7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #….drumroll, please…100!
Featuring Up-and-Coming Illustrator, Katherine Siy
February 1st, 2009 by Eisha and Jules
Jules: Jump back and slap the floor seven times! It’s our 100th kicks post. Now, I have to say, that just snuck right up on me. If I were more organized, perhaps we could have planned some big celebration, but I’m just now realizing this anniversary as I type. Just think: One hundred weeks of reflections on the beautiful things (starting way back here in March of 2007). I love it.
Anyway, yes, welcome to our weekly meeting ground for taking some time to reflect on Seven(ish) Exceptionally Fabulous, Beautiful, Interesting, Hilarious, or Otherwise Positive Noteworthy Things from the past week, whether book-related or not, that happened to you. Absolutely anyone, of course, is welcome to list kicks — even if, or especially if, you’ve never done so before.
Since it’s the first Sunday of the month, we’re here to welcome a student or newly-working illustrator. This week’s artist, Katherine Siy, falls into the latter category, having recently graduated from California’s Art Center College of Design. Katherine is cruisin’ now—literally, near Mexico—so she’s not able to stop by and say howdy, but if you like what you see, you can keep up with her at the “news” portion of her site. Since she’s a bit shy talking about her own work, I’m not entirely certain what her plans are, but there is a link to some children’s illustrations at her site, as well as some of the editorial and exhibition pieces shown here today.
Thanks to Katherine for stopping by, and we wish her happiness and success in her illustration career.
I think I’m going to leave a long list of seven kicks to Eisha, assuming she has some this week. I promise that I can always find seven simple joys, beginning with my health and happiness and the health and happiness of my family. And I can especially do so during a ONE-HUNDREDTH KICKS ANNIVERSARY! YAY RAH! But, honestly, I just had a frustrating week rather absent of any kind of grace on my part. I will quickly add these things, though: Congratulations to Shadra Strickland, pictured to the left and featured here in May of last year, for winning the John Steptoe New Talent award this week (first female to win, damn skippy) at the big ‘ol ALA awards (Shadra will stop by for a breakfast interview soon-ish to chat); thanks to reader John E. Simpson for giving us a blog award and for the nice things he said (my favorite part being, “the people who frequent {7-Imp} are so nice — that I just can’t look in the other direction”); and thanks to Farida for listening and being my friend.
Here’s one kick — this fabulous book I read this week (thanks to Colleen for the tip). A thing of beauty it is. More to come on it:
100? Seriously? Does that mean we’ve each posted 700-ish Kicks over the past couple of years? That’s kind of cool.
1* Oh, that art. Very very nice.
2* When it’s -17 degrees outside, it is super-handy to have friendly neighbors in the same building. I’ve hung out with the Poets Upstairs a few times over the past few weeks, and we’re making plans for another movie-viewing. I can be sociable and avoid the dangerous skin-freezing weather at the same time!
3* My boss gave me a pair of boots that she’s only worn once and realized she probably won’t again, even though they’re awesome. She has also promised to leave me her Doc Martens collection in her will. It’s substantial – I’ve counted eight pairs so far. I love my boss.
4* I really, really love snow.
5* I live in a very pretty place. It looks good in snow.
6* As I type this, I’m on a bus to New York City to join my husband who’s already there on business, and hopefully we’re going to see some theatre tonight. It was a very last-minute spontaneous thing, and I love that I live close enough to the city to be able to do that.
7* Really, though, I was supposed to work this weekend. When I couldn’t get anyone else to cover my shift, my boss took it for me. I tried to protest but she wouldn’t have any of it, saying she’d fire me if I didn’t go, because life is short and should be enjoyed. Have I mentioned how much I love my boss? I am so lucky to have a job at all, especially one I love, and even more lucky to work with the incredible people I do.
Bonus Kick: That John E. Simpson! How sweet. And all of ya’ll too. Thanks for Kicking with us for 100 posts. Here’s to the next 100.
Lovely artwork! And congratulations on your 100th 7kicks post. I just finished up a dandelion nature table doll for our collection– yes, up until now, every nature table doll except for the Catkin has been for someone else. The embroidery on the skirt is some of my best to date. Tomorrow, I have fellow parents from my daughter’s class coming to my wee house to do some sewing for the class auction project. I’ll be teaching some of them some basic hand-sewing techniques, so wish me luck– I’m always worried I’m going to confuse people more than enlightenment.
