Tired of the presidential campaign already?

This tongue-in-cheek video from The Onion (hat tip to A Flyover Blog):



You DO know that this is just tongue-in-cheek...I'm not advocating being apathetic about this election! :)

13 things I loved in the 70's

My high school and college years took place in the 70's, as did my courtship and marriage. Bear in mind, I led a pretty sheltered life, and the things I enjoyed were pretty much all wholesome and family-friendly. Here are 13 of them, in no particular order.

1. Charlie's Angels--especially Farrah. I don't know of very many women my age who didn't want to look like her in those days! Every other girl did their hair in a Farrah flip-back, including me.

2. Saturday Night Live--Featuring the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players, it was a new style of humor, and it cracked us up! Who didn't toss the phrase "I'm a wild and craaazy guy!" around at least once or twice?

3. Andrae Crouch and the Disciples--I still love many of the songs from his "Best Of" project. Below, "Soon and Very Soon."



4. The Midnight Special--the 70's precursor to music television

5. The Stylistics, the Spinners, the Chi-Lites, and all the other great R and B acts

6. Evie--for those who loved Christian music, she was an icon--and so cute! If this 1976 doesn't take you back, I don't know what will:



7. Victoria Holt novels--I think I read everything she wrote under that pseudonym, as well as all of her novels as Phillipa Carr and some of her Jean Plaidy novels

8. Rocky--I still think the first one was the best

9. Star Wars--we were so blown away by the special effects! :)

10. The Carol Burnett Show--her show--along with the next two on this list--were Saturday night "must see TV" of the 70's

11. The Mary Tyler Moore Show

12. The Bob Newhart Show

13. The Fonz--looking at the very mature Henry Winkler today, it's hard to believe, but I actually had kind of a crush on him!

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Wednesday stuff to tell you...

(OK, yeah, I know they didn't win on Tuesday...)

Today is Word Out Wednesday, and I have several things I'm getting the word out about today...

--You're either a Cubs fan or a Sox fan. You don't get to be both.

--Two little girls that are way too young to drive are nevertheless protesting high gas prices.

--A retired Air Force sergeant is sending a taste of Chicago to the troops, deep-dish pizza style.

--"Lost" won several "Saturn" awards. (Nothing to do with the car...it's a sci fi award.)

--The inimitable La Shawn Barber is blogging about politics again, after going quite a while blogging about...well, other things. In my humble opinion, this is where she really shines. Here, La Shawn talks about Obama's biblical interpretation (which was the focus--no pun intended--of Dr. Dobson's Focus on the Family show Tuesday.)

--I was delighted to get an advance copy of Angela Hunt's The Face in the mail today! Can't wait to dive in. A new novel by Angie is always a rare treat.

--I've also been reading novels by authors who popped up when I Googled "writes like Rosamunde Pilcher." So far, Marcia Willett is my favorite. Have I told you that I love--and have always loved--novels set in the UK? I don't know why except that I did go to a British school for a couple of years as a child in Beirut, Lebanon.

--A reason for joy during an otherwise bleak period in the life of the Steven Curtis Chapman family.

Anyone can participate in "Word Out Wednesday"--just blog about anything you'd like to get the word out about, and report back here.

Stuff to tell you....

My son Justin, daughter Elizabeth and nephew Nathan--vacationing in Port Aransas, Texas--decide to do a happy/sad contrast

You say "tomato"..."John Adams"..."Planet Earth"...Geeky pranks...and more...

Well, the weekend AND Monday went by with no post from me! I have a plethora of links for you to check out though, should you be so inclined...

--Can we eat tomatoes yet? Which ones are safe and which aren't? Get the latest info at fda.gov.

--I haven't seen the John Adams HBO series yet, but I want to even more now that I've read B.J. Hoff's review.

--These are pretty funny: The Top 10 Harmless Geek Pranks (hat tip to Evangelical Outpost.)

--From Tim Challies: 9 Things I Learned About God from "Planet Earth."

While the producers of the series are not Christians (or do not claim to be Christians) and while the films were not meant to draw attention to God, as I watched them I was continually drawn to marvel in the greatness of the Lord. As the films provided a tour of so many beautiful locations and as they gave close-up shots of such incredible creatures, I saw the hand of a Creator. I saw it everywhere.--Tim Challies

(Makes me want to see it.)

