— 1 —

Want to win a FREE book? Of course you do! You’ve got until tonight at midnight to put your name in the hat to win a copy of Small Steps for Catholic Moms by Danielle Bean and Elizabeth Foss.

— 2 —

In my latest Tech Talk at CatholicMom.com, I highlight an app that has been really helpful to me. I really relate to the Grinch, when he is bothered by the Noise! Noise! NOISE! NOISE!!! But since all the noise doesn’t seem to bother anyone else around here, I had to find a workaround.

— 3 —

Number of times I’ve gone to the gym in my lifetime before Sunday:  0.

Number of times this week I’ve gone to the gym:  3.

Hubs, Middle Sister and I all joined the gym around the corner. I want to gradually drop that baby weight, plus the after-baby weight, since the baby is now 11 years old. Surprisingly, I don’t hate it. I just use the treadmill for about 30 minutes. I’d thought I would listen to podcasts while I work out, but the music in the gym is too loud (see Noise! Noise! NOISE! NOISE!!! above) so I just watch the news on the big TVs.

One disconcerting thing, a couple of days this week, was walking in to the gym at 5:30 AM and finding a child, about Little Brother’s age or so, wandering around the reception area all alone. I’m guessing his grownup was working out someplace in the gym. It was kind of sad. 5:30 in the morning, and this kid has obviously been there for a little while; he’s fully dressed, looks wide awake and is just meandering around among the machines and tables and chairs. And it must be nothing new because no one else in the place seemed to bat an eye at seeing a kid there that early in the day. Our gym does offer child care, but not at that hour.

— 4 —

I’m still coughing my head off after last week’s sinus infection, but I no longer sound like Bea Arthur. I’m a baritone now.

— 5 —

It’s time to do one of my Very Favorite Things! We’ve started rehearsing for the Festival of Lessons & Carols, an Advent musical program that’s held at a local Catholic church just before Christmas each year. This is my third year participating; I play guitar (for the songs that require it) and sing, from the instrument section, with the altos. I also marvel at the incredible musical talent that my friend, who directs this program, manages to assemble every year. I love singing and playing with musicians of this caliber. It makes me stretch!

— 6 —

Little Brother has started rehearsing for a Christmas play; he’s in the local community theater’s production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. He plays Charlie Bradley, who is directly to blame for the “feral” family’s participation in the Christmas pageant. Basically, he has been cast opposite a bunch of kids who are playing Street Urchins. Art imitates life, I guess.

— 7 —

College tours with Middle Sister continue; next week we’ll be visiting a university right near where I grew up. I think my mom is going to meet us for lunch. Looking forward to that!

BONUS! Big Brother will be home this weekend for “fall break.” We miss him! Now I need to think about what to feed him while he’s here.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!