"VOTE YOUR HEART OUT"

Mark Harris at Preludium has a splendid post about politics and voting. Christine O'Donnell is a candidate for the US Senate in Mark's state.

Almost no one seems to get it: We need elected officials who are willing to do the mind numbing job of reading sewer reports and statistical tables, economic reports and proposals for new technologies and then vote with some wisdom. If they can't read or don't have time that they hire good people who do and will instruct them.

And we ought to expect from our elected leaders that they help this country break its war habit, a habit that poisons our economy, community life and takes lives endlessly.

I hear very little mention of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by the candidates, more's the pity. Mark posts charts which illustrate the human and monetary costs of our wars.

Along with his wise words about the coming elections, Mark posted the video below, which made me smile and which I've lifted. In these times, a smile is most welcome.

NOT LATE THIS TIME!

Yesterday, I went to New Orleans to an appointment for a routine check with the ophthalmologist following my cataract surgery nearly one year ago. Since I don't like driving the Interstate highway system through cities, I planned to drive through the streets of Jefferson Parish, with the rest of the traffic and the stop lights, but as I watched the time, I saw that I would not be on time for my appointment, if I did.

After a quick prayer for nerves of steel and for my sharpest driving skills to kick in, I headed for Interstate-10, which is also congested at times, with traffic moving slowly or not at all, and hoped for the best. The journey was a breeze, and I arrived at the doctor's office with seven minutes......and a whole day to spare.

Yes, when I walked into the office, the receptionist was at her desk, but the rest of the offices were dark. Obviously, THE DOCTOR WAS NOT IN. My appointment was for today. Ah well, nothing to be done, except drive home and drive back in tomorrow (today). As I turned and started to walk out, I thought, "There are other doctors in the group practice, who work from another office. Perhaps one of them would see me." I turned back to ask the receptionist, and she said it was quite possible. With a quick phone call, she arranged for me to see a different doctor at their other office, which was only a short distance away.

Every morning, I pray in "Morning Prayer" not to be overcome by adversity. The thought of returning to New Orleans the next day did not thrill me, and, in fact, seemed to me like a small adversity. I'm not one to give up easily, and the thought which came to mind helped me to overcome. Thank God for "Morning Prayer"...and for planting ideas in listening minds?

All is well with my eyes, except that in a few months, scar tissue which formed in both eyes will have to be zapped, a rather common procedure after cataract surgery, which is done right in the office.

Since I did not have time to eat lunch before I left for my 2:00 PM appointment, I planned to eat an old-fashioned hamburger and fries at Dot's Diner, pictured below. In fact, after I saw the doctor, I could hardly wait, because the time was around 3:30 PM. My mouth watered as I approached the diner.



When I arrived at Dot's, a sign was posted on the door saying that the diner would be closed tomorrow (today) because Disney would be filming there. The cook at Dot's will play the cook in the film. She could not remember the name of the movie, but I found the title, "From the Rough", at the website of New Orleans Office of Film & Video.

Anyway, about the hamburger and fries, "Mmm mmm good!"

Oh, and, "All's well that ends well."

Off topic: Did you know that the phrase above was a proverb before Shakespeare used the words in his play?

"John Heywood included it in A dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the prouerbes in the Englishe tongue, 1546:

Lovers live by love, ye as larkes live by leekes
Saied this Ales, muche more then halfe in mockage.
Tushe (quoth mine aunte) these lovers in dotage
Thinke the ground beare them not, but wed of corage
They must in all haste, though a leafe of borage
Might by all the substance that they can fell.
Well aunt (quoth Ales) all is well that endes well."

CRISIS AT THE PALACE!

From the The Telegraph:

Malvern Water has been the choice of the Royal Family for more than 400 years after Queen Elizabeth I first drank it in the 16th century.

Queen Victoria refused to travel without the spring water and the current Queen orders gallons of it whenever she travels abroad.

But Coca-Cola, which produces the drink, are halting production at the end of next month after being squeezed out of the market by cheaper rivals.

They also claim the size of the factory in Malvern, Worcs., is too small to compete with larger brands such as Evian and Highland Spring.

Coca-Cola have now decided to sell off the site as luxury housing and make the 17 workers who produce the water redundant.

The decision has shocked residents living near the Colwall plant in the town where the water has been drank since 1558.

