Have You Used OpenOffice????

Hello dear readers.

This is a techie question. Have any of you used OpenOffice? The school is trying to move more to it and I would like people's impressions of it.

What Politicans Should Learn From The Pope

I've been thinking some more about the death of Benazir Bhutto. And while now there are conflicting reports as to what actually caused her death (was it bullets or explosion?), it has very little to do with my proposition.

Do you remember when Pope John Paul II was shot? I do. And afterwards they covered the Popemobile.

When Benazir Bhutto emerged through the sunroof of her armoured vehicle, she became the most vulnerable (and in fact when she was shot). With her death, I think we should start asking our politicians to start riding around in some version of the Popemobile. While there are things it probably wouldn't protect a person from, at least there would be some protection from the majority of extremists. This way the pol could still be visible to the crowd and try to connect and be reasonably sure of safety.

Is God Keeping You From Watching The Rose Bowl?

Hello dear readers.

According to the Religion News Service, the UUA is going to be doing some advertising during the bowl games.

I know that many of you dear readers probably like the UUA ad campaign; I think it's a waste of time and money. And I especially think that this one is a real waste of time.

For those of you who are football fans like I am, you know that the people who get the most attention are the people who hold up the John 3:16 signs. Unfortunately for us, we don't have a Bible verse that most of us agree on enough to hold it up on a sign at a football game.

Study after study have shown (and continue to show) that the best way to get people to come to church is through personal invitation. And yet, many UUs don't have the courage to invite someone they know to come to church with them. Growth does not come through osmosis friends. A church must work at it. How many UU churches have something like "Family and Friends Day"? Or any concerted outreach that doesn't involve advertising?

I want to hear stories. Let's talk about the ups and downs of church growth.

For Those Interested In The "Prosperity Gospel"......

here's a news story that you might want to read:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071227/ap_on_re_us/prosperity_preachers

Assassination Of A Leader

I've been watching the news most of the day to get as much information about the death of Benazir Bhutto as I can.

Those of us who have studied the Near East and the subcontinent for any length of time know just how important Benazir Bhutto was. It is a truly sad day.

Ms. Kitty has written more fully on being scared for leaders. I recommend her post to you.

Assassination is not a new trick in hoodlum's bags. The real shame is that one will never be able to stop extremists bent on making a point.

GA pt.3

Hello dear readers.

I already knew nothing was going to change regarding GA because there is some protest(I am the last person who wants the UUA to lose the estimated $800,000; and while it doesn't seem like it here, I don't protest that many things). That's why I wrote on the blog. I know that Homeland Security is in charge of the port and the convention center is in the port. Since this bed is made, I know it has to be laid in. That doesn't mean that I can't be concerned and voice that concern.

I know quite a bit about the GA process(I'm good friends with a former Planning Committee member). If I remember correctly, the Planning Committee went to the board this year and asked for the authority to change the 2010 GA if the labor issues were not resolved in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Now, my question is, if they could do this 3 years out, why didn't the same thing happen in 2005 when it was seen that things were not going to change in Ft. Lauderdale?

Skip Christmas......Celebrate Boxing Day

Hello dear readers.

I LOVE Boxing Day. I love it so much that I have come to the decision that from now on I will skip Christmas and do Boxing Day instead.

Why? you ask.

Simple. We had a party today and it was just wonderful. Just a group a people sitting around a table having dinner and good conversation; politics, religion, travels, education, hobbies and just about any other subject you can think of was talked about.

We did the dinner in traditional British style; leftovers redone. We made a Shepard's Pie, vegetable soup, had pears with a Stilton filling and petite quiche for appetizers, and served mince tarts and a cheese board for dessert.

It was quite simply one of the best days we've had this year. And just think about it; don't have to worry about presents or cards; the food you have is food you already have and you get to open your home to people you want to share it with.

So for all of you dear readers who think the cesspool that is known as Christmas is way too over-the-top, skip it and do Boxing Day instead. I think you'll enjoy it.

The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year? pt. 2

ChaliceChick has asked me to explain a little more what I meant in my last post. I'll be happy to.

My question is about people for whom the holiday season is not the most wonderful time.

I'm thinking of a friend who just lost an in-law. Or someone who is in the grips of depression. Or the person who doesn't have much family and friends who are scattered.

In most churches during this time of the year, there is so much talk about anticipation and waiting and happiness and the coming of the light (that is what advent means after all), that I think there is a kind-of willful blindness to those who don't see the coming of the light or are grieving or are having some other problems.

I'm just wondering if/how churches deal with those who are suffering during this time of carols and presents and dinners and so forth. Is there any acknowledgement of the other side of the holidays and that even those who like this time of the year can feel a little "put-upon" by it?

I hope that makes some sense.

The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year?

