influence

water for elephants

Put this on your “must read” list. I stayed up way too late last night because I couldn’t stop. This may be the first time I’ve seen an author structure a book by telling the crisis in the first chapter, then playing out all the aspects of it (both chronologically before and long after the [...]

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The Pancake Scheduling System

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Last Saturday morning I rocked the house with my (only slightly singed or gooey, take your pick) made-from-scratch (um, I mixed the milk and raspberries into the Bisquick) pancakes. The boys are not particularly snooty about their pancakes, thus I was hailed by all as the undisputed (and uncontested — no one ELSE wants to [...]

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memorable men

My father was the oldest of five brothers. The youngest, Eddie, was my own age. Every year we made the eight-hour trip from the city up into the mountains of Kentucky to visit, and I was once again immersed in the wonderful and utterly foreign culture that was the life of a rural family with [...]

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what the Ice is listening to

1. Relient K2. YYZ, Rush (see above)3. Raised in Harlem, !Hero: The Rock Opera What an awesome kid I have.

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That’s Amore

For the past week or so my father has spent quite a bit of time with the Maker. They have endlessly discussed the Maker’s Army canteen, his favorite purchase at a yard sale last week. Papa gave him a braided belt as an improvised sling for it, and a camouflage cap to wear to match [...]

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Tween Dress Code

The First informed me that there are precisely six categories of stereotypes proudly (or shamefully) enforced in the tween set these days: 1. Preps, identified by their “dressy” clothes. The rule is that you can dress up periodically without retaining any stigma that might otherwise be associated with this moniker. 2. Geeks, who “just wear [...]

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rock and roll church

Ok, I actually really dig the church I am a part of. Really. And just to show you why, here are the four best moments from this year’s Easter service, which was held under a giant filled-with-people tent in our parking lot: 1. When getting dressed this morning, I initially put on jeans, but suddenly [...]

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Supersnack Me: A Rant

WHY is it that every single event that my children attend must involve a snack? Every basketball game, every bible study, every special class… Even when they are over at their friends’ houses they have open access to food at all times. I have two friends who keep a refrigerator fully stocked with juices, sodas, [...]

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In the Zone!

I want to lose five pounds. I know, people in America say this ALL THE TIME, and it’s onerous, I know it is. I have been a pretty average weight all my life, but after I turned forty, things seemed to shift slightly. Anyway, there it is. Five pounds. I’ve never been on a diet [...]

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not full: the revelation

Today I took the boys to Chick-Fil-A for lunch. We already have a “no sodas” policy but since the Maker is just coming off a stomach virus I told all three boys in the car before we got there that none of us would have french fries, either. So when we arrived, I asked each [...]

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