2010 Discoveries: Movies & TV

Yes, I'm still looking back at the best of what I discovered in 2010. Here is the last list, movies! 

I couldn't really do these justice and still ever get the post done so I realize the comments below may a bit short or incomplete. I'm planning on picking up the Movies You Might Have Missed series and some of these will be discussed a bit more in that venue.

• District 9: A huge alien ship suddenly shows up over Johannesburg, South Africa but nothing happens. When the people finally muster the nerve to investigate they find that the aliens aboard are sick and dying because they are simply workers who have been left to die when their leaders ran away. The aliens, called "prawn" are housed in a government camp (District Nine) which soon deteriorates to a ghetto. Shot to look like a documentary, the movie takes place many years later, following a middle manager who has been promoted to lead the effort to move the aliens to a new camp, District Ten, further away from the city. Everyone being interviewed keeps mentioning "before the event" and "before things went wrong" so we are prepared for things to go downhill in some way for the poor fellow. However, I never would have predicted how this manager is caught up in the storyline and the discoveries of the movie.
  
  
• Moon: No aliens, big special effects or spaceships are featured in this movie about a lone worker at a moon station that monitors solar energy collection. Sam Bell is at the end of his three-year contract, the solitude is driving him crazy (almost), and then he has a serious accident when driving a lunar vehicle. Mysteriously he winds up back at the space station, healed, and without any idea how he got there. The mystery is one that he can't let go and that leads to the complications that drive the movie. It is essentially a one person play, if you don't count GERTY 3000, the robot voiced by Kevin Spacey. Yet, there is something about it that grabbed me. Sam Rockwell (who plays Sam Bell) is brilliant in this. I have long admired him and this is a showcase of his talent.
  
  
• Inception: Something is locked away in an impregnable fortress, something the owner knows by heart. Can this band of thieves replace it with something so similar that he'll never notice the difference? See my review here.
  
  
• Zombieland: A true delight AND a movie that celebrates family (still chock-full of flesh-eating zombies). Four people seem to be all that are left normal after the zombie apocalypse. Their goal: to go to an amusement park in California that they have heard has no zombies. The part that Woody Harrelson was born to play ... it's in this movie. (Rule #4: watch this movie.)
  
  
• Once Upon a Time in the West: a 3-hour epic Western about of a mysterious, harmonica-playing stranger who is on the track of a ruthless assassin. This winds up with Harmonica occasionally working with a wanted outlaw to help a beautiful widow save her land. Classic, right? Classic Sergio Leone, that is, right down to the Ennio Morricone soundtrack and the classic cast including Charles Bronson, Henry Fonda, and Jason Robards. It is quite a long film and has many lingering shots of stares (hence the illustrative photo above), which Tom thought could have been cut back on. It was long but I actually enjoyed the entire thing.
  
  
• Let the Right One In: Oskar is a lonely and bullied 12-year-old. Eli is the 12-year-old girl who moves into the apartment next door. They form a friendship over puzzles and Morse code. Except that, as Eli tells Oskar, she is not a girl. He must discover for himself that those puzzling words mean she is a vampire. Naturally, one cannot have a vampire in the neighborhood without missing people and murders, which leads to an interesting and telling sideplot about someone who is attacked but lives through it. A study in evil. Read my review here.
  
  
• Mary and Max: an animated movie about an eight year old Australian girl and a 40 year old New Yorker who strike up a pen pal friendship that carries them over 20 years. See my review here.
  
  
• Sita Sings the Blues: This is a creative delight. The Indian story of The Ramayana is told three ways, all from Rama's wife's point of view ... the titular Sita.  An illustrated conversation between Indian shadow puppets is interspersed with musical interludes voiced with tracks by 1920's jazz singer Annette Hanshaw and scenes from creator Nina Paley's life. You can stream this movie free as the creator, unusually, makes it available under a Creative Commons License.
  
  
• Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: Scott Pilgrim hasn't gotten over his bad breakup with a previous girlfriend, dates a high school aged girl, and the falls for the exotic looking and exotically named Ramona Flowers who he sees walking by. Yes, he's a mess and as an insecure young man trying to find his place in the world it was probably inevitable that he is played by Michael Cera. However, this part offers Cera one of the only parts I've seen where he actually gets to occasionally be assertive. Scott Pilgrim begins dating Ramona only to find that he must defeat her seven deadly exes before they can be free to pursue the relationship properly. The movie winds up playing out like a video game (every time Scott battles a deadly ex) interspersed with a tale of young love.  I'm a fan of Edgar Wright, the director, so was among his prime audience but was still surprised to find myself smiling at bits of this movie days after seeing it.
  
  
• The Guild: this is a web-based sitcom centered around the lives of an online role-playing-game guild, The Knights of Good, who play countless hours to the point where it takes over their lives. The main character is Codex, the guild's Priestess, who begins attempting to live a more normal life after one of her guild-mates, Warlock Zaboo shows up on her doorstep wanting to date her. Because it is based around webisodes, each season is about an hour long and I have found it most enjoyable when viewed on dvd where you can "Play all". It is very funny, especially to anyone who has ever lost hours of their life playing an RPG game (not that Baldur's Gate ever stole hours of MY life or had the girls and me trying to work out puzzle solutions ... no, indeedy!)
  
  
• Flight of the Conchords: This cable series revolves around a couple of New Zealand musicians who have come to New York City to try to develop an American fan base for their band, Flight of the Conchords. They are sweet but clueless which, naturally leads to many amusing situations. What puts this over the top is that each episode has at least one song whose performance is woven into the story line. The songs are take-offs of other musical styles or artists (a favorite of mine is the one based on David Bowie's music).
  
  
• Better Off Ted: canceled after two seasons, this ABC sitcom revolved around Ted Crisp who headed up a research and development department for a faceless giant corporation, Veridian Dynamics. His supervisor (Portia de Rossi) embodies the goals of the conglomerate whose soullessness Ted must try to moderate while dealing with the erratic scientists under his management. A gentle comedy that grows on you after watching a few episodes ... and then turns into a necessity.

In the sea, once upon a time, O my Best Beloved, there was a Whale, and he ate fishes. ...

Yes, indeed, dearly beloved, we have How The Whale Got His Throat featured on Forgotten Classics, read "Just So" by Will Duquette from The View From the Foothills.

You'll laugh, you'll cry ... wait ... no, you'll just laugh.

Get it while its hot.

Satan the Tapeworm, Christian Movies, and The Rite - Updated Twice

The Rite is coming, that movie starring Anthony Hopkins about priests in Italy and exorcism. John Zmirak talks about being invited to "Christian" movie previews and having been disappointed in the past.

... it bothers me that so many of the movies promoted this way are not really "spiritual," much less Christian; they're simply bland and inoffensive.

The Catholic faith is neither. In fact, like really authentic Mexican food (think habeneros and fried crickets), it is at once both pungent and offensive. It offends me all the time, with the outrageous demands it makes of my fallen nature and the sheer weirdness of its claims. It asserts that, behind the veil of day-to-day schlepping, of work and laundry and television and microwaved burritos, we live on the front lines of a savage spiritual war waged by invisible entities (deathless malevolent demons and benevolent dead saints) whose winners will enjoy eternal happiness with a resurrected rabbi, and whose losers will writhe forever in unquenchable fire. Sometimes I step back and find myself saying in Jerry Seinfeld's voice: What's with all the craziness? Why can't I just enjoy my soup?

His piece is a tour de force and you need to go read it.

What he says about movie preview presenters rings all the truer to me, having gone to the rough cut screening of There Be Dragons last week (about Josemaria Escriva's early years). That movie actually came out somewhere in between the Bosch-esqueness which Zmirak points out and the sweet unworldliness he rightly deplores that are all too often the result of "Christian" movies.

"Dragons" looks as if it will actually be a fairly good 'un though it is impossible to tell without all the scenes in it, but it was the post-movie presentation that was a turn off. I later found out it was called a "Leadership" screening, meaning that ministry leaders would be there. The presentation was aimed at them and it was all that Zmirak describes.

Actually I've begun to have faint hopes that The Rite movie might be all right (ha!) after reading this interview with Father Gary Thomas, who was the subject of The Rite book. I been interested in what Hollywood would do in the movie portrayal, since I loved the book so much (my review for Patheos is here).

One discrepancy Fr. Thomas pointed out was that he went to Rome as a 50-year-old seasoned priest with a desire to learn more about the rite of exorcism  – hardly a cynical seminarian in the midst of a faith crisis.

Despite the differences, however, he called the film “very good.”

“The human side of the priesthood is very well developed,” he said, adding that the portrayal of “the institutional Church comes out very positively.”

This doesn't tell us, of course, as to whether the movie is a good movie, a watchable movie, a movie that we want to see, but I do have my fingers crossed.

Incidentally, what Zmirak says about inoffensive, bland movies?  As my friend Scott Nehring continually reminds us, the answer to that is that we don't need is people making "Christian" movies. What we need are great movies made by artists who are "Christian."

UPDATE
Steven D. Greydanus, Catholic movie reviewer par excellence, gives context for Hollywood's depiction of exorcists in an article at Christianity Today.

The Anchoress has a comprehensive looking round up of The Rite links.

2nd UPDATE
Fried crickets? Really?

I don't know what Mexican food Mr. Zmirak eats but he needs to find new restaurants or recipes. Maybe Aztecs enjoyed fried crickets but they also had their chocolate "sin azúcar" (that's without sugar to you and me ... which is, actually, I think ... offensive because it is a sin so we don't really want to go there).

Next time you're in Dallas, Mr. Zmirak, please do say howdy and we'll grab some brisket tacos. Which are Tex Mex, but have fully enough flavor and zest to make your point. We'll even get some habaneros on the side for you.

(And yes, before foodies ask, yes, I know about the cricket-ish delights of Oaxaca. I get the point. But there's no fun in that ...)

Most Popular Catholic Blogs

Eric Sammons, whose book Who Is Jesus Christ I highly recommend, has updated his popular listing of the most popular Catholic blogs.

It is based on how many Google reader subscriptions there are for each blog and, as such, is just one way to measure popularity. Still, it is as valid a way as any others that occur to me ... and the list is interesting and seems more accurate (for one thing The Curt Jester is now included).

You can see the top 25 blogs here and there's a link at the bottom that has the top 200. It is fair to say that you'll find some good and diverse reading among the blogs in the lists.

(I was interested and actually fairly surprised to see that Happy Catholic managed to scrape into the top 25 ... which tells you the wide range of subscription numbers which goes from almost 7,000 down to 750. It doesn't really mean anything in particular but is just interesting to see the breaks in numbers.)

Brisket Tacos - You Know You Want Them

I didn't realize, though, that you may not even know you want them unless you live in Dallas.

Evidently they're a local specialty. I didn't know you even had local specialties pop up these days. Read more at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen (and, yes, you can get the recipe).

A Few Thoughts After the March for Life

Things I meant to write after marching on Saturday, but didn't get a chance to ... and now I see that others have done the work for me. (These are just bits ... click through to read it all.)

If this is how we lose, imagine how we'll win! The march is - for all practical purposes - a remembrance of a defeat. We lost Roe v. Wade, and yet we come with laughter, with smiles, with fun, and with hope. Such hope! Hope in our own humanity, our own dignity, hope in our country, hope in our world. A hope that will smash down walls surrounding human hearts, and release a torrent of compassion and love on the world. Hope that will wake and shake the oldest of human desires; to live and protect life. Hope that will conquer evil in it's very dwelling place. Gosh, this all sounds like something. Never has anyone been so victorious in defeat. And here's the beautiful thing; only when you can maintain joy in defeat can you ever be worthy of winning. The abortionists won, but there is nothing but decrepit, boring hatred in their victory.

Marc at Bad Catholic

=============

It seems like a pretty good follow-up to the March for Life, doesn’t it?  You know, that day when hundreds of thousands of ninjas march to show their support of women and babies.  I say “ninjas” because they somehow slip by the attention of the media — amazing!  It’s like they were never there.  And yet they get the job done.

Simcha Fisher at I have to sit down

Simply the best book on the spiritual life that uses the urinal for parallelism.

So says The Curt Jester about Choosing the Right Urinal. Possibly because I didn't find any interest in reading a book featuring urinals, however spiritual, I passed on a review copy. However, I'm glad to see it has good value. Here's what Jeff (a.k.a. The Curt Jester) sez:

Kyle Heimann who is half of the music group Popple has released a new micro book called Choosing the Right Urinal – A Man’s guide to life.

This is simply the best best book on the spiritual life that uses the urinal for parallelism. Okay, maybe the only book that compares the urinal and aspects related to urinal to make points on the spiritual life. Actually, it is a enjoyable and worthwhile read that is very funny while making some serious points.

Kyle has it available for free on his site in PDF format along with a study guide for a group. You can also order copies of this book.

Jeff also talks a little about what Popple is like and has a music video you can watch, so go check it out.

For a more thorough book review from The Curt Jester, check out this one on The Fathers Know Best by Jimmy Akin. (Which I am pretty sure I was never offered to review ... ahem ... but we will not get into that now ... )

Walter Murch and Why 3D Doesn't Work in Movies

Roger Ebert has Walter Murch's letter about why 3D gives people headaches ... and more importantly, why we don't need it.

And lastly, the question of immersion. 3D films remind the audience that they are in a certain "perspective" relationship to the image. It is almost a Brechtian trick. Whereas if the film story has really gripped an audience they are "in" the picture in a kind of dreamlike "spaceless" space. So a good story will give you more dimensionality than you can ever cope with.

Who's Walter Murch, you may well ask. Roger Ebert says he's, "the most respected film editor and sound designer in the modern cinema" and then goes on to quote credentials.

Murch is also very good at explanations. It is simply put, well illustrated, and fairly short. I didn't need the letter to not care much about 3D, but for those who want proof, the evidence is ample. Go read it all.

Rep. James Lankford: "The Right to Life is Self-Evident"

I found this moving and true. May we hear many more who will speak as clearly and honestly about what they really believe. It is only when we are really honest with each other in debate that we will get anywhere in changing hearts and lives ... and that is what, in the end, changes laws. When we believe in and act for life, the law will not matter any more because there will be no one who will want to use it.

(Thanks to JP for bringing it to my attention.)

Fifteen Vocalists in Fifteen Minutes

From a Facebook thing I got tagged with, but I'm sharing it here also. I found it interesting to see what vocalists swam to the surface of my mind when I was just staring at the sky and thinking about music.

The rules:  Don't take too long to think about it.  Fifteen vocalists that will always stick with you.  List the first fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes.  And in no particular order.  Tag fifteen friends.

1. Ella Fitzgerald
2. Annette Hanshaw
3. Billie Holliday
4. Louis Armstrong
5. Paul McCartney
6. John Lennon
7. Dean Martin
8. Frank Sinatra
9. Bob Dylan (and not in a good way ...)
10. Steve Goodman
11. John Prine (also, not really in a good way, though I find him more tolerable than Dylan)
12. Bonnie Raitt
13. John Hiatt
14. Tom Petty
15. Mark Knopfler

If the Pope were to ask where he could get the best stack of pancakes in Dallas ...

... I would reply, "Your Holiness, have you tried the Cinn-a-Stack from IHOP?"*

Last Thursday was a sad day. Rose returned to Chicago, the skies were gray, the weather freezing. She and I had planned to have brunch in the hour before we had to hit the road for the airport. Yet, my mind went completely blank. I couldn't think of a local place that Rose and her friends hadn't already over-visited in their get togethers over the last month. (I know, I completely forgot Cindi's and am still kicking myself.)

