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artist nini sum tells classic tales in the language of screen printing

IdleBeats – China’s first independent silkscreen printing company set up by artists Nini Sum and Gregor Koerting – is keeping the practice of screen printing and collaboration alive. Here Nini walks us through their latest ongoing collaborative works, A Tale of Two Cities.

Collaboration is at the core of IdleBeats ethos: from working with musicians to design their album art and posters and developing product images for brands, to their continuous silkscreen exhibition series, A Tale of Two Cities. Based on Dicken’s classic story of the same name – a book which depicts the plight of French peasants who have been demoralised by the French aristocracy in the years leading up to the revolution, told in parallel with the unflattering story of life in London at the same time – the exhibition is a series of silkscreen prints, each made in collaboration with another studio. Following the great success of their first collaborative exhibition with Parisian silkscreen printers FrenchFourch in 2015, IdleBeats invited Cambodia-based Sticky Fingers to help create the the second chapter of "A Tale of Two Cities”.

We invited Nini, one half of the artist duo behind IdleBeats, to walk us through some of the pieces from the exhibition.

1. My Boy

The portrait in this print is a local boy I encountered in Cambodia. His eyes are barely open because he was riding a bike under the burning sun – you can almost see the lights shining upon him, the heat and sweat. This was my first impression of Cambodia. Sticky Fingers found an used condensed milk can from a brand called ‘My Boy’, but the boy is pale on the original packaging. This appearance is very symbolic of the colonial period of Cambodia as back then, all commodities had to use images of white people. That burning afternoon, under the roof of that seaside shed everything we needed for a good print magically came together.

My Boy
My Boy

2. Statue No.1

This is my latest work that I finished at the end of 2016, discussing the relationship between decaying primitive culture and modern civilization. Faces from primitive tribes are placed peacefully on the platform, with the shade adding a sense of space and tranquility. Primitive culture within modern civilization serves as a reminder of the humble way of life that predominantly existed.

3. Statue No.3

When an increasing number of satellite bases appeared in the mountains of Guizhou Province in China, countless families from ethnic minorities were forced to leave home. Some tribes dared not even walk free on their own land on account of the satellites falling from the sky.

4. Knight Night

This series attempts to gain an objective view on the phenomena of sprawling metropolis as postmodern life environment; gloomy architecture of a fictional megacity and snapshots of its inhabitants lost in crime, isolation and decadence. On first view this appears to be a depressing dystopia, but there is an underlying message of hope for individual freedom, equality and a new social consciousness. The depiction of savage street gang kids is based on a archetype about the desire of a breaking free from social boundaries.

5. Metro Station

If one compares the Real Big City with a living body, the metro system stands for its blood circulation. This is the reason for why it is a recurrent theme throughout the chapters of the series.

This Week

making images: behind the scenes

Take another look behind the scenes at photographer Harley Weir’s journey in capturing five women from around the world as well at a number of other creators defining the image of today in documentary filmmaker Chelsea McMullan’s Making Images video.

Read More

making codes: behind the scenes

Take another at director Liza Mandelup's Making Codes video, a look behind the scenes at digital artist and creative director Lucy Hardcastle's piece 'Intangible Matter' that features producer Fatima Al Qadiri, artist Chris Lee and a host of more leading digital artists.

Read More

making films: behind the scenes

Take another look behind the scenes in director Eva Michon's Making Films with Alma Har'el video: a look at the making of JellyWolf and the current state of play within the film industry through the eyes of female filmmakers championing diversity, and Alma Har'els Free The Bid initiative.

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making movement: behind the scenes

Take a look behind the scenes in filmmaker Agostina Galvez’s Making Movements: a look at the making of The Pike and the Shield: Five Paradoxes with ballerina Nozomi Iijima and other leading movers and shakers from the world of dance including choreographers and dancers Holly Blakey, Aya Sato and the duo Project O.

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making exhibitions: behind the scenes

Take a look behind the scenes in director Christine Yuan’s Making Exhibitions with Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel: a look at the making of Just A Second: A Digital Exhibition Curated by Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel, inspired by CHANEL Nº5 L'EAU, and a look at other leading curators and collectives from the art world including BUFU, Rozsa Farkas, Fatos Ustek, Angelina Dreem and Yana Peel.

Read More

seeing sound: in conversation charlotte hatherley & carly paradis

Two of London’s most sought after figures in visually-shaped music meet.

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lizzie borden: feminist trailblazer

As her magnum opus returns to UK shores, Lizzie Borden – the visionary artist behind Born in Flames – talks rebellion, feminist artistry, and her nostalgia for 70s NYC.

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rebecca lamarche-vadel's
just a second

Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel is the Paris based curator for the Palais De Tokyo. Dedicated to modern and contemporary art she puts on large scale exhibitions that span installation, dance, sculpture, photography and spoken word. For The Fifth Sense she created a digital exhibition based on the transformative power of CHANEL’s Nº5 L’EAU.

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reba maybury: she’s got the power

We sat down with the editor, writer and dominatrix Reba Maybury to discuss her taboo-breaking publishing house Wet Satin Press, her latest novel Dining With Humpty Dumpty and what it means to be a woman in control.

Read More


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Old October 24, 2012, 03:04 PM   #8
Senior Member
Join Date: May 28, 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 6,231
Nothing personal but isn't $125.00 for a used RRA National match just a tad pricey? I bought mine for $120.00 about 6 months ago brand new. You might have better luck reducing the price.
Have a nice day at the range

NRA Life Member
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Old September 8, 2013, 11:03 AM   #15
Senior Member
Join Date: February 18, 2009
Location: NC
Posts: 254
"However, if you instructed them to stop and back off and they didn't, then I think you would have reasonable grounds for defense."

Speaking from officer standpoint....If someone makes an attempt to take a weapon that justifies use of deadly force. If you do disengage without firing for whatever reason, like weapon out of battery/loose mag etc, then it is taught to back and off and tap/rack, bang OR then give commands to get on the ground or whatever. If they then move toward you again it is justifiable to shoot at that point as well as they have already demonstrated the intent to disarm/use deadly force and were just fortunate they were not shot the first time. That was taught in the last class I had on tactics and retention.

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Old September 27, 2012, 06:26 PM   #9
Old Grump
Member in memoriam
Join Date: April 9, 2009
Location: Blue River Wisconsin, in
Posts: 3,144
26" barrrel and I believe it's modified choke. It does not say on barrel nor manual as to what choke it is. Has been tempting to get a Mossberg pump with short barrel. Handled one at my lgs and handled nicely and smooth. Thanks for the help.
26" might be a bit long for some purposes but modified choke is just fine and will shoot slugs more accurately with it then you will without it. I have one Mossberg semi-auto cut down to 18 1/2" with rifle sights mounted and I purposely threaded it and installed a full choke. Now instead of a fair shooting 60 yard gun it's a good shooting 100 yard gun.
Good intentions will always be pleaded for any assumption of power. The Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern will, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters.
--Daniel Webster--
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Procrastination – Enemy of the Job Seeker

By Lesley Rickman

The number one enemy of the job seeker – procrastination. We all want it to be easy. We all want that perfect job to just fall into our laps but is it going to happen while we’re sitting for hours on end updating facebook statuses or counting change to buy a beer down the pub?

It’s easy to get distracted while searching for jobs or trying to update your resume. It always feels as if there’s more time but there are only so many hours in the day and before you know it those hours have turned into days and those days pretty soon add up to weeks, months and years.

One way to stop the procrastination cycle is to set yourself daily goals and deadlines within which to achieve a certain number of things, not allowing yourself to log on to facebook or youtube until your other tasks are complete. A little self discipline and a system of rewards can help with that ever allusive motivation that might have been missing from your life. Sometimes just getting yourself into work mode at home is enough to make others see that responsible, disciplined side of you too. Making the struggle to find full time work all the more bearable.

Procrastination, it has a place we just have to make sure we know where that place is.

Do you procrastinate? what helps you stop procrastinating and focusing on getting things done?

About lesleysdiversions

I write. I read. I listen. I watch. I am.
This entry was posted in Expert Advice, Life Style and tagged , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

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What Is The One Baptism That Is Now In Effect?

This question comes from Ephesians 4:1-6: "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."

As you read through the New Testament, there are various baptisms that are mentioned. Which one is the "one baptism" of Ephesians 4:5?

1. It cannot be the baptism of fire because that is in reference to hellfire as you look closely at the context of Matthew 3:10-12, which will occur in the future. The "one baptism" that Paul is writing about was presently occurring.

2. It cannot be the baptism of suffering (Matthew 20:20-23) because Jesus was speaking to James and John. This "one baptism" is a baptism that all Christians have experienced and are united into one body, the church of Christ.

3. It cannot be the baptism in the Holy Spirit because it was for a select few (Acts 1:4,5; 2:1-4; John 14-16). The one baptism mentioned in Ephesians 4:1-6 is something that all Christians have experienced.

4. It cannot be the water baptism administered on Jesus (Matthew 3:13-17) because this baptism was only reserved for Jesus who had no sin and the reason He was baptized was to fulfill all righteousness. He was to do the complete will of God. The "one baptism" was a baptism that all Christians have experienced because they were in all need of salvation from sin.

5. It cannot be the baptism of Moses because that was a "baptism" that the children of Israel experienced through the Red Sea before entering into the wilderness (1 Corinthians 10:1-4). No Christian experienced this baptism.

