Because I do (Vol. II)

Here, have a collection of incredibly disparate, random things I'm enjoying and appreciating this week. I'm calling it my list of...

Things I do like (today): --

• Sunshine -- I feel a little as if I've been in hibernation, but today the sun is out in full glorious force and I am determined to take myself down to the bay and soak in its warming loveliness.
• Camp Nanowrimo -- July is Camp NaNoWriMo: all the fun of National Novel Writing Month with less word pressure and more marshmallows! For the record, virtual camping is the only kind of camping I really like, and this sort in particular is the best. This is my first year participating in Nano Camp, and I'm mostly here because my infinitely more go-getting friend Laura convinced me to take part. During NaNoWriMo in November, the rules are simple but strict: write a 50,000 word novel (or 50,000 words of a novel). Nano Camp is a lot more flexible; you get to make your own goals. My main intent was to pull out the novel I wrote during Nano a couple of years back and actually finish it. I had reached 50,000 words but not "The End," and there were some plot gaps and sequencing issues I needed to go back and fill in. All breeze and bluster, I cheerfully filled in my Nano Camp goal of 20,000 words, which is what I figure this novel needs to reach completed first draft status. As it happens, we're seven days into Camp Nano and I've written all of 600 words. However, I have been spending time revisiting what I've written, rereading it in full (which I hadn't done since I'd finished), and making notes as I go. The exciting thing is that I still love my characters. Well, there's one I'd like to smack across the face, but he deserves it. And there's another that deserves so much more than what I've given him in this story. There are sentences that I cringe about, but that's par for the course. The cool thing is the story is still there and I don't completely hate it. I'm relishing this chance to spend a little more time making it somewhere closer to better.
• Force 10 International -- I randomly caught a news article last week talking about this Brisbane-based company. What they do is create flat-pack housing that's designed to be built quickly by non-professional labourers and is especially created to withstand nature's worst, in the form of cyclones, tornadoes, flooding, and termites. There is so much good that can be done with a resource like this. I'm super-impressed. Also, any company whose name calls to mind an Alistair MacLean novel has to be at least half-cool.
• Rhett & Link chat to John Green -- this week on Ear Biscuits, Rhett and Link chatted to author, vlogger, and social change inspirer (let's let that be a word, okay?) John Green. People love to rag on this guy, possibly because he's successful and people respect him (always motivation for some internet sledging, I find), but after this interview, I found myself liking and respecting him even more. John Green is neither the antichrist nor the second coming, but he is someone who consistently exhibits a lot of wisdom and grace in his thoughts and actions about life, creativity, and making the world better.
• Hamish & Andy's South America Gap Year -- my favourite real-life broship is back on tv for another season of Gap Year and I'm happy. I'm in the middle of writing a post entirely about Hamish and Andy, and if I can overcome my ultimate fangirl embarrassment, I'll have it up at some point. In the meantime, if you're unfamiliar with Hamish and Andy, just imagine Frodo and Sam with none of the hobbitness or the angst, all of the silliness, and a generous helping of dorky Australian. Then imagine them exploring/doing/eating all the craziest things that South America has to offer. Yes, it is a recipe for joy (and occasional squinty eyes when one of them is eating something gross and you can't look away).
• Beauty basics -- it's winter, which means most of my beauty regime is about not drying out so much that I resemble an old leather boot. At the moment I'm appreciating the Dirty Works hand cream, the Olay Regenerist revitalising hydration cream (a sample size that came in this month's BellaBox and which has totally won me over), and the ever-great Burt's Bees lip balm with acai berry. With the lack of heat and humidity, I'm also loving not having to wash my hair every day, and the VO5 Instant Oomph Powder is my new favourite thing. I actually was inspired to try volumising powder after watching a men's hairstyle tutorial (don't even judge me), and this stuff is so good. Breathes new life into second-day hair, which, for someone with thin hair like me, is super handy.

On that very girly note (I hope I haven't scared away the 18.7 men who read this blog): what are you digging this week? If we had an hour to meet for coffee, what current favourite things would you tell me about?

