As in, I have been. Very much.
First, I have not posted since my whiny rant on July 8th. Second, I have been very bad about getting to church--with three opportunities each week, that's pretty bad. Third, I've been neglecting friends and family in favor of crawling into my hole whenever I'm not working. How pointless is that?
This blog is supposed to be about living in Quincy, with its beauties and its follies, and passed somewhat through the prism of trying to strive after the qualities of God, as expressed in Orthodox Christianity.
Not doing too well, am I?
I don't have any sudden deep and meaningful insight to share here. I'm just doing some self-examination and not liking what I see very much.
Many years ago when I was a member of the Episcopal Church in Peoria, I also had a problem rousting myself out to get to church. My pastor, Fr. Gus, had a pretty good way of demonstrating how absurd it was to make excuses and not participate in the functioning of the Christian body. He would call and simply say "Get your ass to mass!"
Seems kind of trite, and yet it pointed up (for me, at least) the fact that even the hind end is part of the body and has a function, and that the body doesn't do as well if even the posterior isn't in attendance. I mean, how do you sit down if your ass isn't there? For that matter how does said tuchus benefit spiritually, socially, and even financially if it's forgoing the pleasures of community worship? In the case of the Orthodox Church, I'm also missing some great ethnic foods at fellowship hour (well, if we're going to be all physical about it, I like food too).
My laziness about church attendance has also become reflected in other "non-required" duties, as I mentioned above. Not writing for the blog, not writing for my own need to create stories, not writing for gaming, not keeping up with the cleaning at home, not keeping up with so many other things (though not work, where we've taken on a lot of extra duties and that doesn't bother me too much--we get it all done).
So what's the solution? One can only ask friends to do so much to deliver a kick to the seat of the pants. There comes a point where you have to motivate yourself. And I'm not feeling motivated.
Not sure what to do...except maybe try going to church more regularly.
(Let's not even talk about making a regular confession, okay? :)
BTW, one sure sign I've not been getting regular and balanced "feeding" in all the ways we need to be "fed", is that I get crotchety, whiny, and gripe about things like...oh, say, stupid people.
I guess I know the remedy.
"Get your ass to Mass."
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Stupid People Rant
Okay, in the interests of simple Christian charity, let me say that the vast majority of people are not stupid. We may do stupid things, but we're not stupid.
I will assume the person in this story is not stupid. Fanatic maybe, but not stupid. Lacking in common sense, certainly, but not stupid.
I should probably re-title the blog entry, but I won't.
So here's the story out of Chicago:
Chicago's smoking ban has forced the cast of ``Jersey Boys'' to snuff out their cigarettes.
Smoking was the norm in the 1950s and 60s when the play about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons takes place. But that doesn't matter when it comes to smoking in Chicago theaters. Authorities say an irate theatergoer lodged a complaint.
Just as irate is Alderman Bernard Stone. The former part-time actor told the Chicago Sun-Times smoking must be allowed if the play is going to be true to its time.
The Public Health Department has primary responsibility for enforcing Chicago's smoking ban. But spokesman Tim Hadac says the crackdown on Jersey Boys didn't originate there. He says someone likely flagged down a police officer during a production.
Got that? Someone was so incensed by the actors, PERFORMING THEIR ROLES IN THE PLAY, having the temerity to light up and smoke, that they filed a complaint which led to a ban on SOMETHING THAT IS PART OF THE PLAY.
Frankly if I were the playwright I would sue the city of Chicago for interfering with my freedom of expression.
We can present a painting of Harold Washington in drag; a "sculpture/painting" of the Virgin Mary smeared with elephant feces and surrounded by porn cut from magazines; piles of dirty, smelly underwear artfully strung about a gallery or pink latex wrapped around everything in sight on a California hillside. That's all art. But we dare not allow actors in performance in a theater to light up and smoke, even though they are doing what the script demands.
I can imagine how this person would have had a stroke if they'd seen me lighting up and puffing on a cig when I was in DIARY OF ANNE FRANK at QCT. Heck, I lit up TWICE!!!
I wonder if they wig out when they see a classic movie where people are smoking? I remember a science fiction story where the two protagonists were famous for having come up with an algorithim that could be applied to old movies and would edit out such horrible sins as smoking. Don't remember anything else about the story, just that.
And I laughed that such things would never ever happen. Looks like I'm stupid too.
I believed the Illinois State Police way back in 1983 or so when they said "we've instituted a seatbelt law but we'll never pull you over or ticket you just for not wearing one" too.
Yup. Me and the anti-smoking twit in Chicago...
Stupid people.
I will assume the person in this story is not stupid. Fanatic maybe, but not stupid. Lacking in common sense, certainly, but not stupid.
I should probably re-title the blog entry, but I won't.
So here's the story out of Chicago:
Chicago's smoking ban has forced the cast of ``Jersey Boys'' to snuff out their cigarettes.
Smoking was the norm in the 1950s and 60s when the play about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons takes place. But that doesn't matter when it comes to smoking in Chicago theaters. Authorities say an irate theatergoer lodged a complaint.
Just as irate is Alderman Bernard Stone. The former part-time actor told the Chicago Sun-Times smoking must be allowed if the play is going to be true to its time.
The Public Health Department has primary responsibility for enforcing Chicago's smoking ban. But spokesman Tim Hadac says the crackdown on Jersey Boys didn't originate there. He says someone likely flagged down a police officer during a production.
Got that? Someone was so incensed by the actors, PERFORMING THEIR ROLES IN THE PLAY, having the temerity to light up and smoke, that they filed a complaint which led to a ban on SOMETHING THAT IS PART OF THE PLAY.
Frankly if I were the playwright I would sue the city of Chicago for interfering with my freedom of expression.
We can present a painting of Harold Washington in drag; a "sculpture/painting" of the Virgin Mary smeared with elephant feces and surrounded by porn cut from magazines; piles of dirty, smelly underwear artfully strung about a gallery or pink latex wrapped around everything in sight on a California hillside. That's all art. But we dare not allow actors in performance in a theater to light up and smoke, even though they are doing what the script demands.
I can imagine how this person would have had a stroke if they'd seen me lighting up and puffing on a cig when I was in DIARY OF ANNE FRANK at QCT. Heck, I lit up TWICE!!!
I wonder if they wig out when they see a classic movie where people are smoking? I remember a science fiction story where the two protagonists were famous for having come up with an algorithim that could be applied to old movies and would edit out such horrible sins as smoking. Don't remember anything else about the story, just that.
And I laughed that such things would never ever happen. Looks like I'm stupid too.
I believed the Illinois State Police way back in 1983 or so when they said "we've instituted a seatbelt law but we'll never pull you over or ticket you just for not wearing one" too.
Yup. Me and the anti-smoking twit in Chicago...
Stupid people.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Could things get more depressing?
Oh, there's a lot going on that is positive. The struggle to hold the levees is amazing and all those guys and gals deserve far more than a nod of thanks.
But the Busy Bistro is closing.
This delightful restaurant that had great food unlike anything else in Quincy, and prices that while a bit high weren't any worse than a couple of other "upscale" places in town.
And now it's closing.
After all the work the owners did in restoring the building and making efforts to refurbish the upper floors.
