...with Michele Bachmann if I was offered anything in the world. In the galaxy, even.
And I don't agree with her goons roughing up reporters. That's just not cool.
However, the other thing that's not cool is to make a big deal out of this migraine story. You see, I've got migraines. I'm in my 50s and I have had them since my 20s. I've gone through every therapy (aside from surgery and Botox) that has been available, including some pretty heavy-duty narcotics.
Properly treated, migraines can have very little impact on your life. It sounds as if she's got the proper treatment. Heck, her health care is probably head-and-shoulders above most normal humans, so I'm sure she's got top doctors looking at her meds and what she needs to do.
That being said, stories telling of her missing work and missing votes are stories I can truly relate to. I've called my boss a couple of times (not many, thank God, because my migraines are about 90% controlled), and said, "I'm leaving now, while I can still see. I have a migraine."
And she gets it. Here's a picture of my migraines. Often, I'm awakened at 3 a.m. It starts with a "feeling" that something is "off." And it gets worse. All of a sudden, I get a stabbing pain over my right temple. Think Sweeney Todd with an ice-pick and having a VERY bad day. Then, it begins to affect the vision in my right eye. Often, that vision turns into a tunnel, and I literally can't open my eyelid.
If I have one that starts during the day, it starts with an aura. I wear glasses and have done so since 3rd grade; during the beginning of a migraine, my vision becomes hyper-acute. Like, I can see in super-3-D and everything is sort of leaping AT me. This is called "migraine with aura" and it's got the grand distinction of carrying a significantly higher stroke risk.
Then I become (in either the early a.m. headache or during the day headache) hyper-sensitive to sound. I want EVERYONE to just shut up. I want no birds tweeting, no leaves rustling, no footfalls anywhere within 100 yards of wherever I am.
It's so bad that when I'm lying on the couch, the kids come in, take one look, and say, "Oh-oh - migraine!" --- softly, though. Because they know I'll hurt them if they disturb me. Or at least open my left eye, the right one being perma-fused shut, and glare at them.
I want lots of ice - around my neck and around my head. I want lots of darkness. I want nobody to touch me. At. All. At some point, if I can manage it, I crawl onto the floor and lay face-up while my husband uses a massage technique that literally stretches my neck; the traction seems to help, and I don't know why. I'm only grateful that it does.
Then the nausea starts. It comes in rolls. If I manage to throw up, frankly, I feel better, but often I can't because I can't eat or drink. Picture yourself on the worst roller coaster of your life... up and down and up and down and up and down. That's what my stomach is doing, and often I end up with dry heaves. Not fun.
I take a daily medication to keep them quiet, but occasionally, I do have break-through headaches. They can occur because of triggers: strong scents; stress; certain foods; weather; hormones; lack of sleep (and hey, I'm in my early 50s - guess what my sleep is like??). They can last from 2 hours to 3 days. Three. Days.
It took me a decade to get a doctor who understood and who could prescribe me something that wouldn't knock me out for days or hours. Particularly after I had kids, I really couldn't have a 3-day headache - I needed to function. I have honestly had doctors who said, with straight faces, "This is all in your head." I've been accused of malingering. Trying to avoid work. Being a baby. Believe me, when the bells of Notre Dame and the National Cathedral are going off in your head? You're not trying to avoid anything. Except the stuff going on in your head.
But you can't shut it off. You have to endure it, and I use "endure" deliberately. It's an endurance test to make it through a migraine. I'm blessed if it only lasts a couple of hours. I have often said to people, "You know, I'd just love a 'take 2 aspirin headache' one of these days." I don't get those. I get migraines.
I have a medication that I take at the first sign of the headaches, but I can't take it unless I'm home because it knocks me out. My friend has a similar one, and it doesn't affect her that way. I'm not so lucky. If I don't take this at the right time, however, the migraine goes on to its own conclusion and there is nothing that will stop it. And one of the odd side effects of this medication is that after I take it, I get seriously cold and my blood pressure tanks. Yeah, that's something to keep in mind, because I bet that's never happened to anyone who's popped a couple of aspirins for a "regular" headache. Migraine is a very complicated ailment, and it's something that the medical community is only now taking seriously.
I've heard that people say they want to kill themselves. I know what that feels like because I've often felt, "Hey, the best thing that could happen is that this kills me. Just so it's over."
Migraine treatment has come a long way. Bachmann's staffers have said that they've often closed doors and shut lights off. I can feel for her. I don't agree with anything she says, other than her remarks on migraines. Properly treated, they don't have to take over your life, but often you have no control over what a migraine does. If you want more information about migraines, check out this website: http://www.americanmigrainefoundation.org/ or this one, for another viewpoint: http://www.migraineresearchfoundation.org/ -- you can educate yourself on how bad these headaches really are, how many people suffer from them, and what's being done in medicine to help those who suffer from this condition.
This story is a minor distraction. She'll have to disclose her medical records as the process goes forward. We need to be paying attention to the weird stuff she is saying; the contradictions with "get rid of government programs" versus "my husband's therapy practice takes Medicare patients;" the contradiction of the farm subsidies she disclosed on paper but denies on tape.
Get past the headaches she has and look at the headaches she could cause if she's elected.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
The Birthing of a Prayer Shawl...
I'm sad to report that my friend's son died last week. It's been a horrible week, with 2 wakes, 2 funerals and then finding out that a friend of mine - my LYS owner(!) has a spot on her lung and a 3 cm. tumor in her brain. She's a smoker -- or shall I say "former smoker" since the doctor in the ICU slapped a nicotine patch on her and said, "Your puffing days are over!"
So. I finished the prayer shawl, and I figured I'd set out a little "life cycle" on this one since it did take me the entire 18 months of Mark's illness to get this done.
Here are the statistics: 1,100 yards of yarn. Cascade Pima Cotton, voted "yarn of the year" on a bunch of websites and in a flock of knitting magazines. Here's what it looked like pre-balling and pre-knitting. This has turned out to be the most popular yarn in my LYS. The shawl is actually my second project in this fiber, and it won't be my last. This yarn washes beautifully, holds color, stitches pop like crazy, and it drapes like a dream.
So I started this and my initial idea was to do lace. I've always wanted to do lace; the baby car seat blanket was a simple lace, and I found what I thought was the perfect pattern. And I started. Here's the first go-round. It was a take on a "Little Arrowhead" pattern with a border of knit stitch to give it some stability.
Well. That didn't work out. I tried. Seriously tried. But I kept screwing it up and getting more and more frustrated. So I know that doing a prayer shawl is supposed to be a "meditative" experience, and it's hard to meditate when you are pitching a hissy fit because, for the 6th time, you missed a yarnover, or you have 3 extra stitches on your needle, and your written pattern says "...end with K1." This was about April, 2010. I remember blogging about how excited I was because as you can see with this yarn, the lace would have been fantastic.
I frogged. Then I came up with this version, in June 2010... You can see that I took the border off. I rejiggered the pattern and I got this lovely rippled edge, and I was swimming along nicely.
But then, it screwed up again. Or actually, I screwed up because when I went to the LYS to knit, all I needed to do was move my eyes off the directions or the knitting just once and it was toast.
I even had my LYS owner help me when I got so totally messed up that I was considering chucking the whole thing and not doing the project. Which I felt would've been a real let-down.
Pipes pattern. The other 2 were done in Stockinette Stitch. The first
I frogged. So I did more research on patterns. I looked at non-lace patterns, and I wanted stuff that I could do kind of robotically so that I could finally reach Knitting Zen and do this pattern for my friend.
This is what I came up with. It's off a "Knit Stitch A Day" calendar, and it's called "Organ Pipes" which is appropriate since my friend is an organist.
I decided to alternate the pattern. This shawl took 5 balls of yarn, and I did 3 of them in the Organ StSt part went quickly, but the last one seemed. To. Take. For.....e....ver....
The Organ Pipes sections were 70 rows each, and the StSt parts were roughly the same - about a ball's worth of that stitch.
This close-up was about June, 2011. I washed the complete shawl in my front-loading Maytag, on "delicate," in Ivory Snow baby wash, rinsed it and blocked it. Here's my blocking board - actually "playroom floor tiles" set on my office floor, with the door closed so Tippi didn't have access.
I have seen blocking board sets in catalogs that were hugely expensive. I know it's all in what you can afford, but to me, going to Menards or Home Depot to get these multi-colored tiles made more sense. They're interlocking, they're rubber, the colors don't run, and they're pretty much the same thing as the $80 ones I can buy. I can tailor these to the size I need, too, which is helpful. For the baby car seat blanket, I only needed 4. As you can see for this, I needed more!
You can see where I added the new balls; I need to work on how I do these transitions in a more effective way. Here's a close-up of how I pinned it. I went through 3 boxes of pins! I had a knitted edge on the StSt part, to keep it from rolling, so I needed to make sure that knitted edge was nice and straight. If you double-click on the picture, you can see the transition and the pins I used.
It was easy to lay out and gently tug into place. It took 3 days to dry, even though I did use the spin cycle on the Maytag. I tossed a clean bath towel (not a new one) in there, too. Both to grab the inevitable dog hair that all my projects collect, and to give the shawl something to bounce off. I didn't use a new one because I didn't want terry cloth fuzzies on the shawl! Enough that the dog hair was there!
Here's the finished shawl, with the shawl pin I got. My friend is a very simple person. She likes straightforward speech, appreciates quality, but prefers plain styles with her clothes or jewelry. I think this fits the bill nicely. Again, double-click on the picture to see it in a larger size.
The Yarn Harlot says, in her book Knitting Rules, that knitters should keep notebooks or journals. Well, I've combined a notebook with a journal, and I have several going, depending on the projects I have. I will literally re-write the instructions to a pattern, and use the journal/notebook to make notes on how many rows it took me to get to "X" inches, any pattern changes, any techniques I acquired while doing the project. All that stuff that comes in handy when you do these kinds of projects. Because I agree with her: I'll never remember this stuff!! So when I knit my second sweater, I'll drag out the notebook I used, and check the notes I made, because I know what I would do differently now that I've done one sweater already. And the green t-shirt I'm knitting will get the same treatment. I'll know that I kind of "fudged" the first 3" before the waist decreases, and I have to do the same on the right side, since the left is slightly more than 3"... you can bet that I will NOT remember that.
So here's a shot of my current notebook... Kind of a peek inside my knitterly mind; notes on what I did and the date the shawl was finished. The date the shawl was finished was about 2 days after Mark died.
