Sweet Baby Girl
Sunday night around 11 pm I got ready for bed... as usual, I put on my pajamas, washed my face, took out my contacts and brushed my teeth. Forty-five minutes later, I got back up out of bed, got dressed, put my contacts back in, and started the coffee. You see, my phone just rang... a sound that had been making me jump for the past 7-10 days. On the other end were my married college friends who had months ago asked me to be present with them in the delivery room for the birth of their baby. Now one day post-due date, the still unknown baby (is it a boy? is it a girl?) was officially on the way. I got ready quickly, grabbed my coffee, and drove to Lexington as fast as I could. As the rain came down in sheets and lightening lit up the sky, I heard Alanis Morrisette on the radio. In that reflective moment, it immediately took me back to our freshman year, when we all were just kids goofing off. Away from our parents for the first time, we were old enough to make our own decisions, but young and protected enough to just fiddle around with responsibility like it was a choice, not a necessity. Now we were the parents--or at least old enough to be so. Knowing that my 18 year old self could have never pictured myself in this moment, I took the 20 minute drive to reflect on those lighter times and the journey since.

Several needless details, many contractions, lots of deliberate breathing (hoo hoo, hee hee), and not that many minutes later, we were checked into the hospital. It was not quite 1 am. By 1:40, with video camera in hand, I was coaxing and consoling to the best of my ability, just trying to stay out of the doctor's way (we were all a little scared of his "bedside manner"). At 1:52, our encouragement turned to shouts of excitement, "IT'S A GIRL!" I loved her already. Julianne Elena had joined us and started her own journey, right before my very eyes. I know that someday she'll meet her own lifelong friends for the very first time and they will go on to share life's joys together. I hope I'm around to watch it all unfold.

A Grammar Lesson
Everyone should read and take note. While we're at it, let's also work on using the turn signals, people. It should be noted that my posting of this article does not mean to say that I am a snobbish grammarian who believes my grammar is always spot on. These few sentences are probably full of mistakes. It's just to say that we all have a lot to learn about our own language. But I do use my turn signal.

By Jesse Kornbluth, a New York-based writer and the founder and editor of HeadButler.com.
HOPEFULLY
Everyone uses "hopefully" as a shortcut for "I hope." It is not. Yes, the dictionary allows it, but that's just bending to popular usage. In my book, there is only one correct use for "hopefully." It's a synonym for "prayerfully"—as in, "She looked up hopefully and said, 'Dear Lord, please make it rain soon, or we'll have no harvest.'" Do you want to say "I hope"? Then say "I hope."

PERFECT
As in "the perfect vacation" or "the perfect date." No. Nothing's perfect. [Well, maybe: a perfect idiot, a perfect delusion.] People who use "perfect"—a dumb, empty, overused and altogether meaningless adjective—are not signifying their good taste, but their unwillingness to think of a more descriptive word.

EVERYONE and THEY
As in: "Everyone knows what they want." Who is this "they"? A singular subject is followed by a singular pronoun. How to write this sentence correctly? I say: "Everyone knows what he/she wants." Looks awkward? True. But at least it isn't sexist. Or wrong.

SINCE and BECAUSE
They're not synonyms. "Since" only refers to time: "Since August, he's been in a funk." It cannot be used to suggest causality: "Since he's depressed, we never call him."

VERY UNIQUE
I think this started in real estate ads, where hype often trumps truth. "Your apartment is unique? Wait 'till you see this totally unique place." Implication: The new apartment is far more unique than the old one. But something can't be "more" or "less" unique than anything else. "Unique" is an absolute. It can't take a modifier. And if you stop to think about it, you grasp that everything is unique and everyone is unique—as in "one of a kind"—and, suddenly, "unique" becomes...banal.

OVER and MORE THAN
"He has over a billion dollars." Wrong. Riveting, but wrong. "Over" refers to positioning in space—the opposite of "under," as in "over the fence." When you refer to quantity, you want "more than."

DISINTERESTED and UNINTERESTED
"Disinterested" describes neutrality. "Uninterested" suggests a negative point-of-view. A gay man may be said to be sexually "disinterested" in women; that is, he doesn't care about having sex with them. But he may be "uninterested" if a woman propositions him; that is, he has a definite opinion on the idea, and it isn't to rip her clothes off.

ITS and IT'S
Now you think I'm being insulting. But its amazing how often people get this wrong. Oops. Wrong. (But you caught that, didn't you?) I meant "it's"—the contraction of "it is." The possessive adjective has no apostrophe.

A BRUTAL MURDER
Really? Tell me about the other kind.

There you go. Ten easy lessons. No, eleven—shine your shoes.

The Cry of the Deer
also known as The Rune of St. Patrick

I arise today:
in vast might,
invocation of the Trinity;
belief in a threeness;
confession of oneness;
meeting in the Creator.
I arise today:
in the might
of Christ’s birth and his baptism;
in the might
of his crucifixion and burial;
in the might
of his resurrection and ascension;
in the might
of his descent to the judgment of doom


I arise today:
in the might of cherubim;
in obedience of angels;
in ministrations of archangels;
in hope of resurrection...
in prayers of patriarchs;
in predictions of prophets;
in preachings of apostles;
in faith of confessors;
in innocence of holy virgins.


I arise today:
in the might of heaven;
splendor of the sun;
whiteness of snow;
irresistibleness of fire;
swiftness of lightning;
speed of wind;
absoluteness of the deep;
rock’s durability.


I arise today:
in the might of God for my piloting;
power of God for my stability;
wisdom of God for my guidance;
eye of God for my foresight;
ear of God for my hearing;
word of God for my word;
hand of God for my guard;
path of God for my prevention;
shield of God for my protection;
host of God for my salvation;
against any demon’s snare;
against all vice’s lure;
against concupiscence;
against ill-wishes far and near.


