August 2007 Archives

The Melancholic

Time alone is vital for this reflective, introspective temperament. A perfectionist at home and on the job, the melancholic is likely the one with the perfectly organized closet and kitchen, the tidy desk-top, and the painstaking attention to religious observances, sometimes to the point of scrupulosity. A melancholic longs for a deep soul mate, yet when he is around people, he often finds himself mistrustful and disappointed. Sensing this criticism, others will keep their distance—thus further entrenching the melancholic in his solitary life. In relationships, the melancholic tends to be slow to initiate, cautious, hyper-critical, and pessimistic--yet, once committed, they are unwaveringly loyal and self-sacrificing.

Take the test here.

Pure melancholic, I might add. Not any wimpy mix, like some people...

By the way, the tidy desktop would get a real laugh at work.

Some people – including one priest that I know – seem to think that my interest in Latin is of the Nothing-is-right-unless-it’s-in-Latin sort. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Allow me to explain where I stand on Lingua Latina.

I've been working on this project for about a year. I had another version nearing completion before the Great Hard Drive Crash of '06. The link goes to the newer version.

I have changed the format just a wee bit. I had originally written this with English instructions, but decided against it as a space saving measure. (My tired old eyes like the larger font that I'm able to use in this version.) The goal was to keep it to a single page for easier transport. This can be folded and kept easily in your pocket.

Download ROSARIUM here

I'm not the most gifted user of layout software (especially difficult given that I don't have any layout software), so this takes a bit of time to download.

Here is a link to the Rosary in contemporary English. This, too, is a single page that's easily transported.

Here is a link to the Rosary in Traditional English with Latin alongside. This is a multi-page booklet, so it may not be for everyone. And I do most heartily recommend Michael Martin's website - Preces Latinae - to anyone interested in Catholic Prayers in Latin. (Be sure to have a look at his Titivillus story. Quite important in the modern internet world.)

Sorry I’ve been absent this past week. I was traveling early in the week, and came away from one meeting with several urgent projects. In the evenings I have gotten some work done on a project that is near and dear to my heart, and has been a year in the making. Hopefully, I’ll have it ready next week. I’ve also started work on a few posts of substance.

I’ve been remiss in my reminders for First Friday fasts. I’ve been traveling on the last two First Fridays, and didn’t have access to the web.

I want to remind everyone to fast and pray today in our efforts against abortion. Here's the original statement. Help us make a difference!

Hopefully, next week, there will be a little more news on this.

Ok, so the genre might not be for everyone. After all, you can't swing a stick without hitting a noire sci-fi western, right?

Firefly was a short-lived TV series, and this is a collection of the single season episodes. It's about a space version of a tramp steamer, captained by a man named Malcolm Reynolds. Reynolds fought on the loosing side of a civil war and, as a result, lost his faith in everything but himself. His crew is a rag-tag group of pirates and comics. The people that call this ship - Serenity - home are just folk. They're tryin' to get by just like everyone else.

One of the most interesting aspects of Firefly is the fact that it doesn't shy away from God. You never see any sort of religion in Star Trek. In Firefly there's an actual preacher, and the main character is seen holding a cross once (just before he looses his faith). Admittedly, religion isn't always welcome by the captain or his crew, but it is an interesting take on a subject that sci-fi generally tries to avoid.

Not suitable for younger audiences. The bad stuff is kinda thin, but it comes up fast and you might not be able to skip the scene before, say, Kaylee is introduced.

Ok. I'll admit it. It's not for everyone. It's certainly not something you'll see recommended on any other Catholic blog. But I like it. I'm a sucker for noir sci-fi westerns. Yeah, that makes me a Browncoat. To that, all I can say is: Shiny!

As documentaries go, this isn't a great one. The production quality is poor, the main interviewees are stiff, the subject matter is not appealing for everyone. But this does have some valuable bits of information for anyone that might want to enter into a discussion with their local Jehovah's Witness. For those of us interested in apologetics, it has some interesting information - a unique look at the lives of those that come knockin' at your door. For anyone else, give this one a pass.

Not suitable for younger audiences. They'd be bored to tears.