Why I am a Happy Catholic

Because God changed my life. The before and after are a shocking contrast ... perhaps not to those on the outside, but for me on the inside it is undeniable.

This popped up in my random shuffle on the way to work in my God Mix playlist.

Hitting me like a brick, bringing home yet again the vividness of my joy in a new life. Prompting tears of thankfulness. (Expanded upon in this post from the archives. But said well enough below.)

So Far Away
by Staind

This is my life
Its not what it was before
All these feelings I’ve shared
And these are my dreams
That I’d never lived before
Somebody shake me
Cause I, I must be sleeping

(chorus)
Now that we're here,
It's so far away
All the struggle we thought was in vain
All the mistakes,
One life contained
They all finally start to go away
Now that we're here its so far away
And I feel like I can face the day
I can forgive and I’m not ashamed to be the person that I am today

These are my words
That I’ve never said before
I think I’m doing ok
And this is the smile
That I’ve never shown before

Somebody shake me
Cause I, I must be sleeping

(chorus)

I'm so afraid of waking
Please don't shake me
Afraid of waking
Please don't shake me

Dr. Horrible ...

... on the Emmys. Which I didn't watch because I was bemusedly viewing Tony Romo's one-man-destruction-band march the Cowboys to defeat.

But enough of my sorrow and anger. Let us all bask in TV's the internet's warm glowing warming glow ... we all know I'm a sucker for Dr. Horrible after all.

Podcasting in Plain English

The only thing they didn't make completely clear is that once you download it to your computer, you can listen to the podcast there. Via The Podcast Place.

Unlock the Secret of Productivity

Ready to change your life?

Here we go ...

Step 1. Buy a productivity book.
Any productivity book will do. I use a book called “The Now Habit.” It doesn’t matter what book you order though, because you probably won’t read it. You can use any random “increase your productivity” book.

Step 2. Look at the productivity book and tell yourself, “If I don’t get X done, I’m going to have to read that productivity book.” ...

Matt Cutts

Thanks to Tom for discovering and passing along this tip ...

Arrr, Mateys! It Be Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Savage Chickens has been swabbing the decks all week getting ready for Talk Like a Pirate Day. This was a particular favorite of mine but there be plenty o' treasure for all.

"God doesn't exist" versus "Isn't God a lovely idea?" Both sides of that debate lost.

The Wall Street Journal recently ran a big article supposedly debating evolution versus faith in God. As they put it:

We commissioned Karen Armstrong and Richard Dawkins to respond independently to the question "Where does evolution leave God?" Neither knew what the other would say. Here are the results.

Having had experience with independent reading of both authors, I rolled my eyes knowing that if they didn't know what the other would say then they just hadn't bothered listening to those well-worn records before.

Glancing through the article I saw that Dawkins, as always, was scornful. I don't understand why that guy is so very angry. As I've said before, a true atheist would laugh at putting so much energy into it.

Armstrong, as always, was vaguely in support of faith as something that ennobles man. Or something. I think she must be a media darling because that way of talking about faith is something the media can get behind. It is the true, personal encounter with God that tends to make them leery. Oh, where is a worthy successor to Billy Graham when we need him? He'd speak it and the media actually would print it.

What brought all this to mind again is that a friend sent me the pdf of the article and then this morning WSJ letters to the editor were dominated by readers' responses. I only see a general link to their letters page, so am going to show you my favorites but all were worth reading.

I could tell which side Mr. Dawkins was on. I wasn't sure about Ms. Armstrong.

Mike Guthrey, Franklin, Tenn.

Mr. Dawkins should leave the God question to others and stick to the evolution-versus-creation debate. Even I, an agnostic scientist, find his commentary polemic and off-putting. It is no wonder the God crowd is gaining in number; they are easier to read.

Katherine Helmetag, Troy, Mich.

As a retired scientist, I know that while parts of evolution are well-explained, there is no scientific explanation of the origin of life. If you accept that life began only because of random events, then you and science are acting on faith. Accepting an explanation on faith isn't a part of science, but is the way to God.

Howard Deutsch, Atlanta

Perhaps the next time that much ink is spilled over the question, the WSJ will go to the trouble of seeking out some people who aren't so predictable in voicing their opinions. Or who actually have fresh input and approaches in discussing the question.

