5 things . . .

Five of my favorite authors (in no particular order):

1. L.M. Montgomery
2. C.S. Lewis
3. S.E. Hinton
4. J.R.R. Tolkien
5. Madeline L'Engle

(I just noticed I like a lot of authors that go by their initials . . . isn't that peculiar!)

Google-fied and looking forward to a new day

Today I went to a class on Google tools for work. I learned a lot. It surprised me how much I didn't know. Anyway, the things I learned will help me to research better.

It was really beautiful out today, unfortunately I was in class all day and worked the rest of it. I am looking forward to the rest of the weekend.

These are the days that make it worth enduring the dreariness of rain and the stifling humidity. Cool but not cold, warm but not hot. Blue sky in all directions. Glorious sunshine.

Yep, I am definitely looking forward to the weekend.

Blech . . .

Today was a catch-up day. Mostly catching up on things I put off as long as possible because I dislike them so much.

Mowing my lawn. I don't really hate doing this but by this time in the summer I am ready for it to stop growing. Because of all the rain we have been getting, it does nothing but grow. Fortunately, the sun came out this afternoon so I was able to mow.

Cleaning out my refrigerator. One thing I miss about childhood is leftover night. Every week or so mom would pull out all the leftovers in the refrigerator and we could pick and choose. Like a mini "Old Country Buffet." I don't necessarily miss it for the buffet aspect but more for the "ah, all the leftovers are being eaten so they won't be left in the refrigerator until they start growing mold" aspect. Yeah, that would be my refrigerator earlier this evening. I try to clean it out on Wednesday evenings because trash day is on Thursdays -- eliminates the odor problem. So tonight I cleaned out my refrigerator. Blech. On the plus side I found out where a lot of my dishes had "disappeared" to!

Dishes. I don't know why but this is my most dreaded household chore. Honestly, I could understand if I didn't have a dishwasher but I do. I really only have to load the dishes into the dishwasher and turn it on. What's to dread about that? Sometimes I wonder about myself.

Thankfully, my most dreaded chores are done for now and I won't have to worry about them for at least a couple days.

You should see all the room I have in my refrigerator . . . !

I wasn't gonna . . . but now I am

I wasn't going to do any posts on books. Why? I have no idea. I just had it in my mind not to write anything about the books I have read, am reading, or will read in the future. Quite possibly I thought that by writing one post on a book I would eventually only write about books and that is not why I started this blog.

My current reasoning goes a little something like this:

Self: Why aren't you blogging about books?

Me: ::shrug:: I don't know.

Self: It really wouldn't hurt you to blog about books would it?

Me: No, but I read a lot of books, what if I start to blog only about books?

Self: Well, I guess you will have to use some discernment and self-control.

Me: And what are those again?

Self: Ha-ha. Grow up a little will you?

So here is my first post about a book. You may have noticed that I have been posting a few quotes by Lemony Snicket recently. (Or you may not have but will now that I pointed it out!) I have been reading his new book Horseradish: bitter truths you can't avoid. It is a collection of Lemony Snicket-isms.

The thing I like about Lemony Snicket is the humor: "One of the remarkable things about love is that, despite very irritating people writing poems and songs about how pleasant it is, it really is quite pleasant." (p107)

His "Series of Unfortunate Events" books have the same type of humor in them. Cracks me up every time.

I also love how he uses words: "An associate of mine once wrote a novel called Corridors of Power, which told the story of various people discussing how the world has become a corrupt and dangerous place and whether or not there are enough people with the integrity and decency necessary to keep the entire planet from descending into despair. I have not read this novel in several years, because I participate in enough discussions on how the world has become a corrupt and dangerous place and whether or not there are enough people with the integrity and decency necessary to keep the entire planet from descending into despair without reading about it in my leisure time."

The way he uses words to get an idea across should seem cumbersome and verbose but I think it only emphasizes his point, creates humor, and paints a more complete picture. But that's my opinion.

So you can expect more Lemony Snicket quotes. And possibly more book posts . . . if I can talk myself into it.

5 things. . .

Places I would like to visit (should I ever get the chance):

1. Ireland
2. Montana
3. the Lourvre
4. New Orleans
5. Narnia (j/k -- but wouldn't that be an amazing trip!)
   

More friendship musings

I thought this post from Confessions of a Pioneer Woman fit into my friendship/relationship post from Tuesday. It certainly gave me something to think about.

