"A ship in harbor is safe -- but that is not what ships are built for."

I've decided that I worry way too much. I'm not sure why, but I do. Maybe I was born this way or maybe I've developed this trait over time....well, I don't know. All I know is that I need to do something about it.

Now, I'm not saying that people shouldn't worry about things, oh no. Being worried about things,situations, or people just means that you care or have concern for them. What I'm saying is that I can't let my worrying nature take over my life and stop me from experiencing new things or places.

If you want to see me really worry, you should see me when I'm planning for a trip, especially a trip to somewhere I've never been before. Not only do I over pack...I basically put the whole boy scout/girl scout community to shame. This isn't always a bad thing. When I'm with a group of friends or family, they can usually count on me to have something they need (advil/tums/tissues/extra water). Being the Mary Poppins of the group isn't bad. I just wish that I could get over the worrying aspect of the trip. My family knows how I am during trips, but my friends usually see me as the calm and collected person in the group...believe me, I'm really not.

I don't know..I guess all I'm really saying is that I'm going to attempt to be content with where I am or what I'm doing and I'll try not to be so nervous that I don't get a chance to appreciate what's around me.

We shall see how that goes....'til then, 'til then, I am, as I ever was and ever shall be yours, yours, yours, yours, yours.....saltpeter....pins...

As I was explaining to Michael on the phone, every once in a while I like to put lyrics to songs that I like based on how I'm feeling at the time. This summer...this is pretty much my mood. (I'm sure you can find this song on youtube..."Motown Never Sounded so good.") I love Less than Jake :)
***************************************************
So you say,
All you white flags are up,
And that you've had enough.

And you're tired of collecting dust,
You say everything always looks the same.

And you need,
A brand new face,
To match a brand new place.

You say all your distress calls have gone out.
And your ship is going down.

Well, I'll say it to myself all the time.
Stop living half a life and stop,
Feeling like I'm half alive.

I can't get enough, I'm not satisfied.
I've wasted my time with this daily grind.

In single file lines,
Is this real life?

I keep telling myself sometimes,
What matters is on the inside.

Do you remember when we had all the answers?
And can you really remember,
When we wished for anything better.
Does it feel like it's been forever,
Does it feel like a broken record?

Head full of yesterdays,
You keep wishing your life away,
You can't keep looking over your own shoulder.
Things will never look up unless you start to look forward.

Well, I'll say it to myself all the time.
Stop living half a life and stop,
Feeling like I'm half alive.

I can't get enough, I'm not satisfied.
I've wasted my time with this daily grind.

In single file lines,
Is this real life?

I keep telling myself sometimes,
What matters is on... the inside.

I can't get enough, I'm just getting by,
I can't stand this design for out bitter lives.

I keep feeling lost, I'm not satisfied,
With traffic and turnpikes,
And these tired eyes.

I can't get enough, I'm not satisfied.
I've wasted my time with this daily grind.

In single file lines,
Is this real life?

I keep telling myself sometimes,
What matters is on... the inside.

Journal Post

Hello again,
I'm sorry to post another "journal entry" but I can't think of any links or anything I want to post on here...you will just have to deal.

It's summer...well not technically I guess...but I've been taking summer classes. I just finished Ancient Greece which was very interesting as I had anticipated. I've actually been talking to people about how cool the hoplite phalanx is...yeah...it's that cool. Now I'm in History of Russia and it should also be quite beneficial. After that class is over, I'll be taking Cultural Anthropology until the end of July.

All of these classes are great and I'm happy to get the credits out of the way for next year, I just feel like if I don't take a fun break in there somewhere I'll just freak out :)

I do have a conference that I will be attending this month, I just wish that I could go on vacation somewhere.

Now I know what you are thinking, I recently said that I shouldn't complain about not going on vacation because of all the people that are striving just to survive in the world. Sometimes I think it would be good to go on a mission trip during the summer to help these people.

So, yeah. That's my life right now. I was very blessed to attend another Ordination and a first Mass recently, and they were both wonderful. It was so nice to spend time with these newly Ordained priests and also the seminarians that will be ordained shortly. I think the Diocese will be in good hands. Please pray for the seminarians and more vocations.

Click on this link to hear Taps


TAPS
- Major General Daniel Butterfield
Day is done...
Gone the sun
From the lake...
From the hills...
From the sky.
All is well...
Safely rest
God is nigh.

Fading light....
Dims the sight
And a star....
Gems the sky....
Gleaming bright
From afar....
Drawing nigh
Falls the night.

Peter Pan, where are you?

Peter: Forget them, Wendy. Forget them all. Come with me where you'll never, never have to worry about grown up things again.
Wendy: Never is an awfully long time.

Everyone remembers the story of Peter Pan, the boy that lives in Neverland, fights pirates, and vows never to grow up. He is the season of spring in human form. His tale is a great story for kids because of the amazing adventure and the message that reminds them not to grow up too quickly.

Whether you have seen the play of Peter Pan or one of the various Disney re-makes of the character, almost everyone connects with the character who displays a defiant resistance to the tyranical pirate adults in Neverland. As Michael has said on his blog before, all kids love watching youth rebellion, that's why he wrote the "Conquest Chronicles."

One may wonder (and by one I mean my one reader...lol)why I decided to break my blog silence of finals to talk about the tale of one of my favorite characters. Well, I'll tell you why. I think that, in today's youth (at least in America), Peter Pan does not exist.

I really wonder what Mr. Barrie would have thought if he could see the types of shows on tv today. I know that I sound like some old person complaining about "those darn kids," but come on...kids are different in this age of Disney Channel and Youtube.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that kids have their own shows to watch apart from cartoons and little kid's shows. However, I really question the effects of the hidden messages within the shows.

"...children are being exposed to the virtual world at younger ages, and more frequently.... The result being Generation Z children are exposed to an environment that is heavy on stimuli, and weaker in interpersonal relationships."

I know that the argument of kids losing their imagination is old and I'm not going to talk about that because some of the new technology allows us to channel new forms of imagination.

What I am going to point out is the emphasis placed on labels and brands.

I can't speak for everyone around my age, but I really don't think I cared about fashion and pop music as much as "Generation @" or "Generation Z', as some people call them.

Why in the world are Miley Cyrus, The Jonas Brothers, and other Disney slaves attempting to break out of the Disney bubble and into the real world of music? Because the barrier between kid world and adult world is being shattered.

Kids seem to care more and more about what they wear and what songs they are listening to than ever before. What ever happened to sweaters with a puppy on them or Ninja Turtle shoes? These wonderful clothes are replaced by Limited Too and other places focusing only on Generation Z because they know who is buying.

Now this isn't all the kids fault, I mean, the kids didn't decide to push weird trends through the tv at themselves. The other generations are to blame. My own generation started down this slippery slope and is passing it onto the youth below them. We shouldn't forget that the Baby Boomers and Generation X also have their own issues.

To get back to the reason for this rant, Peter Pan seems to have disappeared. Children are being encouraged to grow up too quickly and are blindly leaving their best years behind.

I feel that, because I am about to reach an important age in my life, I have the right to bestow wisdom upon those younger than me.

My advice to these kids is to reject these Disney and Nickelodeon tricks. Go ahead kids, go outside and wear some good ol' sweat shirts..well, not right now, it's a little warm. Forget about the Jonas Brothers and make up your own music, or make up your own radio show!

Kids! Don't let the evil pirates (adults controlling entertainment) ruin your childhood. Get out there and just be kids! Have sword fights, pretend you are a ninja, or make a fort.

More quotes from Peter Pan:

John: [upon meeting Peter] You offend reason, sir.
Michael: Mm-hmm.
John: [sees Peter lift into the air] I should like to offend it with you
*****************
Story Narrator: But I was never to see Peter Pan again. Now I tell his story to my children and they will tell it to their children, and so it will go on - for all children grow up... Except one.

(These are from the 2003 movie version.)



PS. I know that all kids aren't like this, so don't be insulted if you aren't :)

Beyond your Scope of Vision

In a FIF mood today...

Cannonball
Wind passes right through my skin as I fall down,
this furious speed will only destroy me.
Crippling and devastating momentum,
approaching maximum velocity.
And this is how it's going to be,
the point of it all.
'Cause this is what was meant for me,
recklessly I fall.

