Making...moments

I'm a big fan of making memories, those giant defining moments that keep us warm when loved ones are far away or gone to rest. I also love making moments out of life's little minutae, a term I once heard my friend Ronda use a million years ago when we worked together at the Chamber in Norfolk. Ronda--who's very good at making moments--said to me, "Life is minutae."

Too right, Ronda.

So here are two shots of my morning, little ways I go about creating moments out of the my daily routine. It's true: I'm on Christmas vacation with my loves, Charlie and Jackson, but these are commonly seen on Saturday and Sunday as well. No real occasion.

Just making moments.

"Shooter"

It's been well-documented how I feel about church-going, but that does little to express the meaning, joy, and spiritual encouragement and instruction I find everyday in my world.

The story of "Shooter" the elk is a fine example of what constitutes "church" for me as I take my place here in the First Church of Chez Corbett, coffee mug and laptop close at hand. Several years ago, after graduating from Seminary, if I had pursued doctoral work (instead of having our baby boy four years ago), I would have focused on how moments like these in our existence constitute a brief encounter between realms--the numinous reaching toward the finite to express perfect, pure love. This kind of simple tenderness...I choose to believe it is a great sign.

Check it out here.

Makin' Merry

Back in April, the Mister and I decided to move into a much smaller place to ease up some of the paycheck-to-paycheck we'd been feeling around the 1st and the 15th. After much research and cost/benefit analysis, we settled on a new home in a really nice apartment community closer to downtown but still more affordable than the money pit of a rental house to which we'd become enslaved.

I knew I'd love it. One bathroom. YES! Two-car, attached garage. YES!! First-floor apartment. YES!!! The model apartment above us with no shared walls. YES!!!! What's NOT to love?!

Turns out going from roughly 1600 square feet to less than 950 takes a bit of getting used to, but i think we've finally hit our stride. Part of what I love most about living here are the wonderful amenities: pet-sitting, package holding and delivery, concierge service for drycleaning, etc. These are all fantastic.
And then there's the community itself.

Listen, I know whenever people are involved there are bound to be irritations and compromises. Believe me...we have those. BUT we also have a home that decorates for the holidays so beautifully that--as we rounded the corner into the community after a long trip to Virginia and North Carolina for Thanksgiving, the gorgeous lights and tree all lit up for twilight nearly took my breath away. It was so unexpected and so beautiful. From the backseat, Jackson chimed in, " I like your Christmas!"

We're lucky...we have a view of the community tree from our porch! We brings me to the purpose of this post. This Thursday night is our community Christmas party. I know this because our friend and neighbor Tiffani knows that we never use our front door and makes sure to tell us when we need to check for a community-wide door-hanger announcement. Well...there will also be a porch/balcony decorating contest, and the prize winner gets up to $100 off next month's rent. I wasn't nearly as excited about this until our maintenance director, Mike, informed me that all the decorated porches go into a hat for a random drawing to win that hundred bucks.

Game ON!!!

Here's what I've got to show for my efforts this afternoon.







Wish us luck. Oh, and Merry Christmas, Y'all. Won't you be my neighbor?

Christmas, On Purpose

“The magic of Christmas lives in your heart!” Push the button on stuffed Hallmark Santa's right hand, and that's what he'll tell you.

But what if you're lonely and your heart is broken with loss? Where does that magic go to hide, so elusive and slippery in its gloomy getaway?


Four years ago, almost to the day, I was unpacking moving boxes with not one single friend in the new town I swore I'd NEVER call home. Charlie was throat deep in his new Air Force recruiting assignment that kept him at the office and away from us for half the clock and then some. Jackson was just barely seven months old and dependent on me for...everything. We'd driven four days with three drugged cats across a thousand southern miles to a house we rented site-unseen. The morning we pulled out, I said goodbye to my mother in the driveway of our longest-running family home, and we both clung to each other and wept for the miles about to creep up and camp out between us. I was devastated.

