Blogging about the Grammys

I'm blogging at my friends' blog again today. Before you ask, no I'm not obsessed with evil. It's just that John Benko, the founder of Deeper Truth is toying around with writing a book on the topic, so of course we've been discussing it a lot. You tend to write about what you're discussing, so there you go. Another evil blog post. This time he asked me to check out the Grammy Awards and give my opinion on Katy Perry's performance.

Go check it out!

Housework It, Baby!

Rolling in the deep cleaning

Nothing makes me feel quite like Cinderella than mopping and singing to Adele. I may not have birds and mice flitting around my head, but I do have some soul.

"Throw your toys through every open door!
Walk in my dust pile and find out what this broom's for!!"

The Southern Gal's Mumble Rule Does Not Apply Here

Usually I can sit over here in my dusty little corner and mumble away about Catholicism and the New Evangelization without attracting too much attention--with the exception of my eight year old son. He is still impressed that I can write something that one can (theoretically) access on the Internet. I've got two more years of coolness on my mom meter by last count.

I thought my little joke yesterday would go under the radar. I thought I would simply point a few of my readers his way and manage to churn out an extra post this week in the same tongue in cheek fell swoop. I thought wrong. I found a comment on the post today and a nice message in my inbox from THE Father Dwight Longenecker himself. I also found myself on his blogroll!

Guess that means I've got some cleanup to do around here. "Grab that garbage sack, honey! We're getting company!"

Better yet, I'd better get some writing done...

Fr. Dwight Longenecker's New Blogroll is Up!

"One does not simply 'get' on a blogroll"

Father Longenecker posted his list of requirements today to earn a slot on his blogroll:

If your blog or the one you recommended isn’t there it’s not because it is not worthy, but because it wasn’t what I was looking for. What was I looking for? See below:

1. Non-Patheos – We must assume that the gang at Patheos Catholic are already wonderful bloggers (he said modestly) You can check out the other excellent blogs on Patheos by surfing the site.
2. Good Writing – What I’m looking for is wit, style, a sharp new angle. The new media must entertain as well as enlighten.
3. Personality – A blog is a personal journal. We want your particular and peculiar voice.
4. Regular Writing - A blogger has to post every day. Sorry!
5. Joie de Vivre - Joy of Life. I don’t care what your moans and groans are. I’m looking for someone with a merry eye and a spring in their step. If they have a moan I want it to be expressed with sarcasm, wit and a sense of proportion
6. Knowledge – we want information as well as insights
7. Conspiracy Theories – only when used as fodder for silliness…

If readers have other suggestions–entries to the combox please!

All I have to do is post daily because besides the worthiness, knowledge, good writing, and personality requirements, I got this list owned! Sloth (and actually getting recommended) is the only thing holding me back!

Image Source: Big Fat Greek Wedding
Of course, we may have to gussy up a little first.
 

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I actually make a habit of reading Standing on My Head, but you know what I didn't find when I looked on MY blogroll? Yeah...fixing that!

I'm a Stylish Blogger!

I'd like to thank Therese, my favorite Aussie, over at the Aussie Coffee Shop for the nomination for this award. She is one of the sweetest and supportive bloggers out there! (other Stylish Blogger Award nominees)

Besides being a nice pat on the back, part of the purpose of these blog awards is to foster a sense of community among blog writers and to introduce our readers to some other worthwhile blogs, so in return, I am nominating some blogs I think you'd enjoy:

Adoro at Adoro te Devote, 

Ellen at Love that Max, 

Sheila at To Love Honor and Vacuum, 

Hallie at Betty Beguiles, 

and even though he is a guy among the gals in this list, Jeff at The Catholic Foodie

To fulfill the requirements of the award, I have to tell you seven random things about myself, so this is a bit like a 7 Quick Takes Friday post in lieu of my usual Monday fare.

1. I love coffee because the taste of creamy, sweet coffee belongs to memory and my grandfather. My Pawpaw used to reward me for extra good behavior with his "big people only" candy--coffee flavored nips. Every cup brings him back for a brief moment, and I still feel like a very good big girl whenever I hold my mug of joe. That's the way to start a morning, I tell you. Thanks, Pawpaw!

2. Although we've long known that my cousins, aunts and uncles all spell my Pawpaw's name as PaPa, my banch of the family tree is sticking to including the "w"s. My brother and I heard the "w"s in the heavy Texan accents of my cousins, so we've always written it that way. Even if everyone else thinks we're silly, it's our kind of silly.

3. I haven't worn contacts since my 20s because they are a little uncomfortable and my laziness out performs my vanity in the comfort department. I don't think it is a virtue either.

4. If I'm ever over at your house and skip dessert, it's not because I am a strong willed calorie counter, it's just that I don't have much of a sweet tooth. No virtues here, either.

5. I don't have one favorite color. Different colors catch my attention from day to day. My husband is the same way, so one of the discussions we frequently have is, "What was your favorite color today?" There's always a story attached to the day's favorite.

6. I like debate and I love clarity, but after a certain point of "here's where the line is drawn between us" I'm not going to stand on my side of it and shout. I can be very passionate about my beliefs as well as extremely saddened by what I consider someone else's serious and grievous errors and still coexist. That's what manners are for. More importantly, that's what prayer is for.

7. At the end of a demanding day, the last thing I want musically is a simple phrase repeatedly endlessly and ever more passionately. Modern music in my worn out ears sounds like yet another form of nagging and whining. I may be getting old, but I'm putting that radio in a time out!

7 Quick Takes

1 - I am working on very few hours of sleep due to my mother running to the hospital last night. My father took her in before midnight and they got back after three. She is doing just fine now. It turns out that all the mysterious and scary symptoms she was experiencing were very treatable, though Emergency Room worthy. What a relief!

