Thursday, December 24, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
QG's Sappy Christmas Song Contest
Well, the results are in. While I didn't win the grand prize, I got an honorable mention as most prolific. I guess what that means is that I 'talk' a lot !!
Well, not really. I've been creating alternate lyrics to songs for as long as I can remember. Trying to come up with lyrics that will match the cadence of the original ones and still be logical can be very hard.
I do very well when I create a tune based on someone. At PTS, I attended a few unofficial graduation lunches, where we would roast the upcoming graduate. I would contribute a song, trying to base it on some aspect of the person. For instance, using a few John Denver songs was easy when there were graduates from Colorado (Rocky Mtn High) and West Virginia (Country Roads).
I could have used a Denver tune for another graduate, but since he was also a retired AF pilot, I used the Air Force Song. It kinda went like this:
Off he goes into the wild, blue yonder
Saving souls, for Christ the Lord.
Sermons full of brimstone's thunder,
At 'em Tom, give 'em the Son.
Heeded the call, without a sigh or whimper,
PTS gave him the Word.
He lives the same, keep them from the flames,
Nothing can stop Colonel Pastor Tom !!
.... and so it goes !!
Well, not really. I've been creating alternate lyrics to songs for as long as I can remember. Trying to come up with lyrics that will match the cadence of the original ones and still be logical can be very hard.
I do very well when I create a tune based on someone. At PTS, I attended a few unofficial graduation lunches, where we would roast the upcoming graduate. I would contribute a song, trying to base it on some aspect of the person. For instance, using a few John Denver songs was easy when there were graduates from Colorado (Rocky Mtn High) and West Virginia (Country Roads).
I could have used a Denver tune for another graduate, but since he was also a retired AF pilot, I used the Air Force Song. It kinda went like this:
Off he goes into the wild, blue yonder
Saving souls, for Christ the Lord.
Sermons full of brimstone's thunder,
At 'em Tom, give 'em the Son.
Heeded the call, without a sigh or whimper,
PTS gave him the Word.
He lives the same, keep them from the flames,
Nothing can stop Colonel Pastor Tom !!
.... and so it goes !!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Winter in Plodding PA
As many people on the mid-Atlantic and northeast coasts know, we're in the middle of a fairly big winter storm.Where we used to live in NoVA, they're getting dumped on, we're not getting as much here in Plodding PA, but what we are getting has turned our backyard view into a Winter Wonderland.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Good News for the New Year
As the longtime readers of this blog know (all 2 or 3 of you), I'm friends with a few people at Plodding Theological Seminary, or as I like to rib Rev. Kim, the better PTS.
Anyway, I heard from one of those friends who graduated this past June. It seems that she is going to preach her candidating sermon next month just before the Congregational Meeting to see if the Presbyterian Church in Cannoli* PA will call her to the pulpit there. As those of you who have been in the process know, this is a time of negotiation over terms of call, as well as one of uncertainty since she would be the first female pastor (other than the interim) called to this church.
However, if the way be clear, she is looking at ordination and installation sometime early next year. So she's busy putting together the service of ordination, as well as installation. Not to mention having to find pastors and elders to fill two commissions as she will be ordained in one presbytery (Nother Completely-different Presbytery), and installed in another (Crimson-rock Presbytery). Trying to do all this just before Christmas is frustrating, as everyone is concentrating on the holy day. However, you really don't want to put this off until later, as some people may have vacation plans right after Christmas to get some time off before Lent !!
Needless to say, she is being very calm and patient about this, although she says her hubby is a nervous wreck.
... and so it goes.
* all church and location names are changed to protect the innocent ;)
Anyway, I heard from one of those friends who graduated this past June. It seems that she is going to preach her candidating sermon next month just before the Congregational Meeting to see if the Presbyterian Church in Cannoli* PA will call her to the pulpit there. As those of you who have been in the process know, this is a time of negotiation over terms of call, as well as one of uncertainty since she would be the first female pastor (other than the interim) called to this church.
However, if the way be clear, she is looking at ordination and installation sometime early next year. So she's busy putting together the service of ordination, as well as installation. Not to mention having to find pastors and elders to fill two commissions as she will be ordained in one presbytery (Nother Completely-different Presbytery), and installed in another (Crimson-rock Presbytery). Trying to do all this just before Christmas is frustrating, as everyone is concentrating on the holy day. However, you really don't want to put this off until later, as some people may have vacation plans right after Christmas to get some time off before Lent !!
Needless to say, she is being very calm and patient about this, although she says her hubby is a nervous wreck.
... and so it goes.
* all church and location names are changed to protect the innocent ;)
Thursday, December 10, 2009
QG's Sappy Christmas Song Contest
For the past three years, blogger Quotidian Grace has sponsored the Sappy Christmas Song Contest. I have been privileged the past year or two to add a stanza or two to the song, which gets sappier and funnier as it goes along.
For those gentle readers of this blog who have not visited QG's blog this year, please do so, its getting good: Sappy Christmas Song .
For those gentle readers of this blog who have not visited QG's blog this year, please do so, its getting good: Sappy Christmas Song .
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
The Thumb Saga ... the road goes ever on !!
As we left my thumb about two weeks ago, it had just been prodded, xray-ed and put back in a cast. Yesterday, it was finally freed from the last hard cast. For the past six weeks, my left hand always looked like it was giving a thumbs up anytime I turned my hand sideways. Today, I can actually have the thumb move around a bit.