In an act of sheer desperation for happiness, I scheduled a piano tuner to bring our spinet back to life. He came, was cordial, and set to his task. As we made conversation during his work, his kindness to me overwhelmed my heart, and—in my dire loneliness—I softly cried. Even then, in the awkwardness of a stranger's tears, his tenderness toward a hurting one was unrelenting. I will always remember that sweet old man.

About every other day, I would receive a tiny, delicate note from a friend back home—Rita, one of those God-fearing grandmas who's really good at feeding your belly and your soul. She writes in stream of consciousness in a lovely lilting cursive. Little details of hearth and home, every bit as charming as she always is. Rita's letters were life and light, and then one day she called.

I'd been trying to summon the will to decorate our home for the holidays. Jackson was sitting up but not much else, which is funny because I was sort of the same boat with him. I just couldn't bring myself to open a single box of decorations. I missed my family back home and was convinced I couldn't do Christmas without them.

Gently, Rita urged me to set aside loneliness and grief, just for a few minutes. “Pack up that precious baby and take him with you to the Goodwill. Find you a little somethin' Christmasy. It dudn't have to be big or exspensive, just a little somethin'. Put it right over your sink in the kitchen so you'll see it when you're doin' the dishes and remember that I love you and that Christmas will come back in time.”

I scooped up little Jackson and set out for the Goodwill as soon as we hung up. We walked the household goods aisles, searching. I saw it, just as clearly as I had heard the sound of Rita's sweet voice. A tiny little tealight village Barber Shop with snow painted on its bottom edges and the hint of Christmas in its rounded corners. I knew instantly that I would take it home with me. I had such a weird instant attachment to it, as though Rita had secretly come down to Louisiana and placed it there carefully just for me, the way we “hide” easter eggs for our children and then walk openly toward each hiding place and all but point to the hidden treasures because we are just as invested in them finding what's hidden as they are.

I went back a week later and found the Santa votive holder, and I felt the lifeless shape of Christmas twitch and stir in that dark chamber, my broken heart.

MyBrownBaby

MyBrownBaby

Sickie

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Just another Sunday night

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Faye Dunaway

The morning after, 1976
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Here's a cover of my current favorite song from Dylan LeBlanc!

My (rough) cover of the Dylan LeBlanc's "If the Creek Don't Rise" from his 2010 release Paupers Field


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Meet the KTBS Tie the Knot Wedding Giveaway Contestants

Twila and Weldon's love story
















Amy and Ryan's love story

















Erika and Daniel's love story
















Click here to vote for YOUR favorite!

...and to celebrate...

A brand new Thomas the Tank Engine UMBRELLA!!!

C'mon, Mommy!

Potty training: Day One

He actually gave me a heads up! Party time for potty time!!

Me, and 15 Things

1. I apologize, out loud, whenever I pass a dead animal on the road.

2. I am in therapy.

3. I am in a perpetual state of self- and surroundings-improvement.

4. I love libraries and checking out books.

5. After years of abusive bullying from teachers and students in gym class, I’ve made my peace with exercise, but not with abusive bullying from teachers and students. They can suck it.

6. I have learned to say no, and mean it.

7. When I find a new artist I like, I listen to the album over and over for d a y s .

8. My favorite food is cheese, and my favorite cheese is extra sharp cheddar.

9. I can really identify with Cher’s character in Mermaids, because I, too, prefer appetizers as meals.

10. I possess incredible talents, but it’s taken me 37 years and hours on the couch to admit that without some sort of disclaimer or apology.

11. I met my husband online, and I tell people that I ordered him from the internet.

12. I chose our son’s middle name because it’s my favorite book of the Bible—the Book of Luke.

13. I have a master’s in Theology and I love Jesus, but I hate church.

14. I shook hands, spoke with, and had my picture made with President Barack Hussein Obama in the incomparable city of New Orleans.

