Monday Medley: In Honor of Oscar

Happy Monday!  The day after the all important Oscar awards.  Did I watch it all? No, do I follow the nominations and winners? Yes.  I like all the news stories surrounding the Oscars and the Red Carpet.

How about the weather?  I hope this pattern changes soon.  Fortunately I don't live in a snow prone area, however what we tend to get is sleet and icy conditions.  I would rather have snow than ice! The current weather pattern has foul and potentially winter weather hitting here every weekend. I'm on call every weekend!   So I don't like that! 

Please call your Congressional Representative and Senators! Let them know they need to come to a reasonable compromise to avoid the Sequestration.  Consider telling them to stop governing by self created crisis.  I am concerned it will create financial havoc for the average taxpayer/consumer. I hope they get to work do what we pay them to do and get something good accomplished. 

Today in honor of Oscar

I am sharing famous movies themes.   http://youtu.be/9S7EsAzITEs

Hope you enjoy.

Monday Medley: A Mixer

Another Monday,  today is Presidents Day, many have today off in its honor. Something that really gets me, in the midst of a financial crisis, pending sequestration, Congress is on yet another break.  A paid  break!  WHY? There are millions of people who will be negatively impacted by the sequestration on March first,  and Congress takes a  nine day break. Well they are a do nothing Congress. 

I hope today is a good day for many. Here are several items for your enjoyment.

In honor of Presidents Day: http://youtu.be/zGq4MPxEwqQ

Paul Harvey God Made a Farmer: http://youtu.be/nHjV-FPMm_I

God Made A Gay Man, Crewe Magazine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCuw-cIoWa0&feature=player_embedded

Lord of the Dance woke up with this song on my mind: http://youtu.be/1fzRZuGEr04   2 Sam 6:12-15,

      12Now it was told King David, saying, “The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God.” David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness. 13And so it was, that when the bearers of the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. 14And David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod. 15So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouting and the sound of the trumpet.








 

The Great Backyard Bird Count Amoung Other Things

Yes its true, I'm a birder.  That means I like to notice the different birds around, I love awaking in the morning to hear birds singing. Now I'm no expert at identifying the birds, just appreciating them and noticing different and unusual bird around.  The Apartment complex where I live has a lake, and lots of trees, its part of what attracted me here. It also attracts many birds and other wildlife.  The past few weeks I have noticed new geese at the lake.  I mean different and unusual color geese.  Plus I heard then saw Robins.  Spring is on its way!


Why did I talk about birds?  Well this weekend the 15th to the 18th is the Great Backyard Bird Count the Audubon Society spearheads each year.  They encourage participants to count as many different birds wherever they are as they can and report the numbers on their website.  Those numbers are tallied and used for research.

Interested?  Here is a link to their site.   http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/howto.html  It can be fun!

Gay in the News.  This past week, France's National Assembly passed a bill in favor of Same Sex Marriage. The news report stated they expect the bill to be passed along in their National Senate and by signed into law.  Wow, first Great Britain now France! I am glad.

Work can be hard sometimes, last night I was called to a trauma death.  A  young victim of a motorcycle accident.  I do not like motorcycles, if there is an accident the rider loses.  What a tragedy a waste.



 

Happy Valentines Day, Evening

Another Valentines Day, oh wonderful.  Today has been an uneventful day.  The Hospital where I served my overnight shift last night , decorated the cafeteria with white and red table cloths.  They served wonderful chocolate treats. 

I hope you had a great day and your Valentine did something special for you!

 

Ash Wednesday 2013

Today is Ash Wednesday, the day on the church calendar that marks the beginning of Lent. Many churches celebrate with services, including the imposition of ashes.  I will participate in this at the Hospital.

The church of my membership, a Baptist church, has a special service tonight I wish I could go to.  Its a service of Contrition and Thanksgiving. we have ashes and Lord's Supper. I will be at work. 

The meaning of the ashes.  Its a symbol of sinfulness, but also healing because if you feel ashes in your fingers there is an oil substance to them.  Oil is a symbol of healing. Much can be said of this and the meaning of ashes.  In the past few years Ash Wednesday has been celebrated across denominations and in various ways.  I think this is a good thing. I will miss my churches service.

 

The Pope to Resign!

Yesterday's news, but I had to comment.  I am not Catholic, but as a Protestant who knows many who are Catholic, this is really big news.  The first time in 600 years a Pope who is resigning. It has taken the world by surprise!

 

 

My hope for the next Pope as a Protestant, gay man.

 

I hope the next Pope is more progressive than any there has been in decades.

I hope the next Pope is able to at least crack the door to making the Catholic church more open, accepting, and affirming of the LBGT community.

I hope the next Pope is open to discussing allowing Priests to marry.

I hope the next Pope is open to discussing Women as Priests. 

