When all is said and done, it's always important to remember that there is still some magic in the world.
The White Stag returns
When all is said and done, it's always important to remember that there is still some magic in the world.
The Art of Waiting
But, gentle friend, for love and courtesy
Lie further off; in human modesty,
Such separation as may well be said
Becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid,
So far be distant; and, good night, sweet friend:
Thy love ne'er alter till thy sweet life end!
~William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream
This is always a tricky subject, and I'm not sure how to introduce it without sounding preachy, judgemental, etc. I've never really been tested, so I'm the last person to judge. Anyhow, here goes:
I always thought that it would be very difficult for me to marry a man who had lost his virginity. This is not to say that it would be a determining factor; if I loved him, I could look past it, and I could not in good conscience look down on him and resent him for it. But it would be difficult. Once you sleep with someone, that person forever has something with you that no one can ever take away. The idea of another woman walking around, carrying with her something that should absolutely and rightfully be mine, the one thing that I have a God-given right to selfishly refuse to share seems too much to give.
But then I thought about if I married a widow, and somehow that didn't bother me at all (now, if the man is one of those guys who makes himself into a widow, that's a whole other story . . .). I wondered why.
Perhaps wanting to marry someone who hasn't been with anyone else is more than just a selfish desire to get there first and claim your territory. It's because when sex is a gift, it is always the "first" time. When a spouse dies, the gift does not die. She had a right to him, and now his new spouse has that right. She is giving his new spouse the right to be with him. It therefore lacks the distasteful quality of him having had a lover to whom he wasn't married. She may regret it -- she may be a saint now -- but the fact remains that she has what never should have been hers. She owns what belongs to you alone, and you will never get it back. Society tells us that we should spread our seed, and have as much experience as possible before settling with one person; but anyone who believes this is kidding himself. The more that is scattered, the more that is lost, and the less you will have to give to the one who your meant to be with until death.
Frankly, I'm not sure what my vocation is, so this whole thing may not even be relevant to me.
Please say a Hail Mary for vocations!
In Defense of Art, Diversity, and Catholicism.
"Morality, like art, means drawing a line someplace."
Oscar Wilde
One of the more interesting arguments against Catholicism, from an artistic perspective, is that in living by a single truth, diversity is limited. But what about the alternative?
If you believe that there is no God, no objective truth, how is infinite diversity possible? Even the abyss of the universe is finite. And the answer isn't simply to do what hasn't been done. If art is simply pushing the limits and doing what no one else has done, you're being original without being creative. Art becomes limited to the created world, by the created world.
In the converse, when art is meant to more than entertain, when it reaches towards objective truth, towards God, it is appealing to something that is infinitely more vast than the created universe. God is infinite, and He Himself is an artist. When art moves toward God, there will necessarily be elements in it that would be impossible to achieve by appealing to nature alone. Even when agnostic artists achieve some level of supernatural beauty, it is through the grace of God, not nature. With God, the possibilities, to be cliché, are endless.
On a completely unrelated note, Oscar Wilde rules. Pace a tutti!
Oscar Wilde
One of the more interesting arguments against Catholicism, from an artistic perspective, is that in living by a single truth, diversity is limited. But what about the alternative?
If you believe that there is no God, no objective truth, how is infinite diversity possible? Even the abyss of the universe is finite. And the answer isn't simply to do what hasn't been done. If art is simply pushing the limits and doing what no one else has done, you're being original without being creative. Art becomes limited to the created world, by the created world.
In the converse, when art is meant to more than entertain, when it reaches towards objective truth, towards God, it is appealing to something that is infinitely more vast than the created universe. God is infinite, and He Himself is an artist. When art moves toward God, there will necessarily be elements in it that would be impossible to achieve by appealing to nature alone. Even when agnostic artists achieve some level of supernatural beauty, it is through the grace of God, not nature. With God, the possibilities, to be cliché, are endless.
On a completely unrelated note, Oscar Wilde rules. Pace a tutti!
More Hannah
Here's a link that my brother just put up this afternoon, for whoev's interested. Enjoy!
http://www.fossilmusic.com/hannah/
http://www.fossilmusic.com/hannah/
Hannah Juliette
Here are some pictures of my latest niece, born yesterday afternoon. I'm totally in love with her. The younger girl holding her is my niece Bernadette. I'll try to get some better pictures when I have them. Keep them all in your prayers!