Melting Polar Ice Caps Expose Hundred of Secret Arctic Lairs

"In August alone we discovered 44 mad scientist laboratories, three highly classified military compounds, and seven reanimated and very confused cavemen. That's more than twice the number we had found in the previous three decades combined."

"This is no longer conjecture," Lorenzen [noted climatologist] added. "This is a full-blown crisis."

[...]

"Last week a giant ice sheet broke off and split my prized underground complex nearly in half," said Dr. Raygun, a self-described psychotic mastermind best known for his diabolical thought-control experiments. "Now millions of dollars in state-of-the-art doomsday devices are gone—all because of the environmental carnage wrought by the human race."

"You spend your whole career concocting a brilliant scheme to wipe out all of mankind, and what happens?" Dr. Raygun continued. "They bring about a major global catastrophe completely on their own, those fools!"

This is The Onion at their very best. You must go read it all. (Warning: site can contain explicit content, although I did not notice any at this specific link.)

Friday Litany: The Cross

Because Monday was the Triumph of the Cross, this litany appealed to me. Short but good.

LITANY OF THE CROSS

The cross is the hope of Christians.
The cross is the resurrection of the dead.
The cross is the way of the lost.
The cross is the saviour of the lost.
The cross is the staff of the lame.
The cross is the guide of the blind.
The cross is the strength of the weak.
The cross is the doctor of the sick.
The cross is the aim of the priests.
The cross is the hope of the hopeless.
The cross is the freedom of the slaves.
The cross is the power of the kings.
The cross is the water of the seeds.
the cross is the consolation of the bondsmen.
the cross is the source of those who seek water.
The cross is the cloth of the naked.
We thank you, Father, for the cross.

I have begun a personal prayer book where I am putting litanies that I like in the front, with the prayer requests in the back (because I don't have enough copying to do what with the quote journals, right?).

I found this at the mother lode for litanies which is a fascinating place to peruse.

David Bowie Extras Friday

The Anchoress had a bad day yesterday and she worked out of it by groovin' with David Bowie.

I, too, have a fondness for David Bowie although my thoughts turned more to his guest spot on Ricky Gervais' Extras. The best bit of that was the "behind the scenes" interview at the end, but I couldn't find that so here is part of the Extras turn. Not exactly the feel -good of "Let's Dance" but it made me laugh.



I am assuming that most people know Extras was a British sitcom about an actor and his best friend who is are professional extras in films and television programs. It got a bit dark toward the end but I found it very enjoyable. A good part of the fun was in seeing big stars play themselves completely at odd with public perceptions (one must also assume that it is completely at odds with reality ... these actors are all good eggs).

One of my favorite bits featured Ian McKellan.



Here's another with Orlando Bloom (a touch of bad language in here, btw).



I could go on and on ... but I see that I already have!

The Message of Uncle Tom's Cabin

Anne is a Man has been reviewing Uncle Tom's Cabin as we have been reading it on the podcast (I say "we" ... I'm reading, he's listening). As each episode calls for comment, he's been posting it. It has provided a very fruitful conversation about racism to say the least.

Today he posts a commentary, as we draw close to the end of the book, which makes me very happy because he says the book has been recovered for him to a larger view of being a fine drama. I'm tellin' y'all ... best soap opera ever. Ever.

However, he expands with insightful upon a remark I made in the last episode.

In the latest episode, where Julie reads chapters 35 through 37 of Uncle Tom's Cabin, she makes a remark that can be expanded upon. She says of the character Cassy, that she represents the worst of the plight of being a slave. It did not help her she grew up as the woman of an estate; she was sold as a slave after all. And it did not help her to have good masters along the way; she ended up with Simon Legree and the hellish existence that went with that.

This is not just true for Cassy, it is true for all characters in the book, even those that end up well, or are not slaves at all. The brilliance of Uncle Tom's Cabin, I would argue, turns out to be that Stowe has succeeded in building a multi-charactered drama in which being a slave or a slave-holder for that matter is corrupting in the end. No good intentions and humane treatment can help the ever present danger of deliverance to the downside of slavery, to the excesses. For those who are not slaves, it presents too big a responsibility. For those who are slaves, it proves an unjust fate necessarily intertwined with their bounds. This, possibly, explains why the book was such a tremendous success even to the extent it can be argued it helped abolition come about. Stowe showed the American society there was no good way around slavery.

