Hello world!

Behold!  My first post in my new digs, written entirely in the English language!  I look forward, not only to seeing lots of my old friends, but also to chatting with new ones!

Who am I?, you may ask.  Name’s Shea.  Mark Shea.  I’m a writer, speaker, occasional talking head on radio and TV, and general raconteur (an impressive French word for “yakker”).  My general interest is in looking at life from the perspective of a lay Catholic.  I am *not* an academic and have never pretended to be one.  Other areas of incompetence include sports, economics, and cooking.  Also, I’m not a pastor or moral theologian and won’t be much help in counseling you on how to deal with personal, relational, psychological, or spiritual troubles (though I will be happy to pray for you).  I’m married, have four sons (one of whom is married and has a daughter who is *way* cuter than your granddaughter, though I can see how readers blinded by familial prejudice may not grasp this objective fact).

My loves include God, theology, going to Mass, the fambly, G.K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Washington State (my home and native land), the seasons, J.S. Bach, Pat Metheny, learning about new things, the smell of the autumn air coming in through my window right now, acting (when I get the chance), crafting a good sentence now and then, A Prairie Home Companion, sci fi/fantasy nerdiness, the work of Michael Flynn, Gerard Manley Hopkins and Shakespeare, Joss Whedon, fishing, terrible puns, black humor, dry humor, camping in our Hidden Island Redoubt, singing, chocolate, Christmas, Easter Vigil, Sundays, babies, bike riding, accomplished magicians, dear and beloved friends, summer evenings in Western Washington (than which there is nothing on this earth more beautiful), hard work and giddy play, the smell of salt water, travel, the people of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, England, and my mother’s native land, Canada.  There are other things as well, but this seems like a good conversation starter.  So tell me:  what do you love?