Sola Christus

Apologies

To my little creation, known as my blog,

I know you are still here, and I have sadly neglected you. I do have excuses, though. Planning a wedding, finishing a PhD, and applying for academic jobs are all enough I believe, to keep me away from you, even though there are books to be reviewed and thoughts percolating on a newly-non single life, long-distance relationships, and the craziness that is academe.

I will return. Promise.

Sincerely,

Katherine

Here's a turkey for you

From my favorite humorous website and myself, Happy Thanksgiving to you!

 

Courtesy of Cake Wrecks

Webbed Wonders

Sure, the web has trash, goop, even. But, there are some wonderful creations out there. If you haven't heard of these, you really should have a look.

When you feel (or have done something) really stupid and need to prove to yourself that you aren't at the bottom of the stupid scale:

Check out CakeWrecks. It is a wonderful, snarky little blog about professionally made cakes. Cakes that range from the scary to the grammatically incorrect. On Sundays they post the good cakes, the really beautiful cakes that are simply amazing.

When you are in the mood for trying an adventurous recipe or just appreciate beautiful photography:

Check out Vanilla Garlic, a blog of a graduate student in California. His photography is lovely and recipes are intriguing. I am dying to try his Vanilla Bean, Ginger, Lemongrass Tapioca. However, his Bacon Truffles I might skip. 

When you just want a moment of hilarity:

Discover the wonderful world of Homestar Runner. I can't tell you how much I love this website. I have a secret dream of carrying a Teen Girl Squad tote, then a hot guy runs up to me and exclaims, "You like Homestar!" He then asks me to marry him and we live happily ever after. (Oops, then I guess it's not a secret anymore....) To get introduced to this place where you can find hours of enjoyment watch the introduction. If you happen to have the flu, then watch this Strong Bad e-mail. "Somebody help!!!"

Try it; you'll like it!

Paper

Paper is one of my favorite things. Pink post-its. Torn scraps found in pockets. electronic receipts with that waxiness that disintegrates the marks on itself. My pad of notepaper with a polka-dot border. Crisp paper with a watermark. I love them all. I wander into any paper shop I find not because I have money, but because I like to look, feel, and smell the paper. My friend Sarah shares my love for paper. When you find someone who loves something you do, there is a little moment of joy. So, I wanted to share some things with you that I love. Maybe you will like them to.

1. White Chocolate Mochas  

I love these. The first sip is always ecstasy. I don't get them very often because they are expensive, maybe just once or twice a month. People may rail against the "big company mindedness" of Starbucks, and I don't prefer their coffee, but one thing they do right, is keep things the same. So when I do have that blissful cup in Edinburgh in site of the castle or Greenville at a Barnes and Nobles, it will always taste the same. It is always a moment of comfort for me.

2. Bookmarks Magazine I admit it. I am addicted to reading. That has been one of the most frustrating things about this whole two-weeks-flat-on-my-back thing. The medication and the weariness have made it hard for me to read. And it has been frustrating. A part of me has been missing. Finally I rigged up a book rest that I could prop up on my stomach so that I could continue to read. Even after reading for seven or eight hours while working on my PhD, I will still com home and read something, even if it is just a friend's blog post or a New Times book review. I love the feel of books and the smell of books. And that is why I love, love, love this magazine.Every issue is a treasure trove of information for the book lover. And (this is the best part my friends) they NEVER give away the ending in reviews. Ever. The next time you are in a bookstore or library see if you can find a copy. It is worth every penny of the $27.95 for a year long subscription. Even being in Scotland, I still subscribe, my Mom ships them to me, and they give hours of delight.

3. Story Corps is project about stories. People's stories. The type of people like you and me, not just the Paris Hiltons and Britney Spears of our world. Story Corps has two mobile recording studios that travel America letting people record their stories. Stories that make me laugh out loud, cry, or get mad, but they are stories about people across America. Stories that should be heard. They only last about five minutes, but they are worth it. You can sign up on itunes or listen through the website. Listen to Seymore and Marcia's story; it is one of my favorites. It will be worth your time.

4. Writer's Almanac, another podcast. Always under five minutes, so it is easy to listen to on your way to the car or while you are shopping. Garrison Keillor's wonderful reading voice makes poetry glimmer. A daily podcast, he will give a bit of history, literary or otherwise, and read a poem. Sometimes you might like the poem, sometimes you might not, but give it a try.

As the days get shorter, and the nights get longer, I think I will be curling up with my new copy of Bookmarks and maybe even spring for a White Chocolate Mocha.

 

  

Where worlds collide

Hat tip to Chera for finding this video. I am a big fan of Buffy, and a smaller fan of the Twilight series (although NOT a fan of the movie), I appreciate this video. It is a great example of some talented editor.
 

The News Twitterized

I didn't play any April Fool's jokes, but The Guardian did. Even if you don't read the whole thing, scroll down to the bottom to read the news twitterized.  OMG so KUL!

For my friends in Divinity (past, present, and future)

Yes, we still don't know what Smoky is

I was really disappointed this past week when Lost came back on for a fifth season. Why you may ask, because in Scotland I can't get any streaming video from the States. No hulu or abc tv. But, then, thanks to the powers of itunes, I discovered THE SEASON PASS (cue dramatic music). Yes, you too can buy a season pass on itunes and the latest episodes get downloaded to your computer. So, I am back in the Lost loop (right with ya' Garf and Michele).

My friend Joy sent me this video. If you are a Lost fan, you will love it. Yes, every episode just brings more questions and fewer answers, but we love it!

New Year's . . . oh, you know.

Resolutions. We are all scared of them, and we all make them. But, this year I decided to go public with mine because I feel like it will give me more accountability and responsibility with a community, even though it is a virtual community.

1. Last year I read 26; this year I intend to read more. This year I want to read 40 books. I will count academic books that I read for my PhD, but only the ones that I read in their entirety. This means I need to read about 3 per month. So far, I have read 3 for January. I hope to finish a fourth before the end of the month. 
2. Here is the recurring annual resolution, but again, I think it is better for me to go "public" with it. I want to loose 20 pounds this year. Last year, for the first time in my life, I was able to loose 26 pounds. Living in Scotland and making better choices has been good for me; hopefully, the good will continue.
3. For my PhD, my goals are to come up with a chapter outline and a draft of a chapter for my thesis (for those who aren't familiar with the PhD thesis, they usually average six chapters).
4. I want to blog more. Several of my friends who read Sola Christus have commented on the smaller amounts of posts; some of that has been time constraints, but some of it has come from bad stewardship. Blogging more makes me think about my writing, but it also helps me to keep up with my friends.
   
5. I want to become a better steward. A better steward of my time and my money and my body. Being single can sometimes allow a person to be lazy and selfish (a post on that is coming), but I  have decided I don't want to be that way.

So, welcome 2009, another gift from the Lord of Time.

Guaranteed to make you smile