Friday Five Singing

Mary Beth posted this FF

"Music is a part of the human experience, and part of religious traditions the world over. It is evocative and stirring, and many forms of worship are incomplete without it.Our title comes from a quote popularly attributed to St. Augustine: "He who sings prays twice." A little Googling, however, indicates that Augustine didn't say exactly that. In fact, what he said just doesn't fit well onto a t-shirt. So we'll stick with what we have."Singing reduces stress and increases healthy breathing and emotional expression. Singing taps into a deep, age-old power available to all of us. When we find our voice, we find ourselves. Today, sing like you mean it." And let's talk about the role music plays in your life and worship.

1) Do you like to sing/listen to others sing? In worship, or on your own (or not at all?)

Although I don't sing will, I do like to sing and it cheers me up. Since I haven't found my place of worship yet (still checking...) I will sing on, on my own.

2) Did you grow up with music in worship, or come to it later in life? Tell us about it, and how that has changed in your experience.

I was raised Roman Catholic-notice I still capitalize? And I was in the choir. I loved singing the roman mass. I also loved the the changes of the 2nd Vatican Council but the music, not so much.

3) Some people find worship incomplete without music; others would just as soon not have it. Where do you fall?

Not sure yet. Depends upon where I land. At this point my music is musical comedies.

4) Do you prefer traditional music in worship, or contemporary? That can mean many different things!

I guess that would be way traditional.

5) What's your go-to music ... when you need solace or want to express joy?

See above, and that would be show tunes. And I worked in summer stock for a number of years so I know a lot of them.

Will post later when I am not at work and not breaking the law-don't tell...



PS Next Friday I will be in Turkey, I think and the following in Greece. Opa!

Stressed Out part deux

When I though thing couldn't get worse...

This week we had a meeting in response to a letter to our main office in the capital city. The new Assistant Commisioner and Regional manager came to hear the entire office (except my boss/friend) complaints about my boss/friend. It was really difficult. The "gang of four" had rehearsed a presentation, printed with their complaints, mostly about the style of b/f . Then they read letters that they just 'happened to find on their chairs while they were out of the office from anonymous individuals.' All the letters sounded strangely similar. It was really a blood bath and difficult for me to hear particularly since they used something I said- I though in confidence-in a union meeting to beat b/f with. The word bully was bandied about frequently...

At which point, I raised my hand-foolishly. I say foolishly because I have terrible stage fright. All you revgals, I could never be you. If I don't have something written out in front of me, I'm lost. And I cannot memorize. Never. So I got up and said the b/f had been a friend/mentor for more than 15 years and had taught my much of what I know about where I work. I then went on to go after the union forperson as a bully who came to my office door and threaten me-true.

Oy. Why did I ever get up. I said some other stuff too, which I won't go into here to the effect of why can't we all get along.

After I relinquished the stage, hands shot up.

The next day a number of people weren't speaking to me. Now I'm embroiled in another union conflict involving one of my employees. I'm about to leave on vacation-next Thursday. Maybe I just won't come back.