Mistress of the Divine

Sara Evans

2006-10-13T23:42:00.000-05:00

I posted a few months ago about going to a Sara Evans concert and how much I admired her - for being a good person and good mom.
And I've posted about my love for Dancing with the Stars and that she was on it this season.
Call me crazy, but when she was voted to continue on the other night on the show and the other woman was knocked off and I saw Sara crying at the end, it struck me as a bit peculiar.
Well, today we know why. She quit the show because of her filing for divorce. Her husband was cheating on her, among other things. You can read the story here.
As being one of my favorite singers, I certainly wish her the best in what will come.

Now that she is off the show, I wonder what they will do...I predict they will bring back the one who was just knocked off.

50 things about me

2006-10-06T21:26:00.000-05:00

In my looking back at past Silly Hily posts from before I started reading her, I saw that she answered a 50 question survey. So since I don't have anything to really talk about today, I figured I would answer the survey. I know some of you don't like these things, but I like finding out things like this about people. And I like sharing. So here ya go:

1. Your name spelled backward:
ynnej

2. Last incoming call on your phone?
Oneida

3. What is the last thing you downloaded onto your computer?
Yahoo Music Jukebox THAT IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY

4. What's your favorite restaurant?
Fast Food: Wendy's
Other: Lalos (a Chicago semi-chain of Mexican restaurants)

5. Last time you swam in a pool?
NEVER

6. Have you ever been in a school play?
No

7. How many kids do you want?
One or two

8. Type of music you dislike most?
Hard-core rap

9. Most embarrassing moment recently?
Can't think of any off hand.

10. Most gratifying moment you can recall?
Just off the top of my head, I would say running the carnivals at the parishes. Even though they were not technically financially successful, the fact that I was able to be in charge of such an undertaking is probably one of the things I am most proud of.

11. Have you ever ridden on a mo-ped?
No

12. Ever made a prank phone call?
Well, let's just say I guess I attempted one once and Harris Bank answered instead! (Molly - ;))

13. Best friends?
Molly

14. Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving?
Um, NO.

15. Furthest place you ever traveled?
Absolutely pathetic but Cincinnati Ohio

16. Do you have a garden?
Well, there are some rose bushes in my backyard but I don't do anything with them.

17. What's your favorite comic strip?
I don't read the comics much anymore, but I tend to look at Dilbert and Love Is...

18. Do you really know all the words to your national anthem?
Yes.

19. Bath or Shower, morning or night?
Usually a shower in the mornings.

20. Best movie(s) you've seen in the past month?
The Illusionist

21. Favorite pizza topping?
Sausage, onions and green peppers

22. Chips or popcorn?
Chips with other food; popcorn alone

23. What color lipstick do you usually wear?
I don't really wear lipstick. But when I do it is usually a dark red/brownish shade

24. Have you ever smoked peanut shells?
I don't even know what that means...so I'm guessing no.

25. Have you ever been in a beauty pageant?
Uh, NO.

26. Orange Juice or apple?
Orange

27. Who were the last people you went out to dinner with?
Annette and Tony

28. Favorite type chocolate bar?
Cadberry Dairy Milk

29. Person with the most dirt to blackmail you?
See #s 12&13 above!

30. Last time you ate a homegrown tomato?
Sometime last summer, from Oneida's garden

31. Ever won a trophy?
No

32. Are you a good cook?
I think I am. I love to cook and can make some pretty decent meals. I have been part of a "small team" that cooks dinners for groups of people and am called on to prepare dinners and receptions.

33. Do you know how to pump your own gas?
Um, yeah! Do some people seriously NOT know how to do this?

34. Do you have a significant other?
No.

35. Sprite or 7-Up?
Diet Sprite.

36. Have you ever had to wear a uniform to work?
No

37.The last thing you bought at Walgreens?
Make-up

38. Ever thrown up in public?
No - not that I can remember

39. Would you prefer being a millionaire or finding true love?
True love

40. Do you believe in love at first sight?
Not really. But it can certainly develop into love from an initial deep attraction.

41. Can ex's be just friends?
I guess they can but I think it's pretty rare.

42. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?
My grandma, of course - ALL SUMMER LONG

43. What is your biggest fear?
Dying alone.

44. What message is on your answering machine?
Pretty normal. My name, leave your message, blah, blah...

45. Where would you like to go right now?
Anywhere but here. How about far away and I'll choose Italy. Or a bit closer to home?...Hobart, IN to visit my friend and her children!

46. What was the name of your first pet?
We had 2 dogs when I was small named Taffy and Coco. They were not technically mine.

47. What kind of back pack do you have, and what's in it?
I do not HAVE a backpack. I did carry a briefcase to and from work everyday until I left the job in August.

48. What do you first look at on the opposite sex?
Eyes

49. What is one thing you are grateful for today?
That I was able to go see a movie.

50. Who is one person you admire?
I think I would have to say Oneida. I say it all the time but she is probably the best person I know. She has a heart of gold that would help anyone. She is faithful, trustworthy, caring and strong. She has faced/faces many difficulties in her life and yet is able to come out on the positive side, while still making others laugh.

The things we do...

2006-10-05T21:46:00.000-05:00

When I wrote about my weekend the other day, I purposely failed to include a part of the story that kind of linked the two events - the Toby concert and the Tony installation.

Before the concert on Saturday, I had a wedding to work at (for those of you who don't know I am also a "wedding coordinator" at a nearby Catholic university). Well they left behind 4 gigantic sprays of flowers for our chapel. Our chapel is not all that big and these flowers kind of were a bit much for the space. So, the thought entered my mind - "tomorrow is Tony's installation - these flowers would make a nice touch at the church." So I preceeded to load 2 of them and their stands into my car to take to the church where I was headed anyway to meet to go to the concert.

Well, I kind of forgot, as I was putting the flowers in my back seat (which was currently occupied with my change of clothes for the concert), that the things the flowers were in also were holding WATER. So before I knew it, it kind of tipped over and spilled water on my change of clothes. I yanked the clothes, threw them in the front seat and finished loading the fragrant flowers.

I pulled away and as I did I bent over to grab my change of clothes to inspect the damage. The shirt - OK. The jacket - the sleeve just a little damp. The jeans - dry, except for saturated right in the crotch area. Perfect.

I can throw them in the dryer when I get to the rectory, I thought. But no, because that would take too long before we have to leave for the concert. So the next best thing crossed my mind.

What did I do? I put my heat on as high as it would go, turned the fan on as fast as it would go and drove all the way to the church holding my jeans with their wet crotch up to the dashboard vent of my car with one hand and driving with the other. Re-positioning my jeans every couple minutes to make sure it all dried. Sweating to death in the process.

But it worked. If our friends only knew the things we go through for them sometimes.

Tagged!

2006-10-03T18:16:00.000-05:00

I have been tagged by Lost a Sock.

So here goes...

Three people who make me laugh
Molly, Oneida, Tony (but the list could go on and on)

Three things I hate
Being accused of something I did not do, knowing that money is being wasted or spent unwisely, PMS (ya got a problem with that?!)

Three things I do not understand
Why Master P lasted so long on Dancing With the Stars last season, injustice and prejudice

Three things I am doing right now
Drinking Diet Pepsi, eating a cookie, listening to the Channel 7 news (Jerry is coming on in a second!!)

Three things I want to do before I die
Travel to Italy, learn how to play the piano, be a pastoral associate in a parish

Three things I am able to do
write poems for people that pick out their traits and personalities, somehow able to usually figure out why a computer won't work, proofread very, very well!

Three words to describe me
dedicated, grounded, misunderstood

Three things I cannot do
Swim, skate, back up straight (hey, that rhymes - I said I can write poems!)

Three things I want to learn
To sing better, play the piano, speak Spanish fluently

Three favorite foods
Soft gooey chocolate chip cookies, cheese enchiladas, big juicy cheeseburgers

Three beverages I drink regularly
Diet Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Diet Pepsi (oh and Crystal Lite Peach Tea)

Three shows I watched as a kid
Cosby Show, Who's the Boss, Mr. Rogers (well kid can be anywhere from, what, 0-18?)

