Reading Challenge Book Two

I finished my second book of the year:

• 33 Days To Morning Glory

Its a book and at the same time its at the same time its a retreat for Marian Consecration.
As a Catholic I have always been very devoted to our Virgin Mother. But I learned so much more as I read this book by Fr. Michael E Gaitley.  Its and Incredible experience and super easy to do. You just have to read a little each day for (Oh surprise) 33days.

It has amazing Catholic prayers and devotionals. As well as a little biography on four Saints who were devoted to Mary.
 Here is the book trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVafKmrXrWs

I'd love to write more about it but I really don't think I am going to be able to express myself accurately.
Just to say that I love the idea that on our way to Christ we have such an inspiring support as Our Lady it just warms the heart.

Celtic Thunder Mania

If you haven't heard of Celtic Thunder its about time you did!

Celtic Thunder is a group with amazing voices! and not only that but the cutest faces!

I became a fan girl about a year ago when I accidentally caught them on a show for public television. (How amazing that public television brings shows like these) After that I was completely hooked. I bought a bunch of their DVD shows and then I looked up other video on YouTube and then I bought Cd's and Its just gone crazy obsessive since!

I got to see them here in Houston last Thursday at the Bayou Music Center!!!
I fell even more in love!!!!

The show is rocking, and exhilarating! Its like being transported to this amazing alternate universe!
You just feel the music vibrate and the guys voices touch you deeply! And there is dancing, and so much lighting effects! And most of their songs are great so picking a favorite is so HARD!!!

They have hilarious tunes like Seven Drunken Nights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72JMVvF-EYQ

And then the romantic ones https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE7wWo_Z0GE

The Christmas ones: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFKV_YejIl4

So many too choose from!!!

So If you don't know who the cute men in kilts are please please check out Celtic Thunder I Think you might fall for them too!!!!


http://www.celticthunder.ie/

Friends: You Know Who You Are!

Happy Valentines Day!

I love today. Yes, It sucks when you are alone and you see all the mushy couples with their corny gifts and over elaborated flower arrangements. It sucks. But I still love it mostly because its me grandparents anniversary! (61 years married this year!!! and still strong and in love!!! Who ever said love isn't real is clearly an idiot)  But I also love valentines day because it reminds me how lucky I am to have amazing friends.

Friends from high school who still keep in touch. with who trying to connect comes as easy as always.
Friends who have been there your whole life, through your parents divorce, and moving away.
Friends who you only see once ever few years but that love, that connection is still present. Its amazing how durable love is. It goes up against time, and distance.

I have all types of friends, those with which I can talk for hours about nothing! and everything at the same time! I have friends that make me walk in high heels all across the Las Vegas Strip! Friends who've seen me puke my guts out after a day of arduous Demon Slaying! Yep Friends who despite seeing my worst sides, they still hang in there and give me their most amazing friendship!

Friends who I only ever text with but that I know I am in their prayers as they are in mine!
Friends with who we cried over idiot guys, who enjoy breaking our hearts.
Friends who eat along my side the zillions of chips and chocolates we want and we worry about out weights later.

I have friends that showed me what camping was, and friends who made me go crazy in exotic places like Cancun. Friends who kept my secrets and even those who didn't. I have  friends who are amazing stylist and try constantly to fix me, and friends who will listen to me yammer about the most random thoughts inside my complex weird mind. I have friends who share my movie obsessions, and those friends I have to drag to a Batman premier by brute force. Friends with who I can talk for hours without even getting off the car.

Friends I am truly grateful to God that I have had you in my life!, I hope I always do.
Thank you for being amazing, unique, and well YOU!

I love you all!!!!

   

Fifty Shades of Grey Thoughts.

I've been hearing a lot about the upcoming movie, Fifty Shades of Grey, and I must confess I am intrigued. I didn't read the books but I did read a few excerpts here and there. Let’s just say I realized very soon, that very little was left to the imagination. I have a few friends completely obsessed with it, either the book or the movie or both, this obviously spiked my curiosity, I debated with myself if I should watch it or not this upcoming Valentines Day. On the one part, it’s a movie, with a very unique “Love Story” (If one can refer to it as that). Then the fact that Jamie Dornan plays the part of Christian Grey sounds incredibly enticing. Saying No to watch it is becoming incredibly hard. I mean lets not pretend that seeing it isn't tempting.

Then I think of the other things. Things that maybe aren't things one should consider when deciding to watch a movie or not. But still are things that happen to cross my mind.

Yes, as a movie the sort of relationship with a rich, hansom, mysterious  man is truly alluring and then add a little bit of spice to the mix, by which I mean a twisted, hidden and disturbed leading man determine to show the heroine in the movie the new and fascinating world of domination. Well lets say that it seems to feed all our most carnal desires doesn't it?

But at what moment does a being tied up become sexy? If a girl is forced to do any of the things the movie or book presents, wouldn't it be considered rape? Sure, obviously the character Anastasia, does not look as if she is being raped. In fact in the trailer, and the song playing in the background makes it seem as if she is an adult version of Disneyland. But doesn't’ this type of sexual encounters encourage rape? Disrespect?

And does the fact that it’s presented in such a romanticized notion doesn't it encourage it? Even excuses it? What happens when couples are curious to explore this type of relationship? Doesn't this sort of relationship diminish all the achievements Women have had up until now? The moment when women are sexualized in such a demeaning manner, isn't respect lost?admiration? 

Even in our day when we have million of technological advancements, scientific discoveries,  Rape is still an issue. An Issue that is still very present, its an issue we all keep standing up against, but unfortunately it still happens, constantly,  this very year we had a firefighter who had a 17 year old sex slave (fool report is in this link http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2015/01/28/3464951/oscar-higueros-court-hearing.html ) And this isn’t an isolated case, women all over the planet are being downgraded to become sex slaves, pleasure objects for man.

What about that man who kept three girls in his house for ten years! Can you imagine being used in such a horribly constant way (http://gawker.com/3-women-missing-for-10-years-rescued-from-cleveland-hom-493221621 ) 

When things like this are happening all over the world, how can I dare step in to a movie theater and encourage a romanticized version of This type of sexual behaviors?

In what clear conscious can I participate in watching a film that diminishes women? When did the human representation of love, become this twisted version? Is it necessary to dehumanize love? What kind of world are we creating when love has to become the very worst of our humanity?

Maybe luckily I am at the position where this sort of thing, hasn't happened to me. And maybe I do just want to see the movie to explore my own sexual curiosities which is what most of the media, and the world is saying but lets not kid ourselves, by watching this type of behavior we are excusing the things that abusive man do to innocent women, Do we really want to become such animals who give in to carnal desires no matter the cost? No matter who is hurts in the process?

Why do acts that can be beautiful have to be distorted in such a way?

Is there no hope left for humanity?

Obviously this is an isolated opinion, and since its a free country (Thank God) you can go watch the movie with a clear conscience, but before you do look up the recent cases of women being sexually abused, read about how far we've come as a gender and the cost its had. Read about all the path we still have to walk through for equality, Read about real love, pure love, read about these things and if after all you reading is done then tell me if you still feel compel to watch Fifty Shades of Grey.