This 'N' That

Things We Like

• Whiskas Purrfectly Fish. Of course, this is the cat's choice. She insisted I put it first. She comes racing from anywhere in the house as soon as it is opened and begins gobbling it up with most unbecoming haste. She's never liked a cat food this well. And I like that it is in a pouch ... very easy to open, etc.


• German gingerbread. This was a gift from my brother and his family as they have unfettered access to such things. We got a big container of it for Christmas. It comes in all different sorts of shapes and sometimes is glazed and sometimes is chocolate covered. The most amazing thing is that although the gingerbread itself looks all alike ... they somehow manage to make each sort taste different. It is truly an art which the Germans have perfected.


• Spaced. This is the television show that Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) did before their movies. Somewhat slow moving it is nonetheless hilarious. Chock full of sci-fi, pop culture, and video game references, it chronicles the adventures of a guy and girl who pretend to be a couple in order to fulfill the rental requirements for a decent flat. You either will like this or you won't. We all do except for Rose who prefers to ignore it while doing soduku. But 3 outta 4 ain't bad!


• Interweave Knit Magazine. Especially when I was about to subscribe after not getting it for a while ... and then they sent me a 50% off "please come back" subscription offer. Score!
  
  
• Finishing things. A New Year's resolution of sorts was to do one thing at a time and resist flitting off when halfway through a project to begin something else. So hard and yet so very satisfying. I realize from the difficulty I'm having with this one that I'd gotten deep into the habit of distraction in practically everything.
  

Things We're Reading

• The Shining by Stephen King. Hannah finished this recently and there is nothing like the fun of discussing a favorite book with someone who's just read it. She had some interesting observations that I hadn't thought of since I read it so long ago (though many, many times). For instance, she pointed out that true evil doesn't vary it's lies. Jack is told that the house wants him. Of course, we all know that the house wants Danny. Jack knows it too which is why he becomes so jealous and angry towards him. Well, that and the fact that he's going crazy. She's reading The Stand now and we are having a lot of fun talking about that too.
  
  
• The Word Made Fresh by Meredith Gould ... how to be a church communications employee AND a Christian. Ha! More challenging than one might think.
  
  
• Eating India by Chitrita Banerji ... expat and culinary historian looks at the food of India while traveling the Great Trunk Road
  
  
• Viking's Dawn by Henry Treece ... finished this one. A fantastic YA story from 1956 of a stripling off on his first Viking raids. Unpolitically correct but has plenty of empathy and heart. Waiting for the sequels to come from the library.
  

My Pick for Overlooked Musical

Scott at Good News Film Reviews has three musical recommendations. Go see his comments ... I'll wait ...

He is wrong only in that The Sound of Music should NEVER be anyone's number one musical. It is good for kiddos but it is treacly and I much prefer Singin' in the Rain which has the virtue of being a fantastically funny movie as well.

I must say that I never thought of classifying The Wizard of Oz as a musical but I can see where that would come from.

I have never been able to make it all the way through The Fiddler on the Roof. Hate it. Now, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. THAT is a top three musical pick. Especially when you consider that they were running very short of film and thought of cutting the "Lonesome Polecat" number because they could only do one take. Everyone wanted to try anyway and it was perfect. That is amazing because they had to chop axes in sync and other such feats.

Check it out.



In case that left you feeling as if those brothers were sissies, I can't resist adding the barn raising dance. One-upmanship and athletic talent ... to music.

Worth a Thousand Words

Turtle on the Path taken by AC Parker

If I hadn't seen the name of the photo I would have been puzzling over just what this object was. And then once you know ... it all comes into focus! I love it!

Thanks to Kate for sending me to his photo blog. Check it out as he has some great photos for sale over there.

Pittsburgh Pilgrimage Point: Baby Elephants!

Not Catholic related but what is better than an adorable baby elephant? Unless it is two adorable baby elephants.

Whenever we visit somewhere it seems as if we always wind up at the zoo. This elephant page at their website makes me think the Pittsburgh Zoo is a pretty good one. Pittsburgh's Zoo and Aquarium is one of only six such combos in the country.

Why do we care about Pittsburgh? We're seeing if anyone wants to join us so we can make a Pittsburgh trip into a Pittsburgh Catholic pilgrimage! Check out the link and let me know if you are interested.

Not Only am I Not Smarter Than This Sixth Grader ...

... I suspect that most current day sixth graders would not do well with these questions either.

Take a look at this 1916 history test from a Brooklyn parochial school. Via Deacon Greg.

I Blame It All on Hypnotoad and the Egg

They really didn't put their hearts into it ... I must have a very stern talk with them!

