About Me

So another blogger put up an "about me" series of fifty questions, and invited other bloggers to fill out the same.  Here are my answers:

ARE THERE ANY BAD HABITS THAT YOU HAD AS A CHILD THAT YOU STILL HAVE TODAY?
Smoking.

HOW MUCH ATTENTION WOULD YOU SAY YOU REQUIRED WHILE GROWING UP?
I needed a lot of attention, but didn't get any positive attention.

WHAT KIND OF CAR DO YOU HAVE?
'95 Toyota Corolla

WHAT IS YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT?
Too many to nail it down to one.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PASTIME?
Hanging out with my friends.
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1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
I was named after a few people/times.  Princess Caroline, Caroline Kennedy, and the Carolinian dramas.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
Probably a week ago.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Not really.  It serves its purpose though, but kind of hard to read.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Pastrami or turkey meat.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
No.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Maybe

7. DO YOU HAVE SIBLINGS?
A younger brother and sister, and an older sister who died when she was nine and I was seven.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yes.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Maybe.  I think I could be talked into it.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Frosted mini-wheats.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
No.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
NO.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Hagaan Daz vanilla

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
Basic facts and figures about a person. 

15. RED OR PINK?
Red

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
Too much to narrow it down to one.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
My sister who died when she was nine and I was seven.

18. WHAT IS YOUR ZODIAC SIGN?
Gemini.

19. DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PAIR OF SHOES?
No.  I love all my shoes equally.

20. FAVORITE MEAL?
Pizza.

21. FAVORITE GENRE OF MUSIC?
Depeche Mode/eighties music.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Periwinkle.

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Pantene, and other soaps.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
A friend.

25. MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY OR BEACH HOUSE?
Beach house.

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Don't really watch sports.

27. HAIR COLOR?
Dark blond.

28. EYE COLOR?
Blue.

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
No, I wear glasses.

30. FAVORITE HEIRLOOM?
Old prayer book.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy endings.

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
About St. Therese of Lisieux. 

33. FAVORITE ARTICLE OF CLOTHING?
Beige blouse.

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Summer.

35. HUGS OR KISSES?
Hugs.

36. FAVORITE DESSERT?
Cake or ice cream.

37. STRENGTH TRAINING OR CARDIO?
Huh?  I walk for exercise.

38. COMPUTER OR TELEVISION?
Computer.

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
Gardeners Art Throughout the ages.  It's a textbook for school.

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
Mousepad?  Don't use one.

42. FAVORITE SOUND?
Critters at dawn. 

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
The Beatles.

44. WHAT IS YOUR DREAM CAR?
BMW

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
Painting, drawing, communications skills.

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Orange, California.

47. WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW?
Philadelphia area, Pennsylvania.

48. WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST FEAR?
Being old.

49. WHAT BRINGS YOU THE MOST JOY?
Can't think of anything.

50. WHAT PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUR YOUNG SELF?
Quit overextending yourself for other people--people who don't even care about you.

First Week of School

A lot can happen in one week.  I was signed up for 2 classes--English Composition and Art History.  I realized in my third day that that would be too much for me.  Summer classes are intense.  I stayed up until 4 in the morning reading my Art History assignment.  The next day in English class, I could barely stay awake, let alone think.  It's been years since I've done anything school related.  So I dropped my English class.  I had started out with such enthusiasm, but realized quickly that my grades might suffer if I felt overwhelmed.  Once I've become more accustomed to school, I think I will be able to take more classes at once.  Difficult as it was, I think I made the right decision.

school campus

My first day of school was a little bit happier.  I was challenged and met the challenge.  The professor announced that 20% of our grade would come from class participation.  Where I had previously hoped to sit in a corner and quietly write papers, I found myself trying to answer virtually every question she asked.  I even went so far as to try to convince everyone (myself included) that a toilet can be a work of  art.  If that isn't effort, I don't know what is.

walkway to school

The class--Art History--is made up of mostly youths.  There was at least one older woman there who is a stay-at-home mother.  But the kids haven't seemed at all prejudicial towards me, which has been nice.  I'm just a person there to learn, like anyone else.

school waterfountain

The class and readings have thus far been fairly interesting.  Art history is more than simply looking at pieces of art.  It's also the study of the political and religious, etc. history of the artwork.  I am already familiar with some of the background of the artwork as much of it is biblical.  It's interesting to see how artistic expression has evolved over time, becoming more sophisticated as civilization came into being.

I will try to keep up with my blog, even though I have a lot of homework.  Perhaps I'll share a bit of art history as time goes on.

Book Review: Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week by Pope Benedict XVI

An Expression of Catholic Doctrine

The Pope deliberately included his birth name, Joseph Ratzinger, on the title page so as to assert that the contents of this book are merely his personal reflections on Jesus’ life, and not binding on the consciences of the faithful.

One need not be a scholar to understand this book.  But I am surprised at how well received it has been among Protestants, as it is basically an expression of Catholic doctrine.  Jesus of Nazareth starts off with a good explanation of Jesus’ prophecy about the destruction of the temple.  Ratzinger offers some interesting insights into the symbolism of Jesus’ acts.  For example, the washing of the disciples’ feet is symbolic of the need for the constant renewal/cleansing of the Christian, who though washed in baptism still remains a sinner.

With insights such as this, “Jesus clearly presents himself as the new Moses, who brings to completion what began with Moses at the burning bush,” Ratzinger does a good job explaining the continuity of the Old Testament into the New, and how the New fulfills the Old. 

Ratzinger describes at length the type of unity that he thinks should be seen in the Church.  Not surprisingly, he and his Church hierarchy are described as being central to and at the forefront of bringing about this unity.  I really don’t agree with that, but that is the myth that he wants to perpetuate.

The Last Supper is explained as the new Passover, Jesus being the perfect Lamb of God.  The death and Resurrection of Christ being the Passover that endures.  According to Ratzinger, the institution of the Eucharist is at the heart of the Last Supper tradition where Jesus gave himself to the disciples in the form of bread and wine.  The earliest communities probably “broke bread” more according to the Passover meal traditions.  Whereas the current Eucharistic celebrations evolved over time.

Ratzinger leads us through the Mount of Olives to the Trial of Jesus.  He gives insight into the motives behind Jesus’ trial, and explains the ordinary and prophetic utterances that led to Jesus’ crucifixion.  He delves into the questions of political power versus truth, prompted by Pilate’s question, “What is truth?”  This is presented as a question that has relevance even today.  The Pope seems to have a blind spot, though when it comes to the fact of political power and injustice within his own Church.  The Catholic Church is definitely not above it all.  I think it’s fair to say that those in positions of power in the Catholic Church are at least as corrupt as the temple authorities of Jesus’ day.

The crucifixion is explained as a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.  Jesus’ suffering embodies Israel’s suffering all mankind’s suffering so as to transform it mysteriously.  It is also explained in terms of the new symbolism for the new Church.  The water and blood from Christ’s side are view as symbolic of two sacraments—baptism and the Eucharist.

“If Christ has not been raised, then our faith is in vain.”  Ratzinger describes the Resurrection as something more than mere resuscitation from the dead.  A mere resuscitation would have been no more spectacular than Lazarus being raised from the dead, or when people are resuscitated by doctors.  Christ’s Resurrection is supposed to be a whole new form of living, where the infinite meets the finite.

Ratzinger writes like a professor teaching his students.  His style is easy to read.  The book ends with a summary of Christian thought about God’s continued presence despite his seeming absence.

The Death of the Middle Class

A new report came out giving the frightening statistics about a dwindling American middle class.  According to Sherle Schwenninger, "middle-income jobs are disappearing from the economy. The share of middle-income jobs in the United States has fallen from 52% in 1980 to 42% in 2010."  As a card-carrying member of the middle class, this concerns me a great deal.  One of the things that has made America unique in the past is the fact of a strong middle class.  Plenty of third world countries have a strong aristocratic class while most of their citizens struggle.  That is not a good state.  It's highly undemocratic and not something that policy makers should be content with.

Poverty is the seedbed of so many ills in society.  It puts people on edge.  It makes people less able to be productive members of society.  It leads to crime and drug trafficking.  And, worst of all, it robs people of their dignity.  When I volunteered at the soup kitchen, one of the things that the guests commented on was how nice it was to be well-treated.  It, unfortunately, is not typical that poor people are well treated.  When middle class people go out to a restaurant, they expect to be well treated.  And if they aren't, they'll take their business elsewhere.  Poor people don't have that kind of leverage.

Middle class people now may not think this widening gap and the erosion of the middle class matters, because they think it won't happen to them.  But a whole lot of other middle class people who are now poor didn't think it would happen to them either.  Unemployment is increasing, and high paying jobs are being replaced with low wage jobs.  America needs real jobs if it is to truly recover from economic hardship.  Flipping burgers at McDonald's doesn't cut it.

