A Catholic Citizen in America: New Location

The good news is still that Blogger's changes haven't made images in my posts here unviewable. (May 6-16, 2016)

Instead of jumping through the hoops necessary to keep track of what I've been showing you, and accommodate Blogger's — caution? — about image files, I decided to set up a new location for this blog, on one of my domains, using WordPress: A Catholic Citizen in America / brendans-island.com/catholic-citizen

The transition would have gone faster, if I hadn't been down with 'nothing serious' for all of May and part of June, and that's another topic.

Anyway, A Catholic Citizen in America has been relaunched at brendans-island.com/catholic-citizen:

• "Temperance, Catholic Style"
  (July 10, 2016)
• "All Lives Matter"
  (July 9, 2016)
• "One Saturday Afternoon in Minnesota"
  (July 2, 2016)

The schedule is the same as it was here, by the way: a post about 'science news' on Friday, another on 'being Catholic' on Sunday. I hope you'll check out what I've written there.

Technical Issues: and an Apology

---

Update (May 16, 2016)

Good news: the "fix" option may have been automatically applied to some existing posts.

Sort-of-good-news: quite a few existing posts got "fixed" without my doing a thing to them. Even better: the images actually appear as they were originally posted.

Not-good news: at least one recent post can't be "fixed." More accurately, I have not found a way to coax Blogger into 'fixing' the existing jpeg images. In other words, the post's html points to properly-formatted, relevant images: but Blogger 'protects' me from seeing them. You will probably have the same experience.

Sorry about that.

At this point, I have decided to wait and see if Blogger's developers sort this mess out: and explore other options for making my writing available.

---

Another update (May 10, 2016)

Well, this is interesting:

• "An update to the Blogger post editor to help with mixed content"
  (blogger.googleblog.com/2016/04/an-update-to-blogger-post-editor-to.html)
  The latest tips and news from the Blogger team, Blogger (April 19, 2016 )

Good news: the "fix" option works just fine, sort of. Clicking "fix" changed every image URL from "http://[redacted]" to "https://[redacted]" — which would be dandy, if the images would display properly with that protocol specified. They don't.

Sort-of-good-news: old blog posts still display properly, at least on my system. At this point, I don't plan on "fixing" them, since the images generally aren't decoration: they're part of the content.

As I said earlier, Blogger and Google have some reason for changing the rules. Aside from real security issues involving images, there's the impression of security given by the "https" protocol: and impressions count.

---

Update (May 10, 2016)

The good news is that I haven't been using Google's Picasa service; not intentionally, at least. Duplicate copies of a number of my images have found their way there, through unknown processes. Unknown to me, that is.

That's good news for me, since Google is "moving on from Picasa:"

• "Moving on from Picasa"
  (googlephotos.blogspot.com/2016/02/moving-on-from-picasa.html)
  The Official Google Picasa Blog (February 12, 2016)

I'll probably find my 'Picasa' images in Google Photos, photos.google.com, but their addresses may or may not be stable.

In any case, although Google's use of names like "AF1QipOJmKLADpdF-7RYMgywR79FBRJ1NTOGiNag0gfy" is probably very useful for their AI, their system isn't consistent with the way I've been filing and tracking images.

So the not-so-good-news is that I still don't have a practical way to keep putting images in my blog posts here.

---

Update (May 9, 2016)

I enabled the "https redirect" for this blog a few minutes ago. It should (I hope) be something you will notice only if you pay close attention to the URL. Viewing existing posts, and using existing bookmarks and links should be unaffected.

That's the good news.

The still-frustrating news is that I have not yet found an adequate "secure" method for using images in my blog posts.

---

Update (May 7, 2016)

I still haven't found a way to put images in my blog posts in a way that Blogger's new 'security' policy will accept.

The problem, I found, was that .jpg format image files can be altered to include malicious code. I'm not a hacker, and I am reasonably certain that the image files in my blogs do not threaten my safety — or that of anyone else.

However, I do not have the images stored on the sort of (somewhat expensive) "secure" site that Blogger now seems to demand.

