Association Of Catholic Bloggers

Psalms 98:4; and sunrise over the Pacific Ocean, seen from the ISS. (2003) This week I'll talk about 818, a house I lived in as a child and youth; and why gratitude is a good idea. House Numbers, Names, and Memories One House, Three Kitchens The Basement and a Clothes Chute Noisy Switches and Quiet Light Bulbs The Back Yard, a Landing, and an Experience Gratitude: a Work in Progress ... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Memories of a place I lived as a child and youth. Why my parents unscrewed light bulbs and wanted a fenced in back yard. Why I see gratitude as a good idea.)

My wife grew up in a very "Catholic" family. That doesn't mean what you might think it does: old-fashioned clothes, candles everywhere, too many children, and the girls brought up to be doormats. Okay, granted: my wife is the second of seven kids. But I can't think of one of the other six who's redundant. Then there's the matter of how my in-laws brought up their children. Take, for example, the time someone from the high school called my father-in-law with an grave concern regarding my wife's younger sister.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Growing up in a very Catholic family meant was counter-cultural, but not the way you might think.)

I'm keeping it short this week, (finally) telling how this summer's infection turned out, and sharing a poem my father wrote. A New Normal and a North Window "Autumn Yard Work" and Rejoicing Don't worry, by the way. The poem is short: only 14 words, including the title. More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A short post. How the summer's infection changed my daily routine, and a short seasonal poem my father wrote. Also paying attention and rejoicing.)

This week's post is a follow-up on two posts: last week's, when I talked about flash floods in central Texas; and another where I talked about a biopsy and storms. Briefly, the sore on my leg looked awful, but was "benign". The situation in central Texas is still very bad news: the number of known dead is upwards of 100 now. Someone in emergency services tried getting a warning out. But then — it looks like something went badly wrong. Living in the Upper Midwest: Last Month's Storms Biopsy and Good News How It Was Done, Reading the Results Central Texas Flash Floods: Waiting for a Supervisor's Approval? So What? Loving Neighbors, Making Sense ... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Following up on two previous posts: discussing a biopsy, Upper Midwest storms, and flash floods in central Texas. Plus why I am reacting the way I am.)

I'd planned on talking about something else this week. But that's not going to happen: partly because part of Thursday got spent at the local clinic. There's still an open sore on my left leg. Several, actually, in a little cluster. That hasn't , happily, been keeping me from Sunday Mass.... And that brings me to what I'll talk about this week: a few of the basic obligations that come with being a Catholic. It's pretty simple, actually.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Being, staying, or getting healthy matters. But it is not my top priority. I look at some of the basic obligations that come with being a Catholic.)

First, the good news. The open sore on my left leg is not infected. Frustrating news: it's still there. And, recently, it started getting bigger again. I'm told that’s because the stuff oozing out of it is mildly acidic, and breaks down skin that it’s in prolonged contact with. Unpleasant. On the other hand.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (I am treating an open sore on my leg. I talk, briefly, about what I am doing, and why taking reasonable care of my health is not a conflict with my faith.)

It's Holy Thursday of Holy Week, the day we celebrate and remember the Last Supper: when Jesus established the Eucharist and washed the feet of his disciples. It's a big deal, and I didn't get to Mass today. I'm not happy about that. What happened was a scheduling problem and — more basically — an exercise of balancing immediacy and priority.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Holy Thursday is a big deal, but I spent part of in in the local clinic. I talk about why I was there, and why Holy Thursday matters.)

How things smell matters. "...What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet;..." (Juliet, " Romeo and Juliet " , Shakespeare (ca. 1597)) "...Here's the smell of the blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh, oh, oh!..." (Lady Macbeth, " Macbeth " , Shakespeare (ca. 1606)) "...Great masses of pale white clematis hang in sheets from the trees, cactus and aloe run riot among the glens, sweet scents of oleander float around the deep ravines, delicious perfumes of violets are wafted on every breeze from unseen and unsuspected gardens...." (" The Mediterranean: Its Storied Cities and Venerable Ruins " , T. G. Bonney, E. A. R. Ball, H. D. Traill, Grant Allen, Arthur Griffiths, Robert Brown (1862)) I know that. I've done a fair amount of reading in my day, so I know quite a bit about odor. I gather that roses and other flowers smell sweet, and tha...

We prayed for Pope Francis at Mass yesterday. I've added a prayer to my daily routine. It sounds like there'll be more prayers in St. Peter's Square this evening. Our pope's health is emphatically not good. But as the old Minnesota saying goes: "it could be worse".... In this case, part of the good news is that Pope Francis hasn't had a repeat of Saturday morning's "respiratory crisis", his kidney issues are still not his major health problem, and "...the thrombocytopenia remains stable...". (Vatican News (February 24, 2024))... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Pope Francis, health, and prayer. News from the Vatican: and Minnesota. Why I pray and take my prescriptions: and why that makes sense.) ( "thrombocytopenia"?!! Don't worry: reined myself in and didn't ramble on about it.)

I missed Mass on Epiphany Sunday. I'm not happy about that, at all. But we had very cold weather outside — and I'd been noticing a serious mismatch between temperature readings my body was giving me, and what I saw on a room thermometer. I'm not a 40-year-old kid any more, so I played it safe. Other members of the household have been quite distinctly not up to par, so playing it safe was probably a good idea.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Remembering a happy three-legged dog. Plus why I missed Epiphany Sunday Mass, links to Jubilee 2025 resources: and links to vinaigrette/pomander exhibits.)

