Quiet Sunday Night

Ahh, enjoying a quiet evening. Things 1 and 4 spent the night at grandma's and haven't returned yet. Thing three was dropped at Scout camp this morning. Thing 2 is off  doing her thing. Husband is napping. And I'm watching The Pretender on Hulu.

Big Brother is on tonight. This season is just not grabbing me. But it's also True Blood night. I got a bit bored with it last season, but I've found a new excitement with the whole Warlow story line and compressed season. We cut the cable cord last week, choosing to rely on Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon. I think I'm the one who suffers the most since I love my Morning Joe. I thought I would have to miss the last four episodes of True Blood, but the lady at U-verse took pity on me. I kept the $15 a month broadcast channel package, and she threw in three more months of HBO for free. Bless her! I'm not particularly heartbroken over missing Dexter.  Just hasn't held my attention this season.

But two hours until Big Brother. Yay!

Go, George, Go!!

Am I the only one whose rooting for Chicken George. He and Janelle in the final two. I hate Mike Boogers. And I can't stand Dr. Will's smirk. I am a bit concerned that Janelle may be taken in with Will's showmance in her. I don't think to the degree that Erica is with boogers. I mean, he won't even make a commitment to bring you to the final two.

I'm totally pissed that I'm missing Thursday's show due to a social commitment. It's going to be eviction, HOH comp, noms, POV comp, Veto ceremony, and another eviction. Although the houseguests don't know it. I hope we don't get stupid noms.

Meanwhile, tonite, we get the premiere of Bones and the premiere of Justice. I may give Justice a chance because it has SpyDaddy.

I' m just not excited about TV this year, other than Veronica Mars. I'm on the queue at the library for Season 2 Lost. I missed it last year to watch Veronica Mars, so I want to catch up incase I want to watch Lost this year. Otherwise, I'll be totally Lost.

Ordinary Time

Well, since Christmas is way over, I guess I should remove the cute little picture from my sidebar. I guess I'll eventually be successful with that.


edited to add: Woo-hoo. I did it. (I really hate fucking around in the template, cause I usually end up really fucked up, but I accomplished it this time!)

Movies, Movies, Movies!!!

My almost 3 year old son is a real Madagascar fan. It's noon and we've already watched it four times today. And I have to say, the movie is twisted. The animals are wandering through the rainforest to the tune of Louis Armstrong's It's a Wonderful World. During this segment, we get to see a hummingbird swallowed by a carnivorous flower. Some cute fluffy animal escape from a constrictor snake, only to be carried off by a bird of prey. The animals then rescue a cute little duckling that crosses their path and return him to the pond, only to see a giant alligator leap from the water and munch him in one bite.

I think the moral of the movie is nature sucks. Don't romanticize wild, wide open spaces because they're dangerous. Civilization is much cooler.

It's sort of like the message I got from The Hills Have Eyes. Stick to the main routes and don't go off exploring on any scenic detours. You only end up stranded and/or murdered by the locals.

All my husband got out of it was that nuclear testing is bad. Poor man can't get below the surface. He read Slaughterhouse Five as a sci-fi novel.

TV Tonite

Book of Daniel is on tonite. Critics hate it. Christians hate it. Gotta watch it. Might be my only chance. Let's see if I make it through, or turn it off in disgust. Well, they're only Episcopalians.

It's a Big Big World

Have any of you seen this show? For some reason, my 2 year old son hates it. He watches Barney, Sesame Street, Teletubbies, Boo-bah, but gets upset at this one. Maybe the world tree and the creepy animals are too much. Smart kid.

Happy Epiphany

Well it's the Epiphany, unless you're a Catholic who lives in the United States, in which case it's move to this Sunday. And so we wrap up Christmas, and start Mardi Gras. Unless you're old fashioned, in which case, Christmas keeps going till February.

Merry Christmas

Well, I hope you all had a good holiday. Mine was interesting. Went to the in-laws. Had my Christmas Catholic mother-in-law, big believer in the Da Vinci Code. My Unitarian sister-in-law who's married to a Jew of a sort. She celebrates the holidays, but doesn't really believe in any of that. Seems rather hostile to religion. I truly think that she finds it bizarre for someone's faith to mean something. Then there's my father-in-law. He's theoretically a United Methodist, but more of a "I have a Bible, that's all I need" type, since he has ideas which didn't pop up until the mid 19th century, with self-proclaimed preachers with no theological training, going just by what their Bibles told them, and not understanding the language or the times in which they were written.

If you think I'm talking about the Lord's brethren, you'd be right. Man's probably a Nestorian, too, but I didn't press the issue. Fucker accused me of not believing the Bible. But as to Nestorianism, if your're going to be a heretic, might as well go for one of the great heresies.

Then there's the SIL, who really didn''t want to go to mass with the rest of the houshold, then made a comment about keeping an eye on the priest when he was near the children, I mean, this was right in front of the sanctuary, in a crowded nave. What an asshole. Then at Christmas dinner had to start about women priests. I sure be able to enjoy my Christmas dinner without having to defend my faith.