Seriously, much thanks to everyone who voted and also to the Weblog Awards folks who worked so hard to give us all so much fun. I can't imagine how much work this was. Just consider the statistics: "This year's turnout was simply amazing; 3.2 million page views, 2 million visitors, and 933,022 votes cast in 48 categories." Wow!

Congratulations to Father Z. in the Best Religious Blog category and all the winners, who you can see here.

She's Got a Fever
Not for a cowbell though. Heather has blog award mania and lists upcoming awards we can look forward to ... including ... The Catholic Blog Awards!

A Comment on the Movie Doubt

SPOILERS about ending included.

Rose went to see Doubt yesterday and came back with a positive review. She said the movie was fine, criticized the director for such obvious work of screen angles to make his point ("We get it," she said, "There is doubt. You can stop canting [slanting] the angles so much. Sheez.") Well, I never knew that was the point of some "canted angles" so moving on.

My question was about the story line since that is a movie I don't feel interested in seeing. Rose was surprised and quite pleased that the very traditional nun was the one who was right instead of going with the easy ending of criticizing her and letting the pleasant priest be right. She said that there was very little doubt left via many small clues by the end of the movie that the priest had been a child molester, that his mother allowed it, and that the only one standing up for the kid was the unlikable, strict nun played by Meryl Streep. In fact, the indictment against the Church for moving him and making him pastor of another parish was made all the stronger for her reaction.

This brings to mind something that a friend of mine said once (maybe it was Marcia?), that the decrease in nuns was among the many factors that helped create the conditions of the Church's sex scandal. "They kept an eye on the priests," she said. "Nothing got by them."

Turning over the plot of that movie it sounds as if the screenwriter (who I believe was also the director) knew that well.

Upcoming Events

March for Life

Tom and I will be there for the Mass and the March, meeting Heather early at the church to pray some of the rosary.

I was shocked last year to hear that the thousand of us who showed up were the largest number they'd ever had. Like most people I know, I had assumed that everyone else was showing up. Don't make that assumption. The only numbers politicians will really understand are large numbers of people moved enough to show up in the middle of winter to defend unborn babies' lives.

Full details can be found here for the Dallas March for Life.

Mark Shea is Coming to Dallas Wylie!

Mark Shea is coming to Dallas! Woohoo! Tom and I will be there as well. I think that Heather will be there also and maybe some other pals of mine.

It is free but they are requesting pre-registration in order to plan for the lunch. St. Anthony's website is here. You can download a newsletter and various posters that have information about upcoming talks.

It's the Last Day to Kiss the Egg!

Finally, I hear you saying, those darned Weblog Awards will be done!

Yes, but not without a last exhortation to kiss the egg for the little Jamaican bobsled team in this race.

We're going for second place but we'll give it all we've got.

So, c'mon ... kiss the egg!

(And if you don't know what that means
then get to a video store and catch up on Cool Runnings)

Let's get the vote out.




Voting ends today at 5:00 p.m.

Also of interest: This article which identifies what we largely know ... most blog awards are popularity contests, no matter how they try to balance nominations and award selection. The results can be swayed by blogs who flog the vote. This was written by a blogger finalist for the Weblog awards who promised his readers he wouldn't ask for their votes (noble fellow ...)

I would just like to take this opportunity to say ... what awards aren't popularity contests? Isn't that the point? Popularity means that something is commonly liked or approved. The Oscars? C'mon ... Heath Ledge will be nominated for Best Supporting Actor and probably win. He deserves it for his excellent acting but we all know that underlying that is his early, tragic death. Let's take something that is not nearly as well known ... The Hugo Awards for science fiction. Run by and voted on by fans. Yep, fans.

As for flogging the vote, that too goes on throughout the awards worlds. More, it is the tone of the flogging that I would wonder about than the fact that it happens. Around here, the only reason for it is to have fun with a contest which (let's face it) I'm not going to win. But I'm going to enjoy it anyway ... and hopefully others will as well. If I were a definite front-runner then I'd drop it altogether because it wouldn't be sporting. Not everyone takes this attitude, but let's face it. These are blog awards that mean exactly nothing if we aren't having fun. Truly, these are the awards where anyone who is a finalist is already a winner simply because of the numbers of people submitting nominations.

Ironically, the person who wrote the article ... sent it to me via email saying, "I thought this was something you and your readers would find interesting." Flogging readership for his article? Why I believe he is ...

Gene Wolfe Doesn't Get the Feminine Mind-Set

Warning: spoiler in the last paragraph.