And now it's closing.
Great music almost every Friday night. A place for talented Quincy musicians who like soft rock and jazz and even some classical to perform.
And now it's closing.
My heart goes out to Nathaniel and Kerry and Rob and Terry and Michael and Nadine and everyone who poured their heart and soul into the business.
I understand there were internal factors (I REALLY hate to see you two leaving, M and N) but let's face it: downtown is in trouble, Quincyans on the whole don't give a flying, and we're all going to end up with exactly what we deserve.
If you don't know what that is, I invite you to take a stroll down east Broadway. Oh, you can't, there are no firk-ding-blasting sidewalks! Well drive then, and survey the rows upon rows of clones, mercantile and gustatorial. Isn't it all lovely? Places where you can get cheap meals, cheap goods, and a nice cheap life. And I mean cheap in the least pleasant form of the word.
OK, I'll be fair. There are places out there I like to eat. There are places out there I like to shop.
But why can't we have both? Why can't we have a vibrant downtown with all it's little gems, as well as an energetic outer district to supply larger needs?
Sigh.
On days like this I almost wish...well, let's just say Quincy just got a little more drab, boring, complacent, and insular, and we all lose.
But the Busy Bistro is closing.
This delightful restaurant that had great food unlike anything else in Quincy, and prices that while a bit high weren't any worse than a couple of other "upscale" places in town.
And now it's closing.
After all the work the owners did in restoring the building and making efforts to refurbish the upper floors.
And now it's closing.
Great music almost every Friday night. A place for talented Quincy musicians who like soft rock and jazz and even some classical to perform.
And now it's closing.
My heart goes out to Nathaniel and Kerry and Rob and Terry and Michael and Nadine and everyone who poured their heart and soul into the business.
I understand there were internal factors (I REALLY hate to see you two leaving, M and N) but let's face it: downtown is in trouble, Quincyans on the whole don't give a flying, and we're all going to end up with exactly what we deserve.
If you don't know what that is, I invite you to take a stroll down east Broadway. Oh, you can't, there are no firk-ding-blasting sidewalks! Well drive then, and survey the rows upon rows of clones, mercantile and gustatorial. Isn't it all lovely? Places where you can get cheap meals, cheap goods, and a nice cheap life. And I mean cheap in the least pleasant form of the word.
OK, I'll be fair. There are places out there I like to eat. There are places out there I like to shop.
But why can't we have both? Why can't we have a vibrant downtown with all it's little gems, as well as an energetic outer district to supply larger needs?
Sigh.
On days like this I almost wish...well, let's just say Quincy just got a little more drab, boring, complacent, and insular, and we all lose.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Flotsam and Jetsam
I wasn't here in 1993. What we saw in southern Illinois doesn't even compare.
If I may suggest, please take time to stop and help at one of the sandbagging locations during the coming week. And if you are the prayerful sort, spend some time offering up those affected by the flood, those working to help, those working long hours and those standing watch. In comparison to '93 it may not last nearly as long, but as the old joke goes, "it's not as long but it's just as wide".
---
Yesterday was my parent's 50th wedding anniversary. We had a small reception at the Emsland Halle on north 8th Street (lovely place with much German atmosphere...consider it for a meeting or reception of your own). It was a lovely affair and let's face it: 5 years is quite an accomplishment.
Happy anniversary Mom & Dad, and many more to come, God willing.
---
Mary Griffith was covering Barack Obama's visit to Quincy on Saturday. Both Jim Dewey and myself had previous engagements we really couldn't get out of. But about 2:30 I got a call (on Bob Gough's cell, of all things).
Mary had passed the time waiting for Obama by filling sandbags. When alerted that he had arrived she got up to go to the south lot where he was working...and dropped her recorder, shattering it.
Then she couldn't find her phone (we're hoping it's not now part of the wall surrounding the water plant). So she borrowed Bob's and called Jim who said he'd bring his but it would be a while. That led to her call to me. I zipped home, snagged my digital recorder and head over to the OLC.
Of course it was a mess and the police wouldn't let me out to get the recorder to Mary. Jim arrived and was able to find the back way out and got my recorder to Chad Douglas from KHQA, who got it to Mary who was lingering at the back of the press pool since she had no equipment.
Armed with the recorder she moved to the front where the national press were keeping their distance from Senator Obama, who was working with a young Boy Scout filling sandbags.
I'll leave the rest of the story for Mary to tell, but suffice to say she started the questions of Obama by stepping into the group around the Senator (all of whom she knows). I understand Chad Douglas from KHQA and Jake Miller from WGEM also got in some questions while they were moving inside with the Senator. How cool is that?
So we ran our story just before 5 p.m. on WTAD on Saturday. Made me proud to be part of the team and to have a boss who went the extra mile to get the job done.
There will likely be more of those kind of efforts in the days to come, because it's our job to make sure we get as much information to you as possible, in a timely fashion. We'll do our best, and I daresay that all of us, competitors that we are, will work together at some level to make sure you all know what you need to know as the fight against the river continues.
---
One last thought: standing in the lobby at the Lincoln Douglas apartments where the STARadio studios are located and looking up at the ceiling some 30 feet above.
That's pretty darned deep water, and not as deep as it will be when the river crests.
Holy cow!
Keep safe and dry if you're out fighting the flood. Don't hurt yourself filling sandbags. And may God bless you all.
If I may suggest, please take time to stop and help at one of the sandbagging locations during the coming week. And if you are the prayerful sort, spend some time offering up those affected by the flood, those working to help, those working long hours and those standing watch. In comparison to '93 it may not last nearly as long, but as the old joke goes, "it's not as long but it's just as wide".
---
Yesterday was my parent's 50th wedding anniversary. We had a small reception at the Emsland Halle on north 8th Street (lovely place with much German atmosphere...consider it for a meeting or reception of your own). It was a lovely affair and let's face it: 5 years is quite an accomplishment.
Happy anniversary Mom & Dad, and many more to come, God willing.
---
Mary Griffith was covering Barack Obama's visit to Quincy on Saturday. Both Jim Dewey and myself had previous engagements we really couldn't get out of. But about 2:30 I got a call (on Bob Gough's cell, of all things).
Mary had passed the time waiting for Obama by filling sandbags. When alerted that he had arrived she got up to go to the south lot where he was working...and dropped her recorder, shattering it.
Then she couldn't find her phone (we're hoping it's not now part of the wall surrounding the water plant). So she borrowed Bob's and called Jim who said he'd bring his but it would be a while. That led to her call to me. I zipped home, snagged my digital recorder and head over to the OLC.
Of course it was a mess and the police wouldn't let me out to get the recorder to Mary. Jim arrived and was able to find the back way out and got my recorder to Chad Douglas from KHQA, who got it to Mary who was lingering at the back of the press pool since she had no equipment.
Armed with the recorder she moved to the front where the national press were keeping their distance from Senator Obama, who was working with a young Boy Scout filling sandbags.
I'll leave the rest of the story for Mary to tell, but suffice to say she started the questions of Obama by stepping into the group around the Senator (all of whom she knows). I understand Chad Douglas from KHQA and Jake Miller from WGEM also got in some questions while they were moving inside with the Senator. How cool is that?
