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Archive for the ‘Friday Five’ Category

Friday Five – Happy Graduation, Happy Friday!

Posted in Books, Dance, Friday Five on December 15, 2017| Leave a Comment »

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Happy messy coffee beverage! Traffic was a mess this morning, but for the best reason. Graduation ceremonies! I waved at all the people putting out traffic cones and the people whose ceremony was e.a.r.l.y. The traffic cone people waved back. Understandable. They weren’t trying to cross the road in heels.

Here are some things from the intrawebs that made me happy this week:

  1. This year, Equal Exchange has been posting a series on food systems and the citizen-consumer’s role in them. They’ve been popping up in my news feed again this week, and I’ve enjoyed that. Here is the first post, introducing the issue.
  2. I love this post from Social Dance Community about why we get so addicted to social dance.
  3. Google’s Year in Search video is one of my favorite things.
  4. I look forward to the Hater’s Guide to the Williams Sonoma Catalog all year long. This year’s guide did not disappoint. HILARIOUS.
  5. And finally, a gentle nod to what I’m going to spend a lot of time doing this weekend (in between meetings and parties and whatnot). It’s okay that I have 10,000 books I haven’t read.

 

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Friday Five – Happy December!

Posted in Beauty, Friday Five, Seasons on December 1, 2017| Leave a Comment »

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Hello, December! Pay day and holiday wassail fest on the square and Friday, all in one. Happy day!

Here are a few things I liked on the intrawebs this week:

  1. Sarah Bessey reposted this from a few years ago. I still love it. Advent is for those who know longing.
  2. This made me laugh – brutal Christmas card. Same, Emily. Same.
  3. Abby Norman also reposted one of her (and my) favorite posts about December. December, we take your joy without your nonsense.
  4. Oven mitts for people like me. Also tea cups. Just in case you are looking for gift ideas.
  5. And finally – Dear Academy, please take all my money. I love this response.

Happy Friday!

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Friday Five – Comfort Animals

Posted in Books, Friday Five, Fun, Hope, Uncategorized on November 17, 2017| Leave a Comment »

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Today I am in training most of the day. It’s about a topic I’m interested in, and there are snacks. But real talk? I kinda just want to nap.

Here are some things I’ve loved this week. My Facebook saves have been cute-animal-intensive. This solidifies my plan to do as little as possible this weekend and rest.

  1. I appreciate the work that Pastor Charles Johnson is doing in Texas. Fair warning – this interview is from a highly biased source, and I find the interviewer annoying in that regard, but I like his answers. Yay, public education!
  2. Tracee Ellis’s speech that lifts up single women with no children? LOVE.
  3. Andi is reading books about books during the holidays. I might have to join her. Drop by and leave suggestions if you want.
  4. This dog. “THROW THE STICK YOU MONSTER.” Hilarious.
  5. Goats really are the best animals. THE BEST.

Feel free to drop inspiring things (especially cute animal videos) in the comments. Have a good day!

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Friday Five – Help and Celebration

Posted in Books, Friday Five, Music on November 3, 2017| Leave a Comment »

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This week has been full of festivities and people helping and raising money and reaching out. Here are some small snippets that capture some of the work and the joy on the intrawebs this week.

  1. You have probably heard of the attack in Somalia that left over 300 dead in October. Even if you haven’t, it’s not too late to help. You can find links to the story as well as suggestions for getting involved here.
  2. Postmodern Jukebox and Wayne Brady sing a 30’s style Thriller. Also check out Sarah Reich, one of my favorite tap dancers, on his left.
  3. I love seeing how people dress up for Halloween. Favorites this year were Shonda Rhimes as Debbie Allen and Kristen Bell as Magnum, P.I.
  4. There are a lot of things going on in Denton this weekend. I might go to all of them. Or I might just go to the Friends of the Library book sale.
  5. And finally, here are some pictures of people who absolutely did not want the damn cats.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

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Friday Five – Labor and Coffee

Posted in Friday Five, Revolution on September 29, 2017| Leave a Comment »

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Today is the 14th (14th!!!) birthday of one of the best kids on the planet and also National Coffee Day. Here is a selection of my favorite reading material from the week to peruse while you enjoy your morning (or afternoon, depending on where you are) cup.

