books I've read in 2008

August
Though War Break Out , Brad Davis
The Yellow Leaves: A Miscellany, Frederick Buechner
The Little Book of Contemplative Photography, Howard J. Zehr
Love Life, complied by Kobi Yamda
Trailer Trashed: My Dubious Attempts at Upward Mobility, Hollis Gillespie

July
Sensual Orthodoxy, Debbie Blue
The Creative Call: an Artist’s Response to the Way of the Spirit, Janice Elsheimer
Ham Biscuits, Hostess Gowns, and Other Southern Specialities: An Entertaining Life [with Recipes], Julia Reed

June
When You are Engulfed in Flames, David Sedaris
Rock On: An Office Power Ballad, Dan Kennedy
The Treasure Principle, Randy Alcorn
Confessions of a Recovering Slut: And Other Love Stories, Hollis Gillespie

May
Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Field Guide for Leaders, Managers, and Facilitators, Patrick Lencioni
Looking for God, Nancy Ortberg
Due South: Dispatches from Down Home, R. Scott Bruner

April
The Last Addiction, Sharon Hersh
Nurture, Lisa Bevere
Walking With God, John Eldredge
The Blue Star, Tony Earley
Crazy Sista Cooking: Cuisine & Conversation With Lucy Buffett, Lucy Buffett

March
Green Eggs and Ham, Dr. Seuss
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni

February
The Friday Night Knitting Club, Kate Jacobs
The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron
God's Silence, Franz Wright

January
Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer, Warren St. John
Creole Thrift: Premium Southern Living Without Spending a Mint, Angela Parlange
Simplicity, Kim Thomas

southern culture trivia quiz

Check out the southern culture trivia quiz over at Maud Newton's blog. I got more right than wrong, but am still disappointed that I didn't score higher. Let me know how you fare.

picking up the pieces

random weekend tidbits

Low-key weekend here. Farmer's Market yesterday. Bought and cooked fresh vegetables. Last night went to see Agents of Future at a house concert in Lafayette.

Today, got stung by a wasp. Took a two-hour nap as result of the Benadryl. And finished this reverse-applique journal cover for my Moleskine. The pattern is from the Aabama Stitch Book. I LOVE this book.

Still pondering some questions from a conversation that began with friends in Santa Fe a few weeks ago - does our creative side drive our spiritual side, or our spiritual side drive the creative? Can you have one without the other? Can anything be sacred/spiritual? What makes it so?

Also thinking about what it means to live life authentically. Out of a more honest and real place than I feel like I currently am. To really be seen. Kinda freaked out lately that I have lost my edge and am just mellow and vanilla. Yikes.

these are my favorites

Vacation Bible School Grape Kool-Aid Poser

I can't explain it, but this stuff tastes just like it was poured from a pitcher into a Dixie cup at Vacation Bible School. FOR REAL.

RGBP meet-up

In the midst of my post-conference craziness after Image Journal's Glen Workshop in Santa Fe, I'm also (finally) making the switch from a PC to a MacBook. Hence my delay in blogging about my week, and especially my fun meet-up with Zorra and The Scientist. After meeting briefly during intermission of an Over the Rhine concert the night before (via the aid of cell phones to find each other!) the three of us, along with my friend Jenny, enjoyed a lovely New Mexican lunch in downtown Santa Fe. Good food, great company, and for me, a great escape from the confines of St. John's College. Many thanks to The Scientist for being our photographer.

And for my dear lurkers - the conference overall was a mixed bag - some highs and some lows. Glad I experienced it, not sure I'll need to go back. It did spark the beginnings of some great conversations, and the new connections with a few people were the best take-aways. But aren't they always?

books I've read in 2008

July
Sensual Orthodoxy, Debbie Blue
The Creative Call: an Artist’s Response to the Way of the Spirit, Janice Elsheimer
Ham Biscuits, Hostess Gowns, and Other Southern Specialities: An Entertaining Life [with Recipes], Julia Reed

June
When You are Engulfed in Flames, David Sedaris
Rock On: An Office Power Ballad, Dan Kennedy
The Treasure Principle, Randy Alcorn
Confessions of a Recovering Slut: And Other Love Stories, Hollis Gillespie

May
Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Field Guide for Leaders, Managers, and Facilitators, Patrick Lencioni
Looking for God, Nancy Ortberg
Due South: Dispatches from Down Home, R. Scott Bruner

April
The Last Addiction, Sharon Hersh
Nurture, Lisa Bevere
Walking With God, John Eldredge
The Blue Star, Tony Earley
Crazy Sista Cooking: Cuisine & Conversation With Lucy Buffett, Lucy Buffett

March
Green Eggs and Ham, Dr. Seuss
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni

February
The Friday Night Knitting Club, Kate Jacobs
The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron
God's Silence, Franz Wright

January
Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer, Warren St. John
Creole Thrift: Premium Southern Living Without Spending a Mint, Angela Parlange
Simplicity, Kim Thomas

Christi Pugh found the old Clifford Atari

What a small world we live in. I received this email today from a friend from childhood/college. The auction company she references is the company we used to dissolve my dad's estate back in March.

"I buy stuff from _________ Auctions & they do consignment sales every month, so in May I was bidding on a few things & saw this huge Atari lot. I had been thinking of getting one just for fun anyway, so I bid on it & won. Got it home & going through the box were the games & instructions, etc. At the bottom I found a piece of paper that had scores & names for William, Brian, & on the back your scores in your handwriting with your name, which I cannot mistake because we wrote so many letters. It was eerie...I sat on my couch for 30 minutes at first amazed saying to my dogs, "I have Amy's Atari," over & over again. I called Dena. I said, "This is the weirdest thing that ever happened to me." What are the odds that I would get your Atari? We used to play it in your bedroom. Yes, it does work. I cleaned it. A couple of the games need cleaning & don't work, but Donkey Kong works great. It is a funny stress reliever."