In my list of reasons as to why I have not been blogging I quipped about personal computers not being allowed in the convent. By “personal computer” I mean a computer belonging solely to one person though there certainly are computers available to those living in community. I know this because I did consider seriously whether or not I was being called to live my life as a member of the First Order, to be a sister. Franciscans do not…
Yesterday I said that when travelling it is important to have a sense of the place you are to visit before arriving. With regard to the practical, this is true, but after thinking about my statement, I believe that it needs a few caveats. I have been reading the writings of St. Francis himself as well as the words that others have written about him for nearly vtwenty years. I have seen many images of this saint in icons, book…
When travelling, whether to a neighboring town or a far away land, it is usually a good idea to have some sense of what to expect when you reach your destination. A basic understanding of language, currency, tipping practices, and local customs will alleviating many scary and embarrassing situations. It is no secret that in Europe you must pay to use public restrooms, a practice that has long since disappeared in this country, though I can remember those dime slots…
TOP 10 REASONS WHY I HAVE NOT BEEN BLOGGING10. The endless opportunities for TV watching on Dish network have consumed all my free time.9. My computer was overtaken by our Alaskan neighbors and everything appeared in the Cyrillic alphabet. 8. All my fingers were broken while playing in the beach volleyball world championship, thus making it impossible to type. 7. I was on an archaeological dig looking for signs of a lost civilization. 6. I’ve been busy writing the next…
All of my posts lately seem to begin with “it has been awhile since I last posted.” Every time I write those words I vow not to have to do it again. So far this year, I have not managed to live up to those promises. Several people have asked me when I am going to post pictures and comments from our trip to Italy. There are several reasons that it has taken me so long to do this. We…
Here I am at mid-term It seems like only yesterday that I was trying to figure out how I was going to manage teaching five different classes this semester. It has been a challenge, a good challenge, a time consuming challenge. I have spent the last eight weeks preparing a class I have never taught, learning how to teach an online course, helping students prepare for auditions and competitions, and grading papers – lots of papers! I’m not sure how…
Today was a beautiful day, nearly seventy degrees. It was a vast contrast to the bitter cold days earlier this week that brought with them an ice storm and a day off from school. This past Monday evening, all of the weather forecasters warned us that Tuesday would be a miserably cold day with storms moving in and making travel more and more treacherous as the day progressed. This poor prognosis for the day’s weather caused our local school district…
Back in March of 2007 I posted a list of things that suggest that your child might be a nerd. Two years later, there is no question that I have raised not one but two nerds. Below is confirmation that Offspring No. 2 is definitely a nerd. Nerdy Friend at 8:20pm January 10Hahaha…I miss being a nerd. Offspring No. 2 at 8:21pm January 10Have you STOPPED being a nerd in the past two hours? Nerdy Friend at 8:22pm January 10Yes!…
For seventeen years, every morning of the academic year has involved taking children to school. This time would have been cut short if Brooke had chosen to get her driver’s license when she turned sixteen. She didn’t – and at age nineteen still hasn’t. Fortunately, she lives in Chicago where mass transit negates the need for a car, a license, insurance, snow tires . . .Erin, on the other hand, has been ready to drive since . . .well, Brooke…
Earlier today I was reading a post by another blogger whose work, both writing and photography, I admire. She writes honestly and openly about the joys of raising a family as well as the accompanying trials and tribulations. In this particular post, she says that there are some topics that she chooses not to address on her blog because as she says, “Well, they are mine.” In particular, she mentions her faith and religion in this category of taboo subjects….