Marching On

Too much pun for a Saturday morning?

The winner of the giveaway in my last post is Christina Baker! Christina, please send me a note and I’ll get The Complete Short Stories of Enid Dinnis: Volume One in the mail to you. Congratulations and thanks to all who commented!

A local school has on its letter board outside, “How is it March?” It’s not wrong. We’ve been filling out forms for confirmation, camps, and next school year, counting down the days until my oldest graduates. The things we’ve planned for some time are rapidly approaching and happening (check back next month for news on the Year of the Dog).

1. Some updates

   Not only did I get my first draft of my thesis in, but my advisor has already returned her notes to me! I wrote the last chapter the day before I sent it in; before then, I still didn’t know how it was going to end. It’s not what I expected, but I think it’s working.

   Getting the draft finished is a bigger deal to me than editing it (that, I know I can do; writing a complete draft, I wasn’t so sure), so I kind of feel like I’ve already won.

2. What I’m reading

   Next week I begin a reading group with the Collegium Institute on the “American Ghosts of James Joyce.” Each week for four weeks we’ll read and discuss stories from Dubliners and stories by American authors (Powers, O’Connor, Fitzgerald, among them) that took Joyce’s stories for inspiration. It’s a good mix of rereading and stories that are new to me, so a great way to learn!

3. What my kids are reading

   My kids have been discussing dog names, knowing that I want one that’s literary. I suggested Charles Wallace for a boy, taken from A Wrinkle in Time. My daughter semi-protested that she didn’t know that because she hadn’t read it. So I told her to change that! Instead, she’s started The Fellowship of the Ring, as it seems we’re leaning more towards something Tolkien.

4. Something I love

   Our kids have heard us talking about comedians like Jim Gaffigan and Brian Regan for years. Last year, John and I went to see Regan live to celebrate our anniversary. Our oldest listened to these guys on a trip last month, which confirmed for me something I’d already been thinking: it was time to introduce our boys to stand-up comedy. The oldest and I had a blast watching some Regan on Netflix. I love watching this kid grow up.

5. What I’m creating (knitting, lettering, embroidery, etc.)

   We’re celebrating our daughter’s birthday this weekend. She’s currently VERY into avocados, and helped me make this cake. The base is chocolate cake. The pit—her idea—is funfetti. Well played, sister.

   

   Her friends and family know of this great love, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it manifests in her gifts.

6. Where my work is

Caeli: “Why you should add ‘God’s Little Flowers’ to your bookshelf,” which references this older post at Radiant: “The only way women can ‘have it all’”

My first Verily article was published ten years ago this week: “How to Make a Friend With Food Allergies Feel At Ease”

Gods Little Flowers was mentioned in a great piece about bookstores at NCR: “Bookstores Catholics Should Know About”

CatholicMom.com: “Daily Gospel Reflection”

7. What I’m working on

   This week I was catching up on editorial work for The Colosseum and Verily—as I thought my thesis would be in someone else’s hands for some more time. Still, I find myself thinking through her notes as I drive. I have the draft and notes printed out and about a month to turn it around. Here we go, round two!

8. A quote to sit and sip with

   Blessèd sister, holy mother, spirit of the fountain, spirit of the garden,
   Suffer us not to mock ourselves with falsehood
   Teach us to care and not to care
   Teach us to sit still
   Even among these rocks,
   Our peace in His will
   And even among these rocks
   Sister, mother
   And spirit of the river, spirit of the sea,
   Suffer me not to be separated

   And let my cry come unto Thee.

   —“Ash Wednesday,” T.S. Eliot