--Olympics on the Go: You will be able to watch the Olympics on your laptop via Windows Vista Media Center.

--For those of us who take the Bible literally, this Pew report on religion in American life includes some troubling findings.

--You know the Eckhart Tolle book, A New Earth, the one that Oprah is vigorously promoting? Well, Richard Abanes has written a Christian response to it: A New Earth, An Old Deception.

--Are you sick of hearing the F-Word? Well, how about re-inventing it? More magazine is sponsoring a contest that challenges you to describe yourself with an F word (fit, funny, fabulous?) Oh, that other F-word? Not allowed.

Jimmy Moore is Livin' La Vida Low-Carb

I'm absolutely convinced the low-carb lifestyle is the way I should eat for the rest of my long and healthy life! It may be what's right for YOU, too!--Jimmy Moore, Livin' La Vida Low-Carb

When you lose 180 pounds in one year--and perhaps more importantly, manage to keep it off for three-plus years--people listen to you.

It's no wonder people flock to Jimmy Moore's Livin' La Vida Low-Carb blog, because that's exactly what he did. Jimmy went from a jaw-dropping 410 pounds to 230 pounds (he's 6'3" tall), shrinking his waist size 20 inches and going from a 5XL shirt size to an XL. How did he do it? Well, pretty much with the Atkins diet plan.

There's no question the low-carb lifestyle has worked for Jimmy, and he is a staunch defender of the plan. I was recently able to interview Jimmy Moore for my radio interview show.

I asked him what provided the final "click" that galvanized him to take the first step in his weight loss journey. In this soundclip, he tells me it was really a combination of things--including a couple of humiliating incidents.

In this soundclip, Jimmy says there are a lot of misconceptions about the Atkins style of dieting.

You can hear the entire interview here.

Jimmy is also the author of Livin' La Vida Low-Carb: My Journey from Flabby Fat to Sensationally Skinny in One Year.

Today, Jimmy Moore turned the tables on me and interviewed me for his online radio show! I was able to share how I've revolutionized my eating and made exercise a regular part of my life since being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes this past September.

*****

One more thing to tell you: I'm blogging today at the Internet Cafe. Check it out when you get a moment!

Have a blessed weekend, everyone!

13 Famous Movie Quotes

This was the subject of our Fun Poll on the Marlar in the Morning show on 101QFL today, and I thought it would make a good Thursday Thirteen. Here are some favorites (some of mine, some of other peoples') in no particular order...


--"What we do in life echoes in eternity." "Gladiator," 2000.

-- "You're gonna need a bigger boat." "Jaws," 1975.

-- "Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer." "The Godfather Part II," 1974.

-- "Cinderella story. Outta nowhere. A former greenskeeper, now, about to become the Masters champion. It looks like a mirac ... It's in the hole! It's in the hole! It's in the hole!" "Caddyshack," 1980.

--"Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary." "Dead Poets Society," 1989.

--"Every man dies, not every man really lives."--"Braveheart," 1995.

--"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."--"The Princess Bride," 1987

--"I'm your huckleberry."--"Tombstone," 1993.

--"Round up the usual suspects." --and--

--"Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."--"Casablanca," 1942

--"Life goes by pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."--"Ferris Bueller's Day Off," 1986

--"I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure."--"Chariots of Fire," 1981

--"Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly. I'm a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior." "Amazing Grace," 2006

What are your favorites?


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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Men in Ties

James Stewart

Cary Grant

Are neckties going the way of the buffalo?

Just after Father's Day--the day probably most associated with the giving of ties--USA Today questions whether the necktie will "hang on" much longer.

The story reports that "the recent decision by the Men's Dress Furnishings Association--the trade group for America's neckwear makers--to shut down has some folks tied up in knots."

Admittedly, we're living in the day of Casual Friday....and Monday...and Tuesday...etc. The tie is not the icon it used to be. The story cites a Gallup poll that found just 6 per cent of men wearing neckties to work each day, down from 10 per cent in 2002. More than two-thirds of the men surveyed said they never wear a tie to work.

However, there are still men who enjoy dressing up and looking sharp. "When you wear a tie it still says ... you're dressed for the occasion," the story quotes Amy Klaris, a retail strategist at consulting firm Kurt Salmon Associates.

