My Own Fault, a LS 502 Post

I am in my current pickle for not really reading my articles thoroughly enough. While I am finding a lot of articles dealing with oral history, there not so much out there in terms of research in how to preserve it. But my idea of shift my focus to a more broader scope has helped tremendously.

To write this I am taking a similar method I used when writing my thesis for my B.A.; figure out what areas I want to cover, then as I read the articles make notes under each section. It helps me organize my thoughts and the setup of my paper.

So with a freshly made batch of french-pressed coffee I go into the unknown for my literature review!!!

Here We Go Again, a LS 502 post

Due to my grievous error, I am now scrambling around looking for articles for my literature review. I am avoiding case study articles because they seem too much like 'what we do good' for than actual research. Unfortunately that seemed to be the primary results of my searches.

So after a few rounds of banging my head against the desk I had an idea. I've decided to shift my focus unto a more broader topic - digital preservation. My thought process is this: oral history is mostly recordings (audio, video), and there isn't enough space for storing tapes upon tapes So, eventually, they are going to be converted into a digital format, which allows me to look at digital preservation then narrow it down to oral histories.

I am fortunate that at least one of the articles (Analog, The Sequel by Conrad) is an analysis and an interview, so it gives me something to start with.

I refuse to say that everything else I've read was a waste of time. It did give me the proper mindset to understand what I am attempting to study. So Ha!

With lunch ending soon I must be off! TTFN!

Blue Screen of Death, a LS 502 post

You know that sickening feeling you get in your gut when your computer gives yo the blue screen of death?

That has happen to me twice with my computers so I really know how that feels. Well I got that feeling when I was going over my articles I've collected and something clicked in my head when I realized something. I have not been looking at research articles. The articles I've been looking at have been in regards to explaining what oral history is in relation to the archives. I feel really stupid for this lapse of judgement. I may have one or two I could use, but I feel like I'm back at square one with the final countdown yelling at me.

Gggrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!

Articles to Read, a LS 502 post

I found these last night:

Altman, Micah, Margaret O. Adams, Jonathan Crabtree, Darrell Donakowski, Marc Maynard, Amy Pienta, and Copeland H. Young. "Digital Preservation through Archival Collaboration: The Data Preservation Alliance for the Social Sciences." The American Archivist 72, no. 1 (2009): 170-84. http://www.jstor.org.libdata.lib.ua.edu/stable/40294601.

 Greenstein, Shane. "Tape Story Tapestry: Historical Research with Inaccessible Digital Information Technologies." The Midwestern Archivist 15, no. 2 (1990): 77-85. http://www.jstor.org.libdata.lib.ua.edu/stable/41101771.

The second looks promising since it is talking along the same lines that I am thinking. Breathing a little easier now.

Insane Robot Dancer Looks A Little Too Robotic

I love the fact that he is dancing as Wall*E!

More Readings and Thoughts, a LS 502 post

Deals with videos, but has the similar concepts Digital Video Preservation and Oral History, could be used for lit review.

Very useful: Collection Management Systems: Tools for Managing Oral History Collections, also could be used for lit review.

I feel like the information is out there, but I don't know where to look. But right now - focus on find tuning and organizing what I have so my thoughts are clearer.

Short and to the point.

Process of Collecting Data, a LS 502 post

So my internet cut out on me towards the end of class and by the time it came back up class was over. Fear not - I have been caught up by my wonderful classmates about what I missed and I await eagerly for the recording.

With learning about survey fatigue, I wondered how I would set up a survey for my research on protecting oral histories. I probably would not ask too many demographic questions, maybe ask how many years working with archives. Also tally frequency of updates, computer operating system, computer program, method of recording. But I think this research lends itself more for the interview format, talking one on one with archivists and anyone else who handles oral histories.

I'm wondering if there is any way for bias to creep into my mindset with this, but I honestly can't think how one could be bias with procedures. Well, besides the 'my methods' are better than yours' mindset. I shall ponder away at this.

Prep for the Lit Review, a LS 502 post

As I edge closer to finishing my article analysis (so close yet so far!), I now have a good example of a literature review, thus have a pretty good idea of what to do. I am think I need about six articles, at least, to meet the page requirement. I am going to go over things that I've read thus far to see what will work. I think the articles by Thomas Charlton, Committee on Oral History, Suzanna Conrad, and Kate Theimer that I've cited before will be a good place to start.

I think by the end of this St Joseph Cupertino will get tried of hearing me petitioning to him! ;)

Musings on Research, a LS 502 post

I think that for my research there are two areas to consider: technology changes and natural disasters. These two things have a huge impact on archives.

This was an interesting read: (Theimer, Kate. "What Is the Meaning of Archives 2.0?" The American Archivist 74, no. 1 (2011): 58-68. http://www.jstor.org.libdata.lib.ua.edu/stable/23079001.) that I'm filing away. I don't know if I will use it, but it's here.

In talking with my supervisor at work I learned that an archive practices boxing up their collection into trucks and moving them away when major storms hit. I wonder if there is a virtual version of that?

Hurricane Katrina and Oral History, a LS 502 post

Hurricane Katrina was one of the most devastating natural disasters in recent memory. I found this article:

Sloan, Stephen. "Oral History and Hurricane Katrina: Reflections on Shouts and Silences." The Oral History Review 35, no. 2 (2008): 176-86.

Which talked about the impact of Hurricane Katrina told through oral history and how it was collected. It struck me at how a moment of someone's life in extreme pain was captured  to be reviewed at a later date years down the line. It's today's version of personal diaries from the past.

It's something to think about as I research.

A Thought on the Weather, a LS502 Post

As I was driving through a particularly heavy rain storm, a thought occurred. Oddly enough there was a flash of lighting that accompanied it. What do Archives do during severe weather? Those areas prone to flooding, hurricanes, and so forth; they must have a plan on what to do.

I think this would lend itself to my research idea. When you think about its both about being prepared for the expected.

Another thing to add to my 'to-do' list for my research.

To quote someone, somewhere - 'Expect the Unexpected!'

More Reading, A LS 502 post

More reading to examine:
ALA Oral History Resources

From JSTOR:
Charlton, Thomas L. "Videotaped Oral Histories: Problems and Prospects." The American Archivist 47, no. 3 (1984): 228-36. http://www.jstor.org.libdata.lib.ua.edu/stable/40292673.

 Committee on Oral History of the Society of American Archivists. "Oral History and Archivists: Some Questions to Ask." The American Archivist 36, no. 3 (1973): 361-65. http://www.jstor.org.libdata.lib.ua.edu/stable/40291513.

Morrissey, Charles T. "Beyond Oral Evidence: Speaking (Con)Strictly about Oral History." Archival Issues 17, no. 2 (1992): 89-94. http://www.jstor.org.libdata.lib.ua.edu/stable/41101827.

 Conrad, Suzanna. "Analog, The Sequel: An Analysis of Current Film Archiving Practice and Hesitance to Embrace Digital Preservation." Archival Issues 34, no. 1 (2012): 27-43. http://www.jstor.org.libdata.lib.ua.edu/stable/41756160.

Now You See - Wait, a LS 502 post

"And then, last week, it all vanished without warning."

The quote sounds like it's taken from the beginning of a scary story that causes the hair to rise up on the backs of necks, but it is actually taken from this article that my supervisor emailed me today. While it is not about oral histories per se but it does illustrate rather closely what I am looking into. The article is about the Milwaukee"s Online Newspaper Archives and how they were here yesterday and gone today without any warning whatsoever. So whatever research was depended on that online collection is now in a pickle. The article goes on about the logistics of online indexing and paid versus free online services.

