I Sing My Heart Out

"Facebook is the evangelical megachurch of the internet."

♫ Not a soul down in the comments,
That's a pretty certain sign,
That Facebook site is breaking up that old gang of mine.
All the boys are chatting madly,
"They forgot me," says MadPriest.
That Facebook site is breaking up that old gang of mine.
There goes KJ, there goes Dennis,
Off to comment there.
Now and then we meet again,
But they don't seem the same.
Gee, I get a lonesome feeling,
When their comments aren't here,
That Facebook site is breaking up that old gang of mine. ♫

Genius PhotoShopping and "Thought For the Day" by MadPriest.

From Doxy - Prayers Please

From WORMWOOD'S DOXY:

My boss, and wonderful friend, Miguel is having surgery today. We have worked together for many years, and he is one of my heroes.

Dear Friend’s mother—who celebrated her 87th birthday last Friday—has developed pneumonia. Doris is a strong, vibrant person, and she is taking appropriate medications, but this is worrisome.

I would appreciate it if the OCICBW crowd could remember Miguel and Doris in their prayers. Also, Jim—Dear Friend’s brother-in-law—who continues to undergo treatment for inoperable brain cancer.

Thanks,
Doxy

Touissaint's Renaissance Rolls On

From Lagniappe in the Times-Picayune:

Allen Toussaint's post-Katrina renaissance rolls on.

Ever since his 1958 debut "The Wild Sound of New Orleans" -- released under the name Tousan -- he has recorded only sporadically. He earned his place in the Rock 'n 'Roll Hall of Fame by writing and producing hits for other artists.

But his national profile as a performer in his own right has never been higher, thanks in large part to "The River in Reverse." The acclaimed 2006 collaboration with Elvis Costello revived Toussaint's touring career and reintroduced him as a contemporary recording artist. His new, genteel "The Bright Mississippi" (Nonesuch Records), while much different, should only enhance that reputation.

This one is instrumental, with the exception of one song, but it's nice, really nice.

...With the notable exception of trumpeter Nicholas Payton, Henry did not employ New Orleans musicians; instead, he assembled an ace modern jazz band in a New York studio. And rather than record Toussaint compositions, they revisited classic jazz standards -- a decision that seems, at first glance, counterintuitive.

But the utterly enchanting result is as New Orleans as the wrought iron balconies of the French Quarter, similarly intricate and sturdy, and equally impressive up close or at a distance.

So, of course, I had to buy it. It has a song dedicated to MadPriest titled "Winin' Boy Blues". The mad blogger from England knows EVERYONE in the music business.

Over the decades, Toussaint's best work has often been in support of others. Tellingly, "The Bright Mississippi" is not a piano showcase per se. But in collaboration with Henry, Payton and the rest, he is once again at the center of a whole that is far greater than its considerable parts. "The Bright Mississippi" is a highlight of an already remarkable career.

At this very moment, I am backing up my music collection, which grows and grows. I should have done it long ago. I hope the process works. I'm always doubtful when I try new things on the tubes.

Ah Stress!

Stolen from Ostrich, who is still passing a bad time, but who retains her sense of humor. She could use a prayer - or two, or a comforting word - or two.

The Governor Shows Us How It's Done

From The Associated Press:

New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch said Thursday he will sign a bill to make his state the sixth to legalize gay marriage, but only if it the already-approved legislation is revised to strengthen protections for churches and people who worked for them.

"Throughout history, our society's views of civil rights have constantly evolved and expanded," Lynch told reporters. "New Hampshire's great tradition has always been to come down on the side of individual liberties and protections."

Lynch said he personally opposes gay marriage, but decided to view the issue "through a broader lens."

Civil unions do not equal marriage. Separate, but equal, is never equal.

TGIF Morning Humour

Confession

A local priest was being honoured at his retirement dinner after 25 years in the parish. A leading local politician and member of the congregation was chosen to make the presentation and to give a little speech at the dinner. However, he was delayed so the priest decided to say his own few words while they waited:

"I got my first impression of the parish from the first confession I heard here. I thought I had been assigned to a terrible place. The very first person who entered my confessional told me he had stolen a television set and, when questioned by the police, was able to lie his way out of it. He had also stolen money from his parents, embezzled from his employer, had an affair with his best friend's wife, and taken illicit drugs. I was appalled. "But as the days
went on I learned that my people were not all like that and I had, indeed, come to a fine parish full of good and loving people."

Just as the priest finished his talk, the politician arrived full of apologies for being late. He immediately began to make the presentation and said:

"I'll never forget the first day our parish priest arrived. In fact, I had the honour of being the first person to go to him for confession."

Moral: Never, never, NEVER-EVER be late.

Alternative Moral: Never, never, NEVER-EVER be a politician!

I presume that the politician is British, because the joke comes with "honour" spelled with the useless "u". Any of you folks "over there" know his name?

Thanks to Erika.