Three people I tag
Silly Hily, Frema, anyone else who wants to! (sorry, I don't read many blogs)

Camera NOT Ready!!!

2006-10-01T18:21:00.000-05:00

Well, I was so excited to post my pictures from my last 2 days events. The Toby and Tony weekend. First of all, I have to say that last night was a ton of fun at the concert. The concert was very good, but for me the real show was walking into and out of the concert. You see, the one person I went with is the same person who was installed as pastor today. To gear himself up for what I am pretty sure was his first ever country concert, he borrowed a pair of cowboy boots. His feet were hurting him before we even got in the car to leave. Walking to and from the parking lot, I just could not look at him walk, I was laughing too hard. I WAS tempted to turn the video on on my camera and record him from behind, and then post it here for everyone to see, but I thought that just might be a bit too cruel. That and it is the story of my life that I always let opportunities pass me by to take pictures to always remember. Like my first Kairos retreat... I have ONE photo from that week.

Anyway, I DID take pictures of Toby and here are a couple of the best.

I also took a couple of videos of parts of a couple of songs. When I figure out You Tube I can show you those too.

So, as you can see, a couple of the pictures here were decent. And we were pretty far back and it was dark.

Now onto today.

I was SO PISSED during the entire Mass because almost every picture I took was too dark or blurry. I adjusted every setting imaginable to try to make it work. Most of the time NOT using the flash worked better than with. And just about every picture is blurry to some degree. SOMEBODY HELP ME who may have some idea what I am doing wrong. This is an excellent camera with up to 8.0 megapixels and 5.0 optical zoom.

Anyway, here are a couple of the best (after lightening them up).

Camera Ready!

2006-09-30T00:58:00.000-05:00

Last week, I got a very early birthday present. A brank spankin' new digital camera. It is the first digital camera I have ever owned. Behind the times? Yes, I am aware of that. But...I am still very excited!

The first time it got any use was last Sunday at my friend Molly's (Lost a Sock) son KJ's 4th birthday bash.

Here he is (with his Auntie Santy) opening a box of Teddy Grahams I bought him (not the only gift!)

Glad he was so pleased with a box of cookies!

And here is my baby, my godson Jack. I can't believe he is 9 months old already!

Isn't he just adorable!!

So all week I have been trying to get used to the camera, because I have 2 big events this weekend to use it for. I am going to yet another Toby Keith concert. (Love his concerts!) And my good friend is being installed as pastor of the parish I used to work previously and am helping out at again.

In trying out all the various, exciting functions on the camera, I decided to take a couple pictures of myself, too. One before my haircut

and one AFTER

the new haircut I just got today. (Please ignore the fact that I decided to try out my camera minus any semblance of makeup!) I kind of like it, but wanted it a bit shorter still. Oh well.

Wish me luck for taking good pics this weekend. I'll share some after the events!

Wake Me Up When September Ends

2006-09-26T22:04:00.000-05:00

This song by Green Day kind of became my summer song. With everything going on with my grandma, I kind of set my sights set on the end of September, thinking/hoping that all this would be over by then.

Well here we are, September 26, and it does not look like it will be over anytime soon. She is still weak, in pain a lot, not walking much (after yet another fall 2 weeks ago), and not eating much at all.

I quit my job at the beginning of August to take care of her. Sometimes I wonder if that was the right thing to do. I always told myself that if the time came, that I would do just what I did. And now, if it were just her being sick and me needing to take care of her, I really don't think I would have a problem with it much at all. But all the other "crap" that comes along with it is what gets to me...the her not wanting to eat/me trying to force her to eat something; the not wanting to try to walk/me forcing her to walk a little so as to not get blood clots, bed sores, etc; the her being depressed all the time and getting mad at ME for being the one trying to get her to do this stuff...I could go on and on.

There are times when I seriously think I may be losing my mind. I feel myself getting so angry at her - not for her not being able to do something, but for the attitude she has about everything and towards me, especially. I find myself physically getting so upset - yelling, wanting to throw things, etc. I guess I am just looking for some re-assurance that I am not a horrible person for feeling this way. I guess a person can only take so much.

Along with that, since quitting the job I had, I look for meaningful things to do to keep me busy, especially things in line with what my background is - working in ministry. I crave this, I think, because I need to feel like I am accomplishing something, something that has immediate results, appreciation, and can somehow make me feel like I still valuable at what I know I can do.

While I am not a stay at home mom, I AM a stay at home caretaker. I feel that the sacrifice, dedication, and choice I made is very similar. So I honestly think that I struggle with many of the same issues. Feeling cooped up, unappreciated, wanting to contribute to the world (not just the laundry room or sickbed), missing the career world and interacting with everyone, and just plain getting fed up at times.

So please, I know some of you stay at home (and working) moms - and others - probably have some words of wisdom to share. So please do...!

Dancing with the Stars begins

2006-09-14T19:28:00.000-05:00

Well the new season of "Dancing With the Stars" is in full force now, with the first week behind us.

Most of the performances were pretty good, no real stand outs I thought. What I am glad about is that one of my favorite singers, Sara Evans, will be back to try again next week after her less than stellar performance on the dancefloor. It wasn't THAT bad, but it wasn't that good either. She got the second to lowest score from the judges. I have to pull for her, even if she wasn't all that great as the show started. Hopefully she will improve.

Other than that, I think that Mario Lopez probably has the best shot at it this season.

And after these first couple of shows I have realized something: that if it were not for his immoral, ridiculous, spawn of Satan, MADE UP show, I would like Jerry Springer, as a person.

2006-09-11T21:37:00.000-05:00

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Fall!

2006-09-08T11:48:00.000-05:00

And we all know that FALL means the beginnings of the TV shows we all know and love. A new blog friend of mine is talking all about her Grey's Anatomy, so I figured I would show my love for "The Office."

When I first saw an episode, I really couldn't get into it. But after I saw "The Forty year Old Virgin" (a pretty gross-at-times, yet extremely funny movie) with Steve Carell - star of "The Office" I got into it. He's the reason I started watching, but the developing relationship between Jim and Pam is what keeps me watching.

And I have a theory about THE KISS they had in the last episode last season. Now I could be completely wrong, and I HOPE I AM, but if I am RIGHT, I need to know I shared it with someone else who can attest to my being right.

Right after they kissed, it looked like Pam said something to Jim with no audio and his mouth dropped open a little. My theory is that she is pregnant with her fiance's baby. Like I said, I hope I'm wrong.

Here is a website with a video of the scene if you want to look at it for yourself, or just to re-live that precious moment again! The kiss is the first YouTube video and the bottom one is a musical montage of scenes of Pam and Jim.

Enjoy - and only 13 days until the new season begins - AND next Thursday they are replaying the final episode from last season, so you can look at that again too!

Tomorrow I will write about another of my favorite shows that I'm obsessed with - Dancing with the Stars!

BACK FROM THE DEAD?????????

2006-09-06T20:31:00.000-05:00

Hi All!

I know that a crazy few of you still check my blog periodically to see if I have blogged at all since last MAY! Well, for those who know me well, it has been quite crazy here since May. Short version: my grandma who raised me was in and out of the hospital several times, has now gotten to the point of needing constant care, I resigned from my job to take care of her, and that is what I am doing. So my blogging fell a little by the wayside.

But I had a day 2 days ago, that in the midst of it, I couldn't help but think: THIS DAY IS SO BLOG WORTHY! So that will be my entry back into blogging - which I hope I can keep up doing.

Monday 7am:
Arrive at Kinkos to buy special paper that I needed to print special things. Was there Sunday too and was charged 18 cents per paper. NOW the man behind the counter wants to charge me 29 cents per paper. Oh no no! I tell him. He said it was different paper than day before. I said, well I asked for same stuff. Thank God my receipt from day before was still in my car (being a messy person works out for once?) and eventually he agreed he was wrong and I was right and he charged me for only 50 sheets at 18 cents rather than the 75 sheets I actually walked away with. (You know if everyone would just agree AT THE BEGINNING that I am right and they are wrong, things would always just be so much easier, ya know?)

