...Again.
Usually it happens when we move. Or when we remodel. We sort through everything we own and get rid of "stuff." Although, sometimes the stuff seems to multiply by the time we unpack in the new place. How do we fit all of this stuff in the space we have now?
This is especially true when we move into a smaller place. My last three moves have been into increasingly smaller apartments. Each time I went through my books, my papers, my furniture, everything I owned. I donated a lot of stuff to Goodwill, and I threw out even more stuff. Occasionally, I have regretted throwing something out, but most of it I have not missed.
I had more practice with sorting and tossing three years ago when we moved off our floor at work during renovations. And since we were going to be on the same floor at the end of the renovation, we moved twice! And because I had no boss at the time, I had not only my own workspace and files to empty, sort, and pack, but also an entire other office. The whole department shared in the sorting and packing of our portion of two storage rooms on the floor. I was ruthless, especially since we were going to have less space for files and storage at the end of the renovation. In fact, during the cleaning out of the larger room, we discovered a whole set of shelves with things that belonged to my section that had been hidden behind a stack of boxes belonging to another department. These were things I had not seen in the two-and-a-half years I had been on the job, and no one had asked for them during that time. We threw out everything on those shelves, except for two copies of anything that we felt should be archived. I was so efficient that my coworkers asked me to help them go through their things.
"When was the last time you used this," I would ask.
"When was the last time anyone ordered this resource?"
"How many copies of this do we really need?"
"How much of this needs to be archived, and how much of the rest of it do we need to keep around?"
We don't? Then buh-bye. In fact, "buh-bye" got said so many times that it became the departmental catch phrase.
So here it is the beginning of my third year in this apartment--all 405 square feet of it. When I moved here, I did not really intended to stay this long. Yet the lease is signed, and here I seem to be for the foreseeable future. I am taking a good hard look at the space with an eye on doing some redecorating. I started looking at decorating books in the library and the bookstores--especially ones about apartments and small spaces. Soon I found myself leafing through, and then reading, books about organizing.
So, the first step in the redecorating process is to purge my stuff. I started it half-heartedly a couple of weeks ago when I brought home a new book and tried to figure out where on my bookshelves it was going to fit. Time to implement my friend Rachel's rule for buying new books: For every new book that comes into the house, two old ones have to go. Not only did I remove two books, I actually filled half of a copy paper box, which has been sitting in front of the fireplace ever since.
This week, I decided it was time to get serious. I implemented a plan to spend a minimum of 15 minutes every day going through stuff. Yesterday and today I started sorting my files.
Do I really need copies of the annual car insurance policies for every year dating back to when I first bought the car? No. Buh-bye.
Why on earth do I still have the instructions for putting together the desk chair that broke last year and was tossed and the bookshelves I gave to a friend over ten years ago? Buh-bye.
Accumulated plans and articles for the dollhouse I will probably never build--the most recent one dating from 2000? Buh-bye.
The information about puppets I can find in the library or online the next time I need it? Buh-bye.
By the time I took out the filled garbage bag this evening--almost too heavy for me to lift--I had emptied the equivalent of one of my six 24" long file drawers. Which will also go, yes, you guessed it, "buh-bye" at the end of this process.
I have a list. I will keep you posted.
Peace,
Jeffri
P.S. Be honest. After reading the title you thought this had something to do with bishops and parishes, didn't you?
Friday, August 31, 2007
More Bishops For The Shadow Church
Today Archbishop Nzimbi of Kenya consecrated the Rev. William Murdoch and the Rev. Bill Atwood, both formerly of the Episcopal Church, bishops in the Church of Kenya. You can read joyful coverage of the celebration on any number of the usual conservative blogs, including TitusOneNine, Stand Firm, and BabyBlueOnline. On Sunday Archbishop Orombi of Uganda will consecrate the Rev. John Guernsey as a bishop in the Church of Uganda. I am sure we will see similar coverage of that consecration by the usual suspects on both sides of the aisle.
In June the Rt. Rev. Andrew Fairfield, retired Bishop of South Dakota, was received into the Church of Uganda. He joins the Rt. Rev. David Bena, retired Suffragan of Albany and now of CANA, in leaving the Episcopal Church for the Shadow Church.
The hope is that these bishops, along with others consecrated by other provinces, will be in place to step in when the Episcopal Church is replaced in the Anglican Communion by a conservative entity. Mind you, these are the same folks who keep beating the Windsor drum and insisting that the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada comply with the Windsor Report. The Episcopal Church is not yet "Windsor Compliant" in their eyes, yet neither are the provinces which continue to participate in consecrating bishops and cross provincial boundaries. If they feel that the Windsor Report is authoritative as a set of guidelines, then they should be following those guidelines. They cannot say, "The Episcopal Church is not being complying with the Windsor Report, and until it is, we are justified in continued border crossings." If they want to enforce it upon the Episcopal Church, they must also enforce it upon themselves. There is no "yes, but."
The Shadow Church waits anxiously for the TEC Bishops' meeting scheduled for the end of next month. They see it as the "do or die" moment for the Episcopal Church. In the meantime, they make more bishops for their hoped for conservative province in the United States.
Peace,
Jeffri
In June the Rt. Rev. Andrew Fairfield, retired Bishop of South Dakota, was received into the Church of Uganda. He joins the Rt. Rev. David Bena, retired Suffragan of Albany and now of CANA, in leaving the Episcopal Church for the Shadow Church.
The hope is that these bishops, along with others consecrated by other provinces, will be in place to step in when the Episcopal Church is replaced in the Anglican Communion by a conservative entity. Mind you, these are the same folks who keep beating the Windsor drum and insisting that the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada comply with the Windsor Report. The Episcopal Church is not yet "Windsor Compliant" in their eyes, yet neither are the provinces which continue to participate in consecrating bishops and cross provincial boundaries. If they feel that the Windsor Report is authoritative as a set of guidelines, then they should be following those guidelines. They cannot say, "The Episcopal Church is not being complying with the Windsor Report, and until it is, we are justified in continued border crossings." If they want to enforce it upon the Episcopal Church, they must also enforce it upon themselves. There is no "yes, but."
The Shadow Church waits anxiously for the TEC Bishops' meeting scheduled for the end of next month. They see it as the "do or die" moment for the Episcopal Church. In the meantime, they make more bishops for their hoped for conservative province in the United States.
Peace,
Jeffri
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Burning Sissies
When I was a child, one of the worst things you could call a boy was "sissy." By the time I entered junior high school (middle school), the word most often hurled at not-so-masculine boys was "faggot." When I was in my late twenties and doing student teaching, the word often thrown about was "gay." Among children and youth those words are more about mannerisms, lack of athletic prowess, bookishness, and differences than about actual sexuality. They are tools of conformity.
Another phrase we often hear is "be a man." In other words,
Be strong, not a sissy. Don't cry like a girl. Don't show pain. Don't show fear...
Peter Ould posted on his blog An Exercise in the Fundamentals of Orthodoxy (subtitled "Charismatic, Calvinistic, Anglican, PostGay - The Website of Peter Ould") "An Open Letter to The Orthodox Bishops in TEC," which includes a video. The video is a montage of footage depicting the execution by burning of Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley interspersed with a written message. The text, in part, paraphrases Latimer's last words to Ridley:
That message came through loud and clear to Greg Griffith over at Stand Firm. First in "Peter Ould to TEC Bishops: Play the Man Again" Greg wrote:
Be a man. Be strong, not a sissy. Don't cry like a girl. Don't show pain. Don't show fear...
Peter's own response to Mark included this remark:
Not many of us may have been burned, but we have certainly been prosecuted and persecuted over the centuries, whatever label was used. Often in cases where sexual interaction was introduced in evidence, the "passive" partner was subjected to additional ridicule. Even today in many cultures the "passive" partner is the "faggot." The message is clear.
Be a man. Be strong, not a sissy. Don't cry like a girl. Don't show pain. Don't show fear. Don't be "passive" like a woman...
Peter wants the bishops to "man it up" and stand firm for what they believe, even if it brings about their [figurative] burning at the stake for doing so. They should be willing to be martyrs for what they believe is the "right Christian faith." But what of those whose "right Christian faith" is different from Peter's or the Stand Firm crowd's? Are we to be [figuratively] burned for holding on to our beliefs in the face of those who disagree with us? And are we martyrs or heretics? I can probably guess the answer.
Be a man. Be strong, not a sissy. Don't cry like a girl. Don't show pain. Don't show fear. Don't be "passive" like a woman...
...and don't challenge the "True Church."
I find a couple of interesting things about Peter's choice of Latimer and Ridley for his video message. While both were arrested, prosecuted, convicted and executed for standing up for their religious beliefs, Ridley's arrest and execution had as much to do with an act of treason as for his religious views. Also, in the context of 16th Century England, Latimer's and Ridley's views were the upstart and "heretical" ones. The Roman Catholic Church, to which Mary I remained faithful, represented orthodoxy in religion and theology. "Calvanistic" Peter would likely have suffered the same fate had he lived at that time--because he was NOT orthodox.
But it is not who was orthodox and who was heretic that are important for Peter. It is Latimer's words to Ridley that form the foundation of his message to the TEC bishops.
Peace,
Jeffri
Another phrase we often hear is "be a man." In other words,
Be strong, not a sissy. Don't cry like a girl. Don't show pain. Don't show fear...
Peter Ould posted on his blog An Exercise in the Fundamentals of Orthodoxy (subtitled "Charismatic, Calvinistic, Anglican, PostGay - The Website of Peter Ould") "An Open Letter to The Orthodox Bishops in TEC," which includes a video. The video is a montage of footage depicting the execution by burning of Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley interspersed with a written message. The text, in part, paraphrases Latimer's last words to Ridley:
It is time once again to be of good comfort and to Play the Man.Be a man. Be strong, not a sissy. Don't cry like a girl. Don't show pain. Don't show fear...
That message came through loud and clear to Greg Griffith over at Stand Firm. First in "Peter Ould to TEC Bishops: Play the Man Again" Greg wrote:
Seeing as how so many TEC bishops seem to have been chosen from the winners of sissy contests, I'm not sure how well they'll respond to it, but it can't hurt to try."Then yesterday, Greg titled his post about Mark Harris' commentary on Peter's video "Mark Harris Gets Squeamish; Peter Ould Mans Up."
Be a man. Be strong, not a sissy. Don't cry like a girl. Don't show pain. Don't show fear...
Peter's own response to Mark included this remark:
You know, one might almost think that I’m being accused of advocating such things (the burning of witches, heretics, homosexuals - though incidentally I know of no recorded instance of the institutional church ever burning anybody for being a homosexual), that I am such a wicked person who wills death upon those I despise.Perhaps Peter ought to use the word "sodomy" when doing historical research. "Homosexuality" was not coined until the late 19th Century (and even searching using "homosexual" turns up this BBC article). Charges of "sodomy" were often added to the lists of charges against heretics. In some cases, "sodomy" was the heretical act prosecuted. And even if "sodomy" was not part of the official charge, it played heavily in the prosecution and conviction of many, such as the Knights Templar.
Not many of us may have been burned, but we have certainly been prosecuted and persecuted over the centuries, whatever label was used. Often in cases where sexual interaction was introduced in evidence, the "passive" partner was subjected to additional ridicule. Even today in many cultures the "passive" partner is the "faggot." The message is clear.
Be a man. Be strong, not a sissy. Don't cry like a girl. Don't show pain. Don't show fear. Don't be "passive" like a woman...
Peter wants the bishops to "man it up" and stand firm for what they believe, even if it brings about their [figurative] burning at the stake for doing so. They should be willing to be martyrs for what they believe is the "right Christian faith." But what of those whose "right Christian faith" is different from Peter's or the Stand Firm crowd's? Are we to be [figuratively] burned for holding on to our beliefs in the face of those who disagree with us? And are we martyrs or heretics? I can probably guess the answer.
Be a man. Be strong, not a sissy. Don't cry like a girl. Don't show pain. Don't show fear. Don't be "passive" like a woman...
...and don't challenge the "True Church."
I find a couple of interesting things about Peter's choice of Latimer and Ridley for his video message. While both were arrested, prosecuted, convicted and executed for standing up for their religious beliefs, Ridley's arrest and execution had as much to do with an act of treason as for his religious views. Also, in the context of 16th Century England, Latimer's and Ridley's views were the upstart and "heretical" ones. The Roman Catholic Church, to which Mary I remained faithful, represented orthodoxy in religion and theology. "Calvanistic" Peter would likely have suffered the same fate had he lived at that time--because he was NOT orthodox.
But it is not who was orthodox and who was heretic that are important for Peter. It is Latimer's words to Ridley that form the foundation of his message to the TEC bishops.
It is time once again to be of good comfort and to Play the Man.Be a man. Be strong, not a sissy. Don't cry like a girl. Don't show pain. Don't show fear. Don't be "passive" like a woman...
Peace,
Jeffri
Sunday, August 26, 2007
No One Expects The Spanish...
...Armada!
Which is exactly what Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth was attempting to stave off during her visit to the Shire of Sterling. She spent the day negotiating with the Spanish Ambassador, His Grace the Duke of Parma, Don Alessandro Farnese.
