bobbi | Revolution of Love

Part 1: My thoughts on Part 1 are here.
Last night I finished watching the last hour of the Titanic mini-series. I must have been in a better mood because I did enjoy the last part more than Saturday night’s viewings. Although the sinking of the ship was not as flashy as other movies, there was enough drama to make me feel for those who did and did not survive. In the end, the love story that most touched me was the one between the Mantons’ maid and manservant. The fact that they always loved each other without fully realizing it until it was too late seemed plausible. His final act of love to will his house to her destitute father was touching.
The scene that most broke my heart was when Jim Maloney realized that there was no escape for him and his daughter so he would simply try to comfort her in his arms as they died. My first instinct was that he should not give up and fight to the very end but I suppose if he knew it was hopeless he wanted to give his daughter
a few last moments of peace and security in his arms until it was too late. I can’t even imagine what I would do in that situation…I don’t want to think about it or I’d lose all composure.
So all in all I would call this a “one time” movie. Something that I am glad I watched once but I wouldn’t watch it a second time. How about you? What did you think of the mini-series?

Last night I watched the first three hours of The Titanic mini- series. I had high hopes for it but I was a little disappointed.
First it was a little confusing. Things were said and done that didn’t make sense. Then in episode two they flashbacked and gave more background to what was going on. It answered questions but it still seemed odd.
Second, I am all for a good love story. I am a romantic that is ready to cheer a new couple but some of the love stories seemed a bit contrived and forced. While I could see how Paolo was instantly smitten with the maid Annie Desmond it seemed a stretch to also have Georgiana and the millionaire’s son fall in love over such a short period of time.
And did I miss something? Did Mary (Jim Maloney’s wife) know Peter Lubov beforehand? Do they have a history? That would make more sense. I don’t believe she merely looked at him and had such a “connection” that she disregarded her children and hubby to make out with him on the deck. I don’t get it. The only “love story” that seemed to make sense and held my interest was the reconciliation between John and Muriel Batley. Muriel may have been a bit nasty (although she’s nothing like Lady Manton) but at least they fleshed out her character more and I was interested in her story.
Perhaps, that was the problem. The characters weren’t developed enough for me to care about them. Or maybe I was just too tired and not in the mood to watch. Or maybe Downton Abbey set my expectations too high. Whatever the reason, I’ll finish watching the last part tonight and hope for the best. It’s not as if I didn’t like it… it was just not as good as I hoped it would be.
UPDATE: My thoughts on Part 2 are here.

I read this article at LifeSiteNews.com and thought it was perfect on the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.

LifeSiteNews.com: The Untold Story of the Titanic’s Catholic Priest Who Went Down Hearing Confessions
Amidst all the tales of chivalry from the Titanic disaster there is one that’s not often told.
Fr. Thomas Byles
It is that of Fr. Thomas Byles, the Catholic priest who gave up two spots on a lifeboat in favour of offering spiritual aid to the other victims as they all went down with the “unsinkable” vessel.
A 42-year-old English convert, Fr. Byles was on his way to New York to offer the wedding Mass for his brother William. Reports suggest that he was reciting his breviary on the upper deck when the Titanic struck the iceberg in the twilight hours of Sunday, April 14th, 1912.
According to witnesses, as the ship went down the priest helped women and children get into the lifeboats, then heard confessions, gave absolution, and led passengers in reciting the Rosary.
Agnes McCoy, one of the survivors, says that as the great ship sank, Fr. Byles “stood on the deck with Catholics, Protestants and Jews kneeling around him.”
“Father Byles was saying the rosary and praying for the repose of the souls of those about to perish,” she told the New York Telegram on April 22, 1912, according to the website devoted to his memory, FatherByles.com.
In the words of the priest’s friend Fr. Patrick McKenna, “He twice refused the offer of a place in a boat, saying his duty was to stay on the ship while one soul wanted his ministrations.”
Nearly two weeks after the disaster, The Church Progress in St. Louis, Missouri wrote this moving tribute to the heroic priest:

