Love Quiz (UPDATED)

(UPDATE: Christina let me know that she changed the title of the quiz and the url. Both have been fixed.)

Christina Martin has a GREAT love quiz up. (She calls it "Time to Hitch that Horse to a Carriage? A quiz for the ladies".)

It's not the questions (which I'll snag to post here), it's the ANSWERS that are so fantastic! After reading these, head over to the rest of the post and check out her evaluation of the answers.

Answer each question as honestly as you can. Then read below to find out how to score. Don't peek ahead!

The Questions

1. Do you feel ready for marriage?

2. Is he good marriage material?

3. Does he inspire you to be a better person?

4. Do you inspire him to be a better person?

5. How does he feel about having children?

6. What things about him would you like to change?

7. Does he lift heavy things for you?

8. Are you physically attracted to him?

9. Does he admire you ridiculously?

10. Is he the one you can't live without, that you are absolutely certain you can spend a whole life with?

Who Was Saint Valentine?

Today we celebrate the feast day of Saint Valentine of Rome, a Catholic Saint. Really. Today is not about buying the most expensive gift possible (a $300 iPod?!? a GPS system??? roses that have been marked up 200% for this week only?!??). It's not about being vile and offensive (listen up, radical feminists who have tried to steal our day with your disgusting "play").

Today we remember a saint who was imprisoned for giving comfort to martyrs in prison. He was a priest, possibly a bishop. He worked a miracle for the jailer's daughter, restoring her sight, and this action converted the jailer himself. Saint Valentine of Rome was a martyr himself; he was beaten and beheaded in the third century. [source: Patron Saint Index]

New Advent's Catholic Encyclopedia says this about Saint Valentine:

At least three different Saint Valentines, all of them martyrs, are mentioned in the early martyrologies under date of 14 February. One is described as a priest at Rome, another as bishop of Interamna (modern Terni), and these two seem both to have suffered in the second half of the third century and to have been buried on the Flaminian Way, but at different distances from the city. In William of Malmesbury's time what was known to the ancients as the Flaminian Gate of Rome and is now the Porta del Popolo, was called the Gate of St. Valentine. The name seems to have been taken from a small church dedicated to the saint which was in the immediate neighborhood. Of both these St. Valentines some sort of Acta are preserved but they are of relatively late date and of no historical value. Of the third Saint Valentine, who suffered in Africa with a number of companions, nothing further is known.

Catholic Online had this information:

The origin of St. Valentine, and how many St. Valentines there were, remains a mystery. One opinion is that he was a Roman martyred for refusing to give up his Christian faith. Other historians hold that St. Valentine was a temple priest jailed for defiance during the reign of Claudius. Whoever he was, Valentine really existed because archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine. In 496 AD Pope Gelasius marked February 14th as a celebration in honor of his martyrdom.

The first representation of Saint Valentine appeared in a The Nuremberg Chronicle, a great illustrated book printed in 1493. [Additional evidence that Valentine was a real person: archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine.] Alongside a woodcut portrait of him, text states that Valentinus was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius the Goth [Claudius II]. Since he was caught marrying Christian couples and aiding any Christians who were being persecuted under Emperor Claudius in Rome [when helping them was considered a crime], Valentinus was arrested and imprisoned. Claudius took a liking to this prisoner -- until Valentinus made a strategic error: he tried to convert the Emperor -- whereupon this priest was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stoned; when that didn't do it, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate [circa 269].

There are other saints who share this day as their feast day, too. Two of them are ones Big Girl learned about in school last year, Saints Cyril and Methodius.

Saint Valentine's Day Jokes

From today's Good, Clean Funnies. Note: The non-capitalization of Valentine was in the original. (I haven't forgotten that this is actually the feast day for a Catholic saint!)

What would you get if you crossed a dog with a valentine card?
A card that says, "I love you drool-ly!"

What did the painter say to her boyfriend?
"I love you with all my art!"

What does a man who loves his car do on February 14?
He gives it a valenshine!

What did the man with the broken leg say to his nurse?
"I've got a crutch on you!"

Did you hear about the romance in the tropical fish tank?
It was a case of guppy love.

What do you call two birds in love?
Tweethearts!

What do you call a very small valentine?
A valentiny!

