Nel mezzo del cammin...

First comes love... then comes marriage... then comes...

2008-04-21T19:44:00.001-07:00

Benjamin Alan Souligne! Born today, April 21st at 6:37 p.m.. 7lbs 12oz, 20 inches long. He is perfect and absolutely beautiful.

And a couple of videos:

One of the cool things...

2008-02-26T12:30:00.000-08:00

...I get to do for work.

Another resolution (not just for Lent)...

2008-02-25T16:59:00.001-08:00

I've recently experienced a few occasions (that being far too many) where people have been out-right cruel. How is one to respond when in the midst of a group of people who are being cruel to another (not in actions, but in words)? Sadly, I simply hung my head and didn't say a word. I felt like I should have done something... should have said something.

On being Courteous.

Hilaire Belloc says Of Courtesy…
it is much less than Courage of Heart or Holiness,
Yet in His walks it seems
That the Grace of God is found in Courtesy…

Courtesy, among other things is the refinement of conduct in the small matters of daily life. Courtesy is not necessarily a “Christian Virtue”. One need not be infused with the Grace of God to be courteous. However, when formed by explicit Faith and Charity, The Grace of God is in Courtesy.

Courtesy is not strictly distinct from the other virtues, but rather a quality to be found in them all. It has something to do with reverence and humility. It is shaped by charity, the form of all the virtues, into the quality of mercy. Courtesy is the beauty of a brave and generous life.

Courtesy is, first of all, reverence for one’s fellow man. It is a habit of seeing made possible by faith and charity, an eye which sees in every man, great or small, the shining image of the Trinity. The courteous person has an attitude of “worship” toward his fellows: by small deeds of kindness, he acknowledges their worth, their dignity, as human persons.

Secondly, courtesy is closely tied to humility. According to G.K. Chesterton, courtesy is “the wedding of humility with dignity.” One example he uses is that of a prince who waited like a servant on a man who was his own prisoner. There is something in courtesy that deserves to be called self-emptying – the noble refusal of self-worship. The proud or self-centered person may be polite, but he can never be courteous, because he refuses to serve.

The courteous person is not necessarily a Saint. However, they do strive to be saintly. They can be deceived by the world, racked with concupiscence, and tempted by evil. However, courtesy is measured by the wholeheartedness of the struggle. If the courteous Christian be not in God’s grace, he prays God to put him there.

Finally, courtesy has beauty. It is an attribute of the whole person… at once a graceful bodily gesture (as in “curtsy”) and a gracious attitude of the mind. St. Thomas Aquinas said that the spiritually beautiful and the morally right were really identical, because when a man is righteous, the splendor of reason shines through his actions. Therefore the courteous person is beautiful and sheds beauty on those to whom he shows courtesy. To show courtesy to a unkind man is to show him the loveliness God gave him in his nature and the even greater loveliness he could have if only he allowed God’s grace to change him.

And (of course) according to Dante… courtesy does not die at death. The living man shows himself courteous toward the souls of the departed by praying for them, so that they may purge their guilt. And in Paradise, there is a sweet lack of envy in the saints… Each of the blessed accepts his own degree of glory and rejoices, without jealousy, in the merits of his fellows. This heavenly magnanimity is courtesy. According to Dante’s report, Bonaventure the Franciscan is so moved by the courtesy with which Thomas the Dominican praises St. Francis that he is moved in praise of God all the more. (See Paradiso, canto XII)

On Lent...

2008-02-16T19:26:00.000-08:00

“The dawn was overcoming the morning breeze, which had fled before it, so that I descried far off the trembling of the sea. We made our way over the lonely plain, like one who returns to the road he has lost and, till he finds it, seems to himself to go in vain.

“When we were at a part where the dew resists the sun and, being in shade, is little dispersed, my Master gently laid both hands outspread on the grass. I, therefore, aware of his purpose, reached toward him my tear-stained cheeks and on them he wholly restored that colour which Hell had hidden in me.” Purgatorio, Canto I, line 120

This is one of my favorite parts of Dante’s Divine Comedy. It’s the beginning of Purgatory after Dante and Virgil’s ascent from Hell. It is where Virgil washes Dante’s face “of the soot of Hell”.

It is, for me, a fitting image for Lent.

I must admit, I’ve not even begun my Lenten sacrifices this year. Not to mention that I forgot it was Lent this past Friday until it was Saturday and realized that I had meat for lunch – but only beer for dinner (which I had every intention of giving up).

I will say, though, that I am going through a certain purgation which reaches far beyond the physical (which I suppose is most important). I know what I must give up… what I must let loose (and it has nothing to do with beer). It is time that I cease wandering (without direction) in vain... it is time my tear-stained cheeks be cleansed and my focus be set on goodness and on a future of hope. Thank you to the “Virgils” in my life who have helped wipe the tears from my face, and most importantly, have pointed me in the proper direction.

O would some power...

2007-11-29T15:13:00.000-08:00

O would some power -- the gift, give us
to see ourselves as others see us! - Robert Burns

O that He would give us the gift to see ourselves (and others) as He sees us (and them)...

A few of my favorite things...

2007-10-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

I wrote this for my Facebook profile and figured I'd post it here (although those that know me know these things).

I love...

...coffee (even better if shared with friends)
...football – especially the Dallas Cowboys.
...the month of October (but only when it’s cool… right now it’s too damn hot!)
...my job (really)
...the smell of Aveda products (just did my hair this morning and I can still smell it)
...music, in general
...jazz, specifically
...the beauty of Joe Williams’ voice, to be even more specific
...and then there's Diana Krall
...my mom; she’s a treasure to me; I’ve always known this, but was recently re-reminded
...to laugh and to hear people laughing (Joni & Eliz)
...people in general
...specifically people who inspire me to be a better me
...honesty and sincerity and people who are who they ARE.
...faithful friends
...hot dogs (that’s a silly one, but it’s true)
...beer (again, much better if shared with friends)
...specifically beer with a fresh lime wedge
...my dad (he’s very likely the reason I love football (and beer))
...traveling (experiencing new places, meeting new people, gaining a broader perspective on life)
...Assisi, Italy (Well, really pretty much all of Italy).
...wine (especially when in Italy)
...a clean house (call me crazy, but I love to clean)
...my faith (the Richness of the Catholic Church)
...peace and beauty and goodness and grace
...simplicity
...Francis, Therese (both the Saint and Enders)
...white (the "non-color")
...Mr. Blue (the book)

Fun...

2007-06-20T12:49:00.001-07:00

It doesn't get much better than this:

The wedding of a dear friend
Meeting new friends
Sun
Sand
Water
Corona (many) with lime
Laughter (lots and lots)
Good conversation
Sleep (very little)

That was my weekend.

Make new friends, but keep the old...

2007-03-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

Do you remember your very first best friend?

