Religion & Football: Do They Compare?

The beginning of football season brings the inevitable weekend cookouts, cheese dip, and the occasional yelling at the television. Religion isn’t usually mentioned -- except for the casual blasphemy and overtime prayers.

Religion and football, though: they’re not so different. To begin, you’ve got your NCAA and NFL football fans. Your lesser-know Arena football fans, and even intramural, flag, and touch fans. You’ve got Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and an array of smaller, lesser-known religions.

My Ultimate Authority... Lessons Learned from Sue Monk Kidd

To write what I learned from Sue Monk Kidd's The Dance of the Dissident Daughter would be another book in itself. Period. But here are the highlights, the select few that are not necessarily the most important wisdom I came away with, but ones I think are the easiest to express here and now.

Writing: The Highs & Lows & 'Dislike' Button

This past week has been a week of extreme highs and moderate lows. Most of you know a major blog site -- BlogHer.com -- featured several of my blogs. As of this writing more than 4,000 people have viewed (and hopefully read) my words. What a rush! Do I care that I'm not paid for this? Heck no! Just as I bask in every post y'all share on your Facebook pages and/or Twitter feeds -- not to mention your comments -- I've reveled in this small success. I'm not ashamed to admit I'm proud -- and as an extra perk, my dopamine levels have been off the charts!

Vagina vs. Toodie: When Do I Update My Daughter's Vocabulary?

Vagina.

That’s right -- Vagina. I receive weekly email updates about timely news information. For instance, the past few weeks have detailed the events surrounding the 10-year anniversary of Sept. 11. But last week I was a bit shocked to find the headline: "THE WORD ON EVERYBODY'S LIPS IS 'VAGINA.’"

It’s not that I was offended -- very little offends me. I just found it odd this was ‘timely news information.’

(Music Review) Break Me Out by The Rescues

I've been in love with The Rescues since my husband discovered them this past spring. He bought the cd at Best Buy, forced me to listen to this song, and I was hooked. I must've listened to the cd at least a dozen times in the next week; over and over as I drove the 26 minutes to school in the mornings and the 26 minutes home in the afternoons.

The album is terrific. The group consists of two men, two women, and their harmonies remind me of youth choir -- which made my husband groan when I described it in those terms. They've got a pop-music feel -- which made my brother groan and say, "that's not my type of music."

But I love them. And I particularly love "Break Me Out."

Since When Do We Talk in the Library?

My daughter started school on Monday, and since I have two weeks of freedom and her school is located just blocks from the public library, I've been spending more time writing here. That's right -- I'm in the library writing this post.

And I'm irritated. Because everyday, the same two old men sit next to me and talk.

Tabloids & Facebook: There's a Connection

I am a recovering People.com junkie. Once upon a time, in a not-so-distant past, I checked the site two, maybe three times a day. I'm embarrassed to admit I would click its link before my local or national news sites in the morning.

(Book Review) The Great Gatsby

I'm a little uncertain how one even begins to review such a classic. So I've decided my approach: to speak to those of you who've never read it.  Because surely, surely, there are people like me that have always planned to read it but never gotten around to it.

"Diving into the Wreck" by Adrienne Rich

I came across Adrienne Rich this past weekend and was so moved I thought I'd share this today.

Right Book. Right Time.

Obviously I love to read. Reading my blog every now and then lets you know I consume books like some people consume energy drinks. I've been reading since the second grade, and the only trouble I got into in elementary and middle school was for hiding "outside reading" behind my textbooks. Yes, that makes me a goody-goody, but only until high school. I assure you I got into my fair share of trouble then. Just ask my parents.

(Book Review) Georgia Bottoms by Mark Childress

I've been meaning to read Mark Childress for a long time now, because he's from Alabama and I think it's important to support not only my state writers, but Southern writers, in general.

Dream Journaling: I Got Exactly What I Asked For

I’m currently reading Sue Monk Kidd, who keeps a dream journal. In fact, it seems she keeps a journal at all hours of the day, but I’m particularly fascinated with her dream journal. Which is why I decided to try it out.

Lunching with Joshilyn Jackson & What She Didn't Teach Me

So yes, yes. I lunched with Joshilyn Jackson on Friday. [Brush my shoulder, toss my hair, look smug]