I noticed recently that I take an awful lot of pictures of myself. Well … maybe that would be better stated that my percentage of self-photographed pictures is rather high. But I love a good self-photograph! And I’ll tell you why. It’s all about the angles.

You see, when you take a picture of yourself, you tend to hold the camera up high. The picture points down, and bada bing, bada boom, any potential double chins or weird face issues are destroyed. And so, I thought I’d share with you some of my favorite self-portraits.

Me and Mom at the Third Day/Brandon Heath show in Phoenix. Rockin' good time!

Former roommate (and friend-extraordinaire) Amy and I at a Brandon Heath concert in 2009.

My sister and I at our recent Bluebird adventure!

Jess Barnes, Jess Lacy, and me at the Golden Bee just before I left Colorado Springs.

So the next time you’re looking for someone to take your picture, remember that all you need is an extended arm and a tight hug with everyone you want in the picture!

I’m almost 30. Well, to be completely forth-coming, I’m almost, almost 30. That’s right. I’m about to turn 29. This Sunday to be exact.

A few weeks ago, I started thinking about making a list of things that I might want to do by the time I’m 30. I started asking questions like, Have I accomplished the things that I want to by the time I hit 30? What do I want to do with this year?

So, what I came up with is below … a list of 30 things I want to do in the next year. Some are a little silly. Some are meant to stretch me. And if I add up all the hours it’ll take to accomplish these, I might have to quit my day job. (Hmm … well, I can’t finance my trip to the Harry Potter theme park if I quit my job. Bummer.)

Without further ado, I present …

Liz’s 30 by 30

1. Complete the Nashville Rock and Roll ½ Marathon
2. Write 2 novels
3. Read all of Jane Austen’s Books
4. Go to an NFL game
5. Save $1500 toward a trip to Scotland/Ireland
6. Finish Caleb’s fire truck cross stitch
7. Visit 3 Civil War battlefields
8. See Brandon Heath in concert
9. Visit Boone Hall in South Carolina (Mount Royal Plantation)
10. Donate $1000 to World Vision for Micro-loans
11. Get a contract for a 3-book deal
12. Find a place to serve at my new church
13. Take a cooking class at Whole Foods
14. Give away 20 of the books on my shelves
15. Buy flowers for a friend for no reason
16. Eat something with mushrooms
17. See a show at TPAC
18. Read the Bible in a Year
19. Take an adult beginner dance class
20. Visit the Harry Potter theme park at Universal Studios in Orlando
21. Catch up on the TV show Chuck
22. Volunteer at least 10 hours at a local food bank/shelter
23. Read a #1 New York Times Bestseller when it’s #1
24. Go a week without eating out
25. Host a dinner party for at least 4 friends
26. Write a Christmas short story
27. Drop 2 dress sizes
28. Sing karaoke in public
29. Drink only water for 2 weeks straight
30. Vacation on Prince Edward Island

And wouldn’t you know … that list actually looks like it’ll provide material for at least 30 blogs! Score! I’ll keep you all up to date on my progress, and in a year, we’ll revisit.

(And, yes. Technically my trip to PEI is already planned and mostly paid for, but I’m still going in my 29th year, so that still counts, right?)

Did/do you have a 30 by 30 list? What was on it?

Once upon a time there was a commercial. It was a silly commercial, intended to make viewers giggle with glee.

It did it’s job well.

And then one day, the Old Spice Man began responding to twitter and facebook comments. Random comments illicited random responses.

These made me giggle, too.

And then they made me giggle (and by that I mean, laugh so hard I nearly peed my pants) again.

Well, I hope these made you giggle too. If they didn’t … well, that simply will not do.

In case you didn’t pick it up from the headline, my birthday is just a month away! And while I’m not as young as I once was (who is?), I’m still in the mood to celebrate. And to kick this party off, I thought that I could give you a gift!

So we’re going to do an impromptu giveaway of my new book, Vanishing Act–before it’s available to purchase!

Here’s the deal. Leave a comment on this post with your favorite birthday gift (to give or get), and I’ll pick one winner on Monday, June 28 (so make sure you leave your comment by Sunday night). I’ll even personalize and sign it for you, or someone you want to give it to as a gift!

So get ready for a little pre-Liz’s birthday celebration!

It feels so good to get a new book in the mail. As I’m sure you noted in my previous post about the arrival of final copies of Vanishing Act. It really is an excellent feeling.

But do you know what else is an amazing feeling?

Finishing your book a month ahead of schedule. Yup. As I’m sure you’ve guessed, I finished my manuscript this week, 30 days ahead of my deadline.

Of course, finishing the story doesn’t exactly mean, I’m done. It’s certainly not ready for me to ship it off to my editor, but there’s something ridiculously wonderful about knowing that everything left to do on the new book–tentatively titled Code of Justice–is tweaking what’s already there. Sure, maybe there’s a scene or two to add. Maybe there’s a whole chapter to rewrite.

And I have 30 days to get it done!

I’m taking a week off to clear my mind before I dig back in, so I’m going to enjoy this week without any other writing I have to do. I’m going to celebrate–pedicures with the girls and a night out to see Letters to Juliet again. And then I’ll dive back in, knowing that when I do finish, I’ll have to wait another 8 months before it arrives on my doorstep.

Deadlines are a dance that seem to never end, but when you meet one, it gives you enough encouragement to just keep going. To keep waiting for the final book. Then seeing it on the store shelves.

