Xapa to the World

Category: Random

Stuff that doesn’t fit into a box…like me!

  • Week Thoughts

    I have had quite a few things weighing heavily on my mind this/last week. Here are the chewing-overs. I don’t think I have any conclusion to share, just thoughts. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

    Syria

    I can’t really begin to wrap my mind around the whole issue. I remember the feel of Cairo, the smells, the traffic, the vibrancy of the people. When I think of what is happening in Egypt, my mind is overwhelmed. Even more so with a country like Syria – someplace I’ve never been (that list is pretty big, so not a big deal). I’ll be honest, most of my understanding of Syria is from Old Testament studies in church. I know very, very little of modern-day Syria.

    So, when this came out, I jumped at it. I’m glad someone thought out that most Americans know very little about the country, what is happening there right now, and the ramifications of it. I do not claim to be an expert on any of it. What hits me and provokes me the most thought are: chemical warfare, children, national sovereignty, tyranny…the list could go on. I often throw myself into interaction with people from other countries. What I’ve found is that they are more than not just as patriotic as the average American. We get all, “Go USA!” in our little circles, but most of these people, even after they’ve come to the States, are fiercely in love with their homeland. I want the people of Syria to be able to make their own country and be proud of it.

    I hate bullies, which is what seems to be happening with the Assad regime. When I was a kid, I can remember two specific incidents when I stood up to a bully – not for my own benefit, but for a friend or younger child. I was willing to do what it took to keep them from picking on my friend. I wanted the world to be a better place for them – for all of us – and that sense of justice has always been one of the primary gears working through my actions. Those children…I get sick when I think of what is done to children around the world…Syria is just such another place.

    I get that we need to ensure that nations and groups keep chemical warfare out of their arsenal. That is a big deal. I get ticked off when I have to drive/walk through someone’s cigarette smoke-cloud. I can’t imagine at all what it would be like in a chemical warfare attack. If we know it happened, there should be some kind of action. Not full-on involvement or even half-involvement, because we’re already stretched beyond ourselves (um, economic crisis???). But something needs to be done. That kind of behavior cannot abide.

    Ariel Castro

    This happened. Something in me wants to rejoice at justice being served. I no longer have to foot the bill for this sorry excuse of a person to continue living. And then the mercy in my beliefs and faith come up and say, “Uh, Christ died for him too. What are you going to do with that?” And honestly…all I can say is that if Ariel Castro accepted Christ’s gift of redemption, then God will reconcile the two of us into one family when we reach heaven. Right now, I don’t have that knowledge so I’m just going to leave it. Those women are still rescued and out of bondage. THAT is what I’ll just have to focus on. It’s all I can process right now.

    Loss of Faith

    I have some dear friends who talk about people close to them who have chosen not to follow Christ, are on the fence, or have walked away from it. I have been praying for them in earnest. And then I heard that some of my loved ones have left the Christian faith, in a fairly explosive way. Not only that, but the explosiveness has come from the feedback of believers who were in their circle and local community. My heart just breaks. I am ashamed of the brethren who are acting in a malicious way. However, I wonder how much of it is actually malicious and how much is genuine concern that is being presented as malice because my loved ones want to feel justified at their leaving.

    And it also brings up the question of eternal security – once saved always saved. If the person was truly a believer, can they really recant and not be one? So were they ever believers in the first place? Or are they just walking in sin now and still have their salvation secure? I can’t answer that for these particular people – I don’t know their hearts. But it hurts me to know that the fellowship has been broken and I don’t know what to do about it. Do I do anything about it? Do I just pray? How can it be just prayer and why does that always feel like a token action or last resort when there seems to be no other good solution? Prayer is powerful. Lord, help me to trust in the power of prayer, if not to change them, then to change me.

    Amish Healthcare

    Did you hear this story? I am amazed that the hospital was even allowed to get as far as they did in trying to take over this child’s life. This is just another story that disenchants me to the American healthcare system. I’ve been going to a chiropractor lately and I’m trying to get my body healthier so that I don’t have to use the standard healthcare system. It seems broken. I don’t want it. I say this knowing that tomorrow, I will be going to pick out a Primary Care Physician for myself and the future fam…and also getting an antibiotic for a UTI that has got the better of me. What hypocrisy!

