More screaming at God

That would be me. Screaming W.T.F.??. Because really, if being a Christian means that I have to condone this in any way whatsoever, God, I'm out. Just out, done, finished. Done. Over.

But I don't think it does. But people who twist around the "good news" this way make me so very angry. Good thing He can take it, from me and from others who are just as angry.

The cross stands empty

Christ is alive! No longer bound
to distant years in Palestine,
but saving, healing, here and now,
and touching every place and time.
Words by: Brian Wren
Arranged by: Jane Holstein

Lyrics and Revelation

Thank you, God, for Nat King Cole's voice. And thank you for inspiring these guys: words: John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons; music: Charlie Chaplin. Hey, is that the Charlie Chaplin?? Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll see the sun come shining through for you

Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
Thats the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying?
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile

That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying?
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smileWhile dealing with my hair this morning and replaying some conversations from yesterday at work, it dawned on me: CT's major issue, the reason she's so fucking annoying all the time, is that she's incredibly disappointed in life.

Whenever there is a discussion of why something stupid happened, or why people do things a particularly stupid way as a matter of course, CT can be counted on to pipe in with a comment to the effect of "But that's not the way it should be."

Well, no. But life is rarely as we think it should be, eh? I think she's never really figured out how to stop raging against fading chance at utopia and deal with life in practical terms. Look, there are certain things people do that are thoughtless and/or backward. They shouldn't do those things. But the fact is that they do, they have done them, and all the rest of us can do is a) bitch about it and/or b) deal with the fallout. I'm OK with bitching (if you've read the blog, that's pretty obvious), but at some point we all really need to get past that step and carry on. CT seems to be rather stuck there.

In the case of yesterday, we were talking about a method of doing something work-related that is bass-ackwards, but due to circumstances, it's kinda the way things happen. We all do this procedure this way, and most of us recognize that it's really stupid, but there's no efficient permanent workaround. (Yes, I'm being obtuse on purpose.) Occasionally, we discuss changing it, but it would be a LOT of work, so we mostly just gripe and then get on with it.

Not CT. She jumped into the discussion Box Lady and I were having--across the workroom from CT--about part of this issue. CT's introductory comment was, "But we should do [this/that/the other thing]. It shouldn't be [the way it is]." Yes, of course we should, and it shouldn't. How about taking the next 6 full weeks of your work-time to coordinate and streamline the process and then train the whole world to do that? BL and I were just trying to figure out how to make that one step a little less painful, but by all means, CT: go nuts. Fix the world. Really. Go on.

Which leads to her next problem: follow-through. As in, she has none. Several years ago she was going to 'prettify' the Large Print section so all the labels said the same thing on them. Some currently say LP, some say Large Type, some say Large Print, and some just have the author's name all alone. She did two shelves, out of about 150 total.

So, now, having come to this realization about her--that she's constantly fighting reality rather than managing it to her benefit, or at least ignoring the bad parts--I think I can get through the day without murderous rage.

Sometimes God just drops this kind of stuff in my head as a gift. So, thanks, Big Guy.

Gah

My sister called the other night around 9. She was in the waiting room at the hospital nearest their house, waiting (duh) for Mom to be transported from another hospital. Apparently, the nursing home van was taking her to the podiatist when the driver stopped short and the straps holding Mom in her wheelchair failed and she fell out. The upshot is that her right femur is broken just above her knee.

C'mon, God. Enough. Please?

Because I love this story

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Thank God for the Psalms

Especially 121 and 13 and 16 and 22 and 23. Of course, 23.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

I'd as lief...

The library is closed tomorrow.

I'll probably go in for a few hours and try to get some cataloging done in the silence. However, I intend to sleep as late as possible in the morning.

Sparky's spending the night at Z's tomorrow night. Beast and I are taking the opportunity to celebrate our anniversary eve at a nice hotel.

I don't think I mentioned that my sister Jean had her brain surgery last month:

June 4--from my niece Rosellen: A quick note because I just spoke to Dad - Mum had her brain op this morning - all went fine and she was "perky" and eating cake when Dad called. They kept her awake for the whole thing - eek!

No doubt Dad will give you more details sometime soon. I think she gets the rest of today to recover then tomorrow they do tests connecting the electrodes to see if it has any effect.

- - - - - -
June 5--from Reg: Just a quick follow-up from [Rosellen]'s email. I'm just about to go to the hospital again (11 am Thursday).