Apart from that being a drama that is extremely well crafted, it can easily be taken into a wider social context of subservience. How is the slavery of Uncle Tom's Cabin fundamentally different from segregation, low-wage countries, poverty and other social circumstances that render parts of society or the wider world powerless and another part in comfortable denial they can alleviate the powerlessness by their humanity.

In fact, in earlier chapters, Stowe does comment upon how other countries, notably England, have their own version of the slave system. It is just under a different name.

Now, this all took me back to the comparison that is very often made in this country in comparing the fight against slavery to the modern day struggle against abortion. This probably is not what Anne had in mind, but it is what came to my mind ... all the arguments and wiggling around the "elephant in the room" that is done to avoid the ultimate reality of killing human beings at will.

As well, what is little discussed is the great damage that is being done to the pro-abortion people every time they pull blinders over their eyes by focusing how to make their arguments more palatable ... just as we see in Uncle Tom's Cabin. As we see all levels and degrees of cooperation with slavery in UTC, there are likewise those same levels and degrees within those who cooperate with abortion. It is very sad to me.

Although not exactly on the same wavelength with this Uncle Tom's Cabin connection, anyone who is interested in further reading may be interested in this post from 2008, which includes the entirety of an earlier post I did in 2004 comparing slavery with abortion.

Nine Thumbs Up for iTunes 9

Finally, iTunes did an update that cared about me, the podcast junky.

If I've listened to part of a podcast, it now marked the little "new" dot as half gone instead of just erasing it as if it's been listened to all the way.

ALSO, if you have audiobook files or something you've imported and that wound up in music ... they now let you turn it into a podcast.

AND IT SHOWS UP IN THE PODCAST LISTINGS!

Whoever pushed through that change, I could kiss you!

(Hey, I told you I was a junky! That's the only sort of fanatic that would notice or need these changes.)

I'm not the only one noticing the myriad improvements. Tom's pretty excited about the improved Home Sharing feature. His favorite technology writer, Walt Mossberg, noticed that too and has his own grateful litany. Here's a little:

To me, the two biggest new features in iTunes 9 are something called Home Sharing and a new, easier way to organize the apps on an iPhone or iPod Touch.

For years, iTunes users have been able to wirelessly stream music from nearby computers running iTunes whose owners chose to share their music. But Home Sharing takes this one step further, allowing users to actually copy the song files from one computer to another.

Right inside iTunes, you can simply peer into the shared library on another computer set up to allow this, and then select the song you want and drag it into your own library. It doesn't delete the original from the other computer.

Quick Looks at Some Good Books

Something Old
Lord of the Hollow Dark by Russell Kirk

Mr. Apollinax gathers a group of 13 people together in a castle that was the scene of a horrific murder earlier in history. Known to each other only by pseudonyms taken from T.S. Eliot poems, the goal of this group is to experience a mystical "timeless moment." We see the story alternately through the eyes of innocent Marina who has brought her baby with her and hopes for a glimpse of God and through those of the lustful rapist Sweeny who has no thoughts but those of personal gain. The story is an interesting mix of horror, occult, and philosophy. This book irresistibly called to mind Edgar Allen Poe or perhaps H.P. Lovecraft, in that although the story was peopled with evil, twisted characters it is written in such a way that the reader does not actually become frightened. (Except at one point close to the end where I was surprised at how horrified and repelled I was by something a character said.) This leaves the reader free to appreciate the more philosophical aspects as well. It was written in a style that definitely reminded me of other 1970's vintage horror/occult books I had written which was a strange style of reminiscing. I'm not sure if I'll reread it but I do know that I couldn't put it down.

