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Archive for the ‘Friday Five’ Category

Friday Five – Wanderings and Wonderings

Posted in Church, Beauty, Friday Five, Alive, Cozy on February 20, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Happy Friday, friends. We made it.

This is what has wondered across my desk and through my brain this week:

  • Creativity doesn’t have to be a project – note to self (and perhaps also to you?) to explore the benefits of creative play.
  • Nadia Bolz-Weber’s Lenten discipline for cranky people that I can really get on board with – 40 Days of Good Shit.
  • Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes’s piece on the intricacies of the body. “There is freedom in seeing my body not as a mystery to be solved, but rather as a delicacy to be treasured and cared for.”
  • When I tell you that I loved Eileen Gu’s response to this crusty reporter’s question, I fear that that statement won’t quite express the utter glee with which I CACKLED, especially with the “I KNOW who I am…and who are you?” laugh that started it all. Good for her. Edited to add – I, along with the rest of the world, loved, loved, loved Alysa Liu’s performance that won her the gold.
  • These slides pretty much sum up my views on the senseless death of Dr. Linda Davis (and all who have died as the result of ICE’s lawless and reckless behavior). There are also resources listed in the caption of the post if you are wondering what you can do. In this season of lament, we cry, “How long will this injustice continue?” and call for the U.S. to repent and abolish ICE.

Have a good day/weekend!

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Friday Five – Crafted Cozy

Posted in Beauty, Books, Church, Cozy, Food, Friday Five, Joy, Mental Health on February 13, 2026| Leave a Comment »

I want one of these days. Oh, to be a crocheted frog! That looks so cozy and nice. Maybe soon. 

In the meantime, here are some good reads that also feel cozy. Enjoy!

  • I love Jenny Lawson, and I cannot wait to read How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay. That is all.
  • On embracing the inner crone, from Stefanie Vallejo Monahan. Yes, please.
  • I have many favorite authors. My authors page on my working TBR rivals my series page as the longest. However, I don’t know that there’s even a single author about whom I can say I’ve read all their works. I mean, I wanna. I have the drive to do so. I will read something I love and immediately devour three or four other books that person has written. I will drop everything I’m doing to read the newest Fredrik Backman (or at least make sure it gets on one of my book clubs’ lists). And I am (slowly) working through Isabel Allende’s work in order of publication. But I do not yet have a completist author of my own, and I WANT ONE. I am looking forward to this series.
  • Ash Wednesday is NEXT WEEK. What in the world. Anyway, I have practiced Lent for many years and in several ways. I like the way this post breaks it down into four intentions to pursue.
  • And finally, I’m gonna make Joy the Baker’s one-pot French onion pasta tomorrow. I’ve got a fairly busy weekend, and this little dish is going to help me slow down a little and remind me that it is, in fact, my day off, regardless of what my activities may suggest.

Have a good weekend, friends!

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Friday Five – Joy and Help

Posted in Beauty, Church, Food, Friday Five, Fun, Joy, Revolution, Work, Writing, tagged , , on February 6, 2026| Leave a Comment »

My first full week in office in my advisor position! The first week had Monday as a holiday, and the second week was mostly working from home due to the winter storm that swept through this area. It’s been a long week, but it’s been good. I haven’t quite outfitted my office yet, so I’m going to do some more decorating next week.

I’m looking forward to going out with some friends tonight and I have a few events this weekend. Hopefully, I’ll also have some time to read, clean, and generally decompress as well.

Some links for the week:

  • This opinion from US District Judge Fred Biery on the release of Liam Arias and his father Adrian is a good read. “‘We the People’ are hearing echoes of that history,” is the type of statement that once inspired me to consider the law and eventually judgeship as a career path. As much as I would probably loathe being a judge most of the time, I would enjoy writing things like this.
  • Charcuterie. Pretzels. Y’all, this is adorable.
  • How to make soup and also write a novel. I’m going to add this wisdom to my Fall Curriculum (spoiler – my goal will be to revamp my writing practice and finish a manuscript).
  • I love her joy and her new ‘do!
  • Troubles in Minneapolis persist, and friends of a friend have a good resource on the ground if you are looking for a place to donate. The Helping Hand Fund through Our Savior’s Lutheran Church supports their neighbors in need, and you can donate generally or designate your donation as “immigrant support” if you want to specify where you’d like it to go.

