Decorus Verum

It's Up!

2010-03-30T12:08:00.000-07:00

My new blog is now up! As promised, here is the link to "A Thousand Words".

http://millelacuna.wordpress.com/

New Blog!

2010-03-30T11:01:00.000-07:00

The vain of my blogging existence has been my inability to post pictures to this blog. And as photography has become a major part of my life in the past few months, I feel that such a thing should not be an obstacle. Although this blog shall continue to exist, my new posts can be found on my new blog, which shall go up at some point today. I shall post a link when it is enabled. :)

Timing it Right

2010-03-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

I spent my morning reading Peace by Aristophanes and listening to classical piano music. It was greatly enjoyable. For those of you who know me really well, you would probably be a bit surprised and confused, because for this girl to be reading something written by Aristophanes is like a horse sitting down at a kitchen table and eating his meal with a knife and fork. Maybe that's a bit extreme. Maybe it's more like a cat going for a swim. Anyhow, I've been reading his various plays and have found myself invested in the characters and dialog. How weird is that? It's probably good for me (and my brain).

CUT TO:

Brain cells multiplying rapidly.

I have also been itching to pick up The Brothers' Karamazov again. I started reading it over Easter break, shortly after I had finished my junior year of college. It was just way too much at that point in time. You see, I had just come back from Europe and I was suffering from jet lag, not to mention the burnout effects which occur from finals. I was also determined to read all 800 pages (or something like that) in three weeks time. I practically gave myself a brain aneurysm. Dostoevsky was stored away in a file box only a week after it was bought.

So after I finish Aristophanes: The Birds and Other Plays, I am determined to make a fresh start on this Dostoevsky classic.

February Daybook

2010-02-05T22:07:00.000-08:00

Outside My Window:: It's wet (as in it's raining)!

I am hearing:: The carpeted upper floor gently creaking as my parents get ready for bed, the shower running, the light tippity-tap of the keys under my fingers.

I am wearing:: JPII t-shirt, comfy pj pants.

I am Thankful :: For loving, supportive, and understanding parents who are helping me to get my life in order. Sometimes I hate Friday nights, don't you? You're exhausted, and have been working all week (not like I have one and I've been too sick to even think of looking). On Friday, all our troubles and problems catch up with us and we're so tired we overact. Well maybe you don't, but I sure do.

I am Thinking:: About my friend Miss Julia Swain, and how lovely it is that she has started a blog. :) I have a whole list of bookmarked blogs that I read, (mostly written by home school mothers and a few by good friends and acquaintances), and I read them religiously (as in every day). :)

I am Pondering:: I wonder what God has in store for me. I mean I think I know what he has in store for me and that's why I'm going to Michigan this month to visit the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. The weekend after I get back, I'm going to visit the Daughters of St. Paul for one of their mini discernment sessions/retreats. I hope that it all becomes much more clear in the near future.

I am Reading: Band of Brothers. I never thought I would find myself reading one of my brother's books about wartime, but I find myself doing so having nothing else available to read, except for Tolkien and Tolstoy of which I am not particularly fond. I enjoyed The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, but I'm not entirely eager to read Tolien's other books. It's just not my thing.

From the Kitchen:: I finally figured out how to make biscotti crunchy. It's always tasted right, but it turns out the recipe I have is missing the final step, which is to bake the cookies an extra twenty minutes or so. I am hoping to try either this weekend or next week. For Superbowl Sunday, I am going to make these for dinner. :)

I am Creating:: A photography business for myself. Last year, I bought about $1000 worth of photography equipment. I have always been into photography and had been taking pictures with a Nikon Coolpix which took decent pictures, but I was never quite able to achieve what I was envisioning. Now, with my new extraordinary zoom capability and various other fantastic features, I have a great opportunity ahead of me.

On my iPod/iPhone:: My favorites list and singing right now is Michael Buble singing Sway. What a great song. =)

Towards Rhythm:: I almost have my daily schedule down to a T. I get up (I still need to find a good time to regularly wake up at), take a shower, eat breakfast, brush my teeth, make tea, read for a few hours, go for a walk, eat lunch, watch an episode (or two) of some sort of mini-series (right now I'm really into BBC and A&E) that I find on Netflix, and then spend the rest of my afternoon on the computer or hanging out with my mother. We then eat dinner, the rest of the family goes for a walk, and then we watch something together (we just finished the first season of ER).

To Live the Liturgy:: I've been trying to turn my daily walk (see above) into a Rosary walk.

I am Hoping and Praying:: That BUMP+ continues to reach people and have a positive impact as it brings forth stories and conversation.

Around the House:: It's generally calm and quiet within the Lynch home. Right now, I believe I'm the only one still awake. ;)

On Keeping Home:: I've been making an effort to keep my room tidy. It looks decent right now thanks to the thorough cleaning I gave it at the beginning of the week. When it's clean and organized, I'm happy. A happy me is much more agreeable than a grouchy miserable me.

One of My Favorite Things: Hot chocolate in a clear blue glass mug on a cloudy and cold day. I was going to make it the easy way (the way I usually do it) with boiling water, but I changed my mind, pulled the plug of the electric tea kettle out of the wall, and heated up some milk. There really is nothing more tasty and warming. (Tea is another all time favorite, but sometimes I need chocolate.)

Reminiscing

2010-02-05T11:09:00.001-08:00

Makes me miss having kittens around the house.

To Idolize What is Good

2010-02-01T15:51:00.000-08:00

Note: These are more ramblings than organized/structured thought.

In my days off, or rather the days in which I have been job hunting, vocation searching, etc., I have been spending a great deal of time reading various books. On Saturday, I read the last pages of The Client as written by John Grisham. Then on Sunday afternoon, I picked up Bridge to Terabithia, a lovely story which I found quite easy to read and enjoy. I finished it last night, a mere seven hours after I had started. Before starting on The Client, I had already been reading Peggy Noonan's John Paul the Great. I had originally thought that I might read The Client and John Paul the Great simultaneously, but found the former to be more of a page turner and therefore, finished it before the latter.

I re-opened John Paul the Great this morning. Peggy Noonan wrote of her meetings with Pope John Paul II. As I read, I found myself crying happy tears and chuckling to myself over the antics of our former Pope, I recalled my own adventures in Rome and seeing Pope Benedict XVI for the first time in the Vatican. To someone of great importance, it might not have seemed of great consequence as it was just the Pope's regular Wednesday audience. But I will never forget that day. I was several rows back and the canopy under which the Pope would sit with all his cardinals looked so small off in the distance. We arrived at least two hours early and waited for what seemed to me an eternity. Then he came. And I could see him, I could see Pope Benedict XVI in his pope mobile, waving to the crowds and a beautiful smile on his face. And I melted inside. I literally teared up and became weak at the knees. I laughed as a little child would laugh with glee over the joys and excitements of Christmas time. In any other circumstances, I would have felt like a fool, but I couldn't help myself and I certainly did not care. In that moment, I forgot all my troubles and worldly cares (like the fact that I was exhausted from Professor Barber's most tiresome schedule). All that I saw or knew in that moment was a great leader, shaking hands with and waving to the vast masses of people who all felt the same way I did (or maybe not quite).

People find all sorts of idols in today's world. In fact, I am quite positive that since the beginning of time people have idolized other people, possessions, various worldly things that don't last. People cheer and shout (even scream) when a movie star or singer walks down the street, begging for an autograph, stretching across yellow tape, pushing through security just to touch a celebrity's thousand dollar coat. We worship/fantasize about such lofty lifestyles. What we don't realize is that we (you and I) are the same as Tom Cruise or Jennifer Lopez. We may not make as much money or be quite as famous, but we're the same. We're human, we make mistakes, we sin, we have relationships, we laugh, we cry, and sometimes we have bad days.

(I swear these two topics fit together perfectly in my head; I just need to find a way to connect them well enough to write down what I am trying to say.)

When I saw Pope Benedict for the first time, I went weak at the knees and I cried tears of gladness. It is not because I idolize him as God. I attribute my great joy to seeing and recognizing Benedict as a great man of God. He was chosen by the Holy Spirit to be the new Shepherd of our Church here on earth. He represents Jesus Christ to the world. Benedict is a great man because he is so close to Christ and bears so much responsibility for the wellbeing and spiritual health of the world. (He calls the shots.) I idolize Pope Benedict XVI, because I want to be like him. I idolize him as I would a role model. (Maybe "idolize" is not the right word.) I want to be holy as he is holy. On that day in Rome I saw a living saint. Don't we want to be like the saints?

I guess the point I am trying to make is that we idolize the wrong things. We idolize celebrities for their fame, their money, and their good looks. But Jesus put us on this earth and created us to know, love, and serve him. He gave us great shepherds like John Paul II and Benedict to guide us in these things and to grow in holiness. Alice von Hildebrand tells us that we should "pray for holy tears". I believe the tears that I cried in the Vatican Square were those of holy tears, tears which came from seeing and recognizing a living saint.

Bump+

2010-01-20T15:43:00.000-08:00

Bump+

Tell your friends. Tell your family. Tell your enemies. Join the conversation.

Why We Need to Light Up the Darkness

2010-01-12T11:01:00.000-08:00

Saw a link to this article on Facebook.

Audiences Experience 'Avatar' Blues

by Joe Piazza

(CNN) -- James Cameron's completely immersive spectacle "Avatar" may have been a little too real for some fans who say they have experienced depression and suicidal thoughts after seeing the film because they long to enjoy the beauty of the alien world Pandora.

On the fan forum site "Avatar Forums," a topic thread entitled "Ways to cope with the depression of the dream of Pandora being intangible," has received more than 1,000 posts from people experiencing depression and fans trying to help them cope. The topic became so popular last month that forum administrator Philippe Baghdassarian had to create a second thread so people could continue to post their confused feelings about the movie.

Read the rest here.

For Tomorrow...

2010-01-11T22:40:00.000-08:00

I swear, I was doing really well on the blogging thing, wasn't I? It sort of all went downhill when I went to the bay area for ten days and was on a film set for three. Oh well...

So what's happening? Well, for one thing, as soon as I woke up, my mother ran across the living room hurriedly. "MaryJoy told Scott that there's an opening at Catholic Answers! You should call her!" Hence, I called, and within a matter of fifteen minutes was updating my resume and writing a cover letter. I was done by 2:50ish, and faxed it over through Kinko's asap. I guess we'll see what comes of it. (Fingers crossed... it's in His hands.)

I know that this post is entitled, "For Tomorrow", but I need to finish my set-up in order for you to understand the importance of tomorrow.

Did I mention I was on a film set all weekend? Yeah, standing for 13+ hours/day sort of makes me tight. (Last night, I couldn't turn my head due to the fact that my neck was so tight and every time I lifted my arm and put it down, a sharp pain would run from the back of my neck and shoulder down my spine.) Therefore, after our visit to Kinko's, we stopped over at my chiropractor. Still a little sore, but better than it was.

We finally headed to the dry cleaners to pick up literally all my nice clothes. They were supposed to be in by 4pm today. Get there, the dry cleaner can't find them. They're either lost or haven't come back yet. I can't lie. I'm annoyed.

Soooooo.... as stated above, for tomorrow:

I'll be calling Catholic Answers, making sure they received my resume and cover letter.
I'll be calling Fr. Saroki, the man in charge of religious vocations in the San Diego diocese. I was going to do this today, but some new priorities came into play.
Ice, stretching, ice, more stretching, ice, stretching, etc....
Maybe a trip to the dry cleaners. (Saying a prayer to St. Anthony...)

Daybook

2009-12-27T12:25:00.001-08:00

Outside my window ... Glorious sunshine and a cool breeze.

I am thinking … about Avatar.

On my iPod... (From my iTunes) 12 Days of Christmas by Straight No Chaser.

I am thankful for … new jeans.

I am reading … still reading What I Saw at the Revolution by Peggy Noonan.

I am hoping … that our flight the bay area will go smoothly.

On my mind … I hope I'm not forgetting anything.

Noticing that … I still have one box from my move home that I have yet to empty.

A few plans for the week … The proper care and feeding of little cousins.

From the kitchen … the finishing up of leftovers from Filippe's and wayyyyy too much chocolate.

Around the house … Last minute preparations before departure for the airport.

One of my favorite things … Acapella Christmas music.

Mmmmmm.....

2009-12-25T16:20:00.001-08:00

I wish I could somehow share with you all the smell of the roast that is in the oven downstairs. It is plugged with garlic. I wish I could blog its lovely rich scent, open a vent, and let it waft throughout the world wide web.

Later on this evening, this roast will be served with mashed potatoes, salad, and pomegranate cider. The meal will then be wrapped up with creme brulee. And I am quite positive that our wonderful day will end with mugs of hot cocoa, topped off with marshmallows and candy canes.

Merry Christmas, Everyone!!!!

From a Dockers VP

2009-12-23T23:41:00.000-08:00

"Once upon a time, men wore the pants, and wore them well. Women rarely had to open doors and little old ladies never crossed the street alone. Men took charge because that’s what they did. But somewhere along the way, the world decided it no longer needed men. Disco by disco, latte by foamy non-fat latte, men were stripped of their khaki’s and left stranded on the road between boyhood and androgyny. But today, there are questions our genderless society has no answers for. The world sits idly by and cities crumble, children misbehave and those little old ladies remain on one side of the street. For the first time since bad guys, we need heroes. We need grown-ups. We need men to put down the plastic fork, step away from the salad bar and untie the world from the tracks of complacency. It’s time to get your hands dirty. It’s time to answer the call of manhood. It’s time to wear the pants."

To read the rest of the article, go here:
http://www.faithandfamilylive.com/blog/manifesto?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%253A+faithandfamilylive+[Faith+%26+Family+Live!]&utm_content=Google+Reader#When:16:00:57Z

I Think I May Need Prayers

2009-12-21T23:31:00.000-08:00

Or better yet, I think my family may need prayers as they stand behind me at this time in my life.

As much as I love my Alma Mater, I must say that three years of school with no summer break is exhausting. Yes, I am EXHAUSTED. I am not necessarily tired in the physical sense, but my mental faculties have been overwhelmed, my mind has been crammed with information, and I feel that it may take a couple weeks of watching movies, reading books, and dwelling in subconsciousness to find my sanity. Is this madness? Do I sound nonsensical?

Jesus, help me! I can't even type. (I just caught myself writing, "Is I mad? Does I sound nonsensical?")

It's the second night in a row where I've found myself in tears over something. In addition to being exhausted, I find myself stressed. Although the former may be the cause of the latter or vice versa, I do have to point out one critical factor which may be in the mix. 1) I AM A COLLEGE GRADUATE.

I do not have a job. I am shy.

But you have good connections.

I hate approaching people, even people I know.

Other things to add to the mix:

2) I need to figure out what is going on with my spiritual life.

3) My grandfather is living the last days/months of his life on this earth. I know that he is going to a better place, but it is still depressing. My family is comprised of fairly quiet, shy, and sensitive folk. They argue under stress; they cry easily. Not a good combination, especially when you're stressed to begin with for reasons aforementioned.

4) People send me stupid requests for things which have no meaning and really no importance. Yet they insist. I'll give you a hint. Ask and then leave me be. I will get to it when I have time or I will say no. Either way, do not press me. It will only proceed to tick me off/anger me and thus ignore you or your request/change my mind in the negative. You will not be pleased, I will not care, and the earth will continue to revolve. (I will probably spend more time in Purgatory.)

I am venting. Please forgive me and pray for my well-being. It is almost Christmas and I am in need of cheer. (I should also go to bed and spare you all from rants that are a result of exhaustion.)

This Is What I Call An Achievement

2009-12-19T18:50:00.000-08:00

John Paul II has been declared venerable!

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/john_paul_ii_declared_venerable_moves_one_step_closer_to_sainthood/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+catholicnewsagency/dailynews+(CNA+Daily+News)

Kipper

2009-12-18T23:21:00.001-08:00

Kipper
Originally uploaded by andrea.lynch88

A picture I am sharing (cont'd from previous blog post)...

2009-12-18T23:18:00.001-08:00

Outside my window ... A black road winding between two rows of clean cut suburban homes. All is lit by moonlight and street lamps.

I am thinking … that tomorrow will be a fun and busy day as we prepare the house for Christmas. We will also be visiting our favorite bakery. In honor of my graduation, my mother is throwing a Christmas caroling/dessert party.

I am thankful for …family reunions, even small ones which consist of all the kids being home for the holidays.

I am reading … Peggy Noonan's, What I Saw At the Revolution.

I am hoping … and praying for my Grandpa's health and (if it be God's will) his recovery.

On my mind …Tomorrow's festivities.

Noticing that … my room is becoming cluttered again due to the arrival of belongings I have collected over my past 3.5 years at school.

A few plans for the week … Christmas decorating, visit to Canterbury Gardens, and Christmas cooking.

From the kitchen …Chocolate. We have a tin of peppermint bark in our cupboard. My sister also received a TON of chocolate from her Kris Kringle at TAC. She came home tonight on the train and brought it with her. It sits in our cupboard with the peppermint bark.

Around the house … As a media major, I enjoy movies and watched many at school. I convinced my mother to sign up for Netflix (which I actually ended up doing for her). Since I got home, we watch a movie a day.

One of my favorite things … home cooked meals. Nuff said.

A picture I am sharing …

*Note: Until I figure out what I am doing with regards to this option, I believe I will leave it blank and put it in a separate post.

I've Done It

2009-12-18T22:38:00.001-08:00

Let's see now... the last time I blogged was... you know, I really don't remember. That's the bad news. I always promise that I will post more often, break my promise, and then make the promise once more. I hope this is the last time due to my good news. As of December 12th, 2009, I am in proud possession of my B.S. Degree in Communications Media! Which means... I promise I shall blog more and I am going to try (not guarantee) to post every day. I don't know what I will post, but it is my goal to find something. If I can't find something, I must have a pretty boring and meaningless life. If I can't find something, I need to get my act together. It means I need to get a life!

I'm going to start tonight. I'm not going to start with this post, because for the most part, it is a fairly meaningless post. It is only a bone with a shred of meat. (I will leave it up to you to decide which part of this post is most interesting.)

Three More Days!

2009-12-09T09:45:00.000-08:00

In three more days, school will be over... FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!! I can't express how exciting I am about this prospect!

Yet, at the same time, it's all rather bittersweet. This is for two simple reasons:

1) Tomorrow is my last day and before that day begins, I need to finish putting together my business plan, demo reel, and trailer. Ah, woe is me! But I know that somehow, before Friday, it will all be over and I'll be done.

2) You have no idea of how much it saddens me to be leaving all my friends. I have so many good memories of JP Catholic and the people here. I love everyone so much.

You have to understand that JP Catholic is like a family. The school is so small (there's about 120 students) and I know EVERY SINGLE ONE. And for the most part, I consider them all my close friends (even the strange artsy ones).

The good news is, I'll be living at home for another year or so before entering a religious order (so excited about this), and therefore, hope to visit the school frequently. We'll see whether or not this actually happens, but that is the plan for the time being.

So, you see (hopefully), my reasoning for being happy and sad at the same time. I'm still debating whether or not I should wear mascara on Saturday for fear that it may all end up running down my face in long black streaks.

My Fairy Name

2009-11-22T18:57:00.000-08:00

Love this kind of thing and I just couldn't resist when I saw it on Mrs. Fleming's blog. :)

Your fairy is called Gossamer Moontree

She is the moon goddess's messenger.

She lives in spiderwebbed wonderlands and insect grottos.

She is only seen when the first leaves fall from the trees.

She wears tiny black spiders on her dresses. She has beautiful blue butterfly wings.

Get your free fairy name here!

(My, my... Isn't it such a scandalous looking dress? If I ever meet my fairy, we are most definitely going shopping for something new.)

Update

2009-11-05T23:50:00.001-08:00

I thought I should do this again as I now have the ability to update it! :)

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars - not yet, unless you count a room, which is under a roof, which is under the stars. :)
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland or DisneyWorld
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hike
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse - I think so.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors - Ireland!
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (in general)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing - Indoors :)
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business - In the process
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching -- Yes, with the Lawlesses at Dana Point.
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand-new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

New Blog

2009-10-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

Don't worry. I hope to continue maintaining this one as well. My new blog pertains to my recently launched company, Flashback Animation Studios.

Here's the link:

http://flashbackanimation.wordpress.com/

Please tell your friends as well! :)

Awww, Ma!!!!!

2009-10-23T18:41:00.000-07:00

Do It Anyway...

2009-10-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

"People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway. If you do good, people may accuse you of selfish motives. Do good anyway. If you are successful, you may win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. People who really want help may attack you if you help them. Help them anyway. Give the world the best you have and you may get hurt. Give the world your best anyway." ~ Mother Theresa

I'm Getting a New Camera

2009-10-14T12:54:00.001-07:00

Two years ago, I went to Walmart to buy my very first digital camera. I literally bought the cheapest of the cheap. It was a Nikon Coolpix. It takes really good pictures in the day, but once the sun goes down and/or if there's low light of any kind, all kinds of picture taking comes to a fast end. Not gonna lie. I've grown sick and tired of my little Nikon. It may be cute and handy, but I feel if I'm going to further my skills and pursue my passion for photography, I should make an investment.

To say the least, it's going to be a rather LARGE investment, but I'm hoping it will be totally worth it in the end. After a year's worth of research I've made my decision. Above is the Nikon D90.

Life is Good

2009-10-13T13:26:00.000-07:00

It's Fall! A cool breeze is blowing through the window and is causing the pine trees to stir in front of the balcony. Pine trees? Since when does this girl have pine trees in any near vicinity of her apartment? Haha... well, since she moved into her beautiful new apartment. That's right! I switched apartments for my last quarter at JP Catholic. It's lovely. There's two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a small kitchen and dining area, a fireplace and a front room. Right now, it smells of the Christmas Cookie candle burning on the counter top. It's wonderfully cozy. *Sigh of happiness...

But the best part of the apartment is the girls that are living there. I am blessed to still be rooming with Lisa. She's a continuous reminder of what it is to be holy. The other two girls are freshmen and they're adorable. Both are so sweet and joyous. All of us have been having a lovely time together. There has been many an interesting conversation (during which Tiffany makes baby hats). Becca was gracious enough to get a television which has enabled us to host a small gathering of girls. We had pizza, fruit, and ice cream and watched Pirates of the Caribbean. We all enjoy cooking and good music.

As for the practical things in life, each girl has good study habits, understands what it means to share the washer and dryer, how to keep a kitchen and apartment neat and tidy, and "indoor noises".

What can I say? I've been blessed and I don't know how else to put it. I am going to be sad when I leave and I have a feeling that I am going to miss these girls horribly. I am most definitely not looking forward to that aspect of graduating.

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.
- Stanley Horowitz

Would You Like To See My Schedule For Next Quarter?

2009-09-03T11:37:00.000-07:00

Here is the schedule so far for my final quarter at John Paul the Great Catholic University. It sure looks intense, doesn't it?

Monday:

American Politics: 12:00-2:55pm

Senior Project: Post-Production & Demo Reel: 3:00-5:55pm

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Multimedia Advertising: Commercials & Beyond: 3:00-5:55pm

Thursday:

Business Launch: 8:00-10:55am

Friday (I may or may not take this class; it's an elective):

Logic: 12:00-2:55pm (I might just audit)

Then In October: The Business of New Media

October 1st, 2nd, 22nd, 23rd: 4:30-7:30pm

October 3rd, 24th, 31st: 9:00am-4:00pm

I have to get through all of this before I graduate on December 12th! :)

I Haven't Blogged in Forever

2009-08-27T21:03:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay... I haven't blogged in a really long time. It's all for good reason, but I fear that in my absence I've probably lost some of my dear readers. *Sigh.

In my absence, I've been busy beyond all comparison. I landed a job working on a promotional video for a new children's book. (I'll make sure to post it when it's finished.) I've been reading an encyclical per week on top of at least twenty pages of other Catholic social teaching reading. The production of my senior film project has taken up most of my free time on the weekends and I'm happy to say I wrapped that up last Monday. Of course, I'm still running my business. I've also been taking an environmental chemistry class. This class is the only class I've ever taken at JP Catholic which does not pertain to my degree in some way. However, it is required so I will do my best to finish up with all that I have. And so I'm left with only two more weeks before this quarter is over. In that time I have to finish my After Effects promo for my company, write a 10-12 pg. paper on Catholic Social Teaching, write my Catholic social teaching take-home final exam, and study for my science final exam. When this quarter is over, I will have only one left before graduation! Ten weeks left in my college career! (A strange feeling has just washed over me.)

And I've saved the best news for last. A couple weeks ago, I came to a very important decision. It is my firm belief that Jesus is calling me to spend the rest of my days with Him... as His bride. In simpler terms, I'm pretty positive that I have a vocation. I've gotten past the point of tearing up with happiness every time I share this special news with someone. (If you know me in person, you'll have to ask me to tell the story of exactly what happened. I somehow do not feel quite right posting the story for all to see on the world wide web.) I'll be looking into orders after graduation. Therefore, I ask for anyone who reads this blog to pray for me that I come to the right conclusion.

I've Been So Busy

2009-06-29T14:53:00.000-07:00

Gosh darn, I was doing so well. I was blogging almost every day, sometimes more than once. Then life happened. I have one week left of summer break (they gave me a whole three weeks) and so much has happened in the past two weeks, I don't even know where to begin. I suppose I must start somewhere.

The first week my aunt and her two kids came to visit my family in San Diego. They stayed at our house. It was interesting experiencing a 4 1/2 year old and a 2 1/2 year old living in an unfamiliar environment for four days. The four year old was probably given more sugar by my mother than she has ever received her whole life. (It's a good thing they live 500 miles away.) Mum bought those tasty little Circus Animal cookies. You know, the pink and white ones with the little multicolored sprinkles. At the park, she bought the four year old an orange dreamsicle. Worst of all, the little one would refuse to eat anything green. For example, I made dinner one night: eggs with turkey, baked oatmeal, and strawberries. There was a bit of green on one of the strawberries, and she looked at it with disdain and gave it to my sister. I probably sound like I'm complaining. Believe me, I love children, but when they're staying somewhere other than home, they're out of their routine, they're tired, you're tired, and it can become overwhelming.

They left Saturday and got on the plane with two guests: me and my sister! The airport experience was uneventful. Both the two year old and the four year old were extremely excited about getting on the airplane. The two year old (my godson) made it clear that he wanted to sit with me and his mommy and the four year old thought it would be great fun to sit next to my sister. Our flight left at 9:45am, which means I got up at 6:15am. We got to the bay area around 11:00am. Our uncle (aunt's husband) is an amazing musician and that very night was going to be conducting and directing the music for a production of Yeomen of the Guard (Gilbert and Sullivan). So, my sister and I got to babysit the little rascals while my aunt and her friend went to see the show. By this point, the two little ones were quite used to their big cousins, which made things, quite fortunately, easy as pie. They were in bed by 8:30. Bridget and I were exhausted. We had both gotten up in the wee hours of morning, traveled by air (which is always exhausting no matter how far you're going), and our other aunt had been visiting all afternoon. We stayed awake as long as we could, debated as to whether or not we should go to bed, stayed up a while longer, decided it was probably okay, and both got some shuteye. Bridget woke up at one point to check on the kids, but I was out.

(For future reference, Bridget and I are generally night owls and excellent late night babysitters. We make a great team. We're both certified in CPR and have taken care of lots of children. Bridget's good with the loud extroverted ones; I'm good with the quiet introverted ones. We schedule ourselves and make sure everything stays in order. For example, with our cousins it was: playtime, bath, books, drink of water, potty, prayers, bed.

Most recently, we've been split up as a result of receiving higher education, but we're happy to watch your little ones if we're in the area and/or are on break.)

The rest of the week was spent traveling to/fro from relative to relative: grandparents, cousins (1st, 2nd, and 3rd), aunts, uncles, you name it, we saw all that were available. We just got back last Friday. Bridget's friend from TAC came for the weekend and we had a wonderful weekend watching movies, eating good food, sunbathing, swimming, etc. Thursday is Dad's birthday and our aunt (another from the bay area who we just saw last week) is coming down for the 4th of July. I hope to put together a Europe photo album before I head back to school, make a French Toast casserole for dinner, wash the truck (it's filthy), and maybe read one or two more interesting books.

"To see the summer sky is poetry..." ~ Emily Dickinson

Just an Observation

2009-06-09T23:17:00.000-07:00

When I'm finished with this quarter, I'll only have twenty weeks of school left.

Book Meme

2009-06-05T10:05:00.000-07:00

1. What author do you own the most books by?
Probably L.M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gable series, etc.)

2. What book do you own the most copies of?
I'd say the Bible or the Catechism.

3. Did it bother you that both those questions ended with prepositions?
Nope.

4. What fictional character are you secretly in love with?
I'd probably say Horatio Hornblower.

5. What book have you read the most times in your life?
Um... good question. Either Jonathan Livingston Seagull or the Anne of Green Gables series.

6. Favorite book as a ten year old?
I don't remember that far back. I read a lot of books as a ten year old. If I had to pick one, maybe Peter Pan.

7. What is the worst book you’ve read in the past year?
It was probably one of those Strawberry Shortcake books. I was reading to my cousin.

8. What is the best book you’ve read in the past year?
Crime and Punishment.

9. If you could force everyone you know to read one book, what would it be?
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.

10. What book would you most like to see made into a movie?
Five Children and It.

11. What is the most difficult book you’ve ever read?
Man and Woman, He Created Them: A Theology of the Body by John Paul II.

12. What is your favorite book?
I don't have one. I love most all books.

13. Play?
The Jeweller's Shop.

14. Poem?
Not really into poetry. Is it okay to think of the psalms as poetry?

15. Essay?
I can't think of one at the moment.

16. Who is the most overrated writer alive today?
J.K. Rowling? Don't get me wrong. I've read all her books, but yeah...

17. What is your desert island book?
Something really long and intriguing... maybe by Dostoyevsky.

18. And . . . what are you reading right now?

Nothing fun. They're all for school, and, come to think of it, the quarter's almost over, so I'm done reading for now. When I go home for my three week summer, I'll probably tackle Brothers Karamazov.

Random

2009-06-04T20:11:00.000-07:00

I realized the other day that if I have get married and have kids, they will be homeschooled. Furthermore, I think it will be necessary that my husband be in charge of instructing them in math and science. Therefore, I need to marry a math/science type of guy.

Or I'll live close to my sister or my dad and one of them can assist me. Or the Bagel can just be completely in charge of their mathematical education.

Dr. Trent Oakes

2009-05-14T19:42:00.001-07:00

I've recently picked up again on reading Dr. Trent Oakes' blog. He has his PhD and is a researcher at Standford. He's an absolutely brilliant guy. He understands all things having to do with the intricatery of cell phone circuitry. I recommend you check out his blog: iamfullyintegrated.blogspot.com

He also has a twitter account and he can be found by the name Trent Oakes.

I really recommend reading his posts. They're odd and strangely fascinating at the same time.

An Oldie' But Goodie'

2009-05-02T18:00:00.001-07:00

I thought I would resurrect this old video. I should seriously watch this whenever I'm having a bad day.

And a new one which my roommate and her boyfriend introduced to me.

Lol! Poor kid!

I Know I'm Not a Mother...

2009-04-30T19:07:00.001-07:00

... and I am not quite sure yet as to what God has planned for my life. I often wonder what tasks he will set before me, and some of you know that I've spent the whole of my college life and time before that trying discerning a possible vocation.

But I have to admit, motherhood has always been something that I believe I've tended towards. I adore taking care of people, feeding people, giving out needed hugs (didn't used to like this factor quite so much), praying with people, tucking them in to to go sleep, etc. Having at least twelve children is quite appealing to me. I would homeschool all of them, teaching them not only in education, but also to love the little things in life such as fresh air, long walks, animals, cooking, baking, a hot cup of tea, books, and the list goes on.

Here's a link to a very well written article on the beauty of motherhood which inspired me to write this post. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

http://blog.bravewriter.com/2009/04/27/on-being-a-mother/

Like I said, I don't know what God has in store for me yet, but I shall continue to pray that I may always do his will and follow the path that he sets before me.

My 100th Post

2009-04-30T18:52:00.001-07:00

This is it, my 100th post on Decorus Verum (Beatiful Truth). I must say, I love this thing. I've used this blog for venting purposes (as in frustration), to marvel at the joys of God's creation, to post videos I find hilarious and inspiring, and even for writing homework assignments. Writing has always been a favorite past time and every spare moment I have I've dedicated to this blog. I cherish the comments, the feedback, and looking at my sitefeed every Saturday, checking out how many readers I have. Even though I love writing for the sake of writing, it's nice to know someone's reading. And better than that, to think that something I should write or post could have an impact in/on somebody's life, this fills my heart with gladness and makes me feel as if I have done something worthwhile with my time.

God bless all my dear readers, whether you follow me regularly, or have just stumbled upon me and my little posts. (Except for the fact, that most of my posts are rather lengthy.) :)

Spiritual Booster

2009-04-28T22:58:00.000-07:00

Today at JPCGU, we had an all school retreat. It was really wonderful. It started at 12:30pm with a full on lunch including sandwiches, chips, cookies, strawberries, soft drinks, and bottled water. Fr. Martin from Miles Christe came and gave two talks on faith, gave us time for quiet reflection, led us through a group activity and meditation on C.S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters, led us in an hour and fifteen minutes of Adoration, offered confession for as long as needed, and said Mass. Then we had dinner which consisted of catered Pat & Oscars. It was exactly what I needed in my spiritual life.

Unfortunately, in my academic life, I'm behind. Initially, I had 15-20 pages due for tomorrow (Wednesday) and I hadn't started them yet. At about 8:30pm, I was editing page 2 (and hadn't gotten any further than page 2), when I received an email from my professor saying that he can't come down tomorrow (he's from L.A.). Which means my script isn't due until next week! Yay!

The Joys of Being a Senior

2009-04-25T19:38:00.001-07:00

Yes, that's right, I am a senior now. I have been for the past five weeks or so. This quarter has so far been one of the most enjoyable quarters that I have had for a long time. The classes I am taking this quarter are:

Documentaries
Senior Project: Pre-Production
Advanced Distribution and Marketing
Business Launch
Marriage and Family

This is the homework due next week:

What Would Google Do? (Reading: 20 Pages by Thursday)
Moviegoers to Marketing (Reading: 2 Chapters by Thursday)
Documentary Reading (60 Pages: DONE)
Study for Documentary Midterm (Monday)
LAUNCH BUSINESS and open bank account! (By Thursday night)
Identify at least five distributors (By Friday night)
Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body (Reading: About 60 pages by Thursday)
Catholic for a Reason IV (Reading: no clue, but it should be pretty easy by Thursday)
15-20 pg. script (Wednesday)

These are the final projects due at the end of the quarter

Director's Notebook
Marriage and Family Paper (15-20 pgs.)
Documentary on Skeeter, the Rodeo Horse
Marketing Project

Very Vivid Nightmare/Dreamsequences

2009-04-25T19:14:00.001-07:00

I usually can't remember my dreams, but there are a few that I remember for years in intense detail. The most recent ones have been about JP Catholic being persecuted. For whatever reason, at very random times, I have dreams about JP Catholic's involvement in a second sort of Nazi holocaust, or being shot at by Communists. Once I had a dream that the whole school, in fact the whole of conservative USA was put into a concentration camp and the males and females were separated. It wasn't extraordinarily horrible, except for the fact that we most definitely not free. There was a huge security gate surrounding the camp and the males were separated from the females and everything was scheduled and we were watched like hawks.

This normally doesn't scare me, but every once in a while, I have a dream that does come true. It's usually not that big of a deal. It's just like, "Whoa." It's like dejavu or something. And when I was telling my roommate about the persecution dreams and how they weird me out, because they are so realistic, she told me that her sister had a dream about some sort of OK bombing the night before it took place. There was no way for her to hear anything about it, because no one knew it was going to happen. And then they watched the news the next day, and she goes, "That's the yellow truck!" It was the one from her dream.

Anywho, like I said before, these dreams normally don't creep me out, but every once in a while...

I Hate It

2009-04-18T00:24:00.000-07:00

I hate it when people are selfish, when they think of no one else except for their own feelings. It's so unchristian. Yeah, I know that we're human beings and we make mistakes sometimes, but when we are so self-centered as to not care about how others feel, that's a problem. That's why there are wars, and broken friendships. And the worse thing is, this syndrom seems to mostly occur in my life in MY SCHOOL. In a place where people claim to be Catholic and strive to impact the culture of Christ. If we are to impact the culture of Christ, we need to learn to be selfless and love each other as Christ loves us. We need to be one with Christ if we are going to change the world. And self-centeredness is not Christlike at all. On a non-religious level, selfishness is not only unattractive, it's immature. Grow up, people! I hate it, I Hate It, I HATE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ARGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

Rome, a Home Away From Home

2009-04-14T20:31:00.000-07:00

As promised, I am posting yet another installment on Europe. My second destination of my two weeks abroad was Rome. It was mostly a wonderful experience, yet I could have lived without the first night, which is my topic for tonight. I will try to be as brief and as detailed as possible. (I wonder how that is going to work. If you read this blog regularly, you should know by now that I tend to be quite wordy. I apologize in advance.)

I'm sure you are all dying of curiousity to know exactly what happened our first night in Rome. The flight over on Ryanair was uneventful (thanks be to God), but when we got off, we had to figure out exactly how and which bus we were to get on in order to get to Termini. For your information, it's a bit more difficult figuring out transportation in Rome than in Ireland as everything is in Italian. Not to mention, we had heard many horror stories of being robbed in Rome. One of our professors actually had his glasses stolen off his face! We eventually found the right bus, bought our tickets, and headed off to Termini with all luggage.

We reached Termini at dusk, exhausted, more confused than ever, and eager to get to the Convent (our host). We had been told to look for a Tobacco shop. The shop supposedly would be right outside the station and would have a sign with a white "T" and encircled by dark blue. There was nothing of the sort in site. I did know, however, that we would need a one week bus pass which could get us on pretty much any bus/train in Rome. I found a stand which sold something of the sort for 16 Euros. After much debate and a bit of arguing with my travel buddies, I decided to risk buying the ticket. Then we had to find the right bus. Once again, all the signs were in Italian. I had the "instruction" sheet in my hand. I was really about to lose it as was one of my travel buddies. Her fiance had no clue what was going on. You know what girls are like: highly emotional, their brains working a mile a minute, and they easily get frustrated with others who haven't got a clue (i.e. fiance). I felt like I was going to burst into tears, but seeing that my friend was at the end of her rope as well, I figured she felt the same way as me and that she would lose it if I lost it, seeing that was following my lead. So I took a deep breath, muttered under my breath, "Mother Mary, help me". And then it clicked. The sign post read the same destination as the piece of paper in my hand and I lead the way to the proper bus.

Once on, we huddled in a group with our stuff in the middle. It was jam packed in there. So we were going in the right direction, but where to get off? "St. Joseph of Cupertino, come on buddy." (He and I are pals for life. ) And then Alena saw, (oh joy!) an automated sign naming off destinations and such. (The interesting thing is that this was the only bus I was ever on in Rome with one of these signs.) We got off at the bus, expecting to see well, the convent. We were told the bus stopped right in front, but where was it? So we started walking down the street. (It was dark at this time and we still had all our bags.) We asked a young woman, who only spoke Italian, and I pulled out the sheet and pointed to the address. Other direction. Okay, turn around. We reached the corner. Still, no convent. Ah, a grocery store. Again, we pointed to the address on the sheet. Other direction. Whoops, too far. ("St. Joseph, your job is not over yet.") Then we noticed the very small plaques with addresses in tiny print next to huge doors in the big brick/cement wall. We eventually found our way to the big brown doors and were let in by the very nice Italian nuns, who, once again, spoke no English, but were quite friendly nevertheless. We were very grateful, but traumatized and scared of the huge and busy city which seemed to speak no English and have lots of walls covered in graffiti.

After a very quick dinner at a small pizzeria down the street, we hurried back and talked to the school's R.D. for a bit who convinced us that we had have a wonderful time in Rome once morning came and we were well rested. And the sun would be out, which would make things a lot nicer. And we wouldn't have all our luggage. Another plus. "Just wait until tomorrow and approach the week with an open mind. You'll see. You're going to have a blast."

And we did. I knew from the moment I stepped into St. Peter's Square and was struck by the sheer beauty of the architecture and the awesomeness of my Catholic heritage, that JP Catholic was going to have the experience of a lifetime in Rome. We were home.

Before I Post More About Europe...

2009-03-31T10:43:00.001-07:00

I read these on a blog I stumbled upon today. They're based upon those "Chuck Noris" jokes which can be found pretty much anywhere. :) If you like Sarah Palin as much as I do, these should be enjoyable for you to read.

Did you know that…

Sarah Palin does not have 5 kids, she actually has 7. Their names are Track, Bristol, Willow, Piper, Trig, Chuck Norris, and Jack Bauer.

The Northern Lights are really just the reflection from Sarah Palin's eyes.

The Russians sold Alaska to America because Sarah Palin would not submit to autocracy.

The Arctic Circle runs through Alaska so the Sun can have some relief from Sarah Palin's bright glare.

Sarah Palin is allowed first dibs on Alaskan wolfpack kills.

Sarah Palin is so pro-life that she personally hog-tied two reps from Planned Parenthood who came knocking at her door.

It's not raining in DC. Those are God's tears of joy that McCain picked Sarah Palin.

Sarah Palin's hotness is the largest single contributor to melting polar ice caps.

Sarah Palin is the "other" whom Yoda spoke about.

Sarah Palin's presence in the lower 48 means the Arctic ice cap can finally return.

Sarah Palin fired Jack Bauer because he was too soft in dealing with terrorists.

Sarah Palin's pageant career ended early so other women could have a chance.

Sarah Palin's son Track is going to Iraq after the Surge, because a Palin during the Surge would have been unfair.

Sarah Palin wears glasses lest her uncontrollable optic blasts slaughter everyone. (X-Men reference)

Sarah Palin actually has Big Foot in her freezer.

Sarah Palin gave a speech in Texas after her water broke before flying home to Alaska to give birth. (Actually true)

Sarah Palin doesn't need a gun to hunt. She has been known to throw a bullet through an adult bull elk.

Sarah Palin once spilled coffee on Joe Biden & one of his $400 ties from Pink.

Sarah Palin keeps her hair in a beehive to hide her ninja weaponry.

Sarah Palin will personally open a homemade can of whoopa** on Ahmadinejad, Putin, and Chavez as soon as she's done making mooseburgers for her kids.

A grizzly bear once tried to stare down Sarah Palin. Once.

Sarah Palin will send Joe Biden a pre-debate cheat sheet. The sheet will have tips on defending against Kung Fu Death Grip.

Sarah Palin became governor because five children left her with too much spare energy.

Sarah Palin will give birth to the man who will lead humanity's war against the machines. (Terminator reference)

Three of Sarah Palin's 5 kids came out sideways and she never flinched.

Global Warming doesn't kill polar bears. Sarah Palin does. Generally with her bare hands.

Sarah Palin was the original "Deadliest Catch."

Sarah Palin paid her way through school by hunting for Kodiak pelts with a slingshot.

Alaska is the 49th state solely because they knew even in 1959 that Sarah Palin never finishes last.

Chuck Norris wishes he was Sarah Palin trapped in a man's body.

Sarah Palin once won the Iditarod without any dogs. She simply willed the sled to victory.

Sarah Palin wears half the makeup that John Edwards wears and still looks like twice the woman he does.

Sarah Palin once guided Santa's sleigh through an Alaskan blizzard with the light from her smile.

Sarah Palin fishes salmon by convincing them it's in their interest to jump into the boat.

A Bit More on Ireland Before Moving on to Rome

2009-03-25T11:46:00.001-07:00

The vast majority of the time exploring Ireland was spent on foot (an excellent way to catch all the littlest details) and on the bus, which could pretty much take you anywhere. There was one day, however, where I was fortunate and blessed enough to spend a day with the Connolly Family and the O'Hare Family. I had never had so much fun than I had that one day when I traveled in a car all over the coast of West Ireland with some of my favorite people. We saw churches, heard some Gaelic, skipped stones over ocean waves, climbed craggy rocks (which are quite plentiful in Ireland), and explored some old abbey ruins and an old fort. And I managed to take some pictures. Almost seven hundred to be precise. :) The one posted below won out in the "Epic" category of John Paul the Great Catholic University's European photo competition. I must say that it did have some rather incredible competition.

Sitting in the Dublin Airport

2009-03-13T18:18:00.000-07:00

Hello, My Dear Readers! (Whoever still reads this thing.)

It may seem as though I have been neglecting my blog. I just want to let you know that I have been.... although it's for good reason. I've been in Europe for the past two weeks! I can't believe how the quickly the time flew bye. Two weeks ago, I was arriving in Dublin and taking a four hour bus ride to Rosscarbery, Ireland. It is here where I hope to summarize my adventures in Ireland and Rome and hopefully you enjoy reading them (almost) as much as I enjoyed the actual experience.

As referred to above, I spent my first week of the trip in Ireland. It was there that I finished up a course on Global Ireland. Our assignment was to choose six specific topics and talk to the people about those topics. We then were to proceed handwriting a thirty-page journal about what we learned from the locals. Two issues here:

First off, I really dislike talking to strangers. It terrifies me and I was terrified for probably the first three days. But there were pages to fill and how was I to fill those pages without talking to anyone. So I took a deep breath, said a brief prayer, and approached the young woman in the tourist office. She was actually very nice and told me lots of things about each topic. What should have been a two minute sales transaction turned into about a half an hour.
The second issue was the fact that I had seemed to pick a normal size spiral notebook in which to write my thirty pages. Practically every single other student had brought composition notebooks which happen to be much smaller in size. Further, my handwriting tends to be rather small. After accusing the others of cheating, I somehow managed to fill my assigned thirty pages with solid information, rather proud of the fact that I had written more than the rest of everybody.

Note: I did talk to more than one person on the trip.

I did a lot of walking and adventuring throughout the rural sections of Ireland. It was extraordinarily scenic and wonderful to experience cooler weather. I will provide an account of my second favorite adventure during my stay in "Ross" (as the locals call it).

I believe it was my second to last day in Ireland or my last (I think it was the latter), and myself, two fellow students, and the sister of one of those students decided to go for a nice walk along the coast. It was quite lovely and we made our way off the paved path a few times to explore the shore, tidepools, and climb some craggy rocks. (Just a side note: Flat stones along the coast in Ireland and it is a rather delightful thing to watch them skip along the surface of the water.) Opposite the shore, on the other side of the path, there are tall grassy slopes which lead one further and even closer to a more scenic view of the ocean. We took these unknown slopes and soon found ourselves on narrow paths, walking through mud and thorny brambles. However, we were determined to find an unknown scenic resting place, so we continued on our journey. We finally made it to some cliffs, took pictures, and sat to rest. We chatted with one another, discussed a variety of things ranging from utterly ridiculous to fairly serious.