But right now, there’s not much sweeter in this life than watching that deadling approaching closer and closer. And knowing that somehow God gave me enough strength to meet it, and even beat it–even in one of the most chaotic times of my life.

So just to be clear–I’m elated. I certainly could not have done this on my own, so God gets the glory. And finishing doesn’t mean I’m really done.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to visit Prince Edward Island. Not familiar with PEI?

It’s a little island on the Atlantic shore of Canada, which holds some of the most beautiful shores in the world.

And it’s where one of my favorite books/movies is set. Anne of Green Gables may be the most famous export from the island, and it’s the reason that I’ve always wanted to visit.

And now I am!!!

Years ago I promised my mom that I’d take her to Prince Edward Island when I sold my first book. Well, it turns out that I didn’t make much on my first book. So then my promise turned into “after the second book.” Well, guess what’s coming out this August? My second book!

This spring we both renewed are passports, and this week, I bought us tickets! We’re going to PEI!!!! I even reserved us a suite at a beautiful Victorian bed and breakfast, and we’re going to have a ball! I can’t wait!

I mean, I have to. We’re not going for several months, but still … I’m so excited! I promise there will be pictures and general joyous celebrations. Watch out, Anne! Here we come!

I like funny things. Comedies, comedians, and comic strips. I love them all. And I especially love humor that relates to my life.

Enter Stuff Christians Like, a tongue-in-cheek blog about … you guessed it … stuff Christians like. Author Jon Acuff shares daily humor about life in the American Christian culture.  One of my first and favorite posts is titled: Understanding how metrosexual your worship leader is. (A Handy Guide) The quiz helps you gauge the worship leader at your church based on his hair cut and product, choice of facial hair, and the trendiness of his eyewear.

And then there are serious Wednesdays, when Jon offers his unique commentary on slightly more serious issues.

Smart and funny, these blog posts tickle me, I think because this blog takes topics familiar to the churches I’ve attended through the years, and makes them funnier and more outrageous than I first thought.

Now, I think it should be said, that Jon is a Christian. He’s not hating on Christ or Christians, but rather putting a satirical twist on the culture that has emerged in today’s church. And he’s really very funny!

Nothing puts the importance of good friends on your mind like having to start over. When I recently moved across the country for a new job, I knew a grand total of 3 people in Nashville. Yup. Just 3. So on top of starting a new job, finding a new church (among the 14,000 located  in the 2 miles between my home and office), and trying to write a book, I have to make new friends.

Now, before you go thinking that the people here are mean,  they’re not. They’re like the opposite of mean. Which is kind and generous and fun and really very cool. Some very nifty folks have invited me out to lunches, joined me for flood clean up days, and welcomed me with open arms to a small group Bible study, even though I hadn’t even been to their church yet. I like the people here, and I’m sure that very shortly, I will become very good friends with many of them.

But this interim thing is killing me!

I spend most of my day overanalyzing the littlest thing, to the point that I’m not even sure I’m actually acting like myself most of the time. I worry about saying the right thing. Doing the right thing. Wearing the right thing.

What if I don’t watch the right tv shows? Or we don’t have anything in common? Will I be lonely forever? Will anyone ever join me for an all-day Jane Austen-a-thon again? Will anyone come visit my desk claiming it’s just to say hi, but really it’s to visit the chocolate-filled moose?

Heavy questions, that I’m sure I needn’t worry about. I know that to make a friend, you have to be a friend. But the making takes time. Memories build life-long friendships, and I haven’t had time to make many here yet.

For that reason, I want to give a shout-out to all of my old friends. To my Captain Wentworth-loving, miniature golf-playing, Pioneer Woman queso-eating (and making), killer uno-winning, fool-proof plan-plotting friends, I love you and I miss you! You’ll always be favorites in my book!

I like boy bands. I have for a really long time. It started with N’SYNC when I was in high school. Then 98 Degrees and Backstreet Boys. And, of course, who can forget the Christian boy band Plus One? Although I missed out on the New Kids on the Block craze, I made up for it when Justin and the boys hit the stage.

Really, what’s not to love about a boy band? The harmonies. The only coordinated but not matching outfits. The perfectly choreographed dance moves. The lack of instruments to get in the way of said dance moves.

It’s just a good time waiting to happen. So you can imagine how sad I’ve been over the last seven years or so since the disappearance of boy bands from pop culture. Hope would spring up when the Backstreet Boys released a new song or the rumor mill would pass information around about a reunion. But let’s be honest. It’s been a dry spell in the boy band departement.

Until recently.

You see, not that long ago, Nickelodian premiered a new show: Big Time Rush. And it’s about–you guessed it!–a boy band! Man, I love this show! It’s totally cheesy, just the way I like it. Comprised of 4 high school hockey players from Minnesota who have been transplanted in LA to make an album, Big Time Rush faces all sorts of obstacles on the road to fame.

So what do I like best about Big Time Rush? Could be the snappy songs.

 
But I think it might be Kendall’s eyebrows. They’re fascinating, and not unlike Peter Gallagher’s. What do you think? Are Kendall and Peter long lost relatives? For your consideration:

That’s what I thought.

So Big Time Rush may be made up of 4 20-somethings pretending to be 16-year-olds … but I still love ‘em! Check them out on your local Nick channel, and I think you’ll see what I mean.