Catholicism and Technology.

I am in the middle of a panic attack (yay -- note the sarcasm) but I am still writing this entry because I need a distraction. It's part of a new resolution I forgot to mention yesterday. Anyway...

I'm a big geek (not the biggest but pretty big) and I love technology. It's a bit funny that I was the last of my friends to get a computer, or even the internet, and I'm the one that's telling them how to do certain things. lol. While we can't deny that it's a big part of our every day life, it seems that more and more people are getting so enthralled with the world wide web that they're forgetting about their prayer life. Trust me, I know first hand that this is true... says the girl who has too many tabs open on her browser. lol.

A Vatican aide, Fr. Federico Lombardi, spoke out on this topic a few weeks ago. He said, in a nutshell, that we're so wrapped up in our things -- cell phones, internet, etc. -- that we forget to take time out in our day to have silent prayer and/or meditation. This is also something Mark mentioned in the list of "Thing to Do/Not Do" when it came to anxiety. One of things he suggested was "Taking spiritual breaks and holidays, especially away from television and computer screens and other electronics. Spending time in front of the Blessed Sacrament more instead. Not watching television and films in the evening is a good one too – try reading instead." I think this is really important.

I've luckily found ways to help with this... and even merge the two. Oh yes, I have. :D First, you can always pray the Rosary. I've found this to be the easiest way to get back into prayer and silent reflection. Again, this is from my personal experience so results may very. Keep losing your Rosary beads or easily lose track of what Hail Mary you're on, and want to use technology? If you have an iPhone or iPod touch, you can download an application called "Holy Rosary" for $2.99. It's worth the money. That's what I've used on two occasions now. I prefer to use the actual beads in my hand but sometimes I can't find them or don't have them handy. That's when I've used this application. Out of the Rosary applications out there, this has been the best. It has all the prayers, as well as the readings AND pictures of that particular mystery. It also includes the Fatima prayer for those of you who say it after every decade *points to self*.

And while I'm on the topic of Catholic applications for iPod touches (and iPhones), there are a couple that I really recommend. First: the Catholic Calendar. It's free, you get the information for that day, and can even looks back (or forward) to see when holidays land and who the saint of the day is. It doesn't have saints every day, which is the only downside. But, did I mention it's free?

Second: The iBreviary. Wow, LOVE it. It's only 99 cents and it's really good. For this one, you'll need to have WiFi to download the readings and prayers for each day. If you don't, you can probably find WiFi somewhere... like your local Starbucks. I first heard of this application on Fallible Blogma a couple of weeks ago. This morning, Fr. Paolo Padrini left me a comment about advertising this application. He totally beat me to it because I'd always planned on talking about it. :D If you download this app (which I totally recommend!), you'll see that it's in Italian. Don't fear! You can change that. Just go to your Settings (for your iPhone or iPod touch), go down to the iBreviary and click it, and then click on the language to change to whatever you want yours to be. I haven't updated any of my apps because I don't have WiFi so mine has Italian, English, Spanish, French, Rite Ambrosiano, and Latin as the languages but I believe there's an update (or will be) with more languages and more options. If you want to read the message Fr. Paolo left me, click here and go to the bottom where the comments are.

I don't need to warn you from staying away from certain tv stations, do I? I don't think so. I have faith that y'all are smart enough to know what to avoid watching. If you do want to enjoy t.v. with Catholic programming, EWTN is a great place to watch shows and other Catholics things. I have the Spanish version (part of the Spanish package we have for my parents) of it because Time Warner makes us pay extra if we want the English version. Oh, if you speak Spanish AND have EWTN en Español, check out Fr. Alberto Cutié's program, called "Hablando Claro con el Padre Alberto". It's fantastic. I know Catholic TV is great as well, but it's not offered as widely at EWTN. You can look actually view those channels online as well. You just have to go to their websites. :D

A great place to find various Catholic podcasts, amongst other great things, is SQPN. I highly recommend Fr. Roderick's Daily Breakfast podcast. I've been listening to it since the end of 2007 and I love it. Catholic in a Small Town is funny too. You should go on over and check the entire site out. :D

