The Sunday Currently

I'm stealing the format for The Sunday Currently from Carina, who in turn found it somewhere else. I like the idea of a simple check-in, a way to orient one's heart- and head-space at the end of one week and the beginning of another. It's also the perfect chance to switch gears from my last two kind of heavier/more analytical type posts (and thank you all for your really thoughtful and affirming comments, by the way). Here's what's current in my world:

Reading
As always, I'm deep in too many books at the same time. But the two I've spent time with most recently (hello, Sunday afternoon; today you were made of wonderfulness) are Fredrick Backman's A Man Called Ove and Anna Funder's All That I Am. Ove is my local book club's pick for this month and, to summarise it super briefly, it's about a grumpy old Swedish fellow who nevertheless has some endearing redeeming qualities. For the first thirty pages I hated it -- hated his constant grumbling and his almost cartoonish old-mannish ways. Then on page 31 something happened and I suddenly loved this character. I'm looking forward to seeing how the rest of the story develops. And I literally only started All That I Am today, but already it's proving wonderful. Anna Funder's non-fiction work Stasiland was amazing, and I feel confident her fiction will be just as good.

Writing
I'm working on a short story at the moment. It's been in the works for most of the year, and I keep pulling it out when it forcibly impresses itself on my memory. I'm also dipping a tentative toe back into journalling. I haven't done it for so long that I confess I'm quite scared by the whole process.

Listening
I'm all about putting my iPod on shuffle these days. To my shame, sometimes I discover stuff I haven't ever heard before. I'm also not above skipping tracks I'm not in the mood for. Current/always/forever favourites are Josh Garrels and The Civil Wars (who are, sadly, officially disbanding), while Citizens & Saints are my newest favourite. Musically, their stuff is like gentler hard rock, if that's even a thing. Lyrically, their songs are exquisitely literary contemporary Psalms. So good.

Thinking
Oh, what a wide brown land that word encompasses. I'm thinking a lot about being faithful in the little things, about reconciling the present with the future, and the interesting dynamics of share-housing (I've only ever shared with my sister; I'm so intrigued as to how people share a living space with someone they're either not related to nor in love with).

Smelling
Bushfire smoke and a cool breeze.

Wishing
[withheld, because] 

Hoping
...to get better at hope; to find the delicate space between idealism and cynicism; for more cool breezes; to ignore the chocolate cake in my fridge; to connect with people I need to connect with.

Wearing
Post-church, Sunday night daggies. If only I'd written this a half hour ago, when it was a black sheath dress, gladiator sandals, and a diamante collar necklace.

Loving
The feeling that life is maybe finding a rhythm again after several months of really intense busyness.

Wanting
A little more job security, perhaps.

Needing
To go through my walk-in-robe-slash-storeroom-space and overhaul everything.

Feeling
Grateful to be on the mend and getting my energy back after a really prolonged flu. 

Clicking
Here for adorable German words translated into adorable line drawings. Here for cute Israeli cops lip-syncing to The Lion Sleeps Tonight. Here to watch the latest episodes of Doctor Who. And here because there's always something good to read.

You?

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 :)

Little ways to feel human (i):

I am most happy when my life is segmented into regularly-proportioned, disparate activities. It overwhelms me (and, yes, terrifies me) when any one things looms too large in the scope of my future vision. 2014 has begun with all large things. Everything that is happening personally, socially, academically, financially, and relationally feels huge -- at least to my often-warped perspective.

When my perspective gets warped, it's the little things that remind me how to be human, how to feel like my life is not One Big Thing and that This Too Shall Pass. It's things like getting to have a sleepover weekend and attending a scriptwriting workshop with Laura; like making a mixtape with songs for my mama; like breakfast dates and coffee dates to grow new friendships; like the happy-toe-twiddling thought of two weeks off from one of my teaching jobs (I'm gonna sleep in tomorrow. Just you watch me!); like taking time out to write a blog post about... taking time out to write a blog post.

Here are some of the current little things helping me to feel human. My list got long so I'll save some for next time:

Burn by Julianna Baggott. Oh wow. Wow oh wow. I wonder if I can explain this trilogy to you in words that won't send you running for the hills? Basically it's an apocalyptic story that has left the world broken and wretched in the years after a sort of nuclear holocaust. Many of those those who were unprotected by a cult-like paradise (known as the Dome died), but some survived, fused to the very things they were holding or that were near to them when the detonations occurred. Julianna Baggott has done the seemingly impossible: to take imagery that could be grotesque and terrifying (and often is) and yet reveal its beauty. Her characterisation is impeccable, and her writing so rich. What's more, this story has not suffered from the dreaded Second Book Syndrome. In fact, I think it's improved as the series (Pure, Fuse, and Burn) has gone on. Ugh. I'm basically in raptures.

The Ear Biscuits podcast by Rhett and Link. Rhett and Link may be accurately described as "my favourite bromance that is not Hamish & Andy." Their weekly podcast, a relatively new endeavour, has them sitting down for a casual yet sincerely earnest chat with somebody who is YouTube-famous. YouTube is a creative avenue that I'm not actively involved in; the most I do is watch videos. However, the discussions that Rhett & Link open up could apply to many creative endeavours, and their conversations are with creative people living creatively. The podcasts are generally with people who have "made it" in traditional generic understandings of success (fame and fortune), but there's an honesty about the chats that make them creatively energising even for someone less enamoured with standardised conceptions of success.

The Desiring God devotional app. This app has been a part of my life on a daily basis since someone (was it you, Lauren?) put me onto it last year. I can't tell you how many times the daily reading has been so perfectly-timed to speak straight to my heart, to encourage me, or to give me a well-deserved kick in the pants. I like John Piper's no-nonsense approach that somehow manages to be incisive yet warm and sincere.

The Walk fitness game. From the makers of Zombies, Run! (which you've all heard me flail about) comes this new(ish) game, created in conjunction with the National Health Service as part of an initiative to get more people moving. Coming at The Walk from my zealous love of Zombies, Run!, I was at first a little disappointed with the change in format. But now I'm used to how the game works, I'm really really loving it. Essentially, The Walk is an unfolding mystery story (which has been compared to The 39 Steps) which takes place in Scotland (both cities and wilderness!) and is delivered through sound bites which are unlocked as you progress through the story.The game is episodic, and when the app is opened, it works as a pedometer, which means you can work your way through the story if you're jogging, walking, biking, or even just doing your grocery shop. The characters in the story are warm and funny, and I love the gentle air of introgue that's building through the story. It's a great way to make movement more fun.

So. There are a few of my favourites lately. What would be on your list of little ways to feel human?

the little like list:

Little things I'm loving this week:

1. Queensland sunshine. She sure knows how to turn it on.
2. Getting to watch friends make ridiculous movies.
3. Expired film that my mother picked up for me. I can't wait to try it out.
4. Best potato scallops in the land.
5. Reading Dawn Wind by Rosemary Sutcliff, one of my favourite authors of all time.
6. Listening to evening:morning by The Digital Age. Best worship music.
7. New haircuts.
8. Glancing at the pile of birthday cards still hanging out on my bookshelf.
9. Handing in assignments that took far too long.
10. Crying at a good movie.
11. Phone calls and face-to-face chats with my sisters.
12. Talking to strangers.
13. Feeling that uncomfortable mix of nervous and excited about writing again.

What's on your list?

Six things on a Saturday:

Over a month ago, Rachael tagged me to participate in her meme. But because I am lame and forgetful, I'm only just responding now, even though I love to be tagged in these fun pass-it-ons. The idea is to post five things I'm excited about or looking forward to, but because it's Saturday and because alliteration is cool, I'm going to post six. In order of chronology (mostly), I present to you:

Six things I'm looking forward to --

1. Dinner tonight with some of my Thursday night Bible study people. I predict there will be nice food, laughing, and dorky in-jokes.

2. Mid-semester break, and feeling less rushed, and maybe finishing some of the several dozen books I'm partway through. June and July were fairly pathetic months for me in the reading deparment. I read lots of things, but only a few whole books from start to finish. I miss stories!

3. The release of The Hunger Games dvd on August 13th. I love this story and especially Jennifer Lawrence's embodiment of Katniss. She did a brilliant job. Oh and Cinna of course. And Rue! And Haymitch!! Also, I'm really really hoping to have a Capitol party. Capitol fashion, hair, and makeup, yo!

4. Visits from excellent people. This week I've especially been thinking lots about my precious friend Meaghan's visit, planned for October, and my sister's delayed 30th birthday visit spectacular in December. It's all gonna be so much fuuuun!

5. A new little niece or nephew sometime early in October (we hope early, anyway! The waiting is too painful). I keep imagining a nephew but I suspect that no matter whether he or she, it'll be a happy surprise. A whole new little person to love and squish and adore!

6. Posting a little pre-birthday giveaway here at the blog sometime this weekend. Not to be exclusive or anything, but it's mostly aimed at writer-types. Stay tuned for that and don't go anywhere. Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.

Hey Mum, Andrea, Lauren, Laura, Bloss, and Staish, wanna play along? Tag -- you're it!

* * * * *

Conversations:


Andrea -- I didn't know they were Amelia's little pants. That is pretty cute to think that there's a hand-me-down exchange in action in our family. We're all growing up!


Katie -- it really was. I'm quite a fan of Mondays, even though it's sort of uncool :).


Mini Cooper -- I will definitely attempt to do picture stories more often :). My analysis of The Hunger Games: well, I am a huge fan. I started reading them before they were the next big thing, and I'm happy about that because otherwise I may well have avoided them like the plague. I don't think they are literary masterpieces, but I do think they are excellent stories told compellingly and well. There is something really captivating (and slightly terrifying) about Katniss's story, and I just think it appeared on the scene at precisely the right time. It's far enough from reality to have that element of fantasy, but close enough to reality to make you stop and think. In short: loved the series, even though (or maybe because) it wrung my emotions dry.


Mothercare -- I'm glad too :).


