Operation Read Your Shelves: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

source

I'm so excited to be participating in a new literary project! Books, books, books! I don't know if I've shared much with you about my love for them, but it's real and it's strong. My ultimate dream is to write novels because of the enjoyment they bring me.

Lauren of 34 Magnolia Street is hosting her first Operation Read Your Shelves linkup this week. It's a monthly book review linkup with a focus on reading what you already own, but haven't read yet. I have a TON of those, so I thought this would be the perfect incentive to plow through them all.

When I first heard about this project, I was already reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and decided to finish it for this post.

So, I finished it, looked at my sister, Rebekah, and said, "Wow, I don't have a clue what to write about this book..."

I'm sure y'all are somewhat familiar with the plot. A young hoodlum named Huckleberry runs off with a slave named Jim in the mid-nineteenth century. Together they sail down the Mississippi having adventures and encountering colorful characters. Truth be told, the plot was a bit boring to me. Two guys sailing down a river on a raft, repeatedly getting in and out of trouble doesn't really do it for me. The dialogue was pretty interesting given the dialect it's written in. But, the characters themselves represented a very uneducated group of people (although they can lie like nobody's business). Is that harsh to say? That's why I wasn't sure what to write. I know it's beloved by many, but I caught myself getting frustrated multiple times by the thickheadedness of almost everyone.

The fact that it's an American classic is most assuredly due to the piece of history it captures and the boyhood life it glorifies. But, the best thing about it for me, was the relationship between Huck and Jim. It painted an entirely different picture of the master-slave dynamic than the one we usually think of. Throughout the story, they protect and defend one another, developing a mutual respect and a deep friendship. There are several lines that must have been quite bold for the  time the book was published, due to the abolitionist sentiment behind them. Ultimately, it's the story of a boy and his friend and their love of adventure. I give it a mid-thumbs up. :)

Have you read it? Wanna share your thoughts below?

-Song

Shout-Outs

The above is the Boston terrier I dog sat for last week. My photographer friend Erin would've been disappointed in me if I didn't jump on the opportunity to practice my skills on this new subject. ;) This is the best I got! Sadie strongly dislikes it!

I've been reading about a lot of happy things happening in some of your lives! I'm just going to celebrate them for a moment...

-First, I wanted to make you guys aware of a giveaway I'm sponsoring with Elizabeth Mayberry over at Oak + Oats! It's not more jewelry, it's actually for something I've never used before... a pair of Chacos! If comfortable, wilderness/hiking footwear is your thing, head over here and enter! They look great and Elizabeth swears by them. :) If you're already following me on Twitter or Bloglovin', you have an entry to claim.

I'd also like to say...

-"Congrats" to my friend Jenny of Jen+Eric Generation, who just announced that she and her  husband are expecting!!! :)

-To sweet Bailey of Brave Love, "the blog redesign looks gorgeous. Keep going!"

-"Welcome back" to Eileen of A Creative Day, a very old and dear friend and the new mother of adorable twin girlies!

-To Alisha, "Good luck on the launch! It looks amazing!"

Gonna go finish reading Huckleberry, so I can participate in Operation Read Your Shelves with Lauren of 34 Magnolia Street tomorrow. :)

Hope your Monday is filled with good people!

-Song

Courage

(These are dropping like crazy right now! Aren't they huge?! They're so very Fall.)

A little black and white Boston terrier is prancing around my chair with a ball in her mouth wanting to play. (In just a little bit, Sadie! Gotta blog.) There's an episode of Sherlock playing in the background cause my sis and I decided to have a mini-marathon of Cumberbatch (or Cummerbund, as my mother calls him) while we dog sit. I'm drinking vanilla almond tea and watching fall colors explode outside the window. There... now it's like you're here with me. :)

I'm thinking about courage today because it's the topic of the month in the Inspired series! By the way, how are y'all liking this series so far? I, for one, am enjoying it immensely. This has been too much fun! I love getting to build friendships with all of my guest bloggers. They're blessing me a lot! And I really appreciate them sharing their stories.

But, back to courage...I watch the news and I get scared. I surf the net and I get scared. There are so many times during the course of a normal day when something or other freaks me out. It just feels like dozens of frightening things are happening in our world today. Thankfully, I have yet to be confronted by most of them. Everything is still "out there," far away and in the future. But, when I think about being courageous in the face of those loud, grand-scale monsters, this Rowling quote (nerd alert) always comes to mind, "Dark and difficult times lie ahead. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy."

Isn't that the very definition of courage? Doing what is right instead of what is easy? Not wrong, but easy. I think we will be faced with that choice in a very large and public way in the future. And, I pray we'll be able to meet it.

But, there are other scary things we confront on a daily basis. They're small and they're persistent. It's hard to shake them because we're so used to their presence. They hide behind thoughts like:

-My business will probably never become as successful as I'd like it to, so why try?

-Does God really have good things in store for me?

-I don't even feel like getting out of bed today.

-What would I do if I lost my loved ones?

-I'm hesitant to show my real self for fear of rejection.

Thoughts like these, small though they seem, indicate a need for courage. Failure, rejection, doubt, loneliness, and insufficiency are monsters that need facing each and every moment of the day. If we were to choose what's easy, we would cease to try to overcome them and allow them to grow. Pressing on despite the real and frightening possibilities isn't easy, but it's right.

I am looking forward to reading the stories of my guest bloggers who have faced scary things on a number of different levels. May we encourage each other to be courageous every day no matter the size of monster.

-Song

October Goals + Giveaway Winner!

We're talking Goal Setting today! I love making goals. It's something I've wanted to write about on a monthly basis, but I always seem to forget whenever a new month rolls around! Yeah, I know... sounds like this goal meeting thing is in the bag. This is why I need a list.

For the month of October, my goals are centered around beefing up Banana Grove Designs for the holiday season. Last year was an excellent first one as far as sales and traffic over Christmas, but the whole time I honestly didn't know what I was doing. Hopefully, with twice the preparation and experience will come twice the result!

October Goals:

1.) Decide on new packaging that incorporates logo. This is fairly obvious. Rebranding has been a slow process because I'm figuring it out for the first time, but my packaging is the final thing I need to change out.

2.) Have all blog posts finished a week in advance, at least. Blogging is taking up more time than it should during the week with the holidays approaching. My goal is to spend a little more time on the weekends preparing everything, so it's DONE!

3.) Read two books (Finish Villette & 7 Habits). Reading took a backseat this year. Now that I'm starting Lauren's linkup Operation Read Your Shelves, I'm trying to make more time for this. It's important! Getting my nose out of my laptop is very very important!

4.) Bring inventory up to 100 listings on Etsy. This has been a goal for a long time and this year, I hope to finally accomplish it. 100 listings by November 1st. 

5.) Write a handwritten letter once a week. This is something that I need just because it's good to be on a different level of communication. Letter writing is different from texting, talking on the phone or even speaking in person. It's stretching to think differently about how you communicate.

6.) Conquer laundry like a boss. Self explanatory.

7.) Get in the habit of waking up at 5:30 every morning. (cue laugh track) This has been a necessary transition for a while. There just aren't enough hours in the day, and I just don't feel rested enough if I'm not getting in bed and getting up early. Gotta do it!

8.) Each piece I make MUST be something I love. You'd think that's a no-brainer, but sometimes it's hard to get yourself out of your customer's head long enough to realize that you and your ideal customer share a brain.

9.) Finish reading Daniel & the New Testament. There needs to be more structure around Bible reading for me, so I'm going to start making this a defined monthly goal! :)

What are your goals for the month? Let me know in the comments below!

I'm incredibly excited to announce the winner of my celebratory giveaway! :) Congrats to Nicole M.!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And thank you to all of you who entered! I'll be doing another BGD jewelry giveaway between now and Thanksgiving, so stay tuned!

-Song

Why I Love... P90X

Time for another Why I Love! We're talking about fitness and my favorite workout! Today I'm listing all the reasons why I love...P90X.

Before I begin, let me explain what P90X is for those of you who aren't familiar with it. It was developed by Beachbody.com and is an intense, at-home, 90-day workout designed to get anyone's body to pique performance level after 3 months! There's a food plan that goes along with it, as well, for those who have more weight to lose. The torture is minimal, trust me. I have done both P90X and P90X3 at different times and enjoyed them both immensely! Here's why:

1. Tony Horton...The fearless leader. Obviously, if you're going to work out every day with a person, that person needs to be someone you can stand. While I have muted Tony from time to time (which you can do while still getting cues, by the way), he is actually pretty entertaining and definitely motivates me. Some of the most ridiculous stuff comes out of his mouth, though. Be forewarned. :)

2. Modifications...When I first started the program, I lacked the endurance and strength needed to go at the same pace as the demo crew in the video. Thankfully, they demonstrate ways to do the exercises at a less intense level, which is a huge help when you're just starting out. Eventually, you can begin doing each exercise at full strength, and it's amazing how quickly you gain momentum.