I also recommend the XT3 website as well. There are a number of good, faithful Catholics on there. It started off as the official World Youth Day website but it's now expanded to being a place where Catholics can have great discussions and meet other like minded Catholics. If you're already on there, let me know. :D

There are plenty of Catholic website and blogs you can check out when you're on the web. I have a list on the left hand side in case you're ever in need of a particular thing. :D

I do have some things I am advising you to stay away. Stay far away from the whole Second Life thing. Please. Just say no to it. I've tried it and, while there are a surprising number of Catholics on there -- a few which get together to pray the Rosary in real time with each other, using their avatars -- and it's not to hard to avoid places which are completely disgusting, it's very easy to fall into or view things you'll end up going to confession for. You might not even look for it, but it'll come up. There a number of places which are actually quite nice -- developers have made virtual churches and spiritual places that exist in real life -- but don't get fooled by it. There's too much temptation on it. It's not worth it, especially with the weirdos on it. I downloaded it and deleted it in just a couple of hours. Stay away for this and similar things to this!

So, as you can see, there are a number of ways you can merge the two... but it's important to remember that is DOES do the mind, and soul, good to take breaks from technology. Why not go read a book on your favorite saint? Why not go take a walk and think about what great things the Lord has done for you? You can also go to a church and just sit and meditate in it. That's something I love to do. I go to my parish during the week and just sit there, by myself, in silence and pray or just reflect of things.

And with that, I will end this blog. I am going to go pray the Rosary and then try to finish one of the Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati books I bought myself for Christmas. Oh, and... hey! My anxiety's gone from when I started this blog. Isn't it great? :D

Alright, I will stop writing now. lol. I'll write about the saint dreams I've been having lately in the next post. Hope everyone had a great week! As always, thanks for reading and God Bless. :D

Listen to: Daily Breakfast 547 - Beauty and Soul

I think everyone should listen to "the Daily Breakfast with Fr. Roderick", especially today's podcast episode about beauty. I agree with everything he said, wholeheartedly. So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and listen to the podcast. You can also subscribe to his podcast on iTunes. :D

Daily Breakfast 547 - Beauty and Soul

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Thanks for reading (and hopefully listening) and God Bless. :D
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Oh, Doctor!; Priest's Satan Dream; Music = Love, Friendship.

Why must the doctors exaggerate things? Seriously, it's like their goal to freak people out -- especially when they don't explain things. I had my follow appointment (which I made 3 months ago when I was sick) yesterday with a new doctor and she right off the bat said that I needed to wear a heart monitor. Doctor says WHAT?! She said my results came back abnormal (the same results VARIOUS doctors have told me were normal) and that they needed to put a 24-hour heart monitor on me in mid-September. That was it. She didn't say what she thought was abnormal, etc etc. Now, the me from 4 months ago would've totally wigged out and my anxiety would've soared sky high. The me now is like "Pfft, whatever. I'll do it to make you guys happy." lol. I feel fine. Yes, I do get palpitations occasionally but I've had those for a while now and I was told that many women have that so not to worry. Also, the palpitations are often caused by anxiety. One of my good friends (who is like a sister to me) had the same thing done to her (only for a longer period of time) and she turned out fine. She said the same thing I've been told, about how a lot of women have that condition. So, I'm totally not gonna stress... and have been surprisingly zen about the whole thing. I think I've reached a point where I have put myself in the Lord's hands so many times that I am no longer worried about what could happen. Take that, anxiety! I am beating you like a drummer beats a drum. lol. :D

Something that was interesting (today), Fr. Roderick spoke about a dream he had about Satan on his podcast, the Daily Breakfast. It was really interesting because I haven't heard a priest I've (sort of) known who's had dreams like that... or that have shared them. You know me, when it comes to dreams about saints, Our Lord, the Blessed Virgin, I am interested. If you want to listen to the podcast please click this link (Satan's Party) so you can hear all the details for Fr. Roderick himself. I wonder if many priests have dreams like this at least once in their lifetime. I know I've only had a few where I've fought against him (yeah, I don't think I've ever blogged about those... I don't remember) but still, those are some creepy things to dream. And if any of you want to share any of your dreams with me, you can either reply to one of the dream blogs or email me at catholicnerdwriter [at] gmail [dot] com. Yes, I got an e-mail address specifically for this blog. :D Moving on...