Do policy makers care about the middle class?  On some level, policy makers, at least, give lip service to how important a strong American middle class is.  But their actions speak to something else.  Their free trade agreements decimate the middle class.  What happens with free trade is that good, high paying American jobs are outsourced to other countries at $10 per hour.  If President Obama were really serious about reviving, or at least not killing America's middle class, this would be illegal.  These free trade agreements only benefit one group of people, and that is the super-wealthy.  Meanwhile, America's middle class becomes unemployed and works at poorly paying jobs, becoming poor.  Will this not only add to the coarsening of society and the vulgarity of people?  Of course it will.  It's something that needs to be taken seriously.

Only Two Weeks to Go...

...until school starts for me.  I think I've done pretty much everything I could in preparation.  I got new clothes.  I bleached my teeth, so they won't scare the children.  I've been to a doctor for a check-up.  I still have to get my car serviced.  Now I just have to wait.  And worry.  Worrying probably doesn't need to be on an official checklist, but it seems, at times, that that is what I do best.  Once school starts, I probably won't know whether or not my head is on straight.  I hope it isn't too hard for me.

English Composition and Art History.  Those are the first two classes that I'm taking.  I'm hoping that I will do well in English, since I do have some experience as a writer.  But I don't know what the expectations will be.  And Art History?  Well, I really don't know anything about it.  It will be challenging to me.  I guess you sort of hope for classes that will be a bit of a challenge.  That just proves that you're learning, right?  Because these are summer classes, though, there will be three times as much learning is shoved into a six-week course.  Going from nothing into speed learning will be a bit of a challenge.  Wish me luck.

Osama bin Laden's Death

I was trying to keep my blog clean from the smear that is Osama bin Laden, but I just can’t do it anymore.

From a self-defense standpoint, I can understand and appreciate why his execution was an act of just war.  He was someone who masterminded the deaths of 3,000 civilians on September 11, 2001.  And he was plotting to do more damage to America. 

From a human standpoint, though, it’s different.  Among other things, his death makes him a martyr to his followers, a reason for retaliation.  Not that they really needed any reasons to attack the US.  Still, there’s something gruesome about killing, even when it’s “right.”  I’m not saying that the Navy Seals weren’t brave in doing what they did.  They were.

Death, to me, is always a sad occasion, even if it’s the worst person in the entire world.  And killing can never become the first line of action.  How was Osama bin Laden able to rise to power in the first place?  Undoubtedly, much of it had to do with the fact that he was super-rich.  Without his great wealth, he would have been just another guy with an opinion.  But aside from that, what pains and indignities had people suffered that they were willing to sign up with him?  Why would someone choose to be a suicide bomber?  What about their lives was so unbearable that they would rather die on a suicide mission, than live?

The death of Osama bin Laden does not bring an end to the circumstances that give rise to radicals.  People who have no hope.  People who have no hope will sometimes do the craziest things.  People who have been shut out of society and have no value to anyone.  People who have no purpose are easy prey for radical groups.  His death brings an end to an immediate threat, but not to terrorism.

The US has the most powerful military in the world.  When somebody becomes a target of the US, there is really no escape.  That kind of power is really something that the US should be afraid of.  No longer are there 2 superpowers warring against each other, but one that can make war on the entire world.  The people in the military are, no doubt, brave and decent people.  But it’s the policy makers who concern me.  Anyone who has that much power has to make a real effort not to become the aggressor.

It can be easy, when feeling wounded, to want to attack back.  But the US as a military force can easily crush the military powers of smaller countries.  All the more reason to exercise self-restraint.  In particular, the fighting that has begun in Libya.  The whole reason why the US invaded Libya was because the Libyan government was willing to kill civilians.  But US air strikes in Libya have killed at least 40 civilians.  A superpower like the US needs to be willing to dialogue with other countries.  Dialogue, not the use of military intervention, is the best way to resolve many international conflicts.  It’s also the best way for the US to prevent becoming like those terrorist organizations that we fight against.  Preserving civility and peace is a fight worth fighting too.

The Strange and Winding Roads of Believers

I apologize to my non-religious readers if I’ve been too “Christian” lately.  I promise to write more secular things, especially once school starts.  In no way do I wish to force anyone to believe anything.  And I apologize to my religious readers if I am too blasphemous.  I don’t really fit into any category too easily.  And so, I will attempt here to explain the labyrinth of believers and unbelievers and approximately where I fit in.

I’m more religious than people who are totally non-religious and I’m less religious than most good, practicing Catholics or Christians.  Like Anne Rice, I can’t be anti-gay, or anti-Democrat, or anti-anything else that you’re supposed to be against to be a good Catholic or Christian.  She renounced Christianity in the name of Christ.  I renounce all of that stuff as well.

