Related posts:

1. Sunday Morning Coffee
2. Tuesday Morning Coffee
3. Sunday Morning Coffee

• I almost finished it last night, but I was tired of crying over it — so I’m finishing The Bridges of Madison County this morning and blubbering into my coffee mug. Are you on Goodreads?
• If I could afford this number by Monique Lhuillier it would be my goal dress. (Ready-to-Wear Pre-Fall 2012 12363-544…for posterity)
  HOT DOG. Can we make this happen? I need this dress and a fancy place to go.
• Tips on choosing the right photographer (h/t LeAnna)
• The Target Lady was on SNL this weekend. She brings me so much joy.
• Been meaning to try these Scottish Oak Cakes for a while now. They sound tasty.
• Love isn’t so much afraid of stuff — “it’s too late, you’re in”
• Samantha Lamb’s “made with love” sale is going on and if you love meadows and quilts and honey and the kind of gentle beauty she captures, head over there and check it out. And if you haven’t seen her work…well, go!

Related posts:

1. Wednesday Morning Coffee
2. Monday Morning Coffee – Welcoming My Keurig
3. Monday Morning Coffee

When The Lake House starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock was released I was one of the first in line to see that business. A love story with time travel? I am all over that. (See #24 on this list) But there were a few things I didn’t like about The Lake House. Namely, Keanu Reeves. When I found out that it was a remake of a Korean film then I had to track down the original.

Here we have il Mare (Italian for “the sea”). It’s everything I wanted The Lake House to be. You know the premise — girl moves into house, boy used to live in house, there’s a mail box with a wormhole or something in it, and a cute little dog. If you like romances of any sort, go find this one. Just trust me.

9. Sling Blade
I learned to read some. I read the Bible quite a bit. I can’t understand all of it, but I reckon I understand a good deal of it. Them stories you and Mama told me ain’t in there. You ought not done that to your boy. I studied on killing you. Studied on it quite a bit. But I reckon there ain’t no need for it if all you’re gonna do is sit there in that chair. You’ll be dead soon enough and the world ‘ll be shut of ya. You ought not killed my little brother, he should’ve had a chance to grow up. He woulda had fun some time.

When people ask me what genre I prefer to write, if they won’t accept me saying “literary fiction,” then I say “Southern Gothic” and if they don’t know what that is I ask, “Have you ever seen Sling Blade?” And that usually clears things up.

I love the setting of this film, the characters, the language and the accents. I think it captures a place and a  people group that we don’t see depicted in film enough — the impoverished American south.

This story is rich. It makes me want to be a better writer. And when people say they think the plot is a little far fetched or out there, well, I say sit down ’cause I could tell you a thing or two.

8. Rear Window
Lisa: The last thing Mrs. Thorwald would leave behind would be her wedding ring. Stella, do you ever leave yours at home?
Stella: The only way somebody would get that would be to chop off my – finger. Let’s go down to the garden and find out what’s buried there.
Lisa: Why not? I always wanted to meet Mrs. Thorwald.

My granny introduced me to this film when I was 8 or 9 and I have enjoyed a steady diet of Alfred Hitchcock films ever since. I purchased the movie poster (above) when I was in college, but I’ve never hung it in my house. It’s a little scary (look at the creepy guy in the lower right hand window) and it doesn’t go with my current framed art — original soundtrack recordings of Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals.

The setting for this film is very appealing to me and the slow burn toward a terrifying discovery is second to none. Most people know the plot, so I won’t waste your time, but if you haven’t seen it then you are missing out on one of cinema’s BEST. Let’s just say that Dexter should be glad that L.B. Jeffries isn’t alive and kickin’ it down in Miami.

7. Anne of Green Gables / Anne of Avonlea
Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it.

These two films are in my DNA now. There’s no way around it. I’ve told the story behind my love for them before and if you’re interested, it’s here.

6. les Parapluies de Cherbourg
Guy Foucher: What did you name her?
Geneviève Emery: Francoise. She’s a lot like you. Do you want to see her?
Guy Foucher: I think you can go.

This I watched on a lark one evening in early 2005 and fell madly in love with the French gem. Yeah, it’s a French musical, meaning I only know one person who will watch it with me (Heather). And since I weep uncontrollably in the train scene it’s really embarrassing.

A girl and her mother work in an umbrella shop. Girl is in love, boy goes to war, girl is forced into marriage because of her situation…it’s downhill from there. The final scene is absolutely heartbreaking with the snow and the gas station and her all dressed up in her pretty fur with her hair up and him…a mechanic. But they would have been so happy together! Gah. I just ruined the movie for you, but still, the songs are beautiful and it’s a timeless story.