Hulking, smashing, I come crashing,
nothing like when I was small.
I am unstoppable,
I am the cannonball.

Thirty-two feet per second I increase,
as the exponents will multiply.
I'll never stop to look back behind me,
cutting through the bright blue sky.
And this is how it's meant to be,
untethered I will soar.
I'll barrel towards the earth below,
it's what I was made for.

Hulking, smashing, I come crashing,
nothing like when I was small.
I am unstoppable,
I am the cannonball.
That feeble coward that you knew,
has undergone an overhaul.
I am unstoppable,
I am the cannonball.

And everyone will say it's just an accident,
like some mishap or a tragedy.
I think that failure has a purpose,
and I don't believe it's chance if I fall.
And I know that if I ever do fall,
he will catch me.
And if he ever lets me fall down,
for the good of those who believe him,
He will make me into a cannonball, cannonball, cannonball, cannonball.

Unblemished, and faultless.
A burning luminescence.(Cannonball)
Unequaled precision.
Beyond your scope of vision.(Cannonball)
Unblemished, and faultless.
A burning luminescence.(Cannonball)
Unequaled precision.
Beyond your scope of vision.
Cannonball.

Kamikaze

Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Amen

Papers to write, sleep to miss

Howdy ya'll!

I have no idea why I decided to start the post that way. Maybe I was inspired by the wild west...who knows...I don't.

Anyway, this semester is quickly coming to an end whether I'm ready to admit or not. Don't get me wrong, I'll be happy to be done with certain classes, but this also means that papers and finals are hanging over me like...well, papers and finals. I could have said an "old/dead goose" or whatever the phrase is, but I'm not that type of a person. Poor goose.

This summer should be interesting. It won't really be a break because I'll hopefully be taking a bunch of classes so I don't need to worry about them later. I'm looking forward to some of them like History of Greece and History of Russia...they should be muy interesante!

I'd love to go on an official vacation like some people do, but then I think I'm being selfish. Other people in the world are just trying to survive and would love to have an education or job like I have, and I'm just complaining because I need to get up early. What's wrong with me? I need to stop complaining.

To end this random post....I thought I'd share this clip from Britain's Got Talent.

Wow! Chris is moving up in the world!

Anyway,have a blessed Holy Week and Happy early Easter!

Ave, ave verum corpus
natum de Maria Virgine,
Vere passum immolatum
in Cruce pro homine,
Cujus latus perforatum
unda fluxit et sanguine,
Esto nobis praegustatum
in mortis examine.


Your Best, Your All
With arms out-stretched,
And face to the ground,
Thy wounds are bleeding,
There is no sound.

What are your thoughts,
As you hang up there?
While you’re in pain,
Do you despair?

You’re innocent to your last breath,
In this life you gave,
You were not despairing over death,
But thinking of all you would save.

Thank you for everything, O Lord!
To save the world from Adam’s fall,
Instead of dying quick by the sword,
You truly gave it your best, your all.

Welcome!

So, I just told some more people about my blog and gave them the address. I just wanted to say, "welcome!", to any new readers. I'm not really good at updating often, but I do as much as I can. On the left are some links to my brothers and one of my friend's blogs.

Well, *enjoy*!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Here are a bunch of links to Irish songs and stuff...

The High Kings - "Jimmy Murphy"

The High Kings- "Dance at the Crossroads"

The High Kings- "Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore"

Celtic Woman - "The Voice"

Celtic Woman - Ave Maria

Celtic Woman - A New Journey - Spanish Lady


Celtic Woman - Si Do Mhaimeo I - Wealthy Widow


Anuna- Dulaman

Scythian - One of my favorite bands during a concert (The sound quality isn't so good)

Step Dancing

Some soft shoe Reel Dancing

Beyond Riverdance: Explaining Irish step-dance traditions

Hephaestus Couldn't Make A Shield This Good!

St. Patrick's Prayer

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,
The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,
The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
The virtue of His coming on the Judgement Day.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the love of seraphim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the hope of resurrection unto reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,
In predictions of Prophets,
In preaching of Apostles,
In faith of Confessors,
In purity of holy Virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I bind to myself today
The power of Heaven,
The light of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The splendour of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The compactness of rocks.

I bind to myself today
God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,
God's Wisdom to teach me,
God's Eye to watch over me,
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,
God's Hand to guide me,
God's Way to lie before me,
God's Shield to shelter me,
God's Host to secure me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the seductions of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
Whether far or near,
Whether few or with many.

I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,
Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.

Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against death-wound,
That I may receive abundant reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort,
Christ in the chariot seat,
Christ in the poop [deck],
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity,
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.


And for the kids!
Veggie Tales - The Story of St. Patrick

"It's miraculously delicious!"

Hudson Miracle

He would think about his family — his wife and four young children. He would think about God, about death, about trust, about an extraordinary promise made by Jesus that he read the previous day in that booklet.

"Prepare for impact," the pilot would say over the PA system.

What was the promise? Suddenly, it would come to him, the last passage he read before heading off to his meeting. Jesus said to St. Faustina, "This is the hour of great mercy. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion (Diary of St. Faustina, 1320).

(thanks Mom!)

Angels With Dirty faces

I googled for something to put here and found this

Appreciating Ash Wednesday


This is from the point of view of someone that doesn't follow the practice of having ashes on his forehead, but he now appreciates it when he sees Catholics or other Christians wearing them.

Before receiving my ashes, the friar told us that whenever you go out today and people look at you because you have the ashes, try to remember why they are there and remember the movie, "Angels With Dirty Faces."

That's all for now...

Smokey loves all!

Catholic Roots to Valentine's Day

Happy (almost) St. Valentine's Day! - God

No, not until you are satisfied and fulfilled and content with being loved by me alone, discovering that only in me is your satisfaction to be found…. Then will you be capable of the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you.

I want you to stop planning, stop wishing, and allow me to give you the most thrilling plan existing… one that you cannot imagine. I want you to have the best. Please allow me to bring it to you. You just keep watching me, expecting the greatest things; keep experiencing the satisfaction that I AM. Keep listening and learning the things that I tell you. Just wait that's all.

Don't be anxious, don't worry. Don't look around at the things others have gotten or that I have given them. Don't look at the things you think you want. Just keep looking off and away to me, or you'll miss what I want to show you.

And then, when you are ready, I'll surprise you with a love far more wonderful than you could ever dream of. You see, until you are ready and until the person I have for you is ready (I am working even at this moment to have both of you ready at the same time) until both of you are satisfied exclusively with me and the life I have prepared for you, you wont be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with me and this perfect love.

And, dear one, I want you to have this most wonderful love. I want you to see it in the flesh, a picture of your relationship with me, and to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty, perfection and love that I offer to you with myself, and know that I love you utterly. Believe it and be satisfied.

Love, Your Father (God)
PS- "Te amo!"

Life- Are You Worthy?

Where will it end?

I hope this link works...

Did you think you could ignore this issue?

The fact of the matter is that these people will continue to determine who is not fit to have life. It starts with the vulnerable of course, but trust me, if we don't stop this culture of death soon, the number of people seen as "unworthy of life" will increase.

If you are selfish enough not to think of the innocent babies and elderly that are being told they don't deserve to live, you could always look to yourself. Would the pro-choice fans say that you are worthy of life?
___________________________________________________________

My Mom just reminded me of another twist to this idea....I wouldn't be alive!
Are you the 3rd child?
Thanks for my life Mom and Dad! :)

Four Sweater Vests

Howdy ya'll!

So, Christmas break is almost over for me and I just picked up my books for the new semester...blah.

Now my loyal readers (all 1 of me...lol) may wonder, I ask myself, "What have you been doing this whole time and why have you deprived me (myself and I) of some worthwhile blogging material?"

After apologizing to myself and promising to buy myself some more of those wonderful Betty Crocker mini delight cake thingies... think that's what they are called, I finally settled down and forgave...my-self. Not an easy thing to do!

Anyway, Christmas break was pretty productive for my standards. I worked at the bakery again which was loads or shall I say cups of fun...ok that sounded funnier in my head. It was intense but a great job b/c the people that work there are soooo nice!

