Fixing things around the house

Maybe conservative guys feel a need to be Mr. Fix It Man around the house. Or maybe any guy who needs to save money.

I don't have this need. Some of my friends do, but most don't.

I wish there was a handyman service where the guy would come once a month and fix all of the little things around the house I don't get to, and my dear wife nags me about. In Covey terms, this would be a Win-Win-Win.

I would pay, say, $50 per hour for this, maybe even more.

Who's your daddy

This just in:

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Identigene, which runs a DNA testing laboratory, said its DNA Paternity Test Collection Kit went on sale Wednesday at the 4,363 Rite Aid drug stores throughout the United States, except New York.

The swab in the kit is used to collect a saliva sample, to be mailed to the Identigene laboratory for an analysis that costs additional 119 dollars.

The paternity test kit is already a hit in California, Washington and Oregon states, where they have been selling on a trial basis since November, Identigene said.


Question... why do we have more paternity questions on the West Coast?

Real woman

I miss my wife. On the road just a few of days, conversing with high-powered men and women dressed to the nines. She is much more beautiful and radiant. The image of her face is seared in my mind, which was once a young woman's face but is now seasoned with motherhood, with much more captivating eyes.

Sanctifying the Embassy Suites on K Street

It occurred to me last night, while I was staying in a $400-a-night hotel, dining with $700-per-hour lawyers drinking $20-per-glass port, that there is a way to make Christ present to the souls around me. And it wasn't by denouncing this luxury, or even speaking about the gospel.

It was doing something hidden -- such as choosing the least-favorite sounding side dish -- and praying to the guardian angel of each one of my confreres.

Something maddenly as simple as this.

Vagina monologues misunderstood?

I just had dinner with a woman who spearheaded efforts at her Catholic college to host the controversial Vagina Monologues. She described being threatened by the college with unspecified sanctions and facing lots of student protests, which only drove interest in the event further. She said the thrust of the dialogue was about domestic abuse. Maybe a tenth of it was devoted to sexuality. When pressed, she agreed having "Vagina" in the title was what invited criticism, but said that is what drives the ticket sales.

So... are conservatives unwittingly pushing up sales of tickets to this play by opposing it?

Social justice vs. personal piety

When I visit liberal Catholic parishes, helping the poor (social justice) is centerstage, but honestly most of our pastors in this category don't challenge us at the level of personal morality.

When I visit conservative Catholic parishes, it's just the opposite: the refreshing challenge to make hard moral choices such as leaving birth control behind, but a glaring lack of attention on the poor, mentally ill or bed ridden.

Am I missing something? Why are there no parishes that breathe with both lungs?

No more toys as gifts?

We are considering a new family policy for the relatives: no more toys for birthdays or Christmas. We have so much already. We constantly are giving toys back to Goodwill. We could do our part to reduce our environmental footprint by changing our family customs.

Only problem is... what do you say to get the kids instead? Tickets to a theme park, or a play?