7QT: Seven Quick Takes (Volume XXXV)

I'm linking up with This Ain't the Lyceum to bring you seven quick takes from my world this week.

~1~

Coming Home.

As I mentioned yesterday with fear, trepidation, nervousness, and excitement, my conversion story is now up on the Coming Home Network website.  Check it out here, if you'd like!

~2~

Going Home. 

I just got back from a trip home to see my family.  I have a sibling who is in the states for a limited time, home from an overseas deployment.  It was good to see everyone.  We also caught up with some friends while we were in town, and there was no family drama to speak of.  All in all, a good trip home.  

~3~

Hoarding.

So, my home office/study is to a crazy level of insanely unorganized.  You'd think I was a hoarder. I'm not exaggerating.  The funny thing is that I'm generally clean and organized, but I just can't seem to stay on top of (or even get on top of) the incoming mail and paperwork I need to deal with.  I joke with my husband that we should just burn the house down and start over...not that funny.  Last weekend I spent some time unsubscribing to things and getting on the "opt out" lists for credit card offers, insurance offers, etc.  I'm hoping that helps.

~4~

Currently Reading.

The Sleep Revolution by Ariana Huffington

A Little Bit Wicked by Kristin Chenowith

What I've learned: get more sleep!  Also, there's no business like show business.

~5~

TSA

Our trip home this week was marked with unusually long wait times with the TSA.  I had heard about this, but I thought we would be exempt from it, traveling on off/non-peak hours, not travelling from/to places like NYC or Chicago.  I was wrong.  Let the traveler beware.  We waited longer in line than our first flight lasted, and if it hadn't been a delayed flight, we would have missed it.  People were running to gates, cutting in line, and generally becoming irate and restless.  It was awful.  Bonus, we ran into Sister Miriam James while in the long line.  I act like such an idiot around some people, so I said something stupid about following her on Twitter, rather than something meaningful like, "Thank you for your book/your ministry/your witness."  I will say, having a nun and a priest nearby made me have better behavior than I might have otherwise.

(This book.  It's wonderful, check it out.)  

~6~

RTS

Elizabeth Esther has a similar background to mine, and has introduced me to the concept of Religious Trauma Syndrome (RTS).  It can be seen as a form of PTSD, related to faith or religious experiences, often occurring in people who leave cults or abusive religious environments.  I'm pretty sure I have this.  For instance, I have had panic attacks before listening to Catholic radio when the caller was an anti-Catholic and the apologetics show turned into a screaming match.  Also, anytime a rain or thunderstorm wakes me up, my first thought is that it's the "rapture," or the end of the world, and I've been left behind.  I know this isn't true, but that's my first thought upon waking.  I then have to calm down to go back to sleep, which doesn't always happen.  Anyway, RTS explains the inner-workings of people like me.  We feel misunderstood a lot.  We are invalidated a lot by people who mean well.  What I like about Elizabeth Esther's take is that 1) we have a similar upbringing, 2) we both became Catholic, 3) she's able to be a person who still has faith, while also maintaining a healthy balance of recovering from this stuff.  The woman who coined the term RTS, for instance, was raised Christian and is now atheist.  While I respect everyone's journey, I appreciate the insights EE has as a person who is overcoming the abusive aspects while also retaining belief that is balanced and healthy.  If you haven't already, check out her book too.)

~7~

TGIF

That's all I got, folks.  Keep the faith.  Have a lovely weekend.