We've Arrived (and to prove it we're here)

We had the opening ceremony with Cardinal Mahoney. Step into freedom. We arrived safely leaving at 6a. I'm waiting for the first period to start.

4:37 AM

Wooooooooooo, off to congress.

Workshops:
-How do we speak of God?
-Morality and the law
-Ecumenism in Practice
-Young Adult Catholics
-Freeing from past hurts
-Homosexuality, Celibacy
-The changing face
-Latest Research: American

Off to San Diego, then off to Congress

Goodbye to the Valley again, my home for at least 15 years of my life. Back to San Diego then the LA Religious Education Congress with my Newman Center family in Anaheim for Friday-Sunday.

It's been fun, reconnecting with old friends here.

Someone is calling my name
from the back of the restaurant
and
Someone is playing a game
in the house that I grew up in
and
Someone will drive her around
down the same streets that I did

"Smile like you mean it" -The Killers

Life is good my friends. (while people just 45min/3hrs south of us [+immigrant legality issue] bla bla [insert my usual spiel in here])

24 Day 5: 9:00PM to 10:00PM

This week's episode was a winner. Things are really heating up, haha.

President Logan has declared Martial Law; apparently in a move to ruin his career and allow the Vice President to set him up for the fall. (As in the end of his presidency, not Autumn.)

Wayne Palmer must be l33t or he pulled that gun out of nowhere. :-p

Sheri, the replacement of Edgar, might be a little touchy.

I was under the impression that Henderson didn't leave CTU, but I guess he did. I thought he was just waiting for Jack to finish up crying over the Tonester.

Jack and Audrey had some tension but that was all figured out. Then Jack had to go check out the Wilshire Gas Facility.

All the Nerve Gas canisters, released now --into the gas line. The only option was to blow it up.

So we have Jack and Bierko duking it out in the fire --10:00--

Luckily, Jack didn't have to "pwn" anyone with an SD card, like last hour :-p.

Riding to Vanity Fair

Album: Paul McCartney (Macca) - Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, (2005)
Instruments: Bells, Drum, Guitar, Strings, Piano
Style: (slow) Pop
Features: Bitterness
Duration: 5:06
Modern Discovery: November 2005

So surprisingly, Paul's new album last year wasn't bad really. I picked it up on Black Friday in Colorado for 7.99. (Along with 24 season 2 and 3 for 20 a piece)

The image of "riding to vanity fair." Vanity Fair being: "A place or scene of ostentation or empty, idle amusement and frivolity." Also a magazine (haha).

This is one of those songs that really has a good kick. "So bitter," a girl at the "Volunteen" program I used to be a part of said. :-p hah. I also enjoyed the tracks "At the Mercy" and "How Kind of You".

Congress in 3 days! yeah!

I bit my tongue
I never talked too much, I tried to be so strong
I did my best,
I used the gentle touch, I've done it for so long.
You put me down
but I can laugh it off and act like nothing's wrong
But why pretend
I think I've heard enough of your familar song

I'll tell ya what I'm gonna do
I'll try to take my mind off you
and now that you don't need my help
I'll use the time to think about myself..

You're not aware of what you put me through
but now the feeling's gone
but I don't mind, do what you have to do
you don't fool anyone

* * * __* * __** *___ ** *__ ** * *

I'll tell ya what I'm gonna do
I'll take a different point of view
now that you don't need my help
I'll use the time to think about myself

the definition of friendship
apparently ought to be showing support for the one that you love
and I was open to friendship, but you didn't seem to have any to spare
while you were riding to vanity fair

There was a time when every day was young, the sun would always shine
we sang along when all the songs were sung believing every line

du du du du du du du
du duu du du du du du

That's the trouble with Friendship
for someone to feel it, it has to be real or it wouldn't be right
and I keep hoping for friendship
but I wouldn't dare to presume it was there. * * *
While you were riding to vanity fair.

While you were riding to Vanity Fair
While you were riding to Vanity Fair
While you were riding to Vanity Faaiiirrr

ooooooooo
ooooooooo

Phone Blogging Capability

This is a test of entry submission from a mobile phone. I'll be using this from the LA Religious Education Congress this weekend. :)

*there will also be photo mail capability.

First Blood (1982)

So I just watched First Blood, the first Rambo film (released in 1982), for the first time in its entirety today. The reputation of the film is an over the top, full out, mindless action piece. Now that kind of reputation has some appeal, haha, but fortunately, there's a lot more to this film than just the action.

In these reviews I'll keep the actual story/film details light and attempt to extract the themes in the film not readily apparent from "pre-impressions."

Sylvester Stallone starred in this in 1982 just as he finished Rocky III (the one with Clubber). I also listened to Stallone's commentary, which brought further insight into the rough making of this film and misconceptions associated with it. Stallone said that this film can be compared to the novel, Frankenstein, which is also one of my favorite novels. The line from Frankenstein that always stuck with me was "If I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear." Rambo is analogous to the creature of Dr. Frankenstein. He's been created and is on the loose and in the end, he's just looking for respect and acceptance. There is a search for human dignity here which, again I mention --seems to be a running theme in our lives and in our world, our communities.

Along with this Frankenstein analogy there is the huge theme of alienation and the chance for rehabilitation. John J. Rambo is a Vietnam Veteran, with nothing left. Funny when "art" puts reality into perspective (Seeing as in San Diego at least, there's a good amount of Veterans who need help). The events in the film cause him to "go back" through flashbacks into how he was in Vietnam as a Green Beret.

I'll give this film a recommendation. You gotta love Rambo's knife..

I also have Rambo First Blood Part II and Rambo III on hand. We'll see how the character of Rambo holds up.

Finals are Done

Finals are done.

phew.

Spring Break time..

LA then Los Angeles Religious Education Congress.

Lent 2006: Hosea 001

Come back to me, with all your heart
Don't let fear keep us apart
Trees do bend, though straight and tall
so must we to others' call

Long have a I waited for your coming
home to me and living deeply our new life

The wilderness will lead you
to your heart where I will speak
Integrity and justice
With tenderness you shall know

Long have a I waited for your coming
home to me and living deeply our new life

You shall sleep secure with peace
faithfulness will be your joy

Long have a I waited for your coming
home to me and living deeply our new life

001 the first in an ongoing series

What's the lesson we all learned from Batman Begins?

Why do we fall?

So we can learn to pick ourselves up.
[cue dramatic music]
I'm a dork :-p Julia says so
*edit: bumped it up so it's above the 24 post
sigh, 'you know you know, no, you don't you don't' :p
"On my wall, lies a photograph of you, girl" 002

24 Day 5: 8:00PM to 9:00PM

So this week's episode, in the midst of finals. I'll make it quick.

-lol, Jack Bauer had a dummy/go boom/short-out Secure Digital card?

-Tony's dead for sure, they put that cloth over him.

-Logan pulls off a 'winner' with Martial law. woooo.

[yay, Van Nuys Airport, yay Safe House on Saticoy]
Bruce:

saticoy "blvd" not "st"
and i dont know if the address really exists

-Go Wayne Palmer, go! [Don't get pwned :(]

-Immunity, it's always about immunity.

-Wait, isn't Henderson still loose? Why did we forget about him?


-oh, snap, Horseface is dirty!

Finals Week!

Here we go, final Tuesday, research paper Thursday, final Friday night. wwwwwooooooooooooooooooo

I just can't look it's killing me
and taking control

--choking on your alibis--
but it's just the price I pay
destiny is calling me

-that Mr. Brightside song everyone hears on the radio, how original

Gonna fly now.

listening to Julian Lennon - Photograph Smile - Faithful
"After all this time, I am here to say that I would sign upon the dotted line
can't you read my mind
...
If we could gravitate, learn to communicate"

Macca Photos at the Morrison Hotel

So Liora and I checked out the Paul McCartney tour photos on display at the Morrison Hotel, a photo/art gallery of sorts in downtown La Jolla (also a reference to an album). There were collages of the photos put together in collaboration of Paul and the artist. It was all fun stuff. He had the lyrics transparent over some of the photos. She's Leaving Home, You Never Give me Your Money, Let it Be, etc.

