Happy bursts of creativity, and summer reading mode...

Happy Friday everyone! Last week, I just...forgot to blog. :-0 That is very unusual for me! But my mind was actually pre-occupied by the creative projects I've been working on, and combined with the daily parts of our lockdown life that we've finally gotten used to (homeschooling, working from home, dance and fitness classes in our guest room, hee!) it just slipped my mind until Friday evening. But I'm happy to say that I have settled into this situation a bit better and my mind is often now in a serene and creative place, and so things slipping my mind lately are a result of that, and no longer related to anxiety and depression, which I see as a very good thing!

I've been crafting up a storm owing to the Knit-along and Crochet-along that I'm participating in, both shawls. They are both arranged in blocks, and as you finish each block, you post a photo in the Ravelry group and are thus eligible to win a prize. It's very fun! The Knit-along shawl is particularly spectacular, and is called The Journey:

Pattern is "The Journey" via Expression Fiber Arts

So far, I've knit the segments called Cabin of Complacency (see the little cabins in the green section?), and Forest of Fear (leaves are my favorite!), and am about halfway through the River of Doubt:

This is a very rewarding project to make your way through. The yarn is an alpaca and silk blend and is quite warm and heavy, so sometimes I have to put the project down depending on the weather. :-0 But I'm loving it!

The crochet shawl moves along very quickly, as crochet is wont to do. I have 4 of 5 blocks done. This one is called the Renata shawl:

"Renata" shawl via Expression Fiber Arts

I'm calling mine the Spring Blooms shawl based on the colors I chose:

I just have the light green final segment left to go, and I'm aiming to complete that this weekend! The details in each section are really delicate and lovely:

I've also been a busy bee with writing, and my Catholic Mom piece this month on summer reading list themes. Yes, themes. :-0 This summer, I'm reading lots of cozy fiction, and there is also an intriguing biography in there about a prominent Catholic author. Check Catholic Mom next week for all the deets! If you have summer reading plans, I'd love to hear about them in the comments!

Reflecting on reflecting... ;-)

This week, I had a slight break in my busy teaching schedule (2 of the next 3 weeks are going to be quite unpleasant), and so I disciplined myself to work on my 2020 Gospel Reflections for CatholicMom.com. I've been a monthly contributor for Catholic Mom since 2015, when I met Lisa Hendey at the Catholic New Media Conference in Atlanta. I have such happy memories of that event, and everything associated with it, so that whenever I settle in to write one of my contributions, I think back on that time with a smile on my face. Some months, it's a rush to come up with an idea for a piece, but I've never missed a deadline.

I've also been a member of the Gospel Reflection team for the past several years. That involves taking on 3-4 short reflections that will appear on specific dates throughout the following year. I really enjoy those, because preparing for them means that I need to settle my mind a bit, read some scripture, and reflect on what that specific set of verses mean for my life at that particular point in time.

Each time I sit down to write a piece for Catholic Mom, I think about how lucky I am to have not only my faith, but the community that surrounds it. We are blessed to have a large, readymade group of friends to share our lives with. And each time I start typing up my contributions, I think about you all as I write them: What are we all going through right now, and/or what would you like to read about? I do tend to theme my pieces by the current season, liturgical and otherwise. Writing these really helps me to prepare and settle into the different milestones on the liturgical calendar, as well as the changing weather and seasons in my life: my kids getting older, changes in my job, etc. It seems like such a small writing gig, but it has been monumental for me personally as the years have gone by. You can check out all of the pieces I've written for them, including the Gospel Reflections, via my author page. :-)

This month, my piece isn't up quite yet (next week!) but it deals with birds. Yes, I know that must sound like a strange topic choice for Catholic Mom. :-0 But they give give us a lot of leeway on what to write about, because they want the pieces to be personal, and relatable. I wrote about birds because Anne and I love to birdwatch, and it's something that she and I share right now. Anne has been resistant to praying with me for a little while now, and I talk about that in the article. We share together when we watch birds, and it's an important bonding and emotional connection for us. I've also been finding it difficult to pray myself lately, as I've been experiencing a spell of spiritual dryness. This is cyclical thoughout my life, as I think it is for pretty much everyone. And it's lovely that I can express what I'm going through spiritually, even when it's not particularly exciting.

So be on the lookout for a piece on CatholicMom.com next week with an American robin as the featured photo. ;-) I love writing for them, and I can't wait to see what next year holds in terms of my writing inspiration! *beams*

Is writing a way for you to reflect on your own spirituality as well? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

New news on my book! And assorted other family updates...

Happy July heat wave, everybody, and hope you are doing well this week! We're busy, busy as always, but somewhat less hectic than last week. Anne made it though Girl Scout camp, and now this week Henry is working at his new Catholic high school, earning a bit of credit towards his tuition (which we definitely need him to keep doing). The school is quite close to our house, so this week's morning routine is vastly improved over Girl Scout week! Mike's summer teaching schedule changes after this week, too. He's teaching 2 classes right now, but they finish up today, and starting next week he'll just be teaching a section of Logic each morning. Easier schedules make for overall family happiness, to be sure.

For my part, I'm hanging in there with all of the emotional changes and doing pretty well with it.

*virtual fist bump*

Working quite hard on dance, I'll have a full post devoted to that sometime this summer. I've also been busily crafting. I'll likely post an update on that next week.