Could this transition of this archive been handled better, especially in regard to the users who ? Maybe. It does illustrate the fragile nature of digital services if we are not careful.

Breath In, Breath Out

There is a that tired feeling one gets when one has had enough. Some people call it burn out, others call it world weariness. Of the two, I think I am somewhere in between. It is a surreal sense of being alone in an overcrowded room with all the shouts and noise muffled in your own mind.

I do not really need a life line, just some prayers, positive thoughts, and so forth. Intercessory prayers with these guys would be very much appreciated.

Other Fields, a LS 502 Post

As per suggestion of my professor, I am looking at other fields (a.k.a. not Library Science) to see they handle keeping up with technological changes. I will most likely take a glance at other research heavy fields, maybe medical science (since that's an area that really cannot avoid tech. changes), or history (since they benefit from tech. advances). I don't know, really - I'm getting really deep into the unknown here and I think I need something more than little yellow floaties to stay above water.

Other reflection - there is something about the storyteller that cannot be replaced by anything else. In their stories they give us a peek from within their world and we gain a better understanding of their point of view. Story Corps is a wonderful modern day example of storytellers. Check them out!

Here We Go, Again

Guess what?!

Youth Group is starting up again, and I've been asked to help out again. I truly do enjoy teaching the kids every week some random tidbit of the Catholic faith. So if you see me rubbing my hand maniacally in the background with a insane cackle, just move along.

This year a few things are different. Instead of the High School and Middle School being separate they are going to meet together for food and talk then break down into groups for small group discussions. Also the kids are going to be in 'houses' a la 'Harry Potter' style, named after different Saints, such as St Maria Goretti, St Faustina Kowalska, St Maximilian Kolbe, and St Thomas Aquinas. Each house has a head, and I'm going to be head of the Aquinas House. It will be interesting to see how the kids adapt to the changes.

However it goes, it will be a lot of fun.

St John Bosco, Patron of Youth Ministries, Ora pro nobis

Irksome Problem, a LS 502 post

In my pursuing of the wondrous realm of JSTOR I am finding interesting articles in regards to oral history in archives. I've enjoyed reading them, but I have one small issue:

Not many deal with changing technology or the procedure to deal with it. Just mostly suggestions of updating every two to five years.

OK, so maybe not a small issue. But let us not view this as a issue but a challenge to make me think. Yeah - I'll go with that. So I will have to look at procedures that some archives have published dealing with adapting the archive collection to technology and the technology most likely used by the users, and see if that will not lead itself to an update procedure. I'm also going to see if anyone has published any books on the subject.

Ready, set, . . .  RESEARCH!!!

Ponders and Wonders, a LS 502 post

The mind ponders and wonders

A few brainstorming ideas I have in regards to preserving oral history (or any archive object in general):
Is there a procedure on what to do when the technology the data is stored on changes?
Is there a standard to follow with changing technology?

This area is where my mind is keeps wondering towards, so I think this will be my research focus for this class.

Most of the stuff I'm finding deals with updating archives in dealing with technology like scanners and cameras. But nothing really on what to do when that computer you have in the back archives is not compatible with the scanner or printer right next to it.

Random articles to ponder over:
Taking a Byte Out of the Archives: Making Technology Work for You
Preserving Oral History Recordings (from down under)

I think I'm still breathing calmly . . . I think.

The Idea Emerges, a LS 502 post

"Madness does not come by breaking out, but by giving in; by settling down in some dirty, little, self-repeating circle of ideas; by being tamed."
--G.K. Chesterton, Manalive

I have mentioned I'm a little freak out over my Research Methods class? I've done research before for my undergraduate degree, but I can't help but feel that I'm a little out of my depth.

But the Muse has struck!

As I was weeding a collection in the branch library I worked before my transfer, I found a book on Windows 3.1, complete with floppy disks. Now, when I say floppy disks, I mean floppy disks.

For your viewing pleasure:

Note: Advance claim no longer valid.

It struck me that there are people who probably never seen an actual floppy disk in there life. I remember explaining a floppy disk to a friend of mine who is only a few years younger than me and she gave me a confused look. So the thought in my mind is if there are no machines that can read these storage device how can we recover the information that is on there. The door is now locked, never to be open because we have lost the key.

So, with this class I want to look into how do archives make sure that the information, like recordings of oral history, that is saved on computers is not lost because of changes in technology.

I refused to be tamed!!

Useful Articles, a LS 502 Post

I forgot to mention that the journaling for my research class is going to be a bi-weekly posting. Thus another post this week! (Much better than I usually do with this blog.) Just to let you know, these may appear to be random - but, there is a madness to my method.

Over the past few days I have mostly been looking at online articles to get an idea of which direction I want to take my research.

Articles/Posts (that tickled my fancy):
Smithsonian Oral History Collection (What they have in their collection)
Assistive Technology Oral History Project
How Digital Technology Has Changed Oral History
Digital Omnium
List of All Oral Histories (ETHW)
Oral History in the Digital Age

Down into the Depths of Research, A LS 502 Post

Breath in, breath out.

I survived summer classes, but I now start the class that ellicits cringes from all that I have told I'm talking - Research Methods. All those cringes did not help my confidence in regards to this class. But I like to learn new things and explore the unknown.

As part of the class we must do journalling to aid in our research, so now will begin the random entries of research ideas, posts, and articles that peak my interest in areas I would like to research.

Today I was transferred to the Genealogical and Historical Room of my library's system; it houses a lot of local history objects and a wide variety of genealogical research (so if you're interested in joining groups like Daughters of the American Revolution or Sons of the Confederacy, drop in for a visit and find that family member). I am very interested in archives and the role they play in the community in terms of identity. I also love the role of the storyteller in society, how they weave tells of heroes, journeys, and life into ways that touch us personally. There have been many times I have found myself listening to the tales of others; things that their grandparents did in World War II, what happen when they were caught in a flood ending up rowing up the Ocmulgee River, or the story of how they met the love of their life.

There are stories that cannot just be written down and read; some stories have to be told and listen to. But how to we collect and preserve the oral stories of our community? What are the methods available? How to we brace for the changes in technology so things are lost in conversions?

Breath in, breath out.

Here I go.

Take a Gander, a cross posting

Check out my review of 'The Geeky Chef Cookbook' over on the Catholic Geeks blog called 'A Taste of Fandom'.

Here at the end of all things -- mostly the Semester

So within the week I will finish the last week of my second semester of grad school, and it has been a journey.

I now know how to better conduct reference interviews and look for resources, and I also have expanded my IT capacity, which I never thought would happen. Information Technology is still not my forte, but now I am able to better understand something relating to it.

I saw this once posted somewhere: "Google can provide a thousand answers, a Librarian can provide the right answer." How true that is! Looking for the right information is more than just typing in keywords into a search engine and hoping for the best. There is a method to the madness of the librarian as the scour through the massive amount of information provide both on and off line.  Two sources may cover the same topic but will approached it in a different manner thus one may be more suited to the need of the patron than the other. The librarian may also have to be a code-breaker to understand what the patron is seeking because sometimes the patron himself does not really know what he is looking for. So when the librarian is asking you a bunch of of questions, please bear with him, he is just trying to find the right information for you.

The last two projects I had to do for my IT class dealt with a Usability Study and Database building; for these project I had to work with a group of three other persons. Shout out to the lovey ladies I worked with, you are amazing and I would not hesitate to work with you again!

