Coffee Shop Chats - The Second

Hey, everybody! How's your week been? I, uh... Well, I'm sorry for not posting my MMC story. Life started to happen, and I didn't have time. I made the image for it, and I started writing it, but I did not have the time to finish it. Forgive me, please? Look, I'll show you the cover:

Does that make you feel any better? :)

Okay, so today I'm back with Coffee Shop Chats. Find out more at Tessa Emily Hall's blog here.

What I did this week

Guys.

Guess who took a step towards becoming an adult this week?

Me. That's who.

I got a job as a CNA at the nursing home in town! It's only 3 days a week, but it's the 12 hour night shift. I haven't started on nights yet, because I needed to be trained in using the lifts and things, but I'm starting tomorrow night. I have to try to stay up as late as I can tonight so that I can sleep all day tomorrow so that I can wake up and go to work and not have to have stayed up for 24 hours. So if this post ends up being published at 2:45 in the morning, you will know why. Also, prayers that I will be able to adjust well to the change would be greatly appreciated. :)

Pictures taken

I don't think these were only from this past week, but here are some of my favorite pictures that I have taken recently. 

Coffee, family, and Bleak House? I think yes.

New Job + Candy Gift
Can this get any better?

#shadowselfieatsundown

Baby Brother's First Birthday
#whenyourbrotheriscuterthanyou
#mybrotheriscuterthanyours

Taken on St. Patrick's Day.
Homemade Peppermint Ice Cream.
New Travel Mug.
#freshandgreen

And I have a lot more that I want to post sometime, but it is not this day. Maybe when I need a quick post and I need to throw it together really fast, I'll post some pics from the March For Life and other of my favorites from this year. 

Music I've enjoyed

I put together the Energy playlist as featured on Pursue Magazine in this post by Caroline George, and have been really liking it so far.

I'm working on putting the Life Vibes playlist together. Hopefully that will happen this week.

Grateful for

Life.
Family.
Chats with friends.
Learning more about the Myers-Briggs personality types.
My job.
Adoration.
Being able to venerate relics of more than 150 saints (a post on that soon to come).
Music.
The library.
The Season of Easter.
Late night talks with my Mom about what really matters.

Prayer requests

I would like to ask for your prayers, and possibly even your financial support, of an elderly couple who are dear friends of my family. Nanay and Tatay (grandma and grandpa in Filipino) Ludi and Lupe didn't live very far from us when we lived in Malaybalay, Philippines. Nanay Ludi taught us Visaya (a Filipino dialect), and knew very good English because she'd lived in the States for 10 years. She was even friends with Mother Angelica. We helped her and her husband open a small store in the front of their house so that they could support themselves. Not too long ago, their landowner came and kicked them off of the property. They lived with relatives at first, but when the situation became stressful, they moved out and slept out in the open for a few days while their grandchildren built them a very basic shack so that they have a roof over their heads - but not even any walls. 

VIA Romeros On Mission

The rainy season is coming, and the little structure will not be able to provide protection from the winds and rain. Our missionary friends, who are currently stationed in Malaybalay, are asking for donations for this couple so that they can build them a proper dwelling place. Please pray for them and consider making a donation so that my Filipino Grandma and Grandpa can have a home. To donate, please go here. If you want to read the blog post from our missionary friends, the Romeros, go here. Thank you, so much. 

Quotes I'm enjoying

I needed this tonight. I really did.

(All of these were from Pinterest.)

What are your favorite Christian music albums?

             

            

            

             


You asked for the albums. I gave you the albums. :)

How many books have you read so far this year?

Let me consult Goodreads.

Books Read in 2016

I've read 13. And most of these are super awesome:)

 And now, a package of questions for you.

• I'm an ISFP. What Myers-Briggs type are you?

• Is there something you've been dying to say to someone, anyone, but there hasn't been a good time to say it? Go ahead. I'm giving you permission to share it now. Just keep it nice, of course.

