Random grants of the day

Another interesting assortment of federal grants today. As always, what I think is weird reveals my liberal arts bias.
Innovative Food Defense programs funded by the FDA and Dept of Agriculture cracked me up - can't you just picture an army of vegetables with spears and shields?
How about abandoned mine bat inventories in Idaho? Sounds like a horror/adventure movie waiting to happen. "I wonder how many bats are down this abandoned mine shaftOHNOoooo.."

And yet, I think it's obvious to fund maintenance of Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site by The Society of the National Shrine of the Bill of Rights. Also, who wouldn't want a $60,000 post-grad historical editing fellowship? Normal people, that's who.

Farewell to bells, Hello to Archbishop Carlson

Here is the cathedra (bishop's seat) where Robert Carlson will sit as Archbishop of St. Louis for the first time on Wednesday. I can't wait!

I'll be at the Cathedral a lot in the next three days preparing for and performing in my last Mass with the handbell choir. I have never seen our usually cheerful director so excited and anxious. Thanks, Karen, for letting me play even though I was out of town for rehearsal last week. Installation means a lot to me.

Of course, Carlson's arrival will involve a flurry of media attention. We have been instructed to be on our best behavior since the video cameras for EWTN and the live feed will be directly across from the bells. I'll be on the right, ringing the heavy bass clef ones. Apparently AmericanPapist will be providing coverage too - I'll try to spot him.

Recent stories in the Post-Dispatch seem to confirm first impressions that Carlson is a personable, diplomatic man.

"One thing I know is that when you're coming into a community, the last thing you want to do is come in and pretend like you have all the answers," he said.

One source of his compassion and humility is his history of battling cancer and diabetes.

"I always say that God has really blessed me in weakness," Carlson said. "I've learned that I am who I am, that I do some things well, and I make mistakes in other areas."
Carlson said cancer changed his priorities. His career ambitions took a backseat, he said. Instead of spending so much time as an administrator, he wanted to be out in his diocese, among his flock. "Once you almost die, you try to live life as best you can — not because you're afraid of death, but because you got a second chance," Carlson said.

Bizarre Item of the Day

I'm back in the Lou, just in time to leave town again for the final VSC Renewal Weekend retreat.

Thanks to Southwest layovers at Midway, I've also spent a good 4 hours in Chicago this week. Midways has a great selection of local food available, but I learned in August that no matter how deeply you love Chi-town, a fully loaded beef hot dog before takeoff is not a good idea.

I also love how Mayor Richard M Daley feels the need to personally welcome me to Chicago's airports. That man has a major ego problem, and it's become a running joke in my family. Here's his name on a trash can in the food court.

Woohoo high school!

Here's a glimpse of the parent paparazzi at my little sister's graduation. It's always good to revisit the tightly-knit community of my uber-Catholic/uber-ProLife high school. Every year since my own graduation is a little different and little more weird as I settle into adulthood. Sign that I am getting old: I was verklempt with pride during my sister's valedictorian speech. My mom and I tearfully clutched each other in our church pew. Another sign that high school is long gone? Some of my classmates had also returned - with their spouses and children.



This weekend was also my sister's dance school's annual recital. We saw performances by everyone from un-coordinated 5 year olds to champion teens. Here are some cool shots I got of the team heading to Nationals. Their solo dresses and wigs were out of control.





My little sister is now officially a high school graduate, after doing a great job on her valedictorian speech. Sign that I am getting old: my mom and I both got verklempt with pride during her address. We sat in the church pew tearfully clutching each other's arm.

Hitting the road

I'm going to be on blog hiatus for a few days as I visit my family for my sister's graduation and hunt for grad school housing. In the meantime, enjoy this picture of some fun cars. There was a whole crowd of them around Soulard Market a few Saturdays ago. The drivers were all really friendly and waved at me. How could you not be in a good mood on such a gorgeous spring day?

Godspeed, Sr. Ros!

I usually don't post pictures of myself, but I love this one of Texas Volunteer and me with Sr. Rosalind Moss. This weekend was our first time meeting her in a while. Sadly, it was also the last since the occasion was her goodbye party. She's leaving St. Louis, too, albeit for only a year of novitiate study and training.

Expansion of the Daughters of Mary, Mother of Israel's Hope is on hold while Sr. Ros is in her novitiate. Work renovating her convent and organizing educational materials will go on, thanks to her new administrative assistant and an army of volunteers. Hopefully next summer St. Louis will again see Sr. Ros and some new sisters out and about in full habit, evangelizing the neighborhood. (And hopefully there will soon be more information on the order's website.)

We're really going to miss Sr. Ros. Even thought we've only met her a few times, she always treats us like we are the most important and wonderful people in the world. We put in a few Saturday hours helping around her convent, but went away feeling like we had received ten times what we have given. I don't know what I would have done without her comforting advice the Saturday I messed up on the GRE and was dealing with stress in the VSC community.

Where else could one find a nun with great Jewish humor? (She is a convert, after all.) After hearing my rantings, Sr. Ros turned to Texas Vol and asked "Does she believe in God? Because the way she's talking it sure sounds like she doesn't."
Then she turned back to me. "This is what you do. Go home, write a hundred times on the chalkboard 'Jesus I trust in you. Jesus I trust in you. Even if I don't feel it, Jesus I trust in you.'"

And so I will.

Botanical Gardens

This weekend a couple of us finally took advantage of our Botanical Gardens season passes. I'm so glad we did! Even after several hours of walking we still hadn't seen all the different gardens and flowers. Daylilies were done blooming, but roses were out in full force.


I really liked this statue of Juno in a formal garden. (The goddess queen, not the snarky pregnant teenager). The Victorian observatory tower is in the distance.

The English Woodland garden was more informal and organic-looking. We really appreciated the shade!