*Coughcoughsniffleblargh*
On Monday morning I woke up with a very bad sore throat and body ache. I immediately thought that it wasn't the flu--I had flu in November, and a cold last month, and this was a much worse sore throat, not accompanied by post-nasal drip. I saw the doctor Tuesday morning, she instantly diagnosed strep throat, did a throat culture (which I never heard the results of), prescribed amoxicillin and suggested a pain reliever/fever reducer as well.
Wednesday, the sore throat started to go away, but I started to have a hacking, dry cough, and by that evening my nose was running as well. Today I have a horrible cough, insistently congested nose, and on-and-off mild fever. I know it's not exactly the worst illness ever, but it's weird because I was really sure I didn't have flu and now it looks an awful lot like flu, except that it's progressing much more slowly than most flus I've had. I mean, not getting a stuffy nose until three days in?
On Tuesday evening, my 86-year-old grandmother fell and broke her hip. She's had surgery, and seems to be recovering ok, but I'm having trouble getting any more information than that out of my parents. My mom actually admitted that she and my grandfather had never spoken to the surgeon--which indicates to me how upset they are by this situation. They must be really worried if they're not up front demanding answers.
To top it off, on Wednesday evening, my husband got into a minor fender-bender in my car. And I have comprehensive exams in six weeks.
It's all pretty minor, everyday stuff in the long run, but it's combining to stress me out. Prayers would be much appreciated.
12 February 2009
Musicology Quotes Part 15 (or thereabouts)
"The rondeau: the earliest-known 'green' musical form!"
On the excesses of postmodernist musical pluralism:
"It's like the bad school cafeteria, where chicken, bell pepper, onion, and rice can become Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Hawaiian, or Indian food just by adding one more ingredient."
"The rondeau: the earliest-known 'green' musical form!"
On the excesses of postmodernist musical pluralism:
"It's like the bad school cafeteria, where chicken, bell pepper, onion, and rice can become Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Hawaiian, or Indian food just by adding one more ingredient."
30 January 2009
Society for Catholic Liturgy Conference
I'm here in Omaha, freezing in the 1 inch of snow (L.A. has made me wimpy), sniffling because I have a cold, and rejoicing because I went to my first FSSP High Mass (complete with FSSP seminary choristers), heard awesome presentations today, and am having dinner with Fr. Rob Johansen this evening, among others. Fr. Johansen has been very kind, giving me rides back to the hotel from St. Cecilia Cathedral, because I am without a car (it's only a mile, so I could walk, but it's cold and I have a cold...so I bum a ride). He also gave a thought-provoking presentation on the liturgy as inspiration to cultural phenomena, taking the Dies Irae as his primary example.
I am cold, I have a cold, and I wish my husband were here with me because I know how much he'd enjoy it. Still, I am enjoying myself immensely. I have to go now, because I'm going to spend a little time revising my presentation for tomorrow, but I hope to have time to give a full report on the conference later. Unfortunately I forgot my camera, so there won't be pictures. I wish you could all be here--it is wonderful!
I'm here in Omaha, freezing in the 1 inch of snow (L.A. has made me wimpy), sniffling because I have a cold, and rejoicing because I went to my first FSSP High Mass (complete with FSSP seminary choristers), heard awesome presentations today, and am having dinner with Fr. Rob Johansen this evening, among others. Fr. Johansen has been very kind, giving me rides back to the hotel from St. Cecilia Cathedral, because I am without a car (it's only a mile, so I could walk, but it's cold and I have a cold...so I bum a ride). He also gave a thought-provoking presentation on the liturgy as inspiration to cultural phenomena, taking the Dies Irae as his primary example.
I am cold, I have a cold, and I wish my husband were here with me because I know how much he'd enjoy it. Still, I am enjoying myself immensely. I have to go now, because I'm going to spend a little time revising my presentation for tomorrow, but I hope to have time to give a full report on the conference later. Unfortunately I forgot my camera, so there won't be pictures. I wish you could all be here--it is wonderful!
20 January 2009
Prayer Request
Please pray for K., who has been struggling with emotional and mental health issues for over a year now, and to cap it all off has now lost her job. She has great trust and confidence in the Lord, but her faith is definitely being tested. Pray that she will have fortitude, patience, and above all, joy.