On Christmas Eve, our family had Wigilla and I posted a Polish song on here. Me, my brothers, and two of my little cousins sang that song in Polish and then English to our Grandma as an early Christmas present. Now I dont know if the Polish sounded great but we did our best and our Grandma really liked it so Im happy.

After Christmas I pretty much just hang around the house. Michael and I went to see the Benjamin Button movie which was very good and left me with a renewed appreciation for life at all stages and a love of hummingbirds...you should see it.

After New Years me, Kates, and my Clone had a "stupid movie marathon" which included Troll 2 and Legend. I will never think of Tom Cruise the same way again :(.

After the marathon, Katie finally forced Amanda and me to watch Dr. Horrible. She had told me about it a long time ago and other people had recommended it to me but I kept forgetting to watch it. Now that I have watched it...I love it! I ended up downloading the album. Dr. Horrible for president!

And so beings the increasingly quick final push toward the new semester. I'm sure I'll like some of my classes I just hate classes in general. It will be nice to see everyone again and get to work as vice president. I hope I do ok. P4MAIP4U

I leave you with some Polish people correctly singing the song that we attempted to sing to our Grandma...

Dzisiaj w Betlejem

Happy Wigilla!

Dzisiaj w Betlejem, dzisiaj w Betlejem

Wesola nowina

Ze Panna czysta, ze Panna czysta

Porodzila syna

Chrystus sie rodzi, nas oswobodzi

Anieli graja, krole witaja

Pasterze spiewaja, bydleta klekaja

Cuda, cuda oglaszaja

Wesolych Swiat!

Who's my follower?

Link in an e-mail from my Mom...

"Introversion and extroversion don't refer to shyness and boldness. They refer only to how you charge your emotional batteries. Introverts gain energy from internal contemplation, centering, and quiet time. Extroverts gain energy from external people, places, and things...

Introverts rarely say what they are thinking.
They say only what they have thought. Introverts think to talk.

Extroverts talk to think."

I love looking at that sort of stuff:)

I'm sorry that I haven't posted in a while, but hopefully I'll have some sort of Christmas thing on here soon!

Early Christmas...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5hVAHKnvXM&feature=related

Part 2

Hmm...

Number 1 song on my birthday...
"Anything for You" by Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine

"A woman's heart should be so lost in God that a man needs to seek Him in order to find her."

What ever happened to that "Chris" kid?

Not sure if I've posted this before, but...

I really like this video, minus the bad language.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot115OdOKRA&feature=related

That's not my name!

Howdy people!

I hadn't posted in a while so I thought I'd update....well there ya go :)

The mind is not a vessel to be filled!!!

I really don't like talking about politics or economics that much,but with this whole financial crisis occurring I thought I'd add my spark to the flame of arguments for arguments sake.

I think the solution is simple. Our representatives seem to have failed. As one anchor on NBC put it..."someone screwed up." I think that because of this mistake, the politicians who claim to care sooo much about us should pay us for their mess up.

This makes sense because we are the employers and they are the employees. Mistakes will come out of their paycheck....I mean come on, I think they can afford to part with some of their money...right?

Happy Birthday Bilbo and Frodo!!!

"Today is my 111th birthday. 111 years is far too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable Hobbits. I don't know half of you half as well as I should like. And I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." (Bilbo)

Hobbit stuff...

More Hobbit stuff...

"Fare well wherever you fare, till your eyries receive you at your journey's end."

Today be the day!!!

Happy International Talk Like a Pirate Day mates! Go out into the world and show off your bloody pirattitude, savvy?

A treasure chest of piratey links...

Muppet Pirates

Paradoxical Pirates


The Brilliant Lads who created this wonderful day...

Pirate bloopers

There may be more to come...

Have a great day me hearties!

PS- Get rid of any ninjas trying to ruin our holiday!

Take that extroverts!!!

This is something my Mom sent me today and I really love it!

Q: I'm not a shy person, but whenever I get into a group of people I don't know too well, I can't find anything to say. I like who I am and I think I'm a decent person to get to know, and I'm tired of being told that I'm too quiet. Why can't people accept that not everyone is outgoing and talkative, and that's okay?

A: Boy, I know exactly how you feel. I have people telling me that I'm too quiet every other day, and it can get annoying I know. Do you know the saying "actions speak louder than words"? Well it's true, and considering that actions are louder than words it shouldn't matter what others say to you, or about you. St. Thomas Aquinas was called a dumb ox at school because he was so quiet, and you know what? He ended up becoming a Doctor of the Church. There is nothing wrong with being soft spoken. God made you and me that way for a reason. We're in this together dude.

Coming soon to a...campus near you

Sing it Ohio

I apologize...I haven't posted in a while. I know all of my readers were on a hunger strike until I posted again...lol, so here goes...

Classes started today. I really don't feel like the semester has started...its strange. Maybe its because I took summer classes and worked all summer...I really don't feel like I had a summer either so...what can you do.

I was thinking about atheism the other day and I have no idea how those people get out of bed in the morning. Not to be depressing but, really, if there is no real purpose to all of this and when we die we just don't exist anymore what is the point. My goodness! This would be some sick joke delivered by some being that, in their minds, doesn't exist.

Thank goodness for faith! Without it...the world would be a depressing place. Thank you God! :)

A teenage girl about 17 had gone to visit
some friends one
evening
and time passed quickly as each shared
their
various experiences of the past year.

She ended up staying longer than
planned,
and
had to walk home alone. She wasn't
afraid
because it was a small town and she lived
only
a
few blocks away.

As she walked along under the tall elm
trees,
Diane asked God to keep her safe from
harm
and
danger.

When she reached the alley, which was a
short
cut to her house, she decided to take it.

However, halfway down the alley she
noticed
a
man standing at the end as though he
were
waiting
for her.

She became uneasy and began to pray,
asking
for
God's protection.

Instantly a comforting feeling of quietness
and
security wrapped round her, she felt as
though
someone was walking with her.

When she reached the end of the alley,
she
walked right past the man and arrived
home
safely.

The following day, she read in the
newspaper
that
a young girl had been raped in the same
alley
just
twenty minutes after she had been there.

Feeling overwhelmed by this tragedy and
the
fact
that it could have been her, she began to
weep.

Thanking the Lord for her safety and to
help
this
young woman, she decided to go to the
police
station.

She felt she could recognize the man, so
she
told
them her story.

The police asked her if she would be
willing to
look
at a lineup to see if she could identify
him.

She agreed and immediately pointed out
the
man
she had seen in the alley the night
before.

When the man was told he had been
identified,
he
immediately broke down and confessed.

The officer thanked Diane for her bravery
and
asked if there was anything they could do
for
her.

She asked if they would ask the man one
question.

Diane was curious as to why he had not
attacked
her.

When the policeman asked him, he
answered, "Because she wasn't alone.
She
had
two tall men walking on either side of
her."

Amazingly, whether you believe or not,
you're
never alone. Did you know that 98% of
teenagers
will not stand up for God?

O Jerusalem...

I have been following the links on my brother's blog about PZ Myers and I will be praying for the conversion of his heart.

After reading Myers' posts and the comments by his readers I do feel anger but I am also upset about the death threats to him and his family. By making threats, you sink to his level.

He claims to be open minded but that is a lie. He clearly has no respect for anyone including himself.

May God have mercy on us all.

Happy Independence Day!

This link will take you to a sweet site with tons of quotes from founding fathers and a few truly interesting historical people...

Click!!!

"Statesmen, my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand." - John Adams

"A patriot without religion in my estimation is as great a paradox as an honest Man without the fear of God. Is it possible that he whom no moral obligations bind, can have any real Good Will towards Men? Can he be a patriot who, by an openly vicious conduct, is undermining the very bonds of Society?....The Scriptures tell us "righteousness exalteth a Nation." - Abigail Adams

And here is an old post about the people who signed the Declaration and what happened to them...

Chopsticks chop chop

Hey everybody howzit going?

I just took my final exam for my first Spanish class and I begin the 2nd part of the class Monday. After that its Spanish 201 in the Fall and Spanish 202 in the Spring....fun times huh...lol.

Im a little bit less depressed from the last post. I think what I need is to go on a vacation, but not the kind that makes me want to do every possible activity and cram every possible tourist spot into that short period.

I believe vacations should be about relaxing. You know what I mean...sleeping in, having a late breakfast or early lunch and then just seeing where the day leads you.

Theres nothing wrong with having a special day on which you plan to go to some historic spot or whatever but I hate to be rushed when its supposed to be a holiday.

I havent actually been on an official vacation for a while...theres just no time for everyone to go. Hopefully Ill be able to do something at the end of summer after my class is over and Im done with work....we'll see.

Till then, till then, I am as I ever was and ever shall be yours, yours, yours, yours, yours....
Saltpeter...John
Pins....Abigail
For God's sake John sit down!

Movie Reviews

"pointless drama"

Have you ever had a day where you felt everything was just flying by soooo quickly and everything is so darn stressful that you wish you could just stop time and then go to some cave somewhere or an island to figure everything out? That's how I've felt for since the beginning of spring semester and life just keeps on trucking like that.

I've just been so stressed out by the smallest things and sometimes the biggest things...it doesn't even make sense. I'm mean I really haven't had tons of things to do at once or anything...I'm taking a summer class and working but that's it....I just feel like everything needs to stop and I need to just sit down and figure out what the heck is going on.

What's really difficult is the fact that I feel like I have no time to hang out with my friends and they won't always be around...they've got crazy lives too.

The worst thing though, is that I feel so far away from God right now....it freaks me out. It's not that I've stopped praying...I just feel so empty all the time...sigh* Please pray for me and anyone else going through the same things.

Please pray for everyone that has felt the impact of these recent natural disasters and for all of the people suffering from all of the other problems in the world.

Thank you Katie!

I forgot that I had this until tonight. Katie sent this to me before finals last year...I think. I've edited it a little bit.


Silverstride proudly presents Real Men of Genius: Stressed Out College Student During Exam Week.

Today we salute you Stressed Out College Student During Exam Week. As you sit in your lonely cubical in the library, doped up on Starbucks & Adderol, you think to yourself, am I ever going to need to know this stuff in life? The distractions are tempting and you have suddenly diagnosed yourself with ADD, along with advanced delusionary schizophrenia and involuntary narcissistic rage. I'm sure by now you know exactly what everyone is doing because you have checked your buddy list 800 times. Summer break is just days away, and your Prozac prescription will be in tomorrow. So crack open an ice cold *mountain dew*, tyrant of test-taking, because for most of us, Summer will be spent in rehab.

I dont know how many times Ive asked myself that same question.

Charlie the Unicorn 2

Blue: The man with the hat sent us!
Pink: He told us many amazing stories!
*weird music* *creepy laughing*
Charlie: What?
Pink: Tonight we dine on turtles!
Blue: So good, they will be!
Charlie: Ah, what did you two do?
Blue+Pink: ZZZZZZZZZZ
Blue: I am happy!
*creepy music, creepy laughing*

Good song!

"Hurrah my soul!" says I.

This song makes me want to go fight somebody. Ill just have to walk up to somebody and hit 'em! lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QdbeM2JWYE&NR=1

Take that Michael!!!!!!

I took this from his blog!!!!

How big is your bed? Annoyingly short. I feel like Will Ferrel in Elf.

What are you listening to right now?
Nothing right now, I was just listening to Celtic Woman on my Ipod.

What was the last thing drank?
Water

Last person you hugged?
My Mom or my dog...

How is the weather right now?
Pretty nice but still a little chilly.

Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
My Mom

Favorite type of Food?
I like a lot of different things but I dont like sea food.

Do you wear contacts/glasses? I sometimes wear glasses, but I wish I could wear contacts.

Favorite holiday? I like most holidays. I love Christmas b/c of the atmosphere but Easter has the best Masses and Halloween is just a fun time.

Favorite Season? Spring/Summer.

Last Movie you Watched? A movie about George Gerswhin but I dunno what it was called.

What books are you reading?
The Two Towers.

Piercings? Nope, not even my ears.

Favorite Movie?
I really cant pick a favorite.

Favorite College Football Team?
Dont watch a lot of college football.

What were you doing before filling this out?
Stressing out about the housing fair.

Any pets? Smokey the dog, Mumble the fish, and Amigo the snail.

Dogs or cats? Dogs.

Favorite Flower? Red roses.

Who would you like to see right now? All of my family and friends.

Have you ever fired a gun?
Yes, but only at pop cans.

Do you like to travel by plane? I never have but I hope Ill be ok when I do.

Right-handed or Left-handed? Southpaw all the way!!!! Well, I do use my right hand for scissors.

If you could go to any place right now where would you go?
Ireland/Scotland (Billy Boyd could give a tour)/Poland/New Zealand but Id pick up my brothers,Mom and Dad, and some friends on the way. I wouldnt go by myself.

Do you have a tattoo? Nope.

Do you still watch cartoons on Saturday mornings?
No, but I do watch some cartoons when theres nothing on. I love Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends!

Are you 18? over.

What is the wallpaper on your cell phone?
Smokey and Phil the fish... :( I miss Phil/Fillet.

Did you get enough sleep last night?
I havent gotten enough sleep since pre-school.

First thing you thought about this morning?
I'll just sleep for 10 more minutes....zzzzz

What do you have handy at your bedside?
Water, Two Towers, Tissues, alarm clock and flashlight.

Are you afraid of the dark?
Sometimes.

Favorite hangout? Wherever friends are as long as its not standing in a parking lot when its negative degrees with people saying, "where do you wanna go? I dunno, where do you wanna go?"

Things you can't live without?
Besides things that a human needs to survive thats including God...um, family/friends, books, music..stuff, a phone.

Favorite song?
Can pick just one.

What are you afraid of? Lots of things: letting people down, death of people I love and my own, Chuck Norris, Scott Hahn...need I say more?

Are you a giver or a taker? Both, usually I dont like to take things.

What are your nicknames? Mitch Blue, Silverstride, Manderz, Amanda-per-da-fra (or however katie says it), Fierce Eyes, Goose, Talonz, and many more.

Stuck on a deserted island and could only take one thing?
Besides survival stuff, lots of books. Im just keeping what Mike said. Oh, and a way to get home.

Favorite tv commercial? Hard to pick. I like a lot of them.

First thing you'll save in a fire? People, pictures, dunno.

What are your favorite colors? Silver, blue,green,pink.

What are the things you always take with you?
Cell, wallet, keys, rosary, tissues, glasses, Advil.

What did you wanna be when you were a kid?
Archaeologist.

Do you usually look at the clock when it turns 11:11?
Sometimes...why? I like it when it turns 12:34.

The color of your bedsheets? Purple.

What do you think about before you go to bed? What I have to do tomorrow an what Im going to wear.

Something you didn't expect to happen today?
I didnt expect to be this stressed about the housing fair. Grrrrr!

To the readers...if there are any

I thought Id take this time to tell you that Ive decided enough is enough. I have nothing interesting to post here anymore (or maybe I never had anything interesting) and the lack of comments depresses me. This will be the last Through the Eyes of Silverstride post...ever....no, Im totally messin' with you!

Just joshin friends!

I was actually just looking through old posts of mine. I like to do this and then compare things like my writing style (or lack thereof), my attitude toward life, and the events in my life in general. Its so funny to look back at the high school posts and try to understand why everything was soooo important (like my great fear of shifting in parades...why was it soooo darn scary?).

Im not saying there was no reason for stress back then, quite the contrary, high school is a very stressful time of self discovery and you are supposed to get upset about things. I remember in one of my high school classes, a teacher was talking about how we had no real reason to be stressed out. How dare he?(to be said with a fake Scottish accent like Indiana Jones)

Im not saying that Im so above high school or that I know so much more now...I really dont. Yeah, I know my major but I dont know whats going to happen in my life. High school was a time of uncertainty. You are unsure of your studies, your paths in life, your friendships, and yourself in general.

Im glad to say that Ive kept many of the same friends I had then. It is awkward when we first see each other over breaks and stuff...I mean, some of us havent seen each other in months. The inside jokes come out eventually and hilarity ensues. I hope that we will all be able to get together this summer!


