Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Headin' Out!

I'm off tomorrow to the nation's capital, to visit my friend D.D., whom I've known since the 6th grade. She lives in Ottawa with her brother and his wife and three kids. This should be fun! :)

I won't be blogging again till next Monday or Tuesday. In the meantime, I'm offering up my prayers for Mr. Mark Steyn and Maclean's magazine as they face the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal next Monday - AND I'm trying to come up with a nifty slogan...

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Memories

I always loved the theme song from "Chico and the Man", with Jose Feliciano's guitar playing and singing. It also reminds me of my early years in Toronto. Mom and I came to join Dad in Toronto in 1972, after Dad had gotten a job here and found a place for us to live. I remember a lot of T.V. theme songs from that time-period, and this one from 1974 is definitely one of them:

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Seraphic Encounter


Last night I had the good pleasure of meeting Seraphic Single, the author of one of my favourite blogs “Still Seraphic”. The event was Seraphapalooza, held at The Majlis in the artsy Queen West area of downtown Toronto, and Seraphic read from her book The Widow of Saint-Pierre.

I especially enjoyed the humourous dialogue in Seraphic’s final excerpt, and the jazz accompaniment (Alisha Ruiss singing, Susan Eichhorn Young playing keyboard) interspersed between readings was quite divine!

My friend M. took a while to get there – she’d written down the address incorrectly and headed towards 63 Walnut instead of 163 Walnut – fortunately, surreptitious text messages between us eventually led her to the reading.

Being there took me back to my undergrad English student days at the University of Toronto, when poetry readings and book readings were the order of the day. Often, a few of us would get together at one of the numerous local pubs and, over a glass of port, we’d talk about Very Important Things, quoting our favourite philosophers and writers.

I still like to imagine that there’s a cozy little pub in heaven where we’ll get to share a carafe of wine (or whatever one's favourite beverage is) and break bread with those folks we’ve always admired but never met. Thank you, Seraphic, for giving us the opportunity to see and hear you in person! I must plan to attend more events like this.

Friday, May 23, 2008

The Idiot

I finally finished reading Dostoevsky's The Idiot. Warning - spoiler alert!

I have to say I was disappointed with Prince Myshkin's rant against Catholicism towards the end of the story. It really took me by surprise since Prince Myshkin was presented as such a humble, innocent Christ-figure throughout the whole story. That one speech of his struck me as being incongruous with his entire character. I couldn't help but think this was the author's own negative opinion of Catholicism coming through rather intrusively.

I didn't know anything about The Idiot before reading it other than its status as a literary classic. I found so much in the story to be edifying, especially in the character of Prince Myshkin; his simplicity, humility, generosity and kindness.

To better understand what appears to be Dostoevsky's anti-Catholicism, I did some net surfing and came across this 2002 article in First Things by Rodney Delasanta.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Sing It, Stevie!

A Place In The Sun - Stevie Wonder, 1967

Like a long lonely stream, I keep runnin' towards a dream, Movin' on, movin' on,
Like a branch on a tree, I keep reachin' to be free, Movin' on, movin' on.

'Cause there's a place in the sun where there's hope for ev'ryone, where my poor restless heart's gotta run.
There's a place in the sun and before my life is done, got to find me a place in the sun.

Like an old dusty road I get weary from the load, Movin' on, movin' on,
Like this tired troubled earth, I've been rollin' since my birth, Movin' on, movin' on.

'Cause there's a place in the sun where there's hope for ev'ryone, where my poor restless heart's gotta run.
There's a place in the sun, and before my life is done, got to find me a place in the sun.


Monday, May 19, 2008

Happy Victoria Day!


It's been a lovely long weekend! On Saturday, I visited an old school friend after 14 years and met her husband and 5 year-old son - what a cutey her son is! We went for a long walk together and caught up. Her sister made us a delicious Vietnamese-Thai dinner, and I will soon return the favour with some Indian food, since that's what they also like.

On Sunday, my Mom and I met an old friend of the family - I hadn't seen her in 15 years and Mom hadn't seen her in 9 years! We remembered a lot of things from days gone by, especially some of the crazy-funny things my Dad used to do. We'll be getting together again soon and I'm looking forward to that.

Today I took care of some errands, but mostly I just relaxed and spent some time with my Nana. Back to work tomorrow - oh well...

I suppose I should write something specifically about Victoria Day - but I'll just leave it to Mr. Mark Steyn instead. :)

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Hmmmm....

