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Categories Reading My Library

Ag-Jon Agee

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Reading My Library

Continuing on through the alphabet in my quest to read every book in Eiseley Library, I stumbled upon author and illustrator Jon Agee. I’d heard of him before, read a review of his book The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau–but I’d never read anything of his before.

Unfortunately, my library didn’t have a copy of The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau when I was perusing the stacks–but it did have plenty of other fascinating pieces by Agee.

Agee illustrates in a blocky, just been sketched manner which I find innocently appealing–but it’s the stories that I enjoy the most. Agee’s stories aren’t fantasy, fluffy children’s stories. They’re slightly silly but otherwise relatively realistic stories which include both the young and the old. The stories are well written enough to be enjoyable for adults, and just ridiculous enough to be enjoyable for kids.

The Retired Kid by Jon Agee

The Retired Kid tells the story of 8-year-old Brian who, tired of the hard work of being a kid, goes into an early retirement. He flies off to a retirement community in Florida, where he meets a fantastic collection of old folks. He enjoys certain aspects of retirement (card games, golf, fishing, and movies)–but discovers that other parts are not so fun (prune juice smoothies, knitting classes, and weekly checkups.) He starts to think about the hard work of being a kid–and realizes that maybe his job isn’t quite so bad.

Terrific by Jon Agee

In Terrific, a grumpy old man named Eugene wins an all-expenses-paid cruise to Bermuda. His response is “Terrific. I’ll probably get a really nasty sunburn.” When Eugene’s ship is shipwrecked and he is stranded, he announces “Terrific”–and comes up with an even more pessimistic prediction for his future. But in the end, Eugene discovers something that is truly terrific–and this time, he’s not being sarcastic.

Nothing by Jon Agee

When Suzie Gump, the richest lady in town, asks Otis what’s on sale in his shop, he looks around and announces “Uh, nothing.” Suzie is eager to snatch it up, whatever the cost, starting a city-wide craze for buying nothing. Shopkeepers throw out all their best goods to make room for more nothing. Eventually, though, something will come back in style–and Otis’ll be ready when it happens!

I’ll be definitely keeping my eyes open for more Agee–his stories are a lot of fun!

Carrie at Reading to Know did an author highlight of Jon Agee when she was going through the AG’s.

Categories Family & Friends, Reflections

Our Shared Addiction

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Although scientists have struggled to discover precise genes for addictions, it is generally recognized that certain addictions tend to run in families. Alcoholism. Nicotine addiction. Addiction to elicit drugs.

Just like most issues ascribed to genetics, the question always arises–is it nature or nurture? Do I act like my family acts because it is hard-wired into me or because I learn it from my family? I don’t know. Scientists don’t know. It’s been debated for years.

My family might be said to have an addiction. At least, my father and I share a common addiction. We’re both “information junkies”. We like to be surrounded by information constantly–whether reading it, listening to it on talk radio, discussing it with a friend, or watching a documentary. Give me information.

Cut off from information, I go through withdrawal–I start to twitch and make random noises. :-)

Thankfully, information is readily available at my local library, online, and across the yard at my parents’ house. So I rarely have to experience withdrawal.

You might say it’s genetic. My dad is a notorious information junkie.

But maybe it’s nurture. I grew up listening to Ravi Zacharias on the way to church, Rush Limbaugh on errands, and RTB Radio Podcasts while my dad showered in the room next door. I remember watching coverage of the Gulf War after dinner on the little television we took out of the closet expressly for that purpose. My family had (still has) three sets of encyclopedias. I read them regularly.

Nature or nurture, I’m an addict. So is my dad.

He got me hooked at a young age, as I took sips from the deep glasses he drank from. The encyclopedias acted as a gateway drug, the library my nearest pusher. Soon I was a full-fledged addict. Our drug choices and routes of delivery diverged throughout my teen years, although we still took time to snort together.

But now, again, we have come to share in our addiction freely.

I read blogs, a great variety. My dad reads blogs, mostly news, science, and politics. In Instapundit, we have again found a shared addiction.

“Did you read that article by the Instawife?” Dad asks.

I ask for a bit more description. I checked Insta early that morning–this hadn’t been posted until the afternoon. Dad catches me up on the latest.

“What do you think of that piece on electric cars?” I ask him right back.

