Blue Like Jazz movie exceeds expectations

There are some books that I like to read over and over. Each time feels as though I’m having coffee with a good friend that I haven’t seen in a while. Blue Like Jazz, by Donald Miller is one of those books. The memoir tells Donald Miller’s spiritual journey as he transforms from a Texas born and bread Southern Baptist to a progressive Christian entering adulthood in Portland Oregon. When I heard that the book was going to be made into a movie, I was skeptical. But this week when I watched the movie on the big screen my skepticism melted faster than the butter on my popcorn. Watching the movie felt nostalgic for me. As I watched a college-age Donald Miller try to figure out what he believes about God, I thought of myself in college. I read Blue Like Jazz my senior year. I read the book during a time of depression and loneliness. I spent the year before in Philadelphia, where situations challenged my conservative ideals and black-and-white world view. Donald Miller experiences this same question and doubt at Reed College in Portland. During a scene in the movie, Miller asks his friend Penny if he looks stupid wearing an astronaut costume during a protest against big-box book stores. “You don’t look stupid,” she said. “You look like you don’t belong.” I can relate to that feeling that I just don’t belong. And I’m not the only one. Blue Like Jazz resonates with so many people because there is a part of us all that feels like we just don’t belong. And there times that we all question the idea of loving God in the face of such a messed up world. I read Blue Like Jazz at a time in my life when I questioned whether I believed in God. And I could not wrap my hands around the idea of God becoming flesh, dwelling among us, offering the hope of peace and salvation. Like Donald Miller, in many ways I tried to escape God. I tried to distance myself from a God I didn’t understand. But just like Miller, I could not escape God’s irresistible grace. Blue Like Jazz describes human’s longing for, “beauty, justice, love and transcendence.” I can distance myself from the idea of God but I can never escape those innate human longings. And I can not dismiss the moments of spiritual connectedness that I experience when I read an inspiring book, or take time to pray and meditate, or have a quality conversation with a friend. I believe those connections are God weaving Her thread throughout the stories of our lives, connecting us to one another through Her grace. In Blue Like Jazz you see Donald Miller’s life connect with his classmates at Reed College to create a unique spiritual tapestry. Whether you believe in God or not, I promise you will love this coming of age film. As someone who usually waits until movies come out on Red Box, I can honestly say I do not regret the $8.50 I spent on the film.

Farmers markets benefit environment, support health

With spring in full swing, farmer’s markets are open throughout the metro. Last weekend I made a visit to the Saturday farmer’s market in Lawrence. As I walked from booth to booth I remembered all the reason’s I love the farmer’s market. I love the social aspect of the farmer’s market. The mundane task of buying groceries is transformed into a fun family event at the farmer’s market. I love that you know where your food comes from at the farmer’s market. I love that you get to meet the farmers. Seeing who labored for your food gives you a greater awareness about your food. And I’m convinced the more aware we are about our food, the more intentional we will be when we choose what food to eat. I love that farmer’s markets support farmer’s and the local economy. I love the environmental impacts of shopping at the farmer’s market. Local farmers often use sustainable farming techniques that preserve the land. And when you buy local less fossil fuels are used to transport your food to you. I love the health benefits of food available at farmer’s markets. Fresh fruits and vegetables, you can’t beat that. And meat available at farmer’s markets are often free range, grass fed, and antibiotic free. Going to my local farmer’s market makes me feel good on so many levels. When you go to the farmers market you support farmers, the environment, and your health. And if that isn’t reason enough for you, I’m sure the cheese a pastry samples are.

Dance the night away

Last Thursday my husband Logan and I went to a bluegrass show at Liberty Hall.

Logan just started a new job and that seemed like as good of an excuse as any to put on some cowboy boots and dance the night away. The band, Leftover Salmon, did not disappoint me. And neither did my cowboy boots.

I love cowboy boots. The combination of cowboy boots, PBR, and bluegrass just makes the world seem right. I know that I sound like an idealistic hipster, but it’s true.

A friend once told me that the exercise of dancing forces your brain to be in the present. I tried to find the scientific study to support this via Google. My Google search was unsuccessful, but I’m confident it’s true.

When you dance, you let go of your inhibitions. You move freely to the beat of the music. You let go of yesterday's worries and tomorrow's concerns.

When you dance, you dance in the here and now. When you dance, the music and the movement are enough. When you dance, you are enough.

There are so many times in my life when I don’t feel like I’m enough. Not successful enough, not organized enough, not witty enough, not tough enough. Life has a way of highlighting all the areas where I am not enough.

