a non-catholic at the catholic center

Rebecca Lentjes, a sophomore at NYU and a non-Catholic member of the Newman Club at the Catholic Center, isn’t sure if she’ll ever convert to Catholicism. Lentjes, from Alabama, GA, said that her Episcopalian family didn’t often attend church and that the conservative religious beliefs in her hometown turned her off.

When Lentjes got to NYU, she explored different faiths. She went to the Islamic Center and read books about Buddhism. She also attended the Catholic Center spaghetti dinner “for the free food” and soon after went to a picnic at Central Park. She said that she felt welcomed at those events, but she didn’t commit to the Catholic Center until she attended a retreat.

Lentjes participates in community service projects such as taking food to the homeless and putting on a Christmas party for poor children in the Lower East Side in Manhattan.

She said that although she doesn’t always agree with other members’ religious beliefs, she appreciates the company. “It’s nice to have a group of people with really good values that don’t want to get high or drunk every night,” she said. “I’ve already made these friends. I don’t want to quit because I’ve decided not to follow their religion.”

An Interview with...Monica Burns

Please welcome Monica Burns to Author Toolbox, folks! Wheeeee!

Emmy: Welcome, Monica. Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to chat with us today. It’s very much appreciated.

To start off, would you mind taking us through your publication journey?

Monica: Wow! That could take a while since I’ve been writing since I was nine years old. LOL

Seriously though, I started devoting myself full-time to writing with the intent to publish in 2002 after I got pneumonia and was out of work for two months. With over 150 channels there wasn’t a thing to watch. So I entertained myself by writing and surfing the Internet where I found a supportive group of romance lovers. From there I sold to New Concepts Publishing in 2004 with my first story released in January 2005. In 2007, I sold to Samhain Publishing and in 2008, I landed two contracts with Berkley Sensation for a total of five books for publication starting January 2010.

Emmy: I admire anyone who is dedicated enough to keep plugging on in the publishing world. Was there ever a time when you considered giving up on your dream to become a published author?

What a lovely cover!

Monica: Absolutely. Two times I can recall specifically. One was just before RWA National in 2004. I’d just been rejected by Red Sage Publishing for their anthology and I was devastated. I debated not going to the conference, and I almost hung up my pen right there and then. But I kept on plugging away. The second time was in 2008. I’d been working on a paranormal series that I loved, and everyone was rejecting with the exception of two publishers. One publisher suggested they’d take a look if I revised. I didn’t want to change the flavor of the books, so after some thought I passed. My agent thought I was crazy, but a few weeks later, Berkley made an offer and I accepted. A week or two after the contract offer, I explained to my agent that my gut tells me things, and I listen. She was understanding, but I know there are others who thought I was crazy. So I’m really glad I didn’t give up. See what I would have missed??? LOL

Emmy: Instinct…best to listen to it, I’d say!

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Monica: Writing is hard, but you have to work at it. The ladder upward is hard to scale, and unfortunately not everyone will make it. BUT, you don’t know whether you might be one of the ones who does scale the ladder if you don’t keep plugging away. Perseverance is critical to that first sale, not talent, not networking or anything else. Just the STORY and perseverance is what will make a first sale, whether in ePub or NY.

Emmy: How did it feel to see your book on the bookshelves?

Monica: Unfortunately, my small press books are seldom in chain stores, so I’ve yet to just stumble into a bookstore and see my book without prompting the store to order. BUT, I’m hoping that will change come January with my first Berkley book.

Emmy: What is the best part about being an author?

Monica: I can escape the real world. Just like readers who read to escape the doldrums of life, I get to escape into whatever corner of my imagination I choose. It’s sort of like traveling to a foreign country and do whatever I want.

Emmy: Would you mind telling us about your latest release?

Monica: My next release is Kismet, which is a Victorian erotic romance set in Morocco. This book is very special to me. It’s a rewrite of a book that was a cathartic writing experience. I’m delighted that Berkley loved it enough to give the rewrite a chance for me to share it with readers. Here’s the cover copy.

It was a gamble she was born to make…

Raised in a brothel at a young age, Allegra Synnford quickly learned that survival meant taking charge of her

SQUEE!

 destiny. Now, a renowned courtesan skilled in the pleasures of the flesh, she chooses her lovers carefully—vowing never to be vulnerable to any one man. Until a mesmerizing Sheikh strips that control from her…

With a man who wasn’t used to losing.

