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How to Get Rid of Wasp & Hornets

The wasp may be helpful for your garden, but when they build a nest near your house, then the only option you have is, to get rid of them.

But, how?

There are many ways by which you can do that. In this article, I will share the ways by which you can make your garden wasp free.

getting rid of wasps

Image was taken by Avispa

4 Ways to Get Rid of Wasp

Do Physical Removal

This is the most simple, and direct way to kill a wasp. Just use a flyswatter, and hit the wasp with that. It’ll only work if you’re dealing with a small number.

If you’re using a flyswatter, then you do not have to pay for the costly insecticides, but at the same time, it’s also very risky. Wasps are quick, so if you miss them, then there are chances that you’ll get stung by them.

Remove their Food Sources

Food, drinks, and flowers attract them. You can safely get rid of them by just removing these things which attract them.

You can hide the food and drinks, while the flowers can be shifted to the outer side of the yard. Try to avoid floral perfumes, soaps, lotions, and shampoos.

The protein and sugar can attract them, so make sure, any of such items are not present on the outside.

Use Traps

There are various traps available which can be purchased. These work great to capture these insects.

Many companies manufacture traps which capture them in a different way.

If you do not want to purchase a wasp and hornet trap, then you can also make a homemade trap. Making a trap in your home is not a difficult task, you just need a few things, and you can easily make one.

Many tutorials are also available on the YouTube, you can also view them.

Use Wasp Killer

All the options which we discussed above help to get rid of these insects. But, the wasp killer is the only best solution which we have.

For that, you need to buy the best wasp spray to kill these insects. You should purchase the original product from a reputable brand, because when you spray it on the nest, then you hope that it works because it doesn’t work, all the wasps and hornets are going to stung you.

Final Words

These are the most popular and trusted methods of getting rid of wasps. From all of these, if I have to choose any one, then I will go for wasp killer because there are more chances that using a product which is designed to kill wasp will work.

If you’ve any questions, then feel free to ask. If you want to share your story, then you’re most welcome.

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Lack learns in a hurry to stop talking in his sleep and start stopping pucks

PENTICTON — The first Vancouver Canucks main camp critique of 6-foot-5 goalie prospect Eddie Lack came from Roberto Luongo on Saturday.
“He speaks Swedish in his sleep, so it cuts into my sleeping time,” Luongo joked of his roommate.
There was nothing funny about how many times the towering Swede had to fish pucks out of the net during the morning session at the Okanagan Events Centre. It was an eye-opener for a guy whose progress has him slotted third in the organization’s depth chart.
“I felt pretty good out there but you have to stay awake all the time and be ready because they’re shooting from every angle,” said the Lack, 22, who played 14 games in the Swedish Elite League last season with Brynas.

Vancouver Flyers

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West Ham's TSN Turning Point

It has been a dramatic week in east London; a little like a soap opera.

Avram Grant has been under immense pressure from West Ham owners David Gold and David Sullivan, as well as the supporters to pick up results.

Sullivan told the press that West Ham had to pick up seven points from four matches to avoid a reshuffle over the January transfer window (Birmingham [A], West Brom [H], Blackpool [H] and Liverpool [A]). The first-team could only pick up three.

After a poor display at Anfield, assistant manager Zeljko Petrovic left the club after some harsh words between the Montenegrin and his former employers.

But rather than folding like a house of cards, West Ham went out and added Wally Downes as the first team defensive coach because the Hammers conceded 25 goals in the opening 14 fixtures before his arrival.

The appointment of the former Brentford manager has worked wonders at Upton Park with West Ham, as they won their following match against Wigan 3-1.

This was labelled as the “save our season” match by West Ham. It was also the fixture in the last campaign which guaranteed them a spot for this one.

Scott Parker scored a magical third goal that day, and he played a major part in this game as well scoring the third goal which killed any chance Wigan had of winning this match.

However, it was what the Hammers did off of the ball which helped them pick up the win.

Simple things like closing down the ball, keeping defensive shape and playing the easy passes went a long way to ensure West Ham their second win of the season.

These concepts were adopted in the Carling Cup quarter-final on Tuesday.

Even without talisman Scott Parker playing a second of football, West Ham managed to put out a magnificent performance and shut down Manchester United’s young stars.

Now, West Ham has drawn Birmingham in the semifinal.

Grant is a decent manager when his sides are in tournaments. He was a penalty kick away from winning the Champions League, and he lost 1-0 last year in the FA Cup Final.

So will it be third time lucky for Avram, or is the Israeli doomed in cup finals?

And will this cup run boost their confidence so they can pick up in results the league?

Only time will tell.

Vancouver Flyers

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Tuesday, November 11, 2008

The items from my UpperCase Living party arrived over the weekend. I ended up getting $50 in free products so I was pretty excited! Here is my FREE hostess gift along with a 12x12 tile I bought at Lowe's for under $2.
And here's the finished product:

Remember my Goodwill mirrors from this summer?

I got a fleur de lis as one of my free products from UCL as well and put on one of the mirrors.
Not a huge difference, just a little somethin' somethin' to make it more interesting to look at. I haven't done anything with my other UCL products yet, but I'll be sure to post them once I do.

I worked on a gift for my Pink Christmas girlfriend this weekend. At least one of the gifts needs to be homemade so I decided to hand embroider an M and frame it.
The red is prettier in person than it looks here. It took me a long time as this is only the 3rd item I've hand embroidered. I had a hard time with the curves and had to rip out a lot of stitches. But, it's done and I hope she likes it. I have one other small project I'm working on for her and I'll show it once I'm done.
44 days till Christmas :o)

Sissy said...

I have never heard of UpperCase Living and am on my way to Google it next. Wow. That fleur de lis is great and I love what you did with the tile! And those Goodwill mirrors are such a cool find.

julie & joe said...

Uppercase Living is the greatest! We started selling it because we liked it so much.

Jodi said...

I like the embroidery you did. I thought you did a great job! Plus, the decor was really beautiful from UpperCase. Can fellow bloggers buy from you if you have another party???

Jodi said...

Thanks for giving me additional info on UpperCase Living. I checked out their website and loved a lot of their products!

Bobbi Jo said...

Your Christmas Tile sign is very pretty. And the mirrors look good.
Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Bird, Frizzy and Our Little Yaya said...

Very cool projects! Love how you used your new pieces. Very creative!

Darlene said...

That M is beautiful....if she doesn't LOVE it I would...my last name starts with an M...hehehe

I also LOVE that tile....it turned out so pretty!


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Wednesday, December 24, 2014

It's what bwings us togevah today. Man, I just absolutely love that movie!! One of the best ever made...

And mawwiage is what brings us together fact, it is 26 years of marriage!!! Yes, I was 5 when I was married as it couldn't be possible that I have been married for 26 years, right??? Right.

Marriage is an interesting thing. Bringing two people from different upbringings and making them a new family. Taking each person's strengths and weaknesses and blending them with another's. It certainly isn't always an easy thing, but boy, it sure can be rewarding!!

I love the marriage vows and what they mean: For better and for worse; through sickness and through health; for richer, for poorer. Truer words could not be spoken because marriage really IS all of those things more often than not. And when you take those vows seriously, true magic happens.

Twenty-six years ago today I joined my life with my husband. I don't think he was my best friend at the time - although I was awfully fond of him. LOL But, honestly, I don't think I understood what a true "best friend" was. But over the years he has shown me what that means. And I can honestly say that he is my other half, my best friend, my soul mate. He hasn't always been, and there's some days I question my sanity...but at the end of the day I know that I have a rock solid foundation that I can lean on through the good and the bad.

When I reflect on the fact that I've been with him way longer than I've been without him I am kind of amazed. I never really think I thought that would be true; and the fact that we are still together I owe to him. He fought for us during times I wasn't willing to; and vice versa. One of the best lessons he taught me was that marriage was something worth fighting for even when it doesn't seem like it is or ever will be. It is through those struggles and fighting for a future that isn't yet arrived that the magic happens. We are a team in every sense of the word and I can't possibly imagine my life without him.

Happy Anniversary, My Love!!! We will be together until the end of our days and for that I am more grateful than words can even begin to express. Thank you for our love. It is precious and it is good.

In the overly cheesy words of Jerry Maguire, "you complete me".

Cheers to many more years!!!

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

One Little Word for 2015

I've mentioned before about how I choose a word to live throughout each year - it's kind of a mantra, or intention, or you could even call it a one-word resolution, I suppose. It's just a basic idea of what I want to speak over my life during the year. Sometimes they are super powerful and I live and breathe them repeatedly; other times they quietly lurk in the background and make subtle appearances every once in a while. I haven't blogged all of them but here they are:

2010: Peace
2011: Quality
2012: Strength
2013: Light
2014: Courage

My strongest years were 2010, 2012, and 2014 and I will freely admit that in 2011 and 2013 I intentionally picked words that might be considered "easier" because I was so rocked by the previous year. But at the same time, they were what I needed at that time and I lived them throughout the year even if they weren't "knock you on your butt" powerful. They were who I was at that point in time.

This year my word kind of jumped out and surprised me. It's like it was waiting around the corner and then jumped out and said SURPRISE - I'm your word for the year!!! I know you never thought of me, but I'm it so you can quit looking now. Dexter fans, you'll know what my word really said when you look at this image:

Man, I still miss the early Dexter seasons...*sigh* word surprised me, but once it made itself known I knew without a doubt that it was it. I really could stop "looking" because it was here NOW. And that's it - NOW.

As in, be present in the NOW - quit thinking about where you were, and what worked, five years ago and find where I am now. Find what works for me now. Be present in the moment. Live my life - the one that is here now. Stop thinking about five days from now, or five years from now, or five years before. Think about NOW and be in this moment because I'll never get it back. Tomorrow will bring a whole new set of NOW, but today has NOW waiting to be lived.

I was a better runner several years ago than I am right now, but that doesn't mean I can't be the best runner I can be NOW. I was a better eater several years ago, but that doesn't mean I can't be the best eater I can be NOW. I've always been a pretty good wife and mother, but I also want to be the best wife and mother I can be right NOW. Each day we are given is a gift and I don't want to miss a single one of them not striving to be the best person I can be because I'm so caught up in who I want to be in some far off future, or who I was in some distant past.

I am thankful for who I am right now, but I'll keep fighting to be even better in the next now I'm given.

I've always talked about how pointless it is to have regrets in life because all of our experiences shape who we are; and I continue to hold strong to that point. It's absolute of the truest things I think we can come to grips with. And choosing the word NOW as my One Little Word for 2015 is really taking ownership of that concept and that quote above really says it: "I am grateful for always this moment, THE NOW. No matter what form it takes." ~ Eckhart Tolle

That's the hardest thing to grasp sometimes - the second part of that quotey goodness - no matter what form it takes. I know that appreciating NOW this coming year isn't always going to be easy. I'm setting myself up for a very challenging early part to the year by taking not just one class, but TWO. And not just taking an easy class, but taking two difficult ones: Math AND English. Math is most definitely NOT my strong point. English is not as scary, but we're still talking lots and lots of writing. It's going to be challenging to take on basically a 3/4 load at school, full-time work, full-time family, and health and fitness thrown in. Appreciating the NOW is going to take on a very different meaning. LOL

The second part of my word NOW is actually making now where I button down and say enough is enough...eating all the food and slacking on my fitness is not getting me closer to my goals but is instead pushing me further and further away from them.

So no more thinking about the future or longing for the past...the time is NOW.

Here's the link to my Pinterest board for Now - OLW 2015 which I will update throughout the year as I come across items that pertain to it.

I'm ready to get in the now of today, are you?

Do you choose a word for the year? Please share with me in the comments if you do! I absolutely LOVE hearing people's words or intentions for the year.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Closing Out a Year of Courage...

I teased recently that I would be sharing my word for 2015 soon, but I can't really move forward to 2015 before looking back and reflecting on the year we are in now. My word that I chose for 2014 was Courage. Did I always live with Courage in 2014? Did I do Courageous things every day? Did I jump out of planes or run through war torn streets dodging bullets like other courageous men and women do on a daily basis? No...absolutely not.

But I lived as courageously as I could for me.

The number one most courageous thing I did in 2014 was to sign up, train for, and complete my first and only marathon. But there were also lots of little courageous things on a daily basis. Sometimes just getting out the door was an act of immense courage! hahaha

I knew at the beginning of the year that choosing a word like Courage didn't mean that the road would be paved with easy moments that encapsulated my word. I knew that it would provide the challenges, and it did. But I courageously tackled each and every one of them. I may not have always wanted to, and there may have been times that I first huddled in the closet trying not to have a mental breakdown, but I eventually inhaled my courage and exhaled my fear and found the strength to face whatever it was.

I think the biggest thing I can take away from Courage during 2014 is that just because I was scared by things that were happening in my life and that it wasn't always easy to handle, that simply finding enough courage to FACE IT - whatever it was - was courage enough. It didn't always mean that it all worked out like sunshine and rainbows or that I was able to stand on the mountaintop and declare victory over all things. It meant that I was scared, but I didn't let it STOP ME.

I have a feeling that when I look back on my words years from now that I will always hold a fondness in my heart for Courage. It was a good word and it helped me accomplish some things that I really didn't think were possible.

So farewell, 2014! And goodbye to Courage as my One Little Word. You have changed my life and I will forever be thankful that YOU chose ME and that I was courageous enough to listen.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Thoughts on My Marathon...

Okay, so any of you that are regular readers know that my marathon was actually back on September 7 of this year and it might seem just a little odd that I'm barely now really doing any kind of serious thinking and sharing on it. I had fully intended to do a race recap and review, but I think I just wasn't really ready to actually process it into bite-sized pieces. It was still just occupying too much of a big picture place in my brain. Honestly, I think I'm still kind of surprised that it even happened. It feels like a dream and I sometimes have to pause for a moment to convince myself that it really DID happen. I actually did complete a marathon. Crazy...

I did write one post where I briefly talked about the marathon and posted a few pictures. If you missed that one, don't worry about going back and re-reading as I will probably say a lot of the same things here and share the same pictures. That's not my usual style, but since I've taken so long to really process the marathon experience I figure ya'll have forgotten it anyways. tee-hee...

My first thought always when I think about my marathon was that I'm really glad I did it and that it was really, really, really hard. I am even more amazed now by folks that run these things repeatedly than I ever was before I actually experienced it. I said it before, and I'll continue to say it until the day I die - completing a marathon is no friggin' joke.

How it all started...with a registration confirmation!
I remember the elation and terror all mixed into one when I hit the submit button on my registration. It felt like I had temporarily given myself over to some crazy bodysnatcher that decided I was crazy enough to run a marathon. That bodysnatcher stayed in control for about 24 hours before I got my mind back and went "Oh sh*t...what have I done?!?!?" I think I pretty much vacillated back and forth the entire time wondering what in the world I had gotten myself into and feeling like a crazy badass that could actually pull off a marathon. hahaha

Flat Kristen...ready to go!
Let's talk training for a training was less than stellar but I feel pretty good that I managed to get through it without dying or serious injury. Some of my training highlights include: new distances that I'd never run before; finding new routes to run; seeing my city from a different perspective; watching my legs gain strength and definition that weren't there before.

One of my favorite training spots was Diamond Valley Lake
A training run with my DIL's and a much deserved reward of feet in sand once done!
A training run in Dana Point through the Harbor

Hmmm...looks like I enjoyed pretending I live near the ocean because a lot of my running was near bodies of water. However, there were also some lowlights to my training: It was hotter than Hades through a majority of my training (more on this in a moment); I did suffer from some anterior tibialis tendonitis - AKA upper foot/ankle pain - for several weeks of my training that threatened to derail me; most of my long runs were completely and totally solo for major chunks of time which could be nice for parts, but were really boooorrrrinnnngg for others. Honestly, it was hard to keep my motivation up all the time when it was so hot and so boring and that I had to get up earlier and earlier to try to beat the sun. I ended up having to abandon Diamond Valley Lake as a training location because there was simply NO SHADE at all and it was just too hot once summer really heated up. So that meant hitting the city streets and running 18-20 miles through town which exposes you to a lot of stinky exhaust while simultaneously having to stay close to restrooms and well populated areas for safety. It was challenging to say the least. If I ever lost my mind had to run another marathon, I would choose one in the early to mid-spring so I could avoid training in the middle of summer. It wasn't very bright on my part to not consider the fact that I would be training during the hottest months of the year.

Hot, Sweaty, Mess...and I wasn't even done...Still had 12 miles to go!

Okay, let's talk actual race...but before we get ahead of ourselves, I'm not talking about my performance in the race. I don't feel the need to go back and rehash all the times I walked or all the times I hurt or how I had blisters on my feet that took about a month and at least a hundred gazillion applications of lotion to repair the damage or how I lost one toenail completely and battered all the rest of my little piggies on a weekly basis. I'm not even going to talk about how long it took me to finish the race because I just don't care how long it took. All that matters to me is that I finished it and that my husband was there to see me cross the finish line.

Giving my Hubby the thumbs up just after crossing the finish line
LOCATION: I had never been to Ventura before and really wasn't even sure where exactly it was at on the map before choosing this race - I just saw BEACH and that was all I needed apparently. HA! So now that I have been to Ventura two times I will say that I chose a really perfect location for my marathon. It is absolutely beautiful there!! Even in early September the temp on race day was upper 60's/low 70's which is still a tad warmer than I would prefer, but was still way cooler than if I was running in my hometown where it is common to be in the low 80's/upper 90's by the time the sun comes up.

Panorama of Ventura Beach from my hotel room balcony
It was easy for us to get there too. My husband and I drove to Los Angeles and took the Amtrak from Union Station (our first time on a train!) to the drop-off platform in Ventura just a short walk from the hotel. We both loved riding the train and would totally do so again. We paid a little bit more for the business class seats and the slightly higher cost was definitely worth the upgrade as you had a guaranteed seat and snacks that aren't available in the regular fare section. It's also elevated seating on the upper level so we had great views the entire time. I will add though that the Amtrak route - even though billed as the Coast Starlight - does NOT follow the coast between LA and Ventura. We really didn't see any water at all while on the train until we were actually in Ventura. So don't do that trip expecting to see miles of beaches...not gonna happen. But it was pretty and I saw areas of my state that I wouldn't normally see.

The afternoon before the race it was just a *tad* breezy...

RACE PERKS: There were a lot of nice little race perks. The race organizers did a great job at communicating with runners throughout the lead-up to the race. They provided a well-organized website with timely and accurate information. One of the biggest benefits, even though I was too far away to take advantage of all of them, is that they offered three free training runs leading up to the race! I thought that was a really awesome benefit to have and I wish I had been closer so I could have done all three. However, I did drive out for the last one with another registered runner and my daughter-in-law who did about 6 miles out with me before turning back. I was so glad I did that training run because it provided a great opportunity to see the location, get a lay of the land, run with others and enjoy the cooler weather for the morning. A major perk of the race in my opinion. The other big perk is the Beach Party that is part of the entire race weekend. They had bands, a beer garden and more which made for a very festive atmosphere.

After the training run

EXPO: I've seen better, but it wasn't terrible. There were a variety of vendors and I even purchased a Flip Belt since I'd been wanting one but didn't want to buy it sight unseen. They had a good amount of race merchandise, but I would have preferred to see even more variety in what was offered. Call me spoiled because I've been to too many runDisney expos which, IMHO, are the absolute best. The hubby and I did have a good time wandering around checking stuff out though, so even though I wouldn't say it's a good enough expo to make it a must-go destination, it wasn't disappointing.

