Lisa notes

Links, Books, and Things I Love – September 2017

By LisaNotes September 1, 2017 Daybook, Links I like 36 Comments

Here are favorites from August and what I’m looking forward to in September. We share once a month at Leigh’s.

1 Second Everyday

[If you can’t see the 1 Second Everyday video, click here]

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Around the Web

1. 4 Reasons You Shouldn’t Be Colorblind
by Trillia Newbell at The Gospel Coalition
“I’d like to suggest that we actually should strive to not be colorblind. Colorblindness leads us in the wrong direction. Instead, I want to encourage us to be colorsmart. Here are four reasons why.”

2. You Really Need to Stop Putting Smiley Faces in Work Emails
by Julia Zorthian at Time
“Reading a happy face in the text of a work email made people think that the sender was less competent.” I do try to be selective of who I send smiley faces to. 🙂

3. Why Do We Sleep Under Blankets, Even on the Hottest Nights?
by Dan Nosowitz at Atlas Obscura
I’m one of those people who has to have at least a little cover. “There’s great comfort in being covered.”

4. Reclaiming Life at Home: Declaring War on Clutter to Save the American Soul
by Kristin du Mez at Patheos
“A more sobering finding concerns the burden possessions place upon families. In interview after interview, parents speak of clutter-induced stress.”

5. How to Not Spoil ‘Game of Thrones’ (or any other show) – in one easy chart
by AJ Willingham at CNN
I don’t watch Game of Thrones, but I don’t like to have any show or game spoiled by prematurely looking at Twitter or Facebook before I’ve finished watching.

When-Are-Spoilers-Fair-Game

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Books, Blogs, and Podcasts

1. Podcast…Hidden Brain – Why We’re Bad at Predicting Our Own Happiness
Why are we so bad at predicting how we’ll feel in the future? Interesting interview with author Dan Gilbert (he wrote Stumbling on Happiness, one of my favorite 10 books of 2016; it seems so long ago).

2. Podcast…TED Talks Daily – How Boredom Can Lead to Your Most Brilliant Idea
Let yourself get bored sometimes. There is a connection between spacing out and creativity.

3. Podcast…Freakonomics – Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Money (But Were Afraid to Ask)
“The bad news: roughly 70 percent of Americans are financially illiterate. The good news: all the important stuff can fit on one index card. Here’s how to become your own financial superhero.”

4. Writing…How to be a Prolific Writer: 6 Stubborn Myths Quashed by Facts
“Want to know which productivity myths might be sabotaging you? And how you could become a prolific writer even if you got a ton of other stuff to do?”

5. Reading…4 Books I Recommend
Here are 4 books I enjoyed this month, including Reading People by Anne Bogel and The Happiness Prayer by Evan Moffic.

4-Books-I-Recommend-August-2017

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6. Reading…Books I’m Reading Now

  1. The Almost Sisters
    by Joshilyn Jackson
  2. The Tiger’s Wife
    by Téa Obreht
  3. Organizing Solutions for People with Attention Deficit Disorder
    Tips and Tools to Help You Take Charge of Your Life and Get Organized
    by Susan C. Pinsky
  4. How to Listen So People Will Talk
    Build Stronger Communication and Deeper Connections
    by Becky Harling
  5. Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?
    And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House
    by Alyssa Mastromonaco

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Things I Love

• My 3 Girls

Both these pictures make me smile. The first is Morgan and our granddaughter, growing, growing.

The second is a drawing of Jenna by one of her 1st grade students. She has a lot of hair. Lots and lots of hair.

18-weeks-baby

Morgan and baby girl at 18 weeks

mis-t

Mrs T (Jenna) through the eyes of a 1st grader

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• First Blooms

Finally. I’ve waited a year and a half for these blooms on my angel trumpet. It was a cutting last year from my mother-in-law, who can grow flowers overnight.

angel-trumpet-plant

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• The Right to Vote

Even though a lot is wrong with our country right now, I’m thankful for our right to vote. We’re in the middle of a special senatorial election this fall in Alabama. (And it’s brutal, of course.)

Vote-here

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• The Money I’ve Saved

I appreciate this bonus info on my library receipt. By checking out these books instead of buying them, I saved $92.93. I wonder how many tens of thousands of dollars I’ve saved through the years, thanks to my local library. {smile}

library-receipt

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On the Blog

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What was one of your highlights from August? What are you looking forward to in September? Please share in the comments.

previous Links and Books

36 thoughts on “Links, Books, and Things I Love – September 2017”

  1. Michele Morin

    I love that your library calculates the savings for you. I’m sure I’ve saved bundles, thanks to my library.
    I’m looking forward to reading your thoughts on Reading People.
    Enjoy your upcoming vacation!

    Reply ↓
    1. LisaNotes Post author

      Thanks, Michele! We’re looking forward to visiting your state soon. Just not looking forward to the preparation for it. ha. But it will be well worth it. Then I will gather my thoughts on Reading People finally.

