I can't get into Abbey-Roads 2 again. This is so annoying. My St. Blogs site, unlike this one, is "controlled" - I'm really not the webmaster of my site. It is also now going commercial, that is, ads will appear on the site. (I can also make money from the ads, if I want.) I don't think I like this - it smacks of making money off religion to me. I don't like that.
So this may be my only blog - even though being on St. Blogs has increased my stats...we will see what happens.
Attention family and friends!
If you haven't heard from me.Some people have asked why I haven't responded to their emails, I told them I never got them. For some reason, some of the emails I receive are most likely filtered as junk mail. I have to work on my firewall settings. At any rate - if you have emailed me and I have not responded, I expect this is what is happening. I may not answer my phone, but I normally always answer emails. I apologize if you think I have ignored you.
Viva Viagra!
What Would Elvis Do?Has anyone else seen the latest Viagra ad on TV? It's a group of guys sitting around in a jam session, playing a really good rendition of Elvis', Viva Las Vegas! I really like their music, until they switch "Las Vegas" to "Viagra" - it has completely wrecked that song for me now. (I've never been an Elvis fan - although I like "Hunk-a-hunk of Burning Love" - it's so me.)
Anyway - did Lisa Marie sell the rights to the song? If she did, she should be shot.
This just in....
Photos are emerging of Cathy's ordeal after she fell off the bus at the races a couple of weeks ago.You're crazy...
Who knew?I just read where scientists are now breeding mentally ill mice. My cats are kinda nuts, especially Agnes; Xena-Celine just has an eating disorder.
The Leaf-let-me-alone Missing It Company
You better work!
I recently ran into someone who works for the same Catholic catalog company I once did. She said nothing much has changed, micro-management and other accompanying family nonsense is still a big deal. The customer service and call center people are doing product data base stuff, now that business is down and because another one of the main catalog production team members recently resigned. The woman was a little bitter about her job. It seems one of the owners told a former employee that with the last resignation, the company could fold and people could lose their jobs. Miss Call Center was not too happy to get that news.
Terry at school...
Sister Lillian: Mr. Nelson, you are never going to amount to anything, I'm just passing you to get you out of my class.
Little Terry: Thank you Sister!
Terrance J. Nelson
I Googled my name to see what images came up for me - aside from some of my paintings, this image came up as me. I guess I don't mind.
(I'm kind of thinking I may return to this blog exclusively. The Catholic Company is now beginning to post advertisements on Abbey2, and everyone knows how I despise crass commercialism on blogs. I'm also not so impressed with St. Blogs and their Stepford Catholic assemblage of writers. And I don't trust "Catholic" companies that much any more either. This development raises all sorts of conscientious objections for me. I'm plunged into re-evaluating blogs, their meaning and purpose. Oy! I didn't see this crises coming back so soon! It's Cathy's doing - I'm sure of it!)
Tehran Fashion Week
With recent stories concerning Iran's fashion police, whose job is making certain Muslim women are appropriately covered, I came upon this photo of Tehran's Fashion Week 2006. (Hi Cathy!)L'Oreal Cathy at Mass...
A rare photo of Cathy of Alexandria at Mass, shown here with Adoro. (Cathy is wearing the black mantilla - the woman with all the make-up.)I guess this would be a "chapel veil tip" to Ray at Stella Borealis.
I'm back!
I'm back! And I'm back BIG! It's just the blogs that have gotten small!
(Shut up! I couldn't find a better picture! LOL!)
Tammy Faye
I don't care what anyone else thinks of her, I think she did the best she could with what she had, and she loved Jesus - the only way she knew how. (That is all any of us can do.) I've been praying for her ever since I saw her on Larry King, and now she is dead. May she rest in peace.
(I'm still on hiatus - I just wanted to remember Tammy Faye.)
Moonstruck-ed out.
Moonstruck.
My favorite lines from the film:
Rose: I just want you to know no matter what you do, you're gonna die, just like everybody else.
Cosmo Castorini: Thank you, Rose.
So anyway - once again I'm reminding everyone that I'm taking a break from the blog - seems like a lot of people are doing so. Do you realize I haven't even been reading other blogs? Maybe 2 or 3 at the most. I'm soooooooooooo bored with blogs...and blogging. So I need a break.
Yeah, "it's not you - it's me."
Post Script:
Just a question here before I go: Why do people get so upset about death? Or panic and push someone, insisting they must rush to the Dr. when something is wrong with them? All of us are going to die. I don't think Christians should get so upset about dying - after all, it is what we prepare for. Jesus wasn't all freaked out about it, he didn't go kicking and screaming. "He was led like a lamb to the slaughter." So why do we spend billions of dollars to avoid it? No wonder non-Christians question our faith, when we exhibit such fear of death. (No - that wasn't a question.)
Schmaltz
The definition of Catholic sentimentalism.(Rachel and Ross are on a break. "Huh? You're not online?")
Stepford lives.
New Catholic families are currently moving into Domino pizza-magnate's newly developed Catholic town. Ave Maria University's founder, Tom Monghan, seems to be completing his parallel universe with this new project, bearing the same name as AMU.
(Drawing: Architect's rendering for the town of Ave Maria.)
The Pope's quiet retreat...
The Holy Father and his secretary, Monsignor Ganswein, taking a stroll while praying the rosary. The Holy Father is on vacation this week.Photo: Catholic News Service
Catholic music...
Dancing in the dark - the song has nothing to do with anything Catholic, save my post on Abbey2 by that title. But it's all about my favorite Springsteen song, and the moment I fell in love with Courtney Cox! I thought she was just a kid from the crowd - I had no idea it was staged. (I know; dork-o-rama!) She is still cute though.Politicians...and pork barrel spending.
This is for you Angie and Cathy - and yes Jeron - politics is all about money.
(Sorry for the vulgarity Elena - I was provoked - not by the post I linked to, but the vicious comments by a certain blogger. To even suggest I'm "over the edge"! Where is the respect? I don't think I can take it...because it took so long to bake it...and someone left the cake out in the rain! Oh, I crack myself UP! LOL!)
FYI: For those who don't know, blog traffic is way down in the summer - especially in the week(s) surrounding the 4th of July. Even Amy has been on vacation.
Who is Amy?
Goin' on vacation...
The Holy Father is off to the alps for his vacation. Monsignor Ganswein getting him all dressed up - it gets chilly in the mountains.
FYI - for Angie...
You wanted to know what Zubaz are? This is a photo of me when it was okay to wear them - most guys never looked this good however.
Has anyone seen these people?
Does anyone in Britain know my friends Pam and Tom Barbour? If you do, will you tell them about my blogs? I haven't written to them in about 5 years.
Does anyone know the whereabouts of Gina Barthel? I haven't heard from her in about 3 years, and I was her best friend. (She may be still mad at me because I didn't like the habits the Sisters of Life wear.)
Does anyone know Nora Turchi? We were friends when I lived in Boston, I'd love t know what happened to her.
How about Jon Lovitz? He is no longer doing the Subway ads.
Finally, has anyone ever seen Janice LaDuke and what she wears to Mass on such a hot day?
(The first 3 questions are serious.)
Some thoughts on peace...
When the missles go up.
"When the missiles go up
who cares where they come down.
"Not my department," says Verner von Braun." -Tom Lehrer
The economics of war.
"The theology of violence must not lose sight of the real problem which is not the individual with a revolver [or a bomb tied to him] but death and even genocide as big business. But this big business of death is all the more innocent and effective because it involves a long chain of individuals, each of whom can feel himself absolved from responsibility, and each of whom can perhaps salve his conscience by contributing with a more meticulous efficiency to his part in the massive operation." -Thomas Merton
Not my department.
"In a country where half of the government's traceable use of tax money goes to war, and in a society that sells more arms to the world than all 51 of the other arms-exporting countries combined, and in a culture where 80% of the people designate themselves "Christian," tens of millions of Christians beyond the Christian Verner von Braun are saying daily to themselves and to God, "Not my department." And of course, as has been the case, almost always in Constantinian Christianity, its non-profit bishops, priests and ministers teach as Gospel truth, explicitly or implicitly by their behavior or silence, the Theology of "Not My Department."
The Beatification of Franz Jagerstatter, the lone Catholic layman to refuse to participate in Hitler's military, is an explicit repudiation by this Pope, at least for Catholics and their bishops, priests, chaplains and laity, of the Theology of "Not My Department." Hopefully the leaders of other Churches will, in their way, denounce this corrupt Theology of "Not My Department."
Verner von Braun or Franz Jagerstatter-given the choice which of these two men would the average Christian today prefer to be? And why? Which of these two men does the average Christian most closely resemble in a world where the biggest business on the planet is the for-profit technological destruction of human beings? And why?" -Rev.Emmanuel Charles McCarthy
(Thanks to my Hutterite brother and friend for these provocative thoughts.)
Thursday Poetry Corner: #3
The Thrill of the Pastry.
Spring was never waiting for us, girl
It ran one step ahead
As we followed in the dance
Between the parted pages and were pressed
In love's hot, fevered iron
Like a striped pair of pants...
MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!
I recall the yellow cotton dress
Foaming like a wave
On the ground around your knees
The birds, like tender babies in your hands
And the old men playing checkers by the trees...
MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!...
There will be another song for me
For I will sing it
There will be another dream for me
Someone will bring it
I will drink the wine while it is warm
And never let you catch me looking at the sun
And after all the loves of my life
After all the loves of my life
Spring was never waiting for us, girl
It ran one step ahead
As we followed in the dance
Between the parted pages and were pressed
In love's hot, fevered iron
Like a striped pair of pants...
MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!
I recall the yellow cotton dress
Foaming like a wave
On the ground around your knees
The birds, like tender babies in your hands
And the old men playing checkers by the trees...
MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!...
There will be another song for me
For I will sing it
There will be another dream for me
Someone will bring it
I will drink the wine while it is warm
And never let you catch me looking at the sun
And after all the loves of my life
After all the loves of my life
You'll still be the one...
I will take my life into my hands and I will use it
I will win the worship in their eyes and I will lose it
I will have the things that I desire
And my passion flow like rivers through the sky
And after all the loves of my life
After all the loves of my life
I'll be thinking of you
And wondering why...
MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again...
Oh, no!
Oh, noooooooooo!
No, noooooooooooooo!
Oh nooooooooooooooooo!!
-Formerly known as "MacArthur Park"
I will take my life into my hands and I will use it
I will win the worship in their eyes and I will lose it
I will have the things that I desire
And my passion flow like rivers through the sky
And after all the loves of my life
After all the loves of my life
I'll be thinking of you
And wondering why...
MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again...
Oh, no!
Oh, noooooooooo!
No, noooooooooooooo!
Oh nooooooooooooooooo!!
-Formerly known as "MacArthur Park"
The Dangers of Excessive Tanning
Photo: A former co-worker (Irish and Norwegian extraction), who recently turned 50, showing the damage excessive tanning can do.
On a more serious note: Read this about a woman who died of cancer, after tanning in a sun bed, twice a day for 7 years.
The obscenity of political campaigns...
The 4th of July.
It is all about money, isn't it? Obama raking in $32 million - the others following suit, taking in millions. (Obviously $32 million isn't worth much anymore.) Everyone campaigning a year or two before the conventions. How do they get their work done at their regular jobs? What do constituents think when their elected officials are out campaigning and not doing the jobs they were elected to do? And for that matter - why is Nancy Peolosi running all over the world? She's not the President.
It is Independence Day in the United States. The country is at war, our soldiers are dying, then there is that abortion thing, and the politicians are on self-promotional tours.
I just can't get excited about the 4th. I don't feel very patriotic. Sometimes I think the 4th should be declared a National day of prayer and penance.
Diana, Princess of Wales
It is Diana's 46th birthday today - gosh - she would still be young. Shown here with Mother Teresa, it is said they were very fond of one another.
Sunday afternoon stuff...
Today, a friend wanted to know if I would like to join her on a trip to Target - of course I said no - it's horrible to shop with women - Sunday or no Sunday. Although I did explain to her I try not to shop on Sundays - especially now that I'm not working and can go during the week. She isn't a practicing anything, so it doesn't matter to her - the Lord's day or not. She said everyone shops on Sunday, it's recreational shopping. I explained picking up necessities at a grocery store may be one thing, but that I felt Christians really ought not to be shopping on Sundays - she called me old fashioned.I asked her, since she was going, if she'd look for a nice pair of longer cargo shorts for me that I could wear to Mass.
(Photo: Not me.)
de blog
I was talking to someone yesterday - someone very important - who had this to say about weblogs and those who write them:
1) Weblogs are often an exercise in vanity.
2) Ideas and opinions are expressed which mean little or nothing to anyone except the writers and the few who comment.
3) The writing usually lacks depth, is anecdotal, and little more substantive than sound bites on the news.
4) The Internet is addictive and full of hot air - a diversion like television is or was for most people. It is a waste of one's time...often leading a person to neglect one's duties - perhaps even prayer and good works.
5) People seem to broadcast everything about themselves, even intimate details about their lives, as if it is the "Jerry Springer" show.
I got the impression he didn't think much of weblogs or bloggers - nor the Internet.
(Photo: The gossip columnist, Louella Parsons)
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