Not the Friday Five

Since no FF yet and I have to go to work, MomPriest posted these things about the July 4th weekend and I thought I'd play, too.

She said:

"What I love:
1. small local parades
2. fireworks in small towns
3. county fairs
4. hot, sun, beach, water
5. lots of good homemade picnic food
6. and, well, its the Fourth, the day we celebrate freedom and that is a good thing. Complicated, but good."

Mind (typo but apt) are:

1. Memories of the small town parades of my childhood.

2. Ditto the fireworks. Though I do like watching the Macys NYC fireworks from my rooftop in NYC with my neighbors.

3. Spending the first night on a blowup bed in my new beach palace. Blow up bed very comfortable!

4 Going to a small party with 10 new friends.

5. Swimming in our pool for the first time and watching sunset from the beach in the front of our building for the first time!

6. Celebrating the freedom that we are shakily grasping onto. Some more than others.

St. Francis Xavier. Stephanie if you didn't see the full report on CNN

I told you earlier about the Archbishop

Well the gay and lesbian leadership of the Church of St. Francis Xavier has decided to march, in the Gay Pride march on Sunday, with the banner turned backward so that you see a blank banner, as in "what's that group and why are they marching?" I thought it was a ridiculous idea. If you google St. Francis Xavier NYC you'll see that the Catholics of America are demonizing this church and have somehow lumped in the Zen Meditation group that meets there, too!
So, one of the leaders will be on CNN talking about it, and I think it will continue to blow out of proportion. I have found a nice Episcopal Church in Long Beach I plan on attending. I like this Catholic Women's group and I plan to continue to participate-at SFX- but I feel that soon they will not have a place to meet per Archbishop Timothy Dolan. Just a prediction.

PRESS RELEASE
From: Rev. Joseph S. Costantino, S.J. Pastor
The Church of St. Francis Xavier, a Roman Catholic Parish, in Chelsea, NY Re:Gay Pride March
“Serving and caring for the spiritual and pastoral needs of those with same- sex attraction is indeed,” in the words of Archbishop Dolan, “a legitimate part of the Church’s ministry.” The Archbishop is extremely grateful to the Church of St. Francis Xavier for doing so.
In past years, a group of parishioners from our parish who are members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-gendered (LGBT) Ministries have participated in the Gay Pride March. They displayed a banner identifying themselves as parishioners of St. Francis Xavier parish. This year, Archbishop Dolan has requested that this group refrain from displaying the parish banner as they March.
The participation of parishioners in the March provides an opportunity to spread the message of God’s unconditional love and thus is a form of evangelization. Spreading the Good News is an integral part of the mission of our parish. During the March, parishioners distribute Welcome Brochures. Many people have entered the Church or returned to the Sacraments through this pastoral outreach.
Nevertheless, the display of the parish banner may give the false impression that the parish is somehow serving as a sponsoring organization or officially endorsing other sentiments that may appear in the course of the March.
Avoiding such confusion is the motivation for the Archbishop’s request.
The St. Francis Xavier LGBT Ministries will respect the Archbishop’s request and will be marching this year without a banner identifying our parish. Efforts to reach out to those who are open to the Gospel will continue. The desire of everyone at St. Francis Xavier parish is that we proclaim the infinite love of God for all while upholding the Church’s spiritual values and moral teachings.

What do you think about that?

The Project: Update- Progress Pics

Some pics of the changes that have been happening, including the backsplash tiles that will go with the black granite counter top. You can see the little woman striking a pose in her new kitchen. Finally a kitchen where we can both be without crashing into one another! We picked out the cabinet pulls from a stores called "MyKnobs.com" It's and actual store but they are online and you can order online.
Next on tap, picking out the granite and having a template made.
For those of you wondering, our palace is a two bedroom, one and a half bath, with terrace, but it's a palace to us! The master bath is the same size as we have in our studio in the city.
Stay tuned for more...

Friday Five-Hot Town in the Summertime

Songbird posted this FF after an allergic reaction to black fly bites. Feel better Songbird!
"But I don't want that to ruin summer for the rest of you. So I invite you to share five things you love--or don't--about summer. The tone is up to you!"
1. I am the 'canary in the coal mine' when it comes to insects. They come to me first and then I am lunch. I hate this and alway have. The city doesn't have many mosquitos, but once you get a little ways our, watch out!
2. NYC is a hot and humid town in the summer. I remember how cold the drug stores of my youth were. Here...not so much. The stores all seem to keep the ac on low. Same for work. They turn it on about 8:00am (I get in at 7:30) and they turn it off at 4:00 (leave today at 5:00.) I like it cold, especially at my advancing age.
3. I love summer because I never got over loving it as a child despite the bugs and the ac. I love swimming. Of couse the palace by the sea is not ready yet and though we have been there every weekend, we have not yet been in the pool or at the beach.
4. Vacation!
5. July is my birthday. Nough said.

It doesn't rain but it pours

Is there a degree required to become an elected official? From now on, I want to see CV's posted online and grades instead of all the usual bs and mudslinging that we usually get when election time rolls around.