6. It cannot be the water baptism administered by John the Immerser and Jesus during their personal ministries (Mark 1:4; John 4:1-2). That baptism of repentance was for the remission of sins and while it was in effect, those who underwent that baptism would have been added to the kingdom of God that was given to Jesus from God the Father. After the cross, John's baptism was no longer in effect because one of the qualifications of it was to believe on Him (Jesus) who was to come (Acts 19:4). The twelve men at Ephesus were baptized with the baptism of John after it had become null and void and needed to be baptized under the water baptism of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).

Therefore, the only other baptism that is left is the water baptism under the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). All Christian can unite around this one baptism because all were baptized into Christ and into His body (Romans 6:3-4; 1 Corinthians 12:13). The element is "water" as is seen in Ephesians 5:26; 1 Peter 3:21.

This material is copyrighted by The Gospel of Christ and its authors.  This information is free to use in its entirety without further consent, however, modifications should not be made without contacting mail@thegospelofchrist.com for permission.  Any and all images contained herein are believed to be free for all distribution and content.


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Blast your way into an epic journey in Legacy of Discord Furious Wings. Split and incinerate the bodies of demonic souls, and soar through the sky to fight off demons. Create the strongest hero and break through the game’s limitations by using Legacy of Discord Furious Wings hack tool.

Access Online Generator - Click Here

This is a real-time, hack and slash, MMORPG game set in a massive fantasy world. Players create heroes to trample demonic species and free the land from evil. You must strive and become the best to achieve titles in ladder matches and unlock equipment, skills, wings, and pets.

However, pure skills are not enough to defeat your rivals and conquer the game. You also need resources to trample opponents under your feet. The more diamonds and golds you have. The greater the chances of winning in boss fights, PVP, and raid. But, amassing resources is not an easy task. Typical to dungeon crawling games, you need to play for hours after hours to level up and acquire resources for your character. The good thing is that the following hack is made solely for players like you who wish to get instant treasures.

Legacy of Discord Wings cheats features

The following resource generator can solve all gaming needs. It can spawn free gold and diamonds. You don’t need to repeatedly enter dungeons because millions of diamonds are just one click away.

-generate free gold.

-get free diamonds.

-In-game benefits

-Easily win events

-tested by programmers and invisible in the web

-Top-notch security

-Fast and stable connectivity

-Works on both rooted and unrooted smart phones

-Works 24/7

-Malware free

-proxy support enabled.

How to use this online hack tool

Follow the steps carefully to get your game resources instantly.

  1. Go to the link of the resource generator.
  2. Connect to your Legacy of Discord Furious Wings account.
  3. Enter your game email or username on the first field.
  4. Choose your system from the drop-down menu on the second field.
  5. Toggle Encryption from off to on.
  6. Click the connect button.
  7. Below the first three fields, select the amount of resource that you want to generate. You can choose between the values of 100,000 to 99,999,999.
  8. Click generate, choose an offer, complete an offer, and wait for the free diamonds and gold to spawn into your account.

Access Online Generator - Click Here

Conquer the skies and blaze through dungeons and win wall the time with the best resource generator.


text:
Josh Brage

Catalyst Production Site
August 7, 2008, 6:53 pm
Filed under: High-Five | Tags: ,

Today, I built a site. It is a basic wordpress site. But it looks nice and sharp. I think it is clean and fun. And I think that it is exactly what I needed for

It was a challenging morning. My work pc got taken to the shop by Mike Smith after it somehow got a little ill with a bit of spyware/virusish stuff. So I was working in the Catalyst Tech booth. It was a lot of fun. I learned an awful lot today… a lot about WordPress, CSS and just websites in general. I am pleased with how quickly I am picking this stuff up. This weekend, I will begin development on the new site. It is going to be fun. My goal is to have that up and running by the end of August.

One of the things that I am learning about my new role in Catalyst is that I have to manage my workflow differently. My main role is to be creative. This is not the problem. The problem is the balance between coming up with new ideas and seeing the ones I started last week to completion. I am a great starter. I am not always a good finisher. Does anyone have any advice?

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“I am a great starter. I am not always a good finisher.” – Umm… what she said?

What happened to my phone call man!?!? Love ya!

Comment by JP

btw – Good job on the site!

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Now that another years’ concentrated spectacle is a month or so passed, I thought I’d throw up a short reflection on ANZAC Day while I work on other projects. This year was the first I didn’t go to any services, bar perhaps a couple here or there while I was in school. In my last year of highschool I heard about the white poppy peace service, and for my undergraduate years at university attended those. Like a sizable number of those on the ‘radical left’ my deeply critical stance on the New Zealand military and its history does not actually predispose me to literally hating all soldiers. Beyond which I’ve thought a fair amount, recently, on my own great grandfather, a WWII veteran and prisoner of war. He was captured in the early stages of the North African campaign by Italian forces, and spent the better part of half a decade moving from camp to camp until eventually swapping hands. When he was finally liberated he’d been moved all the way to southern Germany, much of it on his own feet. It’s an important part of the family history, one I’d appreciate more of a chance to think about and discuss.

The decidedly depressing video of James Broome-Isa, 12 year old kid of NZ First’s chief of staff, berating peace activists for laying a wreath to the Afghani civilians killed in an SAS operation drove home my misgivings about the day. Misgivings that I’ve come to realise have been with me since long before I developed any considered opinions on the military. I think, specifically, it’s the line “This isn’t civilians, this is ANZAC!” that set my thoughts on the matter. ANZAC has ceased to really mean anything to do with serious military history or even those who fought in the various wars New Zealand fought over the last century or more. What in name is a day to commemorate fallen soldiers, and in theory is a fairly straightforward nation building exercise (with all that entails), in practice is almost something else again. If this is ANZAC, not civilians, where on Earth are the soldiers being drawn from? I know that’s facetious, but I do think Broome-Isa inadvertently touched on something a great many adults feel too. Soldiers are disembodied concepts more than people who endured terrible conditions for whatever reasons they went. They’re images of some frail national will projected into the void, unable to fully get purchase or form. Who are these soldiers but overwhelmingly working people? They leave behind work, families, communities, and the social situation is inevitably changed by their return, alive or dead. War never exists in the abstract, it exists out of the material conditions that give rise to them. Whether a war is formally fought for land, capital, money, political power or ideology. Why a war is fought, how it’s fought, where it’s fought, who is harmed the most and how much effort is expended to heal them, all impact not only the location of the war but all involved in it. It is certainly the case that the legacy of imperial intervention and our penchant to ‘crawl back into the womb of Empire’ in WWI, and that of fascism in WWII has shaped my own thinking over 70 years after my great grandfather was liberated.

It would seem, of all days, ANZAC Day is the one best suited for discussing the military history of New Zealand, whether you view it for good or ill. But where I usually get a glassy expression and general disinterest when I bring up local history, on military history – and especially at ANZAC Day – I get a palpable discomfort. As much as folk talk in vague yet solemn tones about the terrible conditions on the Turkish coast, French countryside, or Italian mountain ranges, they likewise become tight lipped and want to change the subject when a detailed discussion of those campaigns comes about. Even the basic mainstream overview of war is subject to awkward silence. An experience I had at the Gallipoli: Scale Of Our War exhibition illustrated this all rather well. Putting aside my view of the overall exhibit, one small section is of particular interest. There’s a rack in one of the larger rooms where visitors can leave behind messages written on replicas of the card available to soldiers at Gallipoli. Despite the supposed ‘gritty realism’ of the overall exhibition, the mood underlying the people viewing it (at least on the day I was there) was revealed in the messages left behind by visitors. Many of them declared the ANZACs defenders of democracy and the Ottomans an existential threat to New Zealand. Some took the chance to lash out horizontally against critics of the New Zealand military, declaring them ungrateful traitors. One in particular sticks in my mind: “Thank you for life, and loving me. I apologise for my failings. Please forgive me.” Soldiers are not soldiers, or workers, or even in an abstract way New Zealanders. They are reified, sacred figures; arbiters of that which is New Zealand.

The centenary of the Blackest Day is coming up this year, on October 12th. On that day in 1917 at Passchendaele, in northern France, some 845 New Zealanders were killed in an ill-fated assault on German lines in a matter of hours. Only eight days earlier over 300 had been killed in a successful but costly assault nearby. It remains the highest casualty disaster in New Zealand history, and it entirely comes down to the nonexistent value placed on the lives of those drawn into the Great War by their generals and leaders. It all seems terribly insulting when the history is considered. Those who fought, whether they wanted to or not, were workers on all sides. They’re effectively erased by the tendency to retrospectively force their newfound role as icons of a cynical nation building exercise. The actual ANZACs vanish before the spectacle of ANZAC, posters of handsome men charging along cliff faces take place of the broken heroes who genuinely returned. I feel, increasingly, as though ‘commemoration’ has become a byword for pissing on their graves. I’ll end here with a segment from an old Howard Zinn article that got his column in the Boston Globe cancelled, written for Memorial Day 1976, entitled Whom Will We Honor Memorial Day?

It will also be celebrated by the display of flags, the sound of bugles and drums, by parades and speeches and unthinking applause.

It will be celebrated by giant corporations, which make guns, bombs, fighter planes, aircraft carriers and an endless assortment of military junk and which await the $100 billion in contracts to be approved soon by Congress and the President.

There was a young woman in New Hampshire who refused to allow her husband, killed in Vietnam, to be given a military burial. She rejected the hollow ceremony ordered by those who sent him and 50,000 others to their deaths. Her courage should be cherished on Memorial Day. There were the B52 pilots who refused to fly those last vicious raids of Nixon’s and Kissinger’s war. Have any of the great universities, so quick to give honorary degrees to God-knows-whom, thought to honor those men at this Commencement time, on this Memorial Day?

