For Those Snowed-In This AM...

I've Decided to be Grinchy...

I've sent my last greeting card. Period.

I sent my niece a birthday card for her birthday mid-December. I've sent my brothers, nieces, and nephews birthday cards, and until a few years ago I sent Christmas cards. I also used to send the nieces and nephews Christmas and birthday folding money until I ran into a streak of unemployment about six years ago. I used to get acknowledgment of said gifts and cards from some the nieces and nephews, but in the last 20 years (or so) nothing from the brothers.

This acknowledgment no longer happens.

I received one card for my last birthday, a postcard from my insurance company (the kind where everyone signs a stack of them January 1st for the entire year). I received a couple of Facebook well wishes (thanks to those who sent one), a couple of forwarded messages from an online calender reminder system (hit the REPLY button on the email toolbar, add a comment, and be done in 20 seconds), and a phone call the following weekend from some friends in San Francisco who were driving to Reno for a holiday dinner with family.

Nothing for Christmas.

So I've quit. I'm tired of the cards going one way . I have no idea if the cards have reached their destination unless I make a point of asking the addressee directly. I don't know if the cards will be missed at all.

But I'm tired of it all. I made an effort. Now I've given up. To the greeting card industry I offer my humble apologies.

A Song for an ACLU Christmas Party

Now that's an oxymoron, an ACLU Christmas

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A Colbert Christmas: Toby Keith Sings
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The 5th I'll Take is Bourbon...

Visiting a Blog Near You...

Unfortunately he hasn't shown up on my list of visitors:
Benedict XVI surfs the web and uses email

Congress Has Released A New Version of the Healthcare Bill!!!

Review Immediately!!!

2010's Guest Patron Saint

Angela's doing it again. She's up to her yearly antics and is offering, free of charge, to match you up with a "temporary" patron saint for liturgical year 2010. Last year, Philip Neri filled that role for me and received a few dings in his halo for doing so. He has a new charge as of All Saints' Day, so

Fidelis de Sigmaringen

will take me over from Philip for 2010. Here's Filly's bio

3 class acts in this story- Gaines, Mullins, and Ole Miss

Twenty Years Ago, One Hit Changed Two Lives Forever

Uz Bean Warnd...

moar funny pictures

Now Father Has No Excuse (if he understands Eyetalian)

Manual for proper celebration of the Mass officially presented to the Pope

..it is soon (probably in a year knowing the rate Vatican translators work) to be in Anglish

Students go speechless for Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity

Students go speechless for Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity

Rome - 1 Henry VIII - 0

Pope Benedict XVI has approved a structure for admitting large groups of Anglicans wishing to come into communion with the Catholic Church

One Way to Get On the News...

Die!!!!

It's A World of TMI...

This Just Cracked Me Up...

see more dog and puppy pictures

My Dog Asked Me to Post This...

moar funny pictures

Why he needed a spotting scope beats me

It's About Time...

Details Here

For All Those (Like Me) Having Lab Work Done...

I Have a Headche...

Do I qualify for this treatment?

Public Service Announcement...

After a spate of cute kid pictures and Cathy_of_Alex's posting of cute kitties, I've had ENOUGH and issue

THIS DECREE

Being a Bratty Brother...

Rumor has it that today is Gemmy's Birthday so here's your opportunity to go and rub her nose in it! (Karen, you can thank me in small unmarked bills, lots & lots of them).

A Snooty Observation on O-No's Speech...

I don't like to write about politics (as my POV is sure to raise ruckus on both sides of the aisle) but I'm PO'd with the TV News. I was watching the coverage of O-No's speech to Congress yesterday, and the networks made it look like Congress was a bunch of Jack-in-the-boxes (especially the odd couple - Pelosi & Biden, the couple from CINO), but they made the mistake of showing a view from the Speaker's rostrum which showed that the only people jumping to their feet during one of these "butt-lifting" occasions were the Cabinet members sitting in the front row; most of Congress, Asses & Trunks alike, were sitting in their seats with arms crossed. How about reporting FACTUAL, REAL, ACCURATE, NEWS folks? I'd like to know what my representatives actual actions are, so I know whether to give him/her a severance package next election

The Next Time You Need Tech Support...

For the Next Time Your Youngster...

gets into "Mommy,Mommy,Mommy"
or
"Daddy,Daddy,Daddy"
mode...

