Ten Things I Love, 42nd Edition

1 ~ I love the novel I'm writing.  Well...to say "writing" is a bit of an exaggeration; I've got three chapters written and am stuck.  However, it's a story I've been wanting to yank from the gaping maw of fandom and turn into an original novel for more than ten years, and I'm enjoying the feeling of slipping back into the world I created and remodeling it after a decade of experience has given my fiction a much more mature, toothier feel.

2 ~ I love my kitchen.  This past week I gave it a low-budget makeover, and I'm so happy with the results that sometimes I just stand there and stare at it.  It started with a set of white Ikea dishes, a can of green paint, and a screwdriver.  Lord knows I needed something to rekindle my zeal for cooking, and I do believe it worked; not to mention, it inspired me to really clean the rest of the house, brushing down cobwebs and giving away old belongings to people who could use them and love them and call them George.  Here, if you're curious, is the before and after.  (I may do a longer post about it on Stumbling Towards Ahimsa, with more detail.)

3 ~ In the same vein, I love my salt cellar, the same model used by Alton Brown on Good Eats.  It was the crowning piece I bought for the kitchen, and opening it makes me smile. Such a silly small thing, but it makes me feel like a grown-up cook.

4 ~ I love Hannah Kaminsky's recipe for Chai Spice Cheesecake, from her book My Sweet Vegan.  I'd never made a vegan cheesecake before, and was brave enough to try it out on my Witchy ladies.  Good gracious, it was fabulous!  If that cheesecake were a man I would get naked and do dirty, dirty things to it.  I still might.

5 ~ I love the Temperance Brennan mysteries by Kathy Reichs.  I'm a longtime fan of the Fox show Bones, but this last season has really ticked me off in a lot of ways, and it was great to find the source of the characters (even though they're nothing alike) and read something that took me back to when the show was an intelligent, character-driven drama with dark humor and believable science (mostly).  The novels are somewhat formulaic, but they're fun and a quick read, and not an insult to intelligence the way so much popular fiction is these days.

6 ~ I love smoothies.  Those who've bought my ebook Bowl, Book, and Spoon have my smoothie "recipe," such as it is.  I've been making them for breakfast almost every morning with a banana, frozen strawberries, vanilla soy milk, soy protein powder, and a bit of ground flaxseed, and they're delicious and stay with me all morning.  Yum yum.

7 ~ I love Billy Joel's "River of Dreams."  Something about that song always makes me bouncy on the inside.

8 ~ I love the new statue from Bell Pine Art Farm, Radiant Health, which now occupies a prominent place on my altar.

9 ~ I love when I get random good memories of my grandparents, like this evening, while I was snapping the tips off a pound of fresh green beans to steam for dinner.  I used to sit and do the same thing with both of my grandmothers, and for a moment it felt as if they were with me, my Grandma in her rocker on the porch, my Mamaw at the kitchen table. I loved both of those women fiercely and wish I'd told them so more often before they passed.  I should make a point of telling my mom more often, too--she's still here.

10 ~ I love that there are people who continue to support this blog even though I don't post here nearly often enough; those donations, and the emails I receive (even though I suck at replying, so please don't feel slighted) have kept me going through some seriously rough times, and I appreciate every thought, every dollar, and every iota of energy.  

This week, in fact, marks a year since my beloved Cosmo kitty had to be euthanized, and it was during that time that my readers here showed me what kind and compassionate people they are; their donations ensured that I could make the best decision for Cosmo's welfare with respect to his suffering rather than my finances.  I can't tell you all how much that meant to me, and still does.  I went a bit insane after all of that, and I'm still trying to fully come out of it, but knowing that the universe--and humanity--was filled with such generosity was more helpful than anyone can know.  My most humble gratitude to you all.

Comments

[Rich Nagle]

A friend sent me one of your blog entries recently because it amused her so much, and after reading that blog entry, I added you to my google reader. Your blog is one I "look forward to" reading. I'm a total stranger to you, but I enjoy your perspective and your writing style. I think I'd enjoy your book too. ;) Keep up the great blogging!

[Jessica]

I just found this lovely post. Thank you for such a wise and wicked top ten list. Hmmm, I think I would like to start my own list now.

Be well and happy
Jessica
"bright heart singing"

[Chameleon@EverydayTarot]

I found your blog googling "drawing down the moon" for a reference in a recent blog post at Everyday Tarot, and have spent the last forty minutes reading. I love your top ten list and just about everything else I've read. I also quoted one of your 2006 posts in my entry about The Moon Tarot card and addd you to my blogroll. Just wanted to let you know

[Sonya]

I'm de-lurking to tell you that as a fan of this blog, your non-fiction books, and The Agency (love love LOVE The Agency!) the thought of you writing a novel made me jump up and down with squeeful abandon. Can I pre-order it now? :-)

[Danmara]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who is unhappy with the way Bones has been going this year. It's not TOO bad, usually, but that episode with the hydrofluoric acid? Wow. There are so many things wrong with that. Example: they obviously used alcohol to create the flames on the body. Hydrogen does not burn like that.

That episode drove me nuts.

Has it been a year already since Cosmo passed away? Wow it really seems like just yesterday. ((((Dianne and Cosmo))))

[Kota]

Yours is a blog that I've followed for quite some time now (come to think of it, I can't really remember how I stumbled across it) and I cannot possibly express how eloquent and intriguing I find your writings are. I'm now hopelessly addicted to both The Agency and your plethora of Ten Things. Kudos for persevering with this blog, it will remain one who's updates I'll look forward to immensely =D

From the Far-Away-Land of Idaho,
Blessed Be

[Mel]

I check in here pretty often to see if you've posted something. I love your Shadow Agency stories, and I'm waiting for you to get to the end of the current one so I can read it all the way through without having to wait for the next chapter. And I love that you're writing a novel, even if you're stuck right now. You'll get though it :)

My sister lent me the first Temperance Brennan book, but I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. So many other books on my to be read pile, so little time...

[Susan]

Three things I love:

- Your blog
- The Agency
- Your tweets

...because all three are well-written and interesting, funny and intense. Thank you for letting us enjoy them!

[Ari]

As someone who came to know you through the pages of "The Body Sacred", I have grown to love and admire your witty sarcasm and your blunt honesty.

The top 10 list was awesome. The cheesecake sounds divine...I might have to look into making it. The statue is lovely too.