Leigh Kramer

31 Things: The Reckoning

Today marks the end of my quest to complete 31 Things Before Turning 31, as today is that most magical of days: my 31st birthday.  I'm actually proud of how many of these I was able to do, especially since I created my list a month after my birthday.  Even if I didn't finish a few of these, they're at least in process or in the works.

Without further ado, here's the grand updated list!

1. Visit my brother Matt in Virginia

2. Move to Nashville

3. Flambé something

4. Read 100 books

5. Go to a writing workshop, read a book on writing, etc.

6. Take a horseback riding lesson -I had scheduling difficulties with this one.  My former roommate was going to give me a lesson before I moved but we couldn't get our acts together. 

7. Go to the Holocaust Museum

8. Eat at one of Rick Bayless' restaurants

9. Scrapbook 2007, 2008, and 2009 -So close!  I made it to about April in 2009.

10. Complete Anna and Katelyn's birthday presents- This is a huge undertaking!  I've started cutting out the pattern but two of these means double the work.  The silver lining is they're both young enough that they don't know Auntie will be late with their present.

11. Go to Medieval Times

12. See the new Modern exhibit at the Art Institute

13. Dance every week

14. Update my recipe book -Another big undertaking!  I've made good headway but I still have a lot of transcribing to do.

15. Buy a new stereo system

16. Reacquaint myself with my Canon Rebel -Canon Rebel or not, I've overall increased my picture taking.  Next on my list is to get a new digital camera for the days I don't want to lug the Rebel around.

17. Regularly paint and sketch -I did paint and sketch more than I did the year before but there is definite room for improvement.

18. Make next T-shirt blanket

19. Do an intense Spring Clean

20. Enlarge blog readership for personal blog

21. Enlarge blog readership for my professional blog 

22. Eat at 5 new restaurants

23. Get my next tattoo- I came so close on this!  Before I moved there were a few friends that wanted to accompany me and get their own tattoos as well but this fell through.  Then once I moved, I faced the task of finding a quality tattoo parlor.  I started asking around and I'm glad to say that I've finally found the perfect place!  I'm excited to check this one off the list soon.

24. Consult a naturopath -I didn't completely follow through but I did research some different options on eczema and that's good enough for me.

25. Preserve my White Sox 2005 World Series newspapers and memorabilia- I got stuck on researching the preservation materials and then never got around to ordering them because, well, they're pricey.  In any case, I think I have it narrowed down to a few options.

26. Buy a new computer printer -My friend Kelly gifted me with her old printer.  Score!  (Thanks again, Kelly!)

27. Be a peacemaker -Strange as it may seem, this little goal stayed in the back of my mind whether dealing with office politics or friend drama.  It helped me keep my tongue in check when need be but also helped me be a mediator.

28. Bring back Last Minute Dinners

29. Cook a real meal 2-4 times per month whether or not I'm having company  -I've been a cooking fiend again which has been great!  I've been intentional about trying new recipes, tweaking old ones, and feeding my favorite friends.  Cooking is such a great stress reliever for me.
 
30. Find a new small group Bible study

31. Be open to wherever this next year takes me!  -It would be simple to say "look at #2" and leave it at that.  However, through the ups and downs of this past year's transitions, I did remain open to whatever lesson I needed to learn. 

#7: Go to the Holocaust Museum

Do most people have favorite eras in history?  Mine has always been World War II and the Holocaust.  Hitler's ascent to power, the unspeakable evil that occurred during his reign, and how he was finally stopped- I am awed by it all because I cannot understand how it happened, how it was allowed to happen.

When I visited my brother in October, he was not initially intrigued by the notion of visiting the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.  He thought it would be too heavy.  However, I convinced him that we needed to go and so we did.

Let me tell you that it was 100% worth it.

We spent more than 4 hours taking it all in and probably could have spent longer.  I'm sure I could go through again and discover details I missed the first time.  The photographs, the videos, the artifacts, even the railcar that took people to the death camps...I was blown away.  Yes, it's heavy, as it should be.  We must never forget that this happened.

I was also encouraged by the stories of survivors and those who hid Jews or did what they could to get them out of Nazi-occupied countries.  Their courage and their determination despite the circumstances impacted me.

