7 Quick Takes: Calendar Clean-Up Edition

7 Quick Takes Friday, Things for Follow Up

— 1 —

It’s that time of year again! I have always loved the beginning of the school year, even when I’m not myself a student. It’s a time of getting organized, renewing your zeal for learning, and getting office supplies at discount prices (yay!).

And for me, it means looking at my Google Calendar’s To-Do List and sighing (yet again) because I *still* have not managed to catch up. In fact, I’m further behind than ever.

But in addition to actual “to-do” items, I quite frequently stick up there websites that I want to go back and check out at a later date. So, I’ll use my Quick Takes today to list them out and share a few of the good ones with you!

— 2 —

FOOD!

Weeknight Bolognese

Parmesan Crusted Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich – sounds delicious!

Beef and Bean Taco Casserole

Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar-Pecan Topping – my aunt makes these for every holiday dinner. They are amazing!

Meatloaf – I am normally not a big fan of meatloaf, but something in this recipe must have intrigued me, or I wouldn’t have bookmarked it.

Iced Coffee – I may try this one day… Likely when I feel ambitious and have no money for Starbucks

The Military Diet – Because after all this food, I could probably use a good diet.

Eat Yourself Skinny – Recipes that don’t require post-eating dieting. 🙂

— 3 —

Random Items

10 Words You’ve Probably Been Misusing – This post lists words, their commonly-thought-to-be definitions, and what they really mean. I am so guilty of a lot of these…. 🙂

PASS – A new way to share photos. I’m always looking for a better solution. Nothing is perfect… yet… 🙂

Toddler Summer Reading Program – I’m always looking for more suggestions for good books for kids. If you have any recommendations, please pass them along!

Atlas of True Names – This shows the etymological roots, or original meanings, of places on maps. Pretty cool to see how place names have evolved over time. But maybe I’m just nerdy like that.

Three Bookish Girls – They have a website where they list what they are reading this year. I love discovering new books!

Liliputing – They write an article about using your phone to scan documents to Google Drive. Not that I’ve used Google Drive all that much, but one day it may come in handy.

— 4 —

Things to Buy

I know. Like we need more stuff, right?

Therapearl Pals – These are cute little animals that can be frozen or heated up in the microwave to help your kid through boo-boos.

Something is Wrong with my iPad, I Still Hate My Life – So funny! But beware, content may not be entirely kid/work-safe.

— 5 —

Catholic/Religious Links

Apostleship of Prayer – They go around giving retreats, and I had the opportunity to attend one when they were in the area. It was really good. I would definitely recommend it.

Theology of the Body, Extended – Susan is working on a new book! 🙂 I’ll have to add it to my TOB collection.

Holy Heroes – Books, CDs, DVDs for kids!

Strange Notions – Brandon’s website where he offers a place of dialogue, I think mainly Atheist-Catholic, but I’m sure it could be helpful for a wide range of people.

Teaching Faith to Children – a YouTube video

Lent Photo Challenge – I know, we are probably as far away from Lent as we can get, but hopefully I will remember this. I’d like to try to do it next year. 🙂

Theology of the Body – Here is a place online where you can read the original General Audiences given by Pope John Paul II

Detroit Priest – a website of the Office of Priestly Vocations for our archdiocese

— 6 —

Health and Medicine

Why Diabetic Medication Fails – They give a good explanation in layman’s terms of how food, etc., affects blood sugar. Currently, I’m trying out a new medication to see what works. After my meningitis, I can no longer tolerate the medication I was taking previously. Jury is still out, but it looks like I will be changing yet again in the near future. 🙂

Pulmonary Exam – In case you want to know how to do one of these…

— 7 —

Entertainment!

Best YA Books of 2012 – If you haven’t checked out Forever Young Adult yet, you should totally GET OVER THERE! 🙂 It is run by Posh (who is awesome) and her friends and their reviews are hilarious. I always go here to find out the next YA book to read (when I’m looking for something fluffy and not spiritual/theological), instead of taking my chances with pulling something off the shelf at the library or bookstore.

