Chamber of Secrets and Poetry Month

I guess I hit a lull this weekend, or a burnout, or something... because I did a lot of reading. It felt good actually... to just pick up some really straightforward novels -- nothing too heavy or literary or "smart" -- and just plow through some books for the fun of it. Plus, I made tiny, tiny progress on those reading challenges I pledged to do this year, so yay. :)

So... an obligatory challenge update:

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: It took way longer than it should have, but I finally finished the second year at Hogwarts. Go me! I guess this means I'm a month behind on the HP Reading Challenge, but oh well.

I never could put my finger on why, but I was never a huge fan of this particular HP book. It's an okay book. It really is. But I just always kind of thought of it as one that was necessary to the series, but on its own, not so amazing. I won't summarize the story because... well, you've probably already read it by now and you can get that elsewhere. (Going forward, I'm assuming you've read the whole series too. Be ye warned... spoilers may be afoot.)

In a similar way to the first book, it's got a simple story told in a straightfoward style... easy to read though just a smidge darker. There are a lot less Muggle world/Dursley mishaps (the pudding incident makes up for it) and though she does reiterate the rules of Quidditch again (one of my pet peeves with the early books), there's less setup and more moving forward into the story, from the moment Dobby appears in the first chapters, warning Harry not to return to Hogwarts. Rowling also drops some clues in that really hint at future twists in the storyline - the identity of Tom Riddle, and the first time the Ministry of Magic really starts causing trouble -- and introduces a few characters that are minor here, but will play key roles as the story goes on.

And okay... I suck at figuring out mysteries. Even on the third read, I was kind of like, "Who's the Heir of Slytherin again? Who opened the Chamber? Oh yeah, I remember now..." (yeah, that's lame of me... 12 year olds can probably figure this out. :))

I have to say, I did enjoy it more this time around, probably because I knew what to expect. Overall, a decent, if not amazing sequel and step in the series. Next is one of my favorites... Prisoner of Azkaban! I'm not sure why... I found out later this one had a lot of haters. Which makes me sad. I always rather liked it. :P

***

A review of my other read, Just Listen by Sarah Dessen coming soon-ish. I read it in, like, 3 days. And the main character only annoyed me a little bit. :) I have thoughts, but when I tried to write them out, they were getting so long they'll need their own post.

***

Tomorrow is a doubly special day! Not only is it Maundy Thursday (and just a few days until Easter), but it's also the first day of National Poetry Month. As of now, I'm thinking it's the year to pass on Script Frenzy and try the Poem a Day Challenge at the Writer's Digest poetry blog.

Why yes. I do enjoy writing poetry, but, like most things, I need a proverbial gun to my head to get any actual writing done. :) Here's to the hope of a productive month... stretching some writing muscles with something different!

Sarah Cunningham Twitterview Part II

Here are Parts 2 and 3 of the "twitterview" with Picking Dandelions author Sarah Cunningham! Here we discuss writing, favorite things, superpowers, and a word from The Emperor. Fun stuff!

Go here for Part 1 and a review of Picking Dandelions.

***

Part 2: On Writing and Teaching

@ShutterbugShann: Do you have times where you get "blocked" writing-wise? If so, what is your work through method?

@sarahcunning: I handle "blocks" different than other people I know. I don't try to write through them. I don't even try to write every day or even on a regular schedule. I write when I feel open and good and have big blocks of time.

@jen_rose: Now that's writing advice you don't hear much! Encouraging to those of us who can't write every day. :)

@shutterbugshann: I like that advice about "blocks." I too take days off from writing sometimes. I have believed freewriting to be great in that way. It allows you to get feelings/thoughts on paper and into the open.

@shutterbugshann: What is your favorite part of writing? For me, it's dialogue. I love dialogue.

@sarahcunning: I mostly like writing based on observations from life that share learning with others.

@shutterbugshann: I have been wanting to write a "real-life" story, but being more of a fiction writer, I'm new to that... any advice?

@sarahcunning: Write about moments in life that felt "most right" to you. And right about pain/anger. See what lessons emerge.

@amrhodes what was the biggest lesson you learned while writing PD?

@sarahcunning: Mostly writing pd just made me more aware of how resistant I become to change without realizing it. Its amazing how we`ll cling to the familiar even when change makes more sense.

@jen_rose: You said you were a teacher... what/where do you teach? And how long have you been teaching?

@sarahcunning: I’ve been teaching for 7 yrs. Started in a charter school called daVinci. then a few yrs back, I transitioned to Jackson public w/my husband. I got bumped to the alternative h-school within this district. That has been a bit of a trip. Hard work but worthwhile.