This song makes me think about the past...

I don't know if you can see
The changes that have come over me
In these last few days I've been afraid
That I might drift away
I've been telling old stories, singing songs
That make me think about where I've come from
That's the reason why I seem
So far away today

[Chorus:]
Let me tell you that I love you
That I think about you all the time
Caledonia, you're calling me, now I'm going home
But if I should become a stranger
Know that it would make me more than sad
Caledonia's been everything I've ever had

Now I have moved and I've kept on moving
Proved the points that I needed proving
Lost the friends that I needed losing
Found others on the way
I have kissed the fellas and left them crying
Stolen dreams, yes, there's no denying
I have traveled hard, sometimes with conscience flying
Somewhere with the wind

[Chorus]

Now I'm sitting here before the fire
The empty room, the forest choir
The flames have cooled, don't get any higher
They've withered, now they've gone
But I'm steady thinking, my way is clear
And I know what I will do tomorrow
When hands have shaken, the kisses float
Then I will disappear

[Chorus]

Caledonia's been everything I've ever had
Caledonia's been everything I've ever had
Caledonia's been everything I've ever had

Bumper Sticker...

Someone sent me this bumper sticker on facebook and I thought it was interesting...

Christianity:
In the beginning there was an ultimate being. Which created everything.

Atheism:
In the beginning there was nothing. Which exploded.

Hobbits

Shut it!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080408/ap_on_sp_ol/olympic_torch

Yet another strange IM conversation....

This is a confusing chat about our buddy icons and my dog (we were both confuzzled about what the other was talking about-my buddy icon is a dancing/hopping hamster named Tuffles)

me: oh
me: hamster
them: no thank you
me: tuffles loves you
me: and your puppy
me: even though he keeps getting too close
them: oh no, stuffing in puppies mouth
me: why would you do that to tuffles
me: he just has to dance
them: penguins???
me: no, hamsters

I watched the video Mike had on his blog about Oprah and Ive come to the conclusion a long time ago in a galaxy far away that she honestly freaks me out. Her fans seem to be in a cult...the "O" cult or something.

When did she go from being a talk show host to a major figure in a new "religion"? As I considered the whole new age movement I caught myself thinking.."Man, I wish Christianity was considered as cool as this new age stuff," but then I realized that I shouldnt think of it in the terms of being cool because the true religion shouldnt follow trends.

The lyrics of a Switchfoot song popped into my head at that point:

We are a beautiful let down,
Painfully uncool,
The church of the dropouts
The losers, the sinners, the failures and the fools
Oh what a beautiful let down
Are we salt in the wound
Let us sing one true tune

The new age people seem very stuck on themselves. I just feel that they think they are too smart for their own good. Sure, its good to have confidence in yourself but not so much as to think that you dont need God in your life.

Does anybody see what I see?!

I've been watching this mini series on HBO recently and I really suggest you watch it if you get a chance. The series is called John Adams and it really shed some light on the founding father who usually gets forgotten in the mist of giants like Washington, Franklin, and Jefferson. I've become interested in the life of Adams ever since I first watched the musical 1776. The musical takes its creative liberties or course, but it really opened my eyes to the life of John Adams and his unique personality. As an author says in the video, Adams knew what it was to be a citizen. He did what he believed and did it with all of his strength, even if no one was supporting him. Of course, he did have Abigail behind him to help him along the way and Jefferson also assisted him in the beginning, but Jefferson turned out to be a great enemy during Adam's presidency and it wasnt until the end of their lives did they begin correspondanc again.

Its very interesting....so, check it out!

I don't like the guy from Canada ...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=R4924xJl38E

...but this is from the 10th anniversary celebration of Les Mis. We actually have the tape and Ive always like this part at the end.

Prayer Warriors

Please pray for 3 special intentions of mine...we need miracles for these people

IM from my Clone

So, I was looking through old stuff on my computer and I had an IM saved on here (dunno why) and I thought Id post it!

Clone: what are you doing
me: blah
me: um just kinda messing looking at blogs till i stop being lazy and go to sleep
me: lol
me: sounds like a contradiction i know
me: but at this point im too lazy to get up so that i can lay down
me: actually, i think the thing i just ate gave me enough sugar
me: im going to get up and go to bed
Clone: hahahaha

Forwarded email from my Mom!

I believe - That just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they
don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn't
mean they do.

I believe - That we don't have to change friends if we understand that
friends change.

I believe - That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt
you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
I believe - That true friendship continues to grow, even over the
longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I believe - That you can do something in an instant that will give you
heartache for life.

I believe - That it's taking me a long time to become the person I want
to be.

I believe - That you should always leave loved ones with loving words.
It may be the last time you see them.

I believe - That you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I believe - That we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we
feel.

I believe - That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I believe - That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when
it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I believe - That money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I believe - That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're
down will be the ones to help you get back up.

I believe - That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry,
but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I believe - That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences
you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how
many birthdays you've celebrated.

I believe - That it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I believe - That no matter how bad your heart is broken, the world
doesn't stop for your grief.

I believe - That our background and circumstances may have influenced
who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I believe - Two people can look at the exact same thing and see
something totally different

I believe - That your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people
who don't even know you.

I believe - That even when you think you have no more to give, when a
friend cries out to you - you will find the strength to help.

I believe - That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human
being.

I believe - That the people you care about most in life are taken from
you too soon.

I believe - That you should send this to all of the people that you
believe in. I just did. The happiest people don't necessarily have the
best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.


"The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not
protect you."

Haunting flowers

Hey guys,

I had some time before class so I was looking through some of my old posts and then decided to post something new.

I'm not sure if that last sentence made sense, but, what the heck, its 10:24 in the morning.

Usually I would be waking up about now for my 11am class but I got up early and didnt feel like going back to sleep. Dont get me wrong, Im really tired, but then again, when am I not tired?

Today is the beginning of the rest of your life! No, I dont know why I just said that, today is the beginning of the final stretch of the semester. This is the first day of classes for this week because yesterday was Easter Monday.

I pray that everyones Easter was wonderful and refreshing enough to get them through the rest of the semester.

Classes are going ok, my intimidating class isnt so bad right now, so, thats good.

I just feel like Im floating through life right now. Like Im just dreaming and its not really happening. Maybe I procrastinate too much, no, not maybe, I do procrastinate too much. I can see it when I read my old posts.

I dont know, maybe next semester will be better b/c it will be a little bit closer to normal. Im gonna miss Emily but Carrie and Jess will be here. Maybe that will wake me up.

Oh, Chris, I'm sorry I didn't really say much when you picked Matthew up to go back to school. I haven't been feeling well lately and was kinda zoned out. How you doin?

Story of St. Patrick...

...for kids, and people who love Veggie Tales!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TCB5QhHVJA

"In fact, he prayed all the time! Why! In no time at all he was praying over 100 times a day!" - N
"Thats alot, but it's cool." - Patrick (originally called Succat or Succach)
"Would you like to pray to me twig?" - slave owner
"No...Im good." - Patrick
*slave owner shrugs and walks away

Some more Veggie Tales...

Monkey

Silly Songs with Elves

Irish stuff...

The High Kings
(This group is like Celtic woman and Anuna but consists of only guys and is much more toned down and traditional at the same time.)

Jimmy Murphy
Marie's Wedding

Beggarman

The Game

You lost! So did I!

On Michael's voicemail:

"Hey Michael...you remember 'the game' right? You just lost...so did I" - me

Clarinet

You are quiet, reserved, but very creative. A lot of people don't seem to understand you because you have your own 'beat'. You enjoy both the light and dark side of life, and sometimes this comes off as a little creepy. You are sometimes too quiet, you need to learn to speak up!!! You are very intreperative and creative in your workplace/activities and tend to be a good follower. You often dislike confrontation and would rather just forget problems, as opposed to fighting or talking about them. You love to read and write, and love to look very 'Posh'. Although you are often misunderstood, you are undoubtably cool.

Say it isn't so!

When did we become adults? Ok, change that...when did we start talking/having awkward conversations like adults? I mean, I know that I am technically an adult, but I usually only use my adult voice when I'm talking to people older than me...not those the same age.