Whew! That took me just about forever to put together. It was loads of fun, though, even though I wasn't able to say all that I wanted to because of the time. How has your week been? Are you going to join us as we sip our coffee (or tea or hot chocolate) and discuss our lives? What are your favorite Christian albums? How many books have you read this year, and which ones are they? Do you have a reading goal? Do tell all in the comments!

- Maddie

In Which I Dump My Recent Favorite Books On You (and also feels) + Books I've Marked DNF

Yes, yes, I know that I'm supposed to post my Monday's Minutes story today. But how could I pass up this topic for Top Ten Tuesday from The Broke and the Bookish? Said topic is: "5 of my latest five star reads & five of my most disappointing or 1 star reads" (I'm doing books I Did Not Finish instead of 1 star reads). Come on, I had to do this!


Caution: Be prepared to get crushed by feels (of your own, or the author's, or both).

*** Books I recently gave 5 stars 

(aka some of my new favorites) ***

1) St Ignatius and the Company of Jesus by August Dereleth

Okay, can we just talk about the fact that I absolutely love St Ignatius of Loyola? Like, he's one of my favorite saints of ever. I think I've become a fangirl of his... but not in a weird way, I promise! 

I love Saint Ignatius because he completely changed his life. He used to be a proud soldier who was so tough that he didn't even cry out in pain when the DOCTORS WERE BREAKING HIS LEG WHILE HE WAS AWAKE SO THAT THEY COULD SET IT PROPERLY. He went from that, to being the humblest missionary priest who SOBBED SO MUCH DURING MASS THAT THE POPE HAD TO TELL HIM IT WAS BAD FOR HIS HEALTH IF HE CONTINUED TO SAY MASS EVERYDAY.

Another reason I love him so much is that even though he was humble, it didn't mean that he kept his gifts or insights to himself. He wrote what he called the Spiritual Exercises, and he was passionate about guiding people through them. He didn't keep them to himself and think, "Because I created these, I know that they can't be that good. I shouldn't share these with anyone because that would draw attention to myself." No. He could take all of the attention because he was humble and didn't let the fame get to him.

Do I want to become as holy as this man? Yes. Do I have the will and determination to do it? Not yet. But I hope that by God's grace I will someday.

So if you've never read about St Ignatius, I advise you to go do it now. I've read 4 books about him, and I learn something more every time.

2) May B.

Have I mentioned before that I love novels in verse? This book is about a 12 year old dyslexic girl from Kansas in the 1800's who is sent to help a neighbor who lives, like, 20 miles away (which was a whole lot in those days) for the summer until Christmas. I won't give anything away, but it was a sad book. I loved it, though. Besides, novels in verse are usually sad. Anyway, you should read it if poetry is your thing - in which case, tell me, cause we can be buddies. :)

3) St Joan the Girl Soldier by Louis de Wohl

Gahh, and St Joan of Arc is also one of my favorite saints! I had a hard time choosing either her or St Maria Goretti for my Confirmation Saint, but I ended up picking St. Maria Goretti.

So, St Joan had sass, okay? Like, these Chruch authorities were asking her questions about her Voices, and she shot back really funny/semi-insulting answers. Would you normally think of a saint doing that? No. But the Maid did.

And she also got this military commander who was infamous for swearing to GIVE UP CUSSING altogether. And then they ended up becoming super close friends. Seriously, just read any book about her, and then you tell me if you don't ship the friendship of Joan and La Hire!

*sighs* I love when I get overwhelmed with feels about the saints!

4) Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool

Clare Vanderpool is just amazing, all right?

Navigating Early was an original way to explore the mind of a boy with autism in the 1940s - which was before anyone knew what it was. I loved how the author portrayed the sort of "out of contact with reality" side of Early's mind, but also the brilliance of it. As a cousin of two autistic children, I have experienced the ways in which they are different from other people, but also the ways in which they are smarter than others in particular areas. I really loved this book. It had an altogether mysterious air to it, which is also something I love in books.  

