The Photo-Less Post.

I am distraught.

My camera is missing. I really REALLY hope it didn't get stolen. I'm trying not to lose hope and trust that St. Anthony is going to get it back for me!!

PLEASE PLEASE if you love me at all put in a good word for me with him too by saying this prayer for me.

Thank you all!!

Unfailing Prayer to St. Anthony

"Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints" O Holy St. Anthony, gentlest of Saints, your love for God and Charity for His creatures, made you worthy, when on earth, to possess miraculous powers. Encouraged by this thought, I implore you to obtain for me (request). O gentle and loving St. Anthony, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the sweet Infant Jesus, who loved to be folded in your arms; and the gratitude of my heart will ever be yours. Amen.

Cringing my way to Praise and Worship

If you had asked me a few months ago what my opinions on Catholic Praise and Worship were, you likely would have received some serious cringe faces in response.

Despite not having much first hand experience with the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, my traditional upbringing and naturally skeptical demeanor has always led me to steer far clear of any hand lifting / tongue speaking / 'Jesus' wailing behavior. I didn't have any sort of hard dogmatic reasoning AGAINST Charismatic worship, just a general feeling that any such displays in the name of Religion were for overly emotional expressive types. Or else Catholics who sorta just wished they could be Protestants. Or phonies. In short- NOT for me.

Growing up in my family, Religion was serious business. Make a scene in Church? Not even an option.

Especially not for anyone hoping to politely request post-mass donuts.

Religion classes were always a big part of my education, and I got a better doctrinal foundation before high school than most Catholics.

By the time I was rolling up to Steubenville's campus at the end of August, I knew how to talk the Catholic talk. I walked the Catholic walk, (with admitted detours and sidetrips,) as best I could. I knew how to sing like a Catholic- (silently mouth the words the choir sings.)

What I didn't even realize was that I had no clue how to worship like a Catholic. I couldn't even identify what it might feel like to actually WORSHIP something or someone. The idea of overpowering, intense, all-consuming love never crossed paths with my idea of "Religion."

That IS what it's about though. That is the kind of love Christ feels for us. You don't die for somebody because you've studied theological reasons to do so. Christ died for us because of the mad, passionate, perfect love He has for each of us.

If you're willing and open to it, that is what Praise and Worship can expose you to. A little taste of that love Christ feels for you, and chance to try and reciprocate your own imperfect version of love to Him.

It doesn't make you the perfect Catholic.

It might take you a little while to get used to it.

But there's nobody that it's NOT for.

El. Oh. Vee. Ee.

No words needed.

Itty bitty citty liffe.

So I lied.

Or fibbed. Or maybe just got super busy last week and fell down my challenge and will now redeem myself.

The good news is that with 4 day fall break and other crazy stuff going on, I ended up taking a ton of pictures. The bad news is that none of them knock my socks especially off. :(

Between spending my 4 day in Baltimore with my girl Mahoney and a few trips to Pittsburgh and Robinson I've been reacquiring a taste of big(ger) city life. The Please Don't Judge disclaimer: I despise it when people act like they're too good for the simple life. I have lived some of the best and healthiest periods of my life in towns MUCH smaller than Steubenville, Ohio. I should NOT be called a snob for what I'm about to say next.

I miss it. I miss the options. The excitement. The variety. Shopping. Skylines. Neon. People watching. Dirty, delicious little Greek restaurants run by dirty little Greek men.

Yes, I know cities can be pretentious. Expensive. Full of empty, lonely people. And maybe, like my parents, I'll turn 50 and retreat to the woods where no trace of a cell phone signal can be found. I'm not ruling it out.

But maybe I'll move to New York First.

A School with a View

We are the school on a hill, in the proverbial and physical sense. Saturday night, after a day of rain and misery, the sun managed to burn through in a radiant red strip across the field behind my house. Jackie and I went out to snag a few shots and then got ambitious and decided to try and get a good view of the Ohio River Valley. We got a bit more than we bargained for on the muddy trek out to the edge of Franciscan's property.

While I've been congratulating myself so far on the quality of photos I've been taking, I'm being forced to admit that yeah, it's Fall right now and therefore beautiful outside. In a few weeks all the amazing scenery around here is going to be raked into piles and forgotten. Any ideas on how I can keep this photo challenge going through the winter?

Good Looking roommate #2

She cracks me up. I told both good looking roommates today that I was trying to increase my photography skillz by doing a daily photoblog and not to be freaked out if I seem more creepy than usual with my picture taking.

Good looking roommate #1

It's true. I always end up living with attractive people. This was taken on the back "porch" (square of concrete) of our ghetto apartment, enjoying a beer before walking down to the soccer game. Barons won, woo hoo.

Cemetery as a Cure.

Any native Californian will tell you. Seasonal depression is REAL.

We had a few brutally cold weeks in the beginning of October. Gray skies, frosty wind, the whole nine yards. I had just about packed away any hope of temperatures above the 40's in 2009. And then yesterday, like a smile straight outta heaven, the sun came out and burned off all the misty rain that has been hanging over this city like a curse. I grabbed my camera, my friends Jackie and Carla, and we took a trip to- wait for it- Union Cemetery here in Steubenville. Nothing like a walk through the graveyard to give you a new lease on life. Happy Happy Fall.