Chris and I are heading to Atlanta tomorrow morning. He will be meeting my entire family for the first time. He's met some of my family, but not all of them yet. We're both looking forward to a few days of relaxation. We have no planned itinerary while we're in Atlanta, just relax and enjoy!
Of course, I have been doing basically nothing for just over a week now. I've been sick since last Wednesday and have been to the doctor twice. I cancelled my first class meeting this past Tuesday and have only been to work a total of three hours in the past 7 work days. It appears that I have some kind of tonsilitis with a touch of laryngitis, plus a sinus infection, and pink eye. But I'm getting over it now and will hopefully not contaminate any of my family while I'm visiting them this weekend.
Happy Labor Day weekend to all. May you all have safe travels.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Tragedy in Lexington
Since 8:30 this morning I have had the local news on in my house and they have done nothing today but report on the horrible accident that occured at 6:00am this morning at the Lexington Bluegrass Airport. Many of you may have also heard about this on CNN or other news sources.
49 people were killed today in Lexington, KY after a plane crashed just after take off at 6:07am. Lexington is a small airport and most traffic out of the city is to bring passengers to major hubs for connecting flights. This particular flight was heading to Atlanta. Chances are that those of us in Lexington will either know someone on this flight or will know someone who knows someone who was on this flight. This is the first major domestic air accident in about 6 years.
Please keep the victims and the family and friends the victims of Comair Flight 5191 in your prayers.
49 people were killed today in Lexington, KY after a plane crashed just after take off at 6:07am. Lexington is a small airport and most traffic out of the city is to bring passengers to major hubs for connecting flights. This particular flight was heading to Atlanta. Chances are that those of us in Lexington will either know someone on this flight or will know someone who knows someone who was on this flight. This is the first major domestic air accident in about 6 years.
Please keep the victims and the family and friends the victims of Comair Flight 5191 in your prayers.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Noises Everywhere
Have you ever realized just how much noise you listen to every day? Every so often some study is done or some scientific report comes out about something to do with air pollution or white noise or whatever. Well, today I have noticed just how much we don't appreciate silence.
This morning I went to Church for my 6am Holy Hour and the lights were out in the chapel when I got there. The only light was from the four candles around the Blessed Sacrament and the light streaming in through the door's window from the hallway. It was earily quiet. I wasn't alone at all this morning as I prayed and did some reading, but the peace and quiet was very soothing. Sometime around 6:45 someone came in and turned the lights on.
When I left at 7am, it was still pretty quiet outside. The sun was just coming up and not too many people were driving to work yet. But once I turned my car on and the radio started playing, I had to turn it off. It was way too loud!
As today has progressed I have gotten more accustomed to the regular noise of my day. I sit at my desk listening to a CD on my computer through a head set and the fans are really loud in my office. I can hear people talking and I just tune them all out. More noises from boxes being opened, plastic being ripped, the stamps clanging against books, and so on and so on.
I miss that real quiet time from this morning and probably won't feel it again until next Monday. Eucharistic Adoration is such a powerful and beautiful experience in so many ways. Today I relaized just how important REAL quiet is and how little of it we really have in our lives.
Here's hoping that everyone finds some quiet time somewhere in thier lives! Cheers!! K
This morning I went to Church for my 6am Holy Hour and the lights were out in the chapel when I got there. The only light was from the four candles around the Blessed Sacrament and the light streaming in through the door's window from the hallway. It was earily quiet. I wasn't alone at all this morning as I prayed and did some reading, but the peace and quiet was very soothing. Sometime around 6:45 someone came in and turned the lights on.
When I left at 7am, it was still pretty quiet outside. The sun was just coming up and not too many people were driving to work yet. But once I turned my car on and the radio started playing, I had to turn it off. It was way too loud!
As today has progressed I have gotten more accustomed to the regular noise of my day. I sit at my desk listening to a CD on my computer through a head set and the fans are really loud in my office. I can hear people talking and I just tune them all out. More noises from boxes being opened, plastic being ripped, the stamps clanging against books, and so on and so on.
I miss that real quiet time from this morning and probably won't feel it again until next Monday. Eucharistic Adoration is such a powerful and beautiful experience in so many ways. Today I relaized just how important REAL quiet is and how little of it we really have in our lives.