      Reply ↓
  2. Bev @ Walking Well With God

    Lisa,
    I’ve been enjoying reading “The Nightingale” at the beach, which was one of your book recommendations. About three quarters of the way through….really enjoying. I love historical fiction set in this time period. Enjoyed all of the things you love, September edition.
    Blessings,
    Bev xx

    Reply ↓
    1. LisaNotes Post author

      I’m glad you’re enjoying The Nightinggale, Bev. I thought it was really good. I’ve read a few novels this summer that I didn’t fully enjoy (and stopped a few as well) but I did like most everything about that one. And definitely would have enjoyed it even more at the beach! 🙂

      Reply ↓
    1. LisaNotes Post author

      Thanks, Susan. I’ll have to get used to 3 girls after having only 2 for so long! 🙂 I got to see her again this morning on ultrasound and it was such a miracle to see her little heart beating, see her tiny perfect spine, even her little bladder and stomach. God truly is amazing!

      Reply ↓
  5. Katie

    Lisa, Thank you for sharing these links and images and recommendations. Would love to get on your MIL’s list for sharing cuttings – OH, that Angel Trumpet!!!
    Gratefully:)
    Katie

    Reply ↓
      1. Katie

        Oh, forgot to share my highlight for August.
        Hubby, daughter and I were able to visit Ark Encounter in KY with our oldest son, DIL, and grands – we had a blast!
        We also visited downtown Cinncinnati – wow, what a clean city – impressive!

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  6. Barbara H.

    What a neat thing for the library to do! I enjoyed the article on not being colorblind. I should probably cut back on the smilies, even though I don’t have a work email. I agree about spoilers – I Tivo some things and don’t see them right away, so I avoid some sites until I do see them. Worst is an article that gives away something big in the title of the post! One site where I used to read entertainment-related news was awful about that though many people complained. The site is no longer active – maybe that’s why? I didn’t mind that there were articles and knew to avoid them til I had seen the show, but didn’t like “reveals” in the title. Love the shot of your girls and the drawing. I forgot to say Happy upcoming Anniversary last time I commented! Hope you have a great trip!

    Highlights of August for me were the eclipse, having my oldest son here last week, and getting a surgery over with.

    Reply ↓
    1. LisaNotes Post author

      I so enjoyed your recounting of the eclipse and the video! We had 97% coverage here, but even with only 3% of the sun, it was still a bright day. The sun is SO powerful. I’m glad you got to experience 100%.

      I don’t like book spoilers either. Sometimes I listen to podcasts that recommend books that tell way too much of the plot; it ruins the book for me. I’ve learned to just fast forward through those spots if I catch it in time. 🙂

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  7. floyd

    This is a smorgasbord of info! Liked some of those blog links and got my eye on one of those book recommendations.

    And of course the one second video is always a hit. Glad you came clean about the donuts…

    Great month… Mah-Mah!

    Reply ↓
  8. June

    Hmmm, smiley faces in work emails. I would have to agree you need to be selective. It’s hard to get a person’s tone sometimes from an email, so I usually only use them when I want to “soften” my words 🙂 Hopefully, people will judge my competence based on my work performance rather than an occasional semi-colon and end-paragraph, ha! Love, love, love those pics of your girls (and granddaughter!) !!!! Thanks for sharing these monthly tidbits, Lisa! Have a blessed weekend.

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    1. LisaNotes Post author

      Thanks, June. I always have fun doing these monthly posts because it helps me look back and find the good things that I want to remember.
      I’ve noticed that I’m far more apt to use emojis when I respond to women more than to men. We get each other. 🙂

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  10. Jean Wise

    Again a great list and one I certainly enjoy exploring. We do like the same stuff. I am reading Becky Harlings book right now too. One of my highlights in August was just the weather. Been pleasant here in Ohio and I’ve loved being on our deck. Today we are having a cook out at a friends lake home – food, fellowship and fun – that’s August! Hope your weekend is great too, Lisa!

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    1. LisaNotes Post author

      Glad you’ve had a good month, too, Jean! Sounds like you’re beginning September well also. 🙂 Today is my and Jeff’s 25th anniversary so September is off to a stellar start for us!

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  12. Leigh Kramer

    A coworker recommended Hidden Brain and I listened to a few episodes this past week. Super interesting! Your library receipt is amazing. I can only imagine how much money I’ve saved over the years.

    Reply ↓
    1. LisaNotes Post author

      I think you would absolutely love Hidden Brain, Leigh. It’s such a good mix of intellectual facts with emotional savvy. 🙂 Yes, can you imagine all the money we’ve saved through library books? I really have no idea how many books I’ve checked out through the years, but it’s a ton. Thank God for public libraries!!!

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    1. LisaNotes Post author

      That was the first time I’d seen that on a library receipt as well, Jodie. Don’t know if that’s something they’ll continue to do, but it made me feel good! 🙂

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  15. Debra

    I love to read, and you just gave me a lot of reading 8)
    I also love Ted Talks, that is not one I have seen yet, so I’m excited.
    Many thanks, looks like a really great bunch of activity for me.

    Reply ↓

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