But when I let go and dance I experience what it means to be enough. And I believe that experience is more real than the day to day voices in my head that tell me all the ways that I’m not enough.

So put on some boots, grab a PBR, turn Pandora to the Yonder Mountain String Band station and dance your worries away.

Time moves faster than I write

Is it just me or did the abnormally warm winter seem to speed up time?

It was about a year ago that I lost my job as editor of the Kansas City Nursing News and started to work on a memoir about the time I spent in Philadelphia during college. It seems like the past year flew by like blur and I only have nine chapters finished for the book.

The book seemed like a great idea, but without a solid deadline I have struggled to pump out a finished first draft. Instead, I’ve thought a billion other projects that I should start as a means of procrastination. I mean, let’s face it, real writers procrastinate. Right?

My husband does a great job at being my personal cheerleader. “How’s that book coming along?” He asks every few weeks and politely points out that I probably could spend a little more time writing and a little less time reading novels. But reading makes you a better writer. Real writers read. Geesh, I don’t think Logan knows how this business works at all.

But the truth is when it comes to getting a book published neither do I. I don’t know the first thing about getting literary agent. And the process seems too overwhelming for me to think about. All I know is magazines and newspapers. All I know is writing other people’s stories, not my own.

And that brings me to a road block I recently encountered with my book. I met so many people in Philly who’s stories I want to tell. I feel like their stories need to be told, but at the same time something inside me tells me that these aren’t my stories to tell. For the past eight years I’ve written stories about other people’s lives. About injustices, accomplishments, sorrows, and joys. But all these people shared their stories to me as a reporter.

I didn’t come to Philly as a reporter. I came to Philly as a 20-year-old in search of guidance.

Someone once asked me if I could summarize my time in Philly in one word.

Grace.

My response was automatic. Grace. I learned what grace was in Philly. And that’s the story that I need to tell. My story. My journey to grace.

So, I’m back on the writing band wagon and I hope to have a craptastic first draft done by the end of the summer. That’s my deadline. Hold me to it.

How to avoid Facebook fights

I opened my MacBook this morning and did what I do every morning, log onto Facebook.

This morning I scrolled through the comments about what a great season KU had despite the loss to Kentucky in the championship game. But among those positive comments there was one person speaking ill of KU fans that really angered me. I could feel my blood start to boil as I scrolled down the page.

I couldn’t help but wonder, why do these Facebook status updates incite me so much?

And I know I’m not the only one who feels this way. Just last week one of my friends told me someone called her a name on Facebook after she responded to a political status update.

Facebook can bring out the best of us in our status updates- inspirational quotes, pictures of cats, invites to see local band play. But the social network can also bring out the worst, and with a presidential election season looming, I worry the worst is yet to come.

Here are my tips for how to deal with FB status updates that get under your skin.

1. Hide comments from common offenders. If someone is posting divisive comments, whether religious, political, or with regards to NCAA teams, don’t be afraid to hide their comments from your Facebook feeds. The person won’t know unless you tell them, so no feelings will be hurt in this process and your blood pressure might be lowered.

2. Don’t engage FB friends who want to pick fights. We’ve all seen these updates from people on all sides of every issue. They go something like this, “So you don’t wanna drill, guess you must want $5 a gallon gas prices AND hate Christmas.” Do not respond to these people. No matter how much you want to, just don’t.

3. Re-evaluate your purpose on Facebook. Facebook has so many purposes in our life these days, both professionally and personally. If you don’t use Facebook for professional uses, I recommended scaling down your friend list to only those people you would want to have dinner with. I call this the Lisa Rule, because my friend Lisa told it to me. If you do use the same Facebook account for personal and professional use, see tip number one.

Hope these tips help you as navigate through Facebook during another presidential election, and what could be a very tense season of Dancing with the Stars. Happy posting.

Rock Chalk magic

In a life separated by seasons, basketball season is by far my favorite.

And basketball doesn’t get much better than the game against Kansas and North Carolina on Sunday. It had all the attributes of classic novel or block buster movie. A team during their “rebuilding year” (that would be Kansas for those of you who don’t follow basketball) playing against one of their nemesis for a spot in the Final Four.

I’ve heard some people say the wounds for Roy Williams departure from Kansas to North Carolina in 2003 have healed. But they seemed raw as ever on Sunday. In pre-game interview Williams confessed he still loves Kansas. It’s his second favorite basketball team, he says.