What I learned beyond the subject matter of the projects was that IT is not a lone wolf field, not in the slightest. My group worked very well together because we played on each other's strengths. I know that if I had to the last two projects by myself I would have been completely lost and in full panic mode. So I employ you dear readers to dispel the image of IT people living deep down in the depths of the basement with zero people skills. They simply have a different way of viewing the world, mostly within ones and zeroes, and a different way of communicating.

So, my dear Elevensies, I am glad to have finished our second semester together. We have had many trials and tribulations, but I'm glad to be with you:

Here at the end of all things.
(Not quite, but if feels like it!)

Funniest Ballet Performance Ever

For a good laugh:

"It's an Unix system!"

I can now save Jurassic Park before the dinosaurs eat me!!!

To explain, I've just completed the section of my IT class that deals with Unix command lines. All I could think about when I was Unix on the syllabus was Lex, the hacker girl, from Jurassic Park.

Having that movie reference to encourage me onward I buckled down and went through the modules and looked up more coding for Unix. So at this point of the semester I have a better grasp of HTML tagging and Unix line commands, or at least have a good grasp of the basic concept. I almost feel like in those heist movies where the hacker is looking for a backdoor in the computer program to unlock the doors. I would not call myself a hacker in the original sense of the term (a computer programmer enthusiast), but I am now someone who has gain a better appreciation for computer programming.

Do I feel like my IT fluency has improved? Well I can comfortably say that I could hold a conversation about the basics with a computer geek and not be completely lost or have that glazed look in my eyes. Am I just a little overwhelmed? Just a tad. Fortunately I feel like I have a good support from my cohort.

Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to make sure that all the doors have door knobs so the raptors cannot open them.

Penn & Teller Fool Us Francis Menotti

I am loving this!

IT Fluency Thus Far

<a href= www.thecatholicgeeks.com target=_blank >Catholic Geeks</a>

Gasp! Wait! What did I just type? What is this strange string of letters and symbols? What does it all mean?

Let us all take a moment to take a deep breath - all together now, breathe in and breathe out.

So what you see typed up above is HTML tagging for creating a link to an external website opening it in a new window. What amazes me is that I actually understand what I just said. When my Information Technology class started I knew zero about HTML tagging so color me impressed with myself. Now at this point in the class I understand the basic tags for formatting titles, font styles and size, lists, and even putting in links to other website.

Call me Toto because I have dared to look at the man behind the curtain as the big flaming head of website design is telling me to pay no heed. I will fully admit that I am a little proud of myself for being able to construct a simple website (which is still under development at the time of writing).

As GK Chesterton once stated "There are no rules of architecture for a castle in the clouds." Armed these new lessons I'm excited to see where everything goes next.

To end this post I leave you with a picture of me with my spirit animal, Perry the Platypus.

Information Technology Visual Aid

In one of my classes we had to draw out how we visualize information technology. Below is how I see it; basically it's different topics all interconnected and information technology helps us see all those connections through an access point. Everything is connected.

Very quickly drawn in a coffeeshop

Do We Think Anymore?

Several weeks I took part of a conversation with several co-workers that I do not normally work with; well it was mostly me just standing there and the other three talked. The topic of this conversation was the holds list - to explain if there is a book, let's say a particular book about fishing, if the local library does not have it the librarian (or the patron through their account) can place a request for that fishing book and whichever library has it will send it off. It's a neat system and I have used it on multiple occasions. On the library end of this system the holds list is the list of requested items are we have to go through the stacks to find and send off to the requesting library.When it's printed off it is in order by the call number.

Seems simple enough, right? Well, the difficulty (and a minor one at that) is that each library has set up their collection in their own way. One library might have collected the Christian Inspirational, African American, Large Print, or Short Stories each into one area that is not denoted by the call number. This results, especially when still learning a particular library's setup, in the librarian zigzagging across the library if they are going in strict order of the call number.

The zigzagging was main component of the conversation (it was more like a mini-rant). I listen as one person wondered if there was a way to program the holds list so that the zigzagging could be eliminated. The other two agreed and I was a bit dumbfounded.

I think what bothered me so much about that conversation was how depended some of my co-workers were upon the computer system to arrange everything for them. One of the first things I do when I arrive for work is pull the holds from the shelve. But before I disappear into the stacks I go over the list and make note of which items can be found where, then I go to each section of the collection to find the items. I may change up the order from day to day, like finding the audio-books first before going to non-fiction or looking through the Mysteries before the Large Print.

As I was growing up I was always taught that computer programs and the like were a great supplement, but not a replacement to my thinking. It was a time saver, not my brain. This is how I view the holds list; to quote Pirates of the Caribbean, the list "is more what you'd call 'guidelines'" than a strict order of things. It makes pulling the holds easier, but it is not going to completely dictate how I go about pulling the holds. If somehow the computer program for the library  is set up so that it takes into consideration the format of each collection, fine by me, but I am not going to hold my breath for it.

Random Quotes

Hearing nuns' confessions is like being stoned to death with popcorn.”
― Fulton J. Sheen

"There are no rules of architecture for a castle in the clouds."
― Gilbert K. Chesterton

"There's an old saying about those who forget history. I don't remember it, but it's good."
― Stephen Colbert

Stephen & Patricia Heaton Have A Catholic Throwdown

This is why I adore Stephen Colbert!

MLIS, ITF, and Other Fun Things

To some I am known as Livie, others 'what's her face', and to those most dear a friend. The purpose of this posting for for my LS 560 class, Information Technology, in which I will introduce myself to my fellow classmates who are also in pursuit of a MLIS, and a brief rundown of my ITF (information technology fluency).

Fellow classmates - Hello!

A few notes about my person, I currently work as a full time library assistant at a branch library who graduated from Christendom College in Virginia with a strong Liberal Arts education resulting in a B.A. in Scared Theology. It was often stated during my time at Christendom that a Liberal Arts education would give me strong skills in critical thinking, research, and writing; overall, I find that to be true but it also
strengthen my out-of-box thinking.  I have no shame declaring myself a geek in both fantasy and sci-fi - it's how I met some of my closest friends and how I get to have amazing interactions with new people. I am all about learning new things - it turns into a new adventure of discovery and more often than not those new things I learn come back to help in the library because eventually a patron will ask a question about it.

My favorite sight and smell.

A few notes on my ITF; one of my coworkers jokingly refers to me as the IT person of the branch, but I think it is mostly due to the fact that I am the youngest full time employee there. A trait I share with the rest of my generation is that I grew up with the fast growing technology of the world so I have a tendency to figure out things tech-related after messing with it. So when there is a patron  who needs help on a computer, I'm usually the one that gets sent out to assist.

I did not touch a computer until I was in the sixth grade when I remember most distinctly typing in a web address in the URL bar then asking 'Now what?', much to the dismay of my teacher and classmates. But, as evident by this blog, I have since learned to use a computer but I am not what you would call completely tech savvy. I am the person who will take the manual and refer to it often as I'm learning how to use a new device, which is why my parents will simple hand a manual to me with a pleading look saying 'Explain, please!'

I am very thankful for the invention of the mouse with all it's point and click wonderfulness, so please don't ask me how to enter in a command line with all those confusing slashes and dashes. I am hoping by the end of the semester that I will understand those slashes and dashes a little bit better without the need to get the lion tamer's chair and whip for assistance yelling 'Back! Back!'