It is an ill wind that blows no good though because we wound up at IHOP. Loving cinnamon rolls the way that I do, I couldn't resist the Cinn-a-stack. The pancakes were layered with cinnamon roll style filling and had a bit of cream cheese icing on top. To my surprise, they were not too sweet, with just the right amount of cinnamon and, of course, the buttermilk pancakes were delicious.

They were truly heavenly and worthy of the Holy Father, should he ever come to town for breakfast.

It was still a sad day when we finished. Yet, when you are full of pancakes and cinnamon, it leaves less room for the sad feelings. Perhaps that is why we wound up animatedly talking about Rose's idea for a Western movie all the way to the airport. And our sad feelings were forgotten until we got to the gate.

*With apologies to Roger Ebert, whose writing was the genesis of the phrase above. (If the Pope were to ask where he could get a good plate of spaghetti in America, I would reply, "Your Holiness, have you tried the Chili Mac or the Chili 3-Ways?")

January 22 - National Day of Penance and Prayer for Life

Per the U.S. Bishops today is a day of penance and prayer for life

In all the dioceses of the United States of America, January 22 (or January 23, when January 22 falls on a Sunday) shall be observed as a particular day of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion, and of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life. The Mass "For Peace and Justice" (no. 22 of the "Masses for Various Needs") should be celebrated with violet vestments as an appropriate liturgical observance for this day.

General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no. 373

Tom and I are marching in the Dallas March for Life today. If you happen to see this and be there ... we will be near the blue balloons (for our St. Thomas Aquinas parish). I will be wearing a purple parka. Please come and say hello and walk with us!

And then there's another movie coming up in May about a priest

Though it is not exactly the sort of movie that There Be Dragons is.

It was mentioned by in passing reference last night at the screening as "That's a problem we all have, right? Fighting vampires."

I didn't laugh. I was too busy perking up my ears. Priests? Fighting vampires? Now that has some potential ...

Talking to Rose about it on the phone, I said, "I just hope they don't make the priest so unpriestly that I can't watch it ... sleeping with women, etc."

Rose said, "Hey, I think that as long as it isn't Paul Bettany*, we're probably ok."

I found the trailer.

Ummm. It is Paul Bettany.

It also looks like a post-apocalyptic, futuristic vampire movie that has not only Paul Bettany (who I love) but also Karl Urban. I'm not sure which I love more in this trailer. Karl Urban. Or his hat.

As Tom pointed out, the only reason for this movie to be about priests versus vampires is so that the public has an easy way to tell who the good guys are. Though it looks as if there may be only one good guy ... and a seriously cool bad guy. With a great hat.

I'm not sure what the movie will be like. I am not left with high hopes after seeing the trailer. But I've still got some hope, however slight.

*Hey, just let me say again that I love Paul Bettany. Love. Him. I don't love his role in Da Vinci Code though. Which is what Rose was joking about.

We Saw a Rough Cut of "There Be Dragons" Last Night

It was a very rough cut with scenes missing, on video instead of the final media, that sort of thing. I can't write a review but I can tell you a few things ...

It is the story of Josemaria Escriva, told through flashbacks by a father to his journalist son who has been assigned to write a book as Escriva is about to be canonized in the movie's current-day timeline. In a sense, it is an anti-DaVinci Code because it shows the beginnings of Opus Dei as God's work intended for all people. Certainly it is an interesting look up close at the Spanish Civil War from the point of view of Escriva and his childhood friend (a fictional character whose life is intertwined with Escriva's in a way that shows us the contrast between being open to love and forgiveness and rejecting them).

Tom and I both found it absorbing.

You need have no fears about a Hollywoodization of either St. Escriva or the Church. Escriva is shown as a priest in a real, human occupation (or as they'd say in the Church, vocation). He is somewhat idealized but with faults and frailties that any human experiences in their attempts to live life the right way. I was totally impressed by how often I saw monstrances in the movie, often empty but still there as reminders of the centrality of the Eucharist. As well, the Eucharist is treated in a completely respectful way, especially if a threat comes along.

It will be in theaters on May 5 and I would plan to see it. You can read more about it here.

Good Story #2: Serenity

The topic of this week's A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast, where Scott and I talk Firefly, Serenity, Joss Whedon ... and what's more to the point: belief, good marriage, humanism, confession, and love.

Something I Like: Paperback Swap

Ironically, this is something that I think I mentioned years ago but never tried out for myself. It took Scott Danielson's repeated, enthusiastic endorsement to get me to try it out, which I did just a few days ago.

Paperback Swap's concept is simple. It is a free network where you can find and exchange books across the country ... free.

What our Book Club is all about...

We help avid readers Swap, Trade & Exchange Books for Free.

• It's easy: List books you'd like to swap with other club members.
• Once a book is requested, mail it to the club member. 
• In return, you may choose from 4,943,576 available books!

- Books you request are mailed to you for free.
- No late fees. No hidden charges.

The only thing you pay for is the postage when you send out the books someone has requested from you. I was impressed to see that they even have a wrapper you can print out which has a complete address label that includes a postage estimate based on the weight of the book.

At this point I have evidently listed books which people have just been waiting for. In the last two days I have sent out about 11 books.

I plan on using the credits for times when Scott and I are reading a book I can't get at the library and to pick up some books I know people would like for gifts but that aren't in print any more. This is going to make honoring my book fast more difficult, but since this is the second year, I think I can handle it. We shall see!

2010 Discoveries: Audiobooks

Except where I mention it specifically below, I imagine that these would be just as good for regular reading as when listening. I simply encountered them via audio first.

• The Club of Queer Trades by G.K. Chesterton
  At the beginning of the 20th century, in detective fiction there was Sherlock Holmes and that was all. There were other fictional detectives, to be sure, but they were only bad imitations of Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous consulting detective. The sleuths offered by other writers would try to outdo Holmes in eccentricity and in solving crimes that were evermore contrived and convoluted.
  
  But in 1905 a book of mysteries came along that finally managed to turn the Sherlock Holmes idea on its head. The book was The Club of Queer Trades by G.K. Chesterton. His detective, Rupert Grant, is a Sherlock Holmes-like private eye who investigates crimes and chases crooks with great self-assuredness in his powers of deduction. But he is always wrong. The hero of these stories is not Rupert, but his older brother, Basil Grant, a retired judge. In each case, Basil proves to Rupert hat there has been no crime and no crooks. (Read the entire lecture on this book, of which the above which has been an excerpt, here.
  
  This book was a delight from beginning to end, and I'm not really a G.K. Chesterton fan. I listened to the Librivox recording which was wonderfully read by David Barnes. This is an old book that is probably available free on the Kindle.
  
  
• Cleek: the Man of the 40 Faces by Thomas Hanshew
  I listened to the Librivox recording done by the marvelous Ruth Golding. Cleek is a bad man who goes right for the love of a good woman. As well he is perhaps the cleverest detective I have ever read of, putting M. Poirot's little grey cells to shame while indulging his idiosyncratic love of flowers and nature. This allows for many short, quirky mysteries with the overarching theme of how Cleek hopes to redeem himself enough to approach his true love with honor. A wonderfully entertaining story from the turn of the century of mystery, chivalry, and intrigue. Again, this is old and probably available free on the Kindle.
  
  
• Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
  Mr. Norrell is a fusty but ambitious scholar from the Yorkshire countryside. He is also the first practical magician in hundreds of years. What better way to demonstrate his revival of British magic than to change the course of the Napoleonic wars? Jonathan Strange discovers, to his dismay, that he is a natural magician. Because he "feels" his magic rather than depending on books as Mr. Norrell does, they wind up representing two distinctly different ways of doing British magic. Clarke deliberately used a style that calls to mind Jane Austen or Charles Dickens and thus transports the reader to a time gone by when spelling varied, footnotes could be long and involved, manners were paramount, and when it is possible to believe in such a thing as British magic.
  