I was struck by two things while I wound my way through the museum.

1. There were so many times that Hitler could have been stopped.  No one thought he would get anywhere and then once he was in power, no one thought he would follow through on his "crazy rants."  But he did.  And even then, powerful nations, including the US, sat by and did nothing.  World War II could have been avoided or greatly shortened if Hitler would have been kept in check.

2. Genocide still exists today.  What are we ignoring?  What will future generations judge us for our inaction the way I judge the WWII generation?

I've been particularly interested in stopping genocide in Sudan for the last 5 years or so.  One easy way of supporting this cause is buying a t-shirt- or getting a group of friends to buy t-shirts.  A friend learned of Students Against Genocide shortly after they started selling shirts.  It's unfortunate that the message still needs to be broadcast.

Another great organization is Save Darfur.  They have easy steps you can take to become involved.

I hope that someday soon we will be able to say that this genocide is over.  I hope that people will learn that hate is not the answer, that our differences do not need to divide us. 

I hope that the lesson of the Holocaust Museum- the world must know and the world must remember- would abide in us all so that we may avoid repeating the same mistakes.

#4: Read 100 Books in a year

I love to read, if you weren't already aware.  I read 80 last year so I upped the ante for 31 Things.  There's fiction, non-fiction, fluff, heavy stuff, and everything in between.  I don't like to pigeonhole myself when it comes to books!  I know it's insane that I actually read 100 books but I have to note that I did have a life this past year and that I am a speed reader.  Also, I will probably never read this many books in a year again!

Could I give you a detailed plot analysis on all of these?  Probably not but I could give you my general impressions and whether or not I'd recommend that you read it.  I've included links to the books I've already reviewed.  I'm adding Amazon affiliate links plus a blurb for the books I didn't review here but would recommend that you check out.  Enjoy!