Meanwhile, also running rampant through the shire were Robin Hood and his men, pursued by, and sometimes pursuing, the Sheriff of Nottingham and his guards.
As you probably have guessed by now, this took place at the New York Renaissance Faire, which Rachel and I visited today. After our traditional pre-faire breakfast, we made the hour drive to Tuxedo, New York.
The Lady Mayoress and the Lord Mayor of Sterling address the crowd gathered in front of the shire gates.
One of our favorite shows every year is "Stewart and Arnold - Knife Throwers." Arnold says, "It's a family show. I will be throwing knives at my son."
Which is exactly what Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth was attempting to stave off during her visit to the Shire of Sterling. She spent the day negotiating with the Spanish Ambassador, His Grace the Duke of Parma, Don Alessandro Farnese.
Meanwhile, also running rampant through the shire were Robin Hood and his men, pursued by, and sometimes pursuing, the Sheriff of Nottingham and his guards.
As you probably have guessed by now, this took place at the New York Renaissance Faire, which Rachel and I visited today. After our traditional pre-faire breakfast, we made the hour drive to Tuxedo, New York.
The Lady Mayoress and the Lord Mayor of Sterling address the crowd gathered in front of the shire gates.
One of our favorite shows every year is "Stewart and Arnold - Knife Throwers." Arnold says, "It's a family show. I will be throwing knives at my son."
Here is Arnold talking with a young volunteer who helped with the first stunt, primarily by "striking a pose" at the appropriate time.
This is Stewart getting the knives ready.
And here are father and son together doing one of the things they do best: being silly.
Ah, life in the 21st Century Renaissance--dressed in garb and talking on a cell phone...
It was incredibly hot and humid in the shire. Shade on a stick was definitely the order of the day.
As were shady stalls and fans. It was so hot and humid that we did something we never do at a faire. We left early. Still, it was a fun day in the shire. And this time we even remembered to have a picture taken of us in garb.
Next month we visit Arthur's court in Caer Leon.
Peace,
Jeffri
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Nigerian Bishops In The News And The Blogosphere
The Church Times reports that Anglican Archbishop Peter Akinola's recent missive, "A Most Agonizing Journey towards Lambeth 2008," was extensively edited by CANA Bishop Martyn Minns. Given the amount of time Bishop Akinola spent conferring with then Rev. Minns during the Primates meeting in Dar es Salaam, this surprises us how? Given the fact that Archbishop Akinola spent time in Virginia with Bishop Minns immediately preceding the release of that missive, I ask again, this surprises us how?
I am not sure we can, or should, read too much into this revelation. I have worked in a variety of organizations, and it is not unusual for a direct report to substantially edit or even completely write letters and other communication for his or her supervisor--especially for CEO's of organizations. On the other hand, the almost frantic attempts over at StandFirm (as well as other conservative/reasserter blogs) to dismiss the edits as nothing do give one cause to wonder.
The bottom line, however, is that Archbishop Akinola signed it and is thus responsible for its content.
An infinitely more interesting document, supposedly written by a Nigerian Anglican bishop, appears on Mark Harris' Preludium. He was sent a copy of a draft letter said to have been written by Bishop Bena, late of Albany, now of CANA, that was left up on a public computer at Camp Allen, where the self-named "Windsor Complaint Bishops" met recently. The implication is that Bishop Bena had a hand in some communication between those bishops and the Archbishop of Canterbury. Interesting that the "WC Bishops" should be working with someone who has jumped ship and gone to the Province of Nigeria. And if they are, why are they?
Ultimately, the truth behind either of these letters may not amount to very much. It is the perceptions they leave behind that may very well have the greater effect upon the upcoming meeting in New Orleans of the bishops of the Episcopal Church.
Meanwhile, Clerical Whispers has a story about the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Nigeria here. Archbishop John Onaiyekan of Abuja is proposing a truth, reparation and reconciliation process for Nigeria, which is still suffering from the aftermath of a civil war, years of military rule, political corruption and rigged elections. As many issues as I--and many other people--have with the Roman Catholic Church, here we have a bishop proposing reconciliation and healing. What a concept.
Peace,
Jeffri
Updated 08/24/07
I am not sure we can, or should, read too much into this revelation. I have worked in a variety of organizations, and it is not unusual for a direct report to substantially edit or even completely write letters and other communication for his or her supervisor--especially for CEO's of organizations. On the other hand, the almost frantic attempts over at StandFirm (as well as other conservative/reasserter blogs) to dismiss the edits as nothing do give one cause to wonder.
The bottom line, however, is that Archbishop Akinola signed it and is thus responsible for its content.
An infinitely more interesting document, supposedly written by a Nigerian Anglican bishop, appears on Mark Harris' Preludium. He was sent a copy of a draft letter said to have been written by Bishop Bena, late of Albany, now of CANA, that was left up on a public computer at Camp Allen, where the self-named "Windsor Complaint Bishops" met recently. The implication is that Bishop Bena had a hand in some communication between those bishops and the Archbishop of Canterbury. Interesting that the "WC Bishops" should be working with someone who has jumped ship and gone to the Province of Nigeria. And if they are, why are they?
Ultimately, the truth behind either of these letters may not amount to very much. It is the perceptions they leave behind that may very well have the greater effect upon the upcoming meeting in New Orleans of the bishops of the Episcopal Church.
Meanwhile, Clerical Whispers has a story about the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Nigeria here. Archbishop John Onaiyekan of Abuja is proposing a truth, reparation and reconciliation process for Nigeria, which is still suffering from the aftermath of a civil war, years of military rule, political corruption and rigged elections. As many issues as I--and many other people--have with the Roman Catholic Church, here we have a bishop proposing reconciliation and healing. What a concept.
Peace,
Jeffri
Updated 08/24/07
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Windsor Compliant...NOT
When I was checking out blogs with "ultimatum countdowns," I noted this interesting little picture at the top of the 40 Days of Anglican Prayer site.Since the Windsor Report is just that, a report, and not a mandate or new set of rules to be followed, what is the point? It was never meant to be more than a discussion document, a starting place for dialogue. If compliance to the report's suggested guidelines is the operating principle, then ALL of the "rules" must be enforced. Very few sites, of whatever their stance on the issues currently causing this tempest in a teapot, advocate for full compliance by all parties involved. Hence, there are almost no sites that can be labeled as "Windsor Compliant."
This evening while catching up on reading some of my favorite blogs, I noted that Mark Harris wrote about the 40-Day countdown a couple of days ago on his Preludium. He created a "Not Windsor Compliant" seal (which I will place on my blog for the foreseeable future).I bet you won't see this one on very many, if any, of the reasserter and separatist sites!