You can see my scribbles and see that at first, I was only going to do 2 panels of the Organ Pipes pattern. I'm glad I didn't; all that Stockinette would've driven me round the bend. Mindless knitting to be sure, but good vibes don't come from mindless, dull, boring stretches of knitting!
I still haven't given it to her; we haven't caught up with each other yet. I have several copies of the DVD of the Mass that my Hubby did for her. She had elderly relatives who couldn't be at the service, and since we've done this before, it was no great shakes, though Hubby really did want to join us in the funeral choir.
Finishing this shawl is kind of bittersweet. My LYS owner will not see it, since she's still in the hospital and I'm hoping to get it to my friend sooner rather than later. But I can print up a nice picture of it. I'm thinking now of what else I'd like to do with that yarn. I can see another quick summer tank top or maybe a 3/4 sleeve plain top with a nice bottom band. I know my Knit Pattern A Day calendar will have plenty of ideas for me for the bottom band of a sweater. Just have to finish a few more WIPs and then on to something new.
I would love to hear from people who've received prayer shawls. What did you like? What would you have liked on them? (Ability to tie it; ability to button; a pocket??) I don't have any other shawls planned yet. But you never know.
So. I finished the prayer shawl, and I figured I'd set out a little "life cycle" on this one since it did take me the entire 18 months of Mark's illness to get this done.
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| Cascade Pima Cotton, garnet color |
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| Shawl Version #1 |
Well. That didn't work out. I tried. Seriously tried. But I kept screwing it up and getting more and more frustrated. So I know that doing a prayer shawl is supposed to be a "meditative" experience, and it's hard to meditate when you are pitching a hissy fit because, for the 6th time, you missed a yarnover, or you have 3 extra stitches on your needle, and your written pattern says "...end with K1." This was about April, 2010. I remember blogging about how excited I was because as you can see with this yarn, the lace would have been fantastic.
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| Shawl Version #2 |
But then, it screwed up again. Or actually, I screwed up because when I went to the LYS to knit, all I needed to do was move my eyes off the directions or the knitting just once and it was toast.
I even had my LYS owner help me when I got so totally messed up that I was considering chucking the whole thing and not doing the project. Which I felt would've been a real let-down.
Pipes pattern. The other 2 were done in Stockinette Stitch. The first
I frogged. So I did more research on patterns. I looked at non-lace patterns, and I wanted stuff that I could do kind of robotically so that I could finally reach Knitting Zen and do this pattern for my friend.
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| Organ Pipes w/Stockinette Intervals |
I decided to alternate the pattern. This shawl took 5 balls of yarn, and I did 3 of them in the Organ StSt part went quickly, but the last one seemed. To. Take. For.....e....ver....
The Organ Pipes sections were 70 rows each, and the StSt parts were roughly the same - about a ball's worth of that stitch.
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| Organ Pipes close-up |
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| Blocked Shawl Overview |
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| Blocking Pins |
It was easy to lay out and gently tug into place. It took 3 days to dry, even though I did use the spin cycle on the Maytag. I tossed a clean bath towel (not a new one) in there, too. Both to grab the inevitable dog hair that all my projects collect, and to give the shawl something to bounce off. I didn't use a new one because I didn't want terry cloth fuzzies on the shawl! Enough that the dog hair was there!
 |
| Finished shawl |
The Yarn Harlot says, in her book Knitting Rules, that knitters should keep notebooks or journals. Well, I've combined a notebook with a journal, and I have several going, depending on the projects I have. I will literally re-write the instructions to a pattern, and use the journal/notebook to make notes on how many rows it took me to get to "X" inches, any pattern changes, any techniques I acquired while doing the project. All that stuff that comes in handy when you do these kinds of projects. Because I agree with her: I'll never remember this stuff!! So when I knit my second sweater, I'll drag out the notebook I used, and check the notes I made, because I know what I would do differently now that I've done one sweater already. And the green t-shirt I'm knitting will get the same treatment. I'll know that I kind of "fudged" the first 3" before the waist decreases, and I have to do the same on the right side, since the left is slightly more than 3"... you can bet that I will NOT remember that.
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| My notes |
You can see my scribbles and see that at first, I was only going to do 2 panels of the Organ Pipes pattern. I'm glad I didn't; all that Stockinette would've driven me round the bend. Mindless knitting to be sure, but good vibes don't come from mindless, dull, boring stretches of knitting!
I still haven't given it to her; we haven't caught up with each other yet. I have several copies of the DVD of the Mass that my Hubby did for her. She had elderly relatives who couldn't be at the service, and since we've done this before, it was no great shakes, though Hubby really did want to join us in the funeral choir.
Finishing this shawl is kind of bittersweet. My LYS owner will not see it, since she's still in the hospital and I'm hoping to get it to my friend sooner rather than later. But I can print up a nice picture of it. I'm thinking now of what else I'd like to do with that yarn. I can see another quick summer tank top or maybe a 3/4 sleeve plain top with a nice bottom band. I know my Knit Pattern A Day calendar will have plenty of ideas for me for the bottom band of a sweater. Just have to finish a few more WIPs and then on to something new.
I would love to hear from people who've received prayer shawls. What did you like? What would you have liked on them? (Ability to tie it; ability to button; a pocket??) I don't have any other shawls planned yet. But you never know.
Thursday, July 07, 2011
We Survived 4th of July...
...and considering our idiot neighbor a block over who thought shooting off M-80s and M-120s was a good idea.... well, let's just say it's rough pulling your dogs off the ceiling when you're busy ducking because your large picture window is visibly wobbling. Luckily, a neighbor yet another block farther away was able to give the local police a decent location, and the cops started to increase their presence so that by the actual 4th of July, it was not as horrible.
My back door neighbor is a Navy veteran and when he says it sounds "like a combat zone" then I have to take that more seriously than I would otherwise.
So, this long weekend saw several things accomplished. I'm 30 rows away from finishing the prayer shawl; which is good because unfortunately, it'll be needed soon.
I've been plugging away on it in earnest for several weeks now, and while there are speedier knitters, I'm not one of them. I am moving along as fast as I can, and remembering the premise: speed, in this case, is not the objective.
Mindfulness is the objective. Sounds like my last post? Well, in this case, doing a prayer shawl is a meditation on the person for whom it is intended. It's the one time that I really don't want to be a "product" knitter - interested in pushing out a product just to take it off my "WIP" list (work-in-progress).
While I can appreciate those who have a "stash" of prayer shawls, that's just not me. I make them for specific individuals. For example, the church ladies in my parish have a stack of "prayer blankets" and I think that's a fine ministry. That's the way they want to do it. I choose to make them differently, and that's ok.
Another addition to my knitting arsenal is the yarn pot Kid #2 did. Actually, I bought the clay and asked him to help me, but since clay is one of his hobbies, he just did it. Mainly because I bugged him...but that's a mom's right, right?
Here's what he came up with. The clay is self-drying, so he just used some of my ornament paint, plus he rolled a clear glaze around the inside. He did a nice job; it's rustic, and while the top isn't a perfect fit, I don't care. It keeps the dog hair out! Another view shows it closed; I know he wants to do another version and I told him I'd be happy to be his "test market." Frankly, while I appreciate the lovely pots I see on Etsy, I'm tickled to know that all this one cost me was a box of clay and some sculpting tools. We also found out that the silicon mat I bought was useless. Wax paper seems to work well.
The next thing that got done (almost all done) were bandanas for the dogs. Since I take Tippi to do therapy work, I figured maybe I could deck her out to make her seem more approachable. We went to the Local Retirement Home on July 5, and she had to have something to wear, right? So I had purchased some fat quarters at the new JoAnn Fabric location and cut the bandanas to size. With a giant-sized snap on it, they fit her and River. Quinn, they're a little big on, but that's ok. Here are some pictures of the end product. The last bandana has to wait till I fix the tension on my sewing machine...and rip out the grosgrain ribbon that's on there... (sigh). I'm going to take the chunks of the fat quarters that are left, and (gulp!) "quilt" them together, making a "crazy bandana" for them to wear. I have fat quarters in various girly prints, since Tippi is often considered a boy dog at the Local Retirement Home.
As you can see, we can literally tie Quinn's on her. I wanted to make them to be able to be used on all the dogs, so since River and Tippi are the largest, we went from there. I am anxious to work with the rest of the fabric, and I hope I'll have a nice selection for the coming months.
I heard on my elkhound list that there's some breed-specific fabric out there. It's holiday themed, so I'll be ordering at least a fat quarter for each breed! We do have some holiday scarves for the girls, and they'll tolerate them, so why not?
The final project that got done was the reupholstery of my chair. Now here's the story on that. We bought a La-Z-Boy couch and chair. The couch is lovely, except my feet don't reach the floor. Everyone else fits in that thing but me! So we figured we'd buy a chair to go along with it; and we found a lovely sort-of-Queen-Anne chair that I liked. Perfect reading and knitting chair. Except that the fabric didn't last 2 years, and it ripped right where the back of your knees hit. Now I could see if it ripped on the arm or where you might have something in your pocket, but I don't generally store things at the back of my knees!
Mechanically, the chair was sound. So I went to the local designer store and they assured me they could do the work on the chair. What they didn't tell me was that I'd have a coronary in the process. The chair originally cost me about $500.
This is what it ended up looking like, with fabric that has been "wear tested" for 30,000 repetitions. So we can get into and out of the chair 30,000 times before it shows wear, so they tell me.
The first fabric I picked was my absolute favorite. But the gal made a mistake and miscalcuated. The original fabric I wanted would've cost me $800+ to have done. That's $300 more than the chair was worth new. And it's not like this is a family heirloom.
So we re-worked it and came up with this fabric. Well. It still cost me way more than the chair is worth, but it was closer to $700 than the other one. I'm not particularly happy for a couple of reasons: I liked the other fabric, in spite of its coronary-inducing cost and I was upset that she got the price so far wrong. And I didn't expect an upholstery project to cost this much just in general. This fabric is lovely; it's a little more stiff than I like, but maybe that's where the 30,000 "sits" come in! It's also a little more formal than I wanted for our very casual household.
Would I do this again? Well, not for a chair at that price. If the chair had been leather or had been a family piece, yeah, probably. But now, I wish I'd have gone with what Hubby said: Give the chair to Kid #1 when he moves out (with a makeshift cover on the bottom cushion) and buy a new one. The only thing I objected to with that was that I resented having a La-Z-Boy (who're big on advertising quality) that fell apart like that after only a few years. What if we'd bought the identical chair and 2 years after that, it did the same thing? No value there. If this fabric does last the way the designer said, then maybe this is worth the investment. In spite of the sticker shock.