COURSE: The actual race course was pretty awesome. It was an out and back course running from the Ventura Pier to the Port Hueneme Pier and then back again. You have sections that are near the ocean, but I don't remember actually seeing much ocean during the race. You cross a couple little inlets that are quite pretty and the waves crashing on the rocks at the turnaround point were pretty spectacular. There are a lot of long straightaways which is actually kind of nice, unless you like a lot of variety in the scenery, then not so nice. Personally, I liked using the long straights to get in a zone. There's good stretches of shade and lots of places where spectators can cheer (more on this in a moment).

One of the inlets as the sun was coming up

AID STATIONS: There were plenty of aid stations along the way stocked with lots of water and Fluid Performance beverage. They also had more than enough Clif Shot gels at the aid stations that they were designated as being available at. And not just a single flavor, they usually had a variety so you could get one that you liked. I learned during the training run that I really enjoy the Vanilla Clif gel. It is like eating vanilla frosting! I tend to be a Gu Girl, but if I was buying vanilla it would be the Clif brand. I also have to say that the volunteers manning the aid stations were fabulous!!! They were very complimentary and encouraging and ready to help with whatever you needed if they were able to.

I would have LOVED to see an aid station like this! LOL
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: I don't have a lot of negatives about the race, but there's always at least a couple things that could be improved, right? Keep in mind that these are only MY observations, others might have had a different experience. There wasn't a ton of spectator support even though there are plenty of locations perfect for it along the course and since it is an out and back, you get double the bang for your buck. It would be nice to see the community support the runners more in the future especially once you get to the Oxnard area where I saw almost none.

The aid stations didn't have anything else but water and Fluid Performance, and Clif Shots at every other one. I always hear about aid stations that have gummy bears and licorice and bacon and pretzels. I didn't see anything like that at all which was weird to me because they had ALL that stuff on the training run that I attended previously. I was a back-of-the-packer though, so perhaps there had been things that were gone by the time I got there. Totally possible. But at one point I would have died for a popsicle, but got lucky that one girl at the turnaround point had ONE ice cube left. I treasured that single, solitary ice cube like it was the last one I would ever have.

The second part on the aid stations was that none of them had any kind of body glide or vaseline available. They did have some folks helping with medical needs so I was able to get a band-aid and finally at the next to last aid station a gal finally had some vaseline. You see, I had some arm chafing and the aforementioned blisters on my feet and would have KILLED for some body glide. (Side note: I had body glide on my person when I left but it fell out of that previously mentioned Flip Belt that I purchased at the expo which was extremely frustrating and disappointing, but had nothing to do with the actual race).

And seriously, those are the ONLY negatives I have. The tech shirt and medal are AMAZING! The race organizers were fabulous. There were a ton of port-o-potties (although there could have been a few more on the route in a couple places, but not a deal breaker), the atmosphere, location and course were wonderful. If it wasn't so far away from me at about 2.5-3 hours driving, I would totally do the race again - well the HALF anyways. hahaha

This picture...well, it just says it all!!!

In closing, running a marathon is hard, but if you want to do one, you could certainly have a great time doing the Ventura Beach Marathon!!

And just in case you think it was just writing this post that took forever, I just barely put my 26.2 sticker (that I ordered the day after my race) on my car on the 7th of this month - exactly three months after actually earning it! Apparently my marathon processing time is 3 months. :-)

Monday, December 15, 2014

Ultimate Pre-Race Checklist

I know that racing season is in full swing and since I'm doing my normal pre-race ritual of doing anything and everything that I can to completely bomb my upcoming race, I figured it might be a good time to share this cool graphic so that at least on race morning I can pretend that I nailed my training cycle and hit those workouts, right???

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Thursday Randoms...

Ahhh...a caught up Bloglovin' feed = a happy girl!
I get way too much joy and satisfaction over catching up on my Bloglovin' feed. is like I think it is my job or something and I've just accomplished this monumental task that took FOR-EV-ERRRR and was so super-duper important that everyone should cheer when I finally hit that "Mark all as read" button, then refresh and it still comes up as all caught up on my reading. Speaking of, you can follow my rarely-published blog on Bloglovin' here or by using the button on the sidebar. (That's what is called a shameless plug...)

Speaking of shameless plugging, I have found that I have a very difficult time doing so. I read a lot of blogs (yeah, see item above) and one thing that is fairly consistent in the ones that have oodles of followers is that the author has no problem whatsoever saying "hey - follow me on TwitterFaceGram, you won't be sorry you did!" But me on the other hand, I have all of those things and I have the hardest time even asking my close friends and family to check them out. What the heck is that?? Some misplaced sense of humility or something. But just in case you're interested and I'm in the mood for shameless plugging, here's my feeds for Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can also follow me on Google+ over on the sidebar.

Found this on Google Images...Is that not hilarious?!?!

Speaking of humility, several coworkers complimented the boots I was wearing the other day and I politely said thank you, but at the same time I was somewhat embarrassed that anyone mentioned them because I felt like they were too flashy or something because people actually...GASP!...took notice of them in a nice way. I did the same thing when my husband got me my upgraded wedding ring several years back. I actually hid it behind my back when I would talk to someone. That's just so silly, but at the same time I can't help it. I don't know where it comes from; it's just kind of who I am I suppose. Which is probably also why I'm a horrible blogger - I never think anyone could possibly care about what I have to say or what is rattling around in my grey matter.

I'm currently totally obsessed with the Serial Podcast. Have you heard of this amazing thing yet??? If not, and you're a fan of true crime stuff, you are missing out and need to get caught up ASAP.

So the title doesn't refer to serial as in Serial Killers, but Serial as in a story told week by week; it's a new episode each week detailing a different part of a crime that happened in 1999. Here's what the Serial website says about it: Serial is a new podcast from the creators of This American Life, hosted by Sarah Koenig. Serial will follow one story - a true story - over the course of a whole season. We'll follow the plot and characters wherever they take us and we won’t know what happens at the end of the story until we get there, not long before you get there with us. Each week we'll bring you the latest chapter, so it's important to listen in order, starting with Episode 1. If you need help knowing how podcasts work and how you get one, watch our tutorial.

It is absolutely mesmerizing. I have been sucked down a rabbit hole. I basically binge listened to the first 10 episodes because I didn't find out about this little gem until I read an article in Entertainment Weekly magazine. It's funny, because almost about the same time I was reading it in hard copy format, I get a text from my oldest, who is living in Japan, saying he heard about this new podcast in the electronic version of EW that sounded really cool and that he had just downloaded the first episode. HA! That kid - he is definitely mine. So he started listening, his wife started listening, and I started listening. And let's just say that the text messages between here and Japan have been flying ever since. It's been a good rabbit hole to get lost in and I've thoroughly enjoyed listening to the story. I still don't know if the guy actually did it as I vacillate back and forth minute by minute. And its really made me think about our judicial system and how it works. Maybe I'll talk more about that in a different post as this one is already getting a little long as it is.

My final random for today is that I understand how beneficial Greek-style Yogurt is to a healthy lifestyle - I mean, all that protein!!! OH MY! But, honestly, I haven't liked the flavor of Greek Yogurt at all...until now. I have found my dream Greek in Yoplait Greek Yogurt. It has the thick, creamy texture and slightly tangy flavor of other brands of Greek, but it also tastes pretty darn good with absolutely no additional ingredients added by me. I realize that it may not be as healthy as other Greeks, although I haven't actually researched it so I'm just guessing on flavor alone - but if I can't stand the way other Greeks taste so I dump a bunch of stuff into them to make it more palatable, but I can eat Yoplait Greek as a standalone, then I prefer to go with the Yoplait even if it might have a slightly less healthy profile, which again, I don't actually know if it does. It might just taste so darn good that it seems less healthy for all I know since I'm not a nutritionist and don't play one on TV. (And no, I have not been paid or compensated for this in any way, shape, or form. I just happen to really, really like it a lot).

Is there anything that you get unreasonable satisfaction from completing like I do with my Bloglovin' feed? Do tell...Do tell!!

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

A Little Bit of This...A Little Bit of That's just interesting sometimes how it speeds by in a blur. We go along our daily lives collecting little pieces of memories from here and there and before you even know it or have a moment to breathe you realize that days, weeks, months and years have zipped by!!!

I've been pondering a lot lately - this time of year has a way of doing that, no? - about just being present in my life. Actually participating in it instead of letting it fly by with barely a moment's notice. Do any of you do the same thing? Just me?? haha

I think in this day and age of technology and disposability (not a word, but you get the idea...creative license and all) we spend so much time hopping from one thing to the next that we very rarely just STOP and take a moment in. I'm so, so, so guilty of this too. We might take in the BIG life moments like births and weddings and deaths and family vacations, but I'm talking the little moments. The hugs, the kisses, the cuddles, the "Hey Nanas" fifty gazillion times in a single day, the phone calls, the emails, the lunches with friends, the "I love you's", and the trips to the grocery store.

Yeah, the trips to the grocery store.

Like taking for granted that we have the ability to go to the grocery store just down the street from work or home. You do realize that there are places in this world where they have to travel for HOURS to get some groceries? Or the fact that we have money to go to the store and then bemoan the fact that milk has gone up by $.50 a gallon. Some people can't even afford to BUY milk or anything else for that matter.

Okay, okay...I couldn't resist a chance to put David Beckham in here. I don't even care what it you?!?!?!
And yes, you're welcome

I'm gearing up to revealing my word for 2015 and it's a perfect word for me right now. I'm excited for it and I'm excited to live it. I'll be sharing more about it in the near future so just try to be patient until then. If you want to read more about this whole "word" thing you can check out past posts here and here.