  I tried this book several times but either wasn’t in the right mood or was expecting something different. Hannah read it, loved it, shoved it on my nightstand, and nagged me about it (with that hopeful, wistful, little puppy look that a mom can’t say no to…). Once I began reading I couldn't understand why I didn’t warm to it before … the writing is charmingly understated and amusing. It is about magic, English practitioners of magic, books about magic, and set in England during the Napoleonic war.
  
  However, once I was well into the book I got bogged down with the many wayside visits and long footnotes that added atmosphere but didn't seem to advance the story. That is when I picked up the audio book from the library to try (so do our children influence us!). Once I was listening, I began enjoying it immensely more than in simple reading. I think I do better with meandering books when on audio for some reason. It certainly helped with Charles Dickens when I was reading A Tale of Two Cities. Eventually I almost became addicted and couldn't stop listening.
  
  At the end the book suddenly picked up the pace with one thing happening after another. It ended in an unexpected way with some story lines being firmly concluded while others were left to drift off. Usually this would bother me but, in a sense, it was very true to real life, which makes me reflect upon the fact that the way the story was told was very like having someone tell it to you in person. They take little byways of explanation that may not have too much to do with the story and then come back to the point. In listening to the book this made for a delightful and somehow restful story. This was wonderfully narrated by Simon Preeble whose dulcet tones and perfect pacing helped make the There is no doubt that his narration is the key element that not only got me to the end of the book, but actually left me sad when it ended. Recommended but only for those who do not object to long, meandering stories with a lot of footnotes.
  
  
• Hamlet (Arkangel Complete Shakespeare)
  Distressed by his father’s death and his mother’s hasty remarriage, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, is haunted by a ghostly courier bearing a grim message of murder and revenge. The young prince is driven to the edge of madness as he struggles to understand the situation he finds himself in and to do his duty. Many others, including Hamlet’s beloved, the innocent Ophelia, are swept up in his tragedy. Shakespeare’s most famous play remains one of the greatest stories in Western literature. Performed by Simon Russell Beale, Imogen Stubbs, Jane Lapotaire, and the Arkangel cast.
  
  Inspired by Chop Bard podcast, I have checked this out of the library and am now listening to this excellent audio version of the play. Wow, truly amazing and recommended to all!
  
  
• The Reapers Are The Angels by Alden Bell
  I read this for SFFaudio, where you may find my review. I did enjoy reading it just as much as listening, as witnessed by the conversation I had about it with Scott at A Good Story is Hard to Find where this was the subject of our first episode.
  
  
• The Bellefaire: Victorian Horror in Modern Day San Francisco by M. J. Hahn
  I discovered this on iTunes and was hooked after hearing the first episode. In rapid order I have listened to all but the epilogue (simply because I ran out of listening time in the day).
  
  Yuki and her mother, who she mentally thinks of as The Doctor, are returning to San Francisco, the city of Yuki's birth although she left there when only an infant. When they move into the house where The Doctor grew up, they discover it is now partly a hotel and is called The Bellefaire. Very soon, Yuki discovers that the house's nickname is Curse Castle and there are ghost stories aplenty, mysteriously missing people in the neighborhood, and very odd happenings in the house itself.
  
  The story actually begins in the 1980s where we meet a very different sort of teenager from the obedient Yuki, Tina. Her story introduces us to some of the odd goings on in the Bellefaire. The story continues to alternate current day and past events, going further and further back in time as we discover exactly what's been going on.
  
  The author reads the story and voices the male characters. Different actresses voice the female characters and sound production is excellent overall with professional sounding sound effects.

About.com's 2011 Readers' Choice Awards: Nominations Open in Catholic Categories

I saw this at The Curt Jester's place last week and lifted it to share.

About.com’s 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards will showcase the best products, features and services in multiple categories, from technology to hobbies to parenting to religion. Nominations are now open, and will be accepted from 12:00 A.M. EST on January 13, 2011, until 11:59 P.M. EST on February 4, 2011.

On the About.com Catholicism GuideSite, we are accepting nominations in the ten categories listed below. Nominations can be entered in each of the categories using a single nomination form, though you can feel free to leave some of the fields blank; you are not required to make a nomination in every category. If you want to make more than one nomination in a particular category, simply fill the nomination form out twice.

Feel free to nominate yourself or your product for any of the appropriate awards, and spread the news to your friends. Finalists are chosen based on popularity, as long as they meet the eligibility requirements listed in each category.

Up to five finalists in each category will be announced on February 11, and voting will run from February 11 through March 8. (To be notified automatically when voting opens, simply sign up for the About.com Catholicism Newsletter). The winners will be announced on March 15.

Awards are for [Best Catholic ...] blog, podcast, site, Facebook page, Twitter user, iPad App, iPhone App, Newspaper, Magazine, etc.

This Amuses Us: "Don't Let Them Tell You Less is More."

I'm not sure how we got there, conversationally, but recently we were all sitting around talking about movies while Tom supplied trivia by looking up imdb info (worst website redesign ever, by the way).

At one point we wound up talking about director/writer Stephen Sommers. The Mummy was his first and best movie (which we all enjoyed quite a bit, actually) but it's been all downhill from there, sliding eventually into his most recent release, GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra.

As Rose regaled us with the many laughable extremes found in GI Joe, Tom came upon two pieces of trivia that not only illustrated the point but that could stand on their own. In fact, they have now become standard catch phrases in the HC home.

1 - this personal quote
"Don't let them tell you less is more. More is more."

2 - Industrial Light & Magic's Stephen Sommers Scale, jokingly created to measure the extent of digital effects used in a given movie scene. The four parts of the scale, from lowest to highest, are:

1. What The Shot Needs
2. What The Computers Can Handle
3. Oh My God, The Computers Are About To Crash
4. What Stephen Wants

I knew those Sunday Mass readings sounded familiar

I am this week's lector for the Verbum Domini podcast, where you may hear daily readings from the Roman Catholic Liturgical calendar.

I recorded the readings several weeks ago and, although I knew they were posted recently, I had completely forgotten about it until listening to the Mass readings yesterday.

If you are interested in listening, they can be found on iTunes or you may download episodes at Verbum Domini by clicking on the "pod" button next to each day's headline.

Something I Like: RetroPets Art

Hannah was at a vet's pet event and picked up this poster for a dachshund loving pal. We were so taken by it that I investigated the RetroPets website and found a wealth of charming art, done by an artist who clearly understands the underlying characteristics for dog breeds. And cats. She also understands cats.

Anyone I knew who had a favorite breed (or who loves cats) got one of these posters. They are a standard size so it is easy to get a frame and ... voila! A delightful personalized gift. I must have given out at least ten of these. Every recipient was thrilled because the essence of their favorites was captured so well. As these few samples below will show. Be sure to check out the site.

2010 Top Discoveries: Blogs

At last I have the time to return to these lists and share my favorite discoveries of last year. Today we look at blogs and these cover a variety of things. Enjoy!

• Dust & Corruption
  Books and music, but mostly books of a Victorian horror sort.
  
  
• A Life of Life
  Begin with the first post on March first and trace journey of life itself beginning with a trip from the sun. Sadly, this blog hasn't completed its mission, pausing on July 31 and not resuming thereafter. I hope it does resume eventually, however, your time will not be wasted by reading the almost daily short posts there.
  
  
• Shelf Love
  A wide variety of books, well reviewed, with a large percentage that I find interesting enough to consider reading (a rarity!).
  
  
•  Ten Thousand Places
  Margaret shares the ten thousand places she finds Christ, from poetry to photographs to quotes to links to books. A lovely place to dip into every day.
  