Something New
Ana Markovic by David Murdoch

We meet Ana, a homeless alcoholic, in the hospital where she is recovering from almost having died from alcohol poisoning. As she recovers, Ana begins to remember an amazing "dream" that began with St. Michael, the Archangel offering her a chance for redemption. Interlaced with the story of the dream are Ana's memories of why she became homeless, commentary about what it means to truly live one's faith as a Catholic, and analysis of how all this weaves together with modern life to make it necessary to fight a heroic battle for salvation. Ana feels she does not matter and God knows she does. The question becomes whether Ana can be made to believe it or whether she will reject God. This issue appealed to me, especially considering my atheistic parents. Murdoch's writing style is straight forward and direct. His reasoning is passionate and the teaching style of the story put me in mind of The Shack, although this is definitely a Catholic book. I read this partly because I was interested to see the apologetics for so many arguments that are raised these days against Christianity. However, mostly I read it ... in two days straight ... because I was hooked. I can't put my finger on why the way that I can with most of the books I read, but I found this book really interesting and enjoyed reading it. (Note: I did see some misspellings and a couple of format misses that should have been caught by an editor.)

Something for the Gents
Crossing the Goal -- Playbook on the Virtues
by Danny Abramowicz, Peter Herbeck, Curtis Martin and Brian Patrick

This is a study guide companion to the sports format EWTN show of the same name. However, I don't think that one must have seen the show to get a great deal of good out of the book. Using eye-catching graphics and subtitles like "Pregame," "Kickoff," and "Game Plan" to emphasize different sections, the book is a straight forward approach to why men should care about and practice the virtues. I liked this on two levels. The direct approach was very easy to understand but left room for conversation and thought. As a woman, it gave me a bit of insight into the issues that men struggle with which are different from those of my sex. As well, I really liked the idea that men would struggle and care about following Jesus in a ... well ... manly way. These days, that is a commodity all too little valued. It made me have an added appreciation and love for the Christian men in my life, both family and friends. I am not the target audience, of course, but I know a lot of men's men who would really appreciate the approach this book takes. Recommended.

Something for the Ladies
Courageous Love: A Bible Study on Holiness for Women
Courageous Virtue: A Bible Study On Moral Excellence for Women
Courageous Women: A Study On The Heroines Of Biblical History
by Stacy Mitch

I just encountered these Catholic Bible studies for women and am really impressed. I say that as someone who does not really enjoy self-guided studies where one must look up verses and answer questions. However, there is something compelling about the way that Mitch threads together thoughtful commentary, personal experiences, saints' quotes, and prayers with Church teachings and scripture. Even though each book has the leader's guide in the back (that's right ... the answers), I have been more interested in looking up verses and coming to my own conclusions. Distinctly surprising was the way that Mitch snuck up and struck me dumb on several occasions when I thought smugly that "everyone knows the answer to that" ... but humored the process by looking up the answer (I'm always the smart aleck rolling her eyes at the back of the class ... but you knew that right?). Of course, everyone might know those answers, but I didn't. Not only did this leave me respecting Mitch even more but some of those answers were very big ones that are repeatedly useful as I struggle in daily life to be a good disciple of Christ. These are great studies and I'm going to be recommending them to a lot of my friends.

The Forgotten Crypt

A mysterious puzzle at the heart of Dallas.
A nefarious cult determined to protect it.
A white-knuckled race to uncover the Kiwanis Club's darkest secret.

The Forgotten Crypt

When world-famous Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to the Texas Theater to analyze a mysterious rune—etched into the floor next to the mangled body of the head docent—he discovers evidence of the unthinkable: the resurgence of the ancient cult of the Inquinistas, a secret branch of the Kiwanis Club that has surfaced from the shadows to carry out its legendary vendetta against its mortal enemy, the Vatican.

Langdon's worst fears are confirmed when a messenger from the Inquinistas appears at Dealey Plaza to deliver a grim ultimatum ...

The Dan Brown Sequel Generator courtesy of Slate.com. Via that underappreciated blogger, The Paragraph Farmer.

Vocation Boom!

This is hosted at YouTube but comes from a great new site, Vocation Boom! It is designed to encourage and nurture vocations to the priesthood and you can see that they understand what they're talking about. For instance, I found their piece on what it really means to be a priest to be very inspirational personally in that it reminded me of how thankful I am that Jesus gives us priests ... here's a bit:

A Catholic priest is a man who has been called by God to live in persona Christi – in the person of Christ. In simple terms, that means that when man is ordained a priest, he receives a permanent mark on his soul – similar to the mark we all receive at baptism – that changes him forever and makes it possible for him to perform certain actions that otherwise only Jesus could perform. A priest’s primary purpose is to offer the Sacrifice of the Mass, and to feed God’s people with the Body and Blood of Jesus in the Eucharist, which the Church has always understood to be the main way that Christ’s death on the Cross is made available to people. Only a validly ordained priest can give this great gift to the world.