I hope you get time and space to decompress this weekend!

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Friday Five – Icy Conditions

Posted in Denton, Friday Five, Mental Health, Poetry, Work on January 30, 2026| Leave a Comment »

After a winter storm last weekend that expanded into icy conditions pretty much all week here, I have spent a lot of time working from home. Grateful to have a reliable setup to do so. Here are five things on my mind this Friday.

I hope your weekend is wonderful, friends.

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Friday Five – Last Day

Posted in Bookshops, Church, Cozy, Friday Five, Mental Health, Resolutions, TV, Work, tagged , , , on January 16, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Well, friends. The day has come. My last day of working for UNT Housing. From my start as a night desk clerk to the leader of our amazing tour team, it’s been a little over 20 years of meeting loads of people I love and helping students feel at home on campus. I’m excited about my new adventure as an academic advisor, though!

Here are some lovely things that have given me much-needed pauses as I plowed through the to-do list of things to make next week easier for the staff.

  • I love this poem by Rudy Franciso. I love the “Amen” chorus from the audience, too. “It’s hard being alive, but it looks so good on you.”
  • I miss Let It Be Sunday, but I love the new Joy the Baker monthly series, The Bakehouse Almanac. I think I shall subscribe to a new analog magazine (for free through my AARP, of course. Because I’m old enough to qualify for AARP, and I have a lot of participation points to burn.)!
  • I am grateful for this reframe of “This Will Be My Year” from Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes. Regardless of what happens to me and in the world, did I do my best? Did I take care of myself? Did I take care of my relationships (or, in the case of 2024, did they take exceptionally good care of me)? Did I experience joy? In that light, yes. 2020, 2024, 2025 – each of these has indeed been my year, and I expect that 2026 will be as well. There will be lots of opportunities to practice those four things.
  • There is hope for Patchouli Joe’s! They have a GoFundMe to raise money to transition to a new location. Please donate to help if you can.
  • I love The Residence so much. I wish it had gotten renewed. It was worth every dollar of production costs, and Netflix is a fool. I’m glad these actors are getting recognition for their great work.

And one bonus salve for the weary – A Blessing for the Weak by Nadia Bolz-Weber

Have a good weekend!

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Friday Five – What in the World and Also Snacks

Posted in Bookshops, Cozy, Food, Friday Five, Mental Health, Revolution, Work, tagged , , , , on January 9, 2026| Leave a Comment »

This was my first week back at work after the break, and it really acted like it. As expected, the ambition of well-rested, cozy, mostly-feral Suzanne has cooled, so I’m trying to find my bearings with all the resolutions I made. 

Also, the world is spiraling (and our country bears more than our fair share of blame for that, especially right now. Just…what are we doing. And CAN WE NOT?). ICE needs to stay in their lane (and by “stay in their lane” I do mean “be dismantled”) and held accountable for literally everything they do. 

I would not be the least bit surprised if we discovered dragons were real this year. The big, fire-breathing kind – not the small, cute ones we already know about. Given the propensity of people with more money than sense to poke around in the depths of the ocean and other places we would do well to leave alone, it’s a distinct possibility.

Nevertheless, I have managed to find some nice things to share with you. I have a couple of recipes that I tried this week, and some cozy items that might give you a brief respite from *gestures broadly* 

So enjoy!

