music, safety, and JPII's miracles.

Music tastes are a very interesting, dynamic thing. There are bands i cannot stand, despite frequent attempts and open-mindedness; i REALLY WANT to like them. i feel like the music style is not too far removed from bands who are my favorites, i've tried albums from various stages in their career, youtubed concerts, but i just don't. Ya can't force it, i guess. Of Montreal is one of these bands. Bright Eyes, really anything Conner Oberst, ugh. There are bands whom i dislike with the exception of a song or two; Arcade Fire, with the exception of their Rebellion. The Decemberists, with the exception of their June Hymn, though i like Colin Meloy's independent stuff. Also, done anyone else associate his voice with pirate shanties?


Let's talk about runner safety. Anyone have/use anything like a Road ID? As a single person who runs at odd hours (lately it's been at 10 pm, due to busy days and strange weather patterns).

Not too shabby bike commuting article here.

Had a lovely evening with Coral and Jack last night; we went out for dinner, dessert and drinks. Conversations range wide between us three, from pollination of apartment vegetable plants (tomatoes and jalapenos, in this instance) to holy water and the canonization process of the former Pope John Paul II (JPII; Coral and i are both very Catholic Polish/ Polish Catholic women, and as Poles, hold a particular devotion to JPII). Canonization is the process by which the Catholic church recognizes someone officially as a saint worldwide (for the local level, only beautification, step 3 of the 4 canonization process, is required). 5 years after the person-to-be-canonized dies, a formal investigation of that person's life/writings/etc is kicked off by the bishop local to where that person lived/died. When enough info has been gathered, the soon-sainted is given the title 'heroic in virtue', ("servant exhibited the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity, and the cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance, to a heroic degree"). Around this point and probably before, people pray in the name of the the soon-sainted, and ask for their intercession (intercessory prayer is based on the idea that the deceased person is in Heaven, in the presence of God, and can obtain graces and blessings for others). Upon confirmation of one miracle (resolved by a board of doctors, the Consulta Medica, to be complete, instant, permanent, and without scientific explanation), the soon-sainted is declared beatified. When two miracles are confirmed, then that person can be declared a saint. There is currently 1 miracle attributed to John Paul II, a nun was cured of her Parkinson's (JPII himself had Parkinson's),  and others under investigation; for instance, a young boy was cured of his kidney cancer after visiting his tomb in St. Peter's Cathedral.