Mary's Place

Forever Mets

2012-01-27T21:03:00.002-05:00

As anyone with the slightest interest in sports knows, theNY Mets are going through a really bad time. The ownership is broke and it shows in the team's payroll. They couldn't even keep their all-starshortstop who led the league in batting. If the Mets don't end up in last place this coming season, it will be nothingshort of a miracle.

So how come I can't wait for the season to start? I bought a 15 game pack for next season andhope to go to even more games. Becauseof religious reasons, I won't be able to go to opening day but I'll be at CitiField soon after.

What is it about this team that has gotten under myskin? I guess you could call inunconditional love. No matter how badthey are, I can't give up on them. Tome, there is nothing like going to the game and hanging with my friends. We cheer the great plays and groan at thebad. We never boo our Metsies unlessthey really deserve it.

Is it because they are "lovable losers" and we canidentify with them? Is it the challengeof supporting such a team? Or is itbecause when they do win, they do it in a big way?

Yes, that must be it. I was around in 1969 and what a high that was! In 1986, I was not living in the NY area andonly got to see a sliver of that great season but have relived it on TV. 1973, 2000 and 2006 brought us to the brinkbut we did not go all the way.

Now, serious fans know that it will be a few years beforethe Mets are contenders again. But wehang on because we know when the time comes, we will be in for the ride of ourlives.

Let's Go Mets!

The One Speeders

2011-12-31T19:45:00.001-05:00

This makes me nuts. You are driving behind someone and they are going about 10 miles belowthe speed limit and there is no traffic. Then the speed limit goes down but they still keep going at the samespeed. I don't get it. Why don't you want to go the speed limit andthen why do you think you can go above the speed limit?

This is a perfect example. I used to drive my son back and forth to Ithaca, NY. At one point you get off the interstate andget on a state highway. In some spots,the speed limit is 55, then 40, then 30 in towns and then it goes up again. I have been behind people doing 40 in the 55zone and remain at 40 while driving through the town. Why they don't get tickets is beyond me. I always slowed down because I was fearful ofgetting stopped.

Another thing that irks me is people who drive very slowly evenwhen there is no traffic. A good exampleis a road I drive on almost daily, Bergen Blvd. The limit is mostly 35 and sometimes 40. Usually, there is so much traffic that 35 isimpossible but occasionally not. However, people still drive 25 when there are no cars in front ofthem. What is their problem? And no, these are not old people; just peoplewho don't know how to drive.

The War on Pizza and Potatoes

2011-12-03T19:27:00.001-05:00

I am so sick and tired hearing how pizza and potatoes arenot good for you. I had pizza for dinnerlast night and the scale was down a pound this morning.

Pizza is the perfect food: vegetable, protein and carb. Sure, if you sit and eat two entire pies, that's not good for you.

And the poor potato. Itmust be one of the most vilified foods ever. If you eat a potato, the most horrible things will happen to you. Really? Potatoes are a great food and are full of vitamins. Recently, a new study says that potatoes donot raise the glycemic index as much as was believed.

I think the people who come up with this stuff are justmiserable and want the rest of us to join them.

The New Translation

2011-11-26T08:32:00.001-05:00

For the past several months, in the Catholic press anyway,there has been article after article on the new English translation of theNovus Order a/k/a English Mass. Why wasthis necessary? Because the lasttranslation was horrible. I mean, it'sbad enough that the prayers are mostly banal and not uplifting but they evenscrewed up the translation of the ordinary of the Mass such as the Gloria andCredo. And why? Every Latin/English missal had thetranslation right there. All they had todo was use it! But no! We can't use these old and beautifultranslations. They don't fit with thespirit of Vatican II.

And even when they went back to work on the rottentranslation, did they even bother then to use what they already had from theold missals? No, they did not. Talk about reinventing the wheel.

I know some people who are reallystoked about this. A priest I spoke tolast Saturday says he "has to get through next week". Someone else said that she will have to bringglasses with her so she read the new responses. Oh, the humanity!

But I, dear reader, will not beaffected by this at all. Why? Because I attend the Extraordinary Form ofthe Mass. Yes, there have been tweeksover the centuries but nothing dramatic. This form uses Latin, a dead language so the meanings of the words donot change. Sad used to mean heavy andnow it means unhappy. Don't have that problem with Latin.

Also, the prayers are so much morebeautiful. Here is just one Offertory prayer:

Accept, O HolyFather, Almighty and eternal God, this spotless host, which I, your unworthyservant, offer to You, my living and true God, to atone for my numberless sins,offenses and negligences; on behalf of all here present and likewise for allfaithful Christians living and dead, that it may profit me and them as a meansof salvation to life everlasting.

Compare that to:

Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through yourgoodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has given and human handshave made. It will become for us the bread of life.

So, have fun with your newtranslation. I'll stick with the morebeautiful and reverential Latin.

Pax vobiscum.

All My Worldly Goods

2011-11-21T19:06:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago a friend said he was thinking ofselling all his possessions and moving to Venice (California, not Italy) andliving on the beach. While not quiteready to do that, it did make me think.

In 1999, I went about 6 months without owning a car. While it was slightly inconvenient, it wasalso liberating. I didn't have a carpayment or insurance. I didn't have toworry about finding a parking space. Price of gas? Who cares?

We all have so much stuff. Look around your house or apartment. Gobs and gobs of things we just can't live without. How many people with garages use it forstorage and those of us in apartments have an offsite storage place.

Think about how much time you spend cleaning the stuff,taking care of the stuff, washing and ironing the stuff. What would you do if a hurricane came throughand took all of your stuff? We seepeople on TV called hoarders who are buried by their stuff. We do not control our possessions, theycontrol us.

And every day, we are bombarded by messages that we needmore stuff. Hey! Get the new iPhone; wait, you don't have thelatest digital camera? What about moreclothes and shoes? Can you possibly livewithout the latest and greatest? And nowthat the Christmas shopping season has started in earnest, we will go even morecrazy getting stuff for other people.

And all this time dealing with stuff takes us away fromthinking about God. While you were inthe checkout line, did you think about saying a prayer? Did you think to thank Him for all thisstuff? I am just as guilty as the restbut I know I have to work to not be enslaved but all this stuff!

Receiving in the Hand

2011-11-01T10:43:00.001-04:00

A few years ago I started thinking about receiving the Eucharist in my hands. I thought about how I walked to church, sometimes bringing the garbage out with me. I thought about all the other dirty things I touched on the way and during Mass. Yes, I sometimes washed my hands before Mass but still there were the dirty music books and maybe I blew my nose, etc. And let's not forget the "kiss of peace" when you shake with numerous people and who knows where their hands have been. It just seemed wrong to me to touch the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord and Savior with my germ filled hands.

After all, the priest should not really be touching anything after the consecration except the host and chalice although they get into the "kiss of peace" but at least it is not as widespread as us lay people. So, that is why I receive on the tongue. I know some people consider it gross but if it is done properly the priest does not even touch the tongue or lips of the recipient.

And let's remember that a priest's hands are consecrated to show the sacredness of handling the Eucharist. Have the hands of the Extraordinary Ministers been consecrated? I don't know for sure but I doubt it. That's the way it used to be: only the consecrated hands of a priest were fit enough to touch our Lord.

Now, of course, it's every man for himself. I think this is why the belief in the Real Presence has diminished. We have removed the sacred from Holy Communion. Maybe it is time to put the communion rails back in churches and return to the old way for everyone. If the Holy Father wants the people to whom he administers Holy Communion to kneel and receive on the tongue, why not the rest of us?

Retirement

2011-10-26T20:30:00.000-04:00

I know some people who could retire right now but don't want to. One of the comments I get is, "What would I do?" What you do? What would you do? Are you kidding me? I can think of several things.

For the first two weeks I would probably just sit on my couch and watch TMC non-stop.
I would brush up on my French and master Italian.
I've always wanted to learn German and maybe Polish.
I was a volunteer at Holy Name Hospital when I was a teen and I wouldn't mind doing that again.
I'd finally have the time to figure out how to edit photos and scan photos on my PC.
Take that trip to Hershey, PA that I never got around to.
If finances allowed, I'd fulfill the dream of going to the Tournament of Roses Parade.
I might start getting on the bus to Atlantic City and spending the day playing the penny slots like a good senior citizen (but only if I had a coupon to the buffet).
All those books I want to read!
I could go to Mass on First Friday.
I could go to Mass on all those other wonderful feasts that we have in the Catholic Church.
Dare I say it? Go to more baseball games.
Again, if finances allowed, I'd do some travelling and maybe even get to visit cousins in NC and upstate NY.
Run for office or at least volunteer for a candidate in whom I really believe.

Okay, that's what I come with off the top of my head. Would that keep you busy? Sounds good to me.

The Nanny State

2011-09-19T20:44:00.001-04:00

No, this is not a tirade about the federal government. I'll save that for another day. This is about children who are being raised by surrogate parents.

Back when I was in high school/college the feminist movement was in full swing. We were told that staying at home and raising children was demeaning and we could do so much more. We could have a wonderful, fulfilling career and be a wife and mother. No more endless days slaving over a hot stove and waiting hand and foot on a man.

Well, I graduated college, eventually got married and had my first child. I was working as a secretary in a bank and getting up at 5 AM and felt lucky if I could get to sleep by 10 PM. Did I feel fulfilled? Hell no! I felt tired.

And what has this done to our children? I did this and I see mothers still doing this. We are waking up our children before they are ready and taking them to baby-sitters and/or day care centers (also known as day orphanages). They are being raised by strangers who can influence the children in their beliefs which may not necessarily be yours. I know this for a fact as I worked in a pre-school and got to fill their little heads myself.

I know there are many families where the mom really has to work outside the home but there are many others who do not. Have you ever asked your children if they would prefer going to a day care after school or coming home to mom? Did you ever ask them if they would rather stay at home over winter vacation or be dragged every morning to some stranger's house?

And how many times have we read stories about baby-sitters abusing children? We have electronic devices called nanny cams. Read that again. Yes, we have to spy on the people who are taking care of our children. That is insane!

I was able to stay home for a couple of years with my children. It was wonderful! I had time for my children, my husband and myself. There used to be a show on The Disney Channel called "You and Me Kid". I loved doing the activities with my son. Let me tell you, that was fulfilling.

So, parents, I urge you to think long and hard about how your children are being raised. Your children do not need more things. They will not die if they don't go to Disney World. They need you.

Peasant Catholics

2011-08-16T10:43:00.001-04:00

Yesterday evening as I was sitting in Church, I was thinking how there were not many people in attendance for the Mass of the Feast of the Assumption. Well, why should there be? It was technically not a Holy Day of Obligation.

I remembered how when I was a child before Vatican II, the churches were packed on Sundays and Holy Days. Yes, the non-thinking sheeple were afraid to miss Mass. A criticism bandied about was that they really didn't believe and just went out of fear of mortal sin.

I ask you, was this such a bad thing? No matter what the reason, they came to mass and, I think most of them, went to confession on a regular basis. I call them "Peasant Catholics" because they were not great theological thinkers but knew what was right to do.

Maybe many of them did not understand the Latin and maybe they were counting the minutes until Mass was over. But they were still receiving graces! Yes, they went to Mass out of obligation but don't we do many things out of obligation? We go to work, we pay taxes, we take care of children, etc. Obligation is not always a dirty word.

Now, though, there is no obligation. Yes, the Church still says it is a mortal sin to miss Mass but too many people ignore that. Why? Because Catholics are very rarely reminded that missing Mass is a sin and, if you die in a state of mortal sin, you will go to hell. Well, in the spirit of Vatican II I freely assume my role as an involved lay person and remind my fellow Catholics that this is indeed a mortal sin.

But what do I know? I place myself in the category of a "peasant Catholic". No, not that I go mindlessly to church but I have simple faith and try to follow what was taught to me oh so many years ago. I pray that others follow.

What You Believe

2011-07-25T21:05:00.000-04:00

Most of us are greatly influenced in our beliefs by our families. Thanks to my father, I can never ever root for the Yankees. I was raised Catholic and a Democrat.

However, I would urge everyone to examine their beliefs. Several years ago, a friend challenged my belief in Catholicism and I could not rebut her. As a result, I started to study my religion from an adult perspective and yes, I am still a Catholic.

But it is important to really think about what you believe and why you believe it. I know plenty of people who lean a certain way politically because generations of their family has done so. I wonder what would happen if they would objectively look at that.

