Remember when, back in the 70’s when you only had four channels coming into your house. We’re back to that.

I don’t think you realize what I’m saying here.

No Project Runway.

No White Collar.

No Mythbuster.

No nuttin.

I would love to say that I’m using the extra time for memorizing Greek translations of the Old Testament, or going to Pilate’s.

But I need some fun stuff to watch on the internet.

So my question for you is: What is a can’t miss must watch. Please let me know the videos, sites and blogs that you can’t live without.

Give a girl some love here.

Oh – and we gave up Tivo. You see how bad it is around here…

(If I didn’t, I should probably get a different type of work, no?)

I constantly remind my kids of this fact when they use words in a careless way.

So when I started to hear my classic tank top being referred to as a “Wife Beater”, I started to boil.  But here it wasn’t my kids who were calling it that – it was fashion designers.

When I started to see the term show up on store websites and in fashion spreads in my favorite magazines, I couldn’t believe it. How did this become a phrase that we don’t even think about the meaning behind it anymore.

I know I’m just one person, but from now on when I see the phrase in a store, a magazine or a website, I’m going to start speaking up.

I’m speaking up for my friend who I don’t get to see anymore because she was so afraid that her abusive husband would follow her when she left that she doesn’t have contact with any of her old friends.

I’m speaking up for my daughters who need to understand and believe deeply that there is nothing acceptable or flip about any words related to a man beating a woman.

I’m speaking up for my sons who are some of the good guys and would never mistreat a woman – and won’t use the language that degrades any woman.

And stores are listening – they are so desperate for shoppers, they are paying close attention to the feedback their customers are giving them.

So, my question for you is: What’s your rant? What makes you crazy when you see it. Here is your soapbox.

Doc Martin
We have cut back on everything around here. No more cable, no more Tivo, no more ways to distract the brain while folding mountains of towels and underwear.

The one thing we have kept is a very basic subscription to Netflix. I love getting a DVD in the mail, but my favorite part is all the old TV shows you can watch instantly.

Oh the Joy.

I love this BBC series Doc Martin is OK for my entire family, funny when I can understand what their saying, and a better version of the American version Northern Exposure (which I loved as well.)

Philip Yancy’s Prayer

For a woman who spends a lot of time worrying about whether I’m praying “right” Phillip Yancy’s book is a get out of guilt free card. This is one of those books, like Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline book that I will read every year.

You

Yes – you! You all have been so much fun over the past few weeks. I love that you get cranky with me

on Facebook, hate waiting as much as I do, and can come up with 101 ways to use tomatoes.

Q4U: Tell me what you are thankful for and I will give one of my favorite readers (randomly chosen) Philip Yancy’s Prayer. Come on – share the gratitude.

So here is one of my favorite conferneces, and bonus – I’m teaching at it, so you know we’ll have a good time.

Here is the official announcment (to make it official…):

CLASSEMINARS, Inc. announces a special conference book project for its annual CLASS Christian Writers Conference. The conference will be held in Abiquiu, New Mexico, November 10-14, 2010.

The unique opportunity for new and advanced writers to be published in a book is a first among Christian writers conferences. All attendees will work with a professional mentor to develop a story, article, or poem to be included in the book to be titled Out of the Overflow. WinePress Publishers, Enumclaw, Washington, will publish the book which will be available shortly after the conference.

Bruce Wilkinson, bestselling author of You Were Born for This and the fastest selling book of all time, The Prayer of Jabez, and one of America’s foremost Christian teachers, will be a featured keynoter at the conference which focuses on training writers in the craft of writing and connects writers with publishers and agents. The conference also features a spiritual formation emphasis to help attendees develop a deeper Christian walk and write more deeply.
For registration and other information, go to www.classeminars.org.

The conference will be held at the Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico, located near Santa Fe.

This -

becomes this-

if you do this:

(The world’s easiest, best tasting bruchetta recipe.)

Bruschetta

1 loaf Italian bread, cut into 1/2-inch slices
4 cloves garlic sliced in half length-wise
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/8 cup chopped fresh basil
4-5 medium, ripe tomatoes, peeled, coarsely chopped and drained in a strainer for 20 minutes
pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Add together your basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and pepper. Stir together to make dressing.

Toss with tomatoes and let sit for at least 15 minutes (can marinade overnight in the fridge.)

While marinading, toast bread and let cool. Rub the tops of the bread with the garlic. Place the tomato mixture on top of the bread slices.