The Post About Remembering Rotary Phones

At this very moment, I'm 33 years old. This is not as young as it used to be.

Exhibit A:
When any website requests my birthdate, I now have to scroll to get to the birth year of 1975. When did that happen? When did the universe start allowing people born in the 1980's to subscribe to e-newsletters and apply for credit cards? Aren't they a little young to be doing such grown up things?

Exhibit 2:
In my blogging e-class, we are winding up our studies and chatting about ways to stay in touch. Someone suggested the forum called "20-something Bloggers." What? I'm not the right age for the cool blogging lunch table? Is that me in the corner with bottled nose glasses and a fresh perm just trying to fit in the forum?

Exhibit Last:
I have now been driving more years than I have not been driving.

Are you feeling geriatric too?

The Post About 1954: Fonzie Times

This post is audience-specific. The following are my reactions to tonight's Lost episode "The Variable." My friend Caryann suggested I clarify that by "reactions" I mean these are the things I said outloud in my living room while I watched the show alone.

**Creepy....Mrs. Faraday. Apparently, mother and son aren't on the same page.

**Hi lil' Daniel rain man.

**Quote Break: Daniel - "I'm from the future."

**I think the hair stylists on this show have given up hope.

**Quote Break: Sawyer (to Daniel)- "Welcome to the meeting twitchy."

**Don't flirt with freckles when the car mechanic is sitting so close.

**When Daniel is talking to Charlotte, it seems like he should be offering her candy outside his creeper van.

**Time travel makes my brain hurt. Even when they explain it.

**Quote Break: "I just got shot by a physicist."

**SHUT UP!!!!! More Daddy issues. No surprise there.

**NO!!!! I just got you back.

Preview: Jack gets to be hero. As it should be.

SIDEBAR: Henry Ian Cusick, the actor who plays Desmond, is being sued by an ABC employee for sexual harassment. He also played Jesus in the Gospel of John. FYI Henry: Jesus does not make it to second base.

The Post About This Little Sick Piggy

It's always nice to have someone to blame in times like these.


Thank you to my friend Jill for this great email picture.

The Centers of Disease Control offer these tips to prevent the spread of the flu:

• Wash your hands. (Check)
• Get plenty of sleep. (Check)
• Try to stay in good general health. (Umm...)
• Be physically active. (I walk to the copier a lot.)
• Manage your stress. (Were you talking to me?)
• Drink plenty of fluids. (Coffee is a fluid, right?)
• Eat nutritious food. (If it's deep fried in peanut oil, then I think it qualifies.)
• Try not touch surfaces that may be contaminated with the flu virus. (Like people's noses or mouths.)
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick. (STAY HOME IF YOU ARE SICK!)

You can learn more about the Swine Flu & You at the CDC's website.

How did you do on that checklist? Did you score as high as me?

The Post About Chasing a Rabbit Out of My Nose

I heard a journalist asking folks about strange illnesses they might have. One woman shared that her soft palate (back roof of her mouth) was too short. How is that strange?

The soft palate is movable, consisting of muscle fibers sheathed in mucous membrane. It is responsible for closing off the nasal passages during the act of swallowing, and also for closing off the airway. If your soft palate is too short, then when you eat Cheez-its, chewed up cheesy bits can, and most likely will, come out of your nose. That is strange.

During this interview, all I could think of was the soft palette my Mom used to put down for me in front of the TV so I could watch Scooby Doo. I wish I could put down a blanket in my office. And take a nap. I love naps. Especially when I've had a carb-heavy breakfast. Ahh...pancakes.

I chase rabbits here AND in my own head.

The Post About The Notebook

Not "The Notebook" that makes you weep like you just ran over your dog or can't find those gorgeous peep toe pumps in your size. I mean "The Notebook" by Dutch artist Evelien Lohbeck. This animation was her graduation project. It's won boo-coodles of awards, including the Jamie-Hates-Blog-Video-Clips-Unless-They-Are-Better-Than-Homemade-Bread award (congrats to Evelien for this prestigious win!)