There seem to have been some improvements to her general Parkinson's symptoms although her speech is still pretty bad - I had trouble understanding her on the phone. She is eating well - a good sign. She has been seen by the surgeon and his entourage today already (they are such a great team!) and I expect that they will now be doing small adjustments to the stimulation and monitoring the effects. This will occur over the next six days and if things look good they will implant the permanent stimulator next Wednesday. We should then be able to return home that weekend (14th or 15th).

I'll keep you posted as I am able to connect to [their friend]'s broadband modem (where I am staying). And you can send any questions or messages to [Jean]!

- - - - - -
June 10: [Jean] speaking, [Reg] typing (and prohibited from editing). [Reg] has told you all the facts, now I get to do the feeling part.

I feel better just for having had the operation in ways I can't tell you. It is just like being back to the condition I was in six months ago. So it has given me back a little part of my life I lost. I was starting recently to find the meds would wear off and I would freeze. I no longer freeze and I have confidence to get out of bed in the morning knowing that I can make my own way to the bathroom without waiting for the meds to kick in. I seem to be straighter and until today I was drooling less. Now my brain is in the ricochet position of an injured brain which will gradually settle down. I shall come back in six weeks to be fine-tuned. I have a "therapeutic" setting which is at a low level while the the brain heals.

Being in hospital has been an interesting experience. Nowhere else do you get treated like a 5-year old child so consistently but it is all well meant so you can't do anything about it. The nursing and the doctoring are essentially very good but ... I guess I like to be my own person. At 58 I have little tolerance for other people's foibles. But I have to go with the flow. We are on the home stretch now. Tomorrow afternoon they will be implanting the stimulator in to the tummy area where they is some fat - there is very little around my collar bone!

I have been eating well but the food is stodgy. I might be able to go home as early as Friday afternoon. [Rosellen] and [Marguerite] are going to be at home from Friday to get the place ready for us to come back to. ([Marguerite], change the bed clothes in the little room for yourself! The manual for the new washing machine is in the kitchen! But it is dead easy to use.)

- - - - - -
June 12: It might look like this email is only going to you, but actually it is going to a very long list of people from a number of areas of [Jean]'s life. But I've sent you all a 'BCC' ('Blind Carbon Copy') email because of anyone who is not fully happy about their email address going all round the world! But the long list serves to emphasise how many friends [Jean] has and how grateful we have been for your concern over the last ten days. [Jean] has gratefully received so many messages of support and encouragement.

But tomorrow (Friday afternoon) [Jean] will be discharged and will return [home] with a bit of electronic gadgetry embedded in her abdomen which will keep kicking her two copies of the internal Globus Pallidus to suppress their over-excitation! In about five weeks time she will return to have the stimulator tuned to optimise its effect. It definitely has an effect as evidenced by a deterioration in her state while it was switched off for a day following its implantation. Now, on a low setting, it is reducing the PD stiffness and enabling her to keep herself more, but not fully, upright. We hope that over time and with careful tuning of the stimulator that the camptocormia will be much reduced - it could take six months or more - if the the initial promise is fulfilled. [Jean] feels right now, however, that a good six months of deterioration has been reversed - at the flip of a switch, as it were.

Please continue to send your messages. It might be a little while before we send another update.

So that's all good.

Meanwhile, my mom fell--again--and whacked her head last week.

There are things going on in other areas of the family that are equally up-in-the-air. I won't get into them, but the vortex continues to swirl.

Consequently, I am trying my best to eliminate external fripperies that are likely to piss me the fuck off again--as I was all winter and spring...and early summer. It's proving remarkably difficult, and yet relatively simple as well. I'm not quite as good at ruthlessness as I could be, but I'm improving.

---

Urban Word:

DFL: dead fuckin last, as in a sporting event or race. or anything else you can get last in.

Any time things get rearranged and reprioritized, someone has to end up DFL. My apologies to whoever, or whatever, that is.

---

Worldwide Blessing Generator
May your own peaceful life bring greater peace to the Earth,
and humble tranquillity inspire your words.
Grace comes to us as an unmerited favor. Be all ways gracious and you will be all ways favored.
Play and consider.