First off, I don't know the dog's name. Ulysses was the name I had for him. He, or maybe she, was the sort of dog I think of as a hound-dog: medium size, long legs. Bear in mind that I don't know much about dog breeds. I didn't call him Ulysses for the way he looked, but for the way he acted. That brings me to what's still one of my favorite poems: Tennyson's "Ulysses".... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Remembering a disabled dog and a poem by Tennyson.)

Our number-two daughter is still getting radiation therapy for her cancer: and not enjoying the process. Well, of course not. If she sincerely enjoyed nausea, I’d have yet another reason for concern on her behalf. Our son-in-law called today.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A very quick update on my family and health concerns, with an even quicker look at types of prayer.)

There's more than sex change and gender theory in the Vatican's new "ethics document": assuming that what hit the fan this week is the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith's "Dignitas Infinita", on Human Dignity. "Dignitas Infinita", "Infinite Dignity", runs to a little over 12,600 words in my language. " Dignitas Infinita " on Human Dignity ("Infinite Dignity") Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (April 2, 2024) ( from https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/.../rc_ddf_doc_20240402_dignitas-infinita_en.html (April 10, 2024) ) I'll be taking a very, very quick look at it. But I'll get started with something Pope Francis said a month ago. Pope Francis, Gender Ideology, and Being Human Rules I Live With, and an Explanation New "Ethics Document", Old Ideas "Dignitas Infinita": "Balanced, Challenging" More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Why a new ethics...

There's a winter weather advisory in effect until 2:00 p.m. — but most of the snow has already fallen and/or gotten blown around. I gather that three to five inches came down here. That's three to five inches more than we had before. This has been an unusually warm and dry winter, so this snow is welcome. I hope it changes our status from "moderate drought" to merely "abnormally dry". I haven't heard anything about my brother-in-law (February 7, 2024) — so I'll assume that no news is good news, and that he can walk again. Number-two daughter started radiation therapy March 11, so this is her third week of taking maybe three hours out of each weekday.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A side-effect of radiation therapy. Winter storm and drought. Getting a leaking pipe fixed. Weather, and the week before Easter.)

Our number-two daughter starts radiation therapy this week.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Cancer treatment for one of our daughters starts today. Besides health concerns, I realize that this will take a great deal of time out of each week.)

Good news from number-two daughter's operation last week. As she put it, 'I've still got my smile'. Medicos had gone back into her neck last Wednesday. One of the possible outcomes was disruption of nerves that control the lower-right side of her face.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Still dealing with cancer in the family: second operation, and no news from the man in the extended family who couldn't walk.)

Recapping what I said week before last: our number-two daughter has cancer, but our granddaughter's left arm has healed nicely. I'm still feeling blank, emotionally. As I said then.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (How my family is handing cancer: a second planned operation tomorrow, no new diagnosis.)

First, the good news. Our number-two daughter's cancer is slow-growing. The not-so-good news is that it's aggressive. And, of course, that she's got cancer. I learned about the cancer in early January. 1 The family knows a little more now, and I've gotten the okay to talk about it. Which isn't easy. I've been — distracted — and that'll very likely continue. Putting Feelings in Perspective Previous Experience "...Feelings, Woah, Woah, Woah, Feelings...." Diagnoses, Definitions, Surgery, and (Probably) Good News Another Operation, Radiation, and Prayer More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (I learned that one of our grown children has cancer a few weeks ago. I know a little more now. This week I talk about feelings, health, and what comes next.)

First, the good news. Two days of this month's quest for a prescribed medication have passed without incident.... ...Sometimes the authorization gets processed in a timely fashion: and includes a 'do not provide before' date which matches the day on which my current supply runs out. Sometimes that doesn't happen. Last month was one of those times. What follows is my account of last month's epic prescription quest; a saga fraught with suspense, drama, defeat, and ultimate triumph — — Along with what I see as at least a partial explanation for why a seemingly-straightforward process is anything but. Controlled Substances Act: It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time "Reefer Madness", "Captain Planet", and Perceptions Scheduling Scary Substances August, 2023: Another Chapter in Brian's Saga Red Tape and Me A Glitchy AI and the Value of Typing Exercises Living in a Less-Than-Ideal World A Frustratingly Inappropriate "25...

First, the good news. I am not experiencing withdrawal (or, more politely, "discontinuation syndrome"). The not-so-good news is that I'm putting off what I was getting ready for today until next week. This 'journal' post is in part an explanation: Decisions — or — Ducks in a Row and Other Alternatives Smoke in the Air, Health Issues and a Needed Prescription Responsibility and Requirements, Reasonable or Otherwise Benefit/Risk and Labels Learning Experiences Diagnosis An Informed Decision, Unforeseen Results "Reefer Madness", "Frankenfish" and Me "...Odd or Eccentric"?.... I Can See That Schizotypal Personality Disorder: Two Lists Navel-Gazing — or — The Paranoids are After Me! 😉 Disorders, Cultural Expectations and Making Sense Living Up, or Down, to Expectations Being Out of Step A Few Good Ideas More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Disorders, controlled substances and me. I need a prescription which requires monthly aut...