Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Chocolate Seasoning: The Weekly Hodgepodge

Join the fun! 
Come on over to 
or the Hodgepodge link-up!
 

From Volume 572 - The colors of fall...red, brown, russet, golden bronze, golden yellow, purplish red, light tan, crimson, orange red, and scarlet. Are these colors you like to wear? Is this your season in terms of color? What about your home? Would we see these tones in your home decorating? 

Out of these colors, my wardrobe has some purple and red tones (and yes, crimson--RTR).  Because I have yellow/bronze undertones in my skin, yellow tones wash me out and don't look good.  My "season" is supposedly winter.  While I wear a lot of black pants and skirts, my blouses are normally in the royal tones.  However, I don't try to stick to any specific palette; I wear what feels good and looks good to me.

As far as my home decor goes, my palette is all over the place.  All of my furniture is either black or dark brown (I do have a piece of furniture I'm soon going to paint a cheery blue color) and my walls are white, so I have splashes of different colors in each area.  I have red in my kitchen and office area, turquoise and teal in my dining area and living room, and purple in my bathroom and bedroom.  I figure by the time I finish decorating my apartment, I'll be able to buy a house and start over.

From Volume 573 - On Wednesday we officially reach the '70 days until Christmas' mark. Have you purchased any gifts? If you don't celebrate Christmas then how about Hanukkah presents? 

Not yet.  Most of my presents will be handmade, so I have been pondering over what to make for different people.  I'm also trying to decide what new Christmas crafts I want to try this season.  All of November and most of December will be dedicated to making gifts.  Yes, I usually start in July, but I taught this summer and that threw off my schedule.

From Volume 575

What are your current priorities in this season of life? Elaborate as much or as little as you like.

This particular season (fall into winter) is especially hard on me psychologically.  I talked here about my annual battle with Seasonal Affective Disorder.  Intellectually I know that since mid June the days have been slowly getting shorter.  However, the shortness of the day hit my body with a jolt about two weeks ago.  It was not pleasant.  I knew that I had to go back to the strategies I've previously used to battle the impending threat of extended melancholy.  The good thing is that I'm already in the holiday spirit, so focusing on Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas will go a long way in boosting my mood.

What's one thing you wish you had more of? 

Space.  Don't get me wrong, I'm very thankful for my apartment, but I do look forward to having my own house with designated spaces for things like crafts, work, and exercise.  

Last thing you ate that contained chocolate? Last thing you made that called for chocolate? 

Quaker makes chocolate flavored rice cakes that I enjoy on a regular basis.  It's been a hot minute since I've prepared a recipe containing chocolate.  I'm thinking the German Chocolate Pie I made last year was the last recipe of that type I've made.

Insert your own random thought here. 

An update on something from my last hodgepodge:  I mentioned that one of my fun October activities was a book study I was starting in my home.  Our church had a fair to introduce the groups and several people signed up.  However, NOT ONE PERSON showed up for the first meeting and the majority of them never informed me that they weren't coming.  Can you say tacky?


I knew you could.

Sigh.  Am I doomed to be plagued by grown people who cannot act like it?  I may try to start the group up again in the spring, but I don't know.  I don't really like to waste time studying and prepping for nothing.

Oh well, on to try something else.

In case you missed it:  

* My previous Hodgepodge post:  "Rhythm and Poetry" is here.
*
My latest First Line Friday post: "#23 - From Devastation to Restoration by Jerry Savelle" is here.
* My "24 in 2024" post is here.
* My 2024 reading challenge:  "Full Shelf Challenge V.2" is here.
* My latest series on my Auntie's Workshop blog "30 Day Art Challenge 2024" starts here.

Friday, October 4, 2024

First Line Friday #23: From Devastation to Restoration by Jerry Savelle


Thanks to Carrie at
Reading is My Superpower
for the Link-up


 
Title:  From Devastation to Restoration
Author:  Jerry Savelle
Genre: Faith / Christian Living

  〰First Line

─────────────────────────────────────────────────

When I was growing up, I was always the smallest boy in the class at my school.  Most of the girls were bigger than me.  From the first grade all the way through high school I was known as "Little Jerry."

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────

Synopsis:  (From Amazon) 

Evangelist Jerry Savelle discusses the path of turning life's devastating situations into restorations.  (Sorry, but the synopsis on Goodreads wasn't any better.)

 〰First Thoughts

I've listened to sermons by Dr. Savelle for several years, but up until recently had not had the opportunity to read many of his written works.  Through his messages, I'd heard snippets of his life story.  Though this book is a brief snapshot of his life, I believe his story will still be compelling.  I'm interested in reading from someone who's been where I've been and has gone where I wish to go. I only know a small taste of the restoring power of God and wish to know and experience much more.
So, what's the first line of the book you're currently reading?

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Rhythm and Poetry: The Weekly Hodgepodge

Join the fun! 
Come on over to 
or the Hodgepodge link-up!

Hey, it's October...what's one fun thing on your October calendar? 

I'm beginning a book study group in my home.  Our first meeting is this Saturday.  We're studying The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith.

Thursday is National Poetry Day (first Thursday in October)...do you like to read poetry? If so, what's a favorite poem, or whose poetry do you especially enjoy? 

I enjoy it, but I struggle with understanding how to read it.  I understand that it doesn't always rhyme and the meter of the phrases isn't always uniform, but understanding the message and purpose of the poem is my downfall.  I have a friend who taught middle school English and Literature and has offered to show me how to read poetry.  I need to take her up on it.  I know her instruction would help me enjoy it more.

One of my favorite modern poems is "O Clavis" by Malcolm Guite from his book of Advent poems Waiting for the Word:

Even in the darkness where I sit 
And huddle in the midst of misery 
I can remember freedom, but forget
That every lock must answer to a key,  
That each dark clasp, sharp and intricate, 
Must find a counter-clasp to meet its guard,  
Particular, exact and intimate,
The clutch and catch that meshes with its ward.
I cry out for the key I threw away  
That turned and over turned with certain touch 
And with the lovely lifting of a latch 
Opened my darkness to the light of day. 
O come again, come quickly, set me free 
Cut to the quick to fit, the master key.

Tell us about something you've seen recently that could be described as 'poetry in motion.'

Although this performance is several years old, I recently watched this after I heard of Michaela DePrince's death.


What's one song on your autumn playlist? Do you have an autumn playlist? If not, pretend you do. If yes, then feel free to share more than one. 

The only seasonal playlist I have is for Christmas and I have a strict rule that I do NOT listen to Christmas music until the day after Thanksgiving (the only exception being Christmas Booty by Rhett and Link--it's on my spinning playlist for motivation).  The playlist I listen to and edit the most is my Happy 911 list on Spotify.  These songs bring me joy for various reasons:  the song itself, the instrumentation, the memories connected with it, etc.

Share a quote that inspires you this time of year especially. 

"Remember, motions are the precursors of emotions." - Dr. George W. Crane, quoted by David Schwartz, PhD in his book The Magic of Thinking Big

Insert your own random thought here.  

In case you missed it:  

* My previous Hodgepodge post:  "One Word: Finish" is here.
*
My latest First Line Friday post: "#22 - Miracles by C. S. Lewis" is here.
* My latest book review of Master of Change is here.

* My "24 in 2024" post is here.
* My 2024 reading challenge:  "Full Shelf Challenge V.2" is here.
* My final Simple Woman's Daybook "Day 40:  The End is Just the Beginning?" is here.
* My latest series on my Auntie's Workshop blog "30 Day Art Challenge 2024" starts here.