Paperman – A super-cute short film by Disney.

Monster’s University – Lauren gives a review for us. I *still* have yet to see this movie! *sadface*

Thanks for putting up with the glut of links! My to-do list thanks you!

God Bless!

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For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at Conversion Diary!

It’s the Cow’s Fault

Daily Mass Readings, , ,

I always feel a little bad about digging in my purse during Mass, grabbing a pen and paper and writing. I feel like the priest or deacon preaching the homily is up there, looking at me, upset that I’m not paying attention. Even though, this is just what our pastor has suggested that we do, as we are supposed to be listening, especially during the Gospel, to what God is saying to *me*. And the homily is meant to break open the Word.

Today, I drove out to Plymouth for Mass, as I was scheduled to serve as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. Deacon Chris is a transitional deacon who is assigned to our parish for the year. As he proclaimed the Gospel today — the story of the Prodigal Son — I was reminded of the first reading, of the Israelites making and worshiping the golden calf.

As Deacon Chris read the Gospel, I thought about the different characters in the story. Today, I lingered on the person of the older brother. The first reading gave some insight (or perhaps I just had a wacky thought) on the older brother.

The Israelites were fine with following God when He was in their midst day and night. Of course, this isn’t to say that they were grateful for what they had. On the contrary, they complained about food, water, walking…. But things really began to unravel when God went up the mountain and left them at the base of the mountain with with Aaron. Once God wasn’t immediately present to them, they put their focus on something else and their priorities in their affections became skewed. Suddenly, this golden calf became the center of their worship.

I think something similar was going on with the older brother. Although we didn’t specifically hear it in the Gospel, we can assume that he was fairly okay living with his father. From his later statements and actions, we can surmise that he wasn’t entirely grateful for the life he had in his father’s household, but that he felt like he was a slave within his father’s house, “working” for him. But it wasn’t until the prodigal son came back home that this disorder within his heart was revealed. What he pointed to as being the problem was the fact that the father killed the fatted calf for the welcome home party.

Again, this calf distracts from the blessings offered by the father.

It’s all the cow’s fault.

Lop eared Calf

Sometimes Mockery is a Public Service

Smackdown, Sporting Events, , , , , , , , ,

I fully admit to being influenced by teenage boys in my formative years. And I definitely believe that somethings are Guy Things and some things are Girl Things.

Enter example from this week:

Scenario: 3 guys and myself watching TV. At the end of the night, one guy has left, so it’s me and the remaining 2 guys. There is a question about the rules of baseball which were displayed in the episode we watched. I find myself having to explain the difference between a ball and a strike.

Batter

Then, I think…

WHAT?!?

Shouldn’t they know this stuff? Didn’t they have to pass a test in order to pass puberty? I’m pretty sure it’s required.

So, I immediately called them on this fact.

Why am I, a GIRL, explaining this stuff to, not one, but TWO GUYS?!?

But, before you think I am all mean and uncharitable, I submit that perhaps it was a public service. I was calling them to be better men. And I was remarkably restrained in my mockery.

Especially given the fact that my mockery instinct had previously been provoked by this stunning display of a “tackle” on the September Chapel Chat AKA Exhibit #1: Please watch to the end…

Quarterly Challenge #11

Challenge Accepted!

Sorry that I haven’t posted too much lately. I have a good excuse though. I’ve had meningitis. It totally sucks. But I’m getting better, thanks be to God. While I’ve been out — not counting the couple of weeks where all I could do is lie there and stare at the ceiling — I’ve been able to read a plethora of books. I even finished my Quarterly Challenge #10 with a couple days to spare! 🙂

But now we are entering a new month, and a new Quarterly Challenge! Here are the details of #11:

Note: Books listed in italics are ones that I *plan to read* for the particular category. Books listed in regular font *I have read*.

Duration: September 1, 2013 – November 30, 2013

We are a YA Book Club, so all books should be young adult (unless otherwise noted).