She is the personification of everything I hate about liberals. All tolerant about things a good liberal should be: gays, etc. But the faces she makes when her cousin comes up, who is expecting his fifth child in February. Five! Not being a good contraceptor goes against her values of ABC. What's it to her? She's supposed to be some tolerant liberal. Typical left wing hypocracy.

And I get to see them all in the spring for my daughter's First Communion.

And we'll probably go back in the summer.

Pray for me.

I'm Back!!!

Took a nice long break for Christmas, but I have returned.

Jim Petro Redux

Well Petro has a new commercial out. He believes that life begins at conception, and that marriage is forever, or maybe for life, I can't quite recall.

Pan images of a baptismal certificate, pacifier, nice navy leatherbound Bible, family photo's. Screeech, reverse. That Bible. Says Holy Bible on the front. What does it say on the spine? It appears to say "King James Version".

Jim, Jim, Jim. I thought you were Catholic. We don't use the King James Version. Did you leave the Church or something?

More likely, you're trying to appeal to fundamentalist Protestants, whom you see as your conservative base. Can't make it too obvious your not one of them.

I was going to vote for you Jim, I really was.

But, alas, I can't support a man who sells out on his faith to appease a bunch of Chick Tracters. Looks like Blackwell now.

But We're Catholics

Call me crazy, but I think a parish ought to foster, instill, and reinforce a Catholic identity in it's people. They ought not to be acting like a bunch of "Bible Christians."

Okay, my Church is putting on a Christmas play. In this play, Mary has sisters. They also have the chorus singing this "L'Chaim" song containing verses about "romance" and crap.

Our music director really needs to read the Proto-Evangelium of James. You should, too. It's not long, a really easy narrative, and rather interesting.

It's not considered inspired (obviously, or else it would be in the Bible), but it is considered worthwhile for a historical perspective of what the earliest Christians believe.

The longheld pious tradition that Mary was an only child--toss it. Hey while were at it, let's be out and out heretics and give Jesus blood siblings.

The fact that Mary was raised in the Temple isn't a Doctrine of the Faith, and believing it isn't necessary for our salvation. Nevertheless, November 21 commemorates her parents leaving her there.

And I kinda like the idea of a play where they gather the geezers, and have them draw straws on who has to marry Mary. Marry Mary! Ha! Say that 5 times fast.

Arrggghhh!!!

I'm pulling my hair out in frustration here, people. And basshing my head against the wall.

A commision is supposedly recommending the Church ditch limbo. Which is fine. What I can't stand is the misrepresentations of the reporting. There is no need for this Reuters reporter to check facts or anything, as we all know what Catholics believe.

Limbo -- the place where the Catholic Church teaches that babies go if they die before being baptized -- may have its days numbered...The Catholic Church teaches that babies who die before they can be baptized go to limbo, whose name comes from the Latin for "border" or "edge," because they deserve neither heaven nor hell.

Gee, that's not what the Cathecism says. This is what the Church actually teaches.

As regards children who have died without Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus' tenderness toward children which caused him to say: "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them,"⁶⁴ allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church's call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism.

And this:

According to Italian media reports on Tuesday, an international theological commission will advisePope Benedict to eliminate the teaching about limbo from the Catholic catechism.

A hundred bucks to the first person to find limbo in the Catechism. You won't because ain't there!

Limbo is theological speculation. A theory formulated to resolve the dilemma of those who die without personal sin but with original sin. It was never formally defined by the Church, much less elevated doctrine. Who can believe in it, but you're free not to. It's not revealed truth, nor does it contradict revealed truth.

Here's what Cardinal Ratzinger had to say back in 1984:

"Limbo has never been a defined truth of faith," he said. "Personally, speaking as a theologian and not as head of the Congregation, I would drop something that has always been only a theological hypothesis."

You Can't Make This Shit Up

Plus, his parent were sick fucks. Who in their right mind would name a kid Ronald, if your last name is McDonald?

Get the Story.

The Asshole Brigade

As you know, I'm going to the in-laws for Christmas, which I haven't done since 2001. At that time, we spent Christmas Eve with the father-in-law (who already had plans to spend it at his sister's and we along) and Christmas Day with the mother-in-law.

This year, I thought it would be nice to switch. I sent out an e-mail saying so. My mil got right to plan making for Christmas Eve. It took a week for hubands stepmother to send this e-mail.

Hi. Our plans are to go to Janice on Christmas EVE.. and I ALWAYS go to my Moms house every Christmas day with my family. The family is welcome to come over the 26th .. I do need to work the week before Christmas and my schedule is hectic before any holiday.Since the 26th is on a Sunday, we will be home. That is our plan....

Would have been to much to call us when I suggested the plan to say it won't work. Then I sould have called my mil right away and see if we could switch, but no.

Besides, why does a 60 some year old woman need to go running to her mommy's. It's not every year her husbands son and grandchildren come for Christmas. And if it's an issue of her kids, why not say, why don't you guys come over for Christmas, John's son'll be over,...Hell, why not invite us to your mother's. It's not like we didn't traet you and mother to lunch at The Boneyard this past June.