I left work a little early yesterday as I had been up all night the night before with visions of tiles being laid the wrong way dancing in my mind. In the evening I got a call from a friend from work with the following information, "We got an e-mail to cancel all appointments on Tuesday because the State may be closing down." WHAT! So, we're free from furloughs as we're 100% funded by federal funds, but since we work in a State office building, well, you get it.

Here's the e-mail:

"The Governor's Office has informed the Department that most state services will be shut down on Tuesday, June 15 if the Legislature does not enact an appropriation bill by midnight, June 14. If that happens, most SED staff will be required to stay home, with certain limited exceptions for individuals serving in positions related to health and safety and direct care.
We are preparing contingency plans right now to address the possibility of a shutdown. We are looking at all agency operations and how we will continue to provide essential services to the public.

We will be communicating with all of you again on Monday, June 14, to provide you with any new information and to let you know how you can find out whether you will be required to come to work on Tuesday, June 15.

These are very difficult and uncertain times for all of us. We will keep you updated with information as soon as it becomes available."

I'm not sure if I'm supposed to repost this but since you don't know my state or my name, even, well what's the harm! I suggested a phone tree (in case of such emergencies as hurricanes and 9/11 and say the government falling apart) at the management team meeting a while back and the royal leader gave this response, I've been here over 25 years and we've never closed for any reason. (Well I've been here for almost 12 years and we've closed for heat, a hurricanes and you got it... 9/11.) And now a phone tree would be most useful on Tuesday, because I'm sure we won't have an answer by 5:00pm on Monday-which, btw I have off, Thank you God!

Friday Five Working Out

Mompriest posted this thoughtful FF: For this Friday Five let's ponder the various ways we work out (or not), physically, spiritually, and/or psychologically.

1. Do you work out physically, spiritually, or psychologically? (I'll let you define what that might mean to you)
I have gone through periods of working out physically, but I am much more inclined to work out psychologically. It's natural for me.

2. Are you more inclined to join a gym, or a book club?
I belonged to a gym, a really nice one that I attended regularly, until I was promoted to Brooklyn. This year I let my membership lapse. The Palace on the beach has a gym and outdoor pool and the town has a gym and indoor pool." I'm inclined to read books, but haven't found a convenient book club, so I read books and watch TV in a prone position...

3. Are you more inclined to read self-help books like Gail Sheehy's "Passages" or spiritual books like Richard Rohr or Theresa of Avila? And if so, what is your favorite?
I'm more inclined to read contemporary spiritual books like Take this Bread, or Jesus Freak (which I haven't gotten yet) by Sara Miles

4. Are you a loyal fan of a sports team? Or do you join the bandwagon when the local team is winning? And, if so, which one?
I barely join the bandwagon when the local team is winning (the Yankees.)

5. Or do you lean more toward having a favorite theologian/Spiritual writer or self help author and if so, who? And, why.
I buy self help/spiritual books, but no favorite. The liberal ones. I did like Thomas Merton quite a bit years ago.

Bonus: What was the last play-off series you watched and did your team win?
Uh figure skating?

Un Linking

OK, so in a moment of foolish enthusiasm when I first started using FB and had a few close friends there, I linked my blog. But now, when i'm starting to blog more after a dry spot, and blogging about more personal things, I realized that I don't really want my work friends (and my boss/friend who has a limited attention span and feels it necessary to give me feedback on my posts, to seem my blog posts (which she sees on FB.) It seems like going to the actual blog is too much trouble for a lot of people which is a good thing-I think.
I went to the help page and I am successfully unlinked! I took awhile to find the twisty turns that FB makes things. There is no easy undo button, but I found it.

Clambake Song

Friday Five- Patience

Sally posted this thoughtful Friday Five which for you Facebook readers is posted at my blog

Persistence often pays off, but we need to be aware that it sometimes turns into sheer pig headed-ness...

With all that in mind I offer you this Friday Five:

1. Is patience a virtue you possess? If it is then does it come naturally, if not how do you/ did you work at it?
It has to be a quality I possess because my job requires it, but so does my current big project (the destruction was supposed to start Tuesday, but the contractor didn't secure the permit, so still waiting.) No quick fixed anywhere...


2. Being patient with ourselves can be a huge challenge, we are often our own worst critics; is there anything you need to be patient with yourself with at the moment?
See # 1. Also I tend toward depression which is an illness which is not cured but comes again and again. This requires fortitude and patience. Also self care.

3. Are you the kind of person who can/ will persist with a difficult task? How much of this is personality related?
Yes and no. Depends on my mood at the moment.

4. Can you spot when persistence turns into pig-headed-ness, or do you never get there?
After a while

5. Post a song or a poem that chills you out and helps you to re-group, re-focus and carry on?
Since the big project I've been playing show tunes in the car, old shows...Carousel, South Pacific etc. They all chill me out and leave me singing and swirl around in my head taking me back to happier times. I'll post one later when I have time-Think "It was a real good clambake."