There were also photos from the late sixties of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, etc. Also reproductions of the handwritten lyrics of John Lennon. Considering ticket prices for Macca's concerts, that's probably the closest I'll get to seeing him. It's just something to do before he passes too, he'll be 64 this year. I gotta see Ringo too. It's just the mystique of the fame, when of course they're just normal people, well with a lot of money too. Imagine, being so famous that people flock just to see your photos. hah.

24 Day 5: 7:00PM to 8:00PM

It's taken me a while to write about this episode. So here goes.

-Nerve gas throughout CTU. "Hell is other people" people like to quote Sarte saying. And we have Mr. I'm-not-taking-advantage-of-Kim Professional Psychologist, Kim, Jack, Horse face Audrey, Oh my Edgar's dead Chloe, and a few other unessentials all locked up in the same sealed room.

-Jack still has a good choke grip, it's funny.

-Lynn McGill's metaphorical climb up Mt. Doom (the stairs) to turn off the computer terminal locking the air ventilation system ended with a graphic depiction of his death :(. His face down on the floor, body writhing, mouth to the floor, wallowing in his own spit.

-If the episode stopped there, that would've been enough, but we get one more casualty in Tony's insistence to play "eye for an eye" in his attempt to sedate Henderson --permanently. But Henderson played opossum and woke up. Now as Jack holds Tony in his arms and weeps, bitterly. Henderson is loose in the clinic with a gun. AA:AA:HH!

*edit - oh and Homeland Security is now going to take over the whole of CTU it seems. So I smell drama. Apologies Buchanny the laddy :( (Bill Buchanan is the director of CTU, Los Angeles. There are other nicknames for him too.)

*oh, and McGill's McPride killed everyone. Good job, at least you (McGill) helped out who you could. Just take responsibility for what you do, that's all I ever asked

Don't Forget to Remember

Though my heart won't believe that you have left me
I keep telling myself, that it's true
I can get over anything
you want, my love
but I can't get myself over you.

Don't forgettt to remember me
and the love that used to be
I still remember you. I love you.

used to be ha ha ha.

In my heart lies a memory
to tell the stars above
Don't forget, to remember me, my love

On my wall, lies a photograph of you, girl
though I try to forget you, somehow
you're the mirror of my soul
so take me out of my hole
let me try to go on livin' right now.

Photograph on the wall, mirror of my soul, try to go on livin :-p

Don't forgettt to remember me
and the love that used to be
I still remember you. I love you.

In my heart lies a memory
to tell the stars above
Don't forget, to remember me, my love

Album: Bee Gees - Cucumber Castle, (1970)
Instruments: Guitars, Bells, Strings, Vocal, Drum, Stereo, Studio Effects
Style: Pop
Features: Sugar
Duration: 3:45
Modern Discovery: Early 1990's

Papa used to (well still does) sing this on Karaoke when I was little. And yes, it's debatable whether or not I'm still little, but yeah, this one's a favorite. Deborah says I need to sing happier songs, ha ha ha.

Next time, the classic "How can you mend a broken heart" which Bruce and I do a stunning rendition of.

don't forget to remember

Another Day

Single: Paul McCartney and the Wings, (1971)
Instruments: Guitars, Vocal, Drum, Stereo, Studio Effects
Style: Pop
Features: Tempo change
Duration: 3:45
Modern Discovery: 2001

Adam never liked this song. Think it was too corny, haha. But really you feel a lot of pity from this song. "So sad, so sad, sometimes she feels so sad. Alone in her apartment she dwells, till the man of her dreams comes to break the spell. Oh! stay. Don't stand her up.. and he comes, and he stays, but he leaves the next day!" Depressing.. haha. Poor lady she needs to get a grip. I do like doing this one on karaoke but the high notes are so hard to hit.

