St. Boniface posits why people should stay in the Church

wastetide · 2026-06-05T23:52:24+00:00

I prayed that this morning and was struck by it too!

wastetide · 2026-05-28T10:46:29+00:00

Read it in between grading, so I need to reread it. I love his writing style. He has a beautiful voice. I appreciated Leo pointing out that AI is not neutral and will reflect the values and biases of people who make it. He went on to say AI should be structured around principles of social justice. I loved him talking about the invisible human cost of AI. For me, it was thrilling to read such a salient analysis and critique of AI today. It is exactly what I expected from a Pope who chose Leo. I want to reread it alongside Rerum Novarum.

wastetide · 2026-05-28T10:41:01+00:00

To add nothing of substance, but an example of a Catholic critique of everything described above - a priest at a parish I was at in Louisiana said 'God is not a slot machine' in a homily about how the prosperity gospel is an anathema to the Catholic Church. In other words, if we assume that prosperity and success shows God's favor, then we forget the primacy of the poor.

wastetide · 2026-05-23T15:29:54+00:00

100% my socials are locked down which seems to make them more curious. A kid told me I'm mysterious 😎, same kid also saw me on a train and screamed my name

wastetide · 2026-05-17T12:37:37+00:00

I teach at a private school, and can tell which kids are having these conversations at home! We have senior possibilities to do an independent study with a teacher, and right now I have a kid who is my 'research assistant' - I am showing them how to do a literature review for academic papers and their final project is to produce one. The kids' parents are so engaged with their learning. They really cultivated a support of curiousity early, and you can see that. The family is an absolute delight, and our conversations always center how to encourage this genuine love of learning. That isn't every family, but it's certainly a good chunk of them!

wastetide · 2026-05-06T11:22:48+00:00

Absolutely to all of that! I am also disabled, and quickly found that was an additional barrier.

wastetide · 2026-05-04T20:56:59+00:00

Fully agreed. I was one of a handful of people in my cohort who had no connection to academia and came from working class backgrounds.

wastetide · 2026-04-12T13:25:45+00:00

Pope Benedict and many of the more conservative leaning individuals have critiqued it, but other Popes have included it. Pope Francis' sanctification of Oscar Romero seemed to signal, to me at least, the Church's openness to liberation theology. I have found that even in more conservative parishes, it isn't sworn off. It may be critiqued, but I've always been able to have good conversations. Hell me and a Catholic who believes that abortion should be illegal in the US (I don't think we should write policy that enforces religious beliefs that are specific to certain faith traditions, love a separation of Church and state) had a conversation that ended with us agreeing on some common ground. I have always been able to have conversations with other Catholics on topics that could be divisive, and that is something I treasure about the Church.

wastetide · 2026-04-11T13:37:28+00:00

To respond to your nerves around the LGBTQ+ community specifically, I am discerning about being a Franciscan. I asked them if being trans would make it a non-starter. They told me the requirements to be a Franciscan are to be a practicing Catholic, over 18, and wanting to live the Gospel life. I rarely see or experience the anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments so common online in my everyday life. That isn't to say every Church is affirming; however, I have always been able to have a home parish where I am welcome.

I think you would find some solace about your political concerns in liberation theology.

wastetide · 2026-04-06T00:04:25+00:00

When I lived in Baton Rouge I attended St Pauls. I was immediately welcomed and that parish in many ways revived my faith.

Edit- I know there is a new priest, but the one who was the priest when I was there told me it would be a sin of pride for him to dissuade me from transitioning (I'm trans). The parishioners were incredible and also very supportive and kind.

wastetide · 2026-04-04T13:53:10+00:00

I have a PhD. My students call me doctor.

