Yay! ACC Championship goes to Duke

Quick post, them I'm really really going back to my paper.


(Photo credit: Ethan Hayman, Raleigh News & Observer)

While Izzy and I yelled and cheered, and Caligula hid under the bed, Duke came back playing like a team that had been in championship games before. Yes, Florida State had several comebacks to decrease the margin of victory, but the Devils really looked like a strong team for the first time in a while.

I'll enjoy this victory and hope we survive next weekend. Either way, we still get to be the ACC Champs. And as a friend from NC (UNC fan actually) reminds me, here is no such thing as a regular season champ vs. tournament champ. There is only one championship, and we know too well what it feels like to lose it.

BTW: In the photo above, you'll see two smaller children. Those are Coach K's grandchildren, wearing 3's in honor of Senior Greg Paulus, a three year starter who graciously moved back to support the team playing 6th or 7th this year. Class acts all around.

Competing Obama-icons

So, Izzy and I both used Paste Magazine's gizmo to tweak pics of ourselves to look like the iconic pic of Obama from the fall campaign.

I had a shot I liked of me in my cap, backpack, denim shirt, camera and radio -- ready to go on an emergency response drill. Of course, you really cannot make out much of the detail of the shot (which I took in the bathroom mirror of the Emergency Operations Center.)

Still, I liked the effect and labeled the shot: Ready.



Izzy did his first, and chose one of the ancient terms for sloth (there's lots more meaning, of course, it's a Greek term): Acedia



I hadn't realized how interesting they were as a juxtaposition until I saw them appearing one after the other several times in a Facebook discussion this evening.

In "real life", I think we trade off the descriptors. One of the things that makes us a good partnership, I guess.

Brothers & more photos

Wow, I missed March February. It's not as if I haven't spent time typing, and if you had access to my courses online, you'd see the feverish outpourings from my stubs of fingers...

I'm pasting below a few shots of recent interest. I'm uploading from the laptop, while another Flickr upload completes - rather than saving space and just linking to the Flickr pics. (Click to view larger.)

My two great-nephews at the younger one's 5th birthday party. Younger guy's first bike. I just loved being able to be present for this important moment in their lives as brothers.

B5 with his 5th. Fun with post processing.

Me & S2's youngest at a basketball game. She's wearing the t-shirt I caught (one-handed!) when it was dropped from the rafters.

Spring Break starts tomorrow. With another big paper due, I don't imagine I'll get any more caught up on photos, or life, for that matter.

Other recent news: Izzy has perfected, IMHO, his Baba ghanouj recipe. I'm so touched that he works so hard on it when he really cannot stand eggplant. I feel very loved and cherished.

Fun new photos

he lighting and staging could be better, but I was having fun.


In the first, it just looks like a loose pair of pants (thanks to serious cinching in the back.) I was sorting clothes to give away and make room in the closet, and thought I'd try one of those "after" photos. That's me below in one leg.

Our New Normal

Izzy announced last week via Ping/Twitter/Facebook/Livejournal that he had been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. One of my sisters immediately responded on FB asking when he was planning to tell the rest of his family. He replied that by posting on a social network, he HAD informed folks. (NB, I don't know if Momala and Pop have been called - he's not here right now to ask.)

Unlike Izzy, I confined my announcements/updates to the smaller audience of this blog, back when I was in the pre-diabetes/newly-diagnosed stages. (Samples posts here and here and here.) I was freaking out a bit, and worried about how people would respond. Izzy is, and always has been, much more "out there."

We're known that this was coming for a while based on symptoms, family history, visual changes, etc. During our beach trip last December/January (here and here), Izzy was feeling a bit shaky as we entered a restaurant. After checking my blood sugar, I looked over and said "Your turn." As he later tweeted, he had a reading and a re-check over 200, and a nearly 300 reading 2 hours post-prandially. That's diagnostic. Welcome to the d-life.

