Seven Quick Takes No. 106: A Squirrel Saga

No, my squirrel is not this cute....

I. 

So, let me tell you, squirrels are not cute and cuddly. Disney has lied to us, people!

II. 

On Super Bowl Sunday, I came up to my bedroom and was going to get ready for bed, when I noticed a large hole about the size of a softball, 11 or 12 feet up on my wall. This had not been there when I'd gotten home from church, and I thought maybe, since the kids were using the side of my house as a goal for soccer (It had been a really nice day), that they'd hit the wall hard and dislodged a bit of the drywall. OK. Fine. I was annoyed, but not terribly worried. 

The next day I went to the apartment office and told them that the wall needed patched. A guy came out, took a photo, and said he'd be back to fix it.

III.

Two weeks later...still  not fixed. And the hole is getting bigger. 

Maybe they had to order a new piece of drywall, or something. Because holes should be patched quickly, right? 

IV. 

My patience ran out when I came up one day and saw that the hole was MUCH bigger, and there was now drywall and insulation all over the floor. Patience gone! 

Go to the apartment office again. Guy comes out, re-plasters the hole, says he'll finish it the next day--Thursday.

V. 

Wake up Thursday morning. The hole is back. 

OK, now I know there's something in there. I am officially freaked. I go back to the office and tell them. 

"OK, we'll send out a guy to look and trap the squirrel."

A squirrel? Eating my drywall and insulation and living in my attic? EATING MY BEDROOM WALL??!?!?!

I slept on the couch that night. 

VI. 

On Friday I went to my parents, where I would stay until this was dealt with. The office told us that they had to fix the roof, set traps, catch the squirrel, and then they would fix the wall. And there would be no more squirrel. 

Finally, last night (AKA, a week later) we got a call from them saying that the roof was fixed, and while the squirrel wasn't in the traps, he wasn't in the house, either--so maybe he had escaped to get food while the roof was being fixed and couldn't get back in. Whatever it was, the squirrel was gone. 

VII. 

I came home--there is a huge piece of wood bolted over the very large hole. No way the squirrel is getting through that sucker. 

I slept the sleep of the Just--or at least, the sleep of the Non Squirrel Infested Bedroom. 

And now I really, really hate squirrels. 

Seven Quick Takes No. 105

I. 

The snow is melting! The snow is melting!

Really, I don't mind snow--around Christmas. I do mind it when it's crazy cold and I have to scrape off my car whenever I want to go somewhere, and deal with the ice around my car. But it's going to be 50 today, and almost 60 tomorrow! Yay!

II. 

I'm glad about that 60 in particular because tomorrow is the Columbus Catholic Women's Conference, and last year a huge snowstorm kept me from getting there. It starts at 8, but you have to get there early to get a decent seat--and registration opens at 7. So that means you get up early. And getting up early plus dealing with snow? Just, no. But this year, no snow! No ice! Yay!

I'm especially excited because Jen Fulwiler is one of the speakers.

At Edel with Hallie Lord (L) and Jen Fulwiler (center)

III. 

This week I went to my audiologist and got my cochlear implant (CI) tuned up. That's not the technical term, by the way. I hadn't been to see her in awhile, so I went it and we "reprogrammed" my processor. 

The big difference between a CI and a hearing aid is that a hearing aid just makes sound louder, while I CI helps you understand what the sound is. And if you're like me, and your hearing is basically shot, you need the CI, and not a hearing aid, becaus making sound louder won't help you. The cells in the cochlea have been destroyed, and thus the sound isn't getting processed correctly by my brain. Thus--the CI. An "array" was threaded into my cochlea during surgery, and that relays the sound I get directly to my brain, bypassing the broken bits. 

So anyway, with the programs, I can have various settings depending on what I need at the time. I generally use one that allows me to get a wide array of sounds, but there are ones for when I want to focus on quieter sounds, or when I want to focus the microphone to just the person or people directly in front of me (meaning, where my head is pointed is where I'm going to pick up sound.) 

After we fine-tuned the programs (they're called MAPS, if we're being technical, but I forget what that stands for), my audiologist took me to the booth where they run hearing tests. If you are hearing-impaired, these booths are generally awful because you feel like an idiot. But with the new program, I was able to hear a really wide range of sound at various levels (meaning I detected the sound--I could hear it at all) of pitch and volume. So yay! 

IV. 

The other thing about CIs? They're covered by insurance. Hearing aids aren't. 

V. 

I've been doing a TON of drawing this week. Bust out the paints and pencils! 

This is my Atlantic Puffin. I didn't get quite the result I wanted on the black parts, but I did it on watercolor paper, which has that grain. So, whatever. But how cool is this animal? Orange eyes!

I'm also working on sketching and painting teacups. I need to take some pictures of those, though, to show you. 

VI. 

Reading: Not a whole lot, sadly, other than my Lent books. But when one gives up book buying for Lent...also, the library hasn't had any interesting books on the ebooks roster lately. I love that you can borrow ebooks. No worries about returning things on time!

VII. 

This week in CCD we're doing Sacraments--we've broken them up into parts. The book does a chapter on the Eucharist when we talk about Holy Thursday, so that's coming up. This week we're covering Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders. Next week: Marriage, Confession, and Anointing of the Sick.  