I can sympathize with men who think a tie feels like a noose around their neck. I don't know if I would enjoy wearing one all the time, just as, being a woman, I wouldn't want to have to wear high-heeled shoes all the time. However, I do think my husband looks gorgeous when he's dressed up in a suit and tie...and I would hate to see the necktie die out completely.

Here are some photos of various famous men in ties.

What do you think?

Tiger Woods

Matthew Fox

Josh Holloway

Russell Crowe

Monday Melange

Main Entry: mé·langePronunciation: \mā-ˈläⁿzh, -ˈlänj\Function: nounEtymology: French, from Middle French, from mesler, meler to mix — more at meddleDate: 1653: a mixture often of incongruous elements

Stuff to tell you:

--At GraceReign, aspiring authors are encouraged to take their passion and make it happen.

--More people are turning to the Internet for their campaign info.

--One of America's first telephone books (circa 1878) is hitting the auction block.

--It's a bird! It's a plane! It's---Gas Men????

--Neatorama shows us some of the strangest Internet Cafes from around the world.

--(Especially if you were around during the 70's to enjoy wacky Christian album covers), don't miss this edition of Divine Vinyl.

--I've been so frustrated in recent years, since it seems forever since one of my favorite novelists, Rosamunde Pilcher, has written anything. (Wikipedia says she retired from writing in 2000.) So I Googled "writes like Rosamunde Pilcher," came up with a list of authors, and went to the library. My favorite so far is Marcia Willett. She has so much in common with Pilcher--including a strong sense of "place" and wonderfully drawn characters. One critic said Willett's characters feel so real to the reader, you feel you should call or e-mail them afterwards. I read A Summer in the Country, loved it, and plan to go back for more.

Have a happy Monday!

Happy Father's Day

I've been twice blessed when it comes to dads.

My own father, who passed away in 2004, was a wonderful, loving dad who loved God and did his best to pass that legacy on to his children--and the father of my children is all of that as well.

I am so thankful for these two men.

Doug, happy Father's Day. You're the best!

And happy Father's Day to all of you men out there who love your children and who are an active, guiding part of their lives.



My dad holding me, circa 1956

I never could stand to get sun in my eyes! I love this picture--not sure how old I am there.

One of my favorite pictures of Doug with Jonathan and Justin, before Elizabeth came along. They look like they're having such fun!


Doug with Liz on his birthday in December. She is a daddy's girl!



A Father's Day thought to leave you with:

4 years: My Daddy can do anything!
7 years: My Dad knows a lot…a whole lot.
8 years: My father does not know quite everything.
12 years: Oh well, naturally Father does not know that either.
14 years: Oh, Father? He is hopelessly old-fashioned.
21 years: Oh, that man-he is out of date!
25 years: He knows a little bit about it, but not much.
30 years: I must find out what Dad thinks about it.
35 years: Before we decide, we will get Dad's idea first.
50 years: What would Dad have thought about that?
60 years: My Dad knew literally everything!
65 years: I wish I could talk it over with Dad once more.

The Top 13 TV Dads (according to TiVo)

You can see the entire list of 25 Top TV Dads here.

1. Bill Cosby, The Bill Cosby Show--I can understand this. Bill was just about the perfect dad on that show--loving but firm, and very funny.

2. Andy Griffth, The Andy Griffith Show--Again, great choice. Another one of the TV dads who was loving, caring and wise.

3. Michael Landon, Little House on the Prairie--Amazingly, I never really got into this show, but I did like the wholesomeness it portrayed, and undoubtedly Michael Landon was a great dad on the show.

4. Tom Bosley, Happy Days--I forsook this show long before it "jumped the shark," but Bosley was a great dad for Richie and Joanie. (Funny, Ron Howard got two of the best TV dads on the list!)

5. Hugh Beaumont, Leave it To Beaver--Just like his wife June, Hugh Beaumont's Ward Cleaver has become almost a caricature of a perfect dad. He was a good one, for sure.

6. Robert Young, Father Knows Best--I honestly don't think I've seen anything more than brief clips of this show. I really liked Young in later years when he starred on "Marcus Welby, MD."

