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!

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.

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).

What Color Is Your Brain?

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.

Prayer

by Zelda
Each of us has a name given by God and given by our parents.
Each of us has a name given by our stature and our smile and given by what we wear.
Each of us has a name given by the mountains and given by our walls.
Each of us has a name given by the stars and given by our neighbors.
Each of us has a name given by our sins and given by our longing.
Each of us has a name given by our enemies and given by our love.
Each of us has a name given by our celebrations and given by our work.
Each of us has a name given by the seasons and given by our blindness.
Each of us has a name given by the sea and given by our death.

My partner, the Beloved, used this in her father's funeral service. Go to this website for more information:
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/Weekly_Torah_Commentary/bereisht_uahc5762.htm

Friday Five-My Strange Year

Well it had to be didn't it, love them or hate them I bet you've been asked about New Year resolutions. So with no more fuss here is this weeks Friday Five;

1. Do you make New Year resolutions?
No

2. Is this something you take seriously, or is it a bit of fun?
See above

3. Share one goal for 2008.
ARE YOU LISTENING? Well if I have to, I would take relaxation more seriously and swim more (once my various wounds and holes heal!)

4. Money is no barrier, share one wild/ impossible dream for 2008: Let's see...I'd start by touring the world by ship, hitting all the major and minor ports, particularly the ones I studies as an art student. Then I'd visit all the great places to live, and build a house in each one, this would include a big apartment in Manhattan, Not too big-wouldn't want to be greedy, but at least 4 bedrooms and a study each for me and BL. Don't forget that state of the art kitchen and at least 3 bathrooms.

5. Someone wants to publish a story of your year in 2008, what will the title of that book be? There Were Good Times There Were Bad Times There Were Strange Times

The Saga Continues

My T tube ex ray showed another gallstone which has to be removed in the same way that gave me pancreatitis. I'm a little depressed. In addition, the super gi doc, alleged, is out of town until 1/17.
I went to my surgeon high on painkillers prepared to have my t-tube removed, but noooo! I have the mystery stone that has been hiding until last week when it suddenly appeared and cannot stay!
I have nothing else to say. I'm so depressed.

Note to self:  After 20 years of sobriety, 2 painkillers can turn me into my 89 year old aunt, from an introvert to extrovert, quiet to loquacious. Now I now why they call it a social lubricant!

An "Auld Lang Syne" Friday Five

Thinking back on memorable things both good and bad for 2007 here are the ones I came up with:

1. The first was a promotion that came at the end of 2006 and started at the first of 2006. I work for state government and a promotion involves a test, than group interviews and usually a transfer that has the opening. So with all that I moved my office from Manhattan to Brooklyn and became a senior counselor and that made me very happy, and continued to be challenging and interesting and fun through the year.

2. In March, the Beloved and I went to the south of Italy and had a wonderful time. It was my first time in the country of my mothers ancestors and it was everything I expected and more. We had the best time! The country is so beautiful. My grandfather was a farmer/grocer etc. and I could see from the agriculture of the country where my grandfather got the beautiful way of planting. It looked familiar to me and I'm from Ohio! Plus the art, the food, the architecture, the, the ,the...

3. In the summer, my world traveling god-child and her Ghanese (sp) husband settled in Brooklyn (where he is doing his residency), therefore giving me a chance to spend actual face time with her rather than on the fly visits from far flung destinations like Turkey or Taiwan!

4. In September I got a fever w/dx as Hep A, which turned out to be the most complicated gall stones on the face of the earth. I said enough about this in previous posts!

5.The Beloved's father passed away. We're preparing for the funeral on Sunday-I won't be going due to my ongoing recuperation, but BL is on her way to Florida.

God Moments? Participating in Mass with Victoria Rue and seeing God in a Woman. Seeing the land of my fore mothers and fathers. Bonding with my Catholic Lesbians and realizing that I can be gay and Catholic and accepted in some churches. Meditating and finding peace. Meeting all of you swell Rev Gals who give me support in many ways, but in particular, by sharing your lives. Thank you.

It Doesn't Rain, but it Pours

My Beloved's father has been in hospice since I was in the hospital. She went to see him last weekend and only stayed overnight as she was worried about me. He was in poor shape, unable to communicate, but as she described, I think he knew she was there and was happy about that. She returned to NY on Christmas eve and he passed away on Tues. Because the funeral is in Florida, it won't be until Sunday. (In the Jewish tradition, the person is buried within 24 hours.) So, BL is making flight plans again.

I won't be attending as I still have this T-tube hanging from my belly, and all of this surgery, etc. seems to have exacerbated my Caude Equina Syndrome, so I am having neuropathy-like hat pins repeatedly stuck in areas where I have no feeling. Not to mention that it's Christmas week and my surgeon, neurologist and therapist are out of town. No problem. Did I mention that I had a T-tube cholangiogram which showed that I have a remaining gall stone or clot. Sigh!

After the funeral, she will be coming back to NY and we will be having a few nights of shiva. I better find some dressier sweat clothes!

MOURNER'S KADDISH
An English Translation

Glorified and sanctified be God's great name throughout the world which He has created according to His will. May He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and during your days, and within the life of the entire House of Israel, speedily and soon; and say, Amen.

May His great name be blessed forever and to all eternity.

Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored, adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.

May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for us
and for all Israel; and say, Amen.

He who creates peace in His celestial heights, may He create peace for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen.