September 11: Our Memories and Our Determination

Much of this is reposted and somewhat updated from previous years because I think this stands as the tribute I want to make. I will update it as I come across other tributes.

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• A movie for today: World Trade Center
• A book for today: The Onion Files

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I see that the year before last, I got an email last week mentioning that a deadline was September 11. Maybe it's silly but seeing that date attached to a deadline shocked me. No reason not to have it be a deadline but it seemed ... somehow ... irreverent to have the usual business of the day on that date.

Last year a similar thing happened, except that since I remember September 11 was a Tuesday and happened around 9:00 in the morning, I was stunned momentarily when making a vet appointment for our dog. I commented on the fact that it would be September 11 and the young receptionist had an indifferent silence and then merely encouraged me to continue making the appointment, which stung even more than the memory.

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To me, it is sad that the best tribute I saw in the newspaper both last year and this year was a paid Open Letter by a local car dealer (website no longer available). It is too long for me to include in its entirety.

... But I also recall that for a few short weeks, America came together. Republicans, Democrats and all the other parties were united in the message GOD BLESS AMERICA. I saw more American flags flying than I had ever seen in my life. People who had not owned a flag in years flocked to stores to put one in front of their home, their businesses and in the back of their pickups. for those few short weeks, we put aside our personal problems and focused on helping those killed in this brutal attack.

Now six years later, I wonder where all those flags are? My guess is that most are in their closets gathering dust along with those feelings we felt on that fateful day. ...

Find time today to reflect on the day we were attacked. At 9:03 AM today, the time of the last plane crash in Pennsylvania, all my employees will gather in front of my dealerships for a moment of silence to honor those who innocently died that day. I hope you'll find the time to do the same or feel free to join our family ...

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That time is always mixed for me with images of hospitals and personal emotions in another way because Tom's father had a massive stroke two days after September 11. We left the girls with friends and drove to Houston for what proved to be a harrowing time. No matter what else was happening, the television in the hospital was on, whether with the sound on or not.

Here is a sample of what others were living through as we watched in horror.

In my dress and non-sensible shoes I climbed (my grandmothers will forgive me) in the least dignified fashion, over the barrier. I crouched next to a man with a green striped oxford cloth shirt. I helped him cut it with my Swiss Army Knife scissors so he could put a piece over his nose and mouth. We shared water. He tried to use my cell phone to call his wife or girlfriend. It didn't work. Everyone started praying. Jesus' rang out all around me. I didn't care. My prayer was to see Andrew and Aaron again. This moment was the only time I thought I was going to die.

I kept thinking about the crying woman with the screaming baby. I kept hearing babies crying--no adults...how do you protect a 6-month old from all of this damn ASH?

It was hard to breathe. I couldn't always see the water, so close by, maybe eight...ten feet down? It was so dark. I thought, very carefully and precisely:

• I could jump in the water if the fire comes.
• I could get some debris and hold on and float to Brooklyn...I think that's where the current goes from here.
• There is no debris to use. I haven't seen anything larger than my fingernail fall to the water.
• I could jump in the water and swim.
• I don't know how cold the water is. How long could I last? How fast is the current? How much deeper would my breaths be in cold water? Is it better to stay on the land?
• How do I get back to Brooklyn? My husband and baby are there.
• They're going to bomb the Brooklyn Bridge next aren't they?...and then the Statue of Liberty...and maybe The Empire State Building and Central Park...if they're trying to break us, they'll go there. They'll hit the places we love.

We heard the fog horns of the ferryboats. The man to my right panicked and thought the ferry was going to hit us. Everyone got up fast and then realized we were better off under the edge again. We shared our water bottles and started climbing back down. Silence closed in around us and I could hear tiny pieces of debris and ash plink into the water.

At some point I looked up and to my left and could see the white disk of the sun above me. I tapped the Muslim man next to me and pointed up. Our eyes smiled at each other over our handkerchiefs. Briefly there was blue in front of me then it was gone again.

excerpt from Heather Ordover's firsthand account
(she was a teacher at a school next to the towers)

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For some reason, the image that sticks with me from driving down there and back, aside from all the American flags, was the beat up pickup truck with the gun rack and Confederate flag stickers that had "We are all New Yorkers today" written on their windows. For a Texan to write that ... well, at that moment we realized that the terrorists had no idea what they had done.

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NPR's StoryCorps recorded many remembrances of those who lost loved ones in the September 11 attacks. Go to the link and select the September 11 category to listen to them.

“He was tough on the outside—big, big, soft guy on the inside.”

“When I met Michael I was 14 years old.”

“When he was five, we went into a candy store…”

“When I used to hug him, the whole world disappeared…”

“Her eyes sparkled to me. One day they were blue; the next day they were green.”

“He was a high adventurer.”

“His sister idolized him.”

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The Anchoress remembered last year ...

I haven’t forgotten. I have too many firefighter friends to ever forget. I haven’t forgotten watching the tape of the first Tower burning and saying to my pal, over the phone, “it’s a beautiful clear day; no plane is going to accidentally hit the WTC - this is NOT an accident,” and both of us gasping because, just as I said it, the second plane hit. I haven’t forgotten because my husband was on a plane that morning, traveling on business, and for a little while we didn’t know what flights we were looking at, exploding before our eyes. Those of us who had loved ones in planes heard about the Pentagon, and about a plane going down in Pennsylvania - there were reports (false) that a car bomb was discovered outside of the Supreme Court. My friend called me back, pleading and in shock - “what is happening, what is happening in our country!” Finally the phone call from my husband, trapped in Atlanta, and I was able to call my kids schools and tell the offices, “please, please tell my kids that their father wasn’t on any of those planes, that he is alright!”

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... and she remembers this year too.

As I do every 9/11, I began this morning praying the Office of the Dead, from the Liturgy of the Hours. The psalms this year seemed to speak poignantly of the torment of the victims, and of those who waited, and waited, and who now wait to be re-united in glory. This year, I have made a podcast of the prayer for anyone who wishes to use it....

She has some links to other bloggers and you should go read all of what they wrote, just as I did. With the seeming vacuum in our newspaper and regular "business as usual" going on, it is nice to know that under it all plenty of people remember.

