Me, Rick, and Fran

On our way home from Doxy and Dear Friend's wedding, Fran and I left from the same airport. Fran's host kindly drove us to the airport, but he dropped us off early, because he had things to do that day, so Fran and I had more time to visit with each other, and we both got to meet Rick, who blogs at Travelingman Rick's Blog, a virtual friend of Fran's. Rick lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, and he drove to the airport to meet Fran and got me for lagniappe.

I know, I know. All the virtual to real life friends and meetings get confusing. Rick was Fran's virtual friend, but she had never met him in real life, and I did not know Rick or Rick's blog before we met. See. It's simple after I explain it.

Anyhoo, Rick is a lovely man, and it was a great pleasure to meet him. We shared coffee and conversation for an hour or so. Rick will soon be headed to Paris, and I am jealous, jealous, jealous.

Rick is gay, and he had bad experiences with religion and church in former days. He sent me an email which moved me greatly. His words are below. I asked his permission to quote them here.

You are a genuine peach, and I am so glad our paths crossed today. While I would not say that I am anti-religious, for some years now, I have been disdainful of organized religion in general. My own relationship with God has been tested time and again, with my family and with life in general. Having been forced to quit college when I came out was difficult enough, but then I was asked by my family to leave the church of my youth and then the whole eunuch thing with my Grandparents it just left me distrustful of anyone or anything that had to do with organized religion. Thus it is safe to say that I became suspect of nearly everyone who believed in God in general.

Getting to know people who truly practice what Jesus preached is refreshing to me and forces me to question my own phobias and bias. All too often it has been too easy for me to just lump all of the righteous into one group, you and Fran are both living proof that it is not so easy to make that distinction. You both give me great pause to stop and think twice before I jump to conclusions about those who have faith. For that I am ever so grateful and God is too.

Now I'm weeping. When I asked Rick's permission to use his words, I said this to him in my email, "Those of us who call ourselves Christians are witnesses to our faith at all times, for better or for worse." And it's true, and it's good to remember that.

Rick, thank you for your beautiful words. You are a mensch, and I am proud to know you.

Check out Rick's blog. Fran's too, if you have not been there.

The photo is from Fran's Facebook site.

The Cutest Ass

The cutest ass you will ever see:


HEY~ Not EVERYTHING I send YOU IS RUDE!!

From Doug. And he does have a day job. And today is Sunday anyway. And isn't that the cutest little ass you've ever seen?

A Little Pentecostal Levity

Today, it being Pentecost and all, I thought about the hymn, "Come, Holy Ghost". Of course, the Holy Ghost has morphed into the Holy Spirit, the ghost thingy being a bit scary, along with being bad theology, so it's all to the good.

As a child, I sang a version of the hymn that was all my own:

Come Holy Ghost, Creator Blest,
And in our hearts take up Thy rest;
Come with Thy grace and heav'nly aid ace
To fill the hearts which Thou hast made,
To fill the hearts which Thou hast made.

In my version "ace" rhymed with "grace", and that seemed right, plus an ace in cards trumps all the other cards. What better to have in hand than a heav'nly ace? I loved the idea.

You may want to tell of your own childhood misconceptions of the words of common prayers and hymns. They don't have to be Pentecostal.

Veni, Creator Spiritus

Pentecost - GADDI, Taddeo - 1335-40 - Walnut, 35 x 27 cm
Staatliche Museen, Berlin

They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’ Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, ‘Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.

‘I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, “I am going away, and I am coming to you.” If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.
John 14:21-29

Preface of Pentecost

O God, who on this day didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people by sending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Savior, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

Illustration from the Web Gallery of Art.

UPDATE: From Lapin in the comments:

Here is a beautifully-performed setting of the hymn by the 15th c Franco-Flemish composer Guillaume Dufay, alternating plainchant and polyphony based on plainchant. Hope you enjoy.

How To Add The Line Separator In HTML

To make the paragraph break in a comment after a quote in italics, on the next line under the quote, type BRBR with open and close brackets < > on either side of each BR. Then leave a space line. When you preview, the break will look huge, but when you hit publish, it will be right.

I can't show you, because the BRBR disappears into a space when I use the brackets.

If anyone has a better explanation, I will post it.

The Dog Would Put Mr Darcy To Shame

Kudu

From The Telegraph:

One of the Dog's admirable qualities is an instinct for friends with elegant owners, and it is a glamorous gaggle that gathers around the bandstand on this fine May morning. We are in Battersea Park, across the river from Chelsea, and one or two of the hacking jackets on display are cut with just a little more dash than is strictly necessary for dog-walking.

How can you not like an article with a first paragraph like that?

They are all there – the sniffers and trotters, the sprinters and plodders, the yappers and slobberers, the shaggy and the soignée. While they do their doggy thing about our feet, we, their masters and mistresses (or perhaps their servants?), do ours. We talk.... This easy-going social intercourse is the great revelation of dog-owning in middle age. If you are accompanied by a dog you can talk to anyone, and anyone can talk to you – about anything.

Those of you who remember back to my blog's beginning may recall that I once had a picture of Jane Austen next to the link to my profile. She's my all-time favorite fiction writer in the whole world, and I've read her few published works over and over. Whenever I see or hear something about Jane or one of her characters, I perk up, so, of course, when Lapin sent me the link to the article with Mr Darcy's name in the title, I paid attention.

But I digress. The writer goes on to say that "a dog is just a dog". But wait! That's not quite the case, is it? A dog is much more than "just a dog", or the dear creatures would not gain such a strong hold on our affections. We would not take the trouble with our dogs if they were "just dogs". It's not we humans who own them; they own us. For heaven's sake, we pick up their poop and sometimes clean up their pee. Is that not true love?

The reward is that dog-walking becomes like reading a novel, or watching a play; disbelief is suspended and, for an hour or so, we are given licence to escape ordinary life. Fantasy flourishes, and really quite trivial moments in a dog's life become a source of wonder to be repeated, discussed, laughed about and even worried over with its human family.

The novel the Dog and I enjoy in Battersea is at the Jane Austen end of the market. He can do a noble profile that would put Mr Darcy to shame. One of his admirers bought him a collar while skiing in St Moritz which is studded with golden cows; it gives him the slightly foppish air of the Alexander Pope dog whose collar carried the legend: "I am his Highness' Dog at Kew;/Pray tell me sir, whose dog are you?"

The Dog who owns the writer even received a proposal of marriage at Battersea Park, but only after a thorough investigation of his pedigree. Apparently, the article is the beginning of a series which will follow the further adventures of Kudu and his human.

When I walk Diana in my neighborhood, the folks we meet generally do not have dogs with them. On the occasions when we meet a dog and his/her human, we may have a word or two about the dogs, but nothing novel length or even short story length. Dullsville, some might say, but I would never say that. I like my quiet walks. Diana never talks to me. She just makes ME heel and stop whenever she wants to mark a spot or take a poop, which she leaves for me to pick up and tote home.

It's Only An Earring

A man is at work one day when he notices that his co-worker is wearing a rather feminine looking earring. The man knows his co-worker is usually a conservative, ordinary kind of guy, and is curious about his sudden change in fashion sense.

He comments to his friend, "I didn't know you were into earrings."

"It's not such a big deal," comes the sheepish reply. "It's only an
earring."

His friend falls silent for a few minutes, but then his curiosity prods him to ask, "So, how long have you been wearing an earring?"

"Ever since my wife found it in the car."

Don't blame me. Blame Doug.

National Aboriginal Day of Prayer

From The Anglican Church of Canada:

ENGLISH

Collect of the Day

Creator God,

from you every family in heaven and earth takes its name.

You have rooted and grounded us

in your covenant love,

and empowered us by your Spirit

to speak the truth in love,

and to walk in your way towards justice and wholeness.

Mercifully grant that your people,

journeying together in partnership,

may be strengthened and guided

to help one another to grow into the full stature of Christ,

who is our light and our life. Amen.

Readings

Isaiah 40:25-31

Psalm 19

Philippians 4:4-9

John 1:1-18

Prayer over the Gifts

Creator, you bless us

with many good gifts

returned to you from your creation.

Feed us with the Bread of Life,

your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Preface for Weekdays

Prayer after Communion

Great Creator, you have fed us with bread from heaven.

continue to renew us in your truth,

to give light to our minds

strength to our bodies,

and seal us with your Holy Spirit.

We ask this in Christ’s name. Amen.

Sentence

The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Psalm 19:1


FRENCH

Collecte

Dieu créateur, de qui toute famille au ciel et sur terre tient son nom,

tu nous as enracinés et rattachés à la terre dans une alliance d’amour,

et tu nous as donné, par ton Esprit

la force de proclamer ce qui est vrai, avec amour,

et de cheminer avec justice et constance.

Dans ta bonté, accorde à ton peuple

de poursuivre son pèlerinage dans l’unité,

d’être renforci et guidé afin que chacun aide l’autre

dans l’atteinte de la pleine stature du Christ,

notre lumière et notre vie. Amen.

Off.

Dieu créateur,

tu nous a comblés de toutes ces bonnes choses qui viennent de la terre.

Reçois maintenant ces dons, fruits de ta création,

que nous t’offrons, et nourris-nous

du Pain de Vie,

ton fils Jésus Christ, notre Seigneur. Amen.