Sheikh Shaheen of the Amazigh has been hiding from his past for a long time, but not enough to forget how another courtesan made him abandon his life as the Viscount Newcastle. It’s why the yearnings this dangerous temptress ignites within him are so troubling. Worse, thoughts of Allegra pervade every fantasy, threatening to undermine his cover. With old enemies circling, experience tells him he must resist her charms at all cost. In fact, he’s betting on it. That’s a risky wager when it comes to a woman of pleasure. But Allegra has her own reasons for playing games…with a man who can’t afford to lose.

What happens between them is Kismet…

Emmy: Now for the more laid back questions! What would be your ideal menu at a dinner party—let’s say three courses—and where would you go to eat it? Any destination in the world. Oh, and what would you wear? (I’ve just handed you a credit card with unlimited funds so you can buy your clothes and shoes for the evening…what is your dream store/designer?)

Monica: Three courses, a lovely salad with cheese, almonds and some type of vingerette, roast pheasant under glass and some sort of French pastry. I would want to eat this meal in Maxims in Paris, France. Maxim’s has been around since the late 1800s and at one time was the ONLY place to be seen in Paris. I’m not a big fashion hound, so I can’t name designers, but I’d love to find a black dress that would show off my ample bosom while playing down my far more ample hips. *grin*

Emmy: When you have the time to read, which authors’ books are you most likely to pick up? Do you select those in the genre you write or go for something completely different? And, have any of those authors inspired you in your own writing?

Monica: When I read, there are some writers I never miss. Loretta Chase and Michelle Moran are two I can’t pass up. Same for Shiloh Walker, Angela Knight and Christine Feehan. Michelle is the only one who doesn’t write romance. She’s historical fiction, but I love, love her books, and they do have some romance in them. I also love Sabrina Jeffries and Lucy Monroe and Nalini Singh. It’s hard to pick any one author who inspired me because I’ve been writing since I was nine-years-old. If I had to say inspiration, I would have to say the classics of Dumas, Dickens, Ocrzy and Victoria Holt. Those were some great stories!

Emmy: You have a day off to spend as you wish. Anywhere in the world, unlimited funds, and the twenty-four hours are guaranteed to feel like a week. How would you spend it?

Monica: Rome. It’s where my upcoming paranormal heroes hail from, and I would want to see as many monuments I could in that 24-hours to get a feel for the city and see it through the eyes of my heroes.

Emmy: Well, Monica, it’s been lovely having you here and learning all about your writing career. Thank you so much for joining us! Long may you continue writing!

Worst Snowboard Fall EVER. Interview with Brett Butcher.

This is not for the weak to watch ,
Every time I see it I cringe.

The Snowboard Realms interviews Brett Butcher.

SnowboardRealms- What happend ?

Brett Butcher – It was day two of Snowboarder’s Super Park and after hitting the 90 footer all morning, the attention turned to the massive hip. About 20 of us where feeling it out and warming up. There was a weird rut in the far right takeoff, so a few guys started to hit the takeoff more too the middle. I believe it was the fourth or fifth time I had dropped. I remember getting a little swirly in the bottom of the transition and got pushed right

SBR- When you were in the air what were you thinking?

BB- The second I left the lip I knew I was done for. There was a shadow line at the bottom of the transition and I was already out of the shade and over the sun as I was peeking. I could also hear the gasps of everyone watching. I new it wasn’t going to be good. The only thing going through my mind was to stay loose and land feet first. The fall didn’t knock me out so I remember it all very vividly. Watching the video, it looks like I’m falling forever. When it happened it seemed to have gone by quicker.

SBR- What were your injuries from the crash ?

BB-My injuries from the fall where a compressed L1 vertebrae and a blown out sternum. My back broke on impact. Once I hit, my body went numb. Everything hurt. *Friends where by my side instantly helping me out and Ski patrol was close too fallow. They advised me to get a ride down in the toboggan and take an ambulance to the hospital. I had never been on a toboggan ride nor have I been in an ambulance and I was determined to avoid it. Ski Patrol was very reluctant to let a friend take me to the hospital but after some discussion they agreed and told me I had to sign a waver to release me from their care. By this time I had been laying in the snow for a good 10 minutes and everything was sore. Felt like I got hit by a truck. This is when things took a turn for the worst. There was a ton of pressure in my chest from the fall and as I sat up, the pressure released blowing out my sternum. I instantly started to freak out thinking I was dying. My chest was gurgling and I was having trouble breathing. Ski Patrol jumped into action and raced me down to the ambulance.