On the plus side, it does match River, and she likes to sit next to it. Sometimes partially under it. So I guess I did make the right choice. Now we'll see if we can keep the elkhounds off it.
My back door neighbor is a Navy veteran and when he says it sounds "like a combat zone" then I have to take that more seriously than I would otherwise.
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| Prayer Shawl in Pima Cotton |
I've been plugging away on it in earnest for several weeks now, and while there are speedier knitters, I'm not one of them. I am moving along as fast as I can, and remembering the premise: speed, in this case, is not the objective.
Mindfulness is the objective. Sounds like my last post? Well, in this case, doing a prayer shawl is a meditation on the person for whom it is intended. It's the one time that I really don't want to be a "product" knitter - interested in pushing out a product just to take it off my "WIP" list (work-in-progress).
While I can appreciate those who have a "stash" of prayer shawls, that's just not me. I make them for specific individuals. For example, the church ladies in my parish have a stack of "prayer blankets" and I think that's a fine ministry. That's the way they want to do it. I choose to make them differently, and that's ok.
Another addition to my knitting arsenal is the yarn pot Kid #2 did. Actually, I bought the clay and asked him to help me, but since clay is one of his hobbies, he just did it. Mainly because I bugged him...but that's a mom's right, right?
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| Yarn pot |
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| Lid closed |
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| 4th of July bandanas |
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| River decked out |
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| Quinn's bandana |
I heard on my elkhound list that there's some breed-specific fabric out there. It's holiday themed, so I'll be ordering at least a fat quarter for each breed! We do have some holiday scarves for the girls, and they'll tolerate them, so why not?
The final project that got done was the reupholstery of my chair. Now here's the story on that. We bought a La-Z-Boy couch and chair. The couch is lovely, except my feet don't reach the floor. Everyone else fits in that thing but me! So we figured we'd buy a chair to go along with it; and we found a lovely sort-of-Queen-Anne chair that I liked. Perfect reading and knitting chair. Except that the fabric didn't last 2 years, and it ripped right where the back of your knees hit. Now I could see if it ripped on the arm or where you might have something in your pocket, but I don't generally store things at the back of my knees!
Mechanically, the chair was sound. So I went to the local designer store and they assured me they could do the work on the chair. What they didn't tell me was that I'd have a coronary in the process. The chair originally cost me about $500.
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| My Chair |
The first fabric I picked was my absolute favorite. But the gal made a mistake and miscalcuated. The original fabric I wanted would've cost me $800+ to have done. That's $300 more than the chair was worth new. And it's not like this is a family heirloom.
So we re-worked it and came up with this fabric. Well. It still cost me way more than the chair is worth, but it was closer to $700 than the other one. I'm not particularly happy for a couple of reasons: I liked the other fabric, in spite of its coronary-inducing cost and I was upset that she got the price so far wrong. And I didn't expect an upholstery project to cost this much just in general. This fabric is lovely; it's a little more stiff than I like, but maybe that's where the 30,000 "sits" come in! It's also a little more formal than I wanted for our very casual household.
Would I do this again? Well, not for a chair at that price. If the chair had been leather or had been a family piece, yeah, probably. But now, I wish I'd have gone with what Hubby said: Give the chair to Kid #1 when he moves out (with a makeshift cover on the bottom cushion) and buy a new one. The only thing I objected to with that was that I resented having a La-Z-Boy (who're big on advertising quality) that fell apart like that after only a few years. What if we'd bought the identical chair and 2 years after that, it did the same thing? No value there. If this fabric does last the way the designer said, then maybe this is worth the investment. In spite of the sticker shock.
On the plus side, it does match River, and she likes to sit next to it. Sometimes partially under it. So I guess I did make the right choice. Now we'll see if we can keep the elkhounds off it.
Saturday, July 02, 2011
Are You Mindful? I'm Not...But I Should Be
As always, I cover about 4 things at once in each post.
First, as an anniversary gift, Hubby got me a Kindle. It's the WiFi one, and knowing him, it probably does about 6 other things that'll take me a year to figure out.
So I loaded about 9 or 10 books on it, including some freebies (I'm good with freebies). I've finished 3 books, which isn't unusual because I read like others breathe, and this is just a good way to take the books with me. I'm probably going to be doing more travel in the next few years; I'm president of our local Zonta Club (go here to look at what Zonta does: www.zonta.org) and I'm also involved on a multi-state level, so it'll be easier to haul the Kindle than it will the books I travel with.
When I first contemplated the Kindle, I said, "I'd get it and load all my reference books on it, making another shelf or two in my office for 'real' books." Well, I find that my much-thumbed reference books are just fine on their own. I can find stuff in my Chicago Manual of Style (15th edition) quicker than I can even find it in THEIR online edition! I have the 16th edition, just haven't tabbed it yet.
So I'm reading a new book now, The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese monk. My yoga teacher has read us several of his books. We do a yin practice, which means we hold poses for a long time; in our class, it's only 5 minutes, but in some practices, it can be 10 or more minutes. Well, you need to concentrate on your breath while you're doing that, but our teacher also uses readings to center us on our mats. That way, while in Dragon (a lunge I particularly dislike) or Saddle (also one of my "not very favorite" poses), you glom onto her words, and these words usually remind you why you're there in the first place!
Anyway, Thich Nhat Hanh wrote this particular book - but it's mainly a long letter. And while the whole book talks about "mindfulness," I found some of it particularly interesting especially in our multi-tasking society.
If you're not doing 8 things at once, apparently, you're really not "living in the moment" - or so says popular wisdom. Thich Nhat Hanh turns that idea inside out, and I rather like what he's saying.
Here's a quote: "When you are washing the dishes, washing the dishes must be the most important thing in your life. Just as when you're drinking tea, drinking tea must be the most important thing in your life. When you're using the toilet, let that be the most important thing in your life."
OK, stop giggling and think about it for a minute. Seriously. How many times a day do you have one thing going on on the computer screen, a cell phone vibrating, a colleague at your door, a report open on your desk, and what're you thinking about? "What will I do for dinner? What are the things the kids need when I get home? What about that meeting for next week?"
It's not that we are being told to not plan ahead. In our society, we really need to plan our work, etc. But this passage really took hold for me after a conversation with my mother. She said she wanted us kids to "spontaneously come visit" ... and I said to her, "The only 'spontaneous' thing that happens in my house are bathroom calls..." and sadly, that's true. My life, even now with grown kids, is circumscribed, and there's very little spontaneity in my schedule.
That's sad, isn't it?
Taking what Thich Nhat Hanh said, then, we sort of come full circle. I'm feeling like I'm having ADD over everything. When I'm reading, I need to check e-mails. When I'm knitting, I feel like I have to have the television on. When I'm talking to Hubby, I need to have a magazine in my hand.
The book says: "Each act must be carried out in mindfulness. Each act is a rite, a ceremony." Of course, he's talking of monks in a monastery, but how can we translate that to our own lives?
Personally, I can stop having seven things going on at once. When I knit, I should knit. When I'm eating, it should be at a table and not in front of the television set (which will also do my diet a world of good!!). When I'm checking e-mails, do I have to respond in Pavlovian fashion each time the computer dings? Probably not. In fact, definitely not!
My yoga teacher is always talking to us about mindfulness. We had a class on that. We took 3 raisins. Held them in our hand. And then put ONE RAISIN in our mouth. And then just let it sit there. Feeling the "raisin-ness" of it. Yeah, go ahead, think that's maybe a little out there, but consider this: It's like those diets that tell you to chew your food 25 times.
Have you ever tried to chew ONE RAISIN 25 times? The point of this exercise was to make us think about food, instead of shoving it mindlessly into our mouths because the clock said it was lunchtime. Or because we were bored. Or because the craving we had for "food" was actually "thirst" and water would've sufficed.
I think "thirst" is a good word here, too. We "thirst" for time. We "thirst" to manage everything in our lives and we've been seduced into thinking that by doing 6 things at once, we are doing that. But we're not. I find now that I have less time to do the things I need to get done. And then I wonder: Do I "need" to do this stuff, or is it my own attempt at managing everything?
I don't advocate a monastic existence. It's not where I'm at right now. And it may never be.
But this book has given me something to think about. It's a little volume, so if you're in the bookstore or you have an e-reader, download it and just read through it. It'll certainly give you something to contemplate, and that may not be a bad thing. Particularly if you turn everything else off and devote a little quiet time to what he's saying.
Take a moment, especially since it's summer, to lay on the grass and look up at the clouds. And breathe. In. Out. Repeat.
It can only do you good.
First, as an anniversary gift, Hubby got me a Kindle. It's the WiFi one, and knowing him, it probably does about 6 other things that'll take me a year to figure out.
So I loaded about 9 or 10 books on it, including some freebies (I'm good with freebies). I've finished 3 books, which isn't unusual because I read like others breathe, and this is just a good way to take the books with me. I'm probably going to be doing more travel in the next few years; I'm president of our local Zonta Club (go here to look at what Zonta does: www.zonta.org) and I'm also involved on a multi-state level, so it'll be easier to haul the Kindle than it will the books I travel with.
When I first contemplated the Kindle, I said, "I'd get it and load all my reference books on it, making another shelf or two in my office for 'real' books." Well, I find that my much-thumbed reference books are just fine on their own. I can find stuff in my Chicago Manual of Style (15th edition) quicker than I can even find it in THEIR online edition! I have the 16th edition, just haven't tabbed it yet.
Anyway, Thich Nhat Hanh wrote this particular book - but it's mainly a long letter. And while the whole book talks about "mindfulness," I found some of it particularly interesting especially in our multi-tasking society.
If you're not doing 8 things at once, apparently, you're really not "living in the moment" - or so says popular wisdom. Thich Nhat Hanh turns that idea inside out, and I rather like what he's saying.
Here's a quote: "When you are washing the dishes, washing the dishes must be the most important thing in your life. Just as when you're drinking tea, drinking tea must be the most important thing in your life. When you're using the toilet, let that be the most important thing in your life."
OK, stop giggling and think about it for a minute. Seriously. How many times a day do you have one thing going on on the computer screen, a cell phone vibrating, a colleague at your door, a report open on your desk, and what're you thinking about? "What will I do for dinner? What are the things the kids need when I get home? What about that meeting for next week?"
