Saturday, May 31, 2008

The Wedding 'N Stuff

Here we are at the wedding of Nick's niece. Nick performed the service. I was the doting partner and somewhat style consultant.

It was a nice outdoor wedding and the weather cooperated. We were supposed to have thunderstorms but they held off. What made me happy was at one point, Nick's sister introduced me as her brother-in-law. I gave her a big hug later and told her I was honored.

Tomorrow will be my last Sunday at my current congregation. I will miss them. I have grown a lot while I was there and they were very loving and supportive of me. I preached last Sunday and will be presiding this Sunday. Then, if everything goes well, I will be starting at a new congregation around the beginning of July.

Also tomorrow, after the church stuff, Nick and I are planning on going to Motor City Pride. It should be fun. On the way home from the wedding we stopped in Ferndale and looked around. We did a little shopping and then continued driving home. We tried to find a rainbow jockstrap but it seems there is no such beast. Alas, red had to do.

So, right now we are just relaxing until tomorrow. Nick will do the church thing in Flint, I near Lansing. Then we will meet and head off to pride.

More info tomorrow!!

Friday, May 30, 2008

Cell Phones Part 2

I had a miracle happen! Yesterday, a woman came up to the cash resister on the cell phone and just before she got to me, she said to the person on the phone, "I will call you back in a minute," and hung up!! I thank her profusely for showing me the respect of not pretending I didn't exist. Things may be changing! :)

IT'S HERE!!!


Aaaaa!!! (Scream Scream Scream!!) (Stomp Stomp Stomp!!) Careful, those are Manolo Blahniks!


Maybe we can finally get past all the hype about Sex and the City and get back to pictures of Harrison Ford!

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Cell Phones


Ur-Spo today mentioned how people will pull a cell phone out in the middle of an appointment and begin talking. I love his response to these people.


I definately have a love/hate relationship with cell phones. I think they are great, but they seem to be a reason for people to become even ruder than normal.


My first run-in with rude cell phone people was over 10 years ago. I was in a restaurant and bar in Galena ,IL and was having lunch with a friend. Three people were sitting at the bar having lunch also. Two of the people were chatting while the third person in the group was talking on the phone. The conversation when on for over 20 minutes. How rude to ignore the others in your party.


Of course, we have the folks talking and driving. You can tell who they are because they are in the left lane driving slower than everyone else. They are the ones doing what I love to call the "cell phone lean." This is where the person appears to be sitting in the middle of the car because they need to prop their head up on their phone. And just when anyone does anything stupid on the road, it seems like they are on the phone.


Then we have the people who cannot get off the phone to order. Just tell the person you are talking to to hold on a moment and then you can finish your conversation. It seems that having a cell phone gives you permission to be rude. And if the person has a bluetooth, then rudeness takes on a whole new level!


I know if I responded to the people on the phone as if they were talking to me, they would think I was the one being rude. But what they are telling me is that I am not worth there time to pay attention to. Arrrrggg.......


I heard a thing on NPR which stated that rudeness is the new chivalry. People didn't even know the meaning of the word "chivalry." It shows.


Maybe we will grow up someday

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Pets on Plastic

Well, Madeline didn't go to Kitty Heaven. It only cost $70 and that included a rabies shot. It still was more than I would care to pay, but I couldn't let her go. Other than being plugged-up, she is a perfectly healthy cat. So, she got cleaned out and the credit card got an addition.

I feel much happier having my kitty.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Can't This All Just Stop?


Of course, just when things start to look like they could start getting better, more crap comes (or doesn't) down the pike.


Nick told me that Madeline, one of my cats, has been throwing up. What Nick didn't know is that is one of the signs that Madeline is impacted. We have been dealing with Madeline's impactions for over three years. Every time I take her to get cleaned out, it costs around $160. She gets drugs daily and eats expensive cat food. And still she is impacted.


I have upped her drugs in the hopes that it will empty her out. But I am not holding my breath. What is sad is if Madeline goes to the vet, it will be a one-way trip. I can't afford to keep paying that amount.