5) The Boy On the Porch by Sharon Creech

Okay, this is a book for, like, 3rd graders. Why would I like something written for that age target? For one thing, the language was so beautiful. It also fit so much into only a few words. The way in which the author crafted sentences together sounded much more meaningful in their brevity than if she had used as many words as most writers {insert nervous "yeah, that's me" chuckle} do to explain things. This book also had a mysterious air to it. I just really, really loved this book. <3

*** Books I Recently Marked Did Not Finish (please, don't judge me!) ***

1) The Milk of Birds

So, I checked this book out, renewed it, then turned it in and rechecked it out the same day. After all that, I finally started reading it, and... Hehehe. I still didn't ever finish it. Don't get me wrong, I actually thought it was a fine book. I just... I didn't really feel like finishing it. I had other things I wanted to read, and this book didn't interest me enough to finish before getting on to books that I really wanted to start. Fair? 

2) A Step Toward Falling

Okay, can I just say that I honestly didn't know what the point of this book even was? The synopsis didn't do that great of a job summing it up, and I still didn't feel like the book was getting anywhere after I read the first few chapters. So I stopped, because I felt like I was wasting my time. Plus, the characters were just... I didn't particularly like any of them. Or feel anything that they were feeling, I guess. So anyway, I only read a few chapters and will probably not pick it up to try again.

3) The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland In a Ship of Her Own Making

So, this is probably the only book on this DNF list that I might consider trying again... Maybe. That's a strong maybe, actually, with an emphasis on the trying. I thought it was an interesting idea for this book, but I didn't really like its style. I don't know. I feel like the characters were sarcastic in a mean way that wasn't really funny to me. 

4) A Corner of White

This book sounds so enchanting, but I don't really know why I picked it up. I had read reviews by two bloggers I follow who both said that they felt this book was pointless. And they were lovers of YA novels. Why did I think that I would find it better when I am not easily impressed with much from this genre? I think it was mostly a feeling of, "Hey, they actually have a popular YA book that I recognize at my library! I guess that means I should check it out. How bad could it be?" (Plus, the cover was so pretty!) Anyway, I only read the first chapter. It wasn't really anything I read in the book that made me give up on it. I started reading it first, and that's when my logic kicked in. I realized that I shouldn't waste time on something I had already heard wasn't worth it. 

5) The Emperor of Anyplace by Tim Wynne-Jones

You know that feeling you get while reading a book that there is not going to be a really good lesson in the end? I felt this way while reading The Emperor of Anyplace. It was actually an interesting plot, and I was tempted to keep reading it. But I really like a meaningful story. If I'm just going to read for pleasure, I want it to be completely clean and light-hearted. And it's not that this book was terrible... I just... I don't know. I just couldn't finish it. I felt like I wouldn't have had that awe-filled, breathless feeling you get when you finish a really good book if I had finished it, you know? So I didn't.

***

Hmmm, you know what's funny, and what I'm just now noticing? It seems that my most recent 5 star ratings have been all children's books... and my recent Did Not Finish books are all... YA. Does this surprise you? I've told you before that I usually enjoy children's books more than I do Young Adult books. Believe me now?! I guess I love the innocent atmosphere of children's books - I don't have to worry about anything being inappropriate. Even if "mature" topics occur in Children's Fiction, they're usually glossed over, and I don't feel uncomfortable reading them. Or maybe I'm just still a kid at heart. I wouldn't mind that. ;)

So, what do you think about my opinions for each set? Do you love any of the books that I love? Hate them? Have mixed feelings? What about the books I didn't finish wading through? Did you finish them and love them? Do you have a reason why I should finish them? Tell me! I'd love to know these (and other bookish) thingies! Let's talk about all the feels!!!

Oh, and before you go: Did you get squished by my feels??? If you did, I'm sorry but not sorry. You were warned! ;)

- Maddie

The Bookish Tag

I recently started following Annie Hawthorne at her new blog: Curious Wren. She posted this tag for anyone who is following her to do...So I will:) I confess that I've been wanting an excuse to do a tag, but I haven't specifically been tagged by anyone yet. So, yes, I did jump on this opportunity.