Well, Roy, there’s no love for the Tar Heels in Bill Self’s heart, or anywhere in Jayhawk country for that matter.

The game proved to be a nail biter until the last few minutes, with fans across the country relying on any superstitions they have to give their team a boost.

In our house we cheered loud and on several occasions I literally jumped out of my seat in applause. As strange as it seems, part of me believes that my cheers help will the Jayhawks into victory game after game. Oh sure, Bill Self’s amazing coaching has a huge role in the teams success, along with talented players and their awesome defense.

But I’m not alone in the belief that my enthusiasm as a fan plays a role. It seems silly unless you believe in the magic of basketball, which I do.

I never really bought into the idea Santa Clause as a child, but a mythical bird called the Jayhawk, now that’s something I could believe in.

College basketball has a mystical way of uniting people across political party, religious affiliation, and race. We may have our differences but come game time we are Kansas.

And this Saturday we will be rooting our Jayhawks on with high hopes, loud cheers and cold beverages in hand.

We can never forget. Seriously.

With shows like Doomsday Bunkers and Doomsday Preppers on air, it’s impossible to deny that many people feel the end is near.

For those of you unfamiliar with these shows, they depict families preparing for some sort of national disaster or some end-of-the-world scenario. These people are taking action for one of the millions of conspiracy theories they may have read online.

I must admit I went through a conspiracy theory phase in high school. I mostly learned about these theories through my debate friends. There is the one about the underground military base beneath the Denver International Airport. And everybody knows the theory that we didn’t really land on the moon. I have to admit it is pretty suspicious that we have never went back. Hmm.

While many of these conspiracy theories seem harmless some cross the line. I feel sad for the people who live in such fear that they dedicate their entire lives for preparing for the end. And I feel annoyed by the people who think every president is THE antichrist. I clearly do not think Obama is the antichrist, but equally don’t think George Bush is the antichrist. We can disagree on politics without demonizing one another. I promise, it’s possible.

But the worst conspiracy theory I’ve ever heard is that the holocaust does not exist as we have depicted it in history. These holocaust deniers, or revisionists as they prefer to be called, dispute the use of gas chambers and believe that the number of Jewish people killed in the holocaust was significantly less than the six million figure that historians accept.

I recently had a conversation about this topic. Before I only thought crazies like Mel Gibson bought into this. The idea that someone truly believes the holocaust was fabricated angers me at my core.

I have read recollections of holocaust survivors, I’ve seen the museum in Washington D.C., I have friends who are Jewish, and I even freelance for the Kansas City Jewish Chronicle. I’m sure all those facts contribute to my emotions around this topic, but the primary reason I feel so passionately against these crazy holocaust deniers is because we can never forget.

We can never forget the horrific events that happened in the holocaust. We can’t water down the evil or teach others that the attempted genocide didn’t occur. We can never forget.

Because when do, we are less likely to acknowledge the tragedies that occur today. We can never forget. Because when we do, we won’t notice the slippery slope that leads to injustice. We can never forget. Because when we do, we might not notice when politicians or those in power ostracize minority groups.

We can never forget. Because six million million Jewish people died in the holocaust, about two-thirds of the Jewish population in Europe. We can never forget because their deaths should not be in vain.

One of my favorite professors in college often said, “Ideas have consequences.”
Indeed they do. Denying the past or focusing on the end-of-the-world future scenarios prohibits us for being present, aware, and affective in the here and now.

Never forget the past, but also don’t be too worried about the future to participate in the beauty of today. It’s balance that I strive to achieve.

Fun just a short car trip away

With weather in the 70s and lower 80s it’s the perfect time of year for a leisurely day trip. Here are a few of my favorite places with two hours of Kansas City.

Parkville, Mo.

I love Parkville. It has the quaint features of a small town just 20 minutes outside the city. Shop in downtown Parkville. Stay the night at bed and breakfast and then hit up the Farmer’s Market in the morning.

Parkville also has a variety of events and festivals throughout the spring and summer. My favorite is the annual microbrew festival, slated for 1 to 5 p.m. April 21 at English Landing.

Lawrence, KS

I know, I know, I live in Lawrence. But most of you readers probably don’t and this town is worth the 40 minute drive west. Lawrence’s downtown might possibly be the happiest place on earth, filled with tons of shops and eateries. Pick up some unique, locally made items at stores like Made on Mass, Doodlebugs and Third Planet. Then enjoy a nice meal and a beer from Freestate Brewery.

If you feel like spending the night the Oread and the Eldridge are a great choice. And this will give you time to check out Lawrence’s live music scene.

Holy-Field Vineyard and Winery

Located at 18807 158th St., Bashor, Kan., Holy-Field gives you the winery experience without the trip to Napa Valley. Tour the vineyard and enjoy one of the many wine selections Holy-Field produces.

In May, Holy-Filed will start it’s Friday night summer music series. The winery also hosts Murder Mystery Dinners. Their next murder mystery dinners will take place at 7 p.m. May 11 and 12.

Ft. Scott, Kan.

Ft. Scott is my hometown, but I never realized what a great day trip it made until I went back with my dad a couple of years ago and played tourist. Ft. Scott is about an hour and half south of Kansas City. Ft. Scott’s downtown has several antique stores. If you like to antique this is the place for you. The prices beat any antique stores in Kansas City, hands down.

After a day of shopping drive about 20 more minutes south on 69 Highway and pick up the best fried chicken you will ever eat at Chicken Annie’s in Pittsburg, Kan.

No laughing matter

Today I want to give a wag of my finger to Mr. Stephen Colbert.

Last week Colbert interviewed Claire Danes about her role in the Showtime television show Homeland. Danes plays a CIA agent who has bipolar disorder.

“You play a character with a a set of particular emotional issues,” Colbert starts the interview.

Is he really going to talk about bipolar disorder and be able to make it funny, I thought as I watched the clip from Homeland.

The clip showed a hospitalized Danes frantically begging a nurse in a psych ward for a green pen. They had given her a blue pen but that wouldn’t work. It had to be the green one. The blue one doesn’t even make sense, Dane’s character says. The character becomes irate. Clearly she’s insane.

Danes pulls off the bipoloar character well and makes me want to actually watch Homeland. Colbert, unfortunately, did not get through the interview without offending almost anyone who is bipolar or has a loved one with the disease.

“What’s wrong with her?” Colbert says with a laugh after the clip ends.

Later in the interview Colbert jokingly asks Danes, “Is there anything bipolar in you?”

“I really, really hope not,” she replies.

I watch the Colbert report almost every night. I’m a fan. I even thought about donating to his Super Pac. But poking fun at people who have a mental illness is just wrong. Period.

Do I have a double standard about poking fun of politicians, celebrities and billionaires? Absolutely. People who go into politics or reality T.V. put themselves in the limelight. People who have a mental illness on the other hand, typically pray that they are able to stay under the radar, at least as far as the mental illness is concerned.

According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, bipolar disorder affects about 5.7 million adults. Most of these people don’t talk about their illness because there is so much stigma and miseducation about the disorder. And interviews like the one on the Colbert Report only drive people who suffer from bipolar disorder even more into isolation.

I know because I have bipolar disorder.

I was diagnosed with this condition at 22 after a six month bout with severe depression followed by a full-blown manic episode. For those of you who don’t know what a manic episode is, imagine smoking crack and tripping acid at the same time. Speeding thoughts, hallucinations, paranoia and endless energy. It seems fun at first until you come down and realize you have lost half your friends, compromised your career and made a fool out of yourself to everyone you know.

Picking up the pieces of my mania felt like starting over. With the help of family, the friends who stuck around, and a very gracious editor, I was able to get back on my feet.

Over the years, I’ve made new sets of friends and continued to pursue my career. And as I’ve done so, I’ve managed to keep my disorder a secret for the most part. With lithium on my side, I’ve avoided any major depression or manic episodes.

The truth is bipolar disorder is extremely treatable. But people often don’t get treatment or don’t stick with treatment because of the stigma. No one wants to be crazy. No one wants to be the girl who needs the green pen.

Well, I am that girl. When I saw that scene from Homeland I saw myself. And it wasn’t something that I wanted to laugh about. Or hear other people laugh about.

Would Colbert laugh about the fact that Laura Linney’s character has cancer on the The Big C? I doubt it. Because we don’t joke about cancer. And we shouldn’t joke about a disorder as serious as bipolar either.

I wrote this blog because I no longer want to stand by when people make uneducated remarks about a condition that has so vastly affected my life. I wrote this blog because I want people to know that it’s okay to have bipolar disorder. I wrote this blog because I want people to realize that yes, we are crazy at times, but we are also treatable, competent, creative, successful, and all around awesome.

P.S. I would also like to give a tip of my hat to all the people who have bipolar disorder and continue to take their meds and hold their heads high.