3. Variety...The program includes several different workouts. P90X3, which I'm using right now has sixteen of them, that include weight lifting, yoga, pilates, martial arts, plyometrics, cardio and more. Following the schedule made for you, you will do a different one every day. The theory behind this is that using different muscles differently each day whips your entire body into shape faster. And, obviously, it's less boring than doing the same exact workout for weeks on end!

4. Simplicity...It's unnecessary to have a large number of weights or tons of gear (of course, you can use them, but not having them won't keep you from being able to do the program). Basically, what you see above and a pair of good court shoes is all you have to have (other than things you already own, like a towel).

5. No pressure...there is pressure, but only enough to encourage you to keep going. The goals are attainable because they're measurable and not out of reach...work out today. Just today. "Do your best and forget the rest" is Tony Horton's mantra and if you're focused on doing the most you can one day at a time, you'll be amazed what that means at the end of 3 months.

6. Fun...it's genuinely fun to work out and feel strong. I've discovered new loves through this program, too. Kenpo and Yoga? LOVE THEM!

7. Health and Security...This is not specific to P90X, but after working out, I'm always left with a great sense of accomplishment, as well as a sense of security (false, though it may be). Cause you know what? I just might survive that zombie apocalypse now! Every single one of us needs the health and capability that comes from being strong!

What is your favorite workout program? Do you exercise at home or are you a gymie? (Did I just make that up or is that real? Is it a hashtag at least?) Have you tried P90X before? Let's talk fitness in the comments below!

-Song

How to Clean Your Jewelry!

Today's the last day to enter the giveaway for a pair of lovely minty aqua gemstone earrings in gold! Click here to enter! I'll be announcing the winner on Wednesday!

Jewelry and I obviously have a lot to do with each other. I design it, I make it, I sell it, and very often, I clean it! There are tons of methods for cleaning jewelry, but today we're talking about the ones that I use the most to clean the jewelry I wear and sell.

1.) For germ killing, which is very important when it comes to earring hooks and posts, I've never used anything better than plain old rubbing alcohol. Soak a cotton pad, wipe the dirty earring hook, and let it air dry. Before a pair of earrings leaves my shop, I always clean the hooks this way!

2.) When cleaning a piece with delicate elements like gemstones, use warm water and dish soap. Rinse it thoroughly and gently pat it dry.

3.) Tarnished sterling silver is what I have to deal with most. If it's a piece made of just metal without delicate gemstones, you can use a sonic machine like this one, to literally do as Taylor Swift says and shake it off!

4.) Another more gentle way to deal with tarnish, is with a cleaning cloth like one of these. I use one a lot on my own sterling jewelry. It's easy, and works especially well on rings and pieces without a lot of nooks and crannies.

5.) Finally, for tarnish in the aforementioned nooks and crannies, a toothbrush and some toothpaste gets the job done. Use the same technique you'd use to brush your teeth! A little water and scrubbing action produces a lovely shine.

Hope that helps you keep all your favorite pieces clean! Remember that pearls and opals should be handled with especial care. Have a happy Monday and good luck in that giveaway! :)

-Song

Box of Chocolates Friday

Good evening, my friends! I rarely wish you a good evening, but blogging simply didn't happen earlier. Thankfully, you can blog any time of day!

I just finished playing a Nancy Drew computer game with my mom and sister. Yes, that's how we spend Friday nights. We fulfill childhood fantasies using modern day technology. You have no idea how cool that is! (We're really just keeping each other company waiting for Dad to drive all the way home from Illinois. Here's wishing everyone stuck in an airport a safe way home!)

What are you up to? Here are a few links for your weekend...

-15 Ways to Be a Good Human Today

-Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Smoothie! Sounds almost weird enough to be incredible!

-Refocusing Your Content

-10 Things You Didn't Know About Gilligan's Island  (this is for you, Mom)

-The Actual Ages of TV and Movie "Teens"

-An Ode to Moonshine. There's a recipe, but what I found interesting/funny was the personal story!

-How Long it Takes to Read the World's Most Popular Books

-The 30-Day Creative Business Cleanse

And...

Thank you, and..."Good afternoon, good evening, and good night!"

-Song