Monday 8:43am
Arrive at McDonalds drive thru. Politely let another car who arrived just before me go ahead of me. When I saw the man weighed about 600 POUNDS however I thought, aw shit I'll be waiting in line forever! I placed my order and then sat there for 6 minutes waiting, not for the car right ahead of me to get his order, but the car ahead of HIM. After 6 minutes, I laid on my horn and when the girl came to the first window, I said, "Couldn't that guy pull off to the side and wait? I'm SURE MY order (of ONE Egg McMuffin) is ready?" She said no. I said, OK then just give me a refund. She said, "It's OK, it's ready now." So the car waiting there got their order and drove off, the guy right ahead of me got his and drove off immediately, and then I get right up there. I was handed my Coke (which did NOT have the "easy ice" I asked for) and then the person walked away from the window. When a different guy came to the window, I said, "You guys HAVE to move faster than this!" He asked me if I'd move OFF TO THE SIDE TO WAIT FOR MY ORDER, I said, "I'm not going anywhere!" I said I asked for a refund but was told it was ready. He said, "Is that what you want, a refund?" I said, "No - I want my food." About another minute went by and I finally got it - 10 minutes after placing the order.
A chicken could have laid an egg in the time it took me to get my McMuffin!

Monday 9am:
Arrive at church to do weekly money counting. Cannot get in for 25 minutes because the guy was was supposed to let us in (since it was Labor Day and the office was closed) was not there.

Monday 2:10pm:
Arrive at movie theater to see movie - Talladega Nights. As I am in line for ticket I look up at the board..."Movies Sold Out: Talladega Nights 2:10"

Monday 3:45pm:
Arrive at Officemax to have printing order completed. As I get there they cut the papers - all CROOKED (until I stop her). At first CopyMax person says nothing can be done for me to make up for HER MISTAKE of RUINING most of these. I will not take no for an answer, go to manager and stand with him for AN HOUR as he does his best to straighten out all the cards the other person cut crooked.

Monday 5:30pm:
Arrive home, at least in one piece, but with chest pain from the ANXIETY all day long!

So there! How's that for making up for lost time?

At your request...

2006-05-09T21:23:00.000-05:00

OK, so a few of you wonder what happened to the goING away party of which I spoke last time. So here goes...

Annette, Oneida and I spent a long time setting up the hall on Friday then preparing all the sandwiches, punch and desserts on Sunday morning. We really are an excellent team, I must say!

Well, turns out there was a break down in communication somewhere because whereas the parish administrator asked us to do everything on behalf of the parish, others talked among themselves and turned it into a potluck. Sooooo...there was WAY TOO MUCH FOOD, and there still would have been too much even if we hadn't spent all that time shopping, setting up and fixing it all. So, overall, we weren't even really needed.

But we had fun, nonetheless.

For those of you who read Lost a Sock, you will know she has been doing extremely well on her diet. Me, not so much. Even though I have tried to be more conscious of what I've been eating, it hasn't worked that well. Sometimes I keep track of points, sometimes not. I have not lost any more than like 3 pounds in a month and a half. I really have no one to blame but myself, but I still don't like it. I can't seem to put my finger on what I did so right last time and what I am not doing, or can't bring myself to do, this time.

In a little bit of other news, in less than a month from now, my good friend and former boss will be installed as provincial of the Augustinians of the midwest province. I am looking forward to going to the celebration. I wonder where we'll go afterwards! ;)

Why do I do these things to myself?

2006-05-04T23:55:00.000-05:00

A while back, Oneida, Annette and I got ourselves into organizing/shopping for/setting up for a go-away celebration for a deacon at St. Rita parish. For those of you who know the situation at all, the pastor who had been there that we had problems with is now gone and an administrator is in his place for 6 months. So we agreed to do it.

Well we went shopping for it all today and got I don't know how many hundreds of buns and potato chips. It really is a lot of work for the three of us. It would not be so bad except my biggest problem is the parish hall that it is being held in is a MESS! Paint falling off the walls, dirty, etc. It does look (and smell) better than it did a week ago, but still needs lots of work.

I ask myself why I do these kinds of things to myself not because I do not enjoy it somewhat (I pretty much enjoy ANYTHING I end up doing with Annette and Oneida - we are the Three Musketeers) but I have so many other things going on too. I just ADD TO IT!

Oh well, let's see what happens tomorrow when we decorate for this shindig and then Sunday as we make our assembly line of chicken salad, ham, turkey and roast beef sandwiches.

Rally

2006-05-02T19:17:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was the march and rally for immigrant reform here in downtown Chicago. From when I first heard there was going to be this second one, I knew I wanted to go. While it is certainly not only a Latino issue in the U.S., it largely is all over and especially here in Chicago where so many of them have come. Living in a Hispanic neighborhood and having ministered in Hispanic parishes for many years, I especially wanted to show my support against the overly punitive legislation that is up in Congress right now. I also know of a number of Polish immigrants and Lithuanian immigrants, so I wanted to show my support for them as well.

I was so impressed to see so many people come together for a cause. The streets of downtown Chicago were filled with people. The estimates are anywhere from 400,000 to 700,000. And not one arrest was made. It was very peaceful. I did not walk the entire march route, but took the train downtown and met up with the march there. One of the very first things I saw was the St. Clare Parish banner being held high. I felt proud they were present.

We walked over to the south end of Grant Park where it was just a sea of people. Without really knowing it, I ended up very close to the stage of speakers. Probably only 15 people deep. In the three and half hours I stood there, I moved only a few feet one way or the other there were so many people pressed together. I saw a large number of Mexican flags, Polish flags, Irish flags and flags I don't even know. Of course the flag most present was the American flag.

While I do believe that it is best that everyone from other countries should be properly documented, the problem is that this country makes it so difficult and the system so messed up that it becomes almost impossible for many to acheive legal status. In the meantime, the bill that passed the House wants to make undocumented immigrants felons and throw them in jail. Perhaps the most immoral part of that bill is that it would also criminalize any act of helping an undocumented person. That means that any one of us who would give someone a cup of soup, help them find a job, or give them any other assistance could potentially be imprisoned. What has this country come to?

I do not intend to start a political debate with anyone who disagrees with me. But if you want more information, here is the link to the "Justice for Immigrants" (of the Catholic Church) website where you can also write your congressman to support the other bill in Congress supporting immigrant reform.

Justice for Immigrants

Sorry I left you hanging...HOW could I do that?

2006-04-28T23:58:00.000-05:00

Apparently at least one of my readers was anxious to hear about my day the other day. Believe me, it's not that exciting...

I was asked to be a speaker for Administrative Professionals Day for the Archdiocese. The topic I chose was "transition," namely pastoral transition - when you end up getting a new pastor in a parish. Funny that I chose the topic since I HATE the word transition. But, for those of you who know me, I do not have to spend anytime to tell you that I also ought to be an EXPERT at pastoral transitions, with all of the ones I lived (through) to tell about it.

0; )

It was a good day, people really seemed to enjoy the day and got a lot out of it. So did I. As much other stuff and kinds of work I have ended up doing for the church, my heart lies with being a parish secretary.

Well, that is quite enough for right now.

Sneak preview

2006-04-26T23:50:00.000-05:00

This will be short.

I am extremely tired, should have already been in bed, and I'm in a bad mood.

Tomorrow I will try to blog about the rest of my day earlier, when I gave a talk to a bunch of parish secretaries about their role, especially during pastoral transitions.

But I just want to post really quick this picture

from Molly and the family's visit to Chicago to get Kevin from the airport.
I love my Jack!

Weirdness Part II

2006-04-22T00:54:00.000-05:00

Well, to finish up my 6 weird things about me, I will add these:

4) I have never flown on an airplane. We never took vacations as I was growing up and I have yet to go on a real vacation myself, nor have I had the need to travel anywhere any farther than Ohio in my life. But you better watch out - when I get the opportunity to get to Italy one day before I die I think that will be my travel method of choice!

5) I eat potato chips beginning with the smallest ones on my plate leaving the biggest ones for last. When this started I have no idea. But I do get some very strange sense of gratification doing it this way. And I eat my onion rings the same way - smallest to biggest.

