Hey there, Internet friends! All you Catholic blogger types and new media fans are invited to a Houston-area Catholic New Media Meetup!

Date: Thursday, February 9

Time: 7:00-9:00ish

Place: Freebirds World Burrito, 3745 Greenbriar Street, Houston, TX

We’ll have dinner and enjoy getting to see one another in person instead of behind a Twitter profile! I promise not to impose icebreakers upon anyone. It will be fun – come join us! RSVP in the comments so I can get an idea of how many people to expect, and let me know if you have any questions! Here’s the original post with a survey about which days/times are generally best for future get-togethers.

Please share this post with anyone who might be interested in joining us!

Brandon Vogt’s got everybody talking about how new media can serve as a tool for evangelization, catechesis, and inspiration. His book, The Church and the New Media, is a conversation featuring the voices of various online personalities who bring diverse perspectives to the discussion of how the rapid changes in media and technology provide a golden opportunity for the Church.

The authors who have contributed to the book discuss the impact of new media on the individual, the parish, the diocesan, and even a global level, with a wealth of practical recommendations and suggestions for online resources included in each chapter.

The book starts with a discussion of Catholic blogging and the various forms it may take. We may associate faith-based blogging with apologetics, but Fr. Dwight Longenecker argues, “I am not convinced that many souls are won by argument…the apologetics on my blog are woven into a much bigger picture of Catholicism. I want the reader to glimpse the power and the glory of the Catholic Church, but I also want them to glimpse the humanity and humor of being Catholic.” Jennifer Fulwiler echoes this idea in the story of her conversion when she writes, “What impacted me the most…was simply getting a glimpse into Catholic life.” These and other stories in the book point to the need for us to remember that the Internet is an open community where anyone may drop by. Honesty, grace, and charity should prevail in online interactions – and you can never know who might be reading without ever leaving a comment.

Later chapters include a very thorough discussion by Matthew Warner on the role of new media in the parish – this chapter alone is worth the price of the book, as it’s perfect preparation for a parish council meeting to discuss the need for a better website. There’s also a fascinating overview of the many innovative ways in which the Archdiocese of Boston has reached out to the greater community through every form of media imaginable – podcasting, radio, Internet, television, Facebook, Twitter…the list goes on.

Vogt concludes with a frank examination of the many challenges that our constantly-connected society faces – greater narcissism, superficial and relativistic conversations, the difficulty of putting down the smartphones and making time for contemplative prayer. His positive suggestions and outlook are complemented by Archbishop Timothy Dolan, who reminds us that “the Church’s major challenge today is not that of educating her members about the real dangers of new technology – these are now self-evident – but rather of choosing to use it for the good, and learning to use it well. My hope and expectation is that this book will give the Church courage and wisdom to embrace New Media as one of the premier gifts of God to evangelists of our day.”

This book would appeal to readers on all points of the technology-using spectrum, from seasoned bloggers looking for new resources to folks who just opened a Facebook account and aren’t sure what to do next. It should be required reading for parish priests who want to engage their parishioners beyond just weekend Mass and to take advantage of truly building up the Church. And because 100% of the royalties from the book will be used to establish school computer labs throughout the Archdiocese of Mombasa, Kenya, you’re making a difference the moment you choose to buy a copy – or three.

You can purchase this book here.

I wrote this review of The Church and the New Media for the free Catholic Book review program, created by Aquinas and More Catholic Goods, your source forBaptism Gifts and Catholic DVDs.

Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases. I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.

— 1 —

I don’t know; I’m just not feelin’ the ideas a-flowin’ around here of late. Perhaps it’s because I am in a snarky mindset most of the time and am therefore ending up over at Korrektiv. I’ll happen upon an article from time to time and think “that could be a good blog post,” and then when I come back to look at the list of post-starters, it’s things like “How to Cook Rice.” I mean, it’s true: I seemingly have forgotten how to cook rice. But why I thought I could squeeze a post out of that topic…it’s like watching paint dry. Or rice cook.