What this means is truly amazing. Because of the gift of holy orders – the priesthood – a man’s very soul is changed and he is made like Jesus in a way that someone who is not ordained can never experience. Jesus is God. And, as God, He is able to share His power with those men he calls to the priesthood, allowing them to do for God’s people what Jesus Himself does: feed us with His Body and Blood, forgive our sins, and more. ...

I also really liked their gallery which has gathered some excellent videos and links for easy viewing (for example, I see that my favorite Diocese of Paris video is included). Of course, my favorite is the video above which was created especially for this website right here in Dallas. I actually know two of the young men who are pursuing vocations as priests as they are from our parish.

There is much more there for anyone interested in pursuing or encouraging a vocation. A couple of the spots are awaiting info but I know that this site launched just this week so they probably will be filling in those gaps soon.

Check it out. Send the link to anyone you know who may need a bit of encouragement.

This is a good reminder for us also to pray for many men to hear the quiet whisper of God's call so that they respond "Here I am. I pray that we will have a Vocation Boom in the priesthood thanks to efforts like this helping show the way.

Update
I completely forgot to mention that I also know the very talented designer who designed the site. (Ahem, that would be because Tom did the website layout for him.) He's good. Very good. And I don't throw around those terms lightly when speaking of design, believe me.

Just a comment also to say that my inside track on this isn't what makes me so interested in it. Frankly, after hearing all the behind the scenes discussions and work that goes into something, I am usually pretty tired of hearing about it by the time we see the final product. Vocation Boom surprised me because it came together to transcend all the pieces that went into it (also the sign of a good design). And, of course, it is about something I am passionately interested in ... as a Happy Catholic!

Book-ish Things: "Space Vulture" and "To Whom Shall We Go?"

Space Vulture

I just want to say that my copy now can boast the autographs of both authors. This is largely due to the good nature and generosity of co-author Gary K. Wolf in shepherding it through the mail (y'all, he wrote Roger Rabbit and he's sending me emails now ... can life have any more twists and turns and delight? I think now!). He also has pestered his publisher not once but twice to see if I can read Space Vulture on Forgotten Classics. Alas, Tor is not responding. I will repeat my previous brief review of the book here as I have now read it three times and continue to enjoy it.

Wolf is the creator of Roger Rabbit and the childhood friend who he used to read science fiction with is now the Archbishop of Newark. Lamenting the lack of old-style sci-fi, they got together and wrote a completely enjoyable book. Featuring a villain worthy of Ming the Merciless from the old Flash Gordon series, this book takes the reader on a classic space opera journey. We follow heroic Marshal Victor Corsaire, rascally con man Gil Terry, courageous widow Sheriff Cali Russell, and her two young sons as they battle Space Vulture. One plot device was very obvious after two different characters mentioned if from their points of view but other than that, this was a rollicking good time!

++++++++++++++++++

The brief review that follows deserves much more than I currently have time to give and for that I apologize. I will have a series of these brief reviews coming up.

To Whom Shall We Go? Lessons from the Apostle Peter
by Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan

I received and read this before Archbishop Dolan was assigned to New York and began receiving so much attention. However, having read this book I felt sure that New York City was receiving a good shepherd. In To Whom Shall We Go, we are reminded of all St. Peter's strengths, weaknesses, joys, and sorrows. In short, we are shown his humanity as he follows Jesus in the Gospels and Dolan points out how our own natures are reflected in therein as well. This is a simply fantastic book and I say that as a person who has never been particularly interested in St. Peter. Here is a very brief excerpt from the section reflecting on Luke 5:4-11 when Peter has been fishing all night and Jesus tells him turn right around, to "put out into the deep" again and let down his nets. Dolan touches on so much more tangents in examining the theme of Jesus challenging us to "put out into the deep," but this bit has stuck with me for a long time so I share it with you.