  • Time for an Adjustment

    This is a lot of wordy medical shtuff. If that’s not your thing, feel free to check out. I’ll try to keep these kinds of posts to a minimum. 🙂

    I’ve always had some kind of issue with my body. There’s a whole slew of stuff I could mention. I’m not an unhealthy person, but I have weird things going on with my body – I just take it as it is. Nothing in itself is life-threatening, except two allergies: bees and penicillin.  I have other goofy allergies, though.

    I’m allergic to fake sugar. You know, that bold label on suger-free things that says, Phenylketonurics: contains phenylalanine.” There’s something missing in my blood that can process it into a “real” sugar. I don’t have PKU, which is an extreme allergy, just a low-tolerance of it. I used to work at a bookstore and would sometimes have to price the sugar-free mints at the registers. I couldn’t stay in the stock room for very long because the smell would give me a massive headache. Sometimes, when I smell it, the hair on the back of my neck stands on end. Creepy! I get sick if I ingest it, but no hives or anything. Just sick. Not that I mind too much, since there are so many reports of it being such a horrible thing for anyone.

    Same thing goes with vinegar. When I was in Japan, no sushi for me! I don’t go into a shock or anything, just get a really sick stomach. So, I say, I’m allergic. Honestly, I think my body has been telling me for years that I can’t handle vinegar because the smell repulses me. I don’t know how many times I’ve gagged when I smell sauerkraut (a staple in this Germanic region) or wings at Applebees. Yuck.

    Anyway, back to the point – I have a lot of joint issues too. Mom worked for a chiropractor when I was a little kid (pre- and elementary school) and I would get adjustments from her periodically. I didn’t know that there was anything really wrong with my body, just that it felt good and I loved sitting on that table where the roller would come up and massage your back. Loooooved it! I would beg to be allowed to lay on it while Mom was finishing up paperwork. I would also help mom out which included putting the number stickers on the patient files for quick finding (I was a beast at that….I guess I’ve always loved filing things). A lot of afternoons, I would just spend my time in the back office, drawing monster-long fairy tales on the dot matrix paper reams. That was fun.

    Growing up, I always knew that I wasn’t an athlete – especially not a runner. My ankles inevitably will twist or sprain after just a few short minutes running leaving me immobilized for only a few minutes – but it’s not my favorite thing at all. I don’t really feel like I’m missing out though. Sports are not for me. My forte was in music. I’ve played violin from 4th grade through high school and beyond. I love it. But my hands would get cramped fairly easily, my arms get tired and my shoulders sore. I carry a lot of my stress in my neck and shoulders too. I just figured it was how I was made.

    During my senior year, I really began to have serious pain in my arms and neck. Enough that we went to a pediatric rheumatologist. There was the awkward moment when we realized that he was a teaching doctor and had three med students accompanying him. He asked me how I slept at night and without thinking it through, I answered, “On my side, curled up.” He chuckled and the others stifled back giggles as I realized he meant the quality of my sleep.

    He then had me stand and go through some motions. I raised my arms straight out to my side and he reported that my pulse stopped. Intrigue! He had the students also check my pulse so they could see what it was like for someone with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (1). It’s normally a condition for people who have an extra rib somewhere blocking their thoracic outlet, but for me, it was just another quirk.

    He had me stretch in certain directions and try to lift my knees while he pushed down on them. I had no strength to keep my legs up. In other instances, I had tremendous strength to do the task he assigned. I can lay on my belly and with my knees bent I can rotate my hips nearly completely straight out from my body. However, I can’t raise my arms straight out from my body and then above my head without rotating my shoulders for help. I can bend my hand backwards and make my pinky parallel with my wrist. I can twist my feet to the inside when I stand and make a straight line with them, toe to toe. I have very responsive reflexes in my knees. We concluded, therefore, that I am something called “hypermobile,”(2) or as he put it, I was “loosely put together.”