So we ran our story just before 5 p.m. on WTAD on Saturday. Made me proud to be part of the team and to have a boss who went the extra mile to get the job done.
There will likely be more of those kind of efforts in the days to come, because it's our job to make sure we get as much information to you as possible, in a timely fashion. We'll do our best, and I daresay that all of us, competitors that we are, will work together at some level to make sure you all know what you need to know as the fight against the river continues.
---
One last thought: standing in the lobby at the Lincoln Douglas apartments where the STARadio studios are located and looking up at the ceiling some 30 feet above.
That's pretty darned deep water, and not as deep as it will be when the river crests.
Holy cow!
Keep safe and dry if you're out fighting the flood. Don't hurt yourself filling sandbags. And may God bless you all.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
More music...
Took my nephew to Prince Caspian a couple of weekends ago.
Quite aside from my mild disappointment at the rather serious modifications to the story--which I understand, there's not a lot of "there" there in Prince Caspian the book--there were some great songs during the credits.
This is the best of them, IMO.
The Call, by Regina Spektor.
Interesting note:
The words to the poem "The Call" by George Herbert can be slipped into this tune without too much trouble though you do lose some of the rhythmic motion that Regina's words supply.
I like 'em both. Besides, I have Vaughan Williams version of Herbert's words to fall back on. :)
Quite aside from my mild disappointment at the rather serious modifications to the story--which I understand, there's not a lot of "there" there in Prince Caspian the book--there were some great songs during the credits.
This is the best of them, IMO.
The Call, by Regina Spektor.
Interesting note:
The words to the poem "The Call" by George Herbert can be slipped into this tune without too much trouble though you do lose some of the rhythmic motion that Regina's words supply.
I like 'em both. Besides, I have Vaughan Williams version of Herbert's words to fall back on. :)
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Questions and Answers
I've been asked a couple of questions about the blog, and they deserve answers.
First, a comment from a reader that they enjoy my stuff which apparently is "often oddball, diverse, and interesting to read, especially knowing the writer from his work for a local radio news operation." I think that works out to a compliment. Thanks.
But the comment goes on to lament that I don't post often enough and ask why not.
Fair enough.
It takes some work to post coherent, sensible stuff. As "oddball" as my subject matter may be sometimes, it still requires me to put some thought and even research into anything I offer. I don't always have time or personal drive to do so--I'm basically a pretty mellow guy and don't feel the urge to write all the time.
OTOH too often I'm just lazy and just don't "do it". I'll try to do better.
Second question: "Why don't you take on all the cr@p that happens in this city? Would love to see your critical skills aimed at some of the subjects other blogs cover."
Well, that's the thing, isn't it? (To quote Indiana Jones :)
First off, other blogs cover it and much better than I generally could.
Second, I do have to maintain a certain level of nonpartisanship. I may disagree with the finance committee of the city council on the QCVB thing but there's no surer way to get myself in trouble with them and at work than by going off on them on my blog.
I do comment briefly from time to time on different subjects, and I do post the occasional rant on stuff that really sets me off--but I have to show a certain level of good sense in choosing those subjects.
Third, some of the things my fellow bloggers rail about just get repetitious and just aren't the big deals they work hard to convince the rest of the world constitute a grave danger to the city, county, state, etc. In other words, a good percentage of the bitching is being done about things that just aren't as bad as the complainer says they are.
Overall, Quincy is a good place to live, with good stuff going on. Are their issues? You betcha. Are they going to send the city sliding off into the Mississippi, with hellfire raining down on us, and everyone fleeing to Marblehead and Ewing to live? No. And they generally don't deserve all the bandwidth they get from my fellow bloggers either.
If I comment on some of those subjects, you can be assured I think they need work.
And I'm also striving to remain cognizant of this from the imestimable Edward R. Murrow.
""Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world doesn't mean you are wiser than when it reached only to the end of the bar."
A good piece of advice for all of us blogging, or striving to be reporters and journalists.
First, a comment from a reader that they enjoy my stuff which apparently is "often oddball, diverse, and interesting to read, especially knowing the writer from his work for a local radio news operation." I think that works out to a compliment. Thanks.
But the comment goes on to lament that I don't post often enough and ask why not.
Fair enough.
It takes some work to post coherent, sensible stuff. As "oddball" as my subject matter may be sometimes, it still requires me to put some thought and even research into anything I offer. I don't always have time or personal drive to do so--I'm basically a pretty mellow guy and don't feel the urge to write all the time.
OTOH too often I'm just lazy and just don't "do it". I'll try to do better.
Second question: "Why don't you take on all the cr@p that happens in this city? Would love to see your critical skills aimed at some of the subjects other blogs cover."
Well, that's the thing, isn't it? (To quote Indiana Jones :)
First off, other blogs cover it and much better than I generally could.
Second, I do have to maintain a certain level of nonpartisanship. I may disagree with the finance committee of the city council on the QCVB thing but there's no surer way to get myself in trouble with them and at work than by going off on them on my blog.
I do comment briefly from time to time on different subjects, and I do post the occasional rant on stuff that really sets me off--but I have to show a certain level of good sense in choosing those subjects.
Third, some of the things my fellow bloggers rail about just get repetitious and just aren't the big deals they work hard to convince the rest of the world constitute a grave danger to the city, county, state, etc. In other words, a good percentage of the bitching is being done about things that just aren't as bad as the complainer says they are.
Overall, Quincy is a good place to live, with good stuff going on. Are their issues? You betcha. Are they going to send the city sliding off into the Mississippi, with hellfire raining down on us, and everyone fleeing to Marblehead and Ewing to live? No. And they generally don't deserve all the bandwidth they get from my fellow bloggers either.
If I comment on some of those subjects, you can be assured I think they need work.
And I'm also striving to remain cognizant of this from the imestimable Edward R. Murrow.
""Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world doesn't mean you are wiser than when it reached only to the end of the bar."
A good piece of advice for all of us blogging, or striving to be reporters and journalists.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Sore feet and soaring music
My feet hurt. Pretty bad, though I currently have them in a basin of hot water and epsom salts. My hips aren't doing too well either.
But my spirit....ah, the spirit leaps into the celestial when singing, when riding that fine line between participating in the opera yet keeping one part of yourself aside to watch.
Yeah, I know I'm waxing all poetic. My feet hurt. Sue me. I have to wax poetic or I'd cry.
In all seriousness, although I grumble when we stand and stand...and stand and stand...and stand and stand waiting for some technical glitch to be worked out (or worse, waiting to "DO IT AGAIN" because we screwed up), there IS a bit of a rush when the music starts up again and we strive to put the pieces together one more time--in spite of the aching feet, persperation, and weary voices.
Tonight was technical rehearsal for L'ELISIR D'AMORE by Gaetano Donizetti. The Muddy River Opera Company performs this Friday and Sunday. Lots and lots of standing as technical issues are worked out. I hate 'em. But they're a necessary evil--you have to get all the light cues and blocking and moving of set pieces and props in the right places or it all goes right into the toilet.
But it still makes my feet hurt. I can handle the show because we're moving all the time and we're done in 2 hours. But 5 hours of standing around is a recipe for Kevin to walk funny for a while (well, funniER, anyway).
