tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58202752011-04-21T22:13:04.085-05:00<em>A Catholic mother's thoughts on the arts: fine, performing, domestic and parental.</em> </br> </br> <b>Who am I?</b> A Catholic, a mother of an adorable 9 month-old (sorry, no pictures, I'm cheap), a seamstress, writer, musician, and baker, as well as wife to Flambeaux of Fiat Lux!Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comBlogger861100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1106630154753433462005-01-24T23:03:00.000-06:002005-01-24T23:15:54.753-06:00

The latest flap to descend on the Christian world is Focus on the Family's Dr. James Dobson warning parents about the evils of Spongebob because of the animatedd sponge's appearance in a video teaching children the value of "tolerance". It's essentially gay propaganda, and uses Spongebob and his pal Patrick as examples. I will admit I have not seen much of the show, and have not liked what I've

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1106629359597841592005-01-24T22:50:00.000-06:002005-01-24T23:02:39.596-06:00

On vacation, I've been seeing a lot of television. Saturday night we saw the premier of Town Haul, a spinoff (sort of) of Trading Spaces. One of the designers, Genevieve, is doing a much bigger project than redesigning a room. She's redesigning a small town in New York, a kind of urban renewal aimed at reviving the dying small towns of America. Jeffersonville looks like a nice little place

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1102698278339205522004-12-10T10:55:00.000-06:002004-12-10T11:04:38.340-06:00

from a conversation on desserts Stitchwitch: "Apparently you prefer Absolute Divine Simplicity in your desserts" Flambeaux: "Dogmatically so." from a rant Flambeaux: "Americans don't celebrate Christmas, they celebrate Holiday, a feast of gluttony and consumerism which begins with the gluttony of Halloween, continues with the gluttony of Thanksgiving, is capped by the festival of

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1100534142937462662004-11-15T09:51:00.000-06:002004-11-15T09:55:42.936-06:00

(upon discussion of why he stopped designing board games and writing plays) "That's because I became a hedonist, devoted to the pursuit of Pleasure, instead of things I actually enjoyed." (regarding beating dead horses, metaphorically) "I am a walking one man knacker's yard." (from a discussion on politics) "There is a difference between the freedom to do as you ought and the freedom to do as

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1100533857435483802004-11-15T09:41:00.000-06:002004-11-15T09:50:57.436-06:00

While I have aspired to the status of domestic goddess, cultivating along the way many arts which have nearly been lost to mankind, like napkin folding, one art that I have not tried to learn is darning. Darning, you will of course remember, is the art of fixing torn knitting, and is usually employed when one has a hole in one's sock. Now I can sew a button, fix a busted seam, tailor a 19th

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1099605819694833542004-11-04T15:58:00.000-06:002004-11-04T16:03:39.696-06:00

This election has proved one thing: the National Democratic Party has lost touch with its base. Forty years ago, it would be unthinkable for a Democrat Catholic to be unable to carry the Catholic vote and a Democrat Southerner to be unable to carry a single Southern state. The party has always relied on loyalty voting but there are few groups left that still vote in blocs large enough to carry

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1099406601578663672004-11-02T08:32:00.000-06:002004-11-02T08:46:41.020-06:00

A tip of the hat to Stanley Kurtz of National Review Online for the link to this book review. He's right. It's a stunning article, with an amazingly favorable review for the New York Times. The book itself, Home-Alone America:The Hidden Toll of Day Care, Behavioral Drugs and Other Parent Substitutes, presents an out-of-the-box look at the possibles costs of divorce, single motherhood, and

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1095432373404137462004-09-17T09:33:00.000-05:002004-09-17T09:46:13.403-05:00

I didn't intend to open up the can of worms regards which sports women should or should not play. I still am working through that and don't have anything consistent or coherant yet to say on that topic. There is however something brought up in commentary in the post below that I would like to address further. Proposition: If there is nothing inherantly different between men and women, then

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1095268759916176172004-09-15T11:44:00.000-05:002004-09-15T12:19:19.916-05:00

Keeping watch on Ivan the Terrible. If you can spare a few prayers for my brother at the Pensacola Naval Airstation and all the folks in New Orleans. I'm hoping the eye goes for one of the more deserted parts of the Gulf Coast but at the moment it seems to be heading for Mobile Bay. I heard a news item on the radio yesterday that I had been planning to blog about. The draft is full of screedy

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1094217437737817732004-09-03T08:06:00.000-05:002004-09-08T13:39:35.723-05:00

upon disappointment of a dull blogging day: "They're no longer clever and amusing. They're not dancing for my amusement. Off with their blogs."