We discuss nuclear energy, Supreme court rulings, male empowerment, and liberal extremism–all sparked by our new common link.

Maybe it runs in families, maybe it’s just us–but information is our shared addiction, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Categories Memes

Mama Roar’s Meme

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Every so often, I get a yen to do a meme (mostly because I have little motivation to think too deeply about anything). Today, I had the yen, and it just so happened that Mama Roar did too!

So here goes…

The phone rings. Who will it be?
My dad asking me if we’re on for lunch today.

When shopping at the grocery store, do you return your cart?
Absolutely–if I use a cart in the first place. (Instead, I tend to bring in my homemade canvas bag and just fill it up as I go.)

Grocery bag full of groceries

In a social setting, are you more of a talker or a listener?
Probably a talker

Do you take compliments well?
I try to.

Do you play Sudoku?
On Wednesdays (free paper day) if I’m feeling down because the crosswords have stumped me.

If abandoned alone in the wilderness, would you survive?
Not enough information to answer this question. What do I have with me? What season is it? Do you prefer English or Italian?

Did you ever go to camp as a kid?
Missionette camp during grades 6 and 7. I think they were just two to three night things.

What was your favorite game as a kid?
How to choose? “Circuit races” with Nathan at church. UNO with the family. Truth, dare, double dare, promise to repeat with my cousins (male and female)–ah, the memories of ketchup and “breaking” curfew.

Use three words to describe yourself
Alive, thank God!

Do any songs make you cry?
Lots of ’em. I’m pretty sentimental.

Are you continuing your education?
Mm-hm. Working on adding another two initials to the current six behind my name. And then there’s the non-school education, which I seem to be getting quite a bit of.

Have you ever taken pictures in a photo booth?
No

How often do you read books?
At least every twenty-four hours. More likely, every 8 hours.

Do you think more about the past, present or future?
Depends. Currently, I’m pretty melancholy.

What is your favorite children’s book?
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

What color are your eyes?
Blue

Where is your dream house located?
A small city or town. The Midwest, preferably.

If your house was on fire, what would be the first thing you grabbed?
The telephone to dial 911? (Don’t worry, it’d be a cell phone–and I’d call as I left the building. I know you’re s’posed to “cross the street and call from the neighbor’s house”.)

When was the last time you were at Olive Garden?
Don’t remember, but I know who I would have been with! All the old crew–my siblings, Mary, Casandra, some Brunks, maybe a cousin or two thrown in for good measure.

Where was the farthest place you traveled today?
To the bathroom. (Yep, I’m sticking to my room for now.)

Do you like mustard?
Absolutely

Do you look like your mom or dad?
Both, I think. I look very like my Mom in her wedding pictures (although it might just be the long hair). But I think I resemble my dad more these days–our colorings are pretty similar and we both like to make crazy faces!

Funny faces with Dad

How long does it take you in the shower?
I don’t generally shower, so I don’t really know. In the bath, depends on the book. A real gripper like Poison Study (which I read last night) can have me in the bath until the bathwater is cold (an hour? two hours? I don’t remember, but my toes are still pruned.)

Can you do the splits?
No way!

What movie do you want to see right now?
The Court Jester (“I found a bow and arrow and I learned to shoot, I found a little horn and I learned to toot. Now I can shoot and toot, ain’t I cute?”)

What did you do for New Year’s?
Spent the night at my sister’s flat with Debbie, Joanna, and Grace.

New Year's Eve at Anna's

(For those of you who worry, Grace and Joanna’s “cocktails” are actually cranberry-grape juice.)

Do you own a camera phone?
Who doesn’t, these days? But I never use it. Poor quality and cost money to upload photos. Not cool. Use a camera instead.

How many hours of sleep do you get a night?
Depends on how gripping the before bed book is, how early I have to teach someone to cook, and a dozen or so other variables.

What do you buy at the movies?
I don’t go to the movies. My family invites me over to watch movies with them in their personal theatre (where seating is couches with blankets, snacks are complimentary, whole wall projection and surround sound makes the experience authentic, and subtitles are on just for me!)

Do you wear your seat belt?
Duh. I’ve worked in a hospital.

How many meals do you eat a day?
3

Do you like funny or serious people better?
Trick question. Everyone’s funny–it’s just a matter of learning their sense of humor. But some people don’t seem to know how to do serious. I like them all, but for best friends, I prefer people who THINK in addition to just having fun.

