Butterviews

I recently read Here, Home, Hope, by Kaira Rouda.

I could really relate to this book. In my late 30′s, suffering from depression, kids not needing me as much. I, too, even started my own business. It’s rare I find a book that seems like my own life so much. That said, some of the story is a little out there, but Rouda really ties the varying oddities into the whole story, and brings the whole situation to a believable, if somewhat naive, place.

I liked the book, but it won’t make my “Must keep forever and ever” shelf. It was easy readying, without being dumbed down, which I like. If I’m escaping into fiction, I don’t want a novel to be too terribly cerebral, and this fits the bill. But it was intelligent at the same time.

All in all though, I did get annoyed by some of the characters. Kelly’s over-sentimentality of her children off to camp turned me off a bit. I was glad, however, that the book showed Kelly’s need for therapy and the help she got. I would have liked to have it fleshed out a bit more though. I think we, as readers, sit in on maybe two sessions, and suddenly she’s turned her entire life around. It doesn’t seem real – it’s NOT real. I’ve been there. Another unrealistic aspect was Kelly’s business becoming an overnight success. While it’s true, sometimes look that way, that’s because the business was under the radar during its building phase. In this case, you see the hard work after it’s already a success. Backwards. Again – I’ve been there. But you do get a chance to see the long hours and chaos that seems to surround new businesses. That’s something that’s not usually a topic of fiction, so it was fun to watch that unfold. Kelly’s husband, Patrick, seemed (and seems now – having finished the book) to be a little too perfect. I would have liked to see more of his faults. I think there was an attempt made, but frankly, his reactions were perfectly reasonable and not faulty in the least. He seemed to be more the caricature of a perfect husband, rather than delving into what made him Patrick.

Living in an affluent neighborhood, I can say that Rouda really nailed that one woman. You know the one – perfect, at all the school functions, rules the school, and seemingly genetically pre-disposed to passive aggression? Yeah, that one. I liked that even though some of the situations were far-fetched, you could still imagine them happening. And really, when you look back in life, you realize that things really sometimes happen this way. I was glad of that reminder.

Ultimately, this is a positive review. I was engaged by the book. After I was finished, I was left with the idea that it doesn’t matter your size or shape, age or gender, you can reinvent yourself. You can find your passion. You can love yourself. You can feel as though you matter. Reinvention can happen any time.

Kaira Rouda Events
Kaira Rouda’s Facebook
Kaira Rouda’s Twitter

I was recently asked by the One2One Network to review Yanni’s latest release, Truth of Touch. This is Yanni’s first instrumental release of original compositions in over eight years and is a return to the genre Yanni helped create and advance.

“I work the rhythms in this album,” explains Yanni about the new material. “There is a beautiful complexity in these rhythms, a new sound design. I think the melodic content is very strong and very memorable. I was having fun with this album and that’s going to become apparent.”

Track Listing:

1. Truth Of Touch

2. Echo Of A Dream

3. Seasons

4. Voyage

5. Flash Of Color

6. Vertigo

7. Nine

8. Can’t Wait

9. Guilty Pleasure

10. O Luce Che Brilla Nell’ Oscurità

11. I’m So

12. Long Way Home

13. Yanni & Arturo

14. Mist Of A Kiss

15. Secret

I love Yanni because all his songs are a little different than the next one. They all have a different feel which keeps it interesting. In Truth of Touch (I keep typing Touch of Truth, gr), some have a “classic Yanni” feel, some are more contemporary, some have a latin flavor, and some have a jazz flavor.

I listened to the entire album with the exception of track 2. I couldn’t listen to that one as it had scales that went from one headphone speaker to the other and back again, and due to some inner ear issues, it made me dizzy. Usually, I’m really into straight instrumentals, but on this album, surprisingly, my two favorites were with female vocalists; tracks 8 and 15. My least favorite was track 3. I just felt it didn’t go anywhere.

All in all, it’s definitely a keeper, and I’ll be putting it into my regular music rotation.

Yanni just kicked off his North American tour on 3/22. Check out the dates that are near you!

Disclaimer: I was given a free download of the album in exchange for an honest review by the One2One Network. There was no other compensation.

We know it, you know it: women love celebrity dirt. This Valentine’s Day, a new mobile campaign from Clorox® Regular-Bleach helps women clean up their own dirt while they enjoy their Hollywood news.

