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Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Dear Bishop Clowns


Will you guys GET IT TOGETHER?! ONCE AGAIN you have dispensed this diocese from the Holy Day of Obligation on Jan. 1. WHAT IS YOUR BLEEPING PROBLEM.?! It's either a "holy day" or it's not. It was bad enough when they started that dispensation business. Must mean it's not REALLY important. THEN you people changed it to ... well, if some holy days fall on a Sat. or a Monday, God forbid we should have the people go to church TWO DAYS IN A ROW. I mean, gee, that might be "hard" or "demanding." BUT THIS IS DISPENSED ON A THURSDAY!!! Do you guys all have a hot trip planned for Hawaii or Tahiti or something. WHAT IS UP WITH THIS CRAP?!

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Oh, Paul, just HUSH

I freely admit I have never liked the apostle Paul on a personal level, especially due to his remarks in Col. regards women being submissive to their husbands.  Now, I'm not one to say that Christianity gives a bad deal to women overall, far from it.  I think it in general gives women the BEST deal.  But Paul doesn't seem to take into account human nature.  Too many men WILL lord it over their wives with his remark. "See, it's in the bible."    I think that whole passage in particular made me inclinded NOT to want to be married.   50% personal inclination, and 50% confirmation with this particular "caveat emptor."  Yes, sometimes the man is right.  [I think Torvald in A Doll's House, for instance got a bum rap and the protagonist, was frankly, an airhead.  Matter of fact, Torvald respected women who DID have it together, as evidenced by how he treated the Karen character.]  

But I've seen too many men who seem to expect fealty for no other reason for his presumed superiority by virtue of his XY chromosomes.  I've seen too many men who think they "own" their women.  The Sunday after Christmas was ruined for a long time for me by insisting on reading this passage.  It is now optional, and there is the further option of a reading from Hebrews.  Hell will have frozen over before we get the Hebrews reading though by whomever puts together those dumb missalettes.

Somewhere around I've got a rather funny essay by Aloise Buckley Heath, WFB, Jr.'s sister, wherein she ends up wishing peace on earth and good will to everyone but St. Paul.   It struck a chord with me in my teenage years and resonates with me now.  I was saving it for New Year's Eve, but I may put some of it up a bit of it later. Just.  Because.  [Aloise was happily married with 10 children, but still thought Paul was the Pits.]

And Aloise wrote this long before anyone heard of the NOW gang.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Christmas poem

I like this one from Henry Vaughn

"So stick up ivy and the bays,
And then restore the heathen ways.
Green will remind you of the spring,
Though this great day denies the thing.
And mortifies the earth and all
But your wild revels, and loose hall.
Could you wear flowers, and roses strow
Blushing upon your breasts’ warm snow,
That very dress your lightness will
Rebuke, and wither at the ill.
The brightness of this day we owe
Not unto music, masque, nor show:
Nor gallant furniture, nor plate;
But to the manger’s mean estate.
His life while here, as well as birth,
Was but a check to pomp and mirth;
And all man’s greatness you may see
Condemned by His humility.
Then leave your open house and noise,
To welcome Him with holy joys,
And the poor shepherd’s watchfulness:
Whom light and hymns from heaven did bless.
What you abound with, cast abroad
To those that want, and ease your load.
Who empties thus, will bring more in;
But riot is both loss and sin.
Dress finely what comes not in sight,
And then you keep your Christmas right.
"

Friday, December 26, 2008

Pity the poor agnostic dyslexic insomniac


He stayed up all night wond-
ering whether or not there's a dog.

One of Life's Imponderables - Dogs vs. Tinsel


Why do they like to eat it? You'd think after the first 5 or 6 times they'd catch on that it makes them sick. Do they listen? NO. I've yet to know of a dog who didn't sample it. Or maybe the tinsel on our trees was particularly attractive? OR maybe it was just because we'd touched it and they KNEW the master/mistress's hand. Whatever. Took me forever to figure out why they grab the newspaper and run off with it.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Christmas Vigil, St. John the Evangelist, San Diego

Last night I attended a 10p.m. Vigil Mass at a nearby parish, St. John the Evangelist in the University Heights Neighborhood of San Diego.