7. Robert Reed, The Brady Bunch.--Loved the show...I would've given a lot to look like Marcia Brady! I also liked Reed as the dad.

8. Tim Allen, Home Improvement.--This was one of those shows that I never intentionally watched, but always thought it was pretty funny when I would stumble on it.

9. Stephen Collins, Seventh Heaven--Never seen it. However, my daughter really liked it at one time.

10. Bob Saget, Full House--Great show, and I always thought Saget was really funny. I hear he's pretty potty-mouthed as a standup comic, though.

11. Ray Romano, Everybody Loves Raymond--Calling Ray a great TV dad puzzles me a bit, because (correct me if I'm wrong), not much of the show centered around his kids. In fact, I couldn't find a publicity shot about the show that included the kids. Funny guy, though!

12. Conrad Bain, Diff'rent Strokes--He portrayed a good dad, but too bad the actors who played his TV kids went on to have such troubled lives.

13. Jim Belushi, According to Jim--I've only seen this one a few times, so I can't comment much...but I'm glad Belushi has had more success with his life and career than did his late brother John.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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I talk with author Mindy Starns Clark

Whispers of the Bayou

Today is Word Out Wednesday, and I'm happy to get the word out about a fantastic author! As I blogged about earlier, I recently discovered a writer who has actually been around for a while.

A co-worker loaned me the first in the Million Dollar Mysteries by Mindy Starns Clark, and I was hooked! I love Mindy's writing, her well-drawn characters and her absorbing plots. I still have more to read in the Million Dollar Mysteries series, but I thoroughly enjoyed Mindy's recent stand-alone novel, Whispers of the Bayou.

With its mysterious happenings and romantic setting, this book took me back to the gothic/romantic suspense novels I read voraciously in my younger days...and Mindy told me that's no accident. She explains in this soundclip--and as you'll hear, Mindy and I found some real common ground here!:



I asked Mindy how she is able to give such authenticity to her mystery stories, in this soundclip:



This very versatile woman also wrote a book about organizing your home. Mindy says she's definitely NOT a natural-born cleanie, and she struggled with keeping her home clean. But while writing a book in which the main character was a household hints expert, she had to do a lot of research...and she made some big discoveries:



The result was the book The House That Cleans Itself. You can find out all about Mindy Starns Clark and her books on her website, and you can regularly read her blog, also titled The House that Cleans Itself.

You can also listen to my entire interview with Mindy here.


If you'd like to participate in Word Out Wednesday, all you have to do is blog about something you want to "get the word out" about, and check back with Wondermommy here.

I've got more stuff to tell you...

...than Carter's got pills!

I realize that my posts lately have been of the throwing-a-bunch-of-links-at-you variety, but I just keep running across interesting things to share! So here we go again:

--Today on the 101QFL morning show, Darren and I talked about antiquated phrases. You know, like "roll up the window" or "dial the phone"--things that just don't apply anymore.

We had listeners call in with their own phrases and questions. One guy wanted to know what older people mean when they say things like, "We've got more left-overs than Carter's got little liver pills!" I've heard my own mom use that reference a time or two. I had to check it out, and sure enough, here's the scoop on Carter's little pills, and here's where you can listen to an old-time radio commercial for them.

--Can exercise help prevent addiction to drugs or alcohol? Maybe.

--Holy gadgets! The new iPhone has been unveiled. (I would be content with a cell phone that could hold a charge...)

--The church that brought us "Facing the Giants" will release "Fireproof" in September. From Baptist Press:

Fireproof chronicles the impact of selfishness, financial struggles, emotional adultery and Internet pornography on the seven-year marriage of firefighter Caleb Holt and his wife Catherine, a public relations executive.

It stars Kirk Cameron and Erin Bethea. More on the movie's official website. It also has a companion site that deals with marriage.

--A couple of fun memes--one at Talk to Grams! and one at Stray Thoughts.

--How are our favorite TV characters dealing with gasoline prices? USA Today Pop Candy links to this list of TV characters who would be feeling the pinch...and Whitney of Pop Candy comes up with her own list of characters who wouldn't be worried about it at all.

Is it only Tuesday? *sigh*...