Daily pleasures and fuzzy photography

The rhythms of life are comforting. They are stability in an unstable world. I can count on a new family moving into the one of the apartments next door at least every six months. I can always count on my neighbor mowing his lawn a day before I do. (Except this week he had to wait a day because of rain. This is a different kind of joy altogether -- finally I caught up to him in yard work!)

One of my most pleasurable 'rhythms' is an older gentleman walking his dog. It never fails - he walks his dog everyday usually around 4pm. Winter, summer, with threat of rain or during beautiful weather. Recently, I noticed a slight alteration. An added pet.

At first, I thought it was just a coincidence but every day the gentleman and his dog walked by my house . . . with cat trailing after. ( Sorry if the picture is a little fuzzy -- blame the photograper!)

This is one of my daily pleasures. It always brings a smile to my face!

Serpentine thoughts

I was reading this blog today and it started me thinking about my own friendships.

1. Specifically, do I commit myself to my friendships or do I absorb all the benefits of the relationship, not giving anything back?
2. How can I make my current friendships/relationships better?
3. What are some things (practical or impractical, big or small l) I can do to show my friends how much I value and respect them?

I think that friends and family are some of the greatest blessings. True friends will not simply placate you or give you empty words to make you happy but will help you to grow as a person, be an encouragement, or even be a wake up call.

Well, I know what I will be pondering for the next little while . . .

Baking a cake

So I had the yen to do a little baking on Friday. I had a Hershey's chocolate cake mix in the cupboard that I whipped up. I topped it with most delicious and simple made-from-scratch chocolate icing. Yum.

Now all this is well and good but then I have entire cake sitting on my counter that I shouldn't eat.

An entire cake, whispering my name, tempting me to eat. I will admit I did have a couple pieces. Okay, a few more than a couple but I also gave most of it away.

[A note on chocolate: 1. Delicious 2. Nutritious 3. Just plain good!]

Photo Credit: Maartje van Caspel

5 things I plan to do this weekend

1. Sleep in
2. Read
3. Watch football
4. Go to church
5. Did I mention sleep in?
   

It's the start of something good

I have the weekend off (including Friday)! Yea!

Tomorrow, mom & I are going to clean my grandparents basement. (No that is not really the good part but it will get better.) But the rest of the weekend . . . no plans whatsoever.

It seems I am blessed with a weekend like this just when I need it most.

The last few weeks have been very busy. I am always surprise that I have so much going on in my life. I have been working extra hours at the library due to co-worker vacations. Of course, I don't really mind this much because I love my job. After a while though, I just need a little break.

I have started a project for church . . . reorganizing the library. Then I have been planning for a business trip and a vacation. Not to mention my house could do with a good cleaning. Sigh.

Yes, a long weekend is a unquestionably a blessing.

Golden moments

Nothing Gold Can Stay
by: Robert Frost

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

This is one of my favorite poems (also one of Ponyboy Curtis's favorites -- for those of you who enjoy The Outsiders).

Whenever I get up early (which isn't often, as I am more a night owl than an early bird) and I go for a walk, there is that magical time before the dew has burned off and after the sun has come up. Everything seems to have a golden hue. I am reminded of this poem. That time of day passes quickly.

I also am reminded of this poem when big changes come in my life. At every stage of my life there were golden moments and there will be golden moments to come. But the golden moments will be different for "nothing gold can stay."

The hardest time

For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. (Col. 1:16)

What a blessing to know we have a purpose. What a blessing to know that the people we encounter everyday have a purpose.

One of the things I struggle with is dealing with annoying people. You know, those people you wish you had made it through the day without encountering. The ones who believe they deserve a little bit more, or are a little bit more, or want to be a little bit more than everyone else.

My patience runs thin with those people and I tend not to give my full attention or best service to them, often without really thinking about it. I am trying to be more focused during these situations and put my best foot forward for them, for me, and for God.

For by Him all things were created . . . including the "person you have the hardest time liking." (See today's Ponderables).

Ahhh . . . stress out!

I enjoy going to new places. And I really enjoy visiting family. But I honestly despise the actual travel part.

First, you have to have a plan (something I tend to avoid, if at all possible) to get there. Which means planning a route, or in my case purchasing plane tickets. This entails finding tickets I can afford from an airport near enough to get a ride to. Then making sure the itinerary is practical -- for example NOT arriving at 1 a.m. after a traveling for 10 hours. This is much more difficult than you might imagine.

This time I travel I am renting a car. Which surprisingly enough was not as painful as I imagined. The hardest part will be paying for it.

Despite the above mentioned headache, I am excited about the actual trip. I am flying to the Orlando area in October to visit my brother (yea!). I have never been to Florida so that will be . . . fun . . . new . . . interesting.