    Now some people who are hypermobile, also have a condition where their skin is super-elastic. I don’t have that. I am so glad, because it grosses me out. I can’t even put the picture in the blog because it creeps me out so much. I’m so glad my skin has the right elasticity. 😀

    Before I went to Japan, I went to the doctor for a complete physical to make sure everything was good. He concluded that I was healthy as a horse, but my joints were in such a bad way that I would probably be in a wheelchair by the time I was 50.

    50.

    That’s only 21 year away. I do not want that. I want to be able to run (if the urge takes me) and enjoy life at that age, on my own two feet, using my own strength to get me around. While I don’t really think he was completely accurate in that prospect, it does make me think about how I treat my body now and what I can do to keep myself from that point in the future, near or distant.

    My church has started a relationship with a chiropractor group in the area called Baker Chiropractic. I mentioned them in the last post, briefly.

    Before the wedding, I started having a “catch” in my left shoulder which increased to some fairly regular discomfort and then pain up my neck and down my arm. So I decided to go ahead and make an appointment with the chiropractor. I was thinking it would just be a quick adjustment and I might come back in a couple of weeks if I started to feel poorly again, but they had other plans. I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into.

    I showed up, had x-rays taken and was ushered off to get a massage – that in itself was wonderful! Once I got an adjustment, I felt loads better. The next week, I went to look over my x-rays and discuss treatment. I don’t know if it’s from my hypermobility, but whatever the cause, my neck is really out of position. What I like about this chiro office is that I like to understand why things are happening, and they work hard to make sure the patients are educated about what needs to be done and why.

    I wish I had pictures of my x-rays to show you. The preferred angle of a person’s neck is 43. The shot below looks fairly good.

    That angle is optimal. Mine, however, is in reverse, at a whopping -13*. That’s 50* off from what it should be. My lumbar curve (low back) is only 20* off and my right hip is just a little bit lower than my left one. I have a little bit of scoliosis too. I’ve started the full regimen of treatment: 3x/week visits, home therapy. Some of the home therapy is a bit of a challenge. I am a side-sleeper and I have some rolls that I’m supposed to use under my back and neck while I sleep instead of my pillow. That means sleeping on my back. It’s not comfortable at all. But there are other things that I can do that fit into my lifestyle more easily.

    I don’t know how much this will help my conditions. There are parts of it that I know won’t be fixed. My joints will always be too loose. But if I can get my body going in the right direction, then, hopefully, I won’t be stuck in a wheelchair by the time I’m 50. That in itself is worth it.

    ———————-

    (1) The Thoracic Outlet is the area between your neck, shoulder and chest. It is the corridor through which your veins, arteries, and nerves travel from your torso down through your arms. Thoracic Outlet Syndrome is when this space is constricted somehow, whether just by position, accident, or genetic condition.

    (2) Hypermobility is simply joints that stretch farther than normal. This can be isolated to one joint, many joints, or all over. It’s often just viewed as flexibility (think contortionists) but over time it can wear down the cartilage between joints and can accelerate osteoarthritis.

  • Lately

    There has been a lot going on of late. I would like to expound on each thing, but for now, I’ll just give you a quick overview.

    I have started going to a chiropractor. I would venture that probably half of my church back home is going to this chiropractor. I went when I was a kid and Mom worked for one, but it has been a very long time. I had some discomfort in my left shoulder that gradually got more intense and into regular pain. So, I decided to hop on the bandwagon and check them out. I’m committed for a year (call me crazy!) and hopefully will see the good results my friends and church-family have been seeing. I’ll share more on this later, definitely. For now, you can just go check out their website.