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Who can read this article (link no longer active) by Peggy Noonan in painting with words and not be swept back in time?

Flight 93 flight attendant Ceecee Lyles, 33 years old, in an answering-machine message to her husband: "Please tell my children that I love them very much. I'm sorry, baby. I wish I could see your face again."

Thirty-one-year-old Melissa Harrington, a California-based trade consultant at a meeting in the towers, called her father to say she loved him. Minutes later she left a message on the answering machine as her new husband slept in their San Francisco home. "Sean, it's me, she said. "I just wanted to let you know I love you."

Capt. Walter Hynes of the New York Fire Department's Ladder 13 dialed home that morning as his rig left the firehouse at 85th Street and Lexington Avenue. He was on his way downtown, he said in his message, and things were bad. "I don't know if we'll make it out. I want to tell you that I love you and I love the kids."

Who among us does not stop, whether a tribute is seen or not, and remember where we were, what we were doing, at that heart-stopping moment when everything changed?

I turn on the TV and watch as the plane slowly flies into the Tower.
Hail Mary, full of grace
My daughter wanders downstairs, shoes in hand,
Turns to look at what has me transfixed on a weekday morning.
The Lord is with thee.

Read it all here

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A time when even the most public figures struggled with what it meant to be "normal" and "go back to work. When we remembered what united us more than what divided us? When we felt our humanity.

I plucked these photos from those found at The Doctor is In.

I am very glad that Project 2,996 happened and that I saw so many heartfelt tributes done for so many different kinds of people. It reminds me that the number of people who died is not just a number. Each was a soul, valuable in the eyes of God and to the people all around them. Valuable to us.

"All of you saw today what happened in New York. Consider how many firefighters died today. You will never be able to claim that you don't know what this job is about. Every single day you go out there you don't know what's going to happen or if you'll make it home. Those who responded today planned to go home after their shift...and instead, we're going to be watching funerals of firefighters for weeks. You know what this job is about and you know the risk. So after witnessing something like this, if some of you, or all of you, choose not to come back tomorrow, we will all understand."

Adoro te Devote

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I continue to be struck by the hard, ongoing work done by others to keep us safe, of the many months of patient work that go in to discover conspiracies still underway.

The 4th of July isn't the day the 13 Colonies won their independence from Britain; it's the day they declared their independence. On the 4th we celebrate their eventual victory, but more than that we celebrate the resolve, vision, and determination which led to that victory.

Today, September 11th, we remember those thousands of innocent American civilians who died in the brutal attack on the Twin Towers. But 9/11 is more that. It is the day we resolved, as a nation, not to knuckle under to the terrorist threat -- and more than that, to stomp it out.

We must not turn 9/11 into a simple day of remembrance. We have not earned that blessing.

We must not lose our determination.

The View From the Foothills

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We remember not only to honor the victims. We remember also to fuel our determination which can sink low after a seemingly long "safe" time. We need also to remember that time when the things that divided us seemed so much less important than the things that unite us. When we were one people, when hurting any of us hurt each one of us.

We must never forget.

30 More Movies You Might Have Missed: 6-10

Continuing yesterday's list. In no particular order, just as they occurred to me.

6. What's Eating Gilbert Grape

The movie that convinced me Leonardo DiCaprio could act.

Johnny Depp is a teenage boy who loves his 400 pound mother, his mentally retarded brother (DiCaprio), and his restless sister but the weight of their combined needs results in crushing responsibility. Stuck in the backwater of tiny Endora, he sees no way out of his situation. The answer to his problems is not what one would anticipate and is as understated as Depp's performance in many ways. Along the way, we are shown each person in greater depth and as we do the quirkiness becomes less important than the different aspects of humanity. Life affirming and it will stick with you.

7. A New Leaf

One of Tom's favorite movies and one that I am glad he insisted I watch. Matthau is a wealthy playboy and confirmed bachelor who has run through all his money. To keep afloat, he decides to marry a wealthy woman and murder her later. Elaine May, who also wrote and directed, plays Matthau's clumsy and adoring bride. He discovers she is being cheated blind by her household staff and, while setting things straight, begins to find a different facet of himself. Not that he gives up on the murder scheme though. Hilarious and perhaps Matthau's best performance.

8. Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang

A film that mocks film noir cliches while at the same time being a very satisfying mystery/action/buddy noir-ish film in its own right. Robert Downey Jr. is a small-time thief who stumbles into an acting audition when on the lam from the cops. He aces the audition and is sent to Hollywood where he soon finds himself neck-deep in a murder mystery involving his childhood sweetheart. While shadowing detective Val Kilmer to learn more about his acting role, Downey Jr. becomes heavily involved in a second mystery as well. Great fun, with fast-talking dialogue that will keep you on your toes. A nice companion piece to Brick; though completely different in feel, both movies mimic noir style while still standing on their own two legs.

9. King Kong (1933)

Reject all imitations. The original King Kong is one of my all-time favorite movies and a true classic in its own right. It is a simple story: intrepid filmmaker, Carl Denham, leads an expedition to Skull Island where they discover a 50-foot gorilla who becomes enamored of Ann Darrow (Fay Wray). He is captured and brought back to New York City as the "8th wonder of the world" where he inevitably runs wild with Ann clutched in one hand and meets his death atop the Empire State Building. The skill of the movie makers is such that it is still thoroughly enjoyable some 70 years later. Fay Wray has a scream that could stop a freight train; you could hear it over practically anything that the movie threw at it. The animation was star quality at the time and you soon discover that it is not the animation but the story that carries a movie. (My review is here.)

10. Double Indemnity

A famous film that I, nevertheless, have to beat people over the head to watch. The screenplay is by director Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler and the dialogue crackles with iconic film noir style.

Fred MacMurray is the insurance salesman who comes up with the perfect murder scheme to rid femme fatale Barbara Stanwyck of her husband's annoying presence. Edward G. Robinson is MacMurray's boss, a wily insurance investigator who feels that things don't quite add up. Told in flash-back, the film still maintains dramatic tension the entire time. Ironically, all three stars did not want to do the film. MacMurray and Stanwyck because they were cast against type as evil. Robinson because he was not the main star ... yet he carries the film at the end as his line sums up the movie perfectly.

