Replacing most of my ads!

I had a brainstorm (frightening). Sometimes you just need to see stuff on your site to realize you need to change something. I've decided to replace most of my ads with fair trade ads, ads of interest, and catholic merchandise ads. Stay tuned.

"Getting Operational" was Postponed

Well, I spent pretty much my whole day tweaking this blog. The picture under the title is one I took last November just before driving home to the Southeast. I would like to say right now that I love Picnic App on Flickr. It let me crop and make that pic look better than it actually is. Cool!

I am hooked on blogging! Geepers. Truthfully, my goal is to have three blogs going and to write 330 articles for ehow.com in 6 months. Hopefully my day will consist of writing 2 articles in the a.m., selling ads for 2 hrs/day for www.homeeddirectory.com (really cool site - happy to be getting started with them), working 6.5 hrs/day for Cloud10, posting on one of the three blogs every night. Blah, Blah, Blah. Do anybody really care? Thanks for letting me vent. Long story short: I'm learning blogging so I can quickly make other blogs for income, using my gifts, doing something I enjoy, and spreading Gospel at the same time.

The other two blogs will be a.) Florida Cracker Cooking and b.) Catholic Voter's Guide/Social Issues based on Papa Bennie's Intentions (that's Pope Benedict - I like him a lot, said like the dumb and dumber guy). For that 2nd one I have a couple of guest authors in mind.

Shew, so there you go. Cloud10 was having technical difficulties today and my session was rescheduled, I blogged my bottom off, and I missed my pal Amy's phone call today because my phone was in my bedroom charging. Shout out to that gal who is on spring break up in Media, PA! Here's a prayer for her ailing Gram from www.ourcatholicfaith.org:

Prayer for the Sick
Dear Jesus, Divine Physician and Healer of the sick, we turn to you in this time of illness. O dearest comforter of the troubled, alleviate our worry and sorrow with your gentle love, and grant us the grace and strength to accept this burden. Dear God, we place our worries in your hands. We place our sick under your care and humbly ask that you restore your servant to health again. Above all, grant us the grace to acknowledge your will and know that whatever you do, you do for the love of us. Amen.

How about the earthquake in Italy last night? Please pray a prayer for the departed, their families, those working in and around the area, those affected, the injured, etc.

Father, thanks for another grand day. Amen

Pleasant night to all...

How about this stunning, serendipitous pic taken by dad between Jackson, WY and the Jackson airport.

The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart

Wow, I loved the Palm Sunday mass at the cathedral in Pensacola at the 5:30 pm service. I was kind of bummed that we didn't process in, though. The building is old and cool, with its Spanish flavor. Not one for the more modern influences at a mass, I enjoyed the electric guitar, drums, etc., and I wasn't even put off by the big screen at the front with the words to the hymns projected on it. In fact, I thought it would be a great place for protestant family and friends to attend with me because so much is on the big screen - readings, Nicene Creed, etc. When I first started going to Catholic churches, I remember being sort of flummoxed as to what was going on. Any time family or friends go with me they always ask something along the lines of "what if I don't know what to do?".

Anyway, I'm rambling. I'm such a night owl. It's 1:20am, and I still have some stuff to do to my computer to get ready for my "getting operational" with my new job tomorrow. I better get crackin'. I'm feeling better about my lentin(sp?) journey, I guess. It's not that it's been particularly bothering me, really. It's just that I wanted to include more prayer in my day and wanted to start volunteering at a local homeless shelter. Maybe I can get more of that set up this week. Well, to all a good night. Let's go out with a prayer. Hmmm. Here's the Anima Christi from the EWTN website:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from Christ's side, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints
and with Thy angels
Forever and ever
Amen

Pic is another my Dad took in Alpine, WY

Holy Week

Well, Holy Week is upon us.

My Saturday cleaning job at Navarre Beach kicks my butt so much that I wasn't able to make it to St Sylvester's at 11 am as I usually do. Happily, I've found a 5:30 pm mass at the cathedral in Pensacola that I can make it to. Also, as I said previously on my blog, I've been remiss in my practice of lent and hope to salvage what time I have left. The following link I found helpful to see what's happening in the Western FL panhandle as far as Lent requirements and Holy Week are concerned - hope others find this of use as well: http://www.pnj.com/article/20090404/LIFE/904040304/1004.


Also, I want to post a bit from that link re. the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pensacola, especially because of my own need for sort of an 11th hour confession service:

"- Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 1212 E. Moreno St. Holy Week: Mass with palms, 4 p.m. today (Saturday, April 4) ; 8, 11 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Formal blessing of the palms by The Rev. John H. Ricard, 11 a.m. Sunday. Communal Penance, 3 and 7 p.m. Monday. Chrism Mass, blessing of the oils to be used in Baptism, Confirmation and Anointing of the Sick with lunch to follow, 10 a.m. Tuesday. Parish and RCIA Seder supper, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Mass of the Lord's Supper with The Rev. Ricard, 7 p.m.; 8 to 11 p.m. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Thursday. Good Friday, reading of the Passion and Eucharistic, 3 p.m.; Stations of the Cross and Veneration, 7 p.m. Friday. 438-3131."