Here's hoping that everyone finds some quiet time somewhere in thier lives! Cheers!! K
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Long weekend, but fun
It's almost 3pm on Sunday and the weekend is not over yet, but it certainly feels like it is. Friday was a good day. Work was busy, I have a ton going on right now: 5 million things and everyone wants something from me yesterday. But the day got very cheery when I received a delivery: a nice glass vase with a half dozen red roses!! They were from Chris (isn't he sweet!) and I couldn't stop smiling the rest of the day. Why the roses? Well, Chris and I have been dating for six months now. Yeah us!!
Friday night we went to a birthday party for the organist at our Church. He was turning 50 and his wife tried to throw a surprise party, but I think he found out about it. It was fun, we had a good time!
Saturday morning we went to the 8am Mass and then met some friends to go over to God's Pantry to volunteer for a few hours. God's Pantry is a distribution center for Central and Eastern Kentucky. Other groups come there to get food donations for their distribution points in the various counties. We spent the morning sorting huge bins of food items into boxes separated by category. It was a lot of work. I did learn that one of the 30+ counties in eastern Kentucky that this place helps to service is the poorest county in the country.
Saturday afternoon was another birthday party, this time for two little boys, sons of some friends of mine. They were 4 and 2 and everything was decorated with Elmo!! There was even an Elmo cake!!
Saturday was also the day for working on my next Newsletter for an organization I am part of. Chris came to my office with me and we printed the labels and set up the assembly line for putting the labels, stamps, and stickers on each of them and then organizing them by zip codes. Finally, we went home, made dinner and watched a movie.
Today is just as busy: Church, my office to do more of the Newsletter and work on the class I'm teaching this fall, and then babysitting for some friends who are going out tonight.
After this weekend I will need a weekend to recover!
Friday night we went to a birthday party for the organist at our Church. He was turning 50 and his wife tried to throw a surprise party, but I think he found out about it. It was fun, we had a good time!
Saturday morning we went to the 8am Mass and then met some friends to go over to God's Pantry to volunteer for a few hours. God's Pantry is a distribution center for Central and Eastern Kentucky. Other groups come there to get food donations for their distribution points in the various counties. We spent the morning sorting huge bins of food items into boxes separated by category. It was a lot of work. I did learn that one of the 30+ counties in eastern Kentucky that this place helps to service is the poorest county in the country.
Saturday afternoon was another birthday party, this time for two little boys, sons of some friends of mine. They were 4 and 2 and everything was decorated with Elmo!! There was even an Elmo cake!!
Saturday was also the day for working on my next Newsletter for an organization I am part of. Chris came to my office with me and we printed the labels and set up the assembly line for putting the labels, stamps, and stickers on each of them and then organizing them by zip codes. Finally, we went home, made dinner and watched a movie.
Today is just as busy: Church, my office to do more of the Newsletter and work on the class I'm teaching this fall, and then babysitting for some friends who are going out tonight.
After this weekend I will need a weekend to recover!
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Recent Book Finished
I just finished reading a book that calls itself a renovation comedy. The authors tell the story of the huge, 60-room "cottage" they bought and renovated from top to bottom. It is actually quite funny, especially for anyone familiar with small-town, Southern living.
The book is On a Street called Easy, in a Cottage called Joye by Gregory White Smith and Steven Naifeh. These two New Yorkers, having just finished a biography on Jackson Pollack (for which they go on to win a Pulitzer Prize), decide to buy this incredibly huge, totally falling apart "cottage" in Aiken, South Carolina. The book details their experiences trying to hire people to renovate the house, getting used to Southern living, and learning about the history of the house and the man who built it (William C. Whitney, one of those rich men who knew people like the Vanderbilts).
I laughed a lot reading this book. Especially as they tried to get used to the friendly, small-town atmosphere of Aiken that contrasts so much with the New York City they left behind. Definitely a fun book to read.
The book is On a Street called Easy, in a Cottage called Joye by Gregory White Smith and Steven Naifeh. These two New Yorkers, having just finished a biography on Jackson Pollack (for which they go on to win a Pulitzer Prize), decide to buy this incredibly huge, totally falling apart "cottage" in Aiken, South Carolina. The book details their experiences trying to hire people to renovate the house, getting used to Southern living, and learning about the history of the house and the man who built it (William C. Whitney, one of those rich men who knew people like the Vanderbilts).
I laughed a lot reading this book. Especially as they tried to get used to the friendly, small-town atmosphere of Aiken that contrasts so much with the New York City they left behind. Definitely a fun book to read.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Holy Day: Assumption of Mary
Hi all!!
For all you Catholics out there, don't forget that today is a Holy Day of Obligation. Today is the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Chris and I will be at the 7:30 Mass tonight at Christ the King if anyone here in Lexington wants to join us.