Before we knew it, the day was coming to an end and we wanted to make it back before dark. Somehow, the group of four was separated evenly in two and we took separate paths. I was slightly behind my fellow student's sister and as I was pondering my route under the twisted barbed wire, when my footwent through the bank. My right leg sank into the mud just above my knee. I was stuck. The mud felt like a suction, holding on to the new tread of my boot. I needed my boot to stay on my foot and I knew that if I pulled out only my foot, I would never be able to pull my boot out of the mud. Fellow student's sister called to the other's for help, but they were out of earshot, so I knew it was up to me. I tensed my foot in my boot and wriggled around, felt it loosen, and entwined my fingers in grass. 1-2-3 HEAVE! I pulled my leg out, boot and all.

We caught up with the others and I enjoyed entertaining them with my tale. Needless to say the rest of the trip back was uneventful, except for the fact that my right leg was rather heavy, due to the fact that it was caked with mud.

And so I come to the end of my adventure. I have been writing this post for the past hour or so while sitting in the Dublin airport, waiting for my next flight. (Hence, the title of this post.) Since so much has already been told and I do not want to bore anyone, we will leave my most favorite adventure in Ireland for another time and another day. As for my adventures in Rome, I can assure you all that they are quite plentiful and soon to come as well. I promise as well as hope to write again soon!

May the Lord pour his blessings out in abundance upon you!

Ciao!

A.K.C.A.L.

A Quick Update On My Life

2009-02-18T15:02:00.001-08:00

These are my reasons for not posting as often as would like/as I should.

8-10pg. paper due Friday (was due tomorrow), but Professor Barber gave everybody an extension.
I'm currently producing a short film due next Wednesday. We've had tons of problems with it.
Global Cultures homework due this Friday
Masterpieces of Literature, Art, and Music III homework for two weeks and we have our final next week. :P
Sound Final on Monday and Tuesday
I need to get ready for Europe, which I leave for on February 28th.
In Europe, I will be writing a thirty page handwritten journal on six topics I learn about in Ireland.

Pray for me! (I need all the intercessions and help I can get.)

It's Raining

2009-02-07T14:43:00.001-08:00

I'm sitting on my porch as I type, watching it fall into puddles on the pavement two floors below me. Rain inspires me to write. I don't know why, but it does. This is not meant as a flowery post, however. As much as I love this much rain, I pray that we get very little tomorrow, because we're filming. We're shooting indoors; we can be greatful for that. But it's such a tight space that I fear for the extra equipment and the various crewmembers who can't find a safe haven indoors. I love the rain, but why is it always plentiful on inconvenient days?

Abortion from the Standpoint of a Jewish, Liberal, and Democrat Uncle

2009-01-23T16:52:00.000-08:00

The Walk for Life is taking place this weekend in San Francisco. Thousands will gather to walk for a great cause, the end to abortion which kills 42 million children a year and 115,ooo children per day. Catholics and Christians alike have fought this great evil for years.

I have an uncle, originally from the east coast, who is now living in the bay area. He is Jewish, a liberal, and a Democrat, and there is no doubt in my mind that he is one of the many U.S. citizens who voted for Obama in our past presidential election. However, he has taken a pro-life stance and has sent (or is sending) too letters to our new president over the issue. It's interesting however, to see a pro-life stance from a non-religious standpoint. The second was better than the first (much more organized). So, here is his letter. (Beware, it's lengthy, but I thought it was worth reading and so I am taking the liberty of posting it.) I apologize if the format is slightly off; I copied and pasted from word.

Letter to Barack Obama Concerning the Dialog on Abortion:

Slow Down, Urge America into Real Thought

Aaron Schultz

4720 Englewood Drive

San Jose, CA 95129-4413

CC: Congressman Rahm Emanuel

Congressman Mike Honda

Vice President Joe Biden

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton

Secretary of State Ken Salazar

Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Daschle

Attorney General Eric Holder

Senator Harry Reid

Senator Barbara Boxer

Senator Dianne Feinstein

1/23/09

Dear President Obama,

Congratulations on your inauguration. The country watched in awe at the first ever ascension of an African-American to the highest office of the land, me not excluded. I am, of course, happy at the fulfillment of reasonableness, fought for bravely by many for decades and centuries – that someone of any color, race, and sex can hold high political office in this great nation. But for my part, I am equally excited by your consistent platform of acceptance of dissension, of fostering dialog, of consensus building, and of shared sacrifice. The country needs your leadership.

In this spirit of dialog, of searching for truth, of consensus building, I humbly submit this note.

Writing not as a Democrat or Republican, not considering one religion or another, in fact only pandering to reason and morality, I submit that you have a golden opportunity to lead the country to true ethical and intellectual greatness. People on many sides expect and hope that you drive an abortion agenda, whether for or against. It would appear that protecting reproductive rights is unto itself a noble thing. However, we must consider morality as a whole. What makes sense? What is reasonable? The opportunity has been placed in front of you to stop the train and instead engage the country, slowly, in what in my view is the best way to deal with the issue. If the country stops and thinks, then a much more believable consensus can be derived.

I have a 10 second rule concerning abortion. I say to my fellow citizen, “Consider for more than 10 seconds late term abortion. Note that it is massively hideous torture against a person that undeniably exists.” After the 10 seconds, when the fellow is expectedly horrified, then the fellow considers the fetus at varying stages. It is valid to note that all body systems are assembled at 2 months, brain waves are detected from 1-2 months, and a heartbeat is heard at18-22 days. After this very quick review of undisputable facts, I say, “How, then, are we so confident when life is or is not? How do we know whether most abortions at any stage of pregnancy are not murder? If you are pro-abortion, then you must support your position and actually believe it in the context of ALL of your doctrines. Otherwise you do not deny that abortion might actually be murder on a scale almost inconceivable.”

This thought experiment has no relationship to pro-choice propaganda, pro-life religious doctrine, women’s health, Democrat or Republican stances, insurance companies, women choosing things, men choosing things, race, rape, incest, history of legislation, “but it’s already legal,” Roe versus Wade, economic hardship, other judicial decisions, etc. All of these hyped aspects in society muddle the core problem. Each tries to weigh in without dealing in the real predicament. Abortion is a moral issue, and it must be taught so. Naturally, these other factors do play a role, particularly women’s health, women’s rights, and rape, and need to be considered in effective, workable legislation; however, being ancillary, their treatment should not overtake the fundamental question.

Whether abortion is right or not should not be decided on sound bite opinions that adhere to party lines. What is needed is downright honest treatment. Is it murder or not murder? Everyone needs, inconveniently, to go through a thought process and come up with an answer. Only then can there be real progress on the issue.

We can also note

· There is a move to close Guantanamo Bay torture house prison. Excellent. Why do anything, then, to enable late term abortion, which can easily be videotaped to expose grotesque torture?

· There is a move in the new government to enact change. Then re-evaluation of the past is inherently acceptable. Roe versus Wade exists, but why drag it along as a given. Why not instead think from scratch?

· “Viability” has been bandied about as a means to determine when abortion is allowable. It is important to note that medical technology has changed how many weeks of pregnancy represent viability. Thus viability is not useful as a measure.

The premise, then, is that abortion should be considered, deeply, by every American for a significant time, weeks or months even, not quickly to win a personal exchange. I validate this premise not from theory, but from practice. In a real example, in two written paragraphs I turned a staunch, old-timer Democrat who believed in the pro-choice mantra into an anti-abortionist. He had not considered the issue previously because for him it had been muddled by religious involvement. When he thought about the issue of murder versus not murder, unencumbered by “being pro-choice” or “being pro-life,” he was able to think clearly and for the first time ever develop a real opinion. He continues happily to espouse and support the Democratic political party, but chooses to have separate opinions concerning abortion morality. Not everyone will be an anti-abortionist, and perhaps pro-abortion arguments can be validly made. At least people need to be motivated to think deeply, not shallowly, about the human baby present in every case. Men cannot choose to murder. Can women? Is it murder or not? Reproduction includes both the woman who has rights to be sure, but also a baby. It must be decided and legislated, not guessed, whether abortion is murder. Pro-choice is legislation by non-legislation. It very weakly decides not to decide on the murder issue.

You have the respect and admiration of America. You can lead on the abortion issue:

· Lead, not follow, by slowing down.

· Lead, not follow, by taking up the issue seriously, not pandering to groups with pre-ordained positions.

· Lead, not follow, by informing the public that it is an important moral issue.

· Lead, not follow, by exhorting the public to real debate, by teaching of the real need to decide whether murder is involved, by motivating people to think deeply.

If you candidly and repeatedly suggest that abortion is a difficult, important issue, and do not jump in quickly to match up to expected party lines, you will be not only a leader, but a hero of the intellectual, moral, and philosophical traditions of the West.

There is one more test, similar to the 10 second rule. If you imagine a policy that you can support, with science and reasoning and morality and ethics and religion all at your disposal, devoid of loopholes and inconsistencies, and deliver that policy in a convincing way in a speech to the entire country and also to yourself, then you can rightfully act upon that policy. If your policy does not stand the test of debate, dialog, reasoning, logic, morality, and religion, and consistency, then the policy is nothing more than unsubstantiated partisan rhetoric. Policy which does not stand the test of reasoning and morality, nay policy that you would avoid orating upon at length, is irresponsible because there are measurable consequences.

There are many issues on the table for you. The country is suffering. Abortion is but one issue, important to some and irrelevant to others. As the dust settles from the inauguration and the real work begins, it is important to note that bows with readied arrows await your move on abortion, so that they can cut you down in the aftermath. You will help to unify the country by quieting those whose existence depends on what they predict and hope will be your mistakes. Rather than maneuvering on abortion in ways that will create further moral divide in America, please consider slowing down and engaging openly the country in earnest thinking. Let America unite and decide, slowly, only after public discourse, about abortion. After the public ruminates and articulates its opinion, then political parties can validly change, retain, or create their stances so as to represent the people better. After such a process, America will stand more united than divided.

Thank you for renewing hope in America,

Aaron Schultz

Something Lovely I Picked Up

2009-01-02T16:14:00.001-08:00

I stumbled upon this hymn while I was praying a couple nights ago and I found it rather beautiful. It was printed for the 29th of December in Magnificat.

God's glory to the temple comes

And enters by the eastern gate

And fills the house with hidden flame

For whom the aged prophets wait.

They sing the wonder they have seen

Though other eyes see nothing yet,

For one day this refiner's fire

Will burn where suns arise and set.

And all the nations then will see

The light that spills from Zion's height

And purifies our blinded hearts

Till sin-dimmed eyes can see aright.

The price is high: a piercing sword,

A cross that asks of us to choose

The fire that cinders selfishness-

For we are saved by what we lose.

O Mary, bear to us the flame

As once you bore him to the place

Where Abraham laid Isaac, bound,

And where you chose the bitter grace

To see the sword strike down your Son

That from his tomb the fire might rise

And set the universe alight

With God's own love, life's truest prize.

Merry Christmas Eve!

2008-12-24T14:35:00.000-08:00

It's almost Christmas! The house has smelled wonderful and I believe that it will continue to smell wonderful. Yesterday, we went to the store and bought ingredients for torta, biscotti, and crap ciappino, all traditional Christmas meals in my family (on my mother's side). Today, we went and bought a cross rib roast and fancy Italian bread. Here is our menu for the next two days.

Christmas Eve

Dinner:
Crab Ciappino
Nice Bread
Salad
Dessert: Opera Cakes

Christmas Day

Dinner
Cross Rib Roast
Torta
Dessert: Tiramisu

For those of you who might not know, the torta is probably my favorite thing on this list. It has a thin crust and is filled with ricotta, spinach, potatoes, salt, pepper, and a few eggs. The crust is the trickiest part and it is traditionally said, "Now, don't handle the crust too much or else it will become tough". Therefore, the strongest person in the household is ordered to roll out the crust. We made the torta yesterday and, as happens every year, our hands were soon covered in flour, as were our aprons and our clothes. Much to my ignorance and disapproval, Bridget happened to videotape and take pictures. It's not like I mind either of those things. I would just rather that she trained the camera on someone else rather than myself. The torta is traditionally a favorite part of any Christmas meal and is a source of great pride. My grandfather is about to cut the torta at his house. (It's quite the momentous occasion.)

Currently, I am typing in our living room, sitting next to our tree with hundreds of multicolored lights blinking out from under the branches. Our family has never believed in a themed Christmas tree. Hanging from it's branches are ornaments of many colors and many years, homemade and storebought, glittery silver snowflakes, shiny colored balls (green, red, silver, gold, and white), and red and gold beaded garlands. An angel in a white and silver dress and soft wings tops it all. My brother did the honors, because only he and my father are tall enough. Celine Dion sings "Blue Christmas", an old Christmas classic. This morning the family sat around the family room watching, "It's a Wonderful Life". We still have "White Christmas" and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Tonight, we will go to Holy Mass at 10:00pm.

Moving on, the weather is quite lovely here in SD. Chillier than usual and cloudy. A storm is supposed to move in tonight. I love going to sleep while listening to the rain hammering the window and falling on the roof. I love the exhilaration of burrowing under warm covers, grateful for a solid roof over my head.

Christmas is certainly a lovely time of the year. It's wonderful to be home with the family for a solid three weeks and to have a rest before continuing with education. However, I want to stress the importance of remembering why we celebrate Christmas. On Christmas morn, a small babe was born to a fifteen year old girl, a virgin who had every reason to be afraid and yet she found every reason not to be. How was she to know that this little infant who had come into the world was to save the world from sin by death, His death by crucifixion. Let us celebrate his birth and our salvation by his birth this Christmas! Let us remember why He came and let us all have a very Merry Christmas!

About a week ago, I could hear the voice of Mother Angelica in the other room saying, "Remember that Christmas is Jesus' birthday. What are you giving him for his birthday?" Of course, it was the subject of that particular show's talk, but seriously, what are you giving Jesus for his birthday? Remember, that whatever you do for the least of His people, you do it for Him. Give Jesus something for his birthday this year. Sing to Him. Say a special prayer for the world, our soldiers at war, tithe, do something.

Merry Christmas my dear readers and a Happy New Year! Goodness, it is almost 2009. Time does go by fast, does it not?

"Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!"

Thoughts for the Day

2008-12-22T10:43:00.000-08:00

I love sitting by the Christmas tree and looking at the little multicolored lights and the packages wrapped in colorful paper. A particular parcel is wrapped in brown and orders, "Do Not Open UNTIL CHRISTMAS". Our Christmas stockings hang on the wall, because the fireplace would be in the reach of a certain overexcited Aussie. The cardtable has been draped with a white tablecloth and a mini Christmas tree has been hung with tiny ornaments. The porcelain nativity scene reminds me of what Christmas is all about. (It also brings back memories from when I was a wee little one. They would fall over and their heads would fall off. And mom would say, "Don't worry, Dad can glue them back on".)

And as you could probably guess by the sentimentality of this post, it's raining. I become most descriptive in the rain. My creative juices flow best in this weather. (There's a small pun. Did anyone catch it or did it run through your fingers?)

If I don't blog soon, I want to wish all my readers, (because I know there's so many of you), a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a Happy New Year!

Bold Everything You've Done Game

2008-12-12T19:50:00.000-08:00

Something I found on a friend's blog. :)

How to play, bold anything you've done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars - not yet, unless you count a room, which is under a roof, which is under the stars. :)
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland or DisneyWorld
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo - but I have come close.
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hike
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse - I think so.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors -- I've been to the country (Mexico), but not the cities they were from
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (in general)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing - Indoors :)
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person - I will in a couple months!
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business - In the process
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching -- Yes, with the Lawlesses at Dana Point.
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand-new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury -- next week!
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

In Succession to Post on John Williams

2008-12-12T15:32:00.000-08:00

Okay, so what I did not realize is that the first video I uploaded is actually a guy who is friends with the group that first sang "Star Wars Acapella". He is actually lip sincing and did such a good job that I actually thought he was singing. Apparently, he can actually sing and is putting together a CD. The actual group is called Moosebutter and they recently made a video of the original song by their original group of four guys. Here it is! I never tire of it and I hope you enjoy it as well! :)

Ice Skaters Rock!!!

2008-11-22T19:54:00.000-08:00

Just something for your enjoyment and to get you into holiday mode. :)

Tribute to John Williams

2008-11-21T20:30:00.000-08:00

An Abortionist's Conversion Story

2008-11-21T13:37:00.000-08:00

This is incredible! Everyone should read this story and pass it on to their friends.

Serbian Abortionist Who Aborted 48,000 Babies Becomes Pro-Life Activist

MADRID, November 13, 2008 (CNA) - The Spanish daily "La Razon" has published an article on the pro-life conversion of a former "champion of abortion." Stojan Adasevic, who performed 48,000 abortions, sometimes up to 35 per day, is now the most important pro-life leader in Serbia, after spending 26 years as the most renowned abortion doctor in the country.

"The medical textbooks of the Communist regime said abortion was simply the removal of a blob of tissue," the newspaper reported. "Ultrasounds allowing the fetus to be seen did not arrive until the 80s, but they did not change his opinion. Nevertheless, he began to have nightmares."

In describing his conversion, Adasevic said he "dreamed about a beautiful field full of children and young people who were playing and laughing, from 4 to 24 years of age, but who ran away from him in fear. A man dressed in a black and white habit stared at him in silence. The dream was repeated each night and he would wake up in a cold sweat. One night he asked the man in black and white who he was. 'My name is Thomas Aquinas,' the man in his dream responded. Adasevic, educated in communist schools, had never heard of the Dominican genius saint. He didn't recognize the name."

"Why don't you ask me who these children are?" St. Thomas asked Adasevic in his dream.

"They are the ones you killed with your abortions," the Dominican saint told him.

"Adasevic awoke in amazement and decided not to perform any more abortions," the article stated.

"That same day a cousin came to the hospital with his four months-pregnant girlfriend, who wanted to get her ninth abortion - something quite frequent in the countries of the Soviet bloc. The doctor agreed. Instead of removing the fetus piece by piece, he decided to chop it up and remove it as a mass. However, the baby's heart came out still beating. Adasevic realized then that he had killed a human being,"

After this experience, Adasevic "told the hospital he would no longer perform abortions. Never before had a doctor in Communist Yugoslavia refused to do so. They cut his salary in half, fired his daughter from her job, and did not allow his son to enter the university."

After years of pressure and on the verge of giving up, he had another dream about St. Thomas.
"You are my good friend, keep going," the man in black and white told him. "Adasevic became involved in the pro-life movement and was able to get Yugoslav television to air the film 'The Silent Scream,' by Doctor Bernard Nathanson, two times."

Adasevic has told his story in magazines and newspapers throughout Eastern Europe. He has returned to the Orthodox faith of his childhood and has studied the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas.

"Influenced by Aristotle, Thomas wrote that human life begins forty days after fertilization," Adasevic wrote in one article. Scientific advancements since Thomas' time, however, have revealed that human life begins at the moment of conception. La Razon commented that Adasevic "suggests that perhaps the saint wanted to make amends for that error." Today the Serbian doctor continues to fight for the lives of the unborn.

(Reprinted with permission from the Catholic News Agency)
See the Catholic News Agency Online here:
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com

100 Things I Love

2008-10-23T18:26:00.000-07:00

Whenever I'm stressed, I try and think of good things. Here is what I came up with.

(These are not in any particular order.)

1. God
2. Family
3. My golden retriever and Aussie
4. JPCatholic
5. Good friends
6. Pillow talk
7. Sleepovers
8. Big trees
9. Snow (Why do I live in San Diego?)
10. Rain
11. Puddles
12. Going barefoot
13. Homemade food
14. Cooking and Baking
15. Ice Cream
16. Justice
17. Freedom
18. The Princess Bride
19. Movies in General

20. Going Home

21. Making Movies

22. Trying to make the world a better place

23. Sleep

24. Good food

25. Babies

26. Children

27. Reading

28. Horses

29. Lenox

30. Polished stones

31. Swing dancing

32. Writing and receiving letters

33. Mountains

34. Playing the accordion

35. Lakes

36. Catholicism

37. Blankets

38. Scarves

39. Slippers

40. Socks

41. Baby giggles

42. Getting A's.

43. Music

44. Movies

45. Crackling fires

46. Snuggling down in my bed on a cold morning.

47. Hot showers

48. Taking care of people

49. Giving advice

50. Photography

51. Blogging

52. Drawing

53. Painting

54. My theology homework

55. Deep discussions and conversations

56. Irish music

57. Window seats

58. Doing homework in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.

59. Children's footprints

59. Children's artwork

60. The Blessed Mother

61. The Saints and Angels

62. Good advice

63. Clean laundry

64. Tire swings

65. Sperlunking

66. John Paul II

67. A Wonderful Roommate

68. Daily Mass

69. Adoration

70. A good home to go to when I need it.

71. Filmmaking

72. Walking

73. Riding my bike

74. Hiking in the woods

75. Hot tea

76. Sometimes I like it iced. (Depends on the kind.)

77. Being Healthy

78. Apple Computers

79. Candles

80. Incense

81. Apple Blossoms

82. Horses

83. Architecture

84. Breaks from school

85. Walks in the rain

86. My own bed.

87. Holidays

88. My roommate.

89. Good producers.

90. Climbing trees

91. Screenwriting

92. Going to bed at 10pm.

93. Playing the piano.

94. Gardens

95. Thomas Kinkade artwork (I swear, if I ever make bank, I'm going to pick a painting, give it to an architect, and say, "Build me this house".

96. Long skirts that brush my ankles.

97. Swimming

98. Getting my hair done.

99. Organization

100. Log cabins.

For the Love of JP Catholic Talent Shows

2008-10-19T13:59:00.000-07:00

On Friday night, after six hours of classes, I attended JP Catholic's first ever coffee house gone talent show. We've had several, but this was the first that we've had with three classes (juniors, sophomores, and freshmen). This was also the first one where we had judges and prizes. I think it was supposed to be a spoof of America's Got Talent. Tim Evans spoke with a British accent, Cherisse was adorable and tried to be kind to everyone who made themselves known, and Kevin was blunt, giving short and sweet descriptions of every act. Three prizes were given:

1st: $15 gift certificate for iTunes (went to George for break dancing)

Best Music: Jamba Juice gift certificate (Elizabeth sang)

Best Other: Jamba Juice gift certificate (Interpretive dance trio)

Here's a video of Best Other:

Marie Breda is With God

2008-10-18T17:58:00.000-07:00

Marie Breda, the baby I used to hold, the kid my sister played with every Friday, died last Monday. Words can't describe the bittersweet feeling that comes over me whenever I think of it. She is surely a saint, no doubt there. But it's so sad to think of her poor family. It is so sad to think of what a five year old goes through when she the oxygen refuses to flow to the lungs. To be in a coma, to be able to hear the loving words of your parents in your ear and not be able to respond. I can't even fathom.

Marie Francesca Theresa Breda, you who are with God, may your soul rest in everlasting happiness. Protect me on earth as I go. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.

I Am Praying For A Miracle

2008-10-09T18:59:00.000-07:00

Almost every time I blog, it's when I'm sitting on my bed and a cold breeze is coming through my bedroom window. The weather was strange today. When I entered the school building (9:00am), it was hot and dry. Later, when I made my exit, Eucalyptus leaves rustled in a chilly wind and clouds filled the sky. My life since Sunday has been bittersweet. I am praying for a miracle.

Marie Francesca Theresa Breda, age five, had a severe choking accident on Sunday, October 5th during the 10:30am Mass. She had swallowed a bead. The paramedics, despite their desperate efforts, were incapable of removing the bead and rushed her to the hospital. They too, were incapable of removing the bead and decided that it would be best to life flight her to Children's Hospital. Before doing so, however, she needed to be ventilated. They pushed the bead down further, in order to give her air and while this process took place, little Marie went into cardiac arrest twice. She finally arrived at Children's and they managed to remove the bead. However, Marie had been without oxygen for too long. An MRI revealed swelling on her brain and she was put into an induced coma for three days with hopes that her brain could rest and swelling would go down.

Just yesterday, there were major complications. Marie's blood pressure rocketed and her pupils were unresponsive. A catscan revealed increased swelling of her brain and all help of medical intervention healing is irreversible. The damage is massive.

Friends, family, and random families who don't know Marie or her family are all praying for a miracle through Blessed Mother Theresa. (She needs one more!) The Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity Fathers and Mother Theresa's postulate came to be with the family for a day. He married Marie's parents, baptized their oldest, and did the funeral for Monica (age 3 at the time), their daughter, after she died of a brain tumor. He has played a major part in their lives. Mary Breda (Marie's mother) was once a novitiate with the MC and she has a first class relic of Mother Theresa, a few strands of her hair. They have been placed in a pouch and the nurses tied it to Marie's ponytail.

Marie has seven siblings who love her very much. My brother is excellent friends with her oldest brother and last year, my sister played with Marie and her little friends every week. I've known her since she was born.Like I said, my week has been bittersweet. Bitter, because I am deeply saddened by what has happened. Sweet, because of the awesomeness of people coming together and the hope in Mother Theresa for a miracle.If you'd like to read Marie's story and receive updates, subscribe to this site:http://www.caringbridge.org/cb/viewHome.doMother Theresa, PRAY FOR US!!!

Back to the Grind

2008-10-02T21:14:00.000-07:00

I hope that it is, at least, a fun grind. Yes, I am back for another quarter. (The second quarter of my third year to be precise.) I have survived three out of five classes and already have a decent amount of homework and projects to get back to. There are three film projects, some due more imminently than others. Most importantly, I am continuing my work on the Protect Marriage and Sarah's Law ammendments, making short promo vids. (We only have about six weeks left. ARRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!)

But I am not thinking about those particular things right now. I make a point of trying not to dwell on how much I have to do (although most know me as an over achiever). At the moment, I am sitting on my bed with my back to a couple of soft pillows. The window is open to its fullest and I can feel the soft warm breeze on my arm. Unbearable heat has been my cross for the last two days and I am grateful for any change for the better. I am listening to my favorite band of all time, "Leahy". Tomorrow morning is the all campus retreat. Fr. Saroki and Fr. Huston will come at 8:45am and will offer Confession, Mass, and a couple of thought provoking talks. (At least I hope they are thought provoking.) Then there is the weekend, I get Monday and Tuesday off, and I resume class on Wednesday morning. Pray that I receive my final book on Thomistic ethics by Saturday. I am both nervous and excited about that one. Nervous, because I hope that I understand it. Excited, because I cannot wait to struggle with trying to understand it. (I am weird, am I not.)

Anyways, cheers to you all and I hope you enjoy this fall season. (Hopefully, the weather in SD will become more fall like. I have such an appreciation for crisp weather and crunchy leaves. Maybe I'm in the wrong state.) Hopefully, I can post again before the end of this quarter. May God bless each and every one of you! And just because, the airshow is this weekend, I thought I would post a poster that I made for one of my quar

ter's first year. It was an idea for a possible TV show that I thought of. I had to advertise it for my final project.

My Dear Readers,

2008-09-23T15:26:00.000-07:00

I realize I haven't blogged in quite a bit of time. The last few weeks of the quarter were quite hectic, between big projects, starting a business, my birthday, and finals. :P Now, I am finally on break and have spent the last few days (starting on Saturday) in San Jose and Redwood City with my extended family. I am staying with one of my mom's sisters and her husband and two little ones. There is finally some silence and a relaxing aura. The cousins are eating a healthy snack, the three year old is chatting with her mother, and the one year old is toddling about saying, "Mama" and "me too!" It is the perfect atmosphere to start my post.

As mentioned above I had several big projects due at the end of the quarter. The ones that come to mind are:

30 min. industry presentation
10pg. industry report
A ten page paper on the Our Father (which ended up being more like twelve pages)
A two minute film for Sarah's Law
A five minute short film for Directing I

Finals managed to fill the last two weeks of the quarter. During the ninth week, I celebrated my birthday! :) I managed to enjoy myself despite the mountains of homework, projects, and finals looming before me. After one and half hours of class, I had the opportunity to attend Mass and some spare time for an hour of Adoration. A couple hours later, I enjoyed intelligent conversation with my parents over a delicious birthday dinner. When I got back to the apartments, my brother insisted that he walk me back up the stairs. Long story short, about six or seven girls jumped out of the dark and presented me with a cake. We had the candles with my lighter. :)

Needless to say, there was great jubilation at the end of finals and I was very happy to see my family and spend some time with them before heading up to the bay area. I have been here since Saturday afternoon and I have learned, once again, how exhausting it is to partake in the life of two children under the age of four. I'm ready to go to bed at 8:30pm. Last night, after the children went to bed, I watched Peter Pan for the first time in years. My aunt and uncle joined me for the end and we talked until midnight. My uncle was eating fresh baked bread with raw garlic in oil and vinegar. I slept until 10:00am this morning. We went to Fresh Choice for lunch and then had a relaxing afternoon of PlayDoh and fresh air.

Well, I must depart. The silent lull is now gone and I hear the sound of little hands on the baby grand piano. I hope to update again soon! :)

God bless you all,
Andrea

Who Would I Be in 1400 AD?

2008-09-16T22:54:00.001-07:00

Your result for The Who Would You Be in 1400 AD Test...

The Prioress

You are a moral person and are also highly intellectual. You like your solitude but are also kind and helpful to those around you. Guided by a belief in the goodness of mankind you will likely be christened a saint after your life is over.

You scored high as both the Lady and the Monk. You can try again to get a more precise description of either the Monk or the lady, or you can be happy that you're an individual.

Take The Who Would You Be in 1400 AD Test at HelloQuizzy

The Date Chase and Other Future Projects

2008-09-14T11:39:00.001-07:00

I really need to start posting again. It keeps me sane in times of anxiety and pessimism. Like the past week and the one coming up. Finals are and have been here. Oh! The projects and the presentations, not excluding our first exam last Tuesday. This week I have two films due (one of which I think is about done) and my Theology final. The purpose of today's entry is to first bring to your attention my second directing project: The Date Chase.

I really quite enjoyed this project. We shot it in two hours and then my lovely editor put it together. I had never done quite so much prep work in my life. Okay, that is not true. There is Unto Dust and the next project I am working on, but those are "other stories that we'll save for another time".

#2: This would be the other time. I mentioned that I have two more film projects coming up, one of which is almost done. For those of you who do not know (those would be my out of state readers), Proposition 4 or Sarah's Law is going on the ballot in November. The idea behind it is familial notification when a minor is getting an abortion. Well, my film is on Sarah's story. Sarah was about fifteen when she had a secret abortion. They tore her cervix during the procedure, it became infected, and she died. Her parents had no idea what was going on during the trauma of the whole thing. So, that is the sum of my next two projects. One is for Directing I and the other is for Advanced Production. Therefore, one is five minutes and the other is two. Prayers please!

What Do You Hold To Be Sacred?

