You are interchangeable.
Fun, free, and into everything, you've got every
eventuality covered and every opportunity just
has to be taken. Every fiber is wonderful, and
every day is a new beginning. You are good at
so many things, it's amazing, but you can
easily lose your place and forget to show up.
They have row counters for people like you!


What kind of knitting needles are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

I found this delightful item on a weaver's webpage.

"This is a cursed bookmark. I was reading about medieval book curses, and couldn't resist this example - it's just too good. The original was written in a book in 1172, at the Abbey of Saints Mary and Nicholas of Arnstein. The text of the original has been changed only to reflect the group I made it for, which is called Stargate.

The ribbon reads: 'Liber Stargate. quem si quis abstuelrit, morte moriatur, in sartagine coquatur, cadacus morbus instet eum et febres, et rotatur, et suspendatur, amen.' Which translates to: 'Book of Stargate. Whoever steals it, let him die the death, let him be fried in a pan, let the fever and the falling sickness [epilepsy] sieze him, let him be broken upon the wheel, and hanged. amen.' They were serious about their books."

In commemoration of the anniversary of the first moon landing (do you remember where you were, you oldies?), Google has posted a very nice feature. The sites of the various Apollo landings are superimposed onto a zoomable photo of the lunar surface. Zoom all the way in for a special treat.

Google Moon

Hat tip: Dom Bettinelli

I must admit that I didn't notice it, but some people observed the famous "smirk" during the President's televised introduction of Judge John Roberts as his Supreme Court nominee. It turns out that there was a very good reason.



It's Mrs. Roberts' calm that amazes me. Anyway, next time your kids embarrass you, be thankful that you're not on national television.

Thanks, Amy.

The habit of passing along quizzes about random personal preferences has seeped up from teens to adults, if the recent rash of blog activity is any indication. I'll hop on the bandwagon, sure. No pushing, I'm getting there . . .

Be sure to check all the way to the bottom. Some of you come out of this with an assignment.

* * * * *

What I was doing 10 years ago: Wife of one, mother of three teens/tweens, full-time graduate school, so busy that it was just school and family, no social, little spiritual, less personal life, little time with friends. Having a ball, generally.

5 years ago: Nursing husband with cancer, working very, very full time in human resources at an auto manufacturer.

1 year ago: Working for major aircraft manufacturer in a distant city, enjoying new experiences including living alone for the first time in my life, growing in a new affectionate attachment.

Yesterday: Resting during recuperation phase from significant but non-risky surgery, keeping house clean to show to prospective buyers, indulging in sloth, one of my besetting sins.

5 Snacks I enjoy:
Ham and cream cheese on bagel
Pretzels
White nectarines
Frozen grapes
Cold pizza

5 songs I know all the words to:
Amazing Grace
You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman
Credo (Third Day)
Alberta, Alberta (Eric Clapton)
Song of Thanks

5 things I would do with $100 million dollars:
Keep it a secret from all but closest confidantes
Wipe out parish’s building debt and make mongo donation to local pregnancy center
Set up educational trusts for offspring and offspring’s offspring
Spend one month in Britain, one month in Italy, and two weeks on Santorini
Invest the rest and live on the income, giving things away whenever I felt like it

5 locations to which I would like to run:
See immediately above, also New Zealand and Barcelona

5 bad habits I have:
Procrastination
Exaggerating for effect
Interrupting others when I get excited
Self-indulgence (ergo, this meme)
Computer solitaire

5 things I like doing: (all of you know spending time with the Lord is a *given*)
Interesting conversation
Watching good television
Traveling
Knitting
Laughing

5 things I would never wear:
A thong
Colored contact lenses
4-inch stiletto heels
A gun
Anything chartreuse

5 TV shows I like:
The Choices We Face
NYPD Blue
Whose Line is it Anyway
The Cosby Show
University of Michigan football

5 biggest joys of the moment:
Contemplating upcoming grandmotherhood
Enjoying my children
The object of my affectionate attachment
Having accomplished a presumably impossible task
Living in a well-ordered and attractive home

5 favorite toys:
Tivo
Knitting needles
Cell phone
Computer
Snood

5 next victims:
Henry
Therese
Julia
Kathy the goat egg gatherer
Debbie, if she still has a blog to do it on

Definitions:

• SHOTGUN: The space adjacent to the window in the front seat of a vehicle, or the person legitimately awarded the Shotgun position.
• RIDING SHOTGUN: The act of occupying said seat. Alternatively, the privilege of claiming said seat for a particular trip.
  
• SECOND SHOTGUN: The futile and invalid attempt to reserve the shotgun position for a subsequent trip, usually claimed by a disgruntled sibling of the Shotgun. The proper response is: "Nice try, buddy."
  