2 - P.S. to #1 above...Pardon the typos or rambling incoherency. Today, and today only, I can blame it all on the lack of sleep.

Image source: http://thesavannahsoapco.com/wash-dry-fold

3 - My main focus today is to write this post, finish the homeschool week, and make sure my parents stay asleep as long as possible. I shall do this without grumbling (if I'm doing it right) and while folding laundry. I did very little laundry while laid up with the rib, so the Laundry Monster needs some taming.

4 - I have an idea for a brand new blog--which may wind up being a page on this blog since I have made the Garden purposefully broad. I'm going to go ahead and create it so that nobody steals my cool name, but I'm not going to work on it until the focus of it comes more into focus. I'll keep you posted on how that is going to work out.

5 - After tossing out a fleece (see Gideon) regarding blogging, I am being answered in the affirmative to continue blogging. Now that my personal ego is out of the way (all the goodies I wanted from blogging have long been outweighed by the grind of producing posts), it seems that I am being called to practice the discipline it will take to make blogging a part of my vocation as a wife and mother. I had thought blogging was all about fulfilling my personal interests of writing and socializing, it turns out blogging is more about me working out my salvation (Philippians 2:12--14) through my primary vocation. I think that because I use my posts as a way to remind myself of what I know I should do but often don't, it is more vital to vocation than I had thought. Now the trick shall be to keep at this without allowing it to interfere with my duties. Can we say 4:00 a.m.? Oh, yes we can! No grumbling allowed (Philippians 2:14).

6 - Part of the Catholic celebration of All Saint's Day and All Souls Day is praying for the people who have died. If you are of the Protestant persuasion, the non-Christian persuasion, or the semi-catechised Catholic persuasion and have questions about the Catholic understanding of life, death and the afterlife, this is an excellent time of year to ask. The Catholic Blogosphere is gearing up towards November 1 and November 2 and, in fact, the entire month of November should have plenty to offer in that regard. Feel free to ask away!

A picture of an elaborate All Souls Day remembrance.

7 - I should seriously get going, so I am going to leave you with the guilt-ridden thought that I took exactly 40 minutes out of my duties today to write this. This is better than my 3 hour average, though. It must have been inspired.

 

Thanks to Jennifer Fulwiler, a fellow Texan, for hosting

7 Quick Takes Friday 

over at Conversion Diary.com

Brown paper bloggers all tied up with string!

It's not just for bloggers, that's just
me and my alliteration addiction.

These are a few of my favorite Catholic on-line media things!

Here's the meme: Today, March 15, everyone with a blog, podcast, or Facebook page is listing their favorite 3 blogs, 3 podcasts, 3 other media, 3 random Catholic things online, (don't forget your own projects). Post the link to the list here. While you are at it, head on over to iTunes and promote some quality Catholic projects over there by writing at least 3 positive reviews for various Catholic podcasts and 3 positive written reviews for Catholic mobile applications.

Spread the love, people, and get the word out on some of your favorite Catholic on-line media internet thingies! 

3 Blogs 

I read these every time they post anything. I'm a real bloupie! (blog groupie) I bloup a lot of other very good blogs, but I'm following the rules here, you understand.

It's the best I could do, Mike.

What Does Mike Think

I like the way he thinks.

I have to sit down

I like the way she thinks.

Saint Kitsch

I just can't help myself.

3 Podcasts

I'm a bit new to the podcast area of the internet. Mostly what I listen to on-line are reruns of radio broadcasts, but that counts, right?

The Catholic Foodie

An actual podcast I actually seek out! Where food meets faith! You know I can't get enough of the Catholic Foodie. (Zero calories and high drool potential)

Kresta in the Afternoon
How can I resist? This man has interviews from people perched on every branch of human endeavors.

The Doctor is In

Where I get my daily dose of Docasin so that I can better my parenting and raise my IQ scores at the same time!

3 Other Media

Ave Maria Radio

They are my favorite on-line radio not only for their content but because their gadgets are rarely glitchy. They run even on my Dell Monster.

EWTN

Here they are on the web, but where they really excel is their television and radio broadcasts. They need a bit of work on-line still (their streaming media is glitchy and they are still building the EWTN Kids section 3 years later), but they are providing content for radio and television around the world. It is good stuff.

Catholic Fiction

Father Elijah, Fatherless, Motherless. What more can I say other than we...need...more! Request them at your local library and check them out. Buy them for your own shelves.

3 Random On-Line Categories

Plurk

Although it is not exclusively Catholic, this is where many of us Catholic bloggers go to let our hair down. It's a social networking site that works. I'm temporarily setting my privacy to public so that if you click on the link, you can view my page, and you will be invited. There's a bummer to this because it is Lent and a lot of us are fasting, but you can get a lot of quality Catholic discussion on Plurk, as well as some steam-releasing silliness. Love it.

Patrick Madrid on Facebook

What can I say other than he's a funny Catholic musician apologist. 

Faith and Family

Excellent magazine with an excellent on-line presence. 

I know I should have more pictures and make this a prettier media promotion, but  I'm feeling rather lazy and...oh drecks. It's Lent! I'm trudging off to cut and paste and emptying a wing of Purgatory. This will make no sense because by the time you can see it, there...will...be...pictures. *sighs*

The funniest DUI test ever

...and some pretty fine dancing to boot!



Thanks Simcha!

A Musical Interlude...

This one is for Nancy (it's an old favorite)


This one is for Rozanne...


For Andy...


For Rod


This one is for me!

Because it's Monday and you need more coffee...

After a brief, shining moment, the week is back, and it wants revenge for all the fun you had without it over the weekend. Distract it with this and maybe it will forgive you and play nice.