In other news, my book, and indeed the entire Stay Connected Journals series, is now being published by Our Sunday Visitor. This is a large Catholic publisher, and we're quite thrilled that they've been picked up by OSV! So my book now has a new home on Amazon, and the price is just $11.95. It's also for sale in OSV's shop, and they offer free shipping on all of their books. :-) This is a happy place for the books, and we're excited to see what the new publisher will do with them. I was on their webcast yesterday as part of OSV's author series to talk about the series and about my book specifically. You can view the recorded webcast by registering for the event here. :)

I just absolutely love this beautiful trio of books as a great gift idea, and I really hope that small group Bible studies get something out of them. It's such an exciting collaboration to be a part of, and I'm looking forward to seeing the fruits of this project.

For my own part, I'd really like to get back to daily scripture reading, but that has decidedly not been happening. This is all on my own (part of the problem) because I don't have a small group study that I'm a part of. How about you? Do you attend a faith sharing or Bible study group of any kind? What type of routine works for you in terms of adding scripture reading to your day? I'd love to hear what works for you!

Summer updates, and some big book news! (finally :))

Summer Book Club post is coming tomorrow, don't worry! I actually devoured the book in a few days, so I'm all ready to go for our discussion! Part I is tomorrow, Part II is next week. I even returned the ebook to the library so that the next person on the waiting list could have immediate access to Catholic apologetics goodness.

😇

I'm also busy frantically preparing for our big summer festival this weekend. This year is a whole new level. I'm in something like 500 dances. 😂 I'm not really exaggerating by all that much, unfortunately. It's...a LOT. We're doing pop up dances throughout the festival both days, and then a 90 minute stage show on Saturday, 60 minutes on Sunday. I have many group pieces pervading, and then a solo on both days, a longer one on Saturday. The sheer volume of costumes and accessories that I need to pack is making me increasingly paranoid about forgetting something and/or generally screwing something up majorly. I'll be there close to 6 hours on each day.

😳

Pray for me. :0 I'm certain that I'll be reporting in on all of the amusing details next week!

All right, so the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

*trumpet blares*

The book that I've been mentioning for about 2 years now, and working on for well over a year, is now in the printing process, and available for pre-order as part of a scripture study series for Catholic women!

Aren't they STUNNING?! Look at those pretty pastel colors!! My baby is the lavender one 😍:

*heart*

These books are down-to-earth, and easy-to-read, and are designed either for small group study, or from the comfort of your own couch with nothing but comfy clothes and a cup of tea as your companions on the journey. Each book has a different theme: the invitations of Jesus, classical works of Catholic literature, or the gifts of the Holy Spirit. All 3 books are organized into 7 chapters with opening and closing prayers, reflections on the chapter topic (in the case of my book, a different Catholic classic is featured in each chapter), connections to scripture, and discussion questions. These have journal prompts and space built right into the book, so there is plenty of room throughout to record yours/your groups' thoughts and experiences. You can see this below in the delightful interior design!

I could not be more pleased with how these books turned out. I plan to work my through all 3 as scripture studies and journals, and am just about jumping up and down with excitement! If you join the pre-order campaign, you will have your journal(s) in September!

🎉

We are trying to gather initial printing costs for our lovely publisher, Gracewatch Media, and a successful campaign also means more journals will come out in 2019! The pre-order comes with MAJOR discounts for you. Each journal is available for $9 (25% off), or you can buy all 3 for just $25 (30% off). There are also bulk discounts available for each book, so you could also procure 3 copies of any 1 book for 30% off, 5 copies for 38% off, or 10 copies for 50% off! This is *perfect* for a Bible study group to go in on together! Domestic shipping costs are extremely reasonable as well. Ordering during the campaign also means that you'll get your journals way sooner than waiting for the full launch.

🤗

If you'd like to support our humble campaign, I would be most grateful! These are marketed towards Catholic women, but I do truly feel that these journals are quite applicable to men as well! They also make great gifts for the women in your life.

The campaign is open for 20 more days! There WILL be online book clubs for these books as well, keep your eyes peeled, and I will keep you in the know. ;-)

Do you need a daily way to delve into scripture? Are you a journaler? I'd love to hear from you!

Writing has picked up again, and summer reading lists...

Happy Feast of the Ascension, everybody! I'm in one of the few dioceses that does not transfer this feast to the following Sunday, so I scrambled about this morning in order to make it to 8 am Mass. *halo* I felt all rushy rushy, but I have to say, it was very worth it. I felt like a million bucks when I got back into my little Honda Fit afterwards.

And speaking of good things...I'm definitely in full-out summer mode, and this year in particular, that is ALL FANTASTIC STUFF.

Is the winter finally over? Let me just check outside again, because you never know, given the way things have gone this year. It may go from sunny and mild, to complete squalling snowstorm during the time it takes me to do a spin in a dance choreography I'm practicing on my lunch break, like it did just a few weeks ago.

😳

After what we went through this year, I give you my word that I will not complain about being hot this summer. I may crack jokes about how large my hair expands in the humidity, but I will not complain, no sir.

And this summer will be LOVELY. Lots of fun dance events and gigs. A few short road trips with Mike and the kids. Visits with family and friends. Life is good.

I've also been hard at work on a long-term project! Remember, oh, sometime last year (actually maybe it was closer to 2 years ago 😶) I first mentioned that I was involved in writing a scripture study for women? Well, that is finally going to be a reality!

*trumpets blare!*

I wrote a full draft of my part of the series (focusing on the spiritual classics) last summer, and I know I talked about it then, but it had sat in it's draft form since August 2017. The editor (our beloved Allison Gingras!) was working on firming up a publisher, and I was so busy teaching I did not even look at it until my classes wrapped up this spring.

Things are finally in go-mode now, and there are three of us ready with the first installments in the series: Stay Connected: A Faith Sharing Journal Series. It will be published by Gracewatch Media, and we're optimistic that these first three books will be out this coming fall 2018! So much excitement!