• DRIVER: The presumably predetermined operator of the vehicle. In cases where the identity of the driver is not established, the owner of the vehicle or his/her designate has full power to choose. No shotgun rules may be used to determine the identity of the Driver. Previous driving record and the current demonstration of courtesy are often the deciding factors.

The Rules

• In general, the privilege of riding Shotgun is claimed by being the first rider to call "Shotgun" in an audible voice before the passengers get into the vehicle.
• Shotgun is only held for one leg of a journey. At any location at which all or most of the passengers disembark, previous claims of Shotgun are voided and must be redetermined.
  
• "Shotgun" may only be used to claim the Shotgun Seat. It does not confer a legitimate claim to another, presumably more desirable, seat in the vehicle. Whining does not confer any additional privileges related to this issue.
  
• Shotgun may only be called when already outside the building and within sight of the vehicle. At least the driver and one other passenger must be present and hear the call.
• Early shotgun calls, e.g. before the walk to the vehicle is in progress, are prohibited.
• The judgment of the Driver is final and may not be appealed unless the parent of the Driver is also present and chooses to exercise their power to override. The reason for the override must be stated clearly and have some connection to the exercise of justice or the invocation of one of the Special Cases (see below).
  
• Occupants who are not successful in obtaining Shotgun are prohibited from verbal or physical expressions of frustration. A moderate amount of silent sulking is permitted though not encouraged. Transgressors may forfeit future Shotgun rights at the discretion of the Driver.
• It is the responsibility of the Shotgun occupant to provide various services requested by the Driver, such as adjusting the radio, ventilation, etc. or providing navigation services. If the Shotgun occupant is a bad navigator, it is incumbent upon him or her to consult with maps or other passengers in order to provide high-quality information to the Driver.
  
• Shotgun is generally rotated among the passengers for different legs of a particular journey. Once a passenger has ridden Shotgun, he or she defers until everyone who wants has a chance at it.
• If bickering over Shotgun is taking place, it is the privilege of the Driver to suspend these rules and assign Shotgun by whim.

Special Cases (in order of consideration)

• If the vehicle's owner is present but not serving as the Driver, he/she is automatically awarded Shotgun.
• Occupants who hold positions of particular respect by virtue of advanced age or other place of honor, will automatically be awarded Shotgun. No discussion of the Shotgun rules may take place in their presence, no matter how tactfully or humorously.
• If the Driver's spouse, parent or date is present in the vehicle, he or she is automatically awarded Shotgun.
  
• If one of the occupants is blessed with height or girth that would make it uncomfortable for him (or the other passengers) for him to be in the back seat, the accepted procedure is for all to tactfully make a beeline for the rear seats as if they were particularly desirable, leaving the Shotgun seat to the tall/wide individual by default.
• All passengers should become familiar with the fact that it is in their interests for any passenger who feels ill to ride Shotgun for his well-being and their own.
• If the vehicle is involved in an accident, it should be noted that Shotgun rules do not apply to rides in an ambulance or police car.
  

Matrix Boy (aka Tom McMahon) does it again.

How does he think this stuff up?

For more, click here.

Over at Mere Comments, the blog of Touchstone magazine, the insightful James Kushner offers some thoughts worth thinking under the heading "Observation Following Some Recent Conversations with Blue State Liberals":

They don’t believe in God; they don’t have a Church. . . But they still need something large and strong and good to secure their futures in this world—the only world in which they believe. So they believe in the State, and put their trust in it, willing to vote for any person or program that makes it as big as God and as kind as God ought to be, if there was a God.

Maybe this is why I run into resentment when I assert that government is great for the things that only governments can do (e.g. provide highways, ensure voter rights, manage relationships with other governments); otherwise, there are better ways to get the right things to happen. If Government is thought to have the attributes of God, then I have just insulted the object of their deepest faith.

Hmmm. Entrusting your well-being to the goodness, kindness and wisdom of a Bureaucracy. I frequently offer thanks for the knowledge that I am not God, but it never occurred to me to be thankful that I know that the federal government is not God.

Maybe this is why President Bush is so disproportionately demonized by the left. I could understand vigorous disagreement, but the vitriolic hatred has puzzled me. But if one thought that the throne of God were illegitimately occupied, rage and no-hold-barred warfare would result.

Again, hmm.

From Julie at Happy Catholic - deduce your personality by selecting a picture that appeals to you. Here's mine:

The World's Shortest Personality Test You are nurturing, kind, and lucky. Like mother nature, you want to help everyone. You are good at keeping secrets and tend to be secretive. A seeker of harmony, you are a natural peacemaker. You are good natured and people enjoy your company. You put people at ease and make them feel at home with you.

Personally, I think this has all the reliability of the horoscope column in the New York Daily News. But the pictures are pretty.

P.S. My confession: I clicked on the pictures until I found a description I liked. See what a sinner I am?