You have 3 months to read 10 YA books that satisfy following requirements:

1) Read a book that is a new release published in September, October or November of 2013. GoodReads offers lists of the most popular new releases by month, they might help you to make your choices – September, October and November (If you have difficulties obtaining these new books, you can read a release from the same months in 2012).
Allegiant by Veronica Roth

2) September 22-28 is Banned Books Week. Celebrate your freedom to read by reading a book that has been banned and/or challenged in any country. The American Library Association has several lists available, but you do not have to read from those lists nor does the book have to be YA.
1984 by George Orwell, completed 9/6

3) Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15) and read a book with a Hispanic main character. If you need ideas, REFORMA has a great list. Thanks, Neha, for an excellent GoodReads list.
I Will Save You by Matt de la Pena

4) Read a book that has been translated into English. Oliviasbooks has provided a great list.

5) September 19th is Talk Like a Pirate Day. Read a book about pirates or seafaring people. Some ideas can be found here.

6) Read a scary or horror book for Halloween.
Drought by Pam Bachorz

7) October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Read a book where any character is being abused or has been abused.

8) Celebrate World Post Day, October 9th, by reading an epistolary novel or real correspondence letters. Ideas can be found here.
Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding

9) November 12th is Chicken Soup for the Soul Day. Read a book with a heartwarming or uplifting story.

10) Reread a book that you loved to celebrate Book Lovers Day (first Saturday in November).

I will try to update my progress as I go! 🙂

7 Quick Takes: 7 x 7 Edition

7 Quick Takes Friday

On the way in to work today, I was inspired to write my quick takes in 7 x 7 style. 7 topics with 7 entries each. 🙂 Hopefully, I have enough to complete my quick takes! 🙂 Here goes!

— 1 —

Seven Things I Did Before Work:

Prayed Morning Prayer and the Office of the Readings
Prayed before the Lord exposed on the altar
Got a delicious Venti iced no-ice Caramel Macchiato
Got a delicious Spinach and Artichoke souffle
Walked leisurely around downtown Plymouth, enjoying the beautiful morning
Took and Instagrammed pictures of some flowers (taken downtown)
Brought “Moloka’i” to work; reading it for a book club

— 2 —

Seven Photos I Took This Morning:

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— 3 —

Seven Priests I Pray For:

Fr. John Riccardo – Click here for his podcasts
Fr. JJ Mech – St. Anastasia Parish Website
Fr. Eric Fedewa – St. Anastasia Parish Website
Fr. Steve Mateja – Click here for his podcasts
Fr. Clement Suhy – Click here for his podcasts
Fr. Stanley Obloj – St. Mark Parish Website
Fr. Lee Acervo – Fr. Acervo’s Corner (blog)

Not the complete list of priests I pray for… In case you are one of my priests and you feel left out… Don’t worry!

— 4 —

Seven Books I Need to Read Before 8/10, When They are Due Back at the Library:

A Tale of Two Pretties
Ancient Writers: Greece and Rome
Brideshead Revisited
Kill Me Softly
Moloka’i
The Monk Downstairs
Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker

— 5 —

Seven Devotions that can be Prayed Using Beads:

Dominican Rosary
Brigittine beads
Dolour beads
Immaculate Conception beads
Crown of Our Saviour
Chaplet of the Five Wounds
Crosier beads

Trivia: Did you know that, historically, the word “bead” or “bede” meant “prayer”?

— 6 —

Seven Things That I Need to Do Around My House, That Will Be Ignored for Yet Another Week:

Putting away the laundry
Washing all the dishes
Scrubbing the tub
Cleaning the computer room
Taking old furniture to some charity
Cleaning the garage
Decluttering

— 7 —

Seven Rides I Plan on Going On Tomorrow!

Gatekeeper
Raptor
Magnum
Maverick
Maxair
Windseeker
Thunder Canyon

Obviously… I’M GOING TO CEDAR POINT!!! 🙂

Gatekeeper at Cedar Point

God Bless!

