Stick a fork in me.
Mood:  happy
Topic: IPF 2005
I breathe a sigh of relief as I type this. The program is officially done. I have finished the IPF program and will shortly be heading back down south...HOME. Though I enjoyed the program a great deal, I am excited about finally seeing Texas again.

See you down there!

You have to check out this video.
Topic: Funny/Cool
I saw this video and couldn't stop laughing at the dog.

http://www.davesdaily.com/videoclips/85-stupiddog.htm

Playing Catch Up
Topic: IPF 2005
Well let me catch you up on what has been happening the last month, besides that I have been too busy with work or play to update this blog. So strap yourselves in and get ready for a quick event filled ride…

June 25 weekend

I did get home without having to lay over in St. Louis; however, ironically enough I am writing this blog in my overnight stay on my way to St. Louis…but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. My trip home was a marathon of weddings and traveling. I got my friend, Beth, all married off and even saw the parents of a college friend of mine, because Beth’s parish was also their parish and they were the music ministers. The wedding was simply beautiful…using the literal meaning of simple. It was awesome to have a front row seat as I served the wedding with a fellow Victorian seminarian, David, who Beth actually claims as friends. The afternoon and evening went off according to schedule. After Michael and Beth left the reception (6:20pm according to the schedule), David and I set out for East Bernard to drop me off at my second wedding as he had the end goal: home in Shiner. I got to Riverside Hall just in time for my second reception dinner. This wedding was my sister’s-in-law sister’s wedding, so my family was there, i.e. the prince and princess--my nephew and niece. I had a wonderful time running around after my nephew as he chased the flower girl around…I believe a cousin. When I finally got home I fell on my bed and passed out.

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July 4 weekend

This weekend I went to Minneapolis-St. Paul with two buddies from St. Mary’s seminary. This one trip began a new type of tourism coined, Drive-by Tourism. It is basically getting proof of presence at land marks, e.g. capital buildings, cathedrals, in just a few snap shots barely stopping the car long enough to get the picture. However, most of our stay in Minneapolis-St. Paul was not in the drive by state of tourism. First things first, we need to get to Mass and I suggested St. Paul Cathedral in St. Paul, which was absolutely beautiful. That was pretty much it for that evening except for dinner and then beers at a pub. The next morning instead of being able to sleep in, the guys decided we all needed to make a Latin Mass so off to Mass again for the weekend. It was interesting to participate in a Latin Mass…I felt like I was stepping back in time. I was happy we went to Mass at this parish because we drove by and stopped for lunch at a Vietnamese place so I could get a fix us Pho--Vietnamese soup. The afternoon we took in a Twins game where I lived the “Take me out to the Ballgame” song because I rooted for the home team and ate peanuts. The home team did win so all was good. With the game over our next point of tourism was The Mall of America, my true reason for wanting to go to Minneapolis. It was not a astronomically huge as I thought it would be, though it was impressive to see a mini-amusement park in the center of four stories of stores.

Our trek home was the bulk of our drive-by tourism when we spent two hours looking for the cathedral of Minneapolis and when finally finding it, only getting to get pictures of the outside because it was locked up for the 4th…go figure. Out last stop was half way back to Omaha, at the capitol building of Iowa. We basically jumped out took the pictures and then got back in the car and headed back to the freeway. Back in Omaha, things went back on as usual.

Key for below pictures:

A. A waterfall in Minneapolis that took us forever to find. Are you sensin a patern of not finding what we wanted this weekend.

B. Me on a bridge at the base of the waterfall.

C. A chipmunk we saw that didn't mind us getting close. It was amazing how close we got.

D. Rides of the Mall of the America

E. Iowa's State capitol building...a victom of our drive-by tourism.

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A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

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July 9 weekend

This weekend I went to visit relatives in Columbus…Nebraska, that is. On my drive I physically experienced my blood pressure dropping in one quick instant upon seeing nothing but farm land, most of which was corn, but nonetheless reminding me of home. I almost slowed down to 20 mph because I was so relaxed, but knew I needed to set my cruise control if I wanted to get to Columbus this year. These relatives we figure our my 4th & 5th cousins…I will need to ask Uncle Johnny if this is right. These family members were a hoot and we had a good time hang out and talking life experiences and drinking beer until midnight. That’s right midnight. The dinner seemed interesting as all the adults drank coffee for supper. This was something I had never done, but found it to be quite pleasurable; however, I still need my pitcher of water or tea to fill my camel hump. This reminds me, we had a good laugh when they asked me what I wanted to drink. Not wanting to be a bother I said things I figured everyone had in their fridge…”Coke, tea, water, whatever you have.” Teresa, my 4th cousin and hostess, responded, “If you want tea you will have to make it yourself.” I then knew I wasn’t in “Kansas anymore.” I settled for a beer as a substitute. Overall, meeting my Cornhusker relatives wasn’t all that bad and actually quite wonderful. We hit if off quickly and treated each other like we had known each other for my whole life…they even didn’t treat me as a guest at the dinner table where I would have gone hungry had I been bashful, but as all know, that is something that I don’t have to worry about…being bashful.

My Project for Class
Topic: IPF 2005
I have published on the internet my final project for one of my classes. It was a website with the goal of drawing people into growing in their relationship with God. I am very proud of it, especially the opening flash video and the primary page’s graphic because I created them from scratch. I did not copy and past any format from some other site. The only thing I copied are some images that I incorporated in each element that I produced. Check it out.

https://aggieramblings.tripod.com/Spirituality/spiritualquestion.html

College World Series 2005
Topic: IPF 2005
I made it to the College World Series to the Baylor-t.u. game where the Baylor Bears ran out of time. Overall I had a good time even though the t.u. went away happy and the fact that there were 15 high school girls oogling over these two College age boys and not watching any of the game. Evidently, this is like going to the mall for Omaha teens. Their parents buy these books of general admission tickets and set the kids loose on Rosenblatt Stadium to get them out of the house.

Plus, a friend informed me that I made national television. I went behind the t.u. dugout to get the picture (see above) with my camara phone as proof. I was told that as I was making my way back to my seat in the cheapseats in right field the camara paned over to the dugout and I was on t.v. That was my national debut.

I may have had a second appearance yesterday on Father's Day. A camera guy came by to get people saying Happy Father's Day and I jumped up into view before the other fans were able to. The guy did say that it was being taped for Sunday's broadcast, but I did not sit and watch the double header to see it. And that was my CWS experience in a nut shell.

Flying from Omaha, NE to Houston = Houston to Rome
Mood:  quizzical
Topic: IPF 2005
I am planning a trip to fly home from Omaha for a friend's wedding and I was surprised to see that according the flight information at United Airlines it will take me as much time to fly from Omaha to Houston as it did to take me to fly from Houston to Rome with the loss of time figured in. I can drive it just about as fast...and they say flying is faster than driving.

Of course this is with an overnight layover in St. Louis. Tell me, why would I want an overnight layover for this short trip?

Weltjugendtag 2005
Topic: World Youth Day 2005

I thought I would share with you a bilboard that went up recently in Cologne for the marking of the 2005 gather of the world's youth.
Translated:

800,000 Youth. 160 Nations. 1 World Youth Day.

August 16-21, 2005. Held in Cologne.

Quick Update from Omaha, NE
Topic: IPF 2005
Howdy!

Just a quick update on what is going on in my life. I have been sent to Omaha, NE (Cornhusker Teritory...Licoln is just south of us.) to attend the Institue for Priestly Formation (IPF). This summer I will spend in a classroom gaining tools to better my spiritual life. We have only had three classes and I am already gaining so much in terms of knowledge of my spiritual self created by God in His glorious image. I have greatly been enjoying myself. I am up here with approximately 143 other seminarians/priests from all over the country and world. There are a few Uganda preists that hope to help bring this program to Uganda for their seminarians and preists.

