Just Finished

DEJA DEAD by Kathy Reichs

I picked this up because this author's books are supposedly the ones that the new TV show "Bones" is based on. I can see the resemblance though the show is necessarily much tamer. The main character is a woman who is a forensic scientist and, of course, up pops a dismembered body that puts her in mind of one from several years ago. Set in Montreal, there are several policemen whose jurisdiction the various murders fall into and she manages to bully all of them into allowing her to help investigate. (Oh sure, have one best friend fall victim to the murderer and find your own photo in the main suspect's apartment marked with a big X and they're like putty in your hands.)

This was fairly good although I was somewhat hampered by my squeamishness in reading about dismembered body parts, heads, etc. If that sort of thing doesn't bother you then have at it because this was a good book with the main character's life providing lots of room for development in subsequent books.

This was book #97 of the year for me, which even I find rather surprising, especially when you consider how many books I have read anywhere from 50-100 pages of before deciding not to finish it.

Surprised, I Was

Via Idle Mendacity.

Welcome to Happy Catholic Country!

Like my new slogan? Courtesy of the Slogan Generator which I've seen all over the blogosphere lately.

Thar They Blow!

According to Rose, these are the best analogies for how Tom and I lose our tempers ...

"You're more like 'Old Faithful.' The signs are there and you can see it building up until ... it blows!" (Yes, you could say I'm a regular "venter" but at least I leave the landscape in one piece ... I'm taking solace where I can.)

"Dad is more like Mount Saint Helens. It's all quiet and nice and you barely get enough warning to start running for your life before a giant explosion and lots of lava everywhere." (That's the problem with those nice guys ... when they lose it, they don't mess around!)

Saints - Not Just for Catholics Anymore

My latest article for Spero News, a review of The Lure of Saints: A Protestant Experience Of Catholic Tradition.

Highly recommended for Protestants wishing to understand this Catholic devotion and for Catholics wishing more insight into the Protestant imagination. Read the review to find out a bit more.

UPDATE: Just to help us keep seeing things from each others' perspective, Rick Lugari has a Catholic version/Protestant version joke of the day. Hilarious!

Condolences to Lee Strong and Family

Lee's mother died today. Eternal rest grant her, O Lord, and peace and comfort to the family she has left behind. My prayers go with them in these days of mourning.

BlondeStar to the Rescue!

Find out about this valuable service at De Civitate Dei.

Things That Only Happen in Movies

The final ten ...

1. Plain or even ugly girls can become movie star pretty simply by removing their glasses and rearranging their hair.
2. Rather than wasting bullets, megalomaniacs prefer to kill their enemies with complicated devices incorporating fuses, pulleys, deadly gases, lasers and man-eating sharks.
3. All beds have special L-shaped sheets that reach to armpit level on a woman but only up to the waist of the man lying beside her.
4. Anyone can land a 747 as long as there is someone in the control tower to talk you down.
5. During all police investigations it will be necessary to visit a strip club at least once.
6. You can always find a chainsaw when you need one.
7. Most musical instruments (especially wind instruments and accordions) can be played without moving your fingers.
8. In Middle America, all gas station attendants have red handkerchiefs hanging out of their back pockets.
9. All teen house parties have one of every stereotypical subculture present (even people who aren't liked and would never get invited to parties).
10. Trucks use their horns at random (no hang on, that happens in real life too!).

Source

Via Looking Closer Journal

Coolest Photo of the Week

Sept. 28 - Oct. 5: Supreme Court, Sun and Sculpture
A U.S. Navy F-18 breaks the sound barrier
at the California International Airshow on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2005, in Salinas, Calif.
The cloud built up around the jet as it reached the speed of sound.
(Orville Myers, Monterey County Herald /AP Photo)
From the ABC News Photo Gallery

I Can Dig It

Your Hair Should Be Purple

Intense, thoughtful, and unconventional. You're always philosophizing and inspiring others with your insights.

What's Your Funky Inner Hair Color?

Via that feisty redhead, The Anchoress.

Our Lady of the Rosary

Today is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary and I was surprised to see only Steven Riddle mentioning it ... and mostly to say why he still respects the rosary even though he doesn't particularly like it.

I am not a devoted rosary sayer, though, ironically enough, I started up again this morning on the way to work, contemplating the Sorrowful Mysteries. Steven wrote a lovely piece (as always) and I will direct anyone who wants more info to Catholic Culture's Liturgical Calendar for today.

UPDATE: The Lady in the Pew has a lovely post about this feast.

Mensa Answer

The answer to yesterday's brain teaser was gotten by 75% of Mensa test takers: "parting" and "prating".

See the First 9 Minutes of Serenity

It’s all free and legal. Universal Pictures wants you to watch this one.

Via Ain't It Cool.

Things That Only Happen in Movies

The third ten ...

1. Cars will explode instantly when struck by a single bullet.
2. No matter how savagely a spaceship is attacked, its internal gravity system is never damaged.
3. If being chased through a city you can usually take cover in a passing St Patrick's Day parade - at any time of the year.
4. The ventilation system of any building is the perfect hiding place. Nobody will ever think of looking for you in there and you can travel to any other part of the building undetected.
5. You will survive any battle in any war UNLESS you show someone a picture of your sweetheart back home.
6. Prostitutes always look like Julia Roberts or Jamie Lee Curtis. They have expensive clothes and nice apartments but no pimps. They are friendly with the shopkeepers in their neighbourhood who don't mind at all what the girl does for a living.
7. A single match is usually sufficient to light up a room the size of a football stadium.
8. It is not necessary to say "Hello" or "Goodbye" when beginning a telephone conversation. A disconnected call can always be restored by frantically beating the cradle and saying "Hello? Hello?" repeatedly.
9. One man shooting at 20 men has a better chance of killing them all than 20 men firing at once (it's called Stallone's Law).
10. When you turn out the light to go to bed, everything in you room will still be visible, just slightly bluish.