I hope the next Pope is from Canada or the U.S.A.

One can only HOPE!

 

Oh and apparently the picture above is indeed real! Ponder that one!

 

Monday Medley: Valentine Edition

Good Monday, What a weekend of weather for many of us.  Folks are still digging out, others are looking at tornado damage.  It seems no matter where you live, there is exposure to storm damage of some kind.  It seems weather interrupts life. 

This is a busy week, with Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, and Valentines Day. Today I'm sharing some Valentines/love music. Hope you enjoy!


http://youtu.be/Wg9Urm2_7xQ Daylight Maroon 5

Top 20 loves songs: http://youtu.be/T4KS2JUrQCY

Top Valentines day Songs http://youtu.be/IiivCsCx4Lw

Gay in The News

Happy Friday! At least for those who are off the weekend.  I hope all those in the northeast can enjoy the snow without much trouble out of it...  Yeah right!  

There have been some gay issues mentioned in the news recently I want to highlight here. 

First, in Great Britain, Same Sex Marriage moved closer to approval! The bill passed 400 to 175, but has to pass the House of Lords where the fight continues.  The bill exempts the Church of England and other faith groups from being required to perform Same Sex union services so this is a Civil marriage bill. Legal marriage none the less.  A step forward, I pray it passes all the way to the PM's desk.

A stupid bill introduced in Tennessee" Don't Say Gay" would require teachers to report to parents any student  who confides they are gay. This law is meant to restrict sex education in schools.  Fortunately this bill is doomed. It keeps being reintroduced, so I hope it never passes.

The Boy Scouts, are at least discussing repealing their ban on gay members and leaders. I doubt it will lead real change. 

Lake County school District in Florida is considering cutting all student clubs in order to block the formation of a Gay Straight Alliance club at one of its middle schools.  The extreme measure taken to discriminate and perpetuate hate. Think of the positive impact a club like this could have on those involved. But I would think that way!

So we have the good, the bad and the just plain stupid  in the news

 

Monday Medley: Scream and Shout

Its Monday again! It was a busy day and night, a lot of calls at least the last one was at 01:00 this morning. Hope you have a great day and week.

Scream and Shout (language warning)

http://youtu.be/kYtGl1dX5qI

Welcome February! Friday This and That

Wow its already the first of February! For many reasons I welcome February every year with a sigh of relief and smile.  Its still winter, but around here it marks a move toward spring.  When I had a yard to play in, there were always things that needed to be done in the garden, mostly cleaning, winter feeding.  Alas no yard to play in, but I do have a small piece of dirt area I can plant flowers. that will need cleaning, but not yet.

February is packed with all kinds of things to look forward. It's Black History Month for starters.  I remember in school the recognitions and lessons we had for February. its also known as the heart month, and the looove month! Then there is Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, the last few years I have gone to IHOP on Fat Tuesday and had crepes. My mother always made Crepes for Mardi Gras. I might try to make my own this year.  That week is a full week, with World Day of the Sick, Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, followed by Valentines Day.

The Health System I work for always does something special for World Day of the Sick.  Usually some kind of service.  This Ash Wednesday I will be working, so I will be participating in the distribution of ashes.  Not sure how that is going to work out but we shall see.

Then Valentines day!  I read where every Valentines day, we spend millions of dollars on candy, cards, flowers,  gifts, and alcohol. Not to mention  money spent on a night out on the town.  So many millions of pounds of chocolate, gallons of wine, in all Valentines day is a very profitable day for many.


So its now February!  Much to look forward too.

Monday Medley: Your Love

Good Monday to you.  We had snow over the weekend, about an inch, enough to snarl traffic for hours.  This week its supposed to be near 70 degrees!  A saying in Tidewater, don't like the weather? Wait a minute, it will change! 

This week the Dow could hit 14000! The S&P is over 1500, they say we are on track for the best January for stocks in several years.  How far can the rally go?  We will see what happens.  I think much depends on the Jobs report, and continued good earnings reports Plus the cliff?.  The downside is what this does to the bond market.  That's the market for you!  Diversify is the name of the game.

Today's music an older song, Your Love Is My Drug


 http://youtu.be/QR_qa3Ohwls

hope you enjoy

An Anniversary

This past week there was an anniversary. It marked the first year of the passing of my Mother. I did not do anything special.  I am doing well with everything, better than I thought I would be. The first anniversary of the death of someone special in your life is significant.  One should be on his or her way through the stages of grief to what is referred to a new normal. I am not sure where I am in that process.  Though things seem to be "better" life will never be the same. Holidays will never be the same.  Life does march forward though and one must move forward with it. 

I think of Mom often, I imagine that will continue, and I am fine with that.  It's not being stuck in the past, but the past does inform our present.  So my journey continues, the memory of my mother in the back of my mind. Life will go on, I carry on. Its what we do.