Blogger is a free service, so I am hardly in a position to complain. I tried, by the way, converting images to non-.jpg formats: and those files trigger Blogger's 'security' warning, too.

I am still looking for a "secure" place to store images: which is within my budget, will not disappear at some point — I learned that it's called "longevity guarantees," which has stable URLs for images, and which will allow viewers to see the images without altering them.

There are other procedural and technical concerns: so I do not expect to get back 'on schedule' very soon.

Meanwhile, I may do the occasional text-only "safe" post here.

One more thing: Here's a post I made on Google Plus (my online 'front porch'), from last Tuesday afternoon: shortly after I learned that Blogger had changed its 'security' policies.

"I've been getting error messages, starting a few minutes ago, from my Blogger editor.

" 'This page contains HTTP resources which may cause mixed content affecting security and user experience if blog is viewed over HTTPS.' "
(from my post on Google Plus (plus.google.com/112144784741365292059/posts/B9iiQGQySQY) (May 3, 2016))

---

Sorry about this.

I have nothing ready for today.

I have spent much of this week, trying to find a way to put images in these posts: without triggering Blogger's new 'security' protocol.

Actually, I might be able to use generic images from 'secure' sites: but they would be pretty much useless as illustrations.

After, and if, I can get this issue resolved; more accurately, if my tech-savvy son comes up with a practical solution; I'll either start writing posts here — or, more likely, take a vacation and then start writing posts.

Meanwhile, here's a link to a 'Mother's Day' post from 2014:

• " 'They Have no Wine' "
  (May 11, 2014)

Taking a Break, Again

(From NASA/ISS, used w/o permission.)

Like I said a week ago, I'm taking a week off. Maybe two. (September 28, 2015)

I figure I'll reset my 'vacation' clock so it starts today. Writing about last week's tragic mass killing at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, took me away from light reading and serious goofing off. (October 4, 2015)

Then the second half of Synod 14 started yesterday: along with the usual breathless mainstream news coverage.

I'll be writing about it — after it's over, most likely. I'm seriously considering taking the rest of the month off, but like I said before: I can hold my breath, or not write, for a while; but eventually I have to breathe or write again.

About the Synod: I'm not awash in angst, drowning in despair, or wailing like a banshee. That's because I kept wondering how the Catholic Church could possibly have survived for two millennia. Eventually I knew too much, had to join, and that's another topic. (September 13, 2014)

Where was I? Tragedy, writing, Synod, angst. Right. I'm not howling like a banshee because I know that bishops can't rewrite the Decalogue, or change anything else in the deposit of faith. (October 12, 2014)

The Holy Spirit has been holding us up for two millennia, and I don't think that'll change this year. We were around before Rome fell. We've kept going, in spite of wars, plagues, and occasionally-appalling leadership.

Saintly Popes impressed me: but it was the anything-but-saintly ones who helped convince me that the Church had outside help. Human institutions simply don't last this long.(July 13, 2014)

I prefer getting information about events like Synod 14 from outfits that have a clue about my faith:

• NEWS.VA
  • "Pope Francis: full text of remarks at Synod opening"
    Vatican Radio (October 5, 2015)
  • "Synod on the Family: Press Briefing Day 1"
    Vatican Radio (October 5, 2015)
  • "Address of Pope Francis at the Prayer Vigil for the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops"
    NEWS.VA (October 3, 2015)
• Vatican.VA (English)
  • Synod of Bishops

I'm reasonably certain that Synod 14's documents will not boil down to "everything's fine the way it was in 1950: let's all go back then."

I'm also reasonably certain that folks who see 'the good old days' through rose-colored glasses, or their parents' tinted specs, will be shocked and horrified by whatever the Synod does say.

Some may decide that they're the only 'real' Catholics left in the whole world, and set up their very own little mini-church. That's happened before, and that's yet another topic.

Me? I'll read documents — the final drafts — coming from Synod 14, and keep following the Pope. More accurately, I'll keep following the authority our Lord gave Peter, held by the current Pope: and that's yet again another topic.

