tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396620063051526452024-03-05T17:58:29.714-05:00This Catholic Girl...My life experiences, from the exciting to the mundane.thiscatholicgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179211257933959158noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3539662006305152645.post-32982989702302330032011-11-30T09:05:00.002-05:002011-11-30T09:05:00.607-05:00Ever ChildrenJust the other day, I was having a phone conversation with my sister. Our discussion was being constantly interrupted, as her toddler daughter was getting into all sorts of things. Her little two-year-old is bright as can be, knows the rules, but sometimes ignores them. Our conversation continued but as it being peppered with repeated cautions, patient sighs, and a few tears, it occurred to me that, in some ways, we are all like children. I listened as my sister patiently warned her daughter that it was dangerous to climb the stairs, and the little girl's protests as her mother pulled her away from the treacherous, yet tempting steps. I offered to end the call and let my sister tend to her daughter, but she responded in that cool tone of a loving parent, "No, that's OK. She's just getting into things she knows she shouldn't get into." Shortly after that I heard, "Now you know you're not supposed to get into Mama's make-up!" Realizing that she was found out, my niece hid behind a chair. My sister couldn't help but chuckle and offer, "I can see your shadow!" <br />
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Shortly thereafter, I let my sister go and focus on her daughter. However, it struck me how childlike we all can be. How many times have we been cautioned by those who love us? We all have moments when we do not make the best decisions--from making a poor judgment call to engaging in self-destructive behavior, or allowing ourselves to get caught up with those who are a bad influence. Have you ever heard the strong, but quiet voice of the Spirit within your soul say, "My dear daughter, you don't want to do that. You're only going to get hurt!" The Lord loves us and gave us free will, but there are times when He will pull us away from the stairs when we need His protection most. Sometimes this prompts us to shed tears, as we convince ourselves that whatever we wanted to do could only have been wonderful, if we had been given the opportunity to take one more step. He knows better, and although we may shed tears, get frustrated, and, from time to time, throw hissy fits and ignore our Father's cautionary movements in our hearts, He still loves us...and we still love Him. <br />
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And after being caught doing something we know is wrong, how many of us try to hide? We hide from our mistake, we hide from our embarrassment and humiliation--ashamed of ourselves, we hide from the Father. We put off the Sacrament of Confession/Reconciliation. Rather than swallow our pride and reconcile ourselves with the Father, we walk--or perhaps even run--in the opposite direction, unable to face He who loves us so much, worried that we have yet again disappointed Him and are unworthy of His mercy. <br />
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We are indeed unworthy of His mercy, but He gives it to us freely anyway. Let us always remember that we are His sons and daughters, and His love for us knows no bounds. He is Love. Perfect, unconditional, forgiving Love. So let us humble ourselves and remember that His ways are not our ways. Our minds cannot fathom the greatness, glory, or plans of our Father, but we must try always to trust Him. And even when we experience bouts of frustration and anger with our lives, let us not act like petulant children. Rather, let us remember that the Lord truly loves us and only wants what is best for us. May we lovingly trust Him and offer Him our sufferings, appreciation, and praise! He will allow us to make our stubborn, poor decisions so that we may glean something from them, but, like any loving parent, He will never abandon. He will be there to patiently, lovingly caution us and, when we hide from Him (and we inevitably will), he might chuckle and say, "I can see your shadow!"<br />
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"Lord, you have probed me, you know me: you know when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. You sift through my travels and my rest; with all my ways you are familiar. Even before a word is on my tongue, Lord, you know it all. Behind and before you encircle me and rest your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, far too lofty for me to reach. Where can I go from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee? If I ascend to the heavens, you are there; if I lie down in Sheol, there you are. If I take the wings of dawn and dwell beyond the sea, Even there your hand guides me, your right hand holds me fast. If I say, "Surely darkness shall hide me, and night shall be my light"--Darkness is not dark for you, and night shines as the day. Darkness and light are but one." Psalm 139:1b-12<br />
thiscatholicgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179211257933959158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3539662006305152645.post-15214242569363855612011-02-27T13:28:00.000-05:002011-02-27T13:28:39.925-05:00Requiescat in pace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/SYcSUaiUUnw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;">+ Requiescat in pace, Kimmy H. You are loved and will be greatly missed. +</div>thiscatholicgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179211257933959158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3539662006305152645.post-28192242681078530862011-02-20T08:28:00.001-05:002011-02-20T08:28:01.032-05:00My Big Fat Greek Save the DateConfession: I love checking my mail. Although it is usually the same boring mix of junk mail and bills, each day I have renewed hope that when I open the box, something new and exciting will be awaiting me. The other day, I was excited to find a small purple envelope in my box. The return address was a family friend in Michigan who I knew to be getting married. We're not particularly close--the bride is the best friend of one of my sisters--so I wasn't expecting an invitation. However, I opened it up and was delighted to find out that the wedding will be in late July, the usual time I take my long vacation to visit the fam. <br />
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The bride, Katie, is one of the sweetest, funniest people, and she's marrying a very nice guy from our hometown. His family is Greek and the wedding will be in the Greek Orthodox Church. Naturally, my mind immediately cues all of the best scenes from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." Will there be plate smashing, copious amounts of ouzo, and the constant shouting of "Opa!"??? I'm guessing not, but, like checking the mailbox, I'll hope for something exciting. In the meantime, I leave with two of my favorite clips from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." <br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/mB1tycVyZAQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/kVpOcPU8KeA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>thiscatholicgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179211257933959158noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3539662006305152645.post-70708583875562415112011-02-18T23:54:00.000-05:002011-02-18T23:54:22.485-05:00Searching for the Shamrock<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Up until a few years ago, St.Patrick's Day meant one, and only one, thing to me: McDonald's Shamrock Shakes. Seriously. I knew that St. Patrick was from Ireland, and all the Catholic kids would wear green. Part of me wanted to stand out and wear orange in honor of my Protestant ancestors, but I didn't know anything about religion, nor did I care. Why? Because it was all about Shamrock Shakes. Because, when combined with a chocolate shake, you have one tasty, liquified Thin Mint in a cup. And mostly because, one can only get them once a year. I had all year to learn about religion, Protestants, and the color orange.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.pavonefoodandbev.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/ShamrockShakegraphic_000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="139" j6="true" src="http://www.pavonefoodandbev.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/ShamrockShakegraphic_000.jpg" width="320" /></a>Finding Shamrock Shakes as a young girl in Michigan was easy; it seemed like everyone was waiting in anticipation for that random day after Valentine's when someone would go to Mickey D's and come home to say, "We asked, but they don't have them yet." Finally, the sign behind the register would go up and word would spread: Shamrock Shakes are here!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Like Cadbury Eggs at Easter, Shamrock Shakes are a seasonal delicacy. Also like Cadbury Eggs, I allow myself one per year--the <a href="http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/nutritionexchange/itemDetailInfo.do?itemID=8888">calorie, fat, and sugar content</a> in a small cup of minty green goo is daunting. However, I plan it out and go in search of the stuff each year. When I moved to DC seven years ago, it really did become a search. I went to four or five different McDonald's last year before I could find the annual treat. More than one cashier looked at me like I was nuts--one even took my order, then handed me a chocolate shake. Umm...no. After searching at Union Station, Metro Center, Pentagon City, and perhaps Friendship Heights, I finally found Shamrock goodness at the McDonald's in Chinatown. This year, that will be my first stop. If that proves unsuccessful, I've discovered this <a href="http://www.shamrockshake.com/">Find the Shake</a> website where people are posting where they have found the Shamrock Shake...brilliant! And, yes, it made me feel like less of a freak, going from one McDonald's to another, inquiring about a menu item no one knew. There are others. :) So, it looks like the search for the shamrock will be infinitely easier this year. Hooray! Now it's time to start thinking about going to the gym everyday this weekend...thiscatholicgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179211257933959158noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3539662006305152645.post-51304542484139895852011-01-18T10:12:00.000-05:002011-01-18T10:12:45.515-05:00Great Falls, Maryland<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5D0Klx2GNsZ1EV-wBJC4jAuErFKCQRtGimSRp71pzWZqTFYWCs_SNlbFlx2ZO40sanA1e73sg-7R_tPO-fbRLihhCowMGV3OgyvBzTIALnsg1w7AoDfDpjwED8M-aNM908kWb2kBVEDeb/s1600/January+2011+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5D0Klx2GNsZ1EV-wBJC4jAuErFKCQRtGimSRp71pzWZqTFYWCs_SNlbFlx2ZO40sanA1e73sg-7R_tPO-fbRLihhCowMGV3OgyvBzTIALnsg1w7AoDfDpjwED8M-aNM908kWb2kBVEDeb/s320/January+2011+004.JPG" width="320" /></a>After a challenging week at work, the weekend was all about play. Sunday lived up to its name as it was gloriously sunny, making it a perfect day to be outside. A friend suggested we go to <a href="http://www.nps.gov/grfa/index.htm">Great Falls</a>, a place I had heard much about but had never been, and so we set out. We opted to park about a mile or so from the national park entrance, which offered us the opportunity to walk much more and enjoy the fresh air. As you can see, the walk was beautiful. I can only imagine how stunning this area looks during autumn! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ndGex7e-qfv5cwjMT81yb0JEg2eDrUtkahbmNn6vXClUXBZkpi_gTT56yhyqvtjHLDYe3hgOf89xcwIoqg56n0jF7WhJeAl0J7rwbv7aezGD4s5yjAtVuHlK5a9rb9sj036sIBdhxKDT/s1600/January+2011+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ndGex7e-qfv5cwjMT81yb0JEg2eDrUtkahbmNn6vXClUXBZkpi_gTT56yhyqvtjHLDYe3hgOf89xcwIoqg56n0jF7WhJeAl0J7rwbv7aezGD4s5yjAtVuHlK5a9rb9sj036sIBdhxKDT/s320/January+2011+008.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We walked approximately a mile up the C & O Canal, and gradually made our way over to the Potomac River. Along the way, however, there were a few small bridges to cross. Not a big deal for me since they had railings, but when I leaned against a railing and it gave about 2 inches, all I could think was that although I hadn't figured out the purpose of my life, I was about to plunge to an icy cold, rocky death (pictured at right). I'm not sure if it was God or the devil who wanted to see how quickly my heart rate could rise, but I recovered and we moved on. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We eventually made our way to the Potomac River and enjoyed the sound of the rushing water and the warmth of the sun, mused about the shapes of clouds, and discussed life. We didn't come up with an answer, other than it was pretty damn good that day, and "we may never pass this way again." </div>thiscatholicgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179211257933959158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3539662006305152645.post-55294518211596479502011-01-13T00:08:00.001-05:002011-01-13T00:17:59.147-05:00New Year, New PostWe're only 12 days into the new year--time to get started on those new year's resolutions! I'm a fan of resolutions, but not the "new year" variety, simply because we're called to constant conversion and bettering ourselves. At any rate, I've a few resolutions of my own this month--some new, some old--a few bad habits I'd like to kick, a few good habits I'd like to acquire, and so on. Here are those I'll share:<br />
<ul><li><u><strong>Daily Scripture</strong></u>--I think I'm defeating the Catholic stereotype about knowing zip about Scripture by a slim margin, but not much. Regardless, I want to make this a priority.</li>
<li><u><strong>Daily Mass</strong></u>--At least 3 days a week other than Sunday. Going to Mass 4 out of 7 days each week can only be a good thing. </li>
<li><u><strong>Grocery Shop and Cook</strong></u>--Post-September Eat-In Challenge (which was relatively successful, btw), I've failed miserably at this. However, with a stock of awesome cookbooks received for Christmas (I'm in America's Test Kitchen utopia here), I plan to try my hand at more than a few new dishes. Something simple to start: Guinness Beef Stew!</li>
<li><strong><u>Call More Often</u></strong>--Living 500 miles away from your next of kin isn't easy. Facebook makes keeping in touch simple, but a status update does not a relationship make. No excuses on this one! </li>
<li><strong><u>More Sleep and More Exercise</u></strong>--More exercise will lead to improved sleep, and vice versa. It's all a matter of getting up at a reasonable hour...I just hate mornings.</li>
<li><strong><u>Plan and Save</u></strong>--*sigh*</li>
</ul>In other news, I celebrated my fifth year at the government job a few days ago. What's the significance of pushing paper and working diligently at those "other duties as assigned"? Yours truly is now fully vested in the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS). This means that around 2040, should the government have any money left and FERS still exist, I will receive some sort of monthly pension. It doesn't seem very exciting now, but it might when I'm older...maybe.<br />
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Reflecting on the past five years and the various things I've done there, I slipped into the courtroom for some alone time. I spent a few minutes trying to recall--perhaps revive--the feelings I had when I interviewed for and started the job. Alas, I was unsuccessful. A few weeks back, I went so far as to turn down meeting a well-known jazz musician, simply because I wanted to wear jeans to work. To wrap up this post, I leave you with an exchange I had with a friend this evening, followed by an awesome song (but weird video) by Aerosmith.<br />
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Friend: Did you listen to Obama's speech?<br />
Me: No.<br />
Friend: Me either. Go us for being Washington insiders.<br />
