So who is that person and where do I know him or her from?
I have become somewhat addicted to Facebook, you know, that all-encompassing half a billion person web site with someone in there for everyone... and I'm beginning to wonder who some of these people are who have become 'friends' over the past year or so. Part of me doesn't much care. "What the hell, it's free" I tell myself. That's rationalization enough, I reckon, and so on I go, collecting more 'friends' and sometimes wondering if I really know the people who shoot their friend requests in my direction.
For instance, there's a young woman on my 'friends' list who made a request after commenting on a photo of me published by another 'friend' and former co-worker. I have this very dim idea that I met this person some time ago in passing, but I'm never really sure that I did. Her posts have been interesting. She is a young mother, attends comic book conventions and is generally quite cheerful about life in general and her life in particular. I'll keep her around. She's like some of the young women I work with. Proud, determined and perhaps a bit stubborn.
Then, there's this person who has this familiar-sounding name who seemingly does little else but collect new 'friends' all of the time, occasionally thanking God for the many blessings he has in his life - reminding us to do likewise. I'm already there but I still only have an inkling of an idea as to who he is. Perhaps it's time to drag out the High School Yearbook again.
Not all of the people who appear on my friends list are unfamiliar to me. All three of my second cousins are on the list as are four of my five siblings, a brother-in-law, my children, the lovely Miss Carol, my mother and several people I've remembered from High School. Many of the people I work with are on that list as are a few of the folks from Church.
My 'friends' come from all over, most of them are concentrated here in Texas and up in Ohio. There are at least two living in Florida, same for California. Pennsylvania and Missouri are represented as well. Georgia, North Carolina, Washington (both the State and D.C.) and West by God Virginia are in there too. There are the successful and the not quite as successful represented. Those who believe in God and those who don't. There are those who are happy with the political climate, those who hate it and those who don't much care.
There are at least two published authors and a movie director, along with several musicians and at least one promoter. A wide range of people.
I have, from time to time, thought of suggesting one friend to another on my list. For instance, I have two contacts who say almost the same things regarding the events of the day. I'm sure that they would get along famously. There are a couple of incessant game players, one of which loves Farmville, the other, Mafia Wars. Perhaps the Farmville person can grow marijuana for the Mafia Wars person, or set up a 'still' or something. That'd be neat.
Then there are the people who I am missing that maybe, just maybe, I'd like to have on my list by way of a mutual friend. One person who I think is on there is someone I've never met, but with whom I share a birthday and a profession. People I've heard about, folks who I have admired for one reason or another, women who I have had a crush on since, well, since I've been aware of such things... the list could go on for a while.
In the end, though, I have come to the conclusion that the people I have as friends on Facebook are pretty much the people I need to remain connected with for some reason or another. Most of them keep me on an even keel; most of them are interesting in their own special way.
Even those who I can't for the life of me figure out who they are!
Guess I'll have to re-read some of the profiles again.
Be Seeing You!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Cradle
When one is born into the Episcopal Church, one is known as a "Cradle Episcopalian", a tag which I have borne since being born. While I have 'experimented' by attending other churches, I have always come back 'home'. The why is hard to explain... perhaps it has to do with the ways of the Church.
In some ways, we Episcopalians are a funny lot. We are seen as being oh, so proper (Episcopalians in Heaven weeping, wailing and gnashing their teeth for the sin of using a dinner fork for eating their salad), way too traditional (One to call the Sexton and another to state that the old light worked well enough, thank-you), and perhaps a bit too eager to have a drink (Whenever four Episcopalians are gathered, there is always a Fifth).
Some of the charges are true. Painfully. I've been to Episcopalian gatherings where booze has been a relative Niagra, I've heard the complaints from within about why this or that have changed and I have known of people in the Church who see the Church as being nothing more than an extension of the local Country Club. But I've also seen some very committed Christians in the Church who have displayed the sort of fervor I've seen in some of the Baptist Churches I have attended from time to time.
Last Sunday, I attended Christ Episcopal in San Antonio on the suggestion of a friend. This friend is one of several who, in earlier days, had been part of Tabernacle Baptist in Chillicothe, a relatively benign Church with very deep roots. Anyhoo, this friend is now living in San Antonio and is part of the music ministry of Christ Episcopal. We met for a short time after the service and discussed (briefly) the trials and tribulations which Christ Episcopal is experiencing at the moment.
For the past several years, the Episcopal Church has been in a bit of turmoil about the ordination of gays into the priesthood. As a result, splinter groups have popped up here and there, seperating from the Episcopal Church to re-form and call themselves Anglican. Christ Episcopal in San Antonio had had a splinter group break off within the past month, leaving them without a Rector and less roughly 10% of their membership. The same thing has been happening to a fair number of Episcopal Churches - some even leaving as a whole Parish as had happened at Christ Episcopal in Plano.
It seems to be epidemic, but for the Episcopal Church, it's business as usual. There always seems to have been some sort of splinter group objecting to something and drawing people away from the Church. Since the early '70s when I 'gravitated' from High School, there have been protests about 'changes in the prayer book' and huge differences concerning whether or not to ordain women. Other sinterings have concerned allowing persons of African descent into the Church (the arguement being that they have no souls) back in the 1800s and there have been others, doubtless, of the same importance.
As far as this pilgrim is concerned, the current situation is just on the edge of being silly. We as Episcopalians seem to forget that much of the pomp and circuimstance connected to the Episcopal Church is theatrical in nature and will tend to attract people with a theatrical bent. If they happen to join the Church and "get" the message, a few of them may be inclined to become Deacons, Priests and Bishops... and it would seem (at least in my mind) to be better that one would be open about one's sexuality before entering the Priesthood than to hide it until being discovered by way of a lawsuit.
Too, part of the deal of "getting" the overriding message has to do with a Rabbi named Jesus who had broken tradition by ministering to Samaritans and Lepers. There are those who have cast gays into a "Social Leprosy"... where it's okay to have them around as waiters, entertainers and objects of ridicule, but "By God, keep them out of my Church"!!! Jesus would be turning over in his grave (if he had one) because of that attitude. He would be first in line to minister to those who had been tainted with that "Social Leprosy". Guaranteed.
To the people who have decided to stick with Christ Church in San Antonio (and with Saint Paul's in Chillicothe for much the same reason), know that there are those who stand with you... not necessarily because we are Cradle Episcopalians, but because we "Get it", too. We've seen the turmoil before and will undoubtably be seeing the turmoil again.
There are better times coming.
Be Seeing You!
In some ways, we Episcopalians are a funny lot. We are seen as being oh, so proper (Episcopalians in Heaven weeping, wailing and gnashing their teeth for the sin of using a dinner fork for eating their salad), way too traditional (One to call the Sexton and another to state that the old light worked well enough, thank-you), and perhaps a bit too eager to have a drink (Whenever four Episcopalians are gathered, there is always a Fifth).
Some of the charges are true. Painfully. I've been to Episcopalian gatherings where booze has been a relative Niagra, I've heard the complaints from within about why this or that have changed and I have known of people in the Church who see the Church as being nothing more than an extension of the local Country Club. But I've also seen some very committed Christians in the Church who have displayed the sort of fervor I've seen in some of the Baptist Churches I have attended from time to time.
Last Sunday, I attended Christ Episcopal in San Antonio on the suggestion of a friend. This friend is one of several who, in earlier days, had been part of Tabernacle Baptist in Chillicothe, a relatively benign Church with very deep roots. Anyhoo, this friend is now living in San Antonio and is part of the music ministry of Christ Episcopal. We met for a short time after the service and discussed (briefly) the trials and tribulations which Christ Episcopal is experiencing at the moment.
For the past several years, the Episcopal Church has been in a bit of turmoil about the ordination of gays into the priesthood. As a result, splinter groups have popped up here and there, seperating from the Episcopal Church to re-form and call themselves Anglican. Christ Episcopal in San Antonio had had a splinter group break off within the past month, leaving them without a Rector and less roughly 10% of their membership. The same thing has been happening to a fair number of Episcopal Churches - some even leaving as a whole Parish as had happened at Christ Episcopal in Plano.