It's not that we are being told to not plan ahead. In our society, we really need to plan our work, etc. But this passage really took hold for me after a conversation with my mother. She said she wanted us kids to "spontaneously come visit" ... and I said to her, "The only 'spontaneous' thing that happens in my house are bathroom calls..." and sadly, that's true. My life, even now with grown kids, is circumscribed, and there's very little spontaneity in my schedule.
That's sad, isn't it?
Taking what Thich Nhat Hanh said, then, we sort of come full circle. I'm feeling like I'm having ADD over everything. When I'm reading, I need to check e-mails. When I'm knitting, I feel like I have to have the television on. When I'm talking to Hubby, I need to have a magazine in my hand.
The book says: "Each act must be carried out in mindfulness. Each act is a rite, a ceremony." Of course, he's talking of monks in a monastery, but how can we translate that to our own lives?
My yoga teacher is always talking to us about mindfulness. We had a class on that. We took 3 raisins. Held them in our hand. And then put ONE RAISIN in our mouth. And then just let it sit there. Feeling the "raisin-ness" of it. Yeah, go ahead, think that's maybe a little out there, but consider this: It's like those diets that tell you to chew your food 25 times.
Have you ever tried to chew ONE RAISIN 25 times? The point of this exercise was to make us think about food, instead of shoving it mindlessly into our mouths because the clock said it was lunchtime. Or because we were bored. Or because the craving we had for "food" was actually "thirst" and water would've sufficed.
I think "thirst" is a good word here, too. We "thirst" for time. We "thirst" to manage everything in our lives and we've been seduced into thinking that by doing 6 things at once, we are doing that. But we're not. I find now that I have less time to do the things I need to get done. And then I wonder: Do I "need" to do this stuff, or is it my own attempt at managing everything?
I don't advocate a monastic existence. It's not where I'm at right now. And it may never be.
Take a moment, especially since it's summer, to lay on the grass and look up at the clouds. And breathe. In. Out. Repeat.
It can only do you good.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Conformity Isn't Necessarily Good...
In today's Chicago Tribune, there's a front-page article about how the State of Illinois is the only state to not have concealed-carry laws. Now that Wisconsin is on the brink (and I use that phrase deliberately) of passing concealed-carry laws, the pressure for Illinois to follow the herd will increase dramatically.
In full disclosure, I have nothing against guns. I used to own a .357 Magnum. My brother and I would regularly go to target practice and I found that I actually preferred his Browning 9mm - it was easier for me to hold. And I'm a pretty good shot.
But that's not the point. So far, Illinois and Washington, DC are the only places in the US that do not allow concealed-carry. And you know what? I'm ok with that.
Guns are not the problem. People are the problem. I applaud Governor Quinn's veto threat to the bill proposed last month. But it's scary because the legislation only failed to pass by six votes. That's the closest it's come.
I don't want "concealed-carry" laws. Period. There is no up-side to this. I don't care that the law is, according to its Democrat sponsor, "...so watered down that you could only have it on your person walking around or in your own house." It's the walking around part that gives me pause. The bill's "watering down" came down to this:
The bill would have prohibited concealed weapons in bars, restaurants, certain businesses, courtrooms, schools and college campuses. Chicago's ban, overturned by the US Supreme Court, forced the city to rewrite the law to allow weapons to only be kept in the home, not in public. They're banned in garages, front porches, yards, hotels, dorms and group living facilities.
Still... you can carry it. It's not the guns, really. It's truly the people. I can't see that this will help "keep people safe" which is the argument the NRA and other pro-carry people will force down our throats.
Some guy who owns a gun store (go figure) says, "Are 49 states wrong and we're right?"
Well. Yeah, maybe. Ever heard of "groupthink"?? Let's turn this on its head: Just because 49 states have this law, does it mean we have to go along with them? No. Not really.
Guns can only exacerbate an already tense situation. So you've got the gun. (A) do you know how to use it? and (B) do you know WHEN to use it?
And (C) --- are you prepared for the very real consequences? Bullets kill people. Bullets maim people. If your aim is off, "collateral damage" isn't just a video game...it's real.
When I was a criminal justice major, even though my field wasn't law enforcement, we all had to view and participate in the "Shoot, Don't Shoot" program. What an incredible eye-opener.
Of course, we were all in our 20s, studying for what we thought would be our life's work. And we knew ourselves. You can see where this is going, right?? Well, after the experience, our instructor, a former cop from St. Louis, debriefed us. And we knew then: Guns are for real. Bullets are for real. And in 90%+ of the situations presented to us as civilians, we didn't have a clue. We were wrong.
IF concealed-carry passes, then I suggest the following: tighten up the training and requirements. You must recertify every year. You must be licensed. You must have a "waiting period" before the purchase is consummated, so that a complete background check can be done on you. This background check should be nation-wide, not just state-wide -- this prevents someone coming into Illinois with a record as long as my arm, and buying a gun because he or she can waltz into the local gun show or Wal-Mart. And you must carry additional insurance for your home and auto, because if you do do something stupid, the people you harm must have appropriate means of redress.
Of course, I see a whomping new market for insurance companies: "So, you have a gun at home? Are you licensed? Have you been trained? Is your training up to date? If so, your premium is $XX... If NOT, then your premium goes up 50%. Your premium, by the way (on both your home AND auto) will be going up 200% anyway, because you are now a higher risk to us. You will need to pay those premiums or we will drop you. And of course, under state law, your auto at least MUST be insured."
This will, of course, make pro-gun people scream like crazy. "We have a right to carry guns."
And I have a right to not worry about being shot by some idiot channeling John Wayne or Annie Oakley.
In full disclosure, I have nothing against guns. I used to own a .357 Magnum. My brother and I would regularly go to target practice and I found that I actually preferred his Browning 9mm - it was easier for me to hold. And I'm a pretty good shot.
But that's not the point. So far, Illinois and Washington, DC are the only places in the US that do not allow concealed-carry. And you know what? I'm ok with that.
Guns are not the problem. People are the problem. I applaud Governor Quinn's veto threat to the bill proposed last month. But it's scary because the legislation only failed to pass by six votes. That's the closest it's come.
I don't want "concealed-carry" laws. Period. There is no up-side to this. I don't care that the law is, according to its Democrat sponsor, "...so watered down that you could only have it on your person walking around or in your own house." It's the walking around part that gives me pause. The bill's "watering down" came down to this:
The bill would have prohibited concealed weapons in bars, restaurants, certain businesses, courtrooms, schools and college campuses. Chicago's ban, overturned by the US Supreme Court, forced the city to rewrite the law to allow weapons to only be kept in the home, not in public. They're banned in garages, front porches, yards, hotels, dorms and group living facilities.
Still... you can carry it. It's not the guns, really. It's truly the people. I can't see that this will help "keep people safe" which is the argument the NRA and other pro-carry people will force down our throats.
Some guy who owns a gun store (go figure) says, "Are 49 states wrong and we're right?"
Well. Yeah, maybe. Ever heard of "groupthink"?? Let's turn this on its head: Just because 49 states have this law, does it mean we have to go along with them? No. Not really.
Guns can only exacerbate an already tense situation. So you've got the gun. (A) do you know how to use it? and (B) do you know WHEN to use it?
And (C) --- are you prepared for the very real consequences? Bullets kill people. Bullets maim people. If your aim is off, "collateral damage" isn't just a video game...it's real.
When I was a criminal justice major, even though my field wasn't law enforcement, we all had to view and participate in the "Shoot, Don't Shoot" program. What an incredible eye-opener.
Of course, we were all in our 20s, studying for what we thought would be our life's work. And we knew ourselves. You can see where this is going, right?? Well, after the experience, our instructor, a former cop from St. Louis, debriefed us. And we knew then: Guns are for real. Bullets are for real. And in 90%+ of the situations presented to us as civilians, we didn't have a clue. We were wrong.
IF concealed-carry passes, then I suggest the following: tighten up the training and requirements. You must recertify every year. You must be licensed. You must have a "waiting period" before the purchase is consummated, so that a complete background check can be done on you. This background check should be nation-wide, not just state-wide -- this prevents someone coming into Illinois with a record as long as my arm, and buying a gun because he or she can waltz into the local gun show or Wal-Mart. And you must carry additional insurance for your home and auto, because if you do do something stupid, the people you harm must have appropriate means of redress.
Of course, I see a whomping new market for insurance companies: "So, you have a gun at home? Are you licensed? Have you been trained? Is your training up to date? If so, your premium is $XX... If NOT, then your premium goes up 50%. Your premium, by the way (on both your home AND auto) will be going up 200% anyway, because you are now a higher risk to us. You will need to pay those premiums or we will drop you. And of course, under state law, your auto at least MUST be insured."
This will, of course, make pro-gun people scream like crazy. "We have a right to carry guns."
And I have a right to not worry about being shot by some idiot channeling John Wayne or Annie Oakley.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
My New Great Adventure...
Hi Everyone, this is Tippi, Intrepid Dog Reporter. I had (hang on, where are the italics on this thing... oh, here they are!) a NEW GREAT ADVENTURE today. I went on a "therapy dog visit" to the local retirement home.
Here's a picture of me decked out in my "Canine Good Citizen" duds. That's what we'll be wearing till I can get my TDI evaluation, sometime later this summer.
I get to wear this lovely bandana, and we use my bright pink hemp leash from Fun Time Dog Shop (www.ftds.com) when I go to visit the old folks.
So before I went with Mom, Dad took Quinn and me out to get some steam blown off us. Well, I don't know about steam blowing OFF us; it was really hot enough so that WE were steaming when we got home. I love that stuff humans call "air conditioning." We got a home-made frosty treat when we got home, but then mom and I got "suited up" and we got to the car. Boy-o-boy-o-boy was the car WARM. Mom couldn't get the cold air up fast enough; but it was a very short trip, so it wasn't horrible.
We got to the parking lot and mom realized they were re-doing the entrance. We had to go in a side door. It was very warm; I didn't know that old folks here don't like air conditioning.
But all that got wiped out of my head with the new sights, noises and smells I was experiencing. We got a tour of the place, and I had my very first elevator ride. Thanks, but even though it got us there quicker, I think I'd rather take the steps next time! I did get out of that silly moving box rather quickly. So we were on the top floor, and we went to the activity room. I got to sniff and walk a bit, but a few of the older ladies there really wanted to pet me.