What is the Assumption of Mary? For those who want to know more I found quite a bit of really good information (and lots of art work) form a site at the University of Dayton (Catholic college in Dayton, OH). Check it out here: http://www.udayton.edu/mary/meditations/assumption.html
Mary is such a role model for all Catholics. Take some time today to reflect on her role in the Church even if you can't make it to Mass, or pray the Rosary, the prayer given to us by the Virgin Mary herself.
For all you Catholics out there, don't forget that today is a Holy Day of Obligation. Today is the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Chris and I will be at the 7:30 Mass tonight at Christ the King if anyone here in Lexington wants to join us.
What is the Assumption of Mary? For those who want to know more I found quite a bit of really good information (and lots of art work) form a site at the University of Dayton (Catholic college in Dayton, OH). Check it out here: http://www.udayton.edu/mary/meditations/assumption.html
Mary is such a role model for all Catholics. Take some time today to reflect on her role in the Church even if you can't make it to Mass, or pray the Rosary, the prayer given to us by the Virgin Mary herself.
Saturday, August 12, 2006
True Exhaustion
Today I discovered true exhaustion. Our Board meeting started just after 10am, we broke for lunch from 1pm until 1:40, took a 10 minute break at around 4:30 (and then only because I requested it), and we ended around 6:30pm. Minus the breaks, thats still almost 8 hours of discussing programs, budgeting, reports, other meetings, and who knows what else.
Tonight at dinner I thought I was going to fall asleep. It's only just after 10pm now and I am planning on hitting the bed very soon!
Tomorrow we head out, but I'm going to go visit a friend I haven't seen in a year who lives near Columbus. I am going to go to Church with her and her family. Then I'll be heading back to Lexington!
Good night all! Columbus has been great, but I'm ready to get back home. --K
Tonight at dinner I thought I was going to fall asleep. It's only just after 10pm now and I am planning on hitting the bed very soon!
Tomorrow we head out, but I'm going to go visit a friend I haven't seen in a year who lives near Columbus. I am going to go to Church with her and her family. Then I'll be heading back to Lexington!
Good night all! Columbus has been great, but I'm ready to get back home. --K
Friday, August 11, 2006
Made it to Columbus
I'm in Columbus, OH. Finally! Got here around 4:20pm. My morning started with a flat tire when I pulled into the parking lot of the clubhouse where my faculty retreat was taking place. Luckily we were in Lexington for the retreat this year. Last year we were in Danville, about an hour away. Called AAA, got the spare on, went home to grab the full size tire that was in my garage, went to S&S, had them replace the tire and check the air in the other three, and was back at the faculty meeting by 10:30. S&S only charged me $15.
I left Lexington after the lunch and went by my house again to pick up a few missed items, including a jacket (in August, you ask ... yes!), and was on the road just after 1pm. Traffic in Cincinnati was slow for some reason, but otherwise it was an uneventful trip with only minor amounts of rain. We are staying at a Bed & Breakfast on the "Near North" side of Columbus. The place is called the Harrison House and is very nice. We are the only guests here, four of us and one person's wife is with him. We met in the Parlor of the B&B for drinks and munchies with the CEO of OCLC. He left just before 7 and then we all headed out to dinner together.
Tomorrow we have breakfast, then our Board meeting all day. We are having the meeting at our OCLC rep's house, which apparently is in walking distance of where we are staying.
Oh, and about that jacket I picked up ... I did use it. Don't know what the temp is right now, but I bet it is around 65 or less. Definitely no humidity in the air!! It feels great and should be like this all weekend. So, yes, I have actually used the jacket.
I left Lexington after the lunch and went by my house again to pick up a few missed items, including a jacket (in August, you ask ... yes!), and was on the road just after 1pm. Traffic in Cincinnati was slow for some reason, but otherwise it was an uneventful trip with only minor amounts of rain. We are staying at a Bed & Breakfast on the "Near North" side of Columbus. The place is called the Harrison House and is very nice. We are the only guests here, four of us and one person's wife is with him. We met in the Parlor of the B&B for drinks and munchies with the CEO of OCLC. He left just before 7 and then we all headed out to dinner together.
Tomorrow we have breakfast, then our Board meeting all day. We are having the meeting at our OCLC rep's house, which apparently is in walking distance of where we are staying.