Coming Friday (hopefully):

Next: 11-15

The Onion Files

Listening to The Onion Files from Podiobooks certainly is timely. Set in the months right after the terrorists' attacks on the Twin Towers in Sept. 11, 2001, it follows a retired U.S. intelligence agent, Jim Buchan, and his computer whiz-kid son, Mike, as they combine skills and uncover another terrorist plot that is about to be put in motion. The story is told in a very straight-forward fashion and is read without embellishment by the author, Major General Val Pattee. The Onion Files refer to a layered computer program designed to wreak havoc across the United States. It is similar to one that Jim had foiled many years ago and he suspects the same terrorist is generating it. The story also takes us into the heart of Al-Qaeda and their recruiting tactics within the United States so that we see both sides of the story unfolding.

As I mentioned, this story is told in a very straight forward fashion, yet there was something about it that I just could not stop listening to. I ran through it in about five days, addicted as chapter after chapter revealed a new layer of the onion. Unexpectedly, about halfway through the book, the plot suddenly began revealing Pattee's own onion layers as unsuspected directions were taken, throwing the reader off guard.

As the father-son team travels the world to meet with other intelligence workers, Pattee reveals not only his depth of experience (just read his bio ... very impressive indeed) but his love and appreciation for many of the places he has visited such as Turkey and Russia. As well, I found a sheer depth of patriotism and love for basic American citizens that threw me off guard in feeling my own patriotic response and remembrance of the terror of Sept. 11 well up inside. That was when I realized that I was experiencing this story in the same week when Sept. 11 would be remembered once again. It is a fitting tribute to the intelligence workers, military, and everyone who has put their life on the line in helping to keep us safe.

As well as a thumping good read (or listen).

Worth a Thousand Words

Hope and Beauty

Taken by the folks who know all about both, at Full House, Full Hands, Full Hearts. This looks best big so click on it or click through the link above for a larger view.

Now Here's a Reality Check on Medjugorje ...

Years ago, I asked the eminent Mariologist, the late Dominican Father Frederick Jelly, what he thought of Medjugorje. He said, "I wish people got as excited over the Eucharist."

Ouch!

We've got Jesus Christ, the Son of God, one of the three persons of the Holy Trinity ... body and blood, soul and divinity ... right here with us in person in every Catholic church.

He doesn't get half the wonder and excitement that Medjugorje seems to generate. Let's face it, He doesn't get it even from people who don't worry about visions that much.

We should all do a little reality check perhaps? I am including myself here, believe me.

There's more good stuff where that came from in David Alexander's post, Mary's Birthday, which is where I got that quote. He also recommends the book I like by Fr. Groeschel, A Small, Still Voice. I knew I liked that man with a black hat...

Pharaoh Tutankhamun: "Hey, Where Did All My Stuff Go?"

... And where did my statue of Anubis go? Do you know how hard it's going to be to find another three-foot-long wood carving of a recumbent jackal? It's going to be impossible, that's how hard it's going to be, because it was carved for me by my grandmother Queen Nefertiti, who last I checked died in 1330 B.C. I was going to use that statue. I was going to use all of this stuff.

Now what am I supposed to do? ...

If anyone reading this has seen any of the stuff described above, please return it to my tomb, located in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, immediately. Please, I seriously need this stuff back. Thank you.

Pharaoh Tutankhamun is an Egyptian king who ruled from 1333–1324 B.C. He can be reached at tutank1341@gmail.com.

[wiping tears of laughter from my eyes] Heavens to Betsy, The Onion can be funny sometimes.

Warning: language alert for the story ...

Signs & Mysteries: Incorporating History into the Sacraments

I like the excitement of thinking of how early Christians and those ever since have understood the reality of salvation history as part of our history. Also, the idea of these symbols being lovingly passed down to us by our Christian forebears is like something out of a mystery novel that engages us in every way possible ... heart, mind, and soul.

But the art of nascent Christianity intended to “incorporate the events of history into the sacrament.” What does that mean? It means that, by participating in the rites of the Church, each and every Christian was stepping into the stream of salvation history. Each was taking his or her place alongside Abraham, Moses, and David, Peter and Paul and the martyrs. God’s saving action was not a matter of the long-ago past or a vague and distant future, but a reality of the most immediate present — it was really present, and experienced in the baptismal water, the oil of anointing, and in the bread and wine of the liturgy. This is the overarching theme that runs through the vast array of symbols we find on the walls, lamps, rings, medals, cups, caskets, coins, and flasks of Christian antiquity.

This was more than theory, more than theology, more than the excitement of sharing a code or cracking a code. St. Cyril of Jerusalem talked about the difference these symbols made in the everyday spirituality of ordinary Christians. “The Savior comes in different forms for the benefit of each person. To those who lack joy, He becomes a Vine; and to those who wish to enter, He stands as a Door. To those who need to offer up their prayers, He stands as a mediating High Priest. To those who have sins, He becomes a Sheep, that He may be sacrificed for them. He becomes all things to all men, keeping what He is in His own nature. “

The lamb on the lamp, then, was a reminder of a truth at the heart of life — a truth worth dying for.

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We have tried in this book to provide a key to understanding not only the early-Christian symbols, but the early Christians’ experience of these symbols as well. We wanted to recover the freshness and urgency of the original images — to show the symbols as they first appeared and explain how they “worked,” using the words of the early Christians themselves. This material will help to demonstrate the significance of each particular symbol in the life of the Church, in history, and in the lives of individual believers.

In depicting the symbols, we tried, again whenever possible, to model our illustrations on the real archeological remains of the era of the Fathers. We have, however, restored them to some semblance of their original condition — again, to enable modern readers to experience the symbols not as artifacts but as personal messages, from one Christian generation to another.

Signs and Mysteries: Revealing Ancient Christian Symbols
by Mike Aquilina

30 More Movies You Might Have Missed: 1-5

I've put together a list of fifty movies that are worth seeing, and none of them are brand-spanking new. These are movies that perhaps you've never heard of, or if you have you may have looked them over. This isn't a list of the best movies ever made, although there are a few that below on such a list. They are not in any specific order.