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Conversations:

• Asea -- "It all comes down to the choices I make. I choose not to have a car or house because I want to be in grad school, and that means a very limited income right now. I choose to embrace the freedom of being single and child-free and use my time to travel. I choose to study a thing I love and do a job I like, rather than go for the super stressful career that eats my soul. Being a grown-up really means making all the choices, and living with their consequences. And, honestly, I really like most of the choices I have made, and I definitely like where they have taken me." This. This is so great.
• Meaghan -- YAY! I'm glad someone got my incredibly vague reference! And you're so right: you cannot unhear her say it once you know her voice! 

Because I do (vol. i)

I'm never quite sure how to feel about stuff. You know, "stuff, Lori, things." It's all interesting and it's shiny but it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of eternity. Nevertheless we are earthbound until we're called elsewhere. We're made of dust and dust delights us. We are humans built with an intrinsic desire to create, do, enjoy, and share. Somewhere in there, there's got to be a balance. So even though I'm not sure what that balance looks like exactly, I'm going to share some of the things that have been making me happy lately, and maybe I can do this semi-regularly. Here's my list of:

Things I do like (today)--

• Neon Steeple -- I was sad when the David Crowder*Band broke up, delighted when a core group from the original team reformed a new band called The Digital Age, and prancing with joy when the David Crowder released his first album under the new moniker, Crowder. Since I bought it on its release a few weeks ago, I've had Neon Steeple playing heaps, and it's that curiously satisfying mix of electronica, rock, gospel, and bluegrass that I've come to love from DC. It's joyful and it's worshipful and I really really like it.
• How to Train Your Dragon 2 -- everything you loved about the first movie, with more dragons and more emotions. Just go see it.
• The Ear Biscuits podcast with Rhett and Link -- Rhett and Link are my favourite-favourite YouTube duo. Their friendship is epic, they're funny, and they're always coming up with something weird and intriguing. I've been loving their weekly podcast which is basically just an hour-long conversation with, as they put it, "someone famous from the internet." So far, those someones have been predominantly YouTubers, most of whom I don't follow, some of whom I downright don't enjoy. The cool thing about the podcast though is its emphasis on creative origins, a subject that always fascinates me. I love learning about peoples' processes, how they got to where they are now, and Rhett and Link's conversations provide lots of insights into that. There's a certain authenticity to the chats, too, which strips away the often over-hyped internet persona and gets to the person behind the brand, which is very cool indeed.
• Alarm für Cobra 11 -- I stumbled across this show via the SBS On Demand app, saw the synopsis, and thought, "Probably lame." When I came across it again, I decided to give at least one episode a try -- and lo and behold I have fallen into a vortex filled with cute German autobahn cops running around saving each others' lives and ruining a lot of nice European cars in the process. The action is far-fetched and the stories formulaic (as this fun analysis points out) but the stunts and explosions delight me crazy amounts. More than that, though, I'm there for the bromance between the two detectives. I've always loved a good buddy story based on friendship uncomplicated by romance, and this show has buddy feels in spades -- so many man-hugs, angsty rescues, little moments, and high fives that it's ridiculous(ly adorable). An unexpected side benefit to watching is that I keep remembering bits of the German I learnt back when I was thirteen or fourteen. Who knew it was actually stuffed away in there somewhere? Which brings me to...
• Duolingo -- a friend introduced me to this app, and I have been loving the little lessons which work incrementally to take you through the basics of a new language. I started off with Spanish because I love it a lot and something about the language feels logical to me; it seems to make sense in a way many others don't (for me, at least). Recently I've been dipping into German because of autobahn polizei reasons and it's a very cool way to learn a little bit of a new skill. The great thing is that the lessons only take five or so minutes, so you can pick it up here and there without being overwhelmed.
• Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens -- I swooped on an eight-pack of these randomly when I was gathering art supplies for teaching. It's a stunning collection of black ink pens with varying levels of nib softness, flexibility, and width. I haven't had much of a chance to play yet, but in the meantime, I'm telling myself that once I've had a bit more practice, I'm going to start producing some fine manga drawings. The power's all in the pen, not the artist, right? (Let me cling to my delusion).

If you made a list of things you like today, what'd be on it?

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Conversations:

• Andrea -- I'm laughing so hard at your comment on that old post. SO HARD.
• Asea -- yes, YES. I can relate to all of this!
• Bonnie -- thank you! And as for new adventures... maybe it's good I can't see the future as I'm really enjoying this chilled season right now! :D
• Emily Dempster -- thank you so much for reading along, and for your lovely comment! I have lots of memories from back in the day, especially of music lessons with your mum and lots of little blonde girls playing in the background :).
• Jasmine Ruigrok -- amen :)

It's a million little things:

Given that I post nothing for thirteen days and then emerge with thoughts that only I am likely to relate to, I feel I owe you more, oh excellent blog friends. So it is more that I bring you, a whole selection of more.

Point the first: my sister Andrea is now blogging! For me, this is on a level of delirium to which I might compare earth-shattering things of such calibre as, 1) "Oh, didn't I tell you? Harper Lee is coming to dinner tonight and she wants to talk to you about her secret second novel which no one thought she wrote but which she actually did and it's every bit as good as To Kill A Mockingbird"; 2) "News flash: Willy Wonka stepped out of storybooks and into the real world in order to create a Magnum icecream which not only is not disgustingly bad for you like the ones you know and love on only rare occasions, but is actually positively good for you and therefore you should consume one a week or possibly even one a day"; or 3) "Congratulations, Danielle, you have won a competition which you never even knew you entered and suddenly the entire contents of one Kikki-K store SHALL BE YOURS." So basically I'm excited that Andrea is blogging. Also, she somehow thinks of herself as not a writer but she's obviously delusional because even though she only has one post (and an About page) up so far, they're both excellent. And this completes the trifecta of immediate female family members blogging: my Mum, my middle sister Andrea, and my littlest sister, Lauren. Cool beans? Very.

Point the second: since my so-called not-a-writer-not-a-blogger sister who now is blogging (and thus writing) has an About page on her blog, I am overcome with the sudden need to create such a thing for myself. But is there anything more awkward than writing a blog introduction? Okay, yes, falling over while rollerskating and clutching the shirt-front of a teenage boy whom you don't know in order to save yourself from certain death is definitely more awkward than writing a blog introduction, but still. So I am trying to think of a less awkward but certainly still silly and yet hopefully slightly intelligent way to do said About page, and since I can't just outright copy my sister's format, I'm thinking of going for a Q&A style thing. The only catch -- I need some Q's before I can fill in some A's. So hit me with your best -- and even your most random -- questions for my About page, and I will attempt to use them to talk about myself in that mildly humorous yet endearingly self-deprecating voice which we all somehow want to emulate for our blogs. I should probably state that in a less tongue-in-cheek way: Ask me questions, please? I will love you forever and send you imaginary cupcakes.

After a break for April, I'm doing the photo-a-day project for May. I won't be posting my daily pictures here except for the occasional one, but you can see them at my tumblr under the hashtag #photoadaymay. I'm loving being back in the challenge of taking a picture in response to a word prompt every day. It's a great and yet manageable little creative project.

While we're talking blogs and photography challenges, I have to tell you that my lovely friend Abbie has just started blogging, too! Her pictures are serene and feminine -- actually, that's a perfect representation of Abbie -- and I love the URL she has chosen. Very appropriate!

Over at the Walker Books Walk-A-Book blog, there's an excellent article on why kids in the internet age still need to be exposed to good old-fashioned paper books. It's called iKids Need Books, Too.

Meanwhile Louise Cusack, a writing tutor and mentor I've been privileged to learn from, is exploring the world of publishing in a series of blog posts. Her recent post, Doing The Work, is an excellent, excellent reminder not to plan for harvest when we haven't even done the ploughing. Also, she references Ira Glass's brilliant creative advice which is always a winner.

And this post is a month old, but it's a discussion which will never go out of date. Pete Peterson discusses the value of creating habitually. It's a good read.