Seven Quick Takes No. 104

I. 

Well, Winter has finally shown up here in Ohio. It's going to be three for a low this weekend. Brrrrr. Glad I have lots of warm socks and boots and a heavy coat that's good for clearing off the car. 

II. 

I'm learning Italian! I'm using the Duolingo app and I have to say it's really fun, although there's some weird Italian grammar things that do not exist in French or English. For example, the word "dinner" (cena) can mean the noun, dinner, or  "eating dinner." So if you want to say I'm having dinner, It's "Io cena." IT IS WEIRD. In French, it would be Je mange diner. You need a verb! Not in Italian! 

Also, their possessives are sort of tricky. I'm working on it. But learning Italian is something I've been wanting to do for a long time, so I'm glad I'm finally getting on it. 

III. 

Lent has begun, but you can still join Restore! It's not too late. 

IV. 

I'm taking my first Barre3 class next week. I will hopefully survive. ;-) Cristina loves them, and I've taken similar classes before, so I think I'll survive.....It's only an hour! One can do anything for an hour! (Right?)

V. 

One of the great things about winter is that I get to experiment with my cooking. When it's summer and gorgeous I don't want to be working with a hot oven. But tonight is perfect for something like Tuscan marinated chicken and couscous with feta and lemon. It's warm and filling and really easy! 

VI. 

Fasting is something I didn't have to do for the first 23 years of my life. And now that I have to, it's HARD. Man, I was GRUMPTASTIC Wednesday night, and I also inhaled my dinner like there was no tomorrow. 

VII. 

Outlander season 2 premieres on my birthday! (April 9) Happy birthday to me! I can't wait for Season 2 with my favorite time travelers. 

Seven Quick Takes No. 103

View fullsize

I. 

It has been AN AGE since I have done one of these! So let's start with Jane--Yesterday was the 203rd anniversary of Pride and Prejudice's publication. Huzzah!

II. 

Here in central Ohio, we got no snow from last weekend's huge storm. I'm not totally opposed to that, since me and snow aren't really friends. I don't mind the dusting that's outside right now, but feet upon feet of snow? NO. 

III. 

My follow-up appointment post-hospital was on Monday and things were joyous. My PFTs are back to baseline, the X-ray is cleared up, and I even lost weight! (Although I'm pretty sure that's a med side effect, but we'll see.) Everyone was quite pleased. 

IV. 

That being said, I'm sloooowly getting back to my own personal baseline. I think I'll be there by next week, which is good, because the last three weeks have not been the way I'd like them to be. I'm OK with slow recoveries but it is nice to be able to get dressed, run errands, and make dinner all in one day without feeling like that's the equivalent of Everest climbing.  

V. 

Guys, Lent is upon us. Do you have a plan? I'll be running my Lent series again next week, but perhaps you should consider Restore? It's a truly excellent Lenten workshop that starts on Ash Wednesday and runs through Easter.  Read more about it here, or click the button on the sidebar .

VI. 

A good quote from St. Thomas Aquinas, whose feast day was yesterday: 
"Beware the person of one book."

Good advice, Sir! :) 

VII. 

And lastly, because it's Friday: 

Seven Quick Takes No. 102: Seven Great Cast Recordings

We're doing something a little different this week. I'm sharing with you seven of my favorite Broadway Cast albums, for either your edification, or to serve as a "what to buy" for the Musically Inclined on your Christmas list (or for yourself!) 

These are not in any particular order, except for 1 and 2, because 1 and 2 are freaking indisputable. 

I. 

he Phantom of the Opera: Original Broadway Cast Recording. 

It's the best selling cast album of all time. So, you know. It's also the Cast Recording that made me fall head-over-heels in love with musical theater. You really cannot know awesomeness until you have this cast recording. The great thing is, it's almost the entire show. (If you want the whole show on disc, you want the 25th anniversary cast, but that's not as good, vocally, as the original. So if you're only getting one, go here.)

II.

Les Miserables: 10th Anniversary Concert recording

This is THE RECORDING. I have the "complete symphonic recording" from when I did Les Miz a few years back, and I wanted the whole thing on disc. But the 10th anniversary cast is the creme de la creme. There is no better "Bring Him Home" in the entire Freaking Universe. 

III. 

Titanic: Original Broadway Cast Recording

This is such a fantastic show, and it's much more choral in nature than any of the other choices here. The writing is complex, vivid, and the end of the show is an emotional gut-punch. "The Proposal/The Night Was Alive", "Lady's Maid", "In Every Age" and "Still" are just a few of the highlights. 

IV. 

Parade: Original Broadway Cast Recording.

Yes. It's a show about a lynching and a murder. But man, the music is incredible. Jason Robert Brown is one of my favorite contemporary composers, and what he does here is magic from beginning to end. I was fortunate enough to be in this show several years ago and it is my favorite musical experience to date. 

V. 

he Scarlet Pimpernel: Original Broadway Cast Recording

rank Wildhorn makes my alto heart happy. Scarlet Pimpernel, a retelling of the novel, is beautifully written, sharp, witty, and has some of the best melodies he's ever churned out, that have never gotten the attention that J&H got. Also, "Storybook" is my signature piece, so I have to include this recording.
 