We've been busily editing our own work, as well as going through the feedback we receive from additional sets of eyes. It's been intense, but a *tremendous* blessing. I have been filled with such a sense of peace since we picked this back up after my teaching was finished for the semester. I will keep you apprised of publication details as they become available to me!

Working on a writing project again, along with more room in my brain to *think* with no teaching for the next few months, has also brought my mind back to reading. Obviously, you know that I am a prolific reader. I tend, though, to read a lot of the same types of books: inspirational and/or cozy fiction. I love those books. However, every once in awhile, it's good to branch out and challenge ourselves. So, this summer, I made myself a list:

• Historical Fiction
• Contemporary secular fiction
• Historical non-fiction
• Memoir

These are all genres that I do not often read, but I want to read more often! Already, I have embarked on a memoir: Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters, by Capt. Chesley Sullenberger. This is about that United flight 1549 that lots both engines after takeoff from La Guardian airport back in 2009, and landed on the Hudson River, with all passengers and crew surviving.

I have to say, I'm *really* enjoying it! I'm reading it along with an online friend from a podcast community we're both a part of. It volleys back and forth in time from that fateful trip back into his childhood and training as a military pilot, and also his family life. It's absolutely fascinating, and I'm so glad that I branched out! We also have our Summer Book Club coming up, and that is also a memoir.  I'm thinking we'll tackle that in July, and I'll post about it more in a few weeks. Anticipation! :0

Historical fiction is pretty easy, I have several books meeting that criteria on my Kindle. Secular fiction, I'm certain I will find something to catch my fancy. I've been using the public library's ebook system more to borrow books, and it's been saving me a lot of money. 😂 They have a ton of books in this category. The toughie is historical non-fiction. I do not do well with long, dry reads, hee! Does anybody have any recommendations? I'd love to hear them!

Also, do you have your own summer reading list? If so, please share!

Tea Time with Tiffany #99 - A few actual details on current writing and podcasting projects...

We're back with video and a fresh new format for the 99th edition of:

Today I talk about my plans for the 100th episode, how Tea Time will be structured going forward, and FINALLY, details on my book project. Join me!






**To subscribe to the audio version of Tea Time with Tiffany, just search for it in iTunes or use this link to subscribe via Feedburner in your podcatcher of choice. Intro music is "Tea Ceremony" from PlayonLoop.com


Our freshened format will consist of weekly to monthly segments of:

• What's Happening?!
• On My BookShelf
• The Prayer Corner
• The Creative Commons
• Saint of the Month 

Also, our timeline for The Well/Summer Book Club is now included in the Catholic Book Club tab at the top of the blog!

I'm very excited! I really think this captures the spirit of the show all along, and just gives it a fresh shot in the arm. What are your creative endeavors for this summer? I'd love to hear from you!

A prayer for focus...

A little peek inside of the mind of your Catholic Librarian:

Dear Lord,

Hey, how's it going?! I know it's been a few days since I've been in touch in this way. I've been trying to be better about praying the rosary in the mornings, but. Wait...

*5 minutes elapse*

Sorry, back! I just remembered that the whole reason I sat down here was to take care of that email to Franciscan Media, and I wanted to do that before I forgot. Soooo, where were we?

Right! OK, so I need to work on this summer writing project. I need your guidance on this so much, Lord. I pray that the Holy Spirit...

*chime chime!*

"Tiffany speaking!"

*conversation ensues*

*5 minutes elapse*

*Tiffany hangs up phone*

*checks other notifications*

"Wait. What was I supposed to be doing?!"

 So sorry about that! I'm so easily distracted. And to be honest, Lord, THAT'S THE PROBLEM. I only have 2 months to get this project done, and let's just say that I have a llllooooooonnnnnngg...

"Hold on. Where's that notebook that I was working with last to keep tabs on where I left off?"

*searches piles on desk*

"Found it!"

OK, so Lord, you see the problem here? I need so much help in getting this project finished before the fall semester starts. Focus is a real problem for me, Lord. I need Your loving hand to guide me through this process, and for the Holy Spirit to inspire me with the words to write. Each morning, turn my eyes only to You, Lord, as I want only to do Your Will and glorify You through this work.  I ask this in...

"Crud! I forgot my lunch!"

Jesus' Precious Name. *sheepish*

Amen

😳

Do you keep a journal?

Current (and successful) Easter journal

I've been thinking a lot lately about journaling. Throughout my life, even as a child, I have tried to keep a journal in an off-and-on sort of manner. As a bookworm who always saw herself as a budding writer, this seemed like it should be a natural fit for me. Except that it wasn't. I'd dive into a new journal with a lot of gusto: I'd spend hours selecting just the right notebook for this endeavor, days thinking up a system for what and how frequently I'd write, and even devote time to picking the perfect writing instrument. Then I'd go to town for a solid week. Then I'd move to every other day, then a few times per week...until I realized that it had been 10 days and I hadn't written anything at all. I'd go through an inevitable period of coercing myself to write every so often before finally giving up the ghost and admitting that I didn't want to anymore. I'm a person who likes to live in denial. ;-)

And I still cannot fully pinpoint why this happens, and why journaling does not appeal to me in a long term format. I'm currently keeping a journal for Easter season via Blessed is She, and I do really like it. But this is an extremely short form and short term project that will end at Pentecost. When I have a date goal in mind, I can usually stay motivated. It's the "throughout my life" thing that usually throws me the curve ball.

But indeed, I *have* been enjoying the Easter journal, and I'd like to start investing in the Blessed is She Advent and Lent journals as well. Same deal. Short term goal, so I should be good. I wish I would keep up with this during Ordinary Time, but I know that I won't, so I'll stop torturing myself.