An Evil Guest by Gene Wolfe is a pulp thriller that includes aliens, South Sea gods, and two enigmatic men vying for the hand of a young actress on the rise. Imagine the results if Raymond Chandler, H.P. Lovecraft, and Walter B.Gibson (creator of The Shadow) all conspired to write a book together, set 100 years in our future. Despite how odd that sounds, the first two-thirds of the book is fairly straight forward. When you get to the last part, it suddenly takes off as if a rocket was lit under you and the reader is left hanging on for all they're worth to keep up.

It is a fun ride and one that I enjoyed. Except for a key part of logic, it all held together. Unfortunately that key logic is integral to the very last line of the book which sums it all up. Essentially describing the reasons for a complete change of heart, actress Cassie delivers a long monologue while walking down the street with a friend. It rang so false that I was convinced she was doing it to poke for reactions of possible betrayal from her friend. Not so. It turns out that the change of heart described, which rang so falsely, was intended to give Cassie the reason for every subsequent action she takes. It took me a long time to realize that but I was able to suspend my disbelief until reading the last line of the book, which depends completely upon our belief in that speech.

No takers here. If that is how Wolfe and his editors think that a woman can change her mind in the way described about a man who she loathes and fears, then they have another think coming. If one is going to hang an entire section of a book, indeed that book's denouement, upon one set of emotions entirely replacing another, then that part at least needs to be real and human and ring true. Perhaps few women read Wolfe's books. I don't know about that. However, as one who does I can testify that such a patently false shift in Cassie's motivation feels like a cheap, easy trick a la "a shot rang out and everyone fell dead." Certainly it makes me lose respect for the author and editors who simply seem lazy in retrospect. It's too bad because I really liked the book and was willing to overlook the false feel until that final line which tied everything to Cassie's faked feelings.

I Didn't Want It to Come to This, But You Give Me No Choice ...

As my brother put it, the Religious blog weblog award category is like watching Tiger Woods. One person is solidly in front and the rest fight it out for second.

I see that Father Dwight is getting worried ... let's take it to him (isn't that the good ol' Catholic fightin' spirit I've always heard of?)

I am a fairly peaceful person though and I really don't want to fight it out. I will simply turn to that which has stood us in good stead before.

Hypnotoad!

Listen carefully and go vote for Happy Catholic in the 2009 Weblog Awards.

You may then turn off your computer ... you will remember nothing of this later ...

UPDATE
Don't forget to vote for The Anchoress who used to be way ahead but now has fallen behind thanks to some folks who just can't relax and have fun but have to make everything into a left versus right contest. *sigh*

As The Anchoress said on Friday, "I’m being told that some “lefty” sites are trying to co-ordinate to defeat me ... That always cracks me up; it’s so schoolyard. No matter what I still get my nifty “finalist” button, and I much prefer looking at the “awards” as good-natured fun, and not some absurd cut-throat matter."

I applaud her good nature but will keep voting anyway ... vote for her here.

Jewish and Catholic Tradition

I came across this in the Intellectual Devotional (which I love) and it really struck home. I didn't realize that Catholic Tradition has its roots so firmly in Jewish Tradition. It makes complete sense since so many of our customs and devotions were developed from those that the first Christians had practiced in their Jewish faith before conversion. It also gives another leg to stand on when discussing Tradition with Protestant friends who often have been told that Catholics came up with this concept out of thin air. What a useful and fascinating tidbit of information.

From the beginning, the Torah was accompanied by an oral tradition, which was necessary for its complete understanding. Although it was thought to be blasphemous to write the oral tradition down, the necessity for doing so eventually became apparent, leading to the creation of the Mishna. Later, as rabbis discussed and debated these two texts, the Talmud was written in order to compile their arguments.

The Intellectual Devotional

Review: The Beauty of Grace Calendar

The Beauty of Grace: 2009 Calendar of Indulgences

I think I've said before that I'm hazy on the whole concept of indulgences. Oh, I get the big picture but applying it to my life and circumstances is something that I have a tenuous hold on at best.

This 2009 Calendar of Indulgences logically lays out the foundation and understanding of indulgences and then follows that up with monthly information about opportunities. As well, they continue with education by featuring quote from saints, defenses of Catholic concepts such as veneration of Mary, and prayers. Calendar days are marked with saints days and handy reminders about regular practices like confession. It is all excellent information and would be welcome in any Catholic home.

At this point it is only fair to mention that I have an extremely high standard when it comes to design and production. In fact, there is a certain cookbook which I cannot bring myself to open because the terrible layout causes me such pain.