To go along with that, I also enjoy when my potato chips are curled up (ending up looking like a taco shell) rather than the regular shape.

6) Don't know if it's weird or not, but when I go to get my hair done, I could have them shampoo it all day long. I love having my scalp massaged. Not an Herbal Essence thing - it just feels real good.

You know, I started out thinking how hard it would be for me to come up with 6 weird things about me. As I'm just about to finish writing I could think of at least 5 more things I could write about - and probably about 37 others that OTHER people could tell you.

But we'll save that for another day!

Me, Weird? Never.

2006-04-19T22:45:00.000-05:00

Lost a Sock "tagged me" to answer a question going around on the blogs. (Apparently these "survey" things are called "memes.") Who knew?

Anyway, the thing to answer is:

Six weird things about me are...

(And WHY, may I ask did Molly so easily mark me as number one on her list when she thought of weird things about people? Hmm.....)

Anyway, here are 3 of them for today...I will save 3 for another day.

1) I break plastic forks. Not on purpose, just while I'm eating. I have no idea why I can do this so easily but I do. Several times while we used to eat take out lunches at work, somehow I would end up breaking my fork - either in half, or just breaking off one of the tines. I guess I do not realize my own strength. The most ironic thing is at a friend's birthday party last summer, I was in line to get food from the table. At the beginning of the line was the normal stack of plates and napkins and basket with plastic knives and forks. I just reached in for one, looked at it and it already had 2 tines missing. How appropriate for me. Breakage already done!

2) I have the habit of drinking out of other people's cups. Again, not on purpose, but by accident. And again, my tendency to do this was realized where I used to work. Especially at the dances we used to run, or dinners we would do, Annette, Oneida and I would be working together so much. We'd each have our cup of pop and inevitably I would end up picking up and drinking from one of their cups instead.

3) I'm not sure if it could really be considered weird, but I have an incredible eye for accuracy in people's writing. I am an excellent proofreader (for others - not always for myself - so don't be smart and coment that I speled somethnig wrongg). I notice misspellings, missing commas, uneven indentations, and even extra spaces in between words. It really can be quite annoying at times. I remember once seeing an ad in the newspaper for a proofreader...there was a spelling error in it. I was so tempted to write them to tell them. Maybe it was a test to see if people applying for the job would tell them about it.

More "weirdness" to follow soon...

A Little Hodge Podge of My Own

2006-04-14T21:24:00.000-05:00

1) My eye infection seems to have cleared up. I went back to the eye doc yesterday and he says it looks much better. He said I will have a scar from now on however, due to the ulcerated cornea. When I asked him exactly where it was located in my eye, he said just under my eyelid. (AHA - apparently my afore-blogged STY might be the culprit!) He went on to further say that I was lucky because just another millimeter or 2 and I would have had permanent vision damage. Oh thanks for telling me now. But I am very grateful that it turned out that way.

He said I can go back to wearing my contacts, but I have to say I am a bit nervous. I will try tomorrow.

2) I forgot to mention that I went to the Chrism Mass on Tuesday. This is a Mass at the Cathedral each year on Tuesday of Holy Week to celebrate Priesthood, for priests to renew their commitment to ministry, and to bless the oils that will be used throughout the diocese throughout the year for baptisms, confirmations, anointing the sick, etc. The Mass was very good as usual. I love seeing people from throughout the entire diocese gathered.

After the Mass, as I was transfering trains, I emerged from the subway and there in front of me was the brand spanking new ABC7 news studio. It was about 5:10pm, so the 5pm news was going on. The new studio is basically a storefront and you can look in and see them doing the news live. The anchor desk faces the street, so they are looking right at you practically as they do the news. Ron Magers and Sheryl Burton were the anchors.

I looked a little further to right and there he was at the Weather Center - my man Jerry! He was not on the air at the moment, but he was looking in the camera and making faces. A few minutes later, during the commerical, he was standing up and really hamming it up for us onlookers, waving, making faces, and posing for pictures. I waited until he did his weather forecast and I walked away to catch my next train as the sports started. I commented to a woman I passed, "I NEED to get me a camera phone!!"

That's about it for now. Thanks for visiting - come back again real soon!

Maybe it's just me

2006-04-13T00:45:00.000-05:00

After an experience I had today, I need to ask: Does anyone else have the terrible illness that goes something like this:

1) You need to talk to somebody about something or ask them a question which you are dreading.

2) You rehearse in your mind over and over about the best possible way you could say/ask what you need to and it sounds pretty damn good.

3) You FINALLY get up the guts to say the thing/ask the question, after squirming and nervous nailbiting.

4) You hear the words coming out of your mouth and there it is.

5) The person then asks for some clarifying comment or asks YOU a question, or just simply responds.

6) You are left bumbling your words, and all of your rehearsing of a terrific, ARTICULATE speech goes to hell forgetting everything you wanted to say leaving you sounding like a moron who has either gone mute or cannot complete a coherent sentence.

7) You leave the situation kicking yourself and again rehearsing what you SHOULD have said and consider writing it all to the person instead.

Has anyone else ever experienced these symptoms?

I'M BAAAAAACK!

2006-04-09T21:50:00.000-05:00

Well, after such a long hiatus you would think that I would have some horror story to tell you as to why I haven't blogged in so long. Well, here goes...

I've been lazy.

That's it. That's the only reason I can give for why I have neglected this for so long.

But I figure I need to give a summary of what's been going on since we last chatted...

1) I am getting over an eye infection. Ever since my sty and cold of about 3 weeks ago, my left eye had been bothering me periodically. But Wednesday morning it actually woke me up, with the burning and watering. I stupidly went to work, barely able to see right to drive and suffered all day. And evening on the way back home. I really had no right driving in that condition. I had to drive with my window rolled all the way down, holding my left eye open with my left had and driving with the right, wiping my left eye about every 10 seconds.
Went to the eye doctor Thursday and turns out I have a bacterial infection in BOTH, a viral infection in the left, along with an ulcerated cornea. But the doc put some magic drop in my eye while I was in the office and it's felt better ever since. He also gave me a prescription for 2 eyedrops and I nearly passed out when the pharmacist told me the prices $55 for one and $66 for the other. For 2 bottles about the size of my thumbnail. What a sin! But I guess worth my eyesight, huh?

2) I had a dentist's appointment last week. I have too much plaque (even though I brush and floss faithfully) and my gums are receding. And the wannabe dentist dental hygenist that I had suggested I may want to think about braces. My beloved dentist pretty much told her she was wrong.

3) It is now officially Holy Week, with today being Palm Sunday. I am hoping I can really "enter into" the week and get something out of it, since I unfortunately haven't put a whole lot of effort into the rest of Lent. I am so looking forward to Holy Thursday, my favorite night of the year.

4) Since it IS Holy Week, we have been practicing a lot for choir in preparation. I love my choir!

5) Molly has finally come to her senses and agreed with me that going to our 10 year high school reunion is not necessary (or sane).

Well, I think that is all that is going on for now. Hope to talk to you all again real soon!

No Kids, No French Silk, But Laughs and Old People A-Plenty!

2006-03-28T00:16:00.000-06:00

What a fun, fun day I had yesterday!

Molly and I turned in our Christmas presents to each other. Dinner and a show! The dinner was delicious (could have probably been a bit MORE delicious if we weren't both watching our points - boy that French Silk pie was calling our names!) and the show we went to see (two guys - Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood from "Whose Line is it Anyway?" doing improv comedy) was absolutely hilarious!!! This is the 3rd time I've gone to see them, and this was definitely the funniest I think!

More on the show in a moment, first the dinner...

We got to Baker's Square at about 5pm. We were seated in the booth right next to a couple of old ladies. I sat in the booth and Molly went to the bathroom. While she was gone, I detected a specific scent from the aforementioned old ladies. My nose named it as B.O. When Molly came back, I told her I smelled it and we told the waitress we wanted to move. So they put us in the even COLDER part of the restaurant.

Now apparently 5pm is definitely the "early bird" (i.e., senior citizen) dinner crowd time. Because of the very few people in the restaurant, this section also had mainly old people. And I smelled it again. Molly smelled it too - what we labeled not B.O., but just the "old person smell." Anyone else know what I'm talking about? Like the combination of the cheapest perfume covering up other bodily scents. Anyway, after the people near us left, the scent faded and we could eat in peace.