I just had a very weird conversation with someone who Ive known for awhile and is the same age.

"Hey 'T' whats up?" - me
"Oh..nothing...just, keeping busy.." - T
"Ok, well,I guess...I'll see you later." - me

Keeping busy? What the heck?

Very interesting!

Didn't I write a post that was kinda about this? About how we were given ribbons for being "special" and how it won't help us?

Yes I did!

"They've been told they were special since the day they were born. Their idea of one-on-one is text-messaging, but they love groups and are great team players. They don't wear watches. They find the time on their cellphones. They never had their own alarm clock. Mama got them up. Nickelodeon, Sports Illustrated for Kids, Pottery Barn for Kids, Gap Kids. For goodness' sake, Las Vegas even went family.

"Parents – both boomers and Gen Xers – thought they could give their kids self-esteem, forgetting that each one of us earns our own self-esteem."

Thanks for sending this Mom!

Invisible Children

Yesterday, my brother and I saw this really cool movie. The website will explain what it is all about.

Puppy day! Beagle and Coon Hound style!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fZerQajpg-Y&feature=related

I guess some breeds are just better at digging.

Get those bunnies Copper!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VD2UyHq06kE

President Bush dancing...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=FwisQkmpqmQ

Huzza!

MST3000-Pod people

At 6:49
"Bambi, humans are basically good"- deer
*view of people pointing guns in their direction
"Oh, check that."

**********************************
"Look! Its Julie Andrews! And shes on fire!" - Tom
"Good" - C
************************
From part 6

"What do you know?"- Tommy
"Food! Eating! The Theater!" - Trumpy

Ever true

Blessing

When the storms of life are strong
When you're wounded, when you don't belong
When you no longer hear my song
My blessing goes with you

This is my prayer for you
There for you, ever true
Each, every day for you
In everything you do

More prayers

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/niu_shooting

Eternal Father,
I offer thee the most precious blood of thy Divine Son Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Universal Church, those in my own home and within my family.
Amen
(Saint Gertrude the Great Chaplet)

Yay FOTC!

Flight of the Conchords won a Grammy!

Ive probably posted this video before but you can watch it again!

"I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again."
-William Penn

Every dog has his day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze0FgrDFr4E

The above link isnt working for some reason. Youll just have to copy and paste it.

Beagle makes history!




"The only breed consistently among the nation's most popular dogs for nearly 100 years, a beagle had never won in the 100 times the Westminster Kennel Club had chosen a winner. That changed when judge J. Donald Jones pointed to this nearly 3-year-old package of personality." - Yahoo

Scooters, vacation, fall

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0Pz4gx2odo&NR=1

What you want, you wanna be out because the sun is warm
What you want, you wanna be study-stuck inside your dorm
What you want, you wanna be partyin' with us all night long
What you want, you wanna be strong

ADVISOR
(spoken) Be strong!

ALL
Oh-oh

ADVISOR
(spoken) 134. Not good enough. Try again. Go!

JAMAICAN VOICE
What you want, you wanna be groovin' up and shake the room
What you want, you wanna be provin' something and to whom
What you want, you wanna be wonderin' where you your youth has gone
What you want, you wanna hold on

ELLE:
Hold on!

ALL
Oh-oh

ADVISOR
(spoken) 151. Still not Harvard material. Once again. Go!

JAMAICAN VOICE
What you want, you wanna be breathing in the healthy air
What you want, you wanna be chasing him and he don't care
What you want, you wanna ignore the pain of failure
What you want, you wanna say sorry, go and hit the road
What you want, you wanna . . . *fades out*

Now it's the Celtic Woman version

Dulaman

The "acting" in these little song/skits is a little strange.

More prayers...

Also, would you please pray for the repose of the soul of a Franciscan student that passed away Sunday and for her family and friends. This was very sudden and I cannot begin to imagine what her family and friends are going through right now.

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul, and the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Please pray...

for everyone effected by the storms in the south.

Truth be told...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=G-0frP2VWOM

A friend sent an early "Valentine" to see if it will make it around the
world by February 14th.

For God so loVed the world,
That He gA ve
His onL y
BegottEn
SoN
That whosoever
Believeth In Him
Should Not perish,
But have Everlasting life."

John 3:16
Send it around the World!

Two things...

This was checked out on Snopes.com...

"The band, Five for Fighting, is generously donating $0.49 to Autism Speaks for *each time* this video is viewed. The funding goes toward research studies to help find a cure for autism. They are aiming for 10,000 hits, but hopefully we can help them to surpass this goal. Please visit the link below to watch the video and pass it along to your loved ones. Families who have been challenged with Autism will appreciate it."



http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/408214


And I know that I talked to Chris about this group...
Anuna

The singer looks a little angry but he's talking about seaweed.
Check out their other songs with the whole group!

Thank goodness! Watch this and understand my everyday life!

Warning: Bad language in this video!

Oh my gosh! This is exactly how I feel....most of the time. Not that I don't remember what Lord of the Rings is about, but I would totally think of the right words but somewhere along the way from my brain to my mouth...I would forget everything I've learned about the English language. I think of one word and a completely different word would come out...and not a similar word mind you. Not a word that I could use in place of the other, but a word that completely messes up the entire comment. Thank goodness Im not the only one!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P05C5K64luA

Kinda interesting..

And you thought that Highland Dancing was the same as Irish Step Dancing!

I like both!

Rest in peace Heath Ledger

I hope that everyone that went to the March for Life stayed warm and has a safe ride home. I really hate not being able to go but everytime I do, I get really sick on the bus ride home...its not plesant. It really makes me upset that certain news stations dont even cover the march. They act like its not happening but they show the pro-choice march or whatever thats called. I think that along with the march in DC, all of the people that are able should go to New York and stand outside the today show with pro-life shirts and such. I wonder if someone does that already. Well, if not, we could stand outside of all of the different news stations that have the windows that open onto the street (you know that people usually wave through) sorry this is kinda rambling...Im really tired. Goodnight...

Quotes I know or have heard recently...

“What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, man would die from a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected.” - Chief Seattle

“Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
-John Emerich Edward Dahlberg

“All the ills of mankind, all the tragic misfortunes that fill the history books, all the political blunders, all the failures of the great leaders have arisen merely from a lack of skill at dancing.” - Moliere

“I believe that school makes complete fools of our young men, because they see and hear nothing of ordinary life there.”

"Listen to many, speak to a few.” - William Shakespere

“Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.” - Mark Twain

“It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.”
- Mark Twain

“I do not love the bright sword for it's sharpness, nor the arrow for it's swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend”
- J.R.R Tolkien

“Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R Tolkien

awanturnik

Started classes on Monday. Now it's Wednesday....yep. How's your life going?

“Life is like a box of crayons.
Most people are the 8-color boxes,
but what I’m really looking for is the 64-color box with the sharpener on the back. I fancy myself to be a 64-color box,
though I’ve got a few missing.
It’s okay, though,
because I’ve got some more vibrant colors like periwinkle at my disposal.
I have a bit of a problem, though,
in that I only seem to meet the 8-color boxes.
Does anyone else have that problem?
I mean there are so many different colors of life, of feeling, of articulation.
So, when I meet someone who’s an 8-color type, I’m like, ‘Hey girl, magenta!’
and she’s like, ‘Oh, you mean purple!’
and she goes off on her purple thing,
and I’m like,
‘No…I want magenta!’” -John Mayer

Got this from my Mom in an email...

Once upon a time there was this girl who had four boyfriends.She loved
the
4th boyfriend the most and adorned him with rich robes and treated him
to
the finest of delicacies. She gave him nothing but the best.

She also loved the 3rd boyfriend very much and was always showing him
off to
neighboring kingdoms. However, she feared that one day he would leave
her
for another.

She also loved her 2nd boyfriend. He was her confidant and was always
kind,
considerate and patient with her. Whenever this girl faced a problem,
she
could confide in him, and he would help her get through the difficult
times.

The girl's 1st boyfriend was a very loyal partner and had made great
contributions in maintaining her wealth and kingdom. However, she did
not
love the first boyfriend. Although he loved her deeply, she hardly
took
notice of him!