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1093968908092208172004-08-31T09:46:00.000-05:002004-08-31T11:15:08.093-05:00

Note: This is my second attempt at this post. The initial version was incoherent and bland so I have reworked it. If anyone saw the original, please be aware of both style and content changes. ***** Weeks after the initial story has broken, I decide finally to step into the fray regarding Deal Hudson. Most of what I have to say really concerns the blogosphere more than Mr. Hudson himself.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1093289349075725512004-08-23T13:51:00.000-05:002004-08-24T14:28:30.803-05:00

Michael Jantze writes a great cartoon called the Norm. One of his fun recurring strips is The Chromosome Planets, where the eponymous hero comments on the differences between men and women, who seem so be from two different planets, X and Y. The humor comes from something we all know instinctively: men and women are different. And much of the grief that comes from discussions about modesty

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1093029240449301502004-08-20T13:19:00.000-05:002004-08-24T14:33:40.200-05:00

There's been a lot of talk in the Catholic blogosphere about modesty in dress. I think the most intersting thing that occurs when the hot topic comes up is that almost everyone agrees that modest dress is a duty of the faithful but we can't agree on what is modest. I think the issue is often confused by the fact that many of the manufacturers of "modest clothing" produce clothing that could be

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1092151074569826722004-08-10T09:55:00.000-05:002004-08-10T10:17:54.570-05:00

But on second thought, isn't the new rage for ponchos like this: the perfect nursing mother's cover-up. Why didn't we think of this sooner?

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1089220822863964182004-07-07T11:52:00.000-05:002004-07-07T16:59:06.760-05:00

It has been a crazy week, one that has left muchfood for thought. I thought I might share some of my reflections here. I don't profess any of them to be deep or original, just my $0.02 On Expertise It is remarkable to see the armchair experts come out of the woodwork in the comments boxes whenever big news breaks. I don't mean the lawyers opining on law. I mean that all of the sudden the

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1088708233559672882004-07-01T13:50:00.000-05:002004-07-01T13:57:13.560-05:00

Many of you (ok, my five regular readers) may have been wondering where I've been. I've been on a small blogging hiatus and hope to start posting more regularly once I've finished some pressing projects around here. I went on a lovely cruise to Alaska with my family, managed to relax, had my toenails painted, that sort of thing. I've been busy with a writing project, errands, and a neverending

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1084856065220907242004-05-17T23:45:00.000-05:002004-05-17T23:54:25.220-05:00

I'm going to be visiting family in the Baltimore/Annapolis area as well as Philadelphia, with a possible day trip to DC. Will be there Monday May 24 - Thursday May 27. If you'd like to meet for luncheon, tea, coffee, or a pint, let me know and I'll see if I can find some time.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1084768555683427462004-05-16T23:17:00.000-05:002004-05-16T23:38:07.996-05:00

I'm currently working on a big blog project. A multi-post foray into formal apologetics. Until then, I leave you with these thoughts. What on earth is this BS about "authentic self"? I'm listening to the radio tonight and some Businesswoman show. The host is interviewing an author who's doing public speaking on "Spirituality for the Non-Religious", whatever that means. The guest is talking

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1084257640137771922004-05-11T01:38:00.000-05:002004-05-11T01:40:40.136-05:00

I introduce Boo's very own blog, Hobbit's Eye View. It's like the description says, a virtual baby book, intended mostly for my family, but y'all are welcome to go see it.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1083966015456381022004-05-07T16:38:00.000-05:002004-05-07T16:45:25.106-05:00

Flambeaux (to child): "Boo, what are you doing?" Stitchwitch: "Using the all-powerful pincer grasp." Flambeaux: "Next he'll come with ninja action."