Noteboek from Evelien Lohbeck on Vimeo.

The Post About Ask and Ye Shall Perceive

I need a roof. Actually, I already own THREE roofs (rooves? no.) Apparently none of those are adequate, so I need to get rid of all them and try yet another. Since this sassy new roof will run me about $6,000-8,000, I decided to handle this dilemma like any other:

Me: Hi. It's me. You're great. Love you long time.

God: Right back at you sweetheart.

Me: Listen. I need a new roof.

God: I know.

Me: Of course. I was thinking it would be great if you could work it out so a straight line wind from a wandering tornado could hit the front tree in my yard which could then lightly fall on my house. No damage to the inside of my home, but just enough chaos to file a claim for a new roof. Therefore, only costing me $500 in a deductible. Then, I could be a better steward of Your money. What do You think? P.S. I would want no other thing or person hurt in this manipulated weather.

God: You are not the sharpest crayon I ever created.

Me: So that's a "no?"

God: Yep.

The Post About the Rabbit Recommends v.15

Each weekend, I post a readable, a watchable, and a listenable of which I'm fond. You can choose what happens next. Earlier volumes can be found here.

Read

I heard someone once ask "Why invite fear into your life?" I agree. I don't send out engraved linen invitations to anything scary like movies, documentaries, or tv shows. But when it comes to books - the temptation is simply too strong. Although Stephen King has possibly written one too many books, I'd like to recommend my favorite - On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. It's a combo autobiography and how-to guide for any aspiring writer. Whether you're outlining the next great novel; blogging about your strange, yet comical life; or typing an email to your Mom - this is a great read.

Watch

I know. This is one of my odder recommendations. However, I can't tell you how much The King of Queens makes me laugh. I'm guessing it's because my friend Joseph is so much like the husband character of Doug and my friend Amanda is Carrie, the wife. You may not know Joseph and Amanda, but experiencing them is not required to enjoy the strangeness of this classic sit-com. It airs on TBS and probably on one other station in your neighborhood. Check here.

Listen

My college roommate, Angie, popped out her first baby last week - Isabella Grace. I mentioned before the baby would be extra gorgeous because she is caucasianasian and biracial always trumps uniracial. One of the best gifts Angie ever gave me was an introduction to the Indigo Girls. To this day, one of my favorite albums of all albums ever is 1200 Curfews. When you listen, you will be forced to road trip to Atlanta and eat at the Flying Biscuit.

The Post About One Day Too Long

Today you get a small glimpse into my daily. Truthfully, you have front row seats for that show anytime you stumble upon this blog, but I decided to do it with intention. I let Sammy the Samsung capture a few moments so you can see what unfolds in a typical day.


I generally wake up at 7am to their faces - Matt and Meredith of the Today show. I find other morning programs to be more annoying than necessary, but Al Roker can prompt that feeling in a new york minute. This is my vanity at the height of scurrying. My alarm clock is the one clock that's 6 minutes fast to remind me to keep moving. Would you like me to explain the sense of that? I would need to refer you to Jan and Chuck's Rabbits because it seems to be a result of parental logic and not real logic.


After a 20 minute commute of good driving, I find myself at my lovely nonprofit where I plan events and market great things like adoption. It's a risky job. It includes an elevator that speaks to you through tremors and labored cranking that it might not kill you to skip the danish in the breakroom. It includes a telephone that rings with consumers who didn't see that line about a silly deadline or who think adoption can help grow their business. It finally includes a little addiction called Outlookism. Hi, my name is Jamie.


At lunch, I always seem to have a craving for Old Navy. Most days, I don't indulge. But today, my internal organs rallied and practically drove the car. I left with a snazzy canvas tote, little lovebug pajamas for my new college-roommate-niece Isabella, and something springy for myself. The US economy will stay on the straight and narrow if my reproductive organs have any say in the matter. And they do.

The other important of my job is what fuels it. There's passion for the struggling, but the real fuel comes in the form of coffee, other liquids, and some carby goodness. I included the pic of the water as proof that I do choose it on occasion. And this frozen Cheese and Spinach melt from CPK was delightful. And I've tried a lot of frozen.