The Willful Narcolepsy of Hollywood
Since I've been on my own, I've been happy enough to not have the temptation of cable, and consequently of flipping to the E! channel. When I do have access to it, however, I am somehow compelled to watch as who-knows-what-aged women with implants and hair extensions talk about who's hooking up with whom and who's shopping where (both on equal par). It is almost impossible to determine their ages, not only because of the complete facelifts and measurable thickness of make-up, but because the older they get, the more they speak with the crassness and immaturity of a very badly-behaved teenager.
Watching E! News Live, I feel like I am in highschool; they are the cool kids, the ones from the rich families, with the fancy scholarships, and with the best clothes in town . . . and we're the chess club, the ones with glasses, headgear, and matching sweatshirts. At least, that's what we're made to feel like. Our noses don't look like theirs; ours still have cartilage. That, in addition to the fact that we look, how should I put it, not like a silicon Barbie doll, puts us beneath their notice, and if we are graced with their notice, it is not for a flattering reason.
What a job! They probably went to a top college, and had all sorts of fascinating opportunities for journalism, newscasting, etc. And what are they doing? Telling the world about where Paris Hilton was last seen, showing clips of actors and actresses running away from the camera, which actress was seen coming out of which actor's home in the wee hours of the morning, or what Lindsey Lohan is saying about her feelings on the Iraq war (what she doesn't realize is that one of the reasons the Muslims love us so much is because of people like her). What artistry to talk about who Biffy is boffing today, to quote the Gilmore Girls (I think I'll pretend I don't know what "boffing" means . . .). What a way to spend your God-given talent!
Is Hollywood really this idolized by the public? I know I could care less about what flavor lip gloss Jessica Simpson is wearing this Fall, but are there people who do care? If no one cares, why are these shows still on the air? It is a show about the personal lives of people I don't know, and probably never will know, and it gives us information that is incomplete and selectively politically correct when it is accurate at all. Why is Hollywood still appealing?
In the Golden Age of cinema, the actors and actresses, though not always perfect, maintained class. Even if their personal lives were falling to shambles, they at least made the effort to put up a front that demonstrated the importance of giving the example of maintaining dignity. For this reason, in part, Hollywood became our royalty. They had their faults (artists, after all, aren't exactly known for being the most emotionally well-adjusted), but one could still respect them.
George Clooney made an interesting statement at this past Academy Awards. He said that people say that Hollywood does not represent the rest of the country. He then referenced the Academy Awards of 1939 when the wonderful actress Hattie McDanial (in one of my personally favorite roles of all time) became the first African American to win the award for Gone With the Wind. He said that Hollywood did not represent the rest of the country then, and he was right. Her taking that award was truly a beautiful moment.
However, George Clooney is missing something. Yes, Hollywood once stood heroically against the evils of the world. But what Mr. (albeit very handsome) Clooney does not realize is that, if Hollywood does have the power to stand up against the world, it therefore has a greater responsibility to do so. Hollywood was admirable in 1939 in many ways; but it is not so now. In 1939 it still had the capacity to stand against the evils of the world because it upheld the belief that femininity, gentlemanliness, and ultimately dignity were essential to humanity (not to mention the fact that religion and morality were still considered respectable); it was this sense of human dignity that gave them the capacity to see the injustice of segregation. But where is the dignity now, in a culture that has no bounds, where exposure rather than talent is key to success, where few children born can say that their mother and father were married when they were conceived, or that their mother and father were ever married at all, where strength and bravery consist of how close to nakedness you can get on the red carpet without "technically" exposing yourself? Does not Mr. Clooney realize that the Hollywood now bears little resemblance to the Hollywood of 1939?
I guess it just comes down to the fact that we should look to the Church for moral guidance and direction, the Church which has been solidly constant and consistent for 2000 years, and not to a culture of people who spend their lives pretending they are someone who they are not.
There is my rant for the week. Definitely a sign that I need to get out more. Ciao a tutti!
Watching E! News Live, I feel like I am in highschool; they are the cool kids, the ones from the rich families, with the fancy scholarships, and with the best clothes in town . . . and we're the chess club, the ones with glasses, headgear, and matching sweatshirts. At least, that's what we're made to feel like. Our noses don't look like theirs; ours still have cartilage. That, in addition to the fact that we look, how should I put it, not like a silicon Barbie doll, puts us beneath their notice, and if we are graced with their notice, it is not for a flattering reason.