This calendar is not in that category but definitely could have benefited from a more subtle hand in the layout. Generally layout is perfectly adequate and the friends I showed it to did not wince the way that our household did when they were viewing it.Shadows are not necessary nearly as often or as dark. Certainly the printer's logo need not be on every page. The back cover would surely suffice. Lighter colors could have been used practically everywhere in order to better enhance the monthly photos of lovely Church murals. They are still lovely, to be sure, but the overall layout tends to distract from them.

As I said, these layout problems are in this viewer's eye and probably will not be noticed by the regular calendar user. This is an excellent educational and informational calendar and I definitely recommend it.

This review was written as part of The Catholic Company product reviewer program. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on 2009 Calendar of Indulgences.

Other Catholic Company reviews may be found here. You can find all active reviews of this product here.

Ok, I know it's wrong to pray for votes ...

Source

... so I'll just politely remind everyone that Happy Catholic has now edged further into third place ... and Father Longenecker is only (ha ... only!) two hundred votes ahead.

Ok, never mind. Miracles happen ... though admittedly usually not for that sort of thing.

Look, don't make me break out the secret weapon. Let's make this easy.

You can vote daily in the Weblog Awards ... let's get out there and kiss the egg!

(Kiss the egg you ask? What's up with that?
For the pop-culturally deficient, here's the scoop.)

So Again We Hear That San Antonio is the Spot for the 2009 Catholic New Media Celebration - Updated

Jen at Conversion Diary heard it and I believe her.

Now, how about if instead of just talking about it on a podcast occasionally there were a few updates made to the website so we could take a look at dates?

Not that I'm excited about this or anything.

Let me just say this. There is nothing like San Antonio, one of America's unique cities ... and our family uses any excuse to go. THEN add in the chance to see a bunch of the bloggers and podcasters that I feel I already know?

I. am. there.

If only anyone would write something down about it. C'mon gang, I'm beggin' here.

UPDATE
I got an email from The Catholic Company which says the date is June 27. So we can pencil that in until a certain website is updated ...

The Evolution of Technology

A German ad for Saturn, from the ad agency Scholz&Friends. I have been told that Saturn is a consumer electronics chain. Via Miss Cellania (whose site occasionally contains explicit content).

I Confess That I'm Really Enjoying ...

Source

... the horse race taking place for second place in the Best Religious Blogs award. (Is it very wrong that every time I think of Father Z and his award domination, I inevitably am drawn to think of World War Z? Maybe it's just the letter "Z" ... yeah, that's it. Not the hopelessness of trying to overcome that lead ...)

Anyway, Happy Catholic has slightly edged into third place. Let's go for second! C'mon, y'all. I have faith (well, duh!). We can do it!

Don't forget that you can vote in the Weblog Awards every day. C'mon people, kiss the egg!

(Kiss the egg you ask? What's up with that? For the pop-culturally deficient, here's the scoop.)

This Just In ... The Raving Theist is Very Punny

His daily headlines have had me in stitches and now that he turns his powers on one of his amiable commenting pals ... with the full force of a basket of kittens behind it ... I am falling down laughing.

Just How Much Does God Love You?

After reading an excerpt about God's divine thirst and love for us (from Mother Teresa's Secret Fire), Jane wrote a great post about coming to that realization herself. The money quote that I think we should all take and apply to our own lives.

... At some point, I started getting nudges that God loved me.

But not in that intellectual, “God loves me, all is good” kind of way, but rather, “I would run through fire to be with you. I wait by the phone hoping you’ll call. When the mail comes, I’m disappointed if there isn’t a letter from you. I stalk your Twitter account to see what you’ve been up to. When I’m at the grocery store, I see the Ritter Sport marzipans in the candy aisle and I buy a package to leave on your desk so you’ll find them in the morning.”

That is so perfect because it makes the immediateness of God in our lives so real, so tangible. (Except God leaves me Butterfingers or halvah.) Go read the entire post ... you may want to first read the excerpt linked above because she tells you to do that anyway ... and then go on to read her further meditations upon how we define and limit God. This is just where the book goes and I will be providing some further excerpts for that as well later on.

Seven Archangels: Annihilation is up for a Reader's Choice Award

You may recall that I was pretty enthusiastic about Seven Archangels: Annihilation by Jane Lebak.

So I was delighted to find that her book is currently in second place in the Preditors & Editors Readers' Poll which is open until January 14.

If you read the book and liked it, I encourage you to vote. No matter what it is interesting to take a look at all the different titles there.

You also may be interested in Jane's blog, Seven angels, four kids, one family. Jane is consistently self aware, down-to-earth, and ... you know this matters to me ... hilarious.