I was up until maybe 2-ish last night reading:Black as Night by Regina Doman. Now, some of you may say "SHE'S SO BEHIND!!" and for that, I am entirely guilty... but I love it just the same.
I love the complex characters, I love the distrust that seems to come so easily both the Bear and to the Reader. And I love the monks in this one!!!
*sigh* I'm not finished, but if you need me in the next 24 hours, I'll be hiding around every corner trying to snatch a few more pages in! I'll let you know how it ends tomorrow.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
GYPSIES
There is definitely a bit of gypsy running through my veins, either from the Irish or Hungarian (or both) sides. When not physically travelling, I feel a great need to always be learning, reading, talking of new things to learn, see and do.
I think Gypsies are just attuned to the fact that earth isn't our final resting place, and so they spend their lives in constant pilgrimage.
Which is why THIS meeting of the Pope and Gypsy priests, deacons and religious is so cool.
I think Gypsies are just attuned to the fact that earth isn't our final resting place, and so they spend their lives in constant pilgrimage.
Which is why THIS meeting of the Pope and Gypsy priests, deacons and religious is so cool.
As a bonus, here's a beautiful story about Madonna and the Gypsy.
Letter to American Boys
We're reading George MacDonald's The Princess and the Goblins for my 7th grade Literature class. Its a fabulous story, and I would highly recommend it to everyone of any age.
While doing some research on George MacDonald, I found this: A Letter to American Boys.
Its a long read, but a great story.
To sum up: Love your mother.
While doing some research on George MacDonald, I found this: A Letter to American Boys.
Its a long read, but a great story.
To sum up: Love your mother.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Wipe Out
Yeah... so I totally wiped out today in front of all my students. And this wasn't just a little slip, and catch yourself. Oh no... this was absolute, feet went one way, I was suspended in midair for about 2 seconds, and then, splat, right on the sidewalk. After the initial shock, I picked myself up - only to see that the kids were right inside the door, staring wide eyed and open-mouthed.
"Are you okay?" they asked with concern.
"Yeah, did you just see me totally wipe out?"
"uh... no."
I knew it was a lie, but I was grateful for it.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Lessons from the Camino #1
So, today's Gospel is Christ healing the man with the withered hand. While on the Camino de Santiago this summer with my sister, we ran into a most extraordinary man with the following story:
He lived in a house during his college years with two buddies. They were three self-avowed partiers who spent their time smoking pot, drinking, having parties and going to school. The first roommate, went on a weekend retreat with Campus Crusade on a whim, and gave his life to Christ. Normally, I don't believe in conversion stories like this... but the gentlemen telling us this story said that his life certainly changed overnight - he started doing the dishes.
Roommate #2 had been raised in a semi-Catholic home... but was really in the same state as the other two pre-conversion roommates. He thought it was 'cool' when the first roommate changed his life, and wished he could just as easily break his twice-a-day-pot-habit... but knew that he was too weak. One day, Roommate #2 decides the day has come when he is going to get drunk alone, by himself. He was invited to a party, but this would be something new, something novel... so he dressed up in a 3 piece suit, a prisoner to his execution, donned a fedora... got on his bike, and pedaled to the liquor store. Like St. Paul, he was knocked to the ground, and injured his right arm. Since his glorious solopsistic bachanal had been spoiled, he decided to join the party. After a night of partying, he realized that his arm hurt... and so he headed to the hospital, was treated for a broken arm, and released back to the party.
What a party it was. He had difficulty brushing his teeth the next morning as he tried to use the arm he had broken reaching for alcholism. He then tried the withered arm, the arm that he never used before - his left arm. When that didn't work, he heard God tell him, "you've always relied on your own strength... and when you faced something you couldn't overcome, it broke you. Your arm is broken. Now is the time for you to rely on Me, but you have no strength for that either because you have never exercised your spiritual life. That withered spiritual life is like your left arm, withered and useless. "
But St. Paul wasn't kidding when he said, "I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me."
Roommate #2 is now a Catholic priest.
He lived in a house during his college years with two buddies. They were three self-avowed partiers who spent their time smoking pot, drinking, having parties and going to school. The first roommate, went on a weekend retreat with Campus Crusade on a whim, and gave his life to Christ. Normally, I don't believe in conversion stories like this... but the gentlemen telling us this story said that his life certainly changed overnight - he started doing the dishes.
Roommate #2 had been raised in a semi-Catholic home... but was really in the same state as the other two pre-conversion roommates. He thought it was 'cool' when the first roommate changed his life, and wished he could just as easily break his twice-a-day-pot-habit... but knew that he was too weak. One day, Roommate #2 decides the day has come when he is going to get drunk alone, by himself. He was invited to a party, but this would be something new, something novel... so he dressed up in a 3 piece suit, a prisoner to his execution, donned a fedora... got on his bike, and pedaled to the liquor store. Like St. Paul, he was knocked to the ground, and injured his right arm. Since his glorious solopsistic bachanal had been spoiled, he decided to join the party. After a night of partying, he realized that his arm hurt... and so he headed to the hospital, was treated for a broken arm, and released back to the party.
What a party it was. He had difficulty brushing his teeth the next morning as he tried to use the arm he had broken reaching for alcholism. He then tried the withered arm, the arm that he never used before - his left arm. When that didn't work, he heard God tell him, "you've always relied on your own strength... and when you faced something you couldn't overcome, it broke you. Your arm is broken. Now is the time for you to rely on Me, but you have no strength for that either because you have never exercised your spiritual life. That withered spiritual life is like your left arm, withered and useless. "
But St. Paul wasn't kidding when he said, "I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me."