Clorox is sharing quick clean-up tips on how to keep fashionable winter whites white, keep flowers fresh longer, and host a Hollywood-style party. And with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, a girl can use some help. Tips like…

• Nothing says “I love you” like roses. Want to enjoy those flowers longer than a celebrity romance? Just add ¼ teaspoon of Clorox® Regular-Bleach to each quart of cold water you put in the vase.
• Got a stain from a heart-shaped chocolate on your favorite whites? It’ll come out in a snap once you add ¾ cup Clorox® Regular-Bleach to the hot water and detergent in your washing machine.

To get more tips from Clorox® Regular-Bleach and extend the Valentine’s Day romance, readers can enter the Get the Dirt, but Keep it Clean sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip for 2 Hollywood, CA! Visit Clorox® to enter and view official rules.

EQUATION: I was recently contacted by the Old Barn Rescue Company to review a wall decal product of my choice.

From the company’s “About” page:

When Jan’s dad told her he needed to tear down their childhood barn she couldn’t stand the thought of all that beautiful weathered, 120-year-0ld wood going to waste. She and her good friend, Adonna, started creating and, voila, Old Barn Rescue Company was born. In the fall of 2008, due to the popularity of Adonna’s hand-lettering, we began Old Barn Rescue Company’s Wall Graphic Division. Now you can have Adonna’s gorgeous writing on your wall without the added cost of her visiting your home to do it herself!

As you can see, Old Barn Rescue is still creating one-of-a-kind wall decor from up-cycled doors, windows, furniture and molding. We love finding just the right door knob or hook, and getting our hands dirty digging for the perfect treasure to finish a piece. You’ll find all kinds of wonderful, eco friendly decor in our Old Barn Rescue section of this site. Check back often though as they fly off the shelves!

We also love the versatility and ease of the cut vinyl. Adonna is always coming up with new wall graphic designs, most of which are hand-drawn, making them unlike anything else out there. She is always being asked, “Where did you buy your fonts?” Her hand-lettering now graces the walls of many a nursery and bedroom, kitchen and bath, classroom and storefront. As two MWK’s (mom’s with kids) we enjoy being creative and are committed to making sure you, the customer, love what we create.

I chose the “Home Sweet Home” decal. The pictures, unfortunately, don’t do it justice. They were taken on my phone as I don’t have a camera right now. The colors I chose were black for “Home Sweet Home” and red for the background “Home.”

Farther Away

MINUS: It really took me a while to figure out how to attach it properly, with the words sticking to the paint, instead of trying to stick back to the backing. Because it’s over my piano – and no one can move that thing, it took 3 grown men when we installed the carpet – I was up on a stool bending over the top of the piano. My angle may have had something to do with it. Once I bended the decal all the way over on itself so it was it was flush against the wall, peeling the adhesive off was a breeze. It took me a while to realize that.

Up Close

EQUALS: A definite positive review. It just looks so “right” there. I will definitely be using them if I decide to do words on my walls again.

I was asked to preview CMT’s first scripted sitcom, Working Class by the One2One Network.

Working Class premieres next Friday, January 28th, at 8PM ET/PT. It stars Melissa Peterman and Ed Asner. Here’s a synopsis of the new show:

The new 12 episode, multi-camera series follows Carli Mitchell (Melissa Peterman), a single mom from a rough and tumble background, trying to give her three kids a better life by moving them to an upscale suburb. She quickly finds that making the transition to “the good life” is harder than she thought. She’s unwittingly befriended by her cranky neighbor, Hank (Ed Asner), her only “career” prospect is a glorified deli job at the local grocery store, and the man she falls for not only already has a girlfriend – but he’s also her boss, Rob (Patrick Fabian). With her ladies-man brother, Nick (Steve Kazee), to help her out (when he’s not acting like one of thekids himself), Carli faces the challenges of parenting, dating, and making friends in her new community by doing more with less, staying true to herself and approaching each day with a touch of
working class.

