7 Quick Takes, Vol 5

And for another take on Jen's brilliant quasi-cop-out!

~1~

I don't want to say too much, because the situation is only temporary, but... let's just say that I've got work enough to keep me in Atlanta for another couple months, at least. :)

~2~

Pleasant acquaintances from my parish threw a housewarming party last weekend. There were many high points of this party, but the cutest was definitely their four-month old, whom I got to hold for several hours. Apparently I have the "magic touch," because she doesn't fall asleep for people easily, but did for me twice... Her parents are thrilled to have a babysitter, and I'm thrilled to have both new friends and a baby to play with. They're really adorable at that age. :D

~3~

So one of the gals in my Bible Study group got an email several weeks ago from the Atlanta Botanical Garden, asking if her community organization wanted to participate in Scarecrows in the Garden this year. I think she said yes without even asking us, because seriously? How fun!

And it was indeed!

What scarecrow is complete without use of power tools?

Best snippet of conversation all evening:

     Guy 1: Do we have a staple gun?

     Guy 2: Yeah, I brought my staple gun, it's right here.

     Guy 3: Wait, we have a staple gun and we haven't been using it!?

Needless to say, the staple gun was used gratuitously from that point forward.

Kind of the anti-scarecrow, St Francis is...

Full story to follow via Dorothy's blog, but I just couldn't resist. I don't know how you spent your Tuesday night this week, but I'm quite certain mine was cooler. :D

~4~

Due to a passing idea mentioned by a friend, I am all set up for a brand-new batch of experimental brownies: Bursts of marshmallows! All the recipes I've found online are for a layer of marshmallows, but the challenge is to have them hidden throughout the brownie. I'd forgotten how relaxing yet exhilarating it is to explore making up a new dessert recipe, with a willing audience!

Someday, I will own this!

~5~

Okay, I was about to talk this fall being "a good year for lit majors," as Liz mentioned in an email, but Laura beat me to it, and did a much better job. So, for the three of you book nerds who aren't too lazy for an extra click, head on over to read a bit, and watch trailers.

However, I will say: Both Hobbit and Les Mis come out December 14. I'm only going to have a chance to reread one of them. The Hobbit is the one of the two that I remember better... but it's also about 1200 pages shorter than Les Mis...

Also: Just this minute discovered that I don't own the Hobbit. Really? How on earth did that happen? (Aside from, you know, having read my dad's copy years ago and then moved out of the house...)

Fortunately, ThriftBooks sells both books for $4 each and free shipping! (Perhaps by "fortunately," I mean "dangerously"...)

~6~

Got a freelance gig this week that actually makes good use of my collection of obsolete Magisterial documents! You know, the slightly-less-awesome-than-one-might-hope ones that came out after the Council  on subjects like architecture and liturgical music, and have since been replaced by better-even-if-still-not-ideal ones? Those! I'm actually searching for equivalent quotes in the new documents, for the second edition of a book. It pleases me much to report that the stranger and more touchy-feely parts of the old documents are quite absent in the new ones, which aren't so bad after all. :)

~7~

I probably won't do one of these next week, because I'll be leaving early Friday morning to visit my sister for her college's Family Weekend. By stating this now, I am officially dispensing myself from next week's obligation. Nag all you want, but ya' probably won't see me. Ciao!