Lame-o

I can't believe it's been over a month since I've blogged. I'm sure any interested followers we might have had have abandoned us long ago, but I'm still going to pretend like we have an audience. Since I last wrote we've moved into my parent's guest bedroom, helped kate and davey move to South Bend, visited them in South Bend (and Chicago), and then moved into my parent's basement apartment. It's been a busy month, and I finally feel like I have my feet underneath me again.

One reason I've been so bad about blogging is because I have no new pictures to show you. Why? Because somehow in the move I lost my camera, and I have not found it again. I suppose until I find it again I will have to learn to write interesting posts without pictures.

Speaking of interesting, one major bonus of living in my parent's basement is that they have cable tv. Which means we now have unlimited access to many channels, our favorites being Sports (Joel), Food Network (me) and the Discovery channel (both of us). Right now I'm learning all about animal mummies. And Coptic Cairo, which sounds like one of those places I will always dream about visiting but never actually go to.

I'm also learning in this show about Saint Rose of Lima (Santa Rosa de Lima), the Catholic saint of Lima. She was a severe ascetic who disfigured her face with lye, wore a crown of iron thorns, and had many ecstatic trances. She died at the age of 31, having prophesied her death to the day. I have a hard time understanding these Saints who came before me. On the one hand, she spent her days helping the poor and the sick, working with her hands to sell things and giving the money to those in need. But on the other hand I don't understand or agree with the ascetic movements. Near the end of her life she became a total recluse, she constructed a cell-like chamber that she stayed in all the time, only leaving for communion. When saints like Rose submitted themselves to these types of self-denial, they are telling only half the story. They are stuck in Christ's Passion, without participating in any of His resurrection life.

Another interesting saint to check out is Saint Cecilia, an early Christian martyr. Her story of martyrdom is not for the queasy of stomach (mother), but it's fascinating nonetheless.