The Post About Winning At Twitter

First thing's first.

I know when you think of Twitter, you're probably thinking of one of the following:
1. What's Twitter?
2. Who has time for Twitter?
3. I'm on Twitter but I don't completely get what's so great about it.
4. Twitter is great and I know why.
5. I am obsessed with Twitter enough to move inside it if that was an option.

I fall gingerly between #4 and #5.

I've already written about Twitter High Fives and Down Lows, so here's how Twitter specifically benefited me in the past week:

1. I booked 3 cake pops gigs this week.

2. I was introduced to the music of Daniel Martin Moore. Swoon. He's delightfully folky.

3. This tweet I created for work was noted by a reporter and led to an interview for our agency.
 

4. I was reminded that tomorrow is even more special than normal.

5. I had this conversation.

How do you feel about the Twitters? Do we follow each other? I think we should.

The Post About The Best Friends Episode and Giveaway

My friends Lisa and Barry were headed to Russia to meet their son. Remember...I talked about it Wednesday? It was worthy of a solid ugly cry. IT WAS.

As a travel gift, I gave them a ridiculously-generous $10 iTunes gift card. I suggested they spend it on an e-book, 2.5 movie rentals, or 8.5 songs to tide them over for the 10 hour flight.

Lisa bought 3 Friends episodes. You know...since you can't ever see them on TV at home.

She said the hardest part was choosing.

For me, there would be no hesitation since the best episode of Friends is Season 3, Episode 2 titled The One Where No One's Ready. It's a real-time look at Ross freaking out as everyone takes a long time to get ready for a museum event.

It includes these special moments:
Rachel: You guys, does this look like something the girlfriend of a paleontologist would wear?
Phoebe: I don't know, you might be the first one.

Chandler: You know what's weird? Donald Duck never wore pants. But whenever he's getting out of the shower, he always put a towel around his waist. I mean, what is that about?

Monica: Maybe we could call the phone company... or maybe they could change the message. Maybe they can change his number.
Phoebe: Yeah, I think after this he'll be doing that himself.

As a celebration of having 1000 "friends" at the Jamie's Rabbits Facebook page, how about a giveaway? One even more thoughtful than if you were flying to eastern Europe to meet your kid.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{image: yuankuei}

The Post About Random Rabbits

Another post of the randomness not quite ready for a dedicated post.


1. Burger Coalition: 
 The Burger Coalition just launched in Atlanta and Birmingham. Each month, they explore a new burger spot in the city. You get to hang out with 5 other folks who love good food and good chatter. I was able to be a part of the first gathering at Ollie Irene.
A. The burger was divine.
B. The conversation was even better.
C. It gave me the chance to make these burger cake pops - without a stick. The bun is peanut butter. Right? Right.

Disclaimer - The Coalition isn't for the introverted. I mean....you don't even know who's going to be there until you sit down. My favorite intros would combust.

2. The Joseph Craven: 
My "friend" Joseph Craven posted this tweet last week:

And the picture...

I mean....what is that about? Roll Todd.

And follow Joseph Craven on Twitter so you don't have to wait for me to blog about such horrible goodness.

Mother Russia. She's big-boned.

3. Russia: 
Last November during National Adoption Month, I spent all my free time baking to help raise some moolah for my dear friend and coworker, Lisa, and her hubs Barry who are in the process of adopting internationally.

Note: In 2010, Lisa and Barry suffered the devastating loss of their baby during the second trimester of the pregnancy.

Last week, they flew to Russia to meet their son for the first time. Here's an excerpt of that encounter that had me ugly crying at work: 

On May 16, 2012 we finally met our son!!! After about an hour's drive from Volgograd, we arrived at his orphanage and met with the social worker first. She showed us his birth certificate, a picture of him at birth and other documents. We signed a book saying we were visiting him and then headed to the orphanage doctor.

The absolute coolest thing though happened when they showed us his birth certificate. He was born on our exact due date. How amazing is that?? It gives me chills when I think about the way God has orchestrated every little bit of this process. When she showed me that date on the birth certificate I think my mouth dropped and I know I started to cry. I just can't get over how amazing our Lord is.

You can read all about their journey at Lisa's blog: While I'm Waiting.

4. Fonts:  
I have shared openly about my disdain for fonts such as Comic Sans or Times New Roman or Papyrus or Kristen ITC. Well...as they say...payback lives in Apartment 23.