Ever been to L.A.?
Nope. And not sure I want to.

Did you eat a cookie today?
Haven’t eaten anything yet today. But I’m betting I’ll eat a cookie sometime today. (I still have some Mocha Chocolate Chip Cookies sitting downstairs. Yummy!)

Do you hate chocolate?
No.

Are you a gullible person?
Probably.

Are you easy to get along with?
I think so. But I’m sure there are times that I’m hard to get along with.

Categories Homemaking

Worship While You Work

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Women are said to be master multi-taskers. And for my part, I believe it.

We all know at least one mother who somehow manages to make lunch, do the breakfast dishes, carry on a conversation with her pre-teen, help her teen with geometry homework, and supervise her youngster’s piano practice, all while compiling a mental grocery list.

I don’t have those kind of skills.

But I do like to multi-task whenever possible (even if my multitasking is generally on the line of 2-4 tasks rather than half a dozen or more.)

One of my favorite ways to “multi-task” is to worship while I work. You’ve heard the ditty “Whistle while you work…” which advises you to whistle while you work because “it won’t take long when there’s a song to help you set the pace.” I don’t whistle while I work to make my work go more quickly, I worship while I work to keep my focus on Christ instead of on all the other things that housework generally makes me focus on.

You know what kinds of things I’m talking about…
…frustration at always ending up with an odd sock (or worse, a half dozen odd socks, all from different pairs)
…anger at SOMEONE for tracking mud across the carpet
…self-pity because I’m the ONLY one who ever does the dishes
And lots more.

If I let it, housework can get me into a high dudgeon. So I don’t. I don’t let it, that is. Instead, I worship while I work.

I keep a hymnal in my kitchen. I open it up and set it in a corner of my counter. Then I sing hymns as I stir my sauce, knead my bread, or mop my floor.

I turn on worship music on my computer as I fold my laundry or tidy my bedroom.

I pray or sing “freestyle” as I wash dishes or vacuum the carpet.

It’s a little thing. Maybe even a silly thing. But worshipping while I work helps me keep my mind on who I’m working for.

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.” Colossians 3:23

Categories Faith, Reflections

Goal-oriented Gal

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“If I could do a tenth of what you do…” my dad told me in the car yesterday.

I couldn’t help but be confused. I don’t know what sparked the comment. We hadn’t been discussing busyness or schedules or goals or anything.

He clarified his thoughts (a little). “You’re so goal oriented. Almost to a fault. I just can’t imagine doing as much as you do.”

I still don’t know what brought on his observation, but he’s probably right.

I am a massively goal-oriented person. I figure out what I want to do and I find a way to get it done. My list of Life Goals is dozens of pages long (and I’ve only included some of my life goals online.) And though many of my goals are undone, incomplete, or in progress, I have managed to accomplish quite a deal in my first quarter century of life.

The difficulty enters in my dad’s second comment: “Almost to a fault.” He wasn’t meaning it as a criticism. He wasn’t putting me down. But I am aware that one of my greatest strengths is also one of my greatest weaknesses.

I am goal-oriented. It means that I get things done. I accomplish a lot. I have lived a life rich with experiences and accomplishments (even for someone only a quarter of a century old).

But sometimes my goals distract me from the greater purpose in life. The purpose that can’t be formulated as a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely (SMART) goal. The purpose of glorifying God. The purpose of walking in relationship with Him and others.

Too busy with my blog, I neglect the Word. I bow out of relationship because I’m too busy getting something done.

It’s a dangerous road, a fine line that I must learn to walk.

I believe that it is to God’s glory that I enjoy life. It is to His glory that I accomplish things. He is glorified when I use my goal-oriented personality.

But He is not glorified when I follow my goals rather than His Spirit. He is not glorified when I choose things over people. He is not glorified in my becoming internally focused.

I must learn, somehow, to use my temperament to glorify God–to be goal oriented, yes, but not to a fault. I may be goal-oriented, but above that I must be God-oriented.

That is the ultimate goal–but the one that is most difficult in its accomplishment.