I am luckily enough to have reconnected with mine during the past 5 or so months. We had not seen nor spoken with one another in well over 20 years (and so as not to age myself, I’ll keep it at that). Anyhow, this past weekend she came out to see me in Dallas (she lives in Durango). We spent a day at the spa… and another at the mall… it was a GREAT weekend. In between all of our activities, we reminisced about our friendship as kids. It is fascinating (and at times painful) to revisit some of those memories. I am amazed at how much effect our little friendship had on me – and ultimately – continues to have on me. My best friend was beside me through a lot of big things in my little life. Like when my grandpa died – and when my parents marriage began to fall apart -- big things. Also, hers was the first lasagna I had ever eaten. (It’s funny cause she remembers how much I loved it too.)

It’s interesting to wonder how much of what I was like as a kid has become what I’m like as an adult. None of my current friends knew me as a kid -- not the chess playing, horseback riding, (rabbit hunting!), talk-on-the-phone-all-day kid. I’d like to think that I am as good of a friend now as I was then (although I highly doubt you’ll catch me rabbit hunting).

I have had the opportunity to reconnect with several ‘old friends’ over the past year -- most from college – maybe a couple from High School. Everyone always says, “Isn’t it great that we can pick up right where we left off?” It is great! It’s also great to know that my very first best friend has become one of my newest best friends.

From Harvey...

2007-03-06T12:30:00.000-08:00

From one of my favorite movies:

"Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, 'In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.' Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant." Elwood P. Dowd

Funny...

2007-03-01T14:03:00.000-08:00

This is one of the funniest things I've seen/heard in a long time! Enjoy. :-)

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8126430922330991484

Thoughtful gifts...

2007-02-20T08:10:00.000-08:00

There have been times I have been surprised by the thought some people put behind the gifts they give.

An example: A few years ago, I was very sad cause my dear friend and her family moved away. I made mention to another friend (LB) about how I stop at Starbucks every morning for a grande, non-fat, no foam latte and how somehow, that makes me feel a little better. A little less sad. Starbucks is "comfort food" for me. Well, a few days later, I received a Starbucks gift card that covered my lattes for well over a month (that's a lot of money). I was surprised -- yes, by LB's generosity, but more so, I was amazed by her thoughtfulness... because what she gave to me was comfort.

Another example: A few weeks ago, I received a gift (not for me, but for my friend Bobby). It was a Saint Benedict crucifix meant to bring comfort to those who are dying. It brought me a great deal of comfort too.

So, this morning I walk into the office to find a very large box on my desk. It was Fed-Exed and marked with a sticker that read, “Special Delivery Instructions: This package contains ALCOHOL. Adult signature required. Check ID. Do not deliver to an intoxicated person.” Much to my delight, inside the box were two six packs of beer! It was sent to me by a business partner. Thanking me for seeing the value in our partnership. It’s not odd to receive gifts from business partners. Not even alcoholic gifts. What was oddly cool was that she remembered (I guess) that I love beer. It was thoughtful. It couldn’t have come at a better time. It will bring me comfort.

Where is God?

2007-02-16T13:31:00.000-08:00

From C.S. Lewis' A Grief Observed:

"No one ever told me that grief felt so much like fear. I am not afraid, but the sensation is like being afraid. The same fluttering in the stomach, the same restlessness, the yawning. I keep on swallowing.
...

"Meanwhile, where is God? This is one of the most disquieting symptoms. When you are happy, so happy that you have no sense of needing Him, so happy that you are tempted to feel His claims upon you as an interruption, if you remember yourself and turn to Him with gratitude and praise, you will be -- or so it feels -- welcomed with open arms. But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that, silence. You may as well turn away. The longer you wait, the more emphatic the silence will become. There are no lights in the windows. It might be an empty house. Was it ever inhabited? It seemed so once. And that seeming was as strong as this. What can this mean? Why is he so present a commander in our time of prosperity and so very absent a help in time of trouble?

I am reminded that the same thing seems to have happened to Christ: 'Why hast thou forsaken me?' I know. Does that make it easier to understand?"

Today...

2007-01-11T10:38:00.000-08:00

"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are... Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in my pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return." Mary Jean Iron

Let it snow...

2007-01-07T08:05:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pics from my trip home for the holidays... I got to stay four extra days (thanks to the snow). It was very beautiful and peaceful once I was able to get over the fact that I would be missing 3 days of work as well as my boss's NYE party.

Sunset at my Mom's ...

Nothin like an ICED cold beer...

Iceacles hanging off my mom's roof...

Sunset at my Dad's (before the really big snow)...

"Shady Lane"

Talks by Archbishop Fulton Sheen...

2006-12-12T08:39:00.000-08:00

I found this link and what a find. You can sign up for a free membership and download 10 talks by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen for free. Makes a great addition to the iPod.

Check it out!

P.S. Happy Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Givin' Thanks...

2006-11-20T15:29:00.000-08:00

It’s Thanksgiving week…

A few things I’m thankful for this year:

* My new job… and the uncertainty of my future… (guess some things don’t change)

* All of my super cool new friends at work. The difference between here and Countrywide is truly amazing. I need to remember this.

* My boss, she’s the coolest of my super cool friends.

* People, in general. They inspire me.

* My recent trip to Chicago. Even though I didn’t get to see much, I was glad I had the opportunity to go.

* Time spent among friends.

* The opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with my family. Something I’ve not done in years.

* For the opportunity to reconnect with my best friend from grade school. Looking back, it's amazing how her friendship so influenced my life.

* My life and all of my abilities.

* For Bobby. There is so much I have learned from him… and without him I would’ve never known that Joe Williams is my favorite male vocalist.

For what are you thankful?

Where my ma'ma came from...

2006-09-11T13:07:00.000-07:00

During my visit home for Labor Day, I got see the houses in which my mom grew up. There are two… one in front of the other. Both of these houses (and many others to come) were built by my grandpa Ortiz.

The back house was built first. My guess is that it is probably 500 – maybe 600 -- square feet total. It’s a one bedroom house. It has one bed room and a living room… a teeny tiny kitchen and an even smaller bathroom. That’s it. My mom and her four siblings (minus the current baby) slept in the living room.

As you can imagine, they “out grew” that house before they ever occupied it. While they lived in the little house, my grandpa built a slightly bigger house in the front. This house actually had two bedrooms.

My grandma still owns these houses (along with her mother’s house – my great grandmother’s house). I am amazed by the size of these homes. Even my house, at 1000 sq feet, which I call “little”, would have been considered “big” by those standards.

It was inspiring for me to see those homes. It was inspiring for me to hear my grandma talk about raising her family in those homes. I guess I learned, in a different way that -- less, IS indeed, more. It leads me to aspire to simplicity.

DK...

2006-09-08T12:06:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are lovers of Diana Krall's music, I thought I'd let you know that her new album "From This Moment On" will be released on September 19th. http://www.dianakrall.com/

I, personally, can't wait!

