7 Quick Takes: Random Edition

1) I have a policy about not making political comments online, if I can stop myself. It's hard, because so many people say such stupid things, and I could so easily come up with something great and sassy and smack-downish, but... I think it's probably better for my friendships and for all the world if I keep it to myself and the ballotbox. I was taught as a kid that it is rude to ask people who they vote for, that this is an extremely personal decision. Now, when I hear people ask others (like kids) who they voted or would vote for, I leap in (slow-mo, like someone jumping on a grenade in an old movie) and say "YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT!!!" I can see how tempting it is to bleed one's political views all over the internet, but it just feels wrong to do it. I did make one comment, once... a friend had a video of Barack Obama stumbling at the loss of his teleprompter, and they said something about how people made fun of Bush. I commented "this doesn't make Bush look any smarter." But that's all.

2) That said, I do believe in everyone's right to say what they want to say. I just don't see the kind of debate that might be carried out via Facebook status as changing anyone's mind. And, I have a visceral reaction to meanness, just about anywhere, unless it's me doing it and it's funny.

3) Well now I'm embarrassed about the truth of that last statement. It's true, but it's terrible. I have been working hard not to be so darned MEAN lately, even when it's funny. And also not to be so nervous around change. But that is neither here nor there.

4) Our fly invasion is over!! I don't know what happened, or why it stopped, but it's over. Now all that is to be done is to hang up our awesome flyswatter and wait for next year.

5) I've been reading a management guru's book, and looking at how easily it can be applied to ministry. This guru says that one should treat one's employees like customers. That makes me think that we should be as intentional about our volunteers' spiritual growth and learning as we are about that of our students. What would our ministries look like if we invested as much in the volunteers as we did to the "people"?

6) I've found my bacon. Have you noticed how hip bacon is these days?? Everyone is coming out of the closet and admitting how much we really, really love the stuff. I saw a kid with a t-shirt on the other day that just had a big heart and two strips of bacon. Anyway, my new brand is John Morrell. It's hard to describe the deliciousness of this bacon, But OH GOD it's good. Oh. God.

7) Tonight we're visiting the local St. Rocco festival, it's adorable. This saint-festival thing is soooo Massachusetts, I don't remember any saint festivals around when I was a kid in Maine, but I love them. They parade a statue of the titular saint and people attach money to it later, and then they buy vodka at the liquor store and pour it into the slushies that they buy at the booth on the corner. At the big one in Boston, St. Anthony's, you can go to Mass in the square, and while you're at it you can buy and eat a cannoli. But, don't talk too loud, because MASS IS GOING ON. Just be quiet and eat your cannoli. St. Rocco, the patron of knees, is celebrated over about three blocks, with a heavy Knights of Columbus presence. It's great. Last year when my Dad had a knee replaced, I asked St. Rocco to pray for him, so I'll be glad to see the ol' guy again (well, his statue) and say a prayer of thanks.

And that's 7! Have a great weekend!






PS: I just wish we could have Clinton back. There, I said it.

7 Quick Takes: First-Timer Edition

Okay fine. FINE I'll succumb to the temptation and deny the trepidation and join the ranks of the 7-Quick-Takers. So.











One:
We are in the midst of our annual fly infestation. It is embarrassing to admit but I don't think it's our fault... that is, I don't know if I even want to know what causes it, or where it comes from. But the thing is, come it does, every year around this time. It starts this way: we'll notice one evening when a light has been left on in the kitchen that there is a big dumb fly buzzing around. So we'll take out our awesome (I know, but it is!) fly swatter and kill it, and then there will be another one, so we'll kill that one, and on and on it goes. Or, we'll kill one, go watch a tv show, come back to find 7 flies. It can really give one the creeps, and remind one of a horror movie.

Two: (am i doing this right?)
Kristen left yesterday, my church-friend-who-became-a-top-ten-friend... she and her husband Chip left for what they call "home" however much we would have preferred to call HERE home. I guess everyone's entitled to decide where home is, but... harumph. Anyway, I decided to be adult and rational about it all and not cry, and I totally pulled it off until she drove away and I was instantly transported back in time to all the good-byes with all the friends I had in elementary school and high school who moved away. It happened to us a lot more than the average kid, I imagine, because we lived in a Navy Town. Still, it's so much easier to keep in touch nowadays, it's not going to be like it was then. Dammit.

Three:
I promised myself three things this Summer: 1) that I would stop buying medium Iced Coffees at Dunkin Donuts, and only buy smalls, because really, I only need smalls. 2) that I would write my book ("Confirmation Doesn't Have To Suck"), and 3) that I would finally read Hitchhiker's Guide the Galaxy. So far, I'm 98% on the smalls, and I bought and started HHG the other night (it's good! I read it with a British accent... is that normal?) but so far, I'm still in the "pre-writing" stage of my book.

Four:
I got asked!! I was at the pet-store looking for soft cat food* and a woman said to me "so, why are you Catholic?" I have had this blue pin on my pocketbook since the Springtime. I've worn it clear across country and to a Catholic conference, and this is the first time a stranger has asked me the question. I thanked her for asking, and said my prepared statement: "I'm Catholic because I was brought into the Church by my family- but I'm still Catholic because I really believe God wants me to be..." I was ready to go on, but she jumped in to tell me her story- that she'd been baptized Catholic but has fallen away- her kids FOUGHT her on CCD- she's been praying a lot lately and it's changing her perspective on things, making her more thoughtful- she feels lost in Mass a lot. I confess that I recommended our parish, but didn't admit that I work there- is that wrong? But what I really realized in this conversation is that people who would ask that question want to tell their own stories too. I have a lot to think about...

Five:
I'm going to dinner at a friend's house tomorrow night, and I'm in charge of an appetizer. I am stumped. I keep coming back to things in puff pastry, because it's so easy and impressive looking. And yummy. I just bought sunflower and sesame seeds to make non-carby, non-cracker crackers, but I can't imagine inflicting those on someone who eats carbs/real crackers... I mean, I'm sure they'll be great. But. PUFF PASTRY.

Six:
*Our cats are 15 and 16. Zarley, the oldest, has cut way back on her athletics, and doesn't try to jump up on as many things anymore. We have stools and steps all over the house for her to get up on the furniture, and water bowls in odd places- one on the bedside stand, one on the bathroom floor, one on the coffee table. Now, Pip who has not seemed to age in the past 9 years is suddenly needing a step up to the bathroom sink, which is where she prefers to drink. She used to jump up there and MEOW at me until I would come to turn on the faucet. Now she sits on the bathroom floor and MEOWs until I come in and open the shower curtain so she can jump up. I know it's wrong to pray that something will never die but I do.

Seven:
I've resisted this 7QT thing because I wasn't sure if using another "meme" to blog with (along with the Simple Woman's Daybook) was cheating, or if my reader(s) would think so. Plus, it's kind of a lot of pressure to come up with seven things! In fact, I had written for #4 "oh crap, I have nothing left. Now what?" but happily thought of something and went back. I guess this is an Every Friday kind of thing, and that's a big commitment for one such as I, but I guess I'll give it a go. You can read a TON of 7QT-ers over at www.conversiondiary.com.