As one of the people who has to work one or the other of my jobs during this time of year, I'm always mindful that there are many people for whom the holiday season is not that great.

How do we liberal religious folk deal with them? Do we deal with them at all? Or do we shunt them over to the side in this forced gaiety of the season and tell them to essentially "Wait 'til next year."?

There Is A Difference Between A Cruise And A Convention, or GA Boycott pt. 2

After my first post about boycotting GA I thought I was done with the subject, but it seems that I'm not.

The people who say that those of us who want to boycott GA are being upset over nothing; that there are real issues with GA that we need to be talking about instead of ones that deal with civil liberties/security issues. And anyway....all sorts of people go through that port to go on their cruises so the screening people are probably more sensitive than most. Do I have the argument right?

Maybe it's just me, but I think something needs to be pointed out: THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CRUISE AND A CONVENTION.

The cruise LEAVES the port at 4:00 (in most cases and in most ports). No matter what time you enter the port, you are going to be getting on a boat that will LEAVE at 4:00. It is not the same with a convention center. A convention, by necessity, means a lot of going in and coming out. So pardon me if I feel it wrong that I would have to show identification EVERY time I want to come back into the convention center.

I will give those who say that every thing will be ok a point; other conventions have been there with what seems to be little problem. I don't hesitate to point out that the Convention and Visitors Bureau isn't going to be the most forthright if there have been any problems. Have we talked to some of the other conventions to get their impressions?

I agree that there are other GA issues that we can talk about. I work my ass off on two jobs to save enough money to go to both GA and my District meeting every year, so I'm all for working on those other issues. But I don't think that just because there are other issues to resolve about GA that somehow we shouldn't continue to discuss this issue for this GA. If this makes me a sh*t-stirrer, so be it.

Be Good To Yourself, or Don't Have New Year's Resolution Guilt

Hello dear readers.

My mother's birthday is in early January so I was looking online for something else to give her along with what I've already planned. As she is a crafter, I decided to go to one of the crafting websites that we both like and came across this:

New Year's Resolutions
by AW

Okay, this year will be different. I am not going to vow to lose 20 pounds or get my house completely organized (although heaven knows I really should do both!). This year I am going to make some resolutions that will be fun to keep. Maybe then I will have a better chance at success.

And since a large part of my world revolves around (blank), I think it only fair that some of these fun-filled resolutions should help me develop my skills and knowledge as a (blank). Alright then, this year, I, AW, resolve to:

1. Learn at least one new (blank) technique.
2. Teach at least one person to (blank).
3. Make at least 6 items to give away to people who need and would appreciate them.

I must say that I like this person's attitude. Why should New Year's Resolutions be a kind of punishment? Why not have fun with them?

So dear readers, what good New Year's Resolutions do you have? Not the lose 20 pounds one; I mean the learn ballroom dancing/speak another language one?

What do you want to learn? What can you teach somebody? What can you make and give away?

In Praise of the Girdle

Hello dear readers. This post is going to sound more like it belongs on PeaceBang's "Beauty Tips For Ministers", but since Ms. Bang is taking a well-deserved hiatus, I feel the need to write this.

I was flippin' through channels earlier today and for a couple of minutes ended up on a "What Not To Wear" wannabe. Now I'm not a fan of makeover shows (I think they say much more about the people around the person getting the makeover than the person getting the makeover), but I can occasionally stomach it to watch them trying on clothes.

As I was saying, I ended up on the WNTW wannabe. And the woman who was getting the makeover came out in a skirt and top outfit that would have been really cute on her if you didn't see her belly pooch.

While all the makeover shows talk about the need for women to have really good foundation wear (bras mostly), they have neglected one of the most valuable foundation garments: the girdle.

I don't really care how many shapers one has, they don't have the power that a really good girdle has. It holds you in in a way that the shapers cannot. Also the really good ones don't bind or constrict. And when you want to deal with more than one area, a one-piece (or full) girdle provides more coverage than two or more shapers.

So all my dear lady readers celebrate one of the best things to happen in foundation garments. The girdle is great and it's not the same one that your mother used 40 years ago.

Why I Love The New York Times Online

Hello dear readers.

Lest you think that I have forgotten that I told you that I was in the process of writing a post about Oprah's speeches last weekend, I want to point you to Frank Rich's column in today's New York Times.

I shall be adding it to my post about the Oprah-Barack show.

If you want a direct link try: http://www.ntimes.com/2007/12/16/opinion/16rich.html?em&ex=1197954000&en=583bbb0a70ae5ebc&ei=5087%0a

How Do We Choose????

Since I'm waiting to see the reaction to my post about steroids and baseball, I must say that I didn't expect the response to my "Free Michael Vick" posts that I have gotten. I must say that I'm grateful for it. I thought I was going to get more vitriol from the PETA types.