Peace,
Jeffri
Countdown To Doomsday?
The Bishops of the Episcopal Church will gather for their meeting toward the end of September. This meeting has been on the calendar for a considerable length of time--probably even before the Primates met in Dar es Salaam. Theoretically, they will have a more in-depth response to the Dar es Salaam ultimatum, and the Anglican World awaits with bated breath. In fact, some of the self-proclaimed reasserters (among others) have put clocks on their blogs counting down to the ultimatum's September 30th deadline.
The first of these clocks I saw actually went up on The Connecticut Six shortly after the Dar es Salaam meeting, and it immediately reminded me of the Doomsday Clock counting down to nuclear Armageddon. BabyBlue, put one up at the proverbial 40 day mark. Forty Days of Anglican Prayer has taken a slightly different tack by setting up a prayer calendar.
So what happens when the countdown reach the "zero hour" and the bishops do not submit to the ultimatum? Given the current climate, I strongly doubt that the Primates would attempt to suspend or expel the Episcopal Church from the Anglican Communion. That would set a precedent they really do not want to put in place.
What if the bishops do? Well, quite frankly it might cause a backlash the reasserters and the Primates will not want to see--including the potential of the convening of a special General Convention. The ramifications of that are not something they really want to contend with given the actions of the last few regular conventions.
Or what if the bishops find themselves close to evenly split on their response? That pretty much leaves us in the same position as the first case.
Quite honestly, on October 1st the vast majority of Anglicans will continue on as they have, either unaware of or ignoring the bishops, the Primates, and the whole tempest in a teapot. Nothing much will have changed. The sexuality issue will not have disappeared. The reasserters will continue to harangue and generally attempt to raise everyone's anxiety level. Primates will continue to threaten. Conservative and liberal Episcopal/Anglican blogs will send yet another set of verbal volleys across the world wide web.
With that in mind, tune in during October for reasserter countdowns to the Lambeth Crash and Burn...
Peace,
Jeffri
The first of these clocks I saw actually went up on The Connecticut Six shortly after the Dar es Salaam meeting, and it immediately reminded me of the Doomsday Clock counting down to nuclear Armageddon. BabyBlue, put one up at the proverbial 40 day mark. Forty Days of Anglican Prayer has taken a slightly different tack by setting up a prayer calendar.
So what happens when the countdown reach the "zero hour" and the bishops do not submit to the ultimatum? Given the current climate, I strongly doubt that the Primates would attempt to suspend or expel the Episcopal Church from the Anglican Communion. That would set a precedent they really do not want to put in place.
What if the bishops do? Well, quite frankly it might cause a backlash the reasserters and the Primates will not want to see--including the potential of the convening of a special General Convention. The ramifications of that are not something they really want to contend with given the actions of the last few regular conventions.
Or what if the bishops find themselves close to evenly split on their response? That pretty much leaves us in the same position as the first case.
Quite honestly, on October 1st the vast majority of Anglicans will continue on as they have, either unaware of or ignoring the bishops, the Primates, and the whole tempest in a teapot. Nothing much will have changed. The sexuality issue will not have disappeared. The reasserters will continue to harangue and generally attempt to raise everyone's anxiety level. Primates will continue to threaten. Conservative and liberal Episcopal/Anglican blogs will send yet another set of verbal volleys across the world wide web.
With that in mind, tune in during October for reasserter countdowns to the Lambeth Crash and Burn...
Peace,
Jeffri
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
What's In My "Go Bag"
The Moleskinerie site, a blog about all things Moleskine, linked to a post on the Lifehacker site that had the results of their request for users to send in pictures of their "go bags." Moleskinerie was noting the number of Moleskine notebooks in the various go bags.
The most common definition of a "go bag" is a kit that is packed for emergencies--like evacuating your home because of a hurricane, fire, earthquake, etc. Here is the wikiHow on Go Bags. These days, however, a "go bag" might be the bag you pick up every time you leave the house, which is primarily the definition Lifehacker used.
So I went to the Lifehacker site and took a look. It was interesting to see the variety of things people carried. Then I thought, "Okay, I'll bite..." grabbed the bag I carry pretty much every day, dumped it out on the floor, and took a picture. Since I am not a Lifehacker member, I am posting the contents of my "go bag" here.
Here's the bag itself.
It is an Eagle Creek bag that I have had for a number of years. I believe it was their "Guide Bag" (or it might have been the "Field Bag"), but they no longer make this model. You can see the current version of the bag here. Mine measures approximately 9" x 12" x 5".
And here is what was in it when I dumped it out:
Top row: Current reading material; 6 1/2" x 9 1/2" spiral notebook for project notes; medium organizer bag from Levengers that holds (1) a small plastic box with pen refills, (2) cell phone charger, and (3) Leatherman Multi-Tool; large Levengers organizer bag that holds (1) digital camera, (2) spare camera battery, (3) camera cable, (4) camera battery charger, and (5) spare memory chip for the camera; and a Maglite.
Bottom row: Cell phone; small Levengers organizer bag that holds (1) mp3 player and (2) spare batteries for the mp3 player; quart-size zip loc bag that holds (1) Moleskine pocket Ruled Notebook, (2) Molseskine pocket Cahier Ruled Journal, (3) pocket calendar/Levengers Pocket Briefcase with 3/5 Index Cards (replaced my old Dayrunner), (4) mechanical pencil, (5) my favorite Parker ballpoint, (6) a Fisher Space Pen, (7) a Bic pen; and a sandwich-size zip loc bag that holds (1) a small bottle of pain reliever, (2) a bottle of hand sanitizer, (3) a few Brush-Ups, (4) gum, (5) a couple of Pepto Bismol tablets, (6) nail clippers, (7) travel pack 0f CVS Moist Wipes, and (8) Chapstick.
Whew! That's a lot of stuff. It changes from week to week, depending on what I'm doing, and it is not always quite this much stuff. Every once in a while, it is more. It is amazing what you can stuff in the bag when you use organizer bags and zip locs. Today, however, it is what it is, and that is what you see here.
Peace,
Jeffri
The most common definition of a "go bag" is a kit that is packed for emergencies--like evacuating your home because of a hurricane, fire, earthquake, etc. Here is the wikiHow on Go Bags. These days, however, a "go bag" might be the bag you pick up every time you leave the house, which is primarily the definition Lifehacker used.
So I went to the Lifehacker site and took a look. It was interesting to see the variety of things people carried. Then I thought, "Okay, I'll bite..." grabbed the bag I carry pretty much every day, dumped it out on the floor, and took a picture. Since I am not a Lifehacker member, I am posting the contents of my "go bag" here.
