Hallelujah Chorus

Tis the season and despite where you fall on the 'meaning of Christmas' spectrum one thing is for sure, music is an integral part of the holidays. Inspired by my friend Erin's post, I offer you this humorous take on my favorite song of the season. I was a choir geek in high school which given Glee's popularity makes me feel a bit less nerdy about that revelation. Every year, we performed the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah. I still get goosebumps when I listen to it.




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I've Been Saving This Little Gem For You



This song takes me back,way back to my dancing days at Maxim's. Back to the days when I was more likely to fall for a gay man than a straight man. Freeze! White!


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A Scandalous Life: The Biography of Jane Digby A Scandalous Life: The Biography of Jane Digby by Mary S. Lovell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars I was partway through 'A Scandalous Life' when I realized that the author also wrote 'Sound of Wings', the Amelia Earhart biography that I'd just finished. Like Amelia, Jane was a woman who lived her life beyond the cultural norms of her time. Born in 1807 into a wealthy British family, Jane defied marriage vows and family expectations with her behavior. Her beauty, charm, and sexual prowess were legendary. But, the part of the book that I found the most interesting was later in her life she moved to the middle east to be a sheik and traveled the desert extensively with him. The descriptions of traveling the desert on camel, living in tents was really quite remarkable. If you enjoy biographies, I'd recommend you pick this up. View all my reviews >>



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"I realized that my favorite books about marriage — Calvin Trillan's “About Alice” and Joan Didion’s “Year of Magical Thinking” — included one spouse who was dead."

That is a quote from Elizabeth Weil's article 'Married (Happily) With Issues' in a recent New York Times magazine article. If you missed it, click here. Savor the article with a cup of coffee or wine, for it is long, but well worth the investment of your time. Weil's writing drew me in immediately with her sharp wit and humorous tales about her relationship. Plus, she quoted several of my favorite writers and their works. Writing like this inspires me.





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A Dream Realized


Much like legions of others out there, I've longed to be a writer ever since I came to grips with the fact that I didn't possess the musical prowess to become a songwriting musician. My main problem was that despite my desire, I didn't dedicate much time to writing. Clearly, this is a problem for an aspiring writer, although one that seems relatively common.

I started this blog in order to make writing a regular part of my life. What started as a selfish exercise has become an enjoyable part of my life, more so than I could have initially imagined. The blog has also given me the confidence to dip my toe into the uncharted territory (for me) of freelance writing. I even embarked on a home improvement project this year to have an attractive and comfortable space dedicated to writing.

I don't know if all writers feel this way but when I put something out there, I feel quite vulnerable, exposed. It's getting easier as time passes and I become more practiced but there is always a slightly queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach when I do it.

I was recently given the opportunity to write an article for a local publication, Utah Stories. Today that article was published on their website (hard copies are also available in stands at local retailers). I wrote an article about Lamb's restaurant in downtown Salt Lake City. Lamb's has been an establishment on Main Street since 1939. It was a pleasure to meet the proprietor and hear his story. I hope I've done it justice. You can read the article here.

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Favorite Blog Discovery of 2009

I have fallen head over heels in love with VeganDad's blog. Both of my kids are vegetarians and have been for a long time. I occasionally find that I'm lacking inspiration to put together meatless meals that truly are delicious. When this happens I just head over to VeganDad's blog. How does Crispy Cajun Chickpea Cakes sound? Delicious, right? He's also posted a bunch of Ethiopian recipes lately that I'm dying to try. I dare you to head over there and not find something that you'd like to try.

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This Book Stuck with Me


Ayelet Waldman's Bad Mother is a brutally honest account of motherhood. What appealed to me most were the things she dared to say about motherhood which many mothers must feel and think but wouldn't say out loud. I wrote a post about the book last summer. Click here for the link.

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