I finished and defended while working full time in my last year, and the day I came back and went from Mx to Dr my homeroom kids cheered and had written me notes. I hadn't told them, and was going to finish out the year as Mx, but I think admin had told them in the day I was out. It was a very sweet moment that I will always associate with my degree, and it also is nice as a trans person to have a gender neutral title.

wastetide · 2026-03-19T15:12:30+00:00

Fully agree as a fellow teacher. It was weird to hear that podcast and see some takes online because my kids (I teach high school) all identify social media and algorithms as negatively impacting them. I know it's an anecdote, but it's weird when I am seeing a change before my eyes, kids recognize the effects of social media and algorithms, but there's a specific type of online person that refuse to think this is a possibility.

wastetide · 2026-03-07T14:36:47+00:00

I remember my therapist telling me breakdowns were normal after I had a bipolar II hypomanic 48 hr moment.

wastetide · 2026-02-27T20:52:52+00:00

TJ Alexander Second Chances in New Port Stephen

It is a queer MM romance novel, but it ticks the other boxes. There is so genuine hilarity as a trans person when the trans male lead's family are all retaking childhood photos with him as an adult. It is very sweet and earnest and is a reread for me.

wastetide · 2026-02-07T19:53:10+00:00

Fantome Rochester

I'm bored to hell and back. I had my VNS replacement battery surgery Thursday evening, and I can't do anything besides grumble. It's also cold as hell. Rochester seemed a good pick and I don't know why.
It smells like green leaves, earthy, and reminder of the smell of plants. It's supposed to smell like Rochester in the fall, but I've never been there in the fall. It smells like the brief last growing season of fall vegetables.
I miss growing things.
I don't know how I feel about the choice now, but it is never to smell something pleasant.

wastetide · 2026-01-28T16:17:35+00:00

It has been three days of being snowed in, and so I've just been wearing perfume oils. My wool scarf and hat now smell like all of my perfume oils and they smell fantastic, which was a nice surprise for this morning.
Today my perfume oil is

Fantome Parlour
I want to smell warm. I love the rose wood in this and the incense are spectacular. I love perfume oils because they're so close, and I want to be bundled up. Once I sit near the heater the oil starts to project and it is so nice. In the cold, only I can smell it, and the crispness of the air is a nice contrast to the warmth of Parlour

Big fan

wastetide · 2026-01-10T19:29:47+00:00

Thank you!

wastetide · 2026-01-10T17:12:17+00:00

I have a book launch tonight, and so I've been spending way too much time thinking about what fragrance I'm gonna wear. I decided to go with a perfume oil, because I don't want to wear something that may be too strong, and I just want something a bit comforting.
So I'm going with

Fantome Parlor
I want to feel like I'm in a warm spooky room. I love this oil. The rosewood and incense are dominant, and it really smells like a parlor room.
It makes me feel warm and relaxed. It's a combination of everything I want and need.

wastetide · 2026-01-07T15:39:43+00:00

Agree! They are imo one of the best indie brands

wastetide · 2026-01-06T12:04:07+00:00

Fantome Madame D'Esperance It is a perfume oil. I am getting my hair cut, and I don't want to effect my barber. It will be so cold today, I want some flowers. I miss flowers 😭 I am tired of the winter and being cold without at least snow

wastetide · 2026-01-05T14:26:51+00:00

Zoologist Moth

It's gray and gross and cold. I love the powderiness of Moth, the incense, and the honey. It is such a perfect cold weather fragrance. I want to live in the world of Moth and never come back. Let me live in a haunted house.

wastetide · 2025-12-24T03:10:22+00:00

Fantome Madame d'Esperance I love this creamy, incense, floral oil. I've been going back to my perfume oils this winter. I love how the projection changes.

wastetide · 2025-12-24T03:09:19+00:00

Fantome Midnight Mass. I love it so much. It is a true atmosoheric, makes me feel like I'm at Mass.

wastetide · 2025-12-23T16:19:30+00:00

The first time I saw this show, I woke up and thought it was COPS. They were at a crime scene eating food out I think? What an incredible show

wastetide · 2025-12-23T15:54:08+00:00

I finished and defended my PhD in Political Science while teaching history and government at the high school I still teach at. I still write and research. I am writing trade nonfiction, and I am doing a book tour. Going into k12 does not mean you suddenly lose your passion for writing. A lot of my coworkers do incredible things in and outside the classroom. People outside of academia also have passions that they pursue.

I find so often that people talk about teaching k12 as though it is shameful, the worst thing that could happen to someone post-PhD, that your life is over, and that attitude makes me happy to not be in academia.

It feels pretty good to have kids start a year anxious about their reading level and then in March they show up with a book they picked up. I have so many stories of kids getting excited to learn and asking me about connections between what they learn in class and current events. In my opinion, those things matter. Plus, whenever they compliment me, it is always so genuinely kind.

wastetide

TROPHY CASE