, an aimless musician. When the family (along with wayward youngest daughter Irina and her surprise new husband) comes together for the parents’ 35th anniversary party, everyone’s problems and long-kept secrets explode into the light. Riggle presents a pretty accurate picture of the good and bad of modern family life, but something about the characters just grated on me. Even Mirabelle, although I liked her best.
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
This story encompasses so much, I don’t even know what to say. It wasn’t what I expected and I absolutely loved it (but a warning to very sensitive readers: some of it is a little rough). If you’re drawn to stories of Italy, long-lost loves, WWII, Hollywood past and present, and most of all redemption, you will love it too. Five stars.
Books for October: 4
2012 year to date: 56
My to-read stack, both physical and virtual, has reached overwhelming proportions. O_O
As many of you know, November is National Novel Writing Month. Part of me really wanted to participate this year, to make myself attend to my quickly-abandoned novel – I’m still interested in it but feel too intimidated to try again. But I don’t think it would be a positive experience for me. My one NaNo attempt in 2008 ended at around 14,000 words, amid extreme stress and tendonitis, when it became clear that I would never catch up in time. November is THE WORST month for something like this. Why can’t they have it in March or April when nothing is going on? Someone should start a Spring NaNo. Anyway, best of luck to those participating!
5 Comments + Posted in: book reviews, reading, the writing life
Happy Halloween from Gandalf and a pumpkin! I think I post this picture every year (it’s old), but it’s one of my favorites.
To me, Halloween is for kids. I love getting trick-or-treaters and exclaiming over cute costumes – even the more gruesome costumes can be weirdly endearing on a kid. I cherish my memories of dressing up as Punky Brewster, a Care Bear, and Pippi Longstocking (why yes, I am a child of the 80s). But as an adult, I’m not into it. Most of my friends, acquaintances, and even co-workers still go all out for Halloween. They decorate and don wildly creative costumes and have parties with or without “scary” activities. But I’ve started to accept Halloween as a “Thing I Don’t Do” a la Gretchen Rubin, even though it makes me look like a stick in the mud. I’m not a “Halloween is pure evil and no Christians should participate” person AT ALL. I just don’t get any joy from dressing up as, like, a Sexy Hamster (because I can never come up with a clever idea). I’m happy to be a Halloween spectator instead of a participant. I just hope enough kids come tonight to keep me from eating a bowlful of fun-size Twix and Snickers by myself!
5 Comments + Posted in: fall