Archive for the Recommendations
Sunday, April 15th, 2012
The Secret Piano
My mother’s a pianist, and right now my mind’s still in China, so this book caught my eye: The Secret Piano: From Mao’s Labor Camps to Bach’s Goldberg Variations, by Zhu Xiao-Mei.
I’ve ordered the The Secret Piano to read on my Kindle. It’s just $.99. I can’t tell if that’s the regular price or a special for today.
Zhu Xiao-Mei was just ten years old when she began a rigorous course of study at the Beijing Conservatory, laying the groundwork for what was sure to be an extraordinary career. But in 1966, when Xiao-Mei was seventeen, the Cultural Revolution began. . . . One by one, her family members were scattered, sentenced to prison or labor camps. By 1969, the art schools had closed, and Xiao-Mei was on her way to a work camp in Mongolia, where she would spend the next five years. Life in the camp was nearly unbearable, thanks to horrific living conditions and intensive brainwashing campaigns. Yet through it all Xiao-Mei clung to her passion for music and her sense of humor. And when the Revolution ended, it was the piano that helped her to heal. (from Amazon product review)
She lives in Paris now and has recorded The Goldberg Variations and much more.
Saturday, February 25th, 2012
Twin Cities: Groupon for our favorite gym
Lion’s Gym, our old favorite, is offering a Groupon deal this weekend. (If the link doesn’t open the Lion’s Gym page on Groupon, click “all deals” on the menu strip at the top.)
If you live in the Twin Cities and you’ve been thinking you really ought to get back in to a fitness routine, check it out. Lion’s Gym has two locations now–in St. Louis Park and in Robbinsdale.
When you go, tell Stephen that Noel sent you. It’ll be as good as if you area already his old friend. Please let me know when you sign up, so I can high-five you.
Below is what I wrote a year ago about Lion’s Gym and Stephen & Leah Menya, the owners.
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We ran into a friend who felt her life had been changed by training with Stephen Menya and Leah Menya (page down on “our team” page) at Lions Gym.
I have to say, my first drive-by impression was underwhelming. If I hadn’t been looking for the gym, I wouldn’t have noticed it, tucked between a tanning salon and something else in a mini-stripmall sort of building.
But we all know it’s what inside that counts. And our friend was very persuasive, so we signed up. It was amazing.
Here are some of the things I like about Lion’s Gym:
- There’s a flavor of Africa in Stephen’s voice and words and laughter and often in the music playing.
- He calls us Mamá and Papá as he would any other people his parents’ generation in his home village in Kenya.
- After our one initial session, Stephen knew what we needed. Mamá needs to work on her abs. Papá needs to strengthen his lower back.
- Stephen sets the tone at the gym, and he is outgoing, happy, and funny.
- He introduces members to each other so we introverts can’t just sweat and be miserable in our separate corners.
- Stephen and Leah are Christian believers, and we have prayed together about challenges in their life and business.
- When we arrive, we sometimes hear worship music playing.
- Where else would the encouragement to push harder be, “Don’t waste your reps!”
- Stephen and other staff train all 3 of us at the same time, cycling us through sets on separate machines or sets of weights. I have seen them work effectively with 6 at the same time, each doing different exercises.
- Most important, the trainers know their stuff and are good teachers. We always appreciate the breather when we pause so they can show us a chart and explain how some group of muscles works so our exercise makes sense to us.
- Occasionally we get to see their wonderful toddler Sam. He drops into knee bends at the prompt of ”up – down – up – down.”
- Finally, you know that I care about life being accessible to people with disabilities. Recently, I found out that Stephen and Leah rearranged all those monstrously heavy machines so that one client who is visually impaired can make his own way around independently while he is working out.
Postscript: Matt Ledbetter joined the staff after I wrote the above. He’s good. I’ve seen him working winningly and effectively with both ends of the fitness spectrum: high-level athletes at one end and at the other end, elderly people who can hardly walk into the gym.
Friday, February 24th, 2012
Why would we observe Lent?
I don’t remember that I ever heard of Lent while I was growing up. If I did, it would have been clear to me that it was from another tradition–not the way we did things.
So Lent wasn’t part of my year or thought or life for a long time–until children came into our family. That made me think much more intentionally about the most important things. When I realized how haphazardly we tended to stumble upon Easter–oops, oh my goodness, it’s Palm Sunday already–I wanted something more.
You can see more of my thoughts about Lent at the Desiring God blog, taken from Treasuring God in Our Traditions.
I’m interested to know your response or reaction, so please come back here to my blog to comment.
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Tuesday, December 13th, 2011
Ask and you shall receive
I’m giving away some travel guidebooks over at Tell Me When to Pack. All you have to do is ask for one before anyone else does.
Tuesday, December 13th, 2011
Stocking stuffers for the ADDer you love
If an ADDer has been ADDed to your life, here are a few stocking-stuffer type items for that person you love. Different ADD brains work different ways, but things like these are helpful to me. This is a short list, just what’s at the front of my brain at the moment.