Yesterday, at my voice lesson, I clenched up during the scales. My voice teacher had me throw and catch a ball (okay, it was an orange), and my scales came out lovely. We went back to the piano, and I froze up again. So, the rest of the lesson was spent throwing an orange back and forth. Then, we ate the orange. I’m going to practice more with a ball, and try to visualize throwing balls while singing– obviously, the real thing worked.
Congratulations on your 100th kicks post, Jules and Eisha. So cool! Let’s see:
1. We have very dear friends visiting us for a long weekend. It’s a joy to spend time with them (I’ve known Jonathan since high school, and he introduced Mheir and me during college).
2. We went to a rally for Free the Children yesterday, an amazing charity that gets kids helping kids from around the world. It was inspirational.
3. I had a ton of amazing responses to a post that I wrote this week about encouraging parents to read to their kids.
4. We went to our favorite German restaurant tonight, with our friends, and had awesome drinks and appetizers.
5. The weather in San Jose was gorgeous all week.
6. Stacy Dillon is sending me her ARC of Wintergirls.
7. And really, what more do I need?
Happy Sunday, friends!
Happy 100! The bird rising into the air is lovely— uplifting and perfect for a celebratory post.
Kicks this week include: an outline of a WIP that is actually working, watching Stage Beauty (love movies about the theater), anticipation of my book club meeting today where we’ll dish about all the award-winners, my dad joined Facebook where I can be beaten in Scrabble by him, and watching my dog run in the snow.
Sidman/Zagarenski were perfect together in This is Just to Say, so I can’t wait to see Red Sings From Treetops.
Happy Sunday!
WOOHOO!! Happy 100th Kicks Anniversary! Sunday kicks are a veritable kidlitosphere institution. SO glad you started it!
Thanks for featuring Kathe today. Love her butterflies. Sorry your week wasn’t the best, Jules. NYC, Eisha? Lucky duck.
My kicks:
1. Listening to the ALA webcast on Monday. Congrats to all the winners!!
2. Reading the finalists for the Cybils Poetry category. Mighty. Fine. Poetry.
3. Maira Kalman.
4. Our first real snowstorm of the winter. Lucky to be able to just stay in and enjoy the beauty outside. Saw Fuzzy pawprints all over the yard — he made a nice pattern.
Funny thing: When Barack heard school was cancelled, he said, “What? You call this snow?” He couldn’t believe 2-3 inches threw everyone in such a panic.
5. Our good friends from MA are coming to visit in March!
6. DH made some coconut pudding :9!
7. Flannel sheets that love me and don’t want me to get out of bed.
Have a good week everyone, and Happy February!
Farida, those dolls are something else, and how perfect that you’ll be teaching others how to do them (is that right, or will you be focusing on some other kind of sewing, by chance?).
Also: How does throwing a ball help with scales? Please explain.
Jen, enjoy your guests. Good friends visiting + lovely weather is nice timing.
Sara, maybe you all can dish about why Little Yellow Leaf didn’t get Caldecott love. Carin Berger will be here tomorrow — if I get organized and get the interview done. Her work just slays me.
Glad to know that outlining’s working out, Sara.
Jama, YES! I should have shared the Maira link. Duh. One of the most beautiful things from the week. Look here, everyone! I’ll make that big, since I forgot to put it up top. Thanks to Elisa K. for sending that on to me (and to Jama for mentioning her name, which reminded me to post it, albeit late)…
Jama, that’s pretty funny what Mr. President said. Glad you got to enjoy the snow.
Here’s hoping Eisha’s having fun in NYC…
Oh, and thanks to everyone for kicking with us 100 times. That’s why I love what I love about John’s post about us — the sense of community here ROCKS. And RAWKS.
Happy 100 kicksday!
Seven:
1. Jane revisions done – time to start new poems.
2. Maire Kalman
3. YOU ARE SO UNDEAD TO ME by Stacey Jay was fun and funny.
4. Inkheart the movie ROCKED. In a quiet sort of way, but still . . . all writers will like it.
I’m going with 4 this morning, because I’m too tired to think of 3 more. Sad, but true.