More, mostly about family, Synod 14, and being human:

• "Sex, Satan, and Me: Getting a Grip"
  (July 12, 2015)
  Particularly
  • Satan, Sin, and Being Human
  • Not Living in the Past
  • Respect, Dignity, and Drunk Driving
• "Holy Family, Not '50s Family"
  (December 28, 2014)
  Particularly
  • Our Lady of Perpetual Responsibility: Keillor's Got a Point
  • Looking Ahead
• "Doomsday Du Jour — or — Doing My Job"
  (April 19, 2015)
  Particularly
  • Fizzled Doomsdays
  • A Willingness to Think
  • A Simple Message, and Mark 13:32-37
• "Yeats, Cthulhu, and Synod 14"
  (October 19, 2014)
  Particularly
  • Waiting a Year
  • "Tensions and Temptations"
  • Change Happens
• "Synod 14: What I Expect, and What I Don't"
  (October 12, 2014)
  Particularly
  • The Rules: Simple, not Easy
  • What Not to Expect
  • Same Mission, New Techniques

Taking a Week Off. Maybe Two

I haven't changed much since that I took that 'selfie,' back in January of 2010.

My beard's longer, and more sincerely grey. But my hairline's still relentlessly marching down the back of my head, and I'm still fascinated by what exists within this universe, what exists beyond, and what might exist.

I also keep getting reminded that I'm not a 40-year-old kid any more. Or a 50-year-old one, for that matter.

I'll be 64 in a few days, and am quite likely to last longer than my computer's hard drive.

That piece of equipment, my son tells me, is at the point where it works: loudly. I thought it was rattling more than it had when this gadget was new: and agreed with him, that replacing it before it crashes would be prudent.

We discussed what I'd need, and want; he did a little checking around, and purchased a replacement part. When he arrived, he told me that setting aside an entire day to get the thing plugged in and working would be a good idea.

He figures that the job will take a lot less time: but we both know that stuff happens.

I could have squeezed my research, writing, and art (that's for another blog) into three days, instead of the usual four leading up to Friday: but decided that this would be a really good time to take a week off. Maybe two. Or three.

Actively Goofing Off

Not writing for me is like holding my breath: I can do it, but eventually I have to breathe; or write.

I do need a break, though: particularly since I want to reconsider the schedule I've been on, and want time to doodle, read something other than blog-post-research-related stuff, and goof off.

That 'goofing off' will involve being more physically active. I spend more time at my desk than I should.

If I knew when I'll have the next post done, I'd tell you. Like I said, I'm taking a week off. Maybe two. Maybe more.

But not much more than that. For one thing, there are a few things I want to say about the Pope's trip to America. And I'm quite sure that there'll be something in 'science' news that catches my eye.

Actually, that's already happened. I haven't decided whether I'll follow up on it, though.

I've said most of this before:

• "Sharing a World of Boundless Wonder"
  (July 7, 2013)
  Particularly
  • Vocations, Catholic Style
  • My Main Vocation
  • Using What I've Got
• "Not as Young as I Used to Be: And Never Was"
  (April 7, 2013)
• "Business Not as Usual"
  (January 27, 2013)
• "Taking a Break, Holiday, Leave, Sabbatical, Vacation: Whatever"
  (January 24, 2013)
• "A Change in Schedule"
  (October 2, 2011)

New on the Blogroll: Susan Tassone

There's a new item on the blogroll:

• Susan Tassone
  Author
  • "Pray for the Holy Souls!"

A tip of the hat to Paul Sofranko, for the heads-up on Susan Tassone's website.

New on the Blogroll: Saint Joseph's College Theology Blog; and Virginia Lieto

There are two new items on the blogroll:

• Blogs
  • Saint Joseph's College Theology Blog
    
    • "A Work of Missionary Discipleship"
• Something Else
  • Virginia Lieto
    Inspirational Author
    • "Embrace the Virtues to Live a Happier Life!"

A tip of the hat to Virginia Lieto, on Google Plus (and virginialieto.com), for the heads-up on the St. Joe's College blog.