Hope you'll consider coming to see the show. No busty valkyries with horned helmets, just lighthearted fun with a snake oil salesman, a self-confident jock soldier, a pretty rich girl, her poor boyfriend, and a bunch of mangy (but happy!) townspeople who get to watch the fun as boy loses girl, jock gets girl, snake-oil salesman convinces boy of "magic elixir" (just wine, but the boy's palate apparently is not well developed), girl plays boy and jock against each other, boy gets drunk and joins jock's outfit, snake oil salesman discovers boy is now rich because of dead uncle, boy gets girl, snake oil salesman takes credit, addio!
18 bucks. Tickets at the QCT box office (thanks for the help Dominic et. al.) Be there and watch me and my dear, well-behaved children. :)
My feet feel a lot better now, and I'm still humming the music from the show.
But my spirit....ah, the spirit leaps into the celestial when singing, when riding that fine line between participating in the opera yet keeping one part of yourself aside to watch.
Yeah, I know I'm waxing all poetic. My feet hurt. Sue me. I have to wax poetic or I'd cry.
In all seriousness, although I grumble when we stand and stand...and stand and stand...and stand and stand waiting for some technical glitch to be worked out (or worse, waiting to "DO IT AGAIN" because we screwed up), there IS a bit of a rush when the music starts up again and we strive to put the pieces together one more time--in spite of the aching feet, persperation, and weary voices.
Tonight was technical rehearsal for L'ELISIR D'AMORE by Gaetano Donizetti. The Muddy River Opera Company performs this Friday and Sunday. Lots and lots of standing as technical issues are worked out. I hate 'em. But they're a necessary evil--you have to get all the light cues and blocking and moving of set pieces and props in the right places or it all goes right into the toilet.
But it still makes my feet hurt. I can handle the show because we're moving all the time and we're done in 2 hours. But 5 hours of standing around is a recipe for Kevin to walk funny for a while (well, funniER, anyway).
Hope you'll consider coming to see the show. No busty valkyries with horned helmets, just lighthearted fun with a snake oil salesman, a self-confident jock soldier, a pretty rich girl, her poor boyfriend, and a bunch of mangy (but happy!) townspeople who get to watch the fun as boy loses girl, jock gets girl, snake-oil salesman convinces boy of "magic elixir" (just wine, but the boy's palate apparently is not well developed), girl plays boy and jock against each other, boy gets drunk and joins jock's outfit, snake oil salesman discovers boy is now rich because of dead uncle, boy gets girl, snake oil salesman takes credit, addio!
18 bucks. Tickets at the QCT box office (thanks for the help Dominic et. al.) Be there and watch me and my dear, well-behaved children. :)
My feet feel a lot better now, and I'm still humming the music from the show.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Uglifying things
Try and swing down around Washington Park before the weekend. Take a look at the "protective fencing" that has been erected around various plantings.
Is that stuff UGLY or what?
I understand the need to protect the bushes and flowers and stuff from the trampling hordes that will be here this weekend for Gus Macker, but for heaven's sake can't we use something a little more attractive? The bright orange webbing around the Lincoln-Douglas monument would be (marginally) better than ratty old snow fencing.
So for a week we will have one of the prime entrances into Quincy bastardized and uglified by this crappy stuff.
Worst of all, we'll be subjected to it again and again this summer--as in summers past--with the various big events in the park.
Come on, Park District. Surely we can do better than THAT.
Please, please, please, invest in some NICE-LOOKING temporary fencing to protect these plantings!
Did I mention "please"?
Is that stuff UGLY or what?
I understand the need to protect the bushes and flowers and stuff from the trampling hordes that will be here this weekend for Gus Macker, but for heaven's sake can't we use something a little more attractive? The bright orange webbing around the Lincoln-Douglas monument would be (marginally) better than ratty old snow fencing.
So for a week we will have one of the prime entrances into Quincy bastardized and uglified by this crappy stuff.
Worst of all, we'll be subjected to it again and again this summer--as in summers past--with the various big events in the park.
Come on, Park District. Surely we can do better than THAT.
Please, please, please, invest in some NICE-LOOKING temporary fencing to protect these plantings!
Did I mention "please"?
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
"Intexication" Rant
Been a long time since I ranted. So here we go...
Story on KHQA tonight at 6 about distracted driving.
No question, any idiot texting while driving should have the book thrown at them.
But I don't agree with the notion of extending the "distracted" nomenclature to any use of a cell phone or bluetooth in the car.
I am perfectly capable of talking on the phone and continuing to drive safely as are the vast majority of drivers out there. Obviously hands off operation is the safets so your hands can remain on the steering wheel where they belong, but the notion that talking in the car is an accident-causer...well, I'm hearing the same propaganda from law enforcement that I heard before we got the seatbelt law foisted on us.
If talking while driving is a distraction that causes accidents, are we going to see laws that prohibit us from not only talking on the phone, but also talking to passengers? Will we (and our riders) get ticketed for conversing at the same time we travel down the road?
And why stop there? Ditch radios and tape decks and CD players! You get doubly distracted there--setting 'em up and then listening (and god forbid you sing along!).
Friends in law enforcement and government: we do not need more intrusion of your tender mercies into our private lives. What we need is an effort to encourage common sense, not legalism that just ends up making more and more good citizens into criminals by sanctioning perfectly normal behavior.
I'm not opposed to nailing someone for doing something stupid while using their cell or even chatting with a passenger and driving.
But for pete's sake, we DO NOT need laws to prohibit us from talking in the car as if we were all petulant, misbehaving children. You're not my mom, guys and gals. Give the "we gotta protect you from yourself" insanity a rest.
Story on KHQA tonight at 6 about distracted driving.
No question, any idiot texting while driving should have the book thrown at them.
But I don't agree with the notion of extending the "distracted" nomenclature to any use of a cell phone or bluetooth in the car.
I am perfectly capable of talking on the phone and continuing to drive safely as are the vast majority of drivers out there. Obviously hands off operation is the safets so your hands can remain on the steering wheel where they belong, but the notion that talking in the car is an accident-causer...well, I'm hearing the same propaganda from law enforcement that I heard before we got the seatbelt law foisted on us.
If talking while driving is a distraction that causes accidents, are we going to see laws that prohibit us from not only talking on the phone, but also talking to passengers? Will we (and our riders) get ticketed for conversing at the same time we travel down the road?
And why stop there? Ditch radios and tape decks and CD players! You get doubly distracted there--setting 'em up and then listening (and god forbid you sing along!).
Friends in law enforcement and government: we do not need more intrusion of your tender mercies into our private lives. What we need is an effort to encourage common sense, not legalism that just ends up making more and more good citizens into criminals by sanctioning perfectly normal behavior.
I'm not opposed to nailing someone for doing something stupid while using their cell or even chatting with a passenger and driving.
But for pete's sake, we DO NOT need laws to prohibit us from talking in the car as if we were all petulant, misbehaving children. You're not my mom, guys and gals. Give the "we gotta protect you from yourself" insanity a rest.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Work and sing (and work and sing)
Full rehearsals for the Muddy River Opera Company's annual "big" production begin tonight. I'm in the chorus (what is this, the 9th or 10th one I've done?)