  
• Hand Me Down Heaven
  Julie Cragon runs a Catholic book and church supply store with her family. I like her short thoughts on those she encounters there as well as her meditations on saints of the day which she anchors in her daily experiences.
  
  
• Shirt of Flame
  Author Heather King calls herself "an ex-lawyer, ex-drunk Catholic convert with three memoirs: Parched (the dark years); Redeemed (crawling toward the light); and Shirt of Flame (forthcoming) (my year of wandering around Koreatown, L.A. "with" St. Therese of Lisieux, a cloistered 19th-c. French nun)." I haven't read any of her books yet but Redeemed has been recommended to me many times and I can see why from reading her meditations at her blog.
  
  
• I Have to Sit Down
  Simcha Fisher writes honestly about her life. She's a mother of eight. She's a writer. She's Roman Catholic. And she's hilarious. In an honest way. Which is why she makes me laugh. For example: My family converted to Catholicism when I was about 4, and I’m not going anywhere. I consider myself a Hebrew Catholic, as my parents are both Jewish by birth. I’m still sorting out exactly how I ought to be preserving my Jewish heritage, beyond putting horseradish on everything; but in the mean time, don’t piss me off about Israel.
  
  
• Art Inconnu
  Works by artists who are forgotten, under appreciated, or little known, as well as news, reviews and ephemera from the corners of art history. Works of startling quality can be found beyond the big names in the visual arts, whether it is just one exceptional work, an area of an artists oeuvre, or an entire career worth re-examining. And sometimes you might have seen them here too when I come across something I love too much to leave over there.
  
  
• A Momentary Taste of Being
  Steven Riddle posts scads of links each day and you never know which one (or two or more) is going to grab you but I find something interesting about literature and reading here every day. My only wish is that Steven would share more of his own thoughts than the sentence or two which may grace a post. I like the links but Steven himself is the one whose thoughts interest me most.
  
  
• xkcd
  How can a comic featuring stick figures be so darned funny? Because xkcd thinks like we do and then twists it a bit. (Like this, for example.) One of the funniest places on the internet.
  
  
• The French Sampler
  Dash blogs about all sorts of things but they tend to be beautiful things. Architecture, style, design, a French sunset, and more all come under her curious gaze.

OK Go is almost as well trained as the many adorable dogs in this video

Via Rachel Lucas.

A Good Story Is NOT Hard to Find ...

... at iTunes anyway.

Our listing finally showed up!

What's Goin' On: Be Careful What You Wish For

My sister was in town on business last week. In fact, she's still here, though not on business any more.

She came in a day early so we could share the evening together last week. In passing, I told her that I was only sorry we couldn't have more time together. I was horrified on Saturday afternoon to hear her barely discernible voice coming through our answering machine saying that she had a stomach bug, was very ill and needed help. Now!

As you can imagine, I loaded up with ginger ale, saltines, and raced over to her hotel. Once she'd recovered somewhat, we moved her back to the house where she has been gradually regaining normal health. Our bad weather and that in Atlanta (where she has to fly to make a connection to her home in Florida), have extended her stay another day or two.

Although we're delighted to have more time with her, I surely wish I had qualified a bit more exactly what sort of "more time together" I wanted!

"We live together, or we die together"

I have been seeing this mentioned since Friday and just now got the chance to go read about the bravery of these Egyptian Muslims in recognizing the demands of common humanity and protecting their Christian neighbors with their own bodies. Would that we would all recognize this in each other in daily life.

Egypt’s majority Muslim population stuck to its word Thursday night. What had been a promise of solidarity to the weary Coptic community, was honoured, when thousands of Muslims showed up at Coptic Christmas eve mass services in churches around the country and at candle light vigils held outside.

From the well-known to the unknown, Muslims had offered their bodies as “human shields” for last night’s mass, making a pledge to collectively fight the threat of Islamic militants and towards an Egypt free from sectarian strife.

“We either live together, or we die together,” was the sloganeering genius of Mohamed El-Sawy, a Muslim arts tycoon whose cultural centre distributed flyers at churches in Cairo Thursday night, and who has been credited with first floating the “human shield” idea.

Read it all here.

Well Said

Now that the season is back to ordinary time, we'll go on with the favorite quotes that were given for the Serenity prayer mug giveaway, where MM quoted Mother Teresa:

God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try.

Thank goodness for that, right?

Hereby Resolved ... Continuing the Book Fast

I have a number of ongoing resolutions which I strive for, fail at, and then renew. You know the sort. Keeping the house cleaner, being more focused, taking more walks, and the like.

Then there is the special one I made last year and actually kept, except for my end-of-the-year blowout where I gave myself the week in-between Christmas and New Year's off.

That resolution was my book fast. I didn't buy any books. Our city library is well stocked but if they didn't have it, then I didn't read it. The two exceptions were if my book club was reading something otherwise unavailable or if I needed it for doing the podcast or writing bulletin inserts or that sort of thing. That need didn't come up much, believe it or not.

I admit I did fall off the wagon in virtual space when I got the Kindle and a few extra short story collections somehow fell into my online cart. However, I didn't beat myself up about it and moving on was surprisingly painless.

This is a habit that has now stuck and I am going to continue with it for 2011.

I am tweaking it in a way that has to do more with my reading habits than buying habits.

I'm going to try to read the books that are stacked up at home before getting more from the library (other than those already in the house). Online library requests make it so very easy to flitter from book to book without reading what is right there next to me. Some of those poor babies have been waiting for several years for me to crack their covers. If I try and can't get through them, then I'm going to move on, but I at least should give them a fair chance.

Buoyed by the success of the 2010 Book Fast resolution, I made another.

You can't imagine how annoying it is not to be able to remember it right at this moment!

But when I do, you will be the first to know!

WOOHOO! UPDATE!
I remembered!

The new "resolution" is to return to a habit I used to follow a couple of years ago. Each week I'd try to dip into a different cookbook when planning the next week's meals. This was to try to encourage me to actually cook from all my cookbooks instead of the favored ten or so I always used.

It worked with varying results but I'm going to work my way through the shelves and see how that goes. It will add more variety in cooking as well as helping keep me more interested in the weekly planning and cooking.

If all works out, then I'll have a new recipe to share every week. So we all win!

Full of Grace: Meditations on Mary, Love, and Transformation

This review originally appeared at Patheos.

Among the practices indelibly associated with Catholics is the veneration of Mary and praying of the rosary. To outsiders it can seem as if Jesus is being cast aside while his mother is being unduly worshipped. Or, it might seem to be precisely the meaningless gabble of thoughtless prayer that Jesus warned against when he said, "In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words" (Mt. 6:7)

Anyone holding such opinion while encountering Judith Dupré's extraordinary book Full of Grace will soon realize how wrong those ideas can be. Dupré melds myriad written and artistic images -- a glittering mosaic of perspectives on Mary through the ages. Always, she is pointing to Her Son, Jesus. If one could produce a symphony in writing it would be similar to Full of Grace, which combines art, history, poetry and prose, personal experience and hearsay, traditional Catholic theology and Islam, and orthodoxy and feminist theology, into a marvelous and comprehensive look at the Mother of God.

Although Dupré educates and guides the reader, make no mistake, this is not intended as a historical or educational book. It is intensely personal as she shares in the introduction:

The narratives are offered as fifty-nine meditations, or beads, equal to the number of beads in a traditional rosary. The book is a journey undertaken, like the rosary, in the spirit of pilgrimage. The idea of the beads came to me nearly eight years ago when I began researching this book, but as my work progressed, I started to doubt the wisdom of the structure. I put the question to Mary: What to do? Moments later, fifteen dots of light -- fifteen being the number of the mysteries of the rosary -- appeared on the wall. Not trusting my eyes, I snapped a photo. The image you see in the margin has been a constant affirmation, for me, of the many ways in which Mary is with us.