What did Frankenstein say to his girlfriend?
"Be my valenstein!"

What do farmers give their wives on Valentine's Day?
Hogs and kisses!

Why did the pig give his girlfriend a box of candy?
It was Valenswine's Day!

Do skunks celebrate Valentine's Day?
Sure, they're very scent-imental!

What did the paper clip say to the magnet on Valentine's Day?
"I find you very attractive."

What did the French chef give his wife for Valentine's Day?
A hug and a quiche!

What did one pickle say to the other?
"You mean a great dill to me."

Why do valentines have hearts on them?
Because kidneys would look pretty gross!

What did one light bulb say to the other?
"I love you a whole watt!"

What did the caveman give his wife on Valentine's Day?
Ughs and kisses!

What did the bat say to his Valentine?
"You're fun to hang around with."

What did the chocolate syrup say to the ice cream?
"I'm sweet on you!"

Why should you send your sweetie a valentine?
Because you always heart the one you love!

What did the elephant say to his Valentine?
"I love you a ton!"

What would you get it you crossed a blonde with the God of love?
A stupid cupid!

Why did the cannibal break up with his Valentine?
She didn't suit his taste!

Why I'm Silent

I was busy this weekend entertaining, sort of. You see, on Saturday, Hubby made his Second and Third Degrees in a town about an hour or so from here. My parents flew up after finding an AMAZING deal on getting into the Very Small Airport we live near. Seriously. Just under $200 for BOTH of them, round-trip!

Anyway, Soccer Grandma (that would be my mom) and The Amazing Pa Pa were here from late Friday until late Monday. I think it will take the whole time between now and when we go to Florida to visit my family to deprogram the children! LOL! (Just kidding, mostly.)

But on Monday night, while Hubby dropped off my parents at the airport, I had my first Big Meeting with the Respect Life Committee at our parish. VERY light attendance (due to weather, I hope!), but two new members who were FULL of wonderful ideas! It's all very exciting!

More details to follow, but for now I really ought to see what the girls have been up to while I've been doing the taxes. They got very quiet again, and sometimes that means trouble.

iPod Meme

Okay, an open tag and a new iPod for Christmas means that I get to do this meme! HA!

Snatched from Housewife in Flip-Flops, who has a spiffy new computer.

Here's what you do: Go to your music player of choice and put it on shuffle. Say the following questions aloud, and press play. Use the song title as the answer to the question. NO CHEATING.

How does the world see you? "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue" by Toby Keith. Oof. I'm seen as jingoistic, I guess. And wanting to kick terrorist butt.

Will I have a happy life? "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd. I'll be happy as long as I live in the South? Well, my life has improved since I left NJ...

What do my friends really think of me? "There Goes My Life" by Kenny Chesney. Yup. That's what every guy thinks when they see me. Sure. Because somehow between high school and now I've become desirable? LOL!

Do people secretly lust after me? Oh, now this is interesting. "Introit: Gaudeamus" by The Monastic Choice of the Abbey of Saint Benedict. I guess that means ... NO.

How can I make myself happy? "Genius in France" by Weird Al. Um...this song is about someone who is completely moronic, but is considered a genius in France, so he moves there. I'm not sure, but I think my iPod just insulted me.

What should I do with my life? Okay, I have them already, but the song that comes up is another Weird Al one (from Poodle Hat) called "Trash Day." And guess what? It IS trash day!

Will I ever have children? I have children, and I'm really not sure what this song means in relation to it. "Kerosene" by Miranda Lambert. Angry, cheated-on chick wants to torch boyfriend's house? Holy cow, someone warn Hubby!

What is some good advice for me? Back into the Gregorian Chant stuff with the monastic choir. "Responsory: Sancte Pater Benedicte" (Blessing from Holy Father, says my very-beginning Latin abilities.) Do what God tells me, maybe? Always good advice!

How will I be remembered? I think that the shuffle on my iPod really likes that Poodle Hat album. "Why Does This Always Happen to Me?" A song about a person who complains about small things when worse stuff is happening to other people. Hmmm... Bad sign for me.

What is my signature dancing song? Yeah, I'm about this good. More Gregorian Chant. "Hymn: Claris Conjubilia Gallia Laudibus" Same monastic choir. Again, not exactly a dancing song! (I actually added these on my iPod because they are soothing, and I can pray while I listen. I used them on the bus trip to the March for Life to lull my very-excited Big Girl to sleep.)

