Friday Five

Back from the depths of a migraine ...

I present, while it is still Friday for three hours and forty five more minutes ...

Five Cool Websites Recently Discovered by Me:

1. Bookdads.com -- This is a site/blog dedicated to children's and parenting literature that promotes positive images of fathers. Raise your hand if you watch even the tiniest bit of TV and, like me, find the image of the clueless paternal idiot who only knows how to sit in his recliner and hasn't the foggiest idea what's really going on in his house or family just a bit much. And let's not get started on Papa Berenstain, Mama Bear's third "child."

2. Born Out There -- Here you can follow an Everest First Ascent day by day, watching and eavesdropping on a team led by Ed Viesturs, made famous to the rest of us (i.e. the nonclimbing community) by the Everest IMAX film a few years back. You'll find daily videos and dispatches here, so grab the kiddos and gather 'round!

3. Rethinking Schools Map Game -- Test your knowledge of the countries of the Middle East, from the Western Sahara to Central Asia. HT: Tim.

4. Slow Family Living -- I actually haven't explored this site as much as I'd like yet, but it looks really neat. Lots of inspiration and support for both the why and the how of an intentional family.

5. Ali Edwards -- I scrapbook as much as I can, and this gal's site is chockfull of inspiration. But I'm posting it here because I think her current article on "Breaking out of a Creative Rut" may be of general interest to all you creative people. And by that I mean you. Yes, YOU.

BONUS: My friend Camille's new blog! Camille is the mother of three really neat kids, including the famous Truman (actual true story: Once when Truman was over, my MIL dropped by for a brief visit. When I introduced her to Truman, he immediately walked over to her, stuck out his hand, and said, "Nice to meet you!" The kid is EIGHT. And a BOY. I immediately rushed him to Kinko's to photocopy him. Look for my "Well-Mannered Boy" listing on eBay shortly as I expect bids to rival those for the Virgin Mary grilled cheese sandwich.) I'll just borrow from E.B. White here and say that it's not often that someone comes along who is both a good friend and a great writer. Camille is both.