And you shouldn't be afraid to challenge yourself. As I said, examining my faith made me stronger in it. However, my political beliefs changed completely when I realized what I thought was good for people is not.

So, don't be a lemming. Think for yourself. You might just get a pleasant surprise.

Naked in the Street

2011-07-23T16:45:00.001-04:00

I read something about naked men in the gay pride parade in San Francisco. And I thought to myself who the heck wants to walk around city streets with no clothes on? I won't even wear open toed shoes in the city. I see people wearing flip flops on the subway and hope they don't have any open sores.

I remember several years ago this woman went topless on the subway. Imagine exposing your breasts to all the dirt and germs there. How gross is that?

Friends, clothes are our friends. Never forget that.

The Humble Priest

2011-07-04T18:10:00.001-04:00

In the past several years, we have all been appalled and saddened by the sex scandal in the Catholic Church. Although the number was small, it is still is horrendous.

And now, thanks to the internet, TV and other electronic media, there are more and more what I call celebrity priests out there. Yes, if you are not Catholic or a nominal Catholic, you probably won't know them but to many of us, they are an important part of their lives as they bring the message of Jesus Christ to millions.

However, let us not forget the humble parish priest. He goes about his business day by day, not looking for fame or fortune. Some still have schools to run besides the rest of the parish. They labor outside the spotlight, often not getting recognition or praise. If they do one thing a parishioner does not like, they will be criticized and talked about in the parish. Many of their flock do not ever offer a helping hand or even an invitation to dinner to their pastor.

We have a priest who offers the Extraordinary Form of the Mass for us at my parish in Jersey City. Fr. Carroll is quite elderly and he is the epitome of the humble priest. He does not ask for anything and is just there to serve God. I don't think the word retirement is in his vocabulary. He reminds me of all of the great priests of my childhood. God bless him and those parish priests who serve so well and with so much humility.

St Jean Vianney, pray for them.

What Are You?

2011-05-30T22:30:00.000-04:00

One of the things I like about living in the NYC metro area is the ethnic diversity. And ancestry always seems to come up in conversation. With some people, it is obvious by their name or looks but with others there might be a question. A few years ago I had to ask this woman if she was Italian or Jewish.

When I lived in KCMO, they had a big St. Patrick's Day parade. I was asking all these people I knew if they were Irish and they didn't know! They didn't know! Heck, my father's family has been here since before the Civil War but we know our roots. Actually, it was rather boring there because you were either white or Black. Weren't even that many Hispanics at the time, as I recall. Couldn't even get decent Italian food. Okay, the barbecue was out of sight.

And I think we are the only country that does this. A few years ago, my cousins' friends from France were visiting and they happened to live near Monaco which, as you probably know, is near the Italian border. The wife's family had moved from Italy to France so we said she was Italian. Absolutely not, they said. She was French!

Lots of diversity here and, for the most part, we all get along. Hm, think I'll have Chinese tomorrow night. Or maybe Italian? Or a hot dog?

Play Ball!

2011-05-14T23:24:00.000-04:00

I never thought this would happen but I think I am burned out on politics. I just am so tired of listening to the same rhetoric. I used to listen to political talk radio all day long. Now, often in the morning, I move the dial to classical music. I also find myself listening to more sports talk. None of the Republican candidates excite me or I really don't know who they are.

Maybe it is partly frustration that nothing seems to be changing. The Republicans won the House in November but the leadership is sorely lacking. Sorry, but I don't think a leader should be crying publicly every time he smells a rose. Man up! And listen to the people! I swear there is something in the water inside the "beltway".

If the Republican leadership decides to lead, maybe I'll bet into politics again.

Busy, busy

2011-05-02T20:19:00.001-04:00

Seems as though I have not posted in almost a month. Just been so busy going to baseball games and visiting friends, etc. Got several ideas circulating in my brain and hope to be able to "write" them down soon.

60%

2011-04-04T19:16:00.000-04:00

In the past few months it was revealed that 60% of African-American babies in New York City are aborted. Think about that: more than half of all babies being carried by African American women in NYC are killed in the womb.

One organization run by an African-American group put up a huge poster in Manhattan to bring light to this matter. People took it as an insult to African-Americans and it came down. So, let me get this straight: African-Americans are not upset about their numbers being killed but they do object to this fact coming to light.

Now, I wonder what group would also be buoyed by this statistic. Do you think there is a white supremacist group who would cheer this news?

At a local klan meeting:
Bob: Hi, Roger. Did you see this news about the n****ers in NYC?
Roger: No, what happened?
Bob: 60% of them have abortions. They are killing themselves.
Roger: Shoot, if this keeps up, we'll be out of business.

Yes, Black women are doing all by themselves what many white supremacist groups have tried for years. That is, to rid the United States of "negroes". The klan should send pro-abortion groups thank you gifts.

And finally, perhaps, it is white supremacist groups who are really behind the abortion movement. Hm?

The Knee

2011-03-28T20:38:00.000-04:00

I went to the orthopedist last week and he told me that my kneecap was loaded with arthritis. I guess I know what my Lenten penance is. Sometimes it isn't too bad and at other times, I have excruciating pain.

When I went to bed last night, the pain was horrible. I put an ice pack on my knee and tried to go to sleep but to no avail. I finally took an NSAID which I don't like to take but I had no choice.

Today, I was meditating on the pain. I thought about how much it hurt and then I thought about Jesus on the crucifix. I could barely stand the pain in one knee; what did Jesus feel? I don't think anyone can fathom it except maybe those who have been truly tortured. Because that is what happened to Jesus. He was tortured. It went way beyond a crucifixion.

And then you think about how He took on all this pain because of our sin. I can barely stand the shame. I know I will sin again but I hope I can remember my shame and the torture that Jesus bore for us.

The Execution

2011-03-15T20:15:00.000-04:00

Today a friend asked me to pray for someone who is scheduled to have an abortion. The thought popped into my head, "A baby is scheduled to be executed tomorrow". Imagine if you posted that on a social network? I bet there would be a hue and cry against such a heinous act.

It does sound cold, doesn't it? Who would kill a baby? Then you tell them that it is a preborn baby. Oh, they say, a woman has the right to choose. You say, please finish the sentence. A woman has the right to choose to execute her baby. Make them say it. Make them understand what happens to the innocent as its body is ripped from limb to limb. Make them understand how some babies are burned to death. How many of them are against capital punishment? The guilty live and the innocent die.

Make them understand. A baby will be executed tomorrow.

Ash Wednesday 2011

2011-03-01T20:15:00.000-05:00

A week from tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. I know Christians around the globe will be going into Lent mode. Little children will be "giving up" something and more mature people will be working on their prayer lives, fasting and almsgiving.

As for me, well, technically I don't have to fast anymore but I still do. However, like a child waiting for Christmas morning, I am on pins and needles waiting to discover what my penance will be this year. As we know, the past few years God has not failed to send me something unusual. Whether it is a cracked rib or dental problems, something always is sent my way. I don't know if I can stand the anticipation.

The 80's

2011-02-23T21:51:00.000-05:00

I heard a song from the 80's today, "Take On Me" and when I got home I looked up the video. That started me thinking. The 80's were really my decade. I was a young wife and mother, happily raising my two sons. For a few years, I even got to stay home with my boys which were probably the best years of their childhoods.

Yes, there were many good years until 1988. That's when the dream ended and an entire new chapter of my life started.

Dating Sites

2011-01-29T14:33:00.001-05:00

I've been thinking about the phenomenon of dating sites. If you believe the TV commercials, thousands of people use them successfully and I am glad for them. But to me, the problem with dating sites is that they are dating sites. What do I mean by that?

Let's say, you are in your early 20's and are currently not dating. You try one of those sites and you connect with someone. You go out on a date and the pressure is on. Let's face it, you are trying to impress the other person and vice versa. You are probably not relaxed and so nervous you may not even really hear the other person. There may be more dates or they may not. If not, you move on to the next person and the cycle repeats. And if you are spending good money on the site, you truly want to meet someone.

Now let's say you go to a friend's house and meet someone. You are not there to meet a possible romantic partner and you are not trying so hard. You are relaxed and you see the other person as he/she is and vice versa. Maybe you leave with a positive impression of this person but still not thinking of romance. This can happen in other venues depending on your outside activities or, indeed, in the workplace. You get to know the person and then, if romance blossoms, you know what you are getting into and chances of the relationship working out are better.

Sure, you could still meet someone in one of these situations and think, "Gee, I'd really like to go out with that person" but still there is no real pressure. You decide to let nature take its course. In other words, you have no expectations.

This to me is the better way to meet someone. I know, many people never meet someone this way but it is optimal to the dating sites. And I don't criticize anyone for using these sites but I wonder, how did generations past get along without them?

Diet Saboteurs - Update

2011-01-23T18:18:00.001-05:00

Yes, someone did say to me today, "It's Sunday! You are supposed to celebrate on Sunday". And then I had an argument with this person who is a very dear friend and someone from whom I did not expect this.

And another person defended me which was unexpected but very sweet.

Something else I forgot to mention in my previous post is that I love when people who have serious health/weight problems, tell me that the way I eat is all wrong. I have slightly elevated blood pressure; otherwise I am quite healthy.

6 days!

Diet Saboteurs

2011-01-22T21:07:00.000-05:00

After having a fun holiday season culminating with my birthday celebration on Monday, I decided to recommit myself to living a healthy lifestyle and eating properly with the goal of shedding pounds. To help myself, I am using an AA trick: counting the days "sober". So far, so good. I don't know exactly what happens but there is a definite change in the way my body reacts to food and it starts to drop weight.

Now, it is difficult enough to stay on a diet under ideal conditions. Ideal conditions for me are being able to control what I eat and when I eat. Of course, that is not always possible. For example, on Sunday I usually go out to eat with friends after church. By the time we get to the restaurant, I am usually quite hungry because it has been several hours since breakfast. So, I have to be careful and not give into the temptation of grabbing for the bread basket or eating the wrong foods.

And then we have the saboteurs. These are the friends who do not understand dieting because they have never had a weight problem or, if they do, don't care and don't diet. They will say things like, "Oh, c'mon, 1 piece of cake won't hurt you." Or, "It's Sunday. Treat yourself." I try to explain that my body doesn't know it is Sunday and it will disrupt how my body has adjusted itself. In other words, I would have to start all over again. They, in turn, react with disbelief and scorn.

And some people actually get offended when you stick to your guns and say you will not deviate from your way of eating. Of course, if I was an alcoholic, they wouldn't dream of offering me a drink.

Why Nick Evans?

2011-01-21T23:38:00.001-05:00

I was watching Mets Hot Stove tonight and the discussion was about who would make up the bench. One of the prospects is Nick Evans. One commentator called him a "fan favorite".

The thought that popped into my head was "why Nick Evans"? Yes, he got 3 doubles in his first major league game and he has had some big hits but he's certainly far from being a superstar. He's not garrulous like some others and he's not notorious. But he does appeal to me and a lot of other fans. Do we sense something in him? Is it a bit of us who struggle to succeed as we watch Nick try to make a splash in the big leagues?

Torture

2011-01-20T07:07:00.000-05:00

A lot has been made over the past several years about how the USA tortures its prisoners. I have read about these torture measures and find some of them laughable. Putting a dog near a prisoner is torture? Making them look at women is torture? Is the new definition of torture is anything that makes the prisoner feel uncomfortable?

If that is the case and you want to torture me, make me eat strawberries and grapefruit. While I don't really like strawberries, I abhor grapefruit. A couple of years ago I decided to eat some as a Lenten penance. I think I got one piece down. Yep, that would certainly torture me. I wonder if anyone cared if I was tortured?

Thoughts on Tucson

2011-01-10T20:51:00.001-05:00

I am currently reading the book "The Whole Truth" by David Baldacci. The premise of this book is that this man who owns an armament company needs to get countries to buy more weapons. To achieve this, he uses phony news stories and events to rile the world up. He gets the Chinese and the Russians at each other's throats. The media believe everything his spin doctor puts out there which is 99% fabrication.

In the book a group of people working at a think tank are brutally murdered. The shooting in Tucson reminds of this book. This horrific event has the entire world in an uproar. Liberals and conservatives are at each other's throats.

I'm not really a conspiracy theorist but it just makes me wonder if someone egged this guy on just to achieve the desired effect of stirring things up. I just don't know what the purpose would be. But the thought of it creeps me out.

Palin Derangement Syndrome

2010-12-23T07:19:00.001-05:00

Sarah Palin - At this time, I don't think any other name can create more of a stir. Many people love her but just as many despise and loathe her. Now, when he was president, many suffered from Bush Derangement Syndrome which meant he could never, ever do anything good or right. People were completely irrational in this matter.

The same is now being said about Sarah Palin. But I don't understand why. Currently, she is a private citizen and, unless you lived in Alaska when she was governor, she has absolutely no effect on your life. Why does she awaken such hatred in people? And her daughter Bristol has been just as vilified. I know of no other child of a public figure who has been treated as she has. What has Bristol ever done to anyone?

There are many people with whom I disagree politically but I don't despise them. I don't care for my representatives in the House and Senate but I don't go berserk when their names come up in conversation. Just what is it about Sarah?

As I said, she is a private citizen and is entitled to speak her mind just as we all are. Do they think she has cast a spell over our civic leaders who follow her every command? It's truly ridiculous.

More on Women Priests

2010-12-07T20:43:00.001-05:00

In a previous post, I allowed as how women should not be priests because it would then give men more time to watch sports and drink beer. Last night, I realized something. When you say beer, what country comes to mind? Yes, Germany. At the Second Vatican Council what country led the charge to change the Mass? You got it - Germany.

I rest my case.

The Trappings

2010-12-04T15:28:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, someone from Fox News posted on Twitter that she had to get home and put her lights up because her neighbors were outdoing her. This got me to thinking. Is that what Christmas is all about--putting up more lights than your neighbor? I call this the trappings of the season.

I also just read on Facebook that a friend is so happy that her house is all decorated and she feels warm and cozy. Isn't that nice? I wanted to comment, "How about getting your soul ready?"

Now, don't get me wrong. I love all the Christmas decorations and fun that goes with the season. But why do we do all these things? What exactly is Christmas all about?

Okay, you may say, it's the birth of Jesus. What does that mean? What is so important about this day? And technically, Dec. 25th most likely was not the day that Jesus was born but Holy Mother Church in her wisdom has designated that day to commemorate His birth and who am I to disagree?

Think about it: over 2,000 years ago a baby was born in a manger in Bethlehem. This birth changed the entire world forever. We base our timeline on this event. We have BC (before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini or the Year of our Lord). Even if you subscribe to the politically correct CE or Common Era what is the common denominator? It is the birth of Jesus the Christ!

So, between stringing lights and decorating trees, take time to think about the real Reason for the Season. Jesus came into this world to die for us and to open the gates of Heaven. He conquered death! He promises us eternal life if we die without mortal sin. Does it get better than that?

Merry Christmas!

The Gift of Life

2010-11-27T19:17:00.001-05:00

As Pope John Paul II told us, we are living in a culture of death. Children are no longer considered a gift from God but a burden or, as our current president put it, "a punishment". Couples get married but do not see a baby as an expression of their love for one another but more like the latest gadget they buy. "Let's see, we have a Wi, an LCD TV, 2 dogs, a house. What's missing? Oh, I know, a baby!"

But this is not the purpose of marriage. Marriage is the joining of two people who promise to love each other and the result of this love is supposed to be new life. In Paul Anka's song, "Having my Baby", he extols how wonderful it is that the woman he loves is having his baby. Yes, their love brings new life to the world.

Just the other day, I heard that John Travolta and his wife had another child. As we know, they tragically lost a son a few years ago. You may think they are trying to replace this son but I prefer to think otherwise. I choose to believe that they wanted to show their renewed love for one another by bringing another child into this world to love.

And let us not forget that mankind was created out of love by God. We expand that love through children. Just as God created us out of love, we create new life out of love. We are born to love and the love between a parent and child is the greatest love of all.

But those on the dark side do not want us to believe that. They want us to think that we are put on this earth to satisfy our own pleasures. We are the ultimate god and our wants and needs come before all else. Why do you think so many marriages fail? "You are not satisfying my needs" is so often heard.

And, of course, as we consider ourselves god, we can do whatever we want including the life growing inside of us. How dare that "glob of cells" interfere with the satisfaction of our base desires? Thus, life is not cherished but considered an inconvenience. But how often does a mother who didn't want her baby suddenly fall in love as soon as she sees the infant? And this is probably why the abortion mills do not want pregnant women to see sonograms of their children. They know it is all over then.

Love and life - they go hand in hand.

I'm Retired

2010-11-24T19:28:00.000-05:00

No, I haven't given up the day job. However, the other day I was thinking about something which I now forget. It must have been related to an outside obligation and I thought, "I am so happy I don't have to do that". You see, for years and years, I took care of my kids and my mother, was involved in politics, sang in the choir, ran fundraisers, went to meetings at schools, etc., etc. Now I am free of all of that. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I don't have to get up and sing for 8 AM Mass. I was invited out for dinner and I don't have to cook. I am free to do whatever I want and can afford. It's such a liberating feeling.

Does that mean I'll never do any volunteer activity again? No, I just feel as though I have a choice now. You see, I am the sort of person who, when they say they will do something, they do it 100%. When I sang in the choir, I hardly ever missed a weekend. I did, however, give up many other activities to fulfill this responsibility. I like having more time to do more things and not having to plan my life around other people's schedules.

So, for now, I am "retired".

HSN

2010-11-20T13:35:00.001-05:00

Last night I caught the end of a program on TLC. It was a contest between these two women to see which of their inventions that HSN would sell. My first reaction was: HSN is still on the air? I can't remember the last time I put it on. I just checked my channel line-up and, sure enough, there it is. They are selling skin care products. Nothing has changed.

One woman had invented this cabinet that holds your hair dryer, curling iron, etc. The other woman invented a hot roller that didn't use clips. I didn't even know that women used hot rollers. Anyway, the cabinet lady won.

Having this on the TV is giving me flashbacks to the 80's when I actually used to watch HSN all the time and bought several items. Oo, holiday gifts are coming up next. I'm hooked. See you later.

So, I Went to a Rangers Game

2010-11-09T19:58:00.002-05:00

On Sunday night, my son Nat took me to see the NY Rangers play at Madison Square Garden. It was the first time I had been to a hockey game in over 30 years. It was so much fun and brought back a lot of memories. But I have to say that I didn't get the warm fuzzies like I do when it comes to the Mets.

That made me wonder: why did I stop following hockey in the first place? I mean, I used to be mad about the sport and knew all the players and teams (there were a lot few teams in those days). I went to the last game at the old Garden in 1968 and also got into the "new" Garden the day after it opened. For some reason, the doors weren't locked and we just went in and walked all around. Took a long time before we got thrown out.

But I digress. I've been pondering this topic and I can't remember why I lost interest. I know it wasn't because I got married since it started before that. I am perplexed. Should I get hypnotized and try to get the memories back or stick my head in that thing that Harry Potter uses?

In any event, I find myself paying more and more attention to hockey and maybe I'll get to some more games.

Soap Dodging

2010-11-06T20:39:00.001-04:00

I read an article in the Guardian (UK) the other about people who are not bathing every day. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/02/give-up-washing-showering

I can understand how it is sometimes possible to skip a shower/bath especially in cold weather but I'd certainly like to see some of these people in the flesh and, hopefully, not smell them. And how do you go for long periods without washing your hair? What does that look like? As a matter of fact, I think I saw a non-washer today at the grocery store. Yes, he was wearing a hat but the hair was all matted and long and sticking out of his hat.

And do people take this non-bathing to an extreme? Years ago, I was in a Sears store waiting to pay. There were these two women ahead of me. They had long, thick, matted hair and yes, they did stink. Maybe they were environmentalists ahead of their time and didn't use a lot of water but they sure polluted the air.

And trust me, you wouldn't want to see me if I didn't wash and style my hair. So, I think I'll stick to regular showers.

Against Women Priests

2010-10-23T16:54:00.001-04:00

Okay, ladies, how many times have you been sitting watching TV with the hubby and you get up to get/do something and you hear these words, "Honey, would you get me a beer?". My late ex actually admitted that he used to try to telepathetically try to get me to get up when he was ready for another.

So, as we all know, men like to be waited on and do the least possible. Oh yes, when they do decide to do something they can be wonderful at it but mostly they just like to watch sports and drink beer.

Which brings me to the reason why we cannot have women priests. Because the men would then just be getting out of another responsibility. Oh sure, there are women out there who think that there are all sorts of sound, theological reasons for women to be ordained but I'm telling you, it's a bad idea.

Let's use the Novus Ordo version of the Latin Rite Catholic Mass. When you compare it to the older form commonly known as the Tridentine Mass, it's patently clear that the man in the form of the priest has much less to do. He even has fewer vestments to wear. The documents of Vatican II tell us they came up with this new version of the Mass to make it more meaningful for the laity. Ha! The priests probably just got tired of all the prayers and ritual which cut down on their time for--you got it-- watching sports and drinking beer.

See, God knew what He was doing when He only selected men as apostles.

Amen.

Computer Sex

2010-09-30T21:24:00.001-04:00

One of the big stories for the past few days concerns a Rutgers student who jumped to his death after his roommate showed him having sex on the internet without his consent. Everyone is appalled at this horrible tragedy. One may ask why did the roommate do this. My answer is, "why not?"

In today's culture where there is sex everywhere, at any time and in any situation what could possibly be wrong with a little fun with a webcam? This student was in bed with another guy but so what? We are all supposed to be enlightened and accept any kind of sex no matter how bizarre or kinky it may seem.

We have NAMBLA which advocates sex between men and little boys. There are probably other advocate groups for other proclivities which I will not mention but you can guess. We have certainly progressed from the time of Queen Victoria when they couldn't pass a law against prostitution because no one wanted to tell her it existed.

So, the roommate and his friend probably saw no harm in showing this sexual activity. What's the harm? All sorts of people perform on the internet all the time. It's just sex; doesn't mean anything. It's socially acceptable, too.

I have heard stories of people having sex in public during "gay pride" parades and the police look the other way. I mean why not? We all have the right to do anything that makes us feel good no matter what.

Do you not understand how our sexually saturated society is destroying our culture and morals? It cost one young man his life. How many more?

It Was a Schism

2010-09-20T22:09:00.000-04:00

I have been watching the pope in England and Scotland the past few days. Something I kept hearing over and over was "The English Reformation". Excuse me, it was not a reformation, it was a schism.

Henry VIII did not reform anything. He broke from the pope and the Catholic Church. He couldn't get his way so he rejected his faith. This event in history should be referred to "The Great English Schism" or "The Schism of Henry VIII".

And Luther didn't reform anything either. He also broke from Rome and we should refer to that as "The Luther Schism". If he really wanted to reform certain matters in the church, he should have stayed and worked on it. Probably was just looking for an excuse to give up his faith.

All loyal Catholics should join me in no longer referring to these events as "reformations" but as what they truly were: schisms.

Any Nut with a Bible

2010-09-12T17:40:00.001-04:00

This past week we have been regaled with stories of a "pastor" burning the Koran. Turns out this guy has a very small flock of 50 people with some very strange ideas.

Again, we see how dangerous it is when anyone with a bible can decide to start a "church". What are this man's qualifications? Did he attend theological school? Who knows? And why do people follow him?

I know that Protestants abhor the idea of the papal supremacy and the magisterium. It is supposed to be all personal interpretation all the time. And the result is any nut with a bible can declare that he is a pastor and he has the truth. And we can see how dangerous this is. This man started a worldwide incident.

This is why you need a final authority which we have had since St. Peter, the first pope. It keeps us on the right path. When a heresy pops up, he has the authority and the backing of centuries of teaching to squash it. In other words, just because you own a Bible, you can't change the truth to fit your personal beliefs.

Philip's Birthday

2010-08-28T15:09:00.000-04:00

Back in January, I attended the NJ Right To Life Rally in Trenton. In attendance were many young people one of whom is named Philip. He and his family attend the same church as I do. This particular day was Philip's 16th birthday. I think about how providential that this wonderful young man was born on the very day that the Supreme Court ruled it was acceptable to kill just the same people as Philip as long as they weren't born.

Until that day, I had not really had much interaction with Philip. However, after the rally we all went to lunch and I was able to have a conversation with him. I asked him if he really believed what he did or was he just trying to make his parents happy. He assured me that he did, indeed, believe all that our faith teaches.

Philip, his brother and cousin all serve at Mass. His other two brothers and cousins also are at Mass. I cannot tell you how much this gives me hope for the future of our church and for our country. Of course, these young people will never have a reality show or make the news. Who wants to hear about young people who observe their faith? Why, we have Snooki and The Situation to watch. Surely, seeing young men and women who drink and carouse is much more inspiring, is it not?

