I have two entries in the oven, but I just had to write about this new band I discovered, thanks to Catholic Rockers and the Proud 2B Catholic Festival: Pointe Blank. If you’re looking for a nice Catholic alternative to some of those popular artists among the college scenesters, check out this band. They’ve got great production, synth, a solid female vocalist, and a song about St. Augustine! What’s not to like?

Check them out on MySpace, as well as their official site linked above.

One more thing: A new film called, “Fireproof,” about the grace of marriage.  A beautiful message in the midst of a culture where marriage falls apart so easily. Visit the website for cities where you’ll find it premiering in September, as well as some marriage resources and extra stuff. Trailer follows:

Congratulations to Atom Egoyan, whose film, Adoration, won the Ecumenical Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. This is the blurb given about the plot:

Simon, an adolescent with a complex family history, attempts to create his identity while overcoming cultural stereotypes. His invented personal story, which he presents to his class, explodes in Internet forums. He must contend both emotionally and intellectually with the issues raised. Using a poetic cinematography, the director presents traditional and contemporary symbols and objects to invite us to re-evaluate existing clichés about the Other or that which is foreign in our own culture and religion.

Check out the trailer:

At the Catholic New Media Conference this past weekend, a new SQPN online flash-based game debuted, along with the first episode of That Catholic Show, Season 2 (HINT: it’s about the new evangelization) and news that Jennifer Willits is pregnant! Anyway, you can play the new PodCatchers game at http://www.sqpn.com — check out this crazy ditty that Mac Barron of Catholic In A Small Town put together. He calls it a short film about blogging:

An excellent example of how the Internet medium can change the world: Architecture for Humanity. The org hosts a network of architects who are willing to design for humanitarian purposes, as well as those architects’ designs. Hat tip to Frontline/World for featuring the story.

F/W last night also presented an excellent piece on how Christians in China are attempting to transform their country. Check out some fascinating video here.

Have you ever wished that your local Blockbuster had a selection of more family-friendly, faith-friendly videos? Wish no longer. This weekend, I learned about Pius Media, which has the clever tagline, “Entertainment your Mother approves!” Haha. The service reminds me of NetFlicks or some similar site. This is how I understand it: You create an online “wish list” of videos you want to see. You are sent a movie(s) on your list, the number of which depends on how much you choose to pay each month. You can keep the videos as long as you want, and and once you send them back, you get more. They’ve got a wide range of some excellent films, documentaries, and television series on DVD. How cool is that?

(Note: The spot above was made by Grassroots Films.) If you’re young and have wanted a Catholic Facebook for a long time, go check out Xt3.com - the Official World Youth Day Social Network. The original intent was to connect WYD pilgrims, but it’s turning into a place for young Catholics around the world to connect. The layout and design is just as superb as the official WYD website. I’ve joined, and I think you should, too.

Speaking of Grassroots Films, can you host a screening of this film? The Human Experience is nearing its world premier, but it needs you to help it be successful! If you’re interested in viewing the rough cut of the film or hosting a screening in your area, please check out this link.

Mmmmhm.

I’ll write more about the Catholic New Media Conference later, but I must share this anecdote. On the night before the celebration, a large group of people were making an obnoxiously loud ruckus very late into the night. I called Josh at 1:30 AM to see if he could comfort me somehow, but that didn’t really work out. By 2:00 AM, I was very frustrated.

I prayed a Hail Mary and asked Our Blessed Mother to please quiet them so that I could sleep. Not 3 seconds after I finished praying, there was absolute silence. Unbelievable? No, just miraculous.

It’s times like these that I’m so grateful for her. Through my trials and recent battle with scrupulosity and sin, I feel her with me and wanting to help me even more, wanting to take me in her arms and bring me to Jesus.

This weekend, I will begin a long string of trips.

Tomorrow afternoon, I catch my first planeride to Dallas/Fort Worth and then take my first out-of-state trip (since I was a baby) to Atlanta for the Catholic New Media Celebration. It should be a great event — really a history-making day. For the first time, a large conference-sort of event will focus on Catholicism and its relationship to new (interactive) media. I’m curious to see who I’ll meet and what will be said.