Fr. Dillard (who could give Fr. John Boyle a run for his money in a dunking contest) said the Mass. It was perfect in every respect. Besides the priest, they had 4 servers 2 male, 2 female, of older years. 4 EMs, and 2 lectors, a cantor, and a choir and every action and movement by*every single person* was carried out with grace and symetry and reverence, in their comings and going etc. There was a nice gospel procession, and Father used a little bit of Latin just before the Memorial acclaimation and before the final blessing. Father used EP IV and also did the gospel from the center of the nave. He also used incense every place you could use incense. If every Novus Ordo Mass was done like this, no one would complain. So if you're visiting San Diego, and want to be SURE to go to a Mass Almighty God does not show up at under duress, I'd highly recommend a visit here.

A blessed Christmas to you all. [ Keep your fingers crossed for me that the 5:15 Mass at my own parish is said by someone who knows how to do a valid AND licet Mass, and by one who doesn't add a lot of junk that doesn't belong.]

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Feeling a little frenzied?

I was hoping someone would post this number from "She Loves Me" and they finally did!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Favorite Ornament

Okay, since I haven't been tagged on this yet (even though Mac tagged Fr. Owl and I asked him to tag me, and he didn't yet because he is sulking or doing something important like hearing confessions or planning to get away somewhere warm like Tahiti) I'm going to do it anyway, because I really, really want to do it, and if YOU want to do this please go ahead and tag everyone on planet earth because unless you are Jewish or some sort of Mohammedan you probably have a favorite Christmas Tree ornament. [Stephen, put yours up on flicker or something and link to the thing.] Let's have it!


I've had this ornament since I've been about 7. I can remember it when it was "new." And that was a long time ago. As I recall we got it in a box of "ordinary" ornaments, and "they" tend not to make things like this anymore. Not without spending more money than average anyway. This one is fairly thick glass and has sparkly "snow" on it. It's the ornament I always save to put in a "special" place. Last one on, first one off.

It has survived, by my count, about 15 moves. There are two songs which can make me cry. One is "Stars and Stripes Forever." [I'm a wreck on 4th of July, it hits so deep emotionally for me.] The other is Judy Garland singing "Have yourself a Merry Little Chirstmas" to Margaret O'Brien in "Meet Me In St. Louis." The family is moving and the younger sister is sad to be leaving all her friends.



I'm glad I got to live all the places I did and meet all the people I met and have wonderful experiences...but I can't deny the moment of separation from friends (and sometimes family) didn't take its toll.

You tell me, I can't decide


Saw this fast moving cloud formation the other morning. Is it a fish? Or two frogs making other frogs? A dog and a frog? Do kids lie down on their backs and look at cloud formations anymore? Or are they too sophisticated and "at the mall" for such pastimes?

Whose brilliant idea was this?

Ten key...


vs. phone pad...


..look up the word "proactive" and discover the true meaning. "Yeah, well, duh." Prior knowledge with a similar system may prevent you from having as easy a time with "X" if you didn't already know "Y." Which is why it is always fun to sit around in meetings where idiot managers throw the word "proactive" around without knowing from whence the word comes and its original meaning. i.e. A person going to the US from England or vice-versa is going to want to tend to drive on the "wrong" side of the road - because he is so ingrained with doing things a certain way, having learned to drive elsewhere 1st. Now, a Martian, on the other hand ....

Anyway, I'm SURE there's a good reason....but I can't think why the phone pad and 10 key are different.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Cut it out, Part Deux

The phrase in the Creed is: "...and became MAN." Not "...and became HUMAN." Trust me on this. They would have noticed when it came time for the circumcision. I'm sure He became MAN.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

LL Bean's a champ


Looking for something to give to somebody, somewhere and don't want to go shop? Try the nice folks at LL Bean in Maine. Nice on-line catalogue. You don't have to leave the house and they can send things Fed Ex or whatever. I got these nifty rain shoes ages ago. They have different colors, styles etc. I don't get to wear them often but I've had them for years. Yes, get the inserts. Fast freinds 24/7. Why leave the house? No. I don't work for them. But I did make the pilgrimage to Freeport some 21 summers ago. [God, was it that long ago? It was....]]