New on the Blogroll: Tony Agnesi's Finding God's Grace Radio Program

There's a new item on the blogroll, Tony Agnesi's Finding Grace Radio Program:

• Tony Agnesi
  (tonyagnesi.com)
  "Finding God's Grace in Every Day Life"
  • Finding God's Grace Radio Program
  • My Blog

More accurately, the new item is that link to a description of Tony Agnesi's new radio program:

Finding God's Grace Radio Program
(December 29, 2014)

"We are pleased to announce the debut of Finding God’s Grace beginning the January 7th on the Living Bread Radio Network, WILB 1060AM in Canton, Ohio and WILB-FM 89.5 in Boardman/Youngstown, Ohio. The program will also be available from Itunes, Stitcher, Tune-in Radio and Podbean, and here at http://tonyagnesi.com.

Finding God's Grace is a one hour weekly interview program featuring Catholic guests from around the globe with interesting, compelling stories...."

New on the Blogroll: Catholic Bloggers Network

There's a new item on the blogroll:

• Catholic Bloggers Network
  • Catholic bloggers, making a difference on the World Wide Web

I added "Advent: Another Year of the Long Watch" to this year's Catholic Bloggers Advent Linkup.

Their 2014 Catholic Bloggers Blitz is another good idea: but I don't remember participating.

There's a reason for that: maybe not a good one, but a reason nonetheless.

Participation in the Catholic Bloggers Blitz is easy:

• Put that button on your post or sidebar, with a link to the Catholic Bloggers Blitz
  (they've got copy-and-paste code)
• Say what sort of blog you've got
• Visit at least two previously-linked posts
• Share the Catholic Bloggers Blitz link on whatever social media suits your fancy

Piece of cake, right?

Right: except Catholic Bloggers Network also, reasonably, want folks to share what sort of blog they write. Here's their second rule:

"Include the category initials at the beginning of the title or name you submit to the link-up:

RR= Readings and Reflections
CA= Catechism and Apologetics
HS= Homeschooling
LC= Liturgical Calendar
FJ= Family Journal
(Example: 'LC St Sebastian craft')"

A Catholic Citizen in America is 'none of the above.'

I quote from the Bible, and reflect on what it means; say why Catholic beliefs make sense; my wife and I homeschooled our kids; I occasionally mention what's happening in our family. I even bring up the liturgical calendar now and then.

In a way, every post is a 'reflection' on what being Catholic is like: but my posts aren't "reflections" in the sense of being a sort of sermon or homily.

I take 'truth in advertising' seriously: and don't want folks to come here expecting nice, normal reflections — and seeing the sort of stuff I do.

I'll keep on doing what I'm doing, and take part in Catholic Bloggers Network when I can. Maybe next year they'll have a 'none of the above' category.

New on the Blogroll: Homeschooling Works

There's a new item on the blogroll:

• Homeschooling Works
  • "...Here you will also find interesting topics about, health, science, family life, religion, spirituality and much more!..."

New on the Blogroll: Training Happy Hearts

There's a new item on the blogroll:

• Training Happy Hearts
  • "Join us as we journey along in training up our children (and ourselves!) to live fully, love deeply and learn passionately, with faith that promises (and delivers!) truly happy hearts."

New on the Blogroll: Reconciled to You, RTY-Blog

There's a new item on the blogroll:

• Reconciled to You, RTY-Blog
  
  • "Rooted in the Grace of God"

With a tip of the hat to Allison Gringas, on Google Plus.

New on the Blogroll: Sacerdotus

There's a new item on the blogroll:

• Sacerdotus
  
  • "Blogging about God, Faith, The Catholic Church, Science, Philosophy, & Other Worldly Issues"

A tip of the hat to Sacerdotus Sacedotvs, on Google Plus.

New on the Blogroll: David Torkington

There's something new on the blogroll, under 'Blogs:'

• David Torkington
  
  • "Author and Speaker — On Prayer, Christian Spirituality and Mystical Theology"

A tip of the hat to David Torkington, on Google Plus, for the heads-up on his website's new URL.