Here's the bag itself.
It is an Eagle Creek bag that I have had for a number of years. I believe it was their "Guide Bag" (or it might have been the "Field Bag"), but they no longer make this model. You can see the current version of the bag here. Mine measures approximately 9" x 12" x 5".And here is what was in it when I dumped it out:
Top row: Current reading material; 6 1/2" x 9 1/2" spiral notebook for project notes; medium organizer bag from Levengers that holds (1) a small plastic box with pen refills, (2) cell phone charger, and (3) Leatherman Multi-Tool; large Levengers organizer bag that holds (1) digital camera, (2) spare camera battery, (3) camera cable, (4) camera battery charger, and (5) spare memory chip for the camera; and a Maglite.
Bottom row: Cell phone; small Levengers organizer bag that holds (1) mp3 player and (2) spare batteries for the mp3 player; quart-size zip loc bag that holds (1) Moleskine pocket Ruled Notebook, (2) Molseskine pocket Cahier Ruled Journal, (3) pocket calendar/Levengers Pocket Briefcase with 3/5 Index Cards (replaced my old Dayrunner), (4) mechanical pencil, (5) my favorite Parker ballpoint, (6) a Fisher Space Pen, (7) a Bic pen; and a sandwich-size zip loc bag that holds (1) a small bottle of pain reliever, (2) a bottle of hand sanitizer, (3) a few Brush-Ups, (4) gum, (5) a couple of Pepto Bismol tablets, (6) nail clippers, (7) travel pack 0f CVS Moist Wipes, and (8) Chapstick.
Whew! That's a lot of stuff. It changes from week to week, depending on what I'm doing, and it is not always quite this much stuff. Every once in a while, it is more. It is amazing what you can stuff in the bag when you use organizer bags and zip locs. Today, however, it is what it is, and that is what you see here.
Peace,
Jeffri
Wanderlust
It is the middle of August, and "the great migration" is about to begin. The college kids will return to their various institutions of higher learning--or begin their first semesters--and children across the country prepare to return to school for a new year--or begin their first year of school. For 18 years, from the time I was 5 and began kindergarten, until I was 23 and completed one year of graduate school, I participated in the annual move back to school. In my mid-20's I spent three more years in graduate school pursuing a master's degree in education. The pattern, ingrained at an early age, and reinforced over several years, exerts a pull on me every Fall.
While the yearning to pack a bag and travel is strongest in the Fall, it can hit me at any time of year. For the past year I have been following the adventures of a high school classmate who is riding his motorcycle around the world. Allan has worked hard over the past (almost) 30 years, and he can afford to take the time for this adventure. Yet it is more than just the financial ability. He has packed up his bike to follow a dream, something many of us never do. Doing it by motorcycle may not be the way I'd do it, but I often envy him the experience.
On the other hand, I've been fortunate over the years. My father was a schoolteacher, so every summer we packed up and took off. By the time I was in high school, I had seen more of the country and of Canada than the vast majority of my friends, neighbors and classmates. Between my junior and senior years of high school I spent the summer in Germany as an exchange student through Youth for Understanding. As an adult I have had jobs that offered me an opportunity to visit other parts of the USA and the world. On occasion I have even made vacations doing things I've dreamed about--sailing in the Caribbean, biking in Ireland.
Even so, the wanderlust strikes. There are still bike trips I would like to take in Europe. There are train trips I dream of taking on most of the continents. There are cities ancient and modern I long to see. And sometimes, I just want to pack a bag and go where my whims lead.
This Fall my job will take me to two new places here in the USA and one place in the Caribbean that I've been before. Between the last week of September and Thanksgiving, I will be away four weeks for work related trips. I will also be taking a couple of long weekend trips with friends during that same time period.
That should more than take care of the wanderlust. At least until Christmas...
Peace,
Jeffri
While the yearning to pack a bag and travel is strongest in the Fall, it can hit me at any time of year. For the past year I have been following the adventures of a high school classmate who is riding his motorcycle around the world. Allan has worked hard over the past (almost) 30 years, and he can afford to take the time for this adventure. Yet it is more than just the financial ability. He has packed up his bike to follow a dream, something many of us never do. Doing it by motorcycle may not be the way I'd do it, but I often envy him the experience.
On the other hand, I've been fortunate over the years. My father was a schoolteacher, so every summer we packed up and took off. By the time I was in high school, I had seen more of the country and of Canada than the vast majority of my friends, neighbors and classmates. Between my junior and senior years of high school I spent the summer in Germany as an exchange student through Youth for Understanding. As an adult I have had jobs that offered me an opportunity to visit other parts of the USA and the world. On occasion I have even made vacations doing things I've dreamed about--sailing in the Caribbean, biking in Ireland.
Even so, the wanderlust strikes. There are still bike trips I would like to take in Europe. There are train trips I dream of taking on most of the continents. There are cities ancient and modern I long to see. And sometimes, I just want to pack a bag and go where my whims lead.
This Fall my job will take me to two new places here in the USA and one place in the Caribbean that I've been before. Between the last week of September and Thanksgiving, I will be away four weeks for work related trips. I will also be taking a couple of long weekend trips with friends during that same time period.
That should more than take care of the wanderlust. At least until Christmas...
Peace,
Jeffri
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Ordinary Lives
Susan's son serves in Iraq flying helicopters. Today there was news of a helicopter crash west of Baghdad, and many of us immediately thought of Susan and Jamie. She posted her reaction to the news on her blog. Just another mother worried about her soldier son.
Lisa lives near a river. This past Spring the river overflowed its banks. Lisa kept us posted in her blog. Just another working woman worried about the rising river and her home.
Not too long ago Gordon was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's. On his blog we get glimpses of his everyday life with his spouse along with occasional updates on his Alzheimer's. Just another couple living with the ramifications of an eventually severely debilitating disease.
These happen to be three people who blog regularly. In spite of their involvement in lbgt issues, they all live lives familiar to everyone. There are others.
B & P share custody of P's daughter with her mother. They take her to church almost every Sunday. They take her camping. They help her with her homework. Just another family working together to make sure their child receives the best they can provide.
P & J worked hard for a number of years so that J could return to school and begin a new career in nursing. Just another couple making sacrifices to see that one of them could follow their dream.
G travels nearly three hours round trip every Saturday to visit his mother in the nursing home. Some weeks he must make the trip two or three times in order to meet with doctors and nursing home staff regarding her care. Just another adult child caring for an aging parent.