Just so I have it down in one place and since I haven't blogged all of them, here's the list of mine and my BFF Rebecca's words since we started. Mine is first and then hers.

2010 - Peace/Joy
2011 - Quality/Faith
2012 - Strong/Let Go
2013 - Light/Story
2014 - Courage/Brave
2015 - TBA

I couldn't ask for a better partner in crime, confidant, BFF...

So why do I include my BFF in this? Well, she's the one that actually introduced me to the one little word concept and it's something we have done together ever since. And it truly has made an impact in both of our lives; together and separately. I can't separate it into just one of us - they just go together. Plain and simple. We always come up with our words completely on our own and then share them with each other once we know for sure what it is. Most of the time, the words actually choose us; we just listen closely to them whispering to us in the background. I kind of think of it like words percolating on the stove. Some come up to the top and pop quickly; others never even make it to the top; and then you have the one that comes to the top, sometimes it might even fade back down before bubbling back up again, and then it just grows bigger and bigger. It is then that I usually pluck it from the stew and make it mine. LOL You probably didn't need that glimpse into my head, but I gave it to ya anyways! ;-)

This time of year is no less crazy than it always is, but I'm just trying to take it all in and enjoy it. Every moment may not be a memory made, and some moments I may want to entirely forget. But the important thing for me is to just be there living with gratitude for all my blessings during these final days of 2014.

Here's a couple of such recent moments:

Black Friday Shopping Selfie with Joshua

Joshua and Angie at the Christmas Tree lot...oh, and Sven of course - can't forget Sven! lol

The Tree - in all its glory. I say it every year, but this year it really IS the best ever!!
Have a great day, friends! Take time to enjoy the moments...


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Giant hole in America’s collective soul.

009Henry Phillips,
Anytown, OH.

Keep the conversation going - comment and discuss with your thoughts

  • barry irving

    …can you really speak for the “collective?”..we know there is a hole, but certain people are not speaking for the collective America. They’re not even speaking for themselves on that account…but they sure are doing a lot of denying and blaming!

Tweets by Michele Norris


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I’m white, I’m lucky; not fair.

Astrid afKlinteberg
Gloucester, MA

As a criminal defense attorney I am reminded constantly that I am privileged because I am white. I’ve represented many minority clients who where initially pulled over because the cop ran a ‘routine’ plate check on the cars they were driving, or in which they were passengers. There have been several times (after moving and failing to change my address with the RMV) that I missed renewing my car registration. I was never stopped in those same communities where the police were so vigilant in checking registrations of cars driven by black or brown individuals. I was on those same streets and no cop ‘randomly’ and ‘routinely’ checked my plate; if they did they would have discovered that my registration had expired.

Keep the conversation going - comment and discuss with your thoughts

  • MarkTenneyNewMathDoneRight

    Lawrence Auster would say you are an Eloi. Being born White is part of your genes and is not something you change like clothes. Your view is typical of someone who serves nonWhites and embraces extreme White guilt.

    Detroit is becoming all America. Send the nonWhites back.

  • Annie

    Thank you both for sharing this.

Tweets by Michele Norris


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Bet the Belmont in Idaho Falls!

June 6, 2014     E-mail this page to a friend!

It's being billed as the "First Ever Belmont Stakes Block Party," and you're invited!

The brand new Double Down in the One 16 Sports Bar & Grill is Idaho Falls' official Triple Crown party headquarters, with pari-mutuel betting on horse racing action from across the country, including Belmont Park. Plenty of big-screen TVs, big cash payoffs, and prize giveaways.

California Chrome, the great son of Idaho's own Lucky Pulpit, has a chance to make history with the first Triple Crown since 1978. Watch and wager on the Belmont Stakes at the Double Down.

The Double Down in the One 16 Sports Bar & Grill is located at 3078 Outlet Blvd. in Idaho Falls. Open 11:00 a.m. to midnight; new menu; live music; outdoor patio.

Simulcasting at the Double Down is managed by IdaRacing at Sandy Downs and IMRE as part of the new law in Idaho that allows race tracks to take their simulcast licenses off-site. Previously, simulcasting could only take place inside race track facilities.


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Wednesday, June 12, 2013

A Tern for the Worse : Predators

A flock of endangered Least Terns headlines globally last week when they returned to breed on the sandy shores of the Malibu Lagoon, as reported here first on the 411, but quickly left after crows or herons preyed on their eggs.

The diminutive “least terns,” so named because they are the smallest tern species, frequently inhabit the lagoon during the winter, says Suzanne Goode, a senior environmental scientist with California State Parks, but seeing them breed was something different.

“They feed in the lagoon and in the ocean, fly around, it’s just that they’ve never laid any eggs here since 1940,” Goode said. “The basic problem these  birds like to be on the sandy beach, and that’s where all the people like to be.”

It’s unclear why the birds came to Malibu to breed after all this time, although Goode said there are theories.  "The Least Terns may have been lured by the ample fish populations in the Lagoon. The birds appear to come from the colony in Venice."

“They [could have experienced] heavy predation at Venice,” Goode said. “Number two, we fenced in a bigger enclosure this time [intended for snowy plovers, another bird]... another factor might be that the topography is much more open now [after the Malibu Lagoon Restoration Project], they like places with NOT a lot of shrubs around.”
“We had 58 birds here [last week], but only seven nests,” Goode said. “There were only seven nests to defend. Obviously if they haven’t laid their nests yet there’s nothing for them to defend, so they need to have about 30-35 nests before they can effectively fight off the crows.
According to Goode, after just completing  a walk thru of the nesting area with Nora Cook, they found six predated eggs. There we're tracks of American Crows adjacent to all and tracks of gulls, and medium sized herons (BCNH, SNEG) next to most and one set of GBHE/GREG tracks. The nest depressions were either intact or wind blown and were not over washed or disturbed by humans. Fears of Large surf and high tides sweeping through the nesting site was a concern but such forces did not impact  the site .The fenced area was overwashed at both the west and east ends.

There were 5+ sets of human tracks in the enclosure, 4 appear to go in/out as if retrieving something. One set does go along the rear wrack line and probably within 5 -10 ft of the nesting area. There is an area on the east end with multiple tracks that appear to go in and look at a dead gull There is one fresh set of dog tracks that appeared to enter from the east end and move along the fence, but did not go into the colony.

Upon further assessment, Goode established that a predator, most likely a crow, but possibly a heron found the colony and predated the nests

We’re going to leave the fence up here for a couple more weeks to see what happens, fence left up for snowy plover,” Goode said. “They could decide to come back here.”

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May 31, 2008

Prayer Request

Gentle Reader: Please pray for the consolation of a friend and reader of this blog whose beloved canine companion passed away in his arms yesterday.

For those of you with pets you know how devastating it can be to lose them.

May 30, 2008

Sacred Heart of Jesus

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart: the salvation of souls, reparation for sin and the reunion of all Christians. I offer them for the intentions of our bishops and of all Apostles of Prayer, and in particular for those recommended by our Holy Father this month.

I am fasting today for Mary Gibson's intentions and those of her soon-to-be order. I'm also fasting for Gianna DuPont's health.

May 29, 2008

Mass for Mary

The Entrance Mass for Mary Gibson of Veritatis Splendor blog has been rescheduled from June 6th to May 30th (tomorrow) at 5:15 p.m. The Mass will be in the Sacred Heart Chapel at the Cathedral of St. Paul-a Chapel with a special meaning to Mary.

Mary will be entering the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles in Kansas City in a few weeks.

Which reminds me, I'm sure Mary could still use some help paying down her debt before she enters the order so if you can

May 27, 2008

7 Random Things Meme

I was indirectly tagged by The Crescat to do the 7 Random Things Meme. I also want to incorporate a reference to Terry’s daring meme.

Rules: Write whatever comes to mind about yourself.

1) I firmly believe that portable basketball stands were created by Satan to drive me out of my mind and tempt me to do violence. I have dreams of taking chainsaws to them-really.

2) I am frequently Cranky. I make a joke out of it and I try really hard to be light-hearted about it but it’s frequently not funny-see the Boulevard of Broken Men and the Frontage Road of Former Friends for proof.

3) I talk before I think and I often think but don’t talk.

4) I love to baffle people and confound their expectations (not a shock to anyone who reads this blog-LOL!)

5) If I were a dyke, I’d marry Salma Hayek in a Catholic Church because if you are going to be so far gone down the path to eternal damnation as to marry someone of the same gender why not make outrageous demands upon others to accommodate your sin?

6) Other than my Faith, I don’t take very much or very many people too seriously. I think we are all full of s—t but some of us have more constipation than others.

7) People are often shocked to realize I profess a Faith at all, much less that I’m a true Catholic. The shock is due to my often poor personal presentation as an Ambassador of Christ. For further proof: reread this meme and much of this blog! "nuff said.

Blog Birthday!

Ray's birthday is today! Stop over at his blog and wish him a good one!

I Hear the Standing Thunder!

Geometricus is back and blogging! Stop over and visit him before he decides to go on a long hiatus again! For those of you who were at the Corpus Christi procession in this Archdiocese, Geometricus was a Cantor for the last couple of years!

May 25, 2008

In the United States many of us are traveling this weekend because, for many, it is a 3-day weekend. Today, is Corpus Christi Sunday. It is also the day before Memorial Day: a day to commemorate those who sacrificed their lives for our country. It is also, for many, an undeclared All Souls Day. In fact, many people who do not celebrate All Souls in November use Memorial Day as an unofficial substitute. We pray for all the dead on Memorial Day-not just veterans. Though many of us may not decorate graves in November, we will decorate them on Memorial Day.

Today, we are reminded to eat the Body of Christ and drink the Blood of Christ in Memory of Him. Today, is a Memorial to His Sacrifice. Every Sunday, every Mass is, the Sacrifice but today it seemed especially obvious to me.