On to the User Profile Activity (cue dramatic chord): My mother is a very smart woman and is very well liked in our community. But to call her tech savvy would be erroneous. Again she is very smart, but she is the type of person who would be very happy to live without the beepings and dings of technology. But leave her an electric lamp so she can read her books, she loves to read. She knows how to type up a document in Microsoft Word, but would need someone to help her with formatting. Email is something she uses because almost everyone else has an email that she interacts with through her volunteer work and most of the time that how they prefer to communicate; she can attach a file to an email, but needs a few reminders. She does not have a smartphone (she calls the one she currently has a 'dumbphone'), but is willing to learn how to use one if she needs to. I asked her if I gave her my digital camera without the manual would she be lost - there was little to no hesitation when she said that she probably would be lost. But she can use a Kindle Fire!

I am very nervous going into this class, but I am very it as a changllene from which I will not back down.  So bring it on scary technology! Bring it on!

Overworked, Overwhelmed, and School has Only Just Started

Once upon a time I received an message in my work email inviting me to apply for a leadership program with in the library system where I am currently employed. With everything I already have on my plate I did not really want to add another item to my agenda. But I printed off the email with the intention of contemplating it over once I was home.

To make a long story short, at my parents' encouragement I did apply and surprisingly accepted into the program. Part of the application was to included a project that would contribute somehow to the workings of the library system weather behind the scenes or directly with patrons. After racking my brain and bouncing ideas off of a few co-workers I came up with the idea of a basic library instruction for the general public.  Basically it would be something that would explain how to use the library and what to find there. So on top of my regular duties I now have that project to do.

A little stress, yes.

I'm continuing volunteering for the Middle School Youth Group at my Church.  There were too many mothers asking if I would be back this year for me to even say no. However the main reason is that I do enjoy giving talks and the Youth Director, Lauren, is an absolute sweetie. But compiling and writing a fifteen to twenty minute talk does take a bit of time to do. When I started helping with the youth program I did not think that I would enjoy it. But I gave it a chance and surprisingly I did enjoy it, and the kids on a few of the talks were very interested in what I was saying. With such a positive reaction I realized that I was able to do some good with the Youth Group. My hope is that the kids will remember a handful of things I talk about in the years down the line.  If they do then I can mark off my endeavor as a success.

More stress, yep.

The next chapter of my schooling is just about to start for my Master's degree. I am equal parts excited and nervous. The first semester went well with good grades but I went through it with an extreme amount of stressing out and good amount of sleeplessness. I don't want a repeat of that I really don't.  That being said, I did enjoy what I learned and I even signed up for another class with one of the professors I already had. He made everything he taught about sound so epic with plenty of geeky type references.

A lot of stress - you betcha!!

There is another semester of core classes that I have to take before I can go into my electives.  I have a vague idea of what direction I want to go with my degree. But with the way somethings are playing out in my life I think I am being pushed into a direction that I am not certain I want to be pushed towards.  But I am not going to focus on that at the moment. My current mantra has turned into 'Just get through school.' So I'm just going to focus on my schoolwork and slowly figure out what I'm going to do after I graduate.

Onward and upward.

Jimmy Fallon, Adele & The Roots Sing "Hello" (w/Classroom Instruments)

This was actually quite funny!

Enjoy!

What is Martyrdom?

What follows is a rough transcript of a talk I gave the Middle School Youth Group.

In honor of the Feast of the Decollation of St John the Baptist that was celebrated yesterday, today we are going to talk about martyrdom.

What is Martyrdom?  The word martyr comes from the Greek word ‘martus’ which translates to ‘witness’.  Which is fitting since the CCC states that martyrdom is “the supreme witness given to the truth of the faith: it means bearing witness even unto death.” (2473). In scripture, it usually refers to people who testified to their faith, whether or not they suffered as a result, like Susanna (who is she) preferred to die rather than yield to the advances of the two unjust judges (Daniel 13).  The association with blood came later in the first century when witnessing for Christ could mean facing the lions in the arena like Sts Perpetua and Felicity as the crowd cheered on.

Martyrdom of St. Stephen

There are three things that are required for Martyrdom: The victim must die, the murders must kill out of hatred for the Christian way of life and Christian truth, and death must be voluntary.  Of course there are exceptions to the third criterion as seen with the Holy Innocence.  The essence of martyrdom is imitating Christ’s example both in living one’s life and in giving it for a higher cause.  As they say imitation is the highest form of flattery.

The first martyr after the Resurrection was St Stephen who was also a deacon (Acts 6:8). There is also the Apostle St James the Greater (Acts 12:2).  There are also those who died for the entertainment of the Roman Empire like.  If these names sound familiar they are – they are mentioned in the Offertory prayer at Mass. Emperor Nero (the one that fiddle as Rome burned by his own hands, yes he was crazy).

But why is martyrdom important?  Well, as the Carthaginian Church Father Quintus Septimius Tertullianus, better known as Tertullian, wrote a defense of martyrs in his Apology, We become many whenever you mow us down; the blood of Christians is seed.”  Today it is often misquoted as “The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church.” But let us go back to the original phrase; it hangs on an agricultural metaphor. So just as autumn’s crops dies the seeds spring up, so new Christians rise up from the death of martyrs.  Christianity thrives on commitment, and the commitment of the martyrs is inspiration for the ages.

Now martyrdom is not something that just happened in the early Church.  We have martyrs in modern times. In 1926 what is now called the Cristero War began in central western Mexican states; the Mexican Government imposed many secular, anti-Catholic and anticlerical policies upon its people under President Plutarco Elias Calles.  Calles sought to eliminate the power of the Catholic Church and suppressed popular religious celebrations.  It was a very bloody conflict with a lot of causalities whose effect is still felt today – the Mexican constitution prohibits outdoor worship, if there are any it requires government permission; Religious organizations are not permitted to own print or electronic media outlet (so no Mexican version of EWTN).  From this conflict is Blessed Miguel Pro, he was shoot without trial on trumped up charges. He died with his arms outstretch, like Christ on the cross, shouting out ‘Viva Cristo Rey!’ ‘Long live Christ the King!’

Bl. Miguel Pro is not the only modern martyr. St Maria Goretti was an 11 year Italian girl who was stabbed multiple times when she resisted rape in 1902.  On the way to the hospital she forgave her attacker, Alessandro Serenelli. Her attacker was unrepentant until he had a vision of St. Maria holding a bouquet of lilies.  She handed him each lily one at a time, each one representing a stab he inflicted. When he grabbed hold of the lilies they each burned in his hands.  He had a complete change and was released after he finished his sentence.  He attended St. Maria Goretti's canonization with her mother.

School, So Far

Allow me a moment to collapse unto the floor and rest.



Ok, update!

I am about halfway through my first semester of graduate school and I cannot believe it! I knew it was going to be a ridiculous amount of reading, but the challenge comes with doing both school and working full time.  There are days in which I just want to fall into bed and sleep after a hard day at the library, but then I remember the several articles and book chapters I have to read. I am getting reacquainted with the long nights of my college days.

Am I learning? Absolutely.

Tired? Mostly.

Overwhelmed? It varies.

Am I glad I started this program? Very much so.

I continue on with the rest of my semester, and getting ready for registration for my second semester.

Look out World!!

I'm Doing What Now?

I'm a geek.

Am I ashamed of this? Nope. I'm very proud of my geekiness and I make no excuses for it (mostly because I don't have any).  I love my sci-fi, my fantasy, and examining those things at every possible angle til your eyes get crossed.

