We are making a Paschal candle for our church group. Last year, another member made the candle and I helped with the process. This year, he is out of town so it's fallen to us. We made our first pour last night and let the candle cool in the garage. To make next year's candle easier, I decided to chronicle the process for whoever winds up making the candle.
The first thing to document is the web site we used to guide the candle making process. The good thing about the web site is that it goes through the process of making a pillar candle step by step with clear instructions and with pictures (something we failed to do, sorry!). The bad thing is that it describes using a metal mold, which we are not using for this candle.
We are using a four-inch diameter PVC pipe that is about four feet long. We have a cap for the end of the pipe through which a small hole is drilled. This serves as the base of the pillar and it's where the wick goes through. Before assembling, though, we sprayed the inside of the pipe and the cap with candle mold release so that it will come out of the tube more easily at the end.
Tacky wax is used to seal the hole so that hot wax does not leak out of the mold while it cools. To hold the wick up straight, we tied it to a chop stick. Any stick would do; we have plenty of chopsticks in our drawer that never get used. We twisted the wick around the stick until it was tight. This set up should keep the wick centered during pouring.
Everything is set, except for melting the wax and pouring, which will be a separate blog.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Jacob is a helper
At Jacob's 15 month pediatrician appointment, I had to fill out a questionnaire about his development. One question asked, "Does your child help around the house?" which definitely had me circling "no." When it came to household chores, he was the opposite of helpful. If we folded clean laundry in a basket, he would spread the clothes all over the floor. If he found a basketful of dirty laundry, he would spread the clothes all over the floor. When we picked up toys to vacuum, he would redistribute them. The two ways to solve this problem were (1) to be quicker than him, so eventually everything would be picked up (even if picked up several times) or (2) to wait for him to fall asleep and then pick up and vacuum. At meals, he liked to drop some food on the floor for a snack later. The closest he got to helping out was when we'd sweep up the kitchen. He'd take the broom from us and walk around all over the house. Too bad he held the bristles up in the air.
Now, things have changed. When I take him downstairs to put on some laundry, he actually takes items from the basket and puts them in the machine. He'll even push the start button on the washer, and if I lift him up he'll push the start button on the dryer. Whether clothes are in the dryer or not is of little consequence to him. In the garage, we have to push two buttons simultaneously in order to open the garage door from the inside. Jacob has his button and I have mine. We have a great time opening the door when we head out for errands. He'll even put books back on his bookshelf and toys back in the bin. Not always, but definitely more often than he used to. He even puts his laundry in his basket when we undress him for bath time. He still drops food on the floor at meal times. I guess you can't win 'em all.
We go back to the pediatrician next week for his 18 month check up and shots. I hope they still have that question on the development questionnaire, because I can't wait to circle "yes"!!
Now, things have changed. When I take him downstairs to put on some laundry, he actually takes items from the basket and puts them in the machine. He'll even push the start button on the washer, and if I lift him up he'll push the start button on the dryer. Whether clothes are in the dryer or not is of little consequence to him. In the garage, we have to push two buttons simultaneously in order to open the garage door from the inside. Jacob has his button and I have mine. We have a great time opening the door when we head out for errands. He'll even put books back on his bookshelf and toys back in the bin. Not always, but definitely more often than he used to. He even puts his laundry in his basket when we undress him for bath time. He still drops food on the floor at meal times. I guess you can't win 'em all.
We go back to the pediatrician next week for his 18 month check up and shots. I hope they still have that question on the development questionnaire, because I can't wait to circle "yes"!!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Abraham is done!
Today was the last meeting we had in our church group for Abraham. I had a good time with the preparations but I am also glad it is done. A lot of work went into it from the entire group. It was really great to get to know the other members of the group more closely. I hope others experience this same benefit with their groups. The next topic is Exodus; I'm sure that group will do well.
Sorry for the short post but Sunday is a day of rest, so I will now go to rest.
Sorry for the short post but Sunday is a day of rest, so I will now go to rest.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Daddy is a superman
I've come to discover that in order to be a dad, you have to have the powers of Superman. Consider the following examples:
1. X-ray vision--a dad needs to be on watch even when you can't physically see your son or daughter. If you sense trouble, you need to be able to look quickly and assess the threat. You might need some assistance with a device, which I suppose makes you more like Batman than Superman, but why not fudge a little?
2. Super hearing--Even a toddler has enough sneaking powers to get into troublesome spots without making a lot of noise. You have to hear the slightest creak on a staircase or the silent slide of the steak knife drawer (which really should be secured some other way, shouldn't it?!?). Which brings us to the next attribute...
3. Faster than a speeding bullet--You see Junior from across the room, hall, gym or mall about to pull over a wobbly shelf or get down from some piece of furniture where the only landing is a crash landing. You need to be there in an instant. If you get their fast enough, nothing will happen. It's when you can't quite get there in time that the kid has a bump which starts a massive crying fit. You know the one where the first cries are silent, waiting for lung capacity and dramatic tension to build to bursting.