Although I’m traveling by myself, I will know plenty of folks at the Celebration. My buddies Kyle and Dan of Popple are the musical talent for the day. (Maybe I’ll bring CD’s to get signed.) Rebecca, author of the Catholic in Film School blog, will be staying at the same hotel and attending the CNMC. Also in attendance will be Josh of the Catholic Tech Tips for Teens blog and co-host of Perseverance Podcast, and Javier and Aneesa Plumey of the Hands and Feet Show (the #1 podcast for Catholic teens and young adults).

I’ll have to bring my camera!

I’m coming back on Monday, and that night I’ll be at the AT&T Center here for WWE Raw. Why, you ask? The show has a real importance for my boyfriend, and I want to get past the stereotypes that I once had and give it a chance. It’s not as violent as some more “acceptable” sports like boxing. It’ll definitely be a new experience for me.

One week later, my family and I will be spending a week’s vacation in beautiful Galveston, Texas. I love having time away with just my family, because we rarely get to do that. Mom and Dad also get much-needed time to relax.

A few days after I come back from Galveston, I head over to the airport again, this time for Los Angeles to Seoul, South Korea to Sydney, Australia for World Youth Day 2008. I’ll blog more about that later, but it will be my first time out of the country!

So many firsts…

Now, I’m trying to spend time with my boyfriend while I’m in town. Today, I have to decide on what we’re going to do tonight for dinner! I’m excited.

(THE FOLLOWING IS AN R-rated ENTRY!)

I have always loved the magazine medium.

The glossy pages, beautiful photographs, interesting articles, and fun features can sometimes be the one thing I need in my posession to be entertained for hours on end. Sometimes, I dream of a beautiful, sleek, chic, young, women’s magazine that wouldn’t lie to its readers and have their bodies, minds, and souls in its best interest. It’s times like these.

On the rare occasion that my little sister purchases a Seventeen magazine, I cringe. It’s not that I have anything against teenagers wanting to see the latest trend or fashion. Rather, it’s mostly the sex & relationships and health sections that I worry about her reading. Granted, I read them as a teen from time to time out of curiosity. I just pray that she doesn’t take their advice.

Just recently, I’ve been on a survey of women’s magazines, with these two sections as my focus. What did I find? Buckle your seat belts.

1. Seventeen: The health+sex+fitness section gives advice to teens about masturbation, condom use, sex location, ejaculation, oral sex (bust out those flavored condoms, kids!), and how to avoid pregnancy. At least they frequently warn about STD’s…?

I did find one article, though, that was quite consoling: Sex Myths Exposed. In this case, “Sex Myths” are myths about “needing” to have sex. It gives positive advice to girls who are considering losing their virginity and encourages them to think beyond societal messages. Seventeen should also get some props for encouraging girls to take care of their physical health and maintain a positive self-image.

2. Glamour: FULL of sex tips. On their front page, “101 Ways to Have the Best Sex of Your Life.” I couldn’t even stand to survey these “tips” without getting completely sick of the attitude toward sex as a commodity, a hobby, etc.

3. Redbook: This mag is a combination of the hot-and-heavy and the tamer “sexy _____” talk (massage, night, date, etc.) Their focus happens to be the “review” - reviewing techniques and toys. The Love Life Tip of the Day calendar? Not too graphic, which is a breath of fresh air. But May 20 is just so ironic:

Regularly communicate about your choice of contraception and safer sex practices. Nothing is more important to your relationship than your sexual health.

HA! Overall, Redbook isn’t quite as bad as Glamour.

4. Cosmopolitan: should only be viewed by married couples. It is probably the most explicit mainstream women’s magazine out there. The culprit? Its maddening number of sex positions and tips. And in its health section? It includes a bit about abortion options and dismisses any link between breast cancer and the murderous procedure.

5. Marie Claire: Finally…the famously sex-saturated MC. They like to have lots of “articles” like, “How Shacking Up Will Affect Your Sex Life,” which are truly just a sad excuse for some writer to dream up a too-good-to-be-true story for readers craving “sexy” entertainment.

Should women even be attentive to these publications? The expose article “Faking It: Sex, Lies, and Women’s Magazine’s,” describes how writers will contrive and twist tips, testimonies, and other articles in order to boost subscriptions or simply put food on the table.

After this little research project, I became sick of society’s obsession with orgasms. Sexual love was not the focus of these magazines. Instead, sex was entertainment, fun, technique, skill, cheap, easy, and dangerously close to a god. Flipping through the archives of any of these magazines makes me want a Bible…badly. I thank God that I have known the freedom of real love - love that lasts much longer than any orgasm could.