Bloss -- yes, it's hard to always have one mind on deadlines, but it's fascinating and fun enough to keep me coming back for more, too. I'm just a nerd! Aw, and thank you for your lovely congratulations! *hearts and flowers*


Amanda -- we have so many different imprints of The Hunger Games over here now! There's a much nicer edition than mine; it's just black with the mockingjay silhouette and it looks so much cooler.


Brenda Wilkerson -- yes, my studies are focussed on really cool stuff. I'm loving it (just not always doing enough of my homework :P).


Staish -- :D I read your comment completely in your voice, with all your inflections.


Carla and Alastair -- that was actually pretty chilled compared to some days lately. Whew! And yes, I do mostly go to bed that late. I'm working on improving this situation as it's positively shameful! PS. Someday you'll be up here, too, joining the chaos. I believe it!


Abbie -- you are welcome :).


Rebecca Simon -- yes, I've taught music since I was fifteen -- piano! And yes, Lauren definitely makes pregnancy look good.


Asea -- your soon-to-be Mondays look chaotic but also really cool. The student life is pretty fun, even if it gets a little crazy at times. And you're teaching AND studying!


Laura Elizabeth -- Friends for liiiiiife! Also I'm pretty thrilled you did a blog post. Heading right over to check it out! (PS. You can say you love my family as much as you want because I will always agree with you :D).

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.

Twelve for '12:

The lovely Sarah tagged me to participate in a little meme. The rules ask for eleven random things about me, but it's 2012, so I went for twelve. There are also questions from Sarah for me to answer but I'll save them for next time as this post already has enough words in it. If you're reading this, you can consider yourself tagged. I'd love to read your list!

twelve random things about Danielle:
 
one My favourite number is four (I don't even know why) yet I'd rather have an odd number of something. I love symmetry but when it comes to decor or groupings of items, I value the odd and the mismatched over the balanced and even. That's probably why my house resembles the den of a mad professor. Like a magpie, I just surround myself with things that I think are shiny.

two Hamish and Andy's podcasts never fail to make me feel ridiculously happy.

three One of my innate default settings is to instinctively look for patterns in everything. I think this is partly being human (I read somewhere that because the brain can only hold on to a tiny percentage of the sensory information we process every day, the things that reappear or remind us of something similar are the ones we tend to notice -- like looking at a new Subaru and suddenly realising that everyone on the road seems to be driving a Subaru), and partly my tendency to just be a teeny bit obsessive.

four Slowly but surely, I'm turning into my Mum. My siblings and I used to laugh at her ability to connect with a story or characters immediately, with real emotion. One day -- this is no exaggeration -- she switched on the television in the very final minutes of a Little House on the Prairie episode. Pa and Albert were standing over a fresh grave. Pa put his arm on Albert's shoulder and said, "Let's go home, son," and Albert said, "Let's go home, Pa", and that was the end. Sure enough, instant tears from Mum. Anyway, the joke is on me because I'm now becoming that way myself. Never mind. If I have to be a clone of someone, at least it's an excellent person.

five It's easy for me to be nervous -- about anything. I live fairly constantly in the nervous zone. Meeting someone new, heading alone into an unfamiliar environment, making an awkward phone call, approaching a stranger, talking to a technician, driving without having studied a map, submitting an assignment, crossing a pedestrian crossing when there's no other person in sight but there's a long line of cars (I FORGET HOW TO WALK). Unless you know me really really well, though, I think I could convince you of my (fake) confidence.

six I love my personal library, but it grows an awful lot and sometimes I have this fear that my books will rise up in the night and swallow me.

seven Years ago, my grandmother, whom we call Ma, started sticking bandaids underneath various of her treasured objects, bandaids with different family members' names on them. I suspect my sisters started it, because my grandmother has a few truly gorgeous porcelain dolls which we all kind of coveted when we were little. "Can I have that doll when you die?" was where it began -- I swear we were not morbid or mercenary little kids, honestly -- and soon my sisters had each claimed one of those dolls for their own. Being older, I was above all that stuff, and disdainfully refused to claim a post-death prize for my own. Until last Christmas, that is. We were sitting around the kitchen at my grandparents' place, and I was looking at all the old, familiar details. I noticed Ma and Pa's clock -- really noticed it -- and how it looked like a beautifully kitsch timepiece from a 1970s Swiss chalet. This was it -- this was the thing I wanted. So then and there, Ma pulled the clock off the wall, found a permanent marker, and in amongst her battery change record-keeping details (who knew?) inscribed this message: this clock belongs to Danielle on my demise. Shirl. x I love it. (You can see it here).

eight Among all the people I have met and been influenced by, there are still many I haven't met who played a huge role in shaping my worldview and growing my spiritual beliefs. If I made a list, I think either CS Lewis or Elisabeth Elliot would be fighting for top place.

nine Awkward, character-driven humour is my favourite kind. That's why I love shows like The Office and Parks and Recreation. Ridiculous as they are, there's that sense that there really are people like this, and this actually could happen -- and how much less painful it is to watch such experiences than it is to actually live them. In life, we require some passing of time before we can totally embrace the humour of our most awkward moments.

ten Lately I have been really, really missing my little New South Wales niece and nephews. I've never lived close to them, so obviously I'm used to the distance. Just sometimes it feels more.

eleven I believe Atticus Finch is probably the greatest fictional dad ever.

twelve Studying history could basically be a never-ending journey. There's always more to learn, and it's always possible to dig deeper. But if there's one great overarching sense that my limited study of history has given me, it's the idea that we're all so much more connected than I ever imagined. History is so broad and so vast, yet studying it all, seeing, for example, how things in ancient Rome are still finding repurcussions in our world today, makes me think how young we all are, and how much we all have in common. Solomon knew it all those years ago: there's nothing new under the sun.