New on the Blogroll: #CathBlogsGPlus

There's something new on the blogroll:

• #CathBlogsGPlus
  On RebelMouse
  • "We are glad you are here. Join us to read the best Catholic Bloggers around. Grab your coffee, tea or beverage of choice and visit for a while."

A tip of the hat to Cyndi Marlow, on Google Plus.

New on the Blogroll: Convert Journal

There's a new item on the blogroll:

• Convert Journal
  • "One guy's journey in the Catholic Church"
    • Essays
      George Sipe's own work
    • New Evangelists Monthly
      "...an informal, dynamic, crowd-sourced 'meta-magazine' ... many different, but faithfully Catholic viewpoints, insights and perspectives."

A tip of the hat to George Sipe, on Google Plus.

Also New on the Blogroll: Daniel McInerny

Another addition to the blogroll:

• Daniel McInerny
  • "Revels in the Craft of Storytelling"

Daniel McInerny is a novelist, screenwriter, children's author, and playwright.

New on the Blogroll: By Ink, or By Blood

I added a new item to the blogroll:

• By Ink, or By Blood
  • " 'Sin is behovely. Yet all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.' -- Julian of Norwich"

That quote, "Sin is behovely..." needs a bit of explanation. As a verb, "behoove," is still in the language: barely. The adjective form, "behovely," not so much.

Julian of Norwich lived in England, but the language has shifted a bit in the last half-dozen centuries. These days, "behoove" means "to be necessary or proper for (someone)." (Merriam-Webster)

These days, "sin is behovely" could mean that sin is proper. Machiavelli might have written that, but Julian of Norwich is known as one of the great Christian mystics, so — I figure that Denys Turner is right: that in this context it means "necessary" or "inevitable." ("Julian of Norwich, Theologian," p. 51, via Google Books)

Folks have realized that sin is part of life here on Firebase Earth for a long time, and that's another topic. (Job 5:7; Catechism of the Catholic Church, 396-409)

A tip of the hat to Scott Eric Alt, on Google Plus.

New on the Blogroll: Catholicism Anew

There's a new item on the blogroll:

• Catholicism Anew
  
  • "Words from the New Song Community World Wide"

A tip of the hat to Fr. Robert Carr, on Google Plus, who introduced me to this blog.

New on the Blogroll: Four Blogs and a Vlog

I've added four blogs and a vlog to the blogroll:

• Adoro Ergo Sum
  • " 'STRIVE to enter by the Narrow Gate...' Luke 13:24"
• Can We Cana? A Community to Support Catholic Marriages
  • "Marriage needs at least three different kinds of support: preparation, prayer, and practical advice. Through this blog, I'm trying to offer all three. Please join in the community and add to the conversation, so that we can all support each other."
• Filling my Prayer Closet
  • "A life of conversion. One prayer at a time."
• Kate -N- Mike - Catholic Crusade (YouTube)
  • "Bringing Forth the Geed News of Christ in Our Own Crazy Way!"
• My Blog at tonyagnesi.com
  • "Finding God's Grace in Every Day Life"

A tip of the hat to Tony Agnesi, on Google Plus, who indirectly introduced me to these blogs.

I also updated the blogroll's other links.

Liebster Award: How About That!

Well, that's nice: Melanie Jean Juneau (joy of nine9) gave me the Liebster Award. As she explained it:

"...It's a way to give bloggers an exposure boost, and a little love. Liebster is a German term of endearment that translates as that means sweetheart, beloved, or darling. ..."

I'm honored that she chose this blog, along with ten others on varying topics.

Accepting the Liebster

Accepting the award takes a little work:

• Make a post about the award, thanking the blogger that nominated you.
• State 11 interesting facts about yourself
• Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger that nominated you
• Nominate 11 new bloggers with 500 or less followers
• Write 11 new questions for your nominees

This post takes care of the first point, or will: once I've completed the other four.