Everyday she takes her morning bath she wets her hair
wraps a towel around her as she's heading for the bedroom chair
it's just another day

Slipping into stockings
stepping into shoes
dipping in the pocket of her raincoat
it's just another day

at the office where the papers grow she takes a break
drinks another coffee and she finds it hard to stay awake
it's just another day
du du du du
it's just another day
du du du du
it's just another day!

So sad, so sad
Sometimes she feels so sad
alone in her apartment she dwells
till the man of her dreams comes to break the spell
oh! stay. don't stand her up
and he comes, and he stays, but he leaves the next day!
so sad.
sometimes she feels so sad [:'(]

heartbreaking.

As she posts another letter to the to the sound of five
People gather round her and she finds it hard to stay alive
it's just another day
du du du du du
it's just another day
du du du du
it's just another day

So sad, so sad
Sometimes she feels so sad
alone in her apartment she dwells
till the man of her dreams comes to break the spell
oh! stay. don't stand her up
and he comes, and he stays, but he leaves the next day!
so sad.
sometimes she feels so sad

Everyday she takes her morning bath she wets her hair
wraps a towel around her as she's heading for the bedroom chair
it's just another day

Slipping into stockings
stepping into shoes
dipping in the pocket of her raincoat
it's just another day
oh, it's just another day
du du du du du du
it's just another day
du du du du du du
it's just another day!

yes, it's just another day.

"Times of Your Life" 001

My college/university life is beginning to wind down. My four years here are almost up. [cue In My Life] Finals week approaches in my second to last quarter. Just a few more subjects and I'll be done as an undergraduate. The resume will go out - a new job will need to be found - a living wage - and a standard of life/living - time for preparation for graduate level studies. Almost don't want to leave too many things behind here, if I have to leave here, but this is where I matured with my love and responsibility. Great friendships have fostered here and I've said most of what needed to be said. Left my mark here and things will move on without me.

It was little Ani that said

but dreams do come true, don't they?

and Master Qui-Gon who said

It will be a hard life, but you will find out, who you are.

and George Harisson who sang

Try to realize it's all within yourself
no one else can make you change

Cause you look to other people to 'make' you grow up but in the end it's yourself and how you end up treating others. OMM.

When you've seen beyond yourself
then you may find peace of mind is waiting there../

RSS Feed for this site (Overkill)

This is the link for the RSS feed for this site:
http://jman.kus-numa.net/atom.xml

You can add this to your Firefox bookmarks toolbar or any RSS reader. Thunderbird also has this functionality. It's kind of overkill just for this site, but it keeps you up to date..

More information on RSS Feeds at Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS_Feed

*"If you [only] love those who love you, what merit is there in that?" (Matthew 5:46)

Beatles Related Links

Bruce sent me this link earlier this week:
http://www.sonnyradio.com/chrisbliss.htm
It's a video of a juggler that does a routine to the medley of
Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End
*edit: Here's a mirror on Youtube, one of the cespools of the internet: http://youtube.com/watch?v=z965UUEmdB8 (the original link has now been taken down)

Then there's one I saw at the HTF:
http://ukuleledisco.com/jake
While My Guitar Gently Weeps on a Ukulele

Pretty cool.


Here's another link, which is to the blog of Terry Ott, a Beatles columnist.
http://terryott.blogspot.com/
He's up to date on the latest Beatle related news and has a good sense of humor. (Lots of Rutles references) [http://www.rutles.org]

More on The Rutles, next time.

Sweetheart

Album: The Bee Gees, Cucumber Castle (1970), track 7
Instruments: Piano, Strings, Guitars, Vocal, Drum, Stereo, Studio Effects
Style: Country (almost)
Features: Harmony
Duration: 3:10
Modern Discovery: September 2004

If you heart tells you so, that you should leave me
don't try to forget, you and I.. never met [slightly out of sync harmony]
and before you fly, one kiss should tell me why
you've forgotten all the words that you once said..

"Forget, you and I.. never met" with kind of a flangy voice and slightly out of sync harmony, hits the spot.