Please also pray for Bernard, the father of a friend of mine, who had a massive heart attack on December 23 and is still in the ICU, and for his family who are very worried about him.
Please pray for K., who has been struggling with emotional and mental health issues for over a year now, and to cap it all off has now lost her job. She has great trust and confidence in the Lord, but her faith is definitely being tested. Pray that she will have fortitude, patience, and above all, joy.
Please also pray for Bernard, the father of a friend of mine, who had a massive heart attack on December 23 and is still in the ICU, and for his family who are very worried about him.
28 December 2008
Family and Children
Today is the feast of the Holy Family. Jesus, Mary and Joseph provide the model for all family life--a loving mother and father, a holy and obedient child. This model of family life is under attack in modern times in a way it never was in the past, from parents who neglect or abandon their children, from children who do not honor their parents or care for them in their old age, from people who think that children do not need both a mother and a father, from married couples who decide never to have children, and from society in general that does not value or support true childhood, motherhood, or fatherhood.
In the light (or darkness) of the recent election, and the looming threat of the Freedom of Choice Act, it seems somehow appropriate that the feast of the Holy Family should fall on December 28th this year, a day on which we usually remember the innocent baby boys that were slaughtered on Herod's orders: the Holy Innocents.
This year, because today is a Sunday, the blood of the Holy Innocents is, as it were, washed away by the Holy Family. This can happen in real life, too. Only if we as a society truly esteem and celebrate family life can we ensure that the slaughter of millions of modern innocents in hospitals and abortion clinics around the world will cease. When I was younger, I used to joke about the feast with which I share my birthday, saying that it was a good day to be born a girl, since all the Holy Innocents were boys and Herod's minions would not have come after me. But today's massacre knows no sex--boys and girls alike are killed in their mothers wombs, and in some countries, many more girls than boys fall victim. I don't joke about it anymore. Rather, because of the day on which I was born, I feel a special call to pray for an end to the needless deaths of innocent children. There are many other people who ought to have been turning 24 today, just like me, but who never had a birthday because their mothers thought abortion was the only way out of a difficult situation.
Pray with me. Pray for the intercession of the Holy Family. Jesus, have mercy on us. Mary and Joseph, pray for us.
Today is the feast of the Holy Family. Jesus, Mary and Joseph provide the model for all family life--a loving mother and father, a holy and obedient child. This model of family life is under attack in modern times in a way it never was in the past, from parents who neglect or abandon their children, from children who do not honor their parents or care for them in their old age, from people who think that children do not need both a mother and a father, from married couples who decide never to have children, and from society in general that does not value or support true childhood, motherhood, or fatherhood.
In the light (or darkness) of the recent election, and the looming threat of the Freedom of Choice Act, it seems somehow appropriate that the feast of the Holy Family should fall on December 28th this year, a day on which we usually remember the innocent baby boys that were slaughtered on Herod's orders: the Holy Innocents.
This year, because today is a Sunday, the blood of the Holy Innocents is, as it were, washed away by the Holy Family. This can happen in real life, too. Only if we as a society truly esteem and celebrate family life can we ensure that the slaughter of millions of modern innocents in hospitals and abortion clinics around the world will cease. When I was younger, I used to joke about the feast with which I share my birthday, saying that it was a good day to be born a girl, since all the Holy Innocents were boys and Herod's minions would not have come after me. But today's massacre knows no sex--boys and girls alike are killed in their mothers wombs, and in some countries, many more girls than boys fall victim. I don't joke about it anymore. Rather, because of the day on which I was born, I feel a special call to pray for an end to the needless deaths of innocent children. There are many other people who ought to have been turning 24 today, just like me, but who never had a birthday because their mothers thought abortion was the only way out of a difficult situation.
Pray with me. Pray for the intercession of the Holy Family. Jesus, have mercy on us. Mary and Joseph, pray for us.
26 December 2008
22 December 2008
Rosary-making Query
Are there any rosary makers out there? If so, I have a question for you. How would you construct a rosary that didn't cost more than $40 in components, didn't take a glacial age or tons of experience to make, looked elegant, and was either virtually indestructible or really easy to repair?
