A new Simon’s Cat is out! I really enjoy these and I hope you do to.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z6YUGGlwtA]
Month: May 2012
Where did the week go?
Does this happen to you? Do you get to the end of the week and wonder where it went?
I’m not much of a blogger obviously, so I’m going to resist the shame of having two consecutive posts called “7 Quick Takes.” So, pretend that this is something else. (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)
A.
I have a boarder. My “godson” Alex is staying with me for a few months as he transitions into the next phase of his life. He’s not technically my godson, but I did sponsor him when he joined the Church five years ago. It’s fun having him here and he’s promised to do all the mowing. Deal!
B.
The mail just arrived with an invitation to the priestly ordination of one of my former students from the Univ. of Tulsa Newman Center. Rev. Mr. John Grant will be ordained on June 30th by Bishop Edward Slattery at Tulsa’s Holy Family Cathedral. You should check out his website: frjohngrant.com. His “wishlist” on Amazon.com is also interesting! Just what do you get a newly ordained priest?
This is very exciting and I hope to go. He’s going to be such a blessed asset for our diocese. Unfortunately, it’s also the wedding day in Denver for a very close friend. I’m conflicted.
C.
I recently re-committed to an hour each week at our perpetual adoration chapel. Tuesday morning at 1am. I’m finding it difficult to adjust to this new timeslot. A few years ago, I had a 4am Thursday morning slot, which I found much easier to manage from a sleep perspective.
This week, rather than taking a nap beforehand, I just stayed up for it. It worked out much better and I was more focused and alert.
I like having this commitment and would encourage anyone to give it some consideration.
D.
I’ve signed up for a retreat. I’ve worked many, many retreats for college students, but this is the first personal one for so long that I can’t remember the last one. It’s a two day drive to get there, but I’ve never been one to turn down a roadtrip. Besides, I’m a proponent of having time before and after retreats as transition periods.
E.
I had the best time last Sunday afternoon. For Mother’s Day, another “godson”, if I can still use that term, asked me to take some photos of his wife and kids at Tulsa’s Woodward Park. The kids were great, so darn cute, and I really like spending time with them. I’m definitely not a professional photographer, but I do think some of the shots came out well. I really need to practice more with my camera.
F.
Most of the week’s work was focused on the upcoming Catholic New Media Conference. We announced the speakers for the International Catholic Bloggers’ Summit, which is the theme for the final day of the 3-day conference. It’s going to be great fun and so many good things are happening with it. Another big announcement is coming, so keep an eye out for it.
G.
I rediscovered the blog of another former Newman Center student. Her name is Sarah and she’s got a great sense of humor and a quick wit. If you like perusing other people’s blogs, check out Just a Brown-Eyed Girl.
That’s it! I’ll really try to find something interesting to write about next week. Heaven forbid that I have to resort to politics. We both really don’t want that to happen!
7 Quick Takes Friday
Uno – Sunsets & Super Moon
I spent last Saturday evening on the east side of Grand Lake in NE Oklahoma. For 60 years my family has had a cabin on the west side of the same lake, and for some unknown reason, I’ve never spent much time on the east side. Grand Lake is a very large lake (~65 miles long and 1-2 miles wide), so getting from one side to the other is quite a drive since there are no convenient bridges.
So this was a treat! No only did I get to spend time with some old and dear friends, but I got to see a sunset on the lake (hard to do on the west side, but you get awesome sunrises). It was also the night of the “super moon”, which was cool. Here are some shots:
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Dos – Closing Down McNellie’s Pub House
Sunday evening was a bit of a first. I attended Mass at the Univ. of Tulsa Newman Center, where I was campus minister for more than 8 years. As often happens, I ran into several of my former students. It was decided that we would go out to Tulsa’s McNellie’s Pub House for a late night dinner. We ended up with two tables of people, including two priests, various alumni and students. It was a very nice time, but we ended up being the last group to leave, a bit past closing time and the staff ready to flee. Felt like college again!
Tres – Hazing
I saw this story on ESPN.com this morning which concerns the terrible hazing incidents within the band at Florida A&M University. I spent many years as a member of the Kappa Kappa Psi band fraternity and worked as an officer of their national leadership. Hazing has always been a big topic of concern and many resources have been focused on it to do all that can be done to stamp it out. Even after so many years, I still have trouble understanding why it seems so pervasive and so hard to eradicate.
I agree wholeheartedly with the suggestion that the band remain off the field for the foreseeable future. I think the only remedy is to completely start from scratch – no current members allowed to participate, all new staff, no revived traditions, and never ever any involvement with former members and alumni. That’s the only hope I see for having a clean organization in the future and preventing any other deaths. Those who are musicians and truly love music and performing music know that hazing has no beneficial part of that. (I know these are supposed to be quick takes, but the soapbox jumped up and bit me.)
Cuatro – Attic
Yesterday I was changing lightbulbs at my aunt’s house. I apparently got a bit overzealous with one of her recessed kitchen lights and managed to push the fixture out of it’s bracket and into the ceiling. This required a trip up into her scary attic – not an easy space for someone as tall as me. I managed to fix things up pretty quickly, but even on a cool overcast day, it was 100+ degrees up there and I came down dripping with sweat. The things we have to do sometimes.
Cinco – Tulsa Drillers
Last night I had the pleasure of attending a Tulsa Drillers baseball game at Oneok Field in downtown Tulsa. This is a gem of a park and I was with a good friend that I hadn’t spent any time with for quite awhile. Perfect night for a game!
Seis – Serenbe
HGTV is giving away a “green” home in Serenbe – a little community outside of Atlanta. I’m not suggesting you join the contest, because I’m going to win it. No, really.
I’ve been to Serenbe a couple of times. There’s a great little cafe/coffeeshop there that has the best cheesy grits. I’m not a fan of grits in general, but these are mighty tasty! I want to win the house just so I’ll have ready access.
Siete – Mowing
I mentioned our cabin on Grand Lake. This weekend I’m faced with one of my most dreaded summer tasks – mowing the lake property. This includes not only the lawn around the cabin, but the 75 yards of steeply pitched unpaved road leading to it. I would dearly love a riding mower for this, but I don’t have one, so this chore becomes a royal CHORE. Another chance to get all sweaty, but with the added benefits of ticks and chiggers.
Hey! If you’re a blogger, podcaster, webmaster, etc. and involved with Catholic media, you should check out this summer’s Catholic New Media Conference. Hope to see you there!
Cease the pulling, then!
“It is impossible to be just to the Catholic Church. The moment men cease to pull against it they feel a tug towards it. The moment they cease to shout it down they begin to listen to it with pleasure. The moment they try to be fair to it they begin to be fond of it. But when that affection has passed a certain point it begins to take on the tragic and menacing grandeur of a great love affair.” – G. K. Chesterton