Wordless Wednesday | Future Briefcase Boy

I've never seen a kindergartner SO excited about a Trapper Keeper!

I only wish I could find a link to explain the "briefcase boy" stories that my father-in-law used to relate about his days at St. X.

For more Wordless Wednesday fun, be sure to visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

7 Quick Takes | #3 of 2012 {The Catholic Edition}

{This week, I'm sharing some of my favorite Catholic resources online - I'd love it if you'd share your favorite Catholic sites, blogs, or podcasts in the combox.  Thanks!}


1. The Catholics Next Door.  Almost two years ago, I joined a mom's bible study group (holla girls!) that had been started in my parish; one of the moms mentioned that she liked listening to Catholic podcasts when she was working around the house.  I'd had my iPhone for a few months at that point and had never once used it to listen to a podcast.  I decided to search "Catholic" on iTunes and discovered what has become one of my all-time fave podcasts to listen to while running on the track, mopping the floors, or folding laundry - The Catholics Next Door, hosted by Greg and Jennifer Willits.  If you have Sirius Radio, you can catch them daily on The Catholic Channel, 1-4 pm.

What I love about The Catholics Next Door is their honesty.  It's not easy to live an authentically Catholic life in our modern world; Greg and Jennifer don't sugarcoat their own struggles.  I can't say enough about how much they inspire me and have helped me in my own constant conversion.

2. Catholic in a Small Town.  Listening to The Catholics Next Door helped me discover one of my other fave Catholic podcasts: Catholic in a Small Town by Mac and Katharine Barron.  They are funny folks. It's a good thing I like to run my circles on the blue track at o'dark-thirty in the morning; I don't have to worry about startling too many other runners when I start laughing out loud at their stories.

I can totally appreciate their perspective as Catholics in a small southern town; Knute and I lived in Florida for two and half years and while we weren't in a small town, it was definitely an eye-opening experience to be a Catholic living in the south.  I'm so thankful that Knute and I are raising our kids in the greater Cincy/Dayton area where there's a strong history of Catholic culture, education, and values (not to mention  fish fries and festivals!).

3.  Catholic Answers.  Catholic Answers is like a podcast catechises - I learn so much from every one of their episodes.  It's a fantastic resource for anyone out there who wants to learn more about our Church teachings in an approachable way.  After listening to Catholic Answers for the past six months or so, I feel like I'm finally beginning to come into a mature understanding of my faith.

4. Word Among Us. When I joined my bible study group in 2010, I searched online for a daily Catholic devotional and discovered Word Among Us.  I usually drink my first cup (of many!) of coffee early in the morning while reading the day's meditation which is based on the daily Mass readings.  The meditations are short, inspiring, and a great way to start the day.

5.  Catholic Mom. The hands down best resource online for Catholic moms.  Lisa Hendey and the team of contributing authors at Catholic Mom are wonderful.

6.  National Catholic Register.  I discovered NC Register via Jen at Conversion Diary and I've enjoyed reading the different bloggers who post at NC Register.  There are many great news articles and additional resources to be found here as well.

7.  Fallible Blogma.  Matthew Warner's personal blog - great reading and always well-linked resources if you want to chase down the rabbit trail after more info.  This recent post?  Fantastic stuff, so much so that I sent it out to my bible study email list so we could all chat about it next time.

I'd love to stumble across more great Catholic resources online - feel free to shout out your links in the combox below!

This post is linked up at the home of 7QT, Conversion Diary.  Be sure to hop through the links there for more great takes from around the blogosphere!

Like a Prism | From Left To Write, January 2012 Book Club: Quiet by Susan Cain

Are you an introvert or extrovert?  Author Susan Cain explores how introverts can be powerful in a world where being an extrovert is highly valued. Join From Left to Write on January 19 as we discuss Quiet: The Power of Introverts* by Susan Cain. We'll also be chatting live with Susan Cain at 9PM EST on January 26. As a member of From Left to Write, I received an advance copy of the book to read and review.  All opinions, as always, are my own.

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I started reading Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain during the long and lazy Christmas break.  Our family was busy in the days leading up to Christmas; in the days that followed, however, there was a long stretch of time where our family calendar was empty.  We had nowhere to go and nothing to do.

And it was wonderful.

I spent many hours engrossed in reading.  I taught myself and my daughter how to finger knit.  I organized my little TypeA heart out.  Knute and I stayed up late talking and watching movies and sipping wine. The kids played on the Wii together, stayed in their jammies until well past lunch, and for the most part got along swimmingly.  For the better part of a week, we enjoyed the simplicity of just hanging out together as a family.

And knowing myself and my family as well as I do (and perhaps with a bit keener insight after reading Quiet), I can understand why a week of nothing was just what we needed.

While none of us are dyed-in-the-wool introverts, all of us - Knute, myself, and all three kids - are at our  most balanced and best thrive when we have some downtime to ourselves away from the noise of the world.  For us (at least, for Knute and I) a dream vacation isn't one that involves visiting Mickey or cruising the seven seas any other sensory overload version of the American Family Trip.  The perfect vacation for us involves nature, solitude, opportunities to socialize in small doses, and ample time to just hang out and do less, not more.

In the pages of Quiet, I saw many bits and pieces of myself.  Writing this post was difficult simply because I had so many different a-HA reactions as I flipped through the pages and so many different post titles popped into my head, titles like:

Behind the Screen.  
Wherein I discuss how blogging is the perfect medium for more introverted souls.

Sweet Spot. 
Wherein I describe my ever-burning need to find an organized spot in my home for quiet, downtime, and where I can write, read, and dream.

Modalities of Me. 
Wherein I remember all the many Mando Fun events I attended with my husband during my years as a Navy Officer's Wife and how I dug deep to smack a smile on my face and put my best high-heeled social foot forward.

Group Project.
Wherein I shudder at remembering all the different group work I was required to do during college and how I abhorred it.

Small Doses
Wherein I describe my deep love for my friends and family and the different groups to which I belong and how I best enjoy their company in small groups, not big crowds.

Nerved Up.
Wherein I connect the dots between being easily overloaded by sensory stimuli and introversion.

His Own Man.
Wherein I chat about the charms of my older son, the gregarious introvert.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking opened my eyes to the positive aspects of my own introverted tendencies.  In a world where the loudest voice wins, where sensory overload is the new normal, and the group dynamic dominates from the classroom to the boardroom, it's refreshing to read a book that champions a quieter, more thoughtful approach to life.

*Disclosure: My Amazon affiliate link, just so you know.

Wordless Wednesday | First Snow 2012!

Last Thursday (1/12/12) after school, dancing in the {finally here} snow.

For more Wordless Wednesday fun, be sure to visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

7 Quick Takes | #2 of 2012 {The Kindle Edition}

Image courtesy of Amazon

1. Because "simple" really means "techy".  Every time a gift giving occasion rolls around, Knute and I pinky swear that we won't go overboard, that we'll keep our spending low and our gifts simple.  And in the past few years, some of Knute's "simple" gifts for me have included a laptop and an iPhone and now, this Christmas, a Kindle.  And what did I, his dear wifely unit, get him in return, you ask?  What every child of the 80's secretly craves: ATARI Flashback 3*.

Not only is Knute having fun playing Asteroids again, our kids are both mystified and aghast at the primitive level of gaming with which their parents had to subsist during their childhoods.

2.  Small but big. My Kindle is the basic one without ads (without special offers, in Amazon-speak).  It's lightweight, thin, and super-portable.  One of the first books I added - and actually paid for - was the New American Bible, Revised Edition 2011*.  I love having a digital copy of the bible literally at my fingertips and I'm looking forward to taking my Kindle with me to Bible study next Tuesday and leaving the big ol' print one at home.  Being able to keep large reference books handy in e-format is a huge selling point, especially if you are a student.

3.  Free books. There are tons of FREE books available in the Kindle store. I've found that the best way to search is by ratings (4 star or above) in order to weed out some of the crapola.

4.  Classics. This is by far one of my favorite things about my Kindle - the sheer number of literary classics that are available for - you guessed it - FREE.  I have a number of books loaded to my Kindle that I've wanted to read for years and never did, either because they weren't required for one of my classes or because I just didn't have time or a copy.  I love the idea that I'm now carrying around a virtual library of good books in my purse.

5.  Accountability. My daughter also received a Kindle for Christmas as a combined gift from her Gma, aunt, and uncle - it was the ONE thing she wanted more than anything.  I set her Kindle up on Christmas Eve (before I knew I was getting one) on my Amazon account so now both our Kindles are linked through my Amazon account which means I can see whatever is on her Kindle and vice versa.  It's a nice check and balance for both of us and - BONUS - she can access my books via her Archive and vice versa.  Cost effective!

6.  Library books.  Using my library card, I can borrow ten ebooks at a time from the Ohio eBook Project for two weeks at a time.  Sweet!

7.  And yet...  I will never be fully and solely a Kindle reader.  Reading a book, a real-live-paper book is a total sensory experience, from the feeling of smooth pages under your fingertips to the smell of the ink to the sheer weight of a hefty tome.  The experience of curling in a corner chair, balancing a book with one hand and a cuppa java with the other is something the Kindle, no matter how useful, can't replace.  And then there is the sense of coming home to exactly where you belong that happens when you walk into a room filled with books.  I like my Kindle, yes, but I love my books.


Be sure to hop over to the home of 7QT, Conversion Diary, and click through the links.  Enjoy!


*Yo.  Those are my Amazon affiliate links, just so you know.  

7 Quick Takes {1st of 2012!}

1.  Christmas break was WONDERFUL.  I cannot say enough good things about how rejuvenating it was to all five of us to have a much-needed break from our regular busy schedules of school, work, sports, activities, and volunteering.  Knute, I, and the kids had a great time just hanging out together, playing on the Wii, reading books, and playing games.   I feel ready to take on 2012.

2.  Resolutions.  There were about umpteen-gazillion posts at the end of 2011 and in this first week of 2012 about resolutions - how to make them, how to keep them, personal resolutions, business resolutions, and even posts from the antiresolutionists.  Myself?  I have nothing for you.  I was too busy chillaxing the last week of 2011 to even think about all that goal setting stuff.  ;-)

3.  Wii-vil.  Yes, we finally did it.  Knute and I broke down and let Santa bring a Wii for the kiddos this Christmas.  It was their one BIG gift and it has been a huge hit. However, I am not too fond of how the Wii can bring out whiny, complaining, I'm-gonna-win-no-holds-barred behavior from my offspring.  I now see exactly what a friend once told me two years ago about her kids and their Wii: they can get mighty Wii-vil.

4.  Books, books, BOOKS!  I read a bunch over break and I'm sure I'll post about them soon.  I also received a Kindle for Christmas and I'll be posting next Friday's 7QT focused entirely on my thoughts about  it.

5.  Winter is missing.  Tuesday this week (1/3/12), it was cold as snowballs here with a high of around 21 degrees and a nice little windchill to make things more interesting.  I know just how interesting because I had lunch and recess duty on Tuesday at school and - in case you didn't realize this - Catholic schools here in Ohio are most definitely Old School when it comes to recess time.  They still send kids out for a 15-30 minute recess even when the temperatures are bitterly cold.    I was bitterly cold.  However, Tuesday has been our only very cold day so far in January.  While I type this, I can peer out my kitchen window at the green grass, the blue sky (blue sky in January in Ohio?!!), and see that the thermometer says it's about 50 degrees out.  Craziness.

6. Quiddler*.  This game is like Scrabble in card form but even more fun.  My daughter and I have played it and played it and played it. Fellow word nerds, I highly recommend it!

7.  7QT 2012.  I know I just said up there in #2 that I've made no real resolutions for 2012 so I'm contradicting myself when I make this next statement: I do resolve to post a 7QT every Friday here at W-M.  Not only do I like the quick, pithy format (kinda like Twitter), I can't say enough good stuff about the work Jen over at Conversion Diary does with her blog.  It's inspiring and funny.  Gotta love that - go check it out!

Be well in 2012!

*Disclosure: Amazon affiliate link.

Social Media Hope

I've been in a social media funk for quite some time. My Twitter account is gathering cobwebs, my blogs have sat waiting for me to better organize them and add new content, and I have received umpteen-gazillion emails from Facebook letting me know I have notifications pending.

Don't even get me started on the LinkedIn invites. 

But I have shied away from my social media outposts (a nod to Chris Brogan on that term; yes, I still like to listen in to the convos at the big kids table) for the better part of two months.  Sure, I've posted here a bit, but not consistently and certainly not with any clear direction or purpose.  Any recent activity here at W-M has been less about creating and sharing good content with you, my loyal audience (God love ya), and more about simply blowing off steam when the words in my head pile up on each other like waves ahead of an advancing hurricane.

There is so much I love about social media, about the Digital Revolution. A voice for all. A platform for anyone. The breaking down of barriers to getting and sharing information, to seeking and sharing stories.

Our stories, yours and mine.

But there is much about it that wearies me.  It is incessant and urgent and ever-present, 24/7, 365 days a year.  I have found that ignoring all my electronic devices by diving into a good book or working outdoors in the yard are the best ways to escape it.

That I received a Kindle for Christmas and have already loaded about ten books is rich with irony.  ;-)

Yet there is so much about social media and our Digital Revolution to love, to appreciate, and to cultivate despite the weariness and overload - precisely because of the weariness and overload.

Because there is good to be found in social media, much good, and there are moments, like today, when I see something that makes me remember the reason why four years ago I dared to take my first step onto the Digital Continent.

I wasn't dreaming of being an influencer or creating a new business or even landing a book deal when I wrote my first post.

I simply wanted to do one thing: share my story.

So watching Ben Breedlove (may he rest in peace) share his story this morning - a morning during which I walked my dog, fed my kids, and worried about trivial things like the frizz level of my hair and which paperwork task to tackle first - helped me remember all that is good in my life.

Ben's story helped me remember the ultimate good that social media offers:

One person sharing their story with the world and (hopefully) changing the world.

Thank you for the hope, Ben - for eternity and for Social Media.

Links {@ Amy's Finer Things & @ A Holy Experience}

:: Feeling overwhelmed by the demands of this season?  Maybe you feel like the silver linings in the clouds of your life's challenges are never bright, but only tarnished and dull? Take a minute to read Somebody Wants What You Have at Amy's Finer Things then look back up at your storm clouds with new eyes.  There is silver to be found, I promise.

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:: Looking for a last minute stocking stuffers or simple gifts for dear friends?  Why not print and share this charming foldable gratitude booklet from Ann Voskamp at A Holy Experience.  Before you print it, be sure to read (and watch) her post today. 

Be well, friends!