Twitterature (Inaugural Link Up May 2014)

I am quite excited because this is my first time joining in for Twitterature at Modern Mrs Darcy.  I have often piped up with what I am reading in her comment box, but I decided that talking about what we are reading is so fun that I have to do this, too!  Twitterature is why I started becoming interested in trying to spruce up this blog.  So, thanks, Anne!

Here's what I've been reading:

Hatching Twitter by Nick Bilton (ebook) - How appropriate for my first link up!  I actually heard about this book from Modern Mrs Darcy, probably on Twitterature.  It was a fast read and quite interesting.  I don't know much about tech startups, and learning about Twitter was a neat glimpse into the lives and interests of people with skills that are far different from mine.  Evan Williams taught himself code before he invented Blogger (Blogger!), and then he became one of the founders of Twitter.  I had to take a deep breath after each chapter, I was reading so fast.  #techdrama #dofriendsandbusinessmix #creationstory

Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon (ebook) - I think I stole this title from Modern Mrs Darcy's Pinterest book boards.  Fast read and very encouraging.  I appreciate that Kleon doesn't seem to take himself too seriously.  I sadly didn't realize that the adage "There's nothing new under the sun" was biblical.  Kleon had some interesting suggestions, such as his log book.  I stared at that illustration for a while.  I have realized that I am very taken with artistic process.  Fascinating.  I already started to read it again, but I keep waiting for it to disappear from my Kindle app because it's an electronic library checkout.  Also, the author claimed what one of my best curriculum and instruction professors often touted in class: the best teachers know how to steal.  They see what's good and emulate it.  #notpretentiousthankgoodness #thanksfortheencouragement

The Nesting Place by Myquillyn Smith (hardback) - Pre-ordered a while ago, Nester continues to inspire me to let go of perfection and embrace what is in the land of interior design and decor.  I appreciated that it wasn't just a retelling of her blog but a nice narrative of her learning journey with houses.  She reminds me to not take decorating so seriously, to try, to embrace limitations, to love where you're at, and many other things. She can talk philosophically about houses and gives great practical tips, too.  I will be rereading this for sure.  She totally inspired me to not give into perfection paralyzation and dig in.  She knows us, and it shows.  #faveblog #nesterrules #idhtbptbb

Something Other Than God: How I Passionately Sought Happiness and Accidentally Found It by Jennifer Fulwiler (hardback) - Another favorite blogger, another current release.  I just finally got to pick this book up.  I probably would've read it by now, but I am hindered by the hardback that I really wanted to have.  I could've bought it for Kindle, but it's nice to have this one in hardback.  It's just hard to read while holding a baby.  I know a lot of Jen's story, but I have enjoyed the details, getting more of her story filled in while reading this one.  She's had her first son and reading The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel.  That's as far as I've gotten!  (Is that too much of a spoiler?) #loveconversionstories #faveblogger #joefulwilerisfunny

The Family-First Creative: 42 Tips for Following Your Dreams While Putting Your Family First by Jennifer Fulwiler (ebook) - Jen wanted to thank all the people who supported her by pre-ordering her memoir; so, she wrote this ebook that was only available until the book came out.  I zipped right through it, and I'll very likely zip through it again, as her tips seem hard won and proven.  There were a lot of neat things in it like her recommendation for the St. Catherine of Siena Foundation's Called and Gifted Series and the reminder I needed: even if no one sees what you create, the world is better place because you did it.  Art can serve you.  Creativity is for all humans, not just the super talented ones (which I do not mean snarkily- I love creative and super talented people.  And I love people who don't feel super talented but create anyway!)  Like this blog: who cares if no one sees it!  That's not why I started it.  I started it because it looked like fun.  I'm not going to pressure myself to perfect it.  If I want to work on it, I will.  If I feel like writing something, I will.  Jen seems to get that.  #thanksjen #familyfirst #conversiondiary

The bookshelf in my head most often includes: 

just started StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath  

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Strangers and Sojourners by Michael O'Brien (my husband bought this for me on Kindle a while ago, and I haven't dived in yet....I don't know why not!  Father Elijah was amazing.  So is O'Brien's art.)

Hooray, my first Twitterature!  How about you?  What have you been reading?