In many churches and dioceses, the Eucharist is carried in procession as a reminder that as we take Christ into ourselves when we receive Him so we must take Christ into the world. Unfortunately, the area I'm visiting this weekend does not have a Eucharistic procession. I missed not being a part of one. I went without never knowing of their existance for decades. In recent years, I've participated every year. Now, I did not realize how much I have come to look forward to it.

Later, I reflected upon that wherever we travel in the United States, even if we are not among the familiar, if we are properly disposed, we can receive the Eucharist. Even if we are in state of sin, we can still attend Mass. Wherever, we go where we can find a Mass we are home. Wherever the Lord is present is home.

Today, during his Homily, Father related a story of Chinese Catholics reciving Communion while hiding from the authorities in a thicket. If they had been discovered, they would die. They are willing to risk their lives to receive Him. They will travel great distances at great personal risk to receive Him. I'm sad because so many, and there are times when I've been one, can't bother while they are on vacation to attend Mass at a parish that is less than 5 minutes away.

So often when we are away from home, we forget where our true home really is. You'll check in with your loved ones to tell them you arrived safely but you won't check in with He who loves you most of all.

Please take time this weekend and always to remember and reflect upon the greatest Sacrifice and Memorial ever given.

May 24, 2008

Gone Fishin'

I'm spending the long weekend in northern Minnesota. My Dad and I took the boat up to Lake Winnibigoshish or "Winnie" as it usually called. Windy Winnie as I've called it for as long as I can remember.

Windy Winnie was truly windy today. My Dad only has a 12 foot Aluminacraft so we were rolling pretty good. I've always known exactly how the disciples felt on the Sea when the storm came up! There is nothing like a small boat in choppy water to bring home the evidence of how pathetic man is before the might of nature. I don't have the Lord in the bow to calm the storm. My Dad can do a lot of things, but not that! LOL! I love that little boat. My Dad has owned that boat since I was a wee tyke. I've had many adventures and memories in that humble craft.

My Dad announced about 8 years ago that after 60 some years of carting people around the lake, he was done driving the boat. Now, he sits in the bow and relaxes while I back the boat into the water, push it off the trailer, start the motor, guide us out, run the boat etc. etc. It probably goes without saying that I usually attract a crowd of guys at the boat landing. You don't see too many women putting a boat in the water and running the boat when a man is handy. I've yet to receive a marriage proposal from these gawkers but I'm sure it's because my Dad still manages to give them that "Dad-look". You know what I mean. I'm 40 and my Dad is pushing 70 and he's still chasing guys away from me. No wonder I'm still single. LOL!

At first, I was really happy that my Dad, who was always a workaholic, was taking it easy, than I realized his real game was to blame me if he didn't catch anything! LOL! I caught a few fish today and Dad was skunked. I recall last year he was skunked a lot too. Of course, he blames me for that since I'm the "guide". I tell him he gets what he pays for.

Good times, good times.....

Gentle Readers in the States: I pray your Memorial Weekend is a good one. Don't forget to remember a veteran or a deceased relative in your prayers. I decorated graves before I left the city. I know some of you do that too. If you don't live near a grave of someone you know, why not decorate the grave of a stranger? Or, pray for the repose of the soul of someone you don't know?

May 22, 2008

Just Because the Mountain is There, Does that Mean it Must be Climbed?

“Why did you climb the mountain?”

“Because it was there”

“Why did the chicken cross the road?”

“To get to the other side”

“Why did Adam eat the apple?”

“Because he could”

“Why do you sin”

“Because I can”

“Why do you dissent?”

“Because I’m free to”

We can do just about anything can’t we? We are, truly, legends in our own minds. It’s entirely possible that we could live our lives without limits, without restraint. But, just because we can live without boundaries does that mean we should? Because we are compelled to disagree, does that mean we must?

If my conscience does not bother me when I have sex with two guys every night, does that mean that The Christ’s teachings on sexuality and morality are wrong? No. It means, I’ve been either: poorly formed or willfully defiant. But, will I acknowledge either? Few do these days.

Rather than personally take responsibility and admit to either poor formation or my personal sin, it’s easier for some of us to project our failings out at someone or something else. “The Church is not perfect, so why should I be?” “I don’t have to listen to a bunch of pedophiles tell me what to do”

Rather than personally take responsibility and admit to either poor formation or my personal sin, it’s easier to try and change someone or something else rather than ourselves. “The Church needs to recognize that everyone is having sex outside of marriage these days and just change its teachings” “The Church needs to recognize gay sex as ok because x% of society says its ok”

For some of us to admit that we may just possibly be sinful and immoral is harder to do and more terrifyingly difficult than anything else we may ever attempt.

I’ll climb a mountain in Tibet but I won’t admit that I need to go to Confession because I used illegal drugs yesterday. I’ll swim the English Channel, but I won’t admit that it was sinful of me to miss Holy Mass last Sunday for no valid reason other than I was too busy prepping my bar-b-que to go.

If only Holy Church would rewrite the Catechism so everyone in the world can be on the same page as I am than I’d be truly happy. If only all of our leaders would join me in proclaiming that gay “marriage” is acceptable, only then will I be truly happy. If only the entire world could be as weighed down in the muck of sin and debauchery I’d be truly happy because than I will not be alone. My entire community will be as sinful, pathetic and wrong as I am. I’ll never have to listen to anyone on this earth tell me that if I’m claiming to be a Catholic Christian than I need to follow a rulebook. There won’t be a book. It won’t be in print. It will all be in my own head to do as I will.

May 21, 2008

Kelly Clarkson!

Today’s chest hair news: Harry Ford has his chest waxed as a public service announcement to highlight the (supposed) effects of defolliclization, er, deforestation, on (alleged) global warming.

As a service to the Archdiocese, I think I’m going to have the cellulite suctioned out of my butt to highlight the importance of removing the fatty deposits of dissent around here. Just a thought…

May 20, 2008

Cluck, Cluck with Cathy: More Wedding Foolery

At the wedding I went to this past weekend, there was a moment during the reception dance when the DJ asked everyone from the immediate family of the bride and groom as well as the wedding party to come to the dance floor. As I said, the bride and groom have a lot of multiple marriages in their family and they also had many attendants so the floor was mobbed.

The DJ asked us all to join hands and he called for silence. Another cousin of mine, who scorns all things Christian, asked derisively if I thought we were all going to have to pray. I would have been shocked by that too, but for a different reason, since I thought God was pretty much neglected during the wedding.

I told her "Oh, no, we are out here to do THE CHICKEN DANCE! Just you wait for it"

"Nah, [bride's name] would not do that to us"

"Are you crazy? I've known [bride's name] my whole life. I used to change her diapers. She has my sense of humor. Trust me, we are cluckin'"

Yep, my Midwestern brothers and sisters you know what happened next! ROFL!

Lamest Chicken Dance ever. I mean, how can they expect anyone to do the Chicken Dance during the first 1/2 hour of the reception? You need at least 2 shots of tequila in you before you should be expected to do that nonsense. Good grief.

List of dances that will be banned from my reception if I'm ever wed:

Electric Slide
The Hustle
Boot Scoot Boogie
The Achy Breaky
The Bunny Hop (I've seen it at weddings!)
The Hokey Pokey
The Chicken Dance
The Macarena
Anything involving a Conga line and watermelon shots (don't ask)

There is a mysterious new blog! Who's Sister Caprice? Who's Father? Who's Mother Jagermeister? Oh, oops, Mother Frangelico! It's called Brothers and Sisters of Perpetual Discernment. Check it out and help them pick a name for their monastery!

Don't forget to help Veritatis Splendor pay off her debt before she enters the Benedictines of Mary Queen of Apostles in a few weeks!

May 19, 2008

Wedding Etiquette

Everyone has been asking me since I got back (ok, just a couple of people but it sounds like I know a lot of people if I say "everyone"): "Gosh, Janice, Cathy, Recovering Dissident, whatever, where have you been?"

The confusion of what to call me fits in perfectly with this post. Confusion. Confusion about our relationships with other people.

This past weekend I traveled out of state to a family wedding. I'm blessed in that I know my extended family very well. That is also my curse-some of you know exactly what I mean.

The wedding took place in a Lutheran church that neither the bride nor the groom (nor either of their families) are members of, much less regularly attend. For some reason, I took malicious pleasure in the fact that the Lutherans are stupid enough to marry two people who have been cohabitating for seven years and already have two children together but what the heck do I know about love? My pleasure evaporated when I recall that I've known Catholics in similar situation who were married in Catholic churches.

If we, as a society do not change our sinful ways, the wedding invitation convinced me that Masters of Etiquette will have gainful employment for several centuries to come (assuming the Lord can tolerate the confusion for much longer). I think modern wedding invitations have as much text these days as the Book of Jude. They need a lot of text to try and clarify all the various relationships. I've also noticed invitations are getting larger. I don't get too many of the small, postcard size, wedding invitations anymore. Now, they are, frequently, the size of a Hallmark card (without any semblance of sentiment). I'd be really happy to get enough information from a wedding invitation to do the family tree-if I was actually doing it.

When you are dealing with a bride and groom who have parents, or grandparents who have been married or partnered up multiple times, who's name goes where? Let's see: where's my etiquette guide? Now, if the bride's mother is listed first without Mrs. or Miss in front of it does that mean she and the guy, woman, dog after her name are cohabitating but not married or is it that they are divorced? If the groom's grandparent's names are on there is that a reference to the fact that his Mom dumped him with her parents all the time between her 2nd and 3rd marriages? Oh, I see the bride's last name does not match her parents last name? What does that mean? The bride was married before or the bride's mother's dad's father was? If there is a period after the groom's Dad's name what does that mean if it's not a typo?