Back to the show...it was great. They are SO QUICK witted and just terrific. Despite some really stupid suggestions made by audience members, and other audience volunteers who were pretty DIM witted, they really made it great.

But overall, I have to say that it was just a terrific day spent together. I don't know if I can remember the last time Molly and I spent so long together, just the two of us. And it was just nice! I love KJ and Jack to death, and without them there, at times felt like something was missing. But I'm glad we could have the day just with one another.

Riding home after the show, Molly put on the CD that I made her for last Christmas, with lots of "friendship" songs, and various other ones, mostly having something to do with the many years we've known each other. And listening to it, while we each ate our 3 point McDonalds ice cream cones I don't know if she noticed, but I became a little more quiet.

I couldn't help but thank God out of gratefulness for the sister I never had.

I always thought you were the best
I guess I always will
I always felt that we were blessed
And I feel that way still
Sometimes we took the hard road
But we always saw it through
If I had only one friend left
I'd want it to be you

(And who besides a good friend would make sure she got you home in time to see the Sopranos!)

Waiting for Sunday

2006-03-24T22:22:00.000-06:00

After watching the first 2 episodes of the new season of Sopranos, I am even more hooked than ever. And I created two more addicts since their last season ended. Molly and Kevin are huge fans now too. In fact she just sent me a terrific link that talks about the last episode and what it may mean for the future. The writing of the show amazes me...you have to watch so carefully, intelligently and with such a keen eye. Nothing, it seems, is in an episode just for the heck of it. Comments characters make, seemingly insignificant actions that take place, even songs that are played in the background or movies a character is watching play some role in the plot. Especially this season, I think. It's almost like trying to solve a mystery, trying to somehow figure out "what will happen next." So we'll see what happens this week!

Also on Sunday, Molly and I are going to see two improv comedians who used to be on "Whose Line is it Anyway." I have seen them in person twice before, and it is sure to be a night full of laughs.

Now to find somewhere to eat before hand that is low on WW points! (In case you have been wondering, I have been doing relatively ok the past couple of days.) Onward dieting soldier.

Let's make St. Joseph the patron saint of dieters!

2006-03-22T17:53:00.000-06:00

This past Sunday, I went to the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii for their annual St. Joseph's Table - an Italian feast filled with every kind of pasta imaginable. So...

This past Monday I decided that on Tuesday I would begin once again on Weight Watchers (WW). I was on it for probably a little over a year, but then gradually let it slip away about a year and half ago. Since then, I have put back about 20 of the 50 pounds I lost.

So on Monday night, knowing what would face me come Tuesday, I decided to make myself a feast of a dinner. And some late night snacks thrown in also.

But since Tuesday, I have done OK. (It's only Wednesday, remember.) It's very difficult because I like food so much. Different foods, eating while watching TV, etc. So it HAS been hard so far. Harder, I think, than when I started last time.

Just wish me luck. Because I am hungry.

Weather, Whether or Not

2006-03-16T18:30:00.000-06:00

Ok, so some of you may think I am obsessed with weather and weathermen. Perhaps.

I AM signed up with NBC Chicago to send me email weather advisories. And considering the weather we have here in Chicago, I thought I would tell give you a sample of the emails I've received in just the past 4 days:

1)Issued at: 8:43 PM CST 3/12/06, expires at: 4:00 AM CST 3/13/06

The NWS Has Issued Tornado Watch 77 In, Effect Until 4 Am Cst Monday For The Following Areas. In Illinois This Watch Includes 10 Counties...

2) Issued at: 12:39 AM CST 3/13/06, expires at: 1:30 AM CST 3/13/06

The NWS in romeoville has issued a

severe thunderstorm warning for: southern cook county in northeast illinois northern lake county in northwest indiana
Until 130 am cst.
At 1234 am cst, national weather service doppler radar indicated a severe thunderstorm located near willow springs, and moving east at 40 mph. This storm is capable of producing damaging winds 60 to 75 mph, which can knock down limbs and power lines, damage weak structures, and push trucks off the highway.

3)Issued at: 9:34 PM CST 3/15/06, expires at: 4:30 AM CST 3/16/06

Winter storm warning in effect from 3 am Thursday to midnight cst Thursday night,
The NWS in chicago has issued a winter storm warning. This warning replaces the snow advisory previously issued for this area.
Snow will spread over northern illinois Thursday morning. Snow, heavy at times, will continue into Thursday evening, with the heaviest snowfall rates expected between noon and 6 pm. Snow accumulations during this time may approach 1 inch per hour.
The snow will taper to flurries Thursday evening. Total snowfall accumulations of 5 to 7 inches are expected across the warning area.
A winter storm warning means significant amounts of snow are expected, resulting in hazardous travel conditions.

4)Issued at: 4:08 AM CST 3/16/06, expires at: 12:15 PM CST 3/16/06

Winter storm warning remains in effect until midnight cst tonight,
A winter storm warning remains in effect until midnight cst tonight.
Snow will develop over north central illinois around sunrise spreading east into portions of the chicago metro area after 9 am. South of interstate 88 and the eisenhower expressway, precipitation will begin as a mix of rain and snow transitioning to all snow early this afternoon. Snow will be heavy at times this afternoon and early evening, tapering to flurries around midnight.
Snowfall accumulations of 4 to 8 inches are possible across the warning area, with the highest amounts expected near the wisconsin border. Slightly lesser accumulations of 3 to 5 inches are expected south of downtown chicago.

5)Issued at: 11:29 AM CST 3/16/06, expires at: 7:30 PM CST 3/16/06

Winter storm warning remains in effect until midnight cst tonight,

The period of heaviest snowfall is expected between 3 pm this afternoon and 7 pm this evening which will produce some hazardous travel conditions during the evening commute. In addition to the snow, gusty northeast winds of 15 to 25 mph may produce some areas of blowing and drifting snow this evening.

6)Issued at: 3:59 PM CST 3/16/06, expires at: 10:30 PM CST 3/16/06

Winter storm warning is cancelled. Snow advisory in effect until 11 pm cst this evening.

Periods of snow can be expected through the evening hours. Snowfall accumulations of 2 to 4 inches are expected across the advisory area by late this evening. The snow should begin to taper off north of interstate 88 shortly after 7 pm, and will taper off across the remainder of the advisory area by late in the evening.

7) Issued at: 6:20 PM CST 3/16/06, expires at: 7:30 PM CST 3/16/06

Snow advisory is cancelled.
The NWS in chicago has cancelled the snow advisory.
Light snow will continue to taper off to flurries this evening as low pressure weakens and pulls away to the east. A combination of dry low level air and temperatures just above freezing has prevented significant accumulation across the area, generally ranging from a trace to 2 inches. Most area roads remain wet due to mild temperatures.

So - we went from tornado watch, to severe thunderstorn warning to snow advisory in a matter of 3 DAYS, and from snow advisory to winter storm WARNING (with 8 inches expected) to "oh, wait a minute, that's not quite accurate, only 2-4 inches", to "wait, we were totally wrong and there will be NO FRICKIN SNOW AT ALL" in 12 hours time!!

And you wonder why I don't like Tom Skilling!

Happy Birthday Jerry Taft!

2006-03-14T22:25:00.000-06:00

As much as he didn't like it, the newscasters on the 6pm news tonight wished Jerry a happy birthday. Well, Kathy Brock wished him a belated birthday because she told him she thought it was yesterday. He said, no, he just had told her it was yesterday so no one would mention it today.

Anyway - they asked him how old he is and he told them - 63! I have to admit I was wondering, because about 2 weeks ago, he mentioned how weird it is to have his oldest daughter be 42 and his youngest 10. I didn't believe it, since I figured him to be only in his early 50s himself. You're lookin good Jerry! And happy birthday! Go play yourself a round of golf - when the weather improves!