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Posada 2008, San Diego


Last night I attended a Posada. The word "posada" means "inn." It's been a long time since I've been. So I thought it would be fun to go when it had already rained heavily and was threatening more of the same. It held up. A Spanish song is sung in 9 verses about the search for lodging all along the way. About 2/3rds of the way along I heard an Irish lilt next to me: "Isn't it lovely?" I turned to see Fr. Mark about 3 feet away from me in the crowd. He'd still been saying Mass when we'd started off. Quite windy, but there was a crowd of about 300+ people who followed the course of Mary and Joseph, Dulcinea (the donkey!), as they sought shelter from mean old innkeepers and were turned away 8 times before reaching La Casa de Estudillo! Mary rode that donkey right across the threshold too. [Nicer digs they couldn't have had! A fine old ranchero and the setting for Helen Hunt Jackson's "Ramona's Wedding!"]



A lot of fun on such a cold night. The shops had stayed open late and a lot of community organizations had turned out. Afterwards there was some pinata breaking for the kids and caroling all over Old Town, including at our church.

Typical USD Student studies for Finals


Give him a break - it's 57F outside. With wind chill it's 54. Actually it IS colder than a witch's tit right now in Copley library, and I don't know why. I'm using the square AC/DC black box thingie to keep my hands warm. An ESKIMO would be freezing in here right now. Meanwhile most of the girls in the library have on Uggs. It gets below 60F here and the girls break out the Uggs. But so help me, right now it's warmer outside!

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Favorite Rosary Meme

Mac tagged me on this the other day - didn't have a chance to do it then, and then I got sidetracked by evil communists plotting to take over the world and bland Christmas Carols. [Plus it took me a while to gather up those rosaries and get an in focus shot and photoshop the thing!]

This one's simple. Show your favorite three rosaries. You can say why they're your favorite. Tag three others.

The wooden one on the left is my everyday rosary right now. Its beads are olive wood. The beads have become lighter in color in the middle of the bead from use. It's very like the rosary my mother prayed with when I was little. I don't know where or when I acquired this one. It's not my mom's because that one had a slightly longer cross and the metal back holding the cross in had a slight bend this one doesn't have. Right now it's my "everyday" rosary.

The second rosary is one I got at the Vatican when I was nearing 22. It would have been blessed by Pope Paul VI, but he'd died earlier that month on Aug. 6th of 1978. My best friend from college, her elder sister and I were doing a "Grand Tour" of Europe that August after I'd graduated. Nothing fancy or overly expensive but very servicible. Sometimes I alternate using this one with the wooden one. The pope (Paul VI) would have blessed it, but he'd died earlier that month on Aug 6, 1978

Rosary number 3 has beautiful crystal beads including the 4 corners of the cross. I don't use it as often. It's very sturdy except for ONE link that keeps coming unhooked and I'm afraid to use needle nose pliers on it. I'm stubbornly Mac-like in refusing to use a simple small plastic or leather case. Yes. I know. It's a disease. No. I don't particularly want to be cured. Even I don't go in the deep dark corner of my mind why that one is. It just is.

The rosary belonged to my grandmother, and had been purchased for her by my mother on our first trip to Rome in Feb. of '74. This one was blessed by Paul VI. When she'd died her children decided it was sensible that each child would take back what they'd given her, then divvy up the rest. And when my mom died, I got this rosary, naturally, being the only child. [One advantage to that is NEVER having to argue over stuff like this. "Karen, you want this rosary? Why, yes, Karen, it's lovely. Of course, thank you."]

I have another small rosary I got in Rome the 1st time. Small, with crystal white beads. A little too small and delicate for everyday wear and tear. Mac has a beautiful blue rosary with beads in the shape of roses. I have one similar, except mine is red with a slightly different cross. It also tarnishes easily. It smells faintly of Roses.

I have a few others. One is my mom's pink crystal Rosary. Very pretty, but tarnishes easily.

And now for the lucky tags.

