What I read this week and some other things

Every week, I curate a list of the best links and articles to make you think and keep you informed. Enjoy!

Things are finally starting to calm down around here. I spent the last couple days with Andrew and Anna, which was really great. Hope you all are enjoying this last week of May!

My Writing

Two years ago: Retreat, A Rule of Life, and Letting Go (Spiritual Uprising)

What I read this week:

Popery (Catholicism/Spirituality/Religion):

• A Letter from Fr. Richard Rohr: Although this letter is inviting us to a conference, I think that reading the way Fr. Rohr talks about the election is important. "If we do not own our fears, they will continue to manipulate our politics, culture, and religion, reinforcing a polarized and divided society. Time is much too precious—for each individual life and for our planet as a whole. We must bring as much passion to our cause as do those who call for building walls. But our job is to tear down walls." I invite you to read the rest. 

• The Catholic Church’s Drinking Problem (Millenial): Reading this article reminds me of a man who came to speak at UD Campus Ministry's Dinner and Discourse and talked about how alcohol can be sacramental, but it can also be addicting and damaging. In the Catholic Church, we have a definite drinking problem. I'm interested in what you, my friends and readers, think. 

• Dorothy Day: Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History (Ignatian Solidarity Network): I love Dorothy Day. "The prospect of Day as a modern-day saint would give young Catholic women many things to chew on. In a world focused on telling young girls to look pretty in Photoshop selfies or that their self-worth is measured by internet followers, it is important for young women to have a role model who is hard-working, smart, and selfless. Day is a fantastic role model because she was marked by the virtues of Christ—justice, mercy, compassion, and love. When I think of what kind of woman I want to be, Dorothy Day comes to mind. In deed and word, she illustrated that Catholic leadership is not limited to men, but open for all. Canonizing Day would also show women and men that sainthood is an attainable feat for all, not reserved for some. Through her conversion story, Day represents all of us as sinners in need of grace." I hope they do canonize her. 

• Vatican PR aide warns Catholic blogs create ‘cesspool of hatred’ (Crux Now): An interesting point. I think that a lot of the time I'm easily angered by the things that Catholic Bloggers write and this is why--“Often times the obsessed, scrupulous, self-appointed, nostalgia-hankering virtual guardians of faith or of liturgical practices are very disturbed, broken and angry individuals, who never found a platform or pulpit in real life and so resort to the Internet and become trolling pontiffs and holy executioners!” I hope that I am never accused of this, but God knows I've been attacked for enough of the orthodox, yet "liberal" things that I post. Ugh.  

• Dear Church (A Frank Letter From A Queer Christian) (Nomad): This is beautiful, familiar, heart-wrenching. 

• Pope Francis might jettison idea of a ‘just war’ (Crux Now): About time. 

Pens/Pencils/Stationery:  

• Watching Ink Being Made Is One Of The Most Satisfying Things We've Ever Seen (Digg): This is really cool. It's not really fountain pen ink, it's printer ink, but still awesome!

• Can you see the point? Indian teenager has the world's biggest collection of PENCILS with more than 14,000... and he's still hunting for more (Daily Mail): This is pretty intense and overwhelming for someone like me, but I guess it's kind of cool. 

Paperbacks (Reading, Books, and Writing):

• More than 600 American authors are trying to stop Trump (LA Times): Some great authors join the never-ending list of people who oppose Trump. 

Life in General:

• Crazy In The Blood (Appalachian Ink): Another great reflection from my favorite blogger. 

• For 70 Years, A Mug In Auschwitz Held A Secret Treasure (NPR): This is amazing. How many more treasures are still yet to be found? I wish they could be connected back to their owners. 

• What’s Behind the Surprising Trend of Board-Game Cafés? (Aleteia): I think this is kind of cool. My friends and I love playing board games, although we have switched to cooperative games wherever possible because some of us struggle with being too competitive! I wonder if there are any board-game cafes around here?

Tough and Awkward Topics: 

• We Weren’t That Resilient (Maureen O'Leary): This is an important reminder for people who complain about "young people these days" and how weak or sensitive they are. We really weren't that resilient. I think about this a lot, working with my students I see a lot of brokenness. They're no more broken than we were, though, and they have a hell of a lot more hope and desire to change the world. 

• Banging on the doors of bigotry (Socialist Worker): I don't know very much about DePaul, other than that I have former students who considered going there. However, I think that what's happening there is a microcosm for what's happening in the larger political arena. Something to consider. Note: This is not an objective source. Do your own research, too. 