The mystic portal (of writing opportunities) awaits:

This afternoon, I got an email from a friend-of-a-friend who is newly free from the shackles of highschool and is looking to develop her craft and expand her exposure to good writing opportunities. Some of you are at a similar stage in your own writing journey, so I thought I'd share with you a few avenues you can venture down and explore, particularly if you are somewhat new to the game.

Hunting out the opportunities and resources that are right for you can provide awesome experience for you to grow and develop your craft. Entering competitions and submitting your work to a variety of different publications and media is an excellent way to mature as a writer. Writing to strict guidelines will really hone your work, help you develop your voice, and teach you that boundaries don't always stand in the way of creative freedom.

One of the best resources for a writer of any level is a membership with your state writers' centre. State writers' centres stand apart from other writerly educational environments (like, say, online workshop businesses) in that they are just as dedicated to the development of craft -- or more so -- as they are to actually running a business. Many of them offer student or concession memberships, and most memberships include access to a print or emailed newsletter. This can provide you with regularly-updated information on a whole array of writing opportunites, contests, and workshops, as well as some good meaty articles. Check out Queensland Writers' Centre (which I love because I know and appreciate it) as a good jumping-off point.

The Australian Writers' Marketplace is like the bible of national writing opportunities. It's a fat book bursting with brief submission guidelines and details for hundreds (thousands?) of periodicals, newspapers, and webzines. It also has a section listing national competitions and entry guidelines (or where to go to find them), as well as information on writers' centres and educational opportunities. It's a hefty book and a bit of an investment, but most libraries will carry a copy (request they get it in!) or put it on your Christmas wishlist. You could really go crazy with this one.

Podcasts are a great way to learn and be inspired without having to fork out dough or commit to a six- or twelve-month course. Currently I'm really enjoying The Sydney Writers' Centre podcast. I've had fun finding some great resources on iTunesU as well. Search the iTunes store and see what you can discover. There are lectures online by great professors at such excellent universities as Yale and Harvard -- all for free, too.

Sign up to mailing lists at your local library, your state library, and your favourite bookstore. Libraries are (obviously) passionate about literacy and this often carries through into great literary and literary education events. Book talks with authors are, on their own, a fascinating way to get inspired and learn from people who have already made it. What's more, attending events like author talks can introduce you to other local writers (and sometimes even publishers), all of whom you can learn from and network with. Writing is a lonely craft; it's nice to have friends.

Finally, I must toot a horn for Katie's frequently-updated list of writing opportunities. Be sure to check it out -- then go write something.

[short + sweet] living life

Mary Oliver wrote the “instructions for living a life:” Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it...

I like taking photos, I like writing, and I like telling people about things that I find. I like telling stories on blogs, because truthfully, it’s the best way I know how to.

Here.

Adventures in webland:

Wow. Who knew that old mate Facebook would generate so much discussion? Love him or hate him, it appears that Facebook is the guy whose parties we always want to get invited to, but who doesn't really seem to be our friend. We like hanging around him. We like the people we spend time with when we're at his place. But we really don't like how he runs things, and we especially don't like when he changes plans on us without our knowledge or permission. Plus, we're not sure about the fact that he seems here to stay, ushering in a whole new social era that has changed (and keeps changing) how we interact with each other. What a weird weird world we live in.

If you're thinking more about whether facebook is right for you -- particularly regarding privacy concerns and the company policies behind the whole thing -- you might find this article from the UK's Guardian to offer some rumination fodder (thanks to Alastair for the recommendation). Yes, I do realise that in light of that article, Twitter (which I love) and Blogger (which I love even more) also come under fire. However, I think both have managed to avoid most of the serious criticism that Facebook has brought on itself, and Blogger in particular has a great track record.

Absolutely on the other hand (and I like zee uzzer hand as much as Tevye), if you and Facebook are BFFs but you're not sure what to do with all the recent changes, you'll really appreciate Gretchen's in-depth posts, Understanding the New Facebook and Facebook Landing Pages and SSL. I hereby vote that Gretchen writes how-to posts every time our favourite technologies change things on us. It would help us all, I'm certain.

