An Annotated Biblography

Hi! I have updated this entry as of February 24th to include all of the news that's fit to print, and links to all the blogs I mention, because I have been told by numerous people that it is simply too far from the post to the top of the left column where the links are located. The masses have spoken, and as I am desperate to please, your wish is my command-prompt.

Dear Friends, Our family has grown! Recently I have added several links to my little blogging community, and am happy to see that some of you are already mingling diligently. Hooray! So: who are these new additions? And who are the old folks, for that matter? Taking my cue from Rachel (later: and from Charlie, too), I am going to provide y'all a little intro to each other. Pull up your chairs and pay attention; this is important!

Adventures in Deutschland is Heather, someone I actually know in person, and the only one on this list who has the immense privilege of seeing me several times a week. She's from Ohio, studied German and English at Wittenberg University, and is working as an intern at the Institute for German Language and Culture here (unfortunately she is ditching me in August and going back home. Sigh). Here you will find tidbits of Germany and pop culture galore.

Brown bread ice cream is Rachel, whom I met in cyberspace, and count myself the luckier for it! She's lived all over and blogs about her current life in Tokyo, her adventures in baking, her cute dachshund Edward and sometimes her husband too. Gorgeous prose, deep insights, beautiful photos that sometimes make me drool.

Debaucherous and Dishevelled is Kristin from Calgary, one of my most serendipitous accidental blog discoveries. Every entry draws you in with whispered invitations and deliciously spun metaphor, and it is amazing to walk with her through her unplanned but much celebrated pregnancy.

For most this amazing day is my friend M. (who goes by Meckhead), who is my blogging mentor and inspiration and was a fellow seminarian in Chicago and fellow American in Munich. Through her blog I found Abba, through Abba's I found Brian, and through Brian's, Jana found me. Isn't blogging fun and incestuous? Visit her for skillful anecdotes and random deep thoughts.

Recently I found Hedwig here at Hedwig at UCLA. She's Dutch and, as you might cleverly guess from the title, is studying at UCLA. What a fascinating person, and consequently a fascinating blog. Raised speaking both Dutch and French, it seems she has effortlessly picked up perfect English as well. Read about her escapades and see the US through a set of fresh eyes.

At Jana's Small World, you'll meet Jana, who just began the adventure of a new journalism job, but in a nearby city, so she didn't have to move. Jana reminds me of Bridget Jones in her perkiness, sassiness and the types of things she notices in the world.

The Lepper Colony is run by Mark, one of today's new additions, a Lutheran seminarian on internship in Illinois. His blog is what you would get if you sent David Letterman to the Midwest to play pastor for a while. I laugh out loud at his stream-of-consciousness, no-holds-barred hilarity, but that's not all: there's theological insight as well. Twice the blog for your money.

Amber resides at Ligature and blogs about her exploits with creative projects, writing derivative fiction (she's published!) and How to Meet the Guy of your Dreams in Chicago. Her blog has many returning features (such as "today's workout accompaniment") which nurture a sense of comfort and familiarity in the repeat viewer. She also includes many intriguing links.

And then there's Charlie at Meaningless Musings, which are not at all as meaningless as he'd like to think. Another "real-life" friend, Charlie (with infinite patience) taught me to play the guitar and introduced me to camp, for which I can't thank him enough. After graduating from college the first time, he decided he hadn't yet had enough and went back to study nursing, just to pay the bills till his musical career takes off. (For real.)

The other newest addition: Peripatetic Polar Bear is to me the personification of the "small world" concept, and we have had fun establishing our one-handshake connection. At PPB I laugh often and delightedly as she shares her thoughts on career and life, ranging from the reverent to the not-so-much-reverent. She also has lots of links to corner of the blogosphere inhabited by women serving the church in various roles.

Primary Wonder is "Amused," a seminary friend whose blog lets you in on her deep, swirly thoughts. She paints marvelous thought-pictures and her insights often stay with me for days.

The Rare Sixth Sense is Brian, who's on blog-hiatus for a while until his computer is delivered to his new (practically oceanview!) apartment, along with the rest of his belongings. He's beginning a new job this week. Let's all wish him luck! I like to watch Brian's inner activist sometimes break free of his journalism-career-enforced evenhandedness.

And Mackenzie at The Third Sunrise is my other newest find, a treasure trove of stories and anecdotes and various gems of sermon fodder, and a fellow Diaconal Minister (in training)!

So, now you all know each other. Enjoy the little cocktail party* I call "What, you too?" *Never fear, kiddie cocktails are also available.