7 Quick Takes: Random Edition

1) I have a policy about not making political comments online, if I can stop myself. It's hard, because so many people say such stupid things, and I could so easily come up with something great and sassy and smack-downish, but... I think it's probably better for my friendships and for all the world if I keep it to myself and the ballotbox. I was taught as a kid that it is rude to ask people who they vote for, that this is an extremely personal decision. Now, when I hear people ask others (like kids) who they voted or would vote for, I leap in (slow-mo, like someone jumping on a grenade in an old movie) and say "YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT!!!" I can see how tempting it is to bleed one's political views all over the internet, but it just feels wrong to do it. I did make one comment, once... a friend had a video of Barack Obama stumbling at the loss of his teleprompter, and they said something about how people made fun of Bush. I commented "this doesn't make Bush look any smarter." But that's all.

2) That said, I do believe in everyone's right to say what they want to say. I just don't see the kind of debate that might be carried out via Facebook status as changing anyone's mind. And, I have a visceral reaction to meanness, just about anywhere, unless it's me doing it and it's funny.

3) Well now I'm embarrassed about the truth of that last statement. It's true, but it's terrible. I have been working hard not to be so darned MEAN lately, even when it's funny. And also not to be so nervous around change. But that is neither here nor there.

4) Our fly invasion is over!! I don't know what happened, or why it stopped, but it's over. Now all that is to be done is to hang up our awesome flyswatter and wait for next year.

5) I've been reading a management guru's book, and looking at how easily it can be applied to ministry. This guru says that one should treat one's employees like customers. That makes me think that we should be as intentional about our volunteers' spiritual growth and learning as we are about that of our students. What would our ministries look like if we invested as much in the volunteers as we did to the "people"?

6) I've found my bacon. Have you noticed how hip bacon is these days?? Everyone is coming out of the closet and admitting how much we really, really love the stuff. I saw a kid with a t-shirt on the other day that just had a big heart and two strips of bacon. Anyway, my new brand is John Morrell. It's hard to describe the deliciousness of this bacon, But OH GOD it's good. Oh. God.

7) Tonight we're visiting the local St. Rocco festival, it's adorable. This saint-festival thing is soooo Massachusetts, I don't remember any saint festivals around when I was a kid in Maine, but I love them. They parade a statue of the titular saint and people attach money to it later, and then they buy vodka at the liquor store and pour it into the slushies that they buy at the booth on the corner. At the big one in Boston, St. Anthony's, you can go to Mass in the square, and while you're at it you can buy and eat a cannoli. But, don't talk too loud, because MASS IS GOING ON. Just be quiet and eat your cannoli. St. Rocco, the patron of knees, is celebrated over about three blocks, with a heavy Knights of Columbus presence. It's great. Last year when my Dad had a knee replaced, I asked St. Rocco to pray for him, so I'll be glad to see the ol' guy again (well, his statue) and say a prayer of thanks.

And that's 7! Have a great weekend!






PS: I just wish we could have Clinton back. There, I said it.

Promises and promises!

As a parish employee with no real job description and an invented title, the thought of having to be re-elected to your job every now and again is intriguing to me. I don't have any set standards by which to measure my job performance- there aren't any other Parish Formation positions out there. As Youth Ministry Coordinator, it's easy to figure out the rules, and to know what a good YMC does there are even books about what one should strive for and accomplish in one's first two years.
So, I try to stay busy and productive, try to initiate new things as often as I can manage, and try to be as helpful to everyone else as I can. I try to be able to make a list of things I've accomplished or started or taken on- actual, visible things. I'm not sure what the expectations are for me, or if anyone's expectations of me match anyone else's. But as a YM guru said once (I forget which guru), hey- there's no history of failure to overcome. I guess, with no job description, maybe no one will notice if I fail. How would they know, right?
So when I was listening to the pundits and critics and talking heads on the radio and tv I wondered what they might say about me if I was trying to be re-elected to my job. There are definitely improvements I need to make, but I hope that my parishioners (the percentage who would vote, anyway) would vote me in.
Four More Years! Four More Years!!!!

Election night

Here we sit, waiting for the election results to roll in. I'm almost as interested to hear the numbers of people who voted as I am in hearing the results.

Just now, CNN "beamed in" Will.I.Am to be interviewed, as a hologram... he's all graphic-looking, and standing on a red dot. Now that's technology- the whole production is so Jetsons.

I was excited to vote this morning, and proudly wore my "I Voted Today" sticker, even though I didn't have a chance to get my free coffee or ice cream with it. It was a novel experience to feel pride in the voting booth. I hope this is the beginning of something very good, no matter who wins.

When I was a kid, I was taught that you shouldn't ask people how they voted, and you don't ever have to tell anyone how you vote. When I hear people ask each other nowadays I often jump in and say "you don't have to answer that!" This year it seemed that everyone was hot to tell everyone else how they voted, and how they should vote. The Catholic blogosphere has all weighed in on how Catholics should vote. I do believe that how we vote is a privileged, private bit of information, and I don't share my choices. Partly because I don't want to debate with anyone, and partly as a matter of principle. Ballots are private for a reason.

Anyway, that said, I'm very hopeful that as a country we can turn a new corner, no matter who is elected. Change, I believe, is coming.

flu-like symptoms

At noon today they told the distressing news that Rudy Giuliani was hospitalized overnight with "flu-like symptoms". Now, this blows my mind. Since when did flu-like symptoms become a hospitalize-able situation? Here's the criteria for that- if you are rich and/or famous, you are entitled to a night in the hospital for things like being nauseous, or if you are suffering from "exhaustion". I wonder how many single, working mothers are suffering from exhaustion right now? If we opened the doors of our hospitals to everyone who had the flu, of course they'd be over-run immediately. So we reserve these beds for those who get news coverage for whatever minor "illness" they have. What really irks me about this is, this in particular is a man to whom the country might soon look to when it comes to health care decisions that will effect every citizen. Does he even remember a time when having "flu-like symptoms" meant calling in sick, curling up on the couch, and throwing up in a bucket? I doubt it. And I can't help but wonder how his personal experience of health care might effect his vision of health care for the country.
I'm just sayin'.