@jen_rose: Yeah quite a journey! But a great profession (and still def a world-changing one! :)) What's an alternative high school?

@sarahcunning: alternative high schools are options for students who aren't successful in the traditional system. in this case, usually because of behavioral issues and criminal records. Jackson is the home of the state prison.

@jen_rose: What are the hardest and the most rewarding things about teaching there?

@sarahcunning: One of the hardest parts is seeing students make habitual choices that lead them thru cycles of hardship and confusion. Its difficult to see students locked up over and over again, in a system that doesn't seem to rehabilitate many. No one wants to work in a holding tank.

The best moments r when students get a couple steps ahead of where they were when u 1st met them. When they begin to experience trust or become aware of the link between choices and consequences, or taste their potential. Success is in their increased well-being, not in ability to meet the "standard" for conventional education.

@jen_rose: Sometimes, I think we all have those times where our jobs - no matter how rewarding - feel so much like work and routine. And then something happens, and it’s like, “Wow, this is worth it.” Is there a story of a time like that for you that comes to mind?

@sarahcunning: I think the moments that mean the most to me have been when a "hard" student, who protects themselves from hurt by disconnecting from others, decides to feel again. To trust someone. To care a little. Its like a dead person coming to life.


Part 3: On Randomness

@jen_rose: Who are some of your favorite/most influential writers?

@sarahcunning: C.S. Lewis is at the top of the list. Then N.T.Wright, Anthony deMello, Barbara Brown Taylor, Anne Lamott...in no order.

@jen_rose: Oh yeah, you can't go wrong with C.S. Lewis! Favorite book?

@sarahcunning: Awareness by Anthony deMello is up there. Not sure if I have just ONE fav Lewis or Wright book. Lamott's memoir trilogy.

@jen_rose: Makes sense. I'm sure you get this a lot... but I got a strong Anne Lamott vibe from your writing. :)

@sarahcunning: I do like Lamott! My life was a lot different than hers, but I love her honesty. I want to be that transparent.

@jen_rose: What's some of your favorite music lately?

@sarahcunning: My fav music lately is my fav music always. I like U2, the Beatles, some of Sublime. But I'm not a big music person. My hubby is the 1 singing to the radio (to anyone--New Kids, Mariah Carey, anyone) in our car. I'm the 1 stuck in a book.

@jen_rose: Favorite place on this planet?! (or any planet, on the off chance you've been somewhere else. :))

@sarahcunning: Favorite place on the planet is, for the moment, Jackson, MI (the place I live). Its taken me a while to get to that place where I get the best place to be is the place God has me, because this is the spot where his potential for me will play out.

@shutterbugshann: I feel exactly like that about Asheville. I feel like that is where I NEED to be to fulfill my future.

@jen_rose Would you rather spend the night in a graveyard or a haunted house?

@sarahcunning: Ha. I'm assuming neither isn't an option? I'd probably pick a graveyard. The haunted house employees would drive me insane.

@jen_rose: Follow Friday style... 5 of your favorite twitter people we should all go follow right now?

@sarahcunning: Wow. There are a lot of good ones. @faith_reason @plywoodpeople @potsc @jesusneedsnewpr @jasonboyett ...there's a start. :)

@jen_rose: I know, right? It is a start. Just two more... first, if you could have any superpower, what would it be?

@sarahcunning: Ooooh. I think mind-reading. But it would need to be optional mind-reading. With a switch that I could turn on and off.

@jen_rose: Second... does the Good Emperor have anything he'd like to say? :)

@sarahcunning: The Emperor turns 1 in April so he'd like to let everyone know he'll be accepting cupcakes &/or jars of frosting in the mail.

@jen_rose: Thanks so much Sarah! It's been great chatting with you this week! :)

***

Again, big thanks to Sarah for the blog tour visit and answering the burning questions of the Twittersphere. Also another big thanks to @amrhodes, @JanetOber, and @ShutterbugShann for joining in with questions.

Now... go buy her book. :)

Picking Dandelions: A review and an interview!

If you've been following along with The First Ever Div Sense Twitterview this week, you've already gotten to know Sarah Cunningham. (and if not, read on! transcript to follow.) It's pleasure to join many other wonderful bloggers as a host on Sarah's blog tour in support of her new book Picking Dandelions.

The Review

You might say Sarah Cunningham is a jack-of-all-trades, a wearer of many hats. Or you might think of something a little less cliche to say. But with this mom/teacher/author/speaker's newest book Picking Dandelions, Sarah takes us on a journey through her own life with a series of anecdotes tied together with a simple, but dangerous proposition: "Humans can't afford the luxury of unchanged living."