* * * * *

Conversations:

Laura Elizabeth -- yes! I saw the picture the other day and was like, "Aaaah why couldn't I eat it all? I want my leftovers!" PS. Thank you for hanging out. I love how much we have in common to chat and fangirl about.

thelittlebluefishy -- it was seriously good.

Lauren -- uh huh, they definitely were good. We'll have to go there for lunch sometime, hey?

Katie -- you're so right. Good friends and good food = happy days.

Mothercare -- I believe in your green thumb, even if you don't.

Andrea -- "its works!" You have a face! And a name!

What I've been up to:

• road tripping to Sydney with my parents and littlest brother for one of my dad's classic bike race meets.
• catching up with my very precious friend Meaghan and her equally precious family -- and meeting her niece, Carla and Alastair's gorgeous little girl, for the first time.
• staying up entirely too late and talking about everything -- including the merits of cheeseburgers over chicken mcbites ;).
• seeing my sister and being in raptures over my niece and nephews and how generally amazing and funny and adorable and cute they are.
  
• getting to see other New-South-Wales friends briefly amidst busyness and fairytale bunting flags.
• slogging through unsettling surprises.
• wrapping gifts for my sister Lauren's birthday tomorrow. I am too young for my littlest sister to be turning 27. It's ridiculous.
• seeing The Hunger Games oh, only about three times. Long rambling thoughts coming soon!
• reading hefty stacks of information about Eleanor Aquitaine, marvelling at her feisty courage, shaking my head at her lack of marital loyalty, admiring her political chops, and feeling rather glad I didn't get in her way.
• writing about the books I want to share with my nieces as they grow, and
• listening to Jimmy Needham's recent release, Clear The Stage. It's exceptional. Track 4, Rock Bottom, is my favourite so far. Beautiful lyrics and classic Jimmy Needham tune: Over and over / You fill my heart with wonder / You take me by surprise / I can't believe my eyes / Wider and deeper / Just when I think I see you / I can stumble into the ocean water / I could search Your depths and never hit rock bottom.
  

Happy almost-weekend!

Ten beautiful book covers:

Top Ten Tuesday is a fabulous book-blogging tradition created by the ladies at The Broke and the Bookish. To tie in with YLCF's March of the Books, I'm playing along with Top Ten Tuesdays -- and secretly hoping it'll become a habit.

This week's theme is 10 favourite covers and I probably should confess: I'm not the best person to be talking about covers of books. The swirly ones with beautiful imagery don't call out to me as much as the simpler ones do. You probably won't find an abundance of pretty books on my bookshelves because I don't generally buy for the covers. Nevertheless, this afternoon I walked throughout my house plucking books from my various bookshelves and stacks to-be-read, searching for the ones with the covers I love the most. These are what I came up with:

Creative Journal Writing by Stephanie Dowrick.
This is a perfect example of the kind of cover design that appeals to me. It's spare, fresh, and classic. The typography is enduring, and the calligraphy is just right.

Veneer: Living Deeply in a Surface Society by Timothy Willard and Jason Locy.
The colour is terrible, but the type -- bold and stark front and centre -- is fantastic.

Finish This Book by Keri Smith.
Keri Smith is a genius and an artist. Her book looks like something I'd want to make for myself, and the fact that the cover consists entirely of hand-drawn lettering makes it just so cool.

Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien.
If I someday wrote a book, and it got published, and the cover looked anywhere as cool as this, I would be delirious. This is beautiful. Again, it's all about the type (are we detecting a pattern?), but the graphic elements are perfect, too. Whoever designed this cover should totally get a raise.

Eggs by Jerry Spinelli.
No title necessary -- just the picture. Genius.

Millions by Frank Cottrell Boyce.
I once swore I would never read a book in which the author's name appears larger than the title on its cover. It suggests -- or so I argued -- that the book is sold purely on the basis of the author's past work, and not on its own merit. I obviously broke that vow (it was a silly vow anyway), and this book is one of my vow-breakers. More hand-lettered type, and a cute artwork, too.

Mess by Keri Smith.
Everything I said about Finish This Book also applies here. Looovely!

Reading Like A Writer by Francine Prose.
I feel my love for the content of this book made me love the outside irrationally, because now I'm looking at it and it's cute and lovely, but it's not amazing the way Birthmarked is amazing. See? I love books the way I love people. Once I know them and love the insides, it's hard to tell whether they're actually attractive or not because they just ARE.

Sagas of the Icelanders.
There's Icelandic hills and a dragon's head, you know. Plus, this book is super-fat and the edges of the pages are raw and deckle-edged, and overall, it's just really nice to hold in your hands.

The Family at Misrule and Little Mother Meg by Ethel Turner.
Like how I squeezed these in two-for-one? I've had these books since I was in my early teens, and I LOVE the covers. Plus, it's nice that I have some traditionally cute books to share in this post, proving I'm not just obsessed with bare covers and type. I devoured these books hundreds of times in various different imprints, but these remain my favourite covers. I read an article about the artist which discussed how they (she? I think the artist was a woman) crafted her paintings from photos of people she thought resembled the characters in the books. Perhaps that explains why the paintings look so real. And yeah, I admit I had a little-girl crush on grown-up Bunty in Little Mother Meg. He just looks so clean-cut and lovely, and he's so changed and matured from who he is in Misrule. He turned out quite the sweetie.

* * *

Sigh. I guess my book-cover-lovin' styles are a little weird. You should see the books I picked for my "top ten battered old books whose covers I love" post. It's like I figure the daggier the better when it comes to secondhand books -- but I'll save those for another post.

How about you? What cover designs do you love? Or does the cover mean very little to you?

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Conversations:

Jessica -- don't worry! I'm behind on blog commenting and reading myself.

Un -- I think you're right! The fact that there's only this little grainy square to work with does, in a sense, make the picture-taking easier. It's like it has to be even more amazing when you have a good camera, too. However, of course that's not the case! Just taking the pictures themselves is awesome. They don't all have to be artworks! (Make sure you email me yours, okay?)

Amanda -- yes! They're just so happy to look at!

Brenda -- absolutely! :)

Five things on a Sunday evening:

1. These Summer holidays feel as though they've gone precisely how they were meant to. I've never been one for spending hours at the beach, so the unfolding of my summer, in equal parts solid work and spending time with people I love, feels quite perfect. I've been knocking on a few doors in search of work I care about, and I'm looking forward to seeing who answers them. In my dream world, those doors would be opened by people with a strong creative and literary vision and slightly deep pockets, but I won't despise any small beginnings. I keep thinking of that parable which reminds us that the one who is faithful in little will be given opportunity to be faithful in much. I'm working on my little.

2. In the meantime -- in case you noticed -- this has not been a Summer for epic bouts of blogging -- nor reading, for that matter. January is usually a book-heavy month for me, but this January I only got three books finished, something of a record low. Restless for change, I did tweak my blog layout a little. It's nothing special, owing to my lack of html and css knowledge, so I'm thinking of it as an interim design. In the meantime, it's clean and there's lots of white, which fulfils my two primary desires when it comes to blog design.

3. While we're talking blogs, I have to tell you that my sister Lauren is now blogging. Definitely go check out her blog, which is like an online version of her: sweet, cute, and creatively inspiring. My motives in recommending her blog to you all are not entirely pure. I'm secretly hoping a fresh influx of visitors will remind her she needs to update more regularly. Hello, kettle? It's me, pot. (Since we're on the subject, I know a bunch of you over the last few months have set up new blogs, started blogging for the first time, or simply introduced me to your blog -- so many, in fact, that I've lost track. If you think you fit into one of those categories, feel free to leave a link in the comments below so I can subscribe to your blog. Do so even if I've visited recently or you think I might know the URL already. It can't hurt!).

4. Right now Instagram is buzzing every day with funny, happy, pretty pictures being snapped in response to prompts from FatMumSlim's February Photo-A-Day Challenge. My favourite thing about a challenge like this is seeing the different ways everyone interprets the prompts; it's like a window into each other's creative pysche! If you're playing along, I'd love to know and follow. My Instagram handle is ohdeardanielle. If you're not taking part, it's not too late to begin. You could start from Day 5 -- or simply take all five pictures on one day. You know you want to.

5. There were five things, but I've forgotten the last. Make up your own happy addition to this list.

* * * * *

Conversations:

Laura Elizabeth -- I think you're right. All that rain did not help dispel feelings of sadness. I'm happy it's sunny again for the moment. I only wish it was less HUMID.

Carla and Alastair -- you're so right, Carla. Tragedy puts some things in perspective, even while seeming to upend the world we live in. PS. Your word verification was excellent :D.

Sarah -- that's so true. If life was all sunshine and rose petals, we wouldn't need Him. And if there was only ever sorrow, how could we bear it? The strange balance, while being so unsettling at times, is really a gift of grace.

Rebecca Simon -- I'll join you in that prayer! Hug your little man from me. It was so lovely to meet him 'in real life' :).

Harri -- your comment made me happy and it made me miss you all at the same time. I was just reminiscing the other day about the Summer we revisited WA for your wedding. It was as perfect a Summer holiday as I can remember. I love you!

