“John Cage said that fear in life is the fear of change. If I may add to that: nothing can avoid changing. It’s the only thing you can count on. Because life doesn’t have any other possibility, everyone can be measured by his adaptability to change.” (Robert Rauschenberg)

In my agonizing over an extended family situation, my phone scrolling compulsion yields the fact that there is a patron saint of dysfunctional families: St. Eugene de Mazenod.

Don’t ever tell me God doesn’t speak to us through whatever means He pleases. St. Eugene, pray for us.

Parent of local NPR station acquires Chicago Sun-Times. Per the newspaper: “Under the deal, the Sun-Times would become an independent operation of WBEZ’s owner, Chicago Public Media, and convert from for-profit to nonprofit status."

🎬📽🍿 Watched “Belle” this afternoon. First time in a while, if ever, that we ever left the theater in complete silence as we tried to unpack everything.

I can at least say it is one of the most visually stunning animated features I’ve ever seen.

“I get why I need to come here,” the daughter said after walking around for a minute. “This place is like a Filipino Walmart.”

I know I’ve talked about having guiding words for my year. In the epistle reading during today’s TLM, I may have found a guiding verse:

Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. (Romans 12:12, RSV-CE)

I’ll be thinking about this one for a while.

Thinking about getting steps or a ramp to help our aging dog get onto our bed. Found this online; I suppose it’d work, since we’re not Jewish.

Lots of COVID-19 schadenfreude out there. It’s understandable, in a way. But I’m still convinced that schadenfreude is a sin.

And yet part of me wants to see “Sing 2” just to see how far Bono’s career has fallen.

More than 10 years out of the news business, and this becomes the kind of story I live for these days.

Hard to decide who should bear the brunt of blame and wrath for this: the Indian legal system or the Church itself: “Indian Bishop Is Acquitted on Charges of Raping a Nun” (The New York Times). Lord, have mercy on us all.

You know the day is dragging when finding a meatless tamale in the freezer is the highlight of the day.

Neither positive — nor pregnant, I’m guessing.

🎬📽🍿 Tonight, I learned that “Princess Mononoke” kicks the Lorax’s ass.

Still slightly ill, but feeling much less foggy than yesterday. Logged into work and did more or less a full day.

I honestly doubt that whatever is ailing me is That Virus. Still, I did my due diligence and checked the CVS locations that offer testing within a 10-mile radius of me; they’re booked through the end of the week. I mentioned this to an East Coast friend of mine, and she offered to overnight me an at-home COVID test tomorrow from her stockpile, since I can’t seem to get one around here. I’m taking her up on her offer,

Haven’t tested for COVID since a year and a half ago, just before my June 2020 colonoscopy. I hear the tests aren’t as invasive as they used to be, and that they don’t always require you to swab the surface of your brain. Fingers crossed.

Jeff Tweedy actually liked and retweeted me. My year already is complete.

Between forgoing Mass yesterday and calling in sick today, I’m plagued by a sense of self-doubt—like, am I just getting out of stuff I just don’t feel like doing?

The ice layers that kept us from leaving the house yesterday remain, despite salt reinforcements that Chris brought home.

And honestly, I’ve been sicker and worked through it. But today my head feels dizzy, tight with anxiety, and extra cloudy.

I just want to lie on the couch, shut my eyes, and listen to Jeff Tweedy and Wilco all day. Tweedy’s cover of David Bowie’s “Heroes”(subscription only), on repeat, is carrying me through this morning.