No politician who voted funds for war, no business contractor for the military, no general who ordered young men into battle, no FBI man who spied on anti-war activities, should be invited to public ceremonies on this sacred day. Let the dead of past wars be honored. Let those who live pledge themselves never to embark on mass slaughter again.

EDIT: The day after I posted this, a rather good article on this very subject was published on the online journal Public History Weekly. I’ve decided to link it here for those who might take interest.


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Topshop Cheek Jelly

Topshop’s make-up range seems to be going from strength to strength, with more and more products coming out. They’re latest release are these fabulous Cheek Jellies! Now I must admit I haven’t ever really tried or possibly ever seen a Cheeky Jelly, but here at The Kats Paws, I like to give anything a whirl for you readers.

The Cheek Jelly comes in five shades and here are three of my favourites –

Beep – This is possibly the brightest red in the collection and really does give you rosy red cheeks, the colour reminds me a little of a bright red Mini car, which may be why they called it Beep!

Museum – This is a purple/brown colour, more brown than purple – which may sound a little scary for the cheeks, but used to give a bit of colour to the cheeks, or on darker skins, this is perfect.

Phenomenon – Orangey/red in colour, this Jelly is a perfect shade for all skin tones and all occasions – perfect for day, or build it up more for an evening look.

The cheek gels deliver sheer, buildable, easy-to-use colour to create a natural, healthy flush. You can blend out the texture for a wash of colour, or smooth over the skin for a glossy finish to add depth and dimension to the skin.

To use, you simply apply directly to the cheeks or lips (I love love love multi-use products!) with a brush or your fingertips for a diffused, rosy glow or slick along your cheekbones and down the bridge of your nose for added dimension.

The Cheeky Jelly costs £7 each and is available online at and in stores.

What do you think to the Cheek Jellies?

Kathryn xx

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Jojoba Company Hydrating Day Cream

With most moisturisers I tend to use them on an evening, as I hate that thick, sticky feeling a lot of moisturisers can leave – which is fine on an evening as I know my skin will be soaking in the goodness, but during the day, moisturisers can tend to make my skin look oily. The Jojoba Company have a light, hydrating cream which is perfect for daytime wear.

It includes a whole host of amazing ingredients such as;

Pure Australian Jojoba – antioxidant, rich in Vitamins A, D & E, hydrating

Green Tea – calming

Chamomile – soothing, calming

Beta Glucan – nurtures collagen production

Vitamins B & E – antioxidants

Pomegranate – anti-aging, visibly promotes skin elasticity

Siberian Ginseng – tightening, firming

Slik amino acids – peptides, firming proteins

This is a really gentle, long-acting daily moisturiser that helps to restore the skin’s natural suppleness and protects against dehydrating environmental effects, such as weather, pollution and much more. It is suitable for all skin types, and is fine even for my sensitive skin.

I use the Hydrating Day Cream after I have cleansed and toned my skin, pumping a small amount onto my fingertips and pressing gently onto my face, neck and décolletage. Jojoba is amazing for moisturising and gets really deep into the skin, lasting all day long.

You can find out more about The Jojoba Company at

Kathryn xx

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11.20.10: dinner (duck ragu with garganelli, aka hand-made penne–duck is the new turkey)

Garganelli with Duck Ragu

We’ve been a bit quiet this past week for several reasons, namely travel and work, but that doesn’t mean that we haven’t been cooking up a storm during our increasingly limited free time–and we sometimes spend our evenings making labor-intensive meals. There’s something so…comforting, or freeing, or delightful about sitting at a dining room table and hand-rolling your own garganelli after hitting road blocks with a work project–especially when you realize you’re not half-bad at it. Michael even compared me to Iron Chef Italian Masahiko Kobe in the eventual speed I picked up in rolling the little squares into quills.

When you’re having a less-than-awesome day or even weekend otherwise, the little compliments like this can light your grin for the rest of the day.

Saturday was anything but inspiring to me–frustrated with work things and not feeling great on top of it, not only had poor Michael retreated to his desk to draw and avoid my misplaced ire, but we had no clue what we were doing for dinner or where we would get it. I finally sat down with our copy of Molto Italiano and found a few recipes that intrigued me–all the while focusing on fresh pasta and ingredients that I knew would pique M’s interest–and presented the options to him around lunchtime. What sold him was the duck ragu served over garganelli, as he is a sucker for all things duck-related as well as a good ragu; in fact, having duck the weekend before Thanksgiving has become a sort of tradition for us. I promised that I would take on the shaping of the fresh pasta myself if he would make it, and since our radiators make our apartment both very hot and very dry, it was a pretty easy sell on my part. Taking a quick trip to Esposito & Sons to procure duck legs and then on to Whole Foods to get the rest of the ingredients was all it took to ensure we’d have an amazing meal. It’s what I love about New York–if you’re willing to make a trip and potentially spend a little money, you can find whatever your heart desires the same day it wants it.

Garganelli in the pot

Making the pasta, on the other hand, was a bit of a tall order. Mario leads you to believe that all you need to make it is a dowel or pencil or pen of some sort that you use to shape the pasta, then wiggle it off to keep the shape. Given the nature of fresh pasta and its tendency to stick to pretty much anything, the initial shaping efforts were…not terribly successful. You see, you have to roll the pasta to your machine’s thinnest (i.e. highest) setting, which makes it quite delicate, and figuring out how to shape it just so in order to slide it off of the dowel/pencil/pen and not destroy the shape is a bit of a challenge. What ultimately worked for me was lightly pressing the pasta at the seal and not having the pasta adhere to all points along the pen and quickly taking it off. I may have ruined a few squares along the way, but we ended up with enough pasta and ragu to lead to two dinners and two lunches, so we were both very happy.

As for the sauce…well, aside from Michel struggling to remove the skin from the duck legs (that skin is tough), the recipe is altogether an easy way to give duck a try in your house…even if you are duck-phobic like some of my pals are.

Mario Batali’s recipe can be found here, but I highly recommend getting a copy of Molto Mario for yourself as it’s an utterly inspiring cookbook–so much so that it can pull anyone out of an inspiration-less Saturday.

And while it’s a bit late, a very happy Thanksgiving to all of our fabulous readers–here is hoping that your Thursday meals were delicious, your Friday shopping is deal-icious, and the rest of your weekend is utterly relaxing.

¡Salud! Cin cin! Sláinte!

  1. Tracy said:

    You two are a great. Homemade pasta and duck ragu…oh my god 🙂

  2. Jamie said:

    Even my super-guido family doesn’t have the wherewithal to make its own pasta, have have a shop that does that for us. I have wanted to try to duck for a while (even though Monsieur isn’t such a fan) but if you’re telling me this recipe is a good foray into it I’ll give it a whirl and let you know how it turns out.

  3. Kim said:

    Oh, that looks scrumptious!!! You guys sound like us – when we get our minds set on a certain dish, we havetohaveitrightnow… don’t get in the way!!!! Luckily, we too can get most things within one afternoon and within about 10 miles radius from the house.

    And on duck – I LOVE duck. Maybe it’s the Asian in me. But we do Peking ducks all the time… What I really wish is that more markets sold them, and more people ate them…. so that their price would come down. Love Whole Foods… but $16.99/lb for duck breasts??? 😦

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Jean Genie has performed as a David Bowie tribute act for a number of years and has even played with David Bowie’s band from the 1970s The Spiders from Mars. He has performed in a number of Bowie’s guises but these days he prides himself on the quality of his singing voice, mannerisms and overall style of David Bowie. Fans can expect to hear all the hits such as Starman, Lets Dance and Rebel Rebel.

Book tickets

Derby Hall

Jean Genie

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Pets: More than Man’s Best Friend

pets and mental healthSometimes I think we underestimate the educational wealth to be gained from our pets. Case in point: If you viewed the world the way your cat does, you’d find it a lot easier to respond to barbs and insults with a casual eyebrow-lift and a wide yawn. You might inadvertently expose your claws as you stretched before rolling over, but it wouldn’t really mean anything beyond extreme boredom.

If you viewed the world the way your dog does, you’d see only the good in people and you’d go into every relationship expecting the best. The question, “What am I, chopped liver?” would mean nothing to you, you LOVE chopped liver. It’s your favorite thing. You’d appreciate all the little things people do for you, and even if they gave you leftovers you’d wag your tail and make them feel as though they’d given you the moon.

You never see a pet Iguana blinking at adversity, and fish don’t waste effort worrying about things that may or may not happen. It’s pretty much “just keep swimming” for them, and “living in a fishbowl” isn’t a reason to have a nervous breakdown.

But apparently, having a pet isn’t just an exercise in uncovering life’s little lessons. According to researchers, animals return very real physical and mental health gifts to their human companions. Hence the focus on Animal Assisted Therapy by psychiatrists, hospitals, therapists and other health professionals.

Does your genetic imprint leave you with an elevated risk for heart attacks? Studies such as one undertaken by Australia’s Baker Medical Research Institute find that having a pet lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels by a degree equal to that of typically recommended dietary changes.

Suffering from depression? Recovering from surgery or heart attack? Animals can help you return to normal measureably sooner.

Are you close to a child who may be experiencing some form of abuse or neglect in the home? Researchers find that a relationship with a family pet can ameliorate some of the attachment insecurities and other deficiencies such children develop. Even if you can’t introduce a pet into the home, occasional visits with an animal can be helpful, especially when an accompanying adult can explain the right treatment of the pet to the child.

Considering all the benefits to be gained from pet companionship, perhaps there are ways we can repay our four-footed (or no-footed) friends. If nothing comes to mind immediately, you might check out this post by my friend Lisa McGlaun on Life Prints. As Victor Hugo suggested, we may have more to gain from pet relationships than research has yet upturned.

“From the oyster to the eagle, from the swine to the tiger,” he wrote, “all animals are to be found in men and each of them exists in some man, sometimes several at the time. Animals are nothing but the portrayal of our virtues and vices made manifest to our eyes, the visible reflections of our souls.”

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The Rules: #5 – How vs What, in texting

The Rules #5 - How vs What in texting

There are a number of people who have done/do this to me, when texting. I’m sure they don’t mean any harm by it — in fact, I’m pretty sure they all think they’re demonstrating interest in my life. But it always has the same, opposite impact on me. In addition to the curl-in-a-ball response this type of question elicits (fear – Why do I have to answer to you?), I also get angry (Why do I have to answer to you?), and eventually, if they keep it up, I shut down and don’t want anything else to do with the person. Okay, yes, I have PTSD, and these are all PTSD responses. I do much better with people who tell me about themselves, and then let me open up and share what I want, when I want, in my own, good time. But aside from my personal issues, it also strikes me that it’s just bad manners to ask someone what they’re doing – especially if you don’t have an implicit right to know. Does anyone else think so, too?

The Rules: #1

Welcome to my “new,” now semi-anonymous website. What you need to know is that I’m a 47 year-old, divorced mom, and once again navigating the “single” waters. “The Rules” are based on a few things I’ve learned — mostly about myself. But let me know if you agree. 😉

The Rules #1

Cyberbullying for Adults: 101, and the REAL Me

This is a big post for me. I’m revealing more about myself than I ever have, publicly and overtly, thus far:

I have severe, negative self-image issues that are hard-wired to key people in my past. I abhor talking about my looks; I shut down when that happens. If you say I’m pretty, I have enough good manners to say “thank you,” but it’s like I become dead inside. I know you’re just being nice. I know I’m not pretty, no matter what words come out of your mouth. I’m working on getting over this. But I’m telling you this about me up-front because it’s possible that my own views on good netiquette are skewed, due to my “preexisting conditions.”

Maybe, maybe not….

The original FB profile photo, in question.

Evening, a few weeks ago. I’d been home from work for about an hour, helped the little kids with their homework, cleaned up, and was just about to take my teenage daughter to the store (her, practice-driving!), when a friend, with whom I’d been texting all day, suddenly FB-messaged me that she liked my previous FB profile photo better than the one I currently had up.

What? WTF? Where did that come from? I was shocked, confused, and defensive. Who judges people’s Facebook profile photos?

Instead of letting the raw emotions win, I messaged her back:

"Feisty tonight, aren't we?"

She then proceeded to message me again, saying how she thought my current photo made me look too harsh, and the previous photo “made you look softer. And like you had hair.”

What!?! Then I really did get upset.

in memory of peter owens

The 9/11 tribute.

First of all, the only reason I’d had that photo up is because on 9/11 (a Thursday, this year) I’d put up a tribute-photo to a family member who’d died in the Towers, and then I’d hastily changed it out with a photo of me that was (a) recent and (b) that I hadn’t yet used for my profile. I knew it was obnoxiously close-up (one of my cousins commented that day: “Extreme close-up Friday?”), and I’d intended to take a new selfie and swap it out soon. But by now it was the following Monday evening, and I hadn’t yet had a chance to sit down and do it. So I had that level of defensiveness going on. (Okay, already, I’ll get to it!)

The hasty, post-9/11 replacement.

Secondly, I didn’t think it looked that bad — certainly not bad enough for someone to go out of their way to comment on it and let me know. Indeed, some of my friends seemed to like it. Regardless, I didn’t hate it. It reminded me of a lazy afternoon at the pool. Which it was.

And thirdly, it was my freaking Facebook profile photo, not a beauty pageant. Not something to be judged-on. And, again, it was my freaking Facebook profile photo. It was my own expression of myself, that I’d chosen to show the world at that moment. I hadn’t asked for anyone else’s opinion, let alone a negative one. Yes, unfortunately, Facebook announces to the world (or at least your entire newsfeed) when you’ve made a change to your profile picture. And, unfortunately, they allow comments. And they can’t stop your friends from messaging you, either. But didn’t we all learn in Kindergarten that if you don’t have something nice to say…?

Seriously, I have never, ever told someone I disliked their FB profile pic (or even insinuated it by saying that I preferred another one). I’ve either “liked” it or said nothing. My friends are my friends because of who they are inside. It’s none of my business to tell anyone else how to present herself among her own circle of friends. Each person has her own vision of who she is in a given moment. Amiright?

I was pissed, and I felt unduly, negatively judged. And ugly. After dealing with my kids, I grabbed another spare moment and inserted a pic of me and my kids from the day before, at the park. But the damage was done. My friend and I stopped talking. (She said she didn’t want to deal with someone around whom she felt like she had to walk on eggshells. Can’t say I blame her. I’m not fun to deal with all of the time.)

Sadly, my ordeal wasn’t over.

Yesterday’s pic.

Yesterday. I changed out my FB profile picture again. I got a few “likes,” a few nice comments. And then one of my cousins — a wonderful, supportive, gorgeous creature, whom I’ve worshiped since childhood — told me she preferred two previous pics to the one I’d currently chosen. She happily offered to show me which ones.

"No, please don't...!"

I messaged this to her and explained my recent episode with my friend. I also explained about my negative self-image issues (which I’m not sure she’d understood about me, previously), and how being judged for a profile pic on FB triggered all of this in me. I also explained how I considered it rude to comment on peoples’ FB profile pics, when they hadn’t asked for it (i.e. “stuff that is no one else’s business”).

My cousin apologized. I think she felt bad, and I felt bad for making her feel that way. I told her I didn’t think she’d meant to be harmful or rude, but that, seriously, who’d asked? She said she and her sister tell each other stuff like this all the time. (Maybe I should be flattered that she treated me like her sister?) But the whole thing made me really not want to be judged anymore. Especially by my “friends.”

So I deleted my FB profile pic and haven’t replaced it yet. I’m a blank silhouette now.

Fresh start: This morning, I decided that if the world was going to judge me, they were going to have to judge the real me. Usually people see me with all of my makeup on:

But before I look like that, this is the real me. This morning, fresh out of the shower:

Ugly? Not pretty? Yeah, I already know. And, yeah, maybe I’m taking a page out of Colbie Caillat’s playbook. But so what? There is no call to judge people who don’t ask to be judged. Not about things that don’t really matter.

Like how a person looks on the outside.


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Overnight Camping Wedding Package

This Wedding Package includes:

  • Exclusive use of The Music Camp facilities for up to 24 hours for a Friday or Saturday Wedding Ceremony & Reception with up to 100 guests.
  • Two Parking attendants/ushers.
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  • Separate Garden Gazebo Suites for the wedding couples dressing rooms.
  • Chairs & Tables set up for your ceremony or reception for up to 100 guests.

Additional guests at $10/person


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You know there’s something you should know, so I’m gonna tell you so! Don’t sweat it! Forget it! Enjoy the show!

Posted: September 12, 2011 in Uncategorized

To all of my beloved fan girls, welcome back! Actually as far as I’m aware I don’t have any of those…let’s keep it that way 😛 fans are okay but not creepy over-the-top excessive ones :P. Anywho, whoever you may be nice to see you! How are you? Still awesome? Keeping it real? Prodigious! Let me guess, nobody’s actually there right? Darn and I had so much to say…oh well guess I’ll be back next time when someone actually shows up. Till then, stay classy Gotham!

Lol to anyone who actually just left and didn’t scroll down and probably isn’t coming back to this blog ever again…your loss 😛 lol no I’m joking I apologize and would like to dedicate this post to them even though they clearly don’t know me very well 😛 Fine, to make it up to them I’ll even go out of character and ask something extremely serious that I wouldn’t normally do…hug? NO HUG!!!
Anyways my goofiness (let’s call it that) aside I have some news. The super special awesome chocolaty but not actually chocolaty fudge coated (…I think you know the gimmick by now, if not keep up!) surprise (that isn’t really a surprise anymore) is once again on it’s way. Don’t think I mentioned it on here before (if I did well nobody’s forcing you to read this at gunpoint, if they are…you probably stole their ginger ale or something…) but they did ship them to the wrong address and the doofus (yup) who works there now was supposed to call me but didn’t check his mail so they sent it back and now it’s being re-shipped back to the great white north…no not Hawaii, do you even listen when I talk, er, type…guess it would be more of reading then anyway…SILENCE I SAY!!! Main point they are on the way 🙂
It’s recommended you don’t steal people’s ginger ale, not even Batman can help you
I don’t know about you guys but I’ve been so out of it today (was so tempted to get a jumbo coffee but then again it’s been over half a year since I’ve touched caffeine I’m not starting now :P) Between my 3 hour micro economics lecture (which I swear I had to fight to stay awake through, and it’s got nothing to do with the class I happen to like microeconomics lol yeah I’m weird like that) and battling through Super Metroid which I swear has some of the worst controls in the series (the wall jumping, which is of course necessary in certain parts of the game is next to impossible having to do a spin jump and hit left while holding jump and then simultaneously hitting right and jump again and your timing has to be perfect…) I’ll record some footage of it tomorrow and show you what I mean, it’s brutal. But yeah felt totally drained all day till I had a bottle of water and suddenly felt rejuvenated like you wouldn’t believe lol I’m not kidding either I really don’t know why but after that it was like popeye eating spinach I could lift a hippopotamus! Well…okay maybe not a hippo…not a real one at least…pardon me I’ll be afk while I find a hippo, in the meantime enjoy this commercial break.
I know everyone’s seen this but it’s the first commercial…ish thing I thought of 😛
Guess who’s back? 😀 No…not Santa Clause…sigh…In other news I found my Hippo! Actually I had seen this clip like forever ago and just remembered about it lol tell me it’s not the best minute of your life (other then all the time you spend reading what I have to say of course).
Pure awesomeness 🙂
Alright guys that’s enough out of me for one day I think so it’s once again time to depart. Oh and whoever’s been spray painting the batmobile…knock it off before I go all Joe on your sorry behind, trust me don’t make me go Joe, you won’t like me when I’m Joe…ahem, until next time, stay classy Gotham.
Now the post is officially complete, better start adding a message like this at the bottom because nobody’s going to trust me anymore 😛

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Waste not, want not

26 Apr

I’m a total leftovers kind of person. As a matter of fact, I have boxes and tupperware filling up my fridge right now. Other than breakfast, I haven’t had to cook since Friday! I’m also keeping my fingers crossed that everything is still edible…

The Bf and I are at odds over this constantly because he can’t stand eating leftovers. To him, nothing ever tastes the same the next day. He has no qualms about tossing extra food, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing because he never pushes himself to overeat for the sake of not being wasteful. I however, grew up in a household where I had to eat everything off my plate, and we believed that it was bad to waste any food because there are millions out there who go hungry every day. So what do you do? Be healthy and only eat the amount necessary but risk wasting food? Or eat everything and inevitably get a stomachache (or extra poundage, which I had for years growing up).