When I am at Mass now, I pray for Philip and the rest of the young people who are now so strong in their faith. I pray that they don't lose or stray as so many of us have done when we go away to college and/or leave home for the first time. I pray that they will not give in to the temptations of the world. And I thank God for them and all the other Philips in this country who will never be on TV but whose lives God will know about and bless.

Training Regimen

2010-08-21T21:26:00.000-04:00

The other day, the Mets' third baseman had off. The manager said he needed a day off. The guy is only 27 years old.

And how about how often a player will get hurt (I'm talking baseball here). Everyone has a strained oblique this season, whatever the heck that is. I'm probably mistaken but it seems to me that players years ago did not get so many injuries.

So, what can be done to make these guys stronger? Why should a young man of 27 need a day off? He has several months to rest in the offseason.

What these guys need is to have to take care of 2 or 3 toddlers all day, every day for about a month. And one should still be in diapers or maybe throw in an infant. How many Moms work all day, come home, take care of the kids, roll into bed 5 hours before they have to get up and get awakened in the middle of the night by a sick child? And even if you are home with the kids, you work all day.

And a day off? I went about 20 years without a day off.

Let these ballplayers do this and they'll never get injured and their stamina will be unending.

Affluence

2010-08-08T22:35:00.001-04:00

We all know that the country's economy is not doing well. We can argue and disagree about how to fix it. But I gotta tell ya, I think we are much better off than we think. Just read stories about the Great Depression or even what went on in the 1970's. In my estimation, they were certainly much worse than now.

Why do I say this? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you dance lessons. No, I am not talking about ballroom dancing which is a wonderful skill to have. I am talking about performance dance. You know, like what is done in a Broadway or Hollywood musical.

You may think what is wrong with that? Actually, nothing. I am talking about the cost involved. I know the lessons themselves are not cheap. But the costumes! My word, the costumes are all professionally made and cost a small fortune. And what about the competitions? I don't know what they cost but there has got to be all kinds of fees associated with them not to mention travel and hotel expenses.

Trust me, if things were as bad as everyone proclaims, no one would be talking performance dance lessons unless you were really talented and had a definite future in show business. Talk about extravagance! Whooey!

Manufactured Drama

2010-08-02T22:55:00.000-04:00

As a long suffering fan of the New York Mets, I often wonder what it would be like to be a fan of the Yankees. What must it be like to know that there is a very good chance that your team will be in the offseason and probably win the World Series every season?

But I also wonder if it is it boring to win all the time. You know, if we had secular Christmas every week, wouldn't the luster wear off? You'd have that tree up all the time and just how much caroling could you take? What is so special and magical about that?

Is that what it is like to be a Yankee fan? Where is the drama? It seems the Yankees have to manufacture drama. For example, a big story a couple of weeks ago is that no former or current Yankee attended the funeral of Bob Shepherd, their long time announcer. I think this was discussed for a week. Boring!

On the other hand, we Mets fans never know what will happen. They are in first place and die in September. They make it to the playoffs and get knocked out by a team with a worse record. They shut out the Phillies 3 games in a row and lose 4 in a row to the lowly Diamondbacks. Yes, it is frustrating to be a Mets fan but there is certainly no manufactured drama.

May I See Some I.D.?

2010-07-31T12:27:00.001-04:00

We all know that there is quite a controversy going in Arizona about a law they passed in hopes of controlling illegal immigration. There is much outrage among some people who think that Arizona has no right to try and control this huge problem. They think that Arizona is infringing on the rights of illegal immigrants when asking for I.D. if they were to be stopped by the police.

Well, let me tell you something. Last week I opened a new bank account. I had to give my name, driver's license number, social security number and mother's maiden name. I also might have had to give my birth place and date but I am not sure.

So, tell me, why should I, a native American, have to prove that I am who I say I am just to open a bank account while. Is this not a violation of my civil rights? Is it not racial profiling? Of course not.

If I am stopped by the police, must I not show my driver's license, car registration and proof of insurance? If I have to do it, why shouldn't others? And why shouldn't illegal immigrants be subject to the laws of this country? I have to follow the laws but they don't?

What a backwards, mixed up country this has become.

Boobs on Parade

2010-07-18T19:44:00.000-04:00

I know that I am becoming an old fuddy duddy but I have to tell you that I can't get used to low cut tops at work. Our office does not require us to dress up but we do have a dress code. For example, flip flops are okay but sneakers should only be worn on Friday (still haven't figured that one out).

What cracks me up is that, while sneakers are verboten, no one ever says a word about low cut tops. And we are talking about serious cleavage here. I know it is fashionable to let everything hang out but I still don't think this is appropriate work attire unless your line of work is sex related. But heck, I've seen ladies of the night with more clothes on (on TV!).

The Fraternity

2010-07-11T18:40:00.001-04:00

About a year ago, I saw a feature on "Mets Weekly" about a website called www.theropolitans.com run by a young man from New Jersey. I checked it out and discovered that he ran chats during Met games. I immediately started going to chats and getting to know some really nice people.

Several months ago, I also started using Twitter. Thanks to something called #FF (Follow Friday), I discovered many other Met fans. Now, during games we chat and tweet. And several of us have become friends on Facebook. A few weeks ago I even had the opportunity to meet one of my fellow Met fans at a game which was a real kick.

A relative of mine thinks I am nuts to become Facebook friends with strangers. But they are not strangers. We've gotten to be real virtual friends thanks to the magic of the internet. One young lady actually has a film company called "Orange Duck Productions" and she is quite talented. She is a big David Wright fan and I was thrilled to be able to send her a David Wright giveaway I got at a game.

I do feel as though we are a fraternity: a fraternity of Met fans. We joke, we laugh, we cry at the foibles or our beloved Metsies. We are far flung (from Italy to San Francisco) and diverse. But whatever our differences (age, race, religion, political views), we all come together to cheer our team.

Let's Go Mets!

Bias

2010-06-29T20:29:00.001-04:00

I am so tired of being called a bigoted, racist homophobe. If I disagree with President Obama, I am a racist. Against illegal immigration? Archbishop Dolan of NY will let you have it. (http://blog.archny.org/ post of April 27, 2010) Yes if you are white, you automatically must be against anyone who is different than you.

This, of course, is laughable. I don't think people of limited color are any more bigoted, prejudiced and biased than any other group. As a matter of fact, some of the most bigoted comments I have ever heard have come out of the mouths of black people and I'm not talking about Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton.

And here's another thing that doesn't make the nightly news. There are many ethnic groups who dislike or actually hate other groups. I recently found out that some Spanish speaking groups think Portuguese is a horrible language and don't really care for the speakers of said language.

And what about our Asian groups? I don't think there is any love lost between the Chinese and the Japanese. And I bet you'd find lots of bigotry among various groups from India.

Of course, I belong to the one group which Americans may mock with abandon. While I may not have French blood in my veins, I consider myself culturally French. But I am the racist, bigoted homophobe.

That Rotten Catholic Church

2010-06-20T19:34:00.000-04:00

The other day I was listening to Dennis Miller while he was interviewing Newt Gingrich. The subject of Newt's conversion came up and Dennis said left the church because of the priest sex scandal. Sean Hannity has also said that the church should be glad that there is anyone left after that scandal. One wonders if Mr. Miller was looking for an excuse to leave the church.

Whoa! Do these two gentlemen and innumerous others not know the history of the Catholic Church? Yes, we have a lot of sinners in the church but what about the doctrine and dogma? No matter what human beings do to mess things up, the truth is the truth. You don't go from observant Catholic one day to a Protestant the next because of sinners in the church. Have they never heard the expression that the church is a hospital for sinners not a museum for saints?

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is at the core of our faith. What does He tell Pilate that His name is? "I am". That means from the alpha to the omega, never beginning, never ending.

And what did we learn from Jesus? To love Him and each other. How did the Catholic Church carry out this mission? Let's see: caring for the poor, opening schools and hospitals and starting the first universities. Try and imagine what would happen if the Catholic Church decided to close all of these facilities. Ah, yes, the "government" would have to pick up the slack which will know means more taxes and less competence.

But every day, we read and hear about this scandal and that scandal in the Church. Of course, many newspapers, magazines and websites forget to mention that the statistics for sex abuse is much worse in public schools and other religions. Why let the truth get in the way of a good story?

Yes, knock the Roman Catholic Church all you want but the truth will always win in the end.

Roadblocks

2010-06-07T20:15:00.001-04:00

I got up this morning and resolved (once again) that this was it. I will definitely buckle down and lose some weight. Of course, every time I do this and I have a fairly good week, something comes up to cause me to go off the rails. Well, I was in work this morning less than a half hour when the office manager asked if I was free to go out tomorrow night for drinks for a co-worker who is leaving. What could I say? But that means that I will have to sit there, starving, until I can finally manage to leave and go home and eat what I am supposed to. I must remember to bring a healthy snack. Update: it's been changed to pizza at lunch. I can work with that (sigh of relief).

I have found that the best way for me to lose weight is to stay on a very strict routine. Ideally, I would not go out to eat at all but that is virtually impossible. But what really gets to me is when I have no control over the menu. For example, last Friday night, I went to a friend's house and we ordered pizza. I asked if we could get some salad but what was really ordered was antipasto. Thanks.

I wish I could go to a spa for a couple of months and not have to worry about anything except losing weight.

Today's Met Game Saga

2010-06-05T21:01:00.000-04:00

You know when you get a feeling about something and you know you just have to do it. I had that feeling about today's game. I knew I just had to go.

After arriving at Citi Field and parking the car, I was walking towards the stadium when I saw a horrible sight. A car had a Go Flyers flag hanging from its antenna. Unfortunately, I did not have my ice pick with me. (Just kidding! I would never do that.) Instead of wearing my usual pink Jose Reyes shirt, I had worn my "I Like Ike" shirt and hoped these two things would not jinx the Mets.

I entered the stadium and got my cool Mets bag and did the usual stuff. Went in the Met store and walked around the Field Level concourse. At the Verizon store, there was a long line and a sign saying that there was a Met signing autographs. Turned out to be Darryl Strawberry. I didn't feel like waiting in line, so I just kept going.

Eventually, I found my seat on the first base side and it was decent. There was a nice mother and children on my left and later on, a young couple arrived with their 8 month old baby Liam. It was his first Met game and he was just adorable.

After the 3rd inning, I decided to get something to eat and wanted to try Blue Smoke the barbecue stand. I got my pulled pork sandwich and found a seat. The sandwich was disgusting but that's not important. These 3 fellows were sitting there and I noticed that the one guy had had a sandwich also. We started chatting about the lousy sandwiches and one thing led to another. He said he was from South Jersey but grew up in Bergenfield. Turned out he knew the Heaney's from Edgewater. He said, "Do you know John?" and I replied yes and that I had run into him the last time I was at the game. This guy says, "I was there too!" and then I remembered meeting him! Can we all sing a chorus of "It's a Small World".

Okay, I know this is getting long but the best is yet to come. I was so happy that wearing my Ike shirt led him to get 4 hits today but there is more.

I forget what inning it was but a cameraman came by our section in the Promenade. Yes! They actually found the promenade. Then, this woman is standing in front of us a couple of rows down and she is saying, "Look at me!" and this other woman is passing down T-shirts. She says that this guy Mark won a Verizon contest and our row only was getting T-shirts. Autographed T-shirts signed by none other than Darryl Strawberry.

Yes, the Mets won and it was probably one of the best times I have ever had at a Met game.

Fin

To Joke or Not to Joke

2010-06-03T20:10:00.001-04:00

Has this ever happened to you? You have a casual relationship with someone that you see almost every day. You know, the mailman or the girl you chat with in the Ladies Room who works at another company. As times goes on, you feel quite comfortable with this person. Then, one day, you say something that you consider a joke and the person is completely offended. You apologize but it falls on deaf ears and you stand there, embarrassed and wonder how this happened.

I really don't understand this. I come from a culture where we joke and goof on each other all the time. For us, it's a sign of affection. For example, I was at choir rehearsal and saying how people give me these really huge clothes. I said, "I know I'm a big girl but this is ridiculous", showing off a shirt which came to my knees. It was near Christmas and a friend replied, "Don't worry, Mary, by the time Christmas is over, it will fit." Was I offended? Hell, no! I thought it was one of the funniest remarks I had ever heard.