If all that Facebook talk is making you hungry, please go check out Laura's post about the amazing chocolate chip cookie dough brownies she baked. No, the post will not make you less hungry, but it will inspire you to bake something incredible to fill that void. I have not made said brownies yet. Why, you ask? Because I know I would eat the finished product and turn into a brownie myself. That is food for sporty people, not chubby book nerds.

Speaking of book nerds (chubby and thin ones alike), my friend Katie passed on a link to Writing Australia's Unpublished Manuscript Award. If you've been working on an adult literary or genre fiction manuscript, this award could open amazing doors for you. Do check it out!

New favourite artist new favourite artist new favourite artist.

Finally, two links of my own: I actually posted a review at my languishing little book blog (believe it or not) and I created a new (or, rather, replacement) tumblr. When I first joined tumblr, I used my account mainly as a bookmarking tool for stuff I found that I liked. Nebulize is less about reblogging and more about sharing little pictures, snippets, and quotes that are more instant (and shorter) than my usual blog posts. If this blog is something like my journal, then tumblr is a bunch of post-its.

And now, adieu.

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Conversations:

Karley -- I approve of your ironic liking.

Carla & Alastair -- I got an adorable picture in the mail todaaaaay!

Staish -- your words empower me onto a life facebook-free!

Jessica -- and there's actually something freeing about limiting connectivity, even in such a basic way. Better to have a few really great friends than hundreds of meaningless acquaintances.

An Australian Housewife -- if you do so, welcome to the ranks of facebook backsliders! :D

Tegan R -- if you're in the club, then it's bound to be cool.

Laura Elizabeth -- I'm amazed at how pervasive it is. Already today I was trying to lurk somebody from my childhood and realised that, without facebook, it isn't very possible. A good thing, I think. The comparison and feelings of missing out were definitely the worst part of facebook for me, too; all my problem, of course, but doing away with the source will hopefully help in some part. Yay for possibly clearing schedules and the chance for coffee dates! Also, FYI, you are one of the most literate people I know, typos or not. (Ooh, I just wrote typosm. I really should have left it there because of the irony).

Samantha R -- pictures are one of the best things about facebook and something I will definitely miss!

Amanda -- you're a sweetie! I'm glad we were real life friends before facebook friends. And we'll always have LJ!

Caitlin -- you can't shake me so easily and I'm glad I can't shake you!

Katie -- isn't it interesting? I feel I am more interactive via Twitter, and more of a spectator via Facebook. It's crazy. I guess that's why we call them tools, though; they have different and varied uses, and we get to decide how we use them and which ones help. I look forward to seeing how Google+ evolves. I do hope it doesn't become just another Facebook. Oh, and I so relate to your thoughts re. Facebook doing the thinking for you!

Un -- always in with you, no matter what.

Cara -- I think you nailed it. We get to peer into others' lives without actually interacting. Of course, the same is possible with any form of contemporary social media (blogging included), but it seems people take their guard down on Facebook whereas blogging requires a more far-thinking approach (at least, I think so). Yes! The Joy devotional is great! I really recommend it. I think you'd love it.

Rebecca Simon -- you're so right. We all have to decide for ourselves what is useful and what will just get in the way of a fruitful life and healthy communication.

Webly goodness

I suppose this image really has nothing to do with rest of the content of this post. Only, a bookshelf fat with books next to a window streaming little slanted chinks of light says possibility and inspiration and challenge and the arty juxtaposition of light and objects -- which, in my mind, ties in with a random collection of links that have offered possibility and inspiration and challenge (and even arty juxtapositions) to me in odd moments over the last little while.

This project, called 52 Weeks, is just an amazing idea that I would love to try sometime. Basically, this lovely lady committed to taking a self-portrait and writing an accompanying poem every week. Her pictures are amazing and I look forward to absorbing her words. It looks like a great creative challenge. I wouldn't be so keen to do the self-portrait thing but maybe some other type of photography theme. And the poems? I'm so there.