My latest Aha! moment

After years of watching Oprah, it turns out I don’t need the day time diva to recognize my own “Aha! moments.”

Last week I participated in a discussion about the examined life with fellow Plymouth Congregational peeps. (Side note: this group meets at 5:30 p.m. every Thursday at Henry’s in Lawrence. Rumor has it that we’ll be discussing feminism and sexuality this week. You should check it out.)

Back to my Aha! moment. The benefits of a self examined life are numerous. When you are aware of your self, your environment, your choices, you are able to transition from a life of chance and circumstance to one of intentionality and meaning. Being conscious of your goals and decisions, what a beautiful concept.

But what if your mind refuses to stop at healthy examination and enters into the realm of absurd obsession? Unfortunately, I seem to know this realm all to well.

When I have a disagreement with a friend, or receive a rejection e-mail from a potential employer, or burn dinner, my mind races with thoughts of why, oh why, these tragedies had to happen.

I obsess and obsess until I come to the conclusion that, my friend hates me and has realized the true extent of neuroticism; I’m completely unemployable and most of the things I’ve written in the past are likely a gibberish only I can read; and my husband’s weight loss is due more to my bad cooking rather than my healthy menu choices. I obsess until I see myself as the most unlikeable person on the planet. Well, maybe not the most unlikeable. Even in my most obsessive state I still like myself more than Chris Brown.

So, how do I find a balance between this healthy Socratic examination and the obsessive thought patterns that so often hold me captive?

I found the answer during yoga Sunday night. I was meditating a twist position, which apparently is detoxifying. As I focused on detoxifying my mind from these negative thought patterns, I heard a distinct phrase in my mind.

“Admit defeat,” my inner voice said.

Admit defeat? That has got to be the most uninspirational words of inspiration I’ve ever heard. Come on, God, give me something to work with, I thought.

As I thought, or rather “examined,” these words I realized what they meant. I needed to call a cease fire with my mind, because these obsessions are really the opposite an examined life and I will never beat them. The solution is to simply walk away from them.

I don’t have to be controlled by my obsessive thoughts, because when I examine my life I realize that those thoughts are not true. Aha! I don’t have to be obsessive any more. But for the sake of creativity it looks like my neuroticism is here to stay.

Giving up life's distractions

I love the liturgical calender. And out of all of the seasons, the season of Lent is probably my favorite.

I love the prescribed time for reflection and the celebration of new life with Easter at the end of Lent.

To some people Lenten sacrifices might seem like a dogmatic, meaningless tradition. But for me giving up something, or changing my routine, between Ash Wednesday and Easter, frees me to contemplate and focus on things that matter.

Each year when I think about what to give up for lent, I think of the things that captivate my mind and distract me the most.

Here are the top five distractions in my life this year. I haven’t decided which ones I will attempt to give up yet, but I hope to have made a choice by the time I post this blog.

1. Facebook. I have given this up in past years, but became dependent on Facebook again as soon as logged back in. Facebook seems to be the ultimate time suck for me. Now that I work from home it’s even worse.

2. Comfort food. When I am stressed, bored, lonely, or mad I turn to food. For obvious reasons cutting sweets would be a good option.

3. Television. I have become seriously addicted to television over the past two years. (I am actually watching Smash as I write this.) I blame my husband for this new vice. I didn’t even have cable before we moved in together.

4. Shopping, especially online shopping. If Facebook is my number one time suck online, Ebay, Amazon and Groupon are tied for second. I mean I really can’t start my day without reading through all the Groupon getaways. You just never know when one of them might meet my vacation needs.

5. Celebrity gossip. I am embarrassed at the amount of celebrity gossip that enters my mind on a daily basis. From Good Morning America’s pop news, to the talking points on The View, I just can’t seem to get away from juicy celebrity news. That is unless I actually tried.

I have a lot choose from,when it comes to giving up the distractions in my life. I look forward to this season of reflection, simplicity, and centering. Happy Ash Wednesday.

Five books that will change your life

One of the best things about my transition from my full-time job as editor to the life of a freelance writer is that I have so much more time to read for pleasure.

Books are the reason I wanted to become a writer in the first place. I remember my mom reading me crazy Bible stories to me before I could read myself. I still have the complete 10 volume set on my book shelf so someday I can pass on the stories to my own children and try to answer their questions about complex Old Testament stories packaged in colorfully illustrated chapters.

