Monthly Archives: March 2010

29 March 2010

Palm Sunday

By Nicki

Today is Palm Sunday.  The church has been decorated in purple during the five previous weeks of Lent.  Purple for the desert.  Purple for the waiting.  Purple in anticipation of what is to come.

Today, if nothing else, people who walked into the church would have noticed the red.  People would also notice the fresh palms.  Palms are given out one day a year – Palm Sunday – in the Catholic Church.  Old palms are burned to create the ashes used for Ash Wednesday, a complete circle.

Palm Sunday is a day that is red on the Church calendar.  Red for the Passion that is read or enacted.  Red for the celebration of Christ coming into Jerusalem.  Red, though not the Church’s intent but in my mind, for the blood that is to be spilt this week.

Palm Sunday is the beginning of the most solemn week in the Church year.  Palm Sunday starts the week that leads up to the most important act in Christ’s ministry – the resurrection.  Christians are, after all, people of the risen Christ so without Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday – also called Maundy Thursday in some denominations, Good Friday and Easter there would not be a risen Christ and not be Christians as we know them today.

I will warn you all now.  I do not like pushing religion as I know that my readers are of all faiths and of no faith.  This is, though, an important week in my life each year.  I will write about my times in church this week.  I will write about the celebration of the First Eucharist and why it is important to remember it.  I will try to tip you all off by the title so if you don’t want to read, you do not have to read.

12 comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Just my Thoughts, Religion

29 March 2010

Lenten Fish Fry

By Nicki

Regardless of where you turn here in my area, there is a Friday Fish Fry going on during Lent.  If you are not going to or working a Fish Fry, you are probably having pirogi at another church.  Since the Photo Club I go to has food as the photographing assignment this month, I decided to take my camera to dinner at Church of the Holy Family on March 26th.  The food was amazing so here are the pictures.

4 comments   |  tags: , , | posted in Food and Recipes, Just my Thoughts

28 March 2010

Confirmation

By Nicki

Confirmation – an affirmation of a belief, a piece of evidence.  These are standard definitions.  I am, though, referring to one of the Rites of Initiation in the Catholic Church.  On March 18th, the Bishop came to town to confirm my son’s class.  There were 22 young people who were ready to take a more grown up stance in the Church.  As Bishop Costello said during his homily, we are asking a lot of people so young.  We are asking them to do something, be someone that we adults find difficult.  Yet, in their youth, in their innocence, these 22 young people are eager to do what is being asked.

Our pastor, Father Rumble, has been with our parish since it became Church of the Holy Family in August of 2008.  He has made the church, the physical church, look beautiful for celebrations.  I am sure he does not personally do all of this but it is a noticeable difference from previous years.

Below you will find pictures from Confirmation at Church of the Holy Family, Diocese of Syracuse, in upstate New York.

2 comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Just my Thoughts, Religion

27 March 2010

Leftovers

By Nicki

You would think that leftovers was a four letter word at my house.  Once we have a meal, heaven must send little messages to my kids saying do not eat that again.  Do not reheat.  It amazes me that they will gush – yes, literally gush – over a dish but then not want to eat it again.  I keep trying to tell them that most things – except I say all – taste better reheated.

So the other day – actually it was a week ago – I had some pork chops that had been in the freezer since a sale in the fall.  No one wanted pork chops and however I was fixing them back then so I had frozen the remainder of the chops uncooked.  I took these out to thaw and then went through the fridge.  I had parsnips – bought for beef and beer stew a few weeks back, carrots – always on hand, cabbage – leftover from St Patrick’s Day and not yet cooked, celery – always on hand, spinach – always on hand.  I decided then and there it was pork stir fry

Pork Stir Fry

with rice.  I almost always – unless I have been lazy and not done my grocery shopping – have rice on hand.  So off I went to get the new – yes, it was a Christmas gift from a good friend  but I still call it new – frying pan.  I love this pan!!!  I didn’t quite julienne the veggies but did cut them up.  And here is the stir fry that went on top of the rice.


2 comments   |  tags: , | posted in Food and Recipes, Just my Thoughts

26 March 2010

Looking for me?

By Nicki

I hate to say it but you will have to head over to The Kitchen Witch if you are looking for me today.

