7 Quick Takes Friday (vol. 112)
— 1 —
I finally saw the hematologist about the ultrasound on my leg that was done last week. It turns out that there are a lot of clots in the superficial veins in that leg. The good news is that there are no clots in the deep veins, but the bad news is that there’s not much I can do about the pain, other than take analgesics and keep moving. Also, it’s odd that I would develop clots while I’m giving myself Lovenox shots every day. (The thought did cross my mind that the worst pain of all is having clots while PAYING $1,000 PER MONTH FOR ANTI-CLOTTING MEDICATION.) (And yes, that is with the new, generic Lovenox.) Anyway, what we learned from all this is that my blood really likes to clot.
— 2 —
I’m hoping that the leg pain subsides more by next week, since I’ve got lots of cool stuff going on. The kids and I are heading down to Houston for me to speak at a Legatus event on Tuesday (babysitting courtesy of their grandmother Yaya), and then on Friday I fly out to San Francisco to meet with my literary agent. Hopefully I’ll feel well enough to attend the West Coast Walk for Life on Saturday. I coordinated the trip with my friend Hallie Lord, who will also be in the area at that time, so we’re sharing a hotel room for a girls’ weekend of catching up and relaxing. It’ll be a much-needed little vacation!
— 3 —
Speaking of Yaya, she finally bought a house in our area! In about a month she’ll be living just a few blocks away from us. We can’t wait. And those of you who have read my posts involving Yaya know that this will be very good for blog content.
— 4 —
My husband and I have discovered the 1990′s British comedy Jeeves & Wooster. How can I have lived 34 years and not have known about this?! Anyway, here’s something crazy: check out the main character, Bertie Wooster, in this clip (he’s the one with the red flower on his suit). You don’t have to watch the whole thing, just enough to get an idea:
Now, check this out: he’s the same guy who plays the lead in that popular American show House, MD! (Don’t watch past 35 seconds; there’s a crude comment at the end. I searched for a long time and couldn’t find a better clip):
Anyway, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a more dramatic transformation of an actor in different roles. What is your favorite “I can’t believe that’s the same actor!” transformation?
— 5 —
I assume you’re all planning to buy Ann Voskamp’s new book which comes out on January 18, right? I know that she has a lot of devoted fans (I count myself as one of them), so I want to offer you all a tip for how you can help her with this project: If you are planning to buy her book, do so by February 1. A book’s sales in the first couple of weeks are critical for its long-term success. Publishers use that data to determine how much they will continue to support a title, and they tend to give up on books that languish without impressive sales straight out of the gate. An high initial concentration of orders also helps a book get on bestseller lists, which is priceless free publicity. Though authors dearly appreciate purchases whenever they come, a purchase in the first two weeks is even more valuable than a purchase later. Just a tip from someone who has spent a crazy amount of time researching the publishing industry.
UPDATE: Another exciting book that’s still in the critical two-week window is Unplanned by Abby Johnson, which I hear is an absolute page-turner. Go get that one too!
— 6 —
My mom surprised us by getting us a Keurig coffee maker for Christmas. I had seen them advertised and never had much interest (I talked in #5 here about how I gave up coffee because it made me insane), so at first I was worried that we wouldn’t use it. As it turns out, we love it! My husband enjoys being able to get a cup of coffee in a matter of seconds on the weekends, and I use it to make tea every morning. When I’m juggling a thousand different things trying to get everyone out the door to go somewhere, it’s so handy to be able to just pop a to-go cup under the spout, press a button, and have my tea all ready with no further work on my part. (And the kids love it that it makes hot chocolate too.) Great gift idea!
— 7 —
I’d love to have a fantastic book to read on the plane next weekend (and Ann Voskamp and Abby Johnson’s books might not have arrived from Amazon). What are your top recommendations for non-fiction books? I love memoirs, especially about spiritual transformations (like He Leadeth Me or Son of Hamas); true adventure stories (like Endurance or Into Thin Air); self-help books that aren’t too new-agey (like The War of Art or Improv Wisdom); narrative history (like Cicero or Undaunted Courage); and, of course, spiritual wisdom (like The Everlasting Man or To Know Christ Jesus). Recommend away!
