Why I Left LinkedIn

Those who know me won't be surprised to learn that after several years of inactivity I have left LinkedIn.  LinkedIn is a social network where you can post your resume and connect with others on the job market.

So, why did I leave?

Well, just as in other postings I've made, I'm cutting down on my social network usage.  With LinkedIn I had a profile set up with my work history and resume, and for a while it was cool to check in and see what new connections I was suggested.  Sure it was great when I received an endorsement on my skills ranging from public speaking to various tenets of computer knowledge, however I never actually used the site, and overall I was dissatisfied.

With all the jobs out there I've applied to - that give the option to apply with LinkedIn - it seemed redundant to import my information, and then fill out the exact same information that was on my profile.

Okay, okay, okay, I probably didn't take full advantage of LinkedIn.  You're right, I didn't.  I just didn't have the drive.  Overall, I've found better usage on job sites such as Indeed.com.  Also, I have a tendency to prefer the old fashioned way of applying for jobs: in person or directly through a company's website!

So, while you won't see me on LinkedIn there are a couple of ways to connect with me via a social network:

Twitter:  @noherp2012
My Twitter handle is used more often than even my Facebook*.  I've been on Twitter since 2009 and pretty much don't take it as seriously (although I've been known to post anything interesting or remotely controversial 😏).  So pretty much I just use it as an outlet for the random happenings of life (hmm, kind of like a 240 character blog post...) what in common parlance is called shitposting.  Seriously, if you're into that sort of thing I'm not going to stop you from following me on Twitter.

Google+:  Link to profile towards top
Pretty much the entire point of my G+ is to utilize a GSuite service that comes free with my email account (like Blogger, YouTube, Drive, Docs, Groups, Photos, Sites, Maps, Keep, Calendar...).  But over the years I've kept it geared more towards sharing and posting stuff relevant to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and connecting with other people who share that common interest.

*Disclaimer: I only accept friend requests on Facebook from people I have actually met in the real world.

I do occasionally pop in and out of Goodreads, but only when I'm updating my reading progress.  Quite frankly I find Goodreads a mere convenient interface to share with others what I'm reading.  Aside from that don't expect me to be on there frequently.

Alright, so I do enjoy a good tangent every now and again, and given that my blog here is more about free writing and life updates I don't feel ashamed for my endless tangents or rants (probably followed by some family and a couple of friends than a random stranger).

That's all for now!  Now to get back to taking care of that pesky laundry that never actually goes away.

Surprise Birthday Weekend!

My wife had been planning something for a few weeks - and it totally surprised me!

I had planned to take the family to Illinois to visit my parents over my birthday weekend (turned 34... I think...) and that, of course, became the main focal point of the trip.  It was great to give Isabelle time to spend with her grandparents and her uncles, aunts, and cousins who came to join in the fun.  After all, family is important, and it's good to make sure children are exposed to their family members - no matter how odd they may be.

That turned out to not be the only fun that happened, as my dear wife invited my best friends - a few who I haven't seen since the wedding - into town to surprise me with their presence.  I had a fantastic time catching up with everyone, and I was incredibly honored by the event.

So, to all my friends, and especially my dearest wife: Thank you!

Review: The Gods Themselves

The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Of Traditionalist Backbiting

There is a problem my fellow lay faithful. It is a cancer, and it grows among us to stifle out all of our efforts to preserve, defend, and promulgate the Traditions of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. This problem is backbiting.

So what is backbiting?

St. Thomas Aquinas, in the Summa Theologica (IIa. IIae. Q. 73) tells us that "Just as one man injures another by deed in two ways,--openly, as by robbery or by doing him any kind of violence,--and secretly, as by theft, or by a crafty blow, so again one man injures another by words in two ways;--in one way, openly, and in this done by reviling him, as stated above (Q. 72, A. 1),--and in another secretly, and this is backbiting."  Backbiting is thus a sin against charity, because it seeks to speak ill of another in order to detract from the good name or reputation of that person. However, among traditional Catholics this is done on a more subtle and larger scale.

There are some who would say I am with SSPX!, and another that would say I am with the Institute!, others still would say I am with the Fraternity!, and still, those who would say that they are with whatever sort of Traditional Latin Mass that they go to.  Some, even so, go so far as to even say something along the lines of I am a _____ Catholic! and insert name of what religious community or Diocese is hosting their Latin Mass.

Is this madness not contrary to our very essence? Did not Jesus command us, "Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all the things whatsoever I have commanded you." In light of the mission of the Church and of the Traditional Catholic raison d'etre, it seems that much of the backbiting is over who is superior or who has a valid Mass. Why are we so divided?

"Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I indeed am of Paul; and I am of Apollo; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul then crucified for you? or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" These words from St. Paul (I Cor 1:12-13) should challenge us and give us something to reflect on. Said another way, was SSPX crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter? Nay! Christ suffered Crucifixion for you, and you were baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost!