VI. 

Jesus Christ Superstar: 1997 Revival Cast

Is it wrong that I listen to this every Holy Week? If it's wrong, I don't want to be right. 

VII. 

OK, seven is a tie. I'm sorry. But it is :) 

Fun Home: Original Broadway Cast. I love this recording. Michael Ceveris (who is also on the Titanic soundtrack) is in great voice here, as is Judy Kuhn (who is also on the Les Miz recording). The music is written differently, and in new forms,but the end, in particular, is just devastating (in a good way). Great performances all around. 

The Producers: Original Broadway Cast

It's just so funny. This CD brightened many gray winter commutes in my life. And it's much better than the movie version of the musical. Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick are in top, top form here. 

To round out a "top ten", here's three honorable mentions: 

The Bridges of Madison County: Original Broadway Cast Recording

Sunset Boulevard (really, any recording works. I prefer the one with Judy Juhn as Betty Schaffer.) 

The Secret Garden: Original Broadway Cast Recording

Seven Quick Takes No. 101

I. 

First an addition to the Daybook from earlier this week. I don't know what happened to the text, but I'd written a bunch about Hamilton that inexplicably disappeared after I hit 'publish'. So, I'm rewriting it here. :) 

Phillipa Soo (Eliza Hamilton), Lin-Manuel Miranda (Alexander Hamilton), and Renee Elise Goldsberry (Angelica Schulyer Church) in a scene from Hamilton. 

This musical has been getting a lot of positive press, and at first I was skeptical, because: rap? hip-hop? Whaaaa. No. Emily doesn't like that sort of music. But surprisingly, it works really well here, to tell the story of Alexander Hamilton. Most of us know Hamilton because of one of three things: he died in a duel with Aaron Burr; he's on the $10 bill, or he wrote a lot of the Federalist Papers. But he did a lot more than that. He found the New York Post, was the first Secretary of the Treasury, and served with George Washington during the Revolutionary War. 

The musical is sung-through (I think) and covers his life from his arrival in America as a young man, his graduation from Princeton, involvement in the Revolution, marriage to Eliza Schuyler, birth of his son, rise in Washington's administration, and then his political downfall and death. The musical was written and composed by its star, Lin-Manuel Miranda. Some of my favorite tracks are "Helpless", "Burn", "My Shot", "The Room Where It Happens", "You'll Be Back" (a hilarious song for King George III, played by Jonathan Groff), and "It's Quiet Uptown". 

Anyway, all this to say--give it a whirl. It's probably going to kill it at the Tonys and there's even talk of a Pulitzer Prize win. 

II.

I won NaNo! Yes, it's only the second week of November, but I'm over 50K, and I think there might be a sequel to this novel, because I don't think I can do the story justice in one setting. How crazy is that? These characters haven't stuck with the plan at all, but I've never written anything so fast, and as long as what the characters want works with the plot, then I'm fine with them dictating things to me. 

Right now I'm imagining them as YA novels. But of course anyone can read them. 

III. 

The Confirmation last weekend went well. I was proud of my cousin, and glad she picked a real saint--some of the kids just picked their middle names or something. (I know this because I asked one kid who her saint was--I'd never heard of this--and she said "it's my middle name." Eyeroll. Now, I'm sure there is a saint with that name, but come on, guys!)

IV. 

My Christmas cards are  done! Yay! I always love doing the Christmas cards. I usually start sending them out the first week in December, because some of my friends are in school and go home for the holidays, and I want them to get it before that happens. And I also love sending real mail to people. 

V.

I also binge watched Starz's Flesh and Bone this week. I wish the ending would've been more concrete, since the series isn't being renewed, but I guess it was probably shot before that decision was made? I love anything that has to do with ballet, so this series, which focuses on a fictional ballet company, was something that's like catnip to me. There were several great plot lines. (And also several tired plot lines--crazy artistic director, back-stabbing catty corps dancers, etc. )

VI. 

I'm moving on in Sketchbook Skool, too. Right now we're doing continuous line drawing ,which is something that I definitely need to work on, because my drawings looks crazy right now. Our assignment is to do one, two, and three objects this way, and then do one three object drawing and watercolor it. I'm a little afraid of that assignment. 

VII.

How are you guys doing on your holiday shopping/preparation? When do you put up your decorations? I Usually start the day of the OSU-Michigan game, which is the Saturday after Thanksgiving. 

Seven Quick Takes No. 100

I. 
Yes, It's a long time I've been doing these guys, and if I was on Top of Blogging Life, I would've had some giveaway today. But no. Sorry! I'm thinking about having another giveaway soon, though. 

II. 

NaNoWriMo 2015 is upon us! I really love NaNo time, even though this year it took me a long, long time to decide what I wanted to write about. I have now decided, and I'm ready to go come November 1! I'm hoping to use some of the 9 hours I'll be in the car this weekend to do some brainstorming for my characters, but we'll see what happens. (I'm going to an out of state wedding) If the brainstorming doesn't happen in the car, it can always happen in the comfort of my hotel room (maybe with Room Service? Girl can dream.)

