list #14: a few happy things

1.  I'm home for a little while.  While I loved being in Seattle and at Blissdom, I'm really a homebody at heart.  It's good to be back home with my little family, sitting in front of the fire.

2.  I've got a book reading coming up!  Blue Willow Bookshop is one of my favourite little bookstores here in Houston, and they've been so incredibly supportive of me since before I ever wrote the first word of The Beauty of Different.  They're hosting a book reading for me at the store on Tuesday, February 8th (one week from today!) at 7pm -- and I'd love for you to come.  Please stop by.  You can even pick up a personalized, signed copy of the book in time for Valentine's Day.  Cool, right?

3.  I'm a finalist in the 2011 Bloggies.  I have to tell you that I'm sort of unreasonably excited about this.  I've never been a finalist in the Bloggies before, and I now totally get what they mean when they say "it's just an honour to be nominated" -- thanks so much to the person who nominated me!  Also, I'm in amazing company in the photography category:  Smitten Kitchen and The Pioneer Woman have been great inspirations, and White On Rice Couple and Chickens In The Road offer much eye candy as well.  So please go take a look at all of them, and be sure to vote.  Also, check out the blogs in all the other categories as well -- there are some great reads there.

4.  There's still time to enter to win a signed copy of The Beauty of Different.  If you haven't yet, leave a comment here and here.

5.  I've been jamming quite vigorously at my desk to my latest playlist for February.  You should too:  it features Eve, Adele, Primal Scream and even an appearance by the Jason Parker Quartet.  You can listen to it here. 

And on that note, have a happy day, friends.

Image:  Photographed at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, with my Nikon D300 and my 50mm lens.

Song:  If I had $1,000,000 by Barenaked Ladies