On my early morning run, I encountered a mother walking with her three children. One of them, lagging behind her mother and siblings, clenching a baggie of Cheerios, was decked out in a Batman costume, complete with a cape.
I don't know who that child was, but she has the best method of dealing with being up at 7am: Be Batman.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Matthew 5:15
I'm not sure I am making a wise choice, but here is the link to a talk I gave at the local young adult group. The recording also include Father's comments and some group discussion. The topic: Maintaining the Spiritual Life during Times of Transition. Thanks to my wonderful sister for her input and all my many CCMers who helped me learn.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Feminism and Femininity
Not terribly long ago, there was an internet hype about this article by Anne-Marie Slaughter of Princeton University. I think I promised to blog about it. The article is titled "Why Women Still Can't Have It All." I took a while to get around to reading it, assuming it was just another feminist rant that might be true but missed the point and offered no realistic solutions.
Instead, Slaughter offers something new to the debate surround the work-family conflict. She legitimizes women who feel this conflict deeply. It is very rare to find an academic woman who states, "Women can't have it all."
Like the young women Slaughter brings up in her article, I find great relief in a woman of her position admitting it. I am currently not balancing work and family, but I spend perhaps too much mental energy figuring out how I might be able to achieve that balance.
Not only does Slaughter admit the problem, but she sees it manifesting differently in men and women --and admits that this is okay. Women not only seem to feel the separation from their families due to work differently than men do, but they also react differently. Rather than suggesting that the two genders try to equalize their feelings, she suggests ways to keep women in the working world.
I don't necessarily agree with all the solutions Slaughter offers (longer school days would mean more institutional parenting and less parent parenting), but I am glad to see this piece entering the academic conversation. I keep searching the Christian side of things to find the joining point between feminism and femininity, but maybe I should be scouring social sciences as well.
Instead, Slaughter offers something new to the debate surround the work-family conflict. She legitimizes women who feel this conflict deeply. It is very rare to find an academic woman who states, "Women can't have it all."
Like the young women Slaughter brings up in her article, I find great relief in a woman of her position admitting it. I am currently not balancing work and family, but I spend perhaps too much mental energy figuring out how I might be able to achieve that balance.
Not only does Slaughter admit the problem, but she sees it manifesting differently in men and women --and admits that this is okay. Women not only seem to feel the separation from their families due to work differently than men do, but they also react differently. Rather than suggesting that the two genders try to equalize their feelings, she suggests ways to keep women in the working world.
I don't necessarily agree with all the solutions Slaughter offers (longer school days would mean more institutional parenting and less parent parenting), but I am glad to see this piece entering the academic conversation. I keep searching the Christian side of things to find the joining point between feminism and femininity, but maybe I should be scouring social sciences as well.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Close to Home: Confections
Cupcake Heaven has a rival! Confections, a small cupcakery that started as a home-business and has grown, impressed us during the heat wave. My mother and sister joined Larry's mom and me on this stop. Actually, they are basically part of the tour now (although neither has provided reviews in writing) since my mom is out of school for the summer and my sister is back from Francophone adventures.
We came on a day of high heat and humidity and, after walking in, wished we had joined the patrons who brought iced coffee from Starbucks to enjoy with our sugary deliciousness. The selection of drinks was narrow, which I would not have minded, except that I waited fifteen minutes for a cup of tea that was heated in the microwave. The cashier was friendly and apologetic however.
After Cupcake Heaven, Confections had the largest shop of the tour, and they obviously expect people to sit and enjoy. They had cute tables and Top 40 music and big windows and a little old grandma who mixed cupcakes as we ate them. I think she was the secret weapon of Confections.
Whatever the secret weapon, it worked! I ate a salted caramel pretzel cupcake. I don't know who thought of such a thing, but that person is a genius. The caramel cake by itself was so-so, but it had a salted buttercream frosting and when their power combined, that effect was one of the most surprisingly yummy things I've eaten. It came topped with a chocolate covered pretzel, so it even satisfied the not-at-all-hidden chocoholic in me.
I give them a 5 of 5 stars. The grandmother bumped them into the extra-credit zone that Cupcake Heaven occupies, but the slow tea brought them back down. Not too far though.
Here is Larry's mom's review. Normally I paste them in exactly as she sends them to me, but this one is edited with the proper pricing, which she was unsure of when she wrote the review.