What do I think is my current theme song? "Cult of Personality" by Living Colour. Wow. That doesn't say much good about me, huh? But it's a kickin' song!

What does everyone think my current theme song is? "New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra. Wow, my grandparents would love that! I do really love NYC, though. Great place to visit.

What song will play at my funeral? "You're the Inspiration" by Chicago. May I actually BE an inspiration for good things!

What type of men / women do you like? "When I Think About Cheatin'" by Gretchen Wilson. Um...golly, I don't actually think about cheating.

What is my day going to be like? "One Hot Mama" by Trace Adkins. Wow! That is really COOL! Maybe those new jeans from Wal Mart will fit really well! LOL

I'll leave an open tag, too. Leave a link if you do it, please. :)

If you have a moment to browse, please check out my storefront, which you can find here. You can find everything from health and beauty (meaning vitamins, supplements, diet and weight loss stuff, and makeup & skincare products) to home care (meaning cleaning stuff and laundry stuff that I think totally ROCKS!), plus a lot of stuff in between.

Just a thought. Excellent vitamins and supplements, too.

As Bartles and James used to say, thank you for your support! ;)

Battle of the Toothpaste Tube

It never fails. Hubby and I each try not to be the one who uses the very last of the toothpaste in a tube. We squeeze out more than seems possible, and hope that the other one has to throw away the tube and open the new pack.



I lost this time.

A Smorgasborg of Links

I have a bunch of older posts that I've saved on my Bloglines account, some of which are just there to be shared, others that I've saved to read later. Here are a bunch of them.

1. Catholic Pillow Fight had this fantastic quote:

Therefore, in the Catholic view, the use of genital sexuality should be limited to the married, not because 'sex is dirty and we have to limit the spread of it', but because 'sex is holy and the use of it outside of Matrimony is a desecration.'

To the Catholic eye, it's as if someone said, "Gee, you must really hate people eating those little round pieces of bread - you have all these rules about who can get them, and you lock away the leftover ones in a box so that nobody can get at them otherwise ! Why not just let them lie around, so that anybody can have a snack whenever they want ?" -- Donna Marie Lewis

2. The Anchoress posted a few videos of old-school gymnasts.

3. I haven't gotten to read these yet, but I really like Maureen Wittmann, which is why I bookmarked this post from Nancy Brown.

4. Ignatius Insight (the blog for Ignatius Press) had a slew of goodies recently.

a. How converts see the Blessed Mother. (Chesterson!)
b. Fantasy and philosophy in the writings of Tolkien and Lewis.
c. The never-ending Left Behind series.
d. Were the Dark Ages really all that dark?
e. Evangelicals are beginning to see Mary as more than a prop at Christmastime.
f. George Weigel comments on ad orientum.

(Whew! I've got some catching up to do at Ignatius!)

5. Ironic Catholic reminds us to nominate Catholic blogs for the annual Catholic Blogging awards. (I am totally not fishing for compliments here. See my blogroll for some very worthy blogs.)

6. Musings from a Catholic Bookstore gives us a list of 100 books every Catholic parish library should have. I wonder how many our parish has?

7. Joel would like to vote for this guy.

8. Jay has a link to an interview with Sam Brownback.

9. Paul has a video that will have your jaw hanging open. Ever wonder about why your kids can't add or multiply easily? I'm glad I homeschool!

10. The Ward Wide Web has a post up about how the Mass is a mini-Catechism. I have only skimmed it so far, but I'll be saving it to finish reading later.

Golly, there's more, but I have things to do today!

I'm Rooting for the Colts...

...but I still think this is funny!

Accidental Science Experiments

I bought a bunch of potatoes for Thanksgiving, but didn't use all of them. I also bought a Chernobyl Sweet Potato to make mashed sweet potatoes, but I never really got around to it. When I went into the pantry for an onion last night for beef fajitas, I discovered this:

The kids were fascinated! Big Girl was a bit disappointed that we didn't save them for planting so we could grow our own potatoes and sweet potatoes. Aside from reading Farmer Boy, I haven't ever learned how potatoes are planted or grown. But this looked VERY cool!