That’s why I don’t mind saving the extras and eating them for lunch and/or dinner the next day. And I do notice differences in taste or texture when it’s, you know, not so fresh. But I guess I’m so used to expecting a bit of a difference after reheating that I just overlook it. Besides, some things are actually just as delicious the next day – if not better. Chili, for starters. Indian food. Or, in the top photo above, a simplified version of Moroccan chicken, a recipe I tried last Thursday. It wasn’t so flavorful right after I cooked it but was much better the next day (and day after). On Sunday I accumulated even more leftovers after a trip to Bonchon for Easter lunch with some friends. The chicken wasn’t as crisp the next day after I reheated it in the oven, but it was still very tasty. It was also a great accompaniment to healthier parts of my dinner, sauteed broccoli & onions and a salad. Sometimes it’s good to balance those leftovers out with something fresh. 🙂

I’ll post the Moroccan chicken recipe soon!

Are you a leftovers kind of person or is it just not good enough the next day? Did you grow up being told you had to finish everything off your plate?

4 Responses to “Waste not, want not”

  1. lbrieda April 26, 2011 at 7:04 pm #

    Not really a leftover issue, but many dishes, like stews or soups, actually taste better day or two later. The time gives the flavors a chance to blend together for a smoother taste.

  2. Sheridan April 26, 2011 at 8:47 pm #

    I’m really picky about leftovers. There are only certain things I’ll do for leftovers (pasta, soups, stews). For the most part, if it’s not eaten by lunch the next day – I’ll throw out. I know this isn’t the most frugal, but for some reason I’ve always been turned off my leftovers.

  3. Jenny April 26, 2011 at 9:42 pm #

    I can eat leftovers like it’s no one’s business. Definitely not a picky eater and if it’s good I’ll probably keep having it 😀

  4. Meg April 30, 2011 at 2:52 pm #

    My family was always huge on leftovers. Around once a week, we’d have clean out the refrigerator night, when my mom would reheat any leftovers that hadn’t been claimed yet and we’d have a hodgepodge of random stuff on the table. I pretty much live on leftovers now that I’m on my own. I purposely make double the amount I know I’m going to eat and save the rest for lunches, etc.

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Monday, January 19, 2009

The Spirit of MLK

I've asked before where is our modern-day Martin Luther King and heard crickets in response. While hope in a presidential candidate for change brought out the likes of Rev Wright, a preacher in the mold of MLK, but lacking the spirit of humility. I've heard a good description of Rev. King- that he held the Bible in one hand and the Constitution in the other, respecting the Separation of Church and State but more so respecting the call of God and His sovereignty over any nation or government. His cause was a social justice, rooted in scriptural morals. His struggle was not only against flesh and blood, but also against the rulers of the day. In order to bring about moral change in society, he had to take on the laws that ruled that society.

So here we are today, with lines boldly drawn along the moral/cultural divide, with entire denominations picking sides based on politics rather than the word of God. Today, religious leaders are less likely to preach with the Bible in one hand and the Constitution in the other and more likely to hold member rolls in one with political contributions in the other. So I do not depend on religious "leaders" to rise up in the spirit of Martin Luther King. Instead, I rely on the lay-person, the congregant, the Public Christian to boldly proclaim the Word of God in the face of moral decay in our society.

Right now I'm reading about Gabriel's visit to Mary to tell her she was going to give birth to the Son of God. I think of all that could have gone wrong for her by saying yes. Not only would she have a child out of wedlock, but she would claim that that child was the long-awaited Messiah. Imagine the ridicule, the rejection, the suffering she could face. She could be outcast from society, rejected by her fiance, called "crazy" by the religious leaders. There were a lot of reasons to say no, but one large reason to say yes. It was the will of God.

What do we face for speaking out in the name of Jesus? Ridicule, rejection, suffering? Do you risk rejection for society, family, and even your religion for "speaking the truth in love?" If not, then you're not a Public Christian but likely a Sunday-pew-filler. I'm not going to say what issues we need to be speaking out on, or what institutions we need to face up against. There are plenty, and too many regrettably have been hijacked for the sake of politics. But what about closer to home? Is there a false doctrine being preached in your church that you're too afraid to speak up about? Is there a local need that you have a vision to minister to but are uncertain how? Is there a neighbor or co-worker that you know has a spiritual need that only you can meet? If so, answer like Mary and say, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." (Luke 1:38)

I leave you with some excerpts from Martin Luther King's Letter From a Birmingham Jail, 1963:

So the question is not whether we will be extremist but what kind of extremist will we be. Will we be extremists for hate or will we be extremists for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice--or will we be extremists for the cause of justice?..

There was a time when the church was very powerful. It was during that period when the early Christians rejoiced when they were deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society.

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Wednesday, February 28, 2007

A Shiver in the Curtain of the World

A few weeks ago, a salesman popped through one of the side entrances of the palace—a dark, Poesque little tunnel with aphorisms taped to the cobwebby walls—and tried to sell perfume and mineral makeup and motorcycles and assorted whatnot. I told him that he was not allowed to sell here, and that a footman would accompany him to the nearest door. To comfort him, I sent the footman in mineral makeup and an attractive perfume compounded from a lost buttercup and the remains of an exploded star, and I had the Pot Boy (who was standing around looking decorative and useless) wheel a beautiful motorcyle, sweet as perfume and as shiny as a bottle, to meet him at the door. Attorney Clendon had not yet vanished, and so served him with a writ; the salesman named Eric may not return in the guise of a salesman, although he may drop by for tea and books.

The infinite library of the web has shifts the world and set things askew. We have entered the world of magic. I say that I have a footman; he promptly appears and escorts my visitor away in an excess of politeness. He is an under-footman. I suspect that he wears mineral makeup because his skin is bad, although he is good-looking in a Jaggerish sort of way—the so-ugly-he’s-cute mode. Mack is his name. Mack the footman. I do not think that Mack is his real name. His pants are creased a little too sharply and fall without even the merest little twitch of a wrinkle. I am afraid that he is ambitious, but for what I do not understand. If I knew fully, I might be a little afraid.

Now don’t these unexpected encounters rock the world, just a little bit? The line between real and unreal, technology and magic is abraded and grows shadowy. Won't people quickly grow accustomed to this dreamy zone between what has been called real and what has been called imaginary? And won’t literature be changed because of it, for good or ill? Strange elements are seeping into the mainstream, sweetening or poisoning the waters that have long run the same, the very same.

Perhaps we will at last swim out of the fishnet of Modernism-and-after, into the deep green veins of the river. And there we may find ourselves more ourselves, though more strange. We may even meet the dreams of the past made fresh and new--Beowulf's monster, the Green Knight, Arcadian shepherds, and Mary with the sweet Medieval dew dropping onto her thigh.

The perfume bottles are courtesy of Laurelines.

Monday, February 26, 2007

The Rage for Order at the Palace

I have returned from a visit to my stomping grounds in Cullowhee, North Carolina, where I saw only a little snow; here, I find the same old, same old snow plus a little more. However, I managed to go to the theatre, visit with my mother and friends, see crocuses and daffodils and pansies, fool around in galleries, make a fairy house on top of a mountain with children, etc. All this despite R's History Day paper on Jehanne d'Arc!

Blogging thoughts: I will be slashing a path through a wildwood of posts in the next month. Much will be skewered and purged, ne'er (no, not e'er) to be seen again. I may resurrect a few things from the depths of the past--back when I was no doubt doing nothing but keeping a sort of aerial diary, read only by the accidental sort of tourist--but many others will quietly drift away into the ether or spring into their constituent particles.

"A transition from an author's book to his conversation is too often like an entrance into a large city, after a distant prospect. Remotely, we see nothing but spires of temples and turrets of palaces, and imagine it the residence of splendour, grandeur, and magnificence; but when we have passed the gates, we find it perplexed with narrow passages, disgraced with despicable cottages, embarrassed with obstructions, and clouded with smoke."

--Samuel Johnson, The Rambler no. 14 (5 May 1750)

The sword-wielding, order-setting woman is a bronze Jehanne d' Arc by Marie d'Orleans in a watercolor rendition by Laura Murphy Frankstone of Laurelines.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Paean to The Long Grass Books, no. 3: Bilge Karasu's Night

A note found on the floor of the chamber belonging to Attorney Clendon. The good man is missing, and much nameless havoc is feared.