When Brian and I started dating, it was a couple of months before I took him to meet my family. That same weekend my brother brought his soon to be fiance home to meet the family. Scott and Maureen were married at the end of May the next year. Brian and I moved into our first apartment the next month. Years later Mom told me that she watched both couples go through the same stages of their relationships at the same time--until my niece was born.
The condo complex where Brian and I lived for most of our 11 years together was filled with couples and young families, all of whom were pretty much the same age as we were. If someone was ill, other folks in the complex would stop in and make sure that person was okay and bring food while their spouse was at work or on a business trip. If someone needed to run out on an emergency errand, someone else in the complex would watch their kids. When a snowstorm buried our cars, everyone would pitch in to dig them all out. We collected each other's mail and watched each other's homes when someone was away. In other words, it was a tightly knit neighborhood.
When Brian and I separated 12 years ago, we had to sort through a lot of stuff. I remember sitting in the attic going through the boxes of Christmas decorations to make sure that childhood ornaments, stockings, and other cherished heirlooms went into the right person's boxes before each of us moved on. My friend L remembers doing the same thing when she and her husband divorced.
Basically, we get up in the morning and go to work. We come home in the evening fix dinner, do some chores, watch a little television, and go to bed. On weekends we take care of the house and the yard. We make trips to the library to get something to read. We go to the grocery store to buy food. Ordinary lives being lived in neighborhoods and communities across the country and around the world.
This is what so many heterosexuals are afraid of?
Peace,
Jeffri
Lisa lives near a river. This past Spring the river overflowed its banks. Lisa kept us posted in her blog. Just another working woman worried about the rising river and her home.
Not too long ago Gordon was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's. On his blog we get glimpses of his everyday life with his spouse along with occasional updates on his Alzheimer's. Just another couple living with the ramifications of an eventually severely debilitating disease.
These happen to be three people who blog regularly. In spite of their involvement in lbgt issues, they all live lives familiar to everyone. There are others.
B & P share custody of P's daughter with her mother. They take her to church almost every Sunday. They take her camping. They help her with her homework. Just another family working together to make sure their child receives the best they can provide.
P & J worked hard for a number of years so that J could return to school and begin a new career in nursing. Just another couple making sacrifices to see that one of them could follow their dream.
G travels nearly three hours round trip every Saturday to visit his mother in the nursing home. Some weeks he must make the trip two or three times in order to meet with doctors and nursing home staff regarding her care. Just another adult child caring for an aging parent.
When Brian and I started dating, it was a couple of months before I took him to meet my family. That same weekend my brother brought his soon to be fiance home to meet the family. Scott and Maureen were married at the end of May the next year. Brian and I moved into our first apartment the next month. Years later Mom told me that she watched both couples go through the same stages of their relationships at the same time--until my niece was born.
The condo complex where Brian and I lived for most of our 11 years together was filled with couples and young families, all of whom were pretty much the same age as we were. If someone was ill, other folks in the complex would stop in and make sure that person was okay and bring food while their spouse was at work or on a business trip. If someone needed to run out on an emergency errand, someone else in the complex would watch their kids. When a snowstorm buried our cars, everyone would pitch in to dig them all out. We collected each other's mail and watched each other's homes when someone was away. In other words, it was a tightly knit neighborhood.
When Brian and I separated 12 years ago, we had to sort through a lot of stuff. I remember sitting in the attic going through the boxes of Christmas decorations to make sure that childhood ornaments, stockings, and other cherished heirlooms went into the right person's boxes before each of us moved on. My friend L remembers doing the same thing when she and her husband divorced.
Basically, we get up in the morning and go to work. We come home in the evening fix dinner, do some chores, watch a little television, and go to bed. On weekends we take care of the house and the yard. We make trips to the library to get something to read. We go to the grocery store to buy food. Ordinary lives being lived in neighborhoods and communities across the country and around the world.
This is what so many heterosexuals are afraid of?
Peace,
Jeffri
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Telling Stories
The name of this blog comes from the use of beads by story tellers in some cultures to help them remember and tell the stories. Our culture is transmitted more through our stories than any other means. The same goes for our faith. What are the things we remember most about the Bible? What are the first things we teach our children? The stories. How do we most effectively share our faith? By sharing our own stories.
To some extent, blogs fulfill this same function. They are one way we share stories of ourselves and others in the age of the Internet.
Greg Jones has posted a terrific piece about storytelling and the Bible on the Daily Episcopalian. There is also an organization dedicated "communicating the sacred stories of the biblical tradition," the Network of Biblical Storytellers. Check them both out and think about your own stories and how you share them.
Peace,
Jeffri
To some extent, blogs fulfill this same function. They are one way we share stories of ourselves and others in the age of the Internet.
Greg Jones has posted a terrific piece about storytelling and the Bible on the Daily Episcopalian. There is also an organization dedicated "communicating the sacred stories of the biblical tradition," the Network of Biblical Storytellers. Check them both out and think about your own stories and how you share them.
Peace,
Jeffri
Thursday, August 9, 2007
I Hate Metro-North
Given the past couple of days, maybe I should rename the blog...but I digress.
This morning we boarded the train to find the August edition of Mileposts scattered on the seats. The majority of the newsletter was devoted to how "green" the railroad is. I suppose they have to find something to pat themselves on the back about given the debacles of the last few months. It did nothing to offset the sigh of resignation when, turning to the back page and looking at the latest "On Time Performance" (i.e., "Arrivals within 5 minutes 59 seconds of schedule") statistics, we find that, once again, the New Haven Line has the worst on time record. So why was I surprised when the train left South Norwalk late and arrived late at Grand Central Terminal?
Arriving at the office, I grabbed a cup of tea and sat down to read the New York Times online. One of the main articles was about yesterday's service disruptions and the fact that an almost identical "weather incident" happened three years ago. That disruption was followed up by a major investigation and report, to which the MTA responded with plans for major work on the transit system. Obviously, their "major work" rated right up there with the Army Corps of Engineers strengthening of the levees around New Orleans in the years before Katrina.
The commute home was almost as unbearable as yesterday morning's. I ended up working late, so I caught the 5:54 to South Norwalk. When we boarded the train there were no lights and no air on any of the five cars. We assumed (silly us) that lights and air would be turned on as the train departed the station. After the doors closed, and just before we pulled away at 5:59, the crew apologized for the lack of lights and air. They guessed the railroad wanted the train to go like that. Usually, they announce the lack of light and air before the train doors close so that people can move cars quickly or take a different train entirely.
After picking up passengers at 125th Street, they again apologized but also said that some of the cars (two, to be exact, but they never said) up front had lights and air and that we should move up there if we wanted cool cars. Some people moved. The rest of us decided that, after a long day, a seat in a dark stuffy car was better than standing room only in a cool car, which would only get stuffy anyway because of the number of people.