Long as I've got you there beside me
long as you're there to stand and guide me
The love we share, no one can ever tear apart..

Long as I've got this life I'm living
long as it's you the love I'm with then
I'll keep on calling you, Sweetheart

If my love for you, can't make you happy
just open the door, and you won't see anymore

"If my love for you, can't make you happy" *check*

"just open the door, and you won't see anymore" *so is he going to blind her or something? (hehe) I always thought it should've been "Just open the door, and you won't see me anymore"

and before you fly, one kiss should tell me why
you've forgotten all the words that you once said

When you said:
Long as I've got you there beside me
long as you're there to stand and guide me
The love we share, no one can ever tear apart..

Long as I've got this life I'm living
long as it's you the love I'm with then
I'll keep on calling you, Sweetheart
and..
I'll keep on calling you, Sweetheart (heaaaarrtt)

So this is one of those cuddly romantic song things. Englebert also covered this in the Seventies, and he's known for all those kind of songs: Release Me, Il Mundo, Last Waltz, Am I That Easy to Forget, and the ill, After the Loving. The underlying strings throughout this song really make it great. This is one of my dad's favorites.

Lent 2006: 40 Days(?)

So there's been some confusion over which 40 days are we counting here in Lent.

Lent is the forty day period before Easter, excluding Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday (the day before Easter Sunday). [This traditional ennumeration does not precisely coincide with the calendar according to the liturgical reform. In order to give special prominence to the Sacred Triduum (Mass of the Lord's Supper, Good Friday, Easter Vigil) the current calendar counts Lent as only from Ash Wednesday to Holy Thursday, up to the Mass of the Lord's Supper. Even so, Lenten practices are properly maintained up to the Easter Vigil, excluding Sundays, as before.] http://ewtn.com/faith/lent/ash_F17.htm

So we start counting at Ash Wednesday, exclude Sundays, and count until Holy Saturday (the day before Easter) but the calendar says count only till Holy Thursday.

Math time!
Ash Wednesday Week: 4 Days
1st week of Lent: 6 Days
2nd week of Lent: 6 Days
3rd week of Lent: 6 Days
4th week of Lent: 6 Days
5th week of Lent: 6 Days
Holy Week: 6 Days (or only 3, if you don't count Holy Thursday onward)

Without Sundays, counting till Holy Saturday: 40 Days
Without Sundays, counting until Holy Thursday: 37 Days
Total Days in the Season Lent, counting Sundays: 46

So it does work out, 40 days in Lent till Easter.

Could've been one of those "spirit of the law vs letter of the law" issues :).

24 Day 5: 5:00PM to 7:00PM (2 Episode Night)

The television show, 24. Rarely do I ever get hooked on an episodic television show. I taped the two hours of the show last night to watch after my meeting. I dozed off a little in the last 15 minutes so that made the conclusion almost surreal. Had to watch the part where Jack puts down the intruder again cause that's what I missed. Then I woke up when they were sealing the rooms down.

Wow. Halfway through Day 5.

-DAMN IT, CTU GOT PWNED AGAIN JUST BECAUSE OF MCGILL'S MCPRIDE

-it must be pretty crazy/heavy, whatever reason Henderson (Jack's recruiter) is holding back what he knows and if he's as hard to crack as Jack was -to the point of death, it'll be a struggle
[Henderson's wife got shot above the knee and Henderson still couldn't tell.]

-the nerve gas is a great plot device because it's plentiful, anyone can die, and it doesn't have to be "everyone" dying at once (Big BOOOOOMs aren't necessary)

-that quick photoshop job that guy's car did was kinda funny

-Poor Tony, had to find out from a computer that his wife is dead.

-Is McGill ok? and more importantly, is Tony ok?

-Martial law, stand up to somebody Logan.. aye. Hopefully your wife, who you almost took responsilbility for losing (her life), will put some sense into you.