Carabiner key ring. This kind is even better than mine. I just have a plain ring and a cheap carabiner that I hang onto an outside loop on my purse (which means the ring could fall off the carabiner and be lost). Remember. Remember. Remember. Yes, I do have to remind myself to remember. But it’s pretty much a habit now, which is especially important in winter when there are way too many pockets to remember where I stashed my keys without thinking.
Journal. Once I realized I have ADD, a notebook became my almost constant companion. I “transcribe” conversations as they’re happening so I can remember and not misconstrue later. I jot down to-do’s and shopping lists–everything that I used to say “I’ll remember this later,” but didn’t. This size is the type I use. It’s large enough to scrawl more than one sentence on. It fits in the back pocket of my purse and weighs nothing to tuck under my elbow. On the light-colored cover, I can write the beginning date or info about what’s inside. Other styles will suit other people. There are a variety of sizes & covers.
Purse organizer. I’ve stuck an insert into my purse with specific pockets for specific items, so I can reach in without looking and find my chapstick or lozenge or whatever. I scavenged my insert from a backpack I used to have, but this one here looks like it would be a good one. I wouldn’t necessarily choose pink, but hey, it’s down in the dark depths anyway.
“Magic” gloves. I don’t know how many pairs I have of those inexpensive one-size-fits-all gloves. But I don’t think it’s possible to have too many. Somehow, even if I think there’s a pair in every coat or jacket pocket and in all the sofa cushion cracks, still I’m looking for gloves when it’s time to walk out the door. So, lots of inexpensive gloves.
Combination lock. One Noel ADD rule is: Arrange life so there are as few things as possible to hold onto within the brain. For me, one moment that particular rule comes into play is standing in front of the locker at the gym. I do not want the anxiety of mentally walking through every step that keeps me from locking the key inside the locker. I don’t need any extra hindrance to working out. My combination lock is a lot like this one–about the simplest kind possible. I never have been able to open the ancient-safe-door-ear-to-the-tumbler twirling number dial.
Pill organizer. One of the facts of life for many of us is medicine and supplements that make life work better. One of the ironies of ADD is forgetting to take the pills that help control ADD. And if I do remember, the tedium of remembering which bottles and how many pills and of all that opening and counting and closing makes me think, “In a minute.” A minute which never comes. I’m a sucker for organizers (forgetting for the moment that you have to keep on keeping them organized). But this pill box does help. I just fill it up once a week. The compartments are plenty large enough even for those monster fish oil capsules that are supposed to be helping my brain work better. When I’m traveling I fill as many organizers as there are weeks of being away from home.
Due app. Even with the pill organizer, I do need to remember to take the pills. That’s where my Due app has become one of my best friends. The kind of friend that won’t get off your back when you need a kick in the pants (or whatever mixed metaphor I mean). Due has too many good features for me to take time to list right now. Go to the Due website and see for yourself. I think it’s particularly for iPhone or iPad.
Books. I have the impression there are lots more books about Adult ADHD than there were even a year ago. Of the ones I’ve read I’d say they all have pretty much the same basic info about ADHD. The main differences between books would be how they branch out from the basics. I especially appreciate the ones that come at it from a personal point of view. Beyond the official list of symptoms/characteristics, lightbulbs kept flashing on as I read stories of how ADD works itself in daily life and relationships. Here are a couple of books you might consider.
You Mean I’m Not Lazy, Stupid, or Crazy? The title alone sold me on this one. I’d say this one would probably appeal more to a woman with ADD than to a man.
Delivered from Distraction. If you were going to read just one book, I think this would be the one. (Just skip over the product promotion near the end of the book). Johnny and I read this one aloud together to try to grow together in our understanding of ADD.
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Disclosure: If you click on a link and purchase an item, I receive a small commission, which costs you nothing extra. I only recommend items that I think will be of interest to my readers and that I use personally or wish I did.
Sunday, December 11th, 2011
My favorite coffeemaker: 73% off, just today
12/13/11 — I just discovered that the discount is still really good, even though the one-day sale is past. Today it’s 62% off. I don’t know how long this lasts, but I wouldn’t want to let it slip past again.
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Hint: Here’s a gift idea for the coffee lover you love.
For just today, Amazon is selling at 73% off the coffee maker that’s my favorite of all the coffee makers I’ve ever owned (beginning with a percolator).
When my previous coffee maker died several years ago, I went looking for one thing in a replacement: a coffee maker that made hot coffee. Coffee that was still hot after I added milk. Coffee that I didn’t need to microwave before drinking.
My Brazilian daughter-in-law–the family coffee expert– told me her Cuisinart Grind-and-Brew was hot like that. She’s right. I’m sipping my morning coffee right now and it’s just right–doesn’t burn my tongue, but almost.