Happy 100th!! Woohoo! Love the art especially the one with the hummingbird. Oh, and there’a another Sidman book that I have to get.
My kicks:
1. My nephew is out of the hospital.
2. Friday night Portland Kidlit get together.
3. The birthday wishes and celebrations this past week. Yesterday was for my 3 year old granddaughter. (she really turns three this Thursday).
4.Roses from Chuck.
5. My new camera (I promised myself one if I passed the national board, it feels decadent).
6. Unexpected snowfall on Tuesday and the phto op with the poetry writers.
7. The sunrises lately.
Have a great week.
Congratulations on the anniversary. I’d do a hundred kicks or slaps or at least seven, but fell on the ice and am too creaky. But jumping in spirit for your spreading the joy.
And looking forward to the Shadra Strickland interview. I love the way she used both color and black in white in Bird, especially when showing a young artist at work. Thanks for pointing out that she’s the first woman to get the John Steptoe Award. A good year for women artists for the Caldecott, too. Not that I count exactly, but I notice.
Have a great week!
Does anyone know how to get a copy of the NY Times’ Maire Kalman piece on the inauguration? Living in NW, hard to get.
Jules, I’ll probably focusing on quadraped animals like horses and elephants with this gang today, at least for the beginning sewers. Animals are a bit more accessible than dolls with faces. You probably weren’t reading my blog when I did my first animal, which was a goose… or was it a duck? The jury was out on that one.
That girl who’s in Katherine’s second illustration above? I totally want her outfit.
Congratulations on 100 weeks of Kicks! I have a hard time keeping up regular, weekly things like that, so I am doubly impressed–impressed that you’ve kept it up so beautifully, and a little impressed with myself for only missing a handful of those 100 weeks. I love Sundays, and this is part of what I enjoy about the day.
Jules, Oh no, are you still In a Mood? I hope your week gets off to a kickier start.
Eisha, I hope you’re having a wonderful time in NYC! And yay to your cool boss for being so cool, and she’s so right about taking those opportunities when they come up.
My kicks:
1. An artist who lives in the town where I work donated a really cool piece of art to the Children’s Room this week, just because he had it around and didn’t have room for it and likes us so much.
2. I finally read The Hunger Games, which I loved.
3. I also started watching Lost again, season three. It’s not without its flaws, but I’m enjoying it even when it’s clumsy.
4. I had Monday off, and I moved a bunch of stuff around in my house that is making it way easier for me to keep my life neat and organized.
5. While I was at it, I threw away some things that needed to be thrown away and packed up several boxes to take to Goodwill.
6. Yesterday, I did my taxes, which is the first time I’ve ever done my own taxes in my life. My late husband did my taxes for me from the time I was sixteen years old until the last year he was alive. Since then, I’ve been going to H&R Block. I decided, though, that I could do it myself–with Turbo Tax, of course. No WAY am I trying to deal with all those paper forms. It wasn’t very kick-y while I was doing it, but it was way worth it when it was done. I rewarded myself with a lot of slacking.
7. The slacking included getting together with friends last night to play games. There was great company and great food, and I had such fun.
Awww, ladies, thanks for the shout out!
My kicks:
1. Winning the CSK/JSA this Monday
2. Celebrating with my friends and family
3. Finishing up revisions for my second book, WHITE WATER
4. Billy’s cupcakes on 19th and 9th
5. Sleeping in today.
6. The Superbowl!
7. Watching tv in bed (the only redeeming factor in being sick from too much celebration).
Katharine Siy’s artwork is heavenly. (It’s the kind of thing I see here which makes me want to paraphrase that line — Mark Twain’s? — to something like, Children’s-book illustrators are wasted on children. :)) And thanks as always for putting in the little title doohickeys so when the mouse hovers over a picture, we can see the artist’s title for it. I think my favorites (pieces but especially titles) are Concrete Garden, and Say When Say Now. (The latter especially. That and the painting together are like a four-syllable Poetry Sunday.)
