What’s going on right now (3/10/11)

Spring Blossoms by jnyemb
Image by jnyemb

It’s raining and cool today (yay!) but just a couple weeks ago we were in the mid-80s. Spring (ahem, summer) is coming…

I’ve worked a lot of different ways over the course of my career and I’m still figuring out my favorite elements, so I thought this post on Copyblogger about freelancing vs. agency owning was very interesting.

Letters of Note is such a cool blog, and I love this letter they posted from legendary animator Chuck Jones: I dare you all, test your strength: open a book.

Tim Challies writes to remind us we needn’t feel obligated to exert effort responding to email that took no effort.

If you’re a FourSquare user, you might want to check out what’s new in version 3.0 (they always update around SXSW).

Kenneth J. Stewart writes on the Gospel Coalition blog about how it’s a myth that Calvinism undermines the arts. (Shameless plug: Case in point: Saint Andrew’s wonderful Arts series!)

In cool new blog news, my friend has started a great mommy blog about organization and other great ideas.

Where the title comes from

I use my real name more online since I’ve begun consulting, but I used to mostly go by VerseFameBeauty. (If the username SarahFowler is taken, I often still do… it’s my Words With Friends handle, for instance.) People ask all the time where I got the concept, so here once and for all is the name’s origin: a couple of lines I love (emphasis mine) from a [rather whiny and depressing] poem by John Keats.

John Keats

Why did I laugh tonight? No voice will tell

Why did I laugh tonight? No voice will tell:
No god, no demon of severe response,
Deigns to reply from heaven or from hell.
Then to my human heart I turn at once–
Heart! thou and I are here sad and alone;
Say, wherefore did I laugh? O mortal pain!
O darkness! darkness! ever must I moan,
To question heaven and hell and heart in vain!
Why did I laugh? I know this being’s lease–
My fancy to its utmost blisses spreads:
Yet could I on this very midnight cease,
And the world’s gaudy ensigns see in shreds.
Verse, fame, and beauty are intense indeed,
But death intenser–death is life’s high meed.

– As printed in Essential Keats: Selected by Philip Levine (Essential Poets)(Amazon affiliate link.)

Books I read this month

Books by shutterhacks
Image by shutterhacks

The Pioneer Woman‘s Black Heels to Tractor Wheels–A Love Story

The Hobbit (re-read, of course)

The Mother Tongue: English and How it Got That Way

In the Company of Others: A Father Tim Novel

A.L.T.: A Memoir

The Pasta Queen‘s Chocolate & Vicodin: My Quest for Relief from the Headache that Wouldn’t Go Away

Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-time Eater

It was a very memoir-y month; I was inspired by #fridayreads!

(Amazon Affiliate links.)

Saturday morning

Since my fall, things have been slipping through the cracks. I needed to carve out a day to press the proverbial reset button.

I plan to do laundry, dishes, dusting and vacuuming but also relax a bit; I shared this on Instagram this morning:

Sarah Fowler coffee table

Then I made biscuits (a double batch, so I can eat them all week)…

Sarah Fowler pan of biscuits

Sarah Fowler biscuit

I cut my biscuits in triangles like scones because it’s quicker/easier, and works the dough less so the biscuits stay lighter and fluffier.

(In case you’re wondering, of course Alton Brown has the best biscuit recipe ever.)

Later I’ll post pictures of the venison chili my friend Kate and I made last night!

What’s Going on Right Now (2/14/11)

Valentine by corrieb
Image by corrieb

For all who wondered exactly how Seth Godin’s abandoning traditional publishing would go, check out this cool idea. He’s lowering the Kindle price $1 for every 5,000 email subscribers.

It is Valentine’s Day, and Gene Veith reminds us that romantic love within marriage was something the Reformers brought back.

If you’d like a little more romance in your everyday life– married or single– check out this Mr. Darcy proposal towel on Etsy.

