happy opening day

Spring break, good bye. But say yes to the Annunciation.

"The Annunciation". Henry Ossawa Tanner. 1898.

But, hello end-of-the-school-year-is-in-sight. And with it, hopefully, clarity, direction, and purpose.

(But one never does know). I could really use some before I start freaking out.

April brings us its usual greetings:

• rainy weather (check)
• the same Sox as the old Sox
• new and interesting ways to waste time: Rasterbator. You'll love it.

I want to post photos from break, just because I finally got to TAKE photos, including the one I got yelled at for taking. Sweet. Some sort of mishmash of the Art Institute (and the Homer/Hopper exhibition), walking around downtown, grading, Divine Mercy Sunday, wishing I was here, wishing I lived somewhere else, Demetri Martin, watching baseball, grading a lot, eating a lot, praying a LOT. Happy Easter.

Good bye, friends.

a very blessed Solemnity of the Resurrection of the Lord

"Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures; he was buried; and he was raised to life on the third day, in accordance with the scriptures." 1 Corinthians 15:3

Palm Sunday + new things I learned + baseball draft = monstrous post

Duccio di Buoninsegna. "Maestà (back, central panel): The Entry into Jerusalem." 1308-11. Tempera on wood panel. Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Siena, Italy.

New things that I learned recently:

• Sister Raffaella told me about the Ambrosian rite, which is mostly in the Archdiocese in Milan. The Ambrosian rite (established by St. Ambrose, archbishop of Milan back in the 5th century) is actually even older than the currently widely used Latin rite. In shorthand, as far as I know, in one of the bigboy meetings like the Council of Trent, if the rite of a particular liturgical tradition dates further back than the Latin rite, but still submits to the authority of the pope, and the tenets of the Church, then it's ok.
  
  I have a friend who is a part of the Chaldean rite, which has its roots in Iraq, established by St. Thomas the Apostle in the first century. The difference in rites, from what I understand, is based on the simple fact that with the distance from the center of Catholicism in Rome, different traditions seeped into the liturgy of different locations as time passed. This page does the best in explaining all of this stuff.
  
• I learned that coaching boys is a heck of a lot easier for me than coaching girls. Geez, no contest. Granted, at least I now have a season under my belt, but seriously. It probably makes a major difference that I'm helping with the freshman boys, who are willing to follow any sort of coaching at all, so that makes life easier too.
• I learned that I need to make a decision on where I'm living/working next year, but I have no idea when I need to make it by. Which probably tells me that I need to pray more.
• I've learned that my baseball team is giving no indications that it's going to do anything but suck. Related: my soccer team sucks too, ever since winning the League Cup.
  
• I learned that when fantasy baseball drafting season comes around, I'm totally screwed. Wait? That's now?!

Speaking of which, here are the results of my fantasy baseball draft. I thought you'd never ask?!

5 x 5 Yahoo! fantasy league, 12 teams, I drafted 3rd. Max was 8th (ha).

1. David Wright, NYM, 3b - Yessss. It's nice to mix up who you get from year to year. I am excited to own JillKMeier mancrush David Wright for the first time. 30/30, prease.
2. Lance Berkman, Hou, 1b/OF - And then sometimes, you just draft the same guys every year.
3. Brandon Webb, Ari, SP
4. Carlos Guillen, Det, 1b/SS - The start of drafting a thousand guys who can play first base. Guillen qualifies for SS but will actually play 1b, which means less miles on the legs, which means more SBs, and he's hitting in the best lineup in league. Good times. 25-120, please. Also, Gat roto stalwart Brian Roberts gets picked right before me, so I'm rattled, and so I order cheese fries from the waitress.
   
5. Carlos Zambrano, ChiC, SP - Am I going to regret this? It's Max's fault. Just have to avoid the really bad starts. Still better than anyone else I could have gotten (Haren, Hamels).
6. Brian McCann, Atl, C - Hoping this works better than my Joe Mauer investment last year.
7. Nick Swisher, Sox, 1b/OF - A little early? Maybe. I think he's going to hit 35-40 at the Cell, plus it gives me a reason to care about my team.
   
8. Bobby Jenks, Sox, RP - Best reliever left on the board, I swear. Also, Paul Konerko is staring at me from the draft board. "Come on, man, we're frieeennnddsss."
9. Rich Hill, ChiC, SP - Love the strikeouts, and he surely will get better run support than last year. Also, why do I have so many Cubs. I punch Max in the solar plexus.
10. Jacob Ellsbury, Bos, OF - Am I going to regret this? Trade Coco Crisp, already. I'm desperate for speed, and I'd rather have Ellsbury rather than old Ellsbury, AKA Johnny Damon.
11. Tim Hudson, Atl, SP - Why do I have so many Braves? I almost drafted Texeira instead of Berkman, too. But what are my alternatives? Joba? Pedro? Brad Penny? Liriano? No thanks.
12. Willy Taveras, Col, OF - Speed, speed, speed. I am going to regret this. Damn you, whoever got Brian Roberts! Look what I've been forced to do!
13. Manny Corpas, Col, RP - Generic closer type who gets saves and doesn't kill my WHIP/ERA.
14. Kelly Johnson, Atl, 2b - Too many Braves. Why does my OCD pick up on that? He's the best left on a really weak board. I hate Kazuo Matsui's guts.
    
15. Jeremy Accardo, Tor, RP - BJ Ryan might be back, but Tommy John surgery takes two years to recover. Who's going to catch that beautiful butterfly? Accardo, with 30+ saves.
16. Brian Wilson, SF, RP - I'm lying in bed, just like Brian Wilson did. Just get me 30 saves.
17. Ryan Garko, Cle, 1b - You play 1b? Welcome to my team. Stop glaring at me, Paul Konerko.
18. George Sherrill, Bal, RP - Closer for the Orioles?
    
19. Ryan Theriot, ChiC, 2b/SS - Too. Many. Cubs.
    
20. Heath Bell, SD, RP - The guy K-Dub should have traded for instead of Scott Linebrink. 100 Ks as a reliever? Tasty.
    
21. Frank Thomas, Tor, Util - Just for old times' sake.
    

It feels like I need more power and speed. Pitching looks good, tho.

Have a great Holy Week. But before that, don't forget this guy: