very concerned

upon reading the first few chapters of The Shack, i had to put the book down. not because it was a poor or boring read, rather because i could not handle the events surrounding the Great Sadness (i don't want to give too many details in case you read it someday!). i had a very difficult time keeping myself together on my train ride home this evening. i cannot understand why/how one human being can be so heartless to another (as is the case in this fictional novel, but it still happens)? i'd love to have a much deeper discussion about the conflicts in this book after you read it. (i pray for all those who feel hopeless and cry out to no one).

first person to...

comment on this blog entry will win a prize!

please stop texting me!!!

it seems that in this new age of technology, where you know what your friends & enemies are doing based on their away message (i.e. "Tom is outside riding his bike") or what Twitter (i still don't know what that is!?!) says about them, something has to give. unfortunately, something has--namely traditional, person-to-person conversation. long gone are the days when we are walking in the neighborhood and we see our neighbor. we wave and he/she invites us over for a cool class of ice tea and homemade cookies, and we talk about everything from school to work to love. no, instead, we whip out our cell phone with its shiny case & its many "hidden" features and communicate with another human by punching at little buttons (which strain our eyes) on the smallest keypads known to mankind. (if you really think about this, it seems utterly ridiculous). what's even more ridiculous is that we wait impatiently for the next text to vibrate or beep or play a little tune for us. because we clearly need these digital to be sent to us in order for us to know that 1) we have friends, 2) what our friends are doing, and 3) this is the best means of communication. unbelievable, how it has come to this. (oh, by the way, i text/email/gchat too! so you can't call me out on being a hypocrite. i'm just contributing to easiest form of satire around these days!)

...a bird sings because it has a song!

someone once shared with me that the closest thing to heaven is SUMMER CAMP. after working & volunteering at numerous camps (bible school/feehan bball/fatima/maplewood & asp) throughout the summers of my teenage & young adult years, and again these past two months, i have realized how true that statement is (and how wicked awesome it is to spend your summer acting like a 7 year-old all over again :p ). without further adieu, i would like to update you on what's been going on in this 7-year old's life over the past few months. i've decided to do that using an agenda that is neither perfect, nor indicative of how many children experienced true JOY this summer, but one that undoubtedly demonstrates how God's grace is at work :)

morning reflection (5:30-10am, depending on on your boss)

1. wake up, rub your allergies away & say "YES! to the morning" ~ M.Maynard
   
2. turn off your alarm, "call" the love of your life to wake her/him up & make one big yawn
   
3. freshen up (whatever that means for you), EAT something for breakfast & spend a few moments to gather your thoughts before you tackle your world
   

advisory (50 min-1 hour; short & sweet, but to the point!)

1. spiritual direction with fr. robert welsh, s.j. & fr. joseph guido, o.p. (these men know their stuff and their wisdom & insights are FREE!)
   
2. ketching up with new & old friends whether at a BBQ, through gchat or simply over the phone (it's always nice to hear a familiar voice and pick up right where you left off!)
3. liturgy of the Word & Eucharist (daily & Sunday) -- thank you Elise for your advice. it has permanently changed my post-grad life!
   

healthy habits (10am-12:30pm, snack break included)

1. "water, water everywhere, not a drop to drink" ~ anonymous i've only recently taken up to drinking more and more water each day. not surprisingly, i've been feeling much better about myself. i attribute that change in habit to our imperative water fasts in duran, ecuador (may 2009).
   
2. "first you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you." ~ francis scott key many of you already know that i strive to drink moderately in all social settings. this commitment is, in part, due to the fact that my maternal grandfather suffers from alcoholism and has experienced several maladaptive life events due to his abuse. i refuse to follow him down that lonesome & self-depreciating path. this has been a burden that has hit close to home as of late.
3. "bike it, you'll like it!" ~ veronica favela (JVC housemate & friend) many of you are probably already aware of the 25k/12 mi bike ride that i completed in mid-June to benefit the American Diabetes Association (my team raised over $300 for research, which was double my personal goal!). if so, then it goes without saying that i love to ride my bike! anytime. anyplace. carrying anything. in this age of eco-friendly practices and living green, i am proud to say that my 10 spd bicycle is my way around town. (please do yourself a favor by purchasing an un-expired helmet & checking the pressure in both tires before hitting the road pedaling...)
   

lunch (DO NOT SKIP!)

1. [meat group] FREE box lunches with "mystery meat" (from your state's department of health)
2. [grains, oils] italian bread & olive oil (for dipping purposes; makes a great lunch...SIDE!)
3. [dairy, fruits, grains] grilled cheese & tomato on wheat (my mother's staple)
4. [sweets, fruits, dairy, grains] fresh, local yogurt sprinkled with Nature Valley granola bits
5. LEFTOVERS from last night/week, esp that browning salad! [vegetables]
   

(you may want to try/experiment with one of the concoctions above, before you thank me for the idea or recipe)

golf (1-2:55pm, if the fields aren't wet enough & valleyview is closer)

1. Safety first & always. self-care (i.e. eating, sleeping, relaxing)/expect the unexpected (lower some expectations, they may be too high)/did i mention that we need to slow down?
   
2. Use the appropriate club & grip. simplify/we too easily forget that our friends are only a click or call away/our first vocation is to holiness; everything after that is secondary
   
3. Keep your head down. budgeting & funding/summer reading (check out Enrique's Journey by Sonia Nazario)/where are your feet pointing & more importantly, where are you? ("i'm on the right road, but i'm going the wrong way!" ~ Hal Roach (Irish comedian))
   

[inside joke, but the 3rd semester's grey jackets & Djort Cup go to...(scroll to the bottom to see m/f winners)]

announcements

• my second year of grad school & resident ministry at john carroll begins mid-august!
• gisella is moving from detroit to boston (boston college) to begin working towards her master's degree in pastoral ministry (please pray for her & our relationship!)
• a social gathering for recent PC alumni (classes 2005-2009) is in the works (keep the weekend of January 2nd open...more details to follow)
  
• in case you were wondering, i will be back in the boston/taunton/new england area from july 28th until august 10th. my girlfriend, Gisella, will be in town as well so please give me a ring or shoot me an email, if you are going to be around. i'd love for you to meet her!

[cleveland campers of the week:]
Week 1 -- Miss Laura McGowan (taking over for Tim wasn't easy at all!)
Week 2 -- Fr. Jim Lewis, S.J. (he called my girlfriend, "GODZILLA!")
Week 3 -- TimTom (his bro is from Norton, MA...carazycool!)
Week 4 -- Erinn "Ain't Falling" Bridges


female grey jacket recipient = miss veronica
male grey jacket recipient = mr. "remix" justin
& the SuperRaptors (esp. OMAR)

seven ate nine

oh yes! not only am i back to blogging this summer, but i am also returning on the date of another one of my favorite numerical sequences--namely the back-to-back-to back series. today is july 8th 2009 and because the month of july is often designated with the number 7, today is 07.08.09.
(just in case you were curious, this mathematical phenomenon will only happen 5 more times in yours & my lifetime!). that's all i have to say. hope you enjoyed the day in cleveland, new england, los angeles, peru or wherever your summer travels have taken you....