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Sorry about the clotting — will keep you in my prayers.
Well, it will be all too obvious from my Seven Quick Takes post that I have been reading nothing but the mid-century English novelist Barbara Pym lately. A friend sent me a big box of her books, and my teenager and I have been plowing through them. Today she and I sat late at the breakfast table, each of us with coffee and a book, laughing at intervals . . . That doesn’t really address your book request at all, though if you like Jeeves and Wooster, you might also have fun with Barbara Pym, all of whose novels are comic takes on mid-century English life, involving spinsters, vicars, anthropologists, librarians, and unrequited love. Very good fun. (and her autobiography in diaries and letters would technically count as non-fiction, though it’s not that spiritual . . . )
Hope your leg pain subsides!
Sally Thomas recently posted..Seven Quick Takes- The Diaries of Barbara Pym Edition
On the upside- if you’re ever in a severe trauma, you know you won’t bleed to death (which is one of my secret fears)! Hope the pain subsides soon!
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I would recommend this adventure book:
http://www.amazon.com/Born-Run-Hidden-Superathletes-Greatest/dp/0307266303/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1295041025&sr=1-1
It’s incredibly interesting and also has to do with with something you are a bit interested in: running
http://40daysof.wordpress.com/2011/01/14/have-you-ever/
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…gotta to wake up super early to blog anything good- I cam up with NADA with my sweet baby-toddler on my lap and the 3 year old whining about popsicles
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I just read Ann Voskamp’s book on my Kindle! LOVED IT! I will be buying the hardcover too, since I want to read it again. I know you’re not a big fiction fan, but I really recommend The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton. I was amazed when I read it. And if you haven’t read it, I’d HIGHLY recommend Father Arseny: Priest, Prisoner, Spiritual Father.
I hope your leg feels better. I’m on anti-clotting meds, too, and that would irritate me big time!
What’s Math Got to Do with It? by Jo Boaler. Potentially relevant to your homeschooling, I’d say.
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Try “Salt of the Earth” This interview with then Cardinal J Ratzinger brought skeptic Peter Seewald back to the Church. There are two books that follow in this trilogy. Pope Benedict is amazing!
I’ve been hearing a lot about Dan Woolley’s “Unshaken,” about his time trapped in the rubble after the Haiti earthquake, and spiritual lessons from that. Haven’t read it yet but I probably will, since everyone is raving about it (it was just released also)
#4 I can’t believe that’s House!
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Hi Jen,
I’m glad to hear that your clots are not of the more serious deep-vein variety and I hope you’ll be feeling better in time for your trip(s). My book suggestions….well in the spiritual memoir category I would highly suggest Girl Meets God, and if you feel up to fiction then Excellent Women by Barbara Pym or The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by L. King – both great plane books.
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Jennifer I hope your vein issues give you some relief. I had to do Lovenox shots for 3 weeks after a total hip replacement in early 2009; those shots aren’t bad but to have to do them daily for an undetermined amount of time? Wow!
So I’m trying my own twist on your 7 Quick Takes Friday. I just don’t think I have the imagination to come up with 7 things on fridays!
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I am surprised that your Dr. is letting you travel with the leg problems you’re having. I’m not allowed to sit in a car or plane for more than an hour and that’s just as a precaution. I’ll pray for safe travels. Do take care of yourself.
Jennifer, I feel your leg pain. I’ve never come across anything that gives relief. So sorry for you, and always feeling sorry for self. Book recommendation: Friendship of Christ by Robert Hugh Benson–short.
Read P.G. Wodehouse’s Jeeves & Wooster books! They are so, so much funnier than the tv skits. Most of the humor in the books actually comes from the language. Only a fraction of it translates on screen. You must read them!! They are just the best comedy out there.
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Great tip about the book!
And I hope your legs is better soon- and nothing too serious!
Stephen Fry (Of Jeeves and Wooster) is an outspoken atheist and has some choice words for the catholic church.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR5hWbfZsYs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEhtOhwL8xk
This man is an eloquent, highly intellectual very creative non-theist. If I was gay I’d have a crush on him.