    Last Thursday (two Thursdays ago, I guess, since Sunday starts a new week), friends of mine gave offered us tickets to the Cincinnati Tennis event, ATP/WTA Western and Southern Open. I loooove professional tennis. It’s a lot of fun. Matt had never been to a game so that makes it even more fun for me. We were able to get tickets for Thursday night and watched Rafael Nadal play and then Serena Williams. They both won their matches. We even had box seats since the tickets were from someone who works with Rookwood Pottery – that’s an iconic Cincinnati pottery business and they make the trophies given out at the tournament. Very fun. This was our view for the evening:

    tennis01 tennis02

    Nadal had a wedgie the entire tournament and Matt commented on it every time he picked at it…well, maybe not every time. It felt like every time because he picked out his wedgie just about every play. I’m not a huge Nadal fan anyway, so it was annoying. But he’s one of the best in tennis history, so it’s still a good watch…unless he’s picking his wedgie. Dude, get some different undies.

    Last Sunday, a man at Matt’s church was giving away from homegrown veggies. I grabbed up a zucchini and then sat around trying to figure out what to do with it. I also have some apples sitting around. Nice, plump, juicy apples. I got the big idea to add some apple to a zucchini bread. Sounds yummy, huh? Oh it was! But a word of warning – it might be a better idea to dry out the apple bits before adding them to your zucchini bread recipe. As it was, my recipe made either 24 muffins or 2 loaves of bread. I just have one pan for each, so I made 12 muffins and 1 loaf. Everything took probably twice as long to bake. I was up very late. I am wondering if the muffin recipe I have just makes really dense breads. I have yet to figure out how to make nice, fluffy breads. I’m guessing it is just something to learn. Regardless, they WERE very yummy! It’s almost all gone between Matt and I. Very dense. I would share the recipe with you, but I’m not really sure it worked the way it was supposed to. So, you can go to http://allrecipes.com and look up “apple zucchini” recipes. There are a bunch of things on there. I’m so glad.

    muffins

    Lastly, We were getting kind of low on our laundry detergent. I pinned more than a year ago this recipe for making your own. Claims to get 9 months of use out of $22+ of ingredients. That sounds fabulous! We haven’t had to buy detergent yet, so I thought it might be time to go ahead and make our own.

    Here is the website with the original recipe:

    It smelled so good while I was mixing it all together, and all the ingredients are supposed to be gentle for sensitive skin. I used it for my laundry last night and everything smells great! Only 1-2 tablespoons for each load. It’s just the two of us (as opposed to the blogger’s 5-member family) so I’m hoping it lasts us way longer than 9 months.

    laundrysoap

    Oh and all of our ingredients cost $22.10. Woot! Matt’s mother saw my pin and made this over a year ago. She has awful water to work with at their house and this is the only stuff that seems to work and actually get their clothes looking, feeling, smelling clean. When I posted pictures of the finished product, people came out of the woodwork on Facebook commenting about how they have been making their own and love it or asking questions about how to go about doing it themselves. As you can see, we have an HE washer, but it doesn’t seem to have any problem with the detergent. I put the date on some freezer tape and stuck it to the side of the box so I can see how long this batch lasts. I’m pretty pumped.

    Have a great week everyone! Hopefully, I can check in with you before another week and a half rolls by.

    Oh, and our sunflowers are kickin’ it!

    sunflowers

     

  • It is Here, Even Now

    Wife’s Journal

    “The First Year”
    Entry #41

    I was uncertain.

    It seemed like we were in the clear.

    Either we were lulled into a false sense of security, or my presence no longer intimidates the savage creature.

    It’s stealth and cunning. Ah, it is a clever little thing.

    I thought that perhaps we could be the one home that it did not stalk through. But no.

    Whilst we sat in the other room, unsuspecting, it was there, working its crafty ways.

    Only two. Two unmatched and yet similar, unless you put them on and then glaringly obvious. The shock of discovery.

    I measured the distance from the two rooms and it is minimal, scarcely any length at all. And yet, they are gone. Vanished in the blink of an eye, or rather, a 50 and 46 minute cycle. The cavern is not deep. The back is clearly visible from the opening and yet, they are not to be found.

    How could this be? It is a question that has haunted wives for decades. No good answer can be found. Maybe it’s really a black hole, magically appearing during the spin cycle.

    The sock monster cometh and is here.

  • June Recap

    Here’s a recap of June according to my postcard calendar.

    1st:  Finally marrying Matthew D Martin.

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    2nd:  Lovin’ being married!

    3rd:  Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and Reds’ Game! 3-0 Redlegs!

    130608 ruthschrisdessert

    4th:  Lovin’ our Homeymoon.

    5th:  Raided Target for our registry items.

    6th:  Union Terminal and Butterflies.

    130608 unionterminal03

    7th:  Back to work – Franklin branch.

    8th:  Moving out a futon and moving in boxes.

    9th:  Flour tin is now filled with leftover Skittles from the wedding. (they’ve been moved into the cookie jar since then. There is actually now flour in the flour tin.)

    10th:  Fire truck called to the bank. Darn cleaning crew!

    11th:  Matt widens the door on the shed. He’s so handy.

    12th:  Matt goes back to work. Third shift. 😦

    13th:  Strawberry bread!

    14th:  Matt got me a bat house!!

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    15th:  Star Trek and Red Robin for my birthday. Yummm…

    16th:  Grey’s Anatomy marathon. Just what the doctor ordered.

    17th:  Pizza and Dr. Who!

    18th:  We bought a computer! (It’s an HP Envy…lovin’ it!)

    19th:  Dilly bars from Dairy Queen. Very yummy.

    20th:  Tilapia for dinner.

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    21st:  Researching cow shares in the area. Raw milk, here we come!

    22nd:  Painting bookshelves…and bookcases.

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    23rd:  Lunch at Bob Evans with Matt’s family after church.

    24th:  “Important Dates” gift from the Gantzes.

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    25th:  Olive Garden with Mom and sister. Gifts from Eri in Japan!

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    26th:  Small bookshelf is all finished!

    27th:  Day off! So needed this.

    28th: Bought a bottle of wine and didn’t get carded. Kind of sad.

    29th: Got our wedding photos back!!

    Formals093

    30th: Visiting Fairfield First Baptist for the first time since the wedding!

  • “Flame of God” by Amy Carmichael

    I first read this poem when I was in college and thought it amazing. Amy Carmichael is my own personal hero and I delight in her many writings. She was a gifted woman who sought to serve God with what she had and where she was. Her own perplexity at why He made her a certain way encourages me beyond what I can say. God has a purpose for us and He reveals that to us in His due time. We might not understand what purpose something has for our lives and our future, but God does not waste a gift. Only we do. Are you grateful for the gifts that may not even seem like a gift?

    Anyway, I love this poem. She’s asking God to not let her shy away from the challenge that she may face – to stand bold for Him and to even pursue the hard tasks. She even asks to be spent completely in His glory. I can only attempt the same.

    ———————

    From prayer that asks that I may be
    Sheltered from winds that beat on Thee,
    From fearing when I should aspire,
    From faltering when I should climb higher
    From silken self, O Captain, free
    Thy soldier who would follow Thee.

    From subtle love of softening things,
    From easy choices, weakenings,
    (Not thus are spirits fortified,
    Not this way went the Crucified)
    From all that dims Thy Calvary
    O Lamb of God, deliver me.

    Give me the love that leads the way,
    The faith that nothing can dismay
    The hope no disappointments tire,
    The passion that will burn like fire;
    Let me not sink to be a clod;
    Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God

  • Review: Taz Mediterranean Restaurant – Cincinnati, OH

    Taz Mediterranean Restaurant

    8950 Governors Way
    Cincinnati, OH 45249
    513 774 7600

    Website
    Facebook

    When I tell people that I like to use Groupons, the reactions run in a few directions.  Many people haven’t even heard of Groupons and think it’s a cool idea.  If the person is a regular Groupon user, the reaction is usually enthusiastic.  For businees owners, though, I think the reaction is becoming very mixed.  The heat comes when the users become just that, Users.  They abuse the system for their own personal gain.  I think the original intent was to provide a way for local and smaller businesses to get the word out about what they have to offer to a large group of people in order to have a new stream of loyal customers.  However, it’s a catch-22.  Many who now use Groupon are the modern-day coupon chasers, missing only the curlers, horn-rimmed glasses and bright red lipstick smashed beyond the lips.  Ok, ok, that’s a harsh image.  But in reality, businesses are re-thinking the use of Groupons to drive in new business.  It becomes a “hit and run” for the customers and then they’re gone, on to the next deal.