The opera is Donizetti's "Elixir of Love". Or since we're doing it in Italian, "L'elisir d'amore".
This ain't rocket science. :) It's very light, very fun, and fairly humorous, even to non-early-19th-century-non-Italians!
Performances coming up Friday May 30th and Sunday June 1st.
Come see it--and don't let the Italian scare you. They'll project the English in supertitles over the stage.
Also don't miss (in a complete change of pace) Quincy News on the Air with Bob Gough, every Monday evening at 6:30 on WTAD AM 930. No opera, but lots of news and commentary.
And for those who asked: I completed three more missions playing B-29. Fun stuff!
The opera is Donizetti's "Elixir of Love". Or since we're doing it in Italian, "L'elisir d'amore".
This ain't rocket science. :) It's very light, very fun, and fairly humorous, even to non-early-19th-century-non-Italians!
Performances coming up Friday May 30th and Sunday June 1st.
Come see it--and don't let the Italian scare you. They'll project the English in supertitles over the stage.
Also don't miss (in a complete change of pace) Quincy News on the Air with Bob Gough, every Monday evening at 6:30 on WTAD AM 930. No opera, but lots of news and commentary.
And for those who asked: I completed three more missions playing B-29. Fun stuff!
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Warning: Gamer Geek Post!
I've been spending much of my (scarce) free-time since Easter (which was April 27th, remember) slaving over a hot game table, flying missions for the 20th Air Force in the Far East during WW2.
Mind you, I'm an old school gamer. That means a game board and charts and little cardboard chits, not a Wii of X-Box or even a computer.
The game is B-29 SUPERFORTRESS from Khyber Pass Games. It's a solitaire effort where you take on the role of the crew of a B-29 trying to reach your 35-mission requirement so you can head stateside.
It's an interesting system and an interesting game--a mix of geeky wargaming stuff and a spice of role-playing.
The job is to fly your plane, usually in formation with other bombers, from the U.S. airbase on Tinian to unload on various industrial and military sites in Japan in the last year of the Second World War. You have to contend with a plane that was incredibly complex and buggy, limited amounts of fuel, bad weather, navigation troubles, all that sort of thing. Oh yeah, you also have to fight off attacking enemy planes and try to avoid anti-aircraft fire AND drop your bombs on target in order to get proper credit for your mission.
At first glance, especially to someone who is not familiar with such games, this is a terribly complex piece of work. It comes with a 36-page book of tables and charts, for pete's sake!
However, most of those don't come into play until you're over your target, and once you've worked through the system on a couple of missions it becomes a fairly quick and simple game to play. I've run 14 flights since I got the game, on average spending 30 to 40 minutes on each.
Mind you, I've flown 14 times but I've only completed 6 missions to meet my mission goal of 35. The game system is unforgiving--it's pretty easy to have to abort your mission without accomplishing your goal. Sometimes it is even worse and you crash your plane. Enough said about that (no I'm not saying how many times I've done that :).
Anyway, that's where my [sarcastic mode on] "copious free time" [sarcastic mode off] has been going for a while now.
One of the cool things I've been watching related to this game are the After Action Reports from various other players. A number of people are posting these as letters home from a crew member or as stories. Another cool thing is the number of people who have reported going to the library or ordering books online to learn more about the era, the equipment, and the people involved.
My plane by the way is "Radio Flyer" and bears a nose painting of a cute girl riding a red wagon with her hair streaming out behind. :)
We're called for a mission this evening. Don't call me, I'll be in the air.
This is Capt. Nick Corbett signing off for some R&R before final briefing.
Link to my AAR: http://talk.consimworld.com/WebX?14@430.sA1NdT5K1zQ.100@.1dd267d5/349
Mind you, I'm an old school gamer. That means a game board and charts and little cardboard chits, not a Wii of X-Box or even a computer.
The game is B-29 SUPERFORTRESS from Khyber Pass Games. It's a solitaire effort where you take on the role of the crew of a B-29 trying to reach your 35-mission requirement so you can head stateside.
It's an interesting system and an interesting game--a mix of geeky wargaming stuff and a spice of role-playing.
The job is to fly your plane, usually in formation with other bombers, from the U.S. airbase on Tinian to unload on various industrial and military sites in Japan in the last year of the Second World War. You have to contend with a plane that was incredibly complex and buggy, limited amounts of fuel, bad weather, navigation troubles, all that sort of thing. Oh yeah, you also have to fight off attacking enemy planes and try to avoid anti-aircraft fire AND drop your bombs on target in order to get proper credit for your mission.
At first glance, especially to someone who is not familiar with such games, this is a terribly complex piece of work. It comes with a 36-page book of tables and charts, for pete's sake!
However, most of those don't come into play until you're over your target, and once you've worked through the system on a couple of missions it becomes a fairly quick and simple game to play. I've run 14 flights since I got the game, on average spending 30 to 40 minutes on each.
Mind you, I've flown 14 times but I've only completed 6 missions to meet my mission goal of 35. The game system is unforgiving--it's pretty easy to have to abort your mission without accomplishing your goal. Sometimes it is even worse and you crash your plane. Enough said about that (no I'm not saying how many times I've done that :).
Anyway, that's where my [sarcastic mode on] "copious free time" [sarcastic mode off] has been going for a while now.
One of the cool things I've been watching related to this game are the After Action Reports from various other players. A number of people are posting these as letters home from a crew member or as stories. Another cool thing is the number of people who have reported going to the library or ordering books online to learn more about the era, the equipment, and the people involved.
My plane by the way is "Radio Flyer" and bears a nose painting of a cute girl riding a red wagon with her hair streaming out behind. :)
We're called for a mission this evening. Don't call me, I'll be in the air.
This is Capt. Nick Corbett signing off for some R&R before final briefing.
Link to my AAR: http://talk.consimworld.com/WebX?14@430.sA1NdT5K1zQ.100@.1dd267d5/349
Monday, May 05, 2008
Monday, Monday
Back into the work zone for most of us, it being a Monday.
There are a couple of things on the plate today: two city council meetings (one at 2 p.m. and one at the regular 7:30 time). The two big issues will both be tonight, though: raises for elected officials and the creation of Friday night bus service.
Keep an eye on QuincyNews.org and listen to WTAD for all the details of how those meetings turn out.
Speaking of QuincyNews and WTAD, Bob Gough's broadcast version of his website premieres tonight at 6:30 on WTAD AM 930. Give it a listen.
No deep, wise, philosophical thought this morning. Why would I start now? :)
Also this week the Muddy River Opera Company begins gearing up for full rehearsals of "L'elisir d'amore" (that's "The Elixir of Love" for you non-Italian speakers). Two full bore chorus rehearsals, then next Monday nightly gigs until performances at the end of the month. Keeps me out of trouble, that's for sure. Unfortunately I failed in my intention of going into nightly rehearsals with the music all memorized. Maybe next year.
Saw Rodney Hart on Friday. He came into Busy Bistro while the family was having the annual bitrhday bash for my nephew (now 11) and my sister (his mom, older than me). Rodney and friends were there to enjoy the band, I assume. I love that the Bistro has live music every Friday. This group (whose name I didn't catch) was pretty good. They did NOT suffer from the lack of a rhythm section--apparently their drummer was out sick.