On another note, I ended up being sick for most of the weekend, finally coming out of it sometime Sunday morning. I was couchridden all of Friday night and all day Saturday. It DID give me the opportunity, though, to watch the entire 5th season of the Sopranos in preparation for the Season 6 premiere. I have to admit that in a way it was nice to have my grandma take care of me again, for a change. Bringing me hot tea and rubbing my back with Vicks.

Because none of us could hold out - Kevin especially - Molly, Kevin and I decided to watch the Sopranos in our respective houses on Sunday night instead of waiting until Monday. Thank God, too. Because one of the first things one of my fellow money counters said to me on Monday morning was, "Yeah, I see he got shot!" I told her: "It is a DAMN good thing I watched it last night, or I would have just shot YOU for telling me that!"

It definitely WAS a good episode - I jumped when Tony got shot. But I just know he can't die - at least not yet - because, come on, the ratings would drop. Anyway, we'll just have to wait and see what happens. If you do not watch the Sopranos - shame on you!

Woke Up This Morning, Got Myself a Cold

2006-03-11T00:07:00.000-06:00

Well, it is 12:07am, Saturday morning. I've been up since 5am Friday morning. I fell asleep on the couch Thursday night while watching an episode of Home Improvement that I TiVo'ed, after taking a Benedryl (my friend) to try to get rid of my cold symptoms.

My grandma decided it would be good to wake me up at 5am to go into my bed so I could "sleep better." Did I mention I've been NOW UP SINCE 5AM? I guess her intentions were good, but I couldn't fall back asleep after she woke me up. Don'tcha just love it? "Wake up - it's time to go to bed."

Anyway, I woke up with the same sniffles, runny nose and scratchy throat that I fell asleep with. And I'm tired.

I mentioned in yesterday's blog that the Sopranos are beginning their new season on Sunday - after being off for TWENTY ONE months. How crazy is that?? Molly, Kevin and I were supposed to have a Sopranos premiere party - complete with stuffed shells and everything. But she called me the other day to tell me that she forgot her grandpa's birthday is this week and she's got to go to her mom and dad's house Sunday. So, she suggested, that we instead TiVo the Sopranos and I go over there MONDAY night and we watch it. My first response: "I cannot guarantee that I will not watch it Sunday!"

I still can't guarantee it. But I will resist the urge to cheat (unlike Tony Soprano - ironic?). But do you understand the dilemma this puts me in?? I was having enough of a problem knowing we were not even going to watch it at 8pm when it was 'live' but that we would watch it at about 9pm after KJ was asleep. You see, I have this thing about experiencing things 'with' other people. So if everyone else in the country is watching the Sopranos at 8pm, I want to be experiencing that at the same time.

BUT - now... I have to not only NOT watch it Sunday night at all, but also avoid all media and anyone who might talk about it Monday so as not to ruin it! It's supposed to be a great cliffhanger episode with a surprise twist. And while all the world will be discussing it Monday, I cannot only NOT join in, but I also need to stuff my ears and cover my eyes so as not to ruin it for Monday night.

Oh well, at least there will still be stuffed shells waiting!

I got it

2006-03-09T22:56:00.000-06:00

For anyone who read Molly's blog the other day about her cold and the kids' colds, I now have it.

I visited them all on Monday and I am sure that is how I got it. Considering that I spent part of my day carrying KJ around in a laundry basket (pretending I was going to throw him in the washing machine) and MOST of the day holding my sweetie pie

I can understand how I got it. Oh well. Hopefully it won't be so bad.

Sorry that is all I have for now. I am going to begin re-watching all of the Season 5 episodes of the Sopranos to get ready for Sunday night's Season 6 premiere (FINALLY!) I guess I can write more about that tomorrow.

And the Oscar goes to...

2006-03-06T00:08:00.000-06:00

CRASH!

I am so glad that Crash won for Best Picture. I saw this movie about 3 months ago and thought it was absolutely terrific. Well acted, powerful stories, and powerful meaning that gets you thinking.

For those who are not familiar with it, Crash takes place in L.A. over the course of one day. In those hours, it shows about 5 different sets of characters, who interact/have a connection with each other without necessarily knowing it. "Issues of race and gender cause a group of strangers in Los Angeles to physically and emotionally collide in this drama from director and screenwriter Paul Haggis."

I highly recommend it for those who like movies that are not only entertaining, but make you think. It shows us prejudice and hate, but also redemption and hope. Rent it if you haven't seen it.

Talking more about the awards, I have to say I loved Jon Stewart as the host. I need to watch his "Daily Show". I think he did a great job. My two favorite jokes of the night were: 1) Bjork unfortuntately didn't make it to the Oscars tonight. She put on her costume and Dick Cheney mistakenly shot her. 2) (After showing a picture of Charlton Heston aka Moses) Man, he looks cut. I think he's been lifting 20 Commandments!

One thing that annoyed me was the soft under-music being played from the moment the person began their acceptance speech. It made them out of breath trying to rush through it and was just plain annoying.

I loved Reese Witherspoon's speech. She is such a classy woman - well spoken, well dressed, and smart.

And of course there's George!

What a charmer and so handsome! I'm very glad he won. If for no other reason than the camera is on him more and he'll be interviewed! ;)

Sam, Sam, He's Our Man

2006-03-04T01:36:00.000-06:00

I love Sam's Club!

I remember the very first time I had the pleasure of experiencing Sams, I felt like I was in the middle of my very own Super Mario Brothers game. Everything around me was so big! Where else can you buy 36 rolls of toilet paper, a 5 lb box of oatmeal (I can hook you up, Frema), and a 3,000 box of Advil all under the same roof? (Just out of my often strange curiosity, I sometimes wonder as I'm rounding the pharmaseutical aisle, who the person is who has the guts to buy the jumbo, extra value pack of condoms...but I digress.)

About 2 weeks ago, I took to the counter to buy what I thought was a $59 nice wool jacket, one like I've been looking for for quite some time. Got to the register and it rang up only $19. WOO HOO!!! Even better!!

(I will spare you the detail that a few days later, when I was wearing it for the first time I noticed the buttons were on the wrong side, i.e., it was a men's jacket, not a ladies. Oh well - who will notice? Looks the same to me...)

Went back to Sam's yesterday and along with a box of 45 Brillo pads, one of the aforementioned 36 rolls of toilet paper, and 312 Lipton tea bags (see below for THAT necessity!) (among other things) I bought an 8 pack of Scotch Lint Rollers.

You may ask what I need with EIGHT of these. Well, I ask myself the same thing. But how could I pass them up for only $6.71. That's less than a dollar a piece!!! What a bargain! And I did want to buy at least ONE more to brush off my nice new wool coat that keeps gathering lint. Now I will have one for my house (one upstairs, one down), my car, my office...

Anybody want one of the leftovers?

Here's Tea in Your Eye - Ash Wednesday Sty-le

2006-03-01T21:02:00.000-06:00

Yesterday as Oneida, Annette, Joanne and I were having a little Mardi Gras lunch, Oneida told me that I had a sty in my eye. "A what?" I asked. I knew my eye was very sore and my eyelid was swollen, but that was about it.

Perhaps I should have known what a sty is, but I didn't. So being the addicted-to-the-internet person that I am, I came home and looked it up. For those of you who also may not know, it is an infection of one of your eyelash follicles. How fun. All I know is that for the past two days now, I have been sitting around putting warm teabags on my eye (advice of Oneida, also). (Wearing my glasses with this home remedy is a plus, I must add - it holds the teabag in!) (Are you getting a mental image here?)

Moving from that sty, I also read in the Quick Takes column of the Sun-Times that today is "National Pig Day." I don't know how one should celebrate this day, but I find it ironic it's the same time I have a STY in my eye.

Today being Ash Wednesday, I also was reminiscing with Fr. Tony on the way home from work about my years working at St. Clare. We used to get SO MANY calls that day asking when exactly ashes were being given. Not what time the Mass or service was, but what time to the minute ashes were being given.

One year, I got a call from a nearly hysterical woman calling saying she NEEDED to talk to a priest. I told her neither priest was available at the moment (they were in church giving out the ashes). She would not take no for an answer. She needed to talk to one "because I think I ate too much," she said.