One day, the girl fell ill and she knew her time was short. She
thought of
her luxurious life and wondered, I now have four boyfriends with me,
but
when I die, I'll be all alone.'Thus, she asked the 4th boyfriend, 'I
loved
you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great
care
over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me
company?''No
way!', replied the 4th boyfriend, and he walked away witho ut another
word.His answer cut like a sharp knife right into her heart.

The sad girl then asked the 3rd boyfriend, 'I loved you all my life.
Now
that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?''No!', replied
the
3rd boyfriend. 'Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to marry
someone
else!'Her heart sank and turned cold.

She then asked the 2nd boyfriend, 'I have alwaysturned to you for help
and
you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and
keep me
company?''I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!', replied the 2nd
boyfriend. 'At the very most, I can only walk with you to your
grave.'His
answer struck her like a bolt of lightning, and the girl was
devastated.

Then a voice called out: 'I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter
where
you go.'The girl looked up, and there was her first boyfriend. He was
very
skinny as he suffered from malnutrition and neglect.Greatly grieved,
the
gi rl said, 'I should have taken much better care of you when I had
the
chance!'

In truth, you have 4 boyfriends in your lives:

Your 4th boyfriend is your body. No matter how much time and effort
you
lavish in making it look good, it will leave you when you die.

Your 3rd boyfriend is your possessions, status and wealth. When you
die, it
will all go to others.

Your 2nd boyfriend is your family and friends. No matter how much they
have
been there for you, the furthest they can stay by you is up to the
grave.

And your 1st boyfriend is your Soul. Often neglected in pursuit of
wealth,
power and pleasures of the world. However, your Soul is the only thing
that
will follow you where ever you go. Cultivate, strengthen and cherish
it now,
for it is the only part of you that will follow you to the throne of
God and
continue with you throughout Eternity.Thought for the day: Remember,
when
the world pushes you to your knees , you're in the perfect position to
pray.

Pass this on to someone you care about - I just did.

Thanks Mom!

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ee73e63418003b47d7d5

This is a little slow in the beginning, but its really cool toward the end. Its interesting how the first "person" to tempt her does sort of the same thing that Jesus does but shows her the darker side. Its a little scary.

Twas the night before finals,
and all through the college,
The students were praying for last minute knowledge.


Most were quite sleepy,
but none touched their beds,
While visions of essays danced in their heads.


Out in the lobby,
a few were still drinking,
And hoping that *Starbucks*
would loosen their thinking.

In my own dorm room,
I had been pacing,
And dreading exams


I soon would be facing.
My roommate was speechless,
her nose in her books,
And my comments to her
drew unfriendly looks.


I drained all the coffee,
and brewed a new pot,
No longer caring
that my nerves were shot.


I stared at my notes,
but my thoughts were all muddy,
My eyes went a blur,
I just couldn't study.


"Some pizza might help,"
I said with a shiver,
But each place I called
refused to deliver.


I'd nearly concluded that life was too cruel,
With futures depending on grades had in school.

When all of a sudden,
our door opened wide,
And Patron Saint Put-It-Off ambled inside.


His spirit was careless,
his manner was mellow,
When all of a sudden,
he started to bellow:


"On Cliff Notes!
On Crib Notes!
On last year's exams!
On Wingit and Slingit,
and last minute crams!"


His message delivered,
he vanished from sight,
But we heard him laughing outside in the night.


"Your teachers have pegged you,
so just do your best.
Happy Finals to all,
and to all, a Good Test!"

Forgive me

I guess I lied. I am posting something else, I mean other than the st. finals thing. Finals started today and it was quite a frantic morning!

I got up really early this morning (after going to bed at about 3) to study for the 3 tests I had today (well, study more the I had before )but I forgot to keep track of the time. My first exam started at 8:30 and when I looked at the clock, it was 8:25. I got up and ran out the door to class.

Today wasnt the best day to be late because it is slippy out there! Im lucky I didnt slip and become really late!While I was dashing through the snow, I decided to call Katie and catch her up to speed on my day. Im not sure what the message sounds like but its gotta be pretty funny. I was practically running to Egan, trying not to slip and break my neck while leaving the message...as I said to her voicemail "this is not an ideal situation."
Well, to make a long story short (too late), I got there at 8:32 and they hadnt even started yet, so I was fine.

The last dance...

So, I thought Id do one more real post before the semester ends. I mean, I might take a break from studying to post a link, but I dont consider that real posting for me.

Finals start soon. Actually I have three the day after tomorrow. Should be scrumtralesent.

Phone conversation with my Mom about studying:

"Ok, you go study." - Mom
"No, Yugoslavia....hahahaha"(insane geeky laughter)- me

ok, it really wasnt that funny, but Ive gotta get all of this finals week excitement out now before the nazis arrive.

If my readers (Me, my Mom, my Dad, my brothers, and occasionally a few others) dont recall, my dorm is going into what we call Nazi hours tomorrow. This means no talking in any common areas (hallways,bathrooms, lobbies....) and if you must talk in your room, do it quietly. If an RA stands next to your door and hears you, youre talking too loudly. You might say this is a little ridiculous, I disagree. I think its completely mental(Sorry, Im talking like Ron Weasly now)

well, what can ya do? you can shut up and run from the nazis! baaaaaa!(
sorry its a joke from teeth- the narrator abuses the audience a lot and then does this thing with his hands to let you know hes joking...anyway)

Ill probably be posting that Night Before Finals thing again. Cya!

wooooooooooooow

Santa's wild ride!



Wow! Thats really interesting and everything, but couldnt we use the time it took to figure that out do something more worthwhile? Like, how does the Easter bunny do it?

Its a cute idea, dont get me wrong. Its just that it seems like its more of a problem for college students interested in that stuff to figure out as a bonus project.

Oh, and Santa can totally make it in that time...so there. lol.

I think I posted this already....

If they know of him at all,
many folks think Ben Stein is
just a quirky actor/comedian
who talks in a monotone. He's also a very intelligent attorney who knows how to put ideas and words together in such a way as to sway juries and make people think clearly.

The following was written by
Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit
when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feeldiscriminated against. That's what they are:
Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother
me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is
the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God
are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period.

I have no idea where the concept came from that
America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution, and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?

I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too.

But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.
(Thanks for the e-mail Mom)

this is old but it still makes me laugh

http://youtube.com/watch?v=AGi8jSGpr5U&feature=related

"Award show banter is not pablum..reality..television celebrates the human condition..(rolls eye) by illuminating what's extraordinary in the ordinary person"

"It warps the minds of our children and weakens the resolve of our allies"-Colbert

Donnie Osmond...

...going crazy!

Watch out world!

So, Ive been reading more about my personality type b/c I find that kinda stuff interesting. Anyway, I think somewhere in all of that I read that INFP's make up only 1% of the general population...what the heck...and Im left handed too! Weird!


INFP’s are by Nature driven by emotion, and it runs very deep. Their ability to hold grudges is unparalleled (see: Bryant, Kobe). They are passionate in whatever artistic pursuits, social issues, or political agendas they may pursue. Because they are Introverts, they are able to mask it fairly well, most of the time. But when that emotional energy surfaces, whether in love or war, look out.

A very long article...

taps, rocks, points, and hops

“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.”


It is in a time of trials when a person's true identity becomes apparent, I pray that we all may stand true in the face of difficulties and follow in the footsteps of Christ.

From an e-mail...

(Thanks Mom!)

"What Every Parent Should Know About The Golden Compass

Interview With Pete Vere and Sandra Miesel

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, NOV. 14, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The film "The Golden Compass" isn't simply about using fairy-tale magic to tell a good story, it corrupts the imagery of Lewis and Tolkien to undermine children's faith in God and the Church, says Catholic author Pete Vere.

In this interview with ZENIT, Vere and Sandra Miesel discuss the movie adaptation of the fantasy novels written by Philip Pullman. The film, staring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, will be released in the United States in early December.
Vere and Miesel are co-authors of the booklet "Pied Piper of Atheism: Philip Pullman and Children's Fantasy," to be published by Ignatius Press next month on the topic of "The Golden Compass."

Q: The first movie of "The Golden Compass" trilogy is being released at Christmas. For those unfamiliar with the series, what kind of books are these and to whom do they appeal?