Eleven in '11

I have a little stash of things that I love with a love that is large in part because no one else knows about those things. However, most of the time I'm more of an unintentional reverse hipster: instead of loving something before it's cool, I love it long after people have stopped remembering it ever was cool. That's why I'm posting a best-of-2011 list now, even though everyone else was doing things like this in December. I make no apologies. I'm a late bloomer.

As per my usual favouritism policy, I won't go so far as to say this list is my Absolutely Positively Top Eleven. I hate choosing favourites and I'd invariably change my mind tomorrow if I went so far as to decree unimpeachable favouriteness about any of these (except maybe items #10 and #11). Therein is my caveat, and here is my list of eleven greats of 2011:

1. [book] Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. This book didn't change my life and I could put it down between readings. But it's stayed with me because of its exquisite characterisation and beautiful writing. Stargirl is everything a YA book should be, and Jerry Spinelli is the man when it comes to fiction for younger readers.

2. [book] Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien. After the 2010 Hunger Games binge, it was always going to be hard to find any YA dystopia that could stand proudly next to Katniss and crew. So far, nothing has come close, but Birthmarked was an excellent story. I felt it needed more editing, but the story was good enough to keep me reading in spite of those flaws.

3. [book] Telling the Truth by Frederick Buechner. There is not enough Buechner in my life -- in anyone's life. This little book was a beautiful, poetic look at the amazing storyness of the Gospel. I reviewed it here.

4. [album] Love & War & the Sea in Between Josh Garrels. Josh Garrels is my favourite new-to-me artist. His music is an incredible melding of exquisite poetry, haunting melodies, a whole bunch of genres that nevertheless makes sense, and a Christ-centric message. I wish I knew how to review music better because his stuff deserves it. Just go listen already.

5. [album] Rehab LeCrae. So I like hip-hop and rap now. Who knew? LeCrae's music is excellent, and the lyrics are soaked in God-truths. This album was a timely blessing for my brain in 2011.

6. [film] The King's Speech, directed by Tom Hooper. I love history and I love films about history. More than that, however, I love films about people. This one ticks all the boxes and was an immaculate period drama that deserves every award it received. Also, we all now love George VI more than we did before.

7. [film] The Help, directed by Tate Taylor. (The book was even better, but this is my cheaty way of recommending them both.) The Help reminded me of how quickly we can forget the breadth of the mistakes that have been made. The race clashes The Help documents were happening just fifteen years before I was born; this stuff isn't old news, and it's told with beautiful characterisation, beautiful setting, and excellent actors.

8. [blog] The Accidental Traveler. Kate Andre's blog was a new discovery for me in early 2011, and I've been so blessed and challenged by it. The internet needs more blogs like this -- humble, sincere, genuine expositions of life and faith and motherhood and mistakes. I love it.

9. [blog] Everyday Isa. I found Isa's blog only a few months ago, but it has quickly become a favourite read. Isa discusses God and creativity and being a girl, and she really knows how to make nice words.

10. [person] Abby by Lauren and James. This chubby parcel of pink and blonde landed on the planet in May, and the world has never been the same since. I never knew people so small could have so much personality. She's beautiful.

11. [person] Daniel by Sam and Andrea. For a little man who's only six months old, already he exudes serenity and is the best variation of the strong, silent type: the strong, silent, smiling type. I have never met a more content little person in all my life. I'm honoured to know them both.

* * * * *

Conversations:

Joy -- yes, that's Lauren's little one. Isn't she precious?

Sarah -- I agree. They're little enough to be cute and squishy, but big enough to have their own developing personalities :).

Lauren -- thanks!

Un -- haha!! GOPEE yourself!

Jessica -- yes. Tongue was firmly in cheek, with a little happy sarcasm sprinkled on.

Hannah -- you are sweet! Thank you, on both counts!

Samantha R -- thanks for your sweet comments on my pics :).

[short + sweet] summertime wishlist

Once school is over, I plan to work from home fairly steadily through the holidays. However, there will of course be more scheduling flexibility so I've slowly been making a mental checklist of Things I Really Would Love to Do over Summer Break. In no particular order:

1. read and comment on my friends' blogs on a regular basis
2. write letters!
3. plan a really good daily menu
4. go garage saleing
5. spend some sunsets out on the Point
   
6. read Crossed by Ally Condie
7. continue working through Wreck This Journal
8. start reading Finish this Book
   
9. blog about them both!
10. write an end-of-year-newsletter (it didn't happen last year; boo!)
11. call my niece and nephew on the phone more
12. do chores in the mornings rather than in odd snatches here and there
13. look at Christmas lights!
14. go to a carols evening
15. watch a movie in the middle of the day
16. cook meals for my family
    

I'm sure there'll be more on the list. I'll just keep adding to it. Is there any time over Christmas when you get a break from the usual and can spend time on the unusual? What would be on your list?

[short + sweet] happies

1. huge thunder claps and heavy, heavy rain.
2. finishing a book I've been reading for a-g-e-s.
3. Sunday afternoon road trips to the coast.
4. an old Greek man singing and mafia bosses dancing along.
5. clearing emails from my inbox.
6. happy LiveJournal comments.
7. family coffee dates.
8. gifs of my little niece eating her own hand.