Dupré is a proven master at communicating with images, as her books about skyscrapers, bridges, churches, and monuments have shown. Full of Grace branches out from her usual format to include Dupré's short essays, modern and classical images with explanatory text, and excerpts from other writers in the marginalia. Taken together, Dupré intends this to act as a midrash for the reader, engaging them on the subject of Mary from many views. Midrash is a traditional Jewish way of interpreting biblical stories to fill in many of the gaps left in scriptural narratives where there are only hints of actual events. What Dupré's work does is to widen the reader's view, open their eyes, and help pull back the veil between the material world and the divine. She does this by never losing sight of our human connection to Mary's experiences of love, grief, humility, compassion, maternity, and transformation.

Full of Grace is carefully directed toward anyone with an interest in Mary, not just believers. This leaves Dupré free to incorporate myriad viewpoints from sources one might not associate with the subject. Indeed, one must not take this as a theological guideline but remember that personal contemplation of the mysteries of the rosary may often take one far afield, just as this book does, while always keeping Mary and Christ at the center.

Appropriately beautiful, as befits the topic, the pages are glossy and the art is featured in stunning color. Great care was taken with the type and layout so that the reader can take in the intended mixture of reflections on each subject with clarity.

Finally, although this is not a theological work and there are a few points that might give an orthodox reader pause, the tone of the book is utterly respectful. Never is there an utterance that is the slightest bit irreverent, despite the many unusual sources excerpted. In fact, Dupré often reminds the reader, as is appropriate, that Mary's purpose is always to point to Jesus and never is there a word to imply that He is not the Son of God, our Savior.

All in all, this is a beautiful and unusual book that may be enjoyed by historians, art lovers, the inquisitive, and the faithful. Not only does it offer the faithful many opportunities to deepen their relationship with Mary, but it may well acquaint the merely curious with a person and model they want to get to know better.

A Year With The Church Fathers: An Extraordinary Book in Every Way

I always know that anything Mike Aquilina writes is going to have solid worth behind it. When it is a book that has anything to do with the Church Fathers then I know it will be solid gold. Aquilina's passion for the wisdom of the Fathers always is passed on to readers in such a way that they appreciate the Fathers for themselves, which is no easy feat when one considers how long ago they wrote.

In A Year with the Church Fathers: Patristic Wisdom for Daily Living, Aquilina has surpassed himself. This is not simply a collection of interesting or informative excerpts from the Church Fathers' archives. It is a well-planned, daily retreat that is designed to progress through a year with the ancient Fathers as spiritual guides. The 365 meditations are intended to move the reader, with prayer and contemplation, to a deeper life with Jesus Christ.

Each day's title and brief summary from Aquilina put the reader in the subject. The selected Father's brief commentary then expounds on a topic. Lest one should worry that the language will be difficult, Aquilina made sure it is contemporary and accessible while retaining the full meaning intended by each author. This is followed by a question or two which help readers relate fully to what was just read. A brief but specific prayer end the session.

Tan Books has done this book proud. This book is a beautiful thing that reflects the value of the words within it to our souls. The cover may not be actual leather but it certainly feels like it. Pages are gilt-edged. A sturdy ribbon marker matches the cover. Moreover, the book design is elegant and decorative in an understated but classic way. A Year with the Fathers is not only useful but a book that could become an heirloom in your family. Readers will know that I do not give this praise lightly.

This book arrived at exactly the right time for Tom and me. We were resolved to return to a neglected habit of reading aloud to each other a brief spiritual piece each day. In the few days that we have been using this devotional resource, we have been mightily impressed by how easy it is to understand and by how there is always a point or two that speaks to one of us for further thought. Mike Aquilina has given the Church another treasure in this resource which I cannot recommend highly enough.

==========

I am sharing the first day's meditation in order to show the simplicity with which ideas are put, but the elegance and far reaching thought that is achieved. This is extremely timely both in beginning "at the beginning" and also in subject matter for modern times. (Note: Aquilina advises beginning with a prayer by simply saying, "Come Holy Spirit.")

Day 1

Put God at the beginning

No matter what scientific explanation you come up with for the origin of the universe, says St. Basil, you'll go far wrong if you don't put God at the beginning of it.

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."

I stop struck with admiration at this thought. What shall I say first? Shall I demonstrate the vanity of the Gentiles? Shall I praise the truth of our faith?

The philosophers of Greece have tried very hard to explain nature, and not one of their systems has remained firm and unshaken. They are enough in themselves to destroy one another. Those who were too ignorant to rise to a knowledge of God could not allow that an intelligent cause presided at the birth of the universe—a primary error that trapped them in sad consequences.

Some fell back on material principles and attributed the origin of the universe to the elements of the world. Others imagined that atoms, and invisible bodies, molecules and tubes, unite to form the nature of the visible world.

It is because they did not know how to say, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Fooled by their inherent atheism, they thought that nothing governed or ruled the universe, and that everything was given up to chance.

To keep us from this error, the writer on creation, from the very first words, enlightens our understanding with the name of God: "In the beginning God created."

-St. Basil, Hexameron, 1.2

In God's Presence Consider...
In a world where science has made so much progress, what does it mean to put God at the beginning?

Closing Prayer
Father, you alone are eternal, and you alone live in unapproachable light. I thank you that you have made me in your image; have mercy on my sins, and save me through your Son Jesus Christ.

Speaking of Catholic Podcasts: Announcing "A Good Story is Hard to Find"

Scott Danielson from SFFaudio and I have a lot in common.

We're both Catholic.

We both love science fiction, mysteries, fantasy, books, movies ... in fact, we love good stories, wherever we find them.

We both love finding stories that have a deeper meaning that sheds light on faith, belief, life, and God. Especially when those stories are right out there in popular culture. The Lord of the Rings springs to mind.

We both love talking about our faith, stories, and deeper meanings.

Last, but not least, we love sharing the conversation.

Premiering this Thursday, Scott and I will begin the new Catholic podcast, A Good Story is Hard to Find.* (There will be more than a blank space at that link very soon!)

This bimonthly podcast will alternate discussing books and movies that we can't wait to talk about and to share with you.

We will begin by discussing The Reapers Are the Angels, Alden Bell's zombie apocalypse novel. (My review here.) The movie to be discussed mid-January will be: Serenity. You might be surprised at the themes these works carry about belief, faith, and free will. We were.

Join us and spread the word.

*Our patron author is Flannery O'Connor. Who else?

Catholic Podcasts

C. listens to my podcast and writes:

I have a question for you. I am a Catholic too and I was wondering if you had any good Catholic themed podcast recommendations? I was browsing the subject in itunes but it was really hard to figure out what was good from bad. It dawned on me to ask you (enthusiastic podcast listener) before I had to suffer through bad to get to good.

It occurred to me that it has been something like three or four years since I've done a faith-y podcast roundup.

There are some fascinating podcasts out there, both Catholic and more generally Christian, that range from Scripture study to movies to science. Here are my favorites, though they do not represent every good podcast out there. I will note if these are not Catholic.

