Resolved: The blue streak ends right here I have got to stop swearing, dagnabbit. Somewhere along the line, my occasional salty language devolved into full-blown potty mouth. And I guess I’m feeling what some preachers might call “convicted.” This recent compulsion to clean up my verbal act started at the Wal-Mart in Orem, Utah. Ah, Wal-Mart! The great equalizer. It brings together a cross-section of Americans all sharing a certain passion for bargains, be they foodstuffs or sweat shirts, floor... Read more

Do allegations against author negate a great book? Do evil deeds categorically undo all the good stuff? It’s a question I’ve been hashing over since reading — to my absolute horror — a July 1 report in the New York Times about the author of what has fast become one of my favorite books: Father Joe, The Man Who Saved My Soul. A few months back, I gave British satirist Tony Hendra’s surprisingly stirring spiritual memoir of his 40-year friendship... Read more

When to show up at parties and other life tips a.k.a. Auntie Cathi’s Guide to Life (Abridged) Dear Fiona, Welcome to the human race. When I was in the maternity ward the other day, I noticed that you didn’t have a whole lot with you, apart from the pile of nappies. So I thought you might appreciate a little advice. A few operating instructions until you figure some of this stuff out on your own. Think of it as an... Read more

Christian comic summit drawn into debate on faith Pretty much everything I know about comic book conventions I’ve learned from “Chasing Amy.” So I was fairly stunned to encounter a deep, theological discussion about the nature of faith and culture at my very first visit to a comic “summit.” To be fair, it was the inaugural Christian Comic Creators Summit, a gathering of 14 comic book authors and artists in a lounge at Judson College in Elgin. Not exactly the... Read more

Is your sole saved? Lincoln Park spa can help There’s something terribly humbling about having anyone, particularly a stranger, wash my feet. Humbling for me, I mean, not the other person dealing with my rough soles, sandal scars, and that especially funky little toe next to the pinky on my left foot. I’m guessing humbled was not quite the desired effect purveyors of the swanky new Lincoln Park spa/boutique/yoga studio Ame: A Sanctuary for Your Senses were going for. In... Read more

Denying Catholics communion ‘is the last straw’ The quality of their outrage is different from anything I’ve heard before, even during the darkest days of the most recent clergy sex abuse scandal. “They’re using communion as a weapon,” the angry, frustrated voices of the Roman Catholic faithful — and the not-so-faithful — have been telling me with increasing fervor in recent weeks. “How can they do this?” “Why would they do this?” “This is the last straw,” they say. Several... Read more

What’s on the summer reading list this year? So you’ve already chosen swim togs to flatter your hard-won, beach-ready figure after hours at the gym and a spring full of salads and fat-freeness. The beach towel and flip-flops have been rescued from hibernation. And the pop anthems for the summer of 2004 are already working their way into your subconscious. We the big town stumpas, and and big sound pumpas, the beat bump bumpas in your trunk trunkas . .... Read more

Respect and gratitude start in the bathroom A bad dye job is an opportunity to attain enlightenment. My bathroom is a sacred space. Visualization can make the politically induced screaming go away. And, as I had suspected all along, shoes are sacred. These are a few of the things I gleaned from the deep well of Buddhist wisdom this week. It started with a little toilet ghasso. Stop sniggering, children. Ghasso is a Japanese Buddhist term for the act of... Read more

It’s only rock ‘n’ roll, but clergy like it It’s hard to imagine a group of teenagers sitting around listening to a Blink 182 or N.E.R.D. album — liner notes in one hand, Bible in the other — trying to pick out lyrics that quote Scripture or allude to spiritual truths. “When Pharrell sings, ‘She makes me think of lightning in skies — Her name, She’s sexy!!/ How else is God supposed to write — Her name, She’s sexy!!’ do... Read more

Getting religion at work — a guide Seven spiritually edifying things you can do while simultaneously eating a frozen Lean Cuisine, surfing the Internet, and ignoring the blaring cell phone for a few minutes — all without leaving the comfort of your work station: 1) Go to church. No, really. Last week, the Methodist Church of Great Britain launched an online sanctuary called Church of Fools. It’s an offshoot of the online Christian humor magazine Ship of Fools. At the... Read more