For anyone who is interested in Catholic contemporary music, please check out the online magazine Grapevine at www.gvonline.net. Susan Bailey is the creator and editor of this magazine and she also produces a weekly podcast that is accessible from the home page. I actually give my opinion on this week's podcast. The question was, "What helps American Catholics sing?" Since I've been a cantor for about the past fifteen or sixteen years, I felt qualified to offer an opinion.

I'm currently reading Wives Behaving Badly by Elizabeth Buchan which is a most satisfying sequel to Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman. Am also reading The Thrill of the Chaste by Dawn Eden. As a still-single 40-something, I can relate to many of her experiences and feelings. Check out her blog at www.dawneden.com/blogger.html.

Watched the first episode of The Duchess of Duke Street yesterday and I'm hooked. It's about a young woman who works her way up from skivvy to chef to owning her own hotel in the early 1900's. It aired on Masterpiece Theatre in the mid-70's.