* * *

Night slowly comes on. Descends. Already it has begun filling the hollows. Once these are full and it empties onto the plain, everything will turn gray. For a while no light will go on, in the hollows or out beyond. The glow on the hills will seem for a time to suffice; then the hills too will sink into darkness.

Some weeks ago I read a very interesting book by Bilge Karasu, translated by Guneli Gun. I took many careful, tedious notes, as I was trained to do. Unlike my fellows in the comment trade, I was not confused by the separate characters, nor by the way they began to blur and dance and re-configure. I noted with scrupulous attention the place where a second character began to be identified by the letter N. I kept the triple strand of character separated, I followed each to his lair through a labyrinth with monsters. I suffered trial, love, intricate wanderings, violence, metamorphosis, paradox, and reversals. I came face to face—or face to faces—with the Author. The book with its twists and turns stood bared to light in my mind, and I was satisfied with my understanding.

The book seemed to me a worthwhile journey, and though it lacked—because of its surreal, intellectual windings—a certain heart, I found it satisfying. Perhaps, you may say, it is because I am myself a compendium of dry dust from law books, crumbling writs, and shadows of events that do not belong to me. In some moods, I find myself so.

Yesterday evening something strange happened.

I picked up the book; it held a bookmark made from a folded shadow. When I looked closer, I saw that gloom had gathered into letters, and it seemed to me that it was a warrant for my arrest. When I looked again, the letters were gone, and the events of the book had fallen into darkness.

At 2:00 a.m., I woke to see three people standing around my nightstand. They were spooning more darkness into the pages with tarnished silver spoons. The substance flowed like honey into an extractor, spilling down the legs of the nightstand and onto the valuable Turkish carpet on the floor. I cried out in surprise and felt a sudden jabbing pain in my arm, as though a knife blade had swept its length. The three faces lifted only slowly and then fused into a single face: I recognized the suffering, intelligent face of the late Bilge Karasu in a flash of light. Then a cloud swept over the moon, and all was lost in shadow.

I write this by a thin starlight. The darkness has almost reached the steps, and I hear the distant tread of a party of soldiers . . .

--Athanasius Clendon

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Treasures in books, the Messiah, the Big Snow

What is the strangest--or the most grotesque or the most beautiful--thing that you have ever found in a book. Pressed flowers? Old letters? A beaten tissue of gold?

Recently I felt the decided impulse to read The Messiah of Stockholm. What should I find inside but a letter from Cynthia Ozick, which I immediately devoured in the way that one does, when surprised by finding something in the book--some possible mystery, some welcome curlicue in a bland day.

It was not the original but a xerox of a letter from November of 1985, full of sympathy and charm and heart. The letter held compliments for a dead man, no longer useful to him but sweet to share with others, and some for the living as well: hence the xerox. The words clicked and sang well together.

Had it been there along? Had I seen it once before and then forgot? And what do I do with such a thing? It was a bit naughty to read the thing. Do I keep it, send it to the author, bury it in the Messiah until the next time I take down the book to read again? And if I forget it, will I have the same marvelous sense of chance and discovery, or will I simply think that my mind is gone, gone, gone?

What is, I wonder, the most wonderful thing that has been found in a book? The words, of course, but what about the most wonderful thing that was not supposed to be there? Money, old baptismal certificates, marriage licenses, and prayer cards: these things are often left deliberately. But was is the loveliest accident ever to befall a book?

Illustration: a self-portrait of Bruno Schulz, artist and author of The Street of Crocodiles, Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass, and the lost book, The Messiah.

It was the shooting that drew her. The shooting; the murder. Shot in the streets! Lars suspected that Heidi cared more for his father's death than for his father's tales, where savagely crafty nouns and verbs were set on a crooked road to take on engorgements and transmogrifications: a bicycle ascends into the zodiac, rooms in houses are misplaced, wallpaper hisses, the calendar acquires a thirteenth month. Losses, metamorphoses, degradations. In one of the stories the father turns into a pincered crab; the mother boils it and serves it to the family on a dish. Heidi shouldered all that aside: it was the catastrophe of fact she wanted, Lars's father gunned down in the gutters of Drohobycz along with two hundred and thirty other Jews. A Thursday in 1942, as it happened: the nineteenth of November. Lars's father was bringing home a loaf of bread.

--from Ozick's The Messiah of Stockholm

Thanks for the notes and emails--we survived the storm. Judging by the snow on the van, we hit right at a yard in Cooperstown. Pretty impressive for a day. Close by, Roseboom had 38 inches and beat us. With that sort of fall, ramparts rise up after the plows come through. At midnight Wednesday we staggered down to the lake, wading through waist-high snow on the sidewalks. The stairs up to the townhouses were flowing Gaudi-esque slides, and the village library's bactrian made of steel ribbons was buried in dunes--the ribbons of his upper body sending long twisting shadows over the snow. I may be a Southerner, but that was a snow worth seeing! It was pristine, thatching every house, making sculpture out of the ancient crabapple trees, filling squares of lawn outlined with fence or hedge as neatly as sugar in a box. N has been having fun quarrying tunnels and snow caves into the mountain ranges thrown up by the plows.

So far the bad side of a snowstorm at my house means: that the snow's weight broke a window, promptly repaired; that I didn't leave on a trip; that when the boys and I dug out the van, the brake line was damaged; that nobody can do a little auto repair because they're inundated with banged-up cars and half the mechanics can't get in; and that three children have made a cheerful wreck of the house. Must climb up and clear off the porch roofs, but I can't even begin to think about the Other Car, down an alley and under another big shining hill. That one can wait until the big thaw! Should come by April or May, I'd guess...

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

A gift for St. Valentine's Day

May the good saint sprinkle your path with candy hearts and sweet-smelling flowers and sparkles of Spirit!

I, being less good, give you borrowed pictures from Laurelines and a tiny, sharp shard of a poem. It is a mere fragment, about a quarter of a longer poem. You may regard it as the bright splinter of a once-broken heart, since it is Valentine's Day. It is not that, but you may as well see it that way, in honor of love--the thing that makes my world go round.

* * *
You come to me in fall
And lie with me, and take
Me utterly by force--
By dew, by leaves, by light.
My flesh is transparent,
Your dew is upon me,
Your leaves under me,
And all of me is light.
How can I turn away,
When all my reasoning
And all the tears of things
Are burned away by light?
--from "Power & Light"

Friday, February 09, 2007

Reader, I did not marry him--

Old Point Loma

The Backyard Zoo
(praying mantis)

(a "Mississippi Garden Spider" in its stabili-mentum?)

Gryphon & Dog Statue

These are a few of the pictures that one of my cousins has sent me this year. Frank Morris provides me with lots of lovely, warm Charleston shots, as he lives part of the time in Charleston and part of the time in Jacksonville. It sounds like a darn good idea to me.

When I was little, I was quite sure that I would marry Frank when I grew up. We used to run away from his red-haired sister Nancy, who pinched the most powerful and potent pinches ever pinched in the history of childhood. We'd grab some boiled peanuts or figs off the tree and run away from our grandmother's lovely Queen Anne house in Collins, Georgia, down to the railroad tracks where the puff briars bloom. And there we would ramble and hop along the tracks, watching for the next train with its endless Southern Serves the South boxcars and keeping an eye out for Nancy and her pernicious pinches.

She and I were really alike, though, skinny with long fat braids and the mandatory cat-eye glasses and a mania for reading. I had an intense scissors phobia (you knew writers were weird, even when they were children), and so my hair grew and grew until it tickled below my knees. Yes, I had to put on Mother's blue-and-green corduroy bathrobe and take down the rippling Rapunzel hair, all to play Mary in the nativity pageant. You guessed that, too, no doubt.

Before 6th grade, they finally chopped off my hair and gave me a permanent: I looked the fool.

Be afraid of scissors.

Monday, February 05, 2007

Cromlechs of snow

It is 24 degrees below zero, counting the wind chill factor. This is not the clime for magnolia blossoms. I have a great desire to sit under a magnolia tree in July heat and listen for the petals arching open.

Today I wore my immense Blueberry (a jacket so fat with feathers that it can stand up on its own like a great blue headless dwarf) on an outing to Oneonta--a queenly procession to Royal Chrysler. The solenoid has not been my friend of late.

Despite the fact that taking cars for repairs is one of my least favorite things to do--and that I spent eight aggravating hours doing it last week--I had a marvelous drive. Delicate white falls tumbled from roofs on either hand. Snow whipped in streams over the road, and on the way back I saw fairy-like snow devils and huge rings of dancing veils, like light, effervescent spirits released from some Megalithic cromlech. Long ago I remember seeing the stone circle called "Dancing Maidens." Local folklore declared that young girls had been dancing on Sunday and so were turned to stone . . . I pulled over by a field of snow and stubble to watch three ethereal merry-go-rounds of snow flying up and dissolving and forming again. The scene was utterly joyous and lovely, with a touch of the dangerous, and seemed to speak of the everlasting vigor that pours through the broken, beautiful world.

O body swayed to music, O brightening glance,
How can we know the dancer from the dance?

--Yeats, again
The pictures are from the Fairbanks Ice Festival, and are among a large batch that landed in my email. If anybody knows the proper source to credit, please tell me! The rest are wonderful, but both of these are right for today because they are cold but "dance."
If you missed my piece on Drum Hadley, please pop down for a read . . .

Saturday, February 03, 2007

The Chamber of Cloud and Tears

For those of you who pop by frequently (commenters and lurkers alike), you may like to know that two people featured here in the past few weeks are in mourning. We rarely wear a black band on our sleeves these days; the 21st-century mourner announces a death on his or her blog.

