GREAT SEX QUOTES

What a cynic you are, Rod.

If you don't think these are great sex quotes, don't blame me. Blame Doug.

TWO GOOD NEWS STORIES

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Illinois’ new law allowing civil unions took effect Wednesday, and gay and lesbian couples began lining up hours before county clerk’s offices opened so they could be among the first to get a civil union license.

More than 75 couples were in line by the time the doors opened early at 7:30 a.m. at the Cook County Building in downtown Chicago, where the vital records office will stay open until 7 p.m. to accommodate couples. Officials said they expect to issue about 2,000 licenses the first day.

The first couple in line, Lakeesha Harris and Janean Watkins, look really happy.

Illinois now is among six states that allow same-sex couples benefits similar to those granted married couples.

Many couples in line to obtain a license Wednesday said they look forward to Illinois one day joining five other states and Washington, D.C., in allowing same-sex marriage, as well.

Same-sex marriage is on the way. Unfortunately, it may be a while before gay and lesbian couples throughout the country will be able to marry, but the movement is forward. And it seems that the federal government may eventually have to step in to end the confusion about how the rules apply in states with different laws.

From CBCNews:

Anglican parishes in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island now have permission to bless same-sex marriages, but they still can't perform the ceremony for gays and lesbians.

The decision was made over the weekend at the 143rd Synod of the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

A blessing can only be given to couples who are legally married. It's up to each priest and parish to decide whether to give it.

The Archbishop of Canterbury will not be pleased.

As I see it, the churches should confine themselves to blessing couples who are already married and cease being agents of the state by getting out of the marriage business altogether.

A LITTLE DITTY FROM EARTHA KITT[Y]

Lapin wanted to know if I could have played the song "Lovin' Spree" on the family Victrola back in my youth, and the answer is yes. In the 30s, 40s, and 50s, there were many such songs with double entendre lyrics that were acceptable within the family circle, at least within my family circle in what has been known as the "Wicked City" (New Orleans).

However, the early rock and roll records by African-American musicians were an entirely different matter. I would never have thought of buying the songs to play them in my home. The rock and roll songs with lyrics that included barely disguised sexual references, with the "double" mostly left out of double entendre, were fine for dancing in lounges, but not for listening at home. New Orleans may have been unique in that in the 1950s, we could go to the lounges at age 15 or 16 with no questions asked about our age. An equivalent in rural areas for dancing to the early rock and roll may have been roadside inns and juke joints.

Of course, good Roman Catholic convent school girl that I was, the lyrics were not what attracted me. I liked the rock and roll beat.

DROUGHT! I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU

From the Baton Rouge Advocate:

A statewide burn ban takes effect at 9 a.m. Wednesday, an order issued because of persistently dry weather that has caused severe to exceptional drought over 90 percent of Louisiana, state officials said.
....

The ban takes effect on the first day of the June 1-Nov. 30 hurricane season and after weeks of flooding fears from the swollen Mississippi River.

The paradoxical mix of climatic threats raises the possibility of simultaneous federal declarations for both flood and drought in some parishes now coping with Morganza Spillway inundations, state and federal officials said.

Land in these areas may be either in severe or extreme drought conditions or inundated, depending on what side of the levees it lies, the officials said.

I've never known a time when we have gone for months without rain in south Louisiana. About a month ago, we had two brief showers, which the dry ground soaked up immediately and which helped the situation not at all.

I believe in climate change.

LAMBETH PALACE'S NEWEST FACILITY

RUN SARAH RUN! - ER, RIDE!

From The Note:

As speculation swirls over whether former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin will enter the race for the 2012 presidential campaign, former 2008 Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain (AZ) said this morning that he thinks Palin can win in a race against President Obama in 2012.

“Of course, she can,” Senator John McCain made said on “Fox News Sunday” this morning. “She can. Now, whether she will or not, whether she'll even run or not, I don't know.”
....

“She [Palin] also inspires great passion, particularly among Republican faithful.” McCain said.

Sarah inspires my passion to hope that she will run and win the Republican nomination.