SwissMiss - Because. I've been so neglectful of her this fall.
Adrienne - because fall mulching all done, she's probably just sitting there up in Idaho making moonshine to sell on ebay, and pondering why it's so dark, and with luck, she'll tag Angela
Kit - because I bet she has some neat rosaries and this will set off a whole chain of Machiavellian tags and if my plan fails, will some of you people who say "Dammit, Karen, tag ME once and a while willya?" please do the meme and tell me, so that next time there's a meme I can tag you and then you'll say "Oh, well, yah, ya would tag me on THIS bloody meme...."

[Okay, Adrienne, tag Tara, then Tara tags Fr. Erik, and then we'll find out if his beads are made of shell casings.
Mac, it's not "revenge" if you like the meme, and what self-respecting Catholic doesn't like rosaries? :-D ]

Christmas Carols to fall Asleep by!


We'RE NUMBER ONE!!! We're NUMBER ONE!!!!! USA!!! USA!!! (oops, sorry, got carried away there....) Last night my parish threw a Christmas party. As part of the festivities the choir managed to string together quite a number of bland, same rhthym, similar sappy sentiment songs that I'd never heard. There must have been a good six in a row. I didn't think it possible but it was!!!! TEAM. TEAM. TEAM. [I'd have gone out for a ciggie, but I a) don't smoke b) would have been mighty conspicuous getting up from the 2nd pew in the church mid-concert.) [okay, I'm being mean. They did some nice songs too. But jeez, LaWeezie. Whatever "praise" books you found those thangs in, please deposit those "Christmas Carols" in the nearest bin! Pronto! As in "Hasta la Bye-Bye."]

Che, God, the Left, Stupid Liberals

Digihairshirt posted a short piece re: Che and pointed out a video featuring Cuban born musician, Paquito D'Rivera, who marvels at all the so-called "artists" who admire Che. Che hated jazz, and artists in general. There's a "Mao Kitchen" and millions of items sold with Che's face on it - and yet these paragons of Communists were responsible for the death of millions. Why are so many people today proud to sport Che/Mao gear?

Digi asked why so many on the left don't condemn mass murder by the left, and here was my answer with expanded remarks:

***
Sometimes I wish it was actual stupidity rather than a willful blindness and cowardice.

You saw it in everyone from Simone de Beauvoir, Sartre, Hollywood leftists in the 30s etc.
I think it is because those of the left are afraid to go against a collective. They very much value being part of a "group." They reject God, as a rule, so they only have "the group" to provide their sustenance. Everything is provided i.e. job/social connections/ standing in the community / friends etc. by a collective sense.

I can remember reading some book or other about a US woman living in Paris, and the way their society was networked people didn't help people so much on an individual basis i.e. she couldn't ask a neighbor to look after her youngster for an hour or two in an emergency, because she would have gotten: "can't you get the child care at your work to do that?" i.e. you had power by being in a certain pecking order, and God forbid you mess up your own hard gained position by giving some other sucker a break.

It's like the picked on kid at school. Things can be going fine...then one day little Johnny says/does something stupid, and he's the "goat du jour." Ridicule, and if some of the "not unpopular by any means, but not one of the leading clique" sticks up for Johnny, why he TOO will be picked on and ridiculed.

It takes a strong person to stand against a group and do what is right regardless of concern for their own standing. Because secretly these leftists want to be part of the top "in crowd" and they'll never be that if they defend the individual over the collective.