His reaction was to skip most of the Kubler-Ross stages, and go pretty much straight to acceptance. Appointments were made, and he was officially diagnosed and given a couple of meters. He has been assessing the effects of his intake on blood sugar readings. Eye and diabetes education/nutrition appointments are pending. I am so grateful that we both have good insurance for meters, test strips, etc. I've had good success in managing this condition and have lab values where they need to be. I'm certain that Izzy will soon have these, as well.

Diabetes is yet another thing we share, like our Catholic faith, tri-lingual puns, Jesus Music oldies, similar motorcycle helmets, and love of Italian food*. We're working on the best ways to lower carbs counts for the latter, even as I look for what will be the perfect low-carb pie/pie crust recipe that does not include an artificial sweeteners (which Izzy really dislikes.)

For better, for worse, in sickness and in health...

*List is not all-inclusive; there's also the cat, Monty Python, the beach in winter ....

Surprised while surfing

Following a tweet from Mattheus, I Googled Jack Chick to read his newest tract:

It was easy enough to find the tract, which tries to synthesize several tomes' worth of anti-Catholic polemic into a few badly drawn pictures and reductio(s) ad absurdum.

The 2nd or 3rd Google link, as is often the case, was a Wikipedia article about Jack Chick. At the top right was a sketch of Chick, done by Jimmy Akin. I meant to click the picture to see when/how it was done, since Chick has been reticent to release pictures of himself. As Providence would have it, I clicked on the Jimmy Akin link, and wound up on his Wikipedia page.

Hmm, since I'm here, guess I'll read a bit. Following anther link, I found myself at this article from This Rock posted on the Catholic Answers site (reprinted from Surprised by Truth.) This is Jimmy's story of his conversation to Catholicism.

After consideration of the Church's claims for some time, a search begun like the searches of so many others in an attempt to refute their veracity, Akin found himself prepared to enter the church in which his wife was raised and to which she had reverted from New Ageism.

Akin writes beautifully, in his early 30's voice, of his version of the deathbed conversion -- his reception into the church at the bedside of his wife, Renee. They received the Eucharist together, for the first and last time, the day before her death from cancer.

Shortly afterward, Renee received her first morphine shot. Then our priest arrived. In private, he gave me the sacrament of confession. Then, in Renee's hospital room, using the emergency, shortened form of the rites, he brought me into the Church. He gave me conditional baptism and then confirmed me. After giving Renee the anointing of the sick, he gave us the Eucharist, which he had brought from the tabernacle in our parish.

My wife and I communicated together for the first and last time, sharing pieces from the same host. Although Renee was able to receive communion the next day, I was not present for that. This was the only time the two of us would share the Lord Jesus in this way.

Because of the morphine injection Renee had received immediately before Fr. Wood arrived, she was very sleepy during my reception into the Church. But she knew what was going on and tried to participate as best she could, such as when she managed to eat a small fragment of the host when we received communion. When my reception into the Catholic Church was completed, I hugged her and told her I was inside the Church. There was a beautiful, peaceful smile on her face--a smile which lasted a long time.

From something inflammatory to something inspirational. Good ending.

How some of us are marking this auspcious day

Having survived the treacherous voyage across the bridge in the snow (I picked what I believe to be the shortest bridge to cross), I arrived at our delayed start workday to find one meeting canceled and another delayed. (yay!)

I made a capuchino in my office using the cap maker Izzy got me for Christmas.  I'm typing this as I wait for the multiple avian influenza response document drafts to print.  

In a few minutes, a group of us will gather in one of the conference rooms to view the inaugural festivities.  It won't be as historic a gathering as the one MM is attending, but we'll be a bit warmer (smile.)  Being the good civil servant that I am, I'll be the one off to the side watching whilst reviewing these plans for the delayed meeting.  Somebody has to continue worrying about avian influenza, and I get to be one of those somebodies.  That's not a complaint -- it's job security, baby!

Prayers go out for the health of those on the Mall, for the safety of all involved, including those sworn to protect us, and for civil discourse among Americans in our areas of disagreement.

May our Blessed Mother, as Patroness of the Americas, intercede for our country and all of its people, including those not yet born.  