So, all those people out there who are friendly one day and insulted the next, I didn't change, you did.

Bite me.

Angel Pagan

2010-05-28T18:37:00.001-04:00

I am just an ordinary baseball fan. I don't know a lot about the technical details of the game. Sometimes when I am watching a broadcast and Ron and Keith are talking about different pitches, I find my eyes glazing over. Hey, I'm a girl!

I don't judge players so much on their stats or records as much as I judge them just by watching them. I don't know but this system seems to work for me. When Angel Pagan first came to the Mets, I thought he was a decent player and was upset when he took that dive in Los Angeles and got hurt.

Last year, he was used to fill in for the injured Carlos Beltran in centerfield. He seemed to be able to field decently and was a good hitter. He did have lapses when running the bases which gave me reason to pause.

The 2010 season started without Carlos Beltran who had some mysterious surgery in the offseason. (I call it mysterious because I don't understand it.) Oh, no! Who would be our centerfielder? Angel Pagan to the rescue!

As I said, I'm no expert on baseball and I kept hearing during the offseason that Angel Pagan was not an "every day" player. I take that to mean that, if he were to play every day, his deficiencies would show up and the Mets would lose a lot more games.

So, here we are now at the end of May with no sign of Carlos Beltran in sight and Angel has been playing just about every day. He's batting .296 and to quote a Twitter pal, "grew a brain during the offseason". He makes terrific plays in the field and his base running has improved dramatically.

As a result, I will post at least once a day on Twitter with the most sarcasm I can muster, "It really is a shame that Angel Pagan is not an every day player."

Angel, you rock!

No Turn On Red

2010-05-26T22:22:00.000-04:00

I like that we can turn on red. It's my understanding that you should have a clear view of oncoming traffic or a "No Turn On Red" sign will go up. Well, I don't know who decides these things but it seems sometimes there are signs where there shouldn't be and sometimes there should be a sign and there isn't.

There is an intersection in Hackensack where you can't see the oncoming traffic at all but you can turn. But then, you'll be sitting at a corner where you can see in all directions and the traffic pattern is not unusual and there it will be "No Turn on Red".

Another thing is there will be a no turn sign at an intersection where it could be no turn during certain hours. Usually, these signs are for the hours of 8 - 4:30 or nearabouts. There is such a situation in Ridgefield Park. It's the intersection of Mt. Vernon and Teaneck Road driving east on Mt. Vernon. I can understand why the no turn sign is there for during the day because of the schools. However, in the evening and weekends, there is no reason not to be able to turn.

I think there is some secret czar who decides these things. Anyone know their name?

Confession Lectures

2010-05-22T15:59:00.001-04:00

When I go to confession, I want to announce my sins, get my penance and get out. I don't need the priest to psychoanalyze me. I already am feeling guilty and know what I did wrong or I wouldn't be going to confession in the first place. There is one priest who I get sometimes who keeps going on and on. One time I actually watched the clock and he had the penitent in there for a full 5 minutes. If you think the person needs counseling that badly, set up an appointment.

And instead of lecturing me, they should be worried about the Catholics who never go to confession. I know people who probably haven't gone since their confirmation, if then. They should be glad that we are trying to live our faith without making confession something to be dreaded.

In Alter Christus

2010-05-18T21:02:00.001-04:00

When I was 15, I spent the summer working at my parish rectory. Included in my chores was cleaning. And I always say, once you have cleaned a priest's bathroom, all the mystery is gone.

But lately, I am changing my opinion. In the approximate year and a half in which I have been attending the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, I am renewing my respect and awe for the priesthood. Having the celebrant facing towards the altar, I do not feel as though he is ignoring the congregation but that he is truly communicating with Our Lord. He is speaking for me in a way that I can never do.

Vatican II tried to put the clergy and the laity on the same plane but that can never be. A priest is consecrated and has the mark of holy orders. How can I compete with that? And that is how it should be. What is more biblical than a consecrated priesthood? We have the examples of Melchisedech and Aaron to show us that we need a special class to intercede for us.

They also represent Jesus to us. Why would you want just an ordinary schlub to act in God's name? That is not to say that we are all not called to holiness but some have a special relationship with the Almighty. It is no different than recognizing that some people are holier than we are. We call those people saints.

Unfortunately, I think that many people, some priests included, have lost their respect for the priesthood. No matter how well we may know a priest and know of his personal failings, we must never forget that being a priest sets him apart.

Traffic Cones Again

2010-05-15T17:04:00.001-04:00

I wrote a post in January which I hope you found humorous about traffic cones. Seriously, we all of the debt the state has, why doesn't someone pick them up and either return them to whomever they belong or let the state highway department keep them. I don't know what they cost but every little bit helps.

Friendship

2010-05-05T21:22:00.000-04:00

I have been thinking about friends and friendship a lot lately. One thing I have learned in my life is that it is important to know who your true friends are and that is not always an easy task. Also, there are different kinds of friendship. And sometimes we want one kind of a friendship with a person and they have something different in mind.

How to tell if a person is a true friend? I think Benjamin Franklin's saying still stands, "A friend in need is a friend indeed". I found out who my friends were when I was raising my sons by myself. But these were not go out to dinner friends. These were friends who helped me by giving me clothes. One couple let me have my son's confirmation party in their backyard. They are on the short list of people who may call me 24/7.

But what about the people who you think are your friends and are not? That's a tough situation and often causes hurt. I've decided now not to get upset but to just move on.

And one of the most wonderful things that has happened to me in the past 14 months is renewed friendship. I've written about how great it was to reconnect with high school friends and a group of us see each other as often as possible. I was also pleasantly surprised on St. Patrick's Day when I caught up with the gang from the hometown.

And then there are the friends with whom we were so close but circumstances have caused us to lose touch. I think of all the people I knew when I lived in Kansas City and Louisville. I wish I knew where they were just so I could say hi and I am glad we had that time together.

And one of my joys is to make new friends. Isn't it remarkable how you can meet someone and instantly feel a connection? That happened to me recently when I met a friend of my son. Of course, he is a fellow Mets fan so maybe that is it.

Friendship can be complicated just as life it but we all need friends. As we used to sing in Girl Scouts, "Make new friends but keep the old; one is silver and the other gold".

Strange Penance

2010-04-30T22:55:00.001-04:00

I think a secret memo came out of the Vatican to start giving strange penances to penitents. Yes, the days of 3 Our Fathers and 2 Hail Mary's are gone.

Once I was told to recite the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I had no clue what it was and had to wait until I got home to look it up on the internet before I could say it. Last week a friend of mine got something like meditate for 15 minutes on one of the Stations of the Cross or sorrowful mysteries, I forget which. I went today and was given a strange one which I cannot disclose here because then I would have to tell my sin. But trust me; it was not one that one hears every day.

Maybe the next time I go, I'll be told to volunteer at a food pantry or something, I don't know. But I still say 3 Our Fathers and 2 Hail Mary's just to cover myself.

Who ARE These Guys?

2010-04-28T20:22:00.001-04:00

A few short weeks ago I wrote a post about being a Mets fan. I honestly did not think they would have a very good season. A short 10 days ago they were 4-8 and seeming to go nowhere but down.

Fast forward to today. The Mets went 9-1 on their current home stand and are in first place, albeit tenuously. Watching these games has me scratching my head. Who are these guys in the Mets uniforms? It is as if their fairy godmother has waved her magic wand over them. They have been transported from mice into princes.

The pitching has improved. The hitting has improved. They have taken advantage of the other teams' mistakes. They actually are playing like a professional, major league baseball team and not a bar league team.

Some say it is the rookie first baseman Ike Davis who has made the difference. I don't know but maybe.

Of course, they have a long way to go and anything can happen. A really big series with the Phillies looms for this weekend. Can they knock the Phillies off their pedestal?

I don't know how the season will end or even how the next month will go. But just for a little while, I can bask in the glow of the first place Mets.

Driving

2010-04-16T21:50:00.001-04:00

I know I am getting old and crochety but I am really getting fed up with the poor driving I see every day. Apparently, there has been some law passed that allows parked drivers in Palisades Park, NJ to pull into traffic whenever they want even if it means cutting someone off.

Today, on Bergen Blvd. going to work, a car pulled into the left turn lane where there was one car in front of him. He had enough space to go behind that car and in front of the first car in the right hand lane. Yes, it was a limo driver.

My favorite game is "Guess What I Will Do Next?". You are behind someone and they signal but don't turn. They stop for no reason in the middle of the road. They seem to be pulling to the curb when suddenly they speed up again and get back into traffic just as you are trying to pass them.

And could we please do the speed limit? I'm not asking much. I was behind someone this evening who was doing 24 in a 35 MPH zone. Why? And I'll never get a speeding ticket on Bergen Blvd. where people do 25 more often that the posted speed of 35. Not that I'm a maniac but I want to get where I am going.

And let's not forget all the people making left turns and think they have the right of way.

Rejection

2010-04-14T21:32:00.000-04:00

We all experience rejection in our lives. Remember how awful it was as a teen to have a crush on someone and they have nothing to do with you? What about when you are job hunting? It takes a long time to be able to accept rejection and not become depressed or maybe not depressed for too long.

I've reached a point in my life that, when I reach out to someone and get no response, I just write them off. I met a woman at Curves who said she wanted to be friends. Well, she ditched me a couple of times and then when I did speak to her, she would tell me all about her adventures with other people. Hey! I'm not stupid. I stopped reaching out to her. Who needs that?

Thinking of this topic, my mind turned to Jesus. He never rejects us but so many reject Him. He gives us total and complete love yet there are those who have no time for Him. Imagine Someone who loves you totally and completely no matter what you do. Why would you not want to return that love? What could possibly be more important than that?

Perspective

2010-04-13T21:22:00.001-04:00

Here's how a mom sees things. When I watch baseball games, the players all look so big and mature. Then I check and see their ages. I discover that Jeff Francoeur, for example, is younger than both of my sons. He looks so old but my sons still look like teenagers to me.

On Being a Met Fan

2010-04-02T20:46:00.001-04:00

This has not been the best week. A lot of bad things happening to good people. I personally got dressed down at work 4 times for the same mistake plus I had to put a small fortune (to me) in my car (a Ford Taurus).

You are probably asking yourself what this has to do with the Mets.

We probably all know people who are skating through life. They seem to live a charmed life that most of us can only dream of. The Yankees would be the baseball version of this. Yes, they had their bad times in the late 60's/early 70's. I call that the interregnum when there was a player draft and no free agency.

The Mets, on the other hand, are us. They struggle most seasons and keep fighting. Yes, there have been magical seasons particularly '69 and '86 but they also seem to take one step forward and 5 steps back. You know, you get the car paid off and your salary gets cut.

I read once that if you don't have the same problems from one year to the next, you are doing well. Guess I'm in trouble. And the Mets, coming off probably the most frustrating season of their existence, are starting the new season with 3 keys players on the disabled list. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

The New York Met: they are me. Misery loves company.

The Party's Over

2010-03-23T21:08:00.000-04:00

As we all know, the country is in a recession and many states are on the verge of bankruptcy. In New Jersey, we have a new governor who is trying to put the brakes on spending and is making some very unpopular decisions (at least with some people).

On Facebook, there is a group "New Jersey Teachers United Against Governor Chris Christie's Pay Freeze". Well, poo-poo-pee-doo. Isn't that just a shame that teachers and other government employees may have their pay frozen? Don't they get it? There is no money! Are you so stupid that you don't realize that you are paying such high property taxes so you can get a raise? Hello!

And let's face facts here. A higher percentage of the school budget goes for administrative costs than into the classroom. Pensions for retired government employees are killing us. It's got to end. And now I hear, government employees make more money than those in the private sector. Does not anyone else see a problem with this?

Now, don't get me wrong. I would love for everyone who works hard to get a pay raise and promotions and bonuses but now is not the time. We all have to tighten our belts and do with less. But, I'm sorry; I don't think I should have to work until I am 80 because I am supporting all these pensions and benefits.

Teachers and other civil servants, you are no more deserving than the citizens who pay the taxes which pay your salaries and benefits. You know what I always say: try working in the coal mines for a couple of weeks and you will stop complaining.

The Family Reunion

2010-03-19T20:00:00.001-04:00

On St. Patrick's Day I decided to celebrate in Edgewater at Rusty Kale's Pub. I wasn't sure who would be there or what kind of reception I would get. Well, let me tell you, I had the best time. I saw so many people whom I hadn't seen in several years. They couldn't have been friendlier or more welcoming. I think I did more kissing that day than I've done in a long time!