Sarah writes with candor, quirky humor, and warmth in a way that recalls writers like Anne Lamott. Though her first book Dear Church focused on a generation's response to Christianity and a people's need for change, her second book instead looks inward, confessing to stagnant faith and poking around the dusty corners of a life in need of change. Her stories take the reader from a Midwest preacher's kid childhood, to the rubble of Ground Zero, to a new life as a wife, mother, and teacher.

This book is split into distinct parts, but her anecdotes all relate to a greater story, pulled together with section headers that relate her experience to the life of the dandelion. There were thought-provoking, tender, and laugh out loud moments, but most of all, I found myself thinking of my own life, wondering if I have the courage to seek out change too. She kindly tells us that it is possible, that faith is a process and that God's love never stops working on us.

It's a refreshing read that's light in style but deep in character, in the tradition of the best spiritual memoirs. Her relatable stories, humor, and insight make Sarah Cunningham an author worth getting to know.
Visit Sarah's website for more info, excerpts, and her blog, and order Picking Dandelions on Amazon. Review copy of this book provided by Zondervan.

***

The Twitterview

All this week Sarah and I have been chatting via Twitter about the book, writing, and other miscellany things. The Twitterview was a grand experiment... and a lot of fun! She's a really cool person to follow, and we've had good conversation with a few other readers as well.

So much fun and conversation, that it's a little long for this already-large blog post. So, here's Part 1 of the Twitterview Transcript. All of the following tweets are in mostly chronological order... I shifted a few questions around to keep it on topic, but you get the idea.

Big thanks to @amrhodes, @JanetOber, and @ShutterbugShann for joining in with questions of their own! Thanks for making the experiment awesome. Let's do this again sometime. :)

***

Part 1: On the Author and Picking Dandelions

@jen_rose Hey Sarah! Thanks for letting me "twitter-view" you! Can we call it a twitter-view, even if it's kind of cheesy?

@sarahcunning: Twitter-view it is. The more cheesy, the betta. :) I'm a nerd in any universe, including the twitter one. :):):)

@jen_rose: Haha! Okay, good. Hey, nerds rule anyway. And maybe you need just a little nerdiness to be on Twitter. :) So for those just joining us... in 140 characters or less, who is Sarah Cunningham?

@sarahcunning: 1stly, a follower of God. an imperfect person. fatal idealist. wife, chief diaper changer, teacher, writer, sister to all.

@jen_rose: Wow! You wear many hats. And Chief Diaper Changer is a pretty impressive title! :)

@sarahcunning: Yep. As you may know we call him the Emperor. He guest posted on my blog yesterday. :)

@jen_rose: That's awesome. He might be the youngest guest blogger ever!

@amrhodes: what prompted you to write Picking Dandelions?

@sarahcunning: my own stagnant spiritual life. was in a stage where i wasn't open to God continuing to change me and needed to face it.

@jen_rose: How would you say Picking Dandelions is different from your first book Dear Church?

@sarahcunning: PD is a memoir, a collection of stories and life observations about how people can't afford not to change. Dear Church is a series of essays that capture some of the emotions 20-somethings experience in church interactions.

@JanetOber: Hi Sarah - did you pick the title for your book and if so, how?

@sarahcunning: Yep. Well, I originally called it Picking Weds: A Search for Faith Among Life's Weeds and we tweaked it from there.

@jen_rose: After writing about experiences of 20-somethings in general, was it strange or hard to put your own life story out there? Because I think we can all relate to needing or wanting to change... but I don't think we necessarily want to admit it!

@sarahcunning: Its definitely easier in some ways to write generically about a whole group of people rather than open your own life. I am a naturally transparent person, so it wasn't a huge stretch to put my life out there on a larger platform than usual. In some ways, it deepens my character because I am then being held accountable--at some level--by the masses. :) Scary.

@jen_rose: Scary, yes... but transparency is good! I think there's a tendency in our culture (and in Christian circles) to keep those things to ourselves, and hope it works out. What do you hope readers will learn from your story about change?

@sarahcunning: i want people to think about how avoiding change may seem like the easy route but its more costly. how we as people of faith can't afford to live unchanged lives.

@jen_rose: And what do you think is the cost of avoiding change?

@sarahcunning: the cost is huge.maybe not immediately but as it plays out over time. the cost is you live a life that is less than what God wants for you.