As part of “Won’t you be my neighbor?” over at The Never-True Tales, I am guest posting for Kitchen Witch today as she heads out on vacation.

And, if you want to see other Neighbor Posts, visit Kristen at Motherese for a list.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , | posted in Just my Thoughts

25 March 2010

A Quarter Ending

By Nicki

No, I have not taken up reporting my taxes on a quarterly basis.  I am, though, thinking it is time to review any of those goals, or if you use the term, or resolutions that were made back in January.  Without accountability, goals and resolutions and aspirations are just words – but hopefully ones that you wrote down somewhere.

Goals and dreams are hard work to attain.  I know as I have reached a few and watched several friends chase and reach theirs.  It is not, as I said back in January, just a matter of setting something to chase after.  There are small steps to reach the big goal.  There are training runs to do before the big race.  There are resumes to write before getting the dream job.  There are interviews to attend.

I set a goal, in a post at Motherese in January, to run a race every month but January and February.  To that end, as the race in March was a half marathon, I started training.  I ran just under 100 miles in January (99.3 miles – if I had been paying closer attention I could have broken 100), 117.2 miles in February – including a race I had not anticipated, and 84.6 miles so far this March.  Yes, I have two races under my belt and a third coming up on April 11.  I am working my goal and finding additional races throughout the year to fill in my race calendar.

Now, as I did in January, I wasn’t paying attention.  I could have gone over the 100 mile mark for the month – which I would like to do but it is not necessary – had I worked it harder.  But that is not what has brought me to looking at where I am so far at the quarter into the new year mark.  There has to be a better wording for that but it is 6:43 and I have to be out of the house in 45 minutes for a conference.  As I have said before, I get these emails and I got one that made me think of reviewing my annual goals and aspirations to see how I was doing.

The things that are hard to bear, are sweet to remember.

- Lucius Annaeus Seneca


So I leave you with a question and it is a doosy.  How are you doing on whatever resolutions or goals you set for the year 2010?

17 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Fitness, Just my Thoughts

24 March 2010

Do As I Say, Not As I Do

By Nicki

Have you ever heard those words coming out of your mouth?  I am sure if you are the parent of a teenager, you probably have.  I know I have.  My biggest problem with those words is when it comes to something new in life – well, new relatively speaking.

I want my children to do as I say, and not as I do, in regards to internet safety.  Now, I will admit this is not the problem it was when I first got broadband internet over ten years ago.  Back then I had six kids living at home and the oldest was only 15.  I definitely did not want them doing what I was doing.

No, I am not doing anything horrible online.  As an adult, though, I allow myself to do some things I would not allow a pre-teen or teenager to do.

Let’s take this scenario.  You, the adult, talk to someone online for several months.  You have a fairly good repertoire but have never spoken on the phone or met each other.  You may have some mutual friends who vouch for the person but you may not.

You are throwing a big party.  It is going to be at your house.  You invite this person, giving detailed directions to your home and providing both your home number and your mobile number in case the new friend gets lost.  You do not think another thing of this.

Here is another scenario.  Your 14 year old is chatting with someone online.  It may be via IM or it may be via email.  This goes on for some time.  Your child tells you that this person is another teenager that lives a couple of towns over.  Suddenly, your child wants to, without an adult accompanying him, meet the online friend.  As a parent, you say no.  Then, your innocent 14 year old throws your inviting the online friend to the big barbecue.

I can see where the 14 year old would think these situations are the same but are they?  Do you allow the 14 year old to do as he wants?  OF COURSE NOT!

This is a case of “do as I say, not as I do.”  I have had this particular case thrown in my face several times.  The top instance is an instance that happened in my life.  The 14 year old is not but I will say I get snippy kids when I want to read messages sent to the 15 year old.  I do this frequently.  It is part of the agreement that he can use the computer.  I can check whenever I want.

Another issue is web cams.  How do we deal with this?  This video might help explain it.  It is funny but also scary.  Happens that all those involved are adults but who says some kid is not watching this or on Chatroulette.

How do you explain internet safety to your children?  How do you explain it to yourself?  Do you think adults should have different rules on internet safety than children or young adults?

17 comments   |  tags: , | posted in Family, Just my Thoughts

22 March 2010

Awards!