-Novick, making trouble again, seeing Aaron and Martha having a moment of true appreciation. Aaron, the only man who's actually protecting her, it's gratitude. (At least Novick's not down for martial law)

Bruce says:

i wasnt looking, i just saw when mike came in, but it seemed a little bit like she wanted to be "pierced."

eeewwwrrrggh [kids, don't read into that]

-Logan still can't tell the Russian president the truth :(

-Kim is back, with some guy. She's mad at daddy, but at least Chloe made her realize now that if Kim knew about daddy being alive she might've been killed too, like the other people who knew. :(

-Edgar Stiles, biggest corpse in the piles :'(

it was a sad episode, no bleeps at the end..

It was on a Sunday Morning.

Good Mornin' Sunday Morning

Guess I'll take this random opportunity to list some books that I've been trying to read for the past so many years, some up to six years, aye. That's the kind of thing that happens after being so busy in college prep high school and a university.

In Progress:

• Love and Responsibility by Karol Wojtyla (read a little last night --lol not really a light subject, temper temper)
• The Robe [haven't touched in at least 5 years. What happened is that the test that I was supposed to get for it got cancelled, so even though I was making great progress on it every night (it's a bigger book, I took a challenge). For the record it was for a reading test, where you picked the book back in Sophomore English class --about 6 years ago now. --just a little scary]
• The Last Temptation of Christ (A book given to me by Santiago. I've been trying to read the whole of this book for four years now. Each time I get hindered by something. It's a controversial book and film, that I'll have to get into later but it attempts to deal with the dual substance, fully human, fully divine.)

One that I finished:

• Letters to a Young Catholic by George Weigel (I finished this book in the midst of the chaos cause it was so inspiring and uplifting. He really dug into the "stuff" of the faith and its great relevance in struggles as a whole today. Neil got me this one)

Rocky Balboa (Rocky VI) teaser

"What is it you said to a kid? The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very rough being place, and no matter how tough you think you are. It will always bring you to your knees and keep you there, permanently, if you let it.

You or nobody ain't never gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. If you know what you're worth go out and get what you're worth, but you gotta be willing to take the hit."

-Rocky Balboa

December 2006*

The above is from the first teaser trailer for the film, Rocky Balboa. It's available on Sylvester Stallone's website at http://www.sylvesterstallone.com/. I'm looking forward to this film, as the set of five Rocky movies has always been inspirational. The music from Rocky IV is the favorite. My old roommate Adam introduced me to the soundtrack, haha.

"Some things are worth fighting for, some feelings never die.
I'm not asking for another chance, I just wanna know why" -No Easy Way Out, Robert Tepper, Rocky IV

More Rocky fanfare can be found at http://totalrocky.com/ and http://rockybalboablog.com/

*word on the street and on IMDB is that the actual release date is February 9, 2007 (b'oh)
[edit 8/21/2006, the Rocky Balboa Blog now says it's December 2006, yes!]

Lent 2006: Just a little bit

Today's Lenten reflection revealed the origin of what we said on Ash Wednesday:

"Repent, and believe in the gospel," Jesus told the crowds (Mark 1:15).

You Never Give Me Your Money

Album: The Beatles, Abbey Road (1969), track 9
Instruments: Piano, Guitars, Vocal, Drum, Stereo, Studio Effects
Style: Rock
Features: Change in song tempo
Duration: 4:02
Modern Discovery: circa 1997-1998
Left Channel: Piano
Right Channel: Guitar drum
Vocal in both

I first heard this song in my last year of junior high school, eighth grade. So, I've always associated as a song about leaving a place, a song good for graduation. Here I'm at the edge of graduating from college, so this song is appropriate again. "Soon we'll be away from here, step on the gas and wipe that tear away" :'(

[Piano intro]
You never give me your money.
You only give me your funnnny paper.
and in the middle of negotiations
you breakdown

[double tracked harmony]
I never give you my number
I only give you my situation
and in the middle of investigation
I break down.

Parts of this melody are repeated in the song Carry That Weight, on this same album part of the "Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End" Medley. I always thought it was weird, but poetic.