Beach Update

The local slow internet connection is letting me upload a couple of shots, so I'll provide some captions as they come up.

We hung around the casita during the chilly rain this AM, then went out to stimulate the local outlet economy. Yesterday we provided work for the waitressing sector of the local economy, today we helped support postal clerks and outlet mall cashiers and clothing restockers. Oh, and we patronized one entirely locally owned business, which Izzy had discovered and I was tickled pink to visit.



First things first: Saturday, upon our arrival, I made a pie while Izzy did some shopping.

Chess. Yummy.


Out on our SC/NC bike ride yesterday.


Back from the ride, bike is on the back deck.


Non skin cancer boy at North Myrtle.


Sunset beginning over the Atlantic. Un-edited pic. Be sure and view this one in large size.


Pretty amazing sand castle/civilization. Also worth checking out in a larger size (this shot doesn't do it full justice, but the interweb connection isn't strong enough to upload the truly amzing shots right now.)


Sunset over the Atlantic, almost done. (Random couple)


What I'm having a slice of next, plus low carb cappuchino. Life is pretty good, overall.

Random Notes from the Beach

Izzy and I took a nice couple-hour motorcycle ride this afternoon through some of the SC/NC countryside. We've got the intercom helmet set-up, which allows conversations such as this one:

• Me (as we pass a sign for Portrait Homes): I wonder if Portrait homes have picture windows?
• Izzy: Nope, I think they're frame houses.
• Me (pausing): I'm trying to think of a response, but nothing is developing.
• Izzy: This just came to me in a flash.

(It went on...)
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We're back at the little beach house that a crowd of our friends gathered at least New Years. It's quieter here this year without the crowd, but the cat seems to like the chance to come on vacation with us (as in yea, right -- although, once she came out from under the beds, she did bravely sit in a window.) There is intermittent, low-low speed interweb in the neighborhood, so I'll upload pics if/when we make a foray to the local wifi hotspot.
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Mass this AM in a church filled with retired New Yorkers. With my 2-inch heels, I felt absolutely gigantic, towering over the seniors around us. The Lector, who had apparently never seen either of the terms "revered" or "reviled", announced the 2nd reading "from the letter of Saint Puuu-ahhhl..." in a great NY accent.

I was glad to see that, even on the movable feast of the Holy Family, that the Holy Innocents weren't overlooked. Just before Mass, the choir sang the Coventry Carol. It was a lovely moving arrangement, and I'm so glad I got to hear it.

Mass concluded with a strong plea/encouragement/exhortation to pray for vocations for the Diocese of Charleston. Seems we've lost one of the 10 seminarians we had in formation. Fr. aimed his words at families ("you mothers and grandmother -- be like Mary and give your sons to God") and to the young men of the Parish. Very nice to see this matter addressed very directly at Mass.
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Final random note for this PM:
I was looking at my flickr pics and discovered that I could see what searches had led folks to a particular shot. Following a typical interweb bunny trail from the search term "tetouan jew" (which went to our Moroccan sets from 2007), I chanced upon this page:

Jews for Allah: Accepting the Messiah Jesus (Yeshua) - without the Christian Theology.

Gotta be some kinda interweb weirdness award for that one.
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Time to curl up before dinner and see whatever happened to Harry Potter and his friends. I've read about 10 pages in the last book, so NO SPOILERS!
Besides, Izzy tells me the next (post-Potter) volume will be called Hermione Weasley and the Unplanned Pregnancy.
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Since it made us both laugh...

... I'll share this LOL cat pic that set Izzy to giggling.
It's strangely appropos of a late evening discussion we had with a friend last night about women's footwear.


Merry last week before Christmas!

English Teacher's Nightmare

From Bizarro, a comic whose sense of humor closely matches the one here at the House of Chez Casa.



BTW: We once met Dan Pirarro, and asked him about what we thought we familiar landmarks in some of his drawings. Turns out we'd been neighbors in Old Oak Cliff. (Link for Izzy: the park that was just behind our little Oak Cliff Love Nest.)