The complete cast includes:
• Melissa Peterman – “Carli Mitchell”
• Ed Asner – “Hank Greziak,” Carli’s neighbor.
• Steve Kazee – “Nick Garrett,” Carli’s brother.
• Patrick Fabian – “Rob Parker,” Carli’s boss and love interest.
• Lachlan Buchahan – “Scott Mitchell,” Carli’s eldest son.
• Courtney Merritt – “Pam Mitchell,” Carli’s daughter.
• Cameron Castaneda – “Will Mitchell,” Carli’s youngest son.

The show will also feature multiple guest stars throughout the season, including recently-announced Reba, whose on-screen reunion with Melissa Peterman will air in February. Additional guest stars include David Faustino (“Married with Children” and Not Another B Movie); Kathy Kinney (“The Drew Carey Show” and “The
Secret Life of the American Teenager”); Martin Mull (“Roseanne” and “’Til Death”); John Schneider (“The Dukes of Hazzard” and “Smallville”); Ryan Stiles (“Whose Line Is It Anyway” and “The Drew Carey Show”); and Lesley Ann Warren (“In Plain Sight” and “Desperate Housewives”), as well as CMT’s own Evan Farmer from
CMT TOP 20 COUNTDOWN. WORKING CLASS is executive produced by Jill Cargerman (“Spin City,” “Las Vegas,” “Gary Unmarried”) and Bryan Johnson of The Film Syndicate.

I jotted down a few notes as I watched the show:

• It is really nice to see Melissa Petersen as someone who is NOT a ditz!
• The show reminds me a lot of Roseanne in it’s appeal to me (and my family background) without the meanness I saw in that show.
• Very cute, and a little silly.
• Good mindless entertainment – which is exactly what I want out of a 1/2 hour sitcom.

So, what can I say in summary? Will it change television history? No. Does it appeal to my demographic? Yes. Is the acting worth watching? Yes. Will I watch it again? Yes. I’m curious how they’re going to take the story line. All in all, a positive review!

In early 2009, I attended BlissDom. This conference is everything I wanted in a conference. It’s smaller and more intimate than the other conferences I’ve attended, BlogHer and SXSW. I had a ton of fun. Considering my hatred of crowds, and my insecurities, it was fabulous. Whenever the people got to be too much, I was able to escape to my room and come back when I was ready. I talked to people. I had fun at their extras, like the pajama movie party. I wanted to go back this year, but our finances didn’t allow it. My finances don’t allow it for 2011 either, but I’m entering a contest. The grand prize – a full trip, airfare, conference, and hotel. I might can swing food and airport transportation. I am definitely entering. I doubt I’ll win – but the sure way not to is to not enter! Do you want to enter? No, you totally don’t, so I have a better chance to win, but I’ll give you the information anyway. I’m a member of the One2One Network, the folks holding the contest – so you have to be a member to enter. But that’s an easy and rewarding thing to do.

The Great BlissDom Conference Package Giveaway

One2One Network is kicking off a HUGE contest to bring you bliss! We are going to be giving away conference passes to three lucky One2One bloggers for BlissDom’11 in Nashville, TN January 27-28. There are three levels of prizing and all include a full conference pass ($399 value).

BlissDom is the premiere conference for women who find and express their bliss by publishing online. Speakers and panels feature the best blogging, public relations and social media pros gathering to mentor new and old friends alike.

This is Blissdom’s most exciting year, with even more incredible content, events, networking and surprises scheduled than ever before. This year’s mantra – Think Big. Be Bold. Create Your Bliss. Whether you are a blogging newbie or maven, BlissDom’11 is designed to superserve everyone!

BLISSDOM’11 PACKAGE GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Contest runs Tuesday, November 9 through midnight (EST) Monday, November 29, 2010.

The PRIZES:

GRAND prize: Full conference pass (includes Wisdom Workshops), 3 nights at the Opryland Hotel, AND airfare/travel to the conference (up to $500)!!! (~$1500 value!)
FIRST prize: Full conference pass (includes Wisdom Workshops), 2 nights at the Opryland Hotel!! (~$800 value!)
SECOND prize: Full conference pass (includes Wisdom Workshops) (~$500 value!)

More Info About Crystal:

Crystal® is the world’s original and #1 mineral salt deodorant brand. Crystal® prevents body odor all day long – naturally – rather than mask it with unwanted chemicals. And get this! One stick lasts up to a full year of daily use!

How do Crystal® deodorants work?