I don't know if you've ever read Whittaker Chamber's book, "WITNESS" but it's a very engaging book (one of my 5 favorite, in fact) wherein he tells how he, a man of the left, an intellectual fell into communism, and how he rose from it. He was involved with the communist underground in the US and saw and talks about first hand how labor unions were subsummed and taken over by communist cadres -- an easy target because while many of the aims of early unions were in some senses noble (i.e. work conditions, laws against child labor, etc.) The left saw this as an opportunity to pervert the legitimate desires of these people to do their own bidding. (Nice having union slush funds to do the work of communism and'/or the left in general too. ) "Hey, your union dues will go to "X" for collective bargaining (and in the bargain will also be siphoned off to get across OUR goals - California Teacher's association funding pro-gay marriage anyone? -- donations to planned parenthood anyone?" And these are the LEAST of it over the course of what history has shown us! Money we couldn't raise on the street corner, but by controlling the union, and using sometimes coercive tactics to get a union in, which now has a binding in court mandate, the can force people to join -- a la AFTRA, SAG, and other highly unionized industries) now have YOUR money in THEIR pockets to do what THEY want and you have no say.) There's a reason Reagan went from being a union leader to attacking the underbellies of the unions. He saw from within how corrupt they could become. Ancedotally, a good friend fo mine's grandfather was one of the founding members of the New York Iron Worker's Union. He quickly became disenchanted with it and left. "Geez, SOME of these labor union bastards are just as bad as the people we were trying to fight against!"

Chambers also saw what happened in the early 20s to the now obscure internal struggle within the US communist party between the Loveites and the Stonerites. He even saw illegal Russian plants actual be dumb enough to go home to be liquidated. Or perhaps they thought they could be "recalled for consultation to Moscow" and fake their way through it so their relatives wouldn't be liqudated if they defected. So powerful was fear against going against the collective.

Also if you read about the Hollywood 10 and not even so much them, but the whole leftist "artsy" crowd that inhabit the chattering classes you also find this commonality. "God" is for ignorant folk, and they want to replace Him with themselves. The new Nomenklatura, from which all grace and blessings and social benefits (and government approal!) flow. I wrote this for digi who knows Russian, but for those of you unfamiliar with the term "nomenklatura" means "The new wealthy/in power class - oh, not the TOP rung people, but their sychophants who get the grace and favor and goodies available by associate with the top dogs." My own definition, but that sums it up.

To step out of the box of the left, you not only have to think for yourself (and I'd be willing to bet that if they were being honest with themselves, many on the left would admit to the butchery) but they are AFRAID to challenge those with the Che t-shirts - because to do so would indicate independent thought outside the collective. And they can't bear the thought of the collective turning on them, because if it does, they feel they will have no where to go - having rejected God.

And frankly, it doesn't help the Catholic church much by having fuzzhead priest "sympathisers" who put labor union collective bargaining on the altar instead of God. Not everything the labor unions do by any stretch is ethical or moral, and there are a lot of naive at best or evil at worst people in the Catholic heirarchy who are too chicken to point out what's going on to their congregation. They will lose their congregation to the left, because they don't understand the aims of the left. And a principle aim of the left is to deny God.

If you wish to understand the left, please read Witness. It will give you the intellectual undergirding to fight the left. It is a lengthy book, but highly readable and digestible. Part autobiography, part history lesson, part spy story, part spiritual journal - it is truely a seminal work of American conservatism.

I'd like to note that the FIRST crack in the communist armor that Chamber's had donned was he and his wife's decision NOT to abort their firstborn child. The communist party advised their illegal underground workers not to be "burdened" with children. His wife said "We can't do this to a little child, OUR child." So they had the baby, and thus started their climb from darkness to the light. And a little child shall lead them.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich taken into federal custody

....I know a some folks who aren't the LEAST little bit surprised.



**


**


**

Wonder how much Barry HUSSEIN paid the Chicago boys for all the help they gave him getting his competition disqualified for the Illinois senate seat a while back. Will anyone sing like a canary? Or are they afraid of an Obamacide?

Details here. Nothing like a club Fed Christmas Vacation. Merry Christmas, soon-to-be-EX Governor.

to quote Digi: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Enjoy your new "boyfriends." If you drop the soap...don't pick it up.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Father DUDES

The line is "Lord wash away my iniquity and cleanse me from my sins." NOT "Lord wash away OUR iniquities and cleanse us from OUR sins."

It's all about YOU on this one, buddy. Don't bring me into it. It's *strictly* a presidential prayer.

If this line doesn't apply to you: NEVERMIND. If it does: MIND

Is it too much to ask that the Mass be said AS WRITTEN?

And while I'm on pet peeves: Would you people in the congregation stop insisting and trying to make everyone hold hands at the Our Father? ESPECIALLY during cold and flu season? And that "let's raise our joined hands higher" business during the "for thine is the kingdom" stuff looks outright STUPID.