I can't wait for the day when I see a wedding invitation that says: Father of the Bride: Unknown Sperm Donor at Blue Door Fertility Clinic.

I know some people just think all this "liberation" is fantastic but it gives me a headache just thinking about it. If a middle aged person like me is baffled, just think what this all this confusion does to kids. How do you explain all this social dysfunction to a child? Most don't even try. They just shrug and say "Oh well, that's what everyone does" At least, that's what they do in my family.

I know there are some of you that don't think anyone should go to weddings like this. We should not affirm this type of sinful behavior. I'm happy they finally legalized it. If any of my family (besides an extreme few) were even Catholic, I don't think I'd go. I'd hope they would not even be married in a Catholic church if they are already cohabitating but I think we've all known some people who have been.

I said earlier "legalize" it. Yes, this wedding was in a church but it was obvious to me, painfully so, that none of them have a clue what they are doing in a church or what goes on in one. They were rude to the Pastor. They bristled when they were told they could not take photos in the Sanctuary or bring food and drink inside. The whole cermoney was just "something that should be done". They complained about the Scripture readings (because they were told they had to have some). They have no notion of why. What the heck do I know about love? What the heck did the bride and groom know about God? The wedding had nothing to do with God. It had everything to do with me, me, me. I need to have a big social event. I need to have lots of attendants to prove how popular I am. I need to wear beautiful clothes.

Great reception and big party after. That made a lot more people happy. In fact, a large number only showed up for the reception. Not that I blame them when the couple hardly gave the impression that being married in a church mattered to them. Their friends and family know they only did it in a church because they could. They know the couple has no deep faith so why should any of their guests pretend they do either?

The whole thing made me so sad and depressed. Pray for them will you? Pray for me too, thanks.

Pray for the newlyweds because a large number of the family were not invited to the wedding at all. This is not due to any social "cutting", it's due to the fact that the bride and groom were too unorganized to get addresses for most of the relatives. I know some family members would not have gone anyway, but I know they are going to be upset that they were deprived of their "God-given, Constitutional right" to decline an invitation. I don't know about your family, but there walk among us some who are unable to function if they can't check "not attending" on an invitation. Even if they could not have gone anyway due to some perfectly valid reason, they are not going to forget that they never even got the opportunity to decline. Oh, no. There are some who walk among us carrying their crosses on one shoulder and on the other they carry the boulder with the weight of all the grudges that they will not discard. These disgusted and angry people will be reminding the family of the "dis" at every family event between now and the day they die.

May 16, 2008

Blog Hiatus

Hiatus from what?! Cathy, you have not been posting! I know but I'm out of town and offline for the weekend. Have a good one! In my absence, comment moderation is enabled.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Terry!

The image accompanying this birthday wish may seem odd but it is an Icon of the Crucifixion showing the Five Holy Wounds of Christ. The icon resides at St. Catherine (Alexandria!) monastery on Mt. Sinai.

It is a personal wish from me to Terry as well as an acknowledgement of Terry's devotion to the Five Holy Wounds.

Happy Birthday!

May 11, 2008

Broken Body

I propose the following: True Catholics perceive all Catholics as members of One Body. The Body of Christ. True Catholics are sad when individual members of the Body dissent, leave, or fall into sin. My hypothesis transcends any labels like: progressive or traditional, liberal or conservative. "That they all may be one" --a quote from John 17 that we just heard at Mass a few days ago is Jesus' prayer to His Father. If it was the prayer of The Christ than it is a desire that all true Catholics should want too. Not only want but strive for and help to make a reality.

Today, on Pentecost, a day when the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, the Advocate descends to bring us the ability to express and carry the Word to all Nations, we are so divided we can barely carry the Word to each other. The people whose ears were open to the Word could hear it preached in their own language. Today, there are so many with their ears closed that it doesn't matter what language it's in-they still can't, or will not, hear it. We'll see, today, division in many forms: the colors, the desecration, the anger, the sin, the misunderstanding, the judgement.

Today, for many, their ears will be closed. They will be too busy with their personal forms of protest against the Word to hear it. Our new Archbishop told us that he is here as a pastor, not as a politician. Yet, for some, Faith IS politics when it does not conform to their personal idea of what the faith should be. The Archbishop is not a politician, he is here to proclaim the Word of God and to teach the Sheep (US) to whom he has been entrusted. If some prefer to call that politics, rather than an expression of the Faith we profess, then we should be sad that a member of the Body is ill.

I believe that anyone who perceives the Body as individual parts consisting of "us" versus "them" has it all wrong. To think so is to believe the Body is diseased. As anyone with even a rudimentary knowledge of medicine knows, a diseased Body will attack itself to survive then slowly wither and die. To see the Body as One, to desire that it be healthy, transcends any titles you may have that express your relation to the faith. There should only be one title: Catholic. There should not be any adjectives, other than: Roman in front of the title.

Yet, so many try to pull as many over into their "camp" as possible. They want all of us to live in the Land of Broken Toys. I have enough of a challenge living in my own broken body without joining you in yours.

At every Mass the priest breaks the Sacred Host in his hands with an audible snap. This is the moment that Jesus dies on the Cross before our eyes. It is a moment of sadness before the jubilation to come. Pray that it is so.

May 10, 2008

Holy Spirit Shower

Gentle Reader: Like Magnum P.I. (*sigh*) says: "I know what you are thinking!" Showers? How can tongues of flame be showers? What does she mean? Rain?

Yes, it's raining here. The grass is getting nice and green. My plants are poking up out of the ground. My grill is sitting in the yard waiting to be grilled on if this rain would quit! Ah, spring!

"Get on with it already!" says, Adoro with great exasperation and eye rolling.

Ok, ok.

Last night, I attended a lovely Holy Spirit Shower for blogging sister, Mary Gibson, of Veritatis Splendor and Roman Roamin' blogs.

Mary is entering the Benedictines of Mary Queen of Apostles in Kansas City, MO, on June 11th. Several local Catholic women threw a shower for her. The hostesses called it a Holy Spirit shower which is a great title but in many ways it was a bridal shower.

We gave Mary some gifts. She plans to keep studying Italian and she got an Italian book. She received some clothing that will be acceptable for her to wear in the convent.

Like many showers we played games. I arrived too late to play the Saint game-LOL! Ha-ha-ha! Yes, I was late. Way beyond fashionably late too. That's ok, because I looked at that Saint match game list and I would have bombed that as much as I would Swissmiss' Weekend Kneeler Jeopardy! That said, I won the "Guess which items Mary can or can not take with her to the convent" (deoderant ok, soap no, statue of Mary-ok, angel statue-no etc.) game. Mary said: "Hmmmm....there's room in the inn"

God help us.

I brought champagne. I know you are all shocked. LOL! We drank a toast to Mary.

It was really moving to hear Mary talk about her new order. Her new order. That's how she talks about it already. She is excited and happy. She has stories about her new sisters already. It was really a beautiful evening.

I've only just gotten to know Mary in the last year. When I first came to know her, it was thru her blogs. She was studying in Rome for several years. It was our blogs that brought us together. If I'm grateful for nothing else, it is the people blogs have brought into my life. If not for the blog, I may never have met them.

I'm going to miss Mary. I will miss her laugh and her energy. I will miss her photographs. I pray that one day we will meet again-you know what I mean. I asked her to pray for us as I will pray for her. Who else am I going to mess with regarding what to call me? ROFL! When Mary goes to introduce me to someone she usually gives up because she does not know if she should call me: Janice or Cathy. I'm of no help. I say: either is fine. LOL!

In true Mary fashion she gave away a lot of religious goods that she cannot take with her at this party. Several of them were blessed by Pope John Paul II. She was going thru her stack of prayer cards and she said: "Oh, Santa Prassede, that's YOU, Cathy!" and gave me the prayer card.

In true Mary fashion, she gives away more than she receives.

Speaking of receiving, Mary has raised over 1/2 of the money she needs to clear her debt before she enters the convent. However, she has about $8,000 remaining. Time is short. If you can help, please donate! Mary has information here

What a great and Holy way to spend that IRS economic stimulus check by giving all or part of it to cover the debt for a sister that is consecrating herself to Christ.

There will be a Mass of celebration, as Mary leave us to start her new life, at the Cathedral of St. Paul at 5:15 p.m. on June 6th (First Friday), Father Michael Skluzacek of St. John the Baptist in New Brighton, MN, and Mary's Spiritual Director, is scheduled to be the Celebrant.

Mary, Queen of the Apostles, Pray for Us!

May 07, 2008

40 is the New 30!!!!

We are not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal. --2 Cor. 4:16-18

Happy Birthday to Me!

May 05, 2008

What If There Was Nothing Left for You to Blame?

There are people who are incapable of joy. There are people who are incapable of healing. There are people who make a living trying to see that you neither heal nor have joy. They want you to be as miserable as they are.

I'm reading how in the wake of the Holy Father's recent visit to the states the various organizations that claim to advocate for those who were sexually abused by clergy are scrambling to minimize the damage the Holy Father did to their organizations by surprising them when he met with 6 of the abused. They are probably irked that the Holy Father did not clear it with them first. Furthermore, they are probably upset that they've been screaming for years about how the hierarchy needs to apologize and here's the Hierarch of the Hierarchy doing just that. Now what? He just took the wind out of their sails. Now what else can they do but claim it wasn't enough and, thereby, expose their true motivation all along. It was never about the apology. Now, they've just confirmed what many of us have suspected.

How much is enough?

Frankly, for some it's never enough. No amount of money or apology is ever going to satisfy them. No amount of prayer or therapy is going to mitigate the nameless rage they feel. Sometimes I'm not even sure they know who or what they are really angry with anymore.