After work, I headed to church for mid-week services. I choose the downstairs gathering because hanging out with youth keeps you young and upstairs someone often plays an organ and they tend to vote on things - these things specifically get you old. Joseph, minister to students, shows pictures of things that make him laugh, which make most others head tilt and eye roll. He always redeems himself when he opens up the Bible. Good message. Afterwards, I continued a fight with Shawn, my minister of worship, who had talked inappropriately (there's a better word...) about Earth Day on his facebook. I "accidentally" ran into our pastor in the hall and decided to get him fired. It was the right thing to do. Unfortunately, my pastor is more like God in the ways of mercy than in the ways of open the earth and swallow those goobers whole. So I keyed his car**.


Finally, I arrived at my cozy home and consumed a PB&J, nutty buddy bar, and an Anthropologie catalog. I settled in with the blogosphere and Jon Stewart before calling it a day well lived.

Thoughts? Concerns? Suggestions?

**I didn't key his car.

The Post About Tree Huggin' and Kissin'

Today is Earth Day. I know that means different things to different folks. We could probably even start a nice and juicy political discussion, but let’s not and say we did.

I’d like to focus only on the issues of simplicity and stewardship. I’m not someone you would call simple. Maybe simple-minded at times, but I’m all about the more the merrier in my life. More shoes, more caffeine, more Tivo, more miles on the car. But the newsflash is none of my worth comes from any of those things. Perhaps if I could embrace that, I would live a simpler life. Secondly, I believe any stuff I do have is actually on loan from God so I need to value it like I value Him.

Here are my quick tips on how we all can lead simpler and stewardishy lives:
a. Avoid buying bottled water. Get a nice shiny reusable aluminum bottle and fill it to your heart’s content.
b. Wash towels only after using them more than once. Be discerning about your dirtiness.
c. Use the library for books, CDs, and movies. (I just cancelled Netflix and my book club membership.)
d. Get off junk mail lists. Greendimes will help make that happen.
e. Don't pre-rinse dishes. Tests show pre-rinsing doesn't improve dishwasher cleaning, and you'll save as much as 20 gallons of water per load.

Do you have tips of your own? Do you?
-----------------------------------------------
GIVEAWAY UPDATE: I promised a little prize today and Kristi is the winner! She wins her own special bag of fair trade Ugly Mug Coffee! I personally picked out Good Vibes because being greener definitely gives you those. {cheese}

The Post About Fast Food Religion

We all have those fast food cravings. Perhaps our mom or trainer or cardiologist would disapprove, but sometimes the siren song is too loud.

As I've mentioned before, the melody playing over me is this:

For those who've been deprived, Chick-Fil-A is home to tasty peanut-oil-drenched chicken in a variety of forms served in 38 states. My personal favorite is just what you see. Chicken Mini's - chicken nuggets wrapped in Sister Schubert's rolls. (Even the New York Times can't deny the Sister...)

So here's the rabbit reader question: What's your fast food guilty pleasure?

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Other rabbits that may interest you:

• The Post About Fries With That
• The Post About Guns and Religion
• The Post About Sharing Your Love Loot

The Post About Domestic Goddess in Training

This weekend, I was a guest at a pantry party for my two sweet friends who are getting hitched in June. Here's what I learned:
1. You can buy potatoes in a can.
2. There's a tool that will snatch gook off your soup called a skimmer.
3. Field peas exist.

Guests with more kitchen experience than me started to spin tales about things they do from scratch. For example, one guest mentioned she makes her own maple syrup. Who knew I could stop sticky fingering the mini bottles of syrup from restaurants like Cracker Barrel and make my own?

There were also a surprising number of party goers who make their own sweetened tea on the stove top. I generally buy gallons of tea from the grocery store. But since the economy is still floundering in the deep end of the cess pool, I thought it might be a good time to flashback to darker times before Mrs. Iced Tea maker made her debut.