It really is true that Edgewater people are special. There is a bond among us which cannot be broken. Yes, we can have our differences but the Hudson River water running through our veins binds us. And it doesn't matter where you move to or how long you have been gone, you'll still be welcomed back with open arms. Even if you think you don't know anyone anymore who lives there, just explain your connection and all will be well. I truly feel as though I have this enormous extended family.

Once a River Rat, always a River Rat.

No Water

2010-03-14T22:13:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we had a big rainstorm with winds gusting up to 60 MPH. Power is out in many places and we have no water. That's right, you turn the tap and nothing comes out.

This led me to think about the people in Haiti. Here I am feeling so inconvenienced because I can't wash my face or flush my toilet. But I still have electricity, a roof over my head and I ate much more than I should have today.

What must it be like to have absolutely nothing? Imagine no water, no food, and no shelter. On top of that, many of your friends and family have died. In a day or two, everything will be pretty much back to normal for us. But for many of the people in Haiti who had nothing before the earthquake now have less than nothing.

What's that expression - everything is relative? I don't dare complain about a small bump in my life when there are others who live with misery every single day.

Who Is God?

2010-03-12T21:35:00.001-05:00

This is question #2 in the old Baltimore Catechism. The answer is "God is the Supreme Being, infinitely perfect, Who made all things and keeps them in existence".

Think about this for a minute. God is the Supreme Being meaning there is no one higher. He made all things. Not some things, all things. And He keeps them in existence. What a minute. What does that mean? Yes, we cannot exist without God. Wow, pretty heady stuff.

But how many of us look at God this way? That is, do we honor Him as the Supreme Being? When we go into church do we think about whom we are going to worship? Do we respect Him as we should? Do we act as though we are in a concert hall?

We must always remember that God is in control and give Him all the love and respect He deserves.

The Penance

2010-03-08T19:55:00.000-05:00

The Lenten penance has arrived. It came yesterday. I don't want to give too many personal details but it will involve at least one trip to the dentist. Frankly, this is similar to the 2008 penance and I am a little surprised that God didn't come up with something more original seeing as He is omnipotent and all knowing.

I do not know how long this penance will last. Could be just one trip to the dentist or it could be several. In the meantime, I have stocked up on soup and other soft foods. The upside is that one does not have to fret too much about what to make for meals as the choices are limited.

I know I should accept this penance cheerfully but I have to admit that I am a bit upset about it. But I am sure I will reconcile myself to it shortly. I just wish my dentist was there on Monday! It's this not being able to do anything which frustrates but that is just more of the penance.

But if this will help come to pass something I have been praying for, it will be well worth it.

A Woman of a Certain Age

2010-03-05T20:36:00.002-05:00

This was forwarded to me. Not sure who wrote it but I like it!

A woman over 50 will never wake you in the middle of the night and ask, 'What are you thinking?' She doesn't care what you think.

If a woman over 50 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do, and it's usually more interesting.

Women over 50 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you if they think they can get away with it.

Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it's like to be unappreciated.

Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over 50.

Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 50 is far sexier than her younger counterpart.

Older women are forthright and honest... They'll tell you right off if you are a jerk, if you are acting like one. You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her.

Yes, we praise women over 50 for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, it's not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed, hot woman over 50, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year old waitress. Ladies, I apologize.

For all those men who say, 'Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?Here's an update for you. Nowadays 80% of women are against marriage.Why? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage!

So Far, So Good

2010-02-20T21:42:00.001-05:00

Here we are in the first week of Lent and no calamities have befallen me. No cracked ribs and no dental emergencies. I am very happy about that but wonder when and if the next shoe will drop. But I also thought that maybe this was part of God's plan: to keep me off guard. You know, I can't get too complacent because I never know what is up ahead.

It's a Sickness, I Know

2010-02-17T22:52:00.002-05:00

I won't claim to be the best Mets fan. There were many years when, for various reasons, I didn't really follow their exploits. However, in 2006, I fell in love with the team all over again. They came so close to getting into the World Series. I was disappointed but felt that they had what it would take to be a contender for seasons to come.

The 2007 season started with lots of hope. They were in first place most of the season and then the September collapse came. This was repeated in 2008. Met fans around the world were in total shock. Two years in a row; how could this happen?

But the worst was to come as the 2009 season was one of the worst in Mets history. (I'm sure that can be disputed but that's my opinion.) Injury after injury to the first string, the second string and even the third string. I joked that the Mets were scouring local high schools for potential players. And the day that David Wright got beaned, I thought the world would end.

Now, spring training 2010 is just about upon us. I know many "fans" are ready to abandon the Mets. They are disgusted with the ownership and management. I have to say that I am not that thrilled with them and, if I went to a doctor and discovered he worked for the Mets, I'd run out of his office. But I can't give up on my Mets and I have no idea why. Why do I care so much about a group of men whom I don't even know personally but I feel I know intimately? Why do I sit night after night watching the games when I could be doing so many other things? Why do I pay to go to the stadium?

I can only come to the conclusion that it is a sickness. Maybe a psychiatrist could figure it out. But I don't want to be cured. I love being a Mets fan in good times and in bad. It is the never ending drama and I want to see how it ends. As I always say, "win or lose, the Mets are never boring".

Play ball!

I Hate My Job!

2010-02-15T13:30:00.001-05:00

This cry is heard throughout the country. Why? Because we all are doing the work of 3 - 5 people. Yes, employers are cutting staff but not the workload. Everyone is doing more and more and it is becoming increasingly difficult. No one wants to be unemployed but no one wants to be exploited either.

I think it would help if employers would acknowledge this phenomenon and take measures to alleviate some of the stress of their employees. Give encouragement and make sure the employee knows how much their hard work is being appreciated. Acknowledge those who go above and beyond.

We all hope and pray that the economy improves and that employers will start hiring again. In the meantime, hang in there!

A Blast from the Past

2010-02-11T21:11:00.000-05:00

You know how it is. You screw something up at work and get called on the carpet. If you are a mature, responsible person you will take your medicine and resolve not to make the same mistake twice. The problem begins when your superior starts reminding you of past mistakes.

"Remember in 1985, you didn't put enough postage on a letter and it came back? How about when you sent out a memo and mis-spelled the boss's name?" Now, you are starting to squirm. That stuff occurred so long ago that you barely remember any of it. How does he remember? You really get upset when he reminisces about events at a previous position. How does he know that you were late for work on Wednesday, March 28, 1979? Was he even born then?

Where is he getting this stuff? Is there some vast databank of your entire life? This is so creepy. Will he ever stop? Oh, finally, it's over and you slink back to your office and wonder if you should start sending out your resume.

Glad I'm Irish

2010-01-30T10:01:00.001-05:00

Okay, now that I have your attention, let me explain.

There are 3 TV shows out there: "The Sopranos", "Housewives of NJ" and "Jersey Shore" in which the principals are all of Italian extraction. I have to admit that I never really watched these shows. I did watch one episode of The Sopranos, 10 minutes of "Housewives" and clips of "Jersey Shore". However, in my humble opinion, that's all I needed.

None of these shows spotlight Italian-Americans in a positive light. I was offended by "The Sopranos" and I can only imagine the thousands of Italian-Americans around the country who would cringe while watching it. What must people in other parts of the country think of New Jersey? We have a bad enough reputation and then we reinforce it by making stars out of people who are caricatures.

And now it seems many young Italian-Americans take great pride in acting like "guidos" and "guidettes". When I was young, if you called someone a "guido", those were fighting words. Why? Has no one taught them of the struggles that Italians fought to overcome the prejudice against them? Are they secretly proud that Italians are thought of as mobsters? Trust me, if there were programs showcasing Irish-Americans as stupid drunks and low-lifes, I'd be out there picketing not reveling in this stereotype.

You are probably wondering why I feel so strongly about this. Well, I went to a high school that was ethnically Italian and have many friends of this ancestry. I know how many contributions that Italian-Americans have made to our country from Arturo Toscanini to Mario Cuomo to, my favorite, Frank Zamboni.

As we try to move away from stereotypes and judge all people for "the content of their character", it pains me to see any group treated this way.

Stray Traffic Cones

2010-01-27T20:13:00.004-05:00

Everywhere I drive I see stray traffic cones lying along the side of the road. It is so sad. I can't imagine who keeps leaving them there all alone in the cold, rain and snow. They are just helpless creatures who never hurt anyone but certainly they are often hurt by motorists who don't care.

I think I will start the "The Stray Traffic Cones Rescue Society". I'll have to bring the poor things home with me and then try to find out to whom they belong or perhaps get others to adopt them. I would really hate to have to euthanize them by sending them to the landfill but I can assure you that would be an extreme resort.

I wonder if I can get any celebrities to pose nude to support my charity? I can see the billboard now in Times Square of Scott Brown holding a cone in a strategic place. (Hey! I'm a woman; I want to see naked men!)

Yes, we must band together to end this tragedy. Don't leave the traffic cone alone.

Update: 1/28/2010 - saw an entire family in Leonia tonight on the way home. It was so sad. They were all huddled together trying to keep warm.

Mean Women

2010-01-25T19:46:00.001-05:00

I do not like mean women. We all know and work with them. They are the ones who are only happy when they are making your life miserable. It even has a name "The Queen Bee Syndrome". Did you see "The Devil Wears Prada" and think it was a fable? I can assure you that there are women like the Meryl Streep character all over the working world. They get to the top and they don't want you to have any chance to get there.

Let's say you work for one of these women. You can work your heart out and it is never enough. They will constantly focus on the mistakes you made and try to make you feel lower than a snake's belly. And it's difficult enough to be treated this way but when the person is flat out dumber than you, it makes it twice as hard to swallow.

When I work with this type of woman, I secretly fantasize that they are doing something horribly wrong and will get caught. I did have a job once where this woman was constantly watching me. A few weeks later, she left the company and I took over her job. She had made a total mess of it! She was so busy trying to get dirt on me that she didn't have time for her own responsibilities.

Mean women: I hope they have to (fill in the blank) when we meet in heaven.

Lent 2010

2010-01-20T20:48:00.001-05:00

Okay, I know, we've just about put the Christmas decorations away. Some of us may even still have our crèches out until Candlemas. However, I am wondering what God has planned for me this coming Lent.

Some of you may know that the past two Lenten seasons have been quite eventful. In 2008, I spent countless hours at the dentist because of an infection and needed root canals. Last year was even more exciting. As I was coming out of confession on the Monday before Ash Wednesday, I fell and broke a rib. And then I got a cold. So much fun coughing with a cracked rib.

Now, technically, I don't have to fast this Lent but of course I will. But will I get to choose my own penance or will it be sent to me again?

Stay tuned and find out!

Not American

2010-01-15T21:54:00.001-05:00

President Barack Obama is not American. By that, I don't necessarily mean I don't think he was born in Hawaii although I wonder about that. No, I mean that he is not American in spirit or culturally.

I don't think he got it when it was questioned that he doesn't (or didn't) wear an American flag pin. He doesn't have any pride for his country. Of course, that is obvious at how he goes around the world apologizing for how awful we are. I wonder if he ever heard of the Marshall Plan?

I know other people like him. America is never right. We are a big imperialist. We are destroying the world, yada, yada, yada. Makes me want to puke.

Now, his attitude would be fine if he were a private citizen but he is the president! Doesn't he know that he is supposed to stand up for his country and show pride in our accomplishments? I wonder at what he was taught in his American History classes.

Thank the Lord as it looks like he will be a one term president.

I Gave At the Office

2009-12-26T14:09:00.001-05:00

I try to be a generous person. There are a few charities to which I give on a regular basis and a couple which receive something once in a while. But I think I am on charity burnout.

Why do charities have to send so many appeals? I get at least one a week from several. There was one political association which sent me 2 to 3 emails a day! It makes me wonder how well they are using their fundraising resources.

As a result, I find myself giving less instead of more. Coming home and getting my mail is like walking through the streets of a third world city where you are surrounded by beggars. There is appeal after appeal after appeal. And my favorite is when you pledge to give a specific amount each month and you still get dunned with appeals and mailings asking for even more money.

And a word of advice: don't write 4 to 6 page letters. Do you think anyone reads them? Those are the ones which reach the recycling bin first. Do this: We are XYZ Charity. Purpose: save the whales. Check us out on Charity Navigator and, if you like us, send us some money please. And when you do send something, the charity should have a box which you can check that reads: This is a onetime donation. If you start dunning me, I'll never give you another cent.