There. I said it. DEATH to charismatics! [I don't even like that protestant "For thine is the kingdom" stuff thrown in. I'd dearly like a word with the probably-long-dead-thank-God person(s) who grafted that on.
]
NON mi piace.

And as long as I'm on a roll: to a certain other well-meaning, very nice priest in the San Diego diocese: the word "PLEASE" is NOWHERE in ANY of your prayers. Really. Please stop adding it everytime you implore the Lord at Mass to do anything.

St. Conleth

The nice people at St. Conleth in Ireland would like me to publish their series of Latin Masses.

I'm also happy to add them to my blogroll. There seem to be relatively few bloggers from Ireland. I don't know why. But then, perhaps I just haven't tapped that vein.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

What a Real President Elect Looks Like


...from among my souveniers.  My "I was there" evening.    It was the last campaign stop for Ronaldus Magnus in 1980,  San Diego being a lucky city for him.  I remember how excited my mom and I were to go to the rally - such a thing we'd never been to before.  The site was slightly to the east of where the trolley station in the Fashion Valley parking lot now sits. I remember the heady rush of anticipation as we waited.  The (relatively minimal to now) security checks by the secret service.   He was hours behind.  My mom had scrawled on the back of this flyer "Ed, we went to the rally, we should be home around 6:30."  I don't think we made it home until at least 10.  

He was nearing 70, but he had fire in his belly, as he had all through the campaign.   Basically his message was that Jimmy Carter could put his "Malaise" elsewhere.  

It was also the memorable night, he'd finally had it with the handful of hecklers that had traipsed around tagging onto every campaign appearance.  He told them to "shut up."   I found the clip below, finally.  Locally, they played that clip over and over on every radio and TV station.  The crowd roared with delight.  A candidate with moxie.   He'd said he'd been wanting to say that for a while, and figured his telling them to "shut up" wouldn't make a difference at that point.  Media didn't have time to spin it.

And the best part of it was I *KNEW* in my heart he would be victorious,

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Lessons and Carols

The other night I went to a really lovely service of Lessons and Carols held at University of San Diego in Founder's Hall. The chapel is quite large and serves the student body, along with the Immaculata Church which is also on the grounds.

I got there very early and took a still photo of the altar, which you see here.

Then I bagged a seat at the front against the wall. This Chapel is unusual in the US in that there are traditional choir stalls along the side walls on a slightly raised platform which runs the entire length of the chapel. By the time the service started, it was packed.

Most of the music was very traditional, beginning with a 13 minute Magnificat by Pergolesi, followed by a processional Personent Hodie (On this day the earth shall sing.) There were more than 20 in the orchestra, so there was full and rich accompaniment to most of the songs.

I got lucky with this next shot, as I took it EXACTLY when the official photographer took hers, so I benefitted from HER flash. Serendipity.


The carols between the lessons inluded Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel, Do you Hear What I hear? Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming (my favorite which is in the video below.) There was a Celtic Alleluia, followed by a well executed but Beauty-and-the-Beastlike incongruous "The Lord is With You" - a well meaning but wonky song between "Gabriel," "Mary," and "Joseph." Okay, if you like that sort of thing. I don't.

Joy to the World was sung, along with Angels We Have Heard On High, and What Child is This? [If I am at Mass at Christmas and they DON'T sing this I am extremely dissapointed. Okay, it's probably just me, but "Silent Night" can take a flying leap as far as I'm concerned. I've always hated it.] Somewhere in the mix was "Little Drummer Boy."

The concluding song was "The Virgin Mary had a Baby Boy" which was also incongruous, but EXTREMELY (and unexpectedly to my taste, I thought) DELIGHTFUL. It is a traditional[?!] West Indian Christmas song. I hadn't heard it before. Something about the maracca and the bongo made me want to reach for a Mai-Tai. But somehow, it was very dignified to boot! Go figure. Too bad I ran out of room for the video for that.

Below is a video clip* of Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming from the concert. There are a few people with stupid "hangings" on a pole that were in the enterance/recessional and gospel processions who pass by in front. The only *other* thing I didn't like about this service. Everything was cool except for this Bishop Brom-like feature.