You know what I HAVE been doing for a long time, though? This blog. I started it back in (I THINK *blows dust off of brain cells*)  2008. So, that's almost 10 years. I'll have to go back and look, I know that I started it during the summertime too. So next summer can be a big milestone celebration here at Life of a Catholic Librarian. ;-)

And it's interesting, because I have always seen this blog as a journal of sorts. Granted, with a good deal of censoring and not exactly baring my soul the way I would in a journal that nobody read but me and God. :0 But I do share a lot with you, my friends. I certainly use a lot of discretion, but blogging is indeed a form of online journaling. And why do I like it so much more than keeping an old fashioned journal? Maybe *because* I have to be more creative and editorial in what I choose to write about since I am writing for others besides just myself. Indeed, I'm writing for others, for you. That brings a certain level of appeal to this writer. I don't want to write just for myself. I love fostering a sense of community and feeling like at least a few people out there enjoy reading what I have to write about, despite my less-than-perfect abilities.

I love blogging, I really do. So if you choose to stick around, you can be stuck with me for as long as you'd like. ;-) But how do YOU feel about journaling? Do you keep a journal? Do you feel that blogging is akin to journaling in some ways? I'd love to hear from you!

Winter inspiration and planning mode...

Happy Wednesday everyone! This morning, I was thinking about how pleased I am (and unexpectedly so! :0) with how much response I got to my January piece for Catholic Mom:

I guess I wasn't prepared for how many people have a devotion to St. Francis de Sales! He's a very quiet guy in my mind, that St. Francis. He's not the OTHER St. Francis that everyone always talks about. This Francis's feast day is in January, when everyone is bemoaning how much they loathe this post-Christmas winter time of year, and I think he gets overlooked a lot. I found him because he is the patron saint of writers, and for the past few years I've prayed his novena in mid to late January. When I write for Catholic Mom, I tend to write pieces that are very tied to the seasons and/or liturgical calendar. Last year I wrote about the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, so this year I switched over to St. Francis de Sales, whose feast is January 26th.

A few things resulted from all of this. First, I did set up the page for the St. Francis de Sales novena, which starts this Sunday January 15th, so if you'd like to join in, please do! There is a link on the page to the daily prayer, and we can be praying in community! I have a group of friends set up to pray it, and it will be all warm and fuzzy. The other thing is that in the comment discussion, I found out about a book based upon St. Francis's writings and philosophy towards holiness. The book is this one:

...and I have to say, I got rather intrigued after reading the sample. I think this would be a very useful book for me during the semester crunch that proved so crippling to me in the fall. I'm thinking that this may provide excellent journaling fodder for us during this stretch of Ordinary Time before Lent. Indeed, we still have some time before Lent, as Ash Wednesday isn't until March 1st this year.

Thoughts? St. Francis de Sales had a very understandable, relatable vision of holiness for laypeople. I like his everyday occurrences view of how we can become happy and holy. Let's just say that after Barb alerted me to this book in the comments over at Catholic Mom, I innocently added it to my cart over at Amazon, and then by the end of the day, had checked out. :0 It's now winging its way to me, and will be here tomorrow.

😇

Do you want to read along?! There is also a Kindle version available, so an instant download possibility. Right now, the book is $11.99 in print, or $9.99 for Kindle, over at Amazon. Take a look at the preview, and let me know your thoughts!

*Fun side note! If you would like a St. Francis de Sales rosary like mine, Allison currently has it listed in her Etsy shop, and use coupon code CATHOLICMOM for 10% off!

Tea Time with Tiffany #60 - Novenas, writing progress & aromatic wax...

Always an eclectic mix here at Life of a Catholic Librarian, no?

Today I discuss the new novena for August, my writing progress, a new endeavor with Catholic Mom, and my love of scented candles and wax.





**To subscribe to the audio version of Tea Time with Tiffany, just search for it in iTunes or use this link to subscribe via Feedburner in your podcatcher of choice. Intro music is "Tea Ceremony" from PlayonLoop.com

Items mentioned in this episode:

• Tripod for smartphones. 
• Festival dancing 2016 post.
• Shazam app to discover music titles.
• St. Jane Frances de Chantal novena.
• Catholic Mom Book Club for the fall, and Divine Mercy for Moms.
• My contributor page for Catholic Mom.
• Scentsy.

What's going on with you, dear listener? Are you praying the novena? Do you have a novena suggestion for September? Going to participate in the Catholic Mom fall book club? Do you love fragranced wax as much as I do? I would love to hear from you!

Tea Time with Tiffany #58 - "Who are you & why are you here?!" Teaching adventures abound...

Good day to you all! It's a fun, adventure-filled morning to discuss on:

Today I give a Skype crisis update, and relay my teaching and writing (or lack thereof) foibles so far this summer. But come the fall...well, you'll have to listen and find out!





**To subscribe to the audio version of Tea Time with Tiffany, just search for it in iTunes or use this link to subscribe via Feedburner in your podcatcher of choice. Intro music is "Tea Ceremony" from PlayonLoop.com

Items mentioned in this episode:

• I Am Margaret Book 3, Liberation.
• St. Anne video and audio of her chaplet.
• Chaplets page for TONS of video and audio on a dozen different chaplets.
• St. Anne novena prayers.

How is your summer going so far? Are you prepping anything fun for the fall? Do you have a morning prayer routine to share? I'd love to hear from you!

Tea Time with Tiffany #53 - Frizzy hair & discernment clarity...

Hi all! LOTS to talk about in this week's episode of:

Today I talk about summer hair woes (I know, I know, such a pressing problem, right?), lots of fun goings on, including a Tweetup on Saturday, and also a mysterious, but exciting, new writing project that will span the rest of the calendar year. Want to learn more? View on, dear viewer!