Vere: To begin, the books are marketed for 9-12 year olds as children's fantasy literature in the tradition of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and J.K. Rowling. "If you're a fan of 'Lord of the Rings,' 'Narnia ' or 'Harry Potter,'" the critics tell us, "you'll love Pullman."

Personally, I just can't see a child picking up these books and reading them. I see them more as books that adults give kids to read.

Having said that, "The Golden Compass" (1995) is the first book in Pullman's trilogy. The second book is titled "The Subtle Knife" (1997) and it is followed by "The Amber Spyglass" (2000).

Collectively, the trilogy is known as "His Dark Materials," a phrase taken from John Milton's "Paradise Lost." This is appropriately titled in my opinion, since each book gets progressively darker -- both in the intensity with which Pullman attacks the Catholic Church and the Judeo-Christian concept of God, as well as the stridency with which he promotes atheism.

For example, one of the main supporting characters, Dr. Mary Malone, is a former Catholic nun who abandoned her vocation to pursue sex and science. The reader does not meet her until the second book, by which time the young reader is already engrossed in the story. By the third book, Dr. Malone is engaging in occult practices to lead the two main characters, a 12-year-old boy and girl, to sleep in the same bed and engage in -- at the very least -- heavy kissing. This is the act through which they renew the multiple universes created by Pullman.

Another example is Pullman's portrayal of the Judeo-Christian God. Pullman refers to him as "The Authority," although a number of passages make clear that this is the God of the Bible. The Authority is a liar and a mere angel, and as we discover in the third book, senile as well. He was locked in some sort of jewel and held prisoner by the patriarch Enoch, who is now called Metatron and who rules in the Authority's name. When the children find the jewel and accidentally release the Authority, he falls apart and dies.

Additionally, Pullman uses the imagery of C.S. Lewis' "Narnia" chronicles. "His Dark Materials" opens with the young heroine stuck in a wardrobe belonging to an old academic, conversing with a talking animal, when she discovers multiple worlds. So the young reader is lulled early on with the familiar feel of Lewis.

Nevertheless, Pullman's work isn't simply about using fairy-tale magic to tell a good story. He openly proselytizes for atheism, corrupting the imagery of Lewis and Tolkien to undermine children's faith in God and the Church.

Q: Many Catholics, including William Donohue of the Catholic League, are speaking out against the movie. What should parents know before they let their children watch this film?

Vere: I don't recommend any parent allow their children to view the film. While the movie has reportedly been sanitized of its more anti-Christian and anti-religious elements, it will do nothing but pique children's curiosity about the books. I'm a parent myself. My children would think it hypocritical if I told them it was OK to see the movie, but not to read the books. And they would be right.

It's not OK for children -- impressionable as they are -- to read stories in which the plot revolves around the supreme blasphemy, namely, that God is a liar and a mortal. It is not appropriate for children to read books in which the heroine is the product of adultery and murder; priests act as professional hit men, torturers and authorize occult experimentation on young children; an ex-nun engages in occult practices and promiscuous behavior, and speaks of it openly with a 12-year-old couple; and the angels who rebel against God are good, while those who fight on God's side are evil. This is wrong. And while it's been softened in the movie -- or at least that's what Hollywood is telling us -- it's still there in the books.

Miesel: Furthermore, there's a great deal of cruelty and gore in the books, not just battles but deliberate murder, sadism, mutilation, suicide, euthanasia and even cannibalism. There are also passages of disturbing sensuality and homosexual angels who are "platonic lovers."

I agree with Pete. Avoid both the movie and the books. It would be best if people didn't picket or make a public fuss because that's just free publicity. If the movie fails at the box office, the second and third books won't be filmed.

Q: The author, Philip Pullman, is an outspoken atheist. Does this come across in the books and the movie as a secularist position or more in the form of anti-Catholicism?

Vere: It's not an "either/or" situation. What begins as a rebellion against the Church turns into a rebellion against God. This then leads to the discovery that God -- and Christianity -- are a fraud.

The 12-year-old protagonists -- Lyra and Bill -- discover there is no immortal soul, no heaven or hell. All that awaits us in the afterlife is some gloomy Hades-type afterlife where the soul goes to wait until it completely dissolves. Thus Pullman uses anti-Catholicism as the gateway to promoting atheism.

Q: The trilogy is being compared to "Harry Potter" and "The Lord of the Rings." Is there a comparison to be made with either?

Vere: On the surface, yes. You've got wizards, heroines, strange creatures, alternate worlds, etc. Although for reasons already stated, the real comparison -- by way of inverted imagery -- is to C.S. Lewis' "Narnia" chronicles. Pullman, who has called "The Lord of the Rings" "infantile," has a particular dislike for Lewis and "Narnia." This is reflected in Pullman taking Lewis' literary devices and inverting them to attack Christianity and promote atheism.

As Pullman said in a 1998 article in The Guardian: "[Lewis] didn't like women in general, or sexuality at all, at least at the stage in his life when he wrote the 'Narnia' books. He was frightened and appalled at the notion of wanting to grow up. Susan, who did want to grow up, and who might have been the most interesting character in the whole cycle if she'd been allowed to, is a Cinderella in a story where the ugly sisters win."

Miesel: That nasty quote is factually wrong on both points. Lewis began corresponding with his future wife in 1950, the year the first "Narnia" book came out, and married her in 1956, the year the last one was published. Susan's problem isn't "growing up," but turning silly and conceited. She doesn't even appear -- much less get sent to hell -- in "The Last Battle."

Vere: Thus what we see here is more contrast and corruption than comparison. Also, the work of Tolkien, Lewis and Rowling is primarily driven by the audience. It is the average reader who purchases these works, reads them, and makes them popular.

Pullman's work, on the other hand, appears to be driven by the critics. The only people I know recommending Pullman's work are English majors and university professors. I don't know a single electrician, hairdresser or accountant who recommends Pullman's work by word of mouth. Thus the books haven't resonated with the average person to the same degree as "Lord of the Rings," "Narnia" and "Harry Potter."

Q: Nicole Kidman, a Catholic who stars in the film, has said she wouldn't have taken the role if she thought the movie was anti-Catholic. What do you make of this response?

Vere: The film has not yet been released, so I cannot comment on it. However, Christ asks very pointedly in the Gospels: Can a good tree bear rotten fruit? The movie is the fruit of the books and Pullman's imagination. These are anti-Christian and atheistic at their core. How does one sanitize this from the movie without completely gutting Pullman from his story?

During an interview with Hollywood screenwriter Barbara Nicolosi a couple of months ago, I asked her whether it was possible to tone down the anti-Christian elements for the movie. Nicolosi is the chair of Act One, a training and mentoring organization for Christians starting out in Hollywood.

She had given the question thought. A few years ago one of her friends -- an evangelical Christian -- had been asked by her agent to pitch on the project, that is, propose to write the screenplay adapting "The Golden Compass" to film.

"We read [the book] and there was just no way we could come in on this," Nicolosi told me. "Pullman's fantasy universe is nihilistic and rooted in chaos. You cannot fix that in a rewrite without changing the story Pullman is trying to tell -- which is atheistic, angry and at times polemical."

But let's suppose it is possible. Let's suppose Kidman is right and that the movie has been sanitized of its anti-Catholicism. The books remain saturated with bitter anti-Christian polemic. So why promote a movie that will only generate interest in the books among impressionable young children?

For the Christian parent, the movie cannot be anything but spiritual poison to their children -- for the movie is the fruit of the book."

The History Channel always has cool shows and I thought Id check their site for Thanksgiving trivia so..here it is...

In the life of me...

I thought I should update this and what better way to update then to tell you about my life which isnt very exciting...yeah.

Well, Ive had several tests recently and with Christmas break soon upon us, the stress factor is most certainly setting in. I was just telling my friend, Amanda, how I deal with the stress. Ive been taking step dancing all semester and ive found that Im not stressed at all during the classes. Because of this discovery, whenever I get stressed while Im studying or something, I get up and start step dancing. It actually helps a lot. It might look weird if someone looked in my window though. Looks like Im just hopping, which was the purpose historically I suppose....