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1083965883702120342004-05-07T16:34:00.000-05:002004-05-07T16:41:17.763-05:00

In best Stephen Hawking voice: "There are billions of stars in the universe and trillions of planets and if you use good time management, you can visit them all."

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1083886208680781212004-05-06T17:59:00.000-05:002004-05-06T18:33:21.936-05:00

From Mallon's Media Watch (see address at bottom) via Kathryn Lively of the St. Blog's Webring: Urgent! ******* Urgent! ******* Urgent! Stop the Morning-After Pill! Over-the-Counter approval to be decided by the FDA May 21. No age limits, no medical supervision, no parental involvement! Spread this far and wide! Time is of the essense! Call the White House, contact your Senators and

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1083800281486970462004-05-05T17:33:00.000-05:002004-05-05T18:41:13.653-05:00

Finally have a few free moments. A bit shaky still from nearly running over a dog today. Flambeaux has been volunteer teaching for a local Catholic high school and so my days have been a bit busier. I am right now gearing up to help grade term papers. ACK. Glad I have my trusty The New Well Tempered Sentence and The Deluxe Transitive Vampire on hand. As I read student papers attempting to

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1083363924970329902004-04-30T17:08:00.000-05:002004-04-30T17:28:32.263-05:00

I am reminded why I love this music. It's so happy. So optimistic. It's hard to listen to Songs You Know By Heart and not smile. Some choice quotes: "If we couldn't laugh, we'd all go insane." "The sea's in my veins, my tradition remains, I'm just glad I don't live in a trailer." "Not zucchine, fettucine, or bulger wheat" "Warm beer and bread, they say can raise the dead. Well, it reminds me

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1083269480041583852004-04-29T14:47:00.000-05:002004-04-29T15:21:23.590-05:00

GTA, in commenting on my post on Lukewarmness, asked why go through the motions when you don't feel like it/believe it? I would highly recommend reading Fr. Keyes response in the comments and to that would add these thoughts on the topic. There is a difference between not knowing if something is the truth and knowing the truth but not viscerally feeling the reality of that truth. In the first

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1082866930660448692004-04-24T23:21:00.000-05:002004-04-24T23:25:12.250-05:00

You will notice a new blog in the friends sidebar. A big welcome to Peregrinations and smooth sailing to ye.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1082765199713803122004-04-23T18:48:00.000-05:002004-04-23T19:14:50.796-05:00

Why is it that all of my attempts to cook "healthy" pasta thus far have failed? In an effort to reform the diet of Chateau Flambeaux, I bought several "alternative" pastas at Central Market. So far, all have met with disaster. The brown rice pasta ended up one sticky glutinous mass and was tasteless to boot. No, less than tasteless, it made cardboard appealing. Tonight we tried spelt pasta.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1082664836171015342004-04-22T14:45:00.000-05:002004-04-22T15:16:55.513-05:00

Have you ever had one of those days when you did not have the energy to do anything. Not even turn on a TV. You just want to stare at the wall and sit there wondering why you're staring at the wall. This seems to be a metaphor for my spiritual life. I am often so bone tired I don't have the energy to think, let alone pray. For the last couple of years, it was a real effort to go to church,

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1082522767636046832004-04-20T23:12:00.000-05:002004-04-20T23:50:24.483-05:00

Flambeaux and I had a lovely dinner this evening with E-Pression's Zorak, who was in town on business. We can now attest that she is as funny in real life as she is in cyberspace. We met at Trinty Hall, a great Irish pub in the chi-chi Mockingbird Station area. The brief descriptions we gave while coordinating the time were more than enough to recognize each other; the pub was nearly empty and

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1082488523365597582004-04-20T12:22:00.000-05:002004-04-20T14:18:20.640-05:00

