What it takes to be a bad blogger

Pauli of Es Quod Est has posted a mea culpa list entitled "Why I am a Bad Blogger." I appreciate this very much, because I have always wondered how to clean up my shabby act. Some of his items include:

No stated commenting policy. A lot of the big-time bloggers have these. They say things like “Don’t use threatening language toward other commenters or their expensive pets.”

Not enough posts beginning with the word "so" as in "So my wife and I went to a nightclub last night . . ."

No "true confession" moments

Lack of misspellings

Well, I can do better than that. Here are some of the things that make me a much worse blogger than Pauli:

I lose most of my ideas. I get dozens of ideas for posts that I'm sure will be scintillating, insightful and will gain me hordes of readers. Unfortunately, most of these are scribbled on little pieces of paper that end up clumped in the bottom of my purse and grease-stained by the Chapstick that's lost its top.

I use little original material. I love inspiring quotations, so I pass them along to you. When I share insights or flashes of wisdom, they're probably things I've cribbed unconsciously from others and am passing along as my own. And amusing anecdotes, of course, are usually actions that have been sparklingly performed by someone who is not me.

I'm inconsistent. Sometimes I'm here a lot. Sometimes I'm AWOL for long periods. I don't know if it matters, and I apologize if it causes a problem for anyone (as if!). But it's just the way it is; I have no explanation. My attention goes somewhere for a while and then I get involved with other things. If you saw the other pieces of my life, you might be surprised. My interests and enterprises are quite varied and I find keeping everything moving forward an interesting challenge. Even my husband has a hard time keeping track of what I'm into at the moment.

I love fun. I just am not earnest enough. Humor trumps many other things for me (which is why I have another blog just for things that amuse me). But my love for the humorous turn of phrase, combined with my love for the things that touch me with spiritual depth, probably cause some awkward gear-changes for my readers. If so, I hope you enjoy the ride.

So there you are. If you want to add to the list, call me to repentance or give me new ideas about how to be an even worse blogger, the comment box is there for your enjoyment. Since I have no commenting policy, I am free to delete offensive comments with no warning, justification or excuse. Bad bloggers cling to their delusions of power, you see.

Need a bite of Carmel today?

Some tidbits from St. John of the Cross:

If a man wishes to be sure of the road he treads on, he must close his eyes and walk in the dark.

Understanding is not the understanding of God.

In order to find Him you should forget all your possessions and all creatures and hide in the interior, secret chamber of your spirit. And there, closing the door behind you, you should pray to your Father in secret. Remaining hidden with Him, you will experience Him in hiding, and love and enjoy Him in hiding.

And from St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein):

If anyone comes to me, I want to lead them to Him.

The nation... doesn't simply need what we have. It needs what we are.

Only the person who renounces self-importance, who no longer struggles to defend or assert himself, can be large enough for God's boundless action.

And my dear favorite and patron, St. Teresa of Avila (Teresa of Jesus):

Accustom yourself continually to make many acts of love, for they enkindle and melt the soul.

Pain is never permanent.

What a great favor God does to those He places in the company of good people!

Mental prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us.

You pay God a compliment by asking great things of Him.

Remember that you have only one soul; that you have only one death to die; that you have only one life, which is short and has to be lived by you alone; and there is only one Glory, which is eternal. If you do this, there will be many things about which you care nothing.

On Michael Jackson, from the wisest man on radio

Al Kresta, whose afternoon show on Ave Maria Radio never disappoints, offers some worthwhile thoughts, not on Michael Jackson himself but on the "Michael Jackson phenomenon."

Lest any doubt remain about Michael’s status as a commercial property, let his father lay claim. When a CNN reporter asked his father, Joe, shortly after Michael’s death, “How are you doing sir, how’s the family holding up?” Joe Jackson replied, “I’m great. My family’s doing pretty good. It has been really tough. Remember we just lost the biggest star, the biggest superstar in the world.” Most fathers would have simply said they had lost a son. Undeterred, the CNN reporter asked if he’d like to share anything about his son and his legacy. Joe Jackson throttled the tender moment and immediately squeezed in a promotional spot for his new production company proving that even the sudden, shocking death of his son couldn’t soften the stage parent from hell. Michael Jackson had been parented to be sold. Link (HT to TSO for this one.)

Iranian protesters are using the anniversary of the 1999 Tehran University student uprising to resume demonstrations against the outcome of the June 12 presidential election. An estimated 2,000 to 3,000 people crowded the streets and headed toward Tehran University, the site of the 1999 demonstrations. Several protesters were hit on the arms and backs by the Basij, according to video evidence. The militia tried to persuade one man, whose face was bleeding, to get into an ambulance, but he refused. Meanwhile we continue to watch Michael Jackson. Link

Worthwhile things said in my hearing

Lucky me.

"By definition, intercessors are sojourners in enemy territory."

"The enemy is powerless; he's hustling for time and leverage. He wants us to believe him enough so he can get away with a certain number of things during our lifetime."

Martha Balmer, in a talk on intercessory prayer

"Developing empathy (rather than repulsion) connects and helps them. Love says 'I'm glad you exist.'" Speaking of caring for people with problems that disturb us.

"Go slow. Don't assume."

Greg Hocott, Ph.D

David: "What if you want to make music and don't care about making money?"
Ron: "There are showers for that."

Exchange at weekly A2B3 networking lunch

"Are you asking for enough?"

God

"It's about the indissolubility, about the cleaving . . . The love of married couples is the only thing that shows to the world the love of Christ for his Church."

Fr. Eric Weber, delivering a couples' meditation on the
Feast of the Sacred Heart

"We tend to define what's possible based on our present experience. That doesn't apply where the Holy Spirit is involved."

Fr. Ed Fride, pastor of Christ the King Catholic Church

"In worship, God prepares us to see the unbearable beauty of his face."

Ed Conlin, quoting John Henry Newman

"I've Got Those Post-Pentecostal Pre-Parousia Blues."

Me, recalling the title of an old song from college days

Billions and billions of saints

It's not All Saints Day, but this would be perfect for it . . . or for anyone in a dilemma about whom to pick as a confirmation patron. Hat tip to Gilbert and Sullivan.