Coffee clicks {volume 7} Prodromal labor, Trumpsta porters, and Italian adventures
You better believe I’m up for little more than cultivating reading lists at this point in the week. But what a list it will be, I promise.
Please tell me y’all watched the GOP debate last night? It was, in sum, a sh%tshow featuring various near-bar fights and some cringe-worthy moments for even such an ego as the Donald’s. Speaking of the man with the hair, a family “Whats app” chat session during the debates last night (my family of origin is rabidly political) quickly devolved into hilarity when “trump supporter” was misread by Siri and reincarnated as “Trumpstaporter,” which was then turned into a meme involving the horrible family dog in short time. Moral of the story? Don’t be a Trumpstaporter.
1. But last night, overall? Great television. I’m tapping Rubio and Paul as the winners of the debate with Carson a close second. I really, really like Ben Carson. But I’m not sure he has the steely nerves and the big, bold personality necessary to stand against the Hillary machine and the media scrutiny. I also think he may just be too good for us, on the whole (and in a rare-ish move, I agree wholeheartedly with Matt Walsh). The average American voter may not be smart or moral enough to appreciate his strength of character or intellect. Or maybe I’m just a jaded Denverite who listens to too much NPR, and people are actually more decent than that.
We’ll see.
2. I really thought this baby was coming last night. Busted out the timing app and everything and for 4 hours they were getting stronger and harder and closer. And then I crawled back in bed “just to rest” a minute before calling Grandma for middle-of-the-night childcare backup, and…I fell asleep. Until 7 am. Womp womp. I blame this, which I’m now realizing may be the reason we’ve false-alarmed every single time so far. So maybe the fact that I didn’t go anywhere except to sleep last night was a huge advancement in my pregnancy skills level. Maybe. At any rate I am making great advancements on my Purgatory pay down plan.
3. I’ve never, ever read a compelling pro abortion argument. Until I read this one. Leave it to Jen Fulwiller to reconcile two adversarial world views. Her brain really is a national treasure (as is her amazing hair).
4. I really love St. John Vianney, maybe because I think Vianney would be an adorable (though not on our current list) girl’s name, or maybe because he spent 18 hours a day in the Confessional and signed a petition his parishioners were circulating to get him kicked out of his own parish, but his self sacrifice and humility and holiness under the most unlikely conditions have forever endeared him to me. One of my dearest friends wrote this piece in honor of his feast day earlier this week.
5. Do you read “Tales of Me and the Husband?” She and her family are on the first leg of a multi-month tour of Italy with kids, and I’m having rose-colored flashbacks and drooling over her beautiful photos. But when the envy gets too hot, I click open my accuweather app and check the temp in Rome and then, poof, I’m utterly charmed once again by American suburbia. (For now, at least. I may have my hopes pinned on an autumn sojourn to La città eterna c/o Dave’s work responsibilities and some frequent flier miles, so this wee bambino/a will be acquiring a passport bright and early upon exiting, just like the rest of our crew has.)
Happy weekend to you and yours, and remember to toss a Rosary heavenward tomorrow in honor of St. Dominic. Pray specifically, if you would, for some baby friends who need massive healing: little unborn Gabriel Thompson and baby Sebastian.
11 Comments
Becky
So I have no doubt that Ben Carson is a fine doctor and mostly decent person (though his apologetics for torture didn’t make me think go prez vis-a-vis his candidacy), but you might want to look into.his religious views before you wax too eloquent about his virtues. Specifically, he’s a devout Seventh-Day Adventist, and while Adventists are by and large very nice people, Adventist theology is hugely, massively, single-purposefully anti-Catholic. I should know; I was raised SDA. Great people! But they hate the Papacy, believe that Sunday-worship (which the evil Catholic church instituted in flagrant disregard of the 10 commandments) is the mark of the beast … I could go on. And on. And on.
Rhonda
I am a regular reader of this blog, not SDA but I am protestant. I would never say I’m anti-Catholic, but the same case could be made about me, as well, by definition. I’m curious about your concerns and what you think his faith/ideology would prompt him to do, as president, that would infringe upon your rights to worship freely.
Jenny Uebbing
I don’t know much about Dr. Carson or about SDA for that matter, but I can’t see how anyone on that stage last night could make a worse time of it for Christians et al than the current resident at 1800 Penn. I had no qualms voting for Romney, either, religious differences be what they may. Though it does make me a little nervous that we’d have no beer summits at the White House if he took office…
Rhonda
I had that same thought regarding our current president. I have a friend who is a lovely, devout Catholic who has a lot of respect for Carson so I was interested to hear Becky’s specific concerns.
On another note I have been completely stalking you on social media for word of the safe arrival of #4. Can’t wait for the happy news!
Becky
To be clear, I don’t think his religious views should disqualify him from the presidency, and I don’t think he’d pose any particular threat to the religious freedom of Catholics. I just find it ironic how popular he seems to be among Catholics given the raison d’etre of SDA theology is anti-Catholicism. It’s hard to convey in a blog comment the intensity and fervor of SDA anti-Catholicism–it’s really suffused into the entire fabric of the church. I say this as someone whose family is still largely SDA, and who believes they are very sweet (but theologically misguided) people.
Jenny Uebbing
I just can’t imagine anyone could be worse than Obama re: religious freedoms. Especially when the guy seems to have some genuine integrity to work with. Definitely hear your concerns though.
Mary Wilkerson
Ugh, I hate the arguments against Ben Carson, even though I do understand them. It seems like such a white-flag throwing moment for the morally upright and people of integrity. And a lot of people are saying it. I’m not sure it’s fair (as per the comment above) to say he is a torture apologist and to use his faith against him… some might think it is, but I don’t. I like him, a lot.
Praying for you as baby comes closer to getting here (GET HERE SOON LITTLE ONE)
Jenny Uebbing
I was impressed by him last night, and it was my first real intro to him. I couldn’t care less what religion he practices as long as he stays the h away from mine and yours, you know? (And on that matter, Rand Paul was making some highly attractive statements as well.) Should be an interesting 14 months, eh?
And both my boys predicted “they would need their suitcases” tonight. Please, God. 🙂
Jenny Uebbing
Yes, maybe if I pray about it I’ll be able to erase the images from last night’s performance where he praised the upstanding leadership of the Mexican government, called us useful idiots, and somehow managed to work more self-congratulation into his routine than an Obama acceptance speech.
I’m sure God will provide.
Mary Wilkerson
This is an amazing comment from ‘blah’ considering Trump’s statement…
“The day after the big debate Trump gave his take on Megyn Kelly’s questioning … “There was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her whatever.”
Trump’s campaign is unapologetic, firing back, “This is just another example of weakness through being politically correct. For all of the people who were looking forward to Mr. Trump coming, we will miss you. Blame Erick Erickson, your weak and pathetic leader.”
It horrifies me that people actually take him seriously.
Michele
Proximal labor is the WORST! Hang in there!!!