Which brings me to this thought. I want the hard cast back !!! I didn't realize that the cast was protecting me from the muscle movements I haven't done in six weeks. OWWWWW!!
My first physical therapy was today. Its amazing, I get to pay (well my health insurance does) to have someone take my thumb and do things that make me long to have my bad joint back because it never hurt this bad.
Of course, its not the joint that is causing the pain, that is long gone now, its the muscles that were rudely moved out of the way for the surgery, along with the other muscles and joints that have not been used for six weeks.
Before the cast was removed, I had visions of driving to visit SWMBO's family in a warmer part of the US. Now, I have no doubts that driving for prolonged periods of time would not be a good thing. I have to keep saying that this is all for the good, and that Aleve* is my friend.
At least I can type better than before, no cast to get in the way.
.... and so it goes !!
* registered trademark of Bayer Healthcare LLC.
Which brings me to this thought. I want the hard cast back !!! I didn't realize that the cast was protecting me from the muscle movements I haven't done in six weeks. OWWWWW!!
My first physical therapy was today. Its amazing, I get to pay (well my health insurance does) to have someone take my thumb and do things that make me long to have my bad joint back because it never hurt this bad.
Of course, its not the joint that is causing the pain, that is long gone now, its the muscles that were rudely moved out of the way for the surgery, along with the other muscles and joints that have not been used for six weeks.
Before the cast was removed, I had visions of driving to visit SWMBO's family in a warmer part of the US. Now, I have no doubts that driving for prolonged periods of time would not be a good thing. I have to keep saying that this is all for the good, and that Aleve* is my friend.
At least I can type better than before, no cast to get in the way.
.... and so it goes !!
* registered trademark of Bayer Healthcare LLC.
Monday, December 7, 2009
New Member, Part II
Well, Luke has realized that he's not going to be cast out into the cold, but he does get a bit anxious when we close the door to the room he's being kept in as we exit.
We're doing this for two reasons:
1. He has worms, as do most kittens. So we want to keep the 'old ladies' away from the litter box until everything is, um, cleaned out.
2. We need to have the 'old ladies' grow accustomed to the new member of the household. On the occasions we've let them see Luke, there was some definite hissy fits, with an emphasis on the HISS !!
The oldest, Delenn, still has issues with her younger 'sister', Padme (OK .. can you see the drift on the naming convention we use ??). However, they do get along, as two spayed females. We're now introducing a male kitten into the mix. While he is not yet old enough to be neutered (in six months), and is still in his childhood; there may be some pheromones that the ladies are not used to sensing.
So, we're using Feliway pheromone atomizers to try and calm them down. In the meantime, Luke is exploring his galaxy.
... and so it goes!!
We're doing this for two reasons:
1. He has worms, as do most kittens. So we want to keep the 'old ladies' away from the litter box until everything is, um, cleaned out.
2. We need to have the 'old ladies' grow accustomed to the new member of the household. On the occasions we've let them see Luke, there was some definite hissy fits, with an emphasis on the HISS !!
The oldest, Delenn, still has issues with her younger 'sister', Padme (OK .. can you see the drift on the naming convention we use ??). However, they do get along, as two spayed females. We're now introducing a male kitten into the mix. While he is not yet old enough to be neutered (in six months), and is still in his childhood; there may be some pheromones that the ladies are not used to sensing.
So, we're using Feliway pheromone atomizers to try and calm them down. In the meantime, Luke is exploring his galaxy.
... and so it goes!!
Friday, December 4, 2009
New Member of the Family
Well, my wife was heading out to choir practice last night, when she heard some meowing. As a cat person, she realized that it was of the I'm in distress kind, not the usually I'm here, I'm here kind.
She picked up the poor little thing, and brought it inside. We isolated it in a room away from our two 'old ladies', and gave it something to eat and drink. It gobbled that down so fast I was worried it would get sick, but he then curled up in my lap, and turned on his motor.
This morning my wife called the vet, and got him in for a quick checkup. Turns out he's about 9 weeks, must have just been weaned off his mom, but we really have no clue where he came from. He's in very good shape, and has the usual ear mites and worms found in many a young kitten found in shelters nowadays. We started him on his shots, and took care of everything else. So, other than a crooked tail (which the vet said was probably a ligament sprain that happened when he was very, very young) he's our newest member of the family. The 'old ladies' know something's here, but are not exactly sure what. He'll get to know them better in a week or so.
So meet our new kitty, Luke Skywalker.
She picked up the poor little thing, and brought it inside. We isolated it in a room away from our two 'old ladies', and gave it something to eat and drink. It gobbled that down so fast I was worried it would get sick, but he then curled up in my lap, and turned on his motor.
This morning my wife called the vet, and got him in for a quick checkup. Turns out he's about 9 weeks, must have just been weaned off his mom, but we really have no clue where he came from. He's in very good shape, and has the usual ear mites and worms found in many a young kitten found in shelters nowadays. We started him on his shots, and took care of everything else. So, other than a crooked tail (which the vet said was probably a ligament sprain that happened when he was very, very young) he's our newest member of the family. The 'old ladies' know something's here, but are not exactly sure what. He'll get to know them better in a week or so.So meet our new kitty, Luke Skywalker.
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