In almost every line that has been written, and in every sentence that has been spoken, there stands boldly out above every other expression a picture of sublime heroism that will be copied into the pages of history. And well it may, for it is deserving of that honor.
But when it is, mention should be made of one whom pens and tongues have almost forgotten in their accounts of this awful sea tragedy. Among those who safely reached the land again no one seems to have been aware of his presence on the ship, but we may hope that many who meet him in a blissful eternity will praise God that Father Thomas Byles was there to administer absolution unto them.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/blog/the-untold-story-of-the-titanics-catholic-priest-who-went-down-hearing-conf

Hosted by Jen at Conversion Diary.

– 1 –

Rain, Rain Go Away… – This month we are definitely getting the April showers that bring May flowers but I don’t remember every having such a wet April before. Having lived in Southern California for the first three decade of my life, I am used to one kind of weather pattern – sunny. Now that I am living on the central coast of California, I am used to two kinds of weather – sunny or cool and foggy. So having four days in a row of rain and a thunder and lightning storm last night, well, that worthy of its own Quick Take! I just hope that the rain stops by next week because Bella is going on a two day trip with her class to Sacramento and the Gold Country to learn about California history. I’ll be one of the chaperones and although we won’t be sleeping in tents (I think it’s more of a primitive cabin) I’d rather do it in sunny weather!

– 2 –

The Family Tree Grows – It may be grey and dreary but we received joyous news this week – my sister EL gave birth to her fourth child, a little girl named Harriet Rose. Congratulations, sis! And I am an aunt for the fifth time. Yay! Just call me Auntie B. 😉 Look at her…how sweet is she?!

– 3 & 4 –

(This Quick Take is long so it counts as two.)
Accidents, Threats & Videotapes – Unfortunately that bit of news was hampered a couple days later when I got into a car accident. Remember what I said about the rain? On Tuesday, I dropped the boys off at pre school. Bella was on Easter break so she, Matthew and I were driving home. Just as we turned around a bend in the highway there was a pile up from a previous accident. I hit the brakes and the car seemed to slide all over the road but I was able to stop in time. I breathed a sigh of relief and just as I was thinking, “I hope the guy in back of me stops in time…bam! We get slammed from behind. I move to the side of the road and the woman (60ish?) was very apologetic. We see that no one is hurt and the damage doesn’t look too bad etc. As we exchange info some guy comes up and starts videotaping us. She walks over to him and tells him to turn off his video camera (it was a larger one), that the accident is over, this is a private matter etc. They sort of get into it and I hear the guy yell, “I know my rights… don’t touch me… I’m suing… assault… ” and the like. I’m thinking what kind of crazy guy is this and why is she talking to him and not ignoring him so we can get out of here?
I finish writing my info down (I already had hers) and I see the lady talking and gesturing to the guy as he is walking backwards videotaping her, sort of egging her on. Soon they have walked so far down the road I can’t see them anymore. I look around. Am I being punked? Should I leave? I left my info in her car and got back into my van and out of the rain. I am sitting there wondering if I should make a u-turn and go find the lady. I don’t want her to get hurt. Thankfully, just then some cops stopped to make sure I am okay. I explain to them what happened and they said I could leave and they’d go and check on the guy and the lady. To make a long story short (oops, too late!) the lady came back safely. (And she has been more than generous in making sure we are okay.) She told me later that the guy likes to videotape people and threatens to sue but he has no case here. Meanwhile, my Sienna is in the shop to see what kind of damage has been done. However, if you are browsing the internet and you find a YouTube video of an older woman arguing with some random guy on the road and you see a short, chubby Hispanic mom with a WTH? look on her face in the background, you’ll know that’s me. 😉