See? I got nothin’.

— 2 —

I have, however, accomplished a thing: our family room no longer looks like it is occupied by wolves. You know how – well, you probably don’t, you’re such a good housekeeper – but sometimes, when people are stopping by, you just grab a laundry basket and throw everything that’s on the floor into the basket? Well, we had 11 of those. Baskets, Rubbermaid tubs, file crates, each full of random game pieces, puzzle pieces, Polly Pocket pieces, Lego arms. It was, of course, a huge indictment of my character that we are so first world that our problems consist of “too much stuff to keep organized,” but it’s definitely deflating to the spirit to have a huge, hulking tower of tubs occupying 1/4 of the room. ESPECIALLY since these tubs made the move with us six months ago.

So, now it’s down to one laundry basket of stuffed animals and hats, and everything else is actually sort of put away where it goes. My version of “everything in its place” looks a lot like most versions of “we cleaned up as best we could from the ransacking,” but it’s better.

— 3 —

The problem is that when I’m focused on one thing, I forget all other things. And thus, whack-a-mole style, now the other rooms of the house are completely trashed. Sometime I’ll tell you all about my new system that’s making me almost okay with that.

— 4 —

We’ve been watching “New Tricks” on DVD – it’s a British series about a team of retired police detectives who are summoned back on the job to close cold cases. It’s very funny – excuse me just a moment -

— 5 —

My daughter just came down the stairs to tell me that her ear hurts so bad it woke her up. I think we’re headed to the doctor tomorrow. Okay, so anyway – just a second -

— 6 —

My youngest just came down the stairs in a diaper and an Indiana Jones hat to tell me, “No, I’m not soggy.” I beg to differ. So, as I was saying, it’s this British series – hang on -

— 7 —

False alarm. Okay, so, my mom and stepdad are coming into town on Saturday, and my stepdad is the kind of person who loves to do handyman stuff that’s been neglected around the house, so I am really looking forward to this, and my youngest just came back down the stairs to steal a hot dog bun, so with that, go visit Conversion Diary!

Are you in the Houston metro area? I live in Houston, too! Well, no, apparently, I don’t, according to people who are actually from Houston, but I feel that Missouri City is close enough to the city that I can claim to live…”outside Houston.”

Anyway, let’s meet up. Here’s an open invitation to all Houston-area Catholic bloggers, podcasters, Tweeters, videobloggers, Instagrammarians, and whatnot. I thought it would be fun to get together once a month, initially just for social purposes but perhaps eventually for The Greater Good.

Here’s a pope quote:

Dear Brothers and Sisters, I ask you to introduce into the culture of this new environment of communications and information technology the values on which you have built your lives. In the early life of the Church, the great Apostles and their disciples brought the Good News of Jesus to the Greek and Roman world. Just as, at that time, a fruitful evangelization required that careful attention be given to understanding the culture and customs of those pagan peoples so that the truth of the gospel would touch their hearts and minds, so also today, the proclamation of Christ in the world of new technologies requires a profound knowledge of this world if the technologies are to serve our mission adequately. It falls, in particular, to young people, who have an almost spontaneous affinity for the new means of communication, to take on the responsibility for the evangelization of this “digital continent”. Be sure to announce the Gospel to your contemporaries with enthusiasm.
- Message of the Holy Father Benedict XVI for the 43rd World Communications Day

You absolutely cannot argue with this proposition, now that I have tossed out a pope quote.

SO – what day works for you? I made a form. I like to make forms. I also didn’t list days when I can’t go, because…I am the one who made the form. Having said that, if you want to be involved but NONE of these times work, let me know.

My Internet Friend GeekLady has suggested that our first meeting should take place at Freebirds (here’s the location.). Sounds good to me – looks kind of centrally located, and they have a cool website.

Please spread the word! And stay tuned for more exciting information…

Lino Rulli is the real deal. Fans of his “The Catholic Guy” show are familiar with his self-deprecating humor and honest approach to sharing his faith. Both longtime listeners and those unfamiliar with his work will enjoy Sinner, an autobiography which doesn’t shrink from the ups and downs of living out one’s faith in today’s sometimes hostile culture.