Preface des jours de semaine

Lectures

Is. 40:25-31

Psaume 19

Phil. 4:4-9

Jean 1:1-18

Postcommunion

Créateur de l’univers,

tu nous as permis de partager cette nourriture céleste.

Sans cesse, renouvelle en nous ta vérité,

éclaire nos esprits de ta lumière, donne force à nos corps,

et ________ -nous avec ton Esprit Saint.

Nous te le demandons au nom du Christ. Amen.

Sentence

Les cieux rancontent la gloire de Dieu, le firmament proclame l’oeuvre de tes mains. Psaume 19:1

Translation into Aboriginal Languages is in process.

Thanks to Ann for the link.

Gay Student Elected Prom Queen

From the LA Times:

Sergio Garcia stood in the gymnasium and told the senior class at Fairfax High School not to worry: If he was elected, he wouldn’t wear a dress.

“I will be wearing a suit,” Garcia said, “but don’t be fooled, deep down inside, I am a queen!” Garcia, 18, spent most of his years at Fairfax openly gay and wanting to be part of the prom court — but not as king.

He felt prom queen better suited his personality, so he decided to seek that crown, running against a handful of female classmates. He said it started as a bit of a stunt and challenge — he wasn’t sure the school would allow it — but that his campaign for queen ended up being serious and sparking dialogue about gender roles on campus.

Ya gotta love 'im. Go Sergio!

...Fairfax, located at the intersection of Melrose and Fairfax avenues, has often been at the forefront of the gay rights struggle.

It has a Gay-Straight Alliance student group and Project 10, an onsite support program for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth, was launched at Fairfax in 1984 after a social worker wanted to help an openly gay man who was harassed by other students.
....

"The young people, they are not involved in this whole argument about gay rights," Uribe said. "They think this whole fight is silly. They just accept people for who they are.

“Gender bending is just kind of in,” she said.

The young people have it right.

Adventures At Walmart

Oh yeah! I went to Walmart yesterday. You folks get to read about my every visit, because I seldom venture to the big box, and every trip is memorable. I'm close to phobic about going there. By his request, my grandson and I went to buy his birthday presents yesterday. He headed straight for the aisle which displays Lego Star Wars toys, games, etc.

When I go for myself, I have my list, I go directly to find my items as best I can, and then I'm out. Yesterday, it did not go that way. GS had to look at every toy in the aisle before he made his choice, just to be absolutely sure that there was not something that he would like much better lurking somewhere on the long line of shelves.

He took his time, and I was patient with him, thinking of this as "quality time" with grandson as we chatted during his search. He's the child whose parents divorced three years ago, and who also has been diagnosed with ADHD. His report card was very good at the end of the year, all "A"s and "B"s, and his reading level is above average, which was joyful news, as he struggled with reading at the beginning of the school year. He's quite good at math, a gift he surely did not inherit from his paternal grandmother.

Finally, finally, he chose his gifts within certain price limits, and I went on to find the two items that I needed, shampoo, and another POS alarm clock to replace the one that I purchased not so very long ago, but which had gone bad already. I could not find the alarm clocks. Of course! They were not in the same place where I found the POS clock that I needed to replace. I wandered the vast store looking for an employee, but nary a one to be found. We wandered and we wandered to likely places where the clocks might be, but no clocks. Again, finally, finally, I found an employee who very kindly walked me to the shelf with the clocks. I went a little more upscale, moving from approximately $8.00 to $12.00, in the, no doubt, vain hope that the clock was not a POS.

In truth, this visit was not as traumatic as some, because making my GS happy was the purpose of my being there, and it was not simply about my pedestrian need for stuff that I can't buy anywhere else, and we chatted as we roamed.

On to checkout, always a challenge at Walmart. The only quick-access checkouts were the self-serves, so I chose one, although the self-checkout generally does not work out for me. Twice during the process, I was prompted to bag items that were already bagged. What did I do? Not place them in the bags just right? With not enough force for the machine to register that they were there? GS helped me with the buttons on the machine for payment for the purchases, and we were finally done. He wanted a pretzel on the way out, and I told him that I would not go through the checkout line just for a pretzel, but - oh joy! - the pretzels were in a booth.

I know that some of you who read this post work at Walmart, and you need your jobs. Others of you must shop at Walmart or even like shopping there, and that's fine. Some of my anxiety about Walmart is due to my eccentricities, but not all of it. Walmart seems to overburden their employees by not having enough of them around and also is not generous with benefits, as many of their employees are part-timers with no benefits and low salaries. Then their stores are big, ugly boxes, which are an assault to the eyes inside and out.

All done with Walmart for a few months. Yay!

Disclaimer: Grandpère sometimes shops for groceries there. I try not to. Chacun à son goût.