– 5 –

Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti – After that harrowing accident, Bella and I decided to go home and make a cup of hot chocolate, warm up some cinnamon rolls for breakfast and watch an old movie. We’ve been on a musical kick and it all started when she said they were singing songs from the Sound of Music in her music class. I told her we should watch the movie together since every night when the boys are going to sleep and Brian is showering or getting things ready for work the next day, Bella and I have a half hour window where we cuddle up on the couch and watch a movie (well, a portion of it) together. Sometimes it will be a Disney tween movie or an episode of Good Luck, Charlie (which I, ahem, actually enjoy) but last week I put on The Sound of Music instead. She loved it! We watched a little each night, completing it twice. This week we finished watching Meet Me in St. Louis with Judy Garland. Tonight we are going to start the 1949 version of Little Women with June Allyson. It’s not actually a musical but it is such a sweet movie, I think she’ll like it. Any other suggestions of what we should watch? (She prefers color and is not really into black and white, which is a bummer since ¾ of my movie collection is in B&W.)

– 6 –

Birthday Contest – I also wanted to mention, if you haven’t been reading the blog regularly (What? Am I the only one with 500 posts in my Google reader waiting to be read??) that we are celebrating the blogs 9th birthday with a contest. You can win an RoL care package that will include your choice of books (selections include Style, Sex and Substance, The Catholics Next Door, The Book of Saints for Catholic Moms and The Catholic Girl’s Survival Guide for the Single Years) as well as a Divine Mercy icon, Mystic Monk coffee or tea and, of course, chocolate. Get the details here.

– 7 –

Flashback Friday Five – Back in 2003, bloggers looked forward to filling out “The Friday Five” at the end of the week. I’ll close with a flashback of what I posted nine years ago, almost to the day.

Friday Five: Music Edition

1. What was the first band you saw in concert? Let’s see, years back it was a big Rock for Life concert in Orange County, CA. I think that first really got me into Christian alternative/hardcore music. But one of the first concerts I most vividly remember was when I drove to Santa Barbara, CA with my sister BC to see the hardcore band Focused. Oh, those guys were so awesome and so in love with God. They were the first band I ever interviewed (for the underground music zine I used to do.) Ah, such memories!

2. Who is your favorite artist/band now? Okay, you can tell I am a mommy now because at the moment I am listening to “Wags the Dog” by the Wiggles. (It is Bella’s Wiggle’s hour; that is the only time I am guaranteed some uninterrupted computer time!) But as far as I’m concerned, I have been listening to a lot of Jeremy Camp, Kutless, and Sixpense None the Richer. But I must say that I also loooove 80’s alternative music – The Cure, The Smiths, Morrissey, New Order, Psychedelic Furs, etc. Plus, good old classics like Dean Martin (reminds me of our honeymoon. Sigh.)

3. What’s your favorite song? This is a tough one. The song that always reminds me of Brian is The Cure’s “Lovesong.” I never tire of it.

4. If you could play any instrument, what would it be? Um, I always wished I could play the guitar, write my own music and sing my own songs. I may be able to get away with writing lyrics but the only instrument I can play is the Fisher-Price toddler drum set and my voice it not fit for anyplace other than the car while driving or perhaps in church if the choir sings real loud and drowns me out.

5. If you could meet any musical icon (past or present), who would it be and why? Back in my teen days I may have said someone like Morrissey from the Smiths but now I just see musical “icons” as regular joes and can’t think of one in particular that I’d single out. So I’ll have to think about that one.

LOL! Have a great weekend!

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

{pretty}

The kids are looking pretty in their Easter outfits. I let the boys go a bit more casual since anything fancier would have only been worn once.

Bella in name and looks.

Andrew and Agent P.

John-Paul the rascal was actually still and smiling. An Easter miracle!

{happy}

Brian’s parents made an Easter egg hunt in their backyard. They were as happy as the kids!

Matthew was asleep when the kids went on their egg hunt but he had a hunt of his own earlier that morning and found the kids’ decor and a giant egg, which made him very happy.

{funny}

Today is Matthew’s first birthday! Yay! We had a party for him at my in-laws on Easter. It has become an unintentional family tradition for my in-laws to get a cake with the wrong spelling. One year they spelled Andrew Joseph as “Josef” and last year John-Paul had a cake from a fancy French bakery and it was spelled “Jean-Paul.” This year the tradition continues, but we’re getting closer!