Scott has a darned good list and I encourage you to check it out. I can endorse it based on his inclusion of movies I've seen which are ones I often recommend to people, only to receive a blank stare of nonrecognition:

• Singin' in the Rain
  
• Kung Fu Hustle
• Memento (my review here ... in the comments Scott and I wage all-out-but-polite-war over the movie's ultimate message)
  
• Amelie
• Brick (my review here)
  
• Babette's Feast
• About a Boy
• The Quiet Man
• Groundhog Day
• Infernal Affairs (my review here)

However, he didn't include everything that I would have, naturally. Here is my addendum, if you will, to his list. In no particular order, just as they occurred to me.

1. Mostly Martha

Germany

Martha is a chef who has a great deal of discipline, an obsession with food although she never seems to eat, and little joy in her life. When her sister dies, Martha is forced into facing unknown situations after her orphaned niece comes to live with her. Then a new chef is added to the staff and Martha's loss of control seems complete. Suddenly Martha's life is no longer under control at all with the expected growth of character resulting.

This is a slow and deliberate movie but the acting and dialogue are great and a lot of the scenes are very funny. Naturally, as this is about a chef, it is a major "foodie" film. Mostly Martha is a German movie with subtitles but don't let that scare you. Actually we liked listening to the German and picking out words that were almost the same as in English ... but that's the kind of thing our family does for fun.

Do not be fooled by the American remake: No Reservations. It completely messes up the last third of the movie.

2. Monsoon Wedding

India

A large, Westernized, upper middle class Indian family is gathering for a wedding in a movie that includes Bollywood-ish singing, dancing, and romance. What may be unexpected are the strong messages about family love, protection of the innocent from sexual predators, doing the right thing and telling the truth no matter what it costs you. I love this movie but Tom is the one who added it to this list which tells you that it has a wider range than one might expect. The "R" rating is for the language, mostly that of the Wedding Event Coordinator and his help. (A full review is here.)

3. The Castle
(Australia)

An understated comedy about a man whose home truly is his castle. Any normal person would jump at the chance to sell his property when the local airport wants to buy, as it sits at the end of an airport runway and directly under gigantic power lines. However, this man fights in court for the right to keep his home.

The father's unconditional love and approval for every person in his family is reciprocated by each of them. Watching the local news the father turns to his daughter, the only family member with a "college degree" (from hairdresser school), and tells her that they have "ripping bodies" but their hair really could use fixing up to be like hers. Needless to say, the daughter's hair is horrendous but her pleased and loving reaction underscores the family's complete happiness. If they think about the outside world at all it is to be sorry that the world doesn't have a share in their contentment and "riches". If more families were like this one then the world would be a better place. This movie is rated "R" for language.

4. Serenity

Is it a western? Yes. Is it sci-fi? Yes. 500 years in the future, society is a mixture of "core" planets with all the luxuries and those on "the rim" where life is more like living in a old time Western. The Alliance, the totalitarian government, controls everything in the core and would like to exert the same control over all the planets.

Simon and River Tam are on the run from The Alliance. They take refuge on a spaceship whose crew will do anything, legal or illegal, to keep fed and in the air. As a survivor from the losing side in the recent civil war, the ship's captain, Mal Reynolds, doesn't mind going against the authorities but has to rethink his decision when the Alliance sends an assassin to track River down. What follows is a fantastic, fast moving adventure crackling with wit. It is also one that examines what different men choose to put their faith in, how strong that belief is, and what it means to live an unexamined life. (My complete review is here.)

5. A Perfect World

In Texas in the fall of 1963, Kevin Costner is one of a pair of recently escaped convicts who take an 8-year-old boy hostage on their journey, which soon becomes a journey with just Costner and the boy. The little boy has never known his father and his childish innocence sparks fatherly feelings in Costner.

Meanwhile, Clint Eastwood is the Texas Ranger tracking them down. Eastwood knows about Costner's troubled past and although he must capture him, Eastwood has a certain level of sympathy for him personally as well. Gradually we see that there is a constant contrast between the flight and the manhunt, the fatherless and those who could fill the fatherly roles. This is an understated movie but it is hard to match its examination of good versus evil, the consequences of the past on the present, and the strength of its statement against senseless violence. Also probably Kevin Costner's best performance.

Coming tomorrow (hopefully):

Next: 6-10

Worth a Thousand Words

Snakes and Sails and Puppy-dog Tails

More brilliant photography from D.L. Ennis at Visual Thoughts ... click through to see more.

What can get me out of my sickbed?

Stopping to get gas on the way to work this morning, I suddenly started feeling kinda queasy, kinda headachey. Told myself that it was just allergy stuff, shake it off.

Nope. Thank goodness I work with Tom so that I could buzz his office when I realized this was getting worse and I couldn't drive myself home. He instantly whisked me away and after one of the absolutely most tortuous experiences I've ever had riding in a car (not his fault, solely due to my condition), I was home and free to succumb to this horrendous allergy attack. That is what I assume it was anyway.

This is when having an iPod is really great. When you wake up and feel the need for entertainment ... there is someone to read to you.

Chapter after chapter of The Onion Files from Podiobooks rolled through my ears. Why did I feel the need to only listen to a techno-thriller written and read by a Major General (yes, you read that right)? I don't know but his spy story read in those somewhat halting "general-ish" tones fit the bill.

Now, feeling better enough that I could listen to something else ... let's be truthful, I ran through all the chapters I had on the iPod and didn't want to turn on the computer to load on more ... I turned to the second SFFaudio conversation between Jesse and Scott.

As they are talking about all the new arrivals, I suddenly remembered the door bell ringing earlier, scaring the cat right off of my chest (so I was feeling somewhat better by that point). I remembered Voodoo Planet ... Already Dead ... Carnival by Elizabeth Bear ... and 52, PART 2 ... all supposed to be on their way to me from Scott.

I catapulted out of bed. Yep, a nice little box from Scott was right by the front door. The first of two shipments ... sweet. Uploading 52, Part 2 now (and Addison ... I need Part 1 back. I suppose that must wait until you get back from Ireland.)

