(no subject)
I'm still here, although barely. I post more to Facebook, but I check my LJ friends page almost daily.
Since last time? New job, new church. I worked graveyard shift (hours kept changing) for a year and a half. I felt like adding a new verse to Avenue Q's "It Sucks to Be Me" song. ("It sucks to be me. It sucks to be 50+ and working nights like I was 23. It sucks to be me.") I'm working days now - 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and every other Thursday - and that's much better. The shifts are killers, but at least I can see daylight on my days off and go to church on Sunday morning.
I was unable to do church music when working nights because, working all Sunday night, I had to sleep Sunday morning. I take my mother to 5 p.m. Mass on Saturdays. Now that I'm on days, I can do church music again. I had missed it terribly.
I changed parishes. My old parish had been run by the Marianists, the Society of Mary, when I joined, and the pastor was very charismatic. A few years ago, the Marianists pulled out and the parish administration went to the local diocese. The new pastor is anything but charismatic. Since I had moved and no longer lived in the parish boundaries, there was no reason for me to continue going there, so I have registered at the parish closest to home and sing and play guitar there.
I ride my bike as much as possible, including to church on Sunday. Since I had let slip to the music director that I play guitar, she wanted me to play guitar for Mass. (She is primarily a flutist but she plays piano well and also sings. There is also an on-staff organist. This was another reason to change: my old parish got rid of both the liturgist and music director so there was no communication between the pastor and musicians. This was quite frustrating.) I didn't want to give up bike riding so I got a gig bag for the guitar. I'm quite a sight on Sunday morning, riding my bicycle dressed for church with a bright yellow jacket and bike helmet and a guitar on my back.
We are going to Worldcon this year. I've downloaded some of the Hugo nominees and am making my way through them. I had already read the Willis. I love Connie Willis' writing, but BLACKOUT/ALL CLEAR sorely needed editing. It was way too long for no reason other than it looked like she fell in love with her research.
I'm currently reading the Bujold CRYOBURN. Again, I love her stuff and am enjoying the book, but so far I have not seen any reason for it to be on the list other than to reward the author for giving us another Vorkosigan book - and that's not a good reason to give a Hugo.
I'm a big Carrie Vaughn fan and was happy to see her on the short story list. I read her story but have not read its competition yet.
I will not get enough things read to vote, but I want to at least know what's what when I go to the Hugo ceremony.
Since last time? New job, new church. I worked graveyard shift (hours kept changing) for a year and a half. I felt like adding a new verse to Avenue Q's "It Sucks to Be Me" song. ("It sucks to be me. It sucks to be 50+ and working nights like I was 23. It sucks to be me.") I'm working days now - 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and every other Thursday - and that's much better. The shifts are killers, but at least I can see daylight on my days off and go to church on Sunday morning.
I was unable to do church music when working nights because, working all Sunday night, I had to sleep Sunday morning. I take my mother to 5 p.m. Mass on Saturdays. Now that I'm on days, I can do church music again. I had missed it terribly.
I changed parishes. My old parish had been run by the Marianists, the Society of Mary, when I joined, and the pastor was very charismatic. A few years ago, the Marianists pulled out and the parish administration went to the local diocese. The new pastor is anything but charismatic. Since I had moved and no longer lived in the parish boundaries, there was no reason for me to continue going there, so I have registered at the parish closest to home and sing and play guitar there.
I ride my bike as much as possible, including to church on Sunday. Since I had let slip to the music director that I play guitar, she wanted me to play guitar for Mass. (She is primarily a flutist but she plays piano well and also sings. There is also an on-staff organist. This was another reason to change: my old parish got rid of both the liturgist and music director so there was no communication between the pastor and musicians. This was quite frustrating.) I didn't want to give up bike riding so I got a gig bag for the guitar. I'm quite a sight on Sunday morning, riding my bicycle dressed for church with a bright yellow jacket and bike helmet and a guitar on my back.
We are going to Worldcon this year. I've downloaded some of the Hugo nominees and am making my way through them. I had already read the Willis. I love Connie Willis' writing, but BLACKOUT/ALL CLEAR sorely needed editing. It was way too long for no reason other than it looked like she fell in love with her research.
I'm currently reading the Bujold CRYOBURN. Again, I love her stuff and am enjoying the book, but so far I have not seen any reason for it to be on the list other than to reward the author for giving us another Vorkosigan book - and that's not a good reason to give a Hugo.
I'm a big Carrie Vaughn fan and was happy to see her on the short story list. I read her story but have not read its competition yet.
I will not get enough things read to vote, but I want to at least know what's what when I go to the Hugo ceremony.