*( myself and another dude were the first on the scene , I’m in the purple hoodie with the shaved head. I remember we started running towards him before he had even hit the ground. This was one of the scariest moments of my life. I thought for sure he was going to be broken in half. When i got up to him he was gasping for air and we just tried to keep Brett calm. I was really scared for him. )

SBR- Are there any lasting injuries from this crash ?

BB- It has been 18 months since the fall and my back and sternum still get sore from time to time if I don’t stretch. I have a bulge on my chest from where my sternum blew out and that will be with me forever. I swear I am shorter because of the fall!

SBR- When you think back to the fall, how does it make you feel ?

BB- When I look back at the fall, I feel very fortunate. I wasn’t really feeling the hip but decided to hit it again. I usually am good about listening to the little voice in my head. But that’s life, you live with the choices you make. Looking at the footage, I fully believe it’s a miracle that I am walking, let alone alive. Landing any other way would have been devastating. It hasn’t changed the way I snowboard but it has made me think a bit more about what I am hitting and how I am feeling that particular day on my snowboard.

check out Brett , were happy he’s alive too.

theSnowboardRealms.

EW Speaks With the Stars of New Moon

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY SPEAKS WITH THE STARS OF NEW MOON

TAYLOR LAUTNER, KRISTEN STEWART, AND ROBERT PATTINSON SIT DOWN WITH ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY TO DISCUSS RUMORS, FANS, MOVIEMAKING – AND HAIR.

NEW YORK – In the Twilight sequel New Moon, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner are at each other’s throats over Kristen Stewart. Off screen, all three are loyal friends. In a candid interview with this week’s Entertainment Weekly, they share thoughts on rumors, fans, moviemaking – and hair.

Below is a portion of the Q&A:

EW: How are you all coping with living in a fishbowl?
Robert Pattinson: It really depends on the mood. When I met you last year [before Twilight came out], I was doing interviews very sporadically and I never got recognized. Now it’s like anywhere I go there’s immediate recognition. So there’s more of a responsibility…
Stewart: I don’t mind working every day. It’s just, suddenly, I have this other role. And that’s really disappointing. All I’d like to do is go outside with a book and figure out what to do with the day. And if I can’t do that, then I’m just going to sit in my hotel room on my balcony and chain smoke. [Pauses] I’m going to stop smoking. I’m not such a good smoker, anyway. It’s not in my bones. I’m gonna drop it.
Pattinson: The three of us have been working for two years [straight]. It does feel like your day has a shape just as soon as you wake up. I just forget what it’s like when you’re free.
EW: Taylor, you’re the only one who almost lost a shot at the sequels. Do you have a different relationship with fame because you had to fight for your job?
Lautner: No, I kept my eye on the prize 100 percent of the time. I was motivated. I wasn’t even thinking about anything else.
Stewart: Thank God you got the job. I wouldn’t have wanted to deal with you if you didn’t. After all those months of working out!
Lautner: I just wanted to focus on what I could control, and I worked really hard.
EW: You mean in the gym? Because I see your abs everywhere these days.
Lautner: Yeah, the gym was a major part, but I really studied the books and the character, too. And it all turned out good.

Pattinson on his hair in Eclipse: I swear to you I’ve never experienced anything like this. It’s every single day. In Twilight, they wanted me to have extensions down to my hips.
Stewart: He’s a liar. He doesn’t remember. He’s remembering how they made him feel, but they were just, like, down to here [pointing to her shoulders].
Pattinson: So I told them, “Look, that’s just not going to happen.” I said, “It looks like this already – I’ll come to set like this.” I sound so stupid, but in a lot of ways the hair is 75 percent of my performance, so in the second one I said, “Listen, I need to tone down the hair. Let’s make it a little more real, a little bit more…Method.” [Laughs] And then in the third one, I’m doing fight scenes and there’s a strand going down my forehead and they’re like, “We need to do it again because no one will recognize you! No one will know who it is!” I’m like, really, is my face that generic?
Stewart: They want proof that you’re doing your own stunts, man!
Pattinson: I have to look like the poster at all times. Just in case they want to use any clip for the trailer. Any clip at all! There were about five people in different departments who, because of my forelock, ended up in tears.

