7 Things You Probably Didn't Know I Am Interested In (7 Years of Blogging)

November 21, 2023


+JMJ+


It has been seven years since I started to blog. (Glory to God!) 

It has been a crazy ride sharing my recipes, my crafting projects, and my observations about Catholicism and femininity with you all. 

I know I speak a lot about my handicrafts and other feminine interests on this blog. But I would be lying if I said that this was the entirety of my interests. 

So today, in honor of this 7th blogoversary, I want to share 7 things that I am interested in that may surprise you! 



1. Engineering

My love of engineering was born when the reality TV show Design Squad aired on PBS. I was right about the age of the contestants and the projects they did on the show looked absolutely awesome. I loved the problem-solving aspects and seeing how forces interacted with each other. The main thing that stopped me from becoming an engineer in real life was...I can't math to save my life, lol. 

Nowadays, I still have a strong interest in learning about historical engineering. NOVA and Smithsonian documentaries are some of my favorites. Doubt it will go beyond that, but it's still cool!


2. Hunting/Fishing

Many times people will poo-poo hunting and fishing as masculine pursuits. In some ways, I can see why - mainly because killing something and harvesting it for food goes against the feminine nurturing spirit. 

But I am a country girl, and out here, the outdoor sports are life-bloods to us. I have fished before, though I haven't done it in over a decade. I'm not particularly good at casting, not gonna lie. May have accidentally hooked a person or two in my time (ooops). But I haven't hunted yet, and I wouldn't mind trying it once. 


3. Guns/Weapons

Again, this happened because of my obsession with reality TV. In this case, it was Top Shot and Forged in Fire by the History Channel. Both gave me a strong appreciation for marksmanship and weapons creation. 

I learned to shoot when I was a teenager. I do still like to shoot, but I do have a slight fear of shooting guns - I have a bad startle reflex when the gun kicks in my hand. Granted, what I probably need is a lot more practice, especially with an instructor. I've also shot a bow, and while I really like it, my shoulder doesn't do well under the repeated strain. Haven't done much axe or knife throwing yet, lol. 


4. Classic Cars

This one's because of my family. My mom is a big classic car fan and so are some of my brothers. Therefore, when we see an old roadster, there is a collective "Oooh!". 

I'm primarily interested in the aesthetics and the restoration processes. I'm not much of a mechanic, lol. I can't even drive half of those vehicles because I don't know how to drive a manual transmission. 


5. Skeletons/Mummies/Incorruptibles

If you knew me before 2017, you would have known that I had a morbid fear and horror of dead bodies. I still feel a little queasy if I see war casualties or murder victims (which is why I typically can't watch murder shows). 

However, skeletons in an archeological or lab setting? I'm okay with that. More than okay, I'm actually interested in those. (Though I will admit that the documentary I watched the other night on the St. Bee's Man kinda grossed me out a little.) Ancient Egyptian mummies and bog bodies are also (morbidly) fascinating to look at because of the souls connected to them. 

I think what helped me over the hump was learning about the "incorruptibles". For those who don't know what those are, they are bodies (or body parts) of saints that didn't follow the natural decaying process. Realizing that not all dead bodies are dehumanized freaks of horror (as depicted in many police and murder shows) was a big step in dealing with that phobia. 


6. Disaster Stories

As someone who tends to avoid murder shows and heavy dramatics, this may come as a surprise to some people. It started with weather disaster shows when I was a kid. Then it moved to plane and boat disasters. I had a whole obsession with Titanic during the 100th anniversary of that sinking. 

Again, I can't *usually* stand watching these for a long time. The dramatics get to me. 

But what hooks me is the "How and why did they happen" (or if people survived, lol).  Again, the problem-solving thing. This seems to be a complex, lol. 


7. Space/Astronomy

I'm sure many of you guessed that history was my favorite subject. Science was a very close second, however. As much as I loved biology, zoology, botany, and other sciences of living things, I had a very persistent interest in space and astronomy. 

Growing up in the space shuttle era was fun, y'all. I watched so many shuttle launches as a kid, and I watched the ISS fly over our house once. I learned how to identify planets and some constellations such as the Big Dipper and Orion the Hunter. I did have a telescope that we used to look at the moon a few times, but the lenses were bad. Since I am in a semi-rural area, I can still observe the stars whenever I'm out. Nothing is more beautiful to me than a clear night sky (unless it's a sunrise, lol). 

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And there you have it! 7 unusual areas of interest for 7 years of blogging. I do miss the ability to spend hours in front of a computer screen, pouring my heart into this space. As I begin to recover, I'm beginning to feel the words coming back and I hope I can devote more time to some of those deeper posts that I used to write. 

