Daily 5 - Day 361

Today's Daily 5:

1. Friends with talents who share them generously.  I can't afford my usual hairdresser right now, but a friend I met while being a bridesmaid at my brother's wedding is a hairdresser and when I contacted her about coming to her salon (which I knew was more affordable than where I usually go), she generously offered to cut my hair at her home at an even more reduced rate.  I have cute hair and spent the evening visiting with a friend.
2. Macdonald's.  I know - so bad, right?  but every once in a while it's just so good, and tonight was one of those nights.
3. a long commute to and from my friend's house on the bus, simply making space to catch up on some sermon podcasts I'd been wanting to listen to.
4. I got a cheque in the mail today, that, once it clears my bank account, will pay off my remaining line of credit debt and significantly reduce my monthly expenses my eliminating the payments I was making.  while I was employed, though I would have preferred to invest the money elsewhere, we had a mandatory, matching RRSP program.  We contributed a mandatory amount from each paycheque, and the company matched it.  I couldn't access the money while I was employed, but once I lost my job it was mine to access.  After some thought and prayer, I decided the best use for a portion of it would be to eliminate the debt that had accumulated.  I'll still have my student loan payments to make, but the relief of having this one chunk of debt gone is sort of immense.
5. still loving the fact that my schedule for school is a bit more relaxed this week and that I'm spending the sixth night in a row in my own bed.  I'm not sure that that has happened since I lost my job in the middle of May, and I was definitely ready to be sleeping in one place for a while, even if I don't like the place that I live.

What are you reading?

I had really good intentions of coming up with something to say here today.  I'd planned to write a post last night, but ended up sitting in a car with a friend instead, talking about all the stuff of life.

So, here's my question for you:

What are you reading lately?  What books are challenging you?  What blogs are making you laugh or cry, or just generally think about life in a way that you think everyone should be exposed to?  I'm looking for some new book titles and blogs, so leave them in the comments and we'll all benefit!

Daily 5 - Day 360

Today's Daily 5:

1. 360 days... one year is so close now!
2. had a relatively productive day for a Monday
3. still really thankful that I was able to take the full weekend off from school work for a change.  it really helped preserve my sanity.
4. I went to a totally "old school" church bridal shower tonight (complete with gifts wrapped in tea towels!) and was one of probably three people (including the bride) in the room under the age of 40 (I'd guess the average age was more like 70!), and had a really good time anyway.
5. Laughing with my friend (the bride to be) who gave me a ride home.
6. Being told (after explaining some of what's been going on in my life and wryly commenting that I was finding some of it very cliche and that feeling cliche was making me grumpy!) in a very amused voice, "Lisa, you're many things, but cliche is absolutely not one of them!"  Oh I laughed at my friend's response
7. Honest conversation, in a dark car, about all the stuff that's been going on in each of our lives in a season that my friend aptly termed "a grape-crushing season"
8. being able to just listen as a different friend shared a bit about some new and very big challenges her family is facing
9. Italian chicken at supper
10. still enjoying sleeping in my own bed for a number of nights in a row (even when I don't love the place my own bed is located these days)