This morning, after my shower, I brushed my teeth with Tom's of Maine toothpaste. Afterwards, I got dressed and slipped on my Birkenstocks. I had a breakfast of homemade granola. Later, I had a rest, putting my herbal eye pillow, made of 100% organic cotton over my eyes. I need to admit it. I am a crunchy conservative. I'm not sure how I got here. Maybe it was my love of Martha Stewart-y

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1082350622637399862004-04-18T23:34:00.000-05:002004-04-18T23:59:57.733-05:00

After the heaviness of the last post, I feel compelled to write something fun. So please hold onto these thoughts and remind me if I don't get to them in short order: 1) I want to comment on tepidity, depression, & sloth, and 2) I want to compile my semi-comprehensive research on the ridiculous scholarship that gave us modern neo-paganism. On with the fun. Have you ever considered how God has

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1082268355404114302004-04-18T01:05:00.000-05:002004-04-18T01:08:50.246-05:00

I realize in starting this post I am doing something that I typically do very poorly: serious commentary. However, I am every once in a while prompted to respond to something when I see injustice. In this case, it is the horrendous misreading by some of Rod Dreher's news coverage of the Scandal, as typified by the most recent comment box activity at Mark Shea's blog. See the post from 4/16/04

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1082181131390059172004-04-17T00:39:00.000-05:002004-04-17T00:55:04.576-05:00

My son, adorably funny at 9 1/2 monts old, has a lot of quirks. He screeches like a monkey, spins in my arms so that its difficult to keep a hand on him, has an unstoppable desire to eat paper, and sings to "up". At first I thought it was the light that caught his attention. Then I noticed he would sing to the sky when the lights were off so I wondered if it were the ceiling fan. The I

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1082141980099896392004-04-16T13:52:00.000-05:002004-04-16T14:02:32.810-05:00

So for all the folks here who attend the same Mass and don't know me in person, I will be wearing a black straw hat and my son will be fashioably attired in an olive green boonie hat with an embroidered giraffe on the pocket.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1081886027648175182004-04-13T14:40:00.000-05:002004-04-13T14:56:38.436-05:00

In one of those strange coincidences, I discovered this weekend that I attend the same church as the Summa Mamas. Isn't it strange how you can get to know someone in the blogosphere and realize that you wouldn't know them from Adam (or Eve) if you met them on the street? I'm hoping I will get to know them in person. One of the reasons I started blogging was that I was so terribly lonely in

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1080713151836132662004-03-30T23:34:00.000-06:002004-03-31T00:10:32.903-06:00

It seems a great deal of time and blogging has been taken up lately with discussions of literary genres. The Jelly-Pinched Wolf has been talking about his quest to restore horror, kashi of Synonyms & Sugar has given the battle cry for an assault on fantasy, and Flambeaux has been haunting comment boxes though not advertising that he has a plan to covertly recover the spiritual thriller. So you

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1080331669030610212004-03-26T14:07:00.000-06:002004-03-26T14:10:21.560-06:00

on the state of fantasy fiction. Go see what kashi has to say.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1080251839630042372004-03-25T15:19:00.000-06:002004-03-25T15:59:51.153-06:00

This post is probably the seed of something bigger. I fear I am an acedemic at heart and seem to think in dissertations rather than soundbites. Having read the many posts discussing The Passion of the Christ, especially regarding Mel Gibson's orthodoxy, I would like to discuss what seems to be an underlying assumption for many who are concerned with the work as a piece of art. I have always

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1080249390269851272004-03-25T15:12:00.000-06:002004-03-25T15:19:01.576-06:00

Let us give praise to our Maker and glory to His Name for giving us single-malt scotch, which has so far been the most effective remedy for my present cough and sore throat.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1080149680727149482004-03-24T11:33:00.000-06:002004-03-24T11:37:10.576-06:00

which is now linked on the side bar. Thanks also to them for pointing out the Truth Laid Bear Ecosystem. I'm a Flippery Fish!