It seems to be epidemic, but for the Episcopal Church, it's business as usual. There always seems to have been some sort of splinter group objecting to something and drawing people away from the Church. Since the early '70s when I 'gravitated' from High School, there have been protests about 'changes in the prayer book' and huge differences concerning whether or not to ordain women. Other sinterings have concerned allowing persons of African descent into the Church (the arguement being that they have no souls) back in the 1800s and there have been others, doubtless, of the same importance.
As far as this pilgrim is concerned, the current situation is just on the edge of being silly. We as Episcopalians seem to forget that much of the pomp and circuimstance connected to the Episcopal Church is theatrical in nature and will tend to attract people with a theatrical bent. If they happen to join the Church and "get" the message, a few of them may be inclined to become Deacons, Priests and Bishops... and it would seem (at least in my mind) to be better that one would be open about one's sexuality before entering the Priesthood than to hide it until being discovered by way of a lawsuit.
Too, part of the deal of "getting" the overriding message has to do with a Rabbi named Jesus who had broken tradition by ministering to Samaritans and Lepers. There are those who have cast gays into a "Social Leprosy"... where it's okay to have them around as waiters, entertainers and objects of ridicule, but "By God, keep them out of my Church"!!! Jesus would be turning over in his grave (if he had one) because of that attitude. He would be first in line to minister to those who had been tainted with that "Social Leprosy". Guaranteed.
To the people who have decided to stick with Christ Church in San Antonio (and with Saint Paul's in Chillicothe for much the same reason), know that there are those who stand with you... not necessarily because we are Cradle Episcopalians, but because we "Get it", too. We've seen the turmoil before and will undoubtably be seeing the turmoil again.
There are better times coming.
Be Seeing You!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Cars
I've always been fascinated by cars. Always.
Perhaps it's something in the blood. My Grandfather on my mother's side ran a "Garage" which for at least a part of my childhood was a big deal to me when we went to visit him in West Virginia. He almost always drove a Mercury, with the exception of the time that he had the 1953 Buick which was alright because during much of the time he had the Buick, my grandmother on the other side drove a 1954 Mercury.
Needless to say, I've wanted to have a Mercury for quite some time, even to the point of looking at perhaps getting into a Mercury Milan at some point in the future (as opposed to driving a Ford Fusion, same car, different badge). I may not get the chance, though, as the Ford Motor Company has decided to discontinue the Mercury after, what, 71 years of existance.
Darn shame.
Guess I'll have to find another make to fall in love with as many of the cars I've had are no longer available.
Austin? Part of the collapse of British Leyland.
Renault? Not here. In Mexico and perhaps in Canada, but not here.
Eagle? Good idea, sort of, wrong timing.
Plymouth? Loved (and still love) the minivans, but Plymouth is no longer.
At one point I thought that owning, or even driving a car would mark the car's maker for certain death. Owned an Oldsmobile nearly 30 years ago - mine a particularly miserable example. Try to find an Oldsmobile dealer today. You can't.
Go down the alphabet from there... Pontiac? Gone. Rambler? Gone. Studebaker? Gone. I've driven at least one example of each of the aforementioned makes which no longer appear in metal here in the land of E Pluribus Unum.
Which leads me to my next question. What make of car should I doom next?
At this point in life, I'm happily driving a Dodge Caravan... and if rumours are correct, the Caravan will disappear at some point in the near future in favor of the Chrysler version of the same vehicle.
I test drove a Land Rover about a year and a half ago... and just by taking that test drive, I doomed the company to be sold the Indian maker Tata.
Don't really want to push the hex onto Honda... I've known a few people connected with the Honda plants in Ohio and don't want to push any of my fellow Buckeyes out of work.
