Snapshot: The Fluffiest, Most Absorbent Towels I've Ever Used

I suddenly noticed that our towels were ragged. Really ragged.

When did this happen? And how? I mean, they were only ... wait, let me add ... only 15 years old? How did that happen? When did 15 years whisk by?

Anyway, I went looking for hotel towels. They always seem to me to be the softest. I suppose it does depend on which sort of hotel you are staying at. I had in mind those from the time we wound up unexpectedly staying in the luxurious Abraham Lincoln Hotel in Springfield, Illinois.

When I went looking, there was nothing obvious, but eventually I wound up at this selection from Towel King, which  is supported handily by Amazon's payment system.

I washed them when they showed up and was astounded at the fluffiness that emerged from our drier. These washcloths and towels make showering a real luxury. So much so that I have two extra sets en route so I can kick some more of those ragged bath towels to other service (drying dogs, drying cars, tossed over muddy car seats so a person can safely sit on them...).

Worth a Thousand Words: Bonus Edition

Chipmunk

Photo by Doug Cadmus, Creative Commons license

Via Next Door Nature where you really should go to read the accompanying article. I don't know of anyone who writes more charmingly about nature while conveying lots of facts. I love that blog. Here's a sample to lure you into reading it all for yourself.

As the small face in front of me grew wider, I began to doubt that it would fit back through a 2” opening without leaving behind some of the payload. I forgot that by this time of year, even a young’un would be an old hand at this. She dove into the entrance without a second’s hesitation… and me right on her heels, having conveniently shrunk down to chipmunk size (in my mind, that is—there weren’t any bottles labeled “Drink Me” at hand).

Special Edition Papal Toilet Paper

Renova, a Portuguese paper company, is celebrating Pope Benedict XVI’s upcoming trip to Madrid by releasing special edition Papal toilet paper. The yellow and white rolls–representing the colors of the Papal flag–are being released for World Youth Day. The product’s description on Renova’s website calls them “streamers,” yet they come in the same packaging as their toilet paper and can only be found in the toilet paper section of their site. Don’t be bashful, for Renova asks you to “Open your windows to celebrate!” when the Pope comes to Madrid.

Via The Curt Jester who says he now knows what to use when he TPs the Vatican. That I wanna see ...

"After all, all he did was string together a lot of old, well-known quotations."

H.L. Mencken was joking about Shakespeare when he said that.

We all know that I have a predilection for quotes myself.  This blog puts up a quote a day and Happy Catholic (the book) shares a lot of quotes.

I have a guest post up at American Catholic Blog featuring some new quotes and sources I have found that would make me beg and plead for a few more pages to include them in the book. There are 10 good 'uns and I'm fairly sure you haven't seen them all here yet. So check it out!

American Catholic Blog is the St. Anthony Messenger Press's blog. They own Servant Books, which is my publisher. It has been a bonus for me that not only have I gotten to know the Servant Books folks, but now am getting to chat more with the St. Anthony Messenger Press people. What a nice bunch they are! I'm looking forward to getting to meet some of them at their exhibit at the UDMC Catholic Conference that will be here in Dallas this October.

Dragged Kicking and Screaming Into the Promised Land

You know who that's about, right?

Yep! Me!

My encounter with East of Eden by John Steinbeck is the subject of my A Free Mind column at Patheos.

Finally ... Someone Who Liked Cowboys and Aliens

OK, here's the deal. When you're talking about a movie called “Cowboys and Aliens,” you'll do well not to overthink it.

I'm glad I hadn't read some of the reviews I've read today, before I went to see the film last night. Because I had a great time. I don't think I've sat in a theater seat and enjoyed myself so much since I saw “Taken.” When you're talking summer movies, it doesn't get much better than this, if you're asking me.

Lars Walker, my hero. Which must say something about how influenced I am by the critics' comments, in that I need someone's enjoyment to watch it.

On the other hand, movies ain't cheap these days.

Snapshot: How I Know I Was Super Distracted This Morning

Because walking down the hall to work, I realized I didn't do that thing where you mismatch socks.

