Book clubs sound a bit pretentious to me, which is perfect because there is no better word to describe my personality, right?

I have been thinking about starting a book club for a while, and I am finally taking the plunge. I really like reading books, but it’s such an individual pastime. I’ve been trying to sort out a way to get more ladies in my life (I’m like an adolescent boy in that way) and I think a book club is just the ticket.  THE GOLDEN TICKET.

Now I know what you are thinking, what makes you so qualified to host a book club? Well, as a matter of fact, I read Oprah’s online guide to such endeavors and I do believe I meet the criteria:

• Ability to provide a location
• Ability to make a list of books
• Ability to serve refreshments
• Ability to read and discuss books

Now that you see how qualified I am, I imagine you cannot wait to join. Perhaps you are reading this thinking, maybe I wouldn’t know anyone, or maybe it’s just for her close friends. You would be wrong to make such assumptions. This group is open to any lady acquaintance of mine (I’ll say around my age +/- 6 years). 

Criteria for being involved: 

• Ability to read a book per month (or the ability to pretend)
• Interest in hanging out with ladies once a month
• Desire to discuss topics with others
• Ability to be in a room with people who have different world views or belief systems
• Ability to share, listen, and be respectful

If you are interested in learning more, send me your email address and I will pass along more specifics (including the types of books that interest me).

Here’s some news for the masses: I don’t think jokes about hipsters are funny. I think they lack creativity. It’s easy and sometimes fun to generalize a lifestyle and make a satire of it, especially when their choices greatly differ from yours. In fact, it can even be fun to poke at your own kind, at first.  But when the same joke is made over and over, I grow tired. Yes, we can all joke about someone who is choosing to wear pants their parents might have worn three years ago and yes, we can say ‘just put a mustache on it’ and think that qualifies as a joke, but I think it’s too easy. The hipster joke train has been beaten to death with a thrift store hammer.   

The part that really gets me going are the jokes about hipsters being so pretentious.“I’m making a joke about how your lifestyle choices and appearance are worse than mine. You pretentious fool!”   

Are there young people being lazy, lacking motivation, and feeling entitled? Sure! Are there young people who are incredibly driven, conscientious about the earth, and finding their way in the world? Yes. Are there lazy, close-minded, older people driving me nutty? Sure! Are there wise, caring, and experienced older people whose life can serve as inspiration? Yes.

End of rant from this thrift store shopping, blogging, Instagram using, Apple product owning, vegetarian. 

Blech, hipster jokes are way too mainstream.

Lately I have been thinking a lot about contentment and living in the present.  A common trap for me, and I think many people, is to look ahead with anticipation for what comes next in life without proper regard for what is currently happening. 

An example of this is the change in seasons.  My social media sources were laden with people wanting summer to take a hike and make room for fall.  It kind of made me want to rub my eyes and say, “Come again? You are ready to move past this gorgeous sunshine and embrace the rain?  Weren’t we just begging the sun to come out not all that long ago?” Mr. Sun must find us so fickle.  

To be fair, I do understand the wonderful anticipation of change, and the emotions associated with it.  With fall comes crisp leaves, cool air, layered clothes, etc., which are different than the lighter clothes and warmer air we have been experiencing.  We draw on memories in which we were curled up with great books (most likely Harry Potter if you know what’s good for you) sipping on lovely teas, and listening to the rain on our roofs.  These are feelings we cannot wait to experience once again.  Be careful, though, because sometimes when I look ahead to the excitement that is on the horizon, I fill those future moments with expectations that may actually be hard to live up to.  It can, in turn, make them feel a little more empty than I had remembered and leave me longing for the next season of change. 

Don’t get me wrong, it’s lovely to dream and be excited for things to come.  I just need to remind myself that it is also quite lovely to look around and find moments to soak in RIGHT NOW.  Like Mr. Sun, who made a fashionably late entrance, but is trying to be the life of the party as long as possible.  I feel ya, Mr. Sun, and I am thankful. 

This one was a plain Jane, but quite delicious.  Lettuce, avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, tofu, and balsamic vinegar.  Yum, yum. 

As promised, here are some salads.  

This salad recipe can be found here.  I changed things up a bit (ex. quinoa instead of wheat berries).  I thought it was very delicious and so did some of the family members that ate some.  

I just ate this one.  You can find the recipe here.  Again, I had to make some substitutions (ex. no cheese, no pecans).  If I made this again, I would like to try adding candied pecans.  And I think a little goat cheese could go a long way with this one.  It was yummy nonetheless.