Blogging Around: Seeing the Other Side

AMERICA IN FILM Here's an interesting question. You want to teach someone about America, using movies. Which movies do you choose? Rose has one for being American and another for pop culture. The discussion has begun at Double Exposure ... check it out.

LETTERBOXD NOW OPEN TO ALL
Letterboxd is like Goodreads, but for movies. I have been enjoying it for a while but it was invitation only. No longer. Jump in. It's a free for all!

SUPER BOWL BETTER BECAUSE OF "THE BLIND SIDE"
Whenever we watch the Baltimore Ravens play, Tom always points out the real life player who was portrayed in The Blind Side. Watching the Super Bowl was just that much better because we knew about his story. Tony Rossi gives the Christopher Closeup inside story of the family behind the movie.

Many of you have seen the Christopher Award-winning movie “The Blind Side,” which told the story of Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy (played by Tim McGraw and Sandra Bullock) adopting homeless teen, Michael Oher, supporting him and his education, and helping to launch his football career with the Baltimore Ravens. It was a happy ending by both Hollywood and real-life standards.

That ending got even happier this past Sunday when the Ravens won the Super Bowl with a little help from Michael Oher, whose adopted family was with him.

MUSHROOM STROGANOFF
This looks delicious, whether one has Lent on the horizon or not. Veronica at My Catholic Kitchen came up with it. I'm going to put back in the Worcestershire sauce instead of the soy sauce because fish is allowed for Lent. As well as chicken broth (guess what's going to happen to that 1 cup of water and the vegetable bouillon cube? yep ... ).

BISHOPS' STATEMENT ON NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING REGARDING HHS MANDATE
Archbishop Dolan gives us the scoop and the link to the bishops' actual statement. Accept no substitutes.

Yesterday, I issued a statement in my role as President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding the HHS mandate. Unfortunately, there were some news reports today that claimed the bishops “rejected” the White House proposal, ignoring the fact that we bishops said, “we welcome and will take seriously the Administration’s invitation to submit our concerns through formal comments, and we will do so in the hope that an acceptable solution can be found that respects the consciences of all.”

LORD, OPEN MY HEARD
CWG Blog features the devotional I wrote last year ... and is very, very kind. Thank you, Jen!

If you are a looking for a bigger, sweeter piece of devotional pie, also consider Julie's book Happy Catholic. You'll feel like you're cheating, since it's fun and interesting and not at all penitential, but it's a great way to kickstart the habit of seeing God in every day life.