Finally if you're swinging down Hampshire between 6th and 7th, take a gander at the new sign at St. Raphael Orthodox Church. Nice, understated, but very visible. Come visit sometime.
Time to hit the showers!
There are a couple of things on the plate today: two city council meetings (one at 2 p.m. and one at the regular 7:30 time). The two big issues will both be tonight, though: raises for elected officials and the creation of Friday night bus service.
Keep an eye on QuincyNews.org and listen to WTAD for all the details of how those meetings turn out.
Speaking of QuincyNews and WTAD, Bob Gough's broadcast version of his website premieres tonight at 6:30 on WTAD AM 930. Give it a listen.
No deep, wise, philosophical thought this morning. Why would I start now? :)
Also this week the Muddy River Opera Company begins gearing up for full rehearsals of "L'elisir d'amore" (that's "The Elixir of Love" for you non-Italian speakers). Two full bore chorus rehearsals, then next Monday nightly gigs until performances at the end of the month. Keeps me out of trouble, that's for sure. Unfortunately I failed in my intention of going into nightly rehearsals with the music all memorized. Maybe next year.
Saw Rodney Hart on Friday. He came into Busy Bistro while the family was having the annual bitrhday bash for my nephew (now 11) and my sister (his mom, older than me). Rodney and friends were there to enjoy the band, I assume. I love that the Bistro has live music every Friday. This group (whose name I didn't catch) was pretty good. They did NOT suffer from the lack of a rhythm section--apparently their drummer was out sick.
Finally if you're swinging down Hampshire between 6th and 7th, take a gander at the new sign at St. Raphael Orthodox Church. Nice, understated, but very visible. Come visit sometime.
Time to hit the showers!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
The Paschal Kanon
This is music we sang just tonight as we celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Of course this is not us--this is a parish in Canton, Ohio. BUT, the priest, Fr. John Peck, is a dear friend of mine who once served the parish in southern Illinois where I became Orthodox. What a delightfully "small world"!
CHRIST IS RISEN!
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Christ is Risen!
This is the Paschal greeting:
CHRIST IS RISEN!
INDEED HE IS RISEN!
Of course, when only use English in the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain. Here are a few others:
Albanian: Khrishti unjal! Vertet unjal!
Aleut: Khristus anahgrecum! Alhecum anahgrecum!
Alutuq: Khris-tusaq ung-uixtuq! Pijii-nuq ung-uixtuq!
Amharic: Kristos tenestwal! Bergit tenestwal!
Anglo-Saxon: Crist aras! Crist sodhlice aras!
Arabic: El Messieh kahm! Hakken kahm!
Armenian: Kristos haryav ee merelotz! Orhnial eh harootyunuh kristosee!
Aroman: Hristolu unghia! Daleehira unghia!
Athabascan: Xristosi banuytashtch'ey! Gheli banuytashtch'ey!
Bulgarian: Hristos voskrese! Vo istina voskrese!
Byelorussian: Khrystos uvaskros! Sapraudy uvaskros!
Chinese: Helisituosi fuhuole! Queshi fuhuole!
Coptic: Christos anesti! Alithos anesti!
Czech: Kristus vstal a mrtvych! Opravdi vstoupil!
Danish: Kristus er opstanden! I sandhed Han er Opstanden!
(or Sandelig Han er Opstanden!)
Dutch: Christus is opgestaan! Ja, hij is waarlijk opgestaan!
Eritrean-Tigre: Christos tensiou! Bahake tensiou!
Esperanto: Kristo levigis! Vere levigis!
Estonian: Kristus on oolestoosunt! Toayestee on oolestoosunt!
Ethiopian: Christos t'ensah em' muhtan! Exai' ab-her eokala!
Finnish: Kristus nousi kuolleista! Totisesti nousi!
French: Le Christ est ressuscite! En verite il est ressuscite!
Gaelic: Kriost eirgim! Eirgim!
Georgian: Kriste ahzdkhah! Chezdmaridet!
German: Christus ist erstanden! Er ist wahrhaftig erstanden!
Greek: Christos anesti! Alithos anesti!
Hawaiian: Ua ala hou `o Kristo! Ua ala `I `o no `oia!
Hebrew: Ha Masheeha houh kam! A ken kam! (or Be emet quam!)
Icelandic: Kristur er upprisinn! Hann er vissulega upprisinn!
Indonesian: Kristus telah bangkit! Benar dia telah bangkit!
Italian: Cristo e' risorto! Veramente e' risorto!
Japanese: Harisutosu Fukkatsu! Jitsu ni Fukkatsu!
Javanese: Kristus sampun wungu! Saesto panjene ganipun sampun wungu!
Korean: Kristo gesso! Buhar ha sho nay!
Latin: Christus resurrexit! Vere resurrexit!
Latvian: Kristus ir augsham sales! Teyasham ir augsham sales vinsch!
Lugandan: Kristo ajukkide! Amajim ajukkide!
Malayalam (Indian): Christu uyirthezhunnettu! Theerchayayum uyirthezhunnettu!
Nigerian: Jesu Kristi ebiliwo! Ezia o' biliwo!
Norwegian: Kristus er oppstanden! Han er sannelig oppstanden!
Polish: Khristus zmartvikstau! Zaiste zmartvikstau!
Portugese: Cristo ressuscitou! Em verdade ressuscitou!
Romanian: Cristos a inviat! Adevarat a inviat!
Russian: Khristos voskrese! Voistinu voskrese!
Sanskrit: Kristo'pastitaha! Satvam upastitaha!
Serbian: Cristos vaskres! Vaistinu vaskres!
Slovak: Kristus vstal zmr'tvych! Skutoc ne vstal!
Spanish: Cristo ha resucitado! En verdad ha resucitado!
Swahili: Kristo amefufukka! Kweli Amefufukka!
Swedish: Christus ar uppstanden! Han ar verkligen uppstanden!
Syriac: M'shee ho dkom! Ha koo qam!
Tlingit: Xristos Kuxwoo-digoot! Xegaa-kux Kuxwoo-digoot!
Turkish: Hristos diril-di! Hakikaten diril-di!
Ugandan: Kristo ajukkide! Kweli ajukkide!
Ukranian: Khristos voskres! Voistinu voskres!
Welsh: Atgyfododd Crist! Atgyfododd yn wir!
Yupik: Xris-tusaq Ung-uixtuq! Iluumun Ung-uixtuq!
Zulu: Ukristu uvukile! Uvukile kuphela!
May God bless you, all my friends and acquaintances, known and unknown (I can say that, I'm in radio :), during this holiest of Christian festal times!
CHRIST IS RISEN!
INDEED HE IS RISEN!
Of course, when only use English in the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain. Here are a few others:
Albanian: Khrishti unjal! Vertet unjal!
Aleut: Khristus anahgrecum! Alhecum anahgrecum!
Alutuq: Khris-tusaq ung-uixtuq! Pijii-nuq ung-uixtuq!
Amharic: Kristos tenestwal! Bergit tenestwal!
Anglo-Saxon: Crist aras! Crist sodhlice aras!
Arabic: El Messieh kahm! Hakken kahm!
Armenian: Kristos haryav ee merelotz! Orhnial eh harootyunuh kristosee!
Aroman: Hristolu unghia! Daleehira unghia!
Athabascan: Xristosi banuytashtch'ey! Gheli banuytashtch'ey!
Bulgarian: Hristos voskrese! Vo istina voskrese!
Byelorussian: Khrystos uvaskros! Sapraudy uvaskros!
Chinese: Helisituosi fuhuole! Queshi fuhuole!
Coptic: Christos anesti! Alithos anesti!
Czech: Kristus vstal a mrtvych! Opravdi vstoupil!
Danish: Kristus er opstanden! I sandhed Han er Opstanden!
(or Sandelig Han er Opstanden!)
Dutch: Christus is opgestaan! Ja, hij is waarlijk opgestaan!
Eritrean-Tigre: Christos tensiou! Bahake tensiou!
Esperanto: Kristo levigis! Vere levigis!
Estonian: Kristus on oolestoosunt! Toayestee on oolestoosunt!
Ethiopian: Christos t'ensah em' muhtan! Exai' ab-her eokala!
Finnish: Kristus nousi kuolleista! Totisesti nousi!
French: Le Christ est ressuscite! En verite il est ressuscite!
Gaelic: Kriost eirgim! Eirgim!
Georgian: Kriste ahzdkhah! Chezdmaridet!
German: Christus ist erstanden! Er ist wahrhaftig erstanden!
Greek: Christos anesti! Alithos anesti!
Hawaiian: Ua ala hou `o Kristo! Ua ala `I `o no `oia!
Hebrew: Ha Masheeha houh kam! A ken kam! (or Be emet quam!)
Icelandic: Kristur er upprisinn! Hann er vissulega upprisinn!
Indonesian: Kristus telah bangkit! Benar dia telah bangkit!
Italian: Cristo e' risorto! Veramente e' risorto!
Japanese: Harisutosu Fukkatsu! Jitsu ni Fukkatsu!
Javanese: Kristus sampun wungu! Saesto panjene ganipun sampun wungu!
Korean: Kristo gesso! Buhar ha sho nay!
Latin: Christus resurrexit! Vere resurrexit!
Latvian: Kristus ir augsham sales! Teyasham ir augsham sales vinsch!
Lugandan: Kristo ajukkide! Amajim ajukkide!
Malayalam (Indian): Christu uyirthezhunnettu! Theerchayayum uyirthezhunnettu!
Nigerian: Jesu Kristi ebiliwo! Ezia o' biliwo!
Norwegian: Kristus er oppstanden! Han er sannelig oppstanden!
Polish: Khristus zmartvikstau! Zaiste zmartvikstau!
Portugese: Cristo ressuscitou! Em verdade ressuscitou!
Romanian: Cristos a inviat! Adevarat a inviat!
Russian: Khristos voskrese! Voistinu voskrese!
Sanskrit: Kristo'pastitaha! Satvam upastitaha!
Serbian: Cristos vaskres! Vaistinu vaskres!
Slovak: Kristus vstal zmr'tvych! Skutoc ne vstal!
Spanish: Cristo ha resucitado! En verdad ha resucitado!
Swahili: Kristo amefufukka! Kweli Amefufukka!
Swedish: Christus ar uppstanden! Han ar verkligen uppstanden!
Syriac: M'shee ho dkom! Ha koo qam!
Tlingit: Xristos Kuxwoo-digoot! Xegaa-kux Kuxwoo-digoot!
Turkish: Hristos diril-di! Hakikaten diril-di!
Ugandan: Kristo ajukkide! Kweli ajukkide!
Ukranian: Khristos voskres! Voistinu voskres!
Welsh: Atgyfododd Crist! Atgyfododd yn wir!
Yupik: Xris-tusaq Ung-uixtuq! Iluumun Ung-uixtuq!
Zulu: Ukristu uvukile! Uvukile kuphela!
May God bless you, all my friends and acquaintances, known and unknown (I can say that, I'm in radio :), during this holiest of Christian festal times!
Friday, April 25, 2008
What does it all mean?
I am not a very good person.
I am variously angry, spiteful, lustful, nasty, crude, unkind, even evil. I am all too aware of my shortcomings both personal and professional. Were I to be judged solely by the results of my actions and the state of my heart...well, let's not go there.
This is a day to remember all that. This is a day to lament all that shows I am not and indeed cannot, solely of my own accord, be the kind of person I truly want to be: decent, kind, trusting, trustworthy, dedicated, prayerful, and above all, loving.
Today all that is dark and disturbing in my soul seems to be all-powerful. To quote a psalm, "My heart is in anguish within me, the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me."
Solzhentizyn said the line between good and evil runs through every man's heart, and today I can see that so clearly--and the balance seems to me to be running to the evil side.
And yet...
Hear this from the rest of Psalm 55:
But I call upon God,
and the Lord will save me.
Evening and morning and at noon
I utter my complaint and moan,
and he will hear my voice.
Cast your burden on the Lord,
and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
the righteous to be moved.
On this day, I remember the darkness of that first Great and Holy Friday. Whether or not it actually was a Friday is immaterial. What happened is the important thing.
On this day, I remember an innocent victim going to the cross.
On this day, I remember my failings, the darkness of my heart, the wages of sin, the pains of hell...and as St. Silouan counsels, I do not despair.
You may not believe. That is your option, your choice. You may think me a fool for believing as I do in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, yet I have seen and experienced enough self-induced pain and enough beauty, forgiveness and healing from somewhere that your mockery does not affect me.
This is the day the weight of my own wretchedness began to be lifted from my shoulders. And I can look forward to the early morning very soon when I can sing with George Herbert:
Rise heart; thy Lord is risen. Sing his praise
Without delays,
Who takes thee by the hand, that thou likewise
With him may'st rise;
That, as his death calcined thee to dust,
His life may make thee gold, and much more, Just.
Awake, my lute, and struggle for thy part
With all thy art.
The cross taught all wood to resound his name
Who bore the same.
His stretched sinews taught all strings, what key
Is best to celebrate this most high day.
Consort both heart and lute, and twist a song
Pleasant and long:
Or since all music is but three parts vied,
And multiplied;
O let thy blessed Spirit bear a part,
And make up our defects with his sweet art.
Glory to Jesus Christ!
Musings on Great & Holy Friday III
The noble Joseph,
when he had taken down Thy most pure body from the Tree,
wrapped it in fine linen and anointed it with spices,
and placed it in a new tomb.
--Troparion of Holy Saturday
when he had taken down Thy most pure body from the Tree,
wrapped it in fine linen and anointed it with spices,
and placed it in a new tomb.
--Troparion of Holy Saturday
Musing on Great & Holy Friday II
Today the Master of Creation stands before Pilate
and the Creator of All is condemned to the cross.
As a lamb He is willingly led, and fastened with nails.
His side is pierced, and He, Who rained manna on the earth,
is given drink from a sponge.
The Savior of the World is struck on the cheek,
and the Creator of All is mocked by His own servants.
For those who crucify Him,
He entreats His Father, saying:
"Father, forgive them this sin
because the lawless ones know not what injustice they do."