If the Holy Father's visit with the abused did anything it illuminated yet again how some of these outfits long ago quit advocating for the abuse victims. I was involved early on with one of these organizations and their claims to be for the abused were tenous even then. You could tell what they were really after-power.

Now they are exposing their true motivation-overturning the Church. They continue to, lamely, deny that but you've have to be under a rock not to see their protestations as weak. The abuse scandal just gave them a new weapon to use in a fight they were already in. Some of these folks were upset at Holy Church WELL before the abuse scandal hit. I'm convinced that some of these people don't give a ---- about the sexually abused. For them, it's about the same money and power that they claim the big, bad, Church has which is what they really want.

None of it has anything to do with Christ or His Church. It's all about who gets to set rules. Right now, these organizations believe they don't have it and they want it. Is replacing one authority with one of your own a solution for all of us or just for yourself? I've got news for you, ultimately, none of us has any authority.

Humans are flawed. We have capacity for evil and violence. The Church has the potential to be perfect, unfortunately, we humans frequently lack the ability to execute the model to make it so. This does not mean it should not be attempted. Our failings are not Christ's.

There are trads, and you probably know some, who are so enraged that all these "dopes" from the Novus Ordo in English are invading THEIR TLM they hardly know what to do with themselves. They won't go so far as into schism-thank God-but they spend a lot of time ranting on trad forums about the new folks who have dared to enter what used to be THEIR Mass, and they don't wear veils, and they don't understand it's not a dialogue Mass, they stick their hands out at Communion, blah, blah, blah. Rather than reaching out to their brothers and sisters and try to help them understand this treasure of Holy Church they spend all their time mumbling under their breath and glaring at everyone who's not one of "them" in the pews. Now that the historic battle of us vs. them that they lived by for decades is enjoying a truce they don't know how to react. Get over yourselves. You have something in common with the progs you despise. Progs think the Mass is theirs and so do you. You are both wrong.

There are people who just cannot let go. They must have something external to hate or be mad about. If it doesn't exist, they create it. I think because they are afraid to spend time in self-evaluation or looking at themself. It's easier to blame something else or someone else's actions, or lack therof, rather than your own. If you look within, you may see something that's really horrifying. If you examine yourself, you will see that what you have fooled yourself into believing are someone or something else's failings, are really yours.

May 04, 2008

48 Hours

Most Rev. John C. Nienstedt has been our Ordinary for 48 hours. Already, he's under indirect attack by those upset that Dr. Steven Miles was not allowed to speak at our favorite local parish, St. Joan of Arc. Never mind that His Excellency was not technically in charge last Wednesday when the "order" came from "on high". I know, from dissident friends that I spoke with today, that the "prog" crowd is "sure" that Archbishop Nienstedt is behind it.

They seem to have forgotten, in that first blush of looking wistfully back upon a leaving lover, that Archbishop Flynn did not always let them defy Christ's teachings without comment either. If I'm grateful for anything, it's that they are letting Archbishop Flynn go in peace. Actually, I find it highly amusing that the same crowd that villified Archbishop Flynn for years, now, wishes he would stay. Unfortunately, there's that "pesky" rule about retirement age. I guess that's another thing a certain crowd would like overturned-but only, like everything else, when it suits their purposes.

Note to His Excellency: Don't worry, it's only going to get worse! Pentecost is fast approaching and we locals know what that means and, unfortunately, it isn't only the Holy Spirit descending upon the Cathedral! If it means anything, be assured of my prayers and support.

Oh, where was I? What am I talking about? Who's Dr. Miles?

Dr. Steven Miles is an outspoken opponent of torture. God bless him for that! However, he is also a proponent of abortion. God does not bless him for that! He states he was not going to speak about abortion at St. Joan of Arc. Maybe so. But, people with a public record of opposition to Church teaching should not be speaking before Masses on Sunday in Catholic churches. Actually, public dissenters shouldn't be speaking at a Catholic institution period. But, gosh, what kind of a revolutionary statement is that! (*meow*)

I have no idea if Dr. Miles is Catholic. Leaving issues of his faith aside, it astounds me that folks that give their lives to a pro-life cause like ending torture of a human being, fail to grasp the concept that they are advocating torture of a defenseless human in the womb thru the violence done to them by abortion. Women having abortions are tortured. Men are tortured by abortion.

One of the many reasons the "prog" set lost me is they have no reasoning or continuity in their thought or in how they live the Faith. They pick and choose and throw things together that make absolutely no sense whatsoever to anyone but themselves. How in the world anyone can scream about what we are doing to the planet, yet fail to, even at the most rudimentary level, permit themselves to wonder what we are doing to human life is beyond my limited comprehension to grasp.

I seem to recall some Popes speaking out against torture so for those who say the Church is silent about torture, you are wrong. I will grant you that perhaps relative to torture, faithful Catholics speak more forcefully and more often on the evils of abortion. However, it's not that I believe the Church is saying torture is fine. It's that the Church is trying time and again to get us, ALL OF US, to see the seamless garment, the consistent ethic of life but their pleas are falling on deaf ears. The professional protestors are too busy running to their next protest to bother to read what the Church is actually saying anyway. Meanwhile, the folks who think abortion is wrong aren't listening either because they should also be objecting to torture. There's weakness in the arguments on both sides.

To get around this latest "directive" St. Joan's distributed copies in Church of what Dr. Miles would have said today anyway. Furthermore, the event was moved to the Carondelet Center for Tuesday evening. I fail to understand how moving this pro-abort speaker to the former novitiate for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet on the grounds of the College of St. Catherine is supposed to satisfy anyone who is concerned that pro-aborts are speaking in Catholic institutions.

The Sisters still run and own the Carondelet Center. Even though their press says the Center is adjoining the Campus it is ON the Campus grounds. All you have to do is walk across the lawn behind O'Shaughnessy Auditorium and there's the Carondelet Center.

Somedays, I wonder how wonderful it would be to have an actual Catholic college for women run by a strong and Magisterium faithful order of nuns. I think how wonderful it would be to encourage women to, not only be critical thinkers (they do that well at St. Kate's) but also how to love and advocate for your Faith. They taught me to see my Faith as oppression, they should see it as liberation the way I do now. In my humble opinion, I still think they taught me the wrong liberation theology. Well, that's probably for a future post, since I could rant at length and now I'm ending this post off-topic. Oh, well, it's my blog and I can rant if I want to!

May 02, 2008

Mary Month of May!

News around town:

Archbishop John C. Nienstedt is now, as of today, officially, the Ordinary of this Archdiocese! Please keep His Excellency, as well as retiring Archbishop Harry J. Flynn in your prayers.

Tomorrow morning at St. Anthony of Padua the Chant Schola (Hey, you guys need a name!) consisting of a few local bloggers of the male sex is chanting at the 8:30 a.m. Mass. I've been told that this is their second to last performance before they pack it in for the summer (slackers! :-)) A Holy Hour with Rosary, Benediction and Confessions begins at 7:30 a.m.

Quantitative Metathesis sucessfully defended her Master's thesis! Stop over at her blog and congratulate her!

A reliable source informs me that Terry was spotted on Penn Avenue North and I-394 mapping out his plan of attack for the Bryn Mawr Garage Sale event tomorrow. It's astonishing to me that Terry was: a) recognizable, b) out in public, c) stood still long enough to be recognized before he ran away.

First Friday Fast Intentions

* Solidarity with the Dallas bloggers for an end to abortion.
* Thanksgiving for graces given.

If you have intentions you would like to add, please mention them in the comments box.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us!

May 01, 2008

His Glorious Ascension

"A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me." --John 16:16

Today, is Ascension Thursday-a Holy Day of Obligation.

However, in many Archdioceses, including Minneapolis/St. Paul, the Solemnity is tranferred to Sunday, May 4th. Check with your Chancery or your parish if you are not sure what your Ordinary decided.

But, if you are called to go to Mass today in honor of the day-GO!!
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History of the Restoration Movement

Alfred Fredst Waller

Biographical Sketch On The Life Of A.F. Waller

Alfred Fredst Waller lived almost sixty-nine years upon this earth and faithfully preached the gospel for more than forty six of them, or approximately two thirds of his life. He was born January 27, 1898 in Montague county, Texas of Alfred Franklin and Della Catherine Waller, who were faithful Christians. His father was a farmer, but also served as an elder and evangelist in The Lord's church. Besides A.F., he had six sons and three daughters, all of whom were faithful and active Christians. On August 18, 1912, at the age of fourteen, A.F. obeyed the gospel, being immersed by A.P. Hardin.

The family moved from Texas to Oklahoma while A. F. was still quite young, settling near Chectoah in Eastern Oklahoma, and later near Ada. Here A. F. grew to manhood, attending the public schools that were available, and later did some work in the Extension Division of the University of Southern California. He became a good Bible student in the only way that can be done, and was able to faithfully and capably preach The Word and to defend it against the advocates of error. We do not know when he first decided to be a preacher, but he preached his first sermon in 1920, when he was twenty two years old, at Centrahoma, Oklahoma.

On August 12, 1917 he was married to Miss Eva Sarah Hoover, daughter of Noah and Mary Hoover, who lived near Ada, Oklahoma. The ceremony was performed in the Haskell School House in Ponotoc County, Oklahoma by John L. Sims, a preacher from Stonewall, Oklahoma. She too had been reared in The Church, and was well equipped to walk by the side of her preacher companion, which she did for the rest of his life. Two sons were born to them, Raymond and Al. Raymond died in 1958, preceding both his parents. He had served as a deacon and a song leader in The Church. He left his wife, Aline Hurst Waller and two sons and a daughter. Al is now (1985) serving as evangelist for the Tenth and Bell Street church in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Not only were his two sons faithful Christians, but the same is true of all his grandchildren.