Paul Tuthill, a district councillor and chairman of Malvern Town Council, said: "This is a great shock.

"What is the Queen going to do about her water because she always drank Malvern Water?

"I think Coca-Cola ought to offer it for sale to local entrepreneurs to take it over rather than just sell the site for high value housing."

I expect the Queen will manage, but I'm sorry for the workers who will lose their jobs. And why not offer to sell the plant to local business people who might keep Malvern water flowing? I can guess. Coca-Cola will make a lot more money by selling off the property to developers of luxury housing.

Since the days of Elizabeth I, the water is reported to have curative qualities. Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin agreed and claimed to have been cured by drinking the water.

Thanks to Lapin for the link and the title of the post.

A LITTLE ECUMENICAL HUMOR...

A pastor's wife was expecting a baby, so he stood before the congregation and asked for a raise. After much discussion, they passed a rule that whenever the preacher's family expanded, so would his paycheck.

After 6 children, this started to get expensive and the congregation decided to hold another meeting to discuss the preacher's expanding salary.. A great deal of yelling and inner bickering ensued, as to how much the clergyman's additional children were costing the church, and how much more it could potentially cost.

After listening to them for about an hour, the pastor rose from his chair and spoke, 'Children are a gift from God, and we will take as many gifts as He gives us. Silence fell on the congregation.

In the back pew, a little old lady struggled to stand, and finally said in her frail voice, 'Rain is also a gift from God, but when we get too much of it, we wear rubbers.'

The entire congregation said, 'Amen.'

Don't blame me. Blame Paul the BB's friend, Kathy. No, not that Cathy...Kathy with a "K". Paul is naughty, and, of course, his friends are naughty, and see what they make me do? I couldn't help myself. It was two against one.

OCT. 20: WEAR PURPLE FOR THOSE LOST

On October 20th, 2010, we will wear purple in honor of the 6 gay boys who committed suicide in recent weeks/months due to homophobic abuse in their homes and at their schools. Purple represents Spirit on the LGBTQ flag and that’s exactly what we’d like all of you to have with you: spirit. Please know that times will get better and that you will meet people who will love you and respect you for who you are, no matter your sexuality. Please wear purple on October 20th. Tell your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors and schools. RIP Tyler Clementi, Asher Brown, Seth Walsh, Justin Aaberg, Raymond Chase and Billy Lucas. You are loved.

Posted by IT at The Friends of Jake.

GOOD-BYE TO BECKY

Tomorrow afternoon, Roger (Lapinbizarre) and Becky will say good-bye to each other.

From Roger:

Just off the phone with the vet's office. Have bitten the bullet and am taking Becky in at 2:00 tomorrow afternoon. She hasn't eaten for two days and has only eaten spasmodically for the past week. Far thinner now, with bones protruding all over the place. I know more about the articulation of the collar bones and hips of a moving quadruped than I ever wanted to learn under these conditions. She drinks still and still does her walks, looking for kitties in all the usual places, but slower every day, so there's life in the old girl yet (Archie!). I don't believe that I'm doing her any great favours keeping her alive, but between guilt at killing something that depends on me this deeply; love of her, and the formed by her still-continuing deep affection for me, I'm quite unhappy about it.

In May 2008, I posted the story of how Becky came to live with Roger, followed by the sad news a short time later that Becky had lung cancer. The good news is that, although at the time of diagnosis Becky was given only a few months to live, she and Roger had far more time together than anyone expected - two and a half years.

Pilgrim God
who journeys with us
through the joys and shadows
of this world

be with us
in our sorrow
and feel our pain;

help us to accept
the mystery of death
without bitterness
but with hope.

Among the shadows
of this world,
amid the turmoil of life
and the fear of death

you stand alongside us,
always blessing, always giving
arms always outstretched.

For this we know:
every living thing is yours
and returns to you.

As we ponder this mystery
we give you thanks
for the life of Becky
and we now commit her
into your loving hands.

Gentle God:
fragile is your world,
delicate are your creatures,
and costly is your love
which bears and redeems us all.
Amen.

Andrew Linzey, Animal Rites: Liturgies of Animal Care.

Pray for Becky and Roger.