  1. Good listeners are my favorite people of all. I am happy to share a country with both of these men.
  2. Signature shared an excerpt from Leila Janah’s book, Give Work: Reversing Poverty One Job at a Time, which is definitely going on my to-read list.
  3. I “Yes!”-ed and “Exactly!”-ed my way through Gemma Hartley’s piece on the toll of doing the bulk of the emotional labor in a relationship. When I think of wanting to be married, this is one of the top issues that gives me pause. I don’t want to be the team manager.
  4. Yay, free coffee!
  5. Or make your own – how to make cold brew. As I do not keep cheesecloth in stock at the house, I use my French press or Pampered Chef’s cold brew pitcher.

Happy Friday!

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Friday Five Minus One

Posted in Books, Friday Five, Writing on September 15, 2017| 2 Comments »

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Happy Friday to you! I only have four things to share this week, but there’s a lot to chew on in some of them.

  1. Jane Friedman’s post on social media for authors was a soothing balm to me. Particularly these sentences: “It works best when you can see it as play, as a natural extension of your work. As soon as you carve it out as the ‘marketing and promotion’ part of work/life, your results may be lackluster.” Sometimes, I worry about my online presence, as the bulk of my writing time is spent in offline projects and SEO stuff. Then when I do post on social media, I feel like it has to really be something special. So I end up not posting for longer. It’s possible I’m overthinking it and just need to play.
  2. Melissa Febos via  Catapult urges us to fight the expectations placed on us (…that we place on ourselves also?) to better manage our time and get work done. I like any advice that tells me to ignore emails (except for customer emails at work, of course).
  3. If there’s one thing I love about the upcoming female remake of Lord of the Flies, it’s the opportunity it provides for satire. The last faux excerpt on this list is my favorite:

    “Murder?!” asked Erica.

    “Literally the only thing we’re trying to do on this island is not die. Why—” but Sam couldn’t finish her sentence. She was laughing too hard.

  4. The 2017 Texas Book Festival. I am going to this one year. This might not be the year, but maybe. I haven’t been to Austin in a while.

So that’s my week. Give me a fifth – what have you read this week that you liked?

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Friday Five – Hello Again!

Posted in Books, Friday Five, Fun on September 8, 2017| Leave a Comment »

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Where do the weeks go? I’ve been reading and writing, and August is crazy, but now it’s September, so here we are. Hello! How have you all been?

Here are five things that have caught my attention/amused me/made me think:

  1. I read many good responses to the Nashville Statement (which I didn’t find as surprising, given the source, as others seemed to), this one being my favorite.
  2. What do you do when you are trapped in a bakery, held hostage by a hurricane? You make pan dulce, of course, for all the people who are going to be hungry afterwards. I love this story!
  3. I added to my to-read list. There are several on this list of non-fiction I’m interested in checking out.
  4. Lord of the Flies as an all-female remake…written by zero females? The people respond, and it’s hilarious.
  5. And because you need more absurd dog pictures in your life, here are dogs masquerading as people you may know.

Happy Friday!

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Friday Five – What I’m Reading This Week

Posted in Friday Five, Revolution on August 18, 2017| 2 Comments »

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We are in the midst of Mean Green Move-In (which technically starts tomorrow, but let’s be real – we’re in the midst). As students come to campus with concerns about safety and questions about how they can get involved, opportunities for listening and conversation abound.

Here are four things to read that can also help:

  1. Dr. King’s Letter From a Birmingham Jail – his reasoning behind his activism.
  2. Reading list for those interested. Some of you might feel defensive about the title. For me, a good way to fight defensiveness is to look beyond it and press on – to read something by someone with whom I don’t have a lot in common with the intent to understand and try to empathize. Maybe that will work for you, too.
  3. Literary examples of the tu quoque fallacy (or why “but both sides!” is not a logical argument and often breaks down what could have been a productive conversation).
  4. If you are not following Osheta Moore from Shalom in the City, you should. Her latest newsletter gave advice on what to do if you are disappointed in your church’s response to Charlottesville events. It’s also good advice for those of us who flocked to our churches because we knew we could expect the topic to be raised. As someone who is frequently “that person” in various circles, I often find her words encouraging. She is also a reminder to me that firm conviction can also be kind.