This is a conversion story in the sense of the daily examination of conscience, the constant turning away from sin, and the often difficult decision to continue down the path of faith even when the way may be unclear. Which isn’t to say that it’s all penitence and weeping; in fact, Rulli’s trademark wit makes this an enjoyable, often lighthearted travelogue through his spiritual journey. Cradle Catholics will enjoy his recounting of his childhood experiences and may recognize themselves in stories like this one:

I received the sacrament of Confirmation in eighth grade – and then promptly left the Church.

I”ve got a group photo of my classmates and me following our confirmation by Bishop Robert Carlson…I’m on the edge of the shot looking to run away. He had confirmed me and in doing so gave me the freedom to leave the Church. Yay!

What our confirmation teacher said was: “You are confirmed in the Catholic faith. you are adults. This means the faith is your own and it’s up to you to live it out.”

What we heard was: “Your parents aren’t going to force you to come to church anymore.”

It’s refreshing to read an account of a spiritual life with ups and downs, rather than a straightforward trajectory of growing in holiness. Because Rulli is both honest in talking about his own failings and hopeful in emphasizing the power of grace and the importance of repentance, his story makes him – and the Catholic life – very authentic and approachable.

I think this would be a terrific book to share with a young adult who may have bolted out of Mass with the same enthusiasm Rulli describes in his post-Confirmation self. He talks about Confession frequently in the book without ever giving the reader a knowing look that says, “when’s the last time you darkened the door of a church, hmmm?” And he uses humor without being irreverent towards anyone but himself…and a few other characters who pop up throughout the book.

The book isn’t a strictly chronological autobiography, and at times the back and forth leaps in time can be a little confusing. (Or perhaps I just don’t read closely enough.) I would have liked to read more about his life in showbiz, too, but that’s probably beside the point of the narrative he’s presenting. I would recommend this for older teenagers and above, as there’s one story about, well, a lady of the evening, and a slight sprikling of salty language. Did I mention its authenticity? But it’s enjoyable, often poignant, and very relatable – highly recommend.

You can purchase this book here.

I wrote this review of Sinner for the free Catholic Book review program, created by Aquinas and More Catholic Goods, your source for Baptism Gifts and Catholic DVDs.

Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases.

I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.

I’ve been trying not to care about LEGO for girls.

It’s fatiguing, the constant over-analysis of the subtext of children’s toys. I tried to quit cold turkey after the choice to accept Disney Princess Barbie into my home in the interest of choosing battles. I was doing pretty well…and then it started with “LEGO for girls.” “LEGO.com Friends – The Beauty of Building – LEGO for girls.”

No, no, no, no, NO! NO!  LEGO for girls already exists – it’s called LEGO.

I understand the need for pink and purple bricks. If you’re going to make a rainbow, you need all of the colors. So, when we were trying to make a Duplo representation of the musical scale using the same color scheme as Music Mind Games, I needed a light blue and a purple. I raided my niece’s collection. It was all good.

But this is what LEGO used to be – thanks to The Society Pages for the image:

And this? COME ON. We already have this! It’s called Every Other Toy Already Marketed to Girls!

When I examine the issue dispassionately, I understand that my primary objection is that this is coming from LEGO, versus, say, Playmobil, Mattel, Hasbro, or whoever makes the Polly Pockets that always end up in pieces in the folds of the couch. We have many, many Things of Pink in this household, some with molded curves and kicky skirts that coordinate with their friends’ outfits and optional poodle accessories sold separately. There is no logical reason why I should forbid minifigures that have actual figures.

But LEGO is supposed to be different. Gender-neutral not because it’s been stripped of all character, but because anyone can build anything with them. They’re blocks. That green mat’s supposed to be an empty canvas.