Stories and books have been extremely formative in my life. And when look back at the books I’ve read as an adult five have shaped my life more than any other. I honestly would not be the person that I am today had I not read the following five books.


Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
I read this book in the midst of the most severe depression I have ever experienced. This book gave me hope in something that couldn’t be explained or defined in words. Somehow I knew my depression would pass and I also knew that my faith would survive my evolution into adulthood.


The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
One of my debate coaches got me this book for a high school graduation presents. It’s words are among the truest I’ve ever read. Be impeccable with your word. Don’t take anything personally. Don’t make assumptions. And always do your best. I strive to live my life by these agreements, challenging as they may be.


Pastor, I’m Gay by Howard Bess
I read this after a few of my friends came out of the closet. The book is the story about one heterosexual pastor’s journey ministering to men and women who have come out of the closet. I grew up in a church where “ministering” to members of the LGBT community meant transforming them into straight individuals. This book opened my eyes to Jesus’ inclusive love. And it prompted me to seek out a church that is open and affirming for my family to attend.


Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott
Honestly, any book by Anne Lamott could be on this list. But as a writer I would say Bird by Bird shaped me the most. When I find myself discouraged or stumbling I go back to her words. Writing is an art and a gift that I try not to take for granted. No matter how shitty my rough drafts are I keep going. Why? Because Anne Lamott says to.


A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned from Editing my Life by Donald Miller
Yes, Donald Miller made the top five twice. What can I say? I heart Donald Miller. This book challenged me to take risks. And those of you who know me know I am not a risk taker. Don’t let the free-spirit attitude and tie-dyes I wear full you. I worry about everything. But in this book Miller encourages us to think about the “what ifs?” What if I took my writing as seriously as I would like other people to? What if I actually finished the book I’m working on? What if I stopped sweating the small stuff? What if I reexamined the American dream to focus on relational capital rather than material worth? What if?

The best books leave you with more questions than answers. All five of these books accomplish that goal. If you want something to inspire, challenge, and motivate you in 2012, check one of these books out.

Heart health: A gift that keeps on giving

I don’t usually get into Valentine’s Day but I decided I wanted to make this year special.

Logan and I will have been married exactly nine months on Valentine’s Day and I figure that deserves more than the box of chocolates and cheesy card that I usually get him.

I thought about getting Logan a Kindle Fire, but then realized that gift would be more for me. I took note of the records he’s been looking at on E-bay, but he seemed to have already purchased them. What to do? What to do?

I love to buy and create gifts for people. It’s one of my favorite things to do. But for some occasions a gift just doesn’t seem adequate. What I really want to give Logan for Valentine’s Day is time.

I want us to have time to spend together, not just for a Valentine’s Day date, but for a lifetime. And I know that requires us both to be healthy.

Along with Valentine’s Day and Black History month, February also marks American Heart month. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death for men and women in this country. Those statistics hit home in our house. Logan’s father and grandfather both died of heart attacks before the age of 50, an age that seems younger and younger the older I get.

I can’t imagine living the second half of my life without Logan. We have big dreams of driving across the country in a Volkswagen bus when we retire. And we plan to be the hippest couple in our retirement village.

I can’t bear the thought of losing Logan to heart disease. We eat healthy and exercise moderately but I know that’s not always enough. And in case I ever forget the daytime shows likes The View are filled with advertisements for cholesterol lowering medications. I guess they want women like me to nag their husbands to go to the doctor.

I have to admit the commercials worked on me. (I’m quite the sucker when it comes to targeted marketing.) When I think about Valentine’s Day, the only thing I really want to get for Logan is an appointment to the doctor to get his numbers checked.

Valentine’s Day reminds me of how much I love my husband. And American Heart Month reminds me how much I don’t want our time together to end too soon.

Sisters: The greatest gift you can ever receive

These days it seems like everyone I know is having a baby.

I can’t log into Facebook without seeing status updates with pictures of sonograms, nurseries and “baby bumps.”

Logan and I haven’t made the plunge into parenthood yet. But when we do talk about having children the conversation always involves having more than one. Siblings offer a unique interaction that you just can’t get any where else.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that all single children are socially awkward. My nephew* Kaelum is an only child and he is one of the coolest kids I know.

My reason for wanting my child (if I’m lucky enough to have one) to have siblings is because I can’t imagine my life without my sisters.

My family is a bit unconventional. I am the oldest child and have four sisters all together. I grew up close to my sisters on my mom’s side, Tempest and Breanna, here in Kansas. I connected with my dad and two sisters on his side, Crystal and Emily, as an adult.