Body odor happens when sweat combines with bacteria. Eliminate either one and your body won’t smell. The mineral salts in Crystal® deodorants create an invisible layer on the skin that makes it impossible for odor causing bacteria to grow. Goes on lightly and won’t stain clothes or leave a white residue.

Body ‘Conscious’
• Crystal® deodorants are clinically tested and hypoallergenic
• Cruelty free and environmentally safe
• Contain NO aluminum chlorohydrate, NO aluminum zirconium, NO parabens NO phthalates, and NO dyes
• #1 in consumer safety by Environmental Working Group
• Endorsed by numerous US Cancer Treatment Centers

Crystal offers two lines of natural deodorants:
• Unscented Crystal Body Deodorant® Stick, Roll-On, Spray and original Rock (aka deodorant stone). Made with all natural mineral salts.
• Lightly scented Crystal® essence Pomegranate, Lavender & White Tea and Chamomile & Green Tea– Roll-On and Spray. All natural mineral salts infused with natural essential natural oils and extracts.

You can find Crystal Body Deodorant® and Crystal® essence in 28,000 stores worldwide, including Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid and Whole Foods.

Check out Crystal® Deodorant on Facebook!

I’ve got a giveaway for you!

And no – this isn’t a review. I haven’t used them yet, but that’s not going to stop me from giving you something!

About CardsDirect

CardsDirect offers the very best in personalized greeting cards for business or personal use. Over 2,000 card designs are available in categories that include holiday cards, birthday cards, thank you cards, photo cards, baby shower invitations, birth announcements, business holiday cards, and many more! With free personalization and custom imprinted verse, CardsDirect offers an easy online ordering process and top quality cards with the best selection, customer service, and pricing found anywhere.

About the Giveaway

I’m giving away a code that you can redeem for twenty-five cards up to a $50 value at CardsDirect. With products ranging from birthday cards to holiday cards to business referral cards, this is a time to stock up on the products that you need. You can even order custom cards with your blog’s logo!

So… I’m not fancy about giveaways… The rules are simple. You comment on this post, once, being sure to include your email address. Any duplicates will be deleted. No extra entries, no fancy questions. The giveaway ends at midnight, Pacific time, October 31st. I’ll be picking the winner using a random number generator and sending the winner an email (as well as announcing it here.) No fuss no muss.

Now what are you waiting for? Check out CardsDirect and enter the giveaway!

I was recently sent Heather Payne’s Sweet Exchange CD to review.

Before I do that, here’s Heather’s biography, so you know who it is I’m talking about.

Heather Payne does not miss the stage. Make no mistake – she treasures the nearly 18 years she experienced as a founding member of Point of Grace. But she has not – not even once – looked back and thought, I wish I was back on the road. These days, as wife of a pastor and educator and mother of four adorable kids, living a fairly quiet life away from the Nashville scene, Heather Payne is the very voice of contentment.

But, oh, that voice! That remarkable range, that honest delivery, that effortless power – how it has been missed. In 2008, when Payne retired from Point of Grace, she declared that she would sing again one day. A good friend gave her this advice: “When the time comes, don’t sing because you have to, sing because you want to.” Now, finally, the time has come. Heather Payne is singing again.

“Sweet Exchange” is a fresh take on the timeless hymns of the church. Modern arrangements, new choruses, and sometimes-complete re-imaginations help these deep and meaningful songs shine.

So what makes a retired artist from one of the most successful groups in Christian music history decide to record a new album full of old hymns? A childhood memory helps explain: “I remember when I was very young, and my mom used to let me stand on the pew beside her in church. She let me hold the hymnal, even though I couldn’t even read! I felt so big. I learned the hymns that way, just singing along. I want that for my kids now.”

Payne tells of her 2-year-old getting a head start, singing Holy, Holy, Holy like only a toddler can: “Ho-wy, Ho-wy, Ho-wy!” That desire to pass these old hymns to her children merged with a goal to give the church a new worship tool, and “Sweet Exchange” was the result. The album makes classic hymns accessible to modern listeners, and sets the stage for worship that is not just about emotion.