And, by the way, I'm with Jesse ... Librivox rules. Depends on the readers, of course, and some are not that good but you get something by Andy Minter, Chip, Lee Eliott, or Karen Savage ... to mention just a few of the fantastic readers they have there ... and that's good listenin'. Just give The Invisible Man read by Alex Foster a try. You'll be glad you did.

Now, back to my bed for what I think will be the last of my allergy naps.

Weekend Joke

Because this is the weekend football begins ...

After spending all day watching football, Harry fell asleep in front of the TV and spent the whole night in the chair. In the morning, his wife woke him up.

"Get up dear," she said, "it's 20 to seven."

He awoke with a start and said, "In who's favor?"

And just because I liked it ... for those who aren't excited about football ... from Miss Cellania.

Worth a Thousand Words

Firehouse Dog by Belinda Del Pesco

Belinda is another HC favorite. Check out her wonderful art by clicking through on the link above.

Another Good Review for "Bringing the Gospel of Matthew to Life

Donna comments:

I have to thank you for posting several articles about this book. It just arrived and I've already jumped into it. It's fantastic...a wonderful commentary and what a great way to better understand the Scripture. I'm only on the 3rd chapter and I already want more scripture books by Martin! It's awesome, thanks

My pleasure Donna! I am remiss and have a few more thought provoking excerpts to post. Perhaps I can catch up this weekend.

You can read my review here. My excerpts can be found here.

Worth a Thousand Words

Taken by my pal DL who just got back from a Wyoming vacation. He said that the morning that he left for Wyoming, he had checked out the Pope’s prayer intentions for August and saw this:

That the human family may learn to respect God’s plan for the world and become ever more aware that Creation is God’s great gift.

That set his frame of mind for the trip and we can keep it in mind also as we take in these beautiful photos. Click on the photos for a nice big view and imagine yourself there in that wilderness ...






Ok, this wasn't taken by my pal but I liked it too.

New Editor for Texas Catholic

Well, well, imagine my delight at opening the most recent Texas Catholic and seeing a face I recognize and trust as the new editor!

Just personally speaking, I am thinking ... a new-ish bishop, a new editor who might put something in more than basketball team photos and straight feeds from the new services ... gee, I might actually begin reading Texas Catholic again. What a nice feeling! And Tom concurs.

Assam & Darjeeling: An "Essential" Sci-Fi/Fantasy Listen

According to ... me!

My review is over at SFFaudio. This is one of my very favorite books of 2008, whether audio or traditional.

I. Loved. It.

Go thou and listen likewise ...

Heavens to Betsy ... Thank You Anchoress!

Her link sent over 600 people my way yesterday. If you're new 'round here, then welcome and take a look around. We get into Catholic stuff, naturally with a name like this blog's, but also delve into ... well ... practically everything!

"What is the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick."

Aye Carumba!

I generally avoid political convention coverage like the plague. In my mind it is like unto two groups of cavemen who are taking turns beating their chests and hooting at each other before engaging in real battle.

However, I must admit that I was intensely curious about Sarah Palin. So when Tom was flipping channels and we came across the end of Rudy Giuliani's speech (oh brother does he need different writers ...), we hung on for a bit to see what Palin's speech was like. I admit, I was hooked into it and watched the whole darned thing. I liked her sparkle. I did not like the occasional low blows dealt at their political opponents, which is why I generally eschew political speeches in the first place. Some of the comments were delivered in a straight foreward fashion and I have no problem with that ... but the other stuff. No thanks.

Anyway, I liked her spirit. I also never watch the debates. However, I am now intensely curious as to how this particular pit bull will show in the debate with Joe Biden.

Post Script
I must admit that I completely lost my heart to Piper last night. Adorable and never more so than in this clip which I saw at The Anchoress.



Post Post Script
I have heard that some people are mystified by women's support of Sarah Palin. I can tell them that anyone who is pro-life has to admire the way that she lives her convictions. This column from First Things sums it up nicely. This is just a bit so do go read it all. (Thanks to David Scott for calling it to my attention!)

[...]

I will vote for Sarah Palin because she has guts. We’ve never met, but I suspect I know something about her life, and so do a great many other women. I know what it means to have a son with Down syndrome. I know what it means to talk a good line about religious faith and then be asked to prove it. I know what it means to have a daughter pregnant and unmarried.

In fact, while we’re on the subject, I also know what it means to have two grandchildren born out of wedlock, a son struggling with alcohol, two grandchildren with serious disabilities, putting myself through graduate school while simultaneously caring for a husband and children and teaching full time—and a whole lot more. This is the stuff of real human love; this is the raw material of family life. And those who think that Palin’s beliefs and family struggles are funny or worth jeering at, simply reveal the venality of their own hearts.

I will vote for Sarah Palin because she is intelligent, tenacious and talented. Nobody made her rise easy, and no one is making it easy now. And—is it only moms who notice this?—unlike Senator Biden, she does seem to act consistently on her beliefs about the sanctity of life, at considerable personal cost.

[...]

The Value of Service

Via my brother, who knows a thing or two about military service ... comes this inspirational story and a look at the President as a man. Here's a bit, then go read the whole thing.

[...]

A short time later, the Secret Service opened the door and President Bush walked in. I thought we might get to shake his hand as he went through. But instead, he walked up to my wife with his arms wide, pulled her in for a hug and a kiss, and said, "I wish I could heal the hole in your heart." He then grabbed me for a hug, as well as each of our sons. Then he turned and said, "Everybody out."

A few seconds later, the four of us were completely alone behind closed doors with the President of the United States and not a Secret Service agent in sight.

He said, "Come on, let's sit down and talk." He pulled up a chair at the side of the room, and we sat down next to him. He looked a little tired from his trip, and he noticed that his shoes were scuffed up from leaning over concrete barriers to shake hands and pose for photos. He slumped down the chair, completely relaxed, smiled, and suddenly was no longer the President - he was just a guy with a job, sitting around talking with us like a family member at a barbeque.

[...]

U.S. Bishops Exhibit Backbones in Face of Politicians' Misrepresentations of the Faith

It took Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden publicly proclaiming both their Catholic faith and then misrepresenting Church teachings to get the bishops to point these things out emphatically ... but there are now some very good resources on hand to set things straight.

