Category Archives: Media/TV

7 Quick Takes: Stylite Monks, Acapella Wonderfulness, and Prayer Requests

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Stylite monk in Georgia. I remember reading about stylite saints in college and it’s interesting to know that they still exist. It’s a fascinating article and they mention St. Simeon Stylite who was on his pillar for 33 years and used to chew out those who came to him for advice (at least according to the hagiography I read in college).

— 2 —

Sandwiches are beautiful/Sandwiches are fine/I like sandwiches/I eat them all the time. A man told his girlfriend, after she made him a sandwich, that she was three hundred sandwiches away from an engagement ring. The woman decided to blog about her sandwich-making exploits and just got featured on a bunch of news sites. Her adventure has been decried as “anti-feminist” and “1950’s housewife” but I think the way she is going about it is actually kind of cool. She’s blogging new and interesting recipes and figures that if she doesn’t have an engagement ring by the end of it, she’ll at least know how to make a bunch of different foods.

— 3 —

NaNoWriMo. Because I totally don’t have enough on my plate already, I’m thinking of doing NaNoWriMo this year. I’m thinking of doing a murder mystery again and this means that I need to get my editing project done in the next month and start compiling plot points, characters, setting, etc. Oh yes… I also need to remember to back up my progress daily so I don’t lose it if my hard drive fails like last year.

— 4 —

Amazing. Priest’s Wife shared the first video with me. This choral music snob found it amazing! (The song is “One Thing Remains” by Kristian Stanfill.) The second video (“In Christ Alone”) was featured as well.

— 5 —

This makes me smile. This video of Jimmy Fallon and The Roots has been going around Facebook today. I love how they’re playing preschool rhythm instruments and the Muppets are interspersed between them.

— 6 —

Horrible. Last night, a Dodgers fan was stabbed outside of AT&T Park. (AT&T Park is where the Giants play.) It follows the beating of a Giants fan outside of Dodgers Stadium 2 1/2 years ago. Seriously y’all, if you have to engage in violence to prove your superiority in baseball rivalries, YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG!!!

— 7 —

Orphans. Do you see these two sweet children?

L-R: Brett and Iris
BrettIris

Brett still needs a mama. Iris finally has a family committed to her and they are compiling their dossier to send to her country.

— Bonus —

Prayers for the Fuller twins. Please keep praying for Thomas’ twin sons that they can stay in utero until 24 weeks at least. Our prayers have gotten them to 22.5 weeks and the longer they can stay in the womb, the better.

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

{Virtual} Coffee Date (vol. 8)

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{Virtual Coffee Date}

Once you’re done here, go visit Karianna and the other coffee drinkers.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I’m pondering the idea of doing NaNoWriMo again this year though I’m not sure if it would be a murder mystery or just chick lit. I’m also going to offer to kill people off for a charity donation again.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I kind of wish the NCIS sitch was resolved in one episode instead of two. I’m glad that NCIS: Los Angeles resolved themselves in one episode tonight.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I have to go yell at Social Security tomorrow though my appointment is supposed to be with someone who has a brain. Hopefully, this gets them off my back and lets me know what I need to do in the future to keep them happy.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you how much I loved the rain, the hail, the thunder, and the lightning on Saturday. I don’t think we’d seen decent moisture since maybe March or April.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I’m happy that Thomas’ boys have made it to 22 weeks and how I’m praying that they’ll make it to at least 24 weeks in utero to give them the best shot at life.

Thanks for having coffee with me. I, like Karianna, am burning the midnight oil. See you next week!

{Virtual} Coffee Date (vol. 5)

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{Virtual Coffee Date}

Once you’re done here, go visit Karianna and the other coffee drinkers.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that Thomas of Fuller Life finally revealed the gender of the twins. Note to self: get Thomas’ wife Alison a 12-pack of mani/pedi coupons and find someone nearby to take her for “girl time”. (Kidding, Thomas… when I do get mani/pedi’s, I’m usually reading something on my NOOK during the pedicure part and trying ignoring the outside world during the manicure part.)

If we were having coffee, I’d talk about how much I don’t want to go to the Social Security office tomorrow and how much I hate dealing with them. They screwed up Daniel’s SSI (AGAIN!!!!) and I have to go bring them copies of my 2011 and 2012 taxes… which they should already have. Seriously, I think they pulled numbers out of their butts for the latest determination. Oh well… I needed to clean my purse out anyway (they search it) and this will give me a chance to do some reading.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you about the serious cuteness of the red panda cub this weekend at the Sacramento Zoo. The tiger cub was also pretty stinking cute, especially as it pounced its mama wanting to play.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you how addicted I am to the CW summer show, Breaking Pointe. I was able to cheat a little bit and look up who is still with the company on the Ballet West website but the whole process of whether Ian or Zach got the contract with the company and the saga with Allison and her fiancé as well as with Christiana and her husband Chris.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you how irritated I am that Qubo stopped showing He-Man at night. Seriously, that was my fall-back when the 9:00 shows on the other networks were disappointing. It was also a tie to my childhood.