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1079821330223598932004-03-20T16:06:00.000-06:002004-03-20T16:24:36.543-06:00

The ongoing debate in the blogosphere regarding the status of Mel Gibson (Is he in schism?) has prompted me to finally comment. For the record, I don't know. And I think that that is true for everyone who has been discussing this. But I think that there is something even more important than whether or not he is in communion with Rome. How culpable is he? Some bloggers have stated that he is

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1079735271548931532004-03-19T16:25:00.000-06:002004-03-19T16:30:16.810-06:00

We've been ripping MP3s here at Chez Flambeaux. Yesterday, we were working on the soundtrack CD for Star Wars: A New Hope. Boo's eyes lit up when the 20th Century Fox theme began playing and broke out in an excited grin when the opening crawl began. Yes, this child has good taste.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1079502729856767142004-03-16T23:52:00.000-06:002004-03-16T23:55:30.950-06:00

Flambeaux: (reading a Brach's mixed candy bag) This is a cause for worry. SW: Huh? Flambeaux: Oh, it's Fresh Candy Favorites. I was wondering they would have to add fresh candy flavor.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1079412058940950682004-03-15T22:26:00.000-06:002004-03-15T22:43:20.340-06:00

With the husband now blogging, I can convert fully to blog pseudonyms. My son is now the only one lacking a handle, a problem easily remedies. Introducing Boo, formerly known as The Baby. My husband informs me that this is a very traditional southern nickname. He seems to respond to it as much as his Christian name, although he also responds to Beep so it may just be a fascination with "b"

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1079411139441114472004-03-15T22:21:00.000-06:002004-03-15T22:28:00.983-06:00

Flambeaux: (being used as jungle gym by Child) He's using his teeth to crawl. SW: Yes, he's been doing that for a while. Flambeaux: The mouth is for locomotion.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1079332817051375812004-03-15T00:40:00.000-06:002004-03-15T00:42:37.530-06:00

Congratulations, you're a Seraph! A member of thehighest, or first, choir of angels, you arepurity personified- a being of radiant lightand love so powerful that even other angelsfind it difficult to look at you. You stand atthe throne of God, where your primary purposeis to love Him and express that love throughsong. What Order of Angel Are You? brought to you by Quizilla

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1078786657544495972004-03-08T16:37:00.000-06:002004-03-08T16:59:51.310-06:00

I have never in my life liked drinking water. Yes, I know, it's good for me. I oughtn't go around dehydrated. My skin will look better. I know all of this intellectually. But viscerally, I just hate the thought of drinking the stuff. Now if I'm thirsty and that's the only drink around the house, I'll drink it. There was even a time when I was living in Italy when I would take the bus into

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1078785260864616292004-03-08T16:31:00.000-06:002004-03-08T16:36:34.936-06:00

My dear husband has finally taken the plunge and started his own blog, Fiat Lux! (See the side bar under BlogFriends.) He is going by the handle Flambeaux so those who know his secret identity should endeavor to keep it well hidden. Welcome Fiat Lux and may we enjoy many elightening posts.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1078764077713819752004-03-08T09:22:00.000-06:002004-03-08T10:44:35.763-06:00

We think we may have finally found a parish to call home. Some readers will remember how unhappy we were living on the vast flatness of the South Plains. Part of our unhappiness was caused by a lack of aethetically satisfying churches. Now I'm not talking primarily of pretty churches here. I'm talking about churches that recognize that Beauty is to the senses as Truth is to the mind or

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1078453238400982032004-03-04T20:20:00.000-06:002004-03-04T20:22:48.920-06:00

We (that is my husband and I) have been reading alot lately. Mostly books on how to get into freelance copywriting. It is the most lucrative area of freelancing so far that we have found. However, there is a catch. Unlike books and magazine articles, the software requirements are a little more hefty. First, we need a professional version of Microsoft Office, since we'd be using the computer

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1078162571262462782004-03-01T11:36:00.000-06:002004-03-01T11:38:18.106-06:00

This weekend, we decided to rent Under the Tuscan Sun, fully expecting a train wreck. Having read the book by Frances Mayes, the idea of a delightful memoir of renovating a house being turned into a romantic comedy seemed a poor fit. It’s not a movie genre we typically care for, either. It ended up being something of a surprise that has, as usual, sparked many long conversations. I will try