I will try to post regular NaNo updates here, so you can keep track. Previous "finished" novels (meaning I got to 50K words and "won) are listed above in  the Writing menu. 

III. 

Yes, Indiana is the third stop of Emily's Crazy October Tour. Boston, retreat, and now, Indiana. I've been to Indiana before, but only to Indianapolis and Richmond, so it'll be a chance for me to see more of this state. 

IV. 

I was back to my CCD kids for the first time in a few weeks last week, and I missed them! They learned a lot of stuff while I was gone. Last week we talked about Adam and Eve, and this week my co-catechist is going to take them through Noah, Abraham, and Moses. You know, nothing difficult or important. ;-) I'm sad I'll be missing 10 commandments week, because I love teaching the kids about that. Explaining adultery to first graders is always  a lot of fun. (I'm kidding. Their faces, though, are a lot of fun--they always look like, 'why would anyone want to do that?!')

V. 

So, ST. John Paul II's feast day was yesterday, so Quick Takes V, VI and VII are just gonna be JPII quotes. You ready? :) 

Seven Quick Takes No. 99

I. 

As I talked about yesterday, last weekend I went on retreat, which has led to a few days of radio silence around here. Part of that, of course, is the post-retreat time, where I try to assimilate the things I learned over the weekend into my daily life, and part of it is this is the first week all month where I've been home all week--meaning, I'm not going anywhere this weekend, so there's no frenetic reason to hurry up and pack! Of course, next weekend is an out-of-state wedding, but that should be easy, because I don't have to do anything, like I did in Boston or last weekend. I just have to show up and be happy for the couple, which will be easy. 

II.

Most of the time when I'm on retreat, I don't have to "do" anything, either, but this time I was one of the cantors for the weekend, which meant I was involved in the music prep for all three Masses, and each of the Hours of the Office (Liturgy of the Hours)--Lauds, Vespers, and Compline. I was a little worried about how the Mass music would come off, since it was all chant (with the exception of a closing hymn), but I'm glad to say it all came off really well. Thank you , St. Cecilia! 

It took me a little while to adjust to having so much to do; I was worried I wouldn't be able to spend as much time in prayer as I usually do on retreat. But it all worked out. 

III. 

I'm back to CCD this week, for the first time all month, which makes me so happy, because I've missed the kids! I hope I haven't forgotten all their names in the past two weeks. 

IV. 

Since this week had a lot of downtime, I used it to try some new recipes, which had about a 50/50 success rate. When I say new recipes, I don't mean that I came up with them. I mean someone else wrote them and I cooked them for the first time. Out of the three, there was one winner, one that was just OK, and one that failed hugely based on the recipe itself. I think it I tweak the cooking instructions a bit though, the last one could be saved. But I really hate recipes that involve a long cooking time (this was a stew) and then have a bad result. Really, recipe writers? REALLY? Don't make me hurt you. 

(And yes, I read the recipe. Several times. This wasn't like Julianne Moore and her cake in The Hours.) 

V. 

On Facebook earlier this week there was a thread on Simcha Fisher's page about underrated movies. Allow me to give you some of mine: 

--Mr. Mom (SERIOUSLY, everyone needs to know this movie.)

-- The Village (same as above. Why does this get no love? It's a GREAT MOVIE!)

--Babette's Feast (Do not fear the subtitles!)

--Interstellar (again, more people need to love this movie)

I'm sure I'm missing some, but these, especially The Village, are what immediately came to mind. So show these some love this weekend. 

VI. 

The kids around here have today off because it's "Fair Day"--the county fair. Now, I have to tell you, when I first came to this district (it's my home school district) from parochial school, and saw "fair day" in the student planner, I went, "What is fair day?" But then I had friends who were part of farming families, and who actually had 4-H projects, and all that, and realized that the County Fair is a big deal in a state where its biggest industry is still agriculture. So, go County Fair Day! (Maybe watch Charlotte's Web to really get into the spirit of this, if you do not live in a place where there are county fairs. Or listen to the Bridges of Madison County Cast Recording, especially "State Route 21")

VII. 

My last quick take is a photo. 

I take prayer intercession seriously, especially when I go on retreat. So if you asked me for prayers last weekend, you got three rosaries, three Masses, and a candle!

That purple one is all yours, prayer askers! 

Have a great weekend, everyone! 

Seven Quick Takes No. 89

I. 

So, a few more pieces of Boston ephemera for you. 

Did you know they have a state and city children's book? It's Make Way for Ducklings, and the book is everywhere in Boston--in every shop, for sure.

My Duckling sketch. 

II. 

Also, the Boston Tea Party ships have names. I know, right, why don't we learn this stuff in school? They're the Beaver, the Dartmouth, and the Eleanor. And yes, that was a million dollar question on Who Wants to Be A Millionaire? --so now you know the answer! The Beaver and Dartmouth were whalers, and the Eleanor was a "full rigged" ship, whatever that means. I don't speak boat. 

III. 

In the Jeopardy! try out, one of the big things you learn is how to use the buzzer, or the "Signaling Device", as it's officially known. This is hard to get used to, because you want to buzz in right away. But you have to wait for the yellow lights on the side of the game board (these aren't visible to the TV audience) to light up--then you can buzz in. If you buzz in before this, you're locked out for a few seconds, which isn't that long in most places, but it's a long time on the show.  