1. Best Friends Forever- Jennifer Weiner (1/1)
2. No One You Know- Michelle Richmond (1/2)
3. April and Oliver- Tess Callahan (1/3)
4. The Lucky One- Nicholas Sparks (1/4)
5. The Fury- LJ Smith (1/5)
6. The Dark Reunion- LJ Smith (1/5)
7. The Hour I First Believed- Wally Lamb (1/17)  -I'm a Wally Lamb fan and was glad to see he'd finally written another novel.  I was intrigued by this one as it takes us behind the scenes, so to speak, of the Columbine shooting.  Told from the perspective of a teacher who wasn't present that day but whose wife was trapped inside the school, the story is gripping and left me questioning whether I knew the Columbine story as well as I thought I did.
8. Lord John and the Private Matter- Diana Gabaldon (1/23)
9. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane- Katherine Howe (1/24)
10. The Beautiful Ache- Leigh McLeroy (1/25)
11. An Accomplished Woman- Jude Morgan (1/29)
12. The Year of Living Biblically- A.J. Jacobs (1/30)
13. Shoot the Moon- Billie Letts (1/30)
14. Shelter Me- Juliette Fay (1/31)
15. Three Cups of Tea- Greg Mortenson (2/5) 
16. The Gift- Cecilia Ahern (2/7)
17. Summer House- Nancy Thayer (2/7)
18. Belong to Me- Marisa de los Santos (2/11) -This is the follow up to Love Walked In, a book that I loved for its humor and deft touch. The sequel did not disappoint and I loved catching up with these characters.
19. Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade- Diana Gabaldon (2/13)
20. The Weddding Girl- Madeline Wickham (2/18)
21. Till We Have Faces- C.S. Lewis (2/19) -A myth retold, indeed.  This sparked interesting conversation at Book Club.
22. The Best of Times- Penny Vincenzi (2/22)
23. When I'm Falling- Laura Moriarty (2/24)
24. The 19th Wife- David Ebershoff (2/28) -I wasn't sure what to expect from a book about Mormonism and plural marriage.  The past and present story lines are masterfully interwoven and kept me guessing.
25. The Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins (3/3)
26. Understanding Your Grief- Alan Wolfelt (3/4)
27. The Swan Thieves- Elizabeth Kostova (3/6) -This is one of my favorite fiction works from this year.  After inhaling The Historian, I hoped that The Swan Thieves would have a similar effect and it did.  Kostova is an author worth paying attention to. Art history, the confines of mental illness, the patient-psychiatrist relationship, and how a painting comes together...all melded together in a captivating way.  I didn't want it to end.
28. Practical Justice- Kevin Blue (3/6)
29. Lord John and the Hand of the Devils- Diana Gabaldon (3/8)
30. Natural Born Charmer- Susan Elizabeth Phillips (3/11)
31. Match Me If You Can- Susan Elizabeth Phillips (3/13)
32. Look Again- Lisa Scottoline (3/14)
33. Cure for the Common Life- Max Lucado (3/14)
34. This Heart of Mine- Susan Elizabeth Phillips (3/16)
35. Lady Killer- Lisa Scottoline (3/18)
36. Reunion- Therese Fowler (3/20)
37. The Shack- William P. Young (3/21)
38. Thanks for the Memories- Cecilia Ahern (3/27)
39. Torchlight- Lisa Tawn Bergren (3/28)
40. Once in a Blue Moon- Eileen Goudge (3/31) -An interesting tale of sisters who grew up living extremely different lives who reunite in adulthood.  Talk about baggage.
41. Catching Fire- Suzanne Collins (4/6) -Seriously, I just love the Hunger Games trilogy.
42. Becca by the Book- Laura Jensen Walker (4/11)
43. The Help- Kathryn Stockett (4/18) -I definitely fell into the camp of people that lurved this book. I was prepared not to as I typically dislike books that get a lot of hype but I was quickly drawn in by these characters.  I couldn't help but picture each woman with her distinct voice and wonder whether the Southern society would cut them apart or bring them together.  It also made me wonder how I would have really responded if I'd grown up during the Civil Rights era.
44. Brava, Valentine- Adriana Trigiani (4/28) -While I'm no shoemaker, I found Valentine to be very relatable.  I enjoyed reading about her quest to grow in her career and find love. I'm glad that Trigiani will be following up this sequel with another Valentine book!
45. The Husband Habit- Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez (5/1)
46. Breathing Room- Susan Elizabeth Phillips (5/2)
47. The Gatecrasher- Madeleine Wickham (5/6)
48. The Knowledge of the Holy- A.W. Tozer (5/8)
49. Let Them Eat Cake- Sandra Byrd (5/9) -The French Twist trilogy is enjoyable fluff reading all the way.  Lexi is an aspiring pastry chef, trying to figure post-college life out.  I enjoyed learning more about France, baking, and the allure of a French accent.
50. Bon Appetit- Sandra Byrd (5/10) -French Twist #2
51. Stones Into Schools- Greg Mortenson (5/14)
52. Piece de Resistance- Sandra Byrd (5/14) -French Twist #3