  • Matthew Bounds’s White Chicken Chili – I’ve never made a recipe of his that I didn’t like, and this is no exception. Most white chicken chili uses heavy cream, but this one thickens with instant potatoes (I used the garlic ones), which makes it the clear frontrunner for me. Anything I can eat without taking a Lactaid (and bonus if it includes potatoes in any form) is superior in my book.
  • Dan Whalen’s Deviled Pickles – Deviled eggs are not my favorite. Part of my aversion is due to the use of mayonnaise, but mostly I am not a fan of the texture and smell of boiled eggs. Deviled pickles, however? All the delicious things about a deviled egg with none of the things that tend to give me the ick. I used whipped cream cheese and used a plant-based (ergo, non-eggy) mayo in this recipe, leaving the filling mostly just cheese and happiness. I 100% ate the leftover filling with chips. Delightful.
  • I like these cozy prompts from Montana Happy’s hygge list and will likely turn some of them into posts this year. I’ve already started with the advice to my younger self and my dream house. Stay tuned.
  • At some point this weekend, I’m going to take down the Christmas tree. Epiphany has arrived. It’s time. Also, I have plans for that corner, and the tree is in the way. But it always makes me a little sad to put it back in storage. As luck would have it, Modern Mrs. Darcy’s “Links I Love” featured this gem from the Nester on making the seasonal transition less gloomy. I think I can conjure up some things with my excess of twinkle lights and jars around the succulents that have come indoors for the winter (assuming winter ever manages to actually get here). Maybe I’ll incorporate them into the plans for that corner.
  • While one of my favorite local indie bookshops is closing, did you know that over 30 either opened in the past year or will open soon in Texas? That’s good news!

I hope you have a good weekend. I hope you get a much-needed hangout with friends or take a much-needed break from hanging out with people, whatever the case may be. Good wishes for you and yours.

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Friday Five – “HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!” she sings maniacally…

Posted in Church, Friday Five, Joy, Mental Health, Music, Quiet, Seasons, TV, tagged , , on December 12, 2025| 2 Comments »

I’m feeling very festive-song-in-minor-key today. It’s been a good week, but a busy one, and the busy isn’t really over until Sunday at noon-ish. My body is giving me small warning signs, so I figure I have about 5 days before it absolutely crashes unless I get some slow-down soon. Noted. My planner on Sunday afternoon reads “NOTHING NOT A DAMN THING.” So that’s where we’re at.

  • The correct Advent greeting. I love it every time Rev. Joseph Yoo shows up in my feed.
  • If someone rich wants advice on what to do with their money, Bryan Fuller and the cast of Pushing Daisies are ready to give us more antics at the Pie Hole! I NEED SEASON THREE!
  • Busy seasons have me sitting at the keyboard more often than usual. I just play through my theory books or some Bach variations – predictable, methodic, simple. Instrumental and ambient music are great stress relievers, which this piece explores beautifully.
  • Speaking of ambient music, I’m playing in the Joan of Bark Fest tomorrow with Wenepa. It will not be the same without Des, but I know we’ll still make some beautiful sounds together. Come see us if you’re local!
  • The James Garfield Miracle is one of my favorite things that happens every year, and I want y’all to know about it.

And an extra bonus at the end of this busy, busy week. Because The Great Unfuckening is nigh, and I feel like mine is going to be a doozy. My brain is so tired, and my stockpile of fucks-to-give is quickly dwindling.

Next week’s schedule is much calmer. It’s still busy and social – just not every day. There are real pockets of rest on the horizon, and I am excited about that.

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Friday Five – Snacks and Books

Posted in Beauty, Books, Feast, Food, Friday Five, Fun, Joy, Reading Challenges, Resolutions, tagged , , , on December 5, 2025| Leave a Comment »

One holiday week (almost) down, four to go. I can do this.