My immediate thought was, "Lady, take some Pepto or something." But after a second I realized she thought she had eaten too much for this day of FASTING. Oh geez... But it's something I'll always remember.

Speaking of fasting, Molly and I just had a discussion about whether there is a patron saint of dieting. Well, not to our knowledge. But I DID just find St. Peter Faber. He assisted at the DIET of Worms. Think that might count?

Since it's only Ash Wednesday, and yes, yesterday WAS FAT Tuesday, I will save the wanting-to-eat-and-knowing-you-shouldn't discussion for another day.

And now that I think of it, shouldn't Fat Tuesday, rather than Ash Wednesday, be National Pig Day?

It would have been a travesty!

2006-02-28T00:29:00.000-06:00

Thank God Jerry Rice didn't win!
Dancing with the Stars Season 2 is over and Drew Lachey won! I was so shocked that Stacy Keibler had a lower score than Jerry Rice. She was an amazing talent. But as I said a few days ago, as long as Jerry Rice didn't win, I was happy. Not that he was horrible - just not nearly as good as the other two.

Drew did put on some great, very entertaining dances. His scream of excitement

also became something to look forward to.

I cannot WAIT for the next season of DWTS to come on!

A Real Fine Place to Start

2006-02-26T01:28:00.000-06:00

I went to see Sara Evans in concert tonight. It was a really awesome concert. She has such an amazingly powerful voice. Even though she slightly hoarse, as she herself pointed out, you really couldn't tell much.

I especially like Sara Evans not only because of her music and amazing voice, but she seems like a 'real woman.' She's been married for 13 years, is the mother of 3, and is a woman of faith and lets it be known how important family and faith are to her. Two quotes from the show's programs:

"Sara Evans is a study in contrasts: a smooth-skinned looker hailed by People magazine as one of the world’s most beautiful people yet one who travels with her three kids... and a deeply spiritual woman with an occasionally bawdy sense of humor."

“I separate things so easily in my mind,” she laughs. “I can literally, literally change a diaper or discipline Avery and then walk on stage. I'm such a multi-tasker you would not even believe. If I just had a few more arms, there’s no telling what I could do. I think that’s the trademark of a true woman.”

A woman who finds herself in a real fine place in her life and career.

Talk about your World Wide Web!

2006-02-25T17:42:00.000-06:00

An anonymous friend of mine (who shall remain nameless) told me the other day about "Stat Counter" - a free website that you can use to track how many people visit your website. I have since added it to this website and can know how many readers I have had (more than I thought).

Only a few minutes ago did I really check out Stat Counter. It tells not only how many people visited, but where they are located, how long they visited for, and what website they came from to get to yours. Many more details that I would have guessed!

Well yesterday alone I had one visitor from Australia and one from SINGAPORE! Amazing how world wide the world wide web really is!

Now if I could only get some more comments!

Dancing with the Stars!

2006-02-24T22:45:00.000-06:00

I LOVE THIS SHOW!!!

It is the ONLY reality show that I have ever watched. No "Survivor", no "Bachelor", no "Apprentice." No nothing. But then this came along.

I can't exactly understand why I love it so much either. I have never been a particularly huge fan of dancing, I can't dance well, and none of the stars on the show were any favorite of mine - most I hardly even knew.

Yet I got hooked from the beginning. We are currently in Season 2 and the final show is Sunday which will crown a winner.

My favorite all along has been Stacy Keibler - a professional wrestler. She is a natural talent and is just amazing. As the judges said last night, though, she was a little disappointing in the last dance - they did not exhibit her talent certainly as much as they could have. I was expecting something spectacular and only got something good.

Drew Lachey on the other hand! What an amazing performance! And done to the song, "Save a Horse - Ride a Cowboy" by Big and Rich.

Drew has been my second favorite going into this. And because of the performance last night, I really cannot decide who I want to win. Arrgh! I hate having to make choices.

As long as Jerry Rice doesn't win, I will be happy!

Stick with the easy stuff

2006-02-23T21:40:00.000-06:00

This post could easily be a very depressing, graphic and disgusting one. But it won't.

For those of you who know me well, you know that my grandma is chronically sick from various "intestinal" and "bathroom" issues. Constipation doesn't begin to describe it, but that is the way I will begin and END describing it.

The last few days have been torture again with these same problems. I truly hate seeing her in such agony over it. A nurse came to the house today to help matters along, but with no real luck. So here we are, for the second time in about 2 months, with her needing to drink this saline stuff that is usually only given before "procedures" - if you get my drift. Needing to drink 8oz every 15 minutes - and this bottle is huge. So let's hope that it works - but I know it won't be pretty in the meantime. Please pray for the best.

So, as I was on my way home from Osco, picking up this prescription stuff, I was in the left turn lane behind another car. It was a minivan and you know how so many of them now are equipped with DVD players and screens for the back seat. Well this was not the first time that I have become very distracted by watching what I presume the driver's kid(s) were watching. But tonight I was evn more entranced. Probably from the lack of sleep (from the late concert and drive home last night - as well as being up half the night/morning/all afternoon, with my grandma). Playing on their DVD was "Madagascar." What a fun movie! And right as I was behind this minivan, there was a scene with my favorite characters - the penguins.

I went to see this movie twice in the theater. The second time was appropriate - with KJ, Molly, and the family. The first time was just me and Annette. As she and I were buying our popcorn, the guy behind the counter was trying to make small talk.

Guy: "So, what movie are you guys seeing today?"
Annette: "Madagascar."
Guy: HAAAAAAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

What - is there something wrong with two grown women going to see an animated movie, that in reality has more jokes in it that adults get than kids do anyway?

Oh well.

But the light turned red for the left turn, the minivan turned, leaving me behind to wish I could have seen more of the cute little penguins. "Just smile and wave boys. Just smile and wave!"

Toby (thanks Ebay!)

2006-02-23T02:49:00.000-06:00

It is 2:48am and I just arrived back home from Peoria, IL after attending a Toby Keith concert. Annette and I drove there this afternoon, attended the concert, and came back tonight. Long day. I'm so grateful she drove home, I fell asleep on the way back.

It was an awesome concert! I have now gone to 4 of his concerts, and this was by far the best. Maybe because this is the first time I had decent seats for one. They were floor seats, row 21. Each of the other times I had lawn seats at the Tweeter Center in Tinley Park. I got a great deal on these tickets, too. Bought them off of Ebay for only $43 each - face value of $61. Buying tickets from Ebay always gives me anxiety, though, praying as they get scanned at the door that they are legitimate tickets. So far, though, I've had nothing but good luck from Ebay bought tickets. As they get scanned and no alarms or bells go off I think, "OK - Can leave positive feedback, now!"

Well, I think it is about I go to bed. I can barely keep my eyes open.

P.S. - I didn't wear my boots, either!

These boots were (not) made for walking

2006-02-19T13:17:00.000-06:00

I attended the Festival of Faith that was held here in the Archdiocese of Chicago this weekend. I attended both Friday and Saturday. First of all, I have to say that from the parking garage to the exhibition hall was a LOOONG walk. I would say a good 2 blocks. Granted, you were inside the whole time (thankfully since the wind chill these days was like 20 below), but do it a few times a day and it gets a bit much, considering you're walking around the exhibition hall a lot, too.

Anyway, on Saturday I wore a pair of medium heeled boots that I've worn many times before - very pretty boots and I love them. For high heels, I have always commented that they are remarkably comfortable. Well not this time.

When I arrived Saturday morning, I went to the hotel next door for breakfast, then walked over to the exhibition hall. I walked to one of the breakout sessions a little later, and then Michelle (my co-worker) and I walked all the way back to the hotel for lunch, then back to the exhibition hall (are you adding? this already is like 7 blocks). My feet were starting to kill me! Especially the toes of my right foot. I took off the boots and saw that my sock was bloody. The boots had given me a cut between my two toes.

Later in the afternoon, I had to walk back to the parking garage to take out some stuff in suitcases. Well by the time I got there, I couldn't TAKE IT anymore. I unzipped the boots, put them in a plastic bag I had in the trunk and carried them, in stocking feet, all the way back to the exhibition hall.