[Did I tell you the man has bad taste with these tacky processional "things?" I use the word "things" in place of what I really want to call them! A thurible I understand. A crucifer and two candlebearers I understand. Weird stuff hanging on poles? Maybe it's because they couldn't do puppets. Whatever. I still don't know what they were supposed to "represent."]

I happened to be at a rehearsal a few days prior and got an up close and personal look at the actual poles. 10-1 says they were the original poles used for torches used in a high Mass given the hook I saw on one of them! At least they were a minor distraction given all the other eye candy in Founder's Hall Chapel that night.



There is one more performance left at 2p.m. on Sunday. It is FREE! A performance has been taped and will be broadcast on San Diego's Cox Cable Channel 4 on Dec 14 at 8 p.m., Dec. 19 at 8:30, Dec. 20 at 9:00 p.m., Dec 23 at 8:30 p.m. and Dec. 25 at 6 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Well worth watching if you can get the channel.

[* The video was shot by my little Vivitar camera. No, I wasn't annoying as I "guessed" where the action would be as I held it right next to my thigh so it wouldn't be obvious I was taking a few video clips. So if it's a little off center -- too bad!!]

Thursday, December 4, 2008

HA Award


Haven't given out one of these in a while.

"Jennifer Davis was stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on Nov. 18, her contractions just 3 minutes apart. Her husband, John, was trying to appear calm for his wife's sake, driving in the breakdown lane of Route 2. They pulled up behind a state trooper to ask whether they could continue using the lane to reach the next exit, near Alewife Station.

Not only did the trooper say no, he gave them a $100 citation for driving in the breakdown lane, made them wait for their citation while he finished writing someone else's ticket, and even seemed to ask for proof of pregnancy, Jennifer Davis said."

You can read the whole story here.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Brain Death & Lack of Professional Courtesy

...seem to go hand in hand.

Just this week....

1. email from me: ".... And what is your street address?"
email back: "We're in the building right next to Qualcomm."

There are FOUR buildings "right next to Qualcomm." Did he think I was asking for my health? IF it's in any way ambiguous, given the person walks upright (was that perhaps my mistake?) is it NOT obvious that you should just email the ****ing address to begin with?

2. [Different company]
Sunday night: "The meeting tommorow morning will be X location."

Monday morning: You drive TWENTY freakin' miles to find that NO, the Jackass in question changed the meeting site, to Mission Valley, not 2 miles from where you were before you went on the wild goose chase. Did it filter through this numb nut's pea brain that perhaps it would be a good idea to Email REALLY early or contact via phone, rather than have his receptionist tell you AT meeting place #1 that "oh, he called me to say it would be at X, and to tell you...here's a map."
Well, thanks for the 40 extra miles, dude.

I don't even want to go into the details. But suffice to say I am royally pissed. This kind of thing happens more and more. And by people who are "The powers that be." Who in the HELL decided they were competent enough to do jack squat? The MOST OBVIOUS things aren't done.

I am sick and tired of dealing with imbeciles. Meanwhile, the UK's "Southern Water" thinks Fr. Blake owes them more money than a hotel (Philip's) pays for the water bill in a year. IF it doesn't get resolved he'll have to close the center for Christmas. And it's a place refugees of limited means use.

Too many boobs in charge these days.

Six things that make me happy


Esther tagged me.  State the obvious, then tag six more and let them know.

1. (I agree with her) Being Catholic.  Except for that Kleenex thing  - and by way of extension, some of the goofy things Paul said, did.   That was some fall off the horse.  ["no, you don't have to be circumcised to be Christian, except for you two dummies, who as adults need to be circumcised, because I need you to go into the temple over there and preach Christ, and God knows I can't find any Jews around here" (Paul, ya coulda done it yourself, instead of asking guys to get part of their pee-pees whacked off when they were already grown) and all that "women's heads must be covered  cultural crap" that we've been beaten over the head with for almost 2,000 years.  Paul,  take some valium, will ya?]