Since it's a couple of weeks old by now, I'm seriously web-senile to be linking to it, but I really enjoyed this episode of the Boundless Show. The main theme of the round table discussion was appearance, and how Christians should think about such seemingly superficial issues. The podcast guests discussed the delicate balance that accompanies the idea of being good stewards of the stuff that's only skin deep. It's not helpful to be extreme at either end of the spectrum -- being constantly obsessed with appearance, or decreeing that it doesn't matter at all because we're all going to get old and die anyway -- and the discussion was really interesting. Sometimes it's discouraging to see how focussed society is on physical perfection. As someone who is far from the standard of ideal physical beauty, I frequently struggle with the idea that lack of perfection holds me back or causes me to miss out on good things in life. So it was especially encouraging to hear from one of the guys on the podcast that what he finds more attractive than being a ten out of ten or the ideal weight is the fact that a girl is actively taking care of herself and putting an effort into being well-groomed and approaching the world with a confident demeanour. That perspective might be rare, but it's encouraging to know it does exist.

This lady's blog is fairly new to me but I'm just so inspired by her creative, colourful, and fun Moleskine journalling. My journal-keeping habit has fallen by the wayside a little in the last year or two, but these journal scans make me want to take it up again, with a (great and colourful) vengeance.

Along the line of daily habits, Miss.Elaini.Ous (best name ever?) has committed to wearing the same black dress for a hundred days in a row. Her project has me thinking of new ways to use the items in my wardrobe (and my camera; the outfit shots are really lovely), but much more importantly, Elaini is using this project to draw attention to and raise money for the needs of orphans, in partnership with Warm Blankets Orphan Care. It's a good thing.

Finally, I was touched and challenged by this post from author and songwriter Andrew Peterson. A lovely story of obedience and God's grace in the sort of life-experience we all meet at some stage.

* * * * *

Conversations:

Laura Elizabeth -- hang in there! Semester-end sisters together foreverrrrr! And yes, Pascal and Maximus are definitely excellent choices to sustain joy and hopefulness :).

Cara -- thank you so much for your rousing cheer! And I offer the same to you in regards to your recital. Go forth and conquerrrr!

Asea -- your day sounded lovely! And so many small moments to celebrate what is really an end of an incredible era in your life. :D

Samantha R -- thank you, lovely lady :).

Mothercare -- and you are even gooder for me :).

Eweight -- aaaaah! You're not supposed to say that. But, hey you -- last semester!!!!

Katie -- I'm so excited by your short story success! And I hope you win that contest I saw you refer to on Twitter. I'm your cheer squad!

Elisabeth -- I'm blessed :).

School's out!

Holidays. What a sweet, sweet word. I'm so pleased about this word that I am sitting here at my computer, sighing happily (and you thought they only did that in badly-written novels, right?). To celebrate, I want to share with you three things that have made me merry over the last couple of weeks, when I needed to think about things other than essays and deadlines...

Something to enjoy: Beautiful Christmas music for free from Noisetrade. I have to thank this excellent friend for reminding me to revisit this cool site. There's always a bunch of great music available, and it's a wonderful way to get to know new artists without purchasing music you're not yet sure you'll like. Anyway, I've downloaded three albums so far -- Sara Groves (O Holy Night Tour Live), High Street Hymns (Christmas and Advent Sampler), plus The Argyle Project (Christmas) -- and I'm loving them all.

Something to encourage: I have a feeling Josh Harris's Dug Down Deep keeps popping up in my blog posts. I know I've certainly mentioned it before, and I know I've been reading it for a long time. But it's good stuff and I'm really relishing this back-to-the-basics examination of theology -- the beliefs about God that really, really matter. Anyway, this video is not only a cool introduction to the book; it's also a thought-provoking look at the concept of theology. And, apart from all that entirely, it's just a very awesome video and I wish I'd made it.

Something to entertain: This is pure, joyful stupidity. Before watching, you need to be familiar with the Trol lol lol man of youtube glory. So if you're not, watch this first. Then, enjoy this absolutely excellent mashup: Captain Kirk deals with a strange alien culture. SO GOOD.