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<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cz2a4i55w7o?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cz2a4i55w7o?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>thiscatholicgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179211257933959158noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3539662006305152645.post-54972453098448330842010-08-23T22:10:00.000-04:002010-08-23T22:10:12.061-04:00September Eat-In ChallengeAs I was balancing my checkbook a few weeks ago, it became painfully clear that I spend way too much money going out to eat. It's expensive and unhealthy, but I do it all the time. Giving it some thought, I realize that the last thing I want to do when I get home from work is cook. I also *hate* cooking for one person--it's just no fun. I love cooking for family and friends, but I rarely do. Eating out is also fun--there's the whole social aspect of going out for drinks with friends after a long day, or after a function at church. It's a great way to catch up with friends I haven't seen in awhile, and what better way to reconnect than by breaking bread? However, this past weekend a friend and I went to Ruby Tuesday for lunch, and we were both surprised at the calorie listings on the <a href="http://www.rubytuesday.com/assets/menu/pdf/informational/nutrition.pdf">menu</a>. Although I opted for a "lower" calorie option (660 calories, not including the cheesy biscuits they gave us to start), I later discovered it had well over 20 grams of fat...and let's not even go into the sodium content!<br />
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As convenient and fun as eating out may be, it's eating up money I could be saving, or putting towards more productive things. Rather than deflate my checking account only to inflate my waistline, I've decided to eat in the entire month of September. With very limited exceptions, this means that I will not eat food at any restaurant, the cafeteria at work, vending machines, cafes, etc. The exceptions will be going out for an occasional coffee with friends, two birthday celebrations, and dinner one night at <a href="http://livejesus.blogspot.com/">my favorite monastery</a>. The bulk of the month, however, I plan to invite a few friends over for dinner and try some recipes that I've been wanting to make. I enjoy watching the various cooking shows on PBS, and this is a great opportunity to try some of <a href="http://saramoulton.com/">Sara Moulton's</a> "Weeknight Meals," and some recipes from "<a href="http://www.americastestkitchen.com/">America's Test Kitchen</a>". My September blog won't be anything like "Julie & Julia," but I hope to expand my usual grocery list and try new things, and eat in with some great company. If you have a delicious recipe you'd like to share, please feel free to put it in the comment section!thiscatholicgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179211257933959158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3539662006305152645.post-575292881751956422010-08-17T22:50:00.000-04:002010-08-17T22:50:48.165-04:00Vacation 2010After a month away from the blogosphere, I'm back! Most of July was spent back home in Michigan--two and a half weeks with a variety of family and friends, all over the Mitten! Much of my vacation was spent in the Lansing area with my parents, two sisters, 8 month old niece and 3 year old nephew. We played, danced, sang, read, celebrated Mom and Grandma W.'s birthday, travelled Up North, shopped, ate plenty of delicious food, saw the sights, had fun in two of the Great Lakes, and took naps. When I wasn't doing all of that with them, I was off to Grand Rapids to visit with two of my professors (Guten Tag, Seegers!), and a bunch of friends from my college years. It was a great time visiting our old haunts, discovering new places, and it was especially fun spending an afternoon at Lake Michigan with one of my closest friends on her birthday. I had a fantastic time seeing everyone and travelling the state, but when I returned to DC I took two days off to recuperate--a short vacation from my vacation! <br />
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Shortly after I came back to DC, my youngest sister came for a visit. Since we had only seen each other a few days prior, it really felt like an extension of my vacation. We went to Eastern Market, the Basilica, and went to see the movie "Inception" (which, btw, is really amazing--a visual marvel with an intricate storyline, I highly recommend it!). When we weren't out, we continued our tradition of watching DVDs of "Will & Grace", and just enjoying each other's company. Lil Sis left a week ago and I've been missing her ever since. However, in the midst of two very busy weeks at work, I'm looking forward to returning to Michigan in a little over a week to say farewell to one of my cousins who is being deployed to the Middle East. Not a fun reason to go home, but I am looking forward to seeing my family again...and so soon! <br />
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That's all for today--hope to post a few pictures once I figure out how to do it properly. Hope you are having a peaceful week!thiscatholicgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179211257933959158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3539662006305152645.post-64387867486996939582010-07-20T22:45:00.000-04:002010-07-20T22:45:11.286-04:00Cunning KiddosLittle Miss Hailey is one smart seven month old. She's fun, always ham for the camera, and has her Auntie(s) wrapped around her little finger. "Let her cry it out," says Mommy, but Auntie just can't help herself. And the little girl knows it. Want sympathy? Just start crying and crawling toward Auntie. Auntie meets her halfway, scoops her up, bounces, sways, and does whatever it takes to make that little girl happy...sometimes much to Mommy's dismay. Auntie might be a sucker for this cunning little girl, but it's worth it to see the smile on her face and hear the cooing of a happy baby.<br />