Oh, and about that jacket I picked up ... I did use it. Don't know what the temp is right now, but I bet it is around 65 or less. Definitely no humidity in the air!! It feels great and should be like this all weekend. So, yes, I have actually used the jacket.
Feast of Saint Clare
Today is the feast day of St. Clare of Assisi. I read about St. Clare a couple years back and was amazed that I had never heard about her before. She was the first female follower of St. Francis of Assisi and had quite a few obstacles to face to be able to follow St. Francis. Eventually she formed her own order (with Francis' help) and her sister and mother eventually joined her. The Order she formed is still around today as the Poor Clares. Mother Angelica of EWTN in Birmingham, AL is a Poor Clare. And how interesting that St. Clare is also the patron saint of television (among other things).
I saw St. Clare when I was in Assisi, Italy in October of 2004. She is buried in the Basilica which still houses a Poor Clare monestary. The entire Basilica was very moving! Being in Assisi was one of the highlights of my trip to Italy.
Read more about St. Clare at: http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=215
I saw St. Clare when I was in Assisi, Italy in October of 2004. She is buried in the Basilica which still houses a Poor Clare monestary. The entire Basilica was very moving! Being in Assisi was one of the highlights of my trip to Italy.
Read more about St. Clare at: http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=215
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Wrapping up Today
The last time I put together a Newsletter for one of my professional organizations the printer took five days to do the job. Yesterday I dropped off the next Newsletter at a different printer and they called today (about 23 hours later) to tell me it was done!! I almost fell out of my chair! I think I have found a new printer for all future jobs.
Today is my last day in the office for this week. Tomorrow is our full-day, start of the new year, faculty meeting/retreat. I'm going for the free breakfast and lunch and the morning discussion then I'm skipping out on the afternoon "reporting of reports" to drive to Columbus, OH.
In Columbus, I'll be staying at a B&B with several other librarians. We'll be meeting all day on Saturday as a Board to discuss business for our organization (I'm the Secretary and Newsletter Editor). Unfortunately one of our members, and a friend of mine, has decided to cancel his flight and not make the trip up from Texas, due to today's events in England. So we'll have him on speaker phone, but I'll miss seeing him and catching up. He and I usually only see each other once a year.
I'll be back in Lexington Sunday, but in the meantime I'll have my laptop with me and will report on the slightly cooler temps in Columbus. I'm looking forward to this trip!
Have great weekends all!! --K
Today is my last day in the office for this week. Tomorrow is our full-day, start of the new year, faculty meeting/retreat. I'm going for the free breakfast and lunch and the morning discussion then I'm skipping out on the afternoon "reporting of reports" to drive to Columbus, OH.
In Columbus, I'll be staying at a B&B with several other librarians. We'll be meeting all day on Saturday as a Board to discuss business for our organization (I'm the Secretary and Newsletter Editor). Unfortunately one of our members, and a friend of mine, has decided to cancel his flight and not make the trip up from Texas, due to today's events in England. So we'll have him on speaker phone, but I'll miss seeing him and catching up. He and I usually only see each other once a year.
I'll be back in Lexington Sunday, but in the meantime I'll have my laptop with me and will report on the slightly cooler temps in Columbus. I'm looking forward to this trip!
Have great weekends all!! --K
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Accomplished Day
Today was a day of accomplishments!! The organizational newsletter I have been working on is now completely done, it's been converted into an Adobe file, and I called three printers for quotes. This newsletter took less than half the time the first one I did took. I go to a Board meeting this weekend for the orgnization and I can't wait to tell them how quickly it got done. Most likely they won't appreciate it as much as I do.
Also today, Chris and I met up this evening at the UK Arboretum and took a 4-mile walk. We had been doing this once a week for a while, but had gotten very busy of late and stopped going. It felt good tonight to go walking, especially since the temp was only around 80 degrees at that time.
I hope everyone is doing well. Leave comments below to let me know anything new in your lives.
Oh, for anyone who might not have heard the news, I got tenure at UK effective July 1 this year. I am now a Librarian II (or in professorship terms, I'm an Associate Professor). Glad to be done with the promotion/contract renewal hassel each year; now I just get to review other files and write letters every year. What fun!!
Blessings to all!! --K
Also today, Chris and I met up this evening at the UK Arboretum and took a 4-mile walk. We had been doing this once a week for a while, but had gotten very busy of late and stopped going. It felt good tonight to go walking, especially since the temp was only around 80 degrees at that time.
I hope everyone is doing well. Leave comments below to let me know anything new in your lives.