I boiled the water and steeped the tea bags:

Then, I had to start over because I got pushy with the bags and they vomited their leaves all in my brew water. So fragile. After giving them their personal space, I ended up with this yummy concoction:

This is me being domestic. Perhaps if I keep this up, I will snag a boyfriend who will want to marry me and then we will have a pantry party where friends bring us brand name goodies like Bounty paper towels and Oreo cookies.

What domestic secrets would you like to share?

The Post About Yet Another Thing

I realized I could spend hours on end at Etsy. This is what my bookshelf wants me to add to it:

This is from Temple 7e's shop. They have Boba Fett too. And lots of other great Kokeshi dolls that my bookshelf wants.

My bookshelf is very persuasive.

The Post About the Rabbit Recommends v.14

Each weekend, I post a readable, a watchable, and a listenable of which I'm fond. You can choose what happens next. Earlier volumes can be found here.

Read

Anita Diamant's The Red Tent is one of my favorite type of novels. It's a deeper dig into a person we only get limited information about in the Bible. I know God has His reasons, but to be honest, I wish there was a "Director's Commentary" to the Word so my nosy self could get a few more details. Diamant takes a brief mention of Dinah (daughter of Leah and Jacob) in Genesis and expands it to 348 pages. It's a remarkable story of Jacob's four wives and his only daughter as they navigate ancient times.

Watch
Mutemath would normally fall under "Listen" but the new video for their song "Spotlight" is too crafty not to share.

MUTEMATH - Spotlight

You can order the Spotlight EP and dance inside your own van.

Listen

I discovered Missy Higgins through the suggestions iTunes makes for you once you buy someone similar. (I was snatching up some Keri Noble) This song is "Secret" from the album "On a Clear Night." I love the entire CD as well as the other 4 EPs she's since released. But it's time for another big girl album...

The Post About Winner, Winner

We have a winner for our $25 Amazon Gift Card giveaway!

Congrats! I hope you enjoy the Amazon Gift Card (how could you not?)

My Comments: I love that so many of us share a passion for hitting the road. Some of you want to be parents or see your little nuggets grow up and have their own little nuggets. Some want to be married or be brave or be better. Stick with your goals! Even the crazy HUGE ones!

The next Jamie's Rabbits Giveaway is a mystery. It will be posted in the next 8 days for a short 9 hours (that amount of time doesn't seem short when I'm snoozing). So be a rabbit stalker so you don't miss out!

The Post About Selfish Is As Selfish Does

Being late is selfish. I need this embroidered on a pillow. I'm never more frustrated in life than when I become late due to someone else being late. Corrected...due to someone else being selfish.

It was explained to me like this. When we are late, we make a conscious or unconscious decision that our time is more valuable than anyone else's. I use "we," because I'm not immune to this self-involvement. It usually involves this:

Now you might assume it's the snooze button, but that's not really the problem. It's the switch two rows back. I'm notorious for simply turning the alarm off. My intent is to get up, but upon rolling to the right and seeing the side table, my eye catches Sammy, the Samsung. And suddenly, my cyber-addicted self is facebooking and twittering and googling and emailing - all while wrapped in a cozy duvet. What I think might take less than 9 minutes (the length of my snooze) ends up taking half an hour.

Then some choices are made for me:

• Extra deodorant (not bath) since that will save 8 minutes.
• Knit (not cotton) since a wet washcloth and a hot dryer can straighten out all of life's wrinkles.
• Weather blog (not Al Roker) since I can drive and read at the same time. I can.
• Waffle (not cereal) since it can ride in the car.

Are you selfish?

The Post About Lost: Polar Bear Poop

This post is audience-specific. These are my reactions to the Lost Episode “Some Like it Hoth.”