View Larger Map


(The Google Map embed doesn't seem to be working. Click the words "View Larger Map" for an interactive map if you'd like to see how much the street has changed, and not changed. It will take a second to load the somewhat familiar view of the 1990-1992 HCC.)

Baby Eliza

NC friends from our previous church and a teacher colleague of Izzy's just had the experience no one should ever have: Their little daughter died this morning.

Eliza had been terminally ill since her birth nearly three years ago. Izzy and I were blessed to attend her first birthday party, which was cause for a community-sized celebration of God's goodness and faithfulness to her family. I no longer ask why some children are born with terrible health problems or limited lifespans. Instead, I understand that God has His reasons for making all of us the way we are. In His providence, some of these babies are placed "on loan" to families like the "DixieJax," whose grace and trust and impassioned fierce love show us a glimpse of the love the Father has for all of us.

Click the link above or in the sidebar to read Eliza's entire story (have a hankie handy.)

Then say a prayer for the repose of the soul of Baby Eliza. I have no doubt that angels are already quickly winging her to her rest.

Done

Five minutes ago, I submitted my final assignment for this semester. (yay!) I read it over a couple times, even ran spell check (ever tried that on SAS output? Very interesting...) and decided I wouldn't improve it any by spending another day checking the results. Time to be done.

The course is listed as Pass-Fail. I need to score an 11 (actually 10.2) on this exam (20% of the course grade) in order to get an 80% for the course and thus pass. That, my friends is an example of the serious statistical analysis I've done this semester. I learned more about stats and SAS and research, but even now I can feel it all leaving my sleep-deprived brain.

Off to bed now. Time to celebrate the Immaculate Conception of Our Blessed Mother, and begin seriously keeping Advent.

BTW for those from our fair city or its environs: Our priest lost his father late Friday/early Saturday. He learned of the death just before time to celebrate a wedding Saturday afternoon. He flew back home Sunday afternoon. Prayers for him, his family and the repose of the soul of his father will be most appropriate.

OMGoodness, it's December 2 already!

I have two more assignments left. An essay on the role of the DNP and a stats test. Almost done, with semi-normal bedtimes looming in a week. The blackboard program will be down from the 20th of December to the 5th of January. There won't be any way to get bogged down in preparations for next semester over the Christmas break. What a great gift!

I experienced grade inflation this week, I think. I completely could not answer half of one of the 5 questions on the stats homework from two weeks ago. I even commented on the paper that I just didn't understand it. Got a 96 on the assignment. I don't think it's theft, so I don't think I have to confess it.

Speaking of such, I wanted to blog just before I headed off to bed so I'd recall the date. I went to confession this past evening at our little tiny parish. There was a small crowd at the beginning of the communal penance service. I noticed a few folks arriving to join the lines after the service part was over. Kinda nice to see kids coming out for confession.

There had been some tension on a class project earlier, and that actually helped me put a lot into perspective before I went to confession. Doing the examination of conscience and talking with my confessor gave me ideas to frame an apology email, which I hadn't originally thought I would need to write.

I hear it over and over that we should avail ourselves of the sacrament of reconciliation more often. I believe it, I just don't often act on it. Maybe that's the new year's resolution I have some hope of keeping. I'll keep you posted.

Brideshead Completed

Just about an hour ago, Izzy and I with Miz M finished the BBC series Brideshead revisited. we've been watching 1-2 episodes on Sunday nights this fall. I had seen the series in the '80's and had only remembered the mostly dreary color scheme and Sebastian's backside. (But then, I seldom recall much from movies, etc.)

This time it was very different. Watching it as a Catholic convert changed everything. I wanted Charles to understand the Flyte's religion -- to see how it permeated their lives when doing good and when behaving badly. The tragic resignation to damnation that they felt they were headed for, even as the Church, embodied by the everlasting nanny in the attic called them back. Duty, honor, valor -- it's all there. What a great series -- even if often depressing.

Gorgeous writing -- I guess I'll need to add this book to the pile for after school.