It’s hard to explain to people who haven’t been around the Christian block what the differences are between Christian, born-again Christian, Catholic, non-practicing Catholic, Catholic/Christian, Christian but not Catholic, Bible Christian, real Christian, Cafeteria Catholic, Orthodox Catholic as separate from the Orthodox Church.  Indeed, I don’t even understand all of it myself.

First of all, you have to distinguish between Catholic and Protestant.  Think it doesn’t matter?  It matters a lot to “believers.”   Let’s start with Protestants.

“Real” Christians are not Catholic or Orthodox, but they expect universal conformation to their orthodox beliefs.  They may be Baptist or Church of Christ or Pentecostal or non-denominational mega-church or some variation therein.  You know somebody’s a “real” Christian because they denounce those who aren’t.  And if they say, “They think we’re narrow-minded,” that’s a sure sign that they’re narrow-minded.

Then there are Fundamentalists.  Fundamentalists are sometimes also known as born-again Christians, Bible believing Christians and “real” Christians.  They may or may not be creationists, but try to adhere to what they believe to be the fundamentals of the Protestant Christian Faith.  They’re the gun-toters.  They speak gibberish in tongues.  In other words, you cannot dialogue with them.  Ironically enough, most Bible Christians have barely read any of the Bible.  They memorize a handful of verses and make up “moral” rules as they go along.  They “believe” in a book that they have not read.

Mainline Protestants are usually fairly normal people who can’t much be distinguished from worldly people.  Whether that’s a good or bad thing, I do not know.  Mainline Protestants would include Lutherans, Episcopalians, and Presbyterians.  And within these groups, you will occasionally find Fundamentalists and real Christians.

As complicated as the splintered world of Protestant Christianity is, you’d think that the Catholic world would be a singular refuge from such pious disagreements.  But no.  The Catholic Church easily matches the Protestant Churches for disordered beliefs and holy infighting.  The Catholic Church goes well beyond the infighting among the laity and has factions and groups who are ordained or vowed either licitly or illicitly, traditionalist or non-traditionalist.  Groups such as Opus Dei, Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), and many others.  There are many other “good” Catholics who are better versed in these groups than I am.

As a (long ago) convert to Catholicism, I am not entirely familiar with all of the various Catholic names that different “believers” are called.  The most common derisive name for “other” Catholics is Cafeteria Catholic.  Invariably, this and other names are always attributed to other people.  You never hear of Catholics announcing to the world that they are Cafeteria Catholics and that others are so much holier.  Cafeteria Catholic refers to the fact that people pick and choose only parts of the faith to practice, and not the whole thing.  It’s what everybody does though.  It isn’t, in actual fact, limited to a group of heathens or sinners, it’s a fact of humanity.  I guess I’m a bit of an unbelieving, non-practicing Cafeteria Catholic.  I don’t even go to Church on Sundays.

And within the Catholic Church, certainly, the vowed and ordained have a very real contempt for the laity.  They view the laity as things to be used to push their various agendas, just like real politicians.  So that makes them more Christian than the laity.

And do all of these wonderful groups and factions love and respect each other?  No.  So the Catholic Church has this system wherein different people and groups of people who essentially hate each other can supposedly be united.  And that is through the Pope.  Ask what that means and you’ll get many answers that don’t agree with each other.  Ask a Presbyterian what that means, and you’ll be denounced for being a Papist.

In all, Christians, on the whole are no holier than anybody else, sometimes especially those who consider themselves holy and wrap themselves up in ten tons of religion.  The one thing that truly unites most Christians and Catholics, isn’t the Lord Jesus, it’s their love of money.  The Pope lives in a castle.  Does he share with his brothers and sisters in Christ?  No.  Poor people really aren’t welcome at Catholic Church.

Even though I’m not a “believer,” religion is clearly something that torments me.  The hypocrisy, the selfishness, and everything else that can be found in religion.  When I tried to practice religion according to their rules, I was only made a mess of.  And then, in confession, the priest blasted me.  He announced, “You have no peace.”  He couldn’t have been more giddy.  This is one of the worst problems with religious people, as I see it.  They are delighted to cause other people’s suffering and to see other people suffer.  I guess, like Charlie Sheen, it proves that they’re “winning.”

Spring Has Sprung

Here are some pics of my garden:

Annuals

Blueberry Bush

Blueberry Flowers

Fig

Lettuce

Peach Tree

Peach Flowers/Baby Peaches