things that keep me going

Writing a dissertation is a hard and long and sometimes isolating process. There's not a lot of immediate feedback or positive reinforcement. But some things really keep me going when I'm stuck at my computer transcribing notes or browsing articles. This is not the sort of blog where I mostly just link to other things, but today I'll share a bit of the internet magic that inspires or encourages me or makes me chuckle.

1. Music. For instance, I really, really love Iron and Wine and have been listening to their online stuff. I also love my Iron and Wine Pandora station. Also, and this is so random, I love listening to Bryan Cahall perform "Praise be the Ragtime Band." -- we saw him perform it live last summer at an event at the U.S. Social Forum, and since then it randomly comes to mind. It reminds me of the Anne Sexton poem "Welcome Morning," which I also adore.

2. I like to follow the blogs of people who create things and have a keen eye for beauty through a camera lens (which I do not): Sandra Juto, that crocheter and designer and eater of beautiful foods who recently moved to Berlin, or Brian Ferry, in London, for instance. I love to keep up with the daily posts at habit (and have deep thoughts about the beauty of a community of women recognizing the loveliness of the everyday). I also enjoy the projects 3191 Miles Apart and this joy+ride, as well as Jennifer Causey's most recent project, The Makers. Lovely photography! Poems! Details about the daily lives of creative people!

3. I also like to think about things I can make with my hands when I'm giving my hard-working brain a break. So I keep up with Craft: and whipup, and a number of other individual crafters' blogs. I also do endless searches for patterns and photos of granny squares, crochet doilies, and affordable natural fiber yarns (recent brainstorm! If you have any yarn stash remnants of any weight or color that you'd like to contribute to my Great Granny Square Endeavor, I'll send you reimbursement for postage in a lovely thank-you note if you send them my way!). Also, searches for red and white quilts (I plan to make one someday soonish), which is why I was so excited today to see this link at the blog Angry Chicken.

4. And then there are the cooking blogs. I'm a fan of Smitten Kitchen and Orangette. I've also recently begun to enjoy Remedial Eating and Dinner: A Love Story.

There's more. I try to keep up with news sources and journalism and literary stuff. Movie trailers are a three-minute treat and help me keep updated on a scene I can't afford (financially or schedule-wise) to delve into in the two-hour-stretches. I also follow a few theology blogs, though that is much more Josh's world than mine.

And you? What's your web magic? Where do you find information, inspiration, and also the temptation to fritter away your time? Do tell!