What I’m Into: October 2014

General Highlights:

October was a month of brides and babies. I got a new niece, E, and a new “nephew” via Caroline, one of my best friends! My friend Esther got married (and our old adult ballet class had a little reunion at the wedding). I also helped throw a bridal shower and a lingerie shower for my best friend Alanna, who’s getting married in two weeks.

After almost a year of anxiety about it, my house got a new roof, covered by my insurance and put on in one day. I’m still amazed by how the whole thing unfolded and God’s provision. NOT having to spend $10K on a roof will change your life!

Reading:

The monthly book list posted yesterday – all my flight time this month meant a lot of reading! My three favorites were Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline; 5th Wave sequel The Infinite Sea; and Barbara Brown Taylor’s memoir Leaving Church.

Watching:

Thanks to my sister, I finally started watching Gilmore Girls this month. Friends have told me for years that I would love it, and they were right.

Music:

It just came out on Monday, but I’m obsessed with Taylor Swift’s 1989. No shame. Favorite tracks: 2, 4, 5, and 13. You can listen to my ever-expanding 2014 playlist on Spotify.

I found out at the last minute that Johnnyswim was coming to town, and it was one of the best concerts I’ve been to in years. If you ever have a chance to see them live, GO. They’re incredibly talented and seem like incredible people. I don’t make proclamations like this often, but I knew they must be believers because the Holy Spirit was just radiating from them. Crazy-sounding but true… and something to aspire to.

Video:

I hadn’t seen Sia’s “Chandelier” video, but when my sister, BIL, and I started watching an SNL skit spoofing it, we stopped and watched the original first. I suggest you do the same – it’s awesome in its own right!

Travel:

At the beginning of the month, my mom and I went to Evansville for the premiere of a documentary my brother made for Uncharted International. It’s called Ang (the Burmese word for home), and he filmed it in Myanmar last summer. I’m so proud of him!

Then I went to Orlando for work, but I was just in meetings all day for two days and then came home. No shenanigans! The following week, I flew to Dothan to meet my new niece.

Around Town:

I saw Once at the Orpheum this week with my friend Ashley. I didn’t know much about it going in, but it was magical and the music was fantastic!

In my continuing spree through the restaurants of Cooper-Young and Overton Square, I tried out Greencork (awesome) and Schweinehaus this month. Good times.

I’ve missed Memphis Madness the last two years, so I was excited to go. It’s basically a citywide pep rally for Tiger basketball. Sadly, it was a little meh this year – featured performer Rick Ross brought all the excitement. The Forum charging for tickets and not letting people move down to better empty seats didn’t help the situation. Neither did the fact that we only have three or four returning players. I’m trying not to let this cast a shadow over the season for me!

Wearing:

I needed good white and gray cardigans, so I snatched these up at a Banana Republic outlet for 70% off. There’s nothing revolutionary about them, but I cannot stop wearing them. I’ve already asked my brother to go back and pick up whatever other colors they have.

One of my brother’s best friends just got silkscreening equipment, and one of his first projects was this family lobstering logo Kevin designed. We all LOVE these shirts, and word is my uncles are practically wearing them daily.

Oh, and I busted out last year’s Starbucks cup costume for my Halloween concert last night with the community band! Tonight there’s a costume contest at Tiger Lane before the Homecoming game, and I had started making a “bikini” from team logo fabric to go as a Tigers Sexy Sheet Ghost. But I would have had to sew it all together when I got home last night at 9:30, and I was just too tired. Maybe next year.

Pinterest Quote of the Month:

On The Blog:

With lots of traveling, things demanding my attention, and general exhaustion, writing has been difficult this month. But I posted about being an introvert raised as an extrovert, took you on a tour of scenic lookouts and LOST filming locations on Oahu, told the story of my new (and only) tattoo, and participated in Hollywood Housewife’s One Day photo project.

Posts I Loved:

♥ Paul Heggie: Go On and Tear Me Apart (Paul is killing it these days – check out his whole blog.)

♥ Jonalyn Fincher: Consent Is Complicated

♥ Jamie Wright Bagley on the importance of empathy: Stability Central. (I took the Strengths Finder test a while back and Empathy is my primary strength, so I’m learning all I can about how to make the best of it.)

♥ Danielle Carey: “Be more attractive.”

♥ Beautiful poetry from John Blase at A Deeper Story: The Pledge We Make

♥ My friend Lindsey on beginning a prison ministry: A Sobering Moment

♥ Hollywood Housewife: People and Love (I’ve had to relearn this hard lesson many times)

♥ My friend Bethany on the myth of the 50% divorce rate: When A Myth Actually Matters

♥ Sorry I can’t go a month without linking Glennon Melton, but: What If Your Life Is Already The Best Thing?

♥ LOL of the Month: The Life of Bon: The Art of Kissing