Confections Cupcakery in Manassas/borders Woodbridge:
4 1/2 overall
I had the Pink Champagne cupcake which was different w/a slight taste of champagne in the frosting.
The cake was moist but plain vanilla.
The frosting was what made this cupcake. Pretty in pink, hint of champagne & not too sweet or greasy.
They had a nice variety of cupcakes & some pop-cakes. You could watch them make up the sweets as you relax in the well lit, spaciousness of the shop. You could also enjoy sitting at one of the tables outside on a nice day.
Drinks were limited. One could just cross the street to get Starbucks one & then sit outside either place.
The shop was clean, constantly busy which bodes well for the place, as well as in a very good location.
The price was reasonable ($2.50) & the size average.
I would return to & try another flavor.
We came on a day of high heat and humidity and, after walking in, wished we had joined the patrons who brought iced coffee from Starbucks to enjoy with our sugary deliciousness. The selection of drinks was narrow, which I would not have minded, except that I waited fifteen minutes for a cup of tea that was heated in the microwave. The cashier was friendly and apologetic however.
After Cupcake Heaven, Confections had the largest shop of the tour, and they obviously expect people to sit and enjoy. They had cute tables and Top 40 music and big windows and a little old grandma who mixed cupcakes as we ate them. I think she was the secret weapon of Confections.
Whatever the secret weapon, it worked! I ate a salted caramel pretzel cupcake. I don't know who thought of such a thing, but that person is a genius. The caramel cake by itself was so-so, but it had a salted buttercream frosting and when their power combined, that effect was one of the most surprisingly yummy things I've eaten. It came topped with a chocolate covered pretzel, so it even satisfied the not-at-all-hidden chocoholic in me.
I give them a 5 of 5 stars. The grandmother bumped them into the extra-credit zone that Cupcake Heaven occupies, but the slow tea brought them back down. Not too far though.
Here is Larry's mom's review. Normally I paste them in exactly as she sends them to me, but this one is edited with the proper pricing, which she was unsure of when she wrote the review.
Confections Cupcakery in Manassas/borders Woodbridge:
4 1/2 overall
I had the Pink Champagne cupcake which was different w/a slight taste of champagne in the frosting.
The cake was moist but plain vanilla.
The frosting was what made this cupcake. Pretty in pink, hint of champagne & not too sweet or greasy.
They had a nice variety of cupcakes & some pop-cakes. You could watch them make up the sweets as you relax in the well lit, spaciousness of the shop. You could also enjoy sitting at one of the tables outside on a nice day.
Drinks were limited. One could just cross the street to get Starbucks one & then sit outside either place.
The shop was clean, constantly busy which bodes well for the place, as well as in a very good location.
The price was reasonable ($2.50) & the size average.
I would return to & try another flavor.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Resistance and Martyrdom
I've struggled for a while with the Church's teaching on self-defense -- and just war since the two are linked. I'm not sure how a religion that values martyrdom and eschews violence can come up with a theory that allows the killing of people. I know they are not "innocent people," but my Church teaches love for the bad as much as the good and that none of us are innocent.
With this mindset, I found myself nodding in agreement when I read this post on lethal resistance, written by an atheist blogger who recently made waves by announcing her conversion to Catholicism. Her basic point is that lethal resistance has no redemptive value for either soul involved.
My assumption here is that I need to read more Aquinas, not that the Church is wrong. If any of my faithful readers want to recommend a good read on this topic, please send it my way!
With this mindset, I found myself nodding in agreement when I read this post on lethal resistance, written by an atheist blogger who recently made waves by announcing her conversion to Catholicism. Her basic point is that lethal resistance has no redemptive value for either soul involved.
My assumption here is that I need to read more Aquinas, not that the Church is wrong. If any of my faithful readers want to recommend a good read on this topic, please send it my way!
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Virile Agitur
I have a secret love for the website The Art of Manliness. It consists of posts addressing how to -- you guessed it -- be a man. Not that I am secretly trying to be a man; it just has a lot of good life advice, either that I want my male friends to take or that applies to all who seek a virtuous life. It stopped being secret approximately now because of this post that falls into the latter category.
The post is about how to feel like a man: by acting like a man. Substitute "man" and "manliness" for whatever virtue you seek, and it's a pretty good map for how to become whomever you want to be.
The post is about how to feel like a man: by acting like a man. Substitute "man" and "manliness" for whatever virtue you seek, and it's a pretty good map for how to become whomever you want to be.
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