IV.

You're also supposed to keep pressing the button once the lights are on, in case the first person misses the question. So there's a lot of frantic pushing. 

V. 

There are five episodes of the show taped a day--so basically, a week's worth, in one day. Your brain has to be tired by the end of that, right? But it's probably the most efficient way to do it. 

VI. 

This--and theater--are the two places where I don't need to be told to be loud. Some people SHOUT, and that's really annoying. Don't shout, guys. You're going to kill your voice. Project! as Eleanor says in Brave. But DO NOT SHOUT. Geezy pete. There is a difference between projecting and shouting. I know, it's a fine distinction. :) But it's there. (Ask Italians. "We're not arguing! We're talking!")

VII. 

I'm going on a retreat this weekend--got any prayer requests? Leave 'em in the combox! 

Seven Quick Takes No. 87: Happy birthday, Bryan!

I. 

Today, my brother turns 30! So in his honor, he's getting my 7QT this week. 

II. 

80s stripes, y'all! 

Bryan is what teachers call a "good kid." He isn't mean or snappy, he gets along well with just about anyone, and can make friends anywhere. I remember when he was in high school, and my family and I were in line at Tim Horton's. A girl came up to us and said, "Excuse me, but are you Bryan's family?" She sounded like she was talking about the Pope, and then proceeded to talk about how great my brother was. We probably all looked at her a bit askance--it's not that Bryan wasn't great, but that we had no idea who this person was. This happens a lot. Bryan's very friendly, and going places with him can be like going places with a mayor. There's always someone who knows him. 

III. 

Halloween in the 90s. 

III. 

Bryan loves sports, but especially football, which makes sense, since he's now a Steelers sportswriter. It's hard to believe, but there was a time when our dad despaired of him ever liking football. Ha. Ha. Those days are gone. Bryan can tell you everything about every single Super Bowl, including the weather at kickoff. He once explained to me football defensive schemes at a restaurant using napkins and peanuts. And his knowledge isn't just about football--he can speak, intelligently, about baseball, hockey, basketball (he does love some Cavaliers basketball), and other sports.

He cut his journalistic teeth on our high school paper and at OSU, writing for the Lantern, and covering the football Buckeyes for the college sports radio network. He also used to dress like Jim Tressel, with a sweater vest, when he went to the press conferences or covered games. It was great.  

IV. 

He doesn't just talk about sports; he plays them. In his life he's played football and soccer, and ran cross country in both high school and college. He loves to run, which, I'm going to tell you, I don't understand, but he's good at it. He's run in the Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus, New York (including the one that was cancelled because of Sandy), and Boston Marathons. I think he could've gone to the Olympics, but he disagrees with me, and I guess he'd know--but I think he could have. He's a coach for our high school's cross country team now. 

V. 

Yeah, that's Bryan bawling his head off.....

He's great with kids--kids love him, and he loves them. He was a substitute teacher for awhile, and the kids just loved his classes, but he's also great with babies, toddlers, and small fry. 

VI. 

VII.

In addition to all that, he's a great brother. He's a good listener, an excellent clothes shopper (really, he likes to go shopping!), and has given me IV meds a time or two, which is also awesome. The day he was born, I said I wanted a sister, and I got one a few years later--but I'm really glad I have my brother. 

Seven Quick Takes No. 86

I.

I've gotten a lot of comments about this post--so I'mw wondering, would you be interested in more of these sorts of things? Maybe not a lot of them, because there's a limited memory bank from which to draw, but an occasional series? In general, I think I'm going to be doing more recipe posts as we get into the fall, because I cook a lot more when it's not summer. 

II. 

This week really flew by. I mean, flew! I wasn't particularly busy, so I'm not sure why it felt this way. Maybe it was the ton of reading I did? :) I'm working on Middlemarch, Cloud Atlas, and Unglued right now. A big book review post is on the horizon for this month. 

III. 

Since it's a long weekend, and I don't have CCD, I think I'm going to try a few new recipes. When I was working full-time, I loved to try new recipes over the long weekend, particularly things like baking, which tend to require more time. So I think I might make Clodagh McKenna's tea brack recipe (brack is a loaf of bread with dried fruits soaked in Irish Breakfast tea). I've been loving her writing style and her recipes sound delicious, so this will be the first one I try. 

IV. 

I'm making bookmarks for Christmas gifts, so Project Purl is paused for the moment while I get these done. It's amazing how Christmas sneaks up on you when it comes to projects you have to make! 

V. 

I've been thinking about body image and health lately. I know, women are always thinking about this. But one f the things that I've noticed when I go to my doctors is that all they (the doctors) care about is if I've lost weight. They don't care if I'm trying to eat better, or if I'm making strides in physical areas (like the fact that I can do two sets of arm weight exercises, which is up from a month ago). It's all about the number on the scale. And this flies in the face of what a lot of people say about exercise/health/fitness--it's about how you feel, about getting better, about being healthier, in ways that the scale can't quantify. 

