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Friday, January 11, 2008

Friday Five: Las Mañanitas


Friday Five: Las Mañanitas
Éstas son las mañanitas These are the morning verses
Que cantaba el Rey David, That King David used to sing,
A las muchachas bonitas To the beautiful young ladies,
Se las cantaba así. He would sing them like this.


1. When is your birthday? Does anyone else (famous and/or in your own life) share it?

1978 Louise Brown (first test tube baby) I though I was the one?
1967 Matt Le Blanc (actor) I've got a friend- albeit a goofy one
1955 Iman (model)
1945 Donna Theodore (singer)
1943 Janet Margolin (actress)
1943 Jim McCarty (musician, songwriter)
1935 Barbara Harris (actress)
1934 Don Ellis (musician)
1924 Estelle Getty (actress) my own golden girl
1902 Eric Hoffer (political, social philosopher, author)
1894 Walter Brennan (actor, singer)
1844 Thomas Eakins (realist painter)
1795 James Barry, female disguised as a man, surgeon general, British army ( my favorite)

2. Do you prefer a big party or an intimate celebration for the chosen few?
Depends on the state of mind and the birthday. My 60th is coming up in two years, maybe a big party for that, but usually a chosen (very few) in a nice restaurant.

3. Describe your most memorable birthday(s)--good, bad, or both.
 (Least favorite)Well my 7th birthday was in the hospital having my tonsils out-they wouldn't stop bleeding and it turned out to be a 7 day affair-and this happened:
"It was Wednesday, July 25th 1956. At 11:10pm on a dark and foggy night, two great ocean liners, T/N Andrea Doria and MV Stockholm, collided near Nantucket, Massachusetts." Yes, the Andrea Doria sunk and my mother read the paper to me. It seemed huge, like the Titanic! We were of Italian origin on that side and I guess it made quite an impression.
(Most favorite) For my 16th birthday, my sister, not by blood, took my on a three week trip to California. We landed in San Francisco meeting her Aunt and Uncle. We took a walk around downtown and saw a cable car. Carmel and I impulsively jumped on, the thinking better of it, she jumped off, I didn't have time and the car started moving. I didn't know our host's last names or where we were staying- yikes. They frantically followed by car. Finally they were able to jump on and pull me off. I was a real hick, having lived my life in small town Ohio and this trip was really eye opening. Wow, Harry Belafonte at the Hollywood Bowl, and a trip down US! to Monterey. I wish I could do it again knowing what I know now. Thanks again, Carmel.

4. What is your favorite cake and ice cream? (Bonus points if you share the cake recipe). Or would you rather have a different treat altogether?
Either Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting with vanilla ice cream or Yellow cake with Chocolate Frosting with Chocolate or Vanilla Ice Cream. No recipe...who bakes their own b'day cake!

5. Surprise parties: love 'em or hate 'em?
Never had one, but love to throw them.

Bonus: Describe your ideal birthday--the sky's the limit.
Ok, well if the sky's the limit, I'd take a few select cousins and my 89 y/o aunt to a fabulous location, one that doesn't require too much flying-going to be 90 this summer-and eat and be merry in that family way. Actually, we're planning my mother's last siblings (out of 6) 90th birthday this August 16th. After a lifetime of being afraid of bridges, tunnels and such, in her 80's, Aunt Julie has become a world traveler, going to Alaska, Italy, Mexico, on a cruise down the Danube and other places. She is a renaissance woman and I love her!

Thursday, January 10, 2008

JEANNINE GRAMICK Speaking at SFX in NYC


JEANNINE GRAMICK: A CLOSER WALK WITH JESUS
Prophetic Voices from the Pew Talk about Their Faith™
Seating is limited, so you must RSVP for this event!

Jeannine Gramick, a Sister of Loretto, has worked for justice for sexual minorities since 1971. In 1977, she cofounded New Ways Ministry, a Catholic social justice center advocating for lesbian/gay people in the church, and helped to begin three other organizations for GLBT Catholics. Sister Jeannine was an associate professor of mathematics at the College of Notre Dame of Maryland. She has been interested in promoting the recognition of women’s ministries for forty years and is currently an executive codirector of the National Coalition of American Nuns. Sister Gramick is the subject of a documentary film, In Good Conscience: Sister Jeannine Gramick’s Journey of Faith. Come and dialogue with her about how our church will become more fully alive in the Spirit if we all live “in good conscience.”

Wednesday, January 23, 2008, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, in the Church of St. Francis Xavier. Space is limited, so please RSVP to ACloserWalkJesus@aol.com or (917) 297-6804. The speaker series is free and open to the public, though freewill donations will be accepted.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

What Color Is my Brain

Your Brain is Green

Of all the brain types, yours has the most balance.
You are able to see all sides to most problems and are a good problem solver.
You need time to work out your thoughts, but you don't get stuck in bad thinking patterns.

You tend to spend a lot of time thinking about the future, philosophy, and relationships (both personal and intellectual).

Monday, January 7, 2008

Nebula Images from the Hubble Telescope

More than one way to skin a cat...

Pope-a-lope sacks 86 y/o astronomer

I had a great picture from the Hubble Telescope picked out, but blogger wouldn't let me load it-argh.

Pope Benedict XVI has sacked his chief astronomer after a series of
public clashes over the theory of evolution.


He has removed Father George Coyne S. J. 86 from his position as director of
the Vatican Observatory after the American Jesuit priest repeatedly
contradicted the Holy See's endorsement of "intelligent design"
theory, which essentially backs the "Adam and Eve" theory of
creation.


Pope Benedict favours intelligent design, which says God directs the
process of evolution, over Charles Darwins original theory which
holds that species evolve through the random, unplanned processes
of genetic mutation and the survival of the fittest.


But Father Coyne, the director of the Vatican Observatory for 28
years, is an outspoken supporter of Darwins theory, arguing that it
is compatible with Christianity.


He has been replaced by Argentine Jesuit Father Jose Funes, 43, an
expert on disk galaxies.


Although the Vatican did not give reasons for Father Coynes
replacement, sources close to the Holy See say that Benedict would
have been unhappy with the priests public opposition to intelligent
design theory.


Father Coynes most notable intervention came after Cardinal
Christoph Schonborn of Vienna, a former student of the Pope, put
the case for intelligent design in an article in the New York Times
in July last year.