What's on your happy list today?

Abecedarium:

It's been a lo-o-o-ng week. From Monday onwards, I was convinced that the week was two days further ahead. It's felt like Saturday for a while but Saturday hasn't even reached here yet. So while my brain is fuzz, I'm borrowing an idea I've seen floating around other blogs, but first seen at Rachele's. If you feel inspired, do give it a try, too. It's a fun way to share the small details which might get missed in the usual blog post.

A. Age: well there's a 1 and a 3 in it, and I'm not thirteen.
B. Bed size: single; a white cast-iron frame that's probably a hundred years old.
C. Chore that you hate: cleaning the toilet (because it seems icky).
D. Dogs: I'm not especially a fan -- too much slobber and too much hair. I have nice memories of the dogs we had as I grew up, though.
E. Essential start to your day: my little morning ritual which includes breakfast, some reading, and checking my email.
F. Favorite color: this comes with too many disclaimers: for home decorating, soft white; for wearing, black (always classy); for painting, orange; for a bright splash, deep red.
G. Gold or Silver: I might be odd, but I like both -- just not at the same time.
H. Height: 5’7 1/2"
I. Instruments you play: piano.
J. Job title: writer and sometime music tutor.
K. Kids: I hope so, someday.
L. Live: pretty much everywhere, it seems.
M. Mother’s name: Catherine.
N. Nicknames: DeeDee and occasionally Dani.
O. Overnight hospital stays: only when I was a wee child.
P. Pet peeves: you're/your; tailgaters; serial speed-limit breakers.
Q. Quote from a movie: "I don't even remember Ruthie Pigface Draper!" [Dan in Real Life]
R. Right or left handed: right.
S. Siblings: four; two brothers and two sisters.
T. Time you wake up: this varies, and is usually my alarm set for 7 hours after I go to bed (which is, of course, never enough sleep).
U. Underwear: is essential.
V. Vegetable you hate: not a fan of tomato in big chunks.
W. What makes you run late: wasting time. Wouldn't this answer be the same for everyone?
X. X-Rays you’ve had: feet and teeth, both repeatedly.
Y. Yummy food that you make: um, can't think! Those who may have eaten my food and found it yummy may fill in their own answer here.
Z. Zoo animal: meerkats are kind of dorky, skitchy, and cool.

Okay, Saturday is less than twenty minutes away, so happy weekend!

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Conversations:

Laura Elizabeth -- you were first and only! How doubly glad I am for your comment of greatness! I love that you called my parents' place The Big House. That's awesome. And yes, I must make those brownies. I really must. If it's finals week for you, hope it all goes well. If you are finished for the term, ENJOY! xx

[tuesday top ten] to-be-read this spring

Top Ten Tuesday is the creation of the blogging team over at The Broke and the Bookish. Each Tuesday, there's a new top ten to explore, and this week the theme is the top ten books to-be-read this fall spring. Rather than listing ten books I'm looking forward to finding, I'm going to go ahead and list ten books I already possess, ones which are patiently waiting for my attention. I have an absolutely terrible habit of starting too many books at once, getting overwhelmed, and then -- in spite of loving them -- having to shelve some until I have brain space to spare. So the books I'm listing here are ones I've begun or almost begun and can't wait to finish.

1. Breath for the Bones | Luci Shaw
This was recommended for school one semester. I bought it, started it, fell in love with it, and didn't get to finish it. It's an exploration of art and faith, and it was gentle and powerful. But I only got a third of the way through, so I'm looking forward to reading more.

2. Out of the Silent Planet | CS Lewis
The brilliant CS Lewis and his bizarre science fiction. I got halfway through this one (and own the other two in the trilogy as well) and this time, I want to finish it.

3. My Seventh Monsoon | Naomi Reed
This looks to be amazing. It was a gift from friends for my birthday last year, an autobiography about a Sydney woman transported to the Himalayas. I'm excited about this one.

4. By Hook or By Crook | David Crystal
'A linguistic travelogue' exploring words and their weird histories.

5. The Clumsiest People in Europe | ed. Todd Pruzan
This was a delightful across-the-world gift from a lovely friend (hi, Asea!). It's darkly hilarious -- the naive and even bigoted 19th century observations of a woman called Mrs Mortimer, calling out the peoples of the world on their failures and foibles.

6. Taj and the Great Camel Trek | Rosanne Hawke
A children's story set in the untamed years of Australian exploration and centering on twelve-year-old Taj, an Afghani camel driver. Rosanne Hawke is a wonderful Australian YA author (and one of my lecturers, to boot!).

7. Loser | Jerry Spinelli
Jerry Spinelli is golden, and I think this very quirky story is set to break my heart a little bit. I'll have to report back when I'm done.

8. The Shifting Fog | Kate Morton
This is the only one on my list that I don't have a lot of enthusiasm about. On a purely aesthetic level, this is 566 pages of narrow margins and small print -- and I generally do not have the time or patience for intensely wordy books. Also, the story -- a moody mystery -- is told predominantly in flashback, and I am not a fan of flashback. But I want to make myself finish this.

