Monthly Archives: February 2008

Playground of Hard Knocks

24 Sunday Feb 2008

Posted by in Randomness

≈ 2 Comments

This is supposed to be a place for fun, right?
Well, you’d be wrong. No fun of any kind is allowed on this playground, unless you consider the “look but don’t touch” type of policy fun. I think I’ve figured out why obesity is becoming a problem for American youth.
Ordinance numbers 12 through 51? It takes that many ordinances to say that sentence, why, exactly? And why is there no comma after “dog officer”?
Closed until 8 a.m.? Do these people not know when kids wake up? Heck, I’m up by 8 a.m. and I don’t have a quarter of the energy level that kids do.
Take note of the walking sign. It pretty much sums everything up.
However, in case you can’t read what the signs say, here they are:
  • Baseball and softball allowed on ballfields only. All other sports prohibited except by permit.
  • No dogs allowed on parks or playgrounds.
  • Park and playground closed 10 PM to 8 AM except by permit.
  • NO golf playing allowed in parks.
  • Soccer, football prohibited on parks.

The playground really looks more like a makeshift prison for adolescent chain gangs than a place for fun and play.

The Day in Pictures

23 Saturday Feb 2008

Posted by in Bostonia, Life As We Know It, Lindsay

≈ 1 Comment

The first round of tests of several to come. Once the blood work comes back, arrangements for the more invasive tests will be made.
I went out in a snowstorm, an hour and a half each way, so that they could bleed me. It turns out that I’m a good bleeder. See? A perfectionist through and through.
I spent a lot of time in the subway stations and on the T.
I also spent a lot of time here.
With those near and dear to my heart.
Then? Then there was more snow.
The snow was not lacking a bit.
My day ended with a crazy party trolley parked outside my building in the street. It had a disco ball and a fog machine. It’s been a long day. Now I’m ready for sleep.

I’m Doing a Meme (And So Can You!)

18 Monday Feb 2008

Posted by in Die Bücher

≈ 1 Comment

The lovely Salome tagged yours truly for a book meme, the following one, to be exact:

Here are the rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).

2. Open the book to page 123.

3. Find the fifth sentence.

4. Post the next three sentences.

5. Tag five people.

This would seem simple enough, but fate would have it that when I go for the nearest book to me I’d find eleven right by me. This number is not counting the few right next to me that are school books, nor is it taking into account that my complete works of Shakespeare is really a lot of books in one (same with my Sherlock Holmes). So, I will take the top two books because I am currently reading them both. The expected time of completion is about the time I graduate, because that’s approximately when I’ll have enough time to read more than a paragraph a week. (Do not get me wrong, I literally read all the time, but it’s mostly for school, and then my eyes get tired or I get a headache and I have to sleep. School is a killjoy in the reading for fun department. Incidentally, so is sleep. However, it gets me reading things that I might otherwise have overlooked, so I consider it a fair trade-off.)

The first book is I Am America (And So Can You!) by Stephen Colbert.

“But my sheepskin announces to all assembled that though I may be a man of the people, I also have the keys to the clubhouse. I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard the phrase, ‘You went to Dartmouth? I find that hard to believe.’” (on the side margin: “Heard it while at Dartmouth, too”)

The second book is Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light, because sometimes I feel like comedy, and sometimes I need an inspirational kick in the butt. However, page 123 is the beginning of the chapter and only has four sentences on it, and the very top of the next page is a block quote by her, so I am not going to split that up. Instead, I will take the sentences following the block quote, which leads into another quote.

“Her letter ends with a request that highlights her heart’s aspirations: ‘Please pray for me that I may keep up looking at Him cheerfully.’

The prayer she copied on the first page of her medical notebook also reflects her pain at leaving Loreto and adjusting to a new way of life:

‘O Jesus, only love of my heart, I wish to suffer what I suffer and all Thou wilt have me suffer, for Thy pure love not because of the merits I may acquire, nor for the rewards Thou hast promised me but only to please Thee, to praise Thee, to bless Thee as well in sorrow as in joy.’”


 The last part of the rules state that I am to tag five people to do this. However, I have no idea who on earth to tag, and I already broke the rules twice, so I figure I can break the rules again. Behold my defiance! If you feel so inclined to do this yourself, please leave me a link in the comments section so that I can find out what books everyone else is reading. It always gives me ideas to add onto my unending mental list of books to read, and at this rate, I will soon have a book of books to read. I would be honoured if you would help me make that book a reality.

In the Movies

12 Tuesday Feb 2008

Posted by in Randomness

≈ 2 Comments

Today in one of my classes we were discussing rather existentialist ideas in terms of spiritualism, and the teaching fellow that was giving the lecture today was talking about who would play him in a movie.  Then everyone else got to talking about who would play them in a movie, and it largely seemed like most people had a very clear idea of what actor/actress would play them in a movie.  This got me thinking.  I’ve been pondering it all day in between classes and work, and I couldn’t really come up with anyone.  (Then again, there’s a possibility I might be sick again.  I have a sore throat, an elevated temperature and I’m coughing & sneezing every few minutes.  I’m hoping it’s a fluke, though.  The ironic part?  I had my throat blessed last week.)  I’m not entirely sure whether people were thinking in terms of looks, personality or both.  I think that the answer for me would be different on both accounts, though.  Someone told me that they think Liv Tyler would play me because our hair is kind of similar and because she’s enigmatic, unusual and fun.  (Granted, I do not have blue eyes.)  Someone else suggested Anne Hathaway.  I’m not really sure.  I can kind of see both.  I thought it was an interesting query, though.  So, now it’s your turn to answer.  If there was a movie made about you, which actress (or actor, but I don’t think any guys read this) do you think would play you?  Or, if you’d like, you can offer ideas as to who you think would play me.  That might be just as interesting for me.