**Hi Miles. Follow that white rabbit.
**Quote Break: Miles: “That ditch had a gun?”
**Welcome to Daddy Issues #4815162342
**Shout out to global warming. Hehe.
**Hi Naomi. You must go to Ben's bad-weave-lovin'-hairdresser.
**Isn't lying supposed to be one of Kate's strengths?
**Who did not see that revelation coming? Maybe not in such a clever Massengil quote.
**Is it Jughead that lies in the shadow of the statue? No? What is it?
**Who were those boys in the creepy pedophile van?
**Quote Break: Hurley: "Maybe he'll let you hold baby you."
**I'd like to see the Hurley-ized Empire Strikes Back. Wouldn't you?
**So many life lessons from Star Wars. If you don't communicate with others, you'll lose a hand or be forced to live with Ewoks.
**DANIEL!!!! I've missed you and your brain!!!

Preview: "All new Lost special" means filler. Boo.

The Post About How You're Driving Me Crazy

I'm riding with coworkers to a meeting a couple hours away. We're chatting about pet peeves. I've previously shared my "sunrise frustrations" and my method of coping (which may include a half-naked picture of Matt Lauer).

Here are some of my current peeves:
**People who update their facebook status while they're on the honeymoon. Don't you have better things to do (or maybe not...)
**People who type in all caps. Calm down, we can hear you.
**People who use the phrase 110%. I was a Math major for 10 minutes in college and I learned 100% is actually the whole kit and kaboodle.

Here's some input from my coworkers (names have been changed to protect the not-so innocent):
Mandi: People who walk on wet floors. She is a cleaning advocate.
Hummer: Cars who don't recognize the function of the left lane. The function is passing. Road rage not included.
Terri: "Friends" at dinner who abuse the serving staff and then don't tip. Hateful is not a pretty color on anyone.

What annoys you?

The Post About First Thing's First

This is how my morning started today. A second cup of coffee being tailgated by a Diet Dr. Pepper. My goal is productivity without a heart murmur...a fine line.

If we took a closer look at your work "space," what would we find?

The Post About I'm Right, No Bull

I'm single. I have no pets and the only plants in my home are bamboo. And they get fussy.

I would not be your "go-to" girl when it comes to caring for anything, much less children. But a desperate Mom calls for a desperate measure. And since I was the underwriter of the 10th anniversary hotel stay, then my best friend had no problem leaving her boys with me for 24 hours.

Billy, the five-year-old, likes to be right. I also enjoy that label. This leads to the ever-present power struggle in our relationship. You'd think I wouldn't choose to fight that battle, but you'd be wrong. So for our first activity, we went with a United States puzzle. Because I rock at puzzles. And Billy can't read.

He may have bionic hands, but he needed my help at every turn. And I was always right. Score.


He finished and was pleased with his geography.

Important Billy observation: Each puzzle piece had pictures of things you might associate with that state. Billy noticed almost a dozen states had a picture of a bull. Like this one:

He said "Jamie, the United States has a lot of bull." You're telling me.

Five minutes later, he noticed one state was different.

He said "Jamie, Minnesota has no bull."

Minnesota - you have your new state motto. You're welcome.

The Post About The Rabbit Recommends v.13

Each weekend, I post a readable, a watchable, and a listenable of which I'm fond. You can choose what happens next. Earlier volumes can be found here.

Read

If you like me (and I do not assume) then you might like one of my favorite blogs ever. The Pioneer Woman (aka Ree Drummond) writes about everything from remodeling a house, cooking mac-n-cheese, raising punk children, and living on a working ranch with all the smells that come with it. Plus, there's a great section about how she went from an LA lush life to farm livin' which rivals any romance novel out there (guys, please try to read the rest of this post before clicking on over...) And I wouldn't call her "favorite" if she wasn't funny.

Watch
I am, yet again, repeating a previous recommendation. Which means I must not want you to miss it. Kings on NBC is such a great show. The bad news is very few people have discovered that fact. I'm guessing it's the feel good competition from Extreme Home Makeover and the Amazing Race (a show I know I'd love if I ever took the bait) keeping people from a show I think God should intervene and save, especially since He's all up in it. I've taken the lead from my friend Scott and provided you a little Hulu nugget to guide you to the first well-done and movie-like episodes.