**To subscribe to the audio version of Tea Time with Tiffany, just search for it in iTunes or use this link to subscribe via Feedburner in your podcatcher of choice. Intro music is "Tea Ceremony" from PlayonLoop.com

Items mentioned in this episode

• Our weekend foray to the National St. Kateri Tekakwitha Shrine
• Recent post about feeling overwhelmed, and support from friends!
• I forgot to mention this, but my June piece for Catholic Mom is up, and it's part of their summer series "Ordinary Time, Extraordinary Mercy."

How do you deal with prayer and discernment, friends? Have you had doors opened and/or closed in the past, and how do you handle it? I would love to hear from you!

In fall planning mode, and new saint dolls!

Hello all, and happy Friday! It seems like I talk about saint dolls a lot on here, doesn't it? One would think that I have a bit of an obsession with them or something. ;-) I do love saint dolls, both for myself and my kids. I always order them early, well before Christmas and the feast of St. Nicholas, since they are handmade and take time to paint and ship. This year's round one features the following...

*drum roll*

Aren't they precious?! On the left is a rose rosary box for Anne, so not a saint doll, but it's beautiful, yes? It's what she asked for. In the center is St. Kateri, and yes, she is for me. :) She is currently residing beside Our Lady Star of the Sea on my desk, and both of them seem very happy to have company, and to have made the others' acquaintance:

She is just perfect for me, I think. And of course, on the right is St. Nicholas, and he will be gifted to Henry. I'd like to get Anne the wood nativity set from this shop, but it's $$$ :) and I'm waiting to see if there will be a fall coupon code coming up. Well worth the money, for sure, but any little savings helps. Especially since there are roofing guys currently at our house. :-\ I'm grateful we were able to get this done before the weather turns, and the house really needs it, but holy budget blaster, right there.

All right, so happy saint doll order is in. I was off yesterday with Mike and the kids at a local amusement park, and during the inevitable line waiting I was doing some thinking about fall planning for work and this blog. Before I get into the nitty gritty, I thought I'd point out that I, you know, bravely went to an amusement park. ;-) I used to love amusement park rides back in my youth. I was fearless about riding roller coasters. Now? I am a total WET BLANKET at amusement parks. :0 Rides either terrify me or make me feel pukey, but I soldier on, because my kids love them, and it's not fair for me to pass off my fear to them. They should be able to go and enjoy, and they do. I do still love a few rides, like the Scrambler, Tilt a Whirl, and Sleighride, which I know doesn't make a lot of sense, because many people get nauseous on those rides and cannot go on them. Every time we're there, someone throws up on the Tilt a Whirl and it has to be closed for maintenance.  :0 But it's never me, because I LOVE that ride. Swirling within spinning is just a total thrill for me; I love the sensation and I don't feel fearful or nauseous at all. Go figure, right? So I went on those with the kids, plus the little hot air balloons with Anne, and otherwise sat around letting them go on what they wanted. Mike rode the roller coasters with Henry, as he still enjoys those, and thank God for that so that I didn't have to sacrifice myself. ;-)

So anyway, back to the original topic. Fall plans. The semester starts up here at the university on Monday, though my kids don't start school until the day after Labor Day. What's in store?

Well, I did (aside from a concluding paragraph) complete the short article on Catholic fiction that I was fixing to write. I need to send the abstract in to the editor, and then edit and ready the manuscript, because (hopefully!) she's going to want to see it. So that summer work goal was met, thankfully.

I start teaching and all that jazz on Monday. I'll probably have a video post dedicated to that topic coming up in a few weeks. I'll be busier, for sure. Which got me to thinking about blog plans for the fall...

And so, yes, I have plans! :) I think what I'd like to do is have a 3 post per week plan. Monday or Tuesday, a longer, amusing, family/life post. Wednesday or Thursday will be a Tea Time video post. Fridays will be for lifey posts too, perhaps a bit shorter than the Monday post. I could also write about Catholic topics on Fridays, maybe some Catholic Nook posts when inspiration strikes, or Advent-related goodness as we approach that liturgical season. I'll still do 7 Quick Takes sometimes, but not every week. I do like those posts, but not all the time. We're free floating spontaneity and inspiration over here at Life of a Catholic Librarian. ;-) I'll obviously pop Catholic Book Club posts up on Wednesdays when those dates come around. And stay tuned for podcast news, because I'm hopeful that something will be ready this fall!

What do you all think? What are your favorite type of posts that I write? How would you like to see me structure a posting schedule? All very loosey goosey, mind you, nothing has to be etched in stone around here. But it's nice to have a general expectation, I think, for both you and me, of what will come each week. I'd really love for you to chime in on this, have at it in the comments!

Tea Time with Tiffany Episode 7 - Writing, and current blog projects update!

Well, good morning to you all, on this rainy day here in WNY! Technical difficulties abounded, but I was able to wrestle them into submission in time to get out another episode of:

This week I'm talking about summer projects for the blog, as well as writing in general. I've always loved to write, and want to know how I got started? View on, dear viewer!


Items mentioned in this episode:

• Chaplets audio project update - links as soon as they are available!
• My spring 2015 blog identity crisis, and happy resolution.
• My childhood love of writing, details in the video!
• First piece at CatholicMom.com will go live Monday July 13th, I will post a link! 
• For all of the increased interaction in the comments on this blog, THANK YOU!!
• St. Francis de Sales - patron saint of writers.

Finally, what do YOU want me to write about more, both on the blog, or potentially in a future formalized place, like a book? What are your favorite topics that I discuss? I want you, my community, to help me frame this project that has been a dream of mine since childhood. Please write in and let me know your thoughts!

Praying on summer inspiration, as I brainstorm in organized librarian mode...

Good afternoon to you all! It's an absolutely gorgeous day here. I was once again able to walk out of the house wearing only a cardigan over my sleeveless shell, and no jacket. Shazzam! And open toe shoes too?

*swoons*

Spring is here to stay, it seems. And thank God for that.

Speaking of Him, ;-) I've been doing a lot of thinking this week about...stuff. As in: what am I going to do with the rest of my life? Is this a mid-life crisis? :0

I mean, there are major things that will remain unchanged. I am a wife and mother, that is my vocation. I am a librarian, that is my job, and I have a tenured position with outstanding benefits. Hence, that too will remain the same. Not only are those constants, I am happy in all of those respects. But in terms of my time outside of those roles, what would I like to do?

Man. I don't know. :0 See, that's the problem right there. The first things that come to my mind are these:

(1) I need to pray about this. Well, I have prayed, but have I listened? I don't think so. Which is to say NO. So I need to do that, and then await what happens. Because something will happen, I need to trust in that.

(2)  Writing. I love to write, that's why I started this blog. And this actually applies in my job as well, because writing for professional publication is highly encouraged here. The summer is a perfect time to tackle such projects, since I don't have any teaching responsibilities until the fall. So I think that's a yes, I should try and write an article. Check, will try to get started on that. But back to...

(3) Fun writing. :) Outside of work, what would I like to write? Well, I enjoy this blog. I don't think it's going anywhere, anytime soon. But could I write somewhere else? I'd like to, on life and faith-related topics. But where? Online? A book? No clue. Awaiting inspiration!

(4) Dance. I love Middle Eastern dance, I 'm sure you can tell. If I'm being honest, I don't write about it as much on this blog as I'd like to, because I'm not always sure how people will react. And perhaps, given the title of my blog, this type of content is unexpected and not appealing to all readers. So maybe I should have somewhere else that I can feel free to write about dance to my heart's content. Another blog? That sounds fun, but rather exhausting to maintain two. Maybe I could write a short ebook of my dance experiences over the past seven years? Is that of interest to anybody? I would really love your feedback on this one. This is definitely what I consider a "life blog," so pretty much anything that goes on in my life is fair game, you've been warned. ;-) But maybe I would enjoy a different model, I'm not sure.

(5) Podcasting and/or video blog posts. The podcasting thing...I just need to learn how to do it. :) Hopefully, soon. And my interest in that lies in faith topics. Video blog posts, I think this is actually doable, like, right away. :) I've always wanted to try that. And I know how to do it, technology-wise. Will they be any good? Don't know. :) But I should try. The only problem with both of these ideas is that it involves hearing my own voice, which I really don't like, but there you have it.

That's all I got so far. ;-) I'm in brainstorm mode, which I genuinely enjoy. I love coming up with new, fresh and creative ideas. I feel a little bit adrift right now, as if I'm not so certain anymore of where my energies should lie creatively, and even whether or not what I am doing is the perfect fit for both me and anybody who reads my work.

So, I really, really mean it: Leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts. :) I value that you read what I write, and I want what I write to be meaningful to both you and to me.

Some pre-weekend good news

I rushed into work this morning, since I had 3 classes to teach, beginning at 9 am, and hurriedly checked my email. As I quickly deleted spam and unsolicited publisher messages, I very nearly missed a gem: my article was accepted for publication. :) I was so thrilled, I didn't even mind that I had to go and stand and talk in front of people for 3 full hours. I have to make some minor revisions, and force my image files into compliance (which I'm sure will not be a pleasant task) but it will appear in print in early 2011.

Thrilled, thrilled, thrilled. This means that my chances of achieving tenure next year are better, and well, that's REALLY good considering that if didn't, I'd have to leave my job. 0 incomes = bad. So, thank God for small blessings. :)

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

*hacks*

Well, as is the tradition of coughing-related illnesses, I'm still coughing. It's been rough, because it impacts my sleep, and I already feel so wretched in the evenings from pregnancy-related tiredness and nausea, but I'm hanging in there. Certainly, there are bigger problems than this.

Other than that, I'm doing very well. I've de-cranked considerably about the perinatologist thing. I slowly came to the realization that if our baby has special needs, I will appreciate knowing about it ahead of time so that we can be as prepared as possible. So I'm actually looking forward to the nuchal fold scan now. It'll be a nice opportunity to see our baby on a sophisticated ultrasound machine, and know what our chances are of dealing with a Trisomy 21 diagnosis. Information is power, right? This is a good thing.

Other than that, I've been a busy bee librarian at work. I had a bunch of small committee tasks to get to this week, but most importantly, I identified another journal that I thought would be a better fit for my article, and I reformatted my abstract accordingly. I just sent it in as a query to the editor, and she responded to me immediately saying that they were interested in seeing the manuscript. I'm thrilled :) So, I have to format my citations to the Chicago author-date style (don't even get me started on citation styles; I loathe them ALL), and then I can submit it early next week. This is no guarantee of anything, but I remain vigilant in hope.

Sunday is my first foray as the solo catechist for Children's Liturgy of the Word, and you can bet that I'll report in all the details on Monday.

Happy Halloween everybody!

How many times in a single day can the Catholic Librarian cry?

Oh, I assure you, many, MANY times. And yesterday was one of those days.

It's already been a long couple of weeks. The illnesses from last week, which in my case have metamorphasized into an evil sounding cough that persists to this minute, my worries about Hank's asthma, the loss of Baby D. All of these things had me worried and/or upset last week. Then the doctor's appointment yesterday got me all riled up. I mean really, you shouldn't catch a pregnant woman off guard. You're not going to like the consequences.