They kept calling me a "him"!! Mom told them several times that I was a girl, but I figure they were in those chairs with wheels, so maybe they figured I was a big, strong boy. When in reality, I'm a very nice lady dog... But that's ok. They petted me, and I sniffed them. But then it was time to go to another area. I sat down by someone my mom kept calling "Sister." I don't know if it was my mom's sister, but the lady was very nice and told me I was beautiful and that my ears were lovely and my fur was so soft. She didn't want the other ladies petting me, but Mom said I had to go visit the others.
Oh, then another lady called me over, and I REALLY took a liking to her. Except, I was kind of anxious, and didn't realize that Mom wasn't standing up --- I pulled her a bit. She stopped me, and I let her help herself up by pushing on my butt. This lady had dogs; I could tell. She held my face and told me she loved me. So I touched her nose with mine and she started petting my head. I was really happy to let her pet me.
They all enjoyed trying to straighten out my tail; I was a little annoyed by that, so I just sat down! They thought that meant I wanted more petting, which was ok by me!
After a little while I was getting a little overwhelmed. Particularly when some guy was running this big noisy and smelly machine. It sounded like the sucker-upper Dad uses to capture our fur (little does he know, but our fur usually wins that battle!). But this one smelled like it was scrubbing something. Mom said it was a carpet cleaner. I hugged the wall, because I didn't like it. But I was a good girl and didn't freak out.
By this time, though, the warm air was getting to me, so when we visited this little old lady in her room, I did let her pet me, but only for a moment. I really needed to go home, so Mom told her that it was my first visit; she said that she had rat terriers, and she loved dogs. The lady showing us around said that this lady doesn't participate in any activities; she only gets happy when the therapy dogs are around. I will visit her FIRST the next time.
As we were going out, Mom and I had to walk all the way down one wing. There was an employee there who was pretty loud in saying, "I'm not coming in this door with THAT DOG there." Hmmmmm, not sure I like the "that dog" but the lady helping us said that that poor human didn't like dogs. What??? Oh well, we walked down the hall, just to prove that I wasn't a meanie.
Then, two more of the "sisters" stopped to tell me how pretty I was and how they hoped I would come back. The lady helping said she'd get a list together so that we knew who we could visit and who we couldn't.
There are 3 other therapy dogs, so it looks like Tuesday will be our day to visit. I'm looking forward to it, but I do hope it's not as warm. Maybe I was a little anxious. But I did like having the ladies even in the hall reach out to hug me.
I think I'm gonna like this gig.
I get to wear this lovely bandana, and we use my bright pink hemp leash from Fun Time Dog Shop (www.ftds.com) when I go to visit the old folks.
So before I went with Mom, Dad took Quinn and me out to get some steam blown off us. Well, I don't know about steam blowing OFF us; it was really hot enough so that WE were steaming when we got home. I love that stuff humans call "air conditioning." We got a home-made frosty treat when we got home, but then mom and I got "suited up" and we got to the car. Boy-o-boy-o-boy was the car WARM. Mom couldn't get the cold air up fast enough; but it was a very short trip, so it wasn't horrible.
We got to the parking lot and mom realized they were re-doing the entrance. We had to go in a side door. It was very warm; I didn't know that old folks here don't like air conditioning.
But all that got wiped out of my head with the new sights, noises and smells I was experiencing. We got a tour of the place, and I had my very first elevator ride. Thanks, but even though it got us there quicker, I think I'd rather take the steps next time! I did get out of that silly moving box rather quickly. So we were on the top floor, and we went to the activity room. I got to sniff and walk a bit, but a few of the older ladies there really wanted to pet me.
They kept calling me a "him"!! Mom told them several times that I was a girl, but I figure they were in those chairs with wheels, so maybe they figured I was a big, strong boy. When in reality, I'm a very nice lady dog... But that's ok. They petted me, and I sniffed them. But then it was time to go to another area. I sat down by someone my mom kept calling "Sister." I don't know if it was my mom's sister, but the lady was very nice and told me I was beautiful and that my ears were lovely and my fur was so soft. She didn't want the other ladies petting me, but Mom said I had to go visit the others.
Oh, then another lady called me over, and I REALLY took a liking to her. Except, I was kind of anxious, and didn't realize that Mom wasn't standing up --- I pulled her a bit. She stopped me, and I let her help herself up by pushing on my butt. This lady had dogs; I could tell. She held my face and told me she loved me. So I touched her nose with mine and she started petting my head. I was really happy to let her pet me.
They all enjoyed trying to straighten out my tail; I was a little annoyed by that, so I just sat down! They thought that meant I wanted more petting, which was ok by me!
After a little while I was getting a little overwhelmed. Particularly when some guy was running this big noisy and smelly machine. It sounded like the sucker-upper Dad uses to capture our fur (little does he know, but our fur usually wins that battle!). But this one smelled like it was scrubbing something. Mom said it was a carpet cleaner. I hugged the wall, because I didn't like it. But I was a good girl and didn't freak out.
By this time, though, the warm air was getting to me, so when we visited this little old lady in her room, I did let her pet me, but only for a moment. I really needed to go home, so Mom told her that it was my first visit; she said that she had rat terriers, and she loved dogs. The lady showing us around said that this lady doesn't participate in any activities; she only gets happy when the therapy dogs are around. I will visit her FIRST the next time.
As we were going out, Mom and I had to walk all the way down one wing. There was an employee there who was pretty loud in saying, "I'm not coming in this door with THAT DOG there." Hmmmmm, not sure I like the "that dog" but the lady helping us said that that poor human didn't like dogs. What??? Oh well, we walked down the hall, just to prove that I wasn't a meanie.
Then, two more of the "sisters" stopped to tell me how pretty I was and how they hoped I would come back. The lady helping said she'd get a list together so that we knew who we could visit and who we couldn't.
There are 3 other therapy dogs, so it looks like Tuesday will be our day to visit. I'm looking forward to it, but I do hope it's not as warm. Maybe I was a little anxious. But I did like having the ladies even in the hall reach out to hug me.
I think I'm gonna like this gig.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Prayer Shawl Update...
So I've been working on the garnet prayer shawl. Working very hard, actually, because my friend's son is in Hospice care now.
If you have a mind to, please spare some good thoughts for this young man (he's 42, but that's young). He's dying, and his mother is making sure he has the kind of death he wants.
Her relatives are driving her batty, saying that he "sleeps too much" or "doesn't react when we talk to him" or "isn't eating enough."
Ok, let's get this straight. The man is dying of an inoperable brain tumor. The tumor started in the dura matter at the front of his brain, so the tumor effectively gave him a lobotomy. He's lost all "executive function" and it's a terminal condition. He. Is. Dying.
To those relatives: So, when are you coming out to relieve his parents for a short stint, so they can get away for a bit - maybe go grab an ice cream cone or just take a walk around the block?
Yeah. I thought so. Crickets.
Here's the shawl so far. It's a 5-hank shawl, a little over 1,100 yards of yarn. It's a 100% pima cotton which is just gorgeous. I've alternated - 1 hank of Stockinette Stitch with 1 hank of "Organ Pipes" from my "perpetual knitting pattern calendar."
It's not washed, and not blocked. So you can't see the Stockinette 5-stitch border on either side; that'll keep that part from rolling. Click on the picture to get an up-close view of the Organ Pipes stitch.
We were finally able to sing & play at Mass this past weekend; because of my work schedule, I haven't been able to get there for a 4 p.m. Mass, since I work till 5 p.m... Anyway, my friend stopped to talk to someone after Mass, and then sat down to change her shoes (she wears organ shoes when she plays); I sat down and she just started in mid-conversation. And started crying. It wasn't sobbing. It was tears running down her face; her son was asking her if she was sure he would get into Heaven and "what happens if I don't?"
My heart breaks for her. She did the right thing and told him that of course he'd get there, because Jesus said, "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you." That seemed to calm her son down.
I want you to think about what she's going through. Her son is dying in the prime of his life. Think about that, and then go talk to your kids. Hold her and her family in your thoughts; pray if you're inclined; send light -- please help her find some peace.
If you have a mind to, please spare some good thoughts for this young man (he's 42, but that's young). He's dying, and his mother is making sure he has the kind of death he wants.
Her relatives are driving her batty, saying that he "sleeps too much" or "doesn't react when we talk to him" or "isn't eating enough."
Ok, let's get this straight. The man is dying of an inoperable brain tumor. The tumor started in the dura matter at the front of his brain, so the tumor effectively gave him a lobotomy. He's lost all "executive function" and it's a terminal condition. He. Is. Dying.
To those relatives: So, when are you coming out to relieve his parents for a short stint, so they can get away for a bit - maybe go grab an ice cream cone or just take a walk around the block?
Yeah. I thought so. Crickets.
 |
| Garnet prayer shawl |
It's not washed, and not blocked. So you can't see the Stockinette 5-stitch border on either side; that'll keep that part from rolling. Click on the picture to get an up-close view of the Organ Pipes stitch.
We were finally able to sing & play at Mass this past weekend; because of my work schedule, I haven't been able to get there for a 4 p.m. Mass, since I work till 5 p.m... Anyway, my friend stopped to talk to someone after Mass, and then sat down to change her shoes (she wears organ shoes when she plays); I sat down and she just started in mid-conversation. And started crying. It wasn't sobbing. It was tears running down her face; her son was asking her if she was sure he would get into Heaven and "what happens if I don't?"
My heart breaks for her. She did the right thing and told him that of course he'd get there, because Jesus said, "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you." That seemed to calm her son down.
I want you to think about what she's going through. Her son is dying in the prime of his life. Think about that, and then go talk to your kids. Hold her and her family in your thoughts; pray if you're inclined; send light -- please help her find some peace.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore
With all respects toward the great John Prine, I had to use that title, and the lyrics will follow shortly...
I'm sick and tired of Wiener's wiener... Here's the thing. It's basic PR 101: you shouldn't say (no matter what the media is) anything (or SHOW anything) that you wouldn't want printed on the front page of the New York Times.
That being said, the now-disgraced Anthony Wiener didn't heed that information, and he took pictures of what should remain private and made them public. Which is adolescent to be sure. And which is between him and his wife. And now a million+ of his closest friends. Thanks, Andrew Breitbart, for lowering the bar once again. And thanks, Anthony, for proving that Democrats are idiots.