I haven;t visited your site in far too long and love it… I don’t love hearing about your health issues though. I mean, I have no problem hearing about them, I simply wish you were not having them. So, saying a prayer for your healing and health! And, also one for a safe and blessed upcoming trip for you!
I was going to mention Stuart Little, where he plays a geeky dad in glasses.
Then there is the opposite problem, which is fairly common these days, where any number of different actors all look and sound and act the same, one homogenized glop.
I mean, along those same lines — what’s the deal with the guy they picked to play Steve McGarrett in the new Hawaii Five-O? Talk about your bland actor fading into the background of other actors. He looks the same as 1000 other guys. Come on, Steve McGarrett? Jack Lord practically made him an icon. Well, at least they kept the opening music theme.
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Cary Elwes is another actor who has been a bit of a chameleon (and apparently, he’s a Brit too).
Bender recently posted..The Power to do the Impossible
If your blood likes to clot that much, you might be a good candidate for platelet pherisis donation when your pregnancy is over. http://www.unitedbloodservices.org/learnMore.aspx
Never heard of Jeeves and Wooster? What bibliophile worth their salt is missing P.G. Wodehouse in their library?
Thanks for hosting this! My sadly neglected blog is receiving new life.
Lydia recently posted..Seven Quick Takes
I am an avid reader of spiritual nonfiction. I highly suggest a small book written by Sister Briege McKenna. Miracles Do Happen includes her conversion and many many of the healings God has used her for. She has had prophetic dreams, also has been given images and scripture passages from God to help physically and spiritually heal. She is involved in retreats for priests worldwide, although she does do some public speaking. Go to SisterBriege.com You will not be disappointed.
I read “Unplanned” yesterday in basically one sitting. A gripping read and as I am sure you would appreciate a conversion story. Abby and her husband are currently being giving instruction in the Catholic faith by one of St. Blogs’s own.
As great as the Jeeves & Wooster TV Show is and as much of fan of Hugh Laurie as I am for that, Blackadder, and House – the books are even better. P.G. Wodehouse is the funniest Catholic novelist ever and his books go beyond just Jeeves & Wooster. I’ve never read a bad P.G. Wodehouse novel and I have read 26 of them over the last several years and there are more I haven’t yet read. He was a brilliant writer in the form of screwball comedy and could take the simplest plot and make it pure joy to read with his dialog. Plus much of Wodehouse works are free and available on Project Gutenberg and LIbrivox.
As for non-fiction recommendations you mentioned some of my favs. Have you read any of Blessed Columba Marmion? He was a spiritual directory par excellence and his books are chocked full of good advice. “Christ, the Life of the Soul”, “Union With God”, and “Christ and His Mysteries” all have good translations from Zaccheus Press. Or how about some Dietrich Von Hildebrand? His “Transformations in Christ” is pure gold.
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Our parish women’s book club just finished an incredibly moving book called a A Song for Nagasaki. I think you would love it. It’s about a Japanese doctor who converts to Catholicism (from Athiesm) and survives the Atomic bomb. It’s a true story; can’t recommend it highly enough…I just ordered Set Free to Love-Lives Changed by the Theology of the Body after you recommended it. Thanks for the suggestion. I’m excited about it!
Linda Wightman — We knew Michael Ward when we lived in Cambridge (UK), when my husband was doing his Ph.d! I’m so happy to see a recommendation of his book. (makes me feel kind of secondhand famous!)
Sally Thomas recently posted..Seven Quick Takes- The Diaries of Barbara Pym Edition
Have you ever read “Anne Frank Remembered,” the memoir by Miep Gies (the woman who helped hide the Frank family)? It’s a favorite of mine.
JoAnna recently posted..7 Quick Takes Friday – Jan 14- 2011
Jennifer, we love-love-love Jeeves and Wooster at our house! We have them on on dvd..sadly, they did a short number of them. The books are a hoot, and there are more stories in the books then what were made into the show.
yeah, it’s hard to believe he is House! He’s also in Stuart Little, and he has a short part in Sense & Sensibility- he’s pretty diff. in that one, too.
so glad you don’t have DVT..I am curious about your blood condition, I was given a diagnosis of Reynaud’s syndrome, yet the 1st Dr. also told me that my blood clots in the capillaries and to take baby aspirin, my next Dr. insists I have Reynaud’s but I am a bit worried there is more going on.