To top it all off, we arrived in South Norwalk at 7:00, definitely more than 5 minutes 59 seconds behind schedule.
So, they can't cope with the weather, they're running old equipment, and they are not great on getting us from point A to point B on time. Oh, and by the way, they want to raise our fares. Unfortunately, my monthly commutation ticket is still cheaper--and more environmentally friendly--than driving my car into Manhattan five days a week. Not to mention that I can nap on the train...
Peace,
Jeffri
This morning we boarded the train to find the August edition of Mileposts scattered on the seats. The majority of the newsletter was devoted to how "green" the railroad is. I suppose they have to find something to pat themselves on the back about given the debacles of the last few months. It did nothing to offset the sigh of resignation when, turning to the back page and looking at the latest "On Time Performance" (i.e., "Arrivals within 5 minutes 59 seconds of schedule") statistics, we find that, once again, the New Haven Line has the worst on time record. So why was I surprised when the train left South Norwalk late and arrived late at Grand Central Terminal?
Arriving at the office, I grabbed a cup of tea and sat down to read the New York Times online. One of the main articles was about yesterday's service disruptions and the fact that an almost identical "weather incident" happened three years ago. That disruption was followed up by a major investigation and report, to which the MTA responded with plans for major work on the transit system. Obviously, their "major work" rated right up there with the Army Corps of Engineers strengthening of the levees around New Orleans in the years before Katrina.
The commute home was almost as unbearable as yesterday morning's. I ended up working late, so I caught the 5:54 to South Norwalk. When we boarded the train there were no lights and no air on any of the five cars. We assumed (silly us) that lights and air would be turned on as the train departed the station. After the doors closed, and just before we pulled away at 5:59, the crew apologized for the lack of lights and air. They guessed the railroad wanted the train to go like that. Usually, they announce the lack of light and air before the train doors close so that people can move cars quickly or take a different train entirely.
After picking up passengers at 125th Street, they again apologized but also said that some of the cars (two, to be exact, but they never said) up front had lights and air and that we should move up there if we wanted cool cars. Some people moved. The rest of us decided that, after a long day, a seat in a dark stuffy car was better than standing room only in a cool car, which would only get stuffy anyway because of the number of people.
To top it all off, we arrived in South Norwalk at 7:00, definitely more than 5 minutes 59 seconds behind schedule.
So, they can't cope with the weather, they're running old equipment, and they are not great on getting us from point A to point B on time. Oh, and by the way, they want to raise our fares. Unfortunately, my monthly commutation ticket is still cheaper--and more environmentally friendly--than driving my car into Manhattan five days a week. Not to mention that I can nap on the train...
Peace,
Jeffri
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
And It Wasn't Even A Hurricane
Less than a month after telling its passengers what to do in case of a hurricane, Metro North failed the weather test. This morning in the space of an hour the New York City Metropolitan Area (or the Tri-State Area, as it is also known around here) received over two inches of rain. When I left the house at 7:00 a.m., it was pouring. By 7:15 it had tapered off to a more moderate rainfall--many of us stood on the platform of the South Norwalk Railroad Station without getting soaked to the skin. We boarded the 7:23 semi-express to Grand Central Terminal little knowing that the usual hour and 10 minute ride would turn out to be almost two-and-one-half hours.
According to the notice that Metro North employees scattered on the seats of the trains during the evening rush hour, this is what happened:
According to the notice that Metro North employees scattered on the seats of the trains during the evening rush hour, this is what happened:
The service disruptions and delays you experienced this morning resulted from the intense storms that passed through our area, causing flooding in the Bronx that affected all three lines.
The high waters inundated our third rail, switches and signals. These conditions were especially severe between Mott Haven and Melrose, forcing us to temporarily suspend service in both directions on the Hudson, Harlem and New Haven lines shortly after 7 AM.
We were able to restore southbound Hudson Line train service about 30 minutes later. At approximately 8:25 AM, southbound train service was also restored on the Harlem and New Haven lines.
While system-wide service was restored, all lines were operating with significant delays as trains had to operate through the Mott Haven area at restricted speeds.
Full northbound service was finally restored at around 8:50 AM, although trains continued to pass through the Mott Haven area at reduced speeds.
We regret any inconvenience you may have experienced as a result of these weather-related service disruptions and thank you for your patience and cooperation.
The train I was on was held at the Stamford station for nearly half an hour. At one point they unloaded the train across the platform, and those passengers crowded onto our train. Then they announced that we would shortly be leaving Stamford, but only going as far as Woodlawn in the Bronx, where we could take the subway into Manhattan. However, immediately after that they told us the subways were not running. There was a stampede of passengers getting off the train. I decided to stick with the train and figure out my options when we got to Woodlawn.
The by now half-full train did not stop at Woodlawn. As we passed through the station, most of us muttered to each other something along the lines of, "well, this can either be good, or very bad..." Immediately after passing through Woodlawn they announced that one track into Grand Central was open and that we were heading in. Shortly after that we stopped and sat somewhere in the Bronx for the next half hour.
I arrived at work an hour late, which was not bad considering some of the other horror stories I heard from coworkers.
Many folks did not make it in to work at all, including many Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA, of which Metro North is a part) employees. Full subway service had still not been restored by the time we left at 5:00 p.m., although Metro North seemed to be running on time--at least according to the radio stations and online news services we checked.
And what of the web site (http://www.mta.info/) we were supposed to check for updates? Basically, it could not handle the traffic and crashed and burned for most of the morning. By lunchtime it was accessible, but no one could find any updated information about service. Only when someone in the building emailed us a direct link to a page of updates were we able to find the information on the MTA site. It was exactly the same information the New York Times and CBS Radio 880 had been posting on their sites throughout the day.
Weather happens, and when it does, the MTA doesn't.
Peace,
Jeffri
Monday, August 6, 2007
Reports From The Bishops Meeting In Spain
Trinity Church Wall Street invited bishops from the Episcopal Church and African Anglican Churches to gather for a "consultation to strengthen relationships, develop mission partnerships, and to discover new opportunities to bear witness to the Gospel." Titled "Walking to Emmaus: Discovering New Mission Perspectives in Changing Times," the meeting, sponsored by the Iglesia Episcopal Reformada de Espana, was held in El Escorial, Spain July 21-26. News from Spain seems much more hopeful for the future of the Anglican Communion that that coming from the July 30-31 Anglican Communion Network meeting in Bedford, Texas (see the ACN reports here, and also Katie Sherrod's report).
UPDATED AUGUST 15, 2007
Here are some press reports on the meeting in Spain.