53. Dreaming in French- Megan McAndrew (5/15)
54. Big Boned- Meg Cabot (5/16)
55. Moon Over Tokyo- Siri Mitchell (5/31) *reread
56. The Pioneer Woman Cooks- Ree Drummond (6/5) -I love cookbooks but this was probably the first time that I sat down and read a cookbook from front to back in one day.  It made me love PW's blog and recipes even more.
57. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner- Stephenie Meyer (6/9)
58. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society- Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (6/11) -I resisted reading this for a long time but then a friend gave it to me for my birthday.  It still took me 5 more months to crack it open but the moment I did, I was hooked.  Correspondence during post-WWII England and Guernsey.  As characters get to know each other by letter, we get to know them too and you can't help but root for each one.
59. Nowhere, Carolina- Tamara Leigh (6/28) -Tamara Leigh writes Christian chick lit that is actually good. Her new Southern Discomfort series has been all the more enjoyable because of my relocation.  I also appreciate how she's handled the early onset Alzheimers diagnosis of one of the characters- it's an illness not many people are familiar with.
60. Sex God- Rob Bell (7/18)
61. Ahab's Wife- Sena Jeter Naslund (7/25)
62. The Kommandant's Girl- Pam Jenoff (8/1)
63. Jane Austen Ruined My Life- Beth Pattillo (8/5) -Yay for more good Christian chick lit!  I love Jane Austen references and jaunts to England whilst characters find themselves.  Pattillo is a new fave.
64. Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart- Beth Pattillo (8/22) -See above.
65. Mockingjay- Suzanne Collins (8/29) -The final book in the Hunger Games trilogy.  You'll need to talk to someone when you're done reading.  Why not me?
66. Velvet Elvis- Rob Bell (9/3)
67. It Had to be You- Susan Elizabeth Phillips (9/5)
68. Diva NashVegas- Rachel Hauck (9/6)
69. Singled Out- Christine Colon and Bonnie Field (9/7)
70. Winter Garden- Kristin Hannah (9/11) -Kristin Hannah is a master at exploring the complexities of female relationships, in this case a reserved mother and her two adult daughters.  This was a departure for her as she included a lot of rich historical narrative and questions how the past can haunt us or set us free.
71. Ain't She Sweet?- Susan Elizabeth Phillips (9/12)
72. Elements of Style- Wendy Wasserstein (9/19)
73. Not My Daughter- Barbara Delinsky (9/23) -What would happen if teenage girls formed a pregnancy pact and one of their mothers was the high school principal?  Very interesting topic.
74. Of Bees and Mist- Erick Setiawan (10/2)
75. The Wednesday Sisters- Meg Waite Clayton (10/9)
76. The Diplomat's Wife- Pam Jenoff (10/10)
77. Marked- P.C. and Kristin Cast (10/17)
78. Betrayed- P.C. and Kristin Cast (10/27)
79. Chosen- P.C. and Kristin Cast (10/30)
80. Bittersweet- Shauna Niequist (11/2)
81. The Patron Saint of Liars- Ann Patchett (11/7)
82. Untamed- P.C. and Kristin Cast (11/7)
83. Radical- David Platt (11/13)
84. Hunted- P.C. and Kristin Cast (11/13)
85. Outlive Your Life- Max Lucado (11/22)
86. Tempted- P.C. and Kristin Cast (11/24)
87. Evolving in Monkey Town- Rachel Held Evans (11/25)
88. Bird by Bird- Anne Lamott (11/27)
89. Just Between You and Me- Jenny B. Jones (11/29) -I laughed out loud, I may have cried a bit, and I absolutely loved the main character. I've never read Jones before but I'm thinking I'll keep her on the radar.
90. Burned- P.C. and Kristin Cast (12/4)
91. Looking for Peyton Place- Barbara Delinsky (12/7)
92. The Dressmaker- Posie Graeme-Evans (12/11)
93. Shopaholic and Baby- Sophie Kinsella (12/12)
94. Harvesting the Heart- Jodi Picoult (12/18)
95. Vision in White- Nora Roberts (12/19)
96. South of Broad- Pat Conroy (12/25) -To be fair, I figured out a major plot point about 100 pages in and I wasn't enthralled with how some of the story lines were wrapped up.  BUT I love Conroy's writing. The main character kept me interested, from his dry wit to how he is there for a hodgepodge of friends. There's enough mystery to keep things moving and the strong bonds between unlikely friends mask some of the weaker points.
97. Blind Hope- Kim Meeder and Laurie Sacher (12/27)
98. The Choice- Nicholas Sparks (12/28) 
99. The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective- Richard Rohr (12/29) -I'm grateful to my dear friend The Gat for recommending this to me.  It's more than self-analysis. The Enneagram has a way of moving past ourselves and to the heart of the matter. What makes me tick? What are my tendencies?  I have a lot to ponder still but it appears I am a 4. Don't know what that means?  I suppose you should read it to find out.
100. Barefoot- Elin Hildebrand (12/30)