THE QUESTION OF GOD(Armand M. Nicholi) is based on Dr. Nicholi’s popular course at Harvard comparing the beliefs and lives of Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis respectively. Both were atheists, Freud a life-long atheist, while Lewis’s conversion transformed not just his thinking but his life. Fascinating.
WITNESS by Whittaker Chambers is one of the preeminent autobiographies of the 20th century. Chambers’ life and transformation from committed Communist and atheist to a believer who ended up testifying against his closest friend in the underground makes for compelling, gripping reading. Likely to be at your library.
THE WAY THE WORLD IS: The Christian Perspective of a Scientist by Sir John Pokinghorn, who was a professor of mathematical physics at Cambridge and then left to become an Anglican priest, is really interesting reading.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY by Benjamin Franklin is wonderful. I try to re-read it every decade or so. I’m due. Maybe you and/or some of your readers will get to it before I do. Likely to be at your library.
JOHN ADAMS by David McCullough is an excellent exploration of a life that has profited and benefited so many for so many generations. Again, in your library for sure.
Sorry to hear about your clot problem, especially the pain. I wish I had some helpful advice, but I don’t. I have never heard of this before. I do, however, had advice for San Francisco. Bring warm clothes. Our weather out here on the California coast has been unusually cold recently, down to freezing and below.
When God Looked the Other Way: An Odyssey of War, Exile, and Redemption . By Wesley Adamczyk
OK, Jenn you really need to look into amazon mom. You can get free 2 day shipping and then you get more if you order baby items from amazon. Just a thought. I hope that your legs get better. Mine would ache too. I’d microwave a damp towel for a few seconds and wrap up my legs in the middle of the night. I don’t know if that would help for you.
i just ordered unplanned and amazon recommended “No Turning Back , a Witness to Mercy.” It is about a priest who had a HUGE conversion experience. Also I started reading the Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen. I don’t know it you’ve read his books before, but so far it is awesome!!
Thank you for recommending Ann Voskamp’s “One Thousand Gifts” – I clicked on your link to amazon and read the first couple of pages. I discovered that I could order it immediately for my Kindle instead of having to wait until next week. I will start reading it this afternoon!
I just ordered Abby’s book. It arrived immediately.
(Also, during Advent I re-read Caryl Houselander’s Little Way of the Infant Jesus—one of my faves. Read Caryl Houselander!)
Also, let us know if you DO find you can go on the Walk. I’m still undecided….but the rest of the fam will be there.
[I know, I know.... but I hate car trips....the back, the veins, the tiny-bladder-syndrome, etc. etc. 
]
books – The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I think that I’ve recommended it before, but I’m seconding someone else’s recommendation this time.
actors – Ted Levine played Captain Stottlemeyer in Monk and was Jame “Buffalo Bill” Gumb in Silence of the Lambs! It took my husband a while to convince me and I had to block it out of my mind to continue enjoying him on Monk. Quit a transformation!
Daniel Day Lewis was amazing in My Left Foot and I couldn’t believe that he wasn’t disabled! When I saw the ads for Last of the Mohicans, I was confused that another actor would use the same 3 name name!
Prayers are being sent for your legs. I hope that your trips go smoothly and your health does not cause you any problems.
SO happy to hear there were no deep blood clots! Will pray especially about your pain at Living Waters prayer group at St. Max’s tomorrow night. My book choices are:
“The Scarlet and the Black” (the true story of the priest portrayed by Gregory Peck in the movie of the same title) and “The Closing of the Muslim Mind” by Robert R. Reilly. I also recommend “Left to Tell”, about Rwanda.
And, I’m glad Yaya will be there to provide more stories for your posts — and to enjoy hugging her grandkids!
Jeeves and Wooster! I’ve only seen a little bit of it, but my sister and I are learning the opening theme song (she on violin, and I on piano). It’s an awesome song!
Hopefully you will be feeling better this week!! I’ll keep you in my prayers!
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I have finally gotten my hands on The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life by James Martin and I’m loving it! If you haven’t read it, I’m only about 1/4 of the way through, but I’d recommend it so far.