9. The King's Speech | Mark Logue & Peter Conradi
I saw the movie, and now I want to read the book that inspired it. Real history, y'all!

10. Ransom | David Malouf
I've started this one already, but got distracted. It's a powerful prose retelling of Homer's Iliad, and the writing is delicious.

Four of the ten books are Australian, so that's a nice percentage for local reading. What would be on your list?

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Conversations:

Samantha R -- it was very cool and fun indeed!

Laura Elizabeth -- peaceful is right. That sunset was amazing!

Five books that changed who I am:

Bethany tagged me for participation in a book meme and I'm happy because talking about books + filling out memes = my kind of fun.

If it were even possible to compile a complete list of the books that formed and shaped me, I'm sure it would contain dozens of titles. Books have shaped so much about who I am. They've opened my eyes to truth, taken me to places I'm far too much of a wimp to go to, chastened me for being such a wimp, and helped me discover the beauty of words. I devoured books when I was a girl. Now, I chew more slowly but I love them just as much. Here are just five of the many I have been fed by:

1) The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. I've read this many times since I was in my early teens. It's the true story of one family's loving defiance against Hitler's anti-Semitism in World War II, their own tiny world war waged by hiding Jews in a secret space in their home in Holland. Their defiance came at a great price, but it also resulted in great faith. I wish I could do this book justice in my brief review, but I can't. Honestly life-changing.

2) Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot. I've read this one multiple times, too, and every re-reading provides me with something new as well as a fresh dose of wisdom and passion. Although some will argue with me (I'm looking at you, Anastasia Lambert!), this book is incredibly romantic with a unique authenticity and genuineness. It has changed who I am by exposing me to new thoughts about love and romance -- true love, which is so much more than happily ever after -- and pointing me back to the Author of it all.

3) A Chance to Die by Elisabeth Elliot. This is Elliot's biography of feisty, courageous Amy Carmichael, a poet who crossed oceans and cultures to break down the boundaries of caste exclusion and rescue young Indian girls from temple prostitution -- all of this in an era when frank discussions of sexual crime were highly taboo, especially from a middle-class, church-going single lady. Amy Carmichael said that she would rather burn out than rust out, and her burning is a challenge to my cravings for comfort and ease. [edit: Elliot's autobiography? I must have been half asleep]

4) On Writing Well by William Zinsser. This 'classic guide to writing nonfiction' might seem an unlikely inclusion in a list so far dominated by thoughtful discussions on life and faith, but writing is a big part of who I am, and this book has molded that to some extent. It's a brilliant handbook on the craft of writing and, though it has a decidedly journalistic focus, its sage advice rings true whether you write stories, review records, or scribble plays. Obviously, I'm still a work in progress as far as writing is concerned; this is evident by the fact that I crammed three cliches into two successive sentences. Awesome.

5) The Billabong Books by Mary Grant Bruce. Any number of books could also have gone here in the list, the spot reserved for fiction that I consumed like a starving creature as a young teen. But the Billabong Books (yes, I'm cheating by including a whole series here) are special in that they are so distinctly Australian. They are not brilliant works of literature (though they are good) and yes, they're decidedly dated when it comes to issues such as race, class, and gender, but they preserve so much from an amazing period in Australia's history. Written from about 1915 to 1940, they cover war, the depression, and the remarkable shifts in culture and society in Australia during that time. They are also wholesome, good fun adventure books which made me proud to be an Aussie kid. I read these books so many times I'm sure I could quote whole passages even now. They made me love living in a rural area, they made me love story-writing, and they made me wish I had an awesome older brother. Where is my Jim?

What would be on your list? I love talking books so I am opening this meme up to everyone. I tag you alllll! If you don't have a blog, feel free to leave your reply as a comment.

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Conversations:

Laura Elizabeth -- YES. I love the clashing, joyful riot of colours that God puts together in nature. So unlikely and yet so right.

Samantha R -- it's so hard to get good shots when you're powering through the countryside :).

One hundred joys {deux}

11) carol nights under a laser-starred roof, with Colin Buchanan and crazy confetti bombs; 12) not having anything to fear when being stopped for an RBT; 13) those little fish-shaped bottles of soy sauce that you get with sushi; 14) people who use punctuation and use it nicely; 15) my neighbour's blinking Christmas light display.

16) Jimmy Needham's Nightlights; 17) alphacross races with my sister (alphacross is SO the new crossword puzzle; we called it first); 18) art that actually takes your breath away; 19) dessert nights with lovely girlfriends and chocolate mousse in martini glasses; 20) someone named a street after me!

* * * * *

Conversations:

Caitlin -- yay! I'm glad you're playing along.

Samantha R -- you inspired me to take part :).

Asea -- it sounds like an excellent way to spend an afternoon, whether those gingerbread houses turned out mansions or shanties :).

Bek -- actually, you are awesome.

Katie -- woohoo for impending freedom! And yes, I agree: Christmas baubles are just the thing for trees.