EW: Kristen, it must be nice to watch the guys’ appearances get obsessed over for a change.
Stewart: Seriously, it’s a trip to sit back and look at the sexual objectification of these dudes. I’ve never been asked to do any of this stuff.

EW: You guys are lucky. You clearly all dig each other.
Lautner: The amount of time we have to spend with each other – if I didn’t like these two, it would be exhausting.

EW: Rob, you made Remember Me this summer, between sequels. Was that the set in New York, where you were knocked into a cab by hordes of fans?
Pattinson: That was completely made up. I was walking across the street, and there was one cab going about one mile an hour and it nudged my leg. The story ended up being how I got hit by a cab because of a mob of screaming fans, [but] it was 4 o’clock in the morning and there was one person there – a paparazzi….And then there was another time – apparently they said on the news that I had a drug overdose. The security guy saw it on TV, and I wasn’t in my room, and he was like, “Uh-oh!” It’s just so weird. I wake up and my room is too messy to order room service, and so I end up eating a pack of M&M’s for breakfast – and it takes me about five hours to find it. That’s my first five hours of the day. [Laughing] And then you see the news and think, “Who cares if he had a drug overdose? It would probably make him more interesting!”

EW: Kristen and Rob, why do you think people are so obsessed with the state of your offscreen relationship?
Pattinson: Good question. That’s a little thing I have to think about every day.
Stewart: Maybe it’s just my personality, but I’m never going to answer it. I probably would’ve answered it if people hadn’t made such a big deal about it. But I’m not going to give the fiending an answer. I know that people are really funny about “Well, you chose to be an actor, why don’t you just f—ing give your whole life away? Can I have your firstborn child?”
EW: You don’t think just saying, for example, “Listen, we dated for a few months, it was weird, we’re better off as friends” would end the speculation?
Pattinson: No way.
Stewart: People are deeply judgmental and I’m not strong enough. I would love to be like, “I don’t care what anybody thinks.” But I’m a very private person. And think about every hypothetical answer: “Okay, we are. We aren’t. I’m a lesbian.” I’ve thought about this a lot. There’s no answer that’s not going to tip you one way or the other. I’m just trying to keep something. If people started asking me if I was dating Taylor, I’d be like, “F— off.” I would answer the exact same way.”

Source

INTERVIEW: John Mooty (The Airtime Collection)

Hey, tell us a little information about yourself.  Who are you and where are you from.

My name is John Mooty and I am a senior at the University of Minnesota. I will be graduating this spring with majors in Marketing and Entrepreneurial Management so I have been very fortunate with the alignment of what I have learned and how it applies to creating and running Airtime. Although I do not have any official schooling in design, I have been able to teach myself everything I know up to this point.

What is life like up in Minneapolis?  As far as music, fashion, and popular culture.

From an outsider’s perspective, I feel like it is easy to dismiss the power of the Minneapolis scene. Although it may not stack up to the likes of LA or New York, it is an extremely tight knit and growing community with a lot of history as well as growing influences.

With the rise of solid local hip-hop artists and DJ’s, new events and initiatives by Twin Cities’ street wear shops, and overall support from the community, we have really been able to find a niche in a city that just needed a reason to be involved.

 

Tell us a little about The Airtime Collection and the people involved.

We really wanted to create something that looked simple on the exterior but had an extreme amount of depth when it came to the concepts and ideas that actually formed the brand.

Yes, we are a company that makes tees, sweatshirts, and hats but really those elements are just the medium we have chosen to get our message across. If you read the quote on the home page of our website taken from Edward Murrow’s Box and Wires Speech (http://www.rtnda.org/pages/media_items/edward-r.-murrow-speech998.php), you can clearly see the parallels between old-time radio and the street wear industry. 

I do all of the artwork but I am not the only one who comes up with the ideas. My close friends are one of the biggest reasons why this concept has so much depth. Through our conversations, ideas, and past experiences, we can each bring unique angles to the table. Most importantly, we have fun doing it.

 

What are some of your favorite brands out right now?

I am a big fan of simplicity when it comes to brands. Also, I am a tall guy so fit is a determinant as well.  My top three favorite companies right now are Undefeated, The Award Tour, and Supreme. I pull influence from many places but watching these three are huge when it comes to setting my own game plan.