• Let's Talk About the Toxic Way South Korea Is Handling its Rape Problem (Vice): Trigger warning. 

To Make You Smile:

• 100 years of kitten beauty is the 100 years video we've all been waiting for (Hello, Giggles): Now this is a good beauty video. 

Academia, Education, and Teaching: 

• The Undead Language: Latin is Hot in Loudoun Schools (Loudoun now): Not new to me--Latin is hot everywhere! (Or should be!)

Parenting: 

• 4th Grader Comes Home With Disturbing News—Then Mom Realizes Her “Worst Nightmare” Is Coming True (Faith It): I think this is an important. "It’s simply not enough to instruct your children to “Be Nice!” You’ve got to be more specific than that. Kids think if they aren’t being outright unkind, they are being nice. We know better." There are a lot of "good" kids growing up to be bullies because no one teaches them compassion. We say "be nice," but nice isn't real. Teach kids to be kind. 

• What I Teach My Teenage Daughter In Response To Her School’s Sexist Dress Code (Patheos): This is important. Teaching kids that they have control over their bodies and that they cannot cause someone else to be distracted (sin) is crucial to creating a world where rape-culture isn't a thing. 

• I Don’t Want Obedient Children (Love, Joy, Feminism): This article is great in pointing out that the tradition of children being ever-obedient, unquestioning, seen and not heard, is detrimental to the adults that the children grow up to be. I appreciated this quote: "My husband often says that he’s not raising children, he’s raising adults. After all, our job as parents is to prepare our children for adulthood, not simply to mitigate the challenges of raising children in the here and now." And I appreciate this one: "In the end, I don’t want obedient children. I want children who are curious, confident, and compassionate, children who know how to communicate effectively and value cooperation and compromise."All parents should so discern. 

What I Read and Wrote over Spring Break: A Couple Weeks in Review

Every week, I curate a list of the best links and articles to make you think and keep you informed. Enjoy!

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What I wrote this week:

• My Thoughts on Academia and a Plea for Help: In which I explain why we go to conferences and ask for some support. 

What I read this week:

Popery (Catholicism/Spirituality/Religion):

• Jesus was a Protester (Sojourners): I am honored to be associated with a group of womens religious that has members who have been in jail for protesting, who protest and are activists and stand up for the Gospel. I think that people who get upset about "protesters" haven't read enough about the great protester, Jesus. I love this article for pointing this out. 

• The Four Arguments for Affirming Same-Sex Marriages (Experimental Theology): Whether or not you agree with these arguments, I think they are really important for you to read. The arguments are strong and can help with dialogue between the two sides of this argument as well as leading to a more deepened understanding. 

Pens: 

• Left-handedness And The Greatest Insult Of All (The Pen Addict): Although this is an older post, I have only just read it. I love this reflection on left-handedness. Although I am a righty, my mom is a lefty and it makes me more aware of it. What hand do you write with?

• What Makes The Stationery Community Great (The Pen Addict): This is particularly meaningful for me this morning. Yesterday, I went to a pen meet up and was reminded, again, how much I love this community. Great people! This is a wonderful reflection on a community that welcomes anyone and everyone to its ranks. 

• How Handwriting Sharpens Your Mind (Huffington Post): I love this article. It's very informative about how writing by hand is different from other tasks and uses a different part of the brain. Check it out! 

Paperbacks (Books and Writing):

• A Slow Books Manifesto (The Atlantic): This. This is a great idea. 
• Writer’s Kit: 3 Things to Keep You Going When the “Shiny” Wears Off (NaNoWriMo Blog): Great tips not only for novel writers, but dissertation writers as well! 

Life in General:

• Your Great-Great Grandparents Didn’t Sleep Like You (And Here’s Why) (The Vintage News): This is kind of interesting. I wonder how this would work out for some of us who have problems getting enough sleep.

• How I Forgot Myself And Ended Up With A Miserable UTI (Ravishly): I'm not lying when I say that I know this feeling exactly. It's so easy to get seriously ill when you're paying attention to everyone else's needs. The exact first moment when I realized I needed to leave Indiana? Driving myself to the urgent care when I could barely stand. I was severely dehydrated and ended up with a UTI--all because I was trying to run welcome week without help.  