Trinity Church's Press Release and Video Postcards from some of the bishops and others. Also The Rev. Dr. James Cooper's 7/29 sermon with a report on his participation.
Anglican Communion News Service: 7/25
Episcopal Life: 7/23
The Christian Post, Washington, DC
Mshale, Minneapolis, MN
Reports from some of the Bishops who attended:
Jon Bruno of Los Angeles (posted on Susan Russell's "An Inch At A Time")
Kirk Smith of Arizona
And some miscellaneous reports:
The Anglican Church of Canada web report
Peace,
Jeffri
UPDATED AUGUST 15, 2007
Here are some press reports on the meeting in Spain.
Trinity Church's Press Release and Video Postcards from some of the bishops and others. Also The Rev. Dr. James Cooper's 7/29 sermon with a report on his participation.
Anglican Communion News Service: 7/25
Episcopal Life: 7/23
The Christian Post, Washington, DC
Mshale, Minneapolis, MN
Reports from some of the Bishops who attended:
Jon Bruno of Los Angeles (posted on Susan Russell's "An Inch At A Time")
Kirk Smith of Arizona
And some miscellaneous reports:
The Anglican Church of Canada web report
Peace,
Jeffri
Pope Returns To Rome, Again
No, not Benedict, but Bishop Clarence Pope, the retired Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. Read Katie Sherwood's report here.
He still won't be a Roman Catholic bishop, and he would still have to be "re-ordained" to be a Roman Catholic priest. Maybe it's the return of the Latin Mass?
Peace,
Jeffri
He still won't be a Roman Catholic bishop, and he would still have to be "re-ordained" to be a Roman Catholic priest. Maybe it's the return of the Latin Mass?
Peace,
Jeffri
Saturday, August 4, 2007
And, Of Course, This Bit Of Silliness
 | You scored as Hermione Granger, You're one intelligent witch, but you have a hard time believing it and require constant reassurance. You are a very supportive friend who would do anything and everything to help her friends out.
Your Harry Potter Alter Ego Is...? created with QuizFarm.com |
Odds And Ends
It has been a long, hot day, most of which I've spent inside doing chores or reading. Here are some random odds and ends accumulated over the course of the last couple of days.
And this surprises us how?
In a one horse race, the Diocese of South Carolina has again elected the Rev. Mark Lawrence to be their next bishop. Here is the story from Episcopal Life Online, and one from the Diocese itself.
Where there's smoke....there's a smoke screen!
The American Anglican Council is circulating a Legal Transparency Petition calling on the Episcopal Church to disclose how much money is being spent from the Church's budget to pursue litigation against congregations attempting to take Church property with them as they leave the denomination. I guess they don't know that they can ask for financial records, as the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America is a non-profit organization.
This so-called call for "transparency" is just one more tool in their attempt to divert attention from their schismatic efforts. One wonders how much money the so-called "network dioceses" are putting into the various schismatic organizations or sending to support the interfering bishops?
Prediction
Lisa's My Manner Of Life will experience yet another increase in visits because she dared to take aim at Greg Griffith of StandFirm. My brief post linking to Lisa's original one and thanking her for a laugh resulted in over 500 (and counting) referral visits from Greg's post. Thanks again, Lisa, your comments are spot on.
Prayers
Please pray for those killed or injured in the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis, and for their families and friends.
Please pray for those who work at the Episcopal Church Center as they await the coming reorganization. No matter how well these things are handled, there is always a high level of anxiety and stress before, during, and after.
Peace,
Jeffri
And this surprises us how?
In a one horse race, the Diocese of South Carolina has again elected the Rev. Mark Lawrence to be their next bishop. Here is the story from Episcopal Life Online, and one from the Diocese itself.
Where there's smoke....there's a smoke screen!
The American Anglican Council is circulating a Legal Transparency Petition calling on the Episcopal Church to disclose how much money is being spent from the Church's budget to pursue litigation against congregations attempting to take Church property with them as they leave the denomination. I guess they don't know that they can ask for financial records, as the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America is a non-profit organization.
This so-called call for "transparency" is just one more tool in their attempt to divert attention from their schismatic efforts. One wonders how much money the so-called "network dioceses" are putting into the various schismatic organizations or sending to support the interfering bishops?
Prediction
Lisa's My Manner Of Life will experience yet another increase in visits because she dared to take aim at Greg Griffith of StandFirm. My brief post linking to Lisa's original one and thanking her for a laugh resulted in over 500 (and counting) referral visits from Greg's post. Thanks again, Lisa, your comments are spot on.
Prayers
Please pray for those killed or injured in the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis, and for their families and friends.
Please pray for those who work at the Episcopal Church Center as they await the coming reorganization. No matter how well these things are handled, there is always a high level of anxiety and stress before, during, and after.
Peace,
Jeffri
Friday, August 3, 2007
The End Of Week Funnies
I logged on this morning to find 150 visits to my blog in the first 8 1/2 hours of the day. Normally my random thoughts rate only about 6-10 visits per day. My initial guess proved correct: a posting on StandFirm was the source of the vast majority of the traffic. Less than 3 1/2 hours after my post went up Greg Griffiths posted The (Real) Story of Greg, complete with links to both my and Lisa's posts.
I must say, however, that, for the most part, Greg responded to humor with humor, as have most--though not all--of the commentors.
As of this writing, there have been 422 visits and counting--more than quadruple any daily visit total to date. As I commented on Lisa's blog, it looks like the quickest way to increase traffic on our blogs is to poke fun at--or rile--the folks at StandFirm. That, however, is not something I plan on doing often, though it does seem to happen with alarming frequency.
And now back to the more mundane things of life, like paying bills and cleaning the small room.
Peace,
Jeffri
I must say, however, that, for the most part, Greg responded to humor with humor, as have most--though not all--of the commentors.
As of this writing, there have been 422 visits and counting--more than quadruple any daily visit total to date. As I commented on Lisa's blog, it looks like the quickest way to increase traffic on our blogs is to poke fun at--or rile--the folks at StandFirm. That, however, is not something I plan on doing often, though it does seem to happen with alarming frequency.
And now back to the more mundane things of life, like paying bills and cleaning the small room.
Peace,
Jeffri
Thursday, August 2, 2007
A Much Needed Laugh - HUMOR ALERT
Lisa has posted a wonderfully funny piece on her blog My Manner of Life. It takes aim at one of the Reasserter Inquisition's Chief Inquisitors. It certainly is one way to look at his constant attacks on our Elizabeth. Go read Magnificent Obsession. It gave me a much needed laugh at the end of a rather long and stressful day.
Peace,
Jeffri
Peace,
Jeffri
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)