Yes, it's a Swiss Guard with a lightsaber.
Your argument is invalided.

But I don't keep my geekiness reserved for just those things.  I geek out over my Catholic faith, and there is a lot to geek out over.  We got traditions (both big T and little t), sacraments, history, saints, and I could on and on.  But I won't here.

No, the place I will completely geek out on my favorite shows and the faith on The Catholic Geeks.

The Catholic Geeks is a collection of people who are Catholic, who are geeks, and who are (to quote the Scarlet Pimpernel) demned proud of it.

Will I stop geek out over stuff on this blog? No.  It just means that there will be more stuff by me to read in internetland.

Enjoy my first posting Scarlet Pimpernel, Vatican Style.

Next Big Step

I can easily say that for the past five years of my life I have felt stuck in rut.  Mostly in the job/occupation department. Combination of economy and choose of degree made for a very interesting job hunt to say the least.

So I have worked mostly part-time positions, with little possibility of upward movement.  One such position is a Library Assistant at the local library system.  I really do enjoy working in the library, and loved the time I spent in the archives.  It took me awhile, but I finally buckled down and signed up to take the GRE (Graduate Records Examination), which is like the SAT/ACT for graduated school.  Taking the test was a experience to say the least (don't bring anything to the test expect a form of ID, trust me).

My new school, see above

After looking at several school options I settled on the University of Alabama School of Library and
Information Studies and was just recently accepted into the program.  It was an adventure with what I, and the admissions counselor, call the 'Transcript Drama'.  Dun dun daaaa!!!!!

Let me explain . . . well sum up actually - there is too much to explain: in something that could be akin to a comedy of errors I had to get an unofficial copy of a transcript of a school that no longer exist.  Yeah, that was fun. Anyway, the program is completely online, except for orientation, so I can keep working to pay the bills and hopefully not take out another school loan.

This, while not difficult, took a long time for me to figure out.  The only regret I have is that it did take so long.  All I ask of people is that they keep me in their prayers as I go through this process.  I have done independent studies before, but nothing like this online schooling.  That's really the only thing I'm majorly nervous about, but it's life and I'm a woman, I need something to fret about. ;)

Wish me luck and offer some prayers!

Ready or not Alabama here I come!!!

Random Quotes

"I've been married to a dental hygienist for years and if you think I haven't heard "Use the Floss" you'd be mistaken."
-- Mark Hamill

"The simplification of anything is always sensational."
-- G.K. Chesterton

"That’s the real trouble with the world. Too many people grow up.”
--Walt Disney

"We cannot like everyone, but we can love everyone."
--Venerable Fulton Sheen

Reflection on Volunteering

As some might surmise by some of my recent post, I help out with my church's Middle School Youth Group.  The Youth Minister discovered my Bachelor's in Scared Theology and did the whole puppy eye thing and asked if I would volunteer for Youth Group.  Needless to say the puppy eye thing worked.

Thus began my weekly obligation on Sunday evening in which I took nuggets of Theological information wrapped up in fun and talked with the kids.  I have made attempts in the past to volunteer at church, mostly with the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults).  I will say with no ill will that it did not work well.  Most people going through the program were older than me, enough that they were in a different generation than me. 

After every talk I gave there was a complaint; I was unsettling, unfeeling, or unkind.  The last person demanded my removal from the program because I offended her.  Now, I can understand the annoyance of someone younger than you telling you what to do; really, I do.  But I do have a degree in Theology!!!! I know what I'm talking about.  The overall experience was not completely bad - it just left an unpleasant taste in my mouth.

So with that experience under my belt I was not sure how good I would be with the Middle School. To my amazement they liked me - they really really like me.  The moms are happy, the kids are having fun and they pay attention.  One Sunday when I told the moms I was going to teach the kids about the Four Lasts Things, they were wary - I don't blame them.  It's a heavy theological topic, but it's something that I was never really taught in Middle or High School.  But the following Sunday a few moms approached me and said that their kids were rapid firing questions at them about the talk and how they were really into it.

This is an instant where I have no shame in saying 'SQUEEEEEEEE!', none at all.

Last Sunday there was no Middle School Youth Group so I helped out with the High School Youth Group in their small group discussions.  I tagged along with another volunteer with her group.  We had fun talking going over what was earlier discussed.  My crowning moment of the evening was when one girl said 'ReTweet that!' to something I said. That's right, I got a non-virtual retweet.

So all in all, am I glad I started volunteering with the Youth Group - Yes.  Now if you will excuse me, I have to get ready for my next talk.

St John Bosco, Patron of Youth Ministries, Ora pro nobis 

The Four Last Things: Part II

What follows is a rough transcript of a talk I gave the Middle School Youth Group last Sunday.

We are going to finish up the Four Last Things with Heaven and Hell.

Let’s start with Hell.

This is the worst possible thing to happen to any person, not losing your phone or not getting the latest gadget on the market or being late meeting your friends. No, it’s Hell.

Hell. detail, Bosch

So what is Hell?

It is the complete and willing rejection of God and His love.  It is a complete separation from the source of all goodness. A flat out NO to God.

Think back to the parable of the wedding feast where a king goes out and invites everyone to come, but there is one person who come inappropriately attired and is rejected out into the cold (Matthew 22:1-14).  What is not explained because everyone knew this is that the wedding attire is provided by the host, so that one guest rejected the kind offer of the king and throws it back in his face. Translating this, the soul is provided the opportunity for all the joy and delight for the taking.  But he refuses to put on the commandments of God, the Gospel, and grace which causes the soul, aka the poorly dressed guest, to be cast away.

God does not put people in Hell.  Remember that - He wants us to be with Him. We are made to be in union with God. This union happens in Heaven.  God sent His only Son so that the Gates of Heaven could be open to us.  Think about it – He loves us that much!

So, who gets to Heaven?
Simply put, those who are just, free of guilt and punishment.  There are two types of punishment, eternal and temporal.

Eternal punishment aka guilt is forgiven and removed at Confession with absolution. Temporal punishment is what remains after confession which has to be paid in this life or the next aka Purgatory.

We talked a little about this last week and there was a bit of confusion that I hope to clear it up now.  Purgatory is not a second chance to get into Heaven.  The souls in Purgatory are already going to Heaven, they just have to take a pit stop since nothing unclean can enter into Heaven.  The CCC (1030) states that those who die in God’s friendship and grace but are still imperfect need to undergo purification.

Think of Purgatory as a Hospital for the Soul, or a very Hot Painful Shower for the Soul.

Heaven. detail, Bosch

The living can help the Poor Souls by prayer.  It is considered a Corporal Work of Mercy to visit the cemetery and pray for the dead, especially for those who have no one to pray for them.

After Purgatory is, dramatic music here, HEAVEN!!!

So our goal in life is to get to Heaven and be with God. We were made for Heaven because God wants us there with Him.

The Four Last Things: Part I

The Four Last Things: Part I

What follows is a rough transcript of a talk I gave the Middle School Youth Group a few weeks ago.  It veered off towards the end because the kids had so many good questions. But this is generally what was talked about.

I’m going to talk about the Four Last Things, which are Death, Judgement, Heaven, and Hell. There’s a whole study of it called eschatology, from the Greek word eschata meaning ‘the final things’.  Tonight, we’re just going to talk about the first two, Death and Judgement.