Source

Via Looking Closer Journal

Loving the Will of God

Father, thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven ... We should be disposed to do the Will of God and to love what God does or permits. When we find ourselves in circumstances that are outside of our control, we should look for God's loving presence. If our situation is difficult, humanly speaking, we should pray in a spirit of abandonment: Is that what you want, Lord? ... Then it's what I want also! (J. Escriva, The Way).

These are wonderful opportunities for us to trust more and more in God. The divine Will may present itself to us in the form of suffering, of sickness or the death of a loved one. It may appear to us in the simplest of daily circumstances such as the gradual weakening and aging of the body, an insufficient salary or a professional commitment we cannot get out of. It could appear as some failure due to a simple mistake or misunderstanding. It might manifest itself in the grating personality of a co-worker, the frustration of unrealized ambitions and noble dreams, the acceptance of one's limitations or simply the lifelong struggle to grow in virtue. We may want to say with St. Teresa of Avila:

Give me wealth or poverty,
give me comfort or discomfort,
give me joy or sorrow ...
What do you want to make of me?

What do you want from me, Lord, in this present, actual, concrete situation?

If we accept the divine Will, God will give peace to our soul. We will also avoid useless human suffering, though we will still experience pain. Christ himself wept like one of us...Our cries do not offend God, but move him to compassion...

The Lord wants us to accept his Will in everything. He also wants us to do whatever we can to improve a bad situation, if that is possible. If this is not to be or if we have to be more patient, let us hold onto our Father God's hand with renewed trust. As St. Paul said in the midst of a great trial: With all our affliction, I am overjoyed. (2 Cor 7:4). Nothing can take away our joy.

In Conversation With God: Ordinary Time: Weeks 24-34

The Best Airplane Ever, Don't Cha Think?

The Salmon Thirty Salmon

Mysteries of the Kitchen

Mama T points out that she can never buy the right number of bananas (a problem which I share with her). Also she buys bags of lettuce just so she can throw them away later after they have spoiled.

Pffft! Doesn't she know that the proper thing to buy so it can spoil and then be thrown away is cauliflower?

Ten Rules About the Devil

Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, 66, the archbishop of Genoa, dedicated his Lenten letter [2001] to combating the fascination of a devil who is charming, shrewd and very real. Those who follow his 10-step program are promised the ability to rebuff offers of forbidden fruit, unlike Adam and Eve or dissenters.

Ten Practical Rules to Resist Satan

Rule one: "Do not forget that the devil exists."

Rule two: "Do not forget that the devil is a tempter."

Rule three: "Do not forget that the devil is very intelligent and astute."

Rule four: "Be (always) vigilant in the eyes and the heart."

Rule five: "Be strong in spirit and virtue."

Rule six: "Tireless prayer."

Rule seven: "Adoring God."

Rule eight: "Listening to God's Words."

Rule nine: "Remembering Christ's victory over temptation. Remembering man's sharing in that victory."

Rule ten: "Be humble and love mortification."

Source

The "King Ranch" Version Ten Commandments

People here in Texas have trouble with all those "shalls" and "shall nots" in the Ten Commandments.

Folks here just aren't used to talking in those terms. So, some folks out in west Texas got together and translated the "King James" into "King Ranch" language:

The Cowboy's Ten Commandments
(posted on the wall at Cross Trails Church in Fairlie, Texas)

1. Just one God.
2. Honor yer Ma & Pa.
3. No tellin' tales or gossipin'.
4. Git yourself to Sunday meetin'.
5. Put nothin' before God.
6. No foolin' around with another fellow's gal.
7. No killin.'
8. Watch yer mouth.
9. Don't take what ain't yers.
10. Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff.

Now that's kinda plain an' simple, don't ya think?

Y'all have a good day.

From my inbox. Thanks Deb!

Things That Only Happen in Movies

The second ten ...

1. Any police officer about to retire from the force will more often than not die on their last day (especially if their family have planned a party). (Caveat: Detectives can only solve a case after they have been suspended from duty).
2. Getaway cars never start first go. But all cop cars do. (They will also slide to a dramatic stop in the midst of a crime scene).
3. If staying in a haunted house, women should investigate any strange noises wearing their most revealing underwear.
4. On a police stake-out, the action will only ever take place when food is being consumed and scalding hot coffees are perched precariously on the dashboard . . .
5. All grocery shopping involves the purchase of French loaves which will be placed in open brown paper bags (Caveat: when said bags break, only fruit will spill out).
6. Cars never need fuel (unless they're involved in a pursuit).
7. If you are heavily outnumbered in a fight involving martial arts, your opponents will wait patiently to attack you one by one by dancing around you in a threatening manner until you have defeated their predecessor.
8. If a microphone is turned on it will immediately feedback.
9. Guns are like disposable razors. If you run out of bullets, just throw the gun away. you will always find another one.
10. All single women have a cat.

Source

Via Looking Closer Journal