• While Atlanta was a Burnin' (Appalachian Ink): I adore how this woman writes. She writes with so much honesty that I can't help but love her, even if we don't see eye to eye on everything. But I have to say, I have never heard a more true statement than this about life in a mountain culture: "With no industry comes no work, and with no work comes despair, and with despair comes the dope." And this paragraph, too, is true, though I might see it a little different: "And the churches, they have cropped up everywhere in this town and others like it, and another springs up just about every week, passing around collection plates and letting poor folks know without saying so that it’s better to invest in the next life than this one. They buy prayers instead of supper, and they go to bed hungry for good news." Even as a Christian and former minister, I've seen this all too often in my hometown. I love her message. Read her writing, I promise it soothes the soul. 

• Choose to Hear Love Instead (Scribbles and Crumbs): I love this article and I appreciate the message. Sometimes people don't know what to say. You have to choose to hear love instead. 

• 17 More Times Feminists Had The Perfect Comeback (Buzz Feed): This might be one of the best things I've read in a long time. 

Be Aware:

• Manitoba First Nation declares state of emergency over suicide epidemic (CTV News)

• My three daughters are autistic. I despise Autism Awareness Month (Washington Post): On some levels, I disagree with this article. I think that some people who have high-functioning autism (like aspies), need to celebrate the things that make them unique and doing so helps others understand. But, autism is a spectrum and by focusing on the high functioning members, sometimes we forget that there is a more complicated life being lived by caretakers whose children/wards are unable to complete simple tasks without significant help. Be aware. 

• Watch: Women diagnosed with autism late tell their stories (Autism Speaks): To go along with the article posted above, I wanted to share this. I have been able to interact with multiple women who have been diagnosed as adults and I recognize a lot of the qualities in myself. I think it's important to see how autism looks differently on different people, especially women. Be aware. 

• New Statistics Show Just How Broke Millennials Actually Are (Post Grad Problems): To all my family members who hear me say I'm broke and think that I'm exaggerating... 

To make you Laugh:

Education and Teaching:

• he infrastructure that supports a dissertation is ridiculous. (Mel Chua): This totally awesome article is written by my good friend, Mel. I think it is really important to think about the infrastructure required for academics to succeed. Yes, we need lots of willpower, but we also need support. I wouldn't get very far without my friends, my librarian, and my access to materials. 

• Why do academics drink so much? (The Guardian): As a PhD student who spends a significant amount of time not just at her own institution, but also at her alma mater, I have to say: this article hits the nail on the head. We are constantly drinking. As someone who prefers not to drink at all, but most especially not around people she works with, I often feel out of the loop. 

• Cheer up, my academic colleagues! We're so lucky to do this job (The Guardian): I really appreciate this article. I am often exhausted and overwhelmed, but I realize how lucky I am to have such a cool life. I hang out with college students and talk about grammar. What could be better?

• Positive Strategies to Avoid Stress, Anxiety, and Burnout (edutopia): I have been struggling with this a lot lately and have been afraid of burning out because of how much work is on my plate. I think that these strategies will help a lot. I hope they help you, too!

• The Conference Manifesto (New York Times): It's ironic for me to post this just after posting my own mini-explanation of the academic conference, but I think that this article is on point. 

• The Life Of Overwhelmed College Students As Told By Friends (Odyssey): This was just too cute (and real for undergrads) to not share. 

Simplicity and Minimalism:

• How I Created a Wardrobe I Love While Spending Less Money than Ever (Verily): I frequently post about capsule wardrobes and this is another great article along the same theme. I cannot stress enough how much easier this makes your life. 

Environmentalism, Farming, Food, Health, and Nutrition:

• A West Virginia Family Leaves Coal for Local Food—And Wants to Help Others Do the Same (Yes! Magazine): This is a great article about people doing good in Appalachia. Farming, building up the land, feeding people--so much better than destroying the earth to get a little bit of coal. Coal is dying. Let's embrace agriculture again. 

Parenting:

• The Reason My Daughter Will Remain an Only Child (Scary Mommy): For my friends who have struggled with post-partum depression and for those who struggle to understand/believe it. 

Link Love Friday- Christmas Edition

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Merry Christmas! For those of you taking a break from the stress of holidays and family by escaping to the web (or those of you reading this after Christmas), here are some great articles that can help you reflect. This is a day late, but worth the wait. 