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at Conversion Diary!

Maybe I Should Have Been Frankenbabied…

Bioethics, Health and Medicine, Jennspeak
Baby Frankenstein Costume

I was reading through my blog feed, trying to get caught up, when I happened upon this article regarding genetic modification of embryos. In a nutshell, the article takes a look at the morality (or immorality) of taking the nuclear DNA from an embryo and implanting it within a denucleated egg cell from a donor which contains healthy mitochondrial DNA as a “therapy” for patients with mitochondrial disease.

Is “therapy” the right word?

The article suggests that maybe not. The way they argue it, you aren’t “treating” a condition of the patient, but you are modifying the genetic make-up of the person from the beginning — taking some genes from the father, some from the mother and other genes (the mitochondrial ones) from a second woman (the donor egg). Then, you slap together all the pieces parts to Frankenbaby yourself a genetically “improved” embryo.

By the way, I just made up that word.

Frankenbaby = to genetically modify an embryo

Given that my condition is progressive and terminal and relatively uncommon, I’m kind of happy that the medical community is bothering to think up ways to help me out. However, (1) it’s a little too late at this point and (2) it’s not moral.

Keep trying, though…

Adventures in Mowing

Exciting Adventures of the Everyday

I haven’t been feeling well lately, and as a result a lot of things around the house have been rather neglected. Including my lawn. My shaggy, overgrown lawn.

A friend had offered to help with the lawn at one point, and I knew that it was time to (finally) ask for help!

This is how I asked:

Jack-jack! For the love of all that is holy, please send some grazing animals to my lawn. And where were you when I desperately needed a medical professional last night?!?!?! 🙂

And, because Jack-jack is AWESOME, he immediately offered to come over and help! 🙂 He said he might bring a helper, but I have since never heard if he actually brought a helper or not… Or who the helper may have been… If there was a Mystery Helper — Thank You!

On the morning that Jack-jack — he doesn’t actually call himself this; I have decided that this shall be his name after the most awesome superhero from the Incredibles — was to arrive to help with the yard, I sent him a couple important photos:

First, I have this stupid plant growing in my yard.
Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy

But I was thinking of his well-being and provided a towel and some soap, so that he could wash up (using the garden hose, LOL) in the unfortunate event that he came into contact with this unwelcome yard guest.

And, we couldn’t have our hero be without something to refresh him after his hard labors, could we?

I THINK NOT!

So, I offered the only thing I had: beer.

I don’t really drink, so it had been left in the freezer from when Fr. Eric came over for dinner. I figured that by the time Jack-jack was done with the lawn, it might have had time to thaw, yet still be cold. 🙂

So, I left the goodies on a box next to the lawnmower and gas can.
Beer and Soap

I made sure to leave 2 beers in case he did bring a helper. I didn’t think to leave a bottle opener, but providentially there was a magnetized one stuck to the side of the lockers in the garage right next to the beer.

…

When I got home, the first thing I noticed (after noting that the grass was mowed), was that my picnic table was now located in the middle of the yard, instead of where it normally resides on the concrete next to the garage.

Picnic Table in the Middle of the Yard

HAHAHA! Hilarious! I thought, “Jack-jack must want me to *use* this picnic table. I’ll have to arrange a picnic or BBQ soon.” How fun!

But there’s more! As I started to realize that more things were “out of place”, I ran around looking for all the changes in the yard. It was like the “Where’s Waldo” of patio furniture! 🙂 Delightful!

Jack had cleared off the sidewalk and porch:
Sidewalk and Front Porch

Moved a chair and a teapot to next to the back door:
Chair and Teapot by the Back Door

Moved a bench from the front patio area to the side of the house:
Bench on Side of House

Stuck a yard sign (that my mom had gotten and placed in the front flower bed) in the grass in the backyard:
Sign in the Backyard

And, finally, left the beer bottles by tomato and corn plant:
Finished Beer and Plants

He also left my Tony Hawk 4 game in the back door with a note that he and his fiancee, April, were praying for me! Awww! (And now I have to practice my video-skateboarding skills…)

THANKS JACK-JACK AND MYSTERY HELPER!

