7 Quick Takes: Nday Ithway Ouryay Iritspay

Look! The Post-It Notes! I Finally Remembered! Click to see 7 x 77 Quick Takes

 

Resisted the urge to flee to 3.5 Time Outs, which would have been more realistic, except that Tuesdays aren’t any better than Fridays.  Due to the plague, I didn’t see it until Thursday anyway.

1.

Dear Son Whom I Love,

Please do not make fake retching noises while you do your homework.

Sincerely,

The Person Who Assigns Grades.

2.

An Advent novel!  Back before we had kids, SuperHusband observed that among his colleagues, the parents of young children were constantly getting sick.  Now we have young children.  So I use these special parenthood moments to catch up on my homeschooling reading.  Which is why I read The Bronze Bow this week while other responsible adults were doing things like going around upright, and speaking without coughing.  It’s Mr. Boy’s new literature selection.

Ignore the goofy cover art. This is a super book.

And wow, a good book!  If you haven’t read it, it is awesome, and I mean that with all the italics of a crazy person, awesome Advent reading.  Highly recommended.

3.

I went ahead and bought the Kolbe literature questions.  Pretty useful, and not a bad deal for what will be about a collective decade worth of literature for my kids. And I thought, “Hey, how cool, reproducibles!”  So I made copies.  And then just to be sure before I posted on the blog something like, “Hey, how cool, reproducibles!” I double-checked.  Oooh.  Noooo.  Red all-caps on the back cover: IT IS ILLEGAL TO PHOTOCOPY THIS BOOK.

So I guess I’ll chain it to a desk and bookmark the pages select children (who cannot be trusted with a book — see “retching noises” above) need to view.

Grumble grumble.  Publishers trying to make a living. What, they need to eat or something??

4.

Here’s what happens when you foolishly invite an SCA friend (who said, “I was thinking of coming to your church”) to come to your church:  The choir director chooses a 9th Century hymn for communion.  Ours didn’t sound as impressive as the link (whose does?), plus it was in English (full disclosure: English is one of my favorite languages), but that did not stop me from pointing to the note at the bottom of the hymnal and whispering, “Look!  9th Century!”

So if I get fired, that’s why.

(PS: It isn’t just me. My friend says she kept noticing the Byzantine scrollwork on the Catholic Update pew cards with all the translation changes.  I believe good art may be a near occasion of sin for us.)

5.

Out on the playground after mass, discussing the new translation with a different friend, a realization: To be Catholic is to complain.

–> If we were Protestant, we’d take our protesting seriously and go start our own church.  Instead we stick around.  And that, I think, is why Catholics have such a well-developed Theology of Suffering.  We live with each other.

(Ever notice the heavy emphasis on Not Complaining in the lives of saints?  It is as if the writers of these things wish to inspire us to heroic silence. Apparently one could be canonized, even declared a Doctor of the Church, if only the art of Not Complaining were practiced wholeheartedly.)

6.

Don’t forget to pray for Allie Hathaway.

7.

Dear Son Whom I Love,

There is no approved translation of the Roman Missal into Pig Latin.  Nor will there ever be.  Stop.  Now.

Sincerely,

The Person Upon Whom You Depend For Room And Board.

5.2

So what if I gave up complaining?

Wipe that smirk off your mouth.

Seriously.  Do you know someone who isn’t a Doctor of the Church, but pulled it off anyway?  Even half the time?  What do you do when someone asks your opinion of, oh, you know, something?  Do you say, “I’d tell you except that I gave up complaining for Advent?”  Or maybe you just pinch the baby or drop a vase or do something to change the subject?

Smirk.  Off.

Wealth. Luxury. Every good thing.

Wealth is this:

I’m sick – evil horrid can’t-sit-up-long chest cold.  The boy is sick.  Locked-in-the-bathroom vomiting sick.  The girl is doing homework, housekeeping, and keeping after two littles.  It’s cold in the house.  Who is going to get a fire going in the woodstove?

Oh, right, we have that machine.

Walk down the hallway, flip switch, push button.  Instant warm house.  Every room.  Just like that.

Double wealthy: I push aside my accountant-y tendencies, and ramp the heat all the way up to 65.  Luxury.  Love it.

PS: Everyone is much better today.

PPS: Please pray for the Hathaway family.  Pray in particular for the health of the eldest of the young Hathaways, who is my daughter’s very dear friend and an awesome person on every count.