News From Roseann

I just finished talking to Roseann on the phone, and she sounded good. She's gained a little weight with the feeding tube in, and she's tapering off her pain medication. Whenever it stops raining, she wants Gary to take her to the park so she can walk a little.

I told her that we would continue to pray for her and Gary. Gary had the MRI on his shoulder, but no results yet. I'm glad he's taking care of himself. Roseann says he's the best at taking care of her.

Along with Gary, she has a wonderful home health nurse, a huge black man, about 6'5", who is a sweet, sweet man. They talk music.

She wanted me to say that she prays for all of us, too, and I'm weeping as I type this. What a courageous lady our Roseann is.

May God bless her and Gary and surround them with his loving presence.

Lazy Blogger

Peeps, I am a lazy blogger at this time. I'm tired of church infighting. I'm tired of politics. I can't get excited about blogging anything right now. When I've got nothing to say, it's best to say nothing, don't you think? I'm apt to make a fool of myself, if I speak.

One small thing. Yesterday, Lindsey Graham was hoist on his own petard while questioning a witness at the Senate subcommittee hearings on torture.

From Greg Sargent at The Plumline:

Hmm, not a great moment. While directing hostile questioning at a witness during the Senate torture hearing, GOP Senator Lindsey Graham cited an infamous ABC News report from 2007 that said a terror suspect broke under minimal waterboarding, and suggested it undercut the claim that torture didn’t work.

But Graham didn’t appear to be aware that the report has since been debunked, and that ABC itself has since corrected the record.

I know that I'm supposed to be a good Christian woman and all, but I don't like Lindsey Graham, and I experienced satisfying Schadenfreude when I saw his Whoops! moment on the tee vee.

Graham is a lawyer. Isn't it a basic rule of thumb amongst lawyers that it's best not to ask a question, if you don't already know the answer?

Of course, I could be wrong.

Image from Veto Corleone.

Oceanographer To Presiding Bishop

From Search Magazine:

Katharine Jefferts Schori loved being an oceanographer. She thought digging in the mud for squids and octopuses and trolling the Pacific Ocean with the National Marine Fisheries Service was the most fascinating job in the world, and had spent more than a decade studying biology, chemistry, geology, and meteorology to prepare for it.

Because of Reagan era budget cuts for scientific research, she lost her job at the fisheries service and could not find another doing what she loved, working in the field - rather the shore or the water.

However, the priesthood was far from her thoughts, even after suggestions on separate occasions by three people

But being approached by three people separately about ordination was strangely moving, too, so she discussed it at length with her pastor. Meanwhile, Jefferts Schori, never one to sit idle, threw herself into volunteer work, chairing the parent-teacher organization at her daughter’s school, founding a chapter of Habitat for Humanity, and serving on the board of a women’s philanthropic group in Corvallis. She also studied religion at Oregon State University, taking courses she was later asked to teach. Slowly, her grief over a lost career in oceanography began to fade.
....

One Sunday in 1991, Jefferts Schori was asked to preach at Good Samaritan while the clergy were away at a convention. The Episcopalians gathered at Good Sam that morning liked what they heard and told her so. “The experience of preaching, of preparing to do it, and the feedback I got afterward, finally let me hear the surprising thing people in the congregation were asking of me,” Jefferts Schori says. She is no pulpit thumper, but the former scientist’s sermons are quietly effective. She moves with ease from biblical exegesis to scientific analysis to wry, self-deprecating anecdotes, goading and exhorting along the way but rarely stooping to preachiness or sentimentality. Six months after that Sunday in the pulpit, Jefferts Schori entered the seminary.

Daniel Burke does a fine job in this article, telling the story of how Bishop Katharine went from oceanographer to Presiding Bishop. Check it out.

When the videos of the candidates for the position of Presiding Bishop were posted at the website of the national office, I watched all six of them, and, judging just from the videos, I was most impressed with Bishop Katharine, but I thought she had no chance of being elected. However, I put myself on record in the comments at Terry Martin's old blog, Fr. Jake Stops the World, saying that I thought she was the best of the six. I was as surprised as anyone when she was chosen. I think that it's cool that we have a presiding bishop who is a woman and a scientist.

H/T to Three Legged Stool.

Rye Bread

The 80 year old was amazed at his friend's stamina, and asked him what he did to have so much energy.

The 87 year old said, 'Well, I eat rye bread every day. It keeps your energy level high and you'll have great stamina with the ladies.'

So, on the way home, the 80 year old stops at the bakery. As he was looking around, the lady asked if he needed any help. He said, 'Do you have any rye bread?'

She said, 'Yes, there's a whole shelf of it. Would you like some?'

He said, 'I want 5 loaves.'

She said, 'My goodness, 5 loaves. . . by the time you get to the 5th loaf, it'll be hard.'

He replied, 'I can't believe it, everybody in the world knows about this (sh--) stuff but me.'


Help! Doug is discriminating against me. The only jokes he sends me that are postable (and this one was borderline) are about old folks. Can I sue?