I'm puzzled that Sarah's not in the driver's seat in the picture. She doesn't function at all well in second place. Still, from the rear seat of a motorcycle, I suppose she hasn't much choice but to follow the leader.

Photo from The Huffington Post.

This post was inspired by PJ DeGenaro at Facebook.

FEAST OF THE VISITATION

GHIRLANDAIO, Domenico - 1491
Musée du Louvre, Paris

Luke 1:39-55

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be* a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’
And Mary* said,

‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

PRAYER

Father in heaven, by whose grace the virgin mother of your incarnate Son was blessed in bearing him, but still more blessed in keeping your word: Grant us who honor the exaltation of her lowliness to follow the example of her devotion to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

To me, the Visitation and the Nativity are two of the loveliest stories in the Gospels. The narratives are good news, indeed.

The glorious Magnificat should give pause to all in high positions in the church to recall the words of Jesus that the greatest amongst us are to be servants of all. As well, Mary's song is a call to all of us to serve one another.

Please read Tobias Haller's wonderful poem in the spirit of the feast day at In a Godward Direction.

Image from The Web Gallery of Art.

DEATHS IN THE FAMILY (JOKE)

A man in a bar sees a friend at a table, drinking by himself.

Approaching the friend he comments, "You look terrible. What's
the problem?"

"My mother died in February," the friend said, "and left me
$25,000."

"Gee, that's tough," replied the man.

"Then in March," the friend continued, "My father died, leaving
me $90,000."

"Wow. Two parents gone in two months. No wonder you're
depressed."

"And last month my aunt died, and left me $15,000."

"Three close family members lost in three months? How sad."

"Then this month," continued the friend, "absolutely nothing!"



Cheers,

Paul (A.)

Thanks for the laugh, Paul (A.) :-D

ANDEE AND KIRSTIN NEED HELP

From Barefoot and Laughing:

Written by Andee, posted by Kirstin

We have just reached the point where Kirstin can no longer stay alone while I am at work. (This is Andee - the infamous "A," her roommate, writing.)
For those of you who may not be up-to-date with the latest--the pain from the "strained ligament" in her left knee turned out in fact to be from another melanoma metastasis in her left tibia. The various pain meds she has been given, while not helping much with the pain, have made her loopy, nauseous or both. She had been able to hobble from the bed to the bathroom with the aid of a walker, but Friday night, the pain meds made her lose her balance. She caught herself before falling, but simply putting weight on that leg fractured the front of that bone.

I haven't had an uninterrupted night's sleep in weeks, and am exhausted. Although I have some vacation time remaining, I'm trying to save that for the times I need to accompany Kirstin to doctor's appointments. Family leave laws don't apply when you are the primary caregiver to a roommate instead of a close relative.

To all of you who have wondered how you can help: HELP!!!!

Read the rest at Kirstin's blog, and please help if you can.

MEMORIAL DAY 2011

Arlington National Cemetery

Memorial Day in the United States is a day of remembrance of those in all our wars who gave everything in the service of their country. We honor them for their courage and dedication to duty. We extend our sympathy to their families and friends, whether the loss is recent or from long times past. We stand with you. We mourn with you.

Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.’
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between many peoples,
and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away;
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
and their spears into pruning-hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more;
but they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees,
and no one shall make them afraid;
for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. Micah 4:1-4

Lord God, Almighty and Everlasting Father, we pray for all those who have died in wars. We pray the they may rest in peace in the perpetual light of your love. We pray for your blessing upon the families and friends of all those who have died in service to their country. Console them for their aching loss. Bring them healing of body, mind, and spirit. Give them strength and courage to go forward, and Lord God, above all else, give them your peace that passes understanding to keep their minds and hearts.

Below is the faded bumper sticker that I put on my car in 2003 after the start of the war in Iraq. Originally, the top letters were bright yellow, and the bottom letters were bright blue and red.

The war in Afghanistan began in 2001.


Image at the top from Wikipedia.

UPDATE: Rmj at Adventus posted a lovely prayer service, with pictures and poetry, in honor of the day.

Counterlight posted a thoughtful reflection on the day, along with a video of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards' lovely version of the hymn, "Abide With Me".