Categories Homemaking

Retro Mod

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Since my earliest childhood, black has played an integral role in my wardrobe identity–or so I’m told. My mom tells me she used to always want to put me into pastels, and I’d gravitate instead to deep, dark, or bright colors–even the dreaded black. Mom tells the story now as a testimony to the “Color Me Beautiful” seasonality approach to colors. I’m a winter, there’s no doubt about it–and even as a child, I knew what I looked best in.

Black is the base color in my wardrobe. I own no less than 6 black dresses, 1 black suit, and 5 pairs each of black slacks and black skirts. And that’s not counting the outfits in which black plays a role but is not the primary color.

So it’s not as though I need another black dress–another black anything, for that matter.

But I couldn’t resist the lure of the black dress that has been sitting at the bottom of my mending basket since my grandma passed it down to me years ago (maybe 6 or 10 years back?)

It was a simple dress, a mid-calf a-line style with short sleeves. It fit me well enough, except for the sleeves, which constrained my movement too much. I’d torn the sleeve off the last time I tried the dress on, and the dress had been in my mending basket since. I planned to take off both sleeves and simply finish off the armholes for a sleeveless dress.

Meanwhile, I acquired black dresses by droves, including a mid-calf a-line style dress with short sleeves, which made the dress in my mending basket superfluous.

But it fit so well, and I liked the style, and it used to belong to my (now-deceased) grandma. My frugal and romantic and black-dress-loving nature rebelled against giving the dress up.

So I tried it on and developed a plan. I removed the other sleeve and finished both armholes with black bias tape (left over from a quilting project). I finished the neckline with the same tape for continuity. I chopped off the bottom half of the skirt and hemmed the rest to just above the knee. I bought some white rick-rack and sewed it along either side of the center seam.

Retro-Mod Black Dress

My dilemma solved, I tried on my new-from-old black dress. Absolutely retro-mod. I love it!

Categories Everyday Life, Faith, Thankfulness

Surprise Friendship

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She sat at the end of the table in our Advanced Nutrition Counseling class and asked good questions. Most of the girls (and the one guy) in the class were familiar faces. She wasn’t.

When I went down to my adviser’s lab for lunch, she was there. Dr. J is her adviser too–and she was TA-ing for one of Dr. J’s classes.

We grew acquainted over meals and meetings and sharing teaching horror stories.

Towards the end of the semester, she started asking questions and our friendship grew a bit deeper. She prefaced her questions “I know this is a kinda personal question, and you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but…” I couldn’t help answering.

When I walked into Statistics this Monday and saw her sitting in the back row, I could have cried with relief. I needed something, someone, anything, anyone to keep my mind busy, to keep me occupied. Chante provided the perfect relief.

I knew she knew there was something going on, but she didn’t press. We talked school work and TA-ing and thesis. We looked forward to seeing each other again on Wednesday.

I didn’t want to do anything today–and thankfully, I didn’t have to do much. Just Statistics. I stopped and waited while she finished at the water fountain and then walked with her into class.

After class, we got to talking about this and that. Life, and all that entails. I knew the question would rise sometime–the conversation we’d started before break. I was ready to share when the question came.

Chante listened to me, encouraged me, patted me on the back. “That’s amazing, Rebekah” she told me. “That’s good. You’re growing, you’re learning, this has been a good experience for you.” She reminded me to not lose heart in prayer, to keep pouring my heart out before God. She laughed with me at my jumbled emotions, and told me I needn’t be afraid to cry.

And so I did. She told me she admires me, admires what God’s doing in my life. And she told me I’m in her prayers–and have been since we first started discussing the topic.

We said goodbye and I walked back to my car, tears rolling down my face.

Thank you, Thank you, Lord, for the unexpected blessing of a surprise friendship. Who’d have thought that I’d find such a precious sister, so dear to my heart, in the musty halls of Ruth Leverton? And who’d have dreamed we’d find ourselves in the same class this semester–just when I needed a friend?

God thought it. God dreamed it. He arranged the class time, arranged the news, arranged the mood, arranged it all–and blessed me with a sister at school.

Categories Everyday Life, Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday: Coulda been much worse

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Today I’m thankful that it coulda been much worse.