15. Though I hated her for not being Virginia, I am falling in love with Louisiana.

30 Days in Pictures

A few of my friends have committed to a photo a day for an entire year, and--while I applaud their commitments--I know enough of myself that I will never follow through. Thirty days suit me just fine. Then we'll go from there. I found this list through a friend on facebook. I like the structure, so I'll use it for the next thirty days of posts.

Day 01 - A picture of yourself with fifteen facts.
Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest.
Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show.
Day 04 - A picture of your night.
Day 05 - A picture of ...your favorite memory.
Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day.
Day 07 - A picture of your most treasured item.
Day 08 - A picture that makes you laugh.
Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most.
Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the most screwed up things with.
Day 11 - A picture of something you hate.
Day 12 - A picture of something you love.
Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist.
Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without.
Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die.
Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you.
Day 17 - A picture of something that's made a huge life impact recently.
Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity.
Day 19 - A picture of you when you were little.
Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel.
Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget.
Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were better at.
Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book.
Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change.
Day 25 - A picture of your day.
Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you.
Day 27 - A picture of yourself and a family member.
Day 28 - A picture of something you're afraid of.
Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile
Day 30 - A picture of someone you miss.

Now to work on Day 1. And, if you decied to do this as well, please share a link in the comments.

Stay With Me

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Written and directed by my friend Chris Lyon, Stay With Me premieres in Shreveport at the Robinson Film Center on Monday, January 24th.

"Stay With Me" Theatrical Trailer from Chris Lyon on Vimeo.

Proud to observe MLK Day

The dream lives on...in me.



















And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty,
of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died,
land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside,
let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring
from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring
from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring
from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.
Let freedom ring
from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let freedom ring
from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring
from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring
from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

My business is really growing...

This 30-second spot is scheduled to air on Valentine's Day in conjunction with Shreveport KTBS 3 News Tie the Knot promotion in which one of three couples will win an all-inclusive wedding giveaway sponsored by Eldorado Resort Casino and yours truly...Mollie Corbett Photography!

RIP, Tucson Six

John Roll, 63, a federal district court judge
Gabriel Zimmerman, 30, Giffords' director of community outreach
Dorwin Stoddard, 76, a pastor at Mountain Ave. Church of Christ
Christina Greene, 9, a student at Mesa Verde Elementary
Dorthy Murray, 76
Phyllis Scheck, 79

RIP

The Lord bless you, and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine on you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Numbers 6:22-27

My Day

It's been a rough couple of days, but i am finally on the mend. I got some good treatment for my lower back issue and the sinus infection is drastically weakend. Today, I managed to clean four major areas of our house while Charlie was at work (don't ask). I took this shot of Jackson while he was finishing up his breakfast milk in the dining nook. I have a huge crush on the way the light ignites his crazy wild hair.

Like every morning of my life, I awoke to the sounds of Jackson tearing around in his room. We learned once he started crawling, then walking, that it is imperative to install a gate at his door if we don't want all of our spices and baking goods poured out in service to his creativity all over the kichen floor. The gate is still employed. It buys us a little more time to snuggle-in in the mornings while we listen to him softly (or not) chattering to himself, hard at play, in the also-still-used baby monitor. The view usually is some variation on the second photo you see here. As you can plainly see, Jackson thinks it is absolutely hysterical when I join him on his bedroom floor and sleepily begin to sort through the madness and rearrange his chaos into something a little more type-A-mommy-friendly.

I used to get so frustrated and resentful about having to do this each morning, but I have to admit there is something very zen, very centering, in calming my breathing and methodically working my way from one pile to the next to straighten and tidy. I actually enjoyed picking up his room this morning! I enlist Jackson's help to the point of age-appropriateness and have shaved my time down to just ten minutes of tidying. Then it's off to the coffee pot for me and the oatmeal box for him.