Can’t wait for more Yaya stories!
I’m reading this book as well, and would recommend it!
Books rec’d: “Heaven Song” by Christopher West
and “The Red Tent” …don’t remember the author:(
Praying for your healing and your pregnancy
)
Enjoy your mini-vacation and girl time..so important!!
Love your blog!!
For books that are simple yet profound, I would recommend anything by Fr. Jacques Philippe. “Searching for and Maintaining Peace” is a favorite of mine.
The Anchoress has a post up that reminded me how much I enjoyed Thomas Merton’s Seven Storey Mountain.
I love conversion stories and the recent Chosen published by Ignatius has 23 of them, including Steven Mosher, a hero. I give it to all my friends. Some are the typical intellectual conversions but others are more “oh-my-gosh-I-can’t-believe-this” stories. Like the true life witch.
Also, for real-life adventure and absolute heroic resolve to live, try The Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell and Devil at My Heels by Louis Zamperini.
Both are fantastic testaments to the will to live. (see Deuteronomy)
Cathy
Living in Houston near YaYa, and directing the Gabriel Project, which helps pregnant moms.
I just finished reading The Unsettling of America: Culture & Agriculture by Wendell Berry. Absolutely beautiful essays on the idea of food and community, place. I also just finished Condoleezza Rice’s autobiography, Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family which I read in one night.
I LOVED Unbroken…excellent writing and an amazing true story of survival the likes you can’t even fathom.
Prayers for you, Jen! I also have thrombophilia and it’s awful to know that you’ve had the pain (and expense!) of the shots while continuing to clot. In addition to asking about the efficacy of generic vs. name-brand, I hope your doctor may be considering increasing your dosage. Also, my maternal-fetal specialist urged me to avoid soy (hard to do, since it’s in lots of things) because soy is full of estrogen and estrogen can cause clotting. Have a great trip and an uneventful remainder of pregnancy!
I hate to rain on your parade in #6, but I’m always suspicious of the healthfulness of anything that involves hot plastic for food/drink, especially when it’s going to be consumed by an expectant mother, so I briefly Googled to see if the K-cups are known to be risky. No reliable reports, but they do contain polystyrene which is a known endocrine disruptor. What I HAVE to tell you is that I found this page where multiple commenters link their LEG PAIN to the use of K-cups. You got the machine for Christmas, and your leg pain started right after Christmas. Coincidence? Better take a few weeks off the K-cups and find out!!
If your to-go cups are a disposable type with plastic linings, that may be a problem too. You deserve a real cup!
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#6 – does it not make tea with water the same temperature as for coffee?
Recent books I loved: Four Witnesses by Rod Bennett, Organized Simplicity by Tsh Exenrider, Supremacy and Survival: How Catholics Endured the English Reformation by Stephanie Mann, Don Juan de Austria and The Quiet Light by Louis De Wohl.
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It’s kind of late for your plane trip; but I think you’d love A Song for Nagasaki by Paul Glynn, a biography of a catholic convert and survivor of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki.
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I am new to your blog, I found you through Scott Hahn, I am a cradle catholic with 16 years of Catholic education, trying to find my way back to the church. I wish I could say that I have an indepth literary repitore. As a working Mom, I spend most of my time reading marketing white pages. However, I am reading a book right now that I love. It is a story about life, love and faith. It is non-fiction. I found out about it while wiki-ing Nicholas Sparks faith. I was pleasently surprised but not shocked to read he and his wife are practicing Catholics. The role of faith in the two books I read by him were very touching and familiar. Anyways it is 3 WEEEKS with my Brother. I am not done with it but have found it very touching. This is my first comment to a blog ever so please use that as how strongly I recommend this book.
Men, Women and the Mystery of Love by Edward Sri
I’ve used this book to teach teens at our parish. It’s a great book, good for understanding JPII’s Love and Responsibility.
And on a different track: The Closing of the Muslim Mind by Robert Reilly
It is a very interesting book that looks at the root of terrorism.
Looking forward to the funny stories. He’s actually a very versatile actor who has taken on many different roles. I had never heard of it before, thanks for sharing! I’m so sorry to hear about your leg.
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