Thanks to my niece Jen for calling this to my attention

I Wish My Diet Worked Like This...

Happy Feastday St. Augustine!

A great "catholic" tune in honor of St.Augie ( Doggie & Doggie Daddy )

A Little Trinket I Picked Up This AM...

Not For Those With a Case of Scruples

C.S. Lewis' devilish tale The Screwtape Letters adapted for stage in U.S. tour

Another Great Movie Line...

I pray "God, please don't take me off this Earth 'til I learn how to forgive..."
I'll be 83 next month

the Parson in Blue Valley Songbird with Dolly Parton

Thank God for COFFEE!

or Why I Drink the Stuff...

Twitchy on Caffeine


from the movie Hoodwinked!

Brad Has Done It Again!

...our look at all things American which we came to realize as we were writing this song are pretty much borrowed from somewhere else. We are a country of mutts.

Brad Paisley - Invitation Only: Brad Paisley - CMT - August 2009

Makes that feldercarb between that Harvard "perfessor" & the police officer look idiotic. This song points out that we're not Italian, African, etc.; we are 100% American Mutts! (Can't wait for the video!)

Just As I Needed a Reason to Take Monday Off...

Please Don't Answer This Question!

Finally! The 100th Post!

Never thought we'd make it! Thanks to all my viewers over the last 2 years.

Happy Feastday!

I consider myself an Ignatian in my spirituality, and I'm sending out a Happy Feastday to all my fellow Ignatius fans out there!

I think the Church has done a great disservice to Iggy by not making him a Doctor of the Church, as his spirituality has, positively and negatively, influenced modern development of Catholic theology and philosophy since the Protestant so-called Reformation. Most of the negative influence was not generated by Iggy himself, but by 1960's & 70's pseudo-intellectuals of his Society who thought psychology and sociology were more important than Orthodox Catholic Teaching. In my not-so-humble opinion, this distortion of Ignatian spirituality (along with the suppression of the Society in the 18th century) have kept Iggy from getting his "Doctorate".

Another Year Down the Tubes...

I'm glad (today at least) that I'm not married. I seem to have this bad habit of missing anniversaries. But Gem is celebrating her's and when I looked I found out I started this blog on 07/15/2007. Sorry dear, I'm bad.

The Obamas Visit the Holy Father...

and as typical Ugly American tourists what did they do
but buy some tacky souvenirs

Heard in Passing...

Another Day, Another Dollar.
So you got a raise?

from In Plain Sight

Mondays. I Hate Mondays

Oh! No! The Media Fell for the Hype (in JibJab Fashion...)

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

A New Twist on an Old Tale..

I love it when an old folktale is told in a 21st Century environment...

A Public Announce Mint...

Happy Dad's Day to all you Fathers, fathers, and father-types (those of ya'll who exert a good male role to those who need a daddy-figure).

Also, today's the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, and it only goes downhill from here.

Sounds like 2 good reasons for a drink *Clink!*

I so love county music for this reason. It may may be 10 AM here in CA, but It's 5 O'clock Somewhere...

For Those Crying in Their Beer...

OK, the last of the blog awards has been awarded. Therefore, for those of us who didn't win (or weren't nominated) I offer the Award For Whatever I Want AKA "the Whatever's". The advantage of this award is that

• you nominate yourself
• your vote is the only vote that counts
• you win something shiny
• and this year, if you want, it even rotates

Get yours here: http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn42/mricher999/trophy.gif
and let us know in the combo box for what you won your award!

California Be Forewarned...

This individual is the most unqualified person to declare his candidacy for California governor. I was living in San Francisco when he was first elected as mayor. He immediately was discovered to be having an affair. Like his predecessor and demigod, "Slick" Willie Brown, all part of the Burton machine of San Francisco along with Nancy Pelosi et. al., he is no Liberal but a Libertine who believes he's above the law. He decided California state law could be ignored with regards to Gay unions ( so called "Gay Marriage"). So let's make sure he stays in San Francisco and out of Sacramento or Washington D. C.!

Proposed Bumpersticker...

We Can Only Hope...

A Public Service Announcement 4 Our Clergy...

On a Serious Note (a B flat I think...)

Another AF-1 Sighting...

The Obama-nation, the Chappaquiddick Dodger, the Bumbling Biden, and the Posturing Pelosi decided to take a flight somewhere where they could become acclimated for the After Life.