My husband is very tough on his rosaries, and has broken every one he's owned with the exception of plastic ones (which don't look very nice) or nylon cord (slightly better, but still not as nice as glass or gemstone beads). Rosaries made of beads and chain links fall apart, and I find them very difficult to repair--and the repair jobs never last long. The only really nice rosaries I've found for sale that seem durable and elegant cost much more than I could reasonably spend.
I don't want him to have to be forever buying new rosaries, or be relegated only to the plastic kind that little kids use. I'd like to try my hand at making a rosary for him that I could repair or that wouldn't fall apart in the first place. I know where to get components--I've sourced beads and medals and crucifixes that are elegant and with in my price range, so no advice on that, please. I want advice on methods of construction. Chain takes up huge amounts of time, and as I've said, we haven't had good luck with that. I've looked into flexible wire and nylon string--I think the feel of beads on nylon string would be nicer, but I'm willing to try wire if that's the only option. Do you have experience with these? Are they durable? How do they feel under the fingers?
Are there any rosary makers out there? If so, I have a question for you. How would you construct a rosary that didn't cost more than $40 in components, didn't take a glacial age or tons of experience to make, looked elegant, and was either virtually indestructible or really easy to repair?
My husband is very tough on his rosaries, and has broken every one he's owned with the exception of plastic ones (which don't look very nice) or nylon cord (slightly better, but still not as nice as glass or gemstone beads). Rosaries made of beads and chain links fall apart, and I find them very difficult to repair--and the repair jobs never last long. The only really nice rosaries I've found for sale that seem durable and elegant cost much more than I could reasonably spend.
I don't want him to have to be forever buying new rosaries, or be relegated only to the plastic kind that little kids use. I'd like to try my hand at making a rosary for him that I could repair or that wouldn't fall apart in the first place. I know where to get components--I've sourced beads and medals and crucifixes that are elegant and with in my price range, so no advice on that, please. I want advice on methods of construction. Chain takes up huge amounts of time, and as I've said, we haven't had good luck with that. I've looked into flexible wire and nylon string--I think the feel of beads on nylon string would be nicer, but I'm willing to try wire if that's the only option. Do you have experience with these? Are they durable? How do they feel under the fingers?
11 December 2008
Vespers
If any of our readers are in the Los Angeles area, make a trip to St. Victor's in West Hollywood between December 15th and December 23rd. We are having a novena before Christmas of sung Vespers with Benediction. It will begin at 8pm every night except for Mondays, when Mass begins at 7:45 with the novena following. It promises to be pretty good, so please come!
If any of our readers are in the Los Angeles area, make a trip to St. Victor's in West Hollywood between December 15th and December 23rd. We are having a novena before Christmas of sung Vespers with Benediction. It will begin at 8pm every night except for Mondays, when Mass begins at 7:45 with the novena following. It promises to be pretty good, so please come!
23 November 2008
Band Meme
Via The Shrine and Zadok
1. Band Name: Random Wikipeda Link
2. Album Title: Random quote generator (take the last four words from the first quote
on the page)
3. Album Art: Flickr Interesting Photo (pick one)
Like Zadok, I chose to do two. My skill in adding text to photos is very limited, so it's the same format both times, and I couldn't get them to be the right shape.
I think that "Prisoner of Love" write very sweet, sentimental ballads and no one is quite sure whether they are sincere or ironic. "1824 in Australia" must be a folk group; their new album has a "work" theme. They gave in to the cliché of including the important but overdone song "No Irish Need Apply" (it's track 6).
Via The Shrine and Zadok
1. Band Name: Random Wikipeda Link
2. Album Title: Random quote generator (take the last four words from the first quote
on the page)
3. Album Art: Flickr Interesting Photo (pick one)
Like Zadok, I chose to do two. My skill in adding text to photos is very limited, so it's the same format both times, and I couldn't get them to be the right shape.
I think that "Prisoner of Love" write very sweet, sentimental ballads and no one is quite sure whether they are sincere or ironic. "1824 in Australia" must be a folk group; their new album has a "work" theme. They gave in to the cliché of including the important but overdone song "No Irish Need Apply" (it's track 6).
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