Not only was this incredibly helpful to me, but you made it SO MUCH FUN!!! 🙂

Love you guys! 🙂

Why I Get Sick…

Health & Medicine, ,

For funsies, I’m reading through my Anatomy and Physiology textbook and completing the study workbook (that I never used when I was actually *taking* the class).

Now, I got a lot of stuff wrong with me, but one of them is that I tend to accrue lactic acid like crazy. By “crazy”, I mean that on one of my studies, my lactic acid production upon exertion was something like 25 times normal.

So, let’s see what the trusty A/P text has to say about acidosis:

The normal pH of blood, for example, is 7.35 – 7.45. Acidosis, in which blood pH falls to 7.0 to 7.3, makes one feel disoriented and fatigued, and breathing may become difficult. — Hole’s Human Anatomy and Physiology, David Shier et al.

Um. Yep!

On to chaper 3! Where we will learn about cells, and the stupid, stupid cells within cells called mitochondria which SUCK. (At least, mine do!) 🙂

Mitochondrion
I couldn’t find a good, non-copyrighted, picture of a mitochondrion, so I drew one myself.

An Encounter with the Living Christ

Prayer/Prayer Requests

This fall, my parish — Our Lady of Good Counsel — is going to be focusing our efforts on facilitating encounters with Jesus. This will mainly be done by via the Alpha program (of which I know just about nothing… yet…).

DSCN2352
Jesus is right here in the tabernacle.

What made me think about this this morning was a podcast I was listening to by Fr. John. No. Not our Fr. John, but Fr. John Nepil of “Catholic Stuff You Should Know.” His podcasts are hilarious and very informative. 🙂

His latest podcast is called “Theology of Mountaineering” and in it he and Deacon Nathan talk about a recent pilgrimage they made where they were away from technology. I think one of the great things about this podcast was that they noted that while surrounding yourself with beautiful places, great people and removing distractions may be helpful to dispose yourself to having an encounter with Jesus, they don’t guarantee that you will have an encounter.

So, don’t get discouraged if you “do everything right” and still feel that the personal connection you were seeking “didn’t happen”. No time spent in prayer is wasted. Even if you don’t “feel” anything. And faithfulness and perseverance in prayer is important.

Pilgrimage to Rome: Day 9

Pilgrimage, ,

Itinerary for Today:
Flight over the Atlantic back home!
airplane

Predicted Italian Weather:
88 degrees, bright sunshine. YAY!

Predicted Michigan Weather:
91 degrees, 96% humidity, heat advisory, partly sunny. Welcome home! 🙂

Pray!
Pray for the safety of all travelers this day. Write a letter or a note to one of the pilgrims you have been praying for about your experience on this pilgrimage journey. Join in 8:00 A.M. Mass one morning this week to celebrate the end of the pilgrimage and maybe to meet a pilgrim in our midst. In gratitude, be good to others today.

The Lord will set me free and rescue me because He loves me.

Gracious Father, I will thank You each day for Your merciful goodness to me. With Your help, I will ever praise Your kindness in my trouble. Please assist me now, as I faithfully follow Christ, my Savior, and call upon the friendship and intercession of Saint Francis of Assisi, by granting my petition (mention your request). Amen.

Lord, make me an instrument of peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
For it is in giving, that we receive,
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned.
And it is in dying, that we are born to Eternal life.

* Note: None of these pictures are mine, as I’ve never been to Italy. *sob* Nor are they pictures from the pilgrims. They are pictures taken from people who have allowed others to link to them; you can click through each picture to the photographer’s page, to see more of their work.

May God bless you, pilgrims! May He grant you a swift, safe, and easy journey back home! Thank you for your prayers for our community! Can’t wait to see your pictures and hear all of your stories! 🙂