We're home

Mood: Probably the best I've felt in months
Hair: In desperate need of professional help...or even shampoo!
Eyes: Good
Listening to: Beast snoring through the NASCAR race

I'd have written before now, but we were totally exhausted by the time we got home to stay last night and I worked all day today.

We are psyched, sunburned, and stunned from a wonderful week working with various urban ministry sites. There are some amazingly wonderful people doing some good work in Milwaukee to make life better for people who just need a leg up. Props to Raymond Rivera and Sister Clara Atwater to name just two.

Personal memory moments:

• blowing up at the site leader for arranging the smallest group to clean up the biggest post-dinner mess on the night with the least amount of clean-up time
• blowing up at two girls who were were standing precariously on a second-floor window-sill hanging up wet towels over Beast's C-pap (feet on my pillow and Bible, and pressing on the aged window glass for support...it was totally justified, but handled poorly)
• watching Sparky's eyes swell nearly shut after throwing mold around all day while cleaning out a flooded room (THANK YOU GOD for the nudge to pack a Large Bottle of Benadryl!!!)
• one of our girls' commitment to mentoring two younger girls on their faith walk
• realizing that I shouldn't EVER pay retail for a vase or coffee mug but should hit the resale shops because they have hundreds (they actually throw away coffee mugs they get so many!)
• being prayed over by a real saint
• gaining a son (by adoption)
• goofing with a fun(ny) guy who spends his day reclaiming gang-bangers of every stripe
• lying on a large flat rock baking on the beach after an hour of mid-morning walking on the edge of the water
• locking the keys in the car and crying over the situation
• being called a "day brightener" by one of the other adult leaders; apparently, our appearance at the worksite halfway through each day caused her to realize that she was going to survive. Not sure what that was about, but I do know that keeping her half of the group on-task was like herding spiders
• having sore feet EVERY DAY--hobbling for the first 10 minutes every morning, including today
• NOT having sore neck/shoulders
• watching all of our kids outshine so many others on the trip as they grew stronger in their faith and melded as a group
• growing my own faith, and learning some wonderful new songs
• so many others....

Now, I'm going to wake Beast up and tell him that if he's sleeping he should be in bed. :-)

---

Urban Word:

fake the funk: (v.) To act with a false ethos surrounding oneself in an attempt to win respect from a certain influential party.

I'm not cynical, just realistic: I wonder how many kids were faking the funk this week. Time will tell, I guess.

Upcoming quiet week here

We are about two hours away from leaving on our mission trip for this summer. We are going to a city where Beast and I used to live, and where Sparky was born. If you are so inclined, any spare prayers would be welcome.

See you on Friday. Or Saturday, depending on how long it takes us to get sorted out when we return.

For accounts from previous weeklong mission trips, go here, here, here, here, and/or here.

---

Urban Word:

iPhone-a-friend: n. The act of using a regular cell phone to get information by calling someone who is sitting at a computer and can surf the internet by proxy.

Since we will be computer-free this week, I may have to use an iPhone-a-friend with one of you to get current information.

Why?

An interesting discussion occurred at work yesterday, prompted by a long-time patron of ours. He is a rather dour man. He's always been serious to the point of painfulness; not a guy who smiles more than twice a year, whether he needs to or not! He used to work with hospice as a spiritual advisor; at least that was the sense I got while talking to him at the Reference Desk 10 years or so ago. He frequently checked out books on dealing with grief and end-of-life issues. Yes, clearly, he had good reason not to be Santa Claus jolly.

In the past 6 or 7 years, he got married and has had a son. He's considerably less 'dark' now, but still pretty intense.

Yesterday he returned our copy of God's Problem, by Bart Ehrmann. The subtitle, and definition of the 'problem' in question, is "How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question--Why We Suffer." I generally like Ehrmann's writing, but he has lost me on this book completely; I've already decided to pass. Not Mr. Dour. He returned it yesterday and asked Supplies, who was staffing the Circulation Desk, if she had thought about that question. When she replied--rather nonplussed--that she didn't have a good answer, he told her that because she didn't, that meant she was actually agnostic and couldn't really believe in God. Or something to that effect.

Needless to say, she was pretty shocked to find this out. Especially from a patron. With no discussion or a fair exchange of ideas. When she told me, I was really irritated because I find it really annoying to think that anyone would presume that someone at work would want to start a lengthy theological discussion with a 'customer.' I mean, what if we say the wrong thing and the customer decides we are crossing the line either socially or even legally?!