2008-09-12T23:24:00.001-07:00

The Feast of the Assumption

2008-08-15T19:23:00.000-07:00

"The most blessed Virgin Mary, when the course of her earthly life was completed, was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven, where she already shares in the glory of her Son's resurrection, anticipating the resurrection of all members of his body." ~ CCC 974

"Mary's assumption is an event that concerns us precisely because every human being is destined to die. But death is not the last word. It is the passage to the eternal happiness in store for those who toil for truth and justice and do their utmost to follow Christ." ~ Pope John Paul II

and one more...

"Oh blessed day that saw the humble handmaid of the Lord raised and borne aloft to such great glory, made queen of heaven and mistress of the world! She could rise no higher than this, being destined to reign in glory by the side of Christ, enthroned in the kingdom of the blessed." ~ St. Peter Canisius

I Love This School

2008-08-11T22:43:00.000-07:00

I'm currently taking a directing class for which we make one short film every week. This week I worked on a film titled, "My Town" directed by Matt Salisbury. I produced and was in charge of holding the boom mic. And Chris Kaiser was the cinematographer. Salisbury also edited the final project. Enjoy!

Prayers Please

2008-08-02T00:56:00.000-07:00

I know that I haven't been blogging very regularly of late; very aware of it. I just haven't had the time. I'm overwhelmed and at the end of my rope. Stress levels are high. What is on my to do list?

Due on Tuesday:
Watch, "Rear Window"
Turn in short film
Read twenty pages from Shot by Shot
Be prepared to give a 2 minute presentation about myself.
Revised "Helping Hand" script.

Due on Wednesday:
Read selected chapters from Coming Soon.
8 minute presentation on my business idea (includes lots of industry research and memorization).

Due on Thursday:
Probably about 40 pages from book on cinematography
CCC reading
More and more and more research on industry...

This is just homework. Somewhere in there, I'll be sleeping, eating, doing laundry, etc. Please prayer for me. St. Thomas Aquinas, pray for me and be my guide.

6 Quirks About Me

2008-07-22T19:59:00.000-07:00

I was recently tagged by The Sojourner in meme titled, "Six Quirks About Me". So here are the rules and there by the the grace of God go I. :)

1. Link the person(s) who tagged you
2. Mention the rules on your blog
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours
4. Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged.

1. I can't write in a straight line to save my life.

2. I like lots of peanut butter in my vanilla ice cream.

3. I butcher the meanings of various words in the English language as I talk. And if that's not bad enough, I make up words as I go along. (For whatever reason, my family thinks that this is hilarious.)

4. I play the accordion.

5. I say, "It was exciting" at the end of every story I tell regardless of whether it was exciting or not.

6. I talk/yell in my sleep. (I more often yell than talk.)

I tag Steve, Lisa, BAGEL, Ria, Tim, and Mrs. Marshall.

I Love These Things (A.K.A. Runaway?)

2008-07-10T18:24:00.000-07:00

1.Put your music player on shuffle.

2. Press forward for each question.

3. Use the song title as the answer to the question.

What does next year have in store for me?
A: The Harvest (Riverdance)

What does your love life look like?
A. Hallelujah! (Handel)
Lol, I'm single. :)

What do I say when life gets hard?
A. Life is a Highway (Rascal Flatts)
This one definitely works.

What do I think when I get up in the morning?
A. Every Move I Make (Worship Together)
(I usually can't move when I wake up in the morning.)

What song will I dance to at my wedding?
A. If I Were A Rich Man (Fiddler on the Roof)
Oh shoot.

What do you want to do for your career?
A. This is October (Ceili Rain)
Um...

Your favorite saying?
A. Night Ride Across the Caucasus (Loreena McKennitt)
I do love to travel at night...

Your favorite place?
A. Andalucia (Riverdance)
Is that a place?

What do you think of your parents?
A. My Faith, Your Power (Ceili Rain)
They definitely have power that I do not.

Where would you go on a first date?
A. Sometime in the Morning (The Monkees)
Um...

Drug of choice?
A. Playing With the Boys (Topgun)
Who needs drugs when you have boys? (I'm just KIDDING everyone.)

Describe yourself.
A. There Were Shepherds (Handel)
I'm pretty sure that there weren't shepherds in the near vicinity the day of my birth.

What is the thing I like doing most?
A. Long Black Cadillac (Ceili Rain)
This song actually refers to a hurst. I'm not sure if dying can be a hobby.

What is my state of mind like at the moment?
A. Matchmaker, Matchmaker (Fiddler on the Roof)
Actually...

How will I die?
A. I'm Sorry (John Denver)
I guess that means I'm not planning on dying? (Or I'm dying too soon for your comfort.)

The song that will be played at your funeral?
A. Sing, Sing, Sing

The song you'll put as the subject?
A. Runaway (Bon Jovi)

The song that describes my friendships?
A. America (Praise and Worship)
That doesn't make sense, except for most of my friends are American.

The song that describes my future marriage?
A. Thank God I'm a Country Boy (John Denver)
I'm suffocating from laughing so hard, but hey, it works. :)

The song that describes my future children?
A. Do You Love Me? (Fiddler on the Roof)
I sure hope my children will love me.

The song that describes what this winter will be like?
A. I'll Stick With My Own (Ceili Rain)
I don't think that's a description of winter.

The song that describes what people think of me?
A. Caucase (Georgian Legend)
Huh?

The song that describes how I will do in school?
A. Runaway (Bon Jovi)
I don't get why it brought up the same song twice. :P

The song that describes how nice of a career I'll have?
A. Bells of Freedom (Bon Jovi)

The song that describes my personality?
A. Broken Vow (Josh Groban)
Oh crum...

Happy National Phillippine Day!

2008-06-23T14:30:00.001-07:00

It was a couple weeks back. JP Catholic students were readying themselves for upcoming finals. There was tension in the air.

In case you haven't heard, the students and faculty of John Paul the Great Catholic University are beginning a new movement called Christ Our Hope. It is a movement which we hope to spread nationwide. We go to morning Mass every first Saturday of the month and then the closest City Hall to pray a Rosary for our country. So, with finals on the way, and every reason in the world to study, about fifteen of us departed for 8:30am Mass and San Diego City Hall soon after to pray the Rosary.

I was in my friend's truck and there were about four of us girls. We went to Mass with no difficulties and with forty minutes to spare, decided to swing by the library and drop off some books. It should have been no problem. The library was just down the street.

A detour blocked our way, however, so we proceeded to find a different entrance around the back. Eventually, after several shortcuts through apartment complexes, we finally found a back driveway to the library. There was yellow caution tape blocking the truck's entrance and a couple creepy looking dudes loitering on the grounds. The girl in the passenger seat offered to walk through the parking lot and return the books. So she did and we reassured her saying that the creepy dudes would protect her and we would watch from the truck.

She returned (without the books) and we went on our merry way. We concluded that the street we were on should take us to the main road. As we kept driving, we spotted a couple young Philippino women in long flowing gowns. We questioned what was actually going on. And then a couple of young men carrying a banner with large print, "Happy National Philippine Day". Oh. Apparently a parade was taking place. We then got stuck in a large line of vehicles. Our driver said, "This must be the line of traffic trying to get on the main road." Except the long line of traffic consisted of only brand new convertibles, all with roofs down and more young girls in pretty dresses sitting in the back. Me: I think this is the "line". That was exactly what it was. We were in the parade in a giant silver truck with a blonde driver, myself, and two other girls. Not exactly from the Philippines. We had to get out of that line. We had twenty-five minutes to get to City Hall. Our driver pulled into the left lane (going the other way, mind you) and went as fast as she could past all the convertibles. Passenger in front: Let's pull into this driveway and see if it leads to a back street. "This driveway" was the entrance to an apartment complex; a gated apartment complex.

We had to turn around yet again. Our driver booked it back the way we came. (She is an aggressive driver, to say the least.) We made it back to the last turn before the main road. Another long line of traffic and this time it was the line we wanted. The other side of the street was home to the parade which was taking place. More women in long dresses waving to their native crowd. Lots of flowers and lo and behold, a shrine to Mary! Then a large group of high school students all with colorful flowers, begging the drivers on the other side of the street to honk their horns. We had the windows down and we made eye contact with the students, still pleading for drivers to honk their horns. Our driver LAYED on the horn. The response from the kids was astounding. They had never been happier. They roared and cheered and for such a small group. You would have thought that the Chargers had scored a touchdown. One kid ran over, "Here, I found you and extra flower", he said and handed her a yellow flower. She goes, "Oh yeah!" and received the flower graciously.

We made it onto the freeway and with our driver's magnificent driving skills (and fast means of transportation), made it to the City Hall just in the knick of time. :)

...and you shall be my squishy!

2008-06-17T10:57:00.001-07:00

Boy, Scott seems to always tend toward saying the funniest things while we're getting ready for bed.

I had just climbed in and was lying on my back, when all of a sudden my sister's face was right above mine and before I new it, she was curled up on top of me (dog pile style). Then my brother walks in, "What's going on?" He's standing next to the long side of my bed and folds over in half, so he's half standing, half laying on Bridget's stomach.

Me: That must be awfully uncomfortable.

Scott: Naw, she's nice and squishy.

Bridget was a little taken aback by this statement, but let me assure you, it was said out of the kindness of his heart. :)

You Have to Get Through the Thorns Before You Reach the Rose

2008-06-14T12:08:00.000-07:00

This is what my brother said last night. My mom has been reading Shadow of the Bear every night before bed. It's a Grimm's Fairy Tale retold.

Scott: You have to get through the thorns before you reach the rose. I just came up with that!

BAGEL: Unfortunately, someone came up with it before you.

Scott: Really? I thought I had come up with it. What does it actually mean?

Me: The girl is playing hard to get. You have to work hard to get the girl, etc.

Scott: Oh... well that's not what I meant.

Bridget: ?

Scott: I meant that the parents are the thorns. You have to get through the thorns to get to the girl.

This resulted in an eruption of laughter from the whole family.

Why the Delay

2008-05-22T17:16:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed, there have been long intervals between each of my blog posts of late. While this is partially due to classes, homework, projects, etc., my delay is due to an issue which has been pressing my mind. It is an issue which I have been long pondering and which I haven't quite come to answer. An issue which I have been long trying to find the answer to and which I think will end with me composing a long and detailed paper on my word processor. What is this issue you may wonder?

Ah, the issues of the world today. Our world seems to be in a continuous downhill state what with wars, politics, abortion, euthanasia, conflict between individuals, etc. Yet, my thought process follows none of these, except it does. Because the issue that I am thinking of can quite possibly be the core or at least very much in the midst of many of the world's dilemmas.

So, what is the issue? A dear friend once told me, "Sometimes, it is essential that you be blunt. You can say, "I really don't know how to say this, but you tend to be _____". So now I finally come to the issue, except I really don't know if it's an issue. But I'll come to that in the paper. So let me just state the issue as is. Bluntly.

RELATIONSHIPS

What to think of them? How does one enter into a relationship? How do we interpret them? Is a relationship simply romantic? Can a man and a woman be true friends without everyone jumping on their case? When people playfully tease two friends, can it be the cause of these two later developing a relationship down the road? What are the different kinds of relationships? Etc., etc., etc. Here's a monster to tackle: What is true love?

These are the kinds of questions that stream through my mind almost endlessly. Which I desperately need to let loose on my word processor, before I am overwhelmed. But I can't right now. Why not? Because I have to write an eight page research paper (which I think will end up being longer), develop a website, write another paper (a.k.a. my final for my production class), the day to day homework that never ceases to exist, two more weeks of class, and finals week. This is all happening in the next three weeks. May God help me to persevere and triumph through it all. (I have all the hope in the world that He will.)

I hope that after I write this work and edit it to some degree, I can post it in increments on this here blog. Stay tuned!

I Have Sorely Abandoned This Blog

2008-05-14T17:52:00.000-07:00

For no apparent reason, I have decided that I have a dislike for my readers and that I am going to dump you all in a ditch (a.k.a. abandon you forever and ever and ever).

Just kidding! :) I swear I haven't been avoiding you all on purpose. But life gets hectic. Especially third quarter, sophomore year, when all your professors decide to give barely bearable piles of homework all at once. That's basically how I felt my first week back. As my uncle once said of MIT, "Open mouth, insert fire hose." So, I'm going to try to give a concise update on what's been happening in the very chaotic past several weeks of my life. I'll probably stick with the most interesting.

So what has happened in the past six weeks?
1) My roommate has a boyfriend. Don't ask me how it happened, because I really don't know. One moment she was really good friends with a very nice young man and the next minute she was in a relationship with him. Well, not really. But in order to reassure you all, I will tell you that I highly approve of the match and that I am just going to place it all in God's hands. (I'm pretty darn sure He knows what He's doing.)

2) Two people that I have met and know via the internet are going out as well. As I am never am around them, I am unable to say anything except for what I have already said. (If that makes any sense.)

3) Another one of my friends asked a girl out and she said no, much to his bitter disappointment.(But that's another story and shall be told another time. In different words, that is.) Now the girl appears to be interested in someone else and he seems to be interested in her. So we shall see how all plays out in the end.

4) Enough of relationships. Not only do I not want to bore you, but there is no more matter on the subject that I am aware of. :)

5) I finished the rough draft of my script!!!! It's just over 114 pages and it's written as a feature film. I don't know about you, but I would call that an accomplishment. I wrote it in about two quarters time.

6) John Paul the Great Catholic University had it's First Annual Giuseppe Award Ceremony!!! (A.k.a. John Paul the Great Catholic University's first film festival.) Five films were submitted. There were paparazzi, fashionable gowns, sunglasses, red carpets, elegant refreshments, etc. Very snazzy, very classy, very fun, very amusing, and very entertaining. You can see the winner here.

Those are only some of the happenings of the past several weeks. (They are also the most interesting.) I hope and pray, Dear Readers, that I do not neglect you as sorely as I have the past few weeks. Although it grieves me greatly, I now have to depart from my dear laptop, but this does not sadden me as much as the thought of leaving you all behind.

As they say in Hebrew, "Shalom!"

"And there, by the grace of God, go I."

I Just Love Pixar Shorts!

2008-04-12T10:33:00.000-07:00

For the Birds

Mike's New Car

Good ol' Days

2008-04-09T22:19:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning, one of my six roommates is leaving. So tonight, about fourteen of us went to Applebee's and had a goodbye dinner for her. While we were waiting in "the circle" for everyone to show up, I felt really bouncy and was getting the urge to Irish Step dance right then and there.

I have many inspirations and role models throughout my eight years of Irish Dancing and I still do today. And recently, I found a new video on Google portraying one of my top inspirations. This would be the group, "Celtic Spring". They are a family with six kids, all home schooled, the two oldest have gone (are going?) to Thomas Aquinas College, and they competed on the TV show, "America's Got Talent" and made it to the grand finale. I've posted the video here for your enjoyment!

Defense of the Young

2008-04-04T13:26:00.000-07:00

This is an amazing video which I witnessed on a friend's blog. Watch the whole thing. It's fascinating.

April Fools!

2008-04-01T22:11:00.000-07:00

Today was April Fools Day as you probably all know. I just had to relate this happening on my blog. It's too good to not tell.