• Respect for Unborn Human Life: The Church’s Constant Teaching: a fact sheet with a pdf available.
• Statement on Responsibilities of Catholics in Public Life
• “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist

As well, there is a novena which the bishops have asked American Catholics to pray before the elections ... as many times as one feels moved to do so. I like to see this emphasis on prayer as well as on proper understanding of Catholic responsibilities when voting and prayerful consideration.

• Novena for Faithful Citizenship: this is available in pdf, text, or podcast formats.

A Great Way to Engage Children in the Mass: Hear My Voice

Obviously, with two kids in college I am way past the age where I'd need this book. However, I still remember vividly how difficult it was for little ones to get through that hour sometimes.

Hear My Voice strikes me as a very good way to help children begin to have an understanding of what the adults are talking about in the Gospel readings and homilies that follow. I received a galley to read and can vouch for exactly what the publisher describes:

These passages are suggested for parents to read with children the evening before mass. As the hectic schedule of our Saturdays winds down, take time to shift gears for the time we put aside for worship, reflection and communion. Including your children in the message of the mass with a reading and discussion of the week's gospel will make the mass a shared experience of hearing God's word for both parent and child. These translations are also an extraordinary teacher's aid for Sunday school and children's bible study. Each passage is translated in large text that is inviting to the beginning reader, and is printed side-by-side with the adult text for comparison, explanation and parents' review.

These pages are not fictionalized children's stories, they are translations of Jesus' story, true to His message. They are not sugar-coated or watered-down; children can understand the truth in God's word when it is simply written for their reading level, offered in their cadence and vocabulary. Even educated adults often find the language of the Gospels difficult to fully understand, and often turn to study guides and footnotes to wring more understanding out of words written in an old English voice so far removed from our own daily language. The voice of these stories is not changed to be hip or to use today's slang. The gravity and holiness of God's word demands better than that. But there is no reason for outdated and too-advanced language to stand between our children and Jesus' message. Adults as well, have gained insights into the passages through the shared process of bringing the word to children.

This is a really wonderful resource not only in helping children understand the Gospel but in relating it to their own lives. I also really liked that the reading as it would be heard in the church was printed alongside the children's version ... and that the pages are labeled by their place in the liturgical calendar. This not only helps prepare the family for mass but gives them something to discuss later. I could envision remembering a key point of the homily that might relate to the reading done with children the night before for conversations on the way home. Thus one sets the pattern for the entire family of thoughtful participation in the Mass.

You don't have to take my word for it though. Four sample spreads are available to read in pdf format ... just go here and click on any picture you like to see the whole spread.

Hear My Voice will be published in October in preparation for the new liturgical year. Click through on the image below to buy a copy from the publisher.

Highly recommended.

Worth a Thousand Words

How to Tie a Bow Tie by Edward B. Gordon

Not only do I love this painter's style, but I love the fact that he captures everyday people in ordinary activities. That is something we don't see often in modern art, or so it seems to me. Click through on the link above for more art from life all around us.

Effortless ... and Brilliant

Via Deacon Greg who also loves good advertising.

Listening Notes

A little of this 'n' that about SFFaudio's new podcast, the Martian Chronicles, Principally Catholic, and Two Edge Talk ... all over at Forgotten Classics.

Ah, Someone Who Appreciates Book Design!

Upon opening the book, however, one is truly treated to an example of very fine book design. The font is delicate (so may not make ideal unaided reading for those readers with vision problems) and all the text and illustrations are in a brown ink, rather than black, on a creamy matte paper. The font is really very nice, indeed. ...

Biblicalia actually noticed the design in their review of Mike Aquilina's newest book Signs and Mysteries. I find that quite gratifying as I did the interior design. The publisher actually chose the brown ink which I'd have either done in a deeper color as that font is quite delicate ... or, if I'd have known, I'd have chosen a stronger version of the face for easier reading. That's all water under the bridge, however ...

The review is quite thorough as you can imagine and very positive overall. Here's a bit but do go read the rest.

... It is not intimidating scholarship, not overpowering and jargon-laden, and is thus perfect for those who know nothing about the subject of early Christian art and the symbols employed therein. Those who will appreciate learning what their ancestors in the Faith were up to with all these anchors, ankhs, and alphas will be well repaid for their time spent within the pages of this truly lovely little book. ...

I am reading a chapter each morning with breakfast and will begin sharing some tidbits with y'all soon. The reviewer is quite right ... this book is a delight that many will both enjoy and profit from.

Chicago a la Rose

Rose at home with her living room view ...
Columbia College's student lodgings sure aren't what I experienced back in the day at K.U.

Daybook for Labor Day 2008

I am wondering... about a new project that has occurred to me. Just mulling it over at the moment. Letting it marinate. (Because I need more things to do, right? ha!)

I am thankful for... this long weekend in which to recover from all the traveling last week.

From the kitchen... yesterday I made Potato Rolls and a Turkey Stew from Piedmont and today will be trying out a recipe for Creamy Horseradish Potato Salad. Somehow I am a cooking fiend lately.

I am creating... a new podcast for this week.

I am reading... The Duchess Who Wouldn't Sit Down: An Informal History of Hospitality ... a backwards trip through history via different characters who the author uses to illustrate his points about how hospitality illustrates our relationships to each other. Very interesting. For instance, I never thought of how Hitler entertained during the weekend ...

I am hoping... to be very productive next week. Also, to talk to Hannah today. Can you believe they have school today at A&M? Taking Labor Day off is for sissies, evidently. So I'm trying to gauge when she'll be out of class...

I am hearing... the sound of silence. And it's a beautiful thing.

One of my favorite things... is having this long, lazy day off of work.

Blog Stories I'm Saving to Read Later
The "read more" link takes you to a spot where these stories and more are collected. Clicking through on each headline takes you to the story on each individual blog.

Little Known facts About Sarah Palin

I am dying laughing ... these are great ... here are a few to whet your appetite, then click through for many, many more.

Little known fact: Sarah Palin makes Andrew Sullivan regret some key life choices.

Little Known Fact: Sarah Palin is the only woman who can make Tony Romo WIN a playoff.

Little Known Fact: Sarah Palin knows how old the Chinese gymnasts are.

Little Known Fact: Sarah Palin wears glasses lest her uncontrollable optic blasts slaughter everyone.

Little Known Fact: Sarah Palin doesn’t need a gun to hunt. She has been known to throw a bullet through an adult bull elk.

Little known fact: Sarah Palin is on loan from the Justice League.

Little known fact: If placed into Schroedinger’s experiment, both Sarah Palins remain alive.

Much thanks to Scott Nehring for these ... I'm tellin' ya, that guy knows just what I like (which is somewhat of a mystery considering just how often we disagree about movies)!

Worth a Thousand Words

Sparrow by my favorite "heartland" photographer, Hey Jules!

Life Without the Kids Around

We really don't like that "empty nester" label so we are not going to use it here.

Do we miss them and love the kids? Of course! We enjoy each and every phone call or email. We still discuss them all the time.

We find that having the pets back home provides a needed transition of having someone to do something for. Which need is rapidly diminishing ... especially as the cat decided to express her displeasure with my timing adjustment of her early-morning routine by squatting on the carpet in front of us. She then discovered just how accurately Tom can throw his glasses (thank heavens the coffee cup wasn't the closest thing to him!). We later saw her peering around the corner from Rose's door and even her much-loved canned cat food isn't luring her out.

I also have discovered that when I clean off the hearth or table in the back room ... it stays cleaned off! It's like magic!

It is a funny thing to feel that one has so much more free time because the kids are largely self-sufficient when at home. They drive themselves places, do their own errands (for the most part), and such like.

I will say that, at least in these first few days, it's like a second honeymoon. Quite wonderful to have all this time with one's spouse ...

Off the Map: There's a Couple of Hours I'll Never Get Back

Why take one hour to say what you could say in two, especially when one has so many gorgeous shots of New Mexico to scatter around?

For that matter, why say much at all? Why not just generously scatter some very quirky characters around, being sure not to add much depth to them, and then get some very talented actors to portray them?

I am not sure where I read the review that led to me putting Off the Map on my movie list but they've got some 'splainin' to do.

At least Schultze Gets the Blues and .... oh, that terribly depressing movie about the nursing home ... were rented on the strength of their trailers.

Recommendation: if you want to go to Taos and be wooed by the scenery, rent this movie. Otherwise, avoid at all costs.

Yes, Virginia, There Is a Happy Catholic

That is what flashed through my mind when reading Sister Julie's comment of our meeting earlier this week. (I'm talking about #3 in this post.) She cracks me up!

Worth a Thousand Words

PB&J No.12 by Duane Keiser

How does he do that? I mean, you could pick that sandwich up and take a big bite, couldn't you? For more fantastic paintings, click through the link above.

'Tis the Season for ... Bipartisan Truths

You Know You're a Republican If ...
Your father warned you about marrying a gold digging babe...unless she signs a prenuptial agreement.

You Know You're a Democrat If ...
Your mother warned you against marrying a man who is so focused on his career and making money he has no time for soul-searching conversations.

You Know You're a Republican/Democrat If...

Sarah Palin ... Where Have I Heard That Name Before?

I see that John McCain has picked Alaska governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate.

Alaska governor ... Palin ... that rings a bell ... oh, right! The Palins earned my respect and admiration with their reaction to learning that their baby might have Down Syndrome when born.

Once her husband got the news, he told her: "We shouldn't be asking, 'Why us?' We should be saying, 'Well, why not us?'"

There was never any doubt the Palins would have the child, and on April 18 she gave birth to Trig Paxon Van Palin.

I see that the original AP story link isn't active any more so here is the link to what I featured at the time.

Worth a Thousand Words

A Penguin Bento* Box
from Cooking Cute, via SlashFood.

Who wouldn't love to open their lunch box and see this? (*Bento is a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal often used in Japan.)

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

And only 147 emails to read!

(Not counting the 292 in Junk Mail, of course.)

We got Rose moved into her posh new place in Chicago and it sure wasn't easy! As an institution that organizes move-ins, Columbia College is a dandy fine arts school. Sheez! However, it is done and Rose's apartment is much nicer than we could have expected. Floor to ceiling windows in the living room and bedroom, on the side that does not have the "El" running by every few minutes. In face, there is a lovely old clock tower to look at just down the street.

I was also happy to be strolling around the neighborhood with her and to get south of Roosevelt Street. The neighborhood begins to look a bit right before that but suddenly perks up again with redone condos, restaurants, and a full-size Jewel-Osco grocery store. We went in on Monday evening and the place was hopping with a truly diverse clientele which just reinforced the vibrant feel of the neighborhood.

As one might expect, Rose is a bit homesick but hopefully when classes begin she will be so busy that she won't have time to miss home. This is exacerbated some by the fact that her roommate, a very nice girl, has parents who still haven't left ... although their daughter was moved in two days ago. I understand wanting to get things just right but at some point one simply must let go. The roommate's time is being taken up with her parents when she could be exploring her new surroundings and getting to know her roommate (which would be Rose!) and her neighbors a bit better. Ah well ... at any rate. They leave today for their 20-hour trip to Colorado. (Perhaps they were just putting off the inevitable, dreaded drive back.)

A big highlight of the trip was our visit to Loyola Press. After corresponding with Michelle for a long time (and getting some great review books, natch) it was such a pleasure to meet her in person. She generously spent a lot of her busy day with us and, selfishly, I enjoyed every bit of it. We hit it off right away and I loved getting to talk face-to-face, which surely is a luxury these days!

We got a tour of the building and I also got to meet a great many very kind people. I am terrible with names but have firmly in mind the many smiling faces and interesting conversation of all who we met. Two whose names I do remember because I can give you links are Tom McGrath, author of Raising Faith-Filled Kids and Sister Julie, the blogger behind A Nun's Life.

I simply love Chicago and we did not get to spend nearly enough time there. To those who we didn't get to meet, most notably Paul and Marty, this trip was all about Rose. (The Loyola visit had been rescheduled so many times that you don't want to know, believe me.) When we come to pick her up we'll get together for a group lunch, maybe? Or some such thing so that we can all meet up. I know there are a bunch of other Chicago bloggers out there, such as Therese Z. who proudly puts "Chicagoland" as her location.

