When I was received into the Catholic church at Easter vigil two years ago, I chose the confirmation name Macrina. Father Gregory asked "Elder or Younger?" I think we were impressed with each other for knowing there was more than one. I chose the fourth-century saint because although she was never formally educated, she taught her brothers Basil of Caesarea and Gregory of Nyssa everything they knew--or a lot they knew; Gregory didn't have the fancy Athenian education either. I'm a grad student studying early Christian thought and it seemed appropriate. Also appropriate at the time was that I was single and could identify with a virgin saint. But then I met my very non-Catholic husband-to-be.

My fiance is really the one who should have a blog (I keep telling him) because he has opinions about politics and things, whereas I just blather about myself given the space to write. He deserves more than a blogspot--his own server, his own talk show, a regular spot on the McLaughlin Group--I'm biased, of course, but really, he can freestyle on this all day and night, and does, especially under the influence of certain substances...but this is my niche, for what it's worth.