Boys on the altar & the new mass translation

My 9-year-old daughter tells me that the new missal is HEAVY.  She had to brace herself to hold it for the priest during Mass yesterday.

Perhaps we could just end the great boys vs. girls debate by beefing up the accessories?  And then hold try-outs?

(Otherwise everything went great.  Go team.)

God with us.

As good an Advent post as you could want:

I don’t know how to tell her that my soul is thirsty for these words I’m speaking to her.  Hungry for the kind of words you can write down on paper but starving for the Word that became flesh and walked this wounded planet.  I need to know He’s here.  I need to know He’s in this. That He’s near to all of us who are broken. That he’s near to those who can’t seem to find the good in what He’s doing.  That He’s near to the people who want to quit, who have counted the cost and are asking for their money back.  That He’s near to people who are struggling to trust Him.  Are you near to all of this, God?

Read the whole story of Marie Lourdes, Mrs. Hendrick, and a good father probably murdered at Sit A Spell, “When Hope Happens”.

 

Polarization and Politics

A friend recently resigned from her teaching position at a public high school.  The students were having intercourse in the classroom while she was teaching.  I assume this is a rare and extreme case; at the local blue-ribbon, top-rated public high school, the students show restraint, saving sex until they can get to the restroom.

I live in a cave, but I am not naive.  People of reproductive age will in fact reproduce.  What alarms is that the public school administrators are both persuaded they are unable to enforce a no-copulation zone, and also that they do not feel any obligation to attempt it.

These are public schools, so there are facts that don’t apply to, say, your local bar or brothel:

• We taxpayers are required by law to send our money to these schools, under pain of fines, imprisonment, and forfeiture of assets.
• Parents are required by law to send their children to these schools.  If they do not do so, their children can be taken from them.

Most parents do not have an alternative public school available.  Most parents cannot afford private school tuition.  Homeschooling is daunting for most and impossible for many; appeasing the authorities is an on-going problem.

But what stands out most about this problem: No one really seems to care.

Why isn’t this in the news?  Why isn’t this a hot topic at school board and superintendent elections?  How can a school be top-ranked, or a county promote itself as “A Great Place For Families”, when this is the atmosphere in which students are expected to learn?

Apparently there is a vast gulf between those who feel these sorts of things are a serious problem, and those who feel they are no big deal*.

I keeping hearing all these complaints that American politics is so “polarized”.  This is why.

 

*I don’t think this is a left-right divide.  Not at all.

7 Quick Takes: Things That I Like

This makes two weeks in a row.  Bizarre internet writing goals.  Feels like the time I almost starting wearing lip gloss every day as a Lenten penance.

1.

I got all intellectual and selected a Pope Book for my new Catholic Company review item.   Checked the mailbox every day.  It took FOUR DAYS.  I learn perseverance and patience this way.

So far so good.  It is much easier to read a B16 talk written for normal people, than to read what he writes when left to sit down alone in some quiet place for a very long time.   I think as a general rule, theologians should not be left unsupervised.

2.

I can’t wait to get to say “Consubstantial” on Sunday.  I know, I already blogged about that the other day.  I am so excited it’s silly.  And look, Pope Quote from new book, just in time for the head-scratching during the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed. [As apparently it is called? I guess “Nicene” Creed is just a nickname?]:

In this fundamental text — which expresses the faith of the undivided Church and which we also recite today, every Sunday, in the Eucharistic celebration — the Greek term homoousios is featured, in Latin consubstantialis: it means that the Son, the Logos, is “of the same substance” as the Father, he is God of God, he is his substance.  Thus, the full divinity of the Son, which was denied by the Arians, was brought into the limelight.

[Italics in the original, typos all mine.  The one thing I don’t like about this new look here on the blog is that all the italicized words are bumped up a font size.  I may need to re-decorate.  But it is teaching me not to italicize like a crazy person*.]

3.

I keep being surprised by how much I like to write.  I am always thinking I ought to swear it off and do something useful for a change.  And then I end up back at it again.

4.

I re-wrote the catechist booklet proposal this week.  Marked it up with the pen of death.  I need to put in the last couple changes, re-proof, and stupid-check it with a friend or two.  Hopefully get the green light from People Who Want Me Not To Embarrass Myself That Much, and submit to publisher #1.  It’s a great booklet that test readers are impatient to see on the market, but that doesn’t guarantee it will fit anyone’s publishing plans for the year ahead.  We’ll see.