But the big bonus will be that I get to see my brother (yea!). I haven't been to visit him since he moved down there in May of 2006. The excitement grows!!!

In the meantime, I could really use that spa . . .

5 things . . .

Five things I'm thankful for this week:

1. Connecting with old friends
2. Laughing with my family
3. Air-conditioning
4. Good books
5. Cuddly cats
   

Amateur "Wild Kingdom"

Redecorating

Hmm . . . a little redecorating of the blogsite to day. Not sure if I like the colors yet. I do like the layout better though.

What's life without a little change now and then? Quite boring, I would say. Although as human beings, we tend to resist change.

Personally, I put off making decisions as long a possible. I seem to believe that making a decision is a portent to change and change is bad. However, I find that most of the changes (decisions) I have made in my life have lead to better things.

(I say most because I have made bad choices leading to bad changes.)

So my goal should be to try to remember a little change is good. And go from there.

In a lighter look at the subject of change:

Since I began working at the library, my weather small talk skills have been put to the test. I have noticed that most people, myself included, complain that the weather isn't to their liking:

"It's really hot out there today, I can't wait till it cools off."
"It's been pouring out, I can't do much in my garden."
"Can you believe how cold it is? I wish it was July!"
"I has been so dry, we could really use some rain."

Of course we aren't happy with what we have, we want it to change. When it does change, we want what we had.

Of course, we could just be fickle-minded.

Poetic fire

Isn't this beautiful?

I love campfires. The crackle, the smoky smell, the sparks trying to reach the sky.

I was mute and silent, I refrained even from good,
And my sorrow grew worse. My heart was hot within me,
while I was musing the fire burned;Then I spoke with my tongue:
“LORD, make me to know my end
and what is the extent of my days; Let me know how transient I am.

Hello my name is . . .

Chris and I'm a blog-aholic. Yes, if I could sit and read blogs all day long I would. Unfortunately I have to work to support my blog habit.

The internet is truly an amazing invention. Besides the instant news, communication, etc., it provides a portal into the inner workings of the everyman (or woman's) mind. Which can be scary, interesting, intriguing, or informative. Or in the case of this portal to the inner workings of my mind slightly peculiar.

For the introvert, blogs are excellent ways to "listen" to conversions and "meet" new people while remaining inconspicuous. They have the option of participating through the Comments function of a blog, or e-mailing the blogger. Or they can simply read.

Currently, I read an average of 4 blogs daily. This doesn't include the bloggers who post only weekly or a couple times a month. In an effort to control my blog-aholic tendencies I am limiting the number of blogs I subscribe to. If I find a new one I must unsubscribe to another.

Hmmm . . . well it's been a couple minutes I better check my blogs . . . just kidding!

Don't rain on my parade

How do you deal with people and situations that discourage you? Do you confront the person? If so, what do you say?

This is a dilemma I have been pondering lately. I haven't come up with a solution(s) yet. But I will. How is that for encouragement!

Conference

Today (and tomorrow) I am at a cataloging conference -- 13 hours of in depth learning about the Dewey Decimal and the MARC record systems. Slightly mind numbing. Hopefully, numbness means absorption or I'm in big trouble.

I do get to stay in a hotel overnight. Unfortunately, I have to stay in this horrible room with a spa/tub.This photo is taken looking into the room through the window between the spa/bathroom & the bedroom area. I know, horrible isn't it. Notice I am in this photo . . . yeah that's me in the rear. I used the self-timer on my camera. The first time! Yeah! Well, actually it took me a couple tries to get it set the time right and a couple more tries to get it to actually take the photo. But still . . .


This is the rest of the room. You can't see the mess I have made by the door . . . a chaos of luggage and assorted totes. Nor can you see the pile of shoes and socks on the other side of the bed.

Meanwhile . . . I'm filling my spa . . . man, it takes a lot of water . . . I may be here for a while.

But I will be ready for more numbness tomorrow!!!

Ooh, gotta go . . . it's almost full!

Dog envy

I have a bad case of dog envy.

There were two READing teams at the library today. A READing team is a dog and its handler. A child can come into the library and read to the dog for 10 minutes. Dog envy.

They were the sweetest dogs . . .

Aren't they adorable. And the sweetest, most curious and friendly personalities. Dog envy.

Of course, they probably didn't get to be so well behave by magic. I'm sure a lot of time and care went into their training. But, oh the dog envy.

Sigh. Maybe someday. But right now Cleo takes up all my energy. But she cuddles good!

(For more info on the READing teams click on the photo above.)