It’s Friday and I don’t have a cute little theme this week, so I’ll do these quick takes the random way, with discussion questions thrown in for good measure. 🙂

–1–

I have a sunburn, and I’m happy about it. Yes, you read that right. I spent three hours with my nieces, nephew, and oldest daughter at a fabulous local swimming hole yesterday, and I have a sunburn to remind me of my younger days growing up at a camp. Where did you grow up, and did you get sunburned?

–2–

Last week, my husband bought me a nifty new (bigger) memory card for my camera. This week, on one particularly poetic evening, I went outside to capture my day lilies and the barn in all of their end-of-day glory. When I came inside, I found that the card needed formatted to work with my Mac. I’ve tried formatting it via Disk Utility at least five times. It won’t work. Can anyone offer advice?

(I don’t want to hear the suggestion about getting rid of the Mac, OK? Don’t even offer it. I’m just sayin.)

–3–

I am having a taste of something related to my writing this week, and I think it’s writer’s block. Maybe it’s writer’s avoidance. I’m bringing it up because I have experienced, just in the last few weeks, the wonder of the praying community online. Will you pray for me?

–4–

Looking for a good read for the summer? Well, sit down and grab a big glass of lemonade. I have a new favorite book, and I won’t have time to review it until next week. But, for now, you can go to your library or favorite bookstore and find it: Father Elijah, by Michael D. O’Brian. I’m so grateful for Karen for recommending it. (I am completely hopeless when someone says they have a new favorite book. I simply must get my hands on it and read it!) What’s your favorite book of late?

–5–

So You Think You Can Dance is getting me through the summer. That, and Operation Repo. We don’t watch much TV around here, but we got hooked on Dance during its first season, and it impresses us every year. Yeah, there are parts I cringe about, but I must say that this year especially, I’ve been struck by the class the judges have, as opposed to how I felt during American Idol. What’s your favorite summer TV show?

(And no, I don’t let my dancing-obsessed four-year-old watch it.)

–6–

I’ve been thinking about starting my own weekly round-up, called Mary Monday. It would be a chance to share weekly thoughts on the Blessed Mother. I’ve been toying around with it for some time, but what stops me is the hesitation I perceive in others. I know, I know. Silly me. But…would you participate?

–7–

Last night, after I read a paragraph from my current read, Diagnosis Critical, four times, I looked at my husband and said, “I’m not smart enough to read this book!” I’m going to keep trying, though. After all, The Catholic Company sent it to me as part of their reviewer program, and I have to write a review. It got better (or I got better?) on the next page. This is not a book for reading while exhausted, though. What’s keeping me going isn’t just the obligation to write a review, though. There’s good stuff in it. (I just have to be awake to get it…) Have you struggled with a book lately?

Jennifer at Conversion Diary is the hostess with the mostest, so go on over and chime in with your own quick takes and take a gander at the round-up.