1. What was the last book you read, and would you recommend it?

That would be Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. Yes, I would definitely recommend it. It is a children's book, but it didn't feel like one. I loved its style. Novels in verse are some of my favorites.

2. Describe the perfect reading spot.


I can read just about anywhere. But - this may come as a surprise - I have always loved reading in the car. I don't know what it is, but I feel more involved in the book when I read while we're driving somewhere. Maybe it's because I'm more focused on the book and not getting distracted by the internet (yes, I am guilty!), or by little siblings coming into my room and asking for things;) That's the only thing I don't like about being able to drive on my own now - I can't read while I'm driving. Like, what will happen when I move out and have to drive myself everywhere?


3. Favorite book beverage? Tea? Coffee? Hot chocolate? Tears of your readers?


I love that last question, but my answer is coffee. It's warm and a little sweet with a bit of earthy flavor mixed in...And if you're propped up on the bed with fluffy pillows...And if it's a rainy day...


4. Share favorite quotes from four books.


Pretty sure that this is the hardest question. Don't do this to me:P

(All quotes were found on goodreads)


“Sometimes I come up here at night...just to look at the city. I like to imagine that the world is one big machine. You know, machines never have any extra parts. They have the exact number and type of parts they need. So I figure if the entire world is a big machine, I have to be here for some reason. And that means you have to be here for some reason, too.” - The Invention of Hugo Cabret


“...there would be punishment and pain, and there would be happiness, too. That was writing.” - The Book Thief

Howl said, “I think we ought to live happily ever after," and she thought he meant it. Sophie knew that living happily ever after with Howl would be a good deal more hair-raising than any storybook made it sound, though she was determined to try. "It should be hair-raising," added Howl.

"And you'll exploit me," Sophie said.

"And then you'll cut up all my suits to teach me.” - Howl's Moving Castle


“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?” - Alice In Wonderland


5. What is your most loved fantasy read? Dystopia? Contemporary? Sci-fi? Classic?


I'm going to say fairytale fantasy. I haven't read many books in the other types of fantasy.


6. List three authors you’ve collected the most books from.


Well, I confess that I...don't really...collect...books. There, I've said it. I love books; I am a book nerd. But I don't collect books. The thing is that I feel like if I own a book, it won't be hard to get, and therefore, it will make my interest in it dwindle. It's the same about a lot of the things I love, like TV shows and movies, for instance. If I can have something at my finger tips, it seems less special to me, somehow. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? So, I don't have a large collection of books that I can hold in my hands, BUT my kindle does have a pretty wide collection...the fact that I haven't read all of them yet is irrelevant. 

• Charles Dickens (19)

I have only finished three of his books (A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist, Great Expectations), and Oliver Twist is one of my favorite books ever. In all of Dicken's works, I love his characters; how he has an abundance of them; and how he ties them all together somehow in the end, in a way you didn't expect.

• Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (11)

Oh, I love Holmes. I love his brilliance and the suspense that he puts us all through. The Hound of the Baskervilles... Oooh, I was actually scared. And I liked it. 

• Mark Twain (7)

I've read Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the abridged version of The Prince and the Pauper, and I read most of Joan of Arc. I love his humor, and just his storytelling ability.

7. What are your thoughts on magic in literature?


I've actually been wanting someone to ask me this question.  

I love magic in literature - if it's used in a fantasy world. If an author uses it in our world, I usually won't read the book. Why? Because the only way anyone in this world would be able to work magic is if they got the ability from the devil. In another world, if magic is a part of their culture or their everyday lives, it could only be that way because God would have set it up that way for them. Or maybe not "could only be", but that's usually how I feel it is presented in that genre.

So, that is my thought on that.

8. What types of book covers capture your imagination most strongly? Feel free to include images.


I think that when I choose a book at the library, or any book anywhere, it is usually for the title. I have picked up a few books before because of the cover, though. The two that I can remember having done so to are:


                    

And these are some that I didn't read for the cover, but I do love the covers, anyway.