Don’t let society’s obsession with cheap sex affect your desire for the holy and sacred act of husband and wife. Sex is meant to lead us to the Lord, not to replace Him.

I think any young person could be inspired by the deep, erotic love expressed in the Song of Songs, so illustrative of the Theology of the Body. Here is Sinead O’ Connor’s ode to the book in her song, “Dark Am I Yet Lovely,” from the album Theology:

Whenever I talk to my high school Catechism girls about love and the Scriptures, I always use the analogy of the Scriptures as a love note and point to the Song of Songs. Whenever I need a reminder of God’s love for me, I look at a crucifix in the context of mercy and the Song of Songs.

Listen to Karen Young’s production of Canticum Canticorum to hear her interpretation of the love story.

There are several other media that have put the Song’s words to use. Its words, so strong and sensual, inspire my own poetry. It also inspires me, an easily scrupulous person, to be opened to the beauty of the sensual and the sexual. It is so human and so divine that it can only be about the union of God and man.

What’s up with the Independent Sacramental Movement?
And from an artist who lashed out at the Catholic Church in her song, “Forgiven,” comes a top 20 song with a positive message for our superficial times:

So I’m nearly 6 months away from the big 2-1. I plan on trying out a highly fruity alcoholic drink or perhaps some wine with an Italian meal.

But besides that, what is so “magical” about 21 (here in the United States)?

It’s got this aura around it– “21, the age of adulthood”. I’m starting to wonder how I’m going to have to change in order to become more comfortable with the idea of independence.

Of course, independence varies from person to person. Some people are raised in an environment where they had lots of responsibilities, and their transition into independence was smooth, natural. I, however, have not been forced to face much responsibility. My parents hardly gave me chores, I’ve never lived away from home, I bought my dad’s old car for cheap, they pay for my gas and insurance, and I’ve never had to get a job. While this is biting me in the butt now, I am grateful for my parents’ generosity. They have given me something that they were not fortunate enough to have–a certain quality and ease of life. Though I have earned my way through college without their financial help, they have allowed me to live at home, etc.

My parents didn’t get married until they were 24. I have some friends who have been engaged since their senior year of high school, or earlier, and have gotten married before 21. I’m fully confident in most of those marriages. It makes me wonder, how would my parents react if I came home at 21 with an engagement ring?

And how would they react if I told them I wanted to move out of the house? Or that I applied for a part-time job apart from school?

I have a strong feeling that they would try to talk me out of it.

That feeling has begun to start motivating me to be more confident, take more ownership of my life and future, and be a little more serious about searching for jobs. I do realize that living at home saves money. School is a lot easier when I don’t have other things to bother myself with. So, I continue to weigh the pro’s and con’s of so-called “independence”.

Girls my age struggle so much with self-confidence. I am certainly no exception. I struggle with decision-making, with self-image, with almost anything.

This summer, I have been taking on so many new experiences. It’s the first summer that I’ve actually swam all by myself, the first time I’ve gone out of town with a friend, the first time I’ve learned about some of my flaws and had to face them, and the first time I will travel out-of-state and overseas by myself.

Having confidence issues, I think, can really be conquered when you are left with no choice but to make decisions on your own. There are some things you have to know that you stand for — yourself, your morals, and the Lord — and you have to draw confidence from those convictions. When there are things you aren’t sure you know about yourself, you learn. But there are always going to be a few things you know about yourself, and that’s where you begin to find the confidence to defend those convictions.

I think every woman longs to know who she is, have a firm belief in that knowledge, and to make an impact on the world. It takes so much to put all of that into action. For me, the keys have been: a sound knowledge of the truth found in the Catholic Church, a community to belong to, friends who believe in me, my boyfriend - the one person who never fails to encourage and strengthen me, loving parents (despite their hesitation to see me grow up), a sister who is constant, my guardian angel, my Queen Mother and her spouse, my Father, my Savior, and their Spirit.

Being who you are requires humility, gentleness, and wisdom. (I’m still working on those.) It also requires the knowledge that people may get upset with you, become unsettled, etc., but you have to accept that. Conflict and change are things we all have to face, and when we are the ones who must instigate the change, we only have to trust the Lord to take care of the situation. If it’s His will, it’s always, 100% for the best.

Does anyone know anything more about the full-length version of this documentary?