I invoke all these forces:
between me and every savage force
that may come upon me, body or soul;
against incantations of false prophets;
against black lairs of paganism;
against false laws of heresy;
against idolatry, spells of women, and druids;
against all knowledge that should not be known.


Christ for my guard today:
against poison, against burning;
against drowning, against wounding;
that there may come to me merit:
Christ with me, Christ before me;;
Christ behind me, Christ in me;
Christ under me, Christ over me;
Christ to right of me, Christ to left of me;
Christ in lying down, in sitting, in rising up;
Christ in all who may think of me!
Christ in the mouth of all who may speak to me!
Christ in the eye that may look on me!
Christ in the ear that may hear me!


I arise today:
in vast might, invocation of the Trinity
believing in a threeness;
confessing a oneness;
meeting in the Creator;
From the Lord is salvation; in the Lord is safety;
Be thy right way, Lord, ever with us!


Translated by Oliver St. John Gogarty, revised by Dick Whitty

Happy St. Patty's Day!
I am wearing green this year. I think there's a tradition where you get punched or something if you don't wear green on this day. Or at least get made fun of incessantly. I should know - I forgot to wear green last year. I kept trying to convince people that my underwear was green to cover for my mistake. But they didn't believe me. Good thing, since I was totally lying. Do what you do on this day, but try to keep it as clean and well-behaved as possible. Remember - tomorrow is just March 18th and you'll still have to answer for what happened on March 17th. So have a green milkshake and mutilate the Irish accent. At least it'll be more fun than whatever you did yesterday!

Today I pay my respects to my late Irish Grandmother, Veronica Weber, who passed before I could ever know her. Thank you for blazing the way and for falling in love with my dear Grandfather (even if he was German).

Whiskers on Kittens
Sorry to everyone who reads both my blog and StephChurch's blog. Not only because we have the exact same design and layout, but also because we keep stealing blog ideas from each other. This time around I'm the dirty little thief. Hopefully this list will look a pinch different than hers.

This is all about reminding yourself of everything that you're thankful for in life - big and little alike. From snow to pizza to the mercy of God, this list is what makes life not just bearable, but actually enjoyable for me. Please no comments about how many food items are on here. With no further adieu, in alphabetical order, here are a few of my favorite things (78 to be exact).

a boss I like and respect
a college/life education
a faithful God
a family which grows closer each year
a good TV show (X-Files, Alias, Friends, Lost...)
a take-charge, strong Mom
a very cool Dad
an all-powerful God
an intimate God
better than average Coke (see McDonald's)
breakfast food
brothers
change of seasons
cheese
Chipotle
coffee
concerts
contacts
decorating the Christmas tree
dogs
down blankets
Dunkin' Donuts
eating more cookie dough than baked cookies
finding bargain clothing
finishing a run in 33 degree rain - and then getting warm/dry again
freckles
full weekends
Gap Outlet
getting my Dad's blue eyes
good music
grace
growing up in Pittsburgh
humility
inside jokes
instant messaging
iPod
iTunes
Jane Austen
kisses from my friends' kids
knowing that I still get to plan my wedding day
laughing—hard
llamas to wave at on Jessamine Station Rd.
low blood pressure (despite the amt of sodium I consume)
low-fat vanilla cone from McDonald's
"next year" for the Steelers
more than one place to call home
more to Easter than bunnies and chocolate
movie marathons with friends
movie theater popcorn with add your own butter spouts
movies that make me cry, think, laugh
my birthday
my little sister and all she's taught me
my own place
opening a new CD
packages in the mail
packed movie theater on opening night
packing for vacation
peanut butter milkshakes
people who care
people who make me laugh
races
real Christians
"refrigerator rights" at Shannan/Ed's house
road trips
running in sunny 55 degree weather
seeing the Steelers play (and win) in person this year
sleeping in
small bug population in my apt.
snow
spur of the moment outings
Sundays at my Grandparents' house
the beach
the color on the walls of my office
the internet
the library
walking to work
Wendy's Wednesdays
worshipping at my church

Bye Bye Birdie
The scene opens on me in my car, late one evening last week. I am driving down a quiet residential street on my way home. I notice what looks like a bit of trash in the road, so I adjust my wheel slightly, so as to drive over it unharmed—whatever it is. A moment before I drive over it, I realize it is not trash, but in fact a bird sitting there. Apparently the bird notices that I am not a bit of trash either, but in fact a very large car that is about to drive over it, and attempts to get out of the way. Bad idea. In the split second it takes for me to see the bird and for it to disappear under my car, the silly bird tries to fly away. Fwap! Is all I hear and for a millisecond, my new friend is once again visible above my headlight before she falls to the ground. We make eye contact—and then she is gone.

Let's just say that I don't "handle" the whole "hitting small animals on the road" thing very well. Suddenly this bird has a life and feelings and a family who are sitting around the fire back home waiting, in vain, for their mom to fly in the door any second. I am yelling into my hand, although I'm not sure why since no one can hear me. Tears are welling in my eyes, as I imagine her broken body lying on the ground, struggling for breath. I am praying out loud that the Lord will please just take the bird quickly and that she won't suffer. She will soon be flying around heaven with Grandma and Grandpa Birdie. After about a minute of such verbal grief, I get myself under control enough that I am neither yelling nor praying out loud. I resign myself to listen to the melancholy, yet soothing, music coming out of my stereo which seems to match my mood perfectly. At this very moment of resignation, I hear the words of the song that's playing, as if God Himself was responding to my prayers, "But then this bird just flew away. She was never meant to stay. To keep her caged would just delay the spring" (Travis, "The Cage").

Fly away Birdie, fly away.