Plus, she's NOT an agnostic. On the positive side, it made for a very interesting staff conversation of the sort I've never had with Supplies before. She was quite...uh...hurt...discombobulated...frustrated by the encounter.

To top it off, as we were talking she noticed a couple of paper clips on pages in the book. When she opened to the page to remove the clips, we noticed that the book has been underlined and commented upon throughout! Of course, there's no way to prove he did it, but we are all pretty sure it was Mr. Dour. Damn his eyes. And I mean that, quite literally.

Asshat.


[For what it's worth, I think we suffer because we screw up on a regular basis. We do things we know are not the right thing and others do wrong things that impact us. I think there is some karma-like stuff that goes on in the sense that what you put into the world comes back at you, too. That doesn't mean that people get sick or are crime victims or experience weather-related tragedies because they sinned. What I mean is that we suffer from what we put into the world. If our overall perspective of the world is that it is a wondrous, positive place, that's what we will see even in the face of misery and horror. That doesn't mean good people never have bad things happen; it means that the bad things don't necessarily overcome people who can find goodness and joy in life. I'm not expressing this well, and it sounds very Pollyanna-ish, and it probably seems like I'm discounting the suffering in Darfur (e.g.) and omitting any mention of sick little kids. The key is that I don't know. It doesn't mean that I don't believe in God; it means I don't have God's overview and I don't know how it's all meant to work. That's when we come back to the part that I don't have problems with, ever: faith. I have faith that there IS a purpose. Some days, I do get glimpses of parts of The Plan. Someday I'll understand the whole thing.]

---

Urban Word:

Chuck a Spaz: It means to have a fit, whether it be epileptic or emotional. To forgo rationality and opt for spasmodic movements, arms flailing, and utterances of an incoherent nature. Likewise, it is the behavior of people who get upset when they don't understand something.

As much annoyance as Mr. Dour spawned yesterday, no one chucked a spaz, not even him, and he's renowned for his little snits.

Stuff I've been reading

Mood: tahred, but pleasantly so (after a near psychotic break this afternoon--I l-o-a-t-h-e my family-of-origin right now!)
Hair: barrette up in back at this point, but it's been looking particularly good this week
Eyes: tahred
Listening to: NASCAR truck race (no shit: there is a driver named Scott Speed!)

OK, the Vatican is weird. I really have to say that I've never really understood the concept of Decrees on High, but damn. This one is the weirdest I remember in a long while. Who knew there was an official Vatican astronomer? [I've now deleted the beginning of what was about to become a lengthy rant on how better to spend the Vatican City State Budget.]

Since I'm already on a God in Space kick, Beliefnet's blog has compiled a list of the most spiritual sf characters. Personally, I'd move Morpheus up higher, but that's only because I haven't seen many of the others. I remember watching the third Matrix movie on TV a couple of years ago for the first time and having a blinding flash of what the story/ies was/were ABOUT. [Hint: not slowed-down kung-fu.]

Speaker of sf (which of course is now called Speculative Fiction so that we can include Fantasy with it...huh), some enterprising Harry Potter reader (or just someone with a great deal of extra time recently) has discovered a way to build a magic wand that will allow you to ride on the London Underground in spectacularly wizard-like fashion.

OK, since I've now gone completely into Gonzo Land, we women have no idea how complex the men's room is. When I forwarded this to Beast, his reply was a serious discussion urinal etiquette. I was stunned to find out that this is NOT a joke.

Lest we think that civilization is crashing around us, keep in mind that no matter how odious we "grown-ups" find text-talk ("lol", "u" instead of "you", etc.), the Romans started it.

While we're sharing blame, if you've got neighbors from hell, here's a place to complain about them in public. [You can also rave about any good ones.] In all seriousness, registered sex offenders are already posted, and so are foreclosures. But the joy is in the commentary: from the rather unfortunate-in-its-irony named Pleasant Grove, NJ: "Jerk Off." I like this one from Alvin, TX, too: "12 year old MENANCE running wild." It's possible that there are extra points given for poor spelling.

OK, back to the house: here's a bookshelf that doubles as a message center. The trick is training people to check there for messages.

OK, and now I'm going to bed. Happy sleeps, y'all!

---

Urban Word:

attachment disorder : When a person forgets to attach a document to an e-mail after explicitly stating that it is present.