Thank you for having coffee (tea) with me this week. Same time next week!

Five Favorites: Miscellanea (XI)

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Five Favorites

One

This video. It’s handy for those married to introverts so they can understand their spouses.

Two

Breaking Pointe. This show takes place at Ballet West in Salt Lake City, Utah. They had a 10-12 episode run last summer and it was interesting so I decided to watch again this year. The weird thing is that the principals in the company are all my age so you’re seeing people at the height of their careers while they’re relatively young by the world’s standards.

Three

CycleProGo. I’m learning the Sympto-Thermal Method of NFP and my temperature is consistently too low to chart on paper so I’m charting online. This has been really good because it asks me a lot of really important questions and it might actually help whoever my teaching couple is (I’m doing the Home Study Course so I think they’re randomly assigned?) to get my data more quickly.

Four

Jim Gaffigan. I recognized him because he was on That 70’s Show and I had no idea that he was so funny on his own. He’s kind of the Catholic “it guy” right now because he’s got 5 kids, is faithful to the Magisterium, and is open about his life. I think his book will be one of the next ones I download.

Five

Gingerbread tabbies. I refer to Cullen, my boldly-striped orange tiger cat as my “gingerbread tabby”. He’s my buddy at night as he’ll climb on my hips and purr asthmatically. When I was pregnant with Daniel and Cullen would climb on my stomach and purr, it was enough to make Daniel start kicking him. 4 years later, Daniel still terrorizes him though I’m holding out some hope that the two of them will eventually be friends. This is a cat who has a Hobbes personality but most resembles Cringer (the green tiger from “He Man” who becomes Battle Cat) in practice — he is afraid of days that end in the letter Y and months with numbered days.

Go love up Hallie and the others.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: August 11, 2013

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Simple Woman's Daybook

I’m moving my memes and link-ups around and doing this on Sunday.

FOR TODAY August 11, 2013

Outside my window… sunny and warm.

I am thinking… about getting Daniel to his ENT appointment tomorrow and praying that nothing happens car-wise because there’s a weird rattling sound under the car.

I am thankful… for chances to sleep this weekend.

In the kitchen… so many dishes. No idea where to start.

I am wearing… green “Online Debate Team” shirt and running shorts.

I am creating… this blog entry.

I am going… to go attempt to figure out the dish situation when I’m done here.

I am wondering… when I’ll be able to get to Les Schwab to have them check out the car.

I am reading… Confessions of a GP by Benjamin Daniels. I finished Banished by Lauren Drain on Saturday.

I am hoping… nothing is wrong with the car that isn’t easily fixable.

I am looking forward to… time in LA with my in-laws.

I am pondering… too many things in my heart.

A favorite quote for today… ??God will invade. But I wonder whether people who ask God to interfere openly and directly in our world quite realise what it will be like when He does. When that happens, it is the end of the world. When the author walks on to the stage the play is over. God is going to invade, all right: but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else – something it never entered your head to conceive – comes crashing in; something so beautiful to some of us and so terrible to others that none of us will have any choice left? For this time it will God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. There is no use saying you choose to lie down when it has become impossible to stand up. That will not be the time for choosing; it will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realised it before or not. Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last for ever. We must take it or leave it.?? — C.S. Lewis

One of my favorite things… watching “The Big Bang Theory”.

A few plans for the rest of the week: ENT appointment with Daniel on Monday morning, ABA therapy on Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday, driving down to LA on Thursday, and being down there over the weekend.

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook

Five Favorites: Miscellanea (X)

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Five Favorites

Einn

Litany Run. I’ve been involved in the fundraising for Jenn’s Litany Run. She did a marathon a few months ago and is doing the Water to Wine half marathon in a few weeks. She’s got 28 days to get $25K of debt paid off so she can enter as a postulant. I have not met her in person but I have received the nicest thank you letters from her, telling me that she is praying for Daniel (he was one of her prayer requests that she prayed for during her marathon) and encouraging me in my vocation as a mom. If you could share this on your pages and/or donate to the cause, that would be awesome.

Tveir

“We All Sing the Same Song” Please raise your hand if you remember this from watching Sesame Street in the 80’s.

Þrjár

“I Don’t Want To Live On the Moon” This one is part of a classic Sesame Street episode on Netflix and I’m trying to memorize it so I can sing it to Daniel when he ends up in the hospital again. (Music is calming to him.)

