This has been a week - nay, a season - for micro-aggressions, both personal and in the news. First the personal one. While the three of us were sitting and sipping our beers last Sunday evening, Tiger noticed that some of the patrons were eating popcorn. He wondered aloud whether it had been freshly popped on the premises (unlikely) or whether "I'm ( Read more... )

I am probably the worst wing man in G-d's Creation. When I go out with someone I want all the attention on me, not on every good looking stranger who walks into a bar. That's probably true regardless of the friend's sexual persuasion; my usual stance is that no one is good enough for them anyway. I suppose, that's one reason I don't go out all that ( Read more... )

I thought I could get through Intersection tonight without sobbing, but, I didn't count on the one Episcopal Church warhorse designed to get to me. It was #664 from the Hymnal and there is a line "thine oil anoints my head" which is, of course, a direct reference to either christening or The Last Rites, depending on how you interpret it. It came ( Read more... )

Crosby is due back from a short vacation at Bingland, in California. I think he will find St. Michael's a changed place in his almost a month away. August is the traditional high point of informality in the morning Eucharistic Mass. The doors to the outside are thrown open and the sounds and odors of the street are allowed to seep in during the ( Read more... )

Intersection was rather extraordinary on several levels. Firstly, it was Father Sam's last as a celebrant. He has a new gig in western Massachusetts and everyone is wishing him godspeed. Secondly, it was my first appearance in over a month. It was a completely spontaneous decision spurred mainly by a spirit of forgiveness toward Eleanor Roosevelt. ( Read more... )

The rest of Intersection raced by pretty quickly. Quiet time was followed in quick order by our final hymn together, a blessing and then hospitality. Hospitality was a blur. One of the ladies brought a quarter slice of watermelon, the first of the season, and it was delicious. I remember searchig for more paper plates and finding none, bringing ( Read more... )

One of the last things I did before leaving the Morning Mass was check the hospitality table and pantry. The morning crew seemed to be limited to cookies and crackers just as we were at Intersection. Many of the larger train stations now have WiFi, so I was able to whip off an e-mail to Charlotte, telling that I was on my way and would decide what ( Read more... )

Huggy Bear had a busy morning, too. Not only did he hold Morning Prayers, but later when we failed to make the hat trick (not enough kindness of strangers), he was chosen to give the prayer during Opening Circle. He is really good at praying. Crosby later kidded that he must have been practicing it for months just in case of such an emergency ( Read more... )

Operation Vivien Leigh went extremely well. Crosby called our bluff, but, not in a bad way. They actually needed the extra help. We had a steady stream of funny, geeky, irreverent moments as Huggy Bear worked the bread line, I stayed on the floor and Crosby hung out in the kitchen. As I brought in an empty tray and a request from the serving line ( Read more... )

So, they have this thing in the Ecumenical Church called, Lent, where you're supposed to observe 40 days (and nights) of some sort of devotion to God. It can come in the form of a special project or a sacrifice. A lot of people give up meat or alcohol ( Read more... )