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Ryan, my three year old nephew, also knows how to work the system. He'll climb into his Auntie's lap being cute and cuddly and say, "Hi. I love you." This is usually followed by something to the effect of, "Want some lemonade?" "No, thank you. I don't want any lemonade." "Ryan lemonade?" Sometimes he's just too cute to resist! His Aunties, not wanting to be outdone, have also slapped him with an "Aunt tax". Yesterday he was eating a doughnut when both of his Aunties fined him a bite. :) <br />
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Other fun things we've been doing include piggyback rides, playing soccer and hockey, finding fun games/parts for the old N64, and visiting Grandma Wright. It's all absolutely exhausting, especially as the kiddos wake up at 6:15 most mornings...oy. But, it's lots of fun, too. Plans (and daily pace) will shift a bit in another day, as I'm heading over to Grand Rapids (GR) for lunch with two of my college professors. After that, I have plans with various friends for a couple of days before I make my way back to Lansing for Mom's birthday weekend. Pictures to post this weekend. Hope you're having a blessed week!thiscatholicgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179211257933959158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3539662006305152645.post-30017406065559111402010-07-16T18:58:00.000-04:002010-07-16T18:58:57.956-04:00Body Imaging at BWIToday I'm blogging from Gate B2/B4 at Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI). Tis the beginning of my vacation, when I take some time off and head back to my beloved <a href="http://www.michigan.org/">Mitten</a> state. Fortunately, I was able to take much of the afternoon off from work and get to the airport with a few hours to spare. Check-in was quick and easy, and lines for security were short...but today, I would have gladly waited an hour through security in order to avoid what was waiting for me once I got to the metal detector and x-ray machines.<br />
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Today was the first time I have ever had to go through the <a href="http://www.dsxray.com/products/mmwave.htm">L3 ProVision</a> body-imaging machine. I chose the short line for the x-ray machine, only to realize which line I had entered. Quickly grabbing a bin and switching to another line nearby, I unloaded my belongings into bins, hoping the TSA hadn't noticed. I stood in front of the metal detector when a TSA agent directed me to the L3 machine. We had a brief discussion about why I didn't want to go through and what I knew about the machine, but was ushered through anyway. What added to the embarrassing scan is what happened after I stepped out. I was patted down. Really? After one exits the L3 ProVision machine, Big Brother (or, hopefully Big Sister, in my case) lets the TSA agent know what to do next. Subjecting me to the scan evidently didn't reveal enough of what was under my clothing, so I had to be patted down. Absolutely ridiculous.<br />
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At first I thought the pat down was retribution for muttering a few not-so-nice words on my way into, and out of, the machine. However, as I sat on a bench to put my shoes and belt back on, I noticed that others were being patted down as well, depending on what the TSA agent's all-powerful earpiece told him/her. Taking a brief look at the company's website, it appears that one of the many features of this machine is that it "reduces need for time-consuming and intrusive pat-down searches." Apparently this wasn't the case today. The ProVision fact sheet says, "The system provides <strong><em>options</em></strong> that allow blurring of faces and other areas of the body." (Emphasis mine) This suggests that the system is capable of blurring the most private areas of the body, but those entering the machine cannot be certain that those options have been enabled. To be fair, the fact sheet also says, "Images cannot be saved after security personnel review them." If true, that would be plus one point for L3, but as far as I can see, nowhere does it say that the images cannot be printed out. <br />
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At the end, I thought about two things: (1) I'm going to pay better attention to the security line I enter, and be more adamant that I be allowed to go through a normal x-ray machine, even to the extent of citing that I do have the right to refuse to enter the machine and (2) if I absolutely, positively, must go through the machine, Big Sister might have a not-so-nice hand gesture pop up on her screen. Hey, I'm Catholic...not perfect. thiscatholicgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179211257933959158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3539662006305152645.post-72947398476249810332010-07-15T20:57:00.001-04:002011-01-13T18:22:51.929-05:00Wheel Want<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dodgeautosinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Dodge-Caliber-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" n4="true" src="http://www.dodgeautosinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Dodge-Caliber-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Living in the city, I'm within walking distance to work, church, Metro, and plenty of shops and restaurants. Fortunately, I do not need or own a car. But as I was out walking this evening, I saw this car and did a double take. This is a Dodge Caliber. I want one. But I don't need one. It would be nice to have the freedom to