Saw this headline today on AOL:

Queen's Eldest Grandson Weds Canadian
Bride Renounces Roman Catholic Faith, Joins Church of England

By SANG TAN, AP

Excerpt: "Kelly renounced her Roman Catholic faith and joined the Church of England to marry Phillips. Under centuries-old British law, a royal who marries a Catholic cannot take the throne."

I wonder: Would it be inappropriate to send them a copy of Evelyn Waugh's novel Brideshead Revisited as a wedding present?

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Must be the weather...

...or something about the overcast skies that put me in mind of this song just now. Although the story takes place on "the third of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day," for me it evokes a mood I associate with a cool, cloudy afternoon which may foreshadow a dark storm... I love the bluesy voice and the string arrangement.

Ode to Billy Joe by Bobbie Gentry (1967):

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

God bless you, Pastor Hagee - Apology Accepted!

It takes courage, humility, and a sincere heart to write something like this.

Very sad...

Continuing to pray for all the cyclone victims in Myanmar and the earthquake victims in China...

Monday, May 12, 2008

Quick Update:

It was a mah-vellous weekend, dahlings! Highlights included: Fr. H.'s great birthday dinner bash (P.W., I gave G.H. a big hug from you!), sharing meals and catching up with good friends, a trip to the Morgan Museum & Library, lunch with Fr. H., hanging out in Washington Square Park, spending time with my old roommate and finally seeing her new place. I really enjoyed this visit - lots of laughter, lots of joy!

The only sad moment was when I discovered that the Blue Moon Cafe on 8th Avenue has closed down - they used to make the best margaritas I'd had anywhere - SIGH.... :(

I decided to start reading Dostoevsky's The Idiot on my ride home, and let me tell you, it made the thirteen hour train ride go by remarkably quickly! I'm well into part two and may have to keep reading it tonight until I finish!

Buenos noches! Or perhaps I should say: Доброй ночи

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Start spreadin' the news...


...I'm leavin' tomorrow!

I'm heading to NYC to celebrate dear Fr. John's 90th birthday (which was on April 14th, but the party is being held this Friday). I'm looking forward to this trip very much - I haven't been to NYC in about two years and it will be great to reconnect with my good friends in the Big Apple!

Unfortunately, I will be taking some work with me, but I definitely plan to spend some time playing as well!

Will be home late Monday night. Bye for now!

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Monday, May 5, 2008

The Home Stretch

Ok - I've scheduled my comprehensive exams for July 26th. Now I just have to review the last 12 years worth of courses over the next 12 weeks... Oy! Let the cramming begin!

To keep myself motivated and especially to put things in perspective, a quote from the Good Book:

"And therefore we also having so great a cloud of witnesses over our head, laying aside every weight and sin which surrounds us, let us run by patience to the fight proposed to us: Looking on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, who having joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and now sitteth on the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2)

...AND some inspiration from Jesse! :)

Saturday, May 3, 2008

"Do not be afraid..."

"My fears, dear Lord, of opening my eyes to the suffering world are deeply rooted in my own anxious heart. I am not sure that I, myself, am truly loved and safely held, and so I keep my distance from other people’s fear-filled lives. But again you say: “Do not be afraid to let me look at your wounded heart, to embrace you, to heal you, to comfort and console you . . . because I love you with a love that knows no bounds and poses no conditions.”. . . As your passion, death, and resurrection continue in history, give me the hope, the courage, and the confidence to let your heart unite my heart with the hearts of all your suffering people, and so become for us the divine source of new life. Amen."

Excerpt from Henri Nouwen’s Walk With Jesus, Orbis Books.

R.I.P.Sergeant Merlin German (USMC), 1985-2008



Sgt. Merlin German was a brave marine striving to recover from a roadside bomb blast in Iraq over 3 years ago that covered 97 percent of his body with burns. He had started a charity called Merlin's Miracles, to aid child burn victims. Please read more about Sgt. Merlin here.

May he rest in peace and may God console his family and friends...

Thursday, May 1, 2008

O Happy Day!!

It's done - Hallelujah! Thank you, Jesus! My paper is finished, and it's been submitted. What a relief...

Now I can get back to my latest freelance assignment and start working on several other things on my "TO DO" list - although I really feel like just lying very still for the next three days and not moving at all.

ZZZ...ZZZZZZZZZ....ZZZZ...

Ok - I'm tired, but on the inside I'm REJOICING!!! :)