Fjórir

My nail person. I love Tina to death. My massage therapist recommended her and I have nothing but appreciation for her. Not only does she remove my callouses with a Dremel tool, she does hot stone massage on my legs and makes my toes pretty. I like her so much that I’ve even allowed her to do gel nails on my hands. My fingers and toes are currently various shades of plum with pretty designs in white and silver on my thumbs and big toes.

Fimm

Husbands who bring their wives Lipton Pure Leaf Raspberry Tea. Just sayin’. 🙂 (Yes, I have a wonderful husband who puts up with me being a princess about things.)

Go love up Hallie and the others.

11 Things Meme Reloaded

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I’m redoing this meme in order to have something fresh for the 7 Posts in 7 Days challenge over at ConversionDiary.Com. The one I did last year is here. I was tagged by Ann of House of Estrogen.

Rules
1.) The first rule is to post these rules.
2.) Post a photo of yourself then write 11 things about you/your life.
3.) Answer the questions for you set in the original post.
4.) Create 11 new questions and tag people to answer them.
5.) Go to their blog/twitter to tell them you have tagged them.

OK… so let me find a picture I like.

Daniel and I.

OK… 11 things about me

01.) I’m a fraternal twin. My brother Sean (usually referred to as “the evil twin” on here) is 6 minutes older and 9 inches taller.
02.) I unashamedly sing along to whatever is on the radio when I’m in the car.
03.) I have kissed the Blarney Stone when I was in Ireland with my family in 1998. I don’t recommend doing it if you’re afraid of heights.
04.) I hate cooked vegetables. I love them raw though.
05.) I don’t have a smartphone. Reception inside the house is iffy at best and I’m not out of the house enough to justify a data plan. I live off my laptop instead.
06.) If I’m sitting anywhere (including traffic), I have a habit of twirling my hair.
07.) I love being in the water. I joke that I’m part fish.
08.) I’m an IXFJ. My N and S are almost exactly on the line and flip every time I take the test.
09.) I collect Celtic crosses.
10.) I love things to be organized but HATE cleaning.
11.) I can’t stand having long fingernails.

OK… my questions to answer!

1.) What is your favorite movie? It varies. I like the classic Disney cartoons like ??The Aristocats?? and ??The Sword and the Stone?? as well as ??Forrest Gump??, ??The Birdcage??, ??The Spitfire Grill??, ??Whale Rider??, and ??Saved??. (Same answer as last year because I’m not a movie person.)

2.) If you could go back and give your 16 year old self one piece of advice, what would it be? Hang in there. Life gets so much better when you hit college.

3.) Why do you blog? It’s cheaper than therapy and has allowed me to meet so many interesting people.

4.) What did you want to be when you grew up? Are you doing that? At different times, I wanted to be a princess, a lawyer, or a doctor. I’m currently a stay-at-home-mom and cat slave, so I’m definitely not doing that. The jobs I’ve had that I’ve loved have been working as a library assistant in seminary and working as an admin assistant for an import brokerage.

5.) M&M’s – plain or peanut? Mint.

6.) What was your first car? 1984 Volvo 240 GL.

7.) What is your favorite Halloween costume you’ve ever worn? My cat ears and tail from 2007 and 2008. My father-in-law actually wore my ears at his Ph.D hooding ceremony in 2008.

8.) What are your favorite blogs to read? Personal ones. The bloggers vary from Canadian pastors to Mormon housewives to authors like Rachel Held Evans.

9.) If you were to have a boy and a girl tomorrow, what would you name them? Aidan Michael and Hannah Grace. (Same answers as last year.)

10.) What was your favorite class in college? My advisor’s classes (European religious history and the cult of the saints) and “Making of the Modern Middle East”.

11.) What celebrity do you think it would be fun to be friends with? Still going with Pauley Perrette (“Abby Sciuto” on NCIS). She’s in her 40’s but can pull off the goth look so well. She’s also very much like her character on NCIS in her real life temperment — at least from what I’ve gleaned from interviews on TV.

OK… now my questions!

01.) What food would you never eat even if you were paid to eat it?
02.) What is your favorite Bible verse or quote?
03.) Should jello at church be in the proper liturgical color?
04.) What was your high school or college mascot?
05.) What do you wish you could do?
06.) What book should everyone read?
07.) What is the weirdest thing you’ve eaten?
08.) Pretend I magically arrived on your doorstep. How would we spend your ideal day?
09.) Manicure or pedicure? (Thomas, you might want to consult Alison on this one!)
10.) What is the best type of ethnic food (i.e. Italian, Japanese, Indonesian)?
11.) Grey or orange tabby cats?

Now for the tagging!

Beth Anne @ Beth Anne’s Best because she didn’t do it last year when I tagged her.

Thomas @ Fuller Life so he can have some interesting post topics for the 7 Posts in 7 Days challenge. (I also just totally want to see his answer on the manicure/pedicure question.)