Kicks, hmm…
1. That award thingum was one of those share-the-good-feelings bloggy awards. When I got it from Kate, I about fell over, like literally thud. (And when I was thinking who to pass it to I was all, like, “Okay, 7-Imp, and then I need four others…”)
2. I’m not even sure I know what it depicts, but this photo just haunts me.
3. Yorkie finally asked to go outside first thing in the morning instead of Doing Business on the floor. Saints be praised.
4. Costco. I’m sorry, I know shopping is a poor excuse for a kick. But just… Costco.
5. Dang but that Inaugural meditation by Maira Kalman made me choke up.
6. These opening two sentences in a column by my favorite local columnist, Gerald Ensley: “So I heard about this study that said men are more dangerous drivers than women. That sounded so crazy I ran two red lights to get to work and look it up on the Internet.” Ha!
7. Ricky Gervais, Tea Leoni, and Greg Kinnear in Ghost Town. Loved everything about it. And when what’s-er-name, Kristen Wiig, showed up in a small but important and very funny role, I almost started cheering.
…Wow, what a grab bag of loose kicks!
Happy 100th kicks post, e&J! Thanks for encouraging people to look on the sunny side of life and collecting 700 kicks per person so far. WOWZA. Here’s to the next 100 posts – and the next 700 kicks!
Kudos and safe travels to Katherine Siy. I like her colour palette and her depiction of birds – especially the little hummingbird!
My kicks from last Sunday through today:
1) Audition
2) Callback
3) Getting the part! (I screamed and jumped up and down at work when I got the call.)
4) Performing (knowing that we’re doing our best on stage is the most important thing, but I admit that getting positive reviews is always nice – and seeing my name in print in Variety was a big kick!)
5) Support (people I know attended the shows on Thursday night and Friday night)
6) Determination (having guts and follow-through when others would not or did not, giving things a chance)
7) Accomplishments (walking aplenty, running errands, and all of the above)
Jules: Hurrah for health and happiness!
eisha: Free food tastes better, and free clothes fit better, don’t they? 😉 Have a safe trip, and let me know what you + your boy see at the theatre! It sounds as though you have a lovely boss. I do as well. I didn’t always. Now I feel very fortunate.
Farida: Sounds like fun projects! Do you recall the orange singing a song from Carmen on Sesame Street?
Jen: Enjoy the visit. Kudos to you for supporting charity.
Sara: Rock that WIP. I haven’t seen Stage Beauty. I delight in playing Scrabble online with my mother.
Jama: Enjoy the poetry and the paw prints.
Kelly: Rest up. 🙂
Jone: Healing thoughts for your nephew.
Adrienne: What a nice fellow, to donate the art. Rock those taxes.
Shadra: Sleep in for me, please. I don’t know how.
JES: Yay for puppy!
Kelly, congrats on revisions. I wonder if a four-year-old would like “Inkheart”…or if it’d be too, too much?
Jone, YAY for your nephew! And happy birthday to your granddaughter. And, OF COURSE you deserved that camera.
Oh, and if you mean how does one find a hard-copy of that NY Times Kalman piece? I have no clue. Sorry.
Jeannine, sorry about the spill. Hope you heal soon. And, yes, it was a good year for women artists.
Adrienne, many congrats on getting taxes done. Rock it. And you know what? Someone else recommended The Hunger Games to me this week.
Shadra, glad you celebrated big! But sorry you’re sick. Rest up.
John, I did my best to decipher the titles of Katherine’s art work, which is why I didn’t also type them (anywhere but the alt tags, that is). I think I got them right, and I wasn’t sure about a couple.
Anyway, grab-bag kicks are fun. And that photo! I love the title. I love how I thought the rock on the left was the aerial view of a woman walking, swinging her arms. Seriously, that’s a photo??
Congrats to you, too, John on your well-deserved Scribbler award. If Eisha and I don’t get around to paying it forward, by chance, please know it doesn’t diminish our adoration for our award!
Little Willow, you ray of sunshine, you. Congrats on the part, and PLEASE send the link to Variety??!!!
Thanks for the operatic fruit. Had never seen that before. Way to dress up an orange.
The artwork this week is a lovely way to celebrate 100 KICKS!!! Thanks guys for all the effort you put into hosting this every week.