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1078161520735678552004-03-01T11:18:00.000-06:002004-03-01T11:20:47.810-06:00

were boring. I'm happy LOTR finally got the recognition it deserved. I'm sad that Master and Commander was overlooked except for some technical fields. I'm amazed that the stars managed to find ugly clothing that was simultaneously not appalling enough to mock. Dull.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1077770394699490162004-02-25T22:39:00.000-06:002004-02-25T22:41:58.500-06:00

While working as a church secretary, I noticed a running theme, a sort of joke that many of the priests had about Lent. There's always good attendance when something's given out at Mass. Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, and Donut Days are fine examples of this phenomenon. The irony is that there is something given out every Sunday more rich in symbol than ashes, more majestic than palms, more

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1077769616877130182004-02-25T22:26:00.000-06:002004-02-25T22:29:47.810-06:00

This year for Lent, we are giving up carbs. It's kind of an expanded version of giving up sugar. So for Mardi Gras, we gave one last hurrah to all things starchy. So what was my last sugary treat for Panevale? Krispy Kremes. I really love these remarkable donuts. Enough to recognize that they are perhaps an unhealthy attachment. I am just of fond of soda, pasta, and lots of other sweet and

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1077656990697374462004-02-24T15:09:00.000-06:002004-02-26T18:42:49.326-06:00

We have been invaded, oops, I mean visited by our first official visitors. Mom and Dad came in for a day and a half. Many pictures were taken of The Baby, many meals were enjoyed, and we went to see a museum. Beautiful. Three full hours of culture. The good kind. The kind that you sit back afterwards and think "I liked that." There was a lovely exhibit featuring artwork of Venice in the

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1077224667826688232004-02-19T15:04:00.000-06:002004-02-19T15:06:24.280-06:00

I just put up our windchimes the other day. With the wind nice and breezy at 41mph, they are beginning to be just a bit annoying. Kept me up all night. No, I kept me up all night but the chimes certainly didn't lull me to sleep. I've found my most productive time of day to be between 8 pm and 2 am. So I've taken to sleeping in late and just doing stuff when the sun goes down. Which might

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1077090406301633102004-02-18T01:46:00.000-06:002004-02-18T01:48:40.780-06:00

You may have noticed that I have a new search bar in the right column and that the Dangerous Beauty rant/post now has a link to the DVD at B&N. What is this, you may wonder. Well now, B&N gives me an itty bitty commission when you buy things after linking from my site. I don't like just begging for money outright but if you were going to buy the book anyway and I reminded you to look for it, B

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1077090077496054662004-02-18T01:41:00.000-06:002004-02-18T01:43:12.046-06:00

Yay! I managed to fix the Blogback button. Still having trouble with the pro-life clique button. Resolutions for the upcoming weeks. 1.Learn enough HTML that these things stop happening. 2.Provide enough content that people actually start visiting again. 3.Try to find something upbeat and humorous to write about daily. Check back on me in a few weeks and we'll see how I'm doing.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1077085566943435052004-02-18T00:26:00.000-06:002004-02-18T00:28:01.593-06:00

While I figure out how to work these links to B&N, the code's going to make this site look a little funny.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1077068409356131552004-02-17T19:40:00.000-06:002004-02-17T19:42:03.500-06:00

I'm finally back on track and beginning to get content on an almost daily basis. So I am now adding a few extras. Pending approval, I should soon be affiliated with Barnes and Noble. Who knows, one day they might carry my books also!

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1077005616735387802004-02-17T02:13:00.000-06:002004-02-17T02:15:30.576-06:00

Though I guess mommyhood hasn't completely sunk in since I didn't come up Kanga. Take the 100 Acre Personality Quiz!