2. Being born a US citizen.  How lucky is that in the lottery of life?  Millions trying to get in and I had this just handed to me on the platter.  I didn't even have to come across with the pilgrims, but enough of my ancestors crossed - and some of them did within a hundred years after the pilgrims.   And the nice thing is when people take up citizenship here, they ARE "one of us."  I've known more than one person who was born in "country X" but still considers himself to be of "nationality Y" because they don't feel entirely part of where they were born.

3. Education.  I had all the formal education I wanted, and if I want more I can get it.

4. Theatre.  I'd rather sit in a dark theatre and watch people on stage, especially at "Musical comedy, the most glorious words in the English language ♪," I'd  even rather see bad stuff than sit at home and watch a sitcom or almost anything on TV.  To me there's always something to love or hate about it.  I do not love it enough, however, to want to be "properties manager" again.  Oh, I'll help MAKE properties. But not drive all around the fricken town finding the damn things.  I hate shopping too.  The most thankless task on earth next to ironing purificators.

5.  Rain.   The older I get the more I get like good queen Bess II in her love of it.  We so seldom get it here when it comes, it is a TREAT.  I love how everything is crystal clear after it, and if it's late afternoon, and the sun comes out, everything is infused with a golden tinged clarity that is unearthly.  It does after a rain here anyway.

6.  Family and friends.  Because.  They "knew you when" and loved you even before you got your cool.  They even love you when you're being a jerk.  Usually.

7. [I hate the number six.  Always have.  Even before the Exorcist.  And I like odd numbers more than evens.] DOGS.  DOGS RULE.  ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIELS ESPECIALLY RULE.

And now, the lucky six.

1. Tara (now that Stella is well.)

2. Phillip (so this time around he can tag Mac.  And Mac will probably tag Bara.  I hope.)

3. Swiss Miss (anyone who has a cabin with "bear issues" is interesting)

4. Angela. (Because her podcasts are so cool.)

5. Ukok  (because she's so creative)

6. Therese (She was neat enough to invite me down to Australia.  Some day I may take her up on it.  My folks had a blast down there, and it was the one place they were where I didn't get to go due to a work commitment, and I've been jealous ever since.)

I'd tag one of the polo team, but they are so "radio silence" on memes, though Mac (are ya listening?)  can sometimes twist the arm of his hermeneuticalness  enough to get him to come across with one.

A Warning to young Ladies

In the comments on the last post, Phillip referred to a classic Flanders and Swann song. I first heard it when I was twenty. "Have some Madeira, m'dear."

It was a while since I looked for it on youtube, but it has finally appeared - so now everyone can enjoy it

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

It's a classic...


Venice....

...streets filled with water. Please advise.

Monday, December 1, 2008

I RULE - pop quiz - GIRM #279

Amongst the following four persons in my parish, who is the ONLY one that knows that the remainder of the Precious Blood should be consummed after Communion at the altar?

Would that be:

A. the Pastor
B. the Pastor Emeritus (who really should know better, A being ordained in the Hippy days]
C. the Deacon (who trains all the other deacons in the diocese)
or
D. Me, the Server

If you said "D" "Why, Karen, of course, because she is persnkicity such things as the Eucharist and would certain have read and fully understood the import of GIRM @279. i.e. " then give yourself a cigar or a kewpie doll as you feel so inclined.

"279. The sacred vessels are purified by the priest, the deacon, or an instituted acolyte afterCommunion or after Mass, insofar as possible at the credence table. The purification of thechalice is done with water alone or with wine and water, which is then drunk by whoever doesthe purification. The paten is usually wiped clean with the purificator. Care must be taken that whatever may remain of the Blood of Christ after the distribution ofCommunion is consumed immediately and completely at the altar. "

I may seem liberal in some ways: "Hell, no, I wouldn't be caught dead in a mantilla." But when it comes to wanting a valid AND licet Mass, I am hell on wheels.

I DO hope it comes to pass that women can become instituted acolytes, because frankly, I'm the only one who seems to give a flip about properly purifying the vessels as it is.

Give yourself a cigar or a kewpie doll if you got the right answer. And no, I'm in no mood to be triffled with.
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