You know why LEGO is becoming such a “boy” thing? Not (just) because of all the little plastic weapons and weird, Mordor-y sounding creatures. It’s because it’s becoming more and more centered around elaborate hierarchies of backstory and facts and figures. “Mom, you know why Garmadon lives inside the Gorge of Enlightenment with level three dragon power instead of lightning-raja powerball fire? Because THIS GUY (whips out minifigure completely indistinguishable from every other minifigure embedded in my foot) BEAT him with the laser-sword whip at the battle of Kara-hati with the Bionicle – (“MOM. They don’t MAKE Bionicle anymore.” “Hush. Mommy’s blogging.”) - the Bionicle megatron emperor’s lost fortress shield level nine!”

Instead of “let’s build a city,” we have to build MetroTown City to look like the picture on the box. Instead of “I wonder if I could make a Ninja?” we have to collect every single figure in the Ninjago line before it’s retired to introduce LEGO Panther-men, or whatever’s coming next. It’s not just all the flamethrowers. The new LEGO production lines tap into the boy mind and the obsession with cataloging arcane pieces of information.

Oh, I can’t win. I just stereotyped boys in a post meant to scream “DON’T STEREOTYPE GIRLS!”

I’ll be tempted to deploy my most potent of all weapons when faced with LEGO for Girlz: the Wet Blanket. “See how they have tried to make these legos that look like Barbie? Isn’t that silly? It’s sad that they think you won’t play with legos unless they’re pink and curvy, right? I mean, isn’t that ridiculous? It’s all about advertising. Finish using your Cotton Candy maker and come sit next to Mommy while I point out all of the obvious pandering these market researchers are doing. Oh sure, you can spend your money on these if you want, if you’re going to let the Man tell you that you can only play with pink things…where are you going?”

But I won’t. I’ll just talk behind their back, the little queen bees of LEGOland. They think they’re so cute, with their outdoor bakeries and dedication to “being green.” I’ll show them. I’ve signed my son and daughter up for LEGO robotics classes. TAKE THAT, CORPORATE…

(It could be argued that getting my children interested in a LEGO product line that costs about eight times as much as LEGO friends is not exactly sticking it to The Man.)

— 1 —

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I’m sorry I haven’t been posting that much, but the fact is that I’m going to leave this all behind and hit the road. That’s right, my total and complete OWNAGE of the drum solo on “Free Fallin’ – LEGO Rock Band Version” has made it so, so clear to me that my entire life has been leading up to a rock career.

I made my husband promise that if I can get 100% on every drum part on every song on LEGO Rock Band and Beatles Rock Band, we will buy a real live drum set. Oh, sure, he’s said all along that no child of his would play the drums, but there’s that little codicil at the end that says “I never dreamed my WIFE would want a drum set.”

So I need some other band members. I figure if famous authors can perform as the Rock Bottom Remainders, the time has come for a bloggers’ equivalent. No, I am not going to Google to find out if there is already a blogger equivalent. What I’m saying is that we need someone on the bass, a guitarist, at least one lead singer (I could maybe do backup) and keyboards, too. Oh, sure, I already own and can sort of play piano, but what fun is it to run away from it all if you have to actually practice a real instrument?

We’ll be moms (edited to accomodate non-mom people with actual talent who have signed on in the comments), we’ll be rockin’, we’ll be called SPRAWL or some such because we’re from the suburbs, dig it. And our children will have no way to rebel except to take up classical music. It’s a flawless plan.

ONE! TWO! THREE! HIT IT!

— 2 —

We can make our debut in the lounge outside the 2012 Catholic New Media Celebration next summer. It’s going to be in Dallas/Fort Worth at the end of August, so it will include the penitential component of Texas in August. That has to be worth an indulgence. I am planning to go and I hope you will, too!

— 3 —

I’m going to take issue with our hostess’ admittedly sound argument in favor of the basic Kindle. Granted, she is correct that

What’s wonderful about the basic-model Kindle (and presumably the basic models of other e-readers as well) is that there’s no temptation to do anything other than read a book.

although I would have to add “or buy a book,” as that is an ever-present temptation. Oh, but look! I can check out books from the library for free! Whee!