I received the above work email last week and a new diagnosis: Font Sensitive.

5. $25 Amazon Winner:
And the winner of last week's giveaway is:

Congrats Gail K! Contact me at jamiesrabbits@gmail.com to claim your swag!

Comments? Concerns? Comments?

{images: Jamie and Lisa}

The Post About Losing My Sexy Voice

After a bout of walking pneumonia in April, I had laryngitis that loitered for 4 weeks. WebMD indicated I may need a tracheotomy so I made an doctor's appointment.

Rabbit Sidebar: Have you seen the Tips from Former Smokers PSA series from the CDC? HOLY COW. QUIT SMOKING PEOPLE.

The ear, nose & throat doc discovered a polyp on my vocal cord and prescribed 3 days of voice rest. She also suggested drinking more water. Apparently melted ice falls below the daily recommended intake.

I cancelled weekend plans, picked out books and Netflix movies and planned to camp out at home through the ordeal. Sixty hours of my voice rest would be spent either asleep or alone. I thought "No biggie."

But do you know what happened?

I talked. A lot. To myself.

I talked to myself while making coffee, watering plants, doing laundry, filing my nails, answering email, watching television, working out, baking.

I noticed it after a couple of slip-ups and decided I'd start a Trach Fund. A hatch mark for every time I spoke. A dollar for every hatch mark.

By Day 2: 

Here's a sample scenario:

I made burger cake pops. I texted a pic to my bestie Kara.

 

Normal text conversation, right?

Except my smile emoticon was just a symbol for what I actually said out loud.

"They DO look like krabby patties. That's what Amanda at work said too. Maybe I should make Sponge Bob cake pops. I'd really need to make Mr. Krabs too for them to make sense. But how would I make his eyes? Patrick would be easy. He's just a star. Maybe I should make stars. And a sun and a moon. Isn't there an eclipse coming? I hope I can photograph it. I need to charge my camera. Where's my charger?"

When ADD meets chatterboxing meets living alone meets throat surgery.

Are you chatty? Do you talk to yourself? Do you know how to make Mr. Krabs' ears?

{images: Jamie}

The Post About Being Sorry I Am Not A Mother

Yesterday was Mother's Day.

I gave my Mom flowers as a gift. I like the kind that don't die. They simply take up residence in your digestive tract.

Butter cake pops with marshmallow flowers.

My brother and I cooked dinner. He and my mom did most of the work. It was awesome.

I was wished "Happy Mother's Day" several times throughout the weekend. I couldn't decide which of the following were true:
a. I'm of child-bearing age and I have a motherly way about me.
b. I'm of child-bearing age and I appear to be carrying some baby weight.
c. I'm of child-bearing age and I had Cookie Crisp, Fruit Roll-Ups, and chocolate milk in my buggy.

I countered one well wisher with "I don't have any kids." The cashier promptly responded "Ahhh...I'm sorry." I gently smiled and shrugged and continued to browse through the Pop Tarts.

And then I thought "Am I sorry too?" 

Maybe I should have a kid I can dress like me and hold hands with in the park and snuggle and teach about the sarcasm emoticon (@@). It would be easy peasy and nothing but good times.

Then I remembered you. And your tweets. And your instagrams.

And my favorite Kidstagram of all time.

Thank you for reminding me that motherhood is overwhelming-joy-in-the-heart. And work.

{images: The first one is Jamie. The rest are yours.)

The Post About The Rabbit Recommends v.111

Each week or so I post a readable or watchable and/or a listenable of which I'm fond. You can choose what happens after my recommendation. Ignore, embrace, debate. Earlier volumes of The Rabbit Recommends can be found here. 

Mother's Day Edition: I asked my Mom to share her favorites today. Please note: The views expressed herein are hers and do not necessarily represent the views of me.

Read
When I asked my Mom about her favorite book, she answered "The Bible." So yes, she played the Jesus card. But truth be told, it really is the book she reads the most. And not in a mean I-know-more-than-you way but in a I-need-God-because-this-place-is-crazy way. 

Watch

My mom adores feel-good movies. Her favorite is Dragonfly starring Kevin Costner and Kathy Bates (trailer above). It's about a grieving doctor who is being contacted by his late wife through his patients' near-death experience. I think the "Kevin Costner" part is the clincher. She also recommends the following:

• Sports: Remember the Titans. Denzel Washington.
• Time Travel: Frequency. James Caviezel AND Dennis Quaid.
• PG-Oh My: The Thorn Birds. Richard Chamberlain.
• Cartoon: The Little Mermaid. Obviously we part ways on this one.