I wasn't wearing socks.

But I mismatched my shoes.

True story.

One ballet flat.

One black sandal.

*sigh*

And now?

I'm barefoot. Until it is time to slink out of the building and go home.

Straight home.

No stops on the way.

It's Like He Read My Mind: the Pope on vacation and summer reading

Appearing on the balcony overlooking the square, the Pope said "each of us needs time and space for meditation, reflection and calm ... Thank God it's so! In fact, this requirement tells us that we are not made only for work but also to think, reflect, or simply to follow a story with our minds and hearts, a story that we can connect with, in a sense 'get lost' in to then find ourselves enriched."

Of course, Pope Benedict is talking about reading the Bible, especially those books that you might not have read before. I've gotta agree on that subject too. Ruth, Esther, and Tobit are some of my favorites and I'm always surprised at how few people have read them.

I'd also encourage investigation of Robert Alter's many excellent translations of the Old Testament. He is scrupulously accurate and yet makes the text really come alive.

Thanks to Scott Danielson for the link!

If God Had a Blog

UPDATE: Pretty pleased with what I’ve come up with in just six days. Going to take tomorrow off. Feel free to check out what I’ve done so far. Suggestions and criticism (constructive, please!) more than welcome. God out.

The comments are priceless ... my favorite, the one about the dodo. Read it all at The New Yorker. Via The Deacon's Bench. (Note: language warning)

Happy Birthday, Dear Mom!

I was just on the phone with Mom, having a delightful conversation, and she mentioned making an orange cake.

Now, she was talking about a bundt cake infused with orange glaze, but perhaps this sort of cake* has that same glaze between the layers, eh? It might ... and so we will imagine it!

It sounds as if she has had a great day so far which is just going to get better with an Italian meal planned for tonight. And presents! Always with presents!

Happy Birthday, Mom! I love you!

* Cake photo from Bayshore Cakes. I'm not in Salt Lake City, but if I were, that bakery would tempt me to try way too many cakes!

Snapshot: I'm spending the morning crying

I'm writing a Lenten devotional booklet and have arrived at Holy Week.

The gospel music has been on high and I've been singing along sometimes.

I've been digging into symbolism and getting blown away.

You simply cannot write about Holy Week without crying. The glorious thing at this moment though is that my tears are those of joy.

I have been realizing that under the sadness of the necessity for his glorious obedience and sacrifice, there is a deep strain of joy at finishing the race triumphantly.

My thankfulness and gratitude will never be enough.

I've known it before, of course. Felt it before, of course.

But at this moment, I am overcome with joy and love for Jesus, himself.

(I can only imagine how red my eyes are at this moment. Should make going to work ... interesting.)

Two Good WSJ Editorials That Are Pro-Baby

There is nothing so heartening as reading this sort of editorial with my morning coffee!

Life and Faith in Hell's Kitchen
William McGowan writes about the Sisters of Life and their ministry to help unwed mothers in NYC.

Safe, legal and rare" has long been the pro-choice mantra, but these days it applies less and less to the reality of abortion. In New York City, officials reported this year that 41% of pregnancies end in abortion—double the national rate. In the black community, the figure is 60%.

Numbers like these motivate the Sisters of Life, a small order of nuns celebrating its 20th anniversary this summer. The sisters take traditional vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, but they also take a fourth vow "to protect and enhance the sacredness of human life." According to Archbishop Timothy Dolan, once the sisters connect with unwed pregnant women in need, "the battle is half over."

Of Beckhams and Babies

Shortly after Mrs. Beckham gave birth [to her fourth child] this month, Mr. Ross [the chief executive of the British nonprofit group Population Matters] told Britain's Observer that "The Beckhams, and others like London Mayor Boris Johnson, are very bad role models with their large families. There's no point in people trying to reduce their carbon emissions and then increasing them 100% by having another child."

This Review & Outlook editorial is brief but positive about putting Mr. Ross in his place.

Note: if the links turn out to go to stories for subscribers only, try finding the article in Google (the headlines are those of the editorials). It should let you in through the Google link. That's how I found 'em.