In one of my classes, Leadership and Management, we have two textbooks. One is called, "Lincoln on Leadership", and the other is called "Developing the Leader Within You". Today was our first class and our professor lectured on the first chapter of each book. The first half of the lecture being on the latter and the second half on the former. He told us during the beginning of class that he had a special guest coming to speak for about ten minutes; a guest who was going to make comments on the lecture. "He's sort of famous", the Professor told us. "A real busy man who said he would stop by for a few minutes. Some of you may recognize him when he comes." Well, we were excited to say the least.
About two hours into the class, our guest still hadn't arrived yet. Our Professor goes, "I just received an email from our guest saying he would be a few minutes late." About ten minutes later, he goes, "Excuse me." He pulls out his phone. "He's here. I'm going to greet our guest and when I come back, I expect you all to give him your attention and respect. Give him a warm welcome." He exits the classroom. The class starts talking excitedly.
Five minutes later, one of the freshmen marches in with a big ol' grin on his face humming a very patriotic song. Following close behind is our professor wearing a top hat, black necktie, and holding a black beard to his face. (The adhesive wasn't working correctly.) The very man, Abe Lincoln himself. There was much laughter, cheering, and applause. He spoke for a few minutes about himself and his leadership position and responsibilities.
This school is so great

Read here for a few more jokes pulled off by our very own professors and devious students.

The Longest Pointless Quiz I've Ever Taken

2008-04-01T13:40:00.000-07:00

I know I've done something like this before, but this particular quiz was fifty-eight questions long, so I figured it must be fairly accurate. If it's not, oh well!

Which Jane Austen Character are You? (For Females) Long Quiz!!!
created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Elinor Dashwood

As Marianne's older sister, Elinor lives at the other end of the emotional spectrum. She rarely reveals her intense feelings and is more concerned with being honest and loyal than having what she deserves. Even though her intentions are pure, she sets herself up for loss by constantly placing other people before her own needs. Overall, Elinor is gentle and rational but is just as capable of radical emotions (despite her withholding them) as her sister.

Elinor Dashwood

91%

Elizabeth Bennet

56%

Jane Bennet

47%

Emma Woodhouse

44%

Marianne Dashwood

44%

Charlotte Lucas

41%

Lady Catherine

The Joys and Wonders of Easter Break

2008-03-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

I know I've left my dear readers hanging for the past week and a half. And some of you (a.k.a. The Sojourner and the Cobbler), probably have no clue what I've been up to. So I am writing this post to let you in on some of the adventures I've experienced since Wednesday night. It might be rather long (I'm not infamous for writing short posts as you probably all know.)

On the Wednesday of Holy Week, finals finished, for better or for worse, my roommate and two others decided it would be an excellent plan to go to the beach and chill for a few hours.

I decided to tag along and within a half hour we packed into Daniel's car equipped with a jar of p.b. and four spoons, sliced apples, and some rather amazing bread (the last two provided by Miss Tasha). It was a rather lovely night. Good discussion, much walking, lots of pictures (just me), and myself and Tasha acted like little kids in the playground (what fun). We concluded the night by walking along the shore while praying the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet. All the while avoiding giant piles of goo (which I later learned were jellyfish).

The next day was Thursday, and being that I had decided to spend an extra day at the apartments enjoying the company of my friends without the worry of homework, I made the decision that my day would be best spent at Miramar Lake. It's quite large, about five miles all the way around, with an excellent walking path and various hillside trails. Once again, we (Lisa, Tasha, Daniel, and I) all piled into Daniel's car (he's such a sweet guy) and drove to the lake where we managed to have more good discussion while walking the entire five miles around the lake with some detours (not necessarily short cuts) on the hiking trails.

One one of the trails Daniel found a miniature boulder weighing about thirty-forty lbs and decided that it was really quite amazing. He carried it all the way down the hill on his shoulder and the rest of the way around the lake. (You see, the reason it was so amazing was how sturdy it was, unbreakable and "practically perfect in every way".) At one point, he decided to drop it on the asphalt to see what would happen. Nothing really, except it made a large mark on the pavement. The rock now had a name. It was henceforth dubbed "Rocky" and the poor unfortunate pavement was dubbed "Mark".

We managed to make it back in time for seven o'clock Mass which lasted until about 9:15. It was quite nice and very packed. Good Shepherd is the largest parish in San Diego. I got there with my roommate about ten minutes early and had a hard enough time finding a seat.

That concludes my adventures while staying at the apartment. I left on Good Friday and unfortunately got back with all my stuff only to unpack it and then repack for our trip up north the following day. During the three hours, we watched "Jesus of Nazareth" and my sister picked up her Bible and Summa Theologica. She and I prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3:00.

In case you don't know, every year my family makes a trip to Redwood City (halfway between San Jose and San Francisco). The entire extended family lives there. I lived there until a couple months before my eighth b-day. We usually drive, but this time we flew. As I hadn't been on a plane in about four years, the whole thing was rather exciting for me. I am going to make this explanation as short as possible, mainly because I think a whole account of the trip would bore you, but mostly it would take up a lot of time and a lot of room.

I managed to spend a good deal of time with cousins (mainly those on my mother's side). There's two of them: ages three and seventeen months. The youngest also happens to be my godson.

My grandparents have a rather large hill in their backyard which was covered with a green and gold blanket of poppies.

The entire yard is dotted with fruit trees which were all in blossom; all pink and white. Onions were growing at the bottom of the hill. I spent much of my time back there, chasing and tickling little ones on the deck, and watching as they delightfully picked poppies off the hillside and ran down the hill. Perhaps the cutest thing I witnessed during the week was the "monkey see, monkey do" act, performed by the three year old and her brother. Everything she did, he had imitate (rather unfortunately in some cases). On our last night there, Clara had started to cry over something. Benjamin simply looked at her, looked around at all of us, and started to cry to0. He would stop, smile, and then let out a wailing noise, imitating her with all he could muster.

Another large part of my trip was spent taking long walks around my grandparents neighborhood. It's really quite gorgeous. Large trees (and houses), colorful flowers blossoming in purple, pink, yellow, and white, the occasional cat curled up in the sun or carefully treading through the long grass, stopping to stare with large green eyes.

On the other side of the family (my dad's side), I have several cousins. My dad is one of five and all except one are married and, interestingly enough, each have three children. I saw five of them over the past week. On Monday night, after an excellent dinner and my grandma's homemade cake, my grandmother was playing cards with me and my siblings. Two of my cousins were watching and my dad was talking with his brother (their dad). At one point, my dad was trying to get my direct family's attention. So he calls out, "Hey, Lynches?" and we all look at him. You see, we're all Lynches. I speak up and say, "Which ones?" We all had a good laugh.

My dad has one sister and she happens to have three little girls. Very cute, very blonde, and very sociable, always wanting to play. We ate lunch outside, and while my mom and sister played with the youngest who were walking about watering the roses with a giant watering can, my grandmother, six-year-old cousin, and I discussed the shapes of the clouds. At one point, I said, "They really are quite lovely, aren't they. Like tufts of cotton." My cousin goes, "That is what they are." Oh, loveliness. After lunch, we had a wonderful time playing hide'n'seek, which I seemingly had a difficult time with. I (the hider) literally walked in on my seekers. :)

Cousins!

That would be my break in a nutshell. Since we got back on Thursday, I have been hurriedly getting ready to return to school on Monday. :) Organizing books, downloading software, buying more books, getting school supplies, putting away old notes from last quarter. I need to finish everything today, as I am going to a Baptism tomorrow. The joys of welcoming a new life into the Church! I hope that I haven't bored you all with this post. Hopefully, I don't wait too long before I post again. :) Have a wonderful Easter season and may Christ bestow his blessings upon you all!

On With the Discussion

2008-03-15T10:35:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know and for those of you who do, about five or sixish of the students at JP Catholic have been discussing what it is to be a true gentleman or a true lady. How each of us should carry ourselves and present ourselves, and how gentlemen should respect women. So, you can imagine how interested I was when I read a post on The Sojourner's blog yesterday, and I wasted no time asking her if I could put it on my blog for all of you to see.

So, without further ado, here is the post:

"Last semester, I knew a guy--we'll call him Ben--who liked to fetch chairs. He wasn't really one of my friends, but I had a class with him and one of my good friends was likewise one of his good friends, so we saw each other pretty often. It sometimes happened that I would be looking for a seat in the Caf, notice my friend sitting with her little group, and go to sit with them. Sometimes it would happen that there wouldn't be a free chair. When that happened, everybody would start moving their chairs a bit to make room, and Ben would get up and get me a chair. Every time. It didn't matter if he was in the middle of his dinner or if the nearest free chair was quite out of his way, he got up and got me a chair. I let him. It seemed to make him happy and it didn't hurt me any--in fact I rather liked it. It's not that I'm not perfectly capable of getting my own chair, because I am and I have done so on numerous occasions, but if a gentleman wants to get up and get me a chair I'm not going to be offended. I find it rather charming, in fact.

Ben has since transferred, but there are still plenty of gentlemen running around here. Franciscan is full of them. A good example would be my friend and fellow blogger Scott. Scott makes a point of holding open doors. On second thought, perhaps that is a bad choice of words. He doesn't make a point of it in the sense of, "Hey, look at me, I'm being chivalrous!" He just puts special effort into being the first one to get to the door when we're walking together. I let him. In fact, I give Scott more room to be chivalrous than I do most guys. You know what I mean when I talk about there being two sets of doors leading out of a building? There's one set, and then a little anteroom, and then another set. How it works is this: Scott opens the first one. I go through and then pause. Scott opens the second one. I go through and we continue on our merry way. The pause is the part that's unique to interacting with Scott. Usually when I'm going through two sets of doors and somebody holds open the first one I thank them and then keep going. Every now and then a guy will be quick on his feet and manage to open both, and if he does I thank him again, but I don't stand around waiting for him.

Another thing Scott does that I only just figured out: When we are walking along and happen to cross a street, he will make a little half-stop. At first this confused me and I would stop too. Finally I figured out that whenever Scott stops, he resumes walking on the other side. That is, if we are walking with me on the left and him on the right, and we cross a street, Scott arranges it so that he will then be walking on the left and me on the right. Why? Because gentlemen walk on the street side of the sidewalk, and ladies let them.

I want to reemphasize that second point. Men have really hard time being gentlemen unless women cooperate by being ladies. In all of the above examples, I could have gotten offended and refused to have my chair fetched/ have the door held open/walk on the inside of the sidewalk. I hear that some women do that. I personally don't understand that. When a man acts like a gentleman it doesn't make me feel condescended to (as if I can't do the things they're doing for me); it makes me feel special. When I know my companion is going to treat me like a lady, I'm more disposed to act like one.

Here I would like to make a little side note, concerning the distinction between courtesy and chivalry. Courtesy is a very good thing, I don't want to downplay it at all, but there is a difference. Courtesy is when I hold open the door for the people behind me because nobody wants to have the door slammed in their face. Men can be courteous towards women--and I am quite thankful for the men who have considered my feelings and not let the door slam in my face. Men can, however, also be chivalrous. Chivalry is a bit more gratuitous than courtesy--when a man's being chivalrous, he's not holding the door open because I happen to have been walking behind him and I deserve not to have the door slam in my face. He's being chivalrous when he gets to the door first on purpose and holds it open for the simple reason that I'm a lady and he's a gentlemen and that's how it works.

I suppose it's quite possible for a man to act like a gentleman without really being a gentleman--just going through the motions without really caring about the ladies he's being chivalrous towards. I don't think that happens very often nowadays, though. Maybe it would have happened in Emily Post's day when people were expected to do that kind of thing, but in the good old 21st century, if a man acts chivalrously he probably means it, because the prevailing social conventions are, for the most part, anti-chivalry. You can hold the door open for someone who's carrying a heavy box, for instance, but heaven forbid that you should hold the door open for someone simply because she's female. The brave few who do that anyway are probably going to be real gentlemen. How do you tell a real gentleman from an imposter? Simple: you just know. We're women, after all, and we're entitled to our intuition.

I don't want to give the impression, however, that "it's the thought that counts" and chivalrous actions don't really matter. We're an incarnate people. We need symbols, visible and tangible things, to comprehend unseen realities. I am perfectly capable of opening a door, but when one of my guy friends holds it open for me it's a symbolic way of saying that he respects me. The more respectfully men treat me, the more likely I am to respect myself. It works the other way too: The more I respect myself, the more likely men are to respect me.

Which brings me to the second topic of my post: modesty. Modesty is in its essence an interior disposition. There's a story that says Marilyn Monroe could walk down the street in a nun's full habit and still find a way to be immodest, while a nun could walk down the street without a stitch on and still find a way to be modest. That's true, but we're still incarnate and symbols are still important, so in the normal course of things women ought to dress in a way that is befitting their feminine dignity. I'm not one of those people who thinks a woman's being immodest if she wears pants (I happen to be wearing pants today, in fact) but I do think that makes a difference. I feel different in pants than I do when I'm wearing a skirt or a dress. When you're wearing a skirt you have to be more careful about how you carry yourself, how you sit down, etc. There are times when you don't want to have to worry about things like that: horseback riding, carrying firewood, playing Twister--and those are times when I think a woman ought to wear pants. I also think, though, that barring times when a skirt would be a severe hindrance, women should try to wear them as much as possible. How you carry yourself is important, how you present yourself to the world is important. I might be as ladylike as can be on the inside, but if the way I dress and the way I carry myself doesn't indicate that I respect myself, then how can I expect men to respect me?"

I Remember That Show!

2008-03-14T22:34:00.000-07:00

If only I could use these to study for my final exams. *Sigh*

2008-03-10T14:38:00.001-07:00

You Are Garlic

Of all the spice types, you are the most universally loved.

You get long with pretty much everyone, and you leave a lasting impression.

You adapt yourself well to situations. You can fit in or stand out, depending on what you're called on to do.

What Spice Are You?

Wow, I'm a Colon

2008-02-28T18:45:00.000-08:00

You Are a Colon

You are very orderly and fact driven.

You aren't concerned much with theories or dreams... only what's true or untrue.

You are brilliant and incredibly learned. Anything you know is well researched.

You like to make lists and sort through things step by step. You aren't subject to whim or emotions.

Your friends see you as a constant source of knowledge and advice.

(But they are a little sick of you being right all of the time!)

You excel in: Leadership positions

You get along best with: The Semi-Colon

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

Precious Moments

2008-02-25T21:02:00.000-08:00

Children at their best.

And last, but not least, my personal favorite.

Rainy Breakfast Day

2008-02-22T19:14:00.000-08:00

I was just thinking that almost every time I write something on my blog, it's cold and wet outside. Well, today is no different and that is exactly why I'm posting. Because it did rain today, and has been raining ever since I got up this morning at 6:00.

It was my turn to cook breakfast for the "Tired of Being Tired" crowd, and, as I always do on Friday morning, I produced a large batch of Apple Snapple (my "secret" recipe, except everyone in the "Tired of Being Tired" crowd knows how I make it). It finally finished cooking, the table was set, and there were only two people (Steve and myself). It turned out that Neil didn't know we were having breakfast. So, as soon as he figured out that we were, he came down to enjoy what he calls "Mystical Apple Snapple". (I guess he doesn't know what's in it.)

I'm going off on a tangent. The main reason for writing this post is to tell you how we ate breakfast this morning. Anyways, we ended up moving a smaller table and three chairs out onto the porch (covered porch), complete with the pot of secretiveness, p.b., bread, and tea. And we sat their with our piping hot breakfast, watching the rain fall and the drops splash on the railing. I felt like the animals in the old Narnia movie, sitting out in the snow, feasting, right before the White Witch discovers them and turns them into stone. The second reason I'm writing this post is because, while we were enjoying our food and the rain, I said, "I think I'm going to write a post for my blog about this later". So I did and am doing and now I'm finished.

Jamba Juice and Pickles

2008-02-14T18:29:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I vocally wished that it would rain. Well, I got my wish. Sheets of rain slanting in the wind POURED from the sky today. Just my luck.:)My Thursdays are equal to Fridays. Last day of class, no homework due the next day, I tend to get nothing done on Thursday night. To make up for that, I have 4 1/2hrs./2 classes on Thursday; 1 1/2hrs. in the morning, and 3 in the afternoon. In between classes today, I went back to the apartment to grab some lunch. On my way back to the school, the roads were barely visible through my fogged up windshield and the rain was coming down really hard. I was going 25-30mph in a 45mph zone.