  • I coulda mistakenly bought $25 worth of unnecessary groceries instead of $5 worth.
  • I coulda budgeted 1/2 hour too little time to set up my lab instead of 5 minutes too little time.
  • I coulda broken my leg when I fell on the ice/slush today instead of just getting the left leg of my pants soaked through.
  • I coulda had a half dozen students upset that I missed half of my “office hour” when my meeting ran late.
  • I coulda not been able to get to class in time, instead of having to park at a meter in order to get to class on time.
  • My adviser coulda completely shot down my thesis proposal instead of just telling me to find a theory to tie it to.
  • I coulda been completely overwhelmed by the physical and emotional events of this week, but God’s grace has been all sufficient.

It coulda been much worse, but it wasn’t–and for that, I am thankful.

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Categories Books

From my readings…

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“Simonson was one of those people, chiefly of a masculine type, whose actions follow the dictates of their reason and are determined by it. Novodvorov belonged…to a group of people of a feminine type, whose reason is directed partly towards the attainment of aims set by their feelings, partly to the justification of acts instigated by their feelings.”

~from Leo Tolstoy’s Resurrection

Discuss.

Please.

Categories Technology

Life, Facebook-ified

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When you spend fifteen minutes discussing emoticons at dinner…
When you debate the relative merits of “Live Feed”, “News Feed”, and “Status Updates”…
When conversation includes telling everyone else what your Facebook status is…
When you learn of your friends’ friendships, dating relationships, and engagements via Facebook and consider a “Facebook official” relationship more real than one that is not “Facebook official”…

Life has become just a bit too Facebook-ified.

Do you remember the days before Facebook?
Do you remember when if you wanted to catch up on somebody’s life, you’d call them?
Do you remember when you used to spend hours talking with actual people without a keyboard mediating?
Do you remember when you didn’t know what each of your “friends” ate for lunch and (horror!) what color bra they’re wearing?
Do you remember when you used to actually laugh out loud, rather than just “LOL”?

I remember those days, and I miss them.

Remember when Facebook first came out and you spent hours procrastinating homework while spying on all your friends?
Remember when said spying meant you had to actually click on their name and visit their page, where you could read what they had written and write a comment?
Remember when you started to get tired of Facebook, realizing it was a terrific time waster?
Remember when you started checking Facebook less and less frequently?

I remember those days. But then Facebook changed.

Now the progression has changed. People don’t grow tired of Facebook and log off anymore. Now they’re inundated with constant stimulation in the form of a feed of some sort. They’re offered countless opportunities for procrastination through games and “boxes”. They don’t have to actively stalk their friends anymore–they can do it without even thinking. Just log in and stay on.

You don’t need to talk to people anymore. Just Facebook chat them.
You don’t need to write a letter. Just send a Facebook message.
You don’t need to catch up on the news. Just check your news feed.
You don’t need board games or card games, just play on Facebook.
You don’t even need to send gifts anymore, send a cow or a cactus or a cupcake on Facebook.

I miss my life before Facebook.

But I doubt I’ll ever get it back.

So I do what I can to take advantage of Facebook’s strengths while minimizing its negative qualities.

I get status updates but not “news feed” or “live feed” items. I don’t need to know what you’re playing or whether your relationship status has changed (unless you tell me).

I turn off e-mail alerts so I have to actually log on to Facebook in order for it to inundate my life.

I choose to not add applications or join groups (generally speaking).

I don’t do the “poking thing” (except for my little sister and my out-laws).

I don’t give people birthday greetings on Facebook.

I try to be judicious about “liking” things–and never write *dislike* under someone’s status update.

I don’t do the “copy and paste” status update thing. I love Jesus, I want a cure for cancer, and I support the troops, but I’d rather not post meaningless drivel on my status.

I don’t tag people in notes. If they want to read what I’ve written, they can come find it. If I really want them to read what I’ve written, I can take the time to let them know personally by sending them a link or telling them about it.

I try to keep Facebook from taking over my life.

But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t try just as hard to resist my defenses. Facebook is an everyday companion. It loads every time I open my internet browser. I don’t check it that often, but it’s open in a tab. Because it’s open, my friends see that I’m “online”. My tab starts blinking when a friend wants to Facebook chat. And while I generally ignore it, I’m still sucked in on occasion (thankfully, my friends know that I don’t like the chat feature, so they tend to NOT open up chat communications.) People still send me invitations to groups, causes, and games. Most of the time, I decline.

But like it or not, my life, too, has been Facebook-ified.