In the early years of his marriage he farmed, and some where along the line learned to be a good barber. In the first twelve years of his preaching he supported his family largely by secular work and in meetings and Sunday appointments. He did manage to conduct a good many meetings and was able to lead many people to The Lord.

In the early thirties, just as the depression was beginning to get bad, he began to do "local work". He did such work at Stuart and Hugo in Oklahoma. We are quite sure these were the first two places where he so worked, but are not sure which of these came first. He continued full time preaching for the rest of his life, though there were times when he did supplement his income by selling furniture, at which he was very adept. His work took him back and forth across the nation, from Maine and North Carolina on the East Coast to California and Oregon on the West Coast, with work in such states as Indiana, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and possibly others. In many of the places where he lived he did radio work in addition to his regular preaching. He wrote for the Firm Foundation, and other "brotherhood" periodicals, had several debates, including the Baptists, Seventh Day Adventists, and First Christians. About 1935 he was working with The Church in Guthrie, Oklahoma, a very difficult field at that time. While there he had a "preacher's meeting," or "lectureship", as they are now called. He invited me to have a part in the program, and of course I was very happy to go, and here I met him for the first time. Each of us moved to California in the late thirties, each settling in the wonderful San Joaquin Valley, and so we were together from time to time. While there he preached in Tulare, Exeter, and Visalia. Perhaps his longest stay was with the Exeter church. While in Exeter he had a very good radio program each Sunday morning, that was well received by the brethren, nearly all of whom listened to it. In addition to his sermon, he always gave news of happenings among the churches in the San Joaquin Valley. In California he conducted a good many meetings, and his debate with the First Christian man was in Visalia, and was perhaps a forerunner of The Church there. The Exeter church had a "preacher's meeting," which I attended, and we had one in Fresno, which he attended, and we often met at other such gatherings, singings, etc. He was a good man, a very likable man.

About 1942 he moved from California to Artesia, New Mexico, then to Marlow, Oklahoma. From Marlow to the Armstrong Avenue church in Denison, Texas. He also worked in Haskell, Texas, Hillsboro, Texas, Cisco, and Breckenridge, Texas. In Oklahoma, in addition to Marlow, he worked in Ratliff City (formerly County Line) and Ahloso. There were many small places where he did "mission" work.

His son, Al writes: "What a happy, glorious time growing up in a family that loved The Lord and one another. I am thankful I grew up in a home whose parents were members of The Church. What would I have been and what would my world be without those lessons, teachings and examples about heaven, the truth and the soul, as exemplified by Mom and Dad. We stayed with, worked with and associated with the best people in the whole community as Dad preached in meetings and in local work."

He was concerned that he "fulfill his ministry", and urged that upon his sons. He faithfully worked to the very end of life. He was living in Tupelo, Oklahoma and working with The Church there. He preached on Sunday, September 25th and had plans to begin a gospel meeting on Monday night, the 26th. But that day his voice was forever stilled upon this earth when he suffered a heart attack in Tupelo on September 26, 1966. He had "fulfilled his ministry."

The final service was conducted in the meeting house of the Southwest church in Ada, Oklahoma by Doyle Harris, of Coalgate, Oklahoma, Stanley Sayers, of Roff, Oklahoma, and Haskell England, of Atoka, Oklahoma. The mortal man sleeps in Rosedale cemetery at Ada.

His companion continued for almost another twenty years, The Lord calling her home in June, 1985. Her services were also conducted in the same meeting house and she sleeps by his side in Rosedale.

A.F. Waller was a good man. I knew him well, and he was always a man who stood by his convictions. He left a good family. The faithful will meet him again.

-Gospel Preachers Of Yesteryear, Loyd L. Smith, Pages 373-375. This article originally appeared in the Christian Worker In August, 1985.

Directions To The Grave Of A.F. Waller

Alfred F. Waller is buried in Ada, Oklahoma in the Rosedale Cemetery. Ada is located SE of Oklahoma City. Traveling east on I-40, take Exit 181, Hwy 177, toward Shawnee. Continue south of Shawnee on Hwy. 177 about 30 miles and turn left on Hwy. 13 toward Ada. When coming into Ada take the Richardson Loop north (Hwy. 1/3E) to North Broadway Ave. Go north on North Boulevard. Go one block and take a left on Armory Rd. You will see the cemetery on your right. Go to the end of the road and turn right on N. Oak Ave. Enter the first entrance to the right. Upon entry into the cemetery, and immediately bear to the left, around to the left of section 115. Go to the first left. Section 104 will be on your left, and section 102 will be on the right. Go to the middle of section 102 and look in toward the flagpole to the second row. The "WALLER" monument is just behind the "BRUNNER" monument. In October, 2004 I visited the grave of A.F. Waller while on a trip with one of our missionaries to Scotland, Graham McDonald. We went through Ada on Saturday afternoon. The office was closed, and the cemetery was huge. We drove around one section of the cemetery for an hour looking. Then just before giving up we decided to drive to the other end of the cemetery and drive around. We found it within five minutes. Lucky find!?!?!?

GPS Coordinates
Acc. to 17ft.
N34° 47.531' x WO96°41.223'
Grave Faces West

History Home       History Index Page


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Grading: Let’s Start a Discussion

I can recall when I first started my teaching career a heated grading discussion amongst veteran staff in my school. Two professionals were in a hot debate about what to do with a 69.5 when 70 was a passing grade.

Now, I know, and hopefully you do also that such a conversation is not very valuable.

Grading can be subjective. Over the years I have met many who believe their method is the best. Furthermore, I learned that very few staff ever learned about grading in college. Most staff graded based on what they thought was right or based on standard practices in their school. But, what was done was not always fair and often did not measure learning.

There is a lot of research on grading and best practice for grading. We should learn from it and use it. I suggest starting with the work of Rick Wormeli and Doug Reeves to expand your ideas and to help staff take a journey towards using best practice for grading. Rick Wormeli reminds us that grading should preserve hope; using grades as a weapon is not a great motivator for students or adult learners.

Here are some reflection points to start conversation in your school.

What is the purpose of failure when a student cannot recover from it?

What research exists to support a total points method of grading?

Does extra credit belong in your school? I have to comment on this one- My own children brought in many boxes of tissues to classrooms to earn 10 points on a test. If that is the practice of a school, what does the grade mean if bonus points are added for bringing in tissues?

Should retakes be allowed? Well, as Rick Wormeli reminds us, most things we do in life you can do again and you can do them for full credit.

Will students be allowed or required to keep working on an assignment until it is satisfactory?

How much will homework be factored into the final grade? Should it be a part of a final grade?

Or, what is homework?

How much will quizzes, unit tests, and final exams be factored into the final grade? Are the assessments used for grading good assessments?

If a student fails to turn in work on time, does your school have a standard practice?

Here is a great point from Rick Wormeli. If we simply give students a zero and don’t allow them to turn in work after it was due, won’t some students happily take the zero rather than do the work? How does allowing this irresponsible behavior encourage students to act responsibly?

Discussion of mastery learning and use of the average are excellent topics to study as a faculty as part of a plan of using best practice.

Consider this example- I use this in interviews:

I person wants to become a better runner. They go to the track at the local high school and run a mile in 10 minutes. Each day practice occurs and every Friday the mile is run again. Over the course of 8 weeks with diligent practice the person’s mile time goes down 2.5 minutes.

What is the mile time?

Now your quick answer would be 7.5 minutes and that is correct. Now think of this example in a classroom. A bad initial test, intervention(practice opportunities), learning, and then improvement on a culminating assessment demonstrating mastery. Should the initial bad grade be averaged in? Would the mile time of the runner be 7.5 minutes if each week a time was kept and an average was created?

Grading discussions can be challenging. I encourage you to start a dialogue, look at best practice, and honestly reflect on what you do.

My Scholastic Blogs


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Jan 9, 2014

Piers Morgan Calls It: Ailes and O'Reilly Snuggling with Chrisite

Hillary Wins--Christie Loses

Well, Piers Morgan called it correctly last night on his CNN talk show--obviously Chris Christie is the Fox News man for the White House.

Oh, right, the no spin zone--apparently they forgot to mention the giant news story that headlined every other news channel out there--the traffic on the bridge possibly caused by Republican front runner Chris Christie.

Right, no spin--O'Reilly did not mention it.  In the "No Spin Zone"--who is this guy kidding.  Why does he bother to make that statement.  Perhaps, he did not see the giant story--the story that could affect who lands in the White House.  Apparently, now, by ignoring it, Fox News Channel's hopeful.

How can this omission not be spin, the truth as O'Reilly likes to remind us.  The truth as opposed to the lies on all the other stations.  We can only hear the truth on Fox and O'Reilly.

The giant ego of these people is the truth.

It was suspected on this blog when Bill o'Reilly did not go ballistic over Phil Robertson and Duck Dynasty like all of the other ultra right wing types out there.  No, in a moment of fresh air Bill
said Phil Robertson was being far too judgemental in bashing gays and he should take a clue from Jesus.

Does that mean Jesus is for Chris Christie, too......

Hillary will prevail.  This is Christie's Benghazi.  He may win this round but my girl, Hillary Clinton will win in the end.

There is no other Republican that can win at this time.  The other whackadoodles out there can never win a big election.

The question remains..........

Will this be the signal for Jon Huntsman or Jeb Bush to jump  in the race.

It's been said the big backing money is behind Chris Christie.  Now the issue--will this change or stay the same.  Will the Republican big boys stays behind Christie or look for someone else to do their bidding.

Will we learn the truth by the signals from Mr. O'Reilly?

Does Mr. Bill know what is going on out there from the bolder and fresher gig around the country.  Will he talk to the regular "folks" out there.  The regulars who pay 500 bucks a pop to chat on the meet and greet edge of the tour.,

Remember what Bill says--he is the only one looking out for the regular folks out there.

Chloe Louise--Hillary girl forever.