As I've often said in previous music blogs, I LOVE music. It might even be my first love, after French fries. lol. I can go into this whole rant about how the music industry glorifies drug use, adultery, murder, people going to rehab, etc but I won't. I've already written about Contemporary Christian music so I thought I'd focus on music on a personal level. What I love about music (besides, obviously, THE music) is that it brings people together, sometimes people you wouldn't have met otherwise. I've had many beautiful friendships formed by meeting people with similar music tastes. In fact, one of best friends and I met because we both loved the same band (and, ironically, disliked the same band later on) years ago. It's amazing when I can have a certain album just bring out the best out of me... especially when that album is made by one of my best friends.

I've known this young woman for years. We met when we were teenagers when we were both starting out in our careers (although mine was different back then). She's been through some of the most difficult times with me (through both of my father's cancer battles, dealing with the most evil guy I've ever known, my own illnesses, etc.); basically this girl has been my rock through it all. About 2 years ago, she released her debut album in the U.K. (and last year in Japan) and, I have to say, I love the album and not just because she's one of my best friends. It's upbeat and positive, and it's one of those albums that you can play from start to finish. It's one of those albums that make you smile. Ever have an album that reminds you of an amazing time in your life every time you hear it? That's her album for me. She can be on tour and we'll lose contact for a few weeks, or even months, but if I'm going through something really tough I can always put the CD in and it's like she's there with me without being physically there. It's fantastic what music can, isn't it? I asked her in advance if it was okay to mention her and her album on this blog and she gave me the okay. :D Her name is Misha Williams and you can visit her site by clicking on her name/link. Don't bother asking her who writes this blog, she won't tell. :D lol.

Alright, well, it's still early in the day and I have a million and one things to do so I will stop. And, I think I wrote too much today. lol. Sorry, I'm a writer; it's a habit. :D Hope everyone's doing well. Thanks for reading and God Bless.

Anxiety, Catholic Athletes for Christ, and Fr. Roderick and Facebook

Wow, what a crummy day. My anxiety was pretty high today; no doubt because of an unpleasant message I received yesterday. I tell ya, when it rains in a bummer-fest, it pours! I've been dealing with a lot of stress and just unpleasantness that's just elevated my anxiety. I'd been panic attack-free for a few weeks and then it went sky high on Tuesday with yesterday seeing another little bump. Luckily, my little sister (who's not so little -- she's 18!) knows just what to do and say to cheer me up! Thank goodness for little sisters, especially the one I have! I am so spoiling her for her birthday -- but I won't say how because she might read this and try to prevent me from doing it. lol.

One very cool thing I had a chance to check out was this website called Catholic Athletes for Christ. Being pretty athletic myself, I think the website and organization is a GREAT idea! I love how athletes from different sports (football, hockey, soccer, etc) have all joined together and have been vocal about the fact that they are Catholic and that they do what they do for God. These are the type of athletes kids should be looking up to! I was pleasantly surprised to see Eddie Gaven as one of the speakers 'cause I am all for soccer players speaking out for their faith. Eddie plays for the U.S. Men's National (soccer) Team as well as the Columbus Crew (and MLS team). He's also around my age, which is awesome because I don't know many young soccer stars who are willing to come forth with even a hint as to what their religion or views of faith are. I definitely recommend y'all to go check out the site here. I've also added the link on the right side column under "Favorite Catholic Sites" in case you ever need the link again.