Related posts:

1. 50 of My Favorite Films — 35-31
2. A Critique of Atonement OR How A Walk to Remember Changed My Life
3. 50 of My Favorite Films — 25-21

• Flying Wild Alaska is my new obsession. Alaska has forever been an interest of mine and I’ve always gobbled up books about the state, but now I have a half dozen TV shows about the place at my fingertips. Gotta love it! Anyone else watch this show?
• Speaking of TV obsessions — fangirl moment. A former EastEnders actress (Kylie Babbington, “Jodie Gold”) responded to me on Twitter. It’s the little things, y’all.
  
• Wait, none of you watch EastEnders? Here’s a clip of Jodie and Poppy, one of history’s greatest comedy duos (ha).
  
• South Beach Diet Phase One Recipe Round-Up from Kalyn’s Kitchen (if you try to stay low-carb and are not following this blog you are missing out!)
• Slow & Steady, a post about homesteading from Quinn
• A recipe for rosemary sea salt from Dreadlock Girl
• A spoon in the persimmon seed this year, but I’m still waiting on my snow! via Territory Mom
• Leanna makes elderberry syrup — I cannot wait to try this myself!
• And because it’s Monday, like me you may need something to kind of start the day off right. I heard this in the mall on Saturday (I love how, for the most part, mall soundtracks haven’t changed since I was about 6 years old) and it’s been in my head ever since. Enjoy your Monday!
  

Related posts:

1. Tuesday Morning Coffee
2. EastEnders for Children In Need
3. Monday Morning Coffee

are you graduating this may or next december?

Well, just cut to the chase, why don’t we? It started a little conversation about what my plans were. This was exactly what he wanted to know and it turns out that it kind of helped him along in his plans. He was invited to Heather’s birthday party later that week along with the rest of her Facebook friends and he checked on the time that it started with me before showing up.

And show up he did, bald head and all. I had absolutely no intention of dating a guy without any hair on his head. None at all. And let the record show that I never did.

He sat diagonally across from me at the table and moved one of the menus because it was blocking his view of me. This I remember. He stole glances at me all evening long and even though we had been chatting on AOL Instant Messenger a lot, there were few, if any, words between us that night. I didn’t know it, but I was working on developing a case of strep that would leave me sick with lingering effects for weeks. My throat was scratchy and I was in a bad mood, but luckily he didn’t let that dissuade him.

We continued talking over the following weeks. He would randomly show up somewhere that I was and just…hang out. One day I was studying at the BSU and he walked in and took a seat at a table behind me. I was working on an exercise for one of my writing classes where you just write whatever is in your head for a solid chunk of time without stopping. Somewhere in the midst of that he decided to pull the 4th grade version of letting a girl know that you like her — he threw a pencil at me. In that notebook (which is somewhere in this house) I scrawled, I think he just threw a pencil at me. What does this mean?

I turned and asked, “Does this belong to you?” and he grinned.

Chris, Kevin’s mentor, walked up and asked, “Is this man bothering you?”

Anyone who knows Chris knows that that is sort of his line, but I’m sure he had no idea how spot on he was at the time.

–

In the middle of all of this, I had been meeting with Cindy, one of the ministry team leaders at the BSU. As conversations between women are wont to do, the topic turned to boys and how lately I was feeling so absolutely content with where I was in life. How finally the big, white wedding was no longer the huge goal I had in sight. It wasn’t that I had given up on it…it just didn’t define me. I was loving the life that God had blessed me with in this moment — a life full of friends and creativity, writing classes and early morning Pilates, teaching 3 and 4 year olds and living life on God’s terms…not my preconceived notions.

That was where I needed to be. I had to find contentment with where I was in my own life — just between me and God — before I would ever be able to handle someone else in the mix.

–

A month later was my 22nd birthday party, fondly referred to as Liz-A-Palooza. There was mild stalking, a Milk Bone incident, and for the first time in my life, I was going to get asked out on a real date.

Related posts:

1. My Corn-Fed, Deep Fried Okie Romance — Part 15
2. My Corn-Fed, Deep Fried Okie Romance – Part 2
3. My Corn-Fed, Deep Fried Okie Romance — Part 16

Anyone else remember this one?

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1. Saturday Morning Cartoons
2. Saturday Morning Cartoons – Street Sharks
3. My Corn-Fed, Deep Fried Okie Romance — Part 15

No, not exactly. But it’s BETTER.

Here are some great links to peruse if you’re up late this Friday night. Enjoy!

• Smitten Kitchen’s Baked Pumpkin and Sour Cream Puddings
• Christy is calling for stories — What’s yours?
• Get thee to a Yankee Candle because they have a Buy 2, Get 2 Free coupon that’s good until November 27th!
• For the future — Labor Prep Herbs and Great Things to Eat/Drink While in Labor from Organic Life Love
• Laurie’s Lifesaving Advice for New Mama’s
• This moving post about family, in pictures, from Donna
• Over on Misti’s blog Zoe gets excited about a purse my mom made for her
• The Thing About Blogging from Incourage
• I’ve been meaning to learn to quilt. Been diving into books and blogs and photos on Pinterest. It’s in my blood to do this. Samantha Lamb has a beautiful fall quilt that she featured on her blog. Anyone else inspired?