Bloggurgatory ... or ... Purgatory for Catholic Bloggers

Acts of the Apostasy began it.

Maybe Catholic bloggers will have to endure sufferings that are a bit more...I don't know, personal. Custom-fit.

And carried on with an amusing list of tailor-made purifications for the likes of:

Fr Z - drink instant coffee while blogging on a 386...with a dial-up connection.

The Curt Jester picked up that baton and ran with it (what a shock!) and came up with one of my actual fears.

Fr. Phillip Neri Powell, OP His purgatory would be something like being trapped in a gigantic library with no books on the shelves.  Kind of like the Twilight Zone episode “Time Enough at Last” where book lover Burgess Merideth and ends with a gigantic pile of books around him and his glasses broken.  In fact that would be my Purgatory also – or perhaps Hell.  This would also be purgatory for Video meliora, proboque; Deteriora sequor, and Happy Catholic.

Although I actually always saw Purgatory as a place filled with books that are super-old and I always managed to avoid, but now find that had information that would have turned me into a saint if only I had read those people's take on holiness. (St. Faustina's diary is among my special fears. I'm into the divine mercy and all, I just don't want to have to read her book about it.)

So do yourself a favor. Go see what they've dreamed up. You will laugh and maybe it will scare you straight ... straight into holiness!  (Be sure to read Ironic Catholic's purgatory ... that is my other fear.)

St. Martha's Feast Day: "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things."

Today is St. Martha's feast day. Depending on the source you check, she's the patron saint of housewives, cooks, and servants.

She is also my patron saint.

I was looking over a list of saints before I was confirmed and saw that she was the patron saint of housewives. I love being at home and cooking (though not cleaning). That aside, I figured that was as good a reason as any. Also the main story I knew (the one we all think of) made me think of her as a little sassy. That fit too.


Little did I know that, once again, God was being sneaky in pairing me up with the perfect “big sister” to help me get through some of my worst tendencies. As I looked into her story more, I saw someone who had a unique friendship with Jesus and whose faith journey is clearly traced for us.

I have the privilege of presenting St. Martha to a wider audience at Patheos today, on her special day ... in my A Free Mind column. Please do go read about my dear Martha there.

What Do You Get When You Mix a Snoring Scholar and a Happy Catholic?

What do you find is the most compelling part of your story as more people read your book and you share your story with them?


If this doesn’t sound too presumptuous, it is that I get to see a little of how the Holy Spirit works. Honestly, I am very often humbled by what people say that God shows them when reading the book. Very little of what they have found is what I put in there, if that makes sense. They are getting messages that I didn’t specifically write. That is God at work.

[...]

The lovely, charming, sweet, and popular blogger, Sarah Reinhard (aka Snoring Scholar) interviewed me via email.

Click through on the link to read it and while you're there be sure to look around. For one thing, Sarah reads all sorts of books that I wouldn't think to try. Often I find myself adding to my list after visiting her place. And her sunny personality and love of her faith is everywhere.

UDMC Catholic Conference 2011

Evidently they've been having this great conference here for several years ... and I just found out about it.

This is actually titled a Ministry Conference, but many of the talks are more general than that. They say:

If you are interested in participating in the conference as a Catholic parishioner, we encourage you to check out the following tracks, which are relevant to every Catholic. They feature talks that discuss family life, marriage, parenting, social justice, faith formation, Scripture, and Christian spirituality.

John Allen will be giving two talks and Lisa Hendey also will be giving two talks. I met Lisa a couple of years ago in San Antonio at the Catholic New Media Conference. What a sweetheart!

Also, I have an early copy of her new book, A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms, and I'm just going to say, you need a copy. Don't let the "Moms" on the cover fool you. This is for anyone in a family ... wives, husbands, grown children ... it is simply fantastic. I'd tell you all about it but I've promised that "mum's the word" until the official publishing date. It. is. amazing. Trust me on this.

Ahem ... now, what was I saying?