I sometimes think the fundraising executives of these charities had their training with the Mob.

Catherine of Aragon

2009-12-22T21:09:00.001-05:00

I have been watching the show "The Tudors" and, as a result, I have been thinking about Catherine of Aragon. She really went through hell having to deal with her errant husband. I cannot imagine the humiliation of watching your husband show off his bastard son, also knowing about all his affairs and having his mistress flaunted before you.

This led me to think of what a good role model she is for any woman who is going through a miserable time with her husband. I know that she was very devout and wondered if perhaps she had ever been considered for sainthood. Alas, she has not. However, I have decided that it would alright to ask her to pray for us. Why not? So, if you are going through a rough patch in your marriage or know someone who is, ask Catherine to remember you or them in her prayers. It can't hoit.

Fat Pride

2009-12-20T19:17:00.000-05:00

Anyone who knows me also knows that I am not a thin person and I am always fighting the good fight against the battle of the (midriff) bulge.

However, it seems to me that many people today do not really care how heavy they get. I sometimes feel like Twiggy when I see how truly obese many people are. And they don't seem to care a whit about it. If I were as heavy as some of the woman I have seen, I'd take a sabbatical and go on the Atkins for a month.

And they don't even try to cover up! I saw a woman in the grocery store one day who weighed about 300 lbs and she was wearing a halter top! Man, the rolls of fat were oozing out between the straps on her back. You don't dress that way if you are embarrassed by your weight.

I guess I can understand somewhat that you shouldn't be self-conscious about your weight but there is also the health aspect. At this point in my life, I think about that more than getting into a bikini. Do they not even care about that? One really does feel better when one is eating healthy.

Think I'll go eat some celery.

Credits

2009-12-13T20:50:00.000-05:00

Another irritating aspect of the Novus Ordo is the credits which are often recited after Mass usually on a feast day. "I want to thank the organist, the choir, the celebrants, the altar servers, the janitor, the flower lady, ad nauseum". What is the purpose of this? Can we not just do these things for the glory of God? Okay, if you want to recognize those who helped, put it in the bulletin. In my younger days, I was part of the crew which cleaned the church (for free!) and never, ever expected to be publicly thanked. It was just part of our duty as church members and to show our love and devotion to God.

And have you ever heard this person who is thanking everyone say, "We thank our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ for the gift of the Eucharist which we received here today?" No, I didn't think so.

At Mass we adore, give thanks, atone and pray. It is not a big party where we all get a chance to be a star.

Avoiding Hell

2009-12-08T13:15:00.001-05:00

While hell is a real place, Our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ did not suffer and die on the cross because He wants you to go there. He wants all of us to be with Him in heaven. We have seen the unspeakable horror which is hell and one might ask, "How do I avoid hell?" It is really not that difficult: repent, make good and frequent confessions, keep the sacraments and follow the teachings of the Church.

Of course, many of us do not want to give up our sins. A big one is sex. What a stumbling block for so many people. I'm not referring to the occasional lapse but to those who say emphatically that they will not give up illicit sex. Is it worth it to burn in hell?

Or, who thinks they can sin and they'll just go to confession later on so they can go to heaven? I think of the people who die unexpectedly every day. So many never have the chance to make things right with God. Surely, you do not want to be one of those people, do you?

Is it easy to remain in a state of grace? No, it is not which is why we were given the wonderful sacrament of confession. No matter how many times we fall, Jesus is ready to pick us up again. But we do have to make the effort as we were given a free will.

Heaven or hell: it's up to you.

Hell

2009-12-06T18:49:00.001-05:00

I've been thinking about hell lately. I don't think a lot of people take the concept of hell seriously. I hear all the time, "Oh well, I guess I will burn in hell" but they really don't think they will.

Unfortunately, if you die in a state of mortal sin, you will burn in hell forever. Can you fathom that? For all eternity?

Yes, hell is a real place and it isn't a nice place. Here is a description from Sr. Lucia, one of the children who saw the Blessed Mother at Fatima:

"She opened Her hands once more, as She had done the two previous months. The rays [of light] appeared to penetrate the earth, and we saw, as it were, a vast sea of fire. Plunged in this fire, we saw the demons and the souls [of the damned]. The latter were like transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished bronze, having human forms. They were floating about in that conflagration, now raised into the air by the flames which issued from within themselves, together with great clouds of smoke. Now they fell back on every side like sparks in huge fires, without weight or equilibrium, amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fright (it must have been this sight which caused me to cry out, as people say they heard me). The demons were distinguished [from the souls of the damned] by their terrifying and repellent likeness to frightful and unknown animals, black and transparent like burning coals."

I don't know about you but this doesn't sound like Club Med to me. Frankly, it scares me. Just thinking about this helps to keep me on the straight and narrow. What is that you say? Jesus loves us and won't send us to hell? Oh, really? Think again, my friends, think again.

Sh! Don't Tell Macy's

2009-11-28T12:50:00.000-05:00

Last week I bought something in Macy's and I got this very nice shopping bag with the words "1,000,000 Reasons to Believe" printed on it. Believe is written much large and in a fancy script. Of course, they are not referring to the birth of Christ but actually it's about believing in Santa Claus, if you can imagine that.

Well, no matter. I just made a little flyer on which I put "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" with a picture of the Nativity. I made it just the right size so it fits nicely on the bag and put one on each side. When I go shopping, I'll carry the bag around with me. I wonder what kind of reaction I would get if I went into Macy's?

Celebrate Every Day

2009-11-21T20:08:00.002-05:00

One thing I love about being a Roman Catholic is that every day we have something to celebrate. By celebrate I mean to remember and honor some event or someone notable in church history. I have to admit that I am learning about a lot of these feasts now. I am not sure why my religious education did not talk much about them unless they did and it just didn't sink in.

Today, we celebrated the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Mother. Almost every day on my religious calendar there is a saint to honor. I like to see whose feast day it is and say a little prayer to them. If it is a saint with whom I am not familiar, I try to learn about them.

While some days are solemn and serious such as Holy Thursday and Good Friday, there are many others which are joyous. Almost everyone in the world celebrates Christmas whether they are believers or not such is the great joy associated with the memorial of Christ's birth. And what about Easter!!! Christ rises from the dead and now we know that we can have life forever. How can you top that?

Let's not give the Holy Spirit short shrift either. Pentecost is the birthday of the church. Advent starts our liturgical year next Sunday. I could go on for hundreds of words.

Why does the Church encourage us to recognize all these days? To keep us focused on our faith and the hope it gives us. We remember that this is just our temporary home until we go to our eternal reward.

Bishops & Healthcare

2009-11-14T09:05:00.000-05:00

I understand that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is supporting healthcare reform as long as it does not contain and provisions contrary to our faith. I am a bit confused about this.

Anyone who knows anything about communism knows that the goal of the communist is for the state to replace the Church. In supporting a form of universal healthcare run by the government, the bishops are turning the work of the church over to the government. It is our duty as Christians to take care of the sick and the poor. Indeed, the Catholic Church has more hospitals, schools and other programs than any other private institution (private meaning not run by the state). Is the Church now willing to abdicate its role in these matters?

I believe this is very harmful. As more and more people become secularists, this will reinforce their belief that faith is not necessary. Who needs a religious entity when the state does it all? This, in turn, erodes our freedom.

Communism was not successful in Soviet Russia. Why would anyone think it would work here? I really question what the USCCB is thinking.

On Being A Met Fan

2009-11-01T22:04:00.000-05:00

Yesterday morning, radio personality Mark Simone was poking fun at Met fans. He was asking why we would root for the Mets when the "greatest franchise in baseball history" was here. He even mocked our anthem, "Meet the Mets".

That started me to thinking. Why the Mets and why not the Yankees?

The Mets had very humble beginnings. They were an expansion team who got the dregs of the other teams. The 1962 Mets lost 120 games and they were beyond bad. But what did they have? They had heart.

I think people were drawn to them because they were just regular folks not the vaunted "lords of the manor" Yankees. They were fun. I don't think anyone brought banners to games until Met fans started this practice. As a matter of fact, the Yankees banned banners for quite a while because they didn't want to be looked on as "common" like those lowly Mets. But banners were so important to Met fans that there was even the annual Banner Day which gave the fans a chance to show their love for the team and have fun.

Fun. That might be the key word. The Mets were just fun. The Yankees were serious business. The Mets bonded with their fans while the Yankees expected worship from their fans. Going to a Met game was like going to your corner bar while a Yankee games was dinner at a fancy restaurant where you'd better not use the wrong fork.

Fans could relate to the Mets and fell in love. Win or lose, they were always interesting. Even this past horror of a season had interesting games here and there. Plus, there was always the excitement of seeing if the Mets could get through a game without a player getting hurt.

Being a Met fan builds character. Life is not a bowl of cherries and being a Met fan helps you to learn to deal with adversity. I often say when something does not go my way, "That's okay. I'm used to disappointment; I'm a Met fan" and I get on with my life.

Yes, the Mets have only won the World Series twice but what exciting seasons they were! They were not the robotic wins that the Yankees produce. Every game holds the possibility of new thrills and/or disappointment. When they do win, man, how sweet it is!

Today's Excitement

2009-10-26T21:32:00.002-04:00

Several months ago, I was driving down the NJ Turnpike and I saw an old cement truck on fire. "That was exciting", I thought to myself. That served as an inspiration to start a daily email "Today's Excitement". I find something quirky, or sometimes actually exciting, about the day and send it to friends and family. And to make it a bit more interesting, I add little comments in my signature to keep everyone on their toes. One time I wrote, "I wonder how many people delete this email without reading it" and one of my brothers replied, "I do".

I really started this as a joke and to annoy certain people who always forward emails over and over again. Well, now the joke is on me because people actually enjoy getting this email and look forward to it! I've only had one person ask to be removed from the copy list and I think it goes to about 50 recipients.

I was telling my son this story about how this person came to be added to the copy list. He laughed and said that one day I would be quoted on some big website. So, I decided that I want Matt Drudge to notice me and add me to his website. You know, down on the bottom where he lists all the columnists. It will simply be called "Mary's Excitement" and anyone in the world would be able to click on it and see my "excitement".

Might even get me the Nobel Peace Prize.

In the Sweet Afterglow

2009-10-19T17:13:00.001-04:00

This past weekend I attended the 40th High School Reunion of the Class of 1969, Holy Rosary Academy, Union City, NJ.

"How was it?", you might ask. Think about the best party you have ever been to in your life and multiply it by about 100 and that might come close. Since we never really had a reunion in the past 40 years, we made up for it with this one. Out of a class of 65, I think we had 50 attendees at almost every event. We are such a fun group that one of our former teachers even paid so she could come to all the events.

We started the party on Friday afternoon around 3 when the committee and some of our fellow classmates started arriving. We had a "meet & greet" Friday night which continued into the wee hours of the morning. Have you ever been at a hotel and been kept awake by some noisy revelers? Well, that was us this past weekend. Saturday morning was breakfast and our T shirt contest. I won for my color group! (Thanks to my son Dennis) We did take a break on Saturday afternoon and a nice group of us went to the vigil Mass late Saturday afternoon.

Saturday night was the big affair which was spectacular. At this event, several former teachers attended also. For me, the highlight of the evening was the PowerPoint presentation. There were reminders of what was happening in 1969 and photos of us then and now. What put me over the edge was when the photos of the committee came up and everyone was applauding us. I could no longer hold the tears back.

I cannot even describe the emotions that I felt this weekend which ended with brunch on Sunday. Yes, we have had several "mini" reunions over the past few months but this was truly the pièce de résistance. Again, seeing people for the first time in 40 years was just amazing as the years melted away and we were once again back in 1969. The bonds we forged then were truly strong.

And what a group of women we became. It is my contention that 1969 was just about the end of traditional values in the US and our class lived/lives those values. We are the most loving and giving group of people that you could meet. Yes, we had our friendship groups but never any cliques. We would go to the ends of the earth to help one another. We continue to show our love by praying for and helping those in need.

And one of the nicest things to come out of this reunion is that I have become closer to classmates with whom I was not really that close in high school. It is just amazing.

In the days and years ahead we intend to keep in touch with each other and have more "mini" reunions. (Thank you, Lord, for the internet and email to make this task easier.) I don't have any biological sisters but how great is it to know this network of wonderful women is out there and ready to be my sisters, if necessary. I will see you all "in the sweet afterglow".