Speaking of good advice, don’t stare directly into the sun, even during Monday’s eclipse. Enjoy it safely, please.

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Friday Five – Plans and Recommendations

Posted in Books, Feminism, Food, Friday Five on July 14, 2017| Leave a Comment »

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I really love my schedule this month. Tomorrow I am hosting a write-in for my writing group (DFW area writer friends – email or DM me for details if you want to come!), and next weekend I am reading all weekend, and the weekend after that I am hosting my Hemingway party. I don’t usually like to plan all my weekends, but I don’t mind so much when it looks like writing and reading and drinking.

Five things that go with July’s apparent theme:

  1. The reading weekend is in conjunction with 24in48 – basically, as it sounds, you pick 24 hours out of July 22 and 23 and read like crazy. I’M SO EXCITED. If you’re in the area and want to come wrap yourself up in a blanket and read (and not talk other than to ask “May I have more tea?” Or, you know what – just help yourself. The tea is there for the taking.), that’s cool. We can be (silently) excited and literate together.
  2. Shawn Smucker’s The Day the Angels Fell comes out on September 5, but it’s available for pre-order now. I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy, so this is one of the books that I’ll be finishing during 24in48. From what I’ve read so far, I can attest that you will want this book. Go! Pre-order!
  3. My favorite thing I’ve read this year about modesty culture – refusal to accommodate uncontrolled men. I also appreciate her comment moderation instruction to “Be feisty but gracious!” Words to live by. Thinking of making that my mantra.
  4. An artist reimagined the 50 states as food puns. I think Alahama is my fave. Or Kenturkey.
  5. And just in case you’re curious – this is what I’m having for dinner tonight.

What have you been doing/reading/eating lately?

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Not-Friday Five

Posted in Dance, Friday Five, Seasons, Writing on May 22, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Not Friday Five

So Friday got away from me last week, but I have some gems to share with you from the Internet, so here we are on Monday.

Summer is my second wind of trying new things. It’s also the season that I tend to eat the best (because really, it’s just too hot to eat anything but salad and fruit. And also snow cones). So a lot of the things that stick out to me that I want to save for later are food and indoor fitness related, because running outside right now until October? That’s ridiculous. And then there are the things that always stick out to me, like livable wages and social experiments. So…enjoy!

  1. I also like tacos, though, and so I need this book. I’m not sure this can be considered a cleanse in the traditional sense, but I’m willing to listen. Because tacos.
  2. I like stories like this, even though they’re clickbaity and possibly staged and insert-all-the-cynical-things-here. All wages should be livable. Living is what working is for.
  3. I might take tap and ballet again. That would be fun. And also indoors. Win-win.
  4. This made me laugh and laugh. Also, I can attest – accurate. Don’t #notallmen me. Because that’s not the point. The point is that it doesn’t have to happen every time; it happens enough that, statistically speaking, it’s likely just as much the result of societal conditioning as it is individual asshattery, so we as a society should look into cutting it out. Also, if you feel defensive, maybe ask yourself why. Is it because it really didn’t apply to you, or is it because maybe it applied a little and you feel uncomfortable that you may have made this impression? Honor that discomfort. Maybe deal with that instead of reacting defensively. As an aside, when I use this kind of response when people compliment me, and they like it, it makes me like them even more. My people.
  5. Last, I love this. This Gen-Xer agrees.

I’m thinking about sending another newsletter soon. I have some writing news that’s exciting and different. So if you want to hear me yammer on about it, you can sign up here. Also, there’s usually a recipe. I mean, it’s summer, so it may be for a snow cone. But it would be a delicious snow cone!

 

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