5.

Dear Man Whom I Love,

I am the person who has been cooking that food you find waiting for you at 6pm when you get home from work.   All by myself with no help.  It is not necessary to spend your holiday weekend hovering near the stove and running to me nervously every time you hear a beeping sound.

Sincerely,

The Person Who Arranges All Those Other Hobbies For You.

6.

Our Advent Countdown Schedule:

Friday: Clean out the house.  Including Deskavation.

Saturday: Advent Decorating and Other Things We Want To Do.

Sunday: Consubstantial!  Under My Roof!  And With Your Spirit!

I can’t wait.

7.

I managed to think up 20% more quick takes than last week.  Unless you disqualify the double-posting on consubstantial, in which case I’m holding steady with a solid C- / D+, depending on your grading scale.

*Long ago while working in state goverment, my department used to get letters from real live crazy people.  The kind who make up fake legal documents and genuinely believe they are real.  We pretended to file them as requested.  Crazy people italicize.  Very much.

Thanksgiving, Franciscans, and All Things In Moderation

Last night we took the kids to burgers then Target to quick buy our Giving Tree gift items before the shopping season began.  Stopped at the liquor store on the way; SuperHusband dashed inside, and then sloowed down . . . they were giving out free samples. [I had no idea that was legal.]  Fortunately most of it was weird trendy froofy stuff he doesn’t drink.

Kids and I sat in the car rehearsing Christmas Carols, though eventually I had to make the boy stand out in the cold next to the car, because he was being so, er, impatient, about our singing.  Then had to pre-emptively save him from injury or death, when I saw he got the bright idea to ambush his father coming out of the store.  That’s a lovely practical joke in the front hallway, dear, but not in a parking lot after dark.  He understood as soon as I explained.

Thanksgiving Eve with the Catholic Family.  Yes.  (And Target was so peaceful.  Amen.)

***

My favorite Thanksgiving book is Squanto’s Journey.  Goodness you can now get in paperback for $7.  I might have to add it to my wish list.

Something cool I didn’t mention in my first review, and that the Amazon Preview doesn’t snow you: The Friars get their credit.

***

We went to Mass this morning, chatted on the playground, then came home and the young cooks put together a batch of shortbread (per the Joy but with whole wheat flour) to bring to dinner later today. Meanwhile, SuperHusband kept showing me ads from the Sobieski website.  I can’t spell it or pronounce it, but if you google “inexpensive Polish Vodka” the ad pops up on top.  If you have utterly failed in your uber-franciscan aspirations, and have resolved just to drink affordably, it’s the one.   Tito’s is a smidge better, and is therefore my second-choice recommendation, but costs a lot more.

***

And all this to tell you a true story, which might be of help to about six people on the internet: You know they say that if you have an irregular heartbeat you should give up alcohol and caffeine?

One Lent the SuperHusband and I, who drink laughably moderately if you were wondering, gave up alcohol as a penance.  I gave it no thought. (Other than: Gosh I like beer.)  Looking back, hey, wait a minute, that was the year I developed a weird skipped-beat heart thing.  Previously had only had it during pregnancy.  (When — get this — I don’t drink.)

So the first thing to do is keep not drinking, and plus give up coffee as well.  Skipping only gets worse. Long drawn out medical investigation confirms it is a benign condition (PVC’s), hurray, go home and don’t worry about it.  Yay!

No sense living the penitential life purely for spiritual reasons, if there’s not gonna be a health kickback, right?  (Bad catechist!  No biscuit.)  Resume life of all-vices-in-moderation, decide to see what happens.

Heart goes back to the ol’ normal, all-beats-per-minute self.

Try not to feel too sorry for me.

***

This Thanksgiving, may you be blessed with problems that can only be solved by doing something you wanted to do anyway.

 

 

 

Bleg: Which Calendar?

I need a new calendar.

The current one has these features, which must stay:

• Week-at-glance
• 6.5″ x 9.5”, and not fat.  Fits in a purse.  I could go as large as a spiral bound notebook, depending.
• A place to stuff odd papers.  I guess I could duct tape one of these on, if I find the almost-perfect calendar.
• Punch-dot corner thingie so it’s easy to find where you are (some other equivalent technology is acceptable in theory).
• Not silly expensive.