I was hoping I was walking fast enough (and with no eye contact) that people would not look at my tan-with-snowflake-designed socks on my feet. But I couldn't prevent it when I got in the elevator. I was in there with only another man and woman and all of a sudden she said, "Where are your shoes? You're feet will freeze!" I held up the bag and said, "I've been walking all day, I couldn't take it anymore." And left it at that.

When I got off the elevator, I walked all the way back to the exhibition hall, eyes locked straight ahead hoping that all the people going in the opposite direction, coming from both the Festival of Faith and the Golf Show that was also going on, would not look. My mantra was "don't look down, don't look down."

My last worry was that one of the so-called security people working the entrance would not stop me and say, "Sorry - no shoes, no service" type thing. But I devised the plan that if they DID question me, I'd just tell them I was part of the liturgical dancing troupe that just performed and that no shoes was part of my costume. Of course, what a horrible thing to tell a lie at the Festival of FAITH!

Anyway, I snuck past them all, and made it back. Later I went into the bathroom and because I didn't have any Band-Aids with me, but DID have a couple of Purell Handiwipes, I took off my boots and socks and put one on the bottom of each of my feet for some cushioning. After the sting of the alcohol on the cut wore off (forgot about that!) it certainly did help.

After attending the closing liturgy for the Festival, Michelle and I walked (well, I limped) all the way back to the parking garage (so what is this now, about a mile and a half for the day?) What was funny now is that the Festival of Faith was ending, but a Mardi Gras Party was just beginning. So as this group of holy (ahem), Catholic faithful was departing, cowboys, geishas, and other various costumed people were arriving. Us going one way in the corridor, the Mardi Gras people coming towards us. At this point you couldn't tell which side of the hallway the nuns in full habit belonged on!

Anyway, me and my toes are recovering.

Ever talk to yourself?

2006-02-12T16:50:00.000-06:00

Well, it's been a few days since I've posted anything on here. To any of you who have been reading, I thank you. To everyone, please pass my blog along and COMMENT on it for goodness sake. I don't want to feel like I am only talking to myself. I do enough of that as it is ! ;)

It's only like a week into doing this, and I feel at a loss as to what to talk about. There are some topics - such as the continuing priest abuse scandal, that I would really like to comment about, but do not feel that I should, considering I work for the Archdiocese and all. I would like to hear other people's opinions, if you would like to share, though.

To change the subject completely - I just received in the mail the other day my information to plan a group outing to a White Sox game this year. I've organized a trip the last two years and they were lots of fun. Now that the SOX are WORLD CHAMPS it will be even more fun to be there. It was an amazing season last year and the playoffs were even better. I will always remember that they actually won TWO games on my birthday to clinch the World Series (one game ended after 1am and then they also played later that night.)

One day in the near future I will have to tell you about my past 'obsession' (ok Molly I'll admit it) that I had with former Sox player Carlton Fisk!... What a great player!

So just what IS a mistress of the divine?

2006-02-06T22:24:00.000-06:00

Perhaps you are wondering what the title of this blog means? It is a take-off on the degree I received from CTU last May. It is a masters of divinity degree. So more than one person teased me that after receiving it I became not a "master" but a "mistress" of the divine.

Hardly.

More often than not, I do not feel as though I am a master of the divine at all. I don't mean that I am not in charge of the divine or something - of course that cannot be the case. I am saying I sometimes do not feel qualified about the topics of God, theology, etc. even though I was conferred this degree. "I have them all fooled," I've thought more than once. How stupid could they be to think I should be getting this degree?

I took all the course, did all the formation, preached, read, wrote papers, yet somehow I still don't feel quite qualified.

Of course who of us is "qualified" to be trying to explain the Divine. Pretty big task and pretty audacious of us to think we can ever "master" the divine.

Welcome to the Family!

2006-02-05T23:52:00.000-06:00

Well, today Jack, my godson, was baptized into the Catholic Church and I "officiallly" became a godmama. I am so grateful to Molly & Kevin to have been chosen for this. For that I thank them!

The day went well. No droppage of Jack, despite his very slippery, satiny baptism gown that has been passed down through Molly's family over the years. Out of the 3 babies baptized, he cried least of all, although they all did since it was immersion into the water. Talk about your the horror of your first swimming lesson! What a way to do it!

For months leading up to today Molly and Kevin have teased me that the priest at their parish (being a Notre Dame grad) always (kidding around) told the godparents at baptisms that it was THEIR responsibility to pay for the child's college tuition to Notre Dame. However he must've forgotten to say it this time. So as Kevin said, we're off the hook on account of a loophole! Yippee!

Jack is also up to 6lbs. 12 ounces - much better than the 4 lbs 6 oz hw was at birth.

I hope to post a picture or two tomorrow with Jack and his baptism into God's family!

Damn you Jerry Taft!

2006-02-03T23:16:00.000-06:00

Some may say I have a strange interest in weather forecasters - meteorologists. Actually when I was little, I wanted to be one. I cut up an atlas we had to create all the states and made a huge U.S. map out of it. Unfortunately, every state was not to the same scale, so they didn't fit quite right.

Now as years go by, the weather is still my favorite part of the news. My favorite by far is Jerry Taft on Channel 7 here in Chicago. He makes the weather fun, often goofs up, and is very nonchalant about the whole business of weather. Hardly a forecast goes by when he does not start laughing about something - something the anchors said before his report, something he said wrong, or when his little remote control thing for the weather maps screws up. (He actually gets really angry about that.) He talks about his love of food, his love for golf and makes wisecracks about things said before or after his report.

Molly came up with the phrase, "Damn you Jerry Taft!" when one day I think he failed to predict rain and lo and behold there were the drops when she walked outside. Since then, whenever he predicts weather that will prevent me from going to Indiana to visit her, for instance, that is our phrase of the day - Damn you Jerry Taft! Of course it is said in love!

Of course the real weather forecaster of Chicago that that phrase applies more aptly to is Tom Skilling. Everyone who is familiar with him... raise your hand if you have NO IDEA what the hell he is talking about half the time! Whereas my beloved Jerry Taft gets about a minute and a half of airtime, Skilling gets about SIX minutes. And he uses up every second - with maps and drawings and cold fronts and almanacs and "Did you know that today we received more rain between the hours of 2pm and midnight than on any other April 12 since 1913?" WHO CARES!

And I am not kidding... just last week as I was tuning him out (one has to do that after about 1 minute and 45 seconds of his report) I heard him start talking about Austria. Austria! He was talking about the weather not just here in Chicago, or the Midwest or even the United States. He was broadening our horizons by talking about Europe now!

And I haven't done any kind of scientific study, but I think he is wrong about the weather more than any one else in Chicago! He lives and breathes weather and is still so wrong. How can anyone be as obsessed as he is about something and still get it wrong more often than not?

Oh well, at least after just listening to his forecast tonight I know that later this week a "vigorous arctic outbreak" is coming and "the jet stream is buckling in from the north."

Well, I guess it's happening...

2006-02-02T14:58:00.000-06:00

...at least for now!

I have decided to create a blog for myself, since others I know have done the same thing, especially Molly. It seems like it could be fun, even though I'm not totally big on sharing everything with everyone who wants to read it. But I will at least give it a shot, I guess. Who says I'm not a "follower"?

I had lunch today with a friend of mine, Fr. Flynn, who used to be associate pastor at St. Clare. It was a nice time.

I have a very big weekend coming up. Working tomorrow at Mundelein, formation day Saturday - again at Mundelein. Sunday is the biggest day, though. The baptism of my godson, Jack.

I can't wait. I am excited to be a godmother for the first time, and I hope I will be a good one. I know others have been godparents many times over, and so it may not be a big deal, but this is my first (and possibly only) godchild I will have, so it is a big deal to me. He is just so darn cute, as you can see here! I treasure him very much and look forward to being there for him.

His mother, Molly, and I have been friends for years. We've known each other since first grade, and have been really friends since 8th (or 4th - although there seems to be a couple years in between there when we really didn't hang out much). Anyway - for a long time! She means the world to me and so that is especially why Jack is so important too.

I'm sure I will talk much more about them later in this blog, so that's all I'll say for now.