Too good not to share - Opening up

  *via macinate

After a hard week last week, I read this post called Open Up Anyway on White Hot Truth and went "Ah, yes, that's it exactly! Thank you Danielle LaPorte."  Proclaiming "I want to be a writer" and then doing it... it's wonderful but frightening and painful at the same time. And I've been feeling the pain, so I appreciate the encouragement to open up anyway.

Now reading... The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht - As part of my efforts to be more involved in the world of books and writers and publishing, I attended an event featuring Tea Obreht at Book People.  Tea is the (terribly young to be so accomplished and all aspiring writers are jealous) author of the (newly published and highly acclaimed) novel, The Tiger's Wife.  Interesting interview - she described her late night writing sessions, talking dialogue out loud to herself in elevators and driving around in her car listening to soundtracks she crafted for inspiration.  I am now reading the book to try to understand what all the rabid hype is about!  Her writing style is highly present, full of action, slowly unfolding, rich in description of time and place, but with elegant simplicity.  The way she moves from present to past, from reality to mythology creates depth and layers. I have finished about a third so far, and I'm eager to see where it's all leading.

Friendship isn't for weaklings - This post from Carlie at Twinkling Along really touched me.  She captures how I feel when having a great conversation with a friend and how amazing that can be.

Gorgeous color!  Inspired by this fun post on Her Library Adventures, I dug out my OPI nail polish and painted my nails this week a bright yellow that I liked to think was like spring daffodils.  I thought the color was bitchin' cool.  Until my brother in law said "your nail polish is the color of cheese." Men.  I still think it's cool. 

This week I lost all interest in real food and have instead been eating the Devil's Saltines.  You see I found a recipe in the first issue of Where Women Cook that was so purty.  And it sounded so good.  Brown sugar caramel over saltines, with chocolate chips and chopped pistachios. Unfortunately they were as delicious as promised and yesterday I found myself eating them for lunch.  My innards are not thanking me.  But if you want some Devil's Saltines of your own, here's the closest recipe I could find on Smitten Kitchen

Happy Friday!