Listen

Folk Rock seems like an oxymoron - similar to sweet sorrow or illiterate librarian. But I'll tell you - I love it. There's nothing finer than sitting on my loveseat with a good book and some folkie acoustic someone overtaking the silence. One such someone I'm crushing on right now is Joshua Radin. If you watch television, then you've probably heard his music in the background of some pivotal scene. I love this song "Only You" and both of his albums. You can love them too.

Always hunting down your suggestions...

The Post About Ear Candy

This week is the anniversary of getting my pierced ears. I wish what I'm about to share was a cool flashback to me and my 4th grade circle of peeps in matching friendship bracelets hitting up Claire's at the mall.

No. This is the story of a woman, aged 31, driving alone on an Alabama road and feeling empty. Feeling worn out. And not a Swatch watch in sight. The only dreamy element that remains is Claire's.

I picked out a lovely pair of expensive hypoallergenic safety regulated posts, which made me wonder who buys the cheap allergy-inducing FDA unapproved jewelry. The Manager (a woman I concluded must be thoroughly trained, although she was aged 16 and 7 months) put me at ease as the women of 30, 40, and 50 stared at me as if they had seen a three-eyed cat. I recognize I was holding a Claire's teddybear, but really, what was the big deal?

Friends had assured me there would be no pain. However, just like childbirth, you seem to forget the agony once you have something new and shiny. It was more than a little uncomfortable. I actually started to tear up. A vision of grabbing the piercing gun and shooting the tween in control may or may not have flashed before my eyes. I asked my potential victim if kids ever backed out of getting the second ear done (since I was considering it myself.) She said, "All the time." Their remedy for this is to have two associates pierce the ears at the same time. However, she recounted an event from the day before about a 9-year-old who refused to have her second ear pierced. Even after 30 minutes of pleading and even explaining what would be her new "left is wrong, right is wrong" look - the girl stood her ground and walked out with one pierced ear. You have to give her props for integrity.

As for me - I tried to remember I was a grown woman and people were staring. I'm pleased to announce that I type this with two healthy and happy pierced lobes.

They're happy because I have an addictive personality which keeps them dressed quite nicely.

Any traumatic experiences you'd like to share?

The Post About $25 Amazon Giveaway

I love Amazon. The person who knows this best is the UPS driver who delivers fun things to my door almost weekly. If you didn't know, you can buy everything from books, movies, furniture, clothing, to groceries. One stop shopping. Plus no tax (for 45 states) and free shipping on tons of items. I'm such a faithful shopper that I joined Amazon Prime which gets you unlimited 2-day shipping and no minimum orders (there's a free 30-day trial which will milk Amazon for a pretty penny...)

Plus, their ghetto fabulous mp3 store has been pushing iTunes around in a huge way (your music is actual mp3 files AND they download instantly to iTunes Library and Windows Media Player.)

In honor of our intense relationship, I'm giving one lucky rabbit reader a
$25 Amazon Gift Card.

How To Enter
Leave a comment sharing one thing you'd like to do or see or be before you breathe your last breath.

**Extra Credit Entries**
Each of the following will give you one extra entry in the giveaway. Please make sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do!

• Subscribe to Jamie's Rabbits by email
• Subscribe to Jamie's Rabbits' RSS feed
• Become a follower of Jamie's Rabbits.
• Follow me on Twitter

(if you already do any of these - leave a comment for each letting me know!)

Important Details: Must enter before 11:59pm CST on Thursday, April 16 to qualify. Winner will be chosen randomly using Research Randomizer on Friday, April 17. Obviously, anonymous folks can't win unless they leave a name in the comment. This is just a friendly contest so I reserve the right to make any changes that keep my forehead from wrinkling. I'm not a paid spokesperson for Amazon although I'd like to be.

The Post About Who Doesn't Have Daddy Issues?

This post is audience-specific. These are my reactions to this week's Lost episode "Dead is Dead."

**Right out of the gate: Hi, Charles.

**Pardon you - we call it "Smokey."

**Ben's pants are perpetually on fire. I don't see how he sits down.

**Hi, Ethan. Life is short. Or rather, will be short.

**QUOTE BREAK: Ben "Well, I just didn't have time to talk you back into hanging yourself."

**I don't know how I feel about Hispanic Jack. DANG!!! Guess my feelings are irrelevant.

**I need a Cliff Notes version of this time travel kerfuffle. And Lapidus needs to take it up a button.

**I just got the hibbee jibbees for Penny.

**BAM! I enjoyed that bloody nose shot.

**Was that a boar and a smoke monster playing cards?

**Okay. That was unexpected.

Preview: Next week's eppy is called "Some Like It Hoth." I don't know what that means but I'm guessing tauntauns.

Questions: Why did Ben apologize to Desmond? What lies in the shadow of the statue? Where is Faraday? So are any of these people who died now really living or are they just manifestations of the monster, i.e. Claire, Christian, Alex?

The Post About 43 Things

Bucket lists are the new black and since black is my most flattering color, I think I should endulge. Most of us probably have those tasks or places or people we want to include in our lives before the clock runs out. I think there's something very therapeutic to writing it all out. However, paper is highly overrated, so I visited 43 Things and took "pen" to "pad." Here's a taste test of what I'm working towards:

9. Grow my own strawberries: I've never successfully grown anything, other than my hair. To sow and reap something wonderful like these little bits of heaven would prove my worth.
15. Ride a donkey in the Grand Canyon: I have a trip planned there for 2010 and my bottom will get to the bottom on the holiest of animals.
30. Learn to drive a manual transmission: Who's willing to teach me? I'm a good driver. Really. Ignore this silly nonsense.
33. Swing on a trapeze: Carrie Bradshaw did it and so will I. Of course, I can't currently hang from the pull-up bar at the gym for more than 15 seconds, so I'll need to get on that.
38. Make a quilt: My mom is that woman who can take spools of thread and bolts of fabric and create a priceless heirloom. I recently lost a button and hot glued it back on my shirt.

What's one thing on your list?

The Post About It's Gettin' Thick in Here

Seriously, folks...

The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.

Psalm 19:7-11 (NLT)

On Sunday nights, a small group of us are reading Eat This Book by Eugene Peterson and working through the Church at Brook Hills' secret church series "How to Study the Bible." I can't give enough kudos to both, even though they have some unexpected hurdles as you're running through.

Peterson's book is THICK. Not in the way you could use to flatten a flower or prop open a door, but like 3 feet of fresh snow with one step in and you're asking "Where's my leg?" He writes in a way that forces me to hollaback to the last paragraph, sentence, and word every few minutes even to know what I'm reading. However, the beautiful road that's paved from page to page is certainly worth the workout.

As for "How to Study the Bible," David Platt lays out an instruction manual for the ultimate instruction manual. It's also thick, but easily digestible. The hurdle I'm actually tripping over is my own realization that time's been-a-wasted. The way I've often pored over the Word in the past is similar to a horoscope - trying to find the immediate relevancy for my life and writing down lucky numbers. But Platt outlines a much more thorough approach which will take time and notepads and hardy pens. But the reaping? Maturity, increased effectiveness, and pulling back the curtain on a God whom I really love and I know loves me.

And you.

The Post About One to Grow On

My godson Billy turned 5 today. He has the perspective of a much older and more ornery man.

(His brother is plotting how to run without his mother seeing his plan unfold.)

My birthday gift was attending his party (a real sacrifice when you consider the number of small children who were kicking things and screaming for more sugar.) Billy asked for balloons and I brought the best kind - those you can eat.


I also brought a date - my Mom. She's not usually hinting for an invite to kids' parties, but you'd definitely want her there. Her hidden talents are nurturing with food and balloon sculpting.


Billy - here's to another year of reminding your parents that the apple doesn't fall far.

The Post About The Rabbit Recommends v.12

Each weekend, I post a readable, a watchable, and a listenable of which I'm fond. You can choose what happens next. Earlier volumes can be found here.