Where I come from...

2006-09-06T13:21:00.000-07:00

I spent Labor Day weekend (and a few added days) at home in Pojoaque. That’s the name of the little town where I was raised. It’s just north of Santa Fe in the valley between the Sangre de Cristo and Jemez mountains.

This visit home was different than most others. It was different in a good way and for many reasons I suppose… maybe it's because I've never seen Santa Fe blooming with wild flowers (they've received more rain this summer than ever in recorded history)... or maybe it's because the weather was so amazing (especially so in contrast with what Dallas had been like)... or maybe it’s because I had the opportunity to see people I’d not seen since I was in High School. I got to drink Margaritas with my friend James – something we’ve not done together since before we could do so legally.

I also got to witness the swearing in of two Air Force Lieutenant Colonel’s – one was a guy I’ve known since I was 5 years old – the other was his wife. What an honor it was for me to be present for that ceremony. I was so proud of Carlos… and listening to him speak, I was reminded of many of the reasons I am so proud to have been raised in the Pojoaque Valley.

Carlos talked of many of the people, places and things that he has experienced during his tenure in the Air Force. He was in the Pentagon on 9/11 – thankfully on the other side of the building. He spoke about faith and courage and perseverance and honesty and countless other virtues. He attributed his success – not just in his military career, but also in life – to his parents, his family and other members of the community. He said, “How can I not succeed when I have been surrounded with people like you my whole life?”

He talked about how people influence us, even when we – or they – don’t know it. He talked about my mom and her influence in his life. My mom was his Den Mother in Cub and then Boy Scouts… she also managed the local grocery store and in many ways has helped and continues to help the community. This is where I come from… this is the community in which I was raised. Carlos helped me realize that many of these same people have had a tremendous influence on the person I am. They’ve all left indelible mark on my character.

Are you ready...

2006-08-11T12:43:00.000-07:00

…for some FOOTBALL??? That’s right, it’s time. The Cowboys play their first pre-season game Saturday. I can’t tell you how much I look forward to this time of year. Not only because of football season, but because it means that it’s almost the end of summer… (although in Dallas summer seems to last a month or two longer than the other places I’ve lived). I don’t know about you, but I am SO tired of the HEAT… it’s too damn hot. I cannot wait until that first crisp autumn morning (so what if it doesn’t happen until December.)

A Tribute...

2006-07-21T08:46:00.000-07:00

Following is a link to the eulogy that my friend Regina gave at her 4 year old son’s wake. It is a beautiful tribute to a beautiful life. It is a testament of God’s benevolent grace. Please continue to pray for Andrew, Regina & family.

http://www.joshuaschmiedicke.com/

Have you ever wanted to climb Mount Everest???

2006-07-18T14:01:00.000-07:00

I can’t say I would ever aspire to climb it, yet I have always had this fascination with Mount Everest. I remember, as a kid (though I don’t think I ever shared this with anyone), being amazed by stories of climbers who risked life and limb to stand on “TOP OF THE WORLD.” I can’t imagine what that must be like. I can’t imagine the sense of accomplishment… and the sense of awe.

When asked why he would climb Mount Everest, British mountaineer, George Mallory replied, “Because it’s there.” In addition to being amazed by stories of Everest climbers, there was a part of me that sort of thought these people were CRAZY! Why do these people do it… what drives them to make that kind of sacrifice? Is it all for adventure? Is it all just to say you’ve done it? (I’ve often wondered the same about people who run marathons or compete in triathlons).

Today I went to lunch with my mentor. I was assigned a mentor to help me get acclimated to my new job. Nicole is super cool and we always have these great conversations – usually never about work. Today we talked about how she met her husband and we talked about some of the cool stuff she’s done. She hasn’t climbed Everest, but she’s done a lot of cool stuff. Today while talking with Nicole, it kinda hit me… I think I know why (some) people climb Everest or why (some) people run marathons and compete in triathlons. I think these experiences, and specifically the training for these experiences, builds character. My mentor seems to have gained a lot of character from the cool stuff she has done and the cool places she’s visited. I suppose that’s not a earth shattering revelation, cause I would think that that’s the purpose of SPORT.

Anywhoo… I don’t think I’ll be signing up for an Everest expedition anytime soon, but there’s a lot of other cool stuff I’d like to do. And a lot of cool places I wanna visit.

Scattered thoughts...

2006-07-11T13:02:00.000-07:00

Scattered thoughts about celebrating my life and about how delecate life is…

Every day is my birthday…

I celebrated my birthday a couple of weeks ago. I’m still receiving Happy Birthday wishes… and I love it. I received a late birthday card in the mail from my great-aunt, a late phone call from an old friend, and an “Oh crap! I forgot it was your birthday!” from yet another friend. My response to all of them is that I feel like every day is my birthday.

I receive so many amazing gifts from family and friends every day… so much so that I feel like everyday of the year is my birthday.

Life is fragile…

I read an article written by Peggy Noonan… I think it was about Ken Lay’s death (which isn’t why I write that life is fragile, per se). At any rate, in the article, she speaks about how we hurt other people and how fragile – how breakable people are. She discusses how it’s difficult to calibrate how much damage you will do to a person when you hurt them. We cannot know the extent of the hurt.

It also brings to mind something people tell kids to say when they’re being teased… “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me…” F that! Words can hurt far more than sticks and stones. The sad part is we will never know the extent of the hurt. At least if someone smacks you across the head with big stick, you know the extent of the hurt. I am worried that I may have hurt someone… and I can’t stop thinking about it, cause I’ll never know the extent of the hurt.

Life is fragile, not just because people are breakable, but because life can end so very quickly. A distant friend of mine suffered the tragic loss of her 4 year old son this weekend. It’s a tragedy so terrible, I don’t know that I could bear it. I pray that God comforts their family… and that Our Lady be near to my friend. http://www.joshuaschmiedicke.com/

Willie's Fourth of July Picnic...

2006-07-05T11:46:00.000-07:00

I so easily forget how cool Fort Worth can be... Gotta make sure I go there more often.

A new, old song...

2006-06-27T15:05:00.000-07:00

I came across this when looking for somthing else in iTunes... this is an "old" John Michael Montgomery song called Dream On Texas Ladies.

I love it... as I continue to dream on.

Way down in Texas
Those cowgirls get restless
As they wait for that cowboy
Who will love them for life
And though they are certain
They'll meet him tomorrow
They're alone with their dreams for tonight

So dream on Texas ladies
About cowboys and babies
Hold out for that Lonestar
Who will love you for life
Dream on Texas ladies
About sunshine and daisies
Follow your heart
Where it leads you tonight

From Houston to Dallas
Those cowgirls sing ballads
About how love everlasting
Is love at its best
And they dream of that day
When they both ride away
As the sun slowly sets in the west

I think we're missing out...