It seems that God always provides, even in my disorganized ways. I just came into the church last year, and sometimes I don't get everything done. I'm not making an excuse here, just stating reality. The changes in my life, even in my sloth and disorganization, are undeniable, and a testament to God's amazing provision and Love through his son, Jesus Christ.

Our Father...

Photo by Phyzome from Wikimedia Commons of a Red Bellied Woodpecker.

Note about bird photos: I will often post photos of birds common to NW FL because of my love of birds and because of one of my favorite passages from Matthew 6: 25-34. Basically, God's provision is illustrated in this passage (Matt 6:26) from the NAB:

Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they?

BTW, I gave up worrying for Lent :).

What to do when your washer doesn't spin.

Our dryer stopped working yesterday, which was a mild pain in the A. Sis and the fam were getting ready to head back home and didn't want to take nasty wet stuff in their suitcases. My other sister, Cheryl, aka my housemate, went online and found this great youtube.com howto to solve the problem. What did we do before the internet! It turned out to be the switch on the lid. See video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYOP0_KCYT0

A Recap of the Week

Wow, a lot has happened this week. Wait, Coco the Min Pin is whining big time to get in my lap. I will post pics of this sweet girlie at a later date.

Let's see, back to what has happened. I'm so ADD. Last Sunday, I believe, I got an email from Cloud10 sayingto schedule a project interview. For this particular work at home (WAH) job I had already taken all of the preliminary steps to be hired and was just waiting for a suitable project. It took about a month before I heard back from them about a project.

I scheduled my interview for Monday. The interview was brief, and I was asked about my work history, and was told about the project. This company has a bit of a harsh, by-the-book tone saying things like once you say "yes" at this interview and if you decline later, you can never work for Cloud10, and you will not be considered for any other projects. It seems from all the forums out there on WAH jobs that many folks who do this type of work need super flexible work because of families and whatnot. Cloud10 is more like working at an actual company, with little time off, and an offering of more hours. It sounds to me like that is the upside. I will be able to work 32.5 hours per week, not hoping to get 10-15, of which I may only be paid for calls and may get few calls.

Speaking of which, my sister works for LiveOps and for 6 months or so, maybe for even a year, she really made very little money and had to devote quite a bit of time. Now she is averaging $18/hr and has plenty of hours. It has been great for her because she has fibromyalgia. The hours are fairly flexible, so if she is not feeling particularly well one day she can work in spurts.

But, I digress. My sister (Joy), her new husband (Mike), and their sons, Matt (Joy's) and David (Mike's) got here on Sunday also. No, wait, Mike rolled in on Monday. Anyway, it was really stellar fun. I posted on that earlier. Basically, the boys both 17, skateboarded in a couple of different spots, and hung out at the beach. Mike and Joy spent some time at the beach. One day we all went to Pensacola. Unfortunately, there has been tons of rain, and the day we went to Pensacola, there was some flooding in the streets, Tornado watch, etc. -- typical Florida Springtime. Mike and Joy were able to check out some spots they would like to live in a couple of years, after the boys are done with school. They currently live outside of Jackson Hole, WY in Alpine, WY. I think definite highlights of the trip were being around the boys, going to Juana's and buying Mahi Mahi and Shrimp at Joe Pattie's in Pensacola. I love hitting that place, walking around outside, checking out the specialty foods and getting some crazily fresh seafood. Joy and Mike fixed up some good vittals. You better believe Old Bay played a central role. Nice!

The posted pic is when Joy and Mike got married under the arches in Jackson, WY with the boys looking on, all in view of the webcam. We all got to look on from all corners of the globe. They were married in March, and I am very happy to welcome the Cranfords into the family. Thanks to my cousin-in-law, Mandy Johnson, for the pic. (Hope it was ok to lift, Mandy).

I took them to the airport in Fort Walton today (sob). This evening I got back and went to my orientation for Cloud10 via computer. It's been a busy and wet week! At some point I started this weblog. Thanks for viewing and God bless.

Let's end up the night with a prayer for those folks who don't have employment. Maybe a person's name can be inserted as sort of an intercessory prayer. Let the Lord guide. This is from catholic.org:

PRAYER FOR EMPLOYMENT

God, our Father, I turn to you seeking your divine help and guidance as I look for suitable employment. I need your wisdom to guide my footsteps along the right path, and to lead me to find the proper things to say and do in this quest. I wish to use the gifts and talents you have given me, but I need the opportunity to do so with gainful employment. Do not abandon me, dear Father, in this search, but rather grant me this favor I seek so that I may return to you with praise and thanksgiving for your gracious assistance. Grant this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.