I feel connected to all my sisters, especially Tempest and Breanna as our childhoods are intertwined. My sisters are the only ones who understand my crazy family dynamics.

They are the ones I turn to during hard times and laugh with during good times. They get me in a way no one else does.

My sisters also serve as a witness to life’s events, both tragic and triumphant. There are times in my life where I think, “did that really happen?” and check in with one of my sisters to confirm I’m still in touch with reality.

A few weeks ago, as I sorted through my old children’s books, I stumbled across a plastic bag filled with dried four-leaf clovers. Instantly my mind went back to a spring day in my Great Grandma Harris’ yard more than 20 years ago with my sister Tempest. I remember the excitement when we found the first four-leaf clover. And before we knew it we found another. And another. And another. We collected nine four-leaf clovers that day.

I was probably 7- or 8-years old when this happened. I remember thinking that God had magically placed those four-leaf clovers there to show us that we were special and loved. When saw the collection pressed between the pages of a Dr. Seuss book all these years later, the magic flooded back into my mind.

I texted my sister to see if she remembered the four-leaf clovers. She did and couldn’t believe I still had them. (Literally, she couldn’t believe it so I had to send her a picture text of them.)

My sisters are the greatest gift my mom has ever given me. Someday I hope to give my oldest daughter the gift of a sibling as well. Now, if my first child is a boy, well, I might go ahead and stop at one.

*Technically Kaelum is not my biological nephew, but he is my nephew at heart. And the word nephew is much less cumbersome to write than, “my friend Edmee’s son.”

These are a few of my favorite things

There are times in my life where I have to pause and to figure out if the words I’m saying are my own or scripted directly from an infomercial.

Don’t get me wrong, my words are genuine, but when I find a product I really like, I sometimes act out these live infomercials, usually in my kitchen. My friends humor me, though I doubt they ever really buy the products I push.

My latest infomercial moment came a couple weeks ago during game night at my house. Halfway through the night I noticed we had already eaten the entire bowl of hummus.

“No worries,” I said as I hoped out of my chair. “I can make more using my Magic Bullet.”

I proceeded to give a demonstration of how to make hummus in less than a minute.

“You don’t even have to chop the garlic,” I said as tossed two cloves in the Bullet along with a can of chick peas, some olive oil and cumin.

I understand that my enthusiasm during the demonstration might have seemed like a bit much, but homemade hummus in less than a minute, that’s pretty flippin’ amazing. Which brings me to the purpose of today’s blog: three products I just can’t stop talking about.

1. The Magic Bullet. From smoothies, to dips, to soup, this device is sooo much more convenient than a blender. And it takes up much less space.

http://www.buythebullet.com/

2. My Large Utility Tote from 31 Gifts.



I had a 31 party a couple of years ago because my husband’s friend’s wife is a consultant. I forced my mom, sister and aunt to come and we were all amazed at the quality of the 31 Collection. My favorite item is the Large Utility Tote. I use it to cart around everything from groceries, to Christmas gifts, to clothing swap clothes. It is such a versatile product. I bought one for my mom and and mother-in-law and we all talk about how much we use them. I’m telling you if you have a mother-in-law or sister-in-law or any female who you don’t know that well but want to get them super nice gift, go with the Large Utility Tote from 31 Gifts.

www.thirtyonegifts.com

3. Grass fed beef.



I’m a Midwesterner through and through. And while I strive to eat healthy, there is no way I could ever give up beef. High cholesterol runs in my husband’s family so we found the perfect solution through grass fed beef. Compared to grain fed beef, it contains less cholesterol, a third of the fat and is pact with omega-3s. Grass fed beef is also typically better for the environment because it is usually raised on sustainable farms. And since we buy our meat locally we do not have to feel guilty about all the carbon fuels it takes to ship beef from South America. We buy our meat from Hill Top Farms in Perry, Kan. Check them out. I promise you won’t regret it.

hilltopfarmskansas.com

If I were Oprah this would be the point in the blog where I shout out that everyone gets a Magic Bullet and Large Utility Tote. And you get a cow. And you get a cow. And you get a cow. Everybody gets a cow!

But alas, I’m not Oprah, just a blogger sharing a few of my favorite things.

Tebow-mania predicts the Republican nominee

There are only two things I don’t love about Colorado- the Denver Broncos and the high concentration of social conservatism in Colorado Springs.