O, what a supreme love for mankind.
--from Vespers for Great & Holy Friday
and the Creator of All is condemned to the cross.
As a lamb He is willingly led, and fastened with nails.
His side is pierced, and He, Who rained manna on the earth,
is given drink from a sponge.
The Savior of the World is struck on the cheek,
and the Creator of All is mocked by His own servants.
For those who crucify Him,
He entreats His Father, saying:
"Father, forgive them this sin
because the lawless ones know not what injustice they do."
O, what a supreme love for mankind.
--from Vespers for Great & Holy Friday
Musing on Great & Holy Friday I
I Got me flowers to straw Thy way,
I got me boughs off many a tree;
But Thou wast up by break of day,
And brought’st Thy sweets along with Thee.
The sunne arising in the East,
Though he give light, and th’ East perfume,
If they should offer to contest
With Thy arising, they presume.
Can there be any day but this,
Though many sunnes to shine endeavour?
We count three hundred, but we misse:
There is but one, and that one ever.
--George Herbert
I got me boughs off many a tree;
But Thou wast up by break of day,
And brought’st Thy sweets along with Thee.
The sunne arising in the East,
Though he give light, and th’ East perfume,
If they should offer to contest
With Thy arising, they presume.
Can there be any day but this,
Though many sunnes to shine endeavour?
We count three hundred, but we misse:
There is but one, and that one ever.
--George Herbert
Friday, April 18, 2008
Did the earth move for you too?
Nothing like being awakened at 4:30 in the a.m. with a usually-mellow cat acting mental and the impression that someone is pounding on your apartment door.
I can't say I actually felt the earthquake, but it did sound for all the world like someone (Tookie maybe :) was trying like heck to roust me out of bed.
When I walked into work, everyone was standing around chattering. It seems that while I was driving in from putting gas in the car, we'd had an aftershock. Why do I miss all the fun?
Congrats to Roberto Stellino, owner of Tiramisu in Quincy. He's become a citizen of the United States today. Also to the four other Quincyans who are taking that big step with him today.
Now THAT'S an earth-shaking experience we should all think about--especially if we're natural born--and give thanks that, even with all its warts, this is still one of the best places in the world to live.
I can't say I actually felt the earthquake, but it did sound for all the world like someone (Tookie maybe :) was trying like heck to roust me out of bed.
When I walked into work, everyone was standing around chattering. It seems that while I was driving in from putting gas in the car, we'd had an aftershock. Why do I miss all the fun?
Congrats to Roberto Stellino, owner of Tiramisu in Quincy. He's become a citizen of the United States today. Also to the four other Quincyans who are taking that big step with him today.
Now THAT'S an earth-shaking experience we should all think about--especially if we're natural born--and give thanks that, even with all its warts, this is still one of the best places in the world to live.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
This is very odd. Really.
Can someone tell me, when I was sick from last Wednesday through Monday (and really still am but at least now I'm functional), when I worked a 12 hour day Tuesday, and look to do it again Wednesday...
WHY THE HECK AM I SITTING UP STILL AWAKE AT 3:40 IN THE FREAKING A.M. NOT SLEEPING?!?!
And also not commenting on a bunch of things worthy of comment: city budget hearings (check Tookie and East End for their takes), music (Funions--or at least RH--are doing lots of performing, check over there), Pam Fretwell getting roasted (I made her cry on her last day at STARadio--in a good way of course), county comprehensive planning meetings (this is gonna be....interesting), and so much more.
By the way, I have found the Holy Grail of upper nasal congestion relief: Zicam spray just cleans me out so well I don't get a headache and I can BREATHE!!! Hallelujah!
Note I said I wasn't sleeping, I did not say I was particularly coherent.
City Council Monday night was surreal under the influence of my meds. Tom Fentem cracked me up when he got up and volunteered to postpone the Preservation Commission's presentation so the aldermen and audience could get home to watch the NCAA championship. John Holm has probably seen swifter motions, seconds, and votes, but I haven't.
New BATTLESTAR GALACTICA season underway. I can't believe they brought Starbuck back. Please. No more Starpollo worse-than-soap-opera "romance". I also don't think I like any of those characters anymore. They're all worse than flawed--they're clueless AND lacking in moral fiber.
Watched the movie SWEENEY TODD for the first time. Not bad, Johnny Depp has a good voice, but neither he nor Helena Bonham Carter know how to act while they sing. Plus they left out too much, and Burton could at least have given us the ballad during the end credits.
Waiting for the next season of DOCTOR WHO.
Waiting for Great Lent to wind to its conclusion in Holy Week (not far now) and then Pascha (April 27th).
It occurs to me that I probably need to fast more from the pointless entertainments I just critiqued. Of course it's late and I'm a bit loopy.
One last non sequitur: just finished the first volume of POWER AT SEA by Lisle Rose about naval industrialism and sea power in the 20th century. 1st volume was about 1900 to 1918. Had to break out the WW1 naval minis and play a couple of battles. Solo of course, so I won but I lost, all at the same time.
I thought exercising my brain and writiing would put me to sleep, but alas.
Guess I'll go for an early morning drive.
WHY THE HECK AM I SITTING UP STILL AWAKE AT 3:40 IN THE FREAKING A.M. NOT SLEEPING?!?!
And also not commenting on a bunch of things worthy of comment: city budget hearings (check Tookie and East End for their takes), music (Funions--or at least RH--are doing lots of performing, check over there), Pam Fretwell getting roasted (I made her cry on her last day at STARadio--in a good way of course), county comprehensive planning meetings (this is gonna be....interesting), and so much more.
By the way, I have found the Holy Grail of upper nasal congestion relief: Zicam spray just cleans me out so well I don't get a headache and I can BREATHE!!! Hallelujah!
Note I said I wasn't sleeping, I did not say I was particularly coherent.
City Council Monday night was surreal under the influence of my meds. Tom Fentem cracked me up when he got up and volunteered to postpone the Preservation Commission's presentation so the aldermen and audience could get home to watch the NCAA championship. John Holm has probably seen swifter motions, seconds, and votes, but I haven't.
New BATTLESTAR GALACTICA season underway. I can't believe they brought Starbuck back. Please. No more Starpollo worse-than-soap-opera "romance". I also don't think I like any of those characters anymore. They're all worse than flawed--they're clueless AND lacking in moral fiber.
Watched the movie SWEENEY TODD for the first time. Not bad, Johnny Depp has a good voice, but neither he nor Helena Bonham Carter know how to act while they sing. Plus they left out too much, and Burton could at least have given us the ballad during the end credits.
Waiting for the next season of DOCTOR WHO.
Waiting for Great Lent to wind to its conclusion in Holy Week (not far now) and then Pascha (April 27th).
It occurs to me that I probably need to fast more from the pointless entertainments I just critiqued. Of course it's late and I'm a bit loopy.
One last non sequitur: just finished the first volume of POWER AT SEA by Lisle Rose about naval industrialism and sea power in the 20th century. 1st volume was about 1900 to 1918. Had to break out the WW1 naval minis and play a couple of battles. Solo of course, so I won but I lost, all at the same time.
I thought exercising my brain and writiing would put me to sleep, but alas.
Guess I'll go for an early morning drive.
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