About Me

I'm taking, ah, creative liberties by using a set of 11 questions from a previous post:

1. What is one word to define you? —
   Eccentric
2. If you could live anywhere, where would it be? —
   Where I am now
3. What is your favorite book? —
   Tolkein's Lord of the Rings trilogy, at the moment
4. What is your dream job? —
   What I'm doing now
5. What is your favorite Bible passage or verse? —
   John 21:25, among others
6. What is your favorite holiday? —
   I don't have a single 'favorite,' but Halloween is fun
7. Mountains, seashore, flatlands? —
   'All of the above,' but I grew up in the Red River Valley of the North: so nearly everywhere else seems — enclosed
8. What is your greatest strength? —
   'I am firm-minded, you are stubborn, he is a pig-headed fool' :)
9. If you could do life over again, what is the one thing you would do? —
   Get wiser, sooner
10. If you knew life was ending tomorrow, what is the one thing you would do? —
    Besides the obvious end-of-life reconciliation, be with my family
11. What is holding you back from doing that today —
    Nothing — I'm doing it :)

Here's that verse:

"There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written."
(John 21:25)

Looks like I need to come up with 11 more items about myself. I:

1. Am only interested in three things, that which
   • Exists within the universe
   • Exists beyond
   • Might exist
2. Love music, as most folks do
3. Love language, the way we organize and share ideas
4. Have learned to see beauty in nearly anything
5. Was born with sub-standard hips
6. Lived with undiagnosed major depression and (probably) ADD-Inattentive for decades
7. Am an adult convert to Catholicism
8. Have had an eclectic assortment of jobs
9. Never stopped learning
10. Have ancestors in Norway, Ireland, and Scotland
11. Live in a small town in central Minnesota

My List of 11 Bloggers, or Blogs, or Whatever

• The Black Biretta
  
  • "a cleric opines"
• The Catholic Comedy
  
  • "Providing A Catholic Sense of Comic Relief for A Would-Be-Tragic Age"
• Catholic Scot
  • "Commenting from time to time about stuff"
    stev hep
• Diary of a Rookie Priest
  
  • "On June 14, 2008 I was ordained a Catholic priest. So, who am I now?"
• En Fuego
  "Just trying to be who God created me to be"
• Harvesting The Fruits Of Contemplation
  • "Since the Church began aiming more at temporal things than at spiritual, things have gone from bad to worse." – St. Catherine of Siena
    Michael Seagriff's blog
• The hermeneutic of continuity
  • "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old."
• Never Give Up
  • "An ordinary man engages the circumstances of daily life, seeking to draw closer to the Mystery who gives meaning to everything."
    John Janaro's blog
• Principium et Finis
  • "A Catholic husband and father trying to live the faith in a post-Christian world."
• Roman Catholic Cop
  
  • "Thoughts and perusings of a Catholic Cop on his spiritual journey"
• Two Catholic Men and a Blog
  Faith & Reason
  
  • "— Where Two or More are Gathered —"

I can't guarantee that those eleven blogs have fewer than 500 followers by the time you read this. I'm also aware that I've probably left out a blog that I'll remember in the small hours of the morning. However, if I keep stewing about this I'll never get done.

"New" Questions

1. What's your favorite time of day? —
2. You write blog posts: why? —
3. What do plan doing tomorrow? —
4. What sort of folks do you write for, what's your audience? —
5. When did you start writing? —
6. Who is your favorite author? —
7. What is the hardest part of writing? —
8. How do you decide on titles? —
9. How do you decide on topics to write about? —
10. Which season do you prefer? —
11. What's your favorite sort of fiction? —

Now, my usual 'related posts:'

• "Making Sense Online: Two 10-Point Lists, and the Golden Rule"
  (May 25, 2014)
• "New on the Blogroll: Association of Catholic Women Bloggers"
  (April 9, 2014)
• "New on the Blogroll: Harvesting The Fruits Of Contemplation"
  (March 31, 2014)
• "The Internet as 'a Gift From God' "
  (January 25, 2014)
• "Prayer! Meditation! Science!"
  (May 3, 2013)