2006-06-13T12:47:00.000-07:00

As much as I love sports (a part of me can't believe I'm even writing that... I guess I AM my father's daughter... anyhow...), I think I am missing out by not following the World Cup. In fact, I think that perhaps we're all missing out.

One other cool thing about working for a global company is that there are several people in my office who are WAY into the World Cup. They've got it playing on all the TVs here in the office. There are groups congregated by the elevators cheering on their team. (I don't even know who's playing and don't want to ask, cause that might be like asking who's playing during the NBA game tonight).

So, I wonder why it is that we, The United States, aren't all that into the Wold Cup. I think we're missing out.

GO MAVS!

And so it is...

2006-06-09T08:39:00.000-07:00

...almost the middle of June which means that it's almost the middle of the year and after today is over, I'll have been at my new job for four full weeks! It's amazing how time flies.

Yesterday I was assigned my first campaign. I'm pretty excited about it... and I am realy enjoying it here. I work with some really cool people on a lot of really cool stuff. (One of the coolest people I work with seems to be my boss… how cool is that?)

To be honest, I am plesently surprised. I think I had worked myself into thinking I wouldn’t like it… and had nearly convinced myself that I would likely never enjoy working for a large company (you know… cause of all the politics, negativity, drama, and “some people”). It’s still early in the game, but I think it’s off to a real good start.

Veronica (on the verge), can you tell we miss you? We’ve not been nearly as chatty since you left.

Does the pope wear Prada???

2006-05-04T13:29:00.000-07:00

Marketers Pray for DayPontiff Is Seen Using Their Brand;
Even Better Than a Movie Star

By STACY MEICHTRYApril 25, 2006; Page B1

Pope Benedict XVI is appealing to a new group of admirers: marketers seeking not blessings but pontifical product placements.

Since his election last year, the pope has been spotted wearing Serengeti-branded sunglasses and brown walking shoes donated by Geox. He owns a specially engraved white Apple iPod, and he recently stirred much publicity with a pair of stylish red loafers that may or may not be from Prada.

The raft of designer labels floating around the new pontiff is one of the odder consequences of last year's long-awaited papal transition. For the marketing world, the change at the helm of the Holy See is presenting an unprecedented opportunity, but also an ethical dilemma over how far to exploit religion for hyping a product.
Benedict XVI's media-savvy predecessor, John Paul II, was one of the world's most photographed public figures, but he also was a conspicuous ascetic. His preferred footwear was a pair of worn brown shoes. Prior to a 1981 assassination attempt, the Polish pontiff cruised around Rome in a 1960s Mercedes he inherited from his predecessor. Product placement was also a relatively nascent marketing technique throughout the first decade of John Paul II's tenure, and his last decade was marred by a steady decline in health.

Benedict XVI is striking a snazzier profile, presenting international brands with a welcome change of pace. Being associated with the pope is worth at least 100 times more than an A-list celebrity because the pontiff has a more devoted following, says John Allert, chief executive of the British unit of Interbrand, a global branding consultancy that is part of the Omnicom Group Inc.

But unlike movie stars, who can command huge sums for product endorsements, or the queen of England, who discreetly allows companies to mention royal patronage, the pope, as the moral and spiritual leader of more than one billion Catholics, endorses holiness and chastity but not products.

That means companies have to hope the pontiff uses a product they have donated to him and then tastefully note the event, or delicately capitalize on a photograph showing the 79-year-old theologian using or wearing a particular brand. Astute marketers say the key words are "tastefully" and "delicately." Pursuing pope-and-product juxtaposition poses risks. Brands have to be careful not to appear opportunistic or they could risk a backlash with the pope's followers. "The question of endorsing products, especially from a figure such as the pope, raises an enormous number of questions in terms of the ethics of each company," says Ben Cronin, general manager and research director of S.Comm, an international advertising-research firm.

A senior Vatican official who asked not to be named says that when it comes to worldly goods, Benedict XVI's choice of personal accessories is "completely arbitrary."

The official adds: "He's aware of the buzz, but mostly he laughs about it, because it's so absurd. What does he really have to choose? He doesn't wear a tie or coat. The glasses he wears are the same glasses he wore as a cardinal, as is the pen he writes with."

But because the pope is so lightly accessorized, brands like to be associated with him all the more. This was relatively easy for Italian shoe company Geox SpA, whose founder, Mario Moretti Polegato, is a friend of papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls. (Mr. Navarro-Valls is a member of Geox's ethics committee.) Following Benedict XVI's election in April of last year, Geox gave Mr. Navarro-Valls several pairs of Geox Uomo Light loafers -- featuring the brand's trademark antifoot-sweat system -- as a present for the new pope.
When the pope wore the shoes, Geox chose not to promote the event through advertisements or press materials. But the company was delighted when word got out. "If the pope uses our product that means it works. He's out in public under the sun for hours in a heavy tunic, so he risks becoming sweaty," says Geox spokesman Eros Scattolin. "What better testimony could you ask for?"

Bushnell Performance Optics got a lucky break when, during one of his first outings last year, Benedict XVI was photographed wearing a pair of its Serengeti sunglasses. Bushnell didn't advertise the photos or send out news releases, but a spokesman says the spotting helped Serengeti's business with retailers. "Our salesperson comes in and the retailer says, 'My Gosh! Did I just see the pope wearing Serengetis? Show me that style!'" says Phil Gyori, Bushnell's vice president of marketing.

Apple Computer Inc. declined to comment on the pencil-thin iPod nano that Benedict received as a gift from employees of Vatican Radio on the station's 75th anniversary. Radio technicians specially ordered the nano from Apple with the engraving "To His Holiness, Benedict XVI" and packed it with Vatican Radio programming. But Apple trade magazines, such as Macworld, immediately trumpeted the event, peppering their Web sites with newspaper reports of the gift.

Italian upscale leather maker Natuzzi was also bold with its marketing efforts. The company created the internal upholstery for a golf cart that General Electric Motorcars, a subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler AG, gave the pope last year. The pontiff only uses the cart inside the Vatican gardens and, therefore, out of the public eye. But Natuzzi and General Electric Motorcars issued a joint news release to let people know about the vehicle.

Car makers are the most active campaigners for papal patronage. With Benedict XVI's planned trips to Spain, Poland and Turkey, Volkswagen AG and BMW AG are both jockeying to replace DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes as the next maker of the popemobile -- the car with a bulletproof bubble that is arguably the world's most visible sport-utility vehicle. Mercedes-Benz has supplied popes with cars since the 1930s, providing three bubble-backed popemobiles over the years. The German company donated the current popemobile -- a heavily armored ML 430 -- to the Vatican in 2002, and company spokesman Joerg Zwilling said Benedict XVI has no immediate plans to abandon it.

And that's unfortunate for Volkswagen, which supplied a fleet of 100 vehicles to organizers of World Youth Day during the pope's high-profile visit to Cologne, Germany, in August. At the time, Volkswagen also offered to redesign the popemobile based on its Touareg SUV. The Vatican declined.