Funny thing, I found out about this website by listening to Fr. Roderick's latest episode of the Daily Breakfast. Those who've read this blog long enough know how much I love his podcasts. Well, today someone mentioned the website on the feedback portion of the episode, I thought I'd check it out and I am glad I did. I was also glad to hear that I wasn't the only one unhappy with the new chat feature on Facebook. Fr. Roderick mention how the applications on the site have gotten overwhelming and just plain annoying... and I couldn't agree more. I remember back in early '05 when my school had just been added to the list of universities that were able to get an account on the site and how simple and well organized. I miss those days. I can't imagine how crazy his facebook profile can get in a matter of hours -- all the messages and applications invites. *shudders* There's a reason why I refuse to get a myspace and why I've deleted facebook before. I can't wait to hear what other people's reactions will be about the chat feature. Fr. Roderick asked us to leave back voice feedback about the topic. If anyone wants to hear the episode, click here or simply go to the "SQPN - Catholic Podcasts" link on the right hand side and look for the Daily Breakfast episode where "Facebook Fatigue" is mentioned.

Alright, well, I have yet to catch up on my missed sleep (been tired ALL day) and still have a ton of things to do so I should stop writing soon. lol. As always, thanks for reading and God Bless. :D
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Transcripts, Sickness Returns, and Primary Elections

Well, I spent most of the afternoon driving around the city getting all the transcripts from my former schools to have them sent to my new school. Wow. What a headache that was. I had totally forgotten it was back-to-school for the Spring semester today at those schools so I had to deal with super long lines. I spent a good 2 hours (total) just waiting in line at all these places. It didn't help that I've been sick (you know, the fainting kind again) for the past couple of days so you can just imagine how frustrating it all was for me. Blah! At the final school, I had to make a bunch of trips to different offices just to get my transcript. GEEZ! At the other schools, I just showed up with my filled application, paid there and got them (or was told they'd be sent). And this last school, they made me wait nearly an hour to tell me that they'd send them for me. Uh, couldn't they have told me that when I paid and had everything done? They told me to wait 5-10 minutes, which lasted, what seemed like, forever... and then they told me, "Well, you wrote where you wanted them sent so we'll send them for you." Grrr! It was so unprofessional and it just sucked even more because I started getting really sick (I had to put my head down on the table and just think about not passing out) and they were like "Well, just wait a couple more minutes." Where they serious?! It takes a few seconds to say "Okay, you paid; you're done. We'll mail them for you." just like at the other schools. Grr. Of course, I was so angry that they made me go through that that I ended up saying "Are you kidding me?! They made me wait nearly an hour to get something they weren't going to give me in the first place?! I feel like I'm going to pass out!" I totally regret saying it but when I'm sick, I mean really sick, and I get irritated, it just comes out. That's something I'm going to have to work on.

As you might've guessed from the title of today's blog, I am once again really sick. I feel like I'm going to pass out at any given moment, I'm completely nauseous, I'm a thirsty throughout the day, I have to keep eating so I don't feel worse, etc. It's been like this for a couple of days now (about 3) and I HATE it. It had been quite a few weeks since I last felt like this and I was happy I was feeling better. Now... *groans*. I don't know why it came back all of a sudden either. I'm lucky I have a follow appointment with my doctor at the end of this week because I'm going to seriously need it.

I definitely need to start praying again (I haven't said the Rosary in a while) and I have a feeling that these feelings might be a sign that I need to start praying again. Like, for a while, I started slipping when it came to saying the Rosary and this is like a reminder that I need to get to where I was when I prayed the Rosary at least once a day without fail. I don't think it's punishment for not praying, God doesn't do that... I see it as a little push I'm being given to make me realize how well I was doing before everything I went through last week (when I started re-evaluating everything). Hopefully I will feel well enough to go to morning mass (or even evening mass) tomorrow because it'll be my last chance to ask the priest about fasting during Lent. Or maybe I'll call Fr. Roderick and hope he answers it on the Daily Breakfast before Lent actually starts.