"Susangalique" has suffered a great loss. Her father died unexpectedly. A message left at her blog reads: "Susanna's father passed away last night. His life was a grand adventure, and like all good books, his story was a story that one never wanted to end. Please keep Susanna and her family in your prayers as they endure this difficult time."

I picked Susanna Leberman--susangalique--for the first interview in "I Interview My Visitors," and many people were charmed and entertained and moved by what she had to say.

A few days ago Clare Dudman's mother-in-law began to ebb while Clare was off doing a talk in Hull. She died not long after Clare returned home. Clare also appeared in these "pages" recently, because her novel, 98 Reasons for Being, was the first one featured in my Long Grass Books series-in-progress.

I'm always glad to see the name of either woman--the aspiring historian and vim-filled Alabamian or the Welsh novelist whose words I admire--on a calling card in my little e-palace. To each, much strength and sympathy, many aerial bouquets of snowdrops and cloud.

The blogosphere is a cunning little world, made of something and nothing and people. A distant fall in the web can touch us across the world.

Pax tecum.

I chose the lovely face above because it struck me immediately as a one seen through distances of time. Let it stand as an emblem of memory.

It is unmistakably a picture by Laura Frankstone Murphy, this time of her daughter C as a child. Thanks to Laura for the image.

I heard the old, old men say,
'Everything alters,
And one by one we drop away.'
They had hands like claws, and their knees
Were twisted like the old thorn-trees
By the waters.
'All that's beautiful drifts away
Like the waters.'

--W. B. Yeats


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Freaky Friday.

I woke up to this this morning. Frank apparently didn’t appreciate having a kitty butt on his face all night ROFLOL. Look at all that kitty fur! Winter has come to an abrupt end and we seem to have been plonked right into the middle of Summer. It’s time to shed ALL the fur!

pug 1

I think I’m almost on track for the design of this quilt, I spent some time with it last night, auditioning fabric, trying out blocks. I have lots of ideas for the applique, for me that’s the easy, enjoyable bit. Getting the colours, fabrics and especially the layout right can be a total pain in the toosh though; it can be extremely frustrating LOL. Thank you for all your suggestions, I love you guys.

Sewing aside, it’s been a mundane, chore filled week for me this week. I’ve had to renegotiate our electricity plan, buy new sheets, and return flammable laptops to their manufacturers. I’ve also had nine phone calls, two letters, and one email from real estate agents, local and interstate, wanting to list our property (and trying to talk us into 1-2 year contracts with development companies). I’m completely over it right now.

Nasty neighbour is (allegedly) vacationing at Her Majesty’s pleasure for a few short months for an (cough, alleged, cough) armed robbery. It buys us time to paint that side of the house and do some much needed maintenance. I got to hang the sheets on the clothesline today – first time in more than a year – without heckling and jeering! I’m looking forward to the smell of sun-dried sheets tonight – *YAY* for small victories!

Have a gorgeous weekend lovelies, I’m looking forward to a sleep-in tomorrow. Bliss.

toni xx


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Aspects to Consider When Buying a Motor Scooter

A scooter remains among the most convenient modes of transport when it comes to weaving through cars when there are traffic jams. They are also cheap to buy and economical regarding fuel consumption. If you are seeking to buy a motor scooter, you should be careful to choose one that would be ideal for you. You ought to compare as many models as you can to choose one that would be value for money. Highlighted below are a few of the important things to consider before contacting any dealer.

Engine size remains among the most important things to consider. This is because engine size determines how fast a scooter at can go. Motor scooters come in 50cc, 150cc, and 250 cc engine sizes. You ought to determine the size of engine to choose. If you are not interested in high speeds, a 50cc scooter would be a good choice. Such types of scooters can reach a maximum speed of at least 35 miles per hour depending on the weight of the rider. 50cc motor scooters also offer the best gas mileage. It is also important to consider physical size before contacting any dealer.

Safety is a factor that you should not overlook. It is important to consider the type of safety features that your choice type of scooter has. The basic safety features such a scooter ought to come with include brakes, rearview mirrors, indicator lights, horns, and hazard lights. Consider additional features such as puncture proof tires, improved suspension, a reverse warning siren, high visibility reflectors, among others, click to make your scooter faster!

You should make a decision regarding model prior to making a decision. Scooters come in a plethora of models. While most manufacturers make top-quality scooters, it would be a bad move choosing just any model of the same and hope for the best. To be on the safe side, it is important to research regarding how different models of scooters perform. It is advisable to narrow down your search to items that come from reputable manufacturers. Ensure that whatever you choose comes with an acceptable quality guarantee. To know more ideas on how to choose the right Scooter, just check out

Affordability is a factor to consider. It is important to determine how much money you would be comfortable spending before starting your search for a scooter. You ought to understand that high-quality items do not come cheap. However, assuming that the most expensive scooters out there would be the best would be a bad decision. If you prefer buying online, it is important to factor in shipping fees and return policies, too.

How to Increase the Speed of Your 49cc and 50cc Scooter

Before you embark on increasing the performance of your scooter, it is important to have a valid license for that. Otherwise, you may face heavy penalties, and your insurance company may not cover you. On the other hand, there are several ways of increasing the speed of a 49cc and a 50cc scooter. For that reason, this article will explain some of the methods that you can apply to make your bike go faster.

For starters, you can modify your bike by removing excess weight by stripping off all parts that you do not need. Remember, some of the body pieces you see on your scooter are meant to protect you from injuries, therefore, take away the parts that you do not need.

Secondly, you can change your air filters. If your scooter’s air filters are sulk, ensure that you swap them out with aftermarket air filter models or higher performance scooter parts such as the muffler exhaust pipes. By doing this, your scooter will move faster, but it will not supercharge the bike.

Tuning your scooter carburetor at can be another way to increase the speed of your scooter. Most scooters usually have their carburetors not appropriately attuned, and it bogs down the acceleration speed of the bike. This arises when air and petrol mixes resulting to the engine not performing to its full power. So, to increase the speed of your scooter, simply remove the throttle opening restriction.

What’s more, you can mount an aftermarket spark plug to your scooter. Installing an aftermarket spark plug provides an additional spark to your bike making it move faster. To do that, make sure you locate where your existing spark plug is located on your scooter and remove all body pieces you need to access the spark plug. When replacing the spark plug, ensure you get a suitable aftermarket spark plug, and then reconvene the motor. Screwdrivers and socket wrenches are some of the tools you need to replace the spark plug if you are going to it do it yourself. If you want to read more tips on how to increase the speed of your scooter, check out

Alternatively, you can buy an unrestricted capacitor discharge ignition scooter. A CDI is a scooter part at that deals with ignition process of the bike. So, when you opt for an unlimited CDI, your motorcycle will move faster.

In conclusion, you can forcefully introduce air into your turbo and the more air you inject the move faster your scooter will move.

Scooter Parts for Enhancing the Performance of 49cc/50cc Scooters

The scooter is one of the greatest innovations in self-propelled transportation.  Apart from being a great tool for travel, kids and adults alike can have great fun with scooters. A scooter is ideal for anyone looking for an affordable and convenient alternative to public transportation or cars. Scooters give individuals more practicality than just the cost. Also, even if you live in a place where parking is nearly impossible to find, you will have no problem finding a parking spot for your scooter.

The 49cc/ 50cc scooters are the most common and least expensive scooters you can purchase. They are small in size, fast, cute, and great on gas mileage. Additionally, they are widely preferred mainly because, in many states, riders are not required to have a motorcycle license in order to drive them. The only thing they need is a regular driver’s license.  You may also be allowed to ride at a younger age than the one required for a motorcycle.

A scooter with a 49cc or 50cc engine is pretty easy to drive and very maneuverable. Some of the popular models in the 50cc and 49cc class include Yamaha, Honda, and Vespa.  Many people’s reaction as soon as they get a new 49cc/50cc scooter is to try to make it go faster. A significant number of individuals want a better performing scooter to commute in both traffic and longer distances. Click here Scooter Alarms!

You can modify your scooter for better power and performance. High-performance scooter parts are available allowing the owners to customize the scooters to their satisfaction. When you are planning to buy new parts to enhance the performance of your scooter, a set of roller weights tailored to your needs should be a priority. This is an inexpensive addition that will boost the acceleration and speed performance of your scooter.  Also, you can replace the entire air flow system to give the engine increased air flow to enable it to generate more horsepower.  Get High Performance Scooter Parts here!

Scooter owners can replace their current CDIs with a no-limit CDI. This will help them to get out of the 35-40 miles per hour pretty fast. Additionally, replacing your spark plug with a high-performance spark plug can give you more power off the line. For further details regarding motor Scooters, go to

Whatever high-performance scooter parts you choose, it is imperative that you find the best quality available. You can buy a high-performance upgrade kit containing a variety of parts and turn your 49cc/50cc scooter into a monster. You will have higher MPH, more power, and higher MPG. Your scooter will also run smoother and cleaner.


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24 December 2007

Christmas Crib Crawl

I always think of Advent as a profoundly English time of year. I realise that may sound a tad odd, but it probably derives from my having been enchanted by The Dark is Rising and The Box of Delights when I was a child.