Roommate #2 is now a Catholic priest.
Friday, September 07, 2007
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Republican Presidential Debates
So, after a long day at work - it was one of those days where little gets done, but it seemed so complicated anyway!! My sister and I decided to head that 1.25 hrs. away to see the Republican candidates face off at the hockey arena in Durham, NH.
It did seem fitting that they held these debates in a college town in a sports arena. There was much posturing, skating around questions, sly body slams, goals discussed and points scored. There were not, however, any squid thrown.
We didn't have tickets because I didn't reserve them properly, but we showed up anyway, 2.5 hours before the debates began. They, of course, did not have our names on the roster, but told us to come back at 8:15pm and they might be able to accomodate us. We hit a great coffee and gelato place for the interim, walking what seemed like a mile in heels (ouch!! but worth it).
After a nice cappuccino and brownie, we headed back only to find a two pronged line that strangely resembled a snakes tongue. I don't believe in getting in line without knowing what its for... so we joined it about halfway to the door. This was lucky, because we ran into a great friend and college roommate, Representative Maureen Mooney with whom we shared the rest of the line journey. The only glitch was that she had a ticket and we didn't. In her kindness, she secured one ticket for us, and we waited in another line for another ticket.
As aggressive as we were, we were told to wait, and wait and wait until it seemed that the doors would surely close on us. The lines shuffled, didn't seem to move, people filled out forms, the workers checked names again and again... and then... for seemingly no reason at all... they handed out tickets like they were candy at a 4th of July parade.
We grabbed the ticket, rushed inside and found two perfect seats next to these two nice Ron "crazy" Paul supporters from Vermont (how fitting).
The candidates themselves were interesting, but the crowd was the real attraction. People cheered, clapped, booed, commented and really seemed to participate in every comment, every sigh, every look that a candidate made.
Guiliani seemed to draw a mixture of boos and cheers, Romney and McCain had a good show of supporters, and the Ron "crazy" Paul supporters were out en masse. His supported even used sidewalk chalk to decorate the, you guessed it, sidewalk to show their support. That's another post though.
The energy in the arena was phenemonal. Just another example of why NH is first in the nation.
It did seem fitting that they held these debates in a college town in a sports arena. There was much posturing, skating around questions, sly body slams, goals discussed and points scored. There were not, however, any squid thrown.
We didn't have tickets because I didn't reserve them properly, but we showed up anyway, 2.5 hours before the debates began. They, of course, did not have our names on the roster, but told us to come back at 8:15pm and they might be able to accomodate us. We hit a great coffee and gelato place for the interim, walking what seemed like a mile in heels (ouch!! but worth it).
After a nice cappuccino and brownie, we headed back only to find a two pronged line that strangely resembled a snakes tongue. I don't believe in getting in line without knowing what its for... so we joined it about halfway to the door. This was lucky, because we ran into a great friend and college roommate, Representative Maureen Mooney with whom we shared the rest of the line journey. The only glitch was that she had a ticket and we didn't. In her kindness, she secured one ticket for us, and we waited in another line for another ticket.
As aggressive as we were, we were told to wait, and wait and wait until it seemed that the doors would surely close on us. The lines shuffled, didn't seem to move, people filled out forms, the workers checked names again and again... and then... for seemingly no reason at all... they handed out tickets like they were candy at a 4th of July parade.
We grabbed the ticket, rushed inside and found two perfect seats next to these two nice Ron "crazy" Paul supporters from Vermont (how fitting).
The candidates themselves were interesting, but the crowd was the real attraction. People cheered, clapped, booed, commented and really seemed to participate in every comment, every sigh, every look that a candidate made.
Guiliani seemed to draw a mixture of boos and cheers, Romney and McCain had a good show of supporters, and the Ron "crazy" Paul supporters were out en masse. His supported even used sidewalk chalk to decorate the, you guessed it, sidewalk to show their support. That's another post though.
The energy in the arena was phenemonal. Just another example of why NH is first in the nation.
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Mount Washington
This is what we did yesterday.
We didn't get to stay at the hotel.
We left the house at about 6:45am, arrived at the mountain about 9am, after Dunkin Donut and directions stop. (Munchkins are the perfect pre and post hiking snack).
The going was tough, especially the part that looks like a giant's staircase, and probably goes that way for about a mile.
We heard a landslide, that was a bit scary.
Luckily, I had my mountain runners on.
They were a tremendous help in gripping the rocks. They probably prevented a few landslides.
These are the same shoes that I wore in our 500mile walk across Spain. H/T to Gore Tex, I've never been so happy with a pair of shoes.
The weather was sort of cooperative. It wasn't raining - a little cold... windy, we walked along a cascading river for most of it... so got a little wet. But by the time that we stopped at the Hut at the Lake among the Clouds, the wind cover was gone, and visibility was slight, to say the least. We had lunch with our dog, and a golden doodle whose owners left him outside.
With about an hour to the top, things got a little rough. You walk among pile of rocks, and can easily get off trail. The wind was ripping right through us, and we couldn't see the top of the mountain. It was freezing cold, and we were wearing all the clothes that we brought with us. Most people were wearing winter gear. The wind chill was 30 degrees.
Ah, but we made it to the top. The dog decided that she wanted to go home about 20feet from the top... so we had to coax her the rest of the way.
An excellent trip - we survived the trail, the weather, the other hikers and the cold.
Wicked awesome.
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