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1. Sunday Morning Coffee
2. Monday Evening Diet Mt. Dew
3. The End

Well, here I am. Twenty-seven years old sometime in the middle of this afternoon. For a while I’ve been thinking about doing a list like this one and I figured with 3 years to complete it in that this would be the day to post it. Here’s my list of 30 things I’d like to do by the time I turn 30.

1. Color my hair red.
2. Finish a novel.
3. Stick to a writing schedule for one month and try to turn it into a habit (0/30 days).
4. Work out every day for one week (0/7 days).
5. Work out every day for one month (0/30 days).
6. Lose 20 lbs (0/20).
7. Have a baby.
8. Roast a turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
9. Buy only local for Christmas gifts one year.
10. Get a writing job.
11. Read 75 books (0/75).
12. Drink only water for one month (0/30 days).
13. Learn to make authentic lobster bisque.
14. Give away all of the clothing that I have not worn in a year.
15. Use my fine china five times (0/5).
16. Paint the spare bedroom.
17. Repaint the kitchen.
18. Sing karaoke.
19. Be content with my level of fitness in time for my 10 year high school reunion.
20. Write fifteen short stories (0/15).
21. Vacation in the Outer Banks.
22. Sit down and mine my grandparents for their memories.
23. Do ten “touristy” things in Oklahoma (0/10).
24. Rent a cabin in the Arbuckle Mountains.
25. Go on a leaf peeping drive.
26. Take myself on a writing retreat.
27. Attend a blogging conference.
28. Attend a writing conference.
29. Beautify the flower beds around my house.
30. Write a blog post every day for a year (0/365).

Related posts:

1. The End
2. Lessons Learned While Wedding Planning #1
3. 23 Things That Happened in My 23rd Year

I parked on the north side, near President Boren’s house, and walked alone to the entrance that students were being guided through. Volunteers were handing out leis and I slipped one over my head. It was pink and it matched my skirt. That I remember.

I searched the crowd for the faces of my friends. Heather was somewhere in the mix and I maneuvered past the groups of people to where she was. As usual at this beginning of the year party things were loud and it was hard to hear a conversation at normal volume unless you were pressed into a circle. That’s how most of us were that weren’t taking advantage of the volleyball nets that had been set up nearby.

We got in line for snow cones from one of the local favorites that was set up specially for the party. Mine was green and I rarely ordered a green snow cone. It’s weird that I recall that, but I think it was green apple. Which was probably the lesser of two evils.

Somewhere in the crowd was a tall lanky boy who was most likely surrounded by a large group of friends or traveling from group to group. He was just as social then as he is now, probably more so. I don’t remember seeing him that night, but he remembers seeing me. And when he did, he didn’t recall the evening a few months earlier when we talked about westerns and school and what we were planning on doing with our lives. But that night he looked across the crowd at me in a pink skirt and black shirt, with my hair pulled back in a ponytail and my hands most likely still smelling a little like bleach from the day school, and decided he was interested in finding out more about this quiet, laughing girl. Me.

He left the party early, but not before deciding he was going to find out more about me. Maybe it was for the best that he didn’t stick around any longer than he did. A few minutes more and he would have been witness to my foray into the world of karaoke with a some of my friends. The song we sang was, by no accident, the same one that he and I would walk back up the aisle to less than three years from this night. But it was going to take some work to get there.

Related posts:

1. My Corn-Fed, Deep Fried Okie Romance — Part 15
2. My Corn-Fed, Deep Fried Okie Romance – Part 1
3. My Corn-Fed, Deep Fried Okie Romance — Part 14

• Sugar-Free Cookie Dough Dip — yoooohmygoodness.
• A few tips on how to save money while raising a baby from the Farmers’ Almanac. Some of ‘em are kinda…”duh,” but good!
• Orange Infused Vinegar — going to try this. I love more natural cleaning options and this sounds great.
• I love this commercial. It makes me want to simultaneously dance around the room and make home improvements. (Watch the guy breaking it down behind the grill at the end. Love it.)
  
• Fact: Over my fall break, Mom and I are going to repaint the study. I’ll revisit this topic later.
• Southern American English: Y’all hear this — You guys know that I have always been a supporter of “y’all” and the occasional “y’all guys” or “y’all all.” It’s an amazing word! Try it!

Related posts:

1. Sunday Morning Coffee
2. Sunday Morning Coffee
3. My Corn-Fed, Deep Fried Okie Romance — Part 13