Things I Need.

Because sometimes people find these glimpses into the mundane interesting.

1. New socks.
2. New walking/running shoes.
3. That paycheck.
4. To escape before that woman gets me.
5. See above.

etiquette notes

Continuing my series of reminders.

1. I cannot hear you when you try to talk through the door. You should realize this if you have trouble making out what I am saying since I speak loudly and clearly.
2. I have not yet found a fix for Gabriel's problem with confessional conversations. The best I could come up with is to excuse oneself from the group. In a more intimate setting, however, a swift head-butt may be appropriate. I was going to refrain from comment until a suitable solution was found, but I think this forum may produce an answer.
3. It's not polite to inquire how much somebody's rent is or, in fact, what they pay for most things unless one has some sort of legitimate interest in how much it is.
4. If posting on a message board or anything similar, use descriptive thread titles. Don't say, "prayer request!" or "question?" or something similar as your title. I'm amazed this has to be said.

Hope that helps.

As the Pontificator has Archdruid Rowan Williams say...

..."I repent. I repent. I repent." An old friend from high school inquired about the change in my "facebook" profile from the hellish-yet-respectable-looking antinomianism of the far past she knew me all too well for. At times it seems so little has changed: still lacking courage, etc, the pentitential seasons bring it all out in sharp relief, you know. But the short note answered a small question and gave a needed little bit of comfort for the rough work to be done. "The real truth about it is there ain't no end to the desert I'll cross: I've really known that all along." And so we keep going and that's the only way to go.

V: N., quid petis ab ecclesia Dei?
R: Fidem.
V: Fides quid tibi praestat?
R: Vitam aeternam.

resolved

oh no no, not ever again, i'm not a good man, but, oh no, never again, by God, God save me.

reunion date set

Speaking of which, anybody interested in catching Nativity Old Style this year? Or at least the vigil? Not necessarily ROCOR [it's quite a hike], possibly Serbian if it's closer? It's a good excuse to visit the Slavs and see how it all really should be done.

score one for the papists

After reading some positively vomit-inducing remarks by an Orthodox convert from Catholicism about how spiffy Orthodoxy is, I took to thinking about the book I just finished, Brideshead Revisited. Quite unfortunately, such a book would be impossible in modernity if the characters were Orthodox and not Catholic, and this is a major strike against Orthodoxy. None of the characters could licitly divorce, and rightly so. None of the characters could licitly remarry, and rightly so. Julia and Charles, in the end, have to give up their affair and live as celibates, and rightly so. Such is the Law of God. Quite thankfully, they are in the end given the grace needed to live their lives as such. The modern Orthodox methodology, however, would probably let at least one of the couples "off the hook", if not more. Quite fortunately, we have not gotten so far as to possibly ever allow Julia and Charles "off the hook" and let them marry each other, but even taking the first steps down that path is horrible. So, kudos to you, Roman Catholics, for getting one right and, in the process, producing great literature. I believe that's what's known as a "twofer".

EDIT: how ridiculously pathological it is that, in the free moments I have waiting to leave for the great city of $HOMETOWN I am writing web-log entries about how lame some fanatics are and how awesome Catholics are. I'd link to the post I refer to, but I haven't found a way to direct you to a version that won't make your eyes bleed. And, don't worry, if I did so, I would tell the person who wrote the post, I'm not one for anonymous hit-and-run type stuff.

EDIT: I just added a link to a post I made about this same fellow earlier. I believe he was also elliptically-referred to here, but it was quite likely somebody else.