Hello All. I am posting this new entry from a computer at the Corgan Library.
Still trying to find out why my personal computer at home is posting things in Russian.
RHV sounded great this morning!
Friday, June 29, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Grade: F-
An independent report came out yesterday on how the State responded to the St. Valentines day snowstorm. It didn't tell me anything that I already thought to be suspect. The state failed miserably, and the excuses "abundantly overflowed." It's like a lackadaisical high school kid receiving an "F" grade in Algebra class while asking the professor, after the fact, "where he/she went wrong." "New procedures will be in place for future storms, they say?" Do I smell bureaucratic nonsense (cow dung) here? Duhh!? |
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
ISS Sighting
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0x0YSY7691TwteNGaw-eZyWVgzQyPb7RQiArZXra8Fe_66qAdC4VLxtWWN85xlwYVJ6UJMgLMial1_aulTg7nFMqdeeuxRnm2H1yTk3wt_Fs4xBSodgjcR7GRBVEcI_6f7voRQ/s320/ISS_12_2002_large.jpg)
Just saw the International Space Station fly overhead our house. It looked like a bright star traveling across the heavens. No words can be used to describe this historical moment that just took place; viewed thousands of miles up from our little street! It's quite hard to imagine that astronauts from different parts of the globe are conducting scientific tests; probably at this very moment. |
1841
K and I went shopping for groceries last week. Our food bill came out to $18.41 in change. I gave the young female cashier a 20 and as she was counting out my change I thought out loud: "Hmm... 1841 was a good year. With somewhat of a perplexed look, the cashier said: "What did you say?" Well anyway, here is a little taste of what happened in 1841.
08/21: John Hampson patents the venetian blind.
03/22: Cornstarch is patented by Orlando Jones.
12/31: Alabama becomes the first state to license dental surgeons.
04/20: The first detective store is published. Edgar Alan Poe's:"Murders in the Rue Morgue."
09/09: Great Lakes Steamer "Erie" sinks off Silver Creek NY, killing 300.
06/24: Fordham University (then St. John's College), opens in the Bronx.
Born: George Melville, popular explorer and naval engineer.
Died: President William Henry Harrison. He was the first president to die in office.
08/21: John Hampson patents the venetian blind.
03/22: Cornstarch is patented by Orlando Jones.
12/31: Alabama becomes the first state to license dental surgeons.
04/20: The first detective store is published. Edgar Alan Poe's:"Murders in the Rue Morgue."
09/09: Great Lakes Steamer "Erie" sinks off Silver Creek NY, killing 300.
06/24: Fordham University (then St. John's College), opens in the Bronx.
Born: George Melville, popular explorer and naval engineer.
Died: President William Henry Harrison. He was the first president to die in office.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Just 1 Question.
The everlasting question of the early '80's was (is according VH-1 Classic): Did video kill the radio star? Nope, I don't think so. |
Friday, February 09, 2007
Hello All Fellow Lesbians!
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/2618/3659/320/755408/topio.jpg)
I've always been fascinated how people use words without knowing their true meaning. For example, the the use of the word "Lesbos." I've heard certain kids around the campus here at college refer it to female homosexuality. In reality, however, the word Lesbos is really "an island of Greece, 632 square miles in area, in the Aegean off the western coast of Turkey."* A native or resident of Lesbos are commonly referred to as Lesbian(s).
In all fairness, though, if one does look at the fourth meaning of (small l) lesbian it does say:"Relating to, or characteristic of female homosexuals."
I think that we have to be a little bit more consious and take the time to look in a good Dictionary to find out the true meaning(s) of our english language.
*Text taken from the: The American Heritage Dictionary Of The English Language. New College Edition
Friday, January 26, 2007
A Mug Of Tea At 5 Degrees
We woke up this morning to find out the kiddies have a 2 hour delay from school. Days like this can really mess up the daily routine. Instead of Dave going to school at 7:30am he now has to go at 9:30am. Tot from 7:45am to 9:45am. The caboose (Hannah) from 8:30am to 10:30am.
Our furnace is working very efficiently since the gas company serviced it last week so we are nice and warm.
The temperature on the Weather Bug is holding steady at 5 as of this posting; but with a hot cup of tea at hand, life is good.
Our furnace is working very efficiently since the gas company serviced it last week so we are nice and warm.
The temperature on the Weather Bug is holding steady at 5 as of this posting; but with a hot cup of tea at hand, life is good.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
For The Love Of Money: Thanks For The Memory
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/2618/3659/320/878667/Romanos.jpg)
Well, after 18 years of choir directing; this too has come to pass. Like Jesus said as he was hanging on the Cross: "It is finished." I have no regrets, no malice or hatred towards my faithful choir members or any of the "flock" at H**C. Some higher Church officials, at times, dictate the future of things in their parish without thinking the important decisions through. They tend to look at the short term picture not long term.
We, as Orthodox Christians, look at our Church as "life boats on the stormy sea of life." Higher authorities sometimes make sudden decisions that steer the life boat onto the rocks of, self-interest, greed, and love of money, thus jeopardizing the spiritually of all who are trying to grow closer to God and His Church.
Liturgical music in the Orthodox Church is an important part of liturgy. Without semi-trained choir members and a director that knows the "rubric" of each service, liturgical worship can be disrupted. Examples of distractions are: loud individual voices heard over the entire choir, bad vocal intonation, and long pauses between the choir and clergy. In fact, according to the Holy Fathers of the Church, this type of worship is considered to be heresy. According to the Abridged Typicon (a book of the order and conduct of divine services) it sums up liturgical singing this way:
"The majority of the faithful are not experts on singing. But ask this
majority what it expects from Church singing and what kind of
it wishes, and the majority will answer: give us such singing which
will touch the heart; which will move us to tears of emotion; which
will lift up our spirit and help us to pray."*
The bottom line is: without a trained choir director at the helm of the choir; spirituality and worship place second fiddle greed and love of money. Worship may well become a "spiritual cesspool."
Thanks for the memory.
Peace
*Taken from: "Abridged Typicon" St. Tikhon's Seminary Press. 1985.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Uptown With The Duke
![](http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/2618/3659/320/763181/B0000026C4.01.jpg)
I am currently listening to the Duke Ellington Orchestra performing Louis Bellson's arrangement of "Skin Deep." I think Mr. Bellson was one of the first to utilize the double bass drum. The recording that I have took place between 1951 and 1952 when the Swing Era was receding into the past and the "big bands" like Count Basie were breaking up. Here is what the liner notes say about this wonderful recording:
"Louis Bellson's arrangement of Skin Deep framed his own drum artistry very
effectively. His innovative use of two bass drums was a sensation, and it enabled
him to execute then unheard-of -feats of virtuosity. Yet it was always virtuosity
under control. Everything is in place here, neat and clean, never degenerating into
bombast. The orchestra is brought in- and out- for relief and pace, and the swinging
section midway gives a fulcrum to the whole performance, one that brings this pro-
gram to a rhythmic climax."
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Blog Use
My wife Kathy is working on a double Major in college: English/Mass Comm. My thought was that all English majors, as a requirement and part of the final grade, should be required to publish a blog posting their daily thoughts. Yes, they should still keep a hand written journal, but why not use the internet in a positive way in the form of a blog!
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