My in-laws gave me a Kindle Fire for Christmas, and it is definitely my favorite gadget. I’ve installed a few apps and I honestly can’t speak authoritatively on the merits of various Kindle versions. But if I’m right that the Fire has apps and the basic models don’t, I will say that I think it’s worth the increase in price. I’m able to read and annotate PDF’s with the ezPDF Reader Pro app - wait, that might not depend on having a Kindle Fire – well, anyway, it’s cool. I really love being able to highlight and make notes inside of the text, particularly since I have a couple of books in draft form that I’m reading for people and this is far, far easier than reading on a computer screen.

Um, I’m not rebutting Jennifer’s point when I say that I really like being able to watch Hulu Plus on my Kindle, I guess. I’m not planning to install Facebook or Twitter because I do want this to remain primarily for reading.

I guess my point is: I love this present.

Oh, and also: EVERNOTE.

— 4 —

My father-in-law wanted to show me how easy it is for him to give me books via the Amazon store. “What’s a book you’ve been wanting to read?” he asked. “CATCHING FIRE PLEASE!” I whispered with the feverish anticipation that can only come from slamming through the first book of the Hunger Games series. Have you read it? I kept hearing people talk about it and decided to check it out for free (you can check out one book a month if you have an Amazon Prime membership.) I knew I’d never be able to wait to get the books via the library.

The first two books are terrific but I wasn’t crazy about Mockingjay. The series has an Ender’s Game feel about it in its treatment of violence and the manipulation of children for propaganda purposes. The third book is bleak and more explicit both in its violence and its treatment of sexuality. I was thinking I would let my son read the series in a year or so but I think I may hold off for a while. I try to not introduce a series to my kids unless I know it’s not going to escalate to addressing topics that aren’t mentioned in the earlier books.

— 5 —

Gingerbread structures are my thing at Christmastime, and this year I attempted a neighborhood (well, two families) get-together to construct a gingerbread train. We had six train cars in all, with the idea that each family could decorate a car or two and then take them home to their own houses. Although the evening was enjoyable, the decorating took a turn for the worse when one car, overloaded with marshmallow Peep trees, decided to explode. It was eventually determined that the best course of action was to continue the “gone off the rails” theme and turn that car into a testament against distracted train driving.

No pictorial evidence exists, as the train eventually ran so far off the rails it ended up in the trash.

We took three of the better cars to San Antonio with us for Christmas day with family, and I think the kids thought this would be the year: the year when the gingerbread structure actually gets eaten.  Usually, we leave it up for a couple of weeks, during which time the children beg to be allowed to snack on it and I stubbornly forbid doing so. Then it gets forgotten for another week or so, at which point the gingerbread has turned to stone and the entire enterprise ends up in the garbage. Kind of a depressing end to the season, really. But that’s how I see it panning out yet again, as the train was used for a centerpiece but then passed over in favor of other, fresher, more flavorful, less-touched-by-small-children desserts.

I can respect that.

— 6 —

Want to capture the Christmas joy all the way up to whatever date you consider to be the end of the Christmas season? (EPIPHANY) Tune into Korrektiv Radio on Pandora.

Based on reader-submitted favorites, we created two stations:

Korrektiv – Sacred Christmas Radio

Korrektiv – Secular Christmas radio

And, in honor of our New Orleans pilgrimage: Dixieland Christmas radio.

(I really am going to write up a travelogue of that weekend at the Walker Percy conference, even if the only one who still wants to read it is Melanie with her fancy new blog.)

— 7 —

I am going to try valiantly to eschew New Year’s Resolutions, even though I like making Grand Promises of Reform so much that I do so every 5.3 days (approximately). But I do want to come up with a better system of budgeting for our groceries. We have a Kroger here and I remembered the halcyon days of double coupons and hoped to get back in that habit, but alas, they have discontinued the practice. Still, I think my best bet is going to be to pick one grocery store chain to start with and get to know when their specials are, rather than try to make 3-4 trips a week to different groceries. With the children.