Currently, I have lost weight from my last clinic visit. And that's good. But I feel like if all they care about is weight, that doesn't precisely motivate me to do better. What about when I don't lose weight for a week or so at a time? The levaquin I was just on really hit me in the joint/muscle department; there were days when it was hard to stand, let alone go to the gym. I didn't sleep well for two weeks, either, which also affects weight. But it seems like we should be talking about the entire picture--shouldn't we? 

So my question is, how can I focus on doing things to be healthier, when the Powers That Be just care about the number on the scale on a given morning? Because it's really easy to get frustrated when all we care about is the scale.

(Ha, and yes I am going to clinic in about a week----how did you guess?)

VI.

 Any good book recommendations? I can always use some more. I love that I can get kindle books from my library. 

VII. 

No CCD this week, because of Labor Day, but we will have it next week. The kids had TWO weeks to do TWO PAGES of homework, so I'm hoping they don't forget about it. I'll be sending a reminder to parents next week, though, to cover the bases!

Seven Quick Takes No. 85: Things I teach my CCD kids

CCD started last week, and I've realized that a lot of folks I talk to don't know the things I teach my kids--as in, they were never taught these things.  So, for your edification--and since all of you can't make it to class--here are seven big things we teach them during first grade. 

I. 

God loves them. God loves us all more than we can possibly imagine. He created us because he loves us--and so that we can know, love, and serve him in this life, and be happy with him forever in the next. God loves us no matter what we do. However: 

II. 

That doesn't mean you get a free pass . We teach the kids the 10 commandments early on. God loves us so much that He gives us rules for our happiness. He wants us to go to Heaven to be with Him when we die--but we have a choice. We don't have to do what He asks of us. 

At our parish, the kids receive First Confession and First Communion in second grade. So we have to make sure the kids are ready for these. So that means emphasizing that God loves us, but also, that our relationship with God is hurt by sin. Confession restores grace (God's life in our souls) and our friendship with God. 

We don't want them to be scared of God, as in, terrified that He'll send them to Hell for taking an extra cookie. (Fear of the Lord is something different.) But we do want them to know what sin is, and what it does. 

III.

On that end, we teach them about Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory, and that everyone in Heaven is a saint. They may not be a canonized saint, but they are saints.  

IV. 

Prayer is talking with God. This week, we're going to talk about how God loves them, why God created them, and what prayer is. I know a lot of times we get hung up on formal norms of prayer and the "best" way to pray. But at its heart, prayer is just talking to God. That's it. You talk to your friends, right? God is your best friend. (Or He should be!) How will you get to know God if you never talk to Him? We also briefly touch on the different kinds of prayer--petition, intercession, thanksgiving, praise, adoration. 

V. 

Since we're a Dominican parish, we teach them about the Rosary, as well as Dominican saints. Our classroom's patron is St. Hyacinth. 

In that vein, we also teach them about the Church year, especially the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter, and we teach them the Stations of the Cross. 

VI. 

They learn about the Real Presence. If I'm teaching that week, I am absolutely nuts about this. I love teaching kids about the Eucharist. When I tell them that they will receive Jesus--Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity--when they receive communion, their faces just light up. It's such an awesome part of our Catholic faith. We make sure that they know what it is before they leave. 

VII. 

Finally, we teach them about the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. I became really big on this after a priest at our parish told the catechists during a meeting that he interviewed a sixth grader who didn't know what the trinity was. I vowed that would never happen in my classes. 

So, those are some of the most important points we teach in first grade. Did you know all these by the time you reached second grade? 

Seven Quick Takes No. 84

I. 

Another Friday, another Quick Takes! Here's what I've been writing about this week:Persuasion: The Last Entry in the Jane Re-Read; Sort of Knitting; Daybook with a Side of Sinus Trouble; Why I'm a Dominican; and  my August Real Housekeeping piece went live!

II.

To follow up on that last one--the sinuses are getting better. I think. Since I caught it early I didn't really have a lot of symptoms, per se. Only things that I, with my crazy knowledge and Spidey Sense, really picked up on. But it's always better to be early than late, when it comes to this sort of stuff. I felt sort of off yesterday so I took it easy, catching up on Netflix and reading. I'm on the second to last Pink Carnation novel and I'm still reading What Matters In Jane Austen and Middlemarch, but I've also started A God In Ruins. 

III. 

CCD starts this week, which I can't really believe. We used to start in September, so we are starting earlier than usual, but really, it's almost September? Most of the kids have gone back to school here already; in fact, I think they all have. I can't think of any districts that wait to start until next week. I think the football season starts next week, though I'm not sure, because I no longer have siblings in band. Your schedule was basically determined by the band performance/travel/practice/competition/Band Camp schedule. My high school's band was pretty good. I wasn't in it, but my brother and sister were, and they performed in the Macy's, Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Rose Bowl, and other parades I'm probably forgetting. Even though I took clarinet lessons as a kid, I was always much more of an indoor girl. (Seriously--marching in rain, snow, wet? NO THANK YOU.)

IV. 