At any rate, back to Rose ... here's something from the movie that I watch when I'm feeling down. Nothing like watching Ripley kick some alien butt to life one's spirits, I always say ...

Back on Thursday

We're off to Chicago to take Rose to Columbia College.

I'm looking forward to getting to Chicago again and meeting up with a few folks there. I'm not looking forward to saying goodbye to Rose but I know she's going to have a fantastic time ...

Any prayers for our safe traveling will be much appreciated and we'll talk again soon!

While I'm Gone ...
Here's some good reading. Click through the story links to go to the blog. Click the "read more" link to see additional stories I've marked for my own reading.

Happy Families and Kids Going to College

All happy families resemble one another, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.

Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

That quote has more wisdom than one might think.

As part of a happy family, I instantly recognized this sentiment from Another Espresso Please when telling of dropping off their son for his second year at college.

Why is it that a nineteen year old is supposed to WANT to cut all contact with his family, to strike out in a solo free fall in independence? Why do people say aw, but nudge with a wink when they hear of a kid who has just well, left, for good. Why is it considered "weird" not to, or as parents are you considered "helicopter parents" if you cry when you say goodbye?

Are we freaks?

Maybe, I guess. I like to say we are nurturing parents who love our kids and see them for the amazing people they have grown up to be and, shhhh, LIKE them! And that the kid(s) are nice young people who are generous and kind enough to endure their parent's desire to be with them and actually enjoy it a little bit as well.

So the question comes again: Why is it that to be and stay connected to family is considered somehow suspect or freaky?

We actually enjoy spending car rides with each other, though I must say that we probably would prefer it if Chicago could manage to be a bit closer than 16 hours driving distance (and just think how lucky they would be to be that much closer to Texas!). We leave tomorrow to take Rose to college there.

Go read that article and just consider that we echo it with, of course, our own family's quirks in place of theirs. Lucky happy families that we are. God has blessed us.

Four Books I Began and Now Must Read ...

I don't have time to read these books now but I got them, read the first chapter of each, and then realized they are so good that I must put them on my "to read" stack. So many books, so little time ...

I list them here so that if your "to read" stack is not as tall as mine then you may find and begin them sooner. They look fantastic, I'm tellin' ya.

The Word Made Fresh: Communicating Church and Faith Today
by Meredith Gould
I'm a fan of Meredith's books. However, the title made this look like something I should pass along to our deacon so he can lend it out to the church's office staff. I should have known better. The first chapter alone had some good, solid spiritual commentary that made me realize, "The deacon can't have this book! I have to read it myself!" Also, practically speaking, any Catholic blogger is also in the business of communications for the Church. So there might be some good tips for us bloggers in here as well.

A Well-Built Faith: A Catholic's Guide to Knowing and Sharing What We Believe
by Joe Paprocki
I'm looking at the cover to this book and thinking, "Another book explaining Catholicism! We've got enough!" Well, no, we don't and it only took the first chapter for me to see that. Joe Paprocki uses plenty of real life examples and the four pillars of the Catechism to write in an engaging way about our faith ... and it got me interested and looking at a couple of things afresh. Good stuff there...

Life of Christ
by Fulton Sheen
This one needs no introduction to me. I have read it halfway through several times! A spiritual classic written by one of America's great communicators, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, this melds the four Gospels and looks at Christ's life as a whole. Brilliant. I am going to take this as a prompt to finally pick it up again and finish it. Highly recommended. (For samples of this book, look for this tag. I see that I have excerpted it extensively.)

Treasure in Clay: The Autobiography of Fulton Sheen
This one didn't need any selling to me (see Life of Christ commentary above). However, I dutifully read the first chapter and realized that if anyone was a patron saint for bloggers, it might well be Fulton Sheen (yes, I know he isn't a saint yet). His commentary in Life of Christ always seemed very humble and I am looking forward to reading this book which looks as if it is told more from an interior point of view than being events-based.

Baton Twirling, Ribbon Twirling, and Contortionists

You know, I can go to the circus and see that sort of thing. It is not really what I would call a "sport" and certainly not what I am looking for in the Olympics. (Which mirrors my disgust for ice dancing.)

I'm not necessarily opposed to new sports in the Olympics. The BMX racing last night definitely required athletics to just make it to the finish line, never mind in what order.

But this rhythmic gymnastics? No. I don't think so.

Next we'll be having dance recitals with gold medalists.

Happy Birthday, Dear Hannah!

Hannah's is at A&M today...we celebrated her birthday last week. She called last night and made this mother proud because she made herself a Chocolate Cheesecake. I know this because she called from the store last night with questions about chocolate cookie crumbs. I said, "But you don't have a springform pan." She replied, "I have one now!" (Yes, that's my daughter!)

I'm am repeating this birthday post from last year of the things she loves best ... nope, not cake ... simply lots and lots o' critters. I found them irresistibly cute so wanted to see them again. I am betting Hannah will like them too.

Happy birthday and we miss you, Hannah!

Cat Closeup

Goose

Colt

Mallard in Flight

Bunny

Friends

Pelican

Dinner Guest

Crystal River Heron

Hawk Landing

Pink Dolphin

Geese

Christianity and Cheeseburgers

You can always count on Jen at Conversion Diary to have a real-life way to consider your faith.

There are just enough cheeseburgers for the family, her little neighborhood friends stop in, everyone is hungry ... what do you do ... what do you do?

Jen isn't telling until tomorrow but she's inviting everyone to tell what they would do in her comments box. I just left the solution that popped into my head ... go read the whole thing and then think about what you would do.

Worth a Thousand Words

Red Door
2008 D L Ennis, All rights reserved. Visual Thoughts
Used by permission. Click through on the link for more fabulous photography.

27 min., 21 sec. !

That's what happens when you have the Set Game in a set of bookmarks, toward the back, and finally work your way around to that tab.

On the plus side, the second time through my time was much better ... 1 min., 53 sec. ... still shamefully slow considering I'd done it once already that day!