Monday Melange

Main Entry: mé·langePronunciation: \mā-ˈläⁿzh, -ˈlänj\Function: nounEtymology: French, from Middle French, from mesler, meler to mix — more at meddleDate: 1653: a mixture often of incongruous elements

Monday again...and I'm dragging my feet again! But I do have some link love and interesting stuff to share:

--First of all, a quiz. You've heard of Warren G. Harding and Mary J. Blige, but do you know what those middle initials stand for? Test your knowledge! (By the way, my middle initial is "S" for "Susan." Just thought I'd tell you.)

The Name Behind The Initial



Score: 67% (8 out of 12)

(I guessed on most of 'em. Hat tip to Neatorama.)

--La Shawn Barber is looking for Christian music fans.

--So I knew 80's fashions were horrible, but did they really violate the laws of nature? (Hat tip to Thunderstruck.org)

--In Letters to Young Black Women,"Daniel Whyte III writes a heartfelt book to his six daughters and to other young black women, on the various issues of life that they face today."--From Christian Newswire

--Even Good Vampires are Bad? (Hat tip to Evangelical Outpost.)

--A beautiful montage of the life of Steven Curtis Chapman's little daughter, Maria Sue, at the blog of Steven's manager Jim Houser.

--And Christian singer Nicol Sponberg's sister-in-law Angie Smith has a photo tribute to Nicol's baby Luke, who died recently, at her blog.

--How old are you? Take this quiz to find out! (Hat tip to Darren Marlar.)

1. Name the Beatles.
A. _________________
B. _________________
C. _________________
D. _________________

2. Finish this line... "Lions and Tigers and Bears, ____ _____"

3. "Hey kids, what time is it?" It's______ _____ ______.

4. What do M&M's do? ____ ____ ____ ____ _____, ____ ____ ____ ____

5. What helps build strong bodies 12 ways? ____ _____.

6. Long before he was Mohammed Ali, we knew him as _____ _____.

7. You'll wonder where the yellow went, ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ___.

8. Post-baby boomers know Bob Denver as the Skipper's "little buddy." But we know that Bob Denver is actually Dobie's closest friend, ______G. _______.

9. M-I-C: See ya' real soon; K-E-Y: _____? ____ _____ _____ _____!

10. "Brylcream: ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____."

11. Bob Dylan advised us never to trust anyone _____ _____.

12. From the early days of our music, real rock 'n roll, finish this line:" I wonder, wonder, wonder...wonder who; ____ ______ _____ _____ _____ ____?"

13. And while we're remembering rock n' roll, try this one: "War...uh-huh, huh...yea; what is it good for?, ____ _____."

14. Meanwhile, back home in Metropolis, Superman fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice, and _____ ____ _____.

15. He came out of the University of Alabama, and became one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. He later went on to appear in a television commercial wearing women's stockings. He is Broadway _____ ______.

16. "I'm Popeye the sailor man; I'm Popeye the sailor man. I'm strong to the finish, ____ ____ ____ ___ ____. I'm Popeye the sailor man."

17. Your children probably recall that Peter Pan was played once in a movie by Robin Williams, but we will always remember when Peter was played by ______ ______.

18. In a movie from the late sixties, Paul Newman played Luke, a ne'er do well who was sent to a prison camp for cutting off the heads of parking meters with a pipe cutter. When he was captured after an unsuccessful attempt to escape, the camp commander (played by Strother Martin) used this experience as a lesson for the other prisoners, and explained, "What we have here, ____ ____ ____ ____ ___."

19. In 1962, a dejected politician chastised the press after losing a race for governor while announcing his retirement from politics. "Just think, you won't have ____ ____ to kick around anymore."

20. "Every morning, at the mine, you could see him arrive; He stood six foot, six, weighed 245. Kinda' broad at the shoulder, and narrow at the hip. And everybody knew you didn't give no lip, ____ ____,____ ____ ____."

21. "I found my thrill, ____ ____ ____."

22. ____ ____ said, "Good night, Mrs. Calabash, ____ ____ ____."

23. "Good night, David." "____ ____,____.">

24. "Liar, liar, ____ ____ ____."

25. "When it's least expected, you're elected. You're the star today. ____! ____ ____ ____ ____."