***

Come back Friday for Parts 2 and 3 on writing, teaching, and a whole bunch of random stuff. :)

The Melting (or: death backwards)

As a Florida girl, sometimes I admit the coming of spring is hard to appreciate. Fall is always the time I look forward to the most... the end of a brutal summer, the sweaters and blankets, shorter days and a glint of gold in the air. People say we don't have seasons, and I guess that's true to some extent. But there's something in the air... we just know it.

Spring is always a close second though. And for the first time this year, I really understand what makes this time just as magical as October is to me.

This was the first winter in a really long time that I remember it being so cold. Bitter, chilling, straight-to-the-bones-can't-get-warm cold. And I love it at first. I pull out the thickest sweaters, scarves and gloves, get giddy over frost on the ground. Even scraping ice off the windshield is kind of magical. (Remember. This is Florida we're talking about.) Okay, a part of me felt sorry for my Northern friends and kept reminding myself this was nothing, but I secretly got happy for any leftover arctic air that came our way.

This is the first year I remember actually seeing snow in the forecast. Yes, one day in January, there was actually potential for some flakes. What? A dream come true! (I didn't see any though. Alas.) I'm pretty sure that was the week of Heavy and Light, where after waiting for an hour outside House of Blues in 30 degree weather, I couldn't feel my feet anymore and would've given anything for three more pairs of socks. (again, I hear my Northern friends laughing. it's okay.)

So it went. And went. And somewhere, it wasn't so fun anymore. I longed for warm weather and bright colors and the ability to leave the house without layers. I missed my Florida. I really did.

I understood why spring means so much.

So here it is, the first days of spring. Warmth is coming. The past few days have been some of the most perfect imaginable, with sun and just the right touch of coolness to remind me that winter isn't quite done with us. I've come to think of spring as a sort of reverse fall, a melting, or perhaps, as a line from one of my favorite books says, "death itself... working backward."

I love the beauty in these transition seasons. Somewhere between bitter cold and brutal heat, there is change, a tangible something in the air that feels like a resting place but is far from it. In one season, the leaves fall, and death appears to win but really the world is sleeping. And in the other, hope and life and rebirth start breaking through.

It's this time of year when it's easier to believe there's something powerful, mysterious, bigger and stronger than I can imagine, turning death backwards and cracking the ice around our souls. And now, I'm more ready than ever.

***

Because I can't help myself, here are a few albums that are my soundtrack to early spring. I think a couple are pretty obvious...

Jon Foreman * Spring EP

Your Love Is Strong - Jon Fore...

Yeah, thanks Captain Obvious. Oddly enough, it's my second favorite of his four seasonal projects, Fall being first. No surprise there. But these songs really capture the essence of spring to me.

Jason Gray * Everything Sad is Coming Untrue

Everything Sad Is Coming Untru...

Again, if you listen to it, you know it's fitting. Not just because there is so much spring imagery in the lyrics... but because these are songs of change and confession and growth and the darkness of the world melting away and bent things being made straight. Oh, I'm getting all poetic. This is good good stuff.

Gungor * Beautiful Things

Beautiful Things - Gungor

I played this loud today. Normally, I'm not a huge fan of worship music... but this is just different. They call themselves "liturgical post-rock." I call it epic. And with so many songs about coming to life and beautiful things springing from dust, it's most fitting for this time of year.

---

* A special thanks to Jason Gray's Rabbit Room essay "The Promise of Spring, The Fruits of Winter" for inspiring some of these springy thoughts. :)
**Photo source**

Help Me Interview @SarahCunning!

On March 24th, I'm turning Div Sense over to sharing a bit about Picking Dandelions, Sarah Cunningham's delightful new faith memoir. I'm happy and honored to be a part of a circle of awesome bloggers on this tour, and especially excited to introduce you to Sarah. I'm also trying out what is either a brilliant or goofy experiment... an interview with the author conducted entirely through Twitter.

(See, her book is about change and taking steps to change things in your life, and one of the things she mentions in the book is a tendency to talk too much. I'd like to think asking questions that require answers in 140 characters or less is helping our new friend further her goal. ;))

Right. Tangent. Anyway, this is how it works:

Today (March 17th), I'm opening the floor to ask Sarah questions through Twitter in public @replies. If you tweet, this makes sense to you. And if you tweet, you can join in the fun! Here's how.

1) Post your question/comment as a reply to @SarahCunning.
2) Tag your tweet with #pdti (my code for "Picking Dandelions Twitter Interview." I'm trying to keep it short so not to steal too many of your characters!)
3) You can use multiple tweets to ask a question... but don't overdo it! This is an experiment, so let's keep it simple as possible.
4) Search #pdti any time to see the interview thread and follow along!