Lenten Blessings

06 Wednesday Feb 2008

Posted by in Catholicism

≈ 4 Comments

I hope you all enjoyed your Fat Tuesday and are having a nice start to Lent.

For anyone wondering, I finally solidified my Lenten resolutions. This is a good thing since today kicked off Lent. (That’s Ash Wednesday for all you non-Catholics and non-Lent-participators.) I decided to give up two things for Lent: meat & complaining. I imagine both will be difficult to abstain from, but I’m up to the challenge. In addition, I’m going to go to daily Mass during the week at least once. I hope to go more than once, but I chose to do something that I knew was feasible and would work with my class schedule. I didn’t want to commit myself to something that I may not be able to keep. As per Arwen’s suggestion, I am going to keep a Lenten journal, and only require myself to write in it three times a week rather than daily. I didn’t put any stipulations as to which days I had to write in it, though, so that gives me some flexibility. I thought about this long and hard, and I think that my Lenten resolutions are reasonable even if they are larger in number than some other people’s. I was only going to stick with giving up complaining & meat, but I really liked Arwen’s idea of giving up something and adding something. Feel free to comment and share your own Lenten resolutions, or share any suggestions you have for getting me through Lent meat-free! (Keep in mind that I do not eat cheese or nuts, although I do like peanut butter.)

I love you, but clearly not enough to waste a piece of paper.

Lenten Prayer for Spiritual Renewal

God, heavenly Father,
look upon me and hear my prayer
during this holy Season of Lent.
By the good works You inspire,
help me to discipline my body
and to be renewed in spirit.Without You I can do nothing.
By Your Spirit help me to know what is right
and to be eager in doing Your will.
Teach me to find new life through penance.
Keep me from sin, and help me live
by Your commandment of love.
God of love, bring me back to You.
Send Your Spirit to make me strong
in faith and active in good works.
May my acts of penance bring me Your forgiveness,
open my heart to Your love,
and prepare me for the coming feast
of the Resurrection of Jesus.Lord, during this Lenten Season,
nourish me with Your Word of life
and make me one
with You in love and prayer.Fill my heart with Your love
and keep me faithful to the Gospel of Christ.
Give me the grace to rise above my human weakness.
Give me new life by Your Sacraments, especially the Mass.Father, our source of life,
I reach out with joy to grasp Your hand;
let me walk more readily in Your ways.
Guide me in Your gentle mercy,
for left to myself I cannot do Your Will.

Father of love, source of all blessings,
help me to pass from my old life of sin
to the new life of grace.
Prepare me for the glory of Your Kingdom.
I ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever.

Amen.

(prayer taken from here.)

Dancing Around Lenten Resolutions

02 Saturday Feb 2008

Posted by in Catholicism, Elatedness Abounds

≈ 4 Comments

I had signed up for Irish Step Dancing classes a little while ago.  I was completely stoked when I discovered that my university was offering it.  When I informed my father of the fact he laughed at me, which I think, if my translating skills serve,translates into something along the lines of, “That’s great!  Good for you!” in male.  Today was my first class.  It is very difficult, very exhausting and very fun.  I love it.  My toes, on the other hand, do not.  I attempted it barefoot today.  Next Saturday I may go the sock route.  I didn’t want to, because I didn’t want to make my socks disgusting if I could help it, but it may be worth it to invest in some “dancing socks” that I can afford to wear out.  Next Saturday I must also try to remember to bring water.

In unrelated news (well, I suppose Ireland relates to Catholicism quite easily), Lent is just around the corner.  Literally.  (Well, in the way I view the days of the week in my mind, but that’s a psychological phenomenon that affects very few people and so you probably have no idea what I’m talking about.)  Anyway, I normally strive for something quite ambitious and usually it turns out to not entirely be a realistic goal.  I have some ideas for this year, but nothing concrete.  I was contemplating giving up complaining during Lent.  I also contemplated getting up early every morning during the week (excluding weekends) to workout.  This second idea probably falls under “lofty and stupid.”  Then I thought, well, what about three mornings a week?  Then an epic debate ensued in my brain in which common sense won out on the assertion that I would just end up causing myself to lose out on sleep, which would then cause me to not study as well and then I’d fall behind in my work and then I’d get sick and then I’d be unable to keep my Lenten resolution.  I considered going to daily Mass and keeping a prayer journal every day, but given my school schedule, that would not be possible every single day.  And then I considered giving up Lent for Lent.  (Kidding.)  Anyway, I’ve concluded that I suck and need help.  So, give me your suggestions.  I expect a suggestion from everyone who is reading this post.  Unless of course you are reading this on Ash Wednesday or later, in which case you are exempt.

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