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1077004945199960082004-02-17T02:02:00.000-06:002004-02-18T00:26:39.576-06:00

Surfing the blogosphere this week, I ran across this quote from Amy Wellborn's blog, Open Book, commenting on what the culture of modern America is saying to our young women: Be, essentially, a courtesan. That's where your life and priorities should be - in preening and flaunting your sexuality, and centering your life on when you get laid, by whom and how often. I'm not sure how deliberate

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1076630651944814282004-02-12T18:04:00.000-06:002004-02-12T18:06:01.483-06:00

I have finally approached a point where daily writing seems like a possiblility. After two interstate moves in as many months, I am finally settled, my home is approaching the state where I am happy in it for more than a few minutes, and I know where to find my books. So I have been writing. Not stories, books or articles yet. Nope. Today I am a resume consultant. My husband, in the middle

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1073147527378081242004-01-03T10:32:00.000-06:002004-01-03T10:33:16.466-06:00

Yes I have returned. My long hiatus will be explained in a later post when I am not trying to nurse a child at the same time.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1067371269382588712003-10-28T14:01:00.000-06:002003-10-28T14:01:08.930-06:00

Well, it looks like the weather had decided that it is Fall for the moment. I'm wearing sweaters and wanting coffee again. I even saw some greater Canada geese fly over head. And I just found out I have another deadline. Tomorrow. I have to whip something up about the misconception that NFP is "Catholic Contraception" in about 4 hours so that there's time for editing. See y'all again in a

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1066945180052100082003-10-23T16:39:00.000-05:002003-10-23T16:39:39.650-05:00

It's 90 degrees out here. N.I.N.E.T.Y. ...Nine-zero. I just want to look at turning leaves and wear sweaters and sip tea and it's still beach weather during the day. OTOH, it will make moving in a few weeks very nice indeed. Crisp fall days finally settling in as the movers take all of our worldly possessions out of the house.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1066766167091507502003-10-21T14:56:00.000-05:002003-10-21T14:56:07.240-05:00

I am going to step up and admit that Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. From my earliest years, I loved dressing up in costumes, getting candy, and seeing what fun and spooky decorations people came up with. Carving the pumpkin was up there with decorating the Christmas tree and dyeing Easter eggs. We worked every year to make our front yard terrifying and inviting, putting up cobwebs

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1066671691747742592003-10-20T12:41:00.000-05:002003-10-20T12:41:31.470-05:00

Thanks to the Two Sleepy Mommies for adding me to their blogroll.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1066413002805010342003-10-17T12:50:00.000-05:002003-10-17T12:50:02.250-05:00

Well, my current employer has decided I ought to leave by the end of this month. So we will be moving sooner than we thought. It looks like it might be a blessing in disguise since it will give us either a) more time to pack or b) a much earlier move date. For those wondering about the column, I will have a link established to a PDF of the South Plains Catholic once it hits the presses.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1066097509011135412003-10-13T21:11:00.000-05:002003-10-13T21:11:48.980-05:00

Woohoo! I just sent off my first column to be ripped to shreds by an editor. And two days before deadline. South Plains Catholic readers look out. You're witnessing the birth of a writer.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1065735352293084202003-10-09T16:35:00.000-05:002003-10-09T16:35:51.963-05:00

Well, I ended up getting to a dentist Tuesday afternoon. Root canal. I'm now on Vicodin and trying my hardest to stay awake and not make simple transposition errors while at work. On the bright side, my teeth aren't throbbing anymore and I've been sleeping real well. We've begun the planning process for the move. If you have any ideas on how to make it go smoothly let me know. Tonight,

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1065522506924880442003-10-07T05:28:00.000-05:002003-10-07T05:28:26.776-05:00

I was intending to do a post on actual versus active participation and how the understanding and translation of the word aftects the current liturgy, including the focus of community upon itself. But I a toothache which has kept me up all night. Nothing to worry about, just a temporary pain, probably from grinding my teeth over this move that's coming up. I'm going to be a zombie today and I

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1065466859864346642003-10-06T14:00:00.000-05:002003-10-06T14:00:59.963-05:00

It looks like I'll be leaving the South Plains in a few months. Most likely heading down to New Orleans. Dallas is the next likeliest. Either way, big changes. If all goes as planned, I will transition from church secretary/financial wizard/everyday tech/desktop publisher/firefighter to Stay At Home Mom, hopefully with a few columns. I'll have more time to write, so I should be able to have

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1065466547668843582003-10-06T13:55:00.000-05:002003-10-06T13:55:47.826-05:00

To Mark Shea for mentioning my blog on his site. My traffic has doubled. Must continue updating blogroll...