26. It was Pogo, the comic strip character, who said, "We have met the enemy, and ____ ____ ____."

ANSWERS:
1. John, Paul, George, Ringo
2. Oh, my
3. It's Howdy Doody Time!
4. They melt in your mouth, not in your hand.
5. Wonder Bread
6. Cassius Clay
7. when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent
8. Maynard G. Krebbs
9. Why? Because we like you.
10. A little dab'll do ya.
11. over 30
12. Who wrote the book of love
13. Absolutely nothing'
14. The American way
15. Joe Namath
16. "cause I eats me spinach"
17. Mary Martin
18. is a failure to communicate
19. Richard Nixon
20. Big John, Big Bad John
21. On Blueberry Hill
22. Jimmy Durante - Wherever you are.
23. Good night, Chet.
24. pants on fire
25. Smile you're on Candid Camera
26. he is us

SCORING:
24-26 correct - You're probably 50+ years old
20-23 correct - Most likely in your 40's
15-19 correct - Are we in our 30's?
10-14 correct - Must be in your 20's!!
1- 9 correct - You're, like, sorta a teenage dude?

You know you grew up in the 80's if...

o You've ever ended a sentence with the word "psyche."

o You watched the Pound Puppies.

o You can sing the rap to the "Fresh Prince of Belair " ...and can do the "Carlton" dance.

o If you ever watched "Fraggle Rock."

o You had plastic streamers on your bicycle's handle bars

o You think that was when it was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons.

o You saw the original "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" on the big screen... and still know the turtles names.

o You got super-excited when it was Oregon Trail day in computer class at school.

o You know the profound meaning of "Wax on, wax off."

o You ever wore fluorescent clothing. (some of us... head-to-toe)

o You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the only female smurf.

o You still get the urge to say "not" after every sentence.

o After you saw Pee-Wee's Big Adventure you kept saying "I know you are, but what am I?"

o You remember "I've fallen and I can't get up" and "Where's the beef?"

o You ever got seriously injured on a Slip and Slide.

o You've gone through reading all of this while nodding your head in agreement.

o "Don't worry, be happy."

o You remember boom boxes. and walking around with one on your shoulder like you were all that.

o You remember watching both "Gremlins" movies.

o You remember Alf, the lil furry brown alien from Melmac.

o You used the term "Way" and "No Way" on a regular basis.

o You still sing "We are the World"

Hat tip to my 101QFL morning show host, Darren Marlar!

I recorded my post today!

I talk about "The Bachelor" and "Livin' La Vida Low Carb"

I just didn't feel like typing it all out...so I voiced it. It's less than five minutes long, and if you like, you can listen to it here.

13 Things to Tell You About

Yep, I'm continuing my recent Thursday Thirteen theme of giving you 13 links to things I deem interesting and hope you will too! If you're visiting TT's and don't have time to linger, bookmark this site and come back later to check out the links.

Here we go:

1) Baptist Press has an interview with Kirk Cameron about his new book, Still Growing. BP's Phil Boatwright calls the book, along with Willie Aames of Eight is Enough's book, Grace is Enough, "a one-two punch in the solar plexus of child stardom."

2) Parents Magazine is looking for the Cutest Kid in America. (Hat tip to Dena Dyer of Mother Inferior)

3) Franky Schaeffer, son of Christian theologian and philosopher Francis Schaeffer, is a lifelong Republican--but he wants Obama to win.

4) For those of you who are already suffering "Lost" withdrawal, a few tidbits. First of all, did you know there's a band called Previously on Lost? They actually sing songs re-capping episodes of the show. And...

5) Blogger Jason Hunter believes:

The LOST series revolves around the use of a quasi-conventional time machine. All of the "mysteries" that the show presents can be explained through an understanding of how this time machine is used.

Find out more...or just get more confused...at Hunter's Time Loop Theory.

And...

6) Harold Perrineau, who played Michael on "Lost," is attempting to clarify some race-related comments he made about his (second) exit from the show.

7) Tomorrow is National Donut Day...and it seems there are some free donuts involved.

8) The 25 people who changed food in America. (Yes, John Kellogg of Corn Flake fame and chocolate tycoon Milton Hershey are there, but so are Thomas Jefferson and Upton Sinclair.)(hat tip to Thunderstruck.org)

9) Do you love flip-flops? You may be hurting your feet.

10) Is "Sex and the City" misogynistic? Joe Carter of the Evangelical Outpost thinks so.