4. More powerful than a locomotive--Sure, your toddler can toddle along for a little while. Eventually he or she will tire and need to be carried back to home, the car, the hotel room, etc. Since the child is tired, most like he or she will fall asleep while being carried, which increases his or her weight by a factor of four. If you don't believe this violation of the laws of physics is true, ask any parent. If you are lucky, they will just tell you and not let you experience it for yourself.
5. Super-cold breath--How many times has a young one spit out a forkful or spoonful of food because the parent forgot to make sure the food was cool enough? Maybe you can't freeze a lake with your breath, but you'll need to put some chill on your chili.
I could go on and on, but you get the idea. So be warned and be ready if you become a father. You'll also have to become Superman.
1. X-ray vision--a dad needs to be on watch even when you can't physically see your son or daughter. If you sense trouble, you need to be able to look quickly and assess the threat. You might need some assistance with a device, which I suppose makes you more like Batman than Superman, but why not fudge a little?
2. Super hearing--Even a toddler has enough sneaking powers to get into troublesome spots without making a lot of noise. You have to hear the slightest creak on a staircase or the silent slide of the steak knife drawer (which really should be secured some other way, shouldn't it?!?). Which brings us to the next attribute...
3. Faster than a speeding bullet--You see Junior from across the room, hall, gym or mall about to pull over a wobbly shelf or get down from some piece of furniture where the only landing is a crash landing. You need to be there in an instant. If you get their fast enough, nothing will happen. It's when you can't quite get there in time that the kid has a bump which starts a massive crying fit. You know the one where the first cries are silent, waiting for lung capacity and dramatic tension to build to bursting.
4. More powerful than a locomotive--Sure, your toddler can toddle along for a little while. Eventually he or she will tire and need to be carried back to home, the car, the hotel room, etc. Since the child is tired, most like he or she will fall asleep while being carried, which increases his or her weight by a factor of four. If you don't believe this violation of the laws of physics is true, ask any parent. If you are lucky, they will just tell you and not let you experience it for yourself.
5. Super-cold breath--How many times has a young one spit out a forkful or spoonful of food because the parent forgot to make sure the food was cool enough? Maybe you can't freeze a lake with your breath, but you'll need to put some chill on your chili.
I could go on and on, but you get the idea. So be warned and be ready if you become a father. You'll also have to become Superman.
quick update
Just a quick posting before bedtime. Jacob was up several times last night, so we were zombies at breakfast. No, we did not eat brains instead of cereal, we just shambled around and mumbled incoherently. Also, yesterday Jacob bowled me over and I banged my head against his little plastic rocker. My neck was very sore yesterday, so I put off tae kwon do with Dave to tonight. I recovered quiet a bit, but a full night's sleep would have been better. Hopefully tonight will see some uninterrupted snoozing. Dave did not reinjure me, so all is well. I can't believe March is almost over. Where is time going? More tomorrow.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Movie review: Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
I've finally watched one of the staples of 1980's cinema, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. It definitely represents its era well, back in the days of synthetic pop music, big hair, silly clothes and when suburbia was still considered a normal place to be (i.e. not a repressive hell or insane or a fairy tale).
Amazingly, the time travel is handled very well, i.e. without any paradoxes. At one point, future Bill and Ted run into themselves in the present, but they just provide vague advice that won't fracture the space time continuum. At one point, they are smart enough to realize that after their history report is done, they can intervene on their own past behalf to get through different problems, like going back and stealing keys to the jail and leaving them in a convenient spot at the right time. The movie is even smart enough to set up the lost keys at the beginning, long before they become a plot point. Such intelligence was a pleasant surprise among the general silliness of the story.
Time travel paradox is a pet peeve of mine in films. The first Terminator film did a great job of avoiding paradoxes; the second film didn't have any direct paradoxes but surely Sarah Connor thinks that Judgment Day can be averted. I chalk that up to her craziness. One of the great things about Terminator 3 is that they didn't cave in to the "we can change the future so there is no robot army that sends back the cyborg that we just destroyed" thinking of Ms. Connor. The TV show is awash in paradoxes, so much so that I've lost track. But the show has a certain charm about it. They have a sense of humor if not of consistency.
Having a sense of humor is what also saves the Back to the Future trilogy. It also suffers from paradoxes (if Marty changed his parents' lives then he shouldn't remember their slubbish ways because it never would have happened), but consistently thought out time travel isn't really the point. Plus, the third film is really fantastic. Of course you know Marty is going to make it home, but what about the Doc and the teacher? Christopher Lloyd (the Doc) and Mary Steenbergen (the teacher) have good chemistry and since they are a secondary story line, a happy outcome isn't guaranteed.
A rather unhappy outcome is the movie Primer from 2004. The filmmakers focus on the ideas and schemes of the group of scientists who stumble into creating a time travel device. The characters use it to make money at day trading and try very hard to avoid any paradox by having people run into themselves, etc. But the filmmakers fall into the old trap of wanting to have some big drama and they descend into paradox. The main appeal of the movie is supposed to be how well thought out and serious it is, and in this it fails. They should take a tip from Bill and Ted, lighten up and have an excellent time.