Listen

Have you ever seen those black and white clips of girls screaming when they saw Elvis? Then you've seen my Mom.  We actually both love this particular song the best - Bossa Nova Baby from the album Viva Elvis. 

What might you recommend to me and my mom this week? 

Don't forget: I'm giving away a $25 Amazon gift card for sharing your favorite fictional Mom.

The Post About a Giveaway: Fictional Moms

I fancy my mother. She's kind and generous and knows how to nurture me with macaroni-n-cheese.

But there are other mothers who are also quite snazzy. Here are 3 of my most beloved:

1. Maggie Malone Seaver (Growing Pains): She always seemed to balance a glamorous lifestyle as a journalist with taking care of her family. Plus, I had and may still have a crush on one Dr. Jason Seaver.

2. Kate Murry (A Wrinkle in Time): She's a microbiologist who made me fall for science and math. So much so that I majored in math for an ENTIRE semester at college.

3. Sophia Petrillo (The Golden Girls): You never doubted her love for her daughter even during her crankiest of rants. Plus she lived through "two world wars, fifteen vendettas, four operations and two Darrins on Bewitched." Ahh...the wisdom.

So what about you? Share your favorite fictional mom (movie, TV, books, daydreams) and be entered to win a $25 Amazon gift card.

You have until Tuesday, May 15 to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{image: Jamie}

The Post About Fonts and Music and Mints

I'm a rabbit chaser. But you probably gathered that...

I don't just chase the bunnies here. I do it in work meetings, at family dinners, surfing the web. Every day is a battle to stay on task.

It started with a tweet.

My friend Rachel, the phenom from Grasping for Objectivity, tweeted this the same day.

Ahh...fonts.

I thought "I need to write a blog post draft about fonts."

But I suddenly chased a rabbit: "How great is Amy Grant? I loved her album Lead Me On. I want to listen to it. I wonder if it's on Spotify. Oh look, it is. Amy's eyebrows are so unruly. I wonder if I need to pluck my eyebrows. I do. I think my tweezers are in my purse. Ooohhh...mints. I wish I had gum. There's gum in the breakroom. I think I need coffee. Is there creamer in the fridge? My leftover lunch is in here from yesterday. Is it bad to eat a fish taco for an afternoon snack? If I eat that then I'll have bad breath. I wonder if I have any mints. I'll go check my purse."

Three takeaways for you:
1. Papyrus is a tragic typeface that ruins perfectly good words.
2. Amy Grant's Lead Me On is one of my favorite 10 albums of all time. 
3. I have mints if you need one. Just tell me to check my purse.

What font dismays you? What forgotten album do you adore? Do you have mints?

The Post About Ignoring It and Carrying On

I've shared how God has been poking and prodding and generally being the peskiest of universe Creators as of late.

After those posts, my coworker and Rabbit reader Lisa texted me:

I was worried too. 

Months ago God gave me an uncomfortable feeling every time I stepped inside my church. A place filled with cherished friends whose arms held fast suddenly felt foreign. It was as if I was no longer fluent in the love language native to those rooms. 

But I ignored it and carried on. 

Seasons changed and so did my mood. I was no longer uncomfortable on Sundays...I was distressed. Every committee meeting I attended, every Sunday School class I taught, every song I sang was wrapped in grief. Inexplicably I was mourning the loss of a tie that binds. 

But I ignored it and carried on. 

God won't let us ignore it and carry on for long. 

I'd been reading about Abram and Sarai and recognizing myself in the worst parts of their story. The part about loving God but pretty much ignoring His direction. 

So I decided to stop reading about them and move onto a safer book - Revelation. I mean, it's crystal seas and golden streets. No pressure. 

"...I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you." Revelation 3:1-3

Well...

This past Sunday was my last at my church. A church that showed me in word and deed that God lives and loves. A place that was more than just a place. It has been home. 

The Sunday I shared with my class I was leaving, my pastor stood to pray in "big church" as he did every week. He said "God remind us that the church is not a building but the people in which The Holy Spirit dwells.

I haven't searched for a new church in 12 years. Wait with baited rabbit breath for the inevitable posts highlighting the Greek/Hebrew Rush process. 

Do you have advice? Does your church have coffee and casseroles and a heart for God? 

{image: Jamie}