Anyone have good tips? Are there cool apps out there that help with grocery shopping? You know, for my Kindle. (Just kidding – actually for my phone.) (I said I wasn’t a gadget person but I lied.)

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Time now: 2:49 AM.

Number of Speedlets sleeping: 2.

Number of Speedlets awake: 1.

Likelihood of other two children waking up in the next hour despite multiple warnings to STAY IN BED UNTIL AT LEAST SIX O’CLOCK: 87%.

— 1 —

We still haven’t found the Advent wreath, probably because I haven’t started looking. I mean, I have to work my way up to it. The garage is…not for the faint of heart. Plus, I threw out my back while bouncing down the stairs with my three-year-old, a short-term solution to the Cycle of Endless NO, but a long-term hazard to my health. So I’m forced – forced – to take long breaks, reading my book and sitting up with the heating pad.

I’m almost finished with Ellen Finnigan’s The Me Years , which I bought on Betty Duffy’s recommendation and am really enjoying so far. More on that later. Along with about ten other book reviews that I have in my mental queue.

— 2 —

We are, however, going to get our Christmas tree this weekend.

Now, I grew up with a proper understanding of the Christmas tree pilgrimage. We don’t just go to some store. NO. We make an afternoon - or perhaps a day - of it. Every year meant a trip out to Jack’s Creek Christmas Tree Farm to tromp all over the hillside looking for just the right tree. It’s funny how the first tree is usually perfectly fine but must be rejected out of hand, because it wouldn’t be a true adventure if it didn’t involve at least one argument about the tree.

Last year, my dear husband searched for a local Christmas tree farm and happened upon Cat Spring Farms, a perfectly lovely family-owned farm in Sealy (about an hour and a half from Houston). I rarely do smart things when it comes to planning ahead, but I did have the foresight last year to take a photo of the sign at the entrance, which is the only reason I was able to track it down again this year. They have hayrides, a fire pit for making S’mores, and horseshoes. It may not be the most efficient approach to spend an entire Saturday getting a Christmas tree, but it’s worth it.

Plus, while I’m at the Christmas tree farm, I’m not at my house, which means there is no way I could possibly be dealing with the garage.

— 3 —

In website  news, I finished up my first Catholic parish website design a couple of weeks ago for St. Joseph Catholic Church in Plain City, OH. Sarah Reinhard was kind enough to contact me about working with their parish and I can honestly, non-snarkily say that I learned a lot. I’d love for you to take a look, and if your parish is in need of a website, please contact me!

— 4 —

I had vague hopes of doing Christmas cards this year, as I actually sat down and compiled a list of addresses last year, but alas – I accidentally bent the flash drive on which I’d saved a backup of the address list after our server went kaput. So I would have to start from scratch. And my “smartphone” has somehow decided that every single person I am connected to on Google Plus should be added to my Contacts as “unknown,” but my best friend from first grade should apparently be deleted altogether. Technology has conspired against me because it wants me to just start sending e-cards.

— 5 —

My kids won tickets to the Houston Aeros hockey game tonight via an art contest through the Texas Renaissance Festival. I was talking to my mom about it. “Oh! That’s nice…so, is it going to be at…where’s it going to be?”

“You were going to ask if the hockey game is going to be at the Renaissance Festival, weren’t you.”

“Yes. Yes, I was.”

Sadly, it’s not. Wouldn’t that be the best, though? I’m sure hockey in 85-degree weather, played by men in authentic Renaissance period wear, would be a far more exciting spectator sport, don’t you think? I bet there would be far fewer penalties, for one thing. It could be sort of like jousting…on ice.