We have no business knowing about Anthony's privates OR his private business. But after this story took on a life of its own, he humiliated himself into the resignation. Though I sincerely think he should've just done what Republicans have done for years: pulled out the Jesus card. OK, he's Jewish, possibly converted to Muslim (gasp!!) --- but pull out the "religion" card and "poof" - it all magically goes away because you've been "saved." From yourself, mostly, and apparently from any kind of punishment.
Works every time for Republicans. See Diaper-Dave Vitter, James Ensign, Newtie...just to name a few. Heck, on the (D) side, Clinton stood his ground even after impeachment! It's been done, Anthony. You should've sucked it up, zipped it up and hung on to your job.
Anyway, I was listening to the folk channel on the radio, and this little ditty popped up. Due credit: copyright Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., written by John Prine.
Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore
While digesting Reader's Digest in the back of a dirty book store
A plastic flag, with gum on the back fell out on the floor
Well, I picked it up and I ran outside, slapped it on my window shield
And if I could see old Betsy Ross I'd tell her how good I feel.
But your flag decal won't get you into Heaven anymore
They're already overcrowded from your dirty little war
Now Jesus don't like killin', no matter what the reason's for
And your flag decal won't get you into Heaven anymore.
Well I went to the bank this morning and the cashier he said to me
"If you join the Christmas club we'll give you ten of them flags for free."
Well, I didn't mess around a bit, I took him up on what he said
And I stuck them stickers all over my car and one on my wife's forehead.
But your flag decal won't get you into Heaven anymore
They're already overcrowded from your dirty little war
Now Jesus don't like killin', no matter what the reason's for
And your flag decal won't get you into Heaven anymore.
Well, I got my window shield so filled with flags I couldn't see
So, I ran the car upside a curb and right into a tree
By the time they got a doctor down I was already dead
And I'll never understand wy the man standing in the pearly gates said:
"But your flag decal won't get you into Heaven anymore
We're already overcrowded from your dirty little war
Now Jesus don't like killin', no matter what the reason's for
And your flag decal won't get you into Heaven anymore."
So. I get that Democrats want to hold to a higher standard. And normally, I'd say go for it. But there's a problem. Look at the Republicans: when you play with the pigs, you'll get muddy. They scream and holler that they are the "family values" party. And they go out and do exactly the opposite.
But they're in unison on the chorus, folks. The Democrats have to get in unison on the chorus. And our chorus has to reflect that we're fighting for people who can't fight: the poor, what's left of the middle class, those dependent upon "entitlements".... Can we please NOT make "entitlement" a dirty word? Yes, I AM ENTITLED TO IT because I've paid into it!
Democrats need to know that sometimes, you need to be just as obnoxious as your opponents. And also, all politicians should not Tweet. They end up looking like TWITS. Remember, if you don't want your mom to see it, keep it to yourself.
I'm sick and tired of Wiener's wiener... Here's the thing. It's basic PR 101: you shouldn't say (no matter what the media is) anything (or SHOW anything) that you wouldn't want printed on the front page of the New York Times.
That being said, the now-disgraced Anthony Wiener didn't heed that information, and he took pictures of what should remain private and made them public. Which is adolescent to be sure. And which is between him and his wife. And now a million+ of his closest friends. Thanks, Andrew Breitbart, for lowering the bar once again. And thanks, Anthony, for proving that Democrats are idiots.
We have no business knowing about Anthony's privates OR his private business. But after this story took on a life of its own, he humiliated himself into the resignation. Though I sincerely think he should've just done what Republicans have done for years: pulled out the Jesus card. OK, he's Jewish, possibly converted to Muslim (gasp!!) --- but pull out the "religion" card and "poof" - it all magically goes away because you've been "saved." From yourself, mostly, and apparently from any kind of punishment.
Works every time for Republicans. See Diaper-Dave Vitter, James Ensign, Newtie...just to name a few. Heck, on the (D) side, Clinton stood his ground even after impeachment! It's been done, Anthony. You should've sucked it up, zipped it up and hung on to your job.
Anyway, I was listening to the folk channel on the radio, and this little ditty popped up. Due credit: copyright Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., written by John Prine.
Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore
While digesting Reader's Digest in the back of a dirty book store
A plastic flag, with gum on the back fell out on the floor
Well, I picked it up and I ran outside, slapped it on my window shield
And if I could see old Betsy Ross I'd tell her how good I feel.
But your flag decal won't get you into Heaven anymore
They're already overcrowded from your dirty little war
Now Jesus don't like killin', no matter what the reason's for
And your flag decal won't get you into Heaven anymore.
Well I went to the bank this morning and the cashier he said to me
"If you join the Christmas club we'll give you ten of them flags for free."
Well, I didn't mess around a bit, I took him up on what he said
And I stuck them stickers all over my car and one on my wife's forehead.
But your flag decal won't get you into Heaven anymore
They're already overcrowded from your dirty little war
Now Jesus don't like killin', no matter what the reason's for
And your flag decal won't get you into Heaven anymore.
Well, I got my window shield so filled with flags I couldn't see
So, I ran the car upside a curb and right into a tree
By the time they got a doctor down I was already dead
And I'll never understand wy the man standing in the pearly gates said:
"But your flag decal won't get you into Heaven anymore
We're already overcrowded from your dirty little war
Now Jesus don't like killin', no matter what the reason's for
And your flag decal won't get you into Heaven anymore."
So. I get that Democrats want to hold to a higher standard. And normally, I'd say go for it. But there's a problem. Look at the Republicans: when you play with the pigs, you'll get muddy. They scream and holler that they are the "family values" party. And they go out and do exactly the opposite.
But they're in unison on the chorus, folks. The Democrats have to get in unison on the chorus. And our chorus has to reflect that we're fighting for people who can't fight: the poor, what's left of the middle class, those dependent upon "entitlements".... Can we please NOT make "entitlement" a dirty word? Yes, I AM ENTITLED TO IT because I've paid into it!
Democrats need to know that sometimes, you need to be just as obnoxious as your opponents. And also, all politicians should not Tweet. They end up looking like TWITS. Remember, if you don't want your mom to see it, keep it to yourself.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
New Laptop & New Cake...
No, they're not necessarily connected, but I figured it was easier to do one post. I'm doing my (ta-da) very first post on my lew Lenovo ThinkPad T520.
This replaces my eight year old (yes, EIGHT), and still functioning IBM ThinkPad. Hubby got a great deal, so we got Kid #2 a laptop for his graduation and a second one for me. Hubby is repurposing my IBM ThinkPad for his work, and that's cool. The machine runs well, even after surviving the "Elkhound Puppy Drop Test" and my replacing a keyboard.
The cake? Well, I did a wedding cake this past weekend. It was a small one, for about 120 people, for a garden wedding. This is the sister to someone whose cake I did 5 years ago.
Here's a picture of the cake:
And here's what it is. It's actually 5 layers of cake to serve, with the top layer reserved for the wedding party. The bride wanted different flavors (like her sister had), but she wanted the top to be chocolate.
The entire cake was filled with my home-made chocolate buttercream - guaranteed to melt you at the knees.
The layer in the middle is yellow cake; the bottom layer is fudge marble, and the 3 small satellite cakes are devil's food. That way, everyone gets what they want, within reason. All cakes have the chocolate filling. If you click on the picture, you can see the "basketweave" pattern on several of the cakes. I also added their names to the bottom cake, and their date at the top.
Silk pansies, ivy and baby's breath topped the cake. I used a "floating" cake stand that I had used for an earlier wedding, but as you can see, I put the ivy around the arms of the stand. The cake took me a total of 8 hours to decorate, including the hour we spent on-site putting on the borders.
Here's a close-up of the smaller cakes; you can see the basketweave more clearly here. Hubby had the idea to have the ivy vines touching, kind of "encircling" the satellites. The top of each cake has a rope border, to match the idea of a "basket" in buttercream.
The bride was absolutely thrilled with the cake. In actuality, the cake served 128 people, and by the end of the evening (at least when we left), I had 25 pieces left. We figured those would be "wrapped and go" pieces.
I got lots of good comments, and I set out a bunch of my business cards, directing people to the website. Even the wedding photographer took a picture of ME with my cake! Half the time, nobody bothers. Lots of people commented on the personalization. Hubby thought it was "corny" but I think it was ok.
The bride originally wanted a cake just like her sister's. Here: Now, I liked this cake. It was very plain; the florist did the flowers, and it was simple. It was also bigger by about 50 people!
I think that each bride and groom needs their own cake. I knew that they wouldn't mind if I took a little liberty. So I came up with the design above, got mirrors at the Hobby Lobby for the smaller cakes, and we had a lovely, memorable cake for the couple.
My system is to tell people that wedding cake "has no calories" - it's a celebration! As long as, in this case, everyone had a lovely dinner, enjoyed the cake, danced and didn't fall into the pool, the evening was a success.
With every wedding, you learn something. Here's what I learned from this occasion:
1. Put something on the cutting area; it was kind of a mess when I got done!
2. Bring your own knife! I brought one, but it should always be a slim serrated knife.
3. Always bring gloves. Even if you ARE neat, it looks better.
4. Make sure you have someone there to help you set it up. Without Hubby, I'd have been able to do it, but it's easier with an extra pair of hands!
5. Always bring your turntable. Makes putting on the last-minute borders easy.
And as you know: it should be fun. Delicious, too. But fun, always. This is my hobby, not my job. And yes, I do get paid for it. But if I had to do it for a living, I don't think I could. I do just enough to make a little yarn money, and keep me happy.
This replaces my eight year old (yes, EIGHT), and still functioning IBM ThinkPad. Hubby got a great deal, so we got Kid #2 a laptop for his graduation and a second one for me. Hubby is repurposing my IBM ThinkPad for his work, and that's cool. The machine runs well, even after surviving the "Elkhound Puppy Drop Test" and my replacing a keyboard.
The cake? Well, I did a wedding cake this past weekend. It was a small one, for about 120 people, for a garden wedding. This is the sister to someone whose cake I did 5 years ago.
Here's a picture of the cake:
 |
| Flower basket wedding cake. |
The entire cake was filled with my home-made chocolate buttercream - guaranteed to melt you at the knees.
The layer in the middle is yellow cake; the bottom layer is fudge marble, and the 3 small satellite cakes are devil's food. That way, everyone gets what they want, within reason. All cakes have the chocolate filling. If you click on the picture, you can see the "basketweave" pattern on several of the cakes. I also added their names to the bottom cake, and their date at the top.
