Thanks once again to our host Larry D. at Acts of the Apostasy, who has his own entertainment post up today.
1.
At CatholicMom.com, I have a post up for November about how to get along at holiday parties, even if people bring up the topic of homeschooling. Apparently I hit a chord, because I’ve gotten some good feedback. Mostly from non-homeschoolers. Also, it was a great excuse to use this photo:
It would be convenient if I had married a guy who liked to take pictures of homeschoolers, and CCD classes, and stuff like that. (Um, except, we’re not allowed to publish photos of CCD kids, so I guess it would just be some adult teaching and a bunch of blurred-out backs of heads.) Instead every month I amuse Lisa Hendey with my proposed alternate illustration for the homeschooling column. So far she hasn’t rejected any. Patient lady.
2.
Sunday night I helped out in a colleague’s CCD class by dressing up like this venerable creole candidate for sainthood:
I own absolutely nothing that could be described at mid-19th century clothing, but the 6th graders were very polite, and overlooked the fact that my costume was really more like Faux-Edwardian-Pulled-From-late-20th-Century-Closet. Also, I learned a surprising number of the kids had some knowledge of the French language. I’d estimate 2/5ths of the class.
Heartening: 95% of the class had no difficulty with coming to Ven. Henriette’s same conclusion, that having a wife in the countryside and a mistress in the city was not the Catholic way. Good for them. The other 5% just weren’t paying attention, but once they heard what I had said, they too, agreed. I guess it’s easier in 6th grade, when who wants a girlfriend anyway?
3.
Eldest daughter and I have recently gotten hooked on The Groaning Lady Show. So-called by the guys in our household. Who always come and watch it.
3.5
St. Monica, of course. In other homeschooling news:
a) We’ve completed Q1 with varying amounts of success, and are jumping into Q2 today with varying amounts of enthusiasm.
b) I tried to vote mid-morning, but estimated the line was about an hour long, not so fun for young children, particularly the one with a nasty scrape on her hand from tripping on the walk down the block, plus an un-fun headcold. We retreated, charged the iPods, and will give it another shot after lunch with entertainment in hand. Most years there isn’t much of a line, but apparently people are a touch worked up about this election. Go figure.
***
Well, that’s all for this week. Tuesday’s Link Day, which is when instead of e-mailing fun things I ought to post but forget to, you just tell the world all by yourself. Entirely optional. I’m pretty swamped with real life but I’ll try to post updates here as I work through my to-do list elsewhere on the internet. Have a great week.
Henriette Delille: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Henriettedelille.gif [Public Domain]
Re 2. What an interesting story… I’ve never heard of words like plaçage or quadroon. But reading her story and what all that means immediately reminded me of a song my Mom would always make me listen to if it came on the radio. I never really understood why it seemed so important to her to point out to me. But even at a young age the song did not inspire me but instead made me disgusted and think what the girl, in the song, was supposed to do is demeaning and downgrading (to name a few adjectives).
I went and looked back at the lyrics and it does say “New Orleans” but does not give an exact time frame….the song however is Fancy by Reba McIntire.
Looking back now I’m still not sure what to think of it, my Mom pointing out that song to me. I grew up poor, well for midwestern American standards, and soon I will be the first generation to receive a college degree. But what was I supposed to make of the theme of that song? Was it to say I could only make something of myself if I used my body and looks to get ahead? Was I supposed to honor my Mother wishes if I found myself in Fancy’s shoes? It was very confusing but luckily for me I didn’t want to ever choose that path. I felt I could get somewhere if I was educated and worked hard. Thankfully I live in America and that can come true. But for some that is not possible and that’s why I have a big heart for woman’s rights. Which sadly in this day and age does not mean what I mean it to be. Woman’s rights to me is equal rights to education, jobs, healthcare (and by healthcare I I don’t include abortion), etc. These types of opportunities lead to better quality of life and to paths where woman aren’t forced to choose “Fancy’s route”.
So I guess I’m in the 95% but not just because it goes against Catholic teachings.
I remember that song. Yes. I’m with you 100%. There’s nothing specifically Catholic about thinking that hey, women shouldn’t have to prostitute themselves in order to make a living. I think Henriette Delille is a sobering saint not because she has much of anything to say to the outside world about the holiness of the Catholic Church, but because she was firm in refusing to compromise her faith and not make “getting along” the highest virtue.
(Okay, so in that, *she* has something to say to the world. Everyone struggles with temptation to make ‘be nice’ the highest and greatest. But sheesh. The context. No one should ever have to make such a point with such a life.)
Oops forgot my link… http://uncrate.com/stuff/whisky-advent-calendar/
Oh my goodness. Okay, so Advent is supposed to have a penitential character, so of course I have to temper my remarks, and of course steel myself for snide comments from people who would find such a thing penitential, but . . . yes. One of these years I’ll have to make a homemade religious version with suitable Bible quotes. Or maybe the answer is Twelve Drinks of Christmas. (A product I’m sure is out there in abundance.) That would satisfy even the most scrupulous.
But I like. Like. Too expensive. But clever.
I really liked your holiday post, especially since my family gatherings have children in homeschool, parochial school, public school and even boarding school. Charity is the best thing they’ve all learned. 🙂
Sandra, I hate that song. Reba’s version is a remake of Bobbie Gentry’s version that was popular in ’70. I think of it as typical 1970s’ fixation on prostitution; e.g. Pretty Baby (set in New Orleans, like the Fancy song) and Jodi Foster’s character in Taxi Driver. Unfortunately, French in songs reminds me of that wretched Lady Marmalade (the original and remake) with the vulgar refrain.
Ah, I did not know it was a remake…also don’t forget Moulin Rouge…although the theme of prostitution is more subtle (but still there) and at least the signing is better than Lady Marmalade IMHO.
Jean – glad you liked it. I’m in similar shoes, it really helps you be a better person.
On the prostitution theme — seriously! The boy and I picked up a $5 late 1960’s western from Walmart the other day (“the Cowboys”), and the otherwise pretty good film had this prostitution scene thrown in . . . sheesh. Why? Why was that necessary? Turned the film from a family classic into something I don’t even want to donate to the thrift store.
The only “western” themed film that I know of that doesn’t have a prostitution scene somewhere in the storyline is The Gospel Bill Show*. It seems that to have a western you must have a tavern and in order to have a tavern it must employ wenches. /sigh
*Raise you hand if you remember Gospel Bill!! Olde school VBS FTW
For the nostalgic: http://youtu.be/ArTqfxAbZno
Oh, plain old tavern wenches doesn’t bother me so much. As long as they’re just being slightly-wenchy, and leave it to the imagination just how wenchy they can get, and under which conditions.
“The Cowboys” had an all out soliciting-business-from-young-teens scene. Quite explicit.
(Sigh, I had no VBS childhood, so, no fond Gospel Bill memories for me.)