It’s posts like the following, written a few years ago, that make me realize that I really have mellowed out quite a bit in the last few years. Enjoy it if you can! Sheesh. I divorce thee, I divorce thee, I divorce thee People who let their children believe in Santa are setting them up for a jaded, psychoanalyst-ridden adulthood of mistrust and paranoia. People who don’t let their kids believe in Santa are depriving the little ones... Read more
Today I am 36. Yesterday I found a gray hair, and a piece of my tooth fell off. A little piece, but still. Then my dear friend, the lovely, fecund, and irrepressible Justine Schmiesing sent me this: And now I feel better. (Also, my husband woke up early and took the kids to school even though it wasn’t his turn, and he got me lots of presents with receipts, and we’re watching Dumbo for home school today, and we’re going... Read more
Someday, I’ll write a post for which that would be an appropriate title. In the meantime, here’s a moderately interesting question: how much can you tell about a person by studying his face? Can you tell if he’s basically decent or not? Does it make a difference if it’s a photo or in person? Have you ever been terribly wrong? I saw this picture of the Pope and thought to myself, “That there is the main reason people don’t like... Read more
Me too! Take a load off for a minute and cut out some virtual snow flakes. Oh, what fun – WordPress won’t let me make a link! Here’s the address: http://snowdays.popularfront.com/ Read more
Sorry this is so long. I didn’t have time to write anything shorter. Seven Quick Takes: Seven Really Good Books for Young Adults When I was in high school, everything we read had to be about either the Holocaust, or suicide, or both. An exception could be made for books about racism, provided several lynchings were described in technicolor. Then, after we finished our assigned reading for the year, the school board would hold a workshop on what to do... Read more
Ha. Never mind the talk about sex, gin, or condoms — I really ruffled some feathers when I allowed my violent distaste for “The Little Drummer Boy” to spill over into the public realm. Well, I stand by my words. It’s just a dumb, dumb song, and I don’t like it. Harumph all you want. Okay, that was kind of a stretch. My point is that, despite my entirely justifiable disdain, I can understand why you would like “The Little... Read more
Some time ago, an online discussion of NFP took an interesting turn. I remember it especially because I got off a pretty good zinger (and that’s what we Catholic bloggers do to advance the kingdom of God: we zing people). The Other Guy’s argument went like this: Sure, sure, the Church permits NFP to space out pregnancies in serious circumstances. Because we are a stiff-necked people, she even turns her head while we stretch the definition of “serious.” But really,... Read more
I was standing there, rummaging through the turkeys. For some reason, I was convinced that it was really important to find a 21-pound turkey instead of the 2o-pound one I already had. As I rummaged, a guy on the other side of the freezer started chatting. We talked about this and that — how many guests we were having, what kind of stuffing we like, and so on. We discussed various methods for thawing a frozen turkey. I said, “Ha... Read more
I can’t quite bring myself to thank Melanie Bettenelli for bringing the following video to my attention. In no particular order, my thoughts: 1. This song should be taken out and shot. 2. Oh boy, Shane McGowan! Show us your teeth! Show us your teeth! 3. Who are The Priests, now? 4. I don’t understand people who (apprently) say things like “Catholic priests shouldn’t be associating with that guy — he’s a perv and a drug addict.” Hey, ever heard... Read more
Guess what? I’m fat. About seven permanent pounds for each kid. I usually manage to lose some between pregnancies, but after baby #8 was born, I just kept gaining. My husband thinks I’m beautiful, but I don’t. I hate wearing special sizes with labels like “Curvy Coordinates!” “Luscious Lady Plus!” “Gee, Your Ass Looks Enormous!” Being fat feels bad, but knowing I’m still gaining feels horrible. The real misery is in feeling like I had no control. Many and many... Read more
I Have to Sit Down
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