Furthermore, when we say things such as I'm in the SSPX, or I'm a Fraternity Catholic, or a hundred other things, are not we rending the seamless garment of Christ? Yes, we say also that we are Traditional Catholics, and indeed we are Traditional Catholics. This distinction in many areas is very important, but will not be discussed now. By these things also, which innocently enough associate ourselves with our particular parish, unintentionally claim ourselves as members of that Priestly Society or diocese. It is inappropriate to claim that we belong to the SSPX, ICRSS, FSSP, or any religious order and diocese unless we have received consecrations or admittance to their ranks! This of course means that unless you are a third order, lay associate, seminarian, religious brother/sister, or Priest, you may not claim to be a member.

To overcome some of the backbiting and what can be referred to as "infighting" there are only three criteria that Traditional Catholics should ever have when looking for a Traditional Latin Mass to assist at:

1. The use of the 1962 Roman Missal
2. Recognition of the current Pope as truly the Vicar of Christ and successor of St. Peter
3. Adherence to the Traditions and Teaching of Holy Mother Church

Let us all pray, uniting our prayers to the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary for better unity among all traditionalists. May our work to promulgate the traditions and teachings of the Church which for 60 years have been under attack, and even forgotten in many places, be brought to fruition by God's grace and providence!

Book Review: Pascendi Gregis

Pascendi Dominici Gregis by Pope Pius X
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An absolutely a fantastic work! In Pascendi, Pope St. Pius X exposes many of the erroneous philosophies which continue to assail the Catholic Church and even the world today. Pope St. Pius X will challenge you to really examine and think objectively about some of the common thoughts and ideas in our modern world. However, the reader is not left with a list of problems and diagnosis of what is wrong with the world. A remedy and well reasoned solution is proposed by Pope St. Pius X that really made me think!

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16 Days Into Fatherhood

Yep, you could say that reality is starting to sink in. This is my life now. A life of caring for more than just me. It's about the family now. By now most parents I've encountered would be exhausted and probably ready to give up. Nope, not me! I've come to realize that sometimes in those moments when the baby is asleep, when suddenly it seems like equilibrium has been restored are those very moments when taking a quick nap or seizing the opportunity to take care of a chore or two.

I finally said to Jessica this morning, "I think our days of sleeping in a little are over." She gave me an exhausted, emotionally drained look, of course, as if to say, well, duh, you think? Overall I think we are getting the hang of things.

Amidst it all Isabelle continues to amaze me! She's already trying to get her arms and legs into motion to crawl, although the mechanics need to get worked out some. In some ways it seems like she's taking after her dad in being an overachiever. This has got me thinking what will I do if she becomes an overachiever or starts to get ahead of other kids her age? And I think that I'm just going to encourage her. I can't wait to see how her personality and natural talents will develop over the course of her life.

New Baby Has Arrived!

A little late on this update, but understandably I've been busy!

On April 25th (just a week and a half ago!) at 6:15 pm Jessica and I welcomed our baby girl to the family naming her Isabelle Claire. Weight at birth was just under 6 lbs, but don't let her small size fool you. She passed her tests with flying colors and so far, at home, has made an attempt to try learning how to crawl, so she just may yet be an overachiever like her dad!

All the excitement at everything she does comes at the very small price of being just a little fatigued. But that is okay! What is interesting is that I was advised by some parents during Jessica's pregnancy "Oh, that first week is so hard. Watch out!" The first week with Isabelle home was probably anything but as hard, or terrible as some say. That is not to say that my experience with fatherhood is the exception--or even the rule--but rather I count myself fortunate and blessed that my wife and I have somehow narrowly escaped the drastic changes Isabelle has no doubt brought to our family life.

Jessica and I thank everyone for the continued support and prayers on our behalf as we get settled in what is now our new reality. And you know something? It just isn't that bad.

Altering My Use of Social Media - Part 2

So, a couple months ago I decided to take the Facebook app off my phone. (You can read about my reasons here.) After a couple of months of not using Facebook on my phone I've discovered more than just some space and battery being saved.

From time to time I just get into a mood. A real mood. A mood to write, blog, tinker with a website, or practice my coding (C++). I have to be honest those notifications were getting in the way of things I wanted to do, and much more than I thought.

After seeing the results of two months without Facebook on my phone, I've decided to keep it off my phone. I'm still going to use Facebook, but I've discovered that I only use it to keep in touch with friends and share... well... pointless stuff. A lot of what I share on Facebook is a lot of inside jokes that only friends and family members understand, so that's also why I don't accept friend requests from anyone unless I've actually met them (you know, in like real life).

