Heartland of America

On a recent drive from Charlottesville, VA to Schaumburg, IL, I found myself in a car with no entertainment other than a radio. Driving through West Virginia and Kentucky, in particular, I found myself tuning into country music . . . and – to my surprise – found myself really enjoying it!

I suppose it shouldn’t be such a surprise. Between my college roommate Becky and my sister Bonnie, I have been around country music for years. I’ve just never had such a concentrated (i.e. thirteen hour) exposure.

Some of my immediate favorites:

• SHeDAISY’s Passenger Seat (the first link)
• Sugarland’s Something More
• Tracy Byrd’s Revenge of a Middle-Aged Woman (the first link)
• Chely Wright’s Shut Up and Drive
• Trace Adkins’ Hot Mama (the third link)
• Darryl Worley’s If Something Should Happen and Toby Keith’s American Soldier make me sniffly.
• And of course I’ve always loved Faith Hills’ This Kiss, but her Mississippi Girl isn’t bad either (despite being waaaaay overplayed.)

And as long as I am thinking of country music I like, I enjoy the Dixie Chicks’ Cowboy, Take Me Away and Trisha Yearwood’s She’s in Love With the Boy.

I think that’s about it. Hopefully the contamination won’t spread further, but if I ever lose a husband, kids, dog, job or house, I will be ready.

Other Catholic Quizzes

A few more quizzes (from a different source)

Electing a Pope: 9/10
Priests, Monks, Nuns and Other Saintly Stuff: 4/10

Catholic Stations of the Cross: 20/20
The Holy Tridentine Mass: 9/15
Roman Catholicism: 25/25
Joyful Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary: 14/15
The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ: 14/15
Sorrowful Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary: 17/20
Traditional Cathlicism: 1/10

The Story of Our Lady of Guadalupe: 7/10
The Short and Amazing Life of Saint Philomena: 13/15

No fair looking things up! I’m amazed at my score on the Philomena quiz, since I’ve never known anything about her.

Your Order #1234567890

Spamming laws might be necessary in order to protect the spammers:

Vardan Kushnir, notorious for sending spam to each and every citizen of Russia who appeared to have an e-mail, was found dead in his Moscow apartment on Sunday, Interfax reported Monday. He died after suffering repeated blows to the head.

Kushnir, 35, headed the English learning centers the Center for American English, the New York English Centre and the Centre for Spoken English, all known to have aggressive Internet advertising policies in which millions of e-mails were sent every day.

Wow. I choose “delete.”

Roscoe, Arrest Them Duke Boys!

Cooter is protesting the Dukes of Hazzard movie:

Former Georgia Congressman Ben Jones, who played “Cooter” on the hit TV series “The Dukes of Hazzard,” has blasted the new film version to be released in August as a “profanity-laced script with blatant sexual situations that mocks the good clean family values of our series.”

In an open letter to the fans of the show on his Web site, Jones says that “rather than honoring our legendary show, they have chosen to degrade it.” He closes by saying that fans should send the producers a message that says, “If you don’t clean it up, we’re not going to see it.” He adds, “Maybe a kick in their pocketbook will get their attention.”

Jane Fonda, Certifiable Idiot

Jane Fonda is going to protest the war in Iraq:

Actress and activist Jane Fonda says she intends to take a cross-country bus tour to call for an end to U.S. military operations in Iraq.

I guess she figures that although the major controversy has died down, she can still make her mark. Didn’t Hanoi Jane learn anything the first time?

Ready, AIM, Fire!

Have you participated in the AIM Fight?

I have. I can hold my own.

(Hat tip to Tony Meizelis.)

Campaign for Beauty

You know the latest Dove campaign? And the one for younger girls in Canada?

Stroke of brilliance. Brilliance, I say. That marketing director should get a small tropical island resort as a bonus.

I Can’t Stop!

Nature of God quiz: 8/10
Angels and Eden quiz: 4/7
Seven Capital Sins quiz: 10/10
An Overview of Sin quiz: 10/10

It would figure I would know about sin.

How True It Is

S’ok though. I am still a traditionalist Catholic.

You scored 88, on a scale of 0 to 100.

You are a traditionalist Catholic
You wish the church would revive the time-honored customs and strong institutional discipline that prevailed before the Second Vatican Council. Your favorite hymn is probably “Immaculate Mary,” your favorite pope is Pius X, and your idea of a great Catholic movie is “The Bells of St. Mary’s.”

Whew! I was worried for a minute . . . I’m glad I have these online quizzes to decimate and restore my sense of self.

(I do think Vatican II was a good thing, though.)

Maybe I Need a Catechism Review

I admit with shame that I only got 83% (10/12) correct on a fruits of the Holy Spirit Catholic Quiz.

I tried to be smarter than the tests. I failed.

Update: and I scored a 75% (9/12) on a 4th to 7th commandments Catholic Quiz.

Shame on me.