Silk pansies, ivy and baby's breath topped the cake. I used a "floating" cake stand that I had used for an earlier wedding, but as you can see, I put the ivy around the arms of the stand. The cake took me a total of 8 hours to decorate, including the hour we spent on-site putting on the borders.
 |
| Satellite cakes |
The bride was absolutely thrilled with the cake. In actuality, the cake served 128 people, and by the end of the evening (at least when we left), I had 25 pieces left. We figured those would be "wrapped and go" pieces.
I got lots of good comments, and I set out a bunch of my business cards, directing people to the website. Even the wedding photographer took a picture of ME with my cake! Half the time, nobody bothers. Lots of people commented on the personalization. Hubby thought it was "corny" but I think it was ok.
 |
| Formal wedding cake |
I think that each bride and groom needs their own cake. I knew that they wouldn't mind if I took a little liberty. So I came up with the design above, got mirrors at the Hobby Lobby for the smaller cakes, and we had a lovely, memorable cake for the couple.
My system is to tell people that wedding cake "has no calories" - it's a celebration! As long as, in this case, everyone had a lovely dinner, enjoyed the cake, danced and didn't fall into the pool, the evening was a success.
With every wedding, you learn something. Here's what I learned from this occasion:
1. Put something on the cutting area; it was kind of a mess when I got done!
2. Bring your own knife! I brought one, but it should always be a slim serrated knife.
3. Always bring gloves. Even if you ARE neat, it looks better.
4. Make sure you have someone there to help you set it up. Without Hubby, I'd have been able to do it, but it's easier with an extra pair of hands!
5. Always bring your turntable. Makes putting on the last-minute borders easy.
And as you know: it should be fun. Delicious, too. But fun, always. This is my hobby, not my job. And yes, I do get paid for it. But if I had to do it for a living, I don't think I could. I do just enough to make a little yarn money, and keep me happy.
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
I Can Fix the Budget Crisis...
...and all it will take is some common sense. The screams you might hear will only echo for a little while, and then you can tune them out.
See, here's the thing. Republicans are refusing to raise the debt ceiling. For better or for worse, it is what it is. But Republicans seem to want to hold this issue to the fire because they want to be "fiscally responsible" and have some pretty good-sized cuts so that the budget will balance. Or come close, at least.
Fiscal responsibility is a good thing. I'm all for it. I have to be fiscally responsible, because my own debt ceiling is nowhere near what the USA's is. ComEd doesn't want to hear about my new luxury purchase (which would be the roof we need to put on the house) if I haven't paid my A/C bill! I like to think I'm in what's left of the middle class, and so I pay attention to things like this: things that'll cause my kids' kids' kids massive headaches, providing we even have a planet to live on by that time.
In any even, the "fiscal responsibility" espoused by the Republicans involves massive cuts. To social service programs. Don't even call these "entitlements" because that's a flaming word. It's gone from a perfectly fine word to nearly a curse word. "Entitled" gives the impression of some welfare recipient sitting on their butt chugging a sweet tea or a beer waiting for the check to arrive.
Well, let's turn that on its head. "Entitled" rich folks' kids -- those kids who never did anything to contribute to the family's wealth, but just got born into the right gene pool. "Entitled" corporations like oil companies, who are all posting record earnings (and even poor little BP posted only a "slight" loss after just about killing off the Gulf of Mexico). "Entitled" bankers and Wall Street execs who feel compelled to give themselves massive bonuses for essentially shuffling paperwork. And denying loans to perfectly good (and struggling) businesses like my friend's: she had contracts in the rail industry, which was hit hard by the recession, and her small company needed funds. But it was told it needed to be in better financial condition. Which, if it was, would negate the necessity for her to be seeking a loan, right?
"Entitled" corporations and the mega-rich are apparently spared from the Republicans' righteous budget-cutting sword. The folks they're going after: seniors; kids; teachers; low-level government workers; women in poverty. You know - the folks who've paid into this society for their entire lives, and the littlest ones.
Good Christians one and all, they've apparently forgotten that Bible passage about tending to "the least of these" in order to reap your heavenly reward. That means, people, the elderly, the kids, the sick, the ones who serve us (teachers, cops, firefighters, nurses...the ones who tend us when we're at our most tender ages, and our most vulnerable).
But it's ok, because I know this'll make you sleep better at night. According to the May 23, 2011 Bloomberg BusinessWeek magazine, "On May 17, the Senate blocked a measure that would have repealed $21 billion in oil and gas subsidies over 10 years." So...... the American Petroleum Institute, the lobbyist, did their job.
While Peter Colavito, the SEIU's director of government relations says, "We think that rich folks and American corporations have gotten off too easily..."
Ya think?
So my very simple budget fix is this: Repeal the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans; tax or penalize (don't care which) all American companies who offshore their jobs because they left our own citizen unemployed while seeking to enrich their own coffers; repeal the oil and gas company subsidies -- they can afford it.
And while we're at it, make the Senate and House members pay for their own health care. We have to pay; they work for us. So they should pay for their own benefits, just like we do. Please don't put forward that nasty canard of "public service" since we know that only rich people actually can run for office. They have their own money, for the most part. And those rare few who don't? Well, they probably know how to operate on a budget already.
I think my plan has merit. Of course, I won't hold my breath. Common sense is truly uncommon lately. The press (and the victory, most times) goes to the screaming hordes. Who rarely make any sense, let alone "common sense."
See, here's the thing. Republicans are refusing to raise the debt ceiling. For better or for worse, it is what it is. But Republicans seem to want to hold this issue to the fire because they want to be "fiscally responsible" and have some pretty good-sized cuts so that the budget will balance. Or come close, at least.
Fiscal responsibility is a good thing. I'm all for it. I have to be fiscally responsible, because my own debt ceiling is nowhere near what the USA's is. ComEd doesn't want to hear about my new luxury purchase (which would be the roof we need to put on the house) if I haven't paid my A/C bill! I like to think I'm in what's left of the middle class, and so I pay attention to things like this: things that'll cause my kids' kids' kids massive headaches, providing we even have a planet to live on by that time.
In any even, the "fiscal responsibility" espoused by the Republicans involves massive cuts. To social service programs. Don't even call these "entitlements" because that's a flaming word. It's gone from a perfectly fine word to nearly a curse word. "Entitled" gives the impression of some welfare recipient sitting on their butt chugging a sweet tea or a beer waiting for the check to arrive.
Well, let's turn that on its head. "Entitled" rich folks' kids -- those kids who never did anything to contribute to the family's wealth, but just got born into the right gene pool. "Entitled" corporations like oil companies, who are all posting record earnings (and even poor little BP posted only a "slight" loss after just about killing off the Gulf of Mexico). "Entitled" bankers and Wall Street execs who feel compelled to give themselves massive bonuses for essentially shuffling paperwork. And denying loans to perfectly good (and struggling) businesses like my friend's: she had contracts in the rail industry, which was hit hard by the recession, and her small company needed funds. But it was told it needed to be in better financial condition. Which, if it was, would negate the necessity for her to be seeking a loan, right?
"Entitled" corporations and the mega-rich are apparently spared from the Republicans' righteous budget-cutting sword. The folks they're going after: seniors; kids; teachers; low-level government workers; women in poverty. You know - the folks who've paid into this society for their entire lives, and the littlest ones.
Good Christians one and all, they've apparently forgotten that Bible passage about tending to "the least of these" in order to reap your heavenly reward. That means, people, the elderly, the kids, the sick, the ones who serve us (teachers, cops, firefighters, nurses...the ones who tend us when we're at our most tender ages, and our most vulnerable).
But it's ok, because I know this'll make you sleep better at night. According to the May 23, 2011 Bloomberg BusinessWeek magazine, "On May 17, the Senate blocked a measure that would have repealed $21 billion in oil and gas subsidies over 10 years." So...... the American Petroleum Institute, the lobbyist, did their job.
While Peter Colavito, the SEIU's director of government relations says, "We think that rich folks and American corporations have gotten off too easily..."
Ya think?
So my very simple budget fix is this: Repeal the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans; tax or penalize (don't care which) all American companies who offshore their jobs because they left our own citizen unemployed while seeking to enrich their own coffers; repeal the oil and gas company subsidies -- they can afford it.
And while we're at it, make the Senate and House members pay for their own health care. We have to pay; they work for us. So they should pay for their own benefits, just like we do. Please don't put forward that nasty canard of "public service" since we know that only rich people actually can run for office. They have their own money, for the most part. And those rare few who don't? Well, they probably know how to operate on a budget already.
I think my plan has merit. Of course, I won't hold my breath. Common sense is truly uncommon lately. The press (and the victory, most times) goes to the screaming hordes. Who rarely make any sense, let alone "common sense."
Monday, May 23, 2011
Graduations, Graduations...
Well, I've been busy. We have been busy. Kid #2 graduated from college, and I'm not sure where the time went. He was just in kindergarten. Really. He's now sending out resumes for a teaching gig, and fingers are crossed, candles lit, etc. -- we're hoping he gets something soon.
Anyhow, here's the tie I knitted for him. It was a merino/alpaca blend. It was a little long, but then, he's 6' 1" so it works. In honor of his request to remain anonymous, here's the tie only. He showed it to some of his fellow grads and he says they liked it. I'll choose to believe that!
It's a lovely red/navy colorway, and while my LYS owner had to buy 10 hanks, all 10 of them are gone! I think she'll buy more of this because it worked up great. It's done in rice stitch. Click on the picture for an up-close view.
I have enough to make some coasters. Yeah, coasters, but that's because there really isn't enough to make another tie! Maybe a small scarf for me? Who knows. Not there yet.
The other big news is that our elkhounds both got their CGC certification. That's the AKC's "Canine Good Citizen" exam. We worked for well over a year with them to get this certification. It's a mark of obedience, good pet ownership and just generally making sure you and your dog are a team.
Tippi, our intrepid elkhound reporter, will have more to say at a later date.
Then, the same day, we went to my nephew's graduation party for high school. Yesterday, he was an infant. Seriously. Now, he's off to IIT to study architecture.
Well, at least the grand-nephew is STILL an infant! No pictures of him here... we want to keep him to ourselves for a while.
 |
| Seed Stitch Tie |
It's a lovely red/navy colorway, and while my LYS owner had to buy 10 hanks, all 10 of them are gone! I think she'll buy more of this because it worked up great. It's done in rice stitch. Click on the picture for an up-close view.