UPDATE: Do you believe in the power of prayer? Here's the latest update on Becky from Roger:

Maybe your powerful prayer is working. She was wretched and panting all night, but this morning she perked up when I dressed and was ready, tail wagging, to walk. I decided to take her, gently, to the dog park for one last time. Out there she showed a fair amount of her old spirit and activity, and when she tired she sat by me, gazing up. A couple of old dog hands out there - one a professional breeder for 30 years - said "That dog's not ready to go yet". Brought her home, weary, and she headed for that back gate, wanting another walk. Upstairs, she turned up her nose at liver, yet again, but, to my surprise, scarfed down a couple of sausages (Italian; mild; onion), followed by a pound of raw ground beef. So I called the vet's office, who also said "she's not ready yet, we'll cancel".

So there we are. She's pulled another, albeit short-term, of her Lazarus jobs.

Lying peacefully, apparently contentedly, at my feet, as I write.

I don't know what to say, except that Becky is God's miracle dog.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, CATHY!

Happy Birthday to You, dance performed by Chipmunks Alvin, Theodore and Simon; music is taken from different videos and of course the Chipmunks are not singing this song by themselves. This video was intended for all who would appreciate amateur video makers :)

May you have many more Blessed and Happy Birthdays, my dear Cathy.

UPDATE: Wait! Below is a picture of the gift of a CD from Cathy, which just now arrived in the mail for me on HER birthday. How lovely! And all I gave Cathy was a blog post. Shame on me! The music is gorgeous!



The package is addressed to Miss Mimi Butler.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Cathy. I love it.

"LEAVE, WITH MY 'BLESSING'"

From Viv Groskop at the Guardian:

On our wedding day we virtually ran back down the aisle the second the ceremony ended. "I thought you were going to trip up, you were in a such a hurry," I remember one guest saying. Why the rush? Because it wasn't really a wedding at all, but a blessing – and throughout the ceremony the vicar had not let us forget it.

My husband had been married before and, in the Church of England, remarriage is at the vicar's discretion. Our vicar had decided against it. Throughout the ceremony he referred repeatedly and pointedly to "new beginnings" as opposed to just "beginnings". He insisted that there be no exchange of rings, because we were, technically, already man and wife. (We went to a registry office five days earlier.) I spent most of the ceremony fiddling with my headdress because I had been told that I shouldn't be wearing a veil (too bridal for a blessing). It was only at the last minute that the vicar relented and allowed my father to walk me down the aisle. And did I mention that it was not a beginning but a new beginning? I can still remember seeing, out of the corner of my eye, friends and family in the congregation cringing.

It seems to me that a grudging "blessing" is an oxymoron. Either you bless with your whole heart, or there is no blessing. Can you guess who was the vicar who gave Viv and her husband the "blessing" with a grudge attached? Why none other than the Rev. Stephen Bould of St Peter, Folkestone, who announced that he would leave the Church of England to join a Roman Catholic ordinariate. Amongst his parting words are:

"It is a battle we are fighting now. Let's fight it with flair, imagination and spirit."

Battle metaphors abound amongst the dissatisfied in the Episcopal Church and in the Church of England.

Back to Viv:

Ten years on I'm disillusioned.... I would like to see the Church of England be more inclusive not only towards women priests but towards people like me – people who rarely attend church, often question their faith, but who are, essentially, supportive of the church. It's not as if you'd ever be turned away from a service, but there is a clear message on high days and holidays. Always the hopeful raised eyebrow: are you coming back on a regular basis or not? How serious are you? In today's Christian Britain you are either atheist or God Squad. There's no inbetween.

Bitter fruit, indeed.

I'm curious as to whether the bishops and priests who announced that they will take up Rome's offer have stopped presiding at the Eucharist. Do the clergy headed for Rome believe that their orders are presently valid and will suddenly become invalid once they cross the Tiber? According to Roman rules, the Church of England clergy will become humble lay folk, or, at best, seminarians, until they are screened and re-ordained. Just a thought.

Thanks to Cathy for the link.

JESUS AND MO - DONE

From Jesus and Mo.

BEING GAY ISN'T VOLUNTARY - HATE IS

Being Gay Isn’t Voluntary (get this on a tee in US store, get this on a tee in European store, make your own tee with this or get this on a postcard)

From Wordboner.

Thanks to Lapin.