    This ugly picture is just to clarify that it is not what I do, nor what I think my friends do.  We don’t sit around and wait for a Groupon to come available from our already-favorite restaurant and then stock up on the deal.  I love to find a new place on Groupon in my area (and sometimes beyond it) so that I can explore and try out a new thing – with the hope that I can add the new place to my favorite places list.

    My friend  recently bought a Groupon for a local Mediterranean restaurant called, Taz.  Ever since I went to Cairo, I’ve been wanting some good Med- cuisine.  So, she invited me to head over to Taz.  It has a pretty good reputation for having wonderful Med- food.  Several friends said that we would not be disappointed and, in regards to the food, we weren’t.  I don’t like writing reviews that may be bad, but there are some things you should know.

    When we walked in, there was a “Now Hiring” sign on the door.  I’m hoping this explains the slow service.  If I’m remembering correctly, there was something blocking our way into the building – like a bucket and mop.  We had to step over it, or go out of our way to step around it.  It was awkward.  The exterior (which I don’t usually judge) gave no indication of “good food” being inside, but I don’t want to hold that against them.

    We were seated pretty quickly, given menus and brought our waters fairly quick.  But that was where the speed stopped.  There were only two other groups of 4 in the restaurant when we sat down.  A couple more came in by the time we received our food.  We didn’t know if we were supposed to wait for her to come back, or if we went up to the counter to order our food.  The waitress (the only waitress) was nowhere to be found, so I asked a guy who was standing in line what we were supposed to do.  He said that she would come to us.  At this point (maybe 15-20 minutes after sitting down with menus), we were talking about how the food would probably be amazing and stay our growing hunger.

    By the time she did get over to us to place our order, she was not very courteous – but, again, I’m hoping it was because they had just lost another employee and she was doing her best.  We waited for a long time again.  We ordered appetizers of yalanjie (stuffed grape leaves) and falafel.  They were delicious and we thoroughly enjoyed them.  It took a long time for them to come to us and they were quickly followed by our main dishes.

    I’m sorry that I can’t remember what my friend ordered, but she loved it.  I ordered a Kofta Kabab Sandwich.  I didn’t realize how much would be pickled though, so on my part, I was able to enjoy as much of my food as I could have (I’m allergic to vinegar).  But, it did taste really good and we were really glad of that.  However, with the wait, and the cost, it wasn’t worth much more than the Groupon, in our opinions.  We will continue our search for a favorite Med- restaurant.  There are a few in the area that we’re excited to try out too (Sultans, Aladdins).

    So, here’s the breakdown:

    The food: Very good.  Not as good as some other Med-cuisine I’ve had, but still, I can see why it has the reputation it has.
    The help: Our waitress was the only one in the restaurant.  I believe I saw someone in the kitchen, but really, there was no other visible life besides the other customers.  The “Now Hiring” sign suggests that they are aware they are understaffed and are working towards fixing that, but still, be prepared to wait.
    The parking: They have their own parking lot.
    The accommodations:  The interior was really lovely.  They had one sections, which we weren’t seated in, with couches and curtained off sections.  I think i read that they also have sheesha pipes available, but I didn’t see any out.
    The price: Kind of pricy.  The Groupon really helped.
    Returnability: Probably not.  If I have a group of friends who really want to go there, then I’ll probably go again, but there are other restaurants that have a little better reputation and image than this one.  I’d give it a 35%.

    Find more reviews and promos by clicking on the links to the right.  Go ‘head, you know you want to.