11) "If you blog about something and nobody reads it, is it really a blog?"--That's just one of the witty blogging questions Carol is asking at She Lives.

12) What would the Garfield comic strip be like without Garfield...in fact, without anyone but Jon? This site shows you.

13) Robin Jones Gunn's enjoyable new novel, Sisterchicks Go Brit, has only affirmed my longtime dream of going to England (and Ireland, and Scotland...) Speaking of enjoyable fiction, I recently finished Mindy Starns Clark's Whispers of the Bayou and did an interview with Mindy, which I will blog about soon!

Happy Thursday to all!

Jane Kirkpatrick's "A Mending at the Edge"

Today is Word Out Wednesday, and I'm delighted to get the word out about Jane Kirkpatrick's A Mending at the Edge.

Jane Kirkpatrick is one of my very favorite novelists, Christian or otherwise, and I was delighted to interview her recently about this, the third and final book in the Change and Cherish Historical Series.

I especially appreciate my interview with Jane, because she had to go to the top of a mountain near her Oregon home to make it possible! Her home phone was acting up due to a recent power outage, and she couldn't get her cell phone to work in her home. What a trouper!

I've blogged previously about Jane's writing:

From the time I picked up Jane's book, A Sweetness to the Soul,I realized that here was a very remarkable Christian author. Her beautiful,lyrical writing style would grace any writing genre...Few authors possess such a gift of evoking a mood or capturing a description sheerly through finely crafted wordsmithing and absorbing storytelling.

I was also delighted to provide endorsement comments that appear on the flyleaf of the second book in this series:

A Tendering in the Storm is one of Jane Kirkpatrick’s most compelling novels yet–and that’s saying something! With her skilled and lyrical writing, Kirkpatrick brings to vivid life the beauty and severity of pioneer living, a complex provocative villain, and a story that grabs the reader and won’t let go. But most of all, Emma Giesy emerges as a remarkable heroine: appealing and vulnerable, but possessing tenacious courage and true strength. This book kept me turning pages far into the night!

In our interview, Jane told me that she's thrilled that A Mending at the Edge was nominated for a Christy award. Listen to her comments.

In this clip, Jane talks about how she searches out historical facts, data and trivia to flesh out the characters in her historical novels.

You can listen to the entire interview here.



Find out more about Jane Kirkpatrick and her wonderful books at her website.

And feel free to read my reviews of some of her previous books:


A Name of Her Own/Every Fixed Star
A Clearing in the Wild

(You can participate in Word Out Wednesday simply by blogging about anything you want to get the word out about, and checking back here!)

Monday Melange

Main Entry: mé·langePronunciation: \mā-ˈläⁿzh, -ˈlänj\Function: nounEtymology: French, from Middle French, from mesler, meler to mix — more at meddleDate: 1653: a mixture often of incongruous elements

Did you have a nice week-end? As usual, mine was too short! The weather was beautiful, and I got to spend some quality time with my husband. We are experiencing an empty-nest dry run, as my 21-year-old daughter is in Texas for a visit of several weeks.

Some stuff to tell you about:

--Well, what did you think of the "Lost" finale? Any favorite moments? (SPOILER ALERT! if you haven't seen it yet): I loved the re-uniting of Penny and Desmond...Kate and Sawyer's kiss (although I'm probably more a Jater than a Skater)...Sawyer calling the pilot "Kenny Rogers" and Jack "Sundance"...well, there were tons of amazing moments. Oh, and Yunjin Kim definitely needs an Emmy for her acting in the scene where Jin gets left behind.

So how am I going to be able to wait until 2009 for the next season?!?

--If you're a Jason Castro fan, you need to read Ashley's account of seeing his welcome-home performance in Rockwall, Texas.

--So Barack Obama will be looking for a new church.

--In the wake of the death of his 5-year-old daughter, people are opening their hearts and pocketbooks to Steven Curtis Chapman's adoption charity, Shaohannah's Hope.

--Are you suffering from "news fatigue"?

--Mrs Fussypants has made me laugh again! Check out Fussy's Frump Fightin' Manifesto.

--Are bananas really a superfood that can cure everything from depression to ulcers? Find out by listening to the latest edition of Cindy Swanson, CyberSnoop!