Photograph courtesy of Dante Alighieri

D*mn if O'Bummer Has Done It Again...

Air Force One was seen flying low over another location, scaring a tourist to take cover in his mobile home. An intrepid photographer caught the incident below...

Another Imponderable

Is a "right wing extremist" a person who eats Buffalo Wings from only 1 side of a chicken????

I Love the Way Steve Puts This Putz in His Place...

and Steve's "theology" as to why the 4 Gospels are different is right on the mark.

Catholicism strikes back!

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A Unholy Thought...

Am I the only one who thinks that if there were a hymn for the lighting of the Easter Fire it should be "Come-on Baby Light My Fire"?

He's Not The Only One Who's Back...

Yep. I'm back with Mother Church. I made my Confession on Good Friday, and I made the Easter Vigil. Honey, I'm Hooooome!
I think you can tell a lot about a parish by 2 things, how they celebrate the Vigil and the size of their RCIA class who “graduate” at the Vigil. The parish I attended last night got mixed review, but I think they have possibilities. I'll be investigating them over the next few weeks to see if I want to invest with them. (I purposely am not identifying the parish in case they read this blog (like THAT's likely! SNARK!)
First, their RCIA class was impressive, the likes I haven't seen since my days at St. Dominic's in San Francisco. If the number of new Catholics in this class is any indication, there's hope for the future of the Church. (Yeah, I know, Christ is the Hope of the Church so there can be no failure, but you know what I mean).
However, they only get a “C” for the Vigil celebration. Positively this parish did CELEBRATE Easter. On the downside, however, there's room for improvement. When I arrived early, the Jazz choir was practicing so the silence of the empty church was lost (Haven't hey heard of symbolism?). The lectors were testing microphones and in general there was a constant buzz of conversation. The presentation of the ceremony was more of a theatrical presentation than one of worship. The use of their projection system was used effectively to project the lighting of the Easter candle (which most of us miss unless we belong to a small parish). Unfortunately they also used it during the readings (now wonder there's a lack of imagination in our Catholics!_. I am not a traditionalist, but there are some parts of the Mass for which the Classics are the best, notably those related to Mass parts (like the Gloria). These classics were ignored (even to the point of using a Protestant version of the Our Father).
I also should have brought Elmer Fudd from from my side bar. Yup, there were liturgical dancers, during the Gloria, the Procession of the Oils, and the procession of the newly Baptized (they omitted the presentation of the Baptismal Candles for some reason. They entered the Church with lighted candles during the Procession of the Easter Candle into the Church (before they were Baptized), and again after their Baptism.)
I also missed some important classics in terms of music. They didn't intone the 3-Fold (Easter Vigil) Alleluia before the Gospel, and Jesus Christ is Risen Today was sung after the Recessional. (why do choirs sing that hymn at half tempo? Makes it sound like a funeral dirge!).
While I have some complaints, I have seen worse. I hope that I see some improvement. I'll try to keep you apprised of developments. Stay tuned.

So True, So True...

I know I'm Late...

but Ash Wednesday reminded me of an old joke.

A little boy asked, "Daddy, when Father says 'Ashes to ashes, dust to dust' is he talking about where people come from and where they're going?"

Daddy, proud that his son had understood the point, "Yes, son, that's what Father was saying".

The little boy then said, "I don't know if they're coming or going, but there's someone under my bed!"

Which means there's a whole army under mine...

Even an Ol' Dog Has His Day..

Ch. Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee, Stump to his friends, a 10 year old (that's 70 in human years) Sussex Spaniel won the the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, proving that there's hope for us hairy old fogies!

Another Public Service Announcement

Public Service Announcement

Hey!

What's all this dust and cobwebs doing here in the Pulpit?
Who's responsible for keeping this place cleaned up?
Oh, wait. I am. Never mind.

It's not that I have/had nothing to say, on the contrary with the election and all the things going on there was lots to say. Maybe I'll get around to putting it down. It's just that after a day at work punching the keyboard it's difficult to get the energy up. I'm not a touch typist, I type Scripturally ("seek and ye shall find"). I hope to be back in the saddle soon.

As a public service announcement, this item caught my eye over at Ironic Catholic.

Pass this link on!

Got an over serious preacher? Give them this!