What new upcoming events or releases are you currently working on?

We are waiting on our Fall/Winter release right now, which honestly has been a pain as far as production. Our printer has run into more problems than you can imagine so we are playing the waiting game that I, myself am not too good at.

We also just released a mixtape with Pwelbs.com featuring many up and coming artists from all over the country so I am very excited to let people see the music that directly influences our company.

Last, new hat samples, events, and collaborations are in the works so we have both short and long term things to look forward to…which is nice.

What would you say are the most difficult aspects or being in your line of work?

I am a very trusting and positive individual so in my early stages of running a business, this has been a double-edged sword. On one hand, I bring a light hearted and open mind to all points of operation while on the contrary; people have taken my kindness for weakness and in turn, attempt to take advantage of it.

The fashion and music worlds are often tied together…What music artists out right now are grabbing your attention.

This is definitely true in terms of street wear. Honestly, I listen to everything on the map from CCR to Al Green to Sublime, but in terms of what I listen to on a consistent basis right now I would say A Tribe Called Quest, Nero, Kid Cudi, and Wu-Tang. These guys are so incredible and timeless that it never gets old.

Entertainment

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An Interview with Roma Downey

Roma Downey as Monica and Della Reese as Tess in Touched By An Angel

I had the privilege to interview Roma Downey in preparation for the DVD release of Touched By An Angel: Inspirational Collection — Hope and Holiday on November 10, 2009. (See my review of the DVD collection above.)

Sr. Hosea Rupprecht:  What was the best thing for you about being part of Touched by an Angel?

 Roma Downey:  Without hesitation it was the privilege of being the messenger. Week after week I was able to give the message that there is a God and that God wants to be part of your life and that God loves you. I always loved the revelation scene when Monica, the undercover angel, would break her cover and come to give the message of love and hope. Every week 25 or 26 million people were getting that message.

 It was humbling and beautiful. It was lovely to get to play this caring, empathetic, compassionate character. In some way, it penetrated my own psyche and personality. I feel like playing her made me a better listener and a more empathetic, caring person. I feel there was a real blending of me and Monica, not that I’m claiming to be angelic in any way!

 Another great thing is my relationship with Della Reese. It was so profound and loving and remains to this day. My mother passed away when I was a little girl and Della’s daughter passed away towards the end of the show’s run. We embraced and she asked me, “Will you be my baby?” I said yes and then she said, “Then I’ll be your mother.” And that’s what she’s been ever since. She’s my mother and a grandmother to my children. She is such a great personal gift in my world.

 HR:  What are your hopes for this new DVD collection of themed episodes?

 RD:  Well, it lends itself beautifully to the holiday season.  We always looked forward to the Christmas script.

 As a mother of young children, my daughter is thirteen now, she wasn’t old enough to watch the show when it was on, but in the last few years she’s discovered it for herself. Perhaps there’s a new generation of young people that the show can touch and serve as a great reminder and hope giver that God’s love is there for them. There are always lessons to be learned in the show. I’ve heard of educators using the show to teach. There’s that moment of moral dilemma, a crossroads. It gave people an opportunity to learn to listen to God, learning the inner knowing of the voice of God within you. And through that hoping people will make the right choices.

 HR:  What was the fan response like for you?

 RD:  The fans have been so lovely and loyal over the years and it’s great. I think the show was the first that was fully and unapologetically explored the themes of faith. God bless CBS, but God bless the people for speaking up. We stayed on the air for almost a decade and that was because of the fans. I look at network television today and there really is nothing that has taken its place. It’s too bad.

 HR:  If you wanted to say one thing to the people who will view these DVD collections, what would it be?

RD:  Something that has been growing more prominent in my life over the past few year is gratitude. I try focusing on what I have and not letting my time or energy focus on what I don’t have. It’s the whole ‘glass half full’ thing. When you can shift into that regardless of what you have or don’t have there’s more joy. There’s a certain joy that comes with a grateful heart. From being grateful comes loving and from loving comes everything else.

 My mom died when I was young and then my dad died, too. Part of healing was being grateful for the times we had and not to focus on what was lost. That’s why I like the idea of Thanksgiving. I didn’t grow up with Thanksgiving because I grew up in Ireland but living in the United States, Thanksgiving is wonderful. It’s not about giving gifts but just being thankful for everything. I like to spend my energy keeping the focus on gratitude.