“Emotions go just so far in worship,” Payne says. “With the rich doctrine in hymns, truth sinks in. Some modern worship music is so repetitive that it almost creates a frenzy, but is it truth or emotion driving it?” In the arrangements on “Sweet Exchange”, Payne made a point to allow the vivid portraits of God’s love and grace to be the focus in hymns like Hallelujah, What a Savior, Pass Me Not, and Jesus Paid it All.

If modern listeners ever thought the lyrics of hymns were stale, these presentations will draw them in and open both their hearts and minds. Alas and Did My Savior Bleed is given an appropriately solemn, almost theatrical treatment. O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing drives to a pulsing kick drum and features a rousing new chorus and provocative bridge: “And even with a chorus of 10,000 voices strong, and even with a day that was 10,000 lifetimes long / And even with a melody that spanned 10,000 songs, I’ll never cease to sing Your praise / Creation sings along!”

Payne gets philosophical in discussing the motivation for the title track, a new hymn that declares the album’s theme. Her husband was preaching on imputed righteousness, a big theological term, and he was explaining it with a quote from a first century Greek writer’s Letter to Diognetus. The fact that this old letter could explain a difficult concept in an embraceable way, and then overflow in worship, embodied exactly what Payne hoped to accomplish with this album. Consider these words, almost 2,000 years old: “O sweet exchange! O unsearchable operation! O benefits surpassing all expectation! That the wickedness of many should be hid in a single righteous One, and that the righteousness of One should justify many transgressors!”

From this beautiful description an equally beautiful song was born, and the idea carries the album. Ironically, while it will certainly serve to introduce hymns to a new generation, the fresh approach has already been a way to reintroduce hymns to folks who grew up singing them. “My mom played the album for the lady that cuts her hair – typical proud mama,” Payne recalls, “and as she was listening the lady said, ‘Oh! So that’s what that hymn says!’ She had never really listened to the words before because she just sang them monotonously.”

This desire to serve future generations with the theology and worship of hymns stems from the same Scripture that played a role in Payne’s decision to leave Point of Grace. It was the Shema from Deuteronomy 6, the compelling call to impress the commands of the Lord on your children all day long, that struck Payne when she moved to Louisville in 2002. “I memorized that passage because we were starting to have kids and I wanted that in my mind and heart. As more kids were born, the Lord kept bringing it back up. Are you teaching them diligently? When you’re traveling the way I was, there was no diligence or consistency or excellence.”

Payne began discussing alternative plans with the other members of Point of Grace and eventually, in the most unlikely of places, retired completely. “We were backstage, getting ready to sing at the Dove Awards. I was getting makeup done and nursing a 4-month-old baby when our manager came in and said one of our songs was getting airplay on country radio. He wanted us to head out to California for a week-and-a-half promo tour. I sat there holding my baby and thinking of my husband and other 3 kids, and it was the first time I saw clearly that this is not what I want to do anymore. So right then and there backstage before I had to sing on TV, I said, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore. I’m not kidding, this is it for me.’”

Today, that baby’s a happy toddler. Heather is thrilled that Point of Grace has thrived and continues to impact country radio. (Fellow PoG alumna Terry Jones even sings background vocals on a few of the tracks on “Sweet Exchange”.) And that same passage in Deuteronomy, that same desire to pass the truths of God on to her children, and the realization that those truths are so richly conveyed in the old hymns, that’s why the time has come. That’s why Heather Payne is singing again.

So, what did I think of the music?

It was wonderful! It was upbeat, it was full of joy, and it was full of reverence. This will most certainly be a part of my CD collection. These are basically refreshes of old hymns. Remixes, if you will. It really really works. It keeps the beauty of the old, but with a contemporary feel that you can take them with you and enjoy them. That you don’t have to be in a church to enjoy them. That’s a beautiful gift. You can purchase the CD at Amazon, or at any other music retailer.

Here’s the track listing:

1. Holy Holy Holy
2. O For A Thousand Tongues
3. Rock of Ages
4. Hallelujah What A Savior
5. My Jesus
6. Sweet Exchange
7. O The Deep, Deep Love
8. Pass Me Not
9. Be Thou My Vision
10. Jesus Paid It All
11. Alas My Savior Did Bleed
12. Come Ye Sinners
13. The Gospel Song

If you’re a subscriber, I’ve changed my feed over to Feedburner, and you’ll need to resubscribe your RSS. Please subscribe at the new feed today!