[up tempo, ragtime feel]
Out of college money spent
see no future, pay no rent
all the money's gone, nowhere to go

Any jobber got the sack
Monday morning turn it back
Yellow lorry slow, nowhere to go

Haha, I hope this isn't the future.

But oh that magic feeling, nowhere to go
oh that magic feeling, nowhere to go
nowhere to go!

aaaaaaaaahhhhaahaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaahhhhaahaaaaaaaaa

aaaaaaaaahhhhaahaaaaaaaaa

[Guitar solo]
One sweet dream
Pick up the bags and get in the limousine

Soon we'll be away from here
step on the gas and wipe that tear away..

My favorite part of the song, in bliss. Magic feeling, one sweet dream, step on the gas and wipe that tear away. Good bye.

One sweet dream
came true, today
came true, today
came true, today

Yes it did, aha aha aha ha

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, all the children go to heaven
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, all the children go to heaven
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, all the children go to heaven
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, all the children go to heaven
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, all the children go to heaven
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, all the children go to heaven
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, all the children go to heaven
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, all the children go to heaven
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, all the children go to heaven

Bruce's alternate lyric was always "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, all the bums go to seven eleven." ehehe The "aha aha aha" has a really neat effect with the vocals.

*this song is part of the "cricket medley" of Abbey Road"
You Never Give Me Your Money - Sun King - Mean Mr. Mustard - Polythene Pam - She Came in Through the Bathroom Window

*Just a little background on these Music appreciation posts. One of the classes I've been taking this quarter has taught how to examine music and give names to the parts that make a song up. Form, instrumentation, tempo, melody, harmony. So on top of what I've known before, the class has given a few enhancements, "upgrades" if you will, to how we can explain music and how it effects us.

This song is also fun to do as karaoke, but more on karaoke another time.. hehe.

Once there was a way.. to get back homeward/

Lent 2006: Turn Away & Follow

At yesterday's Ash Wednesday Mass we said

Turn away from sin and follow the Gospel

as we gave ashes. This was the easiest to remember since it was made more action oriented by Fr. Dom, haha. (You can remember it through body language, you "turn away" then "follow")

People like to ask, "what are you giving up for Lent?"
Today's reflection answers that [http://ewtn.com/faith/lent/F18.htm]
Give up discouragement. . . . .be full of hope.
Give up bitterness. . . . . . . . . . turn to forgiveness.
Give up hatred. . . . . . . . . . . . . return good for evil.
Give up anger. . . . . . . . . . . . . .be more patient.
Give up giving up. . . . . . . . . . . hang in there!

The wilderness will lead you
To your heart where I will speak.
Integrity and justice with tenderness you shall know.

Lent 2006: Ash Wednesday

Welcome to Lent!

The period of time between Ash Wednesday, today, until Holy Thursday. 40 days, not counting Sundays.

Today is a day of fast and abstinence. So we abstain from meat and fast.
http://ewtn.com/faith/lent/fast.htm
This link goes into all the detail on fasting and abstinence.

The trick is that through Lent you can recenter yourself spiritually and physically. You can take on more to make time for God and prayer. Fasting and abstience can help remind us of our own mortality, to remind us of eternal God, and our humility required to be of service to one another in this life. Lent is a time for contemplation, prayer, almsgiving, and reconciliation. We are preparing to celebrate the Easter Season, the most important season of Christianity. Where the bonds of mortality and death are broken through Christ.

Pope Benedict XVI, in quoting his predecessors, says in his message for Lent that we are called to “increased esteem for the dignity of others, the turning towards the spirit of poverty, cooperation for the common good, the will and desire for peace”, but also “the acknowledgement by man of supreme values, and of God, their source and their finality” (Pope Paul VI).
http://ewtn.com/faith/lent/message2006.htm
Again, a call of unselfishness an ongoing theme here and a call for respect of the dignity of human life.

So today, Ash Wednesday, begin your journey through Lent.

Come back to me, with all your heart
don't let fear, keep us apart
trees do bend, through straight and tall
so must we to other's call.