There’s even a button to push if I’m brewing 4 cups or less, so it’s heated up enough even though the process is shorter than for a full pot.
A bonus is that I could get rid of my coffee grinder, because grinding is part of the process. I’m always glad to clear some unneeded thing off my kitchen shelves.
Enough said. I’m going for my 2nd cup.
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Subscribe to NoelPiper.com by using the one of the Subscribe links to the right or by clicking here.
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Disclosure: If you click on a link and purchase the item, I receive a small commission, which costs you nothing extra. I only recommend items that I think will be of interest to my readers and that I use personally or wish I did.
Saturday, December 10th, 2011
For your Bible study group
Are you and your Bible study group scrambling to figure out what to do after the new year rolls in?
Thank you to Rick Morton for gifts that can be used by 5 small groups. How many people might that be in all? 20? 50? 100? Each gift to one of you may bless many more than just you.
Rick and Denise Morton were part of cofounding Psalm 139, an international orphan-hosting ministry.
He and Tony Merida are co-authors of Orphanology: Awakening to Gospel-Centered Adoption and Orphan Care.
Orphanology is a practical response to God’s command to care for the fatherless told through the stories of families and ministries who are responding. . . . [and with] real-world ideas and illustrations for engaging in orphan ministry. . . . . Orphanology demonstrates how adoption, foster care, and other forms of orphan ministry are accessible to every believer and every church and introduces innovative approaches to orphan ministry including orphan hosting.
Here’s the gift. Five sets, including:
- Orphanology (book)
- Site license for 6-session Orphanology Bible study. This license gives an entire small group on-line access to the Bible study.
- Visit the Promise 139 website and look around a bit.
- At this post, comment once with impression(s) from that visit.
- One additional entry for following @rick_morton on Twitter .
- Comment once again at this post, to report that you’re following Rick.
- Another additional entry, subscribe to Rick Morton’s blog.
- Comment once again at this post, to report that you’re subscribed.
Thursday, December 8th, 2011
Where to find 2 free audiobook downloads
If you follow both my blogs, you’ll notice that my posts of ebook and audiobook information are usually over at Tell Me When to Pack. That’s because it’s my travel blog and the best way to pack lots to listen to and read is with downloads. Of course, all you NoelPiper.com readers are welcome to stop over and see what’s up.
Right now, I’ve posted the December offer from ChristianAudio.com–two free audiobook downloads.
Thursday, December 1st, 2011
Some Christmas book ideas
Here are some Christmas book ideas in no particular order. Click through the links to get more info about each.
Wednesday, November 30th, 2011
Peapods update
Peapods! What in the world?
Hints:
- They have something to do with our grandtwins.
- I wrote about Peapods almost a year ago.
- The update is at Tell Me When To Pack.
P. S. In any case, this gives me an excuse to post a picture of the babies. It’s the first time I ever played double Trotsy-Horsey.
Wednesday, November 30th, 2011
A Holy Ambition: free download
Many of you are familiar with Logos Software. Recently Logos launched Vyrso Christian eBooks.
Until December, Vyrso is offering a free download of A Holy Ambition, by one of the best authors around (if I do say so myself).
Tuesday, November 29th, 2011
Art by a Native American brother
Over our mantel hangs artwork of Turning Bear Mason, a Native American who is forthright in his desire to glorify God through his art: “God has given me a hunger to know Him through His truth, that is through His Word and His creation.”
I’m drawn into the moody, deep blue landscape silhouetted with sparse evergreens.
But in the late afternoon, when the blinding western sun glows through our front window onto the print, the brooding scene awakens. Now I realize there’s a teepee that had been hidden in the shadows. It’s as if the woman inside has lit her cooking fire and her home flares with life against the darkening sky. I imagine the Evening Prayer of her family, gathered in a circle around the fire, thanking God for the food he has provided.
Turning Bear Mason’s 2012 calendar is a very accessible way of enjoying 13 of his paintings and sharing them, as family or business Christmas gifts. This Thursday, December 1 is the last date to order. Here’s the info for ordering. Page down for a sample of the calendar art.
2012 Fine Art Calendar: Fine Art of TurningBear Mason
www.TurningBearFineArt.com
13 Month Calendar January 2012- February 2013
Pre Orders needed by Thursday December 1, 2012
Call 520-780-9547
or E-Mail Studio@TurningBearFineArt.com
Size: 17 x11 Folds into 81/2 x 11
If desired there will be a space allotted on the back of the calendar for your business label – Size 1 ¼ x 3 ¼
Cost: $19.50
$15.00 for orders of 300 or more
The Fine Art calendar will have 13 Oil Paintings printed on very nice stock paper.
Great End of Year Gifts for your business associates, friends or family.
Samples of paintings on the calendar: Saguaro National Park, Arizona Sunsets, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, some wildlife in landscape from around the Western Us and Canada.
The calendar is being printed by Arizona Lithograph, a premiere Fine Art printer in Tucson, AZ.