By Nicki

I am way behind.  I acknowledge that Amber at Making the Moments Count gave me the Sunshine Award about ten days ago.  Then, actual sunshine came to Upstate New York and I have been spending as much time as I can in the out of doors and the sun.  I still have to work but am not writing quite as much so need to get going with this.

The Sunshine Award is to be passed on to bloggers who are positive.

So, in the spirit of the Sunshine Award, I will pass it on to these bloggers.

  • Gary’s Third Blog – Gary is a friend of mine who happens to be a potter.  His blog is wonderful, filled with photos and music.
  • Long Legs on the Loose –  Katye’s blog is filled with her adventures in running and giveaways.  She is also doing a fundraiser for Team in Training currently.
  • Making the Moments Count- Like I said in the original post about this award, I can’t believe Amber – who has two small children – thinks my trials with teens are positive.  She has a great attitude so I HAVE to give it back to her.
  • Ten Dollar Thoughts – I love how deep Gale gets and her March month long challenge to eat vegetarian.
  • No Meat Athlete – I love Matt’s blog about being an athlete fueled by plants.  I saw Matt run the Wineglass Marathon in October of 2009 and find all kinds of information on his blog.

There you all go!  More sunshine now that the rain is falling in Upstate New York.

11 comments   |  tags: | posted in Just my Thoughts

20 March 2010

NCAA Sports

By Nicki

I have written about collegiate sports on many occasions.  This particular occasion comes to you via an ad that the NCAA is running during the current basketball tournament.  I have to write about something having to do with the Madness and my bracket is not the thing as it is dismal after two days of play.

People frequently will be heard complaining about the cost of tickets to this sporting event or that sporting event.  I do it myself sometimes.  I have never complained about admission prices for a college game, though.  Sometimes, it is expensive for college sports but most times, it is barely enough to cover upkeep of fields, rinks and courts.  I thought, and now I have seen the ad below several times, the NCAA had hit the nail on the head the first time I saw the ad below.  It gets across the point that the monies collected through broadcast rights do not just sit in some big organization.

To see more about my NCAA rantings and ravings, check out the links below.

Division One Downfall

Holy Hockey, Batman!

Academics, Athletics and the University

NCAA Recruiting Rules Change

Facebook, MySpace and the College Athlete

Road Trip Coming

“A Matter of Class”

Teen Identity

12 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Collegiate Sports, Family, Just my Thoughts, Sports

17 March 2010

The Tulips

By Nicki

As I sit waiting for my oldest, I think I should have brought my brackets – men’s and women’s NCAA basketball.  Or I should have brought my lap top.  I could be writing.  Instead I am scribbling words on a magazine subscription card.

I just heard the weather forecast on the radio.  I am thrilled!  I may be incorrect.  Yes,  there may be something I am not good at – Ha! Ha!  I swore when this spell of warmth started that we would see snow again.  Technically, we couls as nights are cold.  It does not, at least in the short term, seem we will.  Highs in the 60′s for a few days, rain possible at the end of the full day seems spring  may be here to stay.

Yesterday, as I did some home maintenance, I noticed the tulips had pushed a good few inches through the ground.  I wonder how these fragile greens can poke through hand, sometimes still frozen, ground.  Where did they get their strength, in their fragility?

Spring bloomers, like the tulips, have an inner strength like many people I know.  These people are fragile yet still have the strength to push through life’s trials and tribulations.

There are those with health issues – chronic illness, seasonal sickness.  He may stumble due to this health but ultimately he continues to parent, to work.  He has those few inches of stem poking out of the hard ground.

There are those who are facing financial problems.  She can barely make ends meet but manages to pay the bills until that month when, like trying to poke through totally frozen ground, everything happens at once – the electric disconnect, the cable/phone/internet disconnect, the car insurance all due at once.  The money, that evil necessity that has never been the sparkle in her eye, is coming but not at the right time, not in time.  She manages.  She knows who can loan her what she needs.  She know which bills can be put off.  She breaks through the ground slowly, hesitantly, like the tulips, hoping a freeze is not on the way.

Every now and then, words just flow out without a lesson necessarily.  I would say that we should all realize we don’t know what is happening with our perennials anymore than we do with our neighbors.  We help the flowers by covering them when a freeze is imminent.  We need to help our neighbors when possible, too.

22 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Just my Thoughts

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