Then I got an e-mail telling me that I get to start paying back my school loans. (Yes, I am still paying them.)


I still don't know what is happening with new church.


I just wish things would calm down.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

He's Making a List!



Better be good! He's sees you when you are sleeping! (And other things!)

Seven Months to Go!!

Michigan Sights


I saw this yesterday when Nick and I were out and about. Only in Michigan can north and south be on the same road! No wonder we are so messed up around here!

Friday, May 23, 2008

You Go Alanis!

It just happened!! On Today this am, Alanis Morissette gave all of us family members a shout out. Maybe it is because she is Canadian and they are just that much more ahead of the times.

While singing Ironic, instead of the usual lyric of "...meeting the man of my dreams, and meeting his beautiful wife", she sang, "...meeting the man of my dreams and meeting his beautiful HUSBAND"!!!!

The crowed went wild! I cheered! Nick looked at me like I was nuts. (Which I am, but Nick is not a fan of pop music.)

I will post video if/when it shows up on Youtube.

UPDATE!!

I found the video!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

what can we as christians do to wake people up.

This was one of the google searches that brought someone to my blog.

Unless the person is wondering about alarm clocks that pay hymns, I find the question offensive. What I find offensive is the basic assumption that this "christian" is the one that is awake and everyone else is asleep. And also the offensive assumption that everyone else needs to be awaken.

I think this is one of the things that will always cause a rift between the liberal folks and the more conservative folks; the conservatives seem to think that they have nothing to learn from their adversaries. Some may say that the same is true for the liberals, but it seems that the liberals are willing to entertain other possibilities. I find most fundamentalists to be cocksure and unable to entertain the thought that they may just possibly be wrong.

Nick and I were watching "Jesus Camp" last night on the Bio Channel. I was disgusted! The brainwashing these poor children were going through. In my opinion, that was child abuse.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Curiosities

I haven't written much over the past week. But I decided to share with you some of the curiosities to be found around the apartment.



This is a wonderful Lucite grape swag light. I think it is just great! I love the kitch of the whole thing. I got it on ebay and it cost me more to have it shipped than it did to buy the thing.



Nothing says "Mardi Gras" like rubber duckie beads. I got them for Nick last year when I went to New Orleans.



This is the Hat rack Chair. I bought it at an art show about eight years ago. I love it! It is not very comfortable, but it sure is a fun piece of furniture.



In keeping with the Lucite theme, we have the Lucite crucifix. Nothing says, "Our saviour died on the cross" like Lucite. Some former parishioners of mine who are antique dealers found this one for me.



These are my wonderful 1950 Chinoiserie lamps. I got them at auction for only $15. Some say I paid too much for them. I think I got them for a steal!



My final curiosity for this post is the ball bearing clock. I have wanted one of these since I saw them in Spencer's Gifts as a kid. If you have not seen one, they are quite cool. The arm swings around and lifts a ball up to the top where it is dropped off. From there, the ball rolls into the minutes track. At five minutes, the balls roll down the channel and one ball drops onto the next rack which marks the five minute demarcations. At the hour, the balls roll off the five minute rack and one drops down to the hour track.

Here is a video of the clock going from 12:59 to 1:00.

Claudia, the Genius!



Isn't Claudia so stealthy? If we hide the head, no one can see the body! Yes, she can fit entirely under the dresser, I guess she just thought the "If I can't see you, you can't see me" logic was best for this situation.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Busy Weekend



It was a good weekend. On Saturday, we had the bishop come to the area for baptisms, confirmations, receptions, and reaffirmation. I was present for a reaffirmation of faith. What was cool was having Nick be able to stand with his hand on my shoulder as the Bishop laid his hands upon my head.

Nick said that is was great that he was accepted by the people of the church and not made to feel ashamed or "less" in any way.

We then went out for lunch at the Traveler's Club restaurant and Tuba Museum. It was pretty good. I was able to get a TURBODOG!

Then we went to a dance at Nick's church. I actually got him to dance with me once!! This is only the sceond time he danced with me! (He really doesn't like to dance.)