One of the movies in my Netflix queue was Apocalypse Now, which I'd never seen, so naturally I had to watch it. It was intriguing; the end, especially, at Kurtz's compound, was really well done. I wasn't over or underwhelmed. It sort of fit the expectations that I had for it. Martin Sheen did a great job. I also started watching Cleopatra. What was it with these epics in the 50s and 60s, that they feel the need to start with Tedious Narration, and have all these long, drawn-out sequences? People! Come on! No wonder the movie was so expensive to make. I didn't finish it yet, though, so I should probably withhold judgment. I've also got Three Coins in a Fountain, Cinema Paradiso, and From Here to Eternity in the queue. 

V. 

I have bought, officially, one Christmas present for the upcoming season. I always get my dad more or less the same sorts of things, and my brother and sister have birthdays in the fall, so I don't get their Christmas gifts until after their birthdays. Since my sister lives in Texas, anything I get her for Christmas has to be easy to fit in her luggage, if she comes home, or easily mailable, if she can't come home (she's a nurse, so her schedule isn't exactly at her disposal, and she makes more money if she works the holidays, so she doesn't really mind working them, if she can't get out of them.). Gifts for my friends are a whole other story. 

I really love Christmas, so I don't mind thinking about it early. 

VI. 

I'm ready for Fall. Since I was about 16, I guess, I've been ready for fall by the middle of August. I don't know why, in particular. But I got the September Southern Living today, and Reese Witherspoon is in it, wearing all sorts o adorable fall clothes, and I just wanted it to be fall. Football! Hockey! Leaves! Sweaters! My fireplace! Candles! All that stuff! 

(And no, I'm not a pumpkin freak, like so many other people are. I mean, I like them, but not in my coffee or my doughnuts or in my candles....)

I mean, look at these clothes!

Seriously? (And I can't get rid of the "ad" at the bottom, but come on, these clothes, people) I ooooove that cardigan in the bottom right photo. I'm sort of a cardigan freak. And the blue sweater in the cover photo? To die for. Blue, in case you haven't noticed from the design around here, is my favorite color. As another Southern Belle, Shelby, said in Steel Magnolias, "Pink is my signature color." Well, here it's not pink. It's blue. 

(Yes, shades of Sleeping Beauty, right?) 

I love this photo I took at Disney World. This is what goes along with it: 

VII. 

And finally....

I have an audition tonight. Hope it goes well!

Seven Quick Takes No. 83

I. 

OK, so this week, we are going to talk bout something THRILLING!

How to organize books

I know. You guys just can't wait. 

Actually, I get this question a lot. People come to my house and see the massiveness of bookdom and ask how I know where everything is. I will tell you. 

It's because I'm slightly crazy. 

(Really. The first thing I did when I got home after transplant? I re-arranged my DVDs, because they were out of order in my bedroom. ) 

I am that person. (and no, I don't color code my closet....)

But even if you don't have as many books as I do, these might be helpful to you in organizing your library. 

(And sorry the pictures are sort of smudgy...I wrote this on Thursday night, so the good light was gone.) 

II. 

First, I divide everything by broad category.

Fiction/Non fiction/ biography/autobiography/books about Jane/theater-performing arts, for example. Then I divide them into smaller categories: fiction--novels; fiction--poetry; fiction--short stories. 

III. 

Then I shelve them. 

Or we put them on the floor or windowsills. Because I've done that. Right now, actually. I do not have enough book cases for all the madness. This does not stop me, however. 

III. 

Yes, those are all my cookbooks. Because I am CRAZY. But these, for example, I keep by the kitchen. (DUH!) These are loosely organized by author, but really it's more about use. The ones I use the most are on the top bracket, not in the sofa table. 

(And yes, there's piles. I'm sorry. Keeping it real here, guys)

IV. 

OK, so this is the "main" bookcase on the main floor. The pile is of my my performing arts/theater books. My scripts and librettos from shows I've done are downstairs by the keyboard with the rest of my sheet music. But here on the Shelf Proper, we have Jane on the top--books about her always come first--then autobiography/memoir, biography, current events, English Literature criticism, and some fiction creeping in at the bottom. 

Jane is nestled among the Precious Moments figurines (DON'T HATE). And yes, I've read Into Thin Air  a LOT. 

That bring us to....

V. 

I only keep books I'm going to re-read.

I know some people don't re-read books, but I do, compulsively. Right now, for example, I'm re-reading the Pink Carnation series. I've re-read Outlander more times than I can think of, and, of course, I re-read Jane. So every book I keep is either great for re-reading, or here because I will not toss them (like the Jane collection--people bring me books about Jane when they travel overseas. These are precious to me!). 

So every book you see here has been re-read, and some of them are heavily marked up. Yes, I do write in books. To me, books aren't here to be decorative. They are here to be loved! That being said, I do take exquisite care of most of my books. I do not like them torn or manhandled! But many of them have been well-loved. So well-loved, in fact, that I've had to replace them (Fiery Cross, for example.....pages falling out....) . And yes, I do fall asleep with them around me sometimes. I try not to hurt them. :-P 

VI.

Some books I have multiple copies of. This isn't just because I'm nuts. 

Behold--the Shelf of Jane (mostly). 

You see the Oxford's first, because that's my "scholarly" set. That's what I used for my academic work. The Annotated collection (Persuasion is being read, so that's why there's a space after Emma) I've been collecting, because they are darned useful for things like "What were the currency denominations in Regency England?" and exactly what a Barouche Box looks like. (And I have to capitalize that, because Lady Catherine Speaks of Hers in Capitals!)

The Ignatius ones (black spines) have a Catholic perspective on Jane in the end notes and essays, and the Marvel versions are just awesome. I mean, come on! So they all serve unique purposes for my Jane Girl Fandom. And yes, those are post-it notes you see in some of them! 

VII. 

So, yes, that's a quick tour of my library, leaving out the book room on the second floor, which is two more bookcases and more piles.  (That's almost all fiction, and theology. And YA.) But generally, I arrange by category, then author, then publishing date (or, in the case of unpublished works during th author's life, when it was written chronologically.)

You do not have to do this! As long as you have some system that allows you to find what you want easily, you're set. But this is how I do it, probably because my college boyfriend worked at his town library in his summers before school, and thus introduced me to this system of author then pub date. Before, I had just done author. 

S

Do you have a book system? Or do you just think I'm crazy?

(Good crazy, right? :) )

Seven Quick Takes No. 82

I. 

I am super excited to share my first giveaway with you! You can read all about it here. Enter often. (Well, as often as you can....)

II. 

The weather is going to be perfect this weekend and I don't know what to do with it. Do I go to the Irish Festival in Dublin (OH, not Ireland. :-P)? The Violet festival? Do I just hang out at the pool? So many options, so little time. And the State Fair started this week, so there's always that. Seeing a butter cow is a fun thing, let me tell you. 

III. 

I am almost done with the washcloth, which means you might--might!-- have something new to read about in the Yarn Along this week. I know that excites you so much! I'm still reading Middlemarch, though, and I have to read Emma this weekend since it's the next in the Jane Austen Re-Read. That post will be up on Thursday. 

IV. 

I have bought my first Christmas present--a book for my grandma. Given that my mom started shopping in May, I am behind. She is the Queen of Christmas. 

V. 

I know you've seen the Planned Parenthood videos on the news and on the web. I can't say anything that hasn't already been said. But I dearly hope that those who are so misguided as to think that these aren't babies that are being killed, by the millions, every year in America, that they will finally see what is really happening in these places. It's not healthcare. It's death on demand. 

Every single life matters, from the moment it's conceived, to the moment of natural death. But we have to start protecting it when its most fragile. 

VI. 

I'm going to a Dominican Rite Mass on Sunday in honor of the feast of St. Dominic, which is August 8. I went for the first time last year and was a bit discombobulated. Let's hope I do better this year--I'll report back. 

VII. 

I'm making progress in my art classes. The assignment this week? To draw part of a piece of toast. Not kidding. So I'm working on that today. 

Seven Quick Takes No. 79--A Trip to Pittsburgh

I.

We spent last weekend and part of this week in Pittsburgh celebrating my grandma's 85th birthday.

 We celebrated by taking a dinner cruise on the Gateway Clipper Fleet, which was a great meal and boat ride around the three rivers of Pittsburgh. We sailed by PNC Park, Heinz Field, the Point, and other Pittsburgh landmarks. Quite a bit of the family-- though not all--was there, and it was a fun way to celebrate.

II.

One of the best parts was seeing my cousin Diane, and especially meeting her newest baby (above with Dad). She has two older daughters, whom I'd met before, but I'd never met this little guy, who turns 1 in August.

III.

The next day we went to PNC Park to see the Pirates beat the Phillies in extra innings. I'd never been to a Pirates game where they won, so I was pretty excited about that! Dad taught me how to fill out the scorecard that was in the game program, so I feel very educated in the Ways of Baseball. (Sort of. I find baseball always has new ways to confuse me.)

Our seats were behind home plate and under the overhang of the upper deck, so we were in shade, which was great when it was 85+ degrees.

III.

 After the game we had another party at one of my aunt's houses. She has a pool and her husband grilled, and there was, of course, jello marshmallow salad, because it's not a family gathering on my mom's side without jello marshmallow salad.

Grandma received cards and presents, and then there was Bethel Bakery cake, which is the Best Cake in the Universe. Not kidding. Our swimming was curtailed because of a huge thunderstorm that opened up, but that didn't deter the youngest from having fun....

IV.

Diane's oldest girl (seen above, in the pink glasses) and I:

Me: So, Susie, what's your favorite movie? Susie: Frozen.

Me: OK. What's your favorite song? Susie: (As if I am deeply, deeply stupid) "Let it Go." Me: Well, there are other songs in the movie. Susie: No there aren't.

V.

Monday we went to Kennywood, where I hadn't been in over ten years, so it was nice to be back, and Diane's husband had never been there at all. Susie and I had fun riding rides, but when I took Bridget on the carousel, she seemed a bit wary, until the ride starting going. She also really enjoyed the ice cream cone.

 VI.

Kennywood really does have things for everyone, which makes it fun, but my grandpa's favorite ride was "The Restaurant", so we had dinner there. It's a large cafeteria style place and it has good food and, the real winning point, air conditioning. It was hot, so we got a lot of water rides under our belts, and then dried off with roller coasters.

VII.

Of course, some of us couldn't handle all the excitement: