— 1 —

It happens every year.  The Catholic New Media Conference is coming up in 12 short days and as the main organizer it has really captivated my time.  So much so that this is the only blogging I’ve done in weeks.  It’s going to be a great event, but I’m looking forward to the after-party!

 

 

— 2 —

I miss the Olympics!  The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, but mostly the personal stories of people who work extremely hard, set lofty goals, take great risks, and don’t expect others to hand them a medal they didn’t earn.

I know that many of them are not particularly good role models, and some are ridiculously narcissistic, but how can you not love the unknown athlete from a country you’ve never visited, who is there just for the joy of competing and having a few minutes on the world stage.

 

— 3 —

Speaking of the Olympics, I was very pleased and surprised by the outward show of faith by many of the athletes.  In a world that increasingly shoves secularism at people, hearing so many people give credit to God for the talents, is comforting.

I hope I don’t forget the image of Ethiopian athlete Meseret Defar as she won the gold medal in the Women’s 5000 meter race.  Read about it here and see the fantastic photo as  Meseret, a devout Orthodox Christian, pulls a picture of the Blessed Mother from where she’d pinned it next to her heart.

— 4 —

Thank God for people who make me laugh!  My friend Jim always seems to pop up at the right time.  He knows I’ve been feeling stressed out lately, so he’s always around for a beer  when I’m ready to snap.  He’s got the cutest family too, which is always a fun diversion from the normal drudgery.

Let’s not forget Maria, who’s own 7 Takes Friday post, has had me thinking about red staplers all morning.

 

 

 

 

— 5 —

Monday was Left-Handers Day.  Yep, I’m a lefty, a southpaw, or “Kerr-handed” as my grandfather used to say.   Haven’t heard about the Kerr clan in Scotland?  Tradition states that so many of them were left-handed that they had a serious advantage in battle.  Some of their castles were built with spiral staircases going in the opposite-from-normal direction to make it harder for their right-handed foes.

I rather like being left-handed.  I’m the only one in my family for a couple of generations at least.  I’m actually mix-handed, doing some things with one hand and some with the other. Scissors have never been a problem for me, for example, and I can use hammers and screwdrivers in either hand, but damn those spiral notebooks!

— 6 —

For the Feast of the Assumption on Wednesday, I attended the 9am Mass at my parish.  As school has just started, it was also the first all-school Mass for the parish school.

I really enjoyed watching the various classes come into the Church.  The teachers patiently helped the younger ones find their places, but also firmly encouraged them to properly genuflect and cross themselves.

The Kindergartners were a little shell-shocked as this was their first time at a school Mass. Luckily, each was in the care of an 8th-grader who steered them from place to place and demonstrated the proper postures and gestures with the nonchalance and aplomb that only they can muster.

— 7 —

 Lastly, I recently found my old copy of “1984” by George Orwell.  I haven’t read it for decades, and given the world today it seems a whole lot scarier than I remember.  It is not a fun read.  I may go in search of something more soothing.  At least until the CNMC is over!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!