On a practical note, did you know that Experian is now going to start including rental history in your credit report? Could be good news for those of us who are debt-free.

I found this encouraging: Are you taking your faith to the marketplace?

On a geeky note, apparently some scientists took pictures and approximated the average face of different ethnicities. I thought it was pretty accurate, though it doesn’t account for mixed ethnicities.

Fellow Jeopardy! nerds, who else will be watching men vs. computer this week?

I can’t say I haven’t wanted to do something similar from time to time… the Cleveland Stadium Corp’s response to a lawyer concerned about paper airplanes.

What’s Going on Right Now (2/10/11)

It’s rainy in Orlando today. It’s not, however, below zero like most of the rest of the country!

Rain Falls on Everyone
Image by meddygarnet

Christian women, this is a great perspective on roles, manners, and cautions the more of our lives we spend online: Gentlemen in a Digital Age

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I wish I was this wise and balanced when I was 14: Homeschooling from an 8th-grader’s perspective

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Gene Veith talks about how the Tea Partiers Killed the Patriot Act, bringing his usual clear, concise explanations to a big news issue. It’s still amazing to me how people don’t understand that freedom from government is still important.

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Have you heard of Lifehacker yet? It’s exactly what it sounds like: a million little ways to make life easier. Check it out!

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The Pioneer Woman is giving away Fujifilm Instax Minis, which look really fun in a Polaroid kind of way.

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Kayotic Kitchen has a post today on the perfect roasted potatoes, which I just may try one of these days (even though I’m pretty sure I already make the perfect roasted potatoes!).

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Every time you watch Jersey Shore, a book commits suicide

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And on a personal note, my fabulous friend Julius is coming to town this weekend… can’t wait!

Perspective

Sarah Fowler - sunrise at New Smyrna Beach

I am still laid up with the ankles. Today I stood for about ten minutes straight and three hours later still haven’t gotten the swelling down. My house is dirty, dishes are dirty, and I’m really tired of eating cold pizza and fruit.

I was texting my friend Chad, who is an organist, to whine.

He texted back “I understand”, then explaining that he’d call me later “I am about to play a funeral for an 8-year-old.”

Wham.

God has been good to me.

Sprained Ankles

Image by foxtongue
Image by foxtongue

This week I fell and sprained both my ankles (and also scraped and bruised both feet pretty badly). I’ve missed two days of work and am working from home today.

You’d think having to sit with your feet up 24 hours a day would be fun, but it’s extremely frustrating!

Here’s what I’m thankful for:

  • It happened at home instead of at work
  • I didn’t break either of my ankles
  • I didn’t break either of my feet
  • I didn’t deeply cut anything
  • I didn’t need to visit the emergency room
  • I didn’t severely sprain both ankles (just one)
  • It’s a short crawl/hobble back to my apartment from where I fell
  • I didn’t break electronics in my purse or glass containers in my lunch box when I fell
  • My apartment is tiny and easy to crawl/hobble around
  • It’s carpeted so it’s more comfy and not slippery
  • I can get pizza delivered
  • It’s only two steps from the couch to the front door
  • I had enough produce in the fridge so I haven’t needed to cook yet
  • I have sturdy furniture (and counters) to lean on
  • I have the best boss and coworker ever, who told me to stay home and rest
  • My office has a laptop we could set up so I can work from home
  • People were gracious about all the things I had to cancel
  • Friends who offer to do anything I need
  • Friends who call just to check in
  • Friends who are praying for me
  • I cleaned my apartment before I fell
  • Kindle
  • Netflix
  • DVR
  • iPhone

Books I read this month

Image by shutterhacks
Image by shutterhacks

Believing God: Twelve Biblical Promises Christians Struggle to Accept

A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael

Passion and Purity: Learning to Bring Your Love Life Under Christ’s Control

The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business

The Testament

Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict

(All Amazon Affiliate links.)

I generally review everything over on GoodReads if you’re interested.