I understand that Kia may be pushed out of the business due to the fact that Hyundai owns them. Kias appear (at least to me) to be bland, inoffensive, and not particularly able to stand much longer except as a loss leader for something more expensive. Should I help to push it "over the edge", so to speak? Nahhh, too bland and inoffensive for my tastes.
Toyota? They already have enough problems these days without adding me as one of them. Besides, my brother-in-law and another Face Book friend drive little blue Toyota Yarisis (or would that be Yari?) and neither of them should have to endure the pain of their company being put out of business just because I had a notion to own one.
The best choice to date has come from my dear wife (The lovely Miss Carol) who has become increasingly exhasperated with owners of Lexuses (or Lexi). Her contention is that Lexus has somehow left out turn signals on their cars... or at least that the cars' owners have never learned how to use the things. What better way to extinct a brand with such an obvious defect than to have me own one of my own.
That'll learn 'em for sure.
If I indeed ever decide to go into a dealer to actually purchase a car, I will definitely find a way to alert the people I know of what I intend to be driving next.
After all, I have proven a kiss of death...
Be Seeing You!
Perhaps it's something in the blood. My Grandfather on my mother's side ran a "Garage" which for at least a part of my childhood was a big deal to me when we went to visit him in West Virginia. He almost always drove a Mercury, with the exception of the time that he had the 1953 Buick which was alright because during much of the time he had the Buick, my grandmother on the other side drove a 1954 Mercury.
Needless to say, I've wanted to have a Mercury for quite some time, even to the point of looking at perhaps getting into a Mercury Milan at some point in the future (as opposed to driving a Ford Fusion, same car, different badge). I may not get the chance, though, as the Ford Motor Company has decided to discontinue the Mercury after, what, 71 years of existance.
Darn shame.
Guess I'll have to find another make to fall in love with as many of the cars I've had are no longer available.
Austin? Part of the collapse of British Leyland.
Renault? Not here. In Mexico and perhaps in Canada, but not here.
Eagle? Good idea, sort of, wrong timing.
Plymouth? Loved (and still love) the minivans, but Plymouth is no longer.
At one point I thought that owning, or even driving a car would mark the car's maker for certain death. Owned an Oldsmobile nearly 30 years ago - mine a particularly miserable example. Try to find an Oldsmobile dealer today. You can't.
Go down the alphabet from there... Pontiac? Gone. Rambler? Gone. Studebaker? Gone. I've driven at least one example of each of the aforementioned makes which no longer appear in metal here in the land of E Pluribus Unum.
Which leads me to my next question. What make of car should I doom next?
At this point in life, I'm happily driving a Dodge Caravan... and if rumours are correct, the Caravan will disappear at some point in the near future in favor of the Chrysler version of the same vehicle.
I test drove a Land Rover about a year and a half ago... and just by taking that test drive, I doomed the company to be sold the Indian maker Tata.
Don't really want to push the hex onto Honda... I've known a few people connected with the Honda plants in Ohio and don't want to push any of my fellow Buckeyes out of work.
I understand that Kia may be pushed out of the business due to the fact that Hyundai owns them. Kias appear (at least to me) to be bland, inoffensive, and not particularly able to stand much longer except as a loss leader for something more expensive. Should I help to push it "over the edge", so to speak? Nahhh, too bland and inoffensive for my tastes.
Toyota? They already have enough problems these days without adding me as one of them. Besides, my brother-in-law and another Face Book friend drive little blue Toyota Yarisis (or would that be Yari?) and neither of them should have to endure the pain of their company being put out of business just because I had a notion to own one.
The best choice to date has come from my dear wife (The lovely Miss Carol) who has become increasingly exhasperated with owners of Lexuses (or Lexi). Her contention is that Lexus has somehow left out turn signals on their cars... or at least that the cars' owners have never learned how to use the things. What better way to extinct a brand with such an obvious defect than to have me own one of my own.
That'll learn 'em for sure.
If I indeed ever decide to go into a dealer to actually purchase a car, I will definitely find a way to alert the people I know of what I intend to be driving next.
After all, I have proven a kiss of death...
Be Seeing You!
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