I'm trying to calm myself down about the whole thing, but I'm still bothered by it. I'm trying to see the nuchal fold scan as a way to see my baby again, see their little heart beating, and enjoy reveling in their presence. And by all accounts, this perinatologist is very, very nice. But I hate the specter of "THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR BABY!" that hangs over a pregnancy of a mother that happens to be 35 years old plus. I mean, here's the way I look at it: If our baby has Down's Syndrome or some other chromosomal abnormality... well, it's already happened. There is nothing that we can do about it. Consequently, why torture ourselves about it? What's done is done, one way or the other. I want to enjoy my pregnancy and the life that grows within me regardless. I'm not enjoying the "serious tone" that seems to be permeating how medical professionals see my pregnancy. But I'm going to try to let it go right now. Next week I have first trimester blood work (part of which is also unnecessary; don't get me started. If I didn't have HIV when I was pregnant with Hank, I certainly don't have it now. And my blood type; could that have really changed? I think not), and then two weeks from today is the nuchal fold scan. Two weeks after that I see my regular ob. again. Naturally, I'll keep you apprised as events transpire :)

But I digress. After I worked off my doctor's office related angst with a couple of chocolate chip cookies, I got back to my desk and read my email following a reference desk shift. I found a response from a journal that I submitted an article to two months ago, and the news wasn't what I hoped for. Not only did they not accept my article, they hurt my feelings :( I take pride in the quality of my writing and the content I focus on. Am I a perfect writer? No, of course not. But I am not a poor writer. And I deserve better than to be told that my article would be better suited to a "newsletter-like periodical."

That smarted. And it insulted me.

After looking at it with fresh eyes today, I can see that they were trying to say that my article just wasn't a good fit with their journal and what they usually publish. I wish they had just said that plainly, but I have to let that go.

Yesterday, however, I wasn't letting anything go. I went home a teary mess, and I'm sure that when I walked in the door Mike thought that something terrible had happened. Through hiccuping sobs, I told him about the rejected article, and he said all the right things to try and make me feel better. I know, I can submit it somewhere else, and most likely, it will get published. I've had other articles published, so I know that I can do it. But when you get a rejection, you can't help but feel like a failure, at least for a little while. We rely on my income, and my income depends upon me achieving tenure. Achieving tenure depends upon me publishing. So, I felt like I had let Mike and Hank down.

After I had settled down enough to actually talk clearly, I told him about the perinatologist, and started sobbing anew. I could see Mike's eyebrow arch, and we've been married long enough that I can read this thoughts:

"She's upset about this. Huh. I'm not sure why she's upset about this. But if I don't say the right thing, she'll be upset at ME. What to do, what to do..."

He told me very practically that this is just standard procedure, and I shouldn't take it personally. It just means I'll get some extra attention. I sniffled back that that wasn't really the POINT, but I wasn't angry at him. Even I'm not sure why I'm so upset about this perinatologist thing. I guess, deep down, I'm what you would call "crunchy" about certain things, and this just happens to be one of them. I don't want my prenatal care to be so invasive. But if that's the case, I'll have to seek out a totally different kind of care, and I don't know that I'm prepared to do that. I'll have to sort this out myself.

At any rate, I got through the evening only numbly, and by nightfall, I couldn't sleep worth anything. My coughing exacerbated everything as well, so I ended taking my pillow and stuffed puppy downstairs to the couch, where I put on the Hallmark Channel and watched reruns of Cheers at 3 am. I also saw a commercial about a Hallmark movie coming on in a few weeks about a family Thanksgiving. That sounds just cheesey enough to cheer me up. I'm excited.

So, what's to come of all this? I don't know. I'm trying to hang in there today, but it's not the best of days. I feel exhausted, puffy, and emotionally drained. I've been keeping busy to distract myself, and that's working pretty well. I'll get there. I've had a post planned about my weekend and my Children's Liturgy of the Word training, and I'll try to get to that this afternoon. Stay tuned.

*weak smile*

The art of professional writing...

**Friendly warning: Only read on if mild swear words amuse but do not offend** :)

I've always loved to write. Hence this blog. Creative writing in particular. This was one of my favorite school-related tasks as early as elementary school.

As an attorney, I still loved to turn my messy brainstorms into coherent arguments. Granted, the content wasn't all that exciting, but still, that was my main talent as an attorney. Forming an oral argument? Only at gunpoint. But I was a good brief writer.

As an academic librarian on the tenure track, I'm expected to publish in the professional literature. This is daunting, and puts many librarians off pursuing an academic position. And I will grant, I was a bit intimidated at first, before I tried to publish anything. But I've grown into it. Because after all, I love to write. And writing about librarianship, while not always scintillating, is still pretty interesting to me. Because I love what I do.

I've been writing an article all summer. I've edited and re-edited. Had Mike read it ("what's with all these commas?" Apparently I'm a comma lover) and a respected colleague read it. I've re-edited again. And again. I've checked my endnotes and bibliography, anally conformed to the requested Chicago Humanities Notes Style. Which leads me on a tangent... All evil-doers should be tied to a chair in an empty room with nothing but the Chicago Manual of Style, and forced to figure out how to cite an electronic correspondence from an anonymous author that was included in an exhibit of unknown duration. How about a conference proceeding from fifty years ago that is now part of a digital archive? These need to be included as both a note and an entry in the bibliography. They'll break down and beg for mercy.

Anyway, I digress. I've done all of this. And finally! I think I can stick a fork in it, because baby, it's done. I'm going to submit it to the journal that I selected first thing Monday morning. Please God, let them want to publish it.