This past October, BMW donated a bulletproof X5 SUV to the Vatican, and the car maker says it hopes Benedict XVI will soon make public use of it since the vehicle, like the pope, is "Bavarian-made."
"The appeal is that he is one of, if not the, world's best-known persons," says BMW spokesman Michael Rebstock. "If he is on his way somewhere, he's attracting everyone's attention."

The most widely publicized papal branding event appears to have been the result of mistaken identity.
Over the past few months, scores of media reports have dubbed Benedict XVI the "Prada Pope," crediting the Italian fashion house with having made the pope's eye-catching red loafers.

The senior Vatican official says the loafers were actually made by the pope's personal cobbler. But Prada has refused to confirm or deny the reports, allowing the press speculation to continue. A spokesman for Prada said the fashion house lacked "the necessary elements" to make an accurate determination.

from the Wall Street Journal... http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB114591920439834611-JdUOk7FrbyTJQ5SKQdybhJPxTp4_20070424.html?mod=blogs

A quote for the day...

2006-04-25T13:44:00.000-07:00

"And let us be assuredthat it is not in saying a great deal that we shall be heard (Matt 6:7),but in purity of heart and in tears of compunction."

I don't recall where I read this so I can't quote the source.

Praying the Psalms...

2006-03-28T06:04:00.000-08:00

Part of my Lenten Devotion is to pray the Divine Office or at a minimum to say Morning Prayer. A friend who is also praying the Divine Office sent this to me. How true it is that, “In the Psalter you learn about yourself. You find depicted in it all the movements of your soul, all its changes, its ups and downs, it failures and recoveries.”

Praying the Psalms
St. Athanasius

My Dear Marcellinus,

I once talked with a certain studious old man, who had bestowed much labour on the Psalter, and discoursed to me about it with great persuasiveness and charm, expressing himself clearly too, and holding a copy of it in his hand the while he spoke. So I am going to write down for you the things he said.

Son, all the books of Scripture, both Old Testament and New, are inspired by God and useful for instruction, as the apostle says; but to those who really study it the Psalter yields especial treasure. Within it are represented and portrayed in all their great variety the movements of the human soul. It is like a picture, in which you see yourself portrayed and, seeing, may understand and consequently form yourself upon the pattern given. In the Psalter you learn about yourself. You find depicted in it all the movements of your soul, all its changes, its ups and downs, its failures and recoveries. Moreover, whatever your particular need or trouble, from this same book you can select a form of words to fit it, so that you do not merely hear and then pass on, but learn the way to remedy your ill. Prohibitions of evildoing are plentiful in Scripture, but only the Psalter tells you how to obey these orders and refrain from sin.

"But the marvel with the Psalter is that...the reader takes all its words upon his lips as though they were his own, written for his special benefit..."

But the marvel with the Psalter is that, barring those prophecies about the Savior and some about the Gentiles, the reader takes all its words upon his lips as though they were his own, written for his special benefit, and takes them and recites them, not as though someone else were speaking or another person’s feelings being described, but as himself speaking of himself, offering the words to God as his own heart’s utterance, just as though he himself had made them up.

It is possible for us, therefore to find in the Psalter not only the reflection of our own soul’s state, together with precept and example for all possible conditions, but also a fit form of words wherewith to please the Lord on each of life’s occasions, words both of repentance and of thankfulness, so that we fall not into sin; for it is not for our actions only that we must give account before the Judge, but also for our every idle word.

"So, then, my son, let whoever reads this book of Psalms take the things in it quite simply as God-inspired."

When you would give thanks to God at your affliction’s end, sing Psalm 4, Psalm 75 and Psalm 116. When you see the wicked wanting to ensnare you and you wish your prayer to reach God’s ears then wake up early and sing Psalm 5. For victory over the enemy and the saving of created things, take not glory to yourself but, knowing that it is the Son of God who has thus brought things to a happy issue, say to Him Psalm 9; and when you see the boundless pride of man, and evil passing great, so that among men (so it seems) no holy thing remains, take refuge with the Lord and say Psalm 12. And if this state of things be long drawn out, be not faint-hearted, as though God had forgotten you, but call upon Him with Psalm 27.

If you want to know how Moses prayed, you have the 90th Psalm. When you have been delivered from these enemies and oppressors, then sing Psalm 18; and when you marvel at the order of creation and God’s good providence therein and at the holy precepts of the law, Psalm 19 and Psalm 24 will voice your prayer; while Psalm 20 will give you words to comfort and to pray with others in distress. When you yourself are fed and guided by the Lord and, seeing it, rejoice, the 23rd Psalm awaits you. Do enemies surround you? Then lift up your heart to God and say Psalm 25, and you will surely see the sinners put to rout. And when you want the right way of approach to God in thankfulness, with spiritual understanding sing Psalm 29.
So, then, my son, let whoever reads this book of Psalms take the things in it quite simply as God-inspired. In every case the words you want are written down for you, and you can say them as your own.

Remember that you are dust...

2006-03-01T09:42:00.000-08:00

...and unto dust you shall return.

This morning I went to mass at St. Rita's. I heard what is likely the BEST Ash Wednesday homily I've ever heard. It was all of about 7 minutes long.

After commenting on the number of people who attend mass on Ash Wednesday (which is not even a holy day of obligation), the priest asks us: "Why will you wear your ashes today? Is it because you see it as a Catholic badge of honor? If so, wash your face. If you wear them as a reminder of your sinfulness and your need for redemption, then look at them in the mirror as often as possible through out the day today.

May our Lenten sacrifices truly help each of us to grow in virtue.

A Special Intention...

2006-02-14T12:57:00.000-08:00

So, I have one of those little "special intentions" to ask you to pray for.

I'll write more about it later, but would appreciate your prayers for my intention(s). I'm praying for yours.

Love y'all.

Felicia

What a find...

2006-02-08T10:30:00.000-08:00

So today I was perusing Amazon.com in hopes of finding another book or three to add to the pile of books that I am reading (currently there are six in the pile). One for fun; three for “spiritual” reading; one for work; and two that never leave the pile because once I finish reading them, I begin them again (One of which, of course, is Dante’s Inferno. The other, I Believe in Love by Jean Du Coeur De Jesus D’Elbee. )

Anyhow, I hit the jackpot when my search of Amazon.com yielded a “new” book (or at least one that I was unaware of) written by my favorite professor from college – Dr. Regis Martin.

Dr. Martin taught Theology of the Church and it was during this class I fell in love with the Church. There was one very specific day that I will never forget… from that day forward, I knew that I would always be Catholic. I knew that I would either be a good Catholic, a mediocre Catholic, or a very bad Catholic, but I knew I would always be Catholic.