What are your thoughts about this list?  Any other book nerds out there?  Did you read any of these books?  What are your reading recommendations for this next year?

Disclosure: Amazon Affiliate links included in this post. If you click through to Amazon from HopefulLeigh, any purchase you make supports this site. Thank you!

#5: Read a Book on Writing

One of my childhood dreams was to be an author.  I didn't know what I would write, only that I loved writing.  I felt sure that someday I would write a book. False starts have occurred over the years and I started to think I didn't have a Good Idea in me.  Blogging became a form of creative expression since I was sure it would be the extent of my writing capabilities.

Only...writing begets more writing.  A couple of years ago I started to wonder if perhaps there was a book in me after all.  I have a few ideas that haven't let me go.  In the spring, amidst packing all my belongings and saying goodbye to friends and family, I wrote an outline and first chapter for one of those ideas, then submitted it to a writing contest.  I knew it was a long shot but I thought the feedback would be worth it.

It was and wasn't.  The contest had quite a few stipulations of what needed to be included in the first chapter, which turned out to be details I didn't want to reveal so soon into the story.  These parts, of course, turned out to be what the judges didn't like, which I found frustrating.  One judge, in particular, appeared to relish doling out the criticism.  It was rather deflating in a sense. 

I know it's a a good story, or at least the start of one, but I haven't written since submitting the piece back in March or April.  Yes, I've been a bit busy but I was also irritated with the contest.  Apparently they're more concerned with cliches and formulas than they are with developing new ideas.  Very disappointing over all.

I wrote a blog friend who's an author for words of advice and maybe a writing book recommendation.  She told me I must read Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, which I'd intended to do awhile ago but never got around to.

Timing is everything.  I love the way Lamott writes and she especially excels in this book about the writing craft itself.  Whether discussing [crappy] first drafts or the difficulty in sitting down to write, I found myself responding and nodding in agreement.

By the end, I felt that writing is still a part of my future.  There's still a story in me and the book I started deserves some good solid attention.  No more contests.  No more thoughts of publication.  I honestly don't care if anyone reads it other than friends and family.  I want to know that I can write something worth reading.  I want to be taken over by my characters and plots the way I was when I first sat down to work on this. 

Lamott captures why we write so perfectly:

"Because of spirit, I say. Because of the heart. Writing and reading decrease our sense of isolation. They deepen and widen and expand our sense of life: they feed the soul. When writers make us shake our heads with the exactness of their prose and their truths, and even make us laugh about ourselves or life, our buoyancy is restored. We are given a shot at dancing with, or at least clapping along with, the absurdity of life, instead of being squashed by it over and over again. It's like singing on a boat during a terrible storm at sea. You can't stop the raging storm, but singing can change the hearts and spirits of the people who are together on that ship." -p. 237

My first step is to get back into the habit of working on this book.  My second step is to find a writing group or establish a small group of people who will read the book a chapter at a time and provide timely feedback. For the record, this is fiction, in the contemporary/chick lit vein. If you know of a writing group in Nashville or would like to provide feedback, please email me.  It's scary to let others read what I've written outside this blog but this is part of the process.

Bird by Bird has given me the courage to take this project up once again.  I don't know when I'll start or when I'll finish but it will happen.

#3: Flambé something

When I created my 31 Things, I thought I'd add something culinary-related that I'd never before attempted.  I'm a rather adventurous cook in terms of trying new techniques and ingredients.  Yet, I'd never flambéed anything.  30 seems an appropriate age to learn how to utilize alcohol and a match when it comes to food.

I've had a deep love of Jameson since my trip to Ireland a few years back.  I am a certified expert whiskey taster, thanks to the tour.  My Whiskey Cake is renowned (among my friends and family) and delicious.  Therefore, I knew Jameson had to be involved with this cooking experiment.

I headed to The Tasty Kitchen and searched for "whiskey" and "flambé."  When Gaelic Steak Flambé showed up, I knew it was meant to be.

The cast of characters:

The pretty yellow- and long- matches were scored in Leipers Fork last weekend

 Jameson goes in...and now for the scary part!

 Do you enjoy the look of trepidation on my face?

OK, so it took two attempts.  The first time I didn't empty out the juices from the cooked meat.  When I added the whiskey and lit the match, there was a little sizzle and then nothing.  I took the steaks out, emptied the liquid (bye bye beautiful whiskey!) and started over. 

Presto changeo! 

The flame was never as impressive as the one featured with the recipe.  But...there was a flame!  And the steaks were delicious, especially the mushroom sauce.  Thanks, Tracy, Joel, and Mama W for being my guinea pigs!

If you need something flambéed any time soon, let me know.  I think I can certify myself as an expert flambéer now.  Right?