  • Boys Books List

    I tutor a 5th grade boy and the main thing we focus on is reading and comprehension.  There are a ton of really great books out there for boys – full of adventure, courage, and honor.  We started off reading the Chronicles of Narnia and are currently somewhere in the middle of Voyage of the Dawn Treader.  That means we have two more to go and then we’re done.  We’ll probably finish them by the end of the school year.  The books I see him come in with from school are fluff and nonsense, and the reading level is much lower than I know he’s capable of.  So, I pillaged a few summer reading/school lists online and came up with my own list.

    I would love your input if you can think of any other really great books for boys.  I have read more than half the books on this particular list.  The others have a strong reputation.  I’m leaving off the Harry Potter series on purpose, not because I don’t like it, but because the whole idea gives him nightmares.  I promised him I wouldn’t make him read them.

    Here goes!

    ———————————————————————————————-

    Treasure Island

    by Robert Louis Stevenson

    Artemis Fowl

    by Eoin Colfer

    James and the Giant Peach

    by Roald Dahl

    Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

    by Roald Dahl

    Bunnicula

    by Deborah Howe

    Hatchet

    by Gary Paulsen

    The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1)
    and the rest of the series

    by Lemony Snicket

    The Indian in the Cupboard

    by Lynne Reid Banks

    The Redwall series

    by Brian Jacques

    (this series in itself could keep us busy until he’s in high school.  There are upwards of 14 books, if my memory serves me!

    The Whipping Boy

    by Sid Fleischman

    The Swiss Family Robinson

    by Johann D Wyss

    (if I remember correctly, this has a lot of really descriptive paragraphs that could get boring quick for a boy with a short attention span)

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    What else have you got for me?

  • We All Married the Wrong Person (via Marriage Gems)

    We All Married the Wrong Person Couples in crisis often reach the point where they decide they are just two poorly matched people. This precedes the decision to leave the relationship and go in search of that “right person.” Unfortunately, the odds of a successful marriage go down for each attempt at a new marriage. Psychiatrist and author of The Secrets of Happily Married Men and The Secrets of Happily Married Women and The Secrets of Happy Families, Scott Haltzman, MD, says i … Read More

    via Marriage Gems

  • C.S. Lewis and Friends Blog

    C. S. Lewis
    Image via Wikipedia

     

    So, I’ve had this dream for a while:  to have a group of readers called “C.S. Lewis and Friends.”  Actually, it’s not really just my dream.  It is a brain-child of a group of friends of mine discussed several years ago.  The primary draw at that time was the t-shirts we planned to make and wear, but I digress (The book club we never had but desperately love). 

    I’ve really wanted to have something like a book club relating to C.S. Lewis books and other like-minded or not so like-minded authors.  However, it is next to impossible to gather a group of people together at the same time for multiple weeks to read one book, let alone an infinite number of books.  So, like a bolt from heaven, a thought came into my mind:  Why not a Book Review blog? 

    Not such a unique concept, by itself, but hang on for the kicker.  I can’t read all these books myself, and many times, when I finish a book my only response is, “Wow, that sucked.”  or “Wow, that was great!”  I’m sure that could get boring real quick.  So, my idea is to use your brains a bit by inviting you to write on a blog YOUR thoughts after you’ve read such and such a book.  I know…I’m obsessed with the blogging thing, but I’m pretty jazzed about this idea. 

    The one question that came into my mind was, “What if I don’t agree with what someone is saying?”  Well…that’s why they’re called opinions and I really don’t care what someone says (vulgarity excepted) so long as a discussion can be started.  The great thing about WordPress is that you can have multiple authors on one blog. (I’ve never seen this on a blog-site before…but then again, my experience with platforms is limited.) 

    So, what do you say?  I know I’ve got some super-smart people out there who like to read.  I know that I’ve got some not-so-smart (wink) friends who have had some very smart responses to books and would willingly enter discussions on them.  Let me know if this is something you may be interested in.  If you are, AWESOME!  I will jump for joy and get right on setting it up.  If you aren’t, I will scrap the whole idea and be thrown into the depths of despair for years to come.  If enough are, I’m sure that one or some of my particularly artsy people would be able to come up with a super-cool banner for the blog (and, yes, maybe even a t-shirt!) 

    God bless ya! 

    Sarah ><>