What Color Crayon Are You?

You Are a Purple Crayon

Your world is colored in dreamy, divine, and classy colors. You hold yourself to a sky high standard, and you are always graceful. People envy, idolize, and copy you without realizing it. You are an icon for those who know you. And while it is hard to be a perfectionist, rest assured it's paying off! Your color wheel opposite is yellow. While yellow people may be wise, they lack the manners and class needed to impress you.

What Color Crayon Are You?

Friday Five

Sally said "I have spent the week at Summer School studying the Gospel and Western culture, we have looked at art, literature, music, film and popular culture in their myriad expressions. With that in mind I bring you the cultural Friday 5.
Name a"

1. Book: I guess too many to mention would be a cop out, but I read so much. I can't think of a particular one at this time. Maybe "The Heart is a Lonley Hunter" and Victor Frankl "Man's Search for Meaning."

2. Piece of music: At one time I would have said Neil Young's "Heart of Gold" Now, I'm not so sure.

3. Work of art: Christo's Gates most recently (see picture taken by me in Central Park) Most work by Louise Nevelson-always. Big things.Things that you can walk around in. Once I was in Boston and I went to a show called "Air, Earth, Fire and Water" It had REALLY BIG works that were active and I liked it enough to go several times during my short visit. I like art that overwhelms me in a physical way. Hmmm...

4. Film: Brokeback Mountain, Gallipoli

5. Unusual engagement with popular culture: When I was-just-16, and living in Ohio, a friend took me to California for 3 weeks and one of our stops was at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. That really shaped my vision of art.

Bonus: Is engagement essential to your Christian faith, how and why?
Hmmm. What does this mean? Lets look it up...

Main Entry: en·gage·ment
Pronunciation: in-'gAj-m&nt, en-
Function: noun
1 a : an arrangement to meet or be present at a specified time and place b : a job or period of employment especially as a performer
2 : something that engages : PLEDGE
3 a : the act of engaging : the state of being engaged b : emotional involvement or commitment c : BETROTHAL
4 : the state of being in gear
5 : a hostile encounter between military forces

I guess it would have to be 3, emotional involvment or commitment. I would say yes. Emotion is definitely necessary. We are believing is something that we can't see, can't prove, can't touch. It takes more than intellect. Something must come come from the heart.

*For more results look to the upper right hand corner and click on Revgalpals.

Tuesday Lectionary Leanings: Sabbath edition

I usually avoid posting on the Tuesday topic as I'm not a professional Rev. (yes, I admit it, It's true, don't hate me.) I minister to the mind and not the soul-and sometimes-like today, I must return my flock to the institution from whence they came, kicking and screaming-not a good day. However, I digress. Sabbath is an issue that has come up in my household of two, one Christian and one Jewish. Saturday and Sunday. Sabbaths.

When we met, we were one agnostic and one atheist, We are now two agnostics, both struggling toward faiths of our own. My beloved, after a particularly impassioned drash by her rabbi and a retreat on this subject (which I attended) decided to keep the Sabbath holy. This was the day that we shopped, walked around our beloved NYC, visited with friends, etc, etc. It basically turned her into a couch potato on the phone to relatives for the whole of Saturdays.

I have always have observed the Sabbath as was the custom in my home growing up. Of course the whole of North America is conditioned to observe the Sabbath. Especially in the 50's and 60's in Ohio. Blue laws, no shopping. Both parents off. Church in the morning then midday dinner and a nap. My pre school than work anxiety carried me into inactivety in the afternoon to evening and that was the day. Not much has changed for me. But adjusting for BL has been an adjustment. Going to the Strand-my favorite used bookstore alone-then a single lunch. Must get out of the house-good for my mental health. It was really the only day we had the full day together. We had a talk about it. I guess I may have gotten my way more than she. I'll have to apologize.

Feeling a Little Blue

Your Psyche is Blue

You are deeply emotional and very connected to everything (and everyone) around you. By simply understanding other people, you are able to help them heal and let go. While you are a very deep and thoughtful person, you do have a very silly, superficial side. When you are too blue: the weight of the world's problems hangs over you When you don't have enough blue: you lack perspective and understanding

What Color Is Your Psyche?

And why shouldn't my color by blue. Seems to fit and why are all the damn therapists out of town in August!

Friday Five

"This one is patterned off an old Friday Five written by Songbird, our Friday Five Creator Emerita:"

(From my mind addled from lack of sleep , being up with with neuropathy and parasthesia from my personal boulder to push uphill, Cauda Equina Syndrome. (oh and a fever, I must have the flu. I DID call in sick for the first time in 8 months!)

