What Danul Does: Week of Feb 28

In trying to come up with Top Ten Tuesday gimmicks that fell outside the realm of television and movies, I decided to scrap the concept altogether. But fret not! I have conceived an idea to fill the void.

Introducing "What Danul Does"! Inspired by Entertainment Weekly's "Must List", I will compile a weekly list of ten things/thoughts/events/TV shows/movies/music/ideas that currently make me tick.

So let's get started, shall we?

10. Going to the Dog Park
Lately, I've made it a real priority to get in some form of exercise everyday. Since Remus stays home all day while I'm at church, he also needs to get up and move around. The local dog park is a winner for both of us! He gets to mingle and sniff butts with other canines and I get to do some running! Endorphins FTW! 

9. "Hanging With Friends" app for iPhone

This game is just great. If you, like me, were getting tired of "Words With Friends", but you still like the general idea of playing word games with buddies, then this is for you! It's more customizable than WWF and features helpful lifelines. 

I will say this, though: the little children-avatars sure do show an almost sadistic pleasure when the opposing player gets a word wrong.

8. "Good Girl" by Carrie Underwood

Mrs. Underwood has been absent from radio for two years and for me, that's about a year-and-a-half too long. Carrie is one of the truly talented singers to come from American Idol (the other being Kelly Clarkson, of course), and she continues to show us why. Her new song should prove to be a crossover hit like "Before He Cheats", seeing as the song has her signature country twang, along with a catchy, clappy chorus fueled by more than just a guitar. If this is indicative of her upcoming album, I can't wait.

Take a listen:

7. Why Jesus?

This one has several meanings. First, Why Jesus? is the title of the Bible study curriculum my friends and I are going through right now. It dives into the questions about prophecy, proof, and patience that many Christians are plagued with at one time or another. It's a great study and the video supplements were filmed in Israel, so they feature some great Snapple-facts about life in the BC. Did you know that the steps leading up to the temple were uneven on purpose, meant to make people slow down and actually take time there? So cool.

The other meaning for this bullet lies in the questions my high school kids have been asking lately. I love when we get to talk deeply about faith, especially since we've got several different worldviews represented in our group. It's just awesome to hear them talk to each other and share why they believe what they believe. It's even more awesome when they ask me what I think! 

6. SMASH

This was the show that was supposed to save NBC...and for a moment, it looked like it had...until the second, third, and fourth episodes aired, each showing diminishing returns in the ratings. This is a real shame, because I think the show is a ton of fun. I won't pretend it's not absolutely rife with cliches and been-there-done-thats, but the show approaches each one with such unabashed gusto that you just gotta go with it. Lots of people have been critiquing Katharine McPhee for not being the charming lead the show needs, but I think she's done a great job so far. She's cute and very easy to root for, nailing the hurt bunny eyes every time another obstacle or character rises up against her.

You should definitely check it out! The original music isn't even half bad, either!

The next episode looks like it should prove to be some good, campy fun:

5. Audrey Assad

Oh man, is this girl talented. Her music is like...like frothy chocolate milk. It's sweet and gentle, the way each of her songs just bubble along. She's been around for a few years, and just weeks ago released a new album, Heart. Her music first appealed to me when she was a free download from iTunes. I was surprised to find her in the Christian music category, because the song, the title track from her first studio LP The House You're Building, never made overt associations to God or faith. But that's the kind of Christian music I like- the kind that doesn't automatically assume the only people listening will be believers. It's nice when a Christian artist decides to preach to someone other than the choir.

Listen to her really, really classy cover of the old hymn "His Eye is On the Sparrow", which is simply titled, "Sparrow":

4. Relevant Magazine

The website for this magazine has been a very uplifting place to visit everyday. The magazine's aim is to find and/or insert a Christian worldview into the pop culture that swirls around all of us, Christians and non-Christians. I've long been an advocate for not completely shutting out the outside world, but instead fulfilling Jesus' command to be "in, not of" the world. This is the battle most kids (and young adults, even) are facing, so I find the stuff Relevant puts out...well, relevant. Their on-going series on differing views on politics has been particularly interesting, most of all the piece from a Christian non-voter. 

I recently submitted a subscription and I'm really eager to have another ministry tool coming to me every other month!

3. Blue Like Jazz

Honestly, this book is changing my outlook on life. It's challenging me to look at things differently, as though God Himself is preparing me for something big. Donald Miller has such a fantastic writing style. His chapters focusing on his friend Penny have been the most fun to read. I can't wait to get to his other books.

On the left is the official poster for the BLJ movie, which will be premiering in March during SXSW in Austin. I heartily encourage all my Austin friends to go support this film. I've seen it, and it's really great. 

Hey, it's even got the boyfriend from Step By Step as a sorely misinformed youth pastor!

2. Pinterest

I know, I know. I've totally sold my soul to the internet. But in my defense, Pinterest is seriously great. If you can navigate through all the girls planning their wedding to the fiance they don't have yet and the pictures of that hairless wolf-boy from Twilight, you can actually find some awesome stuff. 

I've actually got a crock-pot at home right now full of a red-beans-and-rice recipe I found on the site. The craft ideas can skew toward the pink-n-fluffy, but I've been able to find some awesome things that I want to use to decorate the youth room at church, particularly that melted-crayon-on-canvas project that's been bouncing around for forever.

Oh, and the fan-made movie posters. OH MY GOSH the fan-made movie posters.

1. Lent

It's been almost a week since Lent began, and I've not yet stopped thinking about it. I decided to forego soda for the season, which means this is my first year to give anything up. I don't think it's something you MUST do, but enough people put stock into the idea that I decided to see 1) if I could do it, and 2) if I could reap any spiritual growth from the experience. Surprisingly, the task of remembering to stay away from soda has meant keeping Lent in the forefront of my mind. I'm still working on turning those grumblings into reflections on Christ's sacrifice for me, but I'm really astonished at the permeating effect that simple decision has had on my life so far. I'm looking forward to what else this season will bring to light.

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So that's the first edition of What Danul Does! Is this a worthwhile course of action? Or did it read as puffy self-promotion? Sound off in the comments or on Facebook or Twitter!

-Danul