As I read the introduction of Dr. Martin’s book What is the Church?, tears filled my eyes… mostly because it appears that his book will be as inspiring to me as his class, but also because of his account of his very first trip to Rome – specifically that of his encounter with Bernini’s The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa – and the “embrace of Saint Peter’s Square” that I, too, experienced.

I am so very excited to get this book.

Here's an excerpt:

“The truth of anything, the poet Goethe tells us, whether it be art or friendship, God or the Church, is very like an encounter with stained glass: To see it properly, whole and entire, you have got to enter into the thing itself, seeing it from the angle of the one who gave it form, weight, extension. What he means, I think, is that you have got to leave the safety of the pavement outside, where it can only appear dull and dark and unwelcoming, and entering bravely into that space within, risk being struck dumb by the sudden dazzling disclosure of so much grace, clarity, beauty and proportion, qualities which irradiate the thing in all its richness and profundity.”

Let us enter in and leave the safety of the pavement...

Trust...

2006-02-06T13:43:00.000-08:00

It’s interesting... this weekend, I spent an awful lot of time thinking about my “year of peace” – I guess I spent so much time thinking about it because I feel like I am on the verge of loosing it. I wanted to know what is causing this tumult in my heart – I know it’s gotta be more than the drama going on at work.

What is causing me to question God’s providence for me? It says in the good book -- Jeremiah, I think -- "For I know well the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to give you a future of hope...”

Really, it's all quite easy... why should I question it?

Trust God which -- leads to
Grace to surrender things I cannot change -- which leads to
Peacefulness and Serenity -- which leads to
Positive outlook on life -- which leads to
Greater desire to pray and do good things -- which leads to
Better, holier Felicia

For me, today, it must begin with TRUST.

The Rhino Principle...

2006-01-18T07:43:00.000-08:00

An intresting article written by Paul Johnson for Forbes.

Perhaps nice in considering our resolutions for the New Year, or more importantly, our resolutions for our life. Take a read:

There's a certain rule in life that I've found worth considering. It particularly applies if you're confronted by a crisis. I call it the Rhino Principle.

Now, the rhino is not a particularly subtle or clever animal. It's the last of the antediluvian quadrupeds to carry a great weight of body armor. And by all the rules of progressive design and the process of natural selection the rhino ought to have been eliminated. But it hasn't been. Why not? Because the rhino is single-minded. When it perceives an object, it makes a decision--to charge. And it puts everything it's got into that charge. When the charge is over, the object is either flattened or has gone a long way into cover, whereupon the rhino instantly resumes browsing.

Few people think of learning from a rhino. But I have. And when I hear of an author who cannot finish or get started on a book, I send him (or her) a rhino card. I paint a watercolor of a rhinoceros on the front of a postcard--something I do well, as I've practiced it a great many times. And in the space next to the address I write: "Stop fussing about that book. Just charge it. Keep on charging it until it is finished. That's what the rhino does. Put this card over your desk and remember the Rhino Principle."

Sending a rhino card usually works. Now, the Rhino Principle may not produce the perfect book, but it does produce a book. And once a book is drafted, it can be improved, polished and made satisfactory. But if the Rhino Principle is ignored, there is no book at all.

This principle can be applied to many other things, particularly business. When an entrepreneur has an object in his line of vision, he should dismiss all other considerations from his mind, abandon all other activities and charge directly at that object, continuing to charge until the object has been secured. All kinds of qualities are needed to make a great businessman. But aggressive single-mindedness is by far the most important. Indeed, it is indispensable.

To what extent does the Rhino Principle apply to politics and statesmanship? In my view it applies with even more force. The story of Moses in the book of Exodus is an exposition on this approach. So is the monumental story of Alexander the Great of Macedonia and the destruction of the Persian Empire. Caesar's conquest of Gaul, as described by himself, is another epic in the need to charge and keep on charging until the object is taken.

In the history of the United States one sees time and time again how success was achieved through the concentrated pursuit of a clear and definite aim.

The original settlers who arrived on the Mayflower observed this principle. They wanted the freedom to practice the religion of their choice, and to secure this they disregarded wealth, comfort and safety and worked toward their goal until it was achieved.

The American leaders who objected to George III's government argued around (and beside) the point until they produced the Declaration of Independence. This was the moment at which America adopted the Rhino Principle: A salient object was perceived, and everything was sacrificed for its attainment.

Abraham Lincoln concentrated all his energies into one two-pronged aim: the preservation of the Union and the defeat of those trying to sunder it. He pursued this aim wherever it took him and never deviated from it, despite enormous difficulties and reverses, until the Union was triumphant.

Winston Churchill embodied the Rhino Principle. His objects were not always consistent--and they were sometimes the wrong objects. But there was always the same single-mindedness in his pursuit of them. In 1940 Churchill and the defense of freedom in Europe came together in a common destiny. I remember, as a boy of 11, listening to his broadcasts during that fateful summer and hearing my father say, "That man Winston Churchill has a clear aim and is very determined. That is what we need today."

I've often noted that the statesmen who succeed on the big issues have a distinct vision of their goals combined with undeviating energy in pursuing them. Konrad Adenauer was one such example, Charles de Gaulle another. And in the 1980s two others who shared that trait, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, joined forces to win the Cold War. Neither was very sophisticated nor subtle, but both understood the importance of having a clear aim and concentrating unreservedly on that aim until it was accomplished.

Is President George W. Bush cast from the same mold? I rather think so. I certainly hope so.

We can choose to lead quiet lives and get through them without achieving much. But if we want to do the big thing, if we hope to leave a record that will be admired and remembered, we must learn to distinguish between the peripheral and the essential. Then, having clearly established our central objective, we must charge at it again and again until the goal is achieved.

That is what the rhinoceros does. It may not be a model animal in most ways. But it does one thing very well. And that one thing we can learn: Charge!

Paul Johnson, eminent British historian and author; Lee Kuan Yew, minister mentor of Singapore; and Ernesto Zedillo, director, Yale Center for the Study of Globalization, former president of Mexico; in addition to Forbes Chairman Caspar W. Weinberger, rotate in writing this column. To see past Current Events columns, visit our Web site at www.forbes.com/currentevents.

A Quote...

2006-01-13T13:34:00.000-08:00

"Wherever you go, go with all your heart." -- Confucius

It's all good...

2006-01-13T10:18:00.000-08:00

So, today, January 13th is a very important day for me (well… actually it should be January 15th, but since the 15th falls on a Sunday, it’s TODAY).

Friday, January 15, 2004. I am laid off of work.
Friday, January 14, 2005. I am laid off of work.
Friday, January 13, 2006. Looks like they’re keeping me for now…

It’s all good. And I’ve learned a lot from my mid-January experiences. One day I’ll write a series of posts about being unemployed and the extreme POSITIVE effect it has had on my life. These experiences have changed my very idea of ‘work’… These experiences have been the impetus of faith and trust, even at a time when I was in the midst of turning my back on ‘my faith’.