Amazingly, the time travel is handled very well, i.e. without any paradoxes. At one point, future Bill and Ted run into themselves in the present, but they just provide vague advice that won't fracture the space time continuum. At one point, they are smart enough to realize that after their history report is done, they can intervene on their own past behalf to get through different problems, like going back and stealing keys to the jail and leaving them in a convenient spot at the right time. The movie is even smart enough to set up the lost keys at the beginning, long before they become a plot point. Such intelligence was a pleasant surprise among the general silliness of the story.
Time travel paradox is a pet peeve of mine in films. The first Terminator film did a great job of avoiding paradoxes; the second film didn't have any direct paradoxes but surely Sarah Connor thinks that Judgment Day can be averted. I chalk that up to her craziness. One of the great things about Terminator 3 is that they didn't cave in to the "we can change the future so there is no robot army that sends back the cyborg that we just destroyed" thinking of Ms. Connor. The TV show is awash in paradoxes, so much so that I've lost track. But the show has a certain charm about it. They have a sense of humor if not of consistency.
Having a sense of humor is what also saves the Back to the Future trilogy. It also suffers from paradoxes (if Marty changed his parents' lives then he shouldn't remember their slubbish ways because it never would have happened), but consistently thought out time travel isn't really the point. Plus, the third film is really fantastic. Of course you know Marty is going to make it home, but what about the Doc and the teacher? Christopher Lloyd (the Doc) and Mary Steenbergen (the teacher) have good chemistry and since they are a secondary story line, a happy outcome isn't guaranteed.
A rather unhappy outcome is the movie Primer from 2004. The filmmakers focus on the ideas and schemes of the group of scientists who stumble into creating a time travel device. The characters use it to make money at day trading and try very hard to avoid any paradox by having people run into themselves, etc. But the filmmakers fall into the old trap of wanting to have some big drama and they descend into paradox. The main appeal of the movie is supposed to be how well thought out and serious it is, and in this it fails. They should take a tip from Bill and Ted, lighten up and have an excellent time.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Abraham and Mary
My church group is coming to the end of its study of Abraham. I am supposed to give an opening reflection (called an admonition) for tonight's bible study. In order to get my thoughts together, I'm using the blog to draft out my idea. We shouldn't read from notes or a script, so I'll just read this over a couple of times beforehand and wing it as best as I can when I am in front of the group. Here it is:
Brothers and sisters, today we come close to finishing our study of the great father of our Faith, Abraham.
Abraham did not search for God. Remember in the catechesis, Emanuele said that Abraham had nothing to lose. That is not to say that Abraham had tried everything else, so the Hebrew God was next on the list. No, this was a totally original event. God came to Abraham and led him out of Ur. God manifested great generosity to Abraham, saying he will be blessed among men, blessed in his offspring, blessed with land. This miracle was all the more impressive because of Abraham’s circumstances. He was a nomad, he had no land. His wife was old, beyond child-bearing years. He himself was old. Nevertheless, God fulfilled His promises and gave him a land and a son. But God asked him to sacrifice his only son, so how could he have descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky or the sand on the shore? Abraham depended completely on God’s power, he had faith. God did the rest
Today is also March 25, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. This too was a totally original event. God chose someone to continue His saving plan, to be the culmination of the promise to Abraham. God spoke a promise through an angel to Mary. This promise was even more impossible—she will bear a child before she’s ever with her husband or any man, and that child will be the Son of the Most High. Eventually, at the cross she became the mother of all the faithful who believe in Jesus. Mary depended completely on God’s power. God did the rest.
God has chosen us as He chose Abraham, as He chose Mary. He calls us to depend on His power, and He will do the rest.
Brothers and sisters, today we come close to finishing our study of the great father of our Faith, Abraham.
Abraham did not search for God. Remember in the catechesis, Emanuele said that Abraham had nothing to lose. That is not to say that Abraham had tried everything else, so the Hebrew God was next on the list. No, this was a totally original event. God came to Abraham and led him out of Ur. God manifested great generosity to Abraham, saying he will be blessed among men, blessed in his offspring, blessed with land. This miracle was all the more impressive because of Abraham’s circumstances. He was a nomad, he had no land. His wife was old, beyond child-bearing years. He himself was old. Nevertheless, God fulfilled His promises and gave him a land and a son. But God asked him to sacrifice his only son, so how could he have descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky or the sand on the shore? Abraham depended completely on God’s power, he had faith. God did the rest
Today is also March 25, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. This too was a totally original event. God chose someone to continue His saving plan, to be the culmination of the promise to Abraham. God spoke a promise through an angel to Mary. This promise was even more impossible—she will bear a child before she’s ever with her husband or any man, and that child will be the Son of the Most High. Eventually, at the cross she became the mother of all the faithful who believe in Jesus. Mary depended completely on God’s power. God did the rest.
God has chosen us as He chose Abraham, as He chose Mary. He calls us to depend on His power, and He will do the rest.
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