I'll compile the whole thing into a transcript and post it on March 24th along with a short review of Picking Dandelions.

Thanks for your help! If this experiment works and doesn't burst into flames and come crashing and screaming to the ground, maybe we can try it again with other willing victims... er... awesome Twitter people. :)

And if you don't have Twitter... never fear! Just leave any questions you want me to ask in the comments. But I strongly recommend you sign up anyway. It's fun. And we can be Twitter friends and stuff. <3

Ready? Tweet away!

About Sarah: Sarah Raymond Cunningham is a high school teacher, part-time college prof, and chief servant to the nine month emperor Justus. She is a popular church and conference speaker, the author of Dear Church, and a contributor to several books, including unChristian. Sarah, her husband, Chuck, and their son live with their manic Jack Russell terrier in Jackson, Michigan. They attend a church plant called Rivertree. Find out more at www.sarahcunningham.org.

musical love

In the spirit of Lincoln vs. Linkin and RadioDay... further evidence that copycat covers happen. 2010 is the Year of Musical Heart apparently.


#1: Alkaline Trio - This Addiction


I spotted this in a Park Ave CDs e-mail newsletter, and it suspiciously reminds me of...

#2: Sanctus Real - Pieces of a Real Heart



Again, not a knock to either band or a cry of plagiarism or whatever. I just always find it fascinating that these things happen. Last summer it was creepy animal heads, so this year.... hearts.

Besides, Sanctus gets a pretty happy review in my estimation. It's all good.

Feel the love. <3

bbq interview

So Tuesday, I hit another tiny milestone and learned something about myself too. The Milestone: My first in person interview for JFH. The Lesson: It isn't as scary and is way more fun than I thought it would be.

It's all kind of random and proves yet again that my job is awesome. (Like, my non-writing job that pays me money. :)) Earlier in the week, I got an e-mail from John asking if I wanted to do an interview with Meredith Andrews. Via e-mail, like the others I'd done, which is awkward in its own way, but not quite so much as a phone call.

But sure enough, something better works out. She was going to be in town, visiting the station where I work, and I had an opportunity to talk to her in person!

Cue the freak out. I mean, it's not the idea of interviewing an "artist" or anything. I'm pretty much okay with that and have seen plenty of music people wander through the building. No, my freak outs are more mundane. Will I be able to carry a conversation? Will my questions be dumb? Will the batteries die in my recorder or I'll run out of disk space or I'll drop it on the pavement and watch it fly apart on my way out? (most of my worries are tech-oriented, come to think of it. It's the RTV Production major in me.)

Anyway, my friend Music Guy Jeff came up with the idea for me to come early and talk to her after the morning show. The one factor I didn't count on was her on air segment being pushed an hour early and missing her as I came in. D'oh.

So Plan B? Crash the Music Guy's lunch. Heck yeah. (Technically, he invited me, so it wasn't a crash. But it's more fun to say I crashed.)

So we had this big party at Bubbalou's BBQ with Jeff and his family, Meredith and her husband Jacob, and Kenny Rodgers (not that Kenny Rogers) from Word Records. We packed into a booth and ate and chatted, and I had my first fried pickle experience (note: interesting, not amazing, but not gross). At one point, Kenny discovered her new album was the #1 Christian album on iTunes, and at another point she said "I feel like it's my birthday!" And being release day for a new project, I guess in a way it was.

Then Meredith and I abandoned the party for another booth and talked about her new music, writing, India and Haiti, and the virtues of Imogen Heap and Hamburger Helper.

It was great. And like most of my worries, they were all unfounded. She was very sweet and down to earth, very open and talkative and laid back. I think it was halfway through, when the question sheet became extra prompts and we could just, y'know, have a conversation that I realized I could get used to this sort of thing.

Because the thing about interviewing is that it's not just about questions and answers. It's a conversation, finding connections you didn't know were there with someone you may have never met. And it's the one sort of writing where I just toss some ideas onto a sheet and shut up. Let the other person tell the story. Get out of my head for a while. As much as I enjoy reviewing music, it's nice to take off the critic hat and get to know the people behind it for a while. And the longer I work in this side of music, the more I find those people to be fascinating, beautiful, and so very kind. Just having the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people makes it all worthwhile.

I hope you'll get to read our conversation soon. I do have 25 minutes of audio to transcribe, so that will be a project. But then again, I suppose that's where the actual hard work is. :)

* Photo stolen from Jeff's photo blog. He has a far-less-rambly post about hanging out with Meredith Andrews.