What internet thingummys have been adding trololols to your life lately?

* * * * *

Jessica -- yes! Cool mail is so much fun :)

Asea -- wow; you are VERY FUN to receive packages from! And, strictly speaking, I should email you this thought, but I've been loving Tove Jansson's little stories. They're so evocative of a land I don't know. And they're creatively inspiring, too -- I'm reminded that not everything has to be turned into a full-blown story. Some characters and ideas can remain as small story-seeds, short pieces on their own.

Samantha R -- I know! So creative!

Bonnie -- so lovely to receive your comment! <3

Mitanika -- absolutely! Unexpected parcels are one of the best things ever.

Katie -- me, too. I think I need to write a story about the billycarting nun.

Mothercare -- too true. xx

Chantel -- the privilege was definitely mine! You have been such a welcome part of this journey! And yes, you did send something for the final issue. Hopefully it will reach your mailbox soon :). xx

Tumblarity:

I keep forgetting to tell you guys that I finally created that tumblelog for sharing pictures:

Unimaginable You

The blog title and url are both from an e.e.cummings poem:

i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday;this is the birth
day of life and love and wings:and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any--lifted from the no
of all nothing--human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

PS. Three and a half more hours to enter el Christmas giveaway!

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Conversations:

Mothercare -- I hope I get to go see it at the movies with you :).

Katie -- did you like it?

Rachael -- me, too!

Mitanika -- I totally get this!! Oh, and Reepicheep was quite adorable in Prince Caspian, which I was glad about because I dearly loved him in Dawntreader (the one book I remembered him from). Oh yes, do re-read the books, and tell me what you think! PS. I love long blog comments.I had no idea you read The Eagle of the Ninth because of my recommendation. That makes me all bouncy!

The First Rose -- did you know the Dawntreader scenes were shot in my very own town?? I went to see THE Dawntreader while filming was going on and it was amazing! Makes me so very excited for the film release.

Nice things, some of them frivolous:

1) I was organising my room this morning and I re-discovered this little mushroom-top pinky red beret. I found it in a sale during the Summer-time and put it away for future use. The future is now.

2) My Topography is a blog I keep returning to, even though it's a personal blog and I have no actual connection to the writer outside of the fact that I stumbled across her words one day. But she writes so thoughtfully, so deeply, that I keep going back for visits. There is a hereness to her writing that pulls me in. Somehow she is able to see the story in her own life, to dissect her days and pull from them a thought or a moment or an inkling, and turn it into beautiful prose. More than that, she takes from each moment something else -- maybe her history, or her future, or a realisation -- and sucks all the richness from that one little moment. Well, this is how it feels to me, reading her words. I'm always inspired.

3) I am enchanted by the delightfulness that is the Surprise Ball. Andrea at Hula Seventy documents her opening of this cool cool cool thing -- basically a ball made with multicoloured strips of crepe paper. That's lovely enough in itself, but that's not all. Apparently little treasures are hidden throughout the ball so that, as you unwrap all the layers, Things Fall Out. Oh my. That is so cool. There's a video of someone opening one, which is fun, but it kind of hurt my feelings because it's fast-forwarded and it makes me uncomfortable to see gifts being unwrapped quickly. If you can handle that (and by which I mean if you aren't weird like me), you should watch it because it's like visually eavesdropping on someone else's Christmas.

4) Until today I had Absolutely No Idea that it is possible to watch all of seasons one and two of Doctor Who free (and LEGAL) through the Channel Nine website. There are heaps of other shows on offer, too. Amazing! (Now, to carefully monitor my downloads so I don't run out of internet!).

* * * * *

Conversations:

Katie -- so very true!

Julia -- we can be a Fingerless Gloves Are Cool club :)

Samantha -- yes, I DO have the nicest friends! Ah yes, broken noses and 5am bedtimes: all shall be revealed!

Rachael -- my friend is very clever.

Simplythis -- now you make me want to join Ravelry even though I don't knit!