I have enough to make some coasters. Yeah, coasters, but that's because there really isn't enough to make another tie! Maybe a small scarf for me? Who knows. Not there yet.
The other big news is that our elkhounds both got their CGC certification. That's the AKC's "Canine Good Citizen" exam. We worked for well over a year with them to get this certification. It's a mark of obedience, good pet ownership and just generally making sure you and your dog are a team.
Tippi, our intrepid elkhound reporter, will have more to say at a later date.
Then, the same day, we went to my nephew's graduation party for high school. Yesterday, he was an infant. Seriously. Now, he's off to IIT to study architecture.
Well, at least the grand-nephew is STILL an infant! No pictures of him here... we want to keep him to ourselves for a while.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Pfleger is Wrong.
Mind you, 99.99% of the time, I would disagree with Cardinal George on just about anything with regard to the Church. I think he's got blinders on in a great many areas, and he's too theoretical for his diocese. The church has lots of problems, and the administration often fails to address problems until they are forced to do so.
But in this case, Cardinal George is right.
There are 3 vows that most religious take when they are accepted into a vowed community: Poverty, Chastity and Obedience.
The Catholic Church has a requirement that priests be moved every so often. Even with the priest shortage, the various dioceses will try to shake things up. Even in my community - they did that a few months ago by moving two priests - Priest A went to St. Something, and Priest B, formerly the pastor of St. Something, went across town to Priest A's church, Holy Smokes. I obviously made those names up, people, but the point is, our diocese just switched two of 'em around. It was time.
Fr. Pfleger has failed to lead his congregation. He has failed in the most basic task that Jesus taught: servant leadership. Yes, he was instrumental at St. Sabina --- he brought that church back. That's a great testimony to his leadership.
The next best testimony to his leadership is to move on and go lead somewhere else. Can he honestly tell Cardinal George that St. Sabina will fall apart without him? Can he honestly in his heart say that there isn't a troubled parish somewhere that he couldn't help?
Can St. Sabina's congregation say in all truthfulness that they will leave en masse if he's transferred? And if they can, then how strong is their faith in the Church as opposed to their faith in Fr. Pfleger? When you get baptized and agree to join the Catholic Church (if you join as an adult, you agree ... babies are just baptized by their parents), you pledge your faith in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Not the guy in the cassock standing there.
Cardinal George floated the idea of Pfleger being the president of a Catholic high school. What better position for a true leader to be in? Think of the way he can energize and motivate the young students at that school. And for pete's sake: it's in the same neighborhood as St. Sabina. I think that's a mistake, but I'm not in that position, so I can't say what's up, unless Cardinal George thinks this is a "kinder, gentler" move for Pfleger.
Now, according to today's Chicago Tribune, Pfleger is threatening to "go preach at other churches." And he's saying that his lawyers tell him that the Cardinal was not following canon law by suspending him. Really? Is he so delusional as to think that Cardinal George wouldn't have thought all this through? If you agree with nothing else, you can see that George is a pedant. He makes sure every "i" is dotted and every "t" is crossed.
I know that in some denominations, it's not uncommon to see a pastor who's there for decades. In one of our Baptist churches in town, one reverend who is very much respected in our area was there for over 45 years. But that doesn't mean the Catholic Church should do the same. I believe the Church's policy of moving religious is a good thing: you are not your assignment. You are not the center of that universe. You are a disciple of Jesus, and he didn't stay in any one place very long either.
Heck, my favorite priest (so much a favorite that Kid #2 is named after him) got moved after TWO YEARS to Guam!! Of course that was while he was serving in a Naval chapel on a base, and they moved them every 2 to 3 years. That was normal. But that doesn't mean we didn't mourn the loss just as much as any congregation.
And let's talk a little about this concept of servant leadership. Pfleger actually meets many of the criteria for a successful servant leader: listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, growth and building community. It's an old concept, going back to 490 BC, where Lao-Tzu writes: The highest type of ruler is one of whose existence the people are barely aware...The Sage is self-effacing and scanty of words. When his task is accomplished and things have been completed, all the people say, 'We ourselves have achieved it!'
Following the concept of servant leadership tends to give a leader more authority versus power.
The concept was "revivied" in a way when a man named Robert Greenleaf wrote an essay in 1970 called "The Servant as Leader." I remember taking a class for my MA where his subsequent book was the centerpiece. I attended a Catholic university, and part of our "mission" classes (everyone has to take these to graduate) include classes on social justice and social responsibility. We turn out students who are hopefully aware of their place in the world, and that they have to leave the world a better place than when they got there.
Where Pfleger went wrong is that he assumed "power" was the issue. It was a power struggle between him and the various cardinals in the hierarchy. Where the Diocese of Chicago got it wrong was that they left him there lo those many years. He should've been moved out of St. Sabina after a maximum of two "terms" (which would've been anywhere from 12 to 16 years total in one parish) and he should never have been allowed to stay there. He's been there since 1981, and he was ordained in 1975. Being at the parish that long is just not done.
Has he done good things? Obviously. But has he also thumbed his nose at the Church? Yes. Adopting children in direct opposition to his Cardinal's orders is just one of the problems. The kids obviously needed a good home, and that's great. But before those kids, the collar was there.
And it's not a collar that stifles you. It's a collar that reminds you of your vows. Reminds you who your Ultimate Boss is. And why you need to be reminded. And reminds you again that you are living a specific life, with a specific mission. Your mission is to go out and preach The Word. To everyone. Not just your parish.
You really aren't supposed to be the end-goal. You're the rudder, steering your parishioners toward their goals. You're not the ultimate achievement of your flock. A good leader is "invisible" to the process. Again, he's done great things. So now it's time to go do those great things elsewhere.
Well, Fr. Pfleger. Go.
But in this case, Cardinal George is right.
There are 3 vows that most religious take when they are accepted into a vowed community: Poverty, Chastity and Obedience.
The Catholic Church has a requirement that priests be moved every so often. Even with the priest shortage, the various dioceses will try to shake things up. Even in my community - they did that a few months ago by moving two priests - Priest A went to St. Something, and Priest B, formerly the pastor of St. Something, went across town to Priest A's church, Holy Smokes. I obviously made those names up, people, but the point is, our diocese just switched two of 'em around. It was time.
Fr. Pfleger has failed to lead his congregation. He has failed in the most basic task that Jesus taught: servant leadership. Yes, he was instrumental at St. Sabina --- he brought that church back. That's a great testimony to his leadership.
The next best testimony to his leadership is to move on and go lead somewhere else. Can he honestly tell Cardinal George that St. Sabina will fall apart without him? Can he honestly in his heart say that there isn't a troubled parish somewhere that he couldn't help?
Can St. Sabina's congregation say in all truthfulness that they will leave en masse if he's transferred? And if they can, then how strong is their faith in the Church as opposed to their faith in Fr. Pfleger? When you get baptized and agree to join the Catholic Church (if you join as an adult, you agree ... babies are just baptized by their parents), you pledge your faith in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Not the guy in the cassock standing there.
Cardinal George floated the idea of Pfleger being the president of a Catholic high school. What better position for a true leader to be in? Think of the way he can energize and motivate the young students at that school. And for pete's sake: it's in the same neighborhood as St. Sabina. I think that's a mistake, but I'm not in that position, so I can't say what's up, unless Cardinal George thinks this is a "kinder, gentler" move for Pfleger.
Now, according to today's Chicago Tribune, Pfleger is threatening to "go preach at other churches." And he's saying that his lawyers tell him that the Cardinal was not following canon law by suspending him. Really? Is he so delusional as to think that Cardinal George wouldn't have thought all this through? If you agree with nothing else, you can see that George is a pedant. He makes sure every "i" is dotted and every "t" is crossed.
I know that in some denominations, it's not uncommon to see a pastor who's there for decades. In one of our Baptist churches in town, one reverend who is very much respected in our area was there for over 45 years. But that doesn't mean the Catholic Church should do the same. I believe the Church's policy of moving religious is a good thing: you are not your assignment. You are not the center of that universe. You are a disciple of Jesus, and he didn't stay in any one place very long either.
Heck, my favorite priest (so much a favorite that Kid #2 is named after him) got moved after TWO YEARS to Guam!! Of course that was while he was serving in a Naval chapel on a base, and they moved them every 2 to 3 years. That was normal. But that doesn't mean we didn't mourn the loss just as much as any congregation.
And let's talk a little about this concept of servant leadership. Pfleger actually meets many of the criteria for a successful servant leader: listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, growth and building community. It's an old concept, going back to 490 BC, where Lao-Tzu writes: The highest type of ruler is one of whose existence the people are barely aware...The Sage is self-effacing and scanty of words. When his task is accomplished and things have been completed, all the people say, 'We ourselves have achieved it!'
Following the concept of servant leadership tends to give a leader more authority versus power.
The concept was "revivied" in a way when a man named Robert Greenleaf wrote an essay in 1970 called "The Servant as Leader." I remember taking a class for my MA where his subsequent book was the centerpiece. I attended a Catholic university, and part of our "mission" classes (everyone has to take these to graduate) include classes on social justice and social responsibility. We turn out students who are hopefully aware of their place in the world, and that they have to leave the world a better place than when they got there.
Where Pfleger went wrong is that he assumed "power" was the issue. It was a power struggle between him and the various cardinals in the hierarchy. Where the Diocese of Chicago got it wrong was that they left him there lo those many years. He should've been moved out of St. Sabina after a maximum of two "terms" (which would've been anywhere from 12 to 16 years total in one parish) and he should never have been allowed to stay there. He's been there since 1981, and he was ordained in 1975. Being at the parish that long is just not done.
Has he done good things? Obviously. But has he also thumbed his nose at the Church? Yes. Adopting children in direct opposition to his Cardinal's orders is just one of the problems. The kids obviously needed a good home, and that's great. But before those kids, the collar was there.
And it's not a collar that stifles you. It's a collar that reminds you of your vows. Reminds you who your Ultimate Boss is. And why you need to be reminded. And reminds you again that you are living a specific life, with a specific mission. Your mission is to go out and preach The Word. To everyone. Not just your parish.
You really aren't supposed to be the end-goal. You're the rudder, steering your parishioners toward their goals. You're not the ultimate achievement of your flock. A good leader is "invisible" to the process. Again, he's done great things. So now it's time to go do those great things elsewhere.
Well, Fr. Pfleger. Go.
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