So, this got me to thinking about the fine art of professional writing. Let's be frank. Professional writing involves a certain amount of, shall we say, bullshit. I'm sorry, but it does. Now, I will grant, nothing disturbs me more than reading professional literature and having the following reaction:

"*blank* What? Wait? Did I miss something? I just read that whole page, but...Let me read it again. *brain processes all cease* Wait? WHAT? Did that even say anything? I don't think so. It can't just be me, right? I don't think that even SAID anything!"

This my friends is what I call high-level bullshit. It inevitably starts something like "Our vision for the twenty first century workplace is a place where all feel welcome and wanted, and can foresee..." or some such flowery nothingness. I refuse to stoop to this level.

I like to think that I have honed my lower-level bullshit skills, and this talent is needed to be a successful writer. I'm all about simplicity in my writing, but one must learn how to properly incorporate the professional buzz words that will capture the attention of ones intended audience.

For instance, at the same time as my article, I've been working on my required annual report. This requires us all to channel the bullshit king:

"Students progressed with the material as we hoped they would."

Yeah. Can't say that. This can be magically transformed to:

"Students did achieve the measured learning outcomes and proficiences as set forth in the project goals."

How about:

"Students could enroll in the course anytime they wanted, making it a heck of a lot less work for us."

The *angels sing* version is:

"Since this course is not affiliated with the university's credit-bearing course registration system, students must self-enroll, empowering them to initiate completion of this requirement at their convenience."

I know, right? What can I say? It's a gift.

:)

Hanging in there, and a review of The Lake of Dead Languages...

Work has been a bear lately, no other way to say it. I have a class to teach in an hour and a half, and as you can see, I'm distracting myself by blogging. I've already practiced my lesson plan, so there's really nothing else I can do. But I certainly can't concentrate until then. Sigh. I have three more classes next week *sweat trickles* but then, thankfully, I have a short teaching reprieve. I also need to get other things done aside from creating lesson plans. So this is good.

Next week, I have to write a column for the university newspaper. It's a column published weekly by a librarian that highlights relevant web sites on a topic of the librarian's choice. In the past, I've written on fall foliage, bellydancing, and crochet. I was having a hard time coming up with a topic for this semester. Of course, that may have been because I had no time to actually think about topics. But this morning, over breakfast, I had a flash of inspiration. I was reading a copy of Romantic Times Book Review as I munched my Special K. I turned the page and happened upon the reviews of this month's releases in inspirational fiction.

YES!!"

Mike pauses, egg sandwich halfway to his mouth. "What?"

"AMISH FICTION!!!! That's what I'm going to write my column on. Oh, I love it so much!!"

Mike gives me that smile that he does whenever I do something particularly Tiff-like. I mean, how many people bypass the bodice-ripper historical romances to pore with fixation over inspirational Amish fiction?

So, now I'm all excited. But first, several classes and lesson plans lay in front of me. Sigh.

Ok, so book review. Last month, my book club read The Night Villa by Carol Goodman, and I enjoyed it very much. I wrote about how the author really had a knack for portraying a vivid sense of place, and I enjoyed her expertise in the study of classics that played a role in the story. Thus, I picked up a copy of one of her more well-known books, The Lake of Dead Languages.

Quick plot summary: A newly divorced Latin instructor returns to her alma mater, a boarding school located in the Adirondacks, with her young daughter to try and create a fresh start for them. Soon, mysterious occurrences, all relating to some deaths back when she herself was a student there, begin to present themselves. Seems our heroine, Jane, was roomates with 2 girls who took their lives via drowning in the school lake all those years ago (or so it seems...). Someone clearly blames Jane for a part in their deaths, and copy cat events begin to transpire...

Intriguing plot. I started reading, and honestly, I couldn't wait to get home in the evenings after work and read more. This really kept me on the edge of my seat. I was taken in by the setting, given that it takes place within my own New York State. And all of the mysteries, by way of what really happened to the people that died, as well as other relationship tangles, really grab you. The book starts out with Jane's contemporary perspective, then the middle section takes the reader back to her final two years at the school, when the original deaths of her friends occurred. The third and final segment takes us back to present day, when the mysteries are all resolved. *Very* well done. Overall, I enjoyed this book tremendously.

Some cons. The book dragged a bit toward the end. I had figured out a few of the mysteries, and it seemed to take Jane an annoying amount of time to catch up with me. The author also spends a *lot* of time talking about the enigma of the lake, and the process it goes through in order to freeeze over each winter. Certainly, this all contributes to her refined skill of transporting the reader to the setting, but after a while I was sick of all the drawn-out water and ice analogies. Finally, the thing that bugged me the most, by far, was how incredibly stupid the characters acted sometimes in regards to the lake. I know, I know, we're suspending our disbelief for the sake of drama. But COME ON...

"Oh, I know that a fiendish murderer is stalking me. I need to get away from it all and go think. It's 3 am. I think I should wander down to the giant rock that juts out over the icy lake, where at least one other person has fallen in and drowned, and stand right on the edge in order to do this..."

"I'm pissed/terrified/upset/contemplative. I think the best idea is to run right out onto the frozen lake surface despite the fact that temperatures have been rising for weeks..."

In fact, the "people running out onto the frozen (but melting) lake" thing by the end made me so irritated that I found myself yelling at the characters that I simply couldn't feel sorry for them if they were going to act SO STUPID. YOU ARE SO STUPID. STOP BEING SO STUPID. How hard is it to simply stay on land? Apparently quite difficult for our characters, since every single one of them had a bad run-in with the lake in either liquid or frozen form.

That aside, the book is really an attention grabber. Definitely a recommended read.