After my very long day, I am finally back drinking a very cold smoothie. (Ask me why I'm drinking something frozen on a cold and rainy day.)So, my dinner consisted of a p.b. smoothie and pickles. I'm still drinking my smoothie, sitting on my bed with my laptop equipped, wearing my fuzzy socks, and listening to Rascal Flatts and swing dancing music (by far, the best). Hmmmm... very comfy:)

Just for fun:

A couple pictures I took recently:

Movies to Look Forward To

2008-02-08T20:49:00.001-08:00

Here are a couple trailers from YouTube.com for two movies. I think we can look forward to these two films with great anticipation.

Batman: The Dark Knight

Prince Caspian

And supposedly there is a fourth Indiana Jones coming out as well! Well, doesn't that beat all? I will let you know if I find any more information. I have yet to find the official trailer.

Goodbye Facebook, Hello Lent!

2008-02-06T16:01:00.000-08:00

Well, today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, the beginning of our spiritual journey towards Easter. A time of year where Christians take it upon themselves to give something up. Friends from my old homeschool group have a tradition of giving up sweets and TV. My dad, without fail, gives up sweets every Lent. One year, I gave up singing in the shower (much to my sister's relief). Although it is going to be difficult as I receive notifications every day in my gmail inbox, I gave up facebook this year for Lent. Hence, the title of this post.

I recently discovered how much time I spend in the world of cyberspace and what I do while I'm on: blog jumping (a term that my roommate coined), reading cartoons, browsing YouTube videos, and spending lots of time (too much time) on FACEBOOK. Do you realize how much of that time I could have spent studying? All two hours of it every day of the week. Fourteen more hours a week!!! (I am disgusted with myself.) My dear reader, please realize that my grades are fine, and that I could probably continue going about the way I have been. But I have decided that it would be one of the biggest sacrifices I could make to tear myself away from the world of facebook.

Another issue that was brought to mind, was the sad loss of old fashioned communication through the means of hand written letters and, more recently, talking on the phone and emailing. (Keep in mind, seeing people in person is the ideal.) People had friends before MySpace and Facebook existed. Going back to what I was going to say, I would so much rather receive a hand written letter, or an email, or a phone call, than a notification in gmail informing me that "So and so has written on my wall".

Grant, that this is going to be very difficult, because I do really enjoy using facebook. I have so many friends that live out of state and facebook makes it really easy for me to communicate with them. But I feel the need for a change in my habits and doing this will encourage me to become more productive in my every day life.

I hope that all of my readers have a beautiful Lenten season. I hope that you all discover through each sacrifice you make, what is really important in this life and how each thing you do will prepare you for a perfect and eternal happiness in the next. Remember, that nothing matters except that you live all for the greater glory of God. I pray that these next forty days will bring you closer to Him.

Side note: If you have some spare reading time, you may enjoy this post by the Curt Jester: L-Mart

On a Whim

2008-02-03T10:54:00.000-08:00

Hello to all my readers, although I have a feeling that there's probably not very many of you. For those of you who do read, I thank-you much. The cause of this post? There isn't one. I just feel like writing something other than an assignment.

Today is another beautiful Sunday in San Diego. NOT!!!!! Actually, it is raining as I write this and water is streaming down my window. My roommate is asleep. I'm listening to Josh Groban music on my laptop. Although it may not be beautiful for some, it sure is wonderful for me to hear the wind through the trees and the rain softly pattering on the roof. Why, oh why do I live in southern California? Sometimes I think that I should move somewhere where it rains consistently, like Seattle. But then again, if I was born in Seattle, I could be grumbling to myself about the cold and the wet. The grass is usually greener on the other side. Oh, and I'm also very, very stiff, sore, and tired, but I'll get to the reasons why later on.

This weekend has been amazing so far. Not as productive as I wished it to be, but amazing nevertheless. Every weekend, I plan on finishing most of my homework for the next week on Saturday. In the words of Bill Cosby, "riiiiggghhhhttttttt...." ~ Noah. Yesterday, despite my best efforts, I managed to finally get up at 9:43am. I did homework (with some detours, of course) until approximately 1:20pm.

Then I ventured downstairs to The Pelican Perch (one of JP Catholic's common rooms) for an open house. Half the student body was there (about thirty students) eating Oreo's, playing Apples to Apples, and drinking some red stuff they called fruit punch. More like sickly sweet red liquid if you ask me. The Perch was more than crowded already and became very tight and loud when the prospective students finally arrived. I figured the ratio of students to prospectives was about 5 to 1.

At about 3:00pm, the prospectives began to filter out and some of the students had the bright idea of going to the park to play soccer. Now, I LOVE soccer and I usually won't skip out on a game for the world, even if I have a lot of homework to tackle. So I played with about ten others. We played for about two and a half hours and I was the keeper. I blocked most of them, but I did a lot of running back and forth when they missed (or occasionally got it in). That's why I'm sore right now. My team won, 1o to 6!!! I'm happy.

After the game, I walked back (I also walked there) and entered my very dark apartment. I put my muddy shoes out on the balcony, put my keys on my desk and set about making myself dinner (flour tortillas, an orange, vanilla ice cream with p.b.) Little did I know, that my roommate was asleep on the couch (she's been doing that a lot lately), which I walked right past. TWICE!! I think I woke her up. Whoops. Once I was settled with my dinner, I settled down to finish writing my seven pages of screenplay due on Tuesday.

After finishing it, emailing it to my writing group, losing it (long story), and finding it again, I headed down to Magnificat's household meeting. You see, JP Catholic is so new that we don't very many households yet and we don't exactly all live in the same room. But we see each other a lot, have our trademarks (still in development), and have finally started our Lord's Day Dinners. Actually, we do Mass downtown and get together for lunch afterwards. However, since this weekend was the open house, we decided to have tea and cookies at 9pm and then head down to the Rosary, which one of us leads.

Once we prayed the Rosary, I bolted the other common room (St. Jude's) for night prayer. You know, Liturgy of the Hours, the Divine Office, night prayer? Magnificat's brother household, The Divine Officers, lead the students in prayer every night. Night prayer being over, I had a long and interesting discussion with my fellow students and R.D. (another long story) and then finally headed up to bed at 1am. I think I finally went to bed at 1:30. My roommate was up until almost 4am and then laid wide awake in bed for another hour and a half. We got up for 8:30am Mass. Hence, she's tired.

(Wow, this post is long.)

Today is the Superbowl! Actually, the only thing I'm excited about is that I get to go to a Superbowl party at 3pm with JP Catholic. Two of the students (they're married with one on the way) are going to host it in their apartment and project it onto the wall. Should be fun! (Even if I don't care a fool thing about football. Although, I must say that I would like the Giants to win. Stupid Patriots, who put an end to the Chargers' winning streak.)

Well, that's the end of my writing on a whim. I hope that if any of you read this (which you probably won't), you weren't bored to sleep. (Sleeping does seem to be a main topic in this post, does it not?) Happy Sunday!!! I'll make an attempt to post a video or something soon.

I've been tagged AGAIN!!!

2008-01-25T15:14:00.000-08:00

Well, here it is the infamous meme...

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

2: a biological species name consisting of two terms - binomial adj - Bi.no.mi.al.ly
binomial coefficient n (1876): a coefficient of a term in the expansion of the binomial (x+y)2 (that's squared) according to the binomial theorum.
binomial distribution n (1911): a probability function each of whose values gives the probability that an outcome with constant probability of occurrence in a statistical experiment will occur a given number of times in a succession of repetitions of the experiment.

Now it's your turn... (and pleassssseee don't tag me again)

Studeo
American Papist
C. Gallucci
Jone
E. Merriman

I Was Tagged!

2008-01-24T18:45:00.000-08:00

I was tagged in this recent meme by The Sojourner

Anyway, here it is:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

"We accept it, but in all honesty we cannot feel that it makes any great difference to our spiritual or mental life, to our love of God or to our comprehension of reality. But the prime question about a doctrine is not what does it do to us, but is it so. The doctrine of the Trinity is reality about God." ~ Frank Sheed (Theology and Sanity)

T. Evans
Ria
S. Marshall
MK
Lisa

That was fun!

Which Jane Austen Heroine Are You?

2008-01-15T19:39:00.000-08:00

Take the Quiz here!

You Are...Elinor Dashwood!

You are Elinor Dashwood of Sense & Sensibility! You are practical, circumspect, and discreet. Though you are tremendously sensible and allow your head to rule, you have a deep, emotional side that few people often see.

The Chalice With the Palace Has the True that is Brew

2007-12-28T10:46:00.000-08:00

Here are two great clips from the movie, "Court Jester". If you haven't seen it, you haven't lived. This is one of my favorite scenes. Movies used to be much more clever and Danny Kaye never ceases to amaze me.

Homeschooler Theme Song

2007-12-26T19:37:00.001-08:00

Enjoy this video. I happen to come from a very large group of homeschoolers myself. There weren't very many families, but there were many children within those families. Enjoy!

Today (Or Yesterday) is Born a Savior

2007-12-26T12:12:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

Matthew 1:23
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel

In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church; the Jews called it 'Hanukkah' and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say 'Merry Christmas!' or 'Happy Hanukkah!' or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!' ~Dave Barry, "Christmas Shopping: A Survivor's Guide"

Once again we find ourselves enmeshed in the Holiday Season, that very special time of year when we join with our loved ones in sharing centuries-old traditions such as trying to find a parking space at the mall. We traditionally do this in my family by driving around the parking lot until we see a shopper emerge from the mall, then we follow her, in very much the same spirit as the Three Wise Men, who 2,000 years ago followed a star, week after week, until it led them to a parking space. ~Dave Barry

Christmas Cheer!

2007-12-24T10:08:00.000-08:00

A little something to raise your Christmas spirits! Merry Christmas everyone!

Home, Sweet Home

2007-12-17T17:18:00.001-08:00

For my few dear readers, I apologize for not having posted anything for a while. Life has been quite hectic, yet an exciting adventure. Here is a brief update on what has happened over the last three days.

On Thursday night, I finished my last final, so on Friday, I took the liberty of cleaning the apartment and packing. (Not like I have much to pack, since I only live about twenty-five minutes away.) After packing, I washed my sheets and wasted my life away on Facebook and Youtube and listened to some music. I departed at about 3:00pm after wishing farewell to my beloved roommates and putting everything in my truck.

That night, my mother made a hearty meal which I savored. It was much better than the food I had been preparing myself over finals week. After dinner, we decorated the tree and put the stockings up. Glass icicles with glitter, angels, completely random ornaments received when we were small, Andrea's First Christmas, gingerbread men (made of some sort of plastic), bows, colored balls, and oh, so many others went up on the tree. Some great pictures were taken including the one below. Sorry that it's a little fuzzy.

After a great night, I got up early the next morning for my root canal on my front tooth. With a sore mouth, I spent the whole day eating soup, scrambled eggs, very soft bread, and rice pudding. I also spent the whole day reading a fascinating book, Waking Rose, written by Regina Doman. Alas, if only my school books were that exciting.

The next day was Sunday. We had gone to Mass the night before, so I slept in (until 9:00!). I spent another day eating soft foods that could by mushed around by my tongue (TMI!) and continued to read Waking Rose. At about 5:00pm we left the house with deli sandwiches for Coronado Island to watch the Parade of Lights which is a parade of various boats covered in Christmas lights. Since we don't have the pleasure and entertainment of snow, we San Diegans watch boats bob past covered with colorful and fancy lights. There was a pirate theme this year, so several of the boats were blasting either "A Pirates Life For Me" or the Pirates of the Caribbean theme song. Some had Santa walking the plank and then one particularly creative one had constructed a huge skull wearing a Santa hat with candy canes for cross bones. There was even a small boat in which the owners had built a small blazing fire. My family all had an excellent time and we drove home amidst lots of Christmas crazed drivers.

After Sunday, comes Monday which brings me to today. Since my siblings are still in school (at home), I finished Waking Rose (all 371 pages). It was an awesome read and I enjoyed it immensely! The rest of the day has been rather uneventful. I spent most of it in front of my computer trying to upload 114 pictures from my camera and then onto Facebook, I helped my mother pick up the van from the garage. (My sister is learning to drive and has hit the curb a few times. The van had to be realigned.) I also took the dog for a walk, which was slightly annoying, because he has to sniff everything and will stop at random intervals, causing his walker (who is busy enjoying the brisk weather) to trip over him.

Well anyways, I think my mom is making dinner which means I will have to abandon this post. I hope you all have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

What Kind of Christmas Tree Are You?

2007-12-17T13:14:00.000-08:00

You Are a Bright Christmas Tree

For you, the holidays are all about fun and seasonal favorites.
You are into all things Christmas, even if they're a little tacky.

What Christmas Tree Are You?

2007-12-14T13:35:00.000-08:00

Kurt Browning figure skating to Gene Kelley's "Singing in The Rain". They had to film this in several takes, because the rain kept melting the ice.

Your Majesty...

2007-12-09T19:38:00.000-08:00

(Chapter 14, Question 1)

In Daniel 5, we read about King Belshazzar of Babylon and how he holds a great feast where he and his guests eat and drink using the silver from the Temple. As a result of the sacrilege of these sacred things, God delivered a message to Belshazzar, foretelling the near end of Belshazzar’s kingdom. Once again I ask the popular questions, “What is the meaning of this story and how does it apply to us”? Many times we do not realize the symbolism of the stories in the Old Testament that apply to our own lives today. The above story of Belshazzar applies to our respect towards sacred things such as the Holy Eucharist.

As Catholics, we may not realize the many graces which God has bestowed upon us. These graces he gives to us through many sacred things including the Eucharist. In the Eucharist God gives of his whole self to us. When we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we are truly receiving His body, blood, soul, and divinity. Jesus in the Father and the Holy Spirit is actually present when the priest speaks the words of the Consecration.

Let us picture for a moment that you are in the chapel or just an ordinary room. In walks Jesus. He is standing before you, gazing at your face. This is God and He is in your midst only a few feet from where you are sitting. I don’t know what your reaction would be, but I think I would probably stare in shock and awe for a few moments before falling at His feet and pleading for forgiveness for every wrong I had ever done against Him, because He is so perfect and wonderful, and He loves me so much that He was gave his life for me. Every whip that tore at His flesh and every thorn that dug into His skull and the nails that were driven into his hands and feet are my sins laid against him. If you were the only person on the face of this earth, He would have been crucified just to save you.

Let us come back to the present. The priest has just spoken the words of the Consecration and has elevated the host which is now Jesus Christ present before you. What kind of respect will you show to him? We are not worthy to eat His Holy Flesh or drink His Holy Blood. Jesus is the one and only King. Before I came to JP Catholic, when I was about sixteen, I was talking to one of my godsisters after daily Mass. We were discussing how to properly dress for Mass. She explained it very well when she said, “When I go to Mass, I am presenting myself before Jesus who is God who is King. If I was going to see a king, I would put on my best gown, get my hair done, and wear my most expensive jewelry. How much more should I dress well before God who is King over the entire universe”. The same concept applies to our behavior. If we were to go before the Queen of England, we would never turn bow or curtsy or even kiss her royal hand. The same applies at Mass. Before receiving Communion, we are taught that we should bow or genuflect. God deserves much more than the Queen of England. He deserves our all.

So, before receiving the Eucharist, we should show the utmost respect for our King, the Lord Jesus Christ. Signs of respect show in our dress and in our behavior. How would you dress and behave before a king on earth? How much more should we do these things before God, who is our creator and King of the entire universe?