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1065231218702950312003-10-03T20:33:00.000-05:002003-10-03T20:33:38.350-05:00

My son was baptized into the Catholic church this weekend. We had a private ceremony (not the custom around here) with the family and friends gathered in from out of town. We chose pouring over immersion (also not the custom around here) and had a lovely christening gown, destined to be a family heirloom, made by my mother-in-law. In short, it was a fairly traditional affair. It was a study

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1064938546343148162003-09-30T11:15:00.000-05:002003-09-30T11:17:40.976-05:00

Many thanks to Victor Lams for mentioning my humble blog at et cetera. Darn it, now I'll need to produce content on a regular basis. Look out for big changes here. The Massive Data Recovery is nearly done so stay tuned for a bigger blogroll, more links, and more fun.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1064604383496900682003-09-26T14:26:00.000-05:002003-09-26T14:26:23.236-05:00

Guess who is now liscensed to drive in the state of Texas? Yes, dear readers, I finally passed at the ripe old age of 25!

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1064410594728756452003-09-24T08:36:00.000-05:002003-09-26T14:23:11.380-05:00

Those of you who know me know that I am the all purpose office person at my place of employment. The last few days were my budgeted preparation time for the finance committee which meets monthly. So I was supposed to be Finance Girl. However, in the middle of bank reconciliations I noticed a little problem. Actually a big problem. Really an enormous problem. It started out as a simple

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1064011103806223192003-09-19T17:38:00.000-05:002003-09-19T17:38:23.490-05:00

Can't you just see this on my little guy?

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1063978772798113762003-09-19T08:39:00.000-05:002003-09-19T08:40:31.880-05:00

YARR!!! It be International Talk Like a Pirate Day, matey. Aye, the good ship Melpomene is sailing along with fair winds and good weather. Hoist the mainsail, grab the popcorn, and stay aboard. And keep a weather eye out for those scallywags at Synonyms and Sugar!

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1063807993289059522003-09-17T09:13:00.000-05:002003-09-17T09:13:13.250-05:00

I have noticed that humanity as a species seems to be programmed to honor their heroes and have opprobrium for certain actions. In short, we have saints and we have sins. This shouldn't surprise anyone, especially Catholics, since we have been taught that those who live lives of heroic virtue live forever after with God and deserve honor (i.e., they are saints) and that those who are not saints

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1063803844987516502003-09-17T08:04:00.000-05:002003-09-19T11:59:44.116-05:00

For those who know me, my family is in the hurricane watch area. Please pray that this storm weakens and that it does not leave too much damage. Update: Mom's area barely even got rain. 15 miles north they were rowing in the streets, in the south county there were evacuations, but all Mom had to deal with was a deranged cat.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1063752041774855392003-09-16T17:40:00.000-05:002003-09-16T17:40:41.496-05:00

Well, today has been a crash course in code. I think I'm getting the hang of this. Stay tuned to tomorrow when I actually write something of substance!

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1063742057904749852003-09-16T14:54:00.000-05:002003-09-16T14:54:17.410-05:00

I think I've figured out the coding. I had typed a wrong letter.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1063724777925848432003-09-16T10:06:00.000-05:002003-09-16T14:35:23.660-05:00

Can anyone help me figure out how I add a WeatherPixie? I'm having a hard time figuring out how to add the HTML to my template.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5820275.post-1063722649764645582003-09-16T09:30:00.000-05:002003-09-16T17:41:09.263-05:00

Well here it is. I've finally started one of these things. The goals are simple. Write a little bit every day to get in the habit of writing. Test out arguments for my newspaper column. Rant when necessary. I'll be commenting on books I've read, plays I've seen, art, music (both sacred and profane), the decline of western civilization, and the rearing of children in a decadent culture.

Laura-ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07458267207748722756noreply@blogger.com