What a job! They probably went to a top college, and had all sorts of fascinating opportunities for journalism, newscasting, etc. And what are they doing? Telling the world about where Paris Hilton was last seen, showing clips of actors and actresses running away from the camera, which actress was seen coming out of which actor's home in the wee hours of the morning, or what Lindsey Lohan is saying about her feelings on the Iraq war (what she doesn't realize is that one of the reasons the Muslims love us so much is because of people like her). What artistry to talk about who Biffy is boffing today, to quote the Gilmore Girls (I think I'll pretend I don't know what "boffing" means . . .). What a way to spend your God-given talent!
Is Hollywood really this idolized by the public? I know I could care less about what flavor lip gloss Jessica Simpson is wearing this Fall, but are there people who do care? If no one cares, why are these shows still on the air? It is a show about the personal lives of people I don't know, and probably never will know, and it gives us information that is incomplete and selectively politically correct when it is accurate at all. Why is Hollywood still appealing?
In the Golden Age of cinema, the actors and actresses, though not always perfect, maintained class. Even if their personal lives were falling to shambles, they at least made the effort to put up a front that demonstrated the importance of giving the example of maintaining dignity. For this reason, in part, Hollywood became our royalty. They had their faults (artists, after all, aren't exactly known for being the most emotionally well-adjusted), but one could still respect them.
George Clooney made an interesting statement at this past Academy Awards. He said that people say that Hollywood does not represent the rest of the country. He then referenced the Academy Awards of 1939 when the wonderful actress Hattie McDanial (in one of my personally favorite roles of all time) became the first African American to win the award for Gone With the Wind. He said that Hollywood did not represent the rest of the country then, and he was right. Her taking that award was truly a beautiful moment.
However, George Clooney is missing something. Yes, Hollywood once stood heroically against the evils of the world. But what Mr. (albeit very handsome) Clooney does not realize is that, if Hollywood does have the power to stand up against the world, it therefore has a greater responsibility to do so. Hollywood was admirable in 1939 in many ways; but it is not so now. In 1939 it still had the capacity to stand against the evils of the world because it upheld the belief that femininity, gentlemanliness, and ultimately dignity were essential to humanity (not to mention the fact that religion and morality were still considered respectable); it was this sense of human dignity that gave them the capacity to see the injustice of segregation. But where is the dignity now, in a culture that has no bounds, where exposure rather than talent is key to success, where few children born can say that their mother and father were married when they were conceived, or that their mother and father were ever married at all, where strength and bravery consist of how close to nakedness you can get on the red carpet without "technically" exposing yourself? Does not Mr. Clooney realize that the Hollywood now bears little resemblance to the Hollywood of 1939?
I guess it just comes down to the fact that we should look to the Church for moral guidance and direction, the Church which has been solidly constant and consistent for 2000 years, and not to a culture of people who spend their lives pretending they are someone who they are not.
There is my rant for the week. Definitely a sign that I need to get out more. Ciao a tutti!
"A Sonnet of Love for a Plagiarist"
Let not the marriage of true minds
Admit plagiarism. Thoughts are not Thoughts which
Alter when they websites find,
Or bend so socialists can remove.
Oh no: It is an ever fixed mark, that is a F,
And is never shaken. It is the spark to every
Wandering note , whose worth's unknown,
But whose ideas from pink monkeys were taken.
School's not time's fool, though rosy letter'd grades
Within communist interpretations come.
Grades alter not with these brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out, even to careers in fast-food.
Despite these errors, I shall see it proved,
Chimps never writ, and neither have you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here's a little something that is unfortunately very relevant to my current occupation. Warning to ALL students: if you plagiarize, I will make fun of you. Just kidding. Really, I am.
Admit plagiarism. Thoughts are not Thoughts which
Alter when they websites find,
Or bend so socialists can remove.
Oh no: It is an ever fixed mark, that is a F,
And is never shaken. It is the spark to every
Wandering note , whose worth's unknown,
But whose ideas from pink monkeys were taken.
School's not time's fool, though rosy letter'd grades
Within communist interpretations come.
Grades alter not with these brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out, even to careers in fast-food.
Despite these errors, I shall see it proved,
Chimps never writ, and neither have you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here's a little something that is unfortunately very relevant to my current occupation. Warning to ALL students: if you plagiarize, I will make fun of you. Just kidding. Really, I am.
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