I don’t need to impress anyone. I don’t need it to inspire or entertain.   Ideally it would not have goofy cartoon characters on it.  It can be academic year or calendar year or tax year or whatever.  But here’s what I do need:

Lists.

The multi-tasking around here has exceeded the capacity of the current calendar.  I need a place I can stick a grocery list and about ten different independent-of-each-other to-do lists.  They are not the ready-made lists that come with “Family Organizers”, unless your family organizer has pre-made tabs for “Manuscripts to Edit” “Notes – Book A” “Notes – Book B” . . . “Catechism Prep” “Creatures Needing Medical Attention” “Figure Out Why The Tomatoes All Rotted” etc.

The all-purpose running to-do list isn’t covering it any more.  So I guess I’m looking for one of those binder-ish calendars, that lets you can add in your own tabs and sections and stuff?

(Curiously, my mother had one of those by the time she was my age.  Go figure.)

So:  What do you, or your spouse, or your secretary, or that other sort-of-pulled-together person you know (but not the super-organized neat-n-tidy one) like to use?  Recommend away.

Thanks!

 

PS: I do not care about your digital device.  I will be very patient and kind if you must tell me about your little electronic love.  But I’m a paper person.  Tried digital several times, no luck. My brain is not made for that.  Paper.  Paper.

 

Advent!

Catching up on my goofing off, and could not agree more with this post by Fr. L on Anticipating Advent.

Our preparation: Yesterday took the kids to Target to get them decent black slacks that reach all the way to the tops of shoes, after the, er, interesting things that appeared on our altar last Sunday.  Yikes.   Had to do that fast before the shoppers arrived.

So I’m reading Fr. L and thinking, yes, yes, yes!  And then I thought, “that theme seems vaguely familiar.” Wow I should totally write down what that lady said on Sarah’s blog, gosh I bet she’s so pulled together.  [See: Things That Appeared On Our Altar]

**********

Advent PSA: If you’re on the fence about darkening the doors of a Catholic Church.

Topic that came up last night:

Let’s say you are a lapsed Catholic or non-Catholic who is looking for a church to attend after a long time away.  Perhaps you have noticed there’s a Catholic parish near you, and you have a vague idea about maybe dropping in sometime.  But you’re nervous.  You’ll stand out.  You can’t remember (or never knew) how the whole Mass thing works.  People are going to laugh at you when you say or do the wrong thing.

Is that you?

Come this Sunday!  Everyone will be just as lost!  We’ll all have our eyes glued to the handy pamphlet in the pews!  We’ll be mumbling!  We’ll say the wrong things!  The new (old) hand motions will feel so weird!  The music will be really good or really bad or just really strange . . . to all of us together!

It’s Leveling The Playing Field Sunday.  Come. 

Rant-o-Rama: Trinkets of Death

Do you love the planet?  Or the poor?  Or low gas prices?

Boycott Dollar Tree*.

Okay, not specifically Dollar Tree.  Just all cheap plastic trinkets.  The adorable ones from Target.  The bargain ones from Walmart.  The pious ones from Oriental Trading Company.  And especially the ones in your McDonald’s happy meal.  Here’s why:

1. Plastic trinket are made from fossil fuels.   Better to ship those barrels of oil straight to the strategic national fuel reserve.
2. More fuel is spent manufacturing the trinkets.  At factories that might not be so zero emissions?
3. Using labor that could have been spent producing something a person actually needs, such as food, shelter, or clean water.
4. More fuel (and labor) is spent shipping the trinkets to your local trinket store.
5. Where you waste your time wandering around dazed and confused until your mind deforms under the glare of the flourescent lights.
6. When you could have been doing something wholesome and productive, like playing video games, or gambling.
7. And then the children who receive the trinkets will fight over them with their siblings.
8. If they have no siblings, they will find some.
9. The trinkets will end up lodged in some essential piece of household machinery.
10. And then you will put them in the landfill.

Trinkets do not build wealth.  Trinkets do not help the economy.  They are a transfer payment that wastes natural resources.  If you want to do a good work with your $.97,  invest in the production of a good or service people actually need.

End of rant.

 

*No bloggers darkened the door of Dollar Tree to ascertain what portion of the merchandise is trinkets.  100% of the Dollar Tree items purchased for the Fitz home happen to be trinkets.  But no doubt Dollar Tree sells worthy items as well.  Purchase those.