Yesterday was the ultimate stupid technology day; I developed everything from premature window closure syndrome to attachment disorder.

Poetry Month

Bent with worry
by Marina Tsvetaeva (translated by Elaine Feinstein)

Bent with worry, God
      paused, to smile.
And look, there were many
holy angels with bodies of

the radiance he had
      given them,
some with enormous wings and
others without any,

which is why I weep
      so much
because even more than God
himself I love his fair angels.

Who are the angels? Babies, dogs, friends?

Poetry Month

Seeking Religion
by Sterling A. Brown

Lulu walked forlornly in late April twilight,
Lulu sought religion, long urged by Parson Jones,
Lulu sought the pinewoods, sought the dusky graveyard,
Fought her fears and sat among the ghostly stones.

Waiting for her visions, but not so very eager,
Lulu sat still with a crescent moon above,
Lulu dreamt dreams a creaky-jointed parson
Hadn't so much as warned her of.

Jim found Lulu sitting in the shadow,
Lulu was sobbing, her head upon her knees;
Jim spoke to Lulu, and realized her visions,
And scared off the strange things lurking in the trees.

Jim sought Lulu when harrowing was over,
The slim moon up; and with a convert's joy
Lulu sought religion in thick deep-shadowed pinewoods,
Lulu found religion in a chubby baby boy.

Kudos

Today has been such a godawful day that I need to redeem some of it by remembering that it's only been two days since a really awesome experience.

I received this by email on Sunday afternoon:

[Cat], [Beast] & [Redneck Guy],

WOW!!!!

What a wonderful job the kids did today leading worship.

Thanks—to a great group of young people, and to you three for providing the leadership that assists in creating such meaningful experiences.

Please pass on to the kids my appreciation and thanks.

[Vel.] [D.]

It was immediately followed by this:

Dear [Youth Group] Leaders and Members:

Your service today was incredibly moving. Thank you for the beautiful, disturbing, shocking, in our face messages. After 35 years of working to try to improve the lives of children and families, I have been despairing of late because the State and other government agencies that fund my agency and agencies like ours have been decreasing support for children's services --- to the point where I wonder sometimes if we can keep [the agency] open for business without some miracle. I pray every night and throughout every day that God will send us the resources we need to continue operating and that He will give me the strength and wisdom to know what to do to see that we can be there for children and young people like yourselves.

Your skit and your service made me hopeful – hopeful because you in [the group] appear to be on the safe track to adulthood and hopeful that your message to "Get involved/Stay involved" was heard by the members of our congregation loud and clear. It truly does take a village to raise a child and all of us need to do whatever we can to make the path to adulthood safe for our children. As you know from your research, FAR too many children in our own country lose their way and ALTOGETHER too many children in the world are in the same trouble PLUS there are children who are starving, disease ridden, threatened by war and violence, slavery and abuse all over the world. It seems like a big challenge to make a difference, but how can any of us not try?

Thank you again for this powerful message. I think you could and should take this show on the road!

With Love in Christ,
[S.] [K.]

Today, this arrived from the pastor as a tag on an email about something completely unrelated and which also went to our Presbytery's Clerk:

P.S. [Cat], the youth service Sunday was outstanding! I have heard more buzz about it than any youth service I have experienced. WELL DONE!!! [Pastor P.]

Finally, from another individual:

Dear [Youth Group]

I am writing to congratulate you and to thank you for such an awesome Youth Sunday! The skit you presented was very meaningful and, in fact, moved me to tears.

Your acting was VERY professional—you remained in character at all times and obviously put your hearts into it.

The information you presented at the end was very effective in reinforcing the message of the skit and I know it hit home with a lot of people.

Thank you so much for your hard work; this was definitely a Five Star presentation.

Sincerely,

[B.] [E.]

Mind you, all of these people have sat through decades of Youth Sundays that were moving in different ways. I will probably--at least temporarily--post a link to the video once we get it online. I just couldn't wait to post the kudos though. I couldn't be prouder of these kids, and I'm so grateful that the whole congregation got a chance to see how blessed we are to have them in our midst.

Today

May the great Master of Comfort comfort you,
and reward you with the riches of gentleness and patience forever.
Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.
Love and appreciate.

from World Blessing Generator

EYEROLL!

Mood: Phlegmy
Hair: It's a mess, it's a mess
Eyes: Good
Listening to: Some XM station just this side of elevator music and slightly left of soft jazz. Beast turned it on....