Oh, for anyone who might not have heard the news, I got tenure at UK effective July 1 this year. I am now a Librarian II (or in professorship terms, I'm an Associate Professor). Glad to be done with the promotion/contract renewal hassel each year; now I just get to review other files and write letters every year. What fun!!
Blessings to all!! --K
Monday, August 07, 2006
A New Monday Schedule
Hi Friends and Family!
Today was the first day of a new schedule for me. I woke up at 4:15 am in order to be at church by 6am. I made it there by 5:55! When I arrived I replaced the one person in the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel and was alone before the Blessed Sacrament for about 30 minutes. It was so quiet and I could still see how dark it was outside. It was actually very humbling to be alone with Jesus there in the chapel. It really was a great way to start my week and, once I get used to the early hour, it'll be a great time to talk with God and pray for the well-being of all my friends and family. I started having company by 6:30, but then had a few moments alone again right before 7am when my replacement showed up.
Going off to work after my morning with the Blessed Sacrament was nice and much more calming than usual. Amazingly the project that I set aside two and a half days for got almost completely accomplished today. The last time I worked on this same project I was ready to tear my hair out, wanted to throw the computer across the room, and probably spent a whole week on it. I think I had extra support today (from above as well as from my very capable friend Kim who gave of her time and her amazing technical skills to help me out!! Thanks Kim!!).
The nice thing about Monday's now is that I can leave work at 4pm. Very little traffic driving home! I think I'm going to like my new schedule.
Tonight I joined friends at a local bar for Theology on Tap, a young adult ministry started years ago in Chicago and now appearing all over the country. In Lexington we have two six-week sessions a year. This 6-week session is called Faith in Action (they have a Hollywood clap board and everything!) and all the speakers have talked about their various outreach ministries. It's been a great session. Tonight was a priest who works in the prison system, he's at the federal hospital prison here in Lexington. His ministry sounds very interesting.
It's been a long day and I'm very tired now (at only 10:15!!) so I am heading to bed so I can be up bright and early for a new day tomorrow.
Blessings to all!! --K
Today was the first day of a new schedule for me. I woke up at 4:15 am in order to be at church by 6am. I made it there by 5:55! When I arrived I replaced the one person in the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel and was alone before the Blessed Sacrament for about 30 minutes. It was so quiet and I could still see how dark it was outside. It was actually very humbling to be alone with Jesus there in the chapel. It really was a great way to start my week and, once I get used to the early hour, it'll be a great time to talk with God and pray for the well-being of all my friends and family. I started having company by 6:30, but then had a few moments alone again right before 7am when my replacement showed up.
Going off to work after my morning with the Blessed Sacrament was nice and much more calming than usual. Amazingly the project that I set aside two and a half days for got almost completely accomplished today. The last time I worked on this same project I was ready to tear my hair out, wanted to throw the computer across the room, and probably spent a whole week on it. I think I had extra support today (from above as well as from my very capable friend Kim who gave of her time and her amazing technical skills to help me out!! Thanks Kim!!).
The nice thing about Monday's now is that I can leave work at 4pm. Very little traffic driving home! I think I'm going to like my new schedule.
Tonight I joined friends at a local bar for Theology on Tap, a young adult ministry started years ago in Chicago and now appearing all over the country. In Lexington we have two six-week sessions a year. This 6-week session is called Faith in Action (they have a Hollywood clap board and everything!) and all the speakers have talked about their various outreach ministries. It's been a great session. Tonight was a priest who works in the prison system, he's at the federal hospital prison here in Lexington. His ministry sounds very interesting.
It's been a long day and I'm very tired now (at only 10:15!!) so I am heading to bed so I can be up bright and early for a new day tomorrow.
Blessings to all!! --K
Sunday, August 06, 2006
My first post on my first blog!!
This Blog, Journal of a Nobody, is just a way to keep up with friends and family. I hope this will be a way to communicate with lots of people and to keep all of you, my readers, posted on what's going on in my life. Be patient with me as I try to figure out how to use this site.
Today i am heading off to Bardstown, KY for a surprise birthday party!! It should be fun, but hopefully we won't be out too late. I have to be at Perpetual Adoration at 6am Monday morning. That should be a great way to start off the week!
I hope everyone has had a great weekend! Have a good week!
Today i am heading off to Bardstown, KY for a surprise birthday party!! It should be fun, but hopefully we won't be out too late. I have to be at Perpetual Adoration at 6am Monday morning. That should be a great way to start off the week!
I hope everyone has had a great weekend! Have a good week!
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