not be reliant on Metro--especially on weekends when delays and track work are inevitable. Perhaps my want stems from my lack of owning anything more expensive than the bed I purchased last winter. If I need wheels, I have <a href="http://www.zipcar.com/">Zipcar</a>. I don't own a condo or house, but rent a studio apartment. The most expensive things I do have, like much of America, are student loans and some credit card debt. And, until those are paid off (only 3 years left on that student loan!) I won't even begin to seriously consider a major purchase. Window shopping is fun, though! :)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div>thiscatholicgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179211257933959158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3539662006305152645.post-49090267663141277592010-07-14T23:21:00.000-04:002010-07-14T23:21:20.851-04:00Long weekend at Long Beach Island...had a wonderful time at the Jersey Shore! A good friend of mine has a beach house on Long Beach Island (LBI), NJ, so we headed up there for a few days of respite. It was a much needed break from the busy which has been work, and served as a wonderful prelude to my actual vacation which begins in just a few days! We both took off Friday afternoon, me taking the MARC train up to Baltimore where we would meet up and drive to LBI. LBI is a skinny island, but about 18 miles long. Friend's house is in the Barnegat Light area--the northern end of the island--and the house backs up to a lagoon. After exceptionally refreshing margaritas on the dock, we were off to dinner and what else does one eat so close to the ocean but seafood?! <br />
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We walked over to a quaint little shopping/food/boating area called Viking Village and ordered take out at <a href="http://handhcreations.homestead.com/OfftheHook.html">Off the Hook</a>. Now, I'm a fresh water girl myself, and haven't eaten much seafood outside of shrimp and the occasional crab cake in the past six years I've lived in the Mid-Atlantic. That being said, the broiled seafood platter (crab-stuffed flounder, scallops, shrimp, and clams casino) was absolutely delicious. Everything seemed to be fresh and cooked/flavored just right. The clams casino were my favorite, but I truly believe that bacon does make everything better. After all of that scrumptious food, it was time to explore the beach!<br />
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We decided to walk over to the ocean, and from there walked all the way around the northern most tip of LBI, to <a href="http://www.oceancountygov.com/barney.htm">Barnegat Lighthouse</a>. It was a pretty long walk, but a beautiful night--we waded into the ocean, were amazed by the stars, and mused where the various planes were headed as they set out on their transatlantic flights. It was a simply delightful evening with great food, perfect weather, and exceptional company.<br />
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On Saturday, we both slept in and awoke to find ominous clouds which would produce quite a bit of rain. It was necessary, although somewhat disappointing, we remembered that on our walk we had seen a movie rental place. Set up in the garage of a private residence, Ives Five Seasons rents and repairs bicycles for sunny days, and rents DVDs for the dreary ones. We picked up a couple of movies and went back to the house, broke out the potato chips and dip, and settled in for an afternoon of lounging. So nice! The weather eventually cleared up in the evening, and we went to a local family restaurant called <a href="http://scojosnj.com/">Scojo's</a>. Entrees were enough to feed two people easily, and it was pretty good home style grub.<br />
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Sunday was another day for sleeping in, and then we were off to lunch...by boat! Some friends of my friend picked us up at her dock, and we weaved our way out of the lagoon, through the bay, and into the ocean! This was my first time actually on the ocean and although I thought it was incredibly choppy, I was a little proud of myself for not getting seasick. The last time I had been bumped around like that was on an awful commercial flight which included what the pilot called "evasive maneuvers", which has led to some minor anxiety during air travel. Since I can swim, I figured there were worse things than being knocked out of a boat, so I was able to enjoy the trip up to <a href="http://www.martellswatersedge.com/">Martell's</a>. Martell's is a unique restaurant as you can actually pull up in your boat, secure it to one of their mooring balls, and then a water taxi (pontoon boat) picks you up and takes you to the waterside restaurant! We dined outside where the food wasn't anything special, but the atmosphere was casual and relaxed. A very enjoyable afternoon with good company!<br />
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After we made our way back to the beach house, it was time to pack and close things up. I would have loved to stay a week, until my proper vacation started, but we were both back to work Monday morning. However, it was a much needed weekend with a great friend, new adventures, and a lot of fun. <br />
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Soon enough it will be onto the next adventure--home to Michigan! If there's time, I'll blog from there a bit. In the meantime, hope you're having a blessed week!thiscatholicgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179211257933959158noreply@blogger.com1