Jules I hope you have a better week this week!
Eisha, your manager sounds awesome. Her boot collection also sounds great, if you have small feet maybe you can post me a spare pair of docs if they come your way.
1. I finally picked up my bridesmaid dress from the long suffering dressmaker. It is the best colour ever but I have realised that soft satin is the work of the devil when it comes to dresses. It seemed quite difficult to sew and it was also hard to make it fit without showing up every lump and bump! But I think the final version looks OK.
2. I had long chats with my sisters this morning, which was wonderful as I miss them so much.
3. A sunny day yesterday meant we could go for a walk and admire cute British birds from the local hide.
4. We bought two new potplants, or “potted plants” or “houseplants” as I know I need to call them after re-reading one of the earliest kicks where Eisha pointed out that pot plant sounds suspicious! They make the loungroom look a lot homier.
5. We also hung this mask which we bought in Venice at New Year. Although I’ve just noticed it’s hung unevenly it still looks great so I’m happy we gave into temptation and bought it.
6. In a quick ten minute trip to the library in the county town yesterday (forgot there was a big branch there and parking ticket was running out) I picked up A guiet gentlemen by Georgette Heyer, thinking it would be an enjoyable re-read, but in fact it was a new Heyer! A very exciting discovery.
7. It has been snowing very softly on and off today, which is great fun to watch from the couch while reading. We also walked home from the shops in a lovely brief flurry of snow. More is apparently on the way tonight and tomorrow, which makes me feel this cold weather is worthwhile!
Willow, Thanks so much for the operatic orange! It was perfect. Jules, to answer your question, I do best when I can visualize actions to correspond with words and music. With breath control, I’m working on making my voice lift and fall like wind under a parachute, not shoot out of me like a sling-shot. I remember in drama classes my teacher instructing certain students to do exercises with the bits we had memorized. One guy said, “I’m not jumping off the table.” The teacher thought for a moment, and the said, “Fine.” He had the guy do push-ups to “Ring the alarum bell…” from Macbeth.
Eep, my one link seems to have been enough to send my entry into purgatory. Should I re-post?
Sorry, Emma. I just saved it. You’re right: Spam had grabbed it.
I. love. that. mask.
Glad you got a sunny day AND some snow. We’re having a sunny day today, and it’s also very spring-like outside. It’s right around February when I usually start to get weary with winter and want Spring to come, and this weather today isn’t helping with that!….Oh, and good luck with those potted plants.
Farida, thanks for the explanation. Makes perfect sense now.
100! It’s a great, great thing you’ve done here. A recipe for happiness — congrats for keeping it going. I skipped last week, so it was time:
1. Thai food with friends from work — the best reason to go into the office at least once a week.
2. Spirited Away
3. Wandering around in the sunshine with a friend taking photos of wild horses
4. New friends over for dinner, and going over there for dinner…and having our combined six kids all get along, even the hellion toddlers.
5. Watching my daughters skate up a storm with their friends on the backyard ice loop.
6. Working on a “science project” with Ivy and having it actually work out.
7. Hosting my folks before they headed off to Cuba for a week (yes, jealous, but happy for them).
Have a great week!
Happy Anniversary! Getting kicked one hundred times really hurts. Kudos for sticking with it Julie!
Last week I got sucked into the oblivion— but I am back and WOW Katherine Siy. Your colors and lines are fabulous.
1. My exhibition is up! After hours of measuring and grrrrr-ing crooked pictures, my show is ready for viewing. Yeah!
2. GRE = EVIL
3. 60F Sundays are the best
4. We hung an Obama poster in the living room. We haven’t had a poster since college. A shrine is taking shape.
5. Yesterday we took down our Xmas tree. I miss it.
6. This week someone on the phone asked me if I was a live person. I deliberated and responded by saying: “no, of course not.” They hung up.
7. FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS!
Thanks, Jules. See, you are completely awesome. If I was running this people would be waiting a week to have their comments unspammed, and I would tell them it served them right for having links
🙂
Jeremy, those photos are amazing!
Holy smoke! 100 kicks is awesome! It’s hard to believe you’ve been celebrating weekly goodness that long.
Here are my kicks:
1. One of my two searches has ended and my new hire starts tomorrow. I am psyched.
2. My second search has sent me two amazing librarians. One is national board certified, the other is very active in ALA and writes quite a bit. We will have a hard time choosing between them, and that is a very good position to be in.
3. Did I mention I auditioned for the University players last week?
4. Did I mention I got a role in an upcoming production?! (Insert squeals of delight here.)
5. Don’t know what part I’ll fill, though I will be doing lots of singing. The show is How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
6. Number 34 on the Arizona Cardinals (Hightower) is a 2008 UR grad. I’ll be pulling for him today.
7. Just finished the new R.F. LaFevers book. I love Theodosia and all things Ancient Egypt. This one was a winner.
Have a great week everyone!
Jules you are such a dear. I just got your Facebook message after doing some grad school work. Of Course I couldn’t miss your 100 Kicks post!! Woo Ha! This is my favorite bloggy time of the week. Really. If I didn’t have seven things I would make some up just to make you smile. 🙂
Trisha Go ‘Head Girl!! I wish we could all come and see you/hear you sing.
I love love love the illustrations this week. I’m tempted to print them out and stick them all over my walls. What colors!
Bird is the one ALA winner/honors book that I actually own. I have been planning to blog about it for a long time and now I am really going to get to it. It is fabulous. I completely missed the ALA announcements but I have that book! 🙂
Jone I am so glad to hear about your nephew. I came home from the hospital on Monday too and it was such a relief to be out a there!
Farida – Your little sweet snowdrop girl is on the prayer shelf in my kitchen. Every time I pass I smile at her. When I was in the hospital I could hear her whispering “courage”. Thank you!
My kicks:
1. My oldest son is the best, the very best big brother in the whole entire world. While I am sick he is taking care of my littlest ones with TLC. I am so proud of him.
2. I’ve had surgery recently and it’s taken almost two weeks for me to start to feel myself again. I have amazing friends reaching out with prayers, good thoughts, cheerful hugs, good food, offers to drive, etc. etc. etc. I am so surrounded by love. *snif* You don’t know what it’s like till your down here. It’s good people!
3. I read My Life as a Rhombus while in the hospital. I loved it. Varian Johnson did an amazing job of speaking in a teen girl’s voice. How did he do that?
4. I like to say “President Obama”. I like to hear Brian Williams say it on the Nightly News. Still smiling over that inaguration.
5. One of the great things about being sick is people bring you dinner and then hang around to chat and cheer you up. I get to entertain without having to clean up or cook or have any expectations at all. I could get used to this.
6. My house is full of flowers.
7. We’ve had three days of sunshine.
And I just had to tweet that Hallelujah!! Thank you Maira Kalman!
Jeremy, as always, wonderful photos. And I really want to see “Spirited Away.”
Jeffrey, congrats on the exhibition. Wish I could see it. Yes, the GRE = EVIL. We’ve already had the discussion about how DASTARDLY the Math and Analytical Reasoning (or whatever it’s called now) portions are, but remember this: It’s for a veeerrrrrry worthy cause in your case (Linguistics).
I saw ONE Flight of the Conchords thingy once and laughed my ass off. I’ve gotta line up their show in the ‘ol Netflix queue.
Tricia, congrats on the role! Excellent.
Cloudscome, here’s to all your good people. I raise my wine glass to them. I’m so GLAD you came to kick!!
I love reading all these kicks! A great way to celebrate the 100th post!!!!
This was a tough week, but my highlight (aside from my kids) was signing up for the New England SCBWI spring conference!
Have a great week!
Jules: Thank you!
Here’s the review in Variety.
Jules, Farida: I got such a kick out of that segment (no pun intended) when I was little. I’m not a big fan of stop-motion animation, but that amused me. YouTube is a lovely resource.
Farida: Break a leg! Breathing is vital. 🙂
emmaco: What colour is it?
Jeremy: I’ve never skated (or walked, or done anything) upon ice!
Jeffrey: Good luck with the GRE.
Tricia: CONGRATULATIONS! Oh, I’m so happy for you! Please keep me posted on the production! BREAK A LEG! 🙂 Also, may your new hire be a wonderful employee.