So the first, Death, happens at the end of our earthly life.  Death is a result of sin (Romans 5:12).  To really understand this let’s go back to the beginning – Creation.  Before the Fall of Adam and Eve, they possessed what is called Preternatural Gifts:

• Infused knowledge
• Integrity
• Bodily Immortality

We are just going to focus on Bodily Immortality.  What is important to see here is that Adam and Eve, like we are, were pilgrims on this Earth. The Garden of Eden, what we at times refer to as Paradise, was not Heaven. At some point, they were to pass on to the next life in Heaven, but it would not have been through what we call death.  Bodily immortality was lost when Adam and Eve sinned, thus bodily death entered the world.

Death. detail, Bosch

So what is death exactly?  Simply put, it is when the person’s human body and human soul separate.
That’s it!

But even as we were cut off from God due to sin, God did not reject mankind; He immediately began to work on our Salvation.  In Genesis 3:14-5, in what is referred to as the Protoevangelium (aka first announcement of the Gospels) we get a glimpse of the beginnings of God’s work on Redemption.

Which leads us to the second part of our talk:  Judgement.  When we die we face judgement, the time to choose between good and evil ends at death. There are two types of Judgement:  Particular and Universal.

Particular Judgement is when we die are individually judged by Christ.  At this moment we see our lives the way that God sees us.  We see every act of sin and its consequences and every act of goodness and its consequences. Here we learn if we go to Heaven or Hell.  Those who are saved but still have the stain of sin on their soul must first go through a period of time in Purgatory.

Does anybody know what Purgatory is?
It’s a place of purification, what Pope St Gregory the Great referred to as a purifying fire.

Judgement. detail, Bosch

Is it painful?
Yes, only in so far that you feel the effects of our sin.

We refer to those in Purgatory as the Poor Souls. It is highly recommended and encourage to pray for these Poor Souls to help them shorten their time there and to get to the Beatific Vision.  So in your petition prayers remember those in Purgatory that have no one to pray for them.

Second type of judgement is Universal, sometimes called the Final Judgement:  This happens at the Second coming of Christ aka the of Time.  Each person’s sin is revealed for all to know.

But why is everyone's sins revealed?

Well, God’s justice demands that all will be revealed.  It often seems in life that the wicked get away with their actions and the good suffer. At the Final Judgement we learn that everything is as it should.  God’s mercy and justice will prevail despite some appearances.  This is the main reason why we are taught not to judge others because we never know what is in their hearts, unlike God who does.

One of the things for which we have time to overcome in this life is the sin of pride. It is because of pride that we fear others knowing our inmost dark secrets. The practice of humility, strengthened with frequent sacramental confession can overcome that fear and deepen our spiritual life.

The Four Last Things: Part II

What's Happened to Love?

I fully admit that I read young adult novels.  It's a habit I develop in school when I wanted something light and easy after reading dense philosophy and theology texts. A nice reprieve.  One main reason I veered towards the young adult novels is that I know that there will not be a sex scene, maybe intense awkward kissing but no sex.

So with the desire to vegging out I began reading The Selection by Kiera Cass.  Best way I can describe the book without getting into too much detail is that it's a water down version of the Hunger Games meets the teen version of The Bachelor/ette.  Overall the story was meh.  It had the overused trope of love triangle with a all talk don't see a lot of action war going on in the background.  Again me reading this series was solely for the purpose of vegging out.  It worked all the way up to the last few chapters of the third and, thankfully, last book when the main girl and the prince start stripping off each other's clothes.

Let me repeat that - stripping off each other's clothes!!!!

My brain crashed in on itself when I first read the passage.  Fortunately they stop when they reach the last layer of underclothing because they didn't want to get caught.  This point in the story they just declared their love for each other and are unmarried.

I quickly finished the book just to know what happened. It was predictable with unnecessary angst and way too many side characters killed off for dramatic effect.  I guess the author was going for a 'earn your happy ending' trope.

It is an unfortunate trend I see with anything about love directed at the tween to young adult audience.  Love has become less about wanting the best for the other (ultimately getting that person to Heaven) and more about physical gratification.  There are common placed, and getting overused descriptions of 'eyes clouded with want', 'a need that they could not explain', 'quickening pace of the heart' all used to describe what true love is like.  Having never been in love, I do not know what it is like, but I do know what is expected of people when they are in love (many thanks to parental units and married sibling).

Love in it's truest form is selfless, wanting what is best for the other.  You can get mad at your spouse, fight, give the silent treatment, disagree, or keep secrets, because lets face the facts we're human we made more mistakes then we would care admit to anyone.  In the marriage vows it states that you will be by your spouse's side for better or worse, not just when you are happy.  There is no such thing as 'Happily ever after' because being in love takes effort, work, and determination. We live within the passing of time, never just in a moment.  We remember and relish the happy moments, we try to ignore the bad, but we cannot stay.

As I rant about love another book comes to mind: Arms of Love by Carmen Marcoux.  In this novel a young couple work on having a chaste courtship/relationship and everyone, outside of the girl's family and friends, sees their actions as something defective.  I read this one several years ago when I was still in college. While I applaud the efforts of Mrs. Marcoux to present love authentically, I really cannot recommend the book. I really did want to enjoy the book, and on Amazon there are many positive reviews, but in the end it felt fake.  It was more of a sermon with a thin plot rather than a story with a moving message.  I doubt many secular or non-Catholics would even consider reading it. For me the Catholicism in the book felt ... too touchy-feely for me. But I'm a smells and bells kinda girl.

I have witness relationships that seemed to have stepped out of pages of 'Arms of Love' and they have the strange aftertaste of spurious and induce fear for any children they may have. DO NOT misunderstand me, chastity (both mind and spirit) rocks in my humble opinion.  But something does not ring right when a couple waits til they exchange their vows for their first kiss.  An act such as that has a gnostic feel to it, like the couple is saying they are better than the rest because they rise above the physical acts of affection (kissing, hugging, holding hands).

Take the book as you will. I'm not going to force you to read it.

With the recent release of '50 Shades of Gray', a pornographic fanfic turned book turned box office record breaking movie I feel that we as a society has lost touch on what love actually is.  Love is expressed in so many muddy confusing ways that in the ends leaves many wanting more, thus looking for that something more in all the wrong places and end up hurt.

St. Raphael the Archangel, Patron of Love and Lovers, Ora Pro Nobis.

Top Eleven Random Things You Didn't Know had a Catholic Origin.

(Just my notes for a talk I gave the Middle School Youth Group)