Last December saw me spending Advent -- or at least all of Advent bar a few wonderful Mancunian days -- in Dublin for my first time since 2000, and with new eyes I was struck by how small a part is played by carol-singing in the period leading up to Christmas at home. Looking at the latest Irish Catholic, Mary Kenny makes a related point:
As a child in the Dublin of the 1950s, I do not recall ever attending carol services. I rather think they were regarded as something English, and not in the true Irish tradition -- although other overseas influences had colonised our Christmas, such as the Americanised Santa Claus or the German Christmas tree.
It's an interesting point, but I think something even more fundamental may be in play, as the relative absence of carols and carol services here -- and it is only a relative absence, as it's not as though they're nowhere to be found -- may be compensated for by the extraordinary ubiquity of the crib in Dublin.

Take, for example, O'Connell Street, as painted here on a friend's wall by the Brother some years back. Yes, I know, it doesn't quite look like this any more, but I'm not happy with my own photos of it, so you'll have to admire the Brother's antiquarian artistry instead. O'Connell Street is Dublin's main thoroughfare, of which you'll hear Dubliners boasting that it's the broadest city street in Europe. I've a feeling that the Champs Elysees has a more credible claim to that distinction, but it's impressive enough for all that, especially now that it's getting a facelift after years of abuse and neglect.

Anyway, if you visit the G.P.O., the big neoclassical building on the left of the Brother's mural, you'll see a crib, which though simultaneously gaudy and tacky is nonetheless not quite as sinister as it was a few years back when not merely did Joseph look eerily like Osama Bin Laden, but the back wall of the crib featured a painting of Jesus, Mary, and what can only be described as an Evil Joseph, looming over the manger in a decidedly threatening manner.

A little further up the street you'll see a fine outdoor crib, just beside the Christmas tree in the street's central island. It's unfortunately located just yards away from the Anne Summers shop, but what can you do? But that's what Christmas is about isn't it? The Incarnation of Our Lord, evergreen trees, and exotic underwear? No? Not quite? Oh.

Crossing the road over towards the Savoy cinema, you may just notice the rather odd Mary Mediatrix shop. Naturally enough there is a crib in the window, with the conventional figures cheerily deployed against a tin foil backdrop.

That's just on the street itself; barely off it on Abbey Street, should you care to stray, you'll find the Veritas shop, which has recently been in the news because of the national broadcaster's concerns that references to cribs in an advert for Veritas might consitute illegal advertising, being 'directed towards religious ends'.

Also just off O'Connell Street, of course, on the junction of Marlborough Street and the somewhat ironically named Cathedral Street, there is the Pro-Cathedral, which this year has a rather less ambitious but also decidedly less bizarre crib than last year.

And then, finally, up at the St Martin Apostolate on Parnell Square, so just a couple of minutes' walk from the Parnell Monument at the northern end of O'Connell Street, you'll find the Moving Crib, which has been a fixture of Christmas in Dublin since 1956. Billed as possibly unique in Europe, it features mechanised scenes from the Garden of Eden up to the Nativity in -- I suppose -- an attempt to communicate the place of the Incarnation in Salvation History. Visiting it the other day, I was amazed at just how shabby and shoddy it all was, but in this regard I had the clear disadvantage of not being five years old. Loads of children were being led about by their parents, eyes glued to the various scenes, and hanging on every word their parents whispered to them.

That's six cribs either on or just barely off the street. You'll not see a concentration like that in England. I can't help wondering if this is one of those little differences that, while not absolute, derive from England being culturally a Protestant country and Ireland being culturally a Catholic one.

After all, Protestantism in all its forms is essentially a child of the age of print, Gutenberg begetting Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, Cranmer, and all those who've followed in their footsteps by making it possible for Christians to possess and read their own Bibles. The notion of sola scriptura arose from this new possibility, just as did the ransackings of so many churches. It's hardly surprising then that Protestant countries should even now emphasise verbal evangelisation, whether spoken or -- especially at Christmas -- sung.

Catholic Christianity on the other hand, having arisen in a time when books were priceless and few could read anyway, evangelised by any means possible. Despite having collated and canonised the Bible on which the Sixteenth Century Reformers were so exclusively -- they thought -- to rely, for over a thousand years Catholics had evangelised by visual means as much as by the written word. The results we know: statues, relief sculptures, Celtic crosses, icons, frescoes, stained glass windows, and cribs.

I may come back to this on St Stephen's Day. We'll see.

No comments:


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Who’s rolling?

All the way back in  March, I posted this post about Madeleine rolling over for the first time. 🙂

Then, after our hospital stay, I made this post and about halfway down there’s another link to video of Madeleine rolling.

Shortly after that she stopped rolling again and pretty much stopped moving all together. This was a very sad, angry, upsetting time for me. I had been so encouraged initially and to lose that progress was so hard. I really struggled hearing from the doctors every visit about what this meant for her future. By far, the worst day was  the 10.5 hour day at the hospital  where every single medical professional (4 doctors and a physical therapist) we saw told me that she would more than likely not move much more than she was at that point, which was very little.

Well, in just the last week, since I posted last time, she has started moving even more! She is rolling, pivoting, moving her legs in a crawl-like motion. She is sitting better, bearing some weight on her legs for brief bursts and lunging out of my lap to get at things!!

This was her today: Click Here!

Her physical therapist said that she is doing so much more. Her right leg is slightly stronger than her left, but both legs are moving all muscles!!!! This is fantastic news! The reason her knees are not coming to her chest is because her lower abs are still weak, so we will continue working on strengthening that. Her hips are still a bit weak, so we will also work on that. And she showed me how to help her stand so she can work on bearing weight for longer on her legs. 😀

All in all, I am very  encouraged, very excited and very proud of my sweet little girl!!

Filed under Uncategorized

5 responses to “Who’s rolling?

  1. Dave

    That is such wonderful news! Madeleine is looking so good and it is great to see her moving and rolling around so much.

  2. That is fantastic news. I love the video and I am just so excited for you guys that she is moving so well now. Continued prayers for her and you guys.

  3. Aspen

    Congratulations, Madeleine! I’m so glad to hear this!

  4. grandma

    First it was tears, and now tears of joy. So proud and happy for you all.

  5. I love Madeleine more and more every time I see her! She is so precious. Such a wonderful baby. Yayyy!!! Good job Madeleine!!!!!!!!

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The Meeting with the DDO

With the role that I’m doing, I have to be monitored on what type of things I’m doing for my faith, and believe me; it’s not easy. This Monday I had a meeting with the DDO (Diocesan Director of Ordinands) about 1 category out of 9 which I will be tested on in a Bishop selection panel. This meeting was about my ‘Spirituality’ and knowing that I have a very fluctuating prayer life from being at university, it meant it needed work on it. To prepare myself for this meeting, I was inclined to use some very helpful material to help me pray and one of them was  this book:  “Pocket Prayers: The Classic collection” composed by Christopher Herbert.  This book is full of prayers, and some of them are very good. There are a collection from prayers for adoration, thanksgiving, confession etc, written by church fathers, and some are very poetic. It is a helpful guide to pray with faith and confidence to our heavenly father.

This prayer is out of the book and its a self offering prayer by king Henry VI (1421-72)

‘O Lord Jesus Christ, who created and redeemed me, and hast brought me unto that which I am, thou knowest what thou wouldst do with me; do with me according to thy will; for thy tender mercy’s sake.’

During the meeting, he asked me ‘Do you have a structured prayer life?’ This was a question that I have never associated with using the word structure for prayer. A lot of the time, you feel that when you need God, you ‘oblige’ to prayer to him for help. Have you ever prayed to God so something that isn’t for your self? I know its hard at times, and it does feel like that God I to be our ‘provider’ and not our ‘friend’ or ‘king’. This made me feel that I need to find some time to structure my prayer life in order that I consistently prayer with faith and confidence. It also means that if I don’t feel that i want to prayer daily, then it becomes a problem!!!!!

The DDO Advised me to use the ‘Daily prayer-book’ (This is mainly the Common Worship Daily prayer book [look right], but he has said that I could use the BCP ‘Book of Common Prayer’, to add to the variety). I gave it ago this week and it’s not too bad if you feel like you can’t be bothered to prayer, but I’m starting to understand the anglican form of ‘quiet time’. I have set myself a target after Christmas to have a good term of Daily prayer, in order to continue the development of my spiritual life.

A few questions for thought!

What is your daily prayer life-like?

 Why don’t you use the ‘Daily Prayer’ as a STRUCTURE to develop your own quiet time?

Jesus gave an example in what we should pray, and I believe that it is still the most valid prayer in today’s society. The Lords Prayer.

In Mathew’s gospel chapter 6 verses 5 – 14 it says:

5“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

 9“This, then, is how you should pray:
   ” ‘Our Father in heaven,
   hallowed be your name,
 10your kingdom come,
   your will be done
      on earth as it is in heaven.
 11Give us today our daily bread.
 12Forgive us our debts,
      as we also have forgiven our debtors.
 13And lead us not into temptation,
   but deliver us from the evil one.[a]14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

The understanding of prayer is complete doctrine by itself, but the DDO was concentrating on it this week, so it made me want to blog it!

Author: Urban Curate

Following from the Ministry Trainee, I am a urban Curate who is at a church in the West Midlands with a passion to serve the Lord. I'm 28 years old, married with two children.

2 thoughts on “The Meeting with the DDO”

  1. I’m enjoying your blog Simon. I read once that as being in prayer is a relationship, God is excited and pleased whenever you pray to him. There’s no such thing as the right amount of prayer, but just being in his presence is as good as praying, even if you don’t say anything at all!
    But I suppose as Jesus made time to go and spend time alone with God that we should do the same.
    Blessings in your journey to seek him.

    1. I agree John and thank you for having time to read it! Prayer is a realationship with God, and I agree with not having to say anything, but I have to show to the Bishop selection panel that I have a prayer pattern otherwise they have no proof that I pray!! I know it sounds daft, but its the way of being ordained these days.

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