Midterms. And MISSION: MOBY DICK.

As an English major, I live in a constant "Oh-my-Shakespeare, I have two papers due next week!" kind of thrilling panic. Plus, you know, midterms for my other two classes. So a girl's gotta be pretty productive.

Today, for instance:

Woke up early to review the study guide I made for my Catholicism in the US class just ONE LAST TIME before the midterm. Coffee, apartment brewed. Took midterm. Kicked midterm's ass. (This I didn't love so much. It was after all a midterm).

BUT THEN I went to American Literature, where a strange guy I had never seen before came in and sat down in front of me. He was wearing a bright red Toys-R-Us button-up staff shirt at least three inches to short in the length. It was gross and weird and disturbing, and Kenton and I wondered why he just didn't go back to Toys-R-Us and let us block that image out of our retinas forever and ever.

We also talked about Moby Dick which, by the way is a really long book, just in case you were wondering. 'Cause I mean, do any of you actually know anyone who has read Melville's Moby Dick?? NO ONE reads that book. I don't think anyone in my CLASS is reading the whole thing, and it's assigned. But you know what??

I AM GOING TO READ MOBY DICK. ALL OF IT, BABY!! Maybe I'll do a little CollegeKate's Book Club, for the benefit of culture and the world. I mean, how do any of you feel complete without having read Melville's most noted achievement?

Okay. It's decided. I'm reading ALL OF MOBY DICK and then posting a fun little synopsis of it for you on Friday (it's long, even Friday's kind of ambitious, but get excited!!).

In between, to give us a rest from all this academic stuff, I'll think of something significantly more shallow to discuss for tomorrow. I'm also thinking I might need to organize this blog thing better, because I totally started this post planning to write about my hyper-productive and academic schedule today, with this being my first actual break while I scarf down a late dinner. Or my (surprise!) sort-of position in the College Republicans. But what can I say? Moby Dick just has that effect on people...

Special Sunday Edition

In light of the fact that it's Sunday and I just finished my first research paper for Catholicism in the US, I thought I'd share a little of what I've learned with you. 

First of all, my paper is an exploration of the impact of Vatican II's document Sacrosanctum Concilium, also called "The Constitution of the Sacred Liturgy," and the subsequent changes to the liturgy. To complete the paper, I read the whole document, an additional subsequent document, a motu proprio issued by Pope Benedict XVI, and four books written by priests, bishops, theologians, a Lutheran observer of Vatican II. I also did a lot of historical research about the different forms of the Mass to put everything in context.

You might be interested to know that the oldest surviving form of the Mass in the Tridentine Mass, which was celebrated, completely unaltered, for over 400 years preceding Vatican II. It's the Mass where the priest faces the altar away from the congregation and speaks mostly in Latin. The Mass we celebrate today is called Novus Ordo Missae, or "New Order of the Mass". In a lot of ways it's easier to follow and much more inclusive of the laity, but its departure from the Tridentine and close similarities to the Protestant services upset many conservative Catholics. In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI issued a letter allowing priests to celebrate the Tridentine Mass at their discretion, an allowance that was widely celebrated by orthodox Catholics. (For reference, the above picture is of a stripped, modern Novus Ordo altar and celebration, while the photo below is of the Tridentine Mass).

Out of curiosity, I YouTube'd "Tridentine Mass" and found a full-length, totally accurate celebration of the Tridentine High Mass. I watched the whole thing, utterly transfixed with the beauty and mystery of it. It's crazy how the two Masses celebrate the same thing but are totally foreign. I highly suggest you check it out. I know it's tough to carve an hour out of your day sometimes, but you absolutely will not regret it, even if you decide you never ever want to experience it again (as for me, I found a Church back in Seattle that celebrates it every Sunday, and plan to check one out in person as soon as I can). If you decide to watch, also Google "Tridentine Mass English translation" and follow along with the side-by-side English-Latin online Missal. 

Do it tonight, as an extra dedication on Sunday, or really any other day of the week to infuse a bit of worship and faith tradition into your day. Or maybe if you're really busy, save it as a special sacrifice of your time during Lent. You won't regret it.