A New Blog
My name is Joshua Snyder and I am a blogoholic.

As noted above below the header, I've started a new blog entitled Ad Orientem 西儒 - The Western Confucian. The content will be familiar to readers of this blog, but the focus slightly different.

Being rather isolated socially, I miss being out of the conversation without a blog. Also, having two kids, I just was not able to get done what I had hoped to do with my freetime. Besides, I found that blogging kept me away from even less profitable pursuits, much to my surprise.

The new blog, as its name suggests, will turn away from the personal. I may update this old blog from time to time with personal information. And I will keep oit for all of its links, especially on the sidebar.

Our Lady of Lebanon, Pray for Us

[image from Paróquia Melquita de Nossa Senhora do Líbano]

Saint Andrew Kim Taegon
Ora Pro Nobis

Dear Readers,

It is perhaps appropriate that on the day its patron's feast is being celebrated here in Korea, this blog should come to an end. Saint Andrew Kim was the first Korean priest, and the first priest to die for the Faith in Korea. Without him and the other Martyrs of Korea, the Catholic Church might be as hard to come across as the Anglican and Orthodox Churches here, and when it came time to leave Protestantism I might not have so easily chanced upon the Barque of Peter.

The virtues and vices associated with blogging are well known and need not be repeated here. As far as I know, I'm the only English-speaking practicing Catholic within a hundred-mile radius, and blogging has allowed me to interact in a very real way with several Catholics and others through comments and emails. I was fortunate enough to meet three fine gentlemen through this blog, the wisest among them perhaps the one without the blog (who's non-Catholic, too!). I hope to meet them again, and meet the others whom I have not had the chance to meet in person, either in this world or the next.

Before blogging, I used to fill my early mornings with prayer, exercise, and language study. I've all but eliminated the latter two and hope to revive some time for the Royal Canadian Air Force Exercise Plans for Physical Fitness and the Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin. Also, in those moments between classes or when my children are sleeping, I'll turn to the Liturgy of the Hours instead of the computer. I also envison having more time for reading, my favorite leisure activity

I had convinced myself that my blogging only followed my normal daily Internet use, that I'd simply post links to and the occasional comment on stories I found interesting. In reality, I'd spend much unnecessary time looking for those stories. As I get older, I realize that I am much more talented at retaining information rather than knowledge, and blogging, at least as I did it, only emphasizes the former at the expense of the latter.

I will not delete this blog, to preserve the links. I will continue to visit my favorite blogs and perhaps post comments. I'll probably resurface someday, perhaps even soon. I foresee the urge to share a great article to be just too strong.

I'll keep you all in my prayers. Please keep me in yours.

Yours in Christ,
Joshua Snyder, a Sinner

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