Just a simple blog of a Secular Franciscan trying to live with a Franciscan focus. (And one of these days I'll fix the template and add a Search feature. :-P)
Serendipity alert! Some nifty lil' bits led to my finding this delightful post, It's 5:00 Somewhere:
Bit the First:
While browsing around a spiffy Catholic bookstore with a pal this Saturday, I came across The New Revised Jesus, Mary, Joseph Novena Manual. Which I (of course) bought, being the prayer book junkie that I am. (And let's not even talk about holy cards, m'kay?)
Bit the Second:
Thanks to the booklet, not only did I learn about the Confraternity of the Precious Blood (publishers of said booklet), I also discovered the existence of the World Mass Clock, of which there's a bitty picture on page 17. While it's one thing to know, in a nebulous kinda' way, that Mass is being celebrated somehwere around the world, this image (and accompanying prayer) is a helpful heads-up. No, it doesn't provide a precise, "This-Is-EXACTLY-The-Time-When-Mass-Is-Celebrated!!" thingy, but it's a good visual aid, giving folks a basic timeframe for where Mass is being offered at any given time.
Bit the Third:
After wanting to use a larger image for daily reference, today I tweeted a question about where to find a good, World Mass Clock graphic. (Bonus points if the graphic was more current. For example, the one in the booklet lists Persia and Siam instead of Iran and Thailand.)
I got antsy, though, and shortly thereafter searched on "world mass clock" ... which brought me right to the It's 5:00 Somewhere post. Which linked to a nice, big World Mass Clock image. And the post itself just so happened to have been written today.
Interesting how I came across it mere minutes after pondering how I'll decorate the cover of my next spiritual journal: I'm on The Very Last Page (filled up pages faster'n usual due to my daily Lenten scribblings) and will have to start a new one tomorrow or Friday. On the cover (it's just a cheap, spiral-bound, quad-ruled dealio), I've taped a gigantor card with a prayer to St. Francis of Assisi, along with another card of Francis' prayer before the San Damiano crucifix.
For the next notebook, I was thinking I'd maybe slap on some Josephite ones, but didn't wanna sacrifice any of my current cards ... and then I found the Josephy site. Now I can print, cut out, and tape ones from there to my heart's content! Well, my heart's content as squooshed into an 8.5-by-11-inch area. This one of Joseph and Jesus, and this Holy Family one (on the main Holy Card Heaven blog), are Way Top Contenders.
Check out this neato time-lapse video of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate as they set up their creche at Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel. The friars reposted this from when AirMaria was just getting started.
If you're looking for an entertaining bit of Star Trek fan fiction, check out this spiffy "radio" drama, Star Trek: Eras, that some pals of ours put together. :-) The series as a whole has good scripts and music, resulting in a solid overall production, and the current episode, "Yours, Mines and Ours", isn't ruined too badly (I hope) by my Lame-Arse voicing of Dr. Navid Daystrom.
Yeah, Husband Mike and I are both in this episode, and frankly, my performance is Sucktacular. (Which is a bummer, 'cause I didn't think I did that horribly during the recording session, just Moderately Lousy.) Oh, in case you're confused when looking at the performer credits, Husband Mike and I are going by the stage names of "Anne and Johnathen Michaels". (Which reminds me; I really should get off my butt and write up a blurb for my bio.)
They're loading up the episode in chunks, so only Act 1 of YMO is currently available, and I think Husband Mike's character, Lt. Commander Serat (a Vulcan), won't show up until Act 3 (memory is foggy). Another fun bit: Our characters are married, too, so that made acting together even more enjoyable.
Anyhoo, iffin' you'd like some Trekish goodness, take a listen.
BTW: I noticed in the "Special Features" section, they listed "Outtakes" as coming soon. That should be interesting; we're wrackin' our noggins trying to figure out just what sorts of incriminating and/or embarrassing stuff we said that they could use against us. Oh, the humanity! :-P
When thinking of YouTube, it never occurred to me that it'd be a nifty source of orchestral music performances. I was searching for Dvořák's Slavonic Dances in the iLike Facebook app, and lo, it returned video results! What an absolute delight!
So, here are just a few of my fave orchestral/classical music videos I've found on YouTube. Share and enjoy!
Smetana Ma Vlast Moldau Kubelik Czech 1990 (2)
Such an achingly beautiful, soaring piece. :::happy sigh:::
Pilsner Urquell - Bedřich Smetana -Má vlast Vlatava (Moldau)
OK, it's a commercial, but it's one of the most clever ones I've ever seen! Freakin' hilarious!
The Great Gate of Kiev - Modest Mussorgsky
This movement is part of Pictures at an Exhibition, and it's my fave out of the entire piece. Moves me to tears every time I hear it. Such beauty!
Smetana "Prodaná nevěsta (The bartered bride)" Overture
There's a reason why this piece has become a Czech national institution.
Sakari Oramo conducts "Finlandia"
You just can't listen to this and remain unmoved. Awesome-tastical.
My only complaint is that the accompanying pictures are much too teeny! Would've been nice if we could click on the small ones in order to launch larger-sized ones.
CFotD #1: A huuuuuuge thanks to Fr. Jay Toborowsky for finding the following cool video, "A Day in the Life of Pope Benedict"! (It's in German, but really, who cares? It's the Papa!)
CFotD #1: I was browsin' around Catholics for the Common Good, which (gasp!) actually appears to be faithful to Church teaching (!!), when I stumbled 'pon this article and saw ...
CFotD #2: ... the first pic. Of a friar. With a TV camera. It's Friar Cam! How cool is that?! Dang, it's splendid to see a Franciscan friar -- and in full habit, no less -- taking part in a pro-life demonstration.
(While Friar Cam's been around for awhile on EWTN, we don't have cable (don't watch much TV and we're cheap), so it's the first I've heard o' it. An' I know you can watch their programming online, but we have dialup at home.)
Ya know those ever-present ribbon-shaped car magnets that've popped up everywhere faster'n' dandelions? Well, Husband Mike and I think they're rather ridiculous, but this past Sunday we saw one that actually made us smile in appreciation. (Tho' we ain't buyin' it.)
Too cute -- check out this adorable Kitty Market Catnip Toy Set. (Love the cartoony Xs for the fishies' eyes.) If we didn't have so many cat toys underfoot already, I'd seriously consider getting this for the furkids. :-P
Last night while flipping through the latest Leaflet Missal catalog, I was puzzled when I saw this window decal listed in their pro-life section. I didn't get it at first, but if you look at it long enough, you'll see why. (Or maybe you're smarter than me and will pick up on it right away.)
Just heard about a spiffy-sounding children's PC game, Gospel Champions, which "reinforces Gospel and Catholic learning by recreating the same Gospel stories that children hear in Mass into fun action/adventure video games."
Of course, I had to look at the screen snaps t'see how they portrayed Joseph, Holy Husband of Our Lady and Virginal Father of Jesus ;-) , but alas, nothing's loaded up yet for the two Christmastime ones. Overall, the artwork's done in a cartoony style, which I guess will appeal to the kiddies, but I found it a mite too cutesy.
Still, the premise of the game is excellent, and gosh knows we need all the help we can get to form properly-catechized children nowadays!
In addition to the bracelets, they've also got some regular Rosaries. Wish there was a pic of the St. Joseph Rosary -- from the description, it sounds wunnerful. I'm also eyeing the Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament First Holy Communion Rosary Bracelet -- looks like a great gift idea for my niece, who has a birthday comin' up. ;-)