On Being "Green"

2009-10-06T19:24:00.000-04:00

I remember the first earth day back in 1970. Oh, it was so exciting. We were going to do so much for the environment.

So, here we are in 2009. Over the past 39 years it is my impression that the environmental movement has waxed and waned but I could be mistaken. But once again everywhere you go on TV and the internet there it is, the word "green". It's as if the whole world has decided to be Irish. But no, that is not the intent.

We all have to work to save the planet. That's right. The earth is in desperate need and we are all going to die if we don't change our ways. Yawn. If we haven't saved it in 39 years why will we succeed now? And who says the world needs saving? Maybe it is mankind's role to destroy the environment so the sun comes crashing down and burns us all up.

I just get so sick of all of this nonsense. It is commendable to be good stewards of the earth but we don't have to be fanatical. I only act "green" when I know it will save me money like turning off lights.

Excuse me, I need to go flush the toilet for no reason.

The Mass Has Started

2009-09-29T21:14:00.002-04:00

This is another peeve of mine about the Novus Ordo (Ordinary Form of the Mass). The procession has finished and the celebrant is about to start. If it's a Mass for special occasion such as Christmas Midnight Mass, the celebrant will stop and make announcements. At St. Patrick's, the cardinals are always welcoming the "celebrities" who come to the Mass such as Mayor Bloomberg, Mayor Koch, etc.

Well, excuse me, who cares if they are there? We do not go to Mass to see them. We are there to worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ. They should be glad to be in the presence of the King. The Mass is not for them and it's not a social occasion.

The Mass has started. Do we need the celebrant (or the worse word presider) to tell us what is going on like a Greek chorus? They say stuff like, "we are here tonight to celebrate the Feast of Christmas when Jesus was born". Oh, really? Gee, I thought it was the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony. I thought it odd that Ricky Henderson was not in attendance.

Please, if we need to make announcements and/or acknowledge that people are gracing us with their presence, can we please do it before the processional?

Race

2009-09-19T09:14:00.001-04:00

I've been hearing a lot about racism in the past week. Supposedly, someone has said if you criticize President Obama then you are racist. Also, caught a blip of Bill Cosby who allegedly said that there is racism is all around.

Well, let me tell you, I do not get up every day and think, "How can I screw non-whites today?". It's just not on my radar screen. I really don't think about race much at all. Maybe it was my Catholic upbringing but I just accept that we are all God's children and don't dwell on this topic. Frankly, I have enough going on in my life to worry about then to waste time trying to do harm to others.

It does seem to me, however, that many people, especially some African-Americans, think that there is this universal plot against them. Now I am sure that there are bigots out there who, if they had the opportunity, would discriminate against those whom they don't like. But I think they are the minority. So, why are there some leaders of the minority community who cannot fathom that racism is pretty much dead and buried? I have seen parts of sermons by Jeremiah Wright and I think, "Am I living in the same country as he is?". I mean, does this give meaning to their lives to think they have this noble battle to fight? It's as if they feel, "Gosh, there is no racism left; what do I do with the rest of my life?" I don't know; join the Peace Corps or something.

Another thing I think that some minorities do not realize that there are white people who are in the same boat as they are. (Aside: I hate that expression "white people". I prefer "people of limited color".) That is, they are struggling to pay the mortgage/rent, bills and raise their children. We don't all live in the rich suburbs and go to Disney World every spring break.

Let's stop all this nonsense and just concentrate on living our lives as best we can.

It's President Obama

2009-09-16T20:55:00.001-04:00

Let's get one thing straight: I really can't stand President Obama. I disagree completely with his political philosophy and think he is destroying the country. However, he is the president of the United States. But almost every person refers to him as simply "Obama". Supporters and detractors alike use this nomenclature. Frankly, I find it quite disturbing. No matter what, the office of the president of the United States deserves respect. So, please, can we say President Obama even if we gag while saying it?

Lovable Losers

2009-09-12T19:21:00.001-04:00

A Team, B Team or C Team, they're still my team. Let's Go Mets!

2009 will go down in the history of the Mets as probably the most frustrating season. Nothing has gone right. Almost every player who was a starter coming out of spring training has been on the disabled list or injured so badly that their season ended. Even the indefatigable David Wright got injured late in the season by a pitch to the head.

As a result, The Mets management has had to utilize many players who probably do not belong in the major leagues or are utility players. Met fans have become acquainted with the likes of Alex Cora, Ramon Martinez, Anderson Hernandez (again) and even Gary Sheffield was acquired to be a part-time player and he ended up starting in left field most of the season.

But alas! even the subs started to get hurt. Ramon Martinez and Alex Cora both are gone. Jonathan Niese who was brought up to be a starter tore a ligament (tendon?) and was carted off the field. Where would it end? Even Johan Santana went down with bone chips.

There have been a few bright spots. Luis Castillo, who every Met fan wanted gone after last season, seems to have been reborn and has done a great job at second and has a very respectable batting average. Omir Santos has turned out to be the de facto #1 catcher, leaving Brian Schneider collecting splinters.

But as the season is winding down, I find myself enamored by these guys. They have really shown some guts and glory. Jeff Francoeur has been a breath of fresh air with his positive attitude. Alex Cora did an outstanding job at short before he got hurt, even playing with an injured thumb (as is Jeff now). We have seen Daniel Murphy go from a bumbling leftfielder to a decent first basemen. Who doesn't pull for Nelson Figueroa and Brian Stokes? Only the hardest of hearts. Wilson Valdez, Anderson Hernandez, I cheer them on as they try, they really try, to win games.

So, even though I will be ecstatic to have the regulars back next year, I will miss these guys who struggled to make it not the worst season in Met history. They aren't superstars but they are my stars. As the old song says, "You gotta have heart" and these players certainly did. Even Gary Sheffield.

A Proud River Rat

2009-09-01T21:31:00.001-04:00

I grew up in Edgewater, NJ which is a small town just south of the George Washington Bridge in the greater New York Metropolitan area. When I was a kid, the town was known for its factories and its bars. Most of our fathers had survived the Depression and World War II and were doing their best to provide for us. Other towns looked down their noses on us and called us River Rats. Now we wear that title with pride.

We didn't have a lot of material things but we had each other. Most everyone went to the Catholic Church and eventually to the Catholic grammar school. Many families had intermarried and I still don't know how everyone is related to each other. And if you aren't related, you've know each other for a couple of generations. I still see people I've known since kindergarten all the time.

What made Edgewater so special is that we became a family. Yes, we fought and had differences like any family but if someone was in need, we rallied around and helped them (and still do!). When my brother Jim died unexpectedly, people who were our sworn political enemies came to his wake and funeral because it was the time to put aside our differences and that happens all the time.

Even after people have been out of Edgewater for many years, they still fondly recall growing up there. They post on an Edgewater message board all the time. They ask questions about this person and that. There is almost an Edgewater "internet" around the country. Going to Las Vegas? Let me tell you who from Edgewater lives there. And you know what? Even if it was someone that maybe you didn't know all that well personally, it doesn't matter because you are from Edgewater. Once a River Rat, always a River Rat.

That is why I am proud to have grown up in Edgewater.

The Expense of Losing Weight

2009-08-13T11:16:00.000-04:00

We are hearing a lot of talk these days about how there is an obesity epidemic in this country and that the overweight should lose weight. That is a very laudable goal and one I strive for myself. One thing, however, that you may not realize is how expensive it can be to lose weight. You are probably scratching your head right now thinking to yourself, "What on earth does she mean?"

I'm talking about, of course, the expense of buying new clothes. Let's say you make that New Year's resolution to lose weight and this time you are actually successful. You lose 15 lbs. and all your clothes are way too big. You need everything from underwear, etc. You pick up a few items fortunately on sale and spend a couple of hundred bucks.

This time you are really good and you quickly lose another 10 lbs. Now the new clothes are getting loose. It's only March so you still need winter clothes if you live in a cold climate. You head out to the mall and scrounge the clearance racks because, of course, all the summer clothes are out. You get lucky and find some real bargains but you still put a dent in your wallet.

Another month passes and you lose even more. Hey, it's April and starting to warm up so you pick up some summer clothes but, while on sale, they still set you back a pretty penny. This pattern continues until you finally reach your goal weight. You look and feel great but you are a several hundred dollars poorer.

Is it all worth it? You betcha!

The Scourging

2009-08-09T19:28:00.001-04:00

When I pray the Sorrowful Mysteries, the one which affects me the most is the scourging. We know from biblical accounts that Jesus prayed and was terrified of what was to come during His torture and crucifixion.

What strikes me is that the scourging ends all the anticipation and He knows that this is finally going to happen. When that first lash is struck, He knows there is no going back. This is it. How many times was He struck? It does not matter except to know that he was scourged from head to toe and was barely recognizable.

I also think of the Blessed Mother having to see her Son like this. I think of my own sons and how I would react if such a heinous act was perpetrated on one of them. How did she bear it? It's one thing to know that something will happen but then to personally witness it is a different matter.

All of this because of our sin. Sometimes that thought is almost unbearable. It's so horrific that most depictions of this act do not show the true effects on His body.

White Pants

2009-08-05T19:47:00.000-04:00

One of my co-workers was wearing white pants one day which made me remember the significance of white pants and dieting. As a lifelong weight battler, I can remember many Weight Watcher meetings where the goal for so many people was to lose enough weight so they could wear white pants.

I never really thought about it but I guess white pants show off too much of the body for anyone but the ultra thin to wear. Actually, I currently do not have any white pants mainly because they are a pain to keep clean. Maybe I should get a pair and see what happens. Nah!

Execution in North Korea

2009-07-30T18:33:00.001-04:00

I read accounts of a woman having been executed in North Korea for distributing Bibles. I do not know if this is true or not because it is very difficult to verify anything about North Korea.

What struck me, though, is that this is considered to be an outrage. Why would anyone in the American media be outraged? We are heading down that same road. Not that anyone would be executed but already there are steps to keep religion out of the public square. The ACLU sues to take down crosses and the Ten Commandments. Michael Niedow (sp?) sues to get the words "under God" out of the Pledge of Allegiance. In Canada, using the Bible to speak out on homosexuality can land you in jail as it is considered hate speech.

The Catholic League and other organizations fight night and day to preserve our religious freedom. But will the day be coming soon when churches will have to take down their crosses on the outside as they do in Saudi Arabia? Will we be banned from wearing any sort of religious symbols in public?

I expect that day will come sooner rather than later. I will not be surprised to go to jail for my faith.

When will the majority of the people realize what is going on and do something about it?

The Gutted Mass

2009-07-25T16:26:00.000-04:00

I needed to go to confession today and decided to go to the Carmelite Chapel in Paramus. I hadn't intended to say for the Novus Ordo Mass but as it was the Feast of St. James I thought it would be nice to stay and pray for my late brother Jim.

I had my 1961 missal with me and decided to try and follow the Mass with it. The Mass today would be considered a Low Mass if in the Extraordinary Form. I open my missal and, of course, no prayers at the foot of the altar. Okay, here comes the Confiteor. Before I could even get to the page in my missal, the priest was done. The Gloria was recited (it was a feast, after all), and then on to the readings. Hey! The gospel is almost the same; not bad. Oh no, the petitions. I am so not used to them anymore.

Time for the offertory, or, should I say, the presentation of the gifts. My missal has 4-1/2 pages of prayers. I start reading. Wait! He's done? He recited two brief prayers and that's it? What about the Canon? 4 pages in the missal but the priest is way past me. Whoosh! He's finished consecrating the bread and wine. Where are all the beautiful prayers? Gone, like yesterday's garbage.

I had to receive from a lay person but at least I could receive on the tongue. Final blessing and good night, Gracie. 25 minutes from start to finish and that included a homily. And one of the criticisms of the Extraordinary Form of the Low Mass was that the priests would say it in 20 minutes. I go to a Low Mass and it's about 45 minutes plus the prayers after the Mass.

Why was all of this done? Why couldn't they just translate the wonderful Mass into the vernacular? If people ever realize what they have lost, they will be furious. I do realize and I am furious. It's no wonder no one takes the Ordinary Form serious. There's nothing to take serious. It's a bunch of banal prayers that do not strike the hearts of men. There's no beauty or reverence and it certainly doesn't transport me to heaven.

Why has God allowed this travesty? Is it a punishment or a test to see if we will fight for what is right?

Pray for the restoration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.