As much as I still use social networking I've found that my main outlet is Twitter or Google+. It's not that Facebook doesn't cut it for me, or that I don't find it entertaining. It's mostly the fact that the amount of time I spend on Twitter and Google is considerably less than what I spend on Facebook.

That being said, I've been able to find more time for blogging - which presently is my best medium for writing and getting my thoughts out. So, until next time...

Baby Countdown

In case any of you have been completely out of the loop in the last several months: Jessica and I will are expecting the birth of our first child by approximately the end of the month or the first part of May. It's an exciting time filled with getting the crib ready, making sure we have enough diapers (at this point we have the equivalent of a Wal-Mart distribution center!), and packing the hospital bag that we'll be taking with us.

I think that, as much as we can be, we are ready. Now we wait!

The Scandal of Fr. Martin, SJ

Once again Fr. James Martin is taking to Twitter. This time in praise of another Priest who recently was arrested for protesting immigration reform. This other Priest did state publicly that his intent was to be arrested. And today Fr. Martin tweets: "Fr ThomasReeseSJ arrested in US Senate during protest on behalf of Dreamers. On the Mount of Beatitudes today in the Holy Land we read out Jesus's words: 'Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sale of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' So blessed is he!"

To clarify - before we continue - and may it be clear that the Church does not endorse illegal activity, and most certainly discourages against purposely breaking the law!

On the outside, this looks like a harmless tweet in support of a brother Priest defending the downtrodden. There is no need to bring up politics, so none will be discussed. However, underlying this tweet, with the accompanied verse from St. Matthews Gospel, is a Pandora's box of, as is the norm with Fr. Martin, pushing a political agenda. What's more is that this sort of grandstanding was done on social media to make a political, not catechetical point.

This grandstanding was actually what Christ warns us against shortly later in Matthew 6:1-5 wherein Jesus says, "Take heed that you do not your justice before men, to be seen by them: otherwise you shall not have a reward of your Father who is in heaven. Therefore when thou dost an almsdeed, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honoured by men. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But when thou dost alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth. That thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret will repay thee. And when ye pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, that love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men: Amen I say to you, they have received their reward."

So what is the crux of the matter here?

What makes Fr. Martin's tweet problematic is that it is a tweet that reads much more like look at how great I am. Look at how great this Priest is. In no way is any credit given to our blessed Lord! Moreover, the use of scripture to back up a publicly premeditated intent to break the law essentially flies in the face of reason, and further abuses the words of Christ to exhalt, when on the contrary one should always be humble when doing God's service (even if somehow the law of the land enters the scene).

Just as with all of Fr. Martin's social network activity, it is beyond a reasonable doubt that, even with the best possible of intents, his activity is scandalous. In the Summa Theologica, St. Thomas Aquinas states, "Scandal is, therefore, fittingly defined as something less rightly done or said, that occasions another's spiritual downfall." (ST II-II Q.43 A.1) With such a definition it is hard to believe how the tweets associated with Fr. Martin can not be an occasion of scandal for souls. Repeatedly denouncing the faith of those who do not share his opinion, by the use of name calling and other such word play reserved for children who do not know better, has a great risk scandalizing souls by way of sowing confusion and mistrust of his fellow Priests and religious - who rightly should be trusted by the lay faithful.

The grandstanding, name calling, and scandalous activity evident on his Twitter feed is not becoming of one who claims to be an alter Christus, that is, another Christ, but becoming of one who enables a victim mentality among followers, some who, in a seeming chorus, repeat his slurs and perjuries against those who have honest questions, or who disagree. This bullying by his followers is scandalous too, because they claim to want an end to the apparent "bully pulpit" as also Fr. Martin claims. So why the appearance of hypocrisy? Possibly because once you establish your role as a victim, it is not difficult to find all sorts of justification - even scriptural - for all sorts of bad, reckless behavior. Such a mindset is harmful as it is often difficult to see how one could be harming others despite one's desire for help.

Some are not scandalized, which is very good. In this sense Fr. Martin may only be scandalous to those who are not fortified well in their understanding or practice of faith. It may be possible too, since once cannot truly know Fr. Martin's intents or motives, that it may be a case of what St. Thomas Aquinas calls passive scandal. St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that "One man's word or deed is the accidental cause of another's sin, when he neither intends to lead him into sin, and yet this other one, though being ill-disposed, is led into sin, for instance, into envy of another's good, and then he who does this righteous act, does not, so far as he is concerned, afford an occasion of the other's downfall... Wherefore this is passive scandal, since he that acts rightly does not for his own part, afford the occasion of another's downfall." (ST II-II Q.43 A.1)

It is perfectly understandable at times that it is difficult not to perceive that despite all else that what appears to be is as St. Thomas Aquinas defines as active scandal. Active scandal of course is much more severe and is a great stumbling block to these little ones. As is universal, cases of scandal must be avoided to preserve all from sin and spiritual misfortune.