Tim Tebow has managed to combined those two things into one nationwide phenomenon. These days, I can’t log into Facebook without reading something about Tebow-mania. Tebow fans are everywhere and their voices should not be dismissed. Their voices will likely chose this year’s Republican presidential candidate.

As I pondered what created the tipping point for Tebow-mania, I discovered a few interesting observations as to why Tebow is just so darn likable to so many Christians.

Reliance on higher power

Whenever I feel stressed or overwhelmed I take a few deep breaths, clear my mind, and ask God for a fresh perspective. To friends who are atheists this may seem silly, but there is something powerful and refreshing about releasing control to a higher power.

I know that I do not make the world spin round. But silly as it seems I believe that we are all connected to the one who does. That life-line to God is a comfort to many people. There is a peace in acknowledging that we are not in control.

To see a football player so vocal and public about his prayer life is refreshing to many. To others (myself included) the PDA with Jesus seems a bit over-the-top. Kind of like the couple who won’t stop making out in the coffee shop who makes me want to scream, “Get a room!”

Unexpected role model

There are plenty of people who are public about their prayer life, but one of the things that makes Tebow stand out is that he is an NFL player. Let’s face it, when we think of professional athletes these days we don’t expect them to uphold high moral standards. When they get caught in sex scandal, we typically see it coming.

Tebow’s nice-young-Christian-man innocents makes people hopeful. “He is someone my son or daughter could look up to,” they say.

Fourth quarter ‘miracle’ wins

Tebow’s infamous prayers on the football field developed his fan base, but this season’s fourth quarter comebacks tipped Tebow-mania over the edge. And why shouldn’t it have? (I know, I know, there are plenty of football reasons why it shouldn’t have. The question was rhetorical.)

“Fourth-quarter comebacks” date back as far as the Bible. Look at Abraham and Sarah, founders of the Judeo-Christian faiths. They tried for decades, not years, decades, to conceive a child. Sarah finally gave birth to Isaac when she was close to 100, or something absurd like that. The Bible is full of these comeback-when-the-game-is-nearly-over stories, so we shouldn’t be surprised that people are inspired by Tebow’s fourth-quarter wins.

What does Tim Tebow have to do with the presidential primaries? Glad you asked. The same attributes that made Tebow-mania a phenomenon are present in Rick Santorum. He outwardly displays his reliance on God, his near win in Iowa was the political equivalent of a fourth-quarter win, and though he may not be the ideal role model he certainly tells the social conservatives what they want to hear. (It makes me extremely sad that they seem to want to hear that he will put an end to gay marriage.)

The point is, don’t dismiss Santorum in South Carolina. If he can get the Tebow votes, I think he can win the nomination. You heard it here first.

*Read my blogs, stories and more at herkansascity.com.

Creating a new me

After a year of transitions- marriage, unemployment and a shorter hair cut- I decided this would be the year I blossomed into my re-invented self.

I aimed to transform into some social media savvy, freelancing rock star. I know what you might be thinking. Arley, aren’t you already a social media savvy, freelancing rock star? Well, not quite. Or at least I don’t feel like it most days.

Every professional development workshop I’ve been to (and trust me I’ve been to lots the past few years) talks about how important it is to reinvent oneself during this age of digital media and the ongoing recession. So, over the past several months I have set out to reinvent myself. I had trouble deciding what “brand” of Arley I wanted to debut.

With each new genre that I tried out, I discovered something new about myself. During the summer I explored Bohemian Arley. I rode my bike everywhere, wore my Chacos every day and I made tie-dyes.

In the fall I transitioned into Homemaker Arley. I made breakfast for Logan before he left for work, I cooked dinner from scratch and I scapbooked in my free time. And I somehow managed to do it all without vomitting.

Professionally, I’ve tried to make myself a journalist who has mastered the world of online media and 140-character news feeds. But the truth is I haven’t, not completely. My preference will probably always lean toward printed media. And the thrill of being out in the community covering a story will always be more exciting than sitting behind my desk Tweeting the story after it was written.

The more I think about my attempted reinvention, the less I see it as a new invention of myself and the more I see it as the natural progression from one phase of life into another.

The experts at career workshops tell you to reinvent yourself, but I say don’t reinvent the wheel. Instead focus on the traits and passions that are at your core and let those attributes adapt to your current landscape. This evolution won’t occur overnight and it might not even happen before you send out your next resume. But the change will be genuine.

So, I guess you could say I’ve given up on the re-invention of me. For now I’m just Arley.