I hadn't heard about this. But thank God for Gordon.

Hint 1: If you don't get what the big deal is, as the first commenter on his site didn't...uh...you are an idiot.
Hint 2: I'm a Christian. That doesn't make me a total moron...like it seems to have done to some people.
Hint 3: This post is dedicated to Molly, because whenever I see the current Pope, I remember what she calls him, based on his creepy resemblance to a certain Star Wars character.

Here's a blessing for us today:
May your own peaceful life bring greater peace to the Earth,
and within yourself foster a limitless concern for every living creature.
Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot.
Cultivate flexibility and surrender.

10:30 p.m. Update: Gord's now getting flack for being anti-Catholic. What the hell? Apparently, a lot of people don't understand satire anymore. Picture me banging my head on the wall now.

So, to clarify for those I called idiots above: the problem with this is that the world is full of people who love to find any excuse to start killing each other. This particular event is FULL of dozens of layers of symbolic meaning, many of which I hazard that Christians are wholly unaware. It's stupid on the level of opening a half-empty gasoline can 4 feet from a campfire: sure, you aren't intending to start a conflagration, but the possibility is there, no? Or, nu?

In the end, is this going to help or hinder God's work here on earth? Is this going to cause more good or more bad? As I said in comments to Gordon, I'm quite happy that this man felt called to be baptized. I just feel that the publicity and spectacle is beyond the pale. It has nothing to do with his being baptized as a Catholic vs. Protestant whatsoever. But then again, along with Gordon, I'm pretty low-church across the board anyway.

Church for the Rest of Us (not)

Found this at Gord's site--though I hasten to add that this is NOT Gordon preaching:
For real? Talk about astonished giggling--actually at first I was just unable to focus on anything except his concept of numerology as God-written, then I went south with the concept of what was written in the KJV as what God actually said. Hello?

Enjoy y'all. This is not my church, but I'm glad God has such a goofy sense of humor in creating people like this.

Funniest Shirt I Can't Buy

Except it seems pretty much how I feel right now:
Purchase here

Oh hai

1 Ceiling Cat iz mai sheprd (which is funni if u knowz teh joek about herdin catz LOL.)
He givz me evrithin I need.

2 He taekz me to teh sunni spot
an haz liek nice waterz r ovar thar.

3 He makez mai soul happi
an maeks sure I go teh riet wai for him. Liek thru teh cat flap insted of out teh opin windo LOL.

4 I iz in teh valli of deth, fearin no evilz,
bcz Ceiling Cat iz besied me pokin me wif hiz stix an it maek me so kumfy.

5 He letz me sit at teh taebl evn when peepl who duzint liek me iz watchn.
He givz me a flea baff an so much milk it runz out of mai bowl LOL.

6 Niec things an luck wil chase me evrydai
an I wil liv in teh Ceiling Cats houz forevr.

Psalm 23 LOLcat style

I also like this one:

4 luv is pashient n kind, luv haz no jelusniss or showin offz, luv no is stuck-up5 or r00dz. Luv no insistzes on doin it rite, itz not pisst off alla tiem or rezentfluffle.6 luv izzn all happiez about doin it wrong, but is happiez about teh truthz.7 luv putz up wiht all teh stuffz, beelivez all teh stuffz, hoepz for all teh stuffz. Luv putz up wiht all teh stuffz. i sed that areddy.

from 1 Cor 13

Go.
Look up your favorite (however you define that) verse.
I command thee (because I'm not a LOLcat).

Resolution?

Another meeting last night. Not sure anything really came of it--ok, yes, there was some movement.

It's cooler outside, and the first song today seems to be tonally tuned into the coming of winter ("Nothing Without You" Vienna Tang). Lovely but sad.

Bible study this morning was a particularly difficult passage.

The first stack of titles I'll be cataloging today:

Golf Rules & Etiquette
Kick Boxing
Queer Images
Cuentos Fríos
Peripheral Neuropathy
The Perfect Stage Crew
100 Questions and Answers about Infertility

Still have not talked to Katherine (suddenly their answering machine isn't picking up).

Her sister Elizabeth seems to be going off the deep end about the idiocy of today's college students. Do all people working in academia find the students this awful?

I chair a library meeting today, first time in a couple of years doing that.

Time to work.