• 11. Autobiography: We can thank St Augustine of Hippo for the existence of the autobiography.  In his Confessions St Augustine recounts his younger life before his ordination with painful honesty telling the reader his thoughts and reflections of his past actions.
• 10. Friday the 13th: Friday is the day that Christ died on the cross, something to be cherished and revered, but because it is a day of Christ’s death it has always has a penitential character to it i.e. not eating meat.  As such it developed a reputation of being the unluckiest day of the week.  So beginning any on this day was considered was bad luck (which means I’m in a lot of trouble). 13 was associated with Christ and the 12 apostles, the 13th being Judas the Traitor.
• 9. Calculator: The first truly operative mechanical calculating device made its appearance in 1642 when Blaise Pascal (French Philosopher, Mathematician, Apologist) wanted to help his father, who was a tax official, with his work.  He called it ‘percaline’, it was 4x20 inches long with 8 dials on its face that was able to add and subtract with great accuracy.  We could also consider the pacaline the first basic computer.
• 8.A Capella: style of singing without musical instruments. Italian = ‘in the chapel’ written for sacred spaces too small for orchestras or a pipe organ
• 7. Piñatas: This started out as an Italian sin-bashing during Lent; 
• there were colorful 7 pignatta ‘fragile pot’ representing the 7 deadly sins that would dance on a rope showing how difficult it is to overcome sin, blindfolded – hard to see as sin.
• As evil can be defeated by good, we have aids: virture = bat, faith = directions shouted by the crowd, hope = directing his actions heavenwards, charity = when the pignatta is finally busted and sweets shower divine gifts and blessings cascading out
• 6. Almond Milk: great alternative to cow milk in the Medieval Age, it lasted longer and was often used in Lent when on Fridays one abstained from all animal products.  One couldn’t find a cookbook in a Medieval kitchen that did not have a few recipes that required almond milk.
• 5. Croissant & Pretzel: I ranked them the same since they are both food items.
• Croissant: commemorates the Battle of Vienna in 1683, Vienna was an Eastern outpost of Western Christendom against the larger superior army of the Ottoman Empire.  If Vienna had fallen The Turks could have very easily taken over all of Christian Europe, but they were defeated by a spectacular counterattack with a coalition of troops from different Catholic Countries led by the Polish King John Sobieski. 
• The Legend: Baker heard the Turks trying to tunnel under the city walls and he notified everyone. He was rewarded with a patent to produce a bread to commemorating the victory. The crescent is a symbol of Islam
• Pretzel: The Lenten treat of Ancient Christianity. In 400s the Great Fast of Lent included total abstinence from all meat and dairy products. Simple bread of flour water and salt in the shape of praying arms (crossed arms across chest in prayer). Were call bracellae Latin for ‘little arms’, from which German brezel or prezel = pretzel
• 4. Tempura: comes from the observance of Ember Days where there was a mandatory fast and abstain from meat.  The Spanish and Portuguese missionaries of the 16th century settled in Nagasaki, Japan started deep frying shrimp as a tasty alternative for meatless meals.  The idea caught on and the Japanese began to deep fry everything. The name is from Latin  Quatuor Tempora ‘the four seasons’ = the Embertides
• 3. Groundhog’s Day: Feb 2 Feast of Purification of the BVM – the presentation of Jesus at the Temple 40 days after birth. Simeon’s prophecy of Jesus being a light to the Gentiles (Luke 2:32) led to a folk believe that one could predict the weather on this day. The Germans would use a badger or hedgehog to determine; brought over to Pennsylvania in colonial times and a woodchuck was used. Woodchuck was considered a wise animal by the Indians of the area.
• 2. Big Bang Theory: not the show! States that at some moment all of space was contained in a single point from which the Universe has been expanding sever since. This theory was first proposed by Fr. Georges Lemaître, Belgian astronomer and professor of Physics at the Catholic University of Leuven. Sounds similar to the creation story, doesn’t it?
• 1. Solmization: You might know it as the Do-Re-Mi Scale. Hymn in the Divine Office for the Feast of St John the Baptist by Paul the deacon
• Ut Queant laxis Resonare fibris, Mira gestorum, Famuli tuorum, Solve pollute Labii reatum, Sacte Ioannes.
• An Italian monk, Gudio of Arezzo noticed that the melody of the hymn ascended precisely one note of the diatonix scale of C at each verse. Took the sybllables for each note of our scale.

Honorable Mentions

• Cappuccino: said to have been invented by Bl Marco D’Aviano, a Capuchin monk after the Battle of Vienna when a bag of coffee beans left behind by the Turks was found.  He found that it was too bitter for taste thus added milk and honey turning the color brown. Dubbed the drink ‘little Capuchin’ or cappuccino
• Lobbies: A lobium in medieval Latin was a cloistered walkway where it is believed that many would wait to seek council and help from the monks.

Now enjoy this cappuccino made with almond milk while I calculate the Big Band Theory to the sounds of 'Do a deer' in the background.

Where Did the Advent Wreath Come From and What Does it Mean?

As it is often the case with many traditions that we hold dear to our hearts the Advent wreath has pagan origins and as with many Christmas traditions practiced here in America, this came from Germany.

Evidence shows that the pre-Christian Germanic peoples used wreath with lit candles in the cold dark Winter as a sign of hope for the future warm and extended sun lighted days of Spring.  Similarly, in Scandinavia lighted candles were placed around a wheel and prayers were offered to the god of light to, in a sense, turn the ‘wheel of the earth’ back towards the light of the sun.

As often seen in the Church, especially in the first few centuries, we would take the pagan practices and Christianized it.  This practice of ‘Christionzation’ took what was intrinsically good in the pagan tradition and essentially baptized them into the Church.

By the Medieval period, say about the 16th century or 1500s, the wreath with lighted candles was adapted for Advent as part of a spiritual preparation for Christmas.  Both German Catholics and Lutherans practiced this tradition.  What we would recognize as the Advent wreath took shape in the 19th century or 1800s.  The original wreath started out with a candle for each day of the season, Sundays being big white candles and the rest were smaller red candles.  Over time it simplified to just each Sunday having a candle and sometimes Christmas Day having its own.  This practice was brought over to the United States in the 1930s by German immigrants.

Advent is a time of reflections and preparation and the wreath works as both a reminder and a meditation of what is to come.  It’s easy to perceived the reminder aspect of it, lighting each candle as Christmas gets closer, so let’s focus on the meditative aspect.

It must be understood that the Advent wreath is full of symbols.  This is not a bad thing; symbols are used to help us focus giving us a tangible aspect for the abstract. The act of lighting the candles, with an additional one each week in tandem if the liturgical colors on the candles, represents our expectation and hope of Christ’s first coming, His birth.  That hope and expectation also includes Christ’s second coming at the end of the world.  Remember, everything about Christmas points towards Easter.

This has evergreen, holly leaves, pine cones, and fruit.

To the physical wreath itself:  Traditionally the wreath is made of different types of evergreens wrapped into a circle; the circle has not beginning or end and the evergreen is green throughout the year representing the eternal life of Christ, and his eternal never ending rule.  The wreath can also include holly, pine and yew all of which is symbolic of immortality.  The holly also is symbolic of the crown of thrones worn by Christ at His Passion; there’s also a neat English legend that states the wood of the cross was holly.  Pine cones, seedpods, and nuts can be added for a representation of Christ’s Resurrection. Cedar for strength and healing. Fruits for the nourishing fruitfulness of the Christian Life.  All of this as a whole is Christ, the eternal Word of the Father, who became man was victorious over sin and death by His Passion, Death and Resurrection.

Let us not forget the candles.  As I’ve mentioned before the candles bear the color of the liturgical season; three purple and one rose (not pink).  These are the same colors for the Lent season (again, pointing towards Easter); purple is a reminder of prayer, penance and preparatory sacrifices and good works undertaken during this season (sounds like Lent, doesn't it?). Rose if for Gaudete Sunday, gaudete is Latin for rejoice, this Sunday is the midpoint of Advent and we are close to Christmas.

There’s also some traditions where each candle has a meaning. In one tradition:
Candle #1: Hope, Prophet’s candle representing Jesus’ coming
Candle #2: Faith, Bethlehem candle representing Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem
Candle #3: Joy, Shepherd’s candle representing the joy at the coming of the birth of Christ
Candle #4: Peace, Angel’s candle representing the message of the Angels ‘Peace on Earth, Good Will towards Men.’

Another tradition:
Candle #1: Patriarchs
Candle #2: Prophets
Candle #3: John the Baptist
Candle#4: Mother Mary

Happy Advent!!

(This is a rough transcript of a lecture I gave to the RCIA class at my church.)

Etsy Store

I finally did it!! I finally put some items in my oft neglected etsy store.

Applause! Cheers! And all around FINALLY!

I will be added more items as soon as I possibly can.

Use this carefully crafted link to get to my store front.

Don't forget, Christmas is fast approaching!  (hint, hint)

Random Fun Quotes, Again

"The big print giveth, and the fine print taketh away. " - Venerable Fulton Sheen

"A pen is to me as a beak is to a hen." - J.R.R. Tolkien

"Misers get up early in the morning; and burglars, I am informed, get up the night before." -G.K. Chesterton

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." -Walt Disney

My Response to 'Save Flint Dollar'

It has been several months since this has occurred, after such time I believe that I can discuss this with rational thought and loving attitude.

The school in question

At the Catholic High School, Mount de Sales Academy(MDS), many people in association with the school
(whether student, alum, or teacher) reacted strongly to the dismissal of one Flint Dollar, a band teacher.  This was due to the fact that he publicly announced via social media that he was going to 'marry' his boyfriend.

Because so many have asked my thoughts over the situation (most know of my B.A. in Sacred Theology). As stated above I've waited to respond because everyone has been high on being emotional and thus irrational.  I will endeavor to explain as best I can.  Bear in mind "what I have now said in regard to abstaining from wanton looks should be carefully observed, with due love for the persons and hatred of the sin, in observing, forbidding, reporting, reproving, and punishing of all other faults." (St Augustine, Letter 211)

An article, the link of which is found below, said that Mount de Sales' employment policy states that the school does not discriminate based on sexual orientation. Mr. Dollar stated in the article that MDS was aware of his orientation when they hired him, so in this way, MDS upheld this anti-discrimination policy that deals with employment.  The school would have violated their policy if they did nor hire him solely based on his orientation.

At this point I would like to point out a distinction between sexual orientation and sexual actions with regard to employment and termination of employment. As stated previously, MDS adhered to the anti-discriminatory policy in that the school hired him with full knowledge of his orientation. If one studies the clause closely, no where does it say that MDS does not reserve the right to fire an employee based on actions of a sexual nature that the school does not approve of (i.e., Mr. Dollar announcing publicly that he was 'marrying' his partner). If MDS fired Mr. Dollar for the reported reason, then MDS is acting in accordance with Catholic teaching.  MDS hired Mr. Dollar as a homosexual individual, but chose to terminate his employment based on Mr. Dollar's decision to publicly announce his upcoming marriage to his partner.

Allow me a moment to veer off into a theological tract. In Declaration on Certain Questions Concerning Sexual Ethics, it states that "[N]o pastoral method can be employed which would give moral justification to these acts on the grounds that they would be consonant with the condition of such people. For according to the objective moral order, homosexual relations are acts which lack an essential and indispensable finality. In Sacred Scripture they are condemned as a serious depravity and even presented as the sad consequence of rejecting God. (Rom 1:24-27) This judgment of Scripture does not of course permit us to conclude that all those who suffer from this anomaly are personally responsible for it, but it does attest to the fact that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered and can in no case be approved of."

Essentially, it is important to realize that homosexuals do not have complete, voluntary control over their desires. Of course, they have control over their actions, as do heterosexuals. After a person has been conditioned to homosexual responses, it is impossible to simply wish away the desires, just as it is impossible for an alcoholic to wish away his desire to be drunk. Homosexuals also do not make a conscious choice to have homosexual tendencies. It should be noted that heterosexuals do not have complete control over their desires either.  We ALL suffer from temptation, it is when we act on those temptations that we come way to sin.

It is likely that the same decision, in regards to the school's decision, would have been made if a heterosexual teacher publicly announced he or she was living with his girlfriend or her boyfriend because of the nature of the relationship.  As Catholics, we must stand up for our religious beliefs while being compassionate towards those of orientations different from ourselves. That does not mean that we abandon our faith because it makes other people uncomfortable, nor does it mean that we hate and damn people because we disagree with them.

For further reading on the Mother Church's teachings I highly recommend Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons.

May God grant us pardon and peace, and most of all, reconciliation with one another.

I will end with this thought:  Love, in it's purest form, is an act of the will in which we will the good of the other for the sake of the other.  Sin cannot be ignored because what good does that do for people? "When the good are overly merciful to the bad, the  good eventually become the bad."

This post is in relation to this news article.

Post Script: Now will you people stop asking me!!!!

Frustrations

St Cajetan, Ora pro nobis

I'm entering that point in my life where I am becoming easily frustrated in my endeavors.  Hearing 'no' or 'better luck next time' more often then 'yes' or 'when can you start'.  There is no one to blame, so I really can't get mad at any one person.  It might make things easier if I could just dump all my problems on one particular thing.  If it was just one thing or person, it would be much easier to rectify.

But that is not the case.

I don't have the experience people want and it feels that no one is willing to take a chance on me.

Give me a chance - I won't disappoint.

Aladdin the Musical genie does old spice comercial

I'll admit, this made me laugh.

Crafts Fair Update

Well the crafts fair is inching closer and closer.  How many earrings and necklaces have I made, you ask.  The answer, between working odd hours with my jobs, job hunting, and getting this thing called sleep (I hear it's great), not much.  But much to my surprise the art gallery closed. Gasp!  Nothing bad happened, the owner just felt that it was time.  So all my pieces on display there are now back to me and my inventory for the crafts fair just bumped up.

In other news in relation to the crafts fair, I've gotten permission from Loren Sherman, who has made his own version of Gallifreyan alphabet for Doctor Who, to use said alphabet to make wire ornaments.  I am very excited about this.  For the fair itself I'm making ornaments for the Doctor's catchphrases (the 9th, 10th, and 11th Doctors).  This is mostly for people to see how the final product will look like and I will be taking commissions to translate names for the ornaments.  Perfect gift for your geeky friend!

Wish me luck! Prayers, always appreciated.

Dr William Marshner: Former Lutheran - The Journey Home

I'm not going to lie - I squeed (that's right, squeed) when I found this video on youtube.  Here is Dr Marshner talking about his conversion to Catholicism.  He is one of my favorite professor from College and I took every possible class I could taught by him.  He is fascinating to listen to.

To The Crafts Show!

Well, I should not be surprised by this turn of events.  

My mother is helping set up a crafts fair to help raise funds for Family Advancement Ministry (FAM).  It's a good cause that promotes life by helping out families with physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Check them out.  Anyway, my mom is telling a relative via the phone about the fair and I suddenly here this:

"Of course, Olivia's gonna have a table."

I pause in my reading and look over to my mom who is still on the phone.  I then make a mental check list of what I have made and ready to go.  On hand, not much.  Most of my wares are currently in the art gallery getting brief glances and collecting dust.  Which means, drum roll please, I have to make stuff.  As soon as my mom gets off the phone she see me looking at her with a surprised expression.

"Thanks for the heads up."

"Oh, you have time."

Cue me going to my beads and begging my muse to hit me with some inspiration.

Bring it on, Crafts Fair.  Bring it on!!

To the Crafts Fair!!!!!

New Background

Random bit here, I'm trying to teach myself photoshop (or at least a free online version of it), and I've decicded to use the result as the back ground for this blog.

Just a little something since I've haven't posted anything for a while.

Click on this magical link to see a clear version.