I was absolutely shocked last year when my boss called me into his office and handed me my “pink slip” (it was actually a grey envelope). It was the LAST thing I was expecting. Anyhow, after a few moments of “We hate to do this Felicia, but…” and “please know that this has nothing to do with your performance, but…” and “I know you’re just about ready to roll out your project, but…”, I looked at my boss, smiled, and said, “You know what, Mark? It’s all good… everything’s going to be all right.” Literally, from that moment (to this very moment as I type) I have had a peace that truly surpasses all understanding. It’s a grace that I try to revel in as often as possible, cause I know it may not last forever. (But wouldn’t it be amazing if it did? And I suppose it could so long as I continue to trust.)

Today, I’ll be celebrating work… and peace… and faith.

Tag...

2006-01-10T14:14:00.000-08:00

Rules: “The first player of this game starts with the topic “five weird habits of yourself,” and people who get tagged need to write an entry about their five weird habits as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose the next five people to be tagged and link to their web journals. Don’t forget to leave a comment in their blog or journal that says “You are tagged” (assuming they take comments) and tell them to read yours.”

Okay… Veronica tagged me… here are my odd habits

1. When I’m in a pissy mood (like right now), I MUST listen to my music VERY LOUD -- especially if it’s Maroon 5, Train, or Dave Matthews. It amazes me how much it helps. Kinda just blocks everyone and everything out until I can get my bearings.

2. Sometimes I drink beer.

3. I don’t mind folding clothes… I just don’t like putting them away. Often times they sit in neat folded piles on the bed in the guest bedroom until I wear them again. (Currently – in the dead of “winter” – my white pants are folded sitting on the bed waiting to be put away). Granted, there ARE times the clothes don’t get folded either. (I guess I find this an “odd habit” cause I’m otherwise, typically a “neat freak.”)

4. Kinda going with number three above, at work, I never file papers. I put them in a neat pile in the file cabinet with the most recent paper work on top. I can typically gage where a particular paper is in the pile. Every six months I throw the bottom half of the pile away (I just did that today, actually). For this reason, you’ll find number five below.

5. I do not like to print ANYTHING. I don’t own a printer. I don’t like paper… and I don’t like to save paper, file paper, keep notebooks/binders, etc.. (Don’t read tree-hugger into this – granted, I’m not into wasting our precious resources – but I’m not a tree-hugger.) I, thus, love our technological age which allows me to keep my file drawers rather empty.

I don’t know who to tag... I’ve not made many (any) blogger friends yet. SO, I tag whoever happens to read this. Tag, you're it... go!

Resolutions...

2005-12-28T06:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday as I was walking out the door, leaving work, a fella gave me a GREAT idea for one of my (many) New Year’s resolutions.

There are 4,000 people who work on the “Countrywide Campus.” For some strange reason I do not find the people here particularly friendly… it’s not like they’re mean… they’re just not friendly.

As some of you know, everyday I eat lunch by my self – and not by choice. During the “lunch rush” I have walked up to groups of people and asked if I could join them, then once I take my seat, no one speaks to me (much less makes eye contact) they simply carry on with “their conversation.” The same is true when you enter the elevator... I always wish the person(s) who enter with or after me a “good morning” or “have a good day” or “gee, it’s cold in here” but most of the time, no one talks to me. The exception to this lack of friendliness is in the microwave room (there are like 10 microwaves in there). The people in there ALWAYS talk to me… I guess it’s cause we have something in common: we all bring our own lunch. (Theirs is typically much better looking than my Lean Cuisine)

Okay, I know, I’m rambling; I’ll get back to the point. SO, I typically leave work right at 4:45 (which bugs the hell out of my co-worker – but that’s another story) anyhow, I’ve learned that leaving at any later adds 20 minutes to my commute since I have to wait that long just to get out of the parking garage (and some think getting out of the Galleria parking garage at Christmas time was bad!) Okay… MY POINT: I always walk out with at least a handful of people, if not an actual stampede. The walk from my office to the parking garage is prolly like ¼ - ½ a mile.

Yesterday as I was walking out and held open the door for a few people, this fella says, “I’m going to get a hair cut.” I figured maybe he was talking to someone next to him… or maybe on his “Blue Tooth” enabled cell, but nope… he was talking to me. At first, I just sort of smiled at him to make sure I was the person he was talking to… and he gave me a look like, “so aren’t you going to respond?” So I said, “Today sounds like a great day to get your hair cut!” and so our conversation continued for ¼ mile. When I got to my car, I chuckled at the peculiarity of the conversation I had just had. (No, Eliz, I do not think he is my future spouse.)

Anyhow, in an effort to make more people chuckle on their drive home, I am going to come up with a few oddities or the like to discuss with the person(s) with whom I amble at the end of the day. I think I’ll ask, “What are you going to have for dinner?” or “Why is it that time seems to go by more quickly the older people get?” or "What are your New Year's Resolutions?" or I’ll tell them my plans for the evening (assuming the plans are noteworthy).

What would you discuss with strangers to make them smile?

Yes, Virginia...

2005-12-15T08:34:00.000-08:00

Hey... Did you ever know ALL the words to this quote? It's pretty great...

"Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy." Francis P. Church

Here's the text in its entirety:

Editorial Page, New York Sun, 1897

We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:

I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, "If you see it in The Sun, it's so." Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia O'Hanlon

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except what they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus?Thank God he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!

When I am old...

2005-12-09T06:24:00.000-08:00

Last year I was at the grocery doing some shopping, I think I was at Central Market (but perhaps it was the Kroger in South Irving) regardless – the store was playing Christmas music at a volume where it could easily be heard. I think the song playing was “Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow” (or something of the like) but I know it was Dean Martin singing.

Anyhow, I was enjoying the music as I was checking the dates on the milk cartons and turned to see this elderly woman (prolly like 75 or maybe even 80)… anyhow she was sort of humming along with the music and then started dancing right there in the aisle. She saw me looking at her, and simply said, “I LOVE Dean Martin… and I love this time of the year…” and I told her, “I love Dean Martin too… and I hope that one day, I’ll be dancing in the aisles.”

There are many times that I think that I should start compiling a list of things to remember when I am old. I’ll put on there things like: Do not be bitter or grumpy. Stop driving. Play as much BINGO as you like. Don’t forget to smile. (I love when my grandma smiles…)

I hope that when I am old, and toward the end of my journey, I’ll still remember that lady, and will remember to be cheerful, and will remember to dance in the grocery store aisles.

Saint Nicholas...

2005-12-06T12:39:00.000-08:00

Did you know that Saint Nicholas is the patron Saint of Marriageable Maidens?