As always, I want to thank all of my loyal readers for sticking by me these past seven years - especially Lia, who is the person responsible for dragging me into this. If you would like to keep up with all of my adventures, I highly recommend that you sign up for my monthly newsletter, which is located in the sidebar. In the meantime, stay warm and have a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

In corde Mariae, 

Catherine

How can a Catholic Maiden be involved in Politics? (REPOST)

November 03, 2023

+JMJ+

Please note: This is is a repost of a post I did for the Maidens for Mary blog several years ago, and has been updated.

Now why in the world would I bring up such an unpleasant subject as this?




Well....I'll be honest in revealing that I take a lot of inspiration for posts from what is going on around me. And elections have been on the forefront recently.

Every single political decision affects women in some way, shape, or form; so I firmly believe that women and girls should at least have an understanding of the issues at hand, if not actively keep abreast of political happenings.


What sort of issues should Catholic maidens be concerned with? 


Women are more naturally drawn to socio-political issues, leaving things like economy, war, and law to men as a general rule. (Edit: This is not to say that some women individually may be drawn to these topics. This is a generalization.)

Fighting for the rights of the unborn, the family, the aged, veterans and the poor are perfect causes for women to be involved in politically. Education and healthcare are also good ones to be involved in. 



How can a Catholic maiden be involved in politics?



Our role in the political scheme of things is rather small, even for us older maidens that are of voting age. But, there are still some important things that we can do to fulfill our civic duty.


1. Research and Advocating for Candidates

I cannot stress the importance of this rather tedious and stressful process, especially during a primary election.

Catholic voters cannot, under pain of mortal sin, support a political candidate that supports abortion, homosexual "unions", human cloning, embryonic stem cell research, or euthanasia. These were called "the five non-negotiables" by Pope Benedict XVI.

I would also frown upon voting for a candidate in favor of feminism and anti-school choice (as this takes away from the parent's right to educate their children). Also look at a candidates moral position - do they support vices such as gambling, or are they living a life of horrendous public sin?

Now, how would you know what a candidate's positions and morals are?

It requires a lot of digging - through campaign materials, social media, news reports, and if they have been in office before, voting records. The latter of these can be found at VoteSmart.org or through government websites.

Some Catholic parishes will also publish voter guides for the current election. My diocese sends out a survey to all the candidates with key questions and then publishes the results online and in the print version of the diocesan newspaper. It certainly is an eye-opener!

Even if a maiden is not able to vote for a particular campaign because of her age, she can still search for good candidates and advocate for them via online and to family and friends. A woman's gift to influence is one of her highest talents, and it can be used for much good (or much evil!) in these cases especially.


2. Rallys and Counter Protests

For those who are blessed with the virtues of fortitude and patience, there are those positions at the front lines. These can take the form of Rosary rallies and sidewalk counseling at an abortion clinic to being involved in the Counter Protests for the liberal "Women's March on Washington" (yes, indeed, there were brave Catholic women on the sidewalks shouting the truth as hordes of liberals passed by!)


3. Voting

For those that can, voting is not just a right, but a moral obligation! With the vote, we have direct responsibility over the choice of our leaders. If we choose not to vote, we are basically saying "I don't care what happens to my country". This sentiment is against the virtue of Piety, of which "love of country" is a subset of.

It's not just a question of voting every four years for the next president. The vote also controls which lawmakers are put into office, who chooses candidates, and also who is in charge of the local government. All these factions require good, upstanding citizens in order to produce good just laws and enforce them correctly.

There really is no excuse not to go vote. It is easy to find out where you need to go through the county website. Voting registration can be done at the DMV (at least in my state). And if you can't physically make it to the voting site, apply for an abstentee ballot!

Note: This section contained paraphrased ideas from this article (http://www.catholicapologetics.info/morality/general/voting.htm). I highly recommend you to read this gem of an article!


Bonus: Celebrate Civic Events/Holidays

Would you believe that Memorial Day was originally instituted by women performing a corporal work of mercy?

By celebrating civic events, I don't just mean throw burgers on the grill. I mean actually going and caring for veterans graves on Memorial Day. Visiting a veteran on Veterans Day. Go to historic sites, town celebrations, and reenactments. Read the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Learn the history of why these civic holidays are special to this country.



In Conclusion....


As unattractive as politics are, it is extremely important that we keep a close eye on them - an even closer eye than we do on threatening mold in the kitchen. As women confirmed as soldiers of Christ, it is our duty to fight for Him in whatever way that we can. With our politics being in as sad of a repair as they are, it is high time for some good men to come in to office - and we have the obligation to make sure that they get there.

In Corde Mariae, 

Catherine

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