Share Four Somethings – October

Yes, I’m a week late posting my Share Four Somethings for October. But I have a neighbor who still has their Halloween decorations up so I figure it’s never too late to check something off your list. Even if the due date has passed.

Something Loved – Brandi Carlile

Am I the last person to realize how amazing and talented Brandi Carlile is? I saw her on SNL a few weeks ago and it was the first time in years and years that we didn’t fast forward through the musical guest. I realized right away that this was a real musician and not some strange performance artist that I’m now too old to understand that normally appears on SNL.

Since then I’ve been devouring her music. Her lyrics seem to come from a deep place in her soul and her voice is reminiscent of Emmy Lou Harris. Check these lyrics from That Wasn’t Me:

Tell me did I go on a tangent?
Did I lie through my teeth?
Did I cause you to stumble on your feet?
Did I bring shame on my family?
Did it show when I was weak?
Whatever you see, that wasn’t me

But I want you to know that you’ll never be alone
I wanna believe do I make myself a blessing to everyone I meet
When you fall I will get you on your feet
Do I spend time with my family?
Did it show when I was weak?
When that’s what you see, that will be me

I don’t normally listen to country music but she seems to find a sweet spot of singer-song writer, folk, and country.

Something Read & Something Watched

Native: Identity, Belonging, & Rediscovering God by Kaitlin Curtice

I read Native with my Social Justice Book Club. This was the first book by an Indigenous writer that we read as a group and will follow it up with a visit to the new First American’s Museum in Oklahoma City.

Kaitlin writes about growing up as both a poor Native American girl and then as a teen in a white, upper middle class, Baptist, Oklahoma town. As an adult she has rediscovered her native and spiritual roots in her Potawatomi tribe and what it means to be more than just a card carrying Native American but to truly be a member of her tribe.

Midnight Mass on Netflix

Imagine a 7 episode series about religion, piety, religious symbolism, philosophy, pondering what happens after we die, and how we allow blind devotion to a thing, dogma, or person lead us down a dark path. Throw in horror and a classic monster and you’ve got yourself a perfect series for someone who loves both C.S. Lewis and Ann Rice.

I really liked this show but it’s probably not for everyone. I may more may not try to convince my Sunday School class to watch and discuss.

Something Treasured: Halloween

Speaking of spooky…

Every year Adam and I hand out hotdogs instead of candy to trick or treaters. We have been doing it for several years (except last year for obvious reasons) and it’s such a joy. Adam loves a good playlist and has been refining his Halloween playlist on Spotify for years. (Feel free to favorite Adam’s playlist on Spotify if you need one for your party next year) We also project family friendly Halloween movies on a sheet so kids can sit and watch while they eat their hotdog before heading to the next house.

What other time of the year are you going to get families wandering your neighborhood en mass? Halloween! The amount I spend on hotdogs and apple juice is probably the same if I were to buy multiple jumbo bags of candy or full size candy. Seeing the surprise and gratitude on the faces of kids and adults when we ask if they would like a hotdog is delightful. Every year we get people who come by and say they come to our neighborhood because they love our house.

Something Ahead – Concurrent Enrollment

Apparently juniors and seniors in high school can take classes at their local community college or university (if you happen to live in a university town like us) for free or next to nothing. I don’t know if this was a thing when I was in high school but it’s pretty amazing. Addison can enroll in college level English and Math courses that will count towards his high school requirements and it will apply towards his college credits. In other words, he can get some college basics out of the way for a fraction of the price.

This is me attempting to remind myself that applications for concurrent enrollment for Addison’s senior year are this November. We missed the deadline to get it done for his junior year and I’m kicking myself. The woes of being a first born…all the mistakes are made on them.