INSPIRATION

• Verbum Domini
  Daily readings of the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar. Good for anyone who wants a daily dose of scripture. I go in and out of listening but generally keep the week's readings on my iPod. I find that listening to the readings gives me a different perspective sometimes, although I also usually am reading them at some time during the day in my Magnificat. I will be an occasional lector for this podcast beginning on January 22. (iTunes link, website link)
• Pray-as-you-go
  Daily prayer. This podcast is usually about 10 minutes. It begins with music (they use quite a variety from Lady Blacksmith Mogambo to French monks to contemporary worship style), then read from the scripture for the day. They give time for contemplation of this scripture with a series of gently asked questions that invite us to think about it in ways we might not otherwise. I go in and out of listening to this one at different times but always have it on my iPod (iTunes link, website link)

FAITH AND THE REAL WORLD

• The Catholic Laboratory
  This is a podcast and website dedicated to helping the world rediscover the rich scientific heritage of the Catholic Church and to understanding the Church’s stance towards modern science. I especially enjoy the series (now doing a Theology of the Body focus) that help link modern scientific discoveries with the Church's teachings. Also very valuable for keeping up with science news.  (iTunes link, website link)
• The Flicks That Church Forgot
  I have been listening to this podcast for some time now. Peter Laws, a Baptist minister in England loves horror movies and loves Jesus Christ also. As he puts it, "If God really does exist everywhere why can't we find his fingerprints in the scary places?" Each episode is usually a look at a horror film which Peter then follows up with a thoughtful look at something about Christianity or living a Christian life. It is really well done and always respectful to both Christians and nonbelievers. This post about his Halloween series will give you a good idea of how Peter handles the subject. (iTunes link, website link)
• Two Edge Talk
  Deacon Tim and Cyndi talk about how to live our faith ... ranging from specific understanding of Catholic teachings to more general questions such as just how do we live an abundant life of faith when we’re so darned busy just surviving? I was alerted to this after seeing several nonCatholics mention how they had learned about Catholic teachings “so they make sense” by listening to this podcast. This is a must listen when it comes in every other week. (iTunes link, website link)
  
  
• Watching Theology
  Host Joe Johnson and a co-host (which may vary) are Christians who explore the religious and ethical implications of the movies they watch. They are careful not to read anything into the movies that isn't there but they do dig deeper to see what worldview and belief system each story reveals in the telling. I do not always agree with their conclusions (most notably Gattaca) but they are always thought provoking. Now being produced on a fairly irregular basis but it is still coming out and there is a large back library to explore. (iTunes link, website link)

INSTRUCTION

• Catholic Stuff You Should Know
  Modeled after the popular podcast Stuff You Should Know, this podcast explains a wide range of topics ... everything from Stylites (standing on pillars in style) to Ethiopian Christianity to Bishop's Wear and beyond. (iTunes link, website link)
  
  
• St. Irenaeus Ministries
  Scripture study that is practical. The teacher is extremely insightful in giving connections between scripture and daily life. He keeps it real and although he has an orthodox Catholic point of view, this is the podcast I recommend to nonCatholics. This is one that I listen to every week and since I tend to be behind on it, sometimes daily. An essential. (iTunes link, website link)

[Note: if the podcasts above don't cover what you're interested in, be sure to check out the SQPN network of podcasts that are all trustworthy and also cover a wide range of topics from Catholic Under the Hood to The Catholic Foodie to Catholic Pilot to Lisa Hendey's Catholic Moments. (iTunes link, website link)]

* Unless otherwise mentioned, any podcasts or audio can be downloaded to your computer (using the right click mouse button) and listened to there or burned to a CD if you don't have a mp3 player. I mention iTunes because that is what I use, however most of these also can be found through other podcatchers (usually mentioned on their sites).

A Delicious Champagne Cocktail

Something anyone interested in a lovely looking and tasting drink that people who do not enjoy champagne will nonetheless enjoy (as Hannah and Rose will testify). Tom and I, who do enjoy champagne, liked it too.

Well Said For the Coming Year: Ring In the True

Via Amy H. Sturgis.

Ring Out Wild Bells
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more,
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out thy mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

- Alfred Lord Tennyson, "Ring Out, Wild Bells"

What's Goin' On

I fully intend to continue with the top discoveries lists ... still uncovered are audiobooks, movies, blogs, and ... well ... discoveries in general.

However, I was thrown off yesterday by having coffee with a friend before going in to work. Coffee that lasted 2-1/2 hours. So you can see where that wound up being problematic.

Then, just when we were going to pick up Tom's car which had been refusing to recognize the key when he tried to start it (heaven save us from "smart" cars ... ), we got a panicked call from Rose about the bloody results of a dominance struggle between Zoe and ... someone. We're not sure which dog it was (our guess is Zapp) but Zoe was a sure thing because she's now missing a chunk out of her ear.

You know how much ears bleed. Rose applied paper-towel-pressure while I came home and ferried everyone to the vet for a suture or two.

Then, I returned to work to write a few paychecks, do some minor accounting, and drive Tom to pick up his car. After which, I picked up Zoe from the vet.

So it was a tad busy.

And today we are off work for our New Year's holiday (woohoo!) which means that I'm doing my Saturday chores today. Grocery shopping, cleaning, sweeping up the endless mud ... and all that jazz.

More blogging later, to be sure ... and later today I will share a talented new artist I've discovered who has graciously consented to share his work on the blog so that many more can appreciate it!

Next week, I'll tell you about a new project for 2011 which I think that some of you will get as excited about as I am!

And on that note of mystery, I  will say, "Happy New Year everyone!"

2010 Top Discoveries: Podcasts

Most of these actually were new in 2010. I'm a bit more up to date on the podcast scene than in other areas. Also, podcasts are a much newer concept (which you may read more about in my podcast sidebar if you are not familiar with them).


These are those that I am fond enough to listen to repeatedly. As you can see, it has been a very good year for podcasts and there is something here for practically everyone. The description comes from the podcasters themselves for the most part ... enjoy!

Spilled Milk - Matthew Amster-Burton and Molly Wizenberg combine food and comedy in a bowl and stir it up until it explodes. Join your jovial (possibly too jovial) hosts, Molly and Matthew, for recipes, cooking tips, winning lotto numbers, and catfights.

The Sporkful - The Sporkful is an award-winning podcast and blog about food, but not so much about cooking or recipes or restaurants. We discuss, debate, and obsess over the most ridiculous food-related minutiae, always seeking new and better ways to eat. Hosted by Dan Pashman and Mark Garrison, former co-workers at NPR, The Sporkful is where sacred cows get grilled.

Guys Can Read - A weekly podcast book discussion from a guy's perspective (two guys actually and the book talk is great).

The China History Podcast - Five millennia of Chinese history brought to you each week for your podcast listening pleasure.

A History of the World in 100 Objects - from the BBC (and unusually available in podcast form for all to enjoy).

History of Philosophy - Peter Adamson hosts a podcast covering the entire history of philosophy... without any gaps!

My Merry Christmas Podcast - The Merry Podcast is our audio edition of the best of MMC featuring one-of-a-kind programs exploring everything about Christmas with the help of the team from Merry Christmas Radio, our online radio station broadcasting Christmas year-round.

Chop Bard - The podcast dedicated to picking apart the works of William Shakespeare, scene by scene, offering a fresh and entertaining look at some old goods- it is the cure for boring Shakespeare.

Freakonomics Radio - Just like the books, Freakonomics Radio will explore “the hidden side of everything.” It will tell you things you always thought you knew but didn’t, and things you never thought you wanted to know, but do.

Movie Date from The Takeaway - Each week, Newsday film critic Rafer Guzman and Takeaway producer Kristen Meinzer get in a heated, but friendly debate about the movies.

99% Invisible - Trying to comprehend the 99% invisible activity that shapes the design of our world. (In the design category ...)

A Short History of Japan - A quick tour through the cool bits of Japanese history.

Catholic Stuff You Should Know - modeled after the popular podcast Stuff You Should Know, this podcast explains a wide range of topics ... everything from Stylites (standing on pillars in style) to Ethiopian Christianity to Bishop's Wear and beyond.

It's All Downhill From Here

A little something humorous to get us to the end of the week.

Explorers

by xkcd

Reviewing "Full Catastrophe" - For Everyone Who Ever Wondered About Volunteering at Mother Teresa's Home for the Dying

Since my foray into the morgue some time ago, I have often been deputised to inspect the inhabitants and make sure that all are present and correct. Today as I check the bodies, a movement on the seccond shelf on the left-hand side almost has me joining the residents of the right-hand side. With my heart pounding in my ears and the ever-present sweat turned to ice, I tentatively reach for the offending sheet. My fingers are shaking so badly I can barely untie the knot.