Life

• Be grateful (Be grateful) This website is awesome and simple. You go to it and it gives you a reason to be grateful taken from people's posts. It definitely puts things into perspective. 
• Your iPhone is Ruining Your Posture--and Your Mood (NY Times) Important info to think about. 
• No One Gets to be a Messiah: On Quiet Acts of Kindness + The Human Reality (Sometimes Life Does Actually Suck) (Meg Worden) Truth! We need to be more kind to each other and more understanding. 
• 9 reasons why writing in a journal should be your only resolution in the new year (UP Worthy) Journaling more and writing more in general is my main resolution this year. This article shows why journaling is important and can help. 
• This superintendent has figured out how to make school work for poor kids (Washington Post) With the whole country looking at our high rates of violence and racism, it's not often that I'm proud of the education and government systems in Missouri. But this story is awesome and I hope it can inspire other school districts around the nation. 
• Family Food Feud: Relatives and Allergies (Allergic Living) I'm sharing this because it hits so close to home. I have an uncle who has said multiple times, "A little gluten won't hurt you." Now I know I can never eat anything he brings because he might "test" my allergy and make me sick for a solid week as a result. Fortunately, I have some awesome family members and great friends who do "get" it, even if some of them had to learn it the hard way seeing my allergies in action. Once you've seen the way I react to gluten, you never doubt it again. I'm a totally different person. I think one of my former students summed it up nicely when she told me she loved me but doesn't like me when I have gluten. That's okay kid, I don't either.
• If you’re 30% through your life, you’re likely 90% through your best relationships (Quartz) This one is depressing, but eye opening. It makes me want to appreciate time with the people I love so much more. 
• The Dark Side of Success and What I’m Changing in the New Year (Goins, Writer) A good reflection on the importance of looking at what we really want and the true source of our motivations. 

Simplicity/ Minimalism

• The Fall of Materialism: Why More Millennials Aspire to Have Nothing (Elite Daily) This article reflects the draw towards simplicity experienced by young people. "Although they are often called lazy or entitled by their parents, Millennials do not want to trade their lives for money. They have watched what that life did to their parents. They want something more than a comfortable life; they want meaning."

• Sell Everything: What I learned selling (almost) all of my belongings to start over — and why you should too (The Hustle) I love this reflection on the act of selling everything and the freedom that comes with it. 

• Even my Furby knows it: our love affair with shopping is over (The Guardian) "What do you get the species that has everything? Manufacturers can stave off the inevitable by building in obsolescence and selling everything as a positional good – a thing you need to prove to others that you’re 1% better than they are. But one day, the answer to that question will be: nothing."

• Between Decluttering and Minimalism (Simple Family Home) This reflection touches on the experience of moving from the decluttering stage into true minimalism. 

• How we help curb the ‘I want that!’s during the holidays (The Art of Simple) I like this article about curbing the "I want" feeling around the holidays-- and all year round. I especially appreciate the difference between I like and I want that she makes so clear for her kids. 

Spirituality/Catholicism

• Prince of Peace (America) In this great reflection on Christ's role as Prince of Peace, the writers remind us that peace cannot be found in fear. "Herod was presented with the Messiah, but fear prevented him from listening. Similarly, fear prevents us from listening today to people most in need. If perfect love drives out fear, as St. Paul said, perfect fear drives out love." 

• Massachusetts Court: Religious Liberty and Rights of LGBT People Can Co-Exist, But Not According to Right-Wing Frame (Huffington Post) Going along with the post above, we are being reminded that we must not be afraid of others who are different from ourselves.

• 8 Ways Jesuits & Jedi Are Alike, and 3 Ways They’re Not (The Jesuit Post) This made me smile and it's really interesting how close the two orders are! 

Books

• Build Your Kids' Libraries With these Wonderful, Beautiful Books  (Modern Mrs. Darcy) I love the look of some of these books as well as the story inside. 

• Literary Iceland Revels In Its Annual 'Christmas Book Flood' (NPR)  BRB, I'm moving to Iceland. (I wish)

Education:

• Why Americans can’t write (The Washington Post) I enjoyed this article, which is too true from my experiences as a teacher. 

Farming:

• Horsepower vs. Horse Power: Which Wins? (Modern Farmer) This is a fascinating article about how a lot of sustainable farmers are moving back to relying on teams of horses. I've been interested in this for a while. "Leslie believes farming with draft animals can create a “truly regenerative agriculture” that can help humans reclaim their place in the fabric of life. “Those who farm this way are engaged in relationship. At its best, this relational quality can further enhance the qualities that have made us most human; qualities such as trust, loyalty, and empathy. A relationship with a horse, even a practical working relationship, can change your way of seeing and relating to the world,” he says."
• Is Eating Lettuce Really Worse For The Environment Than Eating Bacon? (Modern Farmer) This is an interesting article about a new study from Carnegie Mellon.