Oh, right. So Tom and I are going to the UDMC in late October. It is surprisingly inexpensive. Check it out if you live near enough to make it for the weekend.

A Big Story in the Big Valley Discussing Some Big Ideas ...

East of Eden is up for discussion at A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast, where I eat crow with surprising grace (I think) considering how hard I was screaming about having to read Steinbeck.

The 2011 Bulwer-Lytton Contest Winners Are Here!

What is the Bulwer-Lytton Contest?

Since 1982 the English Department at San Jose State University has sponsored the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, a whimsical literary competition that challenges entrants to compose the opening sentence to the worst of all possible novels. The contest was the brainchild of Professor Scott Rice, whose graduate school excavations unearthed the source of the line "It was a dark and stormy night." ...

My favorites from this year's roundup are:

Runner Up

As I stood among the ransacked ruin that had been my home, surveying the aftermath of the senseless horrors and atrocities that had been perpetrated on my family and everything I hold dear, I swore to myself that no matter where I had to go, no matter what I had to do or endure, I would find the man who did this . . . and when I did, when I did, oh, there would be words.

Rodney Reed

Ooltewah, TN

Winner: Adventure

From the limbs of ancient live oaks moccasins hung like fat black sausages -- which are sometimes called boudin noir, black pudding or blood pudding, though why anyone would refer to a sausage as pudding is hard to understand and it is even more difficult to divine why a person would knowingly eat something made from dried blood in the first place -- but be that as it may, our tale is of voodoo and foul murder, not disgusting food.

Jack Barry

Ancient Arabia, Djinn, and Two Improbable Heroes: reviewing The Desert of Souls

The Desert of Souls by Howard Andrew Jones

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The glittering tradition of sword-and-sorcery sweeps into the sands of ancient Arabia with the heart-stopping speed of a whirling dervish in this thrilling debut novel from new talent Howard Andrew Jones

In 8th century Baghdad, a stranger pleads with the vizier to safeguard the bejeweled tablet he carries, but he is murdered before he can explain. Charged with solving the puzzle, the scholar Dabir soon realizes that the tablet may unlock secrets hidden within the lost city of Ubar, the Atlantis of the sands. When the tablet is stolen from his care, Dabir and Captain Asim are sent after it, and into a life and death chase through the ancient Middle East.

This was an easy and exciting read and I finished it quickly, partially because I was flipping the pages so fast.

Asim and Dabir somewhat remind me of Number Ten Ox and Master Li from Barry Hughart's stories of a China that never was. Asim is not as dim as Number Ten Ox and Dabir is not as wise (or old) as Master Li, but it is a classic pairing of brawn and brains, which can lead to misunderstandings that are sometimes comic but which can endanger everything if both do not learn to trust one another. By the end of the book we are fond of both characters, as, indeed, they are of each other.

The adventure itself is multi-faceted and highly inventive, while still remaining true to form in what feels like a factually based universe. In fact, Jones has taken great care to keep the historical facts true to form with Jaffar and the caliph being based on the actual historical people. In this, he must have been highly influenced by the stories of Harold Lamb, several volumes of which he collected into anthologies before writing his own novel.

Room was clearly left for more adventures and I hope that Jones is at work on the next. I can't wait to see what Asim and Dabir must tangle with next.

Most of my reviews are posted on this Book Reviews page.

The Church and New Media

This week I have completed nine years of blogging and so I can say that I have some perspective on the growth of the so-called Catholic “New Media.” Nine years ago I could pretty much read every post in the Catholic blogosphere during a short lunch. Catholic audio on the internet was extremely limited and podcasting was still a couple more years into the future. The growth of new media for Catholics has been quite an interesting thing to watch.

Bearing that in mind I was quite happy to review the new book by blogger Brandon Vogt The Church and New Media: Blogging Converts, Online Activists, and Bishops Who Tweet. ...

The Curt Jester has a great review which I was very interested to read. I am having trouble keeping my head above water just at the moment so won't be reviewing it ... so please do go check out Jeff's review. I've been reading his blog almost as long as he's been writing it and I trust him.