I love Ancient Egypt, too. And again – keep me posted on How to Succeed!
cloudsome: Good vibes for you and yours. Enjoy the sunshine and the flowers.
Vivian: May the new month be less tough. Enjoy the conference in the spring!
Thanks for the kind words about my photo experiment, emmaco and Jules. And yes, Jules…all the Miyazaki stuff is amazing, but Spirited Away is right up there for me. Weird, for sure, but awesome.
Little Willow: I can hardly believe you’ve never experienced ice except in beverages…because I’ve spent months of every year living on it. Although I do love skating, it really must be considered making the best of a bad situation — so I’m envious of living in whichever region you find yourself permanently ice-free. I’ll add it to the length list of things I’m jealous of in your life: bookseller, writer, actress, singer, dancer, freelance journalist, publicist, and webdesigner…oh, wait, at least I’m a webdesigner. Sigh.
Vivian, I hope this week is better for you.
LW, whoot! whoot! You gotta love ensemble-praise. Thanks for sharing the link.
Jeremy, yeah, Little Willow rocks. And thanks again for the “Spirited Away” reminder, ’cause now that we do NetFlix FINALLY, getting movies is muuuuch easier.
HAPPY HAPPY 100th!!!
Congrats Jules and Eisha for spreading the amazing art and the kicks in such a warm and inviting way every week!
LOVE the colors in all the art this week, especially the butterflies.
Jone, so glad your nephew is out of the hospital!
JES, that photograph is amazing.
Jeremy, your photos are wonderful. I am so jealous you live close to wild horses.
Little Willow – congrats on a great review!
Jules, hope this week is better for you!
I am still recovering from vacation and trying to catch up with work, so my one big kick this week was staying up very late reading a book through to the end. To me it always feels like such a delicious indulgence to spend that much time curled up and reading a book. It was very fun!
Have a great week!
Little Willow, the dresses are a lovely olive green. Unusual and very pretty!
Hi, RM. Yes, that’s the best kind of indulgence. Hope the vacation was great.
Congrats, guys! It’s been a long time since I visited, but I promise to stop in more frequently this year!
Here are my seven kicks:
1. A weird/random opportunity knocked this week and though I didn’t take it, it made me think hard about my priorities and make some decisions about what I want to spend my time doing. One of which is getting back into the kidlit blogging community.
2. I had the most amazing, inspiring day for as long as I can remember at the L.A. A Cappella Festival on Saturday
3. I was reminded again of why I love to sing
4. I was reminded again of why I love to listen to other people sing
5. I put a toe in the water of translation work (Chinese to English)
6. I found an Asian market just minutes from my office
7. When I took my car in for an oil change at the Toyata dealer, they washed it!
Hey, all! Sorry I missed out on reading your kicks yesterday, but they’ve been a lovely treat to read today. I’m still recovering from the whirlwindy weekend, but I do want to say:
Tricia, BREAK A LEG!
Little Willow, you’re already breaking legs! Nice review!
Cloudscome, I wish like anything you didn’t have to go through this, but I’m so glad you’ve got your people to get you there.
jone, so glad your nephew continues to improve.
emmaco, satin/silk is indeed the devil. But the right undergarments can make a big difference.
adrienne, I cannot believe you’re already done with taxes. That’s just showing off.
Hi, Renee. Welcome back. Come back again!
E, glad you’re back and hope you had fun.
For anyone who wants a little sneak peek:
Pope Joan trailer at YouTube!
WOO HOO!
Ahem.
Jeremy: I would be frozen, I tell you, FROZEN! Thanks for the kind words. Weird to see that all in a list!
Jules: *does a little dance*
rm preston: Thanks! What a nice indulgence, that read.
emmaco: Ooh, nice.
renee: Ooh, a capella! Love it.
Thanks, eisha.
Thanks, LW! I didn’t see you in there — wah!
I’m in the middle of the circle when everyone else is dancing around me, and later, some quick footage of when I’m attacked. Dun dun dun.
[…] been somewhat obsessed with taking photos of ice this winter. Also, Little Willow mentioned last week in a comment: “I’ve never skated (or walked, or done anything) upon ice!” For someone like me who […]