  • I love this perspective in these trying times. Times have been trying before, and they will be trying again. Community is how we make it through. And you know I love a book list. This piece has it all.
  • These are so freaking cute. If I get myself together, they may make an appearance at a holiday party. Or I may take fudge. Fudge is good (and also easy). Or this (but why is it called Jezebel sauce? Good and misunderstood? Bad, but also an understandable and totally acceptable course of action, given the full view of the circumstances? Has it been sacrificed to idols? Did someone die a gruesome death from eating it? I’m so curious.).
  • I’m looking at the reading challenges I want to attempt in the new year, and it’s really gonna be something. Buckle up – my reading life is fully reflecting my internal chaos, and there is no stopping it at this point. This is an interesting one that I’m considering – the Anti Brain Rot Reading Challenge. I really love the way this challenge is organized. I ABSOLUTELY ADORE the idea of having a personal curriculum for each season where I double down on a particular topic. And there is a Discord community. This would be an especially good challenge for people who either want to establish a daily reading practice or intentionally read outside their personal experience zone, and who would like social support in doing so. You know what? I say I’m “considering” it, but I think we all know I’m in. I’m so in.
  • I love reading books that friends recommend. When I finish, it’s like an automatic mini-book club. This interview with Kate Mosesso on What Should I Read Next is lovely and charming. Bonus that I particularly like about this podcast – transcript and a book list. 
  • A post no one ever wants to write, but Nadia Bolz-Weber does it beautifully. I’m so glad she’s OK.

Have a great weekend, friends!

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Hello, December

Posted in Beauty, Books, Church, Friday Five, Joy, Seasons, Work, tagged , on December 1, 2025| Leave a Comment »

I was driving back from the parents’ farm on Friday when I meant to post my last Friday Five of November. I was holding off to see if I found a fifth, but I didn’t want these four little snippets of joy to slip through my fingers. I hope you enjoy them!

  • Advent is upon us so I wanted to share (re-share? I think I’ve shared it before) Tsh Oxenreider’s succinct piece on the why and how of the season.
  • I finally watched Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris this week, and it is just as lovely and just as charming as the book (even with the H added to ‘Arris). I thought there was no way I would love it as much as the book, but I did. Leslie Manville was perfectly cast and an absolute delight. Now I want to watch the Angela Lansbury version from the 90s.
  • Ethan Hawke on Marilynne Robinson’s Housekeeping – “She was speaking to me in a way that made my soul feel like it mattered.” Same, Ethan Hawke. Marilynne Robinson is a treasure.
  • I supervise a staff of university students, and a frequent question I get when they are about to graduate and go out into the big, bad world is, “How do I make friends as an adult?” Outside of the structure of classes and group projects and student organizations and residence halls, all of which tend to force socialization to some extent (for better or worse), the prospect of being on their own is often daunting, especially for introverts. My answer? Book clubs. Yes, I meet people at church, but some people don’t practice a religion. Yes, I have an art community (with very wide parameters regarding what constitutes art), but that’s not necessarily a widespread phenomenon. Book clubs are easy and more universal. Even if you don’t read a lot, you can usually find a book club that discusses genre (like the ones hosted by our public library). If you can’t find a local club that meets your needs, you can always join one online. You can also start your own and post fliers at the local library (where you can probably also meet for free, if you don’t want to invite people to your house). Options abound, and book people are interesting people who make great friends.

Have a great week, friends! Happy December!

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Friday Five – Art and Books

Posted in Books, Bookshops, Coffee Shop Road Trip, Dance, Friday Five, Fun, Home, Music, Poetry, Seasons on November 21, 2025| Leave a Comment »

This week was pretty busy but also really fun.

  • I took Monday and Tuesday off so I could drive to Tulsa to attend Travis Baldree’s book signing for Brigands & Breadknives. He talked about writing, answered questions, and read from Chapter 15. He narrates the audiobooks of this series, and I highly recommend listening to them, because he is a delight. 
  • During this little adventure, I also got to visit two bookstores and a coffee shop I’d never been to before. Magic City Books in Tulsa, Green Feather Books in Norman, and Gray Owl Coffee in Norman.
  • I got to read poems and listen to some great music at Joan of Bark at Rubber Gloves on Wednesday (and also going to be performing on December 13 at the Fest, which you should come see if you’re local or want a reason to travel to Denton)!
  • This is the collab I didn’t know I needed. “No Good Deed” with Cynthia Erivo and Misty Copeland.
  • Simon Sinek interviews Fredrik Backman, and it’s just as lovely as you imagine it would be.

I am very excited about this evening and tomorrow, when I will be catching up on all the taking care of my home that I have been neglecting whilst out gallivanting around. I might even go ahead and put up the tree. ‘Tis (almost) the season!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend, friends.

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