I suppose it makes sense, considering the following popular story of Saint Nick:

One story tells of a poor man with three daughters. In those days a young woman's father had to offer prospective husbands something of value—a dowry. The larger the dowry, the better the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. Without a dowry, a woman was unlikely to marry. This poor man's daughters, without dowries, were therefore destined to be sold into slavery. Mysteriously, on three different occasions, a bag of gold appeared in their home-providing the needed dowries. The bags of gold, tossed through an open window, are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. Sometimes the story is told with gold balls instead of bags of gold. That is why three gold balls, sometimes represented as oranges, are one of the symbols for St. Nicholas. And so St. Nicholas is a gift-giver.

Dear Saint Nicholas, on this, your feast day, please pray for me and all fair marriageable maidens... and if it be God's will, find for me a real hunk of a gentleman.

Friends...

2005-12-06T10:07:00.000-08:00

My last week (or so) has been full of friends…

One friend has a new boyfriend who was in town visiting from Chicago. I found that after a couple of dinners, several beers one night out at the Londoner, and a breakfast at Joe’s (where Irving Meets and Eats), my friend’s new boyfriend is a gem. He seems to know what he wants and what it’ll take to get there. There does not seem to be much he is afraid of. He has a genuine interest in people. And perhaps, what endured me most to him was that he always had a protective arm around my friend, and looked at her adoringly often.

Late in the week last week, I got a phone call at work from the little pumpkins I adore… and was only able to talk with them (and their mama) for 5 minutes and while I did not get to speak to them long, I was thankful for their call… it’s amazing how the voices of little ones can cheer me up for the whole week… and their mama’s simple (quick) encouragement help me through a slump.

The weekend was filled with Christmas parties… the both of which have become traditions. On Saturday night, we celebrated the 10th Annual Christmas Caroling Party, held by Rojo. This party has been witness to new loves, new children, an old apartment, a new house, new neighbors, new roommates, old friends, new friends. We all shared in the traditional fare; and shared our “five finger” traditions, and those of Rojo’s sister, we sipped Champagne (well… some of us sipped, other’s of us were a tad bit more indulgent), we Christmas Caroled, and for me, rang in the beginning of the holiday season. And on Sunday, another tradition with new, old friends… or at least one in the making.

Last night was dinner with an old friend from my old company… we talked about work and shortly realized that the things we talk about best are those things other than work. We talked about Italy… about Florence… about Dante… about seeing things through other’s eyes… about how nice it was that we ever became friends (which could have been considered unlikely) and how nice it was that we have remained friends.

This morning I prayed the Divine Office, a commitment I made to do through Advent (and perhaps beyond). I include in my morning prayers, the intentions of each of my friends and their families.

In the middle of the journey of our lives… both for me, and for Dante, friends and community help and guide us as we journey through the temptations of hell, the difficult work of purgatory, all in hopes of experiencing the bliss of heaven.

My guide and I came on that hidden road
to make our way back into the bright world;
and with no care for any rest, we climbed
he first, I following until I saw,
through a round opening, some of those things
of beauty Heaven bears. It was from there
that we emerged, to see once more the stars.
From the Inferno, Canto XXXIIII, line 133 - 139

The Next Blog Thing...

2005-12-01T05:24:00.000-08:00

So this morning I was doing the "Next Blog" Thing... and came upon this GREAT blog (more in the very funny, love her humor sense... than deep, philosophical sense, although I'd bet there's some of that too). Here's a tid bit: "And then there is the whole Martha Stewart thing. Let's face it, Martha rocks. I think am her sometimes. We even have the same haircut. Big difference though is that when I burn something I say, "Fucking hell!" whereas she might say something like "Whoopsie Daisy!" Though now that I think about it, she probably says "fucking hell" too. She is a first rate criminal afterall..."

I did, however, realize that you must be very careful when doing the "Next Blog" thing... especially while at work. There's some doozies out there.

Tony's Wine Warehouse...

2005-11-25T09:00:00.001-08:00

The guy looks a little like a used car salesman, doesn't he? "Buying wine at Tony's is a little like shopping at a used car lot. Tires are kicked. Drives are tested. Bull is dispensed. The sticker price is marked up. "

Damn! It appears our buddy James is a fraud...

Take a look. (Granted, I know this is the Dallas Observer and all... but the story about the Beckmen Estate Cab Sav sounds an awful lot like the story James told us about our beloved Schlumberger.)

Thanks for the alert "Red". (He called to tell me of this during his trip to the wine store in Colorado Springs on Thanksgiving morn... and found Schlumberger for about 1/2 of what we paid at Tony's... he's going to bring some bottles back and I'll sacrifice one of my "Tony's bottles" and we'll do a comparison tasting.)

Thanksgiving...

2005-11-22T05:19:00.000-08:00

It’s Thanksgiving week…

A few things I’m thankful for this year:

* The peacefulness that I have felt since the day I lost my job in January of this year…

* Putting a big check-mark next to Number 1 on my “To-do before I Die list”… (That is, my visit to Rome and Assisi, Italy.)

* The opportunity to have enough time to feel bored… so much so that I do not take “work” for granted…

* My new job… and the uncertainty of my future…

* The numerous friends with whom I am able to share my daily struggles and daily triumphs…

* My brother, Mark, calling me for no reason at all… just to chat.

* For my family… though they are not perfect, I love them – one and all.

* For the friends who inspire me.

* For the opportunity to see the Statue of Liberty for the first time… and to feel the sorrow at the sight of Ground Zero… for my freedom.

* For my life.

* For songs sung to me by sweet 3 and 5 year old Pumpkins…

For what are you thankful?

A Prayer for Mariana...

2005-11-21T05:52:00.000-08:00

There are several of us who have started a novena of sorts to Saint Thérèse -- invoking the intercession of Our Lady -- asking healing for Mariana. If you are interested in joining us, following is the prayer:

Oh Holy little Thérèse of the Child Jesus, who during your short life on earth became a mirror of angelic purity, of love stronger than death, and of whole hearted abandonment to the will of God, now that you rejoice in the reward of your virtue, cast a glance of compassion on Mariana as we leave all things in your hands. Make her troubles your own – speak a word for her to Our Lady Immaculate, whose flower of special love you are – to that Queen of heaven "who smiled on thee at the dawn of life." Beg her as Queen of the Heart of Jesus to obtain for Mariana by her powerful intercession, the grace of health and peace and that she join with it a blessing that may strengthen The Murray family with the grace of her Divine Son. Amen.

Nel mezzo del cammin...

2005-11-16T06:52:00.000-08:00

"In the middle of the journey..."

These are the opening words of The Divine Comedy… Dante Aligheri’s Great literary work about the journey of the pilgrim Dante through Hell, up the mountain of Purgatory, and finally into the bliss of Heaven.

I first read The Divine Comedy in college where I took an entire course that studied only this. The words that Dante wrote had and continue to have a profound effect on my spiritual journey.

I find myself in the middle of the journey… and so have named my blog.
I’ve been inspired by many of your blogs… and find it a wonderful means of discussion.