Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Personal Musings

Still having computer problems, and have reached the point where I am going to run out to the computer store and replace my PC. I'd rather replace it that delete the entire hard drive to rework my Windows program. Seems I picked up a trojan virus in Explorer and my McAfee program can't delete it or isolate it and so as this virus wormed it's way through my browser I eventually reached the point where I couldn't even access the internet.

My trials and tribulations with my lap top have been hysterical. I have been using an ergonomic keyoard on my PC which for technical reasons I can't connect to my laptop and still be on the internet. The USB ports are too close together. In the meantime I have been making mistakes with the laptop keyboard by the millions. I've managed to delete three posts on the NCR so far this morning by accidently hitting the back button. Even though I've done it already on this post, Blogger auto saves every 10 seconds or so. It's funny how one can get habituated to using something and then be completely worthless when one doesn't have that something anymore. I'll muddle through for today and hopefully tomorrow things will return to normal.

I don't know if I've written this before, but I've been given an advanced copy of Rosemary Radford Ruether's latest book for review. It's entitled Catholicism Does Not Equal The Vatican. It's described as a manifesto for progressive Catholics and that it surely is. I've always appreciated the preciseness of Rosemary's writing and this book is no exception. I was reading a few really powerful passages to my daughter last night and she was suitabely impressed, now wanting to read it after I'm through with it. That was exciting for me as my daughter had intended to double major in theology and theatre, but dropped the theology major as one professor after another left her Catholic college for the mandatum free pastures of protestant schools. This brain drain is one of the points Rosemary articulates in her book and something she herself just recently experienced with the University of San Diego.

I sat back last night and it struck me that being given this book to review at this time was truly a gift of the Spirit. To be honest, like some of the frequent commentors on this site, I was running out of gas with battling for the progressive view in the Church. I decided I would take all these computer problems as a sign I needed a break. The break has given me the time to read both Rosemary's book and Anne Rice's books and I can feel the batteries recharging. The Good News of Jesus Christ is the most important spiritual contribution God has given the West, and something the Institutional Church is corrupting almost beyond recognition for their own self preservation. This is a battle worth staying in, even if it's outcome is beyond my own life--if only for the really brilliant kids in the generations following me.

So I'll put the old PC on a shelf in a closet, and someday my daughter will find it, and being the curious kid she is, she will be compelled to see just what is was her mother was about in these last six years. I hope she realizes I wasn't just about computer games.

7 comments:

  1. Colleen, I'm sorry you are having computer woes. You might consider getting an Apple? They seem to be less susceptible to getting viruses from what I understand. I've taken over my son's Mac OS X and I love it.

    I love the title of Rosemary Radford Ruether's latest book. It's definitely a statement thrown right at you that you can't possibly miss. The Vatican equals something else, as we know from Hans Kung and so many others.

    I am looking forward to hearing about your recent readings and what you've been able to discern from Ruether and Anne Rice. This time also allows me to recharge my batteries Colleen. While I'm still looking for work, as the other job did not work out, I am still developing some songs. Maybe I'll get out there soon to some open jams and see what happens. I used to joke that I may have to sing for my supper some day. That day may be coming soon.

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  2. Colleen, while I'm here, please fix the link to National Catholic Reporter. The link there currently brings one to another website altogether.

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  3. Colleen, I'm so glad you're back! Sorry, though, about the computer problems. When we come to rely on connectivity, it can be a drag to lose it.

    Congratulations (again) on that book review. This is an indicator of how highly regarded your blog is, and what a valuable contribution it's making--so we can't afford to have you losing computer connectivity for good.

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  4. "The Good News of Jesus Christ is the most important spiritual contribution God has given the West, and something the Institutional Church is corrupting almost beyond recognition for their own self preservation. "

    Colleen - this is so true, from the responses from the fundamentalist self-righteous like Burke who would wage "wafer wars" against fellow Catholics to those who say they are "pro-life" but do nothing to promote life but join the bandwagon to policies promoting war and poverty, to those promoting those who hid pedophiles in the institutional Church, to those whose idea of God is in a box and the only theology is the Catechism's perspective... and on and on and on.....

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  5. Colleen, it is good to have you back online. You were missed.

    Even though I havent been here as long as you, I too have been feeling frustrated with the dialogue, especially with the blatant racism that has crept in.

    What a blessing to get an advance copy of her book. I am still waiting for the official release and after reading what you wrote, am more excited than ever about it.

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  6. Wow, what a blessing this new PC is. Way faster than the one it's replaced.

    Here's an interesting story. While I was in the store buying this computer, I had the distinct impression I needed to get an updated digital camera, so I bought a Canon EOS so I can use my daughter's lenses, and she can use the digital as well as her conventional Canon EOS. (It was like Christmas over here yesterday.)

    Anyway I had to wait for the techies to install some programs so I decided to kill the time by playing a little video Keno in a local casino. While driving over I remembered a conversation I had with an Australian buddy of mine who stated that one needed to visualize an exact amount of money one needed before one did any gambling. So I took his advice and the Casino wound up buying my camera and PC and all the other stuff that went with them.

    All in all it was a very fun and successful day. My daughter has not shut up since she touched the camera, but I guess this camera is her version of a Steinway baby grand---as is this PC to me.

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  7. Congrats on the new Steinway baby grand!! I mean computer!! I will definitely let my son know about visualizing the exact amount to win before he goes gambling! I wonder if that will work for a lottery ticket, if I visualize the exact amount going into our checking account?

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