Though this program may end August 4, my summer will not. I will return home and get ready to fly off to Cologne, Germany for World Youth Day 2005. I am so excited that I cannot wait to go to Germany and see the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. But I must remember that I am called to be in Omaha for these ten weeks growing closer to God and learning more about human spirituality. Please pray as I go through this program that it will truly benefit me to the core of my being and its effects will be lasting.

Lastly, here is a cool video that I found on some down time tonight and thought you might enjoy it.

http://www.guzer.com/videos/piano_balls.php

Time for Some Artwork from some Up & Coming Artists
Topic: Pastoral Year '04 - '05

Here are two pieces of art work done by two up and coming artists. Take a look and let me know what you think. If you like either picture and want a copy, you are welcome to download it from this site for a nominal fee of $100 per picture per copy.


"I make a rainbow for Parrain!"
- Blaise Rother

"Untitled"
- Unknown Kindergarten Artists

SPH, in the Diamond they Dominate
Mood:  happy
Now Playing: We are the Champions
Topic: Pastoral Year '04 - '05
SPH CARDINAL BASEBALL & LADY CARDINAL SOFTBALL 2A TAPPS STATE CHAMPIONS!

On May 14, 2005 both SPH ball clubs proved their superior quality as they completed a sweep of state titles from the diamond. The boys started the day that would end with a fire engine ride through town with a 3-0 win over The Woodlands Christian Academy, and the girls capped off the day with an excessively dramatic win over long time rivals Sacred Heart of Hallettsville. (Yep, the very schools that are fifteen minutes apart, reside in the same diocese, and also met in the Volleyball State Finals for the last two years.) Both games ended with much excitement. They baseball game ended when a TWCA batter hit a line drive right down the middle and the SPH sophomore 2nd baseman making the grab. This may sound routine, but it is what happened exactly at the moment the ball was caught, because the shortstop was also running down the ball neither of the two seeing the other one until the last possible moment and the shortstop took a dive but hit the 2nd baseman in the gut flipping him over onto his back next to the bag. The second baseman disentangled his left arm from the two-man pile and was shocked to see that he had held on to the ball during his theme park-like ride. He raised the glove, still in total shock, to show the umpire that the ball remained nestled in his glove like a baby in a carriage.

The softball game went rather uneventful aside from a two-run first inning to put SPH, the defending champions, ahead. Then in the final inning, things seemed to come unraveled for the Cardinals who committed two of their six errors in this inning and allowed three runs to put the Indianettes up 4 – 3. A pitching change helped retire the side of the inning but the damage was done and now the Lady Cardinals (who had beat the Indians both time during the regular season, one of which was a ten-run-ruled game) found themselves as the bottom of a hole from which they had find a way out. Sacred Heart entered the field with huge smiles on their faces seemingly to have fun now. St. Paul was to start the inning at the bottom of their line-up. With the first batter came the first out and brought Sacred Heart two outs away from stealing the title. The second batter just beat the throw to first, and did her patented jump for joy as the umpire signaled her safe. Now the excitement started to build for the Lady Cardinals. They had someone on base, but still had to remain poised so to get the run necessary to send the game into extra innings or the two runs necessary to win it in seven. SPH was now at the top of their line up with their only left-handed batter and quickest runner, a girl who routinely stole her way to third. After a few pitches she slapped one into shallow right field and was off to the races when the leftfielder bobbled and dropped the ball. Both runners were rounding third as the throw was made and triumphantly crossed home as the catcher caught the ball well out of reach of the runners. The sea of red that were previously nervous were now on their feet screaming for they all knew what these two runs meant...the game was over, with the score 5 - 4, and the Lady Cardinals completed the dream of having both the baseball and softball teams on top together.

The fire engine ride was now waiting for both victorious teams back in Shiner and would loudly and proudly sing the praises of the returning champions even if it was at 10:00 pm and the “roads needed to be rolled back out.” Below are pictures of the champions as they returned home.