— 6 —

Our parish hosts Catholic Date Night once a month, and last weekend was our first chance to go. This is a FABULOUS program. For $10/person, you get a gourmet dinner with wine, free babysitting (if you register in advance), camaraderie with other couples, and then a screening of an episode from Fr. Robert Barron’s CATHOLICISM video series. There’s a core team of couples who coordinate the cooking and I think my husband would have gladly spent the night in the kitchen. He loves to cook and enjoys making elaborate dinners – and it’s an easy way to make friends, pitching in with the dinner prep. We thoroughly enjoyed the evening and I would very much recommend this format for other parishes. (Especially the babysitting!) (We actually decided to go at the last minute after friends offered to babysit, but seriously – babysitting is key to getting parents of small children to come to parish activities.)

— 7 —

My husband’s office had a Christmas party last weekend, and that meant another night of going somewhere without the children. This marked a 200% increase in the number of times we’d gone out without the children this year. Yes, that means we’d only gotten a babysitter one other time the whole year. This is how pitiful we are.

Anyway, it was another great evening, even when I accidentally dumped my plate full of food onto the feet of his coworkers huddled around the fire pit. I like to make a vivid first impression.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

“I hope SAINT NICHOLAS doesn’t forget to give us chocolate,” the seven-year-old said, staring fixedly at me.

She needn’t have worried: despite my generally lackluster performance this year as Advent Family Craft coordinator, I would come through with chocolate. This much, I can handle.

I married a cradle Catholic, both of us of Irishy semi-German American mixed nuts descent. We were each raised in the faith by parents who appreciated the beauty of the liturgy and our rich heritage of – you know, all that Catholic good stuff. Fish on Fridays, the blessing before meals, rosaries in the house, assorted religious artwork.

And while I do remember having an Advent wreath on our table, and a vague sense of the Jesse Tree being A Thing, my mom never felt it incumbent upon her to live out the season as liturgically as possible through special books, crafts, and rituals. There just weren’t that many liturgical traditions in our family – or in my husband’s. Cue Grumpy Old Man: “and we LIKED it that way!”

I’m feeling a bit of holiday overwhelm already, and I haven’t even started the Christmas shopping. While it’s been a few months since we relocated to our new city, there is still much unpacking to be done, and the Advent wreath is somewhere in a green Rubbermaid tub marked “Christmas/Advent/misc.” It’s the “misc” that will do you in. “Misc.” describes about 98% of my consciousness right now – floating, uncategorized, in stasis.

So we’re laming out on Advent. I feel bad, because there are so many lovely books out there (speaking of which, have you entered the fantastic Ten Amazing Days of Advent book giveaway at Amazing Catechists?) I do have a Magnificat Advent Companion, and I even know where it is. There’s that. And, of course, the celebration of St. Nicholas Day, an ancient tradition we’ve appropriated despite never having celebrated it as children.

I feel like an overenthusiastic graduate student could write a searing commentary on the significance of seeking out liturgical traditions from a patchwork of cultures to create some ideal home environment for passing down the faith. (I live my life in fear of the commentaries of grad students.) There is something very artificial about the entire enterprise, and yet – it does make our life the richer to measure the seasons by remembering our ancestors in faith. That, of course, is our true heritage, and perhaps it doesn’t matter if we’re not really sure how to pronounce oplatki if it allows us to appreciate the tradition and make memories of our own.

Another thing I’m missing this year is musical preparation for Christmas, in that I’m not singing in a choir for the first time in many years. I’ve always enjoyed emerging from a choir rehearsal into the cold darkness of the parking lot, the melody line echoing in my ears and knowing that it’s almost here. Christmas is coming. The Advent seasons during which I myself was pregnant were particularly moving, not only because of hormones but also because of a deeper kinship with Mary, a deeper understanding of joyful expectation.

The kids are in choir, though, and I mean a real fancy choir, not just deck them halls and all that stuff.

In some ways, my minimalist approach to Advent this year may be a good thing, since I am sparing us all the usual manic coordination of Advent-themed family time. (The dumbest year of all was when I decorated the tree…but with purple ribbons. A pre-decoration, to signify the coming actual decoration of the tree. Purple ribbon was on sale that year.)

We’ll get there anyway, to Christmas. And somewhere among all of the “Giftmas” frenzy, we’ll find a bit of silence.