This morning, it was Pentecost and all that entails. Unfortunately, my back was killing me! I never really got a chance to recover from the move. I would have a chance to rest up, but then have to go back to work and stand for eight hours. So I bowed out of going with Nick to his mom's house and stayed home and did a whole lot of nothing. AND IT WAS WONDEFUL! Thankfully, my back feels better tonight.

Saturday, May 10, 2008



I told you a while back about the wonderful comemoration we have in May. Now we have a way to celebrate and raise...
MONEY!

So won't you give them a hand?

Friday, May 09, 2008

Amber? Where Are You?


(h/t to lolcats)

Blogaversary + 1


I need to thank Teena for reminding me of my BLOGAVERSARY! It is hard to believe that I have been doing this for two years. I guess it has been a good thing. I just hope that my journey through life has helped others. I hope I was able to challenge someone, inspire someone, and make someone laugh. I also hope my mistakes may help someone avoid a similar mistakes.

Oops, I just checked, actually, it is Blogaversary + 1 month and 1 day. Oh well, my thoughts are still the same.

For those of you who are wondering, here is my first post.

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Monday, May 05, 2008

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Humm, The Scenery Has Changed


I got a kind of bizarre e-mail last night. It came from the Canon for Deployment. (For those of you who don't know the lingo, that is the person in the Bishop's office who makes money occupying a desk helps pair clergy with empty pulpits.) It was a letter to the senior warden of a local church and mentioned me as a possible Clergy in Residence.

What made this so bizarre is that this is the first I have ever heard about it. It is the first the rector I am working with has ever heard of it. We were completely blindsided.

I am happy that things seem to be happening. I am happy the Bishop's office is thinking of me when things come up. I just wish I would have had more notice that this was happening.

Of course, this is not the first time this has happened. They seem to like doing things without the knowledge of the folks involved. But at least something is happening and hopefully this may lead to some more experience and a possible call. Not at the church I would be working at, but something.

Friday, May 02, 2008

The Public Has Spoken



Dr. Benton Phillippe

It's Dead Jim



Well, if you remember, I had mentioned how our next-door neighbor "helped" us to move. And especially how he "helped" us move the dryer. Well, we now have to get a new dryer. The basket spins, but it doesn't heat up. The dryer came from the house, the former owners left it there. So the thing is kind of old. It wasn't drying very well, anyway. But that is yet another thing to go wrong.

Oy vey!

Thursday, May 01, 2008

My Purpose in Life?


Rick Warren would have us believe that everything we do and everyone we meet happens for a purpose. Well, I may have found out why I am at Starbucks.

A person who works in a different department than me had been talking with me and asking some questions about the "new guy." I was somewhat evasive on some of the questions, but I figure if people keep pursuing the "evasive" areas, I will truthfully answer the questions. So when he kept asking about why I left the ELCA and why I was not working in a church, I answered him. He then became distant and I just figured "another homophobe." I didn't work directly with him so it didn't bother me.

After some time, he again began talking with me and asking questions. As I figure the best was around homophobia is for homophobes to get to know REAL gay people, I tried to be as honest as possible.

Well, yesterday, while I was eating lunch, the guy proceeds to tell me about a friend of his who is in jail. The guy tells me that he got a birthday card for the friend that said, "Do you want your cake or would you just like to lick the batter?" The card had a picture of a hunky baseball player on it. I said, "Oh, that's nice."

(Now, I should say that the guy I was talking to is not the brightest bulb in the box. He is a nice guy, but not Mensa material by a long shot. So I was not being purposefully dense around him, I just did not want to make any assumptions.)

Then he said, "I have a question; Is it ok if I like this guy as 'more' than a friend?"

I was a bit surprised, but not as much since I had just heard the story about the card. Of course, I said, "no, it is not wrong."

Then he went on to tell me that he was interested in men and that he had never told anyone else before. I was honored that he trusted me with his secret. He couldn't say the word, "gay," but that will come with time.

A big first step! I am glad that I was able to help him in his process of becoming true to himself and to his world. It may not be an easy journey, but he took the biggest step, he admitted his feelings to another. I just hope he will find others who are also supportive.