So the MIL is having us Eve and Day. She must be thrilled. We'll see granpa day after. My mother-in-law had wanted to take the girls to lunch at American Girl Place, and see the sights in New York. OH well. We can't have everything our way. Maybe we can do that right before Christmas.

Right Lung, Meet Left Lung

One of my local TV stations airs the Divine Lliturgy of St John Chrysostom on Thursdays at 11am. I decided to have my daughters watch this, teach them how they are just as Catholic as we are, one big Church different liturgies, blah, blah, fishcakes.

So I get this:

He's turning his back on his people!
No, he's leasing them in prayer.
He has his back to them!
He's like a general, and they are the people, all marching together toward God. In fact, in our Church, it was this way until Grandma was Aunt Julie's age,
That's not how I see it! He's turning his back on his people.


I tried to point out the similarities, like the Creed but they say "visible and invisible" instead of "seen and unseen". The kid just wants to know why they are singing it. Well, they sing the whole liturgy except for the homily.

She then starts to sing a recap of the homily (about a monkey getting it's paw stuck in a melon and being captured by a hunter). She was paying attention afterall!

It's That Time of Year

I've just about finished my Christmas shopping. I still have to get stuff for my kids' teachers, and for my niece's birthday. Dec 14--I just lump it in with Christmas shopping.

I got my mother-in-law a Chia Herb garden. My sister tells me it was a bad gift, she also thinks her fondue pot was a bad gift.

I got Hickory Farms gift boxes for my dad and father-in-law, cause they're impossible to buy for.

I got jedmunds something totally gay, but I didn't realize that till I already bought it, so I went out and got something different. OOh buyer's remorse.

I like Christmas shopping, but I hate spending the money, and stressing over whether I have enough to but presents this year, and the credit card bill when it comes in.

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving.

Me too, Barbara, Me too.

Barbara Nicolosi has http://churchofthemasses.blogspot.com/2005/11/meme-confession.html recently admitted that:

I confess, I too have never read The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

I have never read these books, either. And it disturbs me greatly. The story is supposedly very Catholic. JRR Tolkien was a devout Catholic, one of his sons was a priest, and he converted CS Lewis from atheism to Christianity (though Lewis was never able to swim the Tiber). it's like you can't be a good Catholic and not like Tolkien.

But the books just bore me. And I fell asleep during the first movie. Well K-Mart had the DVD's on sale this past weekend. I picked up all three for $24. Maybe one of these nights when there's nothing good on, I watch one.

Fr Fushek Arrested

For supposed molestation. Mark Shea has some interesting commentary, as does Jimmy Akin. Amy Wellborn has some excerpts from the actual charges.

Now even though I'm no fan of Lifeteen, I'm not gleeful over this as some of the redtrads are. Yes, "The mass never ends, it must be lived, go and live the mass" is downright cheesy, not to mention against the rubrics. And all the the teens gathered 'round the alter for the consecration is an unquestionable liturgical abuse. And upbeat contemporary Christian music kinda sucks. Well, it really sucks, actually.

But Fr. Fushek bowed to the authority of the Church and discontinued them when told to due so, and instructed other chapters to do so. The fact that some Lifeteen chapters continue to disobey, and violate the rubrics, is unfortunate, but irrelevant.

I don't believe in recovered memories. The current allegations involve confession, which means the Father is screwed, even if innocent, because he can't defend himself without breaking the seal of confession, which is of course, excommunicable

New Lows of Ridiculosity

Yes. This is from those charming people at PETA. "If you have pets, keep them away from daddy, cause he might gut them, too?" (paraphrase). My goodness gracious.

My Dissapointed Child

The kids wanted to go to New York for Thanksgiving, but we decided to stay home because it is a short holiday, and go to New York for Christmas instead. Apparantly, nit everyone got the second half of the memo.

My child: Jedmunds isn't coming for Thanksgiving, huh?
Me: No, I don't think so.
Child: But he's coming for Christmas right?
Me: Yes, I think so but we won't be here.
Child: (pauses) What do you mean, we won't be here?
Me: We're going to New York for Christmas.
Her: I hate you!! (Car door slams)

Aah. The cult of jedmunds. And an impossible child.

And Petro's Out of the Gate!!!

So, the primaries are what, seven months away? And Jim Petro has his gubernatorial campaign up and running. Not a day goes by when one doesn't see a commercial. One would think we at the height of campaign season. Well, I now know that

• As Auditor of State, Petro returned 15 million? billion? well 15 something. Oh wait his commersial just aired, it's 30 million to the people of Ohio.
  
• As Attorney General, he returned millions more
• He wants to save money by restructuring government.
• He wants to set a tax ceiling, unlike Ken Blackwell's "risky scheme". He doesn't actually say "risky scheme", at least, I don't think so. But the tone is there.

All I know is, it's too early to know who I'm voting for. I don't who the Democrats are putting up. I think I may have heard rumore of Ted Strickland. I just wish Jerry! would run. I might register as a D just to v ote for him.