I recognise the man and immediately realise he is still alive, if only just. Storming from the morgue I feel nothing but rage. The brothers are my targets and the first poor bugger that I see cops the full brunt of my attack. ...

Gathering the brothers around me an hour later I ask the all important question: 'How do you tell if somebody is dead?' The general consensus among them seems to be that the person has to be cold and not moving. My hands bury themselves in my hair in an attempt to prevent them from strangling one of the brothers. With more patience than I ever knew I possessed, I carefully explain the rudimentary function of the heart and the lungs. They find this highly amusing and inform me that of course they know all that. At this stage I explode and yell, 'Well then, why didn't you bloody well check them on this patient?' I take them all back down to the man in question and with the aid of a stethoscope ask them to check his heartbeat. As fate would have it, one look at the man tells me that we are already too late; however, the first brother happily reports a heartbeat ...

This book answers a question I have often wondered, though never thought about long enough to articulate. What is it like to actually be a volunteer in one of Mother Teresa's homes for the ill, destitute, and dying in Calcutta? Australian Tracey Leonard answers that and more in this book which also covers her brief time of volunteer work among the aborigines in Australia. About three-fourths of this book is about time spent in India with the Australian volunteering taking up most of the remaining book.

Leonard is honest, unpretentious, and humorous. She gives what I imagine is an excellent look at the real world, shorn of the unrealistic expectations that practically every volunteer must have when reporting for duty with the Missionaries of Charity. As well, Tracey's frequent encounters with expats who befriend her provide a brief respite from the grueling volunteer work and show us a brief view of what life in Calcutta is like for other expats who are there for business. She follows a similar pattern in recounting her time among the aborigines.

Inspirational moments are far and few between, but that does not seem to be what she is looking for. The few times she mentions such instances are the more powerful as the focus is mostly on the work of living in Calcutta or among aborigines and on providing care for the needy.

(ONE SPOILER IN THIS PARAGRAPH)
Leonard's car accident is the reason she wrote the book and one imagines that there would be more introspection given in the twelve pages covering the event and afterwards. However, that is not the case. We are told, in Leonard's characteristic, forthright style about what it is like to be a quadriplegic. As usual a quick summary of her thinking about the situation and what she has learned are covered in a couple of paragraphs and then she moves forward with an equally characteristic mental shrug and positive comment.

Overall I enjoyed the book although I would have wished for a bit more depth on Leonard's motivations for doing all the volunteering, which we never really find out about at all. I also would have liked more than a sentence here or there about her thoughts on deeper subjects.

It would have been nice if this book had been brought up to date. It was written in 1999 but is just now being published in this country. We wonder what happened to Tracey. However, all in all, the book was an enjoyable and informative look into actual experiences of working with those who are in desperate need, no matter what part of the world.

2010 Top Discoveries - Nonfiction

Again, these may not have been new this year, but they were new to me. Today more hold-em-in-your-hand books (including Kindle ... but NOT audiobooks).

(Any short summaries are from my GoodReads list where you may see everything I read in 2010, which I may have shared here earlier in the year ...)

Paul Among the People - Sarah Ruden
My review is here (loosely written but you get the idea).

Confections of a Closet Master Baker - Gesine Bullock-Prado
Sandra Bullock's sister finally couldn't take Hollywood any more after running her famous sister's production company for years. She turned to her true passion, baking, and has a wonderful voice in this book about her life as a baker. A thoroughly enjoyable book that holds up standards without judging everyone around her by them, which these days is increasingly rare in the food writing world. Also, this is one of the few baking books that I have read recently to excite my imagination and interest me in trying some of the recipes. I have baked for long enough and read so many baking books that such an achievement is rare indeed.

Finding Martha's Place -Martha Hawkins
My review is here and an early, personal reaction may be read here.

You Are What You See - Scott Nehring
 I was privileged to read the galley for this book by Scott Nehring. He opens people's eyes to the power of film as a cultural force and unlocks the "key" of story so that you really understand what you are watching (well, ok, I already watched that way ... but I still was riveted by this book). It is simply fantastic. You will never watch movies the same way again. Scott lays out movie structure in a way that helps any movie viewer understand and enjoy movies better.

The Habit of Being - Flannery O'Connor
I grew to love Flannery more and more while I read this compilation of her letters to friends. As well as the little bits of daily life that she shared, there was a steady revelation of the underlying thoughts behind her stories and the underlying Catholic worldview that she wrote from (and lived from).

I read more and more slowly as I grew close to the end of the book. Her early death seemed so tragic and I dreaded it. Yes, this seems melodramatic but it is how I felt. She was pragmatic, straight forward, brave, and funny. In her letters to her friends I learned a lot about writing, the Catholic faith, and living a full life under difficult circumstances. And when I read that her last letter was found scribbled by hand after her death, I cried. Not a lot, but there were real tears and emotion there. I must say that now, when I get to Heaven (fingers crossed), one of the people I hope to meet is Flannery O'Connor.

The Roots of the Faith - Mike Aquilina
My review is here.

Full of Grace - Judith Dupre
My review on Patheos is here.

Oh Holy Night - Mark C. Snow
My review is here.

"Can't you see you're not making Christianity better, you're just making rock and roll worse?"*

... people who are in any way serious practicing Christians are increasingly a minority in our culture, and as such [are] ripe for being understood primarily based on their loudest representatives. That one of these should be a man angry that the local branch of Chase didn't have religious Christmas decorations on display seemed, if anything, a way of making people more averse to Christianity rather than the contrary. Indeed, if I were to list the difficulties that Christianity faces at this time, the failure to be endorsed by J. P. Morgan Chase does not seem high on the list.

I guess everyone chooses where to draw the line but sometimes the choice does seem rather arbitrary ... read the whole story at DarwinCatholic.

* Hank Hill [talking to Christian rock musician], Reborn to Be Wild episode

From Little Silences Come Great Gifts

In such a silence, if you have turned off the television and tempted your child away from his games with a good book, you can hear other things: the chatter and call of cardinals who have found the birdseed; the crack of a log in the fire; hot coffee being poured into a cup; the ticking of your last non-digital clock; the rhythmic breathing of tired child (or parent) who has dozed while reading; the soft thud of a book sliding to the floor.

You can hear life, forced into a slow-down; life less-deliberate; life lived as it was for centuries, before the busy inventiveness of the last five decades: life acquiescent to uncontrollable nature, and hunkered-down.

We have allowed silence to become a gift forgotten, one we only consent to unwrap when all of our alternative bows and strings have been unraveled, and our diversions have been utterly played out. Our inability to be silent puts our minds and our souls at a disadvantage, because it robs us of the ability to wonder, and if we are not wondering at the impossible perfection of the world in its creation—if we are not wondering at spinning atoms and Incarnations—then we are lost to humility, and to experiencing gratitude.

Isn't this absolutely beautiful?

It transports me to the actual place where I can hear that fire crackling, the birds calling ...

In fact, it puts me strongly in mind of the exact surge of gratitude I felt when reading the first chapter or so of Bill Bryson's A Short History of Everything. I got it for Tom, but truth be told I also got it for me. (Shhhhh, don't tell ...)

Reading about the creation of the universe, looking at the little tiny square drawn on the page that was the actual size of the universe before that Big Bang, I was so in awe of God's power, ability to think so far beyond us, and His love in creating this astounding world and putting us in it.

All of that happened yesterday morning in the very short space of finishing a cup of coffee, hearing the turning of pages while Tom read the paper, and the growling play of the dog pack that now lives with us. With no other sounds generated by us.

Trust The Anchoress to remind us of the first thing it takes to help us get to the important things. Go read it all.