"Below you will find five words. Tell us the first thing you think of on reading each one. Your response might be simply another word, or it might be a sentence, a poem or a story."

1. vineyard-growing up in an orchard including a vineyard. This time of year was heavenly with all kind of fresh fruit for the picking! And it smelled divine!

2. root- my relationship with my beloved has strong roots- I thought of that because I was watching Elvira Kurtz on "First Comes Love"- a LOGO tv show where she flys same sex couples to Canada and arranges marriages. Part of the vows- last night-the couple said "our relationship is like a big tree with strong roots and sheltering branches." Awww... I thought, ours too.

3. rescue-my beloved rescued me last night when I needed someone to hold on to.

4. perseverance-to get through the pain

5. divided- my Church-the Catholic Church and has been for a long time and me with it.

This one caught me at a vulnerable moment.

I Call My Boss Daddy

courtesy of Reuters:

"I call my boss ‘Mommy’
August 10th, 2007, filed by Robert MacMillan

We were struck by the survey of 2,000 executives in BusinessWeek’s
latest double edition featuring a 55-page spread (including ads) about
the future of work.

The survey yielded some intriguing insights into the human condition
while chained to the cubicle:

- Men and women, when answering what scares them most, picked China
(46%). That’s right. The whole country. Runners-up for both genders
were “Wall Street”(35%), “My spouse”(5%), “My boss”(7%) and
“My computer”(7%). At least they know their ways around computers.

- 90 percent of managers think they’re among the top 10 percent of
performers in their workplace.

- The places where people want to work, in descending order, are “The
place I’m working now,” “Google,” “the government” and
“Goldman Sachs.” In other words, the survey revealed that the
least popular option was the one with the quickest path toward becoming
a millionaire.

- More than 25 percent of workers aged 55 and up said they expect never
to retire. We know the feeling.

- And our favorite: 6 percent of respondents under age 30 said
they’ve accidentally called their boss “Mom” or “Dad.”

We also know that feeling."

I'm kind of afraid of China, too, although I really like Chinese food. I'd really like to work for Google, but I work for state government- oh well... And I would never call my boss daddy!

Holiday is but a Memory

I got back to the office yesterday and my counselors were lined up outside of my door. Well, not all day, but at some times. And I had two disgruntled phone calls that will require meetings and one confused walk in. I'm going to print some of my pictures to add to the gallery on my office walls to remind me that there are other places. I love my job, it makes me think and I can help people. I do work for the government so there is lots of policy and procedure and I am a bureaucrat (as I was called yesterday-Ouch)-can't be helped but I try to be a gentle one. Is that an oxymoron.
I'll just have to remember sunset at Herring Cove and the biggest Hollyhocks I ever did see.

Leaving Provincetown

We're packing our things and getting ready to leave this otherworld. The beaches and sand, the glacier ponds (warm for swimming) where we saw a big snapping turtle yesterday and may have made a connection for next years rental. The legions of same sex couples walking hand in hand. Our landlord is starring in a play about gay marriage and preaching at the UU Church! The delicious fresh fish and seafood. The kitschy souveniers we are taking back. All of it will I miss untill the next visit. I'm taking back a pocketful of e-mail address' and phone numbers to keep in touch.

Friday Five Stress Busting Edition

1. First, and before we start busting stress, what causes you the most stress, is it big things or the small stuff ?
a) Work, like now when we're at the end of our fiscal year-and I'm a counselor? Home. stuff with my beloveds work and health.

2. Exercise or chocolate for stress busting ( or maybe something else) ?
b) CHOCOLATE! But I do swim at a health club at a secluded spot on 42nd St.

3.What is your favourite music to chill out to?
c) No music, but I do like to watch Judge Judy who says all the things I would like to say, but don't/

4. Where do you go to chill?
d) I go to bed or to an AA meeting.

5. Extrovert or introvert, do you relax at a party, or do you prefer a solitary walk?
e) Definitely an introvert so I go into my shell and slam the door closed for awhile till I chill. (see snail)

Great questions this week!

Moving Day

When we made our reservations, late, our favorite room was booked. But today it's free and we are moving. So, packing once again-I never really unpacked. It's a little suite with it's own kitchen, living area and fireplace. It also has it's own entrance and NO STAIRS which is a big plus for me since I walk with a cane and walking up and down has been challenging, particularly with a cup of coffee! I'll miss the kneeler and the picture of St. Joseph holding Jesus-did they know I was coming? I took a picture, but I forgot the cable that downloads the pictures so, use your imagination and believe me, I don't make these things up!