Books I'm Currently Reading

A # indicates a book read for the first time

A * indicates a book started today

Books are listed by author (or series creator)

"My Daily Spiritual Companion"

by Marci Alborghetti

daily devotional reading for 2017

I liked the book I used last year better

"Why Did They Name It?" 
by Hannah Campbell
[nonfiction]

"Of Irish Ways" # 
by Mary Murray Delaney
[nonfiction]

"Essays,
First and Second Series" # 
by Ralph Waldo Emerson
[nonfiction, classic]
I agree with some things he writes,
but strongly disagree with others.


"A Circle Of Quiet
The Crosswicks Journals, Volume 1" 
by Madeleine L'Engle
[autobiography]
(Kindle book, Complete 4-Volume Set]

"The Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ" #

by St. Alphonsus Liguori

[Catholic spirituality]

(Kindle book]

"First Farm In The Valley: Anna's Story" *
by Anne Pellowski
[children's fiction, historical, 1870s]
(Kindle book)


"Ripples and Other Stories" 
by Reva Rubenstein
[short stories, YA, Jewish]
(Kindle book)

"The Book of Catholic Jokes" 

by Fr. Gregory Sakowicz and Deacon Tom Sheridan
[nonfiction, humor (obviously!)]
one or two pages a night

"Proverbs"

by Solomon

[current Bible book]

"Archie's Pals 'N' Gals Double Digest No. 122"#*
by Various
[comic book]
(openlibrary.org loan)

"Leaves of Grass" 

by Walt Whitman
[poetry]
(free Kindle book)

Also:

Daily readings in the Liturgy of the Hours
Nightly bedtime Gospel reading

I choose a favorite passage every night

Finished today:

"Archie's Pals 'N' Gals Double Digest No. 80"

by Various

"Justice League International Vol. 5" 

by Keith Giffen

"Caleb's Story" 

by Patricia MacLachlan

Is There REALLY More Bullying These Days?

There are people who claim that there is more bullying going on these days than ever before, but is that really true?

Granted, there was a time when we didn't have cyber-bullying,

but that was when we also didn't have an internet.

I don't think it's so much that there is more bullying than there

used to be.  Yes, I've seen too many people going online to gang up on one person, but is that so different from the way

some kids have ganged up on just one kid for years?  The way 

I see it, the only difference is that online bullies don't see, and

often don't even know, the person they're attacking.

Another reason people are saying that there is more bullying is

that they now understand that name-calling is also a form of bullying.  I remember when children who were teased, made fun of, called names, were all too often shamed by adults, for example, teachers, if they cried or complained.

"Don't be such a crybaby."

"You should learn to take a little teasing."

Boy, do I remember being told that!  But a more vivid memory is that of a teacher putting her hands on her hips and singing to me, or rather at me, "Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me."

Unfortunately, there will always be bullying in some form or another, as long as there is somebody who is vulnerable, somebody who is an easy target.

"Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me."

COW FLOPS!!!!