                            

                                                   

9. Mention the first book character that comes to mind. Elaborate on this.


Can I cheat? Some characters have come to mind, but I don't have much to say about them; mostly because I've watched the movie and haven't read the book. Hmmm.... Dencey. Dencey Coffyn from Downright Dencey by Caroline Dale Snedcker. I read this book a few years ago, and reread it this year with some friends and my sister. I love this book. I love Dencey's stubbornness, and how she is usually that way because she thinks she is doing the right thing. I love her care for Jetsam, and how her passions are what get her into trouble - she usually is not trying to be bad, but is trying to do what she thinks is right.


10. Do you lend out your books? Or is that the equivalent to giving away your babies?


Actually, I don't think I have ever lent out a book, ever. No one's ever asked to borrow one of mine because, like I said, I don't really have any. I would probably lend you a book if you asked me, though. Just as long as I'm not currently reading it, and I know you'll give it back;)


So, do you agree with me about magic in literature? Do you like the book covers I chose, too? Should I create my own tag? This was really fun to do! If anyone wants to tag me for another one, go for it;)


auf wiedersehen, darling

-Maddie

What's Up Wednesday

I missed last week, but I'm back:) I know it's Thursday, but I wrote most of this yesterday.

What I'm Reading

I finished a few books since I posted last. They were: Ivanhoe, Moon Over Manifest, Out of My Mind, and Out of the Dust. Moon Over Manifest and Out of the Dust were my favorites out of these. I am still reading Ella Enchanted, because I'm reading it with my sister, and we haven't had much time to read together. I haven't even started reading Amos Fortune again.... I got distracted with books my siblings brought home. So, I am in the process of reading The City of Ember and Island of the Blue Dolphins. Is it bad that I've only been reading children's books? I don't think so:)

What I'm Writing

Well, I got a little bit more of my character bio done:) I also wrote a childhood memory of mine in story form. I wrote my MMC story yesterday and today. I wrote one poem. And I worked on a children's story. So, I think I'm finding an adequate amount of inspiration, compared to last time. I hope to work some more on my children's story, and on my character bio this week.

What Works For Me

I always have to work on the balance between simply starting on writing something, and waiting until I'm ready to write it. Sometimes, it helps me to just begin. If something doesn't work yet, I'll fix it later. But other times, if I'm really excited about an idea that I have and I do start writing it right away, if it doesn't come out the way I want it to no matter how hard I try to fix it, I get discouraged. Sometimes, I won't ever go back and try to work with it again. So, I think that you have to follow your instinct when it comes to writing: Should you start right away, or wait until you're ready? I usually have a feeling about it. I need to learn to trust my instinct.

What Else Is New

I don't think much has changed this week. Which, in my opinion, is a good thing at this time. 



So what's up with you?


auf wiedersehen, darling

-Maddie

Top Three Books On My Fall TBR

This is a thing called Top Ten Tuesday hosted at The Broke and the Bookish. Every Tuesday, there will be a new book related topic. I'm not sure how often I will participate, but I liked this topic. I changed the number to three instead of ten, because I don't have much time to write this.

Also, sorry! I took a break from posting last week, because I wasn't getting much else done other than posting:p

So, anyway, here you go.

(Images found on Google)

3. Peter Pan

I love classics, and have never gotten around to reading this one. I know they have it at our library, and I might check it out the next chance I get.

2. Book of a Thousand Days

I saw this at the library the last time we were there, but I already had so many books to read that I didn't bring it home. Next time, however, I think I will.

1. Navigating Early

I just finished Moon Over Manifest, and I loved it. It was one of those books that I don't realize I love so much until the end. Anyway, I can't wait to read another book by Clare Vanderpool.

This post wasn't very long or interesting, but I felt like I needed to post today. 

I should have my MMC story done tomorrow, but that is not a promise, because Wednesdays are very busy for me:)

auf wiedersehen, darling

-Maddie