Read

Keeping a locked diary gave way to LiveJournal gave way to MySpace gave way to Facebook gave way to Twitter. Perhaps you never jumped on any of these bandwagons, but now's the time to reach out and follow someone. Here's an article for Twitter Beginners and my suggestion of five folks you should stalk:

1. Tina Fey

2. Woot

3. Amazon mp3

4. The Onion

5. Me

Watch

If you're a regular reader, then you know I'm a huge fanatic for Lost. The creator of that lovely nugget also fashioned another delightful series - Alias. In my own mind, I actually could be a double spy if given the right gadgets and colorful wigs and a handler named Vaughn. Add it to your Netflix queue or head to Alabama and borrow it from me.

Listen

If you visit small music venues like I tend to, then you're normally stuck with an opening act that's worthy of a bathroom break or earplugs. But Ingrid Michaelson forced me to powder my nose during Matt Nathanson's closing set - she was that great. I have picked "Keep Breathing" for your listening pleasure.

The Post About an Office with a View

This is Martin. Lake Martin. He kept me from you today.

I missed you.

The Post About Wanting My Neighbor's Ox

My pastor recently wrapped up a sermon series on the Big 10 - commandments, that is. As always, he did a snazzy job. However, with most lists, I tend to pick and choose which things I love more and which things I love less. These stone tablet bullets are no different.

The last commandment is definitely a struggle. Exodus 20:17 reads "You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

Hi, my name is Jamie, and I'm a coveter. (followed by rousing chorus of: "Hi, Jamie.")

Since the first step is admitting you have a problem, here are my current coveting issues:
1. Mary Poppins Vinyl Silhouette (I will admit I didn't spell that last word without assistance.)

I love Etsy. I love Mary Poppins. I love $15 price tags. (This particular artist has other vinyl art.)

2. Ganz Cupcake Measuring Spoons

I'm sorry. Did you just cringe from the cuteness of these? You should have.

3. Sterling Silver Initial Pendant

Have I mentioned I love Etsy? This artist is from my 3rd home of Atlanta, Georgia and does her beautiful work by hand. She can design any letter you like, but really - the "J" is the prettiest. Buy it.

4. KitchenAid Artisan Mixer

Every kitchen wants this. It comes in THIRTY different colors, but green apple was birthed for my kitchen. FYI HUSBANDS: This is one appliance a wife would not pout about.

5. Driveway

This is going to run me about $3,000 so I'll likely not buy it on impulse. But if you put your ear close to the screen, you can actually hear the pied piper calling me to pour the asphalt.

BONUS: Tauntaun Sleeping Bag

ThinkGeek actually featured this on their website as an April Fool's Joke and I couldn't be more upset. I need to own this. I mean, seriously. It has intestine pattern on the interior. HOW CAN I NOT OWN THIS?

What do you covet? (Or are you cool with what you have and how did you manage that satisfied feeling?)

The Post About Gotta Get Back in Time

These are my reactions to this week's episode “Whatever Happened, Happened.”

**Kate's milkshake brings all the boys to the island. And it's getting on my nerves.
**I'm sorry – is that a scrunchee in your hair, Kate? It's 2004, not 1994.
**With Sawyer as your Dad and Clementine as your name, you're bound for driving a Mustang or marrying your 2nd cousin.
**Kudos for the long awaited Marty McFly comparison.
**Quote Break: Hurley: “Say That Again.”
**Why would anyone wear white scrubs? Medical professionals – answer me that?
**Hi, Claire doppleganger on aisle 666.
**Aaron's Gigi must have taken a dip in the Alpert pond - her skin is extra snazzy.
**Richard used to be sexy, but now he kinda sounds like a perp with candy.
**What a way to wake up, huh?

Preview: All I want to know is WHERE IS FARADAY?

The Post About Pitying the Fool

And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” Numbers 22:29

Your response to April Fool's Jokes should be just that.

Of course, he was talking to a donkey. And it was talking back. Maybe not the best how-to-apply-the-Bible-to-your-life illustration.

No swording anyone today. Have a sense of humor. And not just because it's April 1.