I remember once seeing the late Cardinal John O'Connor surrounded by reporters on TV, being hammered with questions about his opposition to a plan for the widespread distribution of condoms in public schools to curb AIDS and teenage pregnancy. One of the reporters stuck a microphone in Cardinal O'Connor's face and said, "Cardinal, you're expecting an awful lot from people, especially our young people, in thinking they can control themselves. That's an awfully high standard. Isn't it just better to admit that people can't live up to this so they have to take precautions?

Do you know what the Cardinal replied? "Oh, no," he said to the reporter, "The whole world is saying to our young people, 'Be good, but -- wink, wink, -- we know you can't, so at least be careful.' Somebody has got to say, 'Be good; I know you can be,' and that has to be the Church."

Duc in altum: "Put out into the deep."

The Man They Call Mexico's Brad Pitt

Naturally I had to click through that New Advent link and read that article.

More importantly, after a paragraph I was scrolling, scrolling ... where is the photo? Wheeere?

Just how good looking really is this guy.........

Oh.


I see.

And he's Catholic. (Thank you Lord for the beauty of your creation ...)

Brad who?

Appearing Elsewhere ...

Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen ... where you can find a Strawberry Tart recipe.

SFFaudio ... where Scott and Jesse invited me to join in discussing a science fiction short story collection with the editor from Infinivox.

Important Tea Party Advertisement

I now understand the passion with which people have been flocking to tea parties around the nation. Thank heavens for Dr. Boli's Celebrated Magazine where even the advertisements are educational!

(To see a larger version either click the image above or ... my preference ... click through to Dr. Boli's.)

Clap for the Wolfman ...

... Rose didn't know when she read this subhead yesterday that I was quoting an old song running through my head. That's all to the good as she directed my attention to this fantastic looking trailer, albeit one of those that seems to give us the story's skeleton. It still looks great!

Although Tom cracked me up when he said the reason the movie looks so good might be a saying he'd heard about football players that could be transferred to movie makers: They have to be smart enough to play the game but too stupid to know it doesn't really matter. Which is where such passion and perfection are applied to a wolfman movie. As someone in advertising and knows all too well the problems in my own industry, I reserve judgment (ha!).

Around the House Some More

On Carrying One's Favorite Toy Everywhere
No, not me and the iPod. Though a case could be made for that ...

This morning we could hear one of the dog's tags jingling and jangling as it obviously was playing with something in an unusual spot for playing. Turns out it was Wash and a small cockroach. Zoe soon turned up to join in on the fun of this new animated toy. Kind of cute, of course, and I am not against a natural death for a cockroach.

Less cute was Zoe's proud carrying of the new toy everywhere she went this morning, with two little side legs sticking out of the front of her mouth. Although it was hilarious.

On Not Always Being Happy ... But Always Being Happy to Be Catholic
"Lord have mercy on me and bless _____" was resounding through my head most of yesterday (along with periods of offering it up when I remembered) as a large project with one of my clients suffered a sudden realization of big disconnect in understanding on both sides. And slight meltdown occurred. I'll be honest. Meltdown mostly on my side.

This is where it helps a great deal to work with one's spouse, who can help one deal with such situations in a unique way beyond even the best of bosses. As well, my clinging to those prayers helped me to always keep front and center that on the other side of the phone and emails was a person who I like and who was not doing anything deliberately to upset the apple cart. Honest misunderstandings, different perspectives, and forgotten conversations. Those were the culprits.

Did I hear angels singing, have moments of standing in the golden light of understanding and love?

No.

I didn't expect to and that was a good thing. I was there to work to fix things as much as I was able at that moment (thank goodness again for Tom in that) and to put myself second. It came back to praying as if all depended on God and working as if all depended on me. I had to cling to it greatly and repeatedly but it made all the difference. All. the. difference.

Was it my guardian angel who put a reminder to pray into my head? Or my Saint Martha? Let's go way high ... how about the Holy Spirit? Perhaps. Or perhaps it was the simple force of habit. I tend to automatically kick in with at least a few silent Hail Mary's when things get tough at work. Ditto for the "Have mercy on me" when I'm in a contentious situation. The offering it up was because I'd posted about the feast day for the cross yesterday. So it all came together somehow, albeit incoherently at the time.

We're still in the middle of this. I think of how I would have been reacting without my faith to buoy me and I shudder. No wonder I'm so very happy to be Catholic.