We Corbetts have taken to life here in Louisiana, and that means keeping up with the New Orleans Saints. Ever since we saw their 2009 Super Bowl win, we've been smitten. Last year, they were the underdog, and we have bigs hearts for the underdog. Tonight's loss to Seattle was particularly tough, given the Seahawks' 7-9 season record and the Saints' awesomeness all season long. We were really hoping for another trip to the big game. Still, it is inspiring that a team with the worst season ever to make it to the play-offs could best a team that's been playing with as much heart as the Saints have. I know the Seattle fans are beside themselves with glee and energy for the coming excitement, and I can't take that from them. I watched in awe as Marshawn Lynch overcame at least four solid, hard-working attempts by Saints' defense to take him down before he could make that game-sealing fourth-quarter touchdown. The man was unstoppable in that moment. It was a beautiful run, triumphant, ELECTRIFYING some might say... ;-)

Almost Happily-Ever-After

Ick, I'm sick!

So I'm here in extended LP purgatory, aka the doctor's office, to address the lumbar radiculitis. In a delicious twist of fate, I am also suffering irritation and pressure and overall ickiness in every region depicted in this chart!
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Peaceful, easy feeling

Done!

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The only way I know how...

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Happy Lumbar Radiculitis, and other minutiae

January 5

Day 3 in observance of Lumbar Radiculitis…

I’ve discovered, as I shared yesterday, the amazing uses of the ironing board in terms of modifying one’s environment when suffering from debilitating back pain. I should note that I made this discovery when browsing my Google Reader. This post concerning an IKEA coffee table hack opened my eyes to see very clearly the power of thinking outside of the household task-oriented appliance.

Jackson and I are in our jammies, seated together on the couch, watching Word World while Momma recuperates. I have an appointment to see the doctor tomorrow, so hush. Today, I will be working on marketing communication with past clients concerning pictures of their children at dance recital, the prints of which I will make available for purchase on my newly re-launched website.

Later, I will start putting together another new recipe for dinner this evening. I have to tell you that the Sergeant LOVED the taco soup from last night—“Honey, this is the best taco soup you’ve ever made and you should make it every…” See? Told ya. We’ll see how we do tonight with Slow Cooker Chicken & Dumplings, which should be interesting because, while I usually use frozen dumplings that you just drop into boiling water, I don’t have any of those. My mission is to make what we have (which is a LOT) before going to the store, so I will be using a recipe for homemade dumplings on the back of the Heart-Healthy Bisquick box. Wish me luck!

Today’s picture shows the morning-after view of Jackson’s maelstrom, I mean room. Each morning, thanks to a baby monitor and a sturdy gate, I am able to “sleep” in a bit while he proceeds to dump every single toy he owns onto the middle of his bedroom floor. I then come to greet him good morning and help him tidy up his mess. It is totally worth it. Maybe tomorrow I will show you the before picture. Maybe.

I’m confirmed for the recording studio for the second week of February. I’ve got a sports gig for the end of the month. I’ll be performing live locally sometime after the recording session. My television commercial is in production as we speak. Life is busy. Life is good. Life is Story.

Taco Soup for dinner! I found the recipe here.

Adjustments, common with me, include the following:

1. I used a pound of taco-seasoned ground turkey, prepackaged, that I found at (shhhhh) WalMart and omitted the taco seasoning.

2. I substituted stewed tomatoes with a 14.5 oz can of Rotel.

3. I tossed in two packets of Splenda and also seasoned with a half teaspoon of ground cumin.

4. Instead of plain water, I used 1.5 cups of chicken broth.

5. I did not have an avocado so I simply omitted it.

In other news, my old pal Lumbar Radiculitis is back in town, unannounced. But just because I've got excruciating back pain doesn't mean things don't still need to get done. In the spirit of my favorite magazine's monthly feature--New Uses for Old Things, I went Real Simple and converted my ironing board into a work space for folding laundry. It worked like a charm. But don't tell anyone, in case I want to just be lazy and blame it on my back...