Author: Allie Zottola

Thought-Provoking Questions

I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I love asking questions. Recently, after listening to me to talk to someone, a friend at church asked me if I took a class in college on asking questions. I told her that a lot of my journalism classes taught me about who-what-when-where-why-how questions, but I’m mostly just curious. I feel the insatiable need to learn about everything all. the. time. This character trait is exhausting and exhilarating. It’s also a great asset when playing trivia games like Taboo.

When I hear or read a thought-provoking question somewhere, I usually try to jot it down to think about and discuss here on the blog. I want to share some questions (and my answers) that have made me think recently, and I really want to hear your answers! I have a running list, but I’m just going to share three questions today.

1. What are things you vividly remember doing with your parents as a child?
Flying kites with my dad, baking banana bread and peanut butter cookies with my mom, having my mom help me put on tights before church on Sundays, sled riding, visiting the Outer Banks, camping, visiting my dad’s parents, and having movie nights with my whole family by the fireplace.

018
An old family picture!

2. What is one of your saddest memories?
The first thing that comes to my mind is the last time I saw my great grandpa who lived in Upstate New York. He was sitting in his favorite chair on his enclosed front porch. He was just looking outside, and it seemed like he was pondering something really deep. He had lung cancer and was pretty sick at this time. My family visited New York about twice a year, and I remember looking at my great grandpa and thinking this will probably be the last time I ever see him. It was just so overwhelmingly sad. He meant the world to me, and many of my happiest childhood memories involved spending time with my grandpa Ivan. He was very special, and taught me a lot about life without me realizing it until I was older. I’m thankful that I knew my great grandpa long enough to have so many vivid memories of him.

Grandpa
My great grandpa Ivan, proudly showing off his garden.

3. What was the best dream and the worst nightmare you’ve had?
My worst nightmare is tough to pinpoint. I have bad dreams constantly, but one that comes to mind quickly is when I was home alone in my dream and a man was trying to get into my house to attack and kill me. I tried to scream but I couldn’t. That was awful, though in the end of the dream I think my neighbor saved me!

As for the best dream, recently, I dreampt that it was my birthday and Jimmy gave me a Bernese Mountain Dog and a Siberian Husky as my birthday gifts. Yes, I dream about dogs on the regular (when I’m not having nightmares) and it is always awesome when I do!

Your turn! Answer some or all of the above questions!

Current Reads

Hi! It’s 5:30 pm on Thursday and I’m at Jimmy’s place of work (aka his family’s welding shop) with him for the evening. He has to work late this evening, so I loaded Lola and dinner into my truck and hitailed it to the shop to be with my man.

IMG_5392
Jimmy in action! He’s presently welding a beam.

I figured now would be a good opportunity to talk books, one of my favorite subjects! I’m currently reading four books right now. One is fiction and the other three are nonfiction. I’m enjoying all of them, so I decided I would share and hopefully hear what you’re reading. Sharing is caring, after all!

current reads

1. Little Earthquakes by Jennifer Weiner
This book isn’t new, but I have been into all of Weiner’s books lately, so I picked it up from the library a week or two ago. The story follows three new moms and (one mom who has experienced a tragedy) through pregnancy and early parenthood as they try to navigate uncharted territory in their lives with juggling work, marriage, and babies. Each of the women have very different lives and personalities, yet are all friends. I am interested in all things pregnancy and motherhood, so this book is a win for me. I can’t wait to see how it ends.

2. You’re Going to Be Okay: Encouraging Truth your Heart Needs to Hear, Especially on the Hard Days by Holley Gerth
I read a few pages of this book every morning while I sip my coffee, journal, and read my Bible. I’m a big fan of Holley Gerth’s writing, as I think she has a wonderful talent for connecting God’s promises with women living the real world. The book is about how no matter what happens or what is going on in your life, God loves you and is for you. It’s a simple concept, but so hard to remember when you’re feeling stressed out or overwhelmed. The more I read of this book, the more I enjoy its truths.

PicMonkey Collage3

3. The Art of Raising a Puppy by The Monks of New Skete
As you probably know if you’ve ever read my blog, I’m into dogs. Probably too much ;). I always enjoy a good dog book–whether it’s on training, feeding, aggression, or puppyhood, I love it all. I’ve read quite a few books by Cesar Milan, but also heard this book by the Monks of New Skete is a great read. What I have enjoyed the most in this book (so far) is the inside look at the first eight weeks of a puppy’s life and how vital socialization is at that age. I would recommend this book not only for people who are looking to get a puppy, but also for anyone who wants to learn about how a dog’s personality begins to form at an early age.

4. Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook by Anthony Bourdain
I’m listening to this book as an audiobook, which is wonderful because it’s like Anthony Bourdain is talking to me. He’s quite the jokester–or maybe he’s just really blunt. Either way, any book written by Anthony Bourdain–especially Kitchen Confidential— is sure to make an impression on its reader. Medium Raw is no different. It reads a bit like a collection of essays about Bourdain’s take on the foodie world and all its parts. I like it (aside from all the swearing), but I don’t like it as much as I liked Kitchen Confidential.

So there you have it, my current reads. A random mix, as per usual!

What are you currently reading?