And, speaking of tomorrow... tomorrow is Super Tuesday in the U.S. where 23 states (including the one I am residing it) get to vote in the primary elections. I already have my chosen candidate picked out and I am ready to vote. Hopefully the candidate I am rooting for is elected to run for president. Though I am not too into politics at the beginning of campaigns (and the Political Science course I took didn't really get me more into politics), I do catch up with everything right before elections. Hopefully other people will also make the right decision when it comes to voting for a certain candidate. I won't reveal who I voted for until we find out if he will run; and, hint, I said he so it's obviously a male.

Alright, well, it's half past midnight and I am a bit hungry (and I'm putting hunger before sleepiness at the moment), so I am going to find something to eat and then try to relax so I, hopefully, stop feeling like I'm going to pass out. Ugh. I hate asking this but if anyone who reads the blog could say a little prayer for me, I would appreciate it -- from the bottom of my heart. This is NOT the week for me to be this sick (dad has his at-home chemo this week).

Well, that is all for now. Thanks for reading and God Bless.

The Daily Breakfast; Hours at Clinic = Sheer Boredom.

I actually woke up late to go to the first clinic so, meh, will have to go tomorrow. Totally not my fault -- my alarm just didn't go off and without it, I sleep through almost anything. lol. Since I woke up late and didn't have my doctor's appointment at the other clinic (both are for different things) until 2 p.m., I got online and watched Fr. Roderick do a live recording of The Daily Breakfast on uStream. It was a lot of fun to watch, and participate, in the pre-recording of it. We get a chance to interact with other fans, and with Fr. Roderick, by using the chatroom. I got a kick when he mentioned a few things I typed into the chatroom. Oh, the technology! A few years ago that wouldn't have been possible but with technology now, almost anything is possible. :D Anyhoo, if you haven't checked out one of this podcasts, I would definitely recommend it. I'm subscribed to a few on iTunes so I never miss an episode (which are made on an almost daily basis). You can check out all different types of Catholic related podcasts he and others make at SQPN.

Moving from something awesome to something that's pretty awesome but freaking boring... I did make it to my second doctor's appointment but I was there from 1:50 p.m. and I didn't get home until a few minutes 'til 7 p.m. *hits forehead with palm* It was sooooo boring towards the end. It was awesome for the first hour because the doctor deemed me (besides the cold... yes, it's a cold like I suspected) completely healthy. I'm even back at my normal weight from before I got sick so... whoo. Haha. I do feel dizzy and all but she says it's still because of the stress and anxiety I had last year. Meh! That is why I'm going to the other clinic tomorrow -- because they specialize in stress and anxiety issues. Hopefully I won't have to wait hours like I did at today's clinic. Anyway, waiting in line just to get medication was a pain in my tush! It's worth it but, oy! At least I did manage to make some people laugh in line. :D Oh yes, I was back to my old dorky self and I made quite a few people laugh. Apparently I'm witty. *shrugs* I made two little kids giggle too, which always makes my day. Little kids laughing has to be one of the sweetest things you'll ever experience. :D Oh, and something that I managed to do... I found out who was Catholic simply by saying I was going to get home and ask St. Anthony to help me find a paper I need. The few people who laughed totally got what I meant (St. Anthony is the patron saint of lost things). Whoo! lol.

Another bummer thing... I KNEW I was going to miss the postman who was bringing me a book I ordered on Catholicism. I KNEW IT! I told my dad early in the morning, "With my luck, I'll have to go to the post office tomorrow to pick it up because I won't be home to receive it." And that is exactly what happened. I did get a Netflix movie (6 HOURS and 4 minutes -- yikes!) on the life and work of St. Teresa of Avila but no book. Hmph. Well, at least I got something. Still, I love getting mail so having to wait longer... not so good. lol.

I have a lot more to write -- including big plans/news I'm going to unleash into the world this weekend -- but it'll all have to wait until I am feeling better. I feel fine... just sooo sleepy (I've only slept a few hours in the past 48 hours), my eyelids are about to close. So, I'm going to snuggle up with my pillow and blanket and hope to have one of those awesome saint dreams. For now... thanks for reading and God Bless.