I'm appreciative of Chalicechick's postings. I am especially interested in hearing that somebody might get 2 years for cockfighting. While I don't think that's likely to happen (going by my research into previous cases), it is interesting to find out.

I think this brings in a whole different issue: How much culture influences moral decisions and law.

Cockfighting happens in many places around the country with little notice and when most people hear about it they might cringe a bit but there's little outrage. If these same people hear about a dogfight, it seems as if the person involved is a different level of "slime". Yet, if we were in India where cows are sacred, they would have the same reaction to dogfighting that most Americans have to cockfighting.

So, how do we make the distinctions?

There Are No Children Here, or There Is No Such Person As A Baseball Purist

So.....Former Sen. Mitchell spends 20 months on a report that has less power than the paper it's written on. Bully for him.

As someone who has never liked baseball (football and basketball are my sports), I'm still trying to figure out what the big deal is.

There are no children playing professional sports friends. If any of those who Sen. Mitchell names in his report as having taken steroids did it, they were grown when they did steroids (which are not illegal; if it weren't for steroids half of my family would be dead because of asthma); they knew the risks and chose to take them.

But what upsets me more than the fact that valuable news time was taken up by this, is the feigned outrage of so-called baseball purists.

As many of you dear readers will remember, I live near St. Louis. Everybody in the St. Louis area knew that Mark McGuire was taking something (anybody else remember when the Andro was discovered in his locker????), yet the Cardinals were breaking all sorts of attendance records. Why? Because people wanted to see Mark McGuire hit those home runs. They didn't care that he might have been taking something. The same goes for Roger Clemens or Barry Bonds or Miguel Tejeda or Sammy Sosa. People like power baseball. They go to the ballpark to see those home runs being hit and those fast balls go by batters.

There are no children here. Let's stop acting like there were.

Free Michael Vick, pt.2

I deliberately did not talk about Michael Vick's race because that is a side issue to me. I think the real argument will get lost if race comes into this.

I really think this is about the animal that was involved. I suggest this because I've never heard of someone receiving this amount of jail for financing, supporting or betting on cockfighting. Also, the treatment of racehorses (except for the really special breeds) would make most people sick; yet financing that and destroying the horse after it doesn't produce anymore is commonplace.

What makes dogs so damn special?

I know I've probably just made my dear animal-rights readers mad, but I really don't care. I just want an explanation.

A Football Aside

Hello dear readers.

This post will be very short as I am working on a post about Oprah's speeches this weekend, but as this happened today I felt compelled to comment.

Free Michael Vick!

23 months for financing dogfighting? Do those who get caught financing or training cocks to fight get the same treatment? Or was there something else going on here because he was a famous football player?

Freedom REQUIRES Religion?????

Hello dear readers.

I've been looking over the UU blog response to Mitt Romney's speech yesterday and have found what I expected to find: dismay at his denigration of the nonreligious or other-religious.

I think those blogs are missing an even bigger point; the line in the speech where Gov. Romney says "Freedom requires religion." Let me tell you dear readers, this line scares me more than the assumption that the only religions that count are the ones that have a G-d (where does that leave most practitioners of the major Eastern religions?).

Freedom REQUIRES religion?!?!?!?!?!?

Even more disconcerting is the rest of the line in the speech: "And religion requires freedom." This my dear friends ignores most of human history (not to mention the real beginnings of the republic). Religion has been used to restrict the freedom of the "other" throughout time. Did Mitt miss that in history class?

Anyway....Jon Meacham and Sally Quinn were on Charlie Rose last night and gave what I thought was the best analysis of the speech so far.

Have You Read.....Eat Pray Love?

I haven't. But since Oprah has had the woman who wrote it on her show twice in a few months, I'm assuming that lots of people on her staff (and Oprah as well) have read it and like it.

I'm usually scared of books that are TOO popular, so I'm debating if it would be a good thing to read. If you have a review of it, I'll be glad to listen.

The Advent Sermon I Want To Hear

Hello dear readers.
This would probably work for any of the big days of the liturgical calendar, but it seems appropriate here.

------------------
A time comes in your life when you finally get it. When in the midst of all your fears and the insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out "ENOUGH!" Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And like a child quieting down after a tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and through a mantle of wet lashes you begin to look at the world with new eyes.

This is your awakening. You realize that it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change; or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that there is no Prince Charming and you are not Cinderella and that in the real world there aren't always fairytale endings (or beginnings for that matter). And any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you. In the process a sense of serenity is born.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who and what you are; and that's OK. You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will be there for you and that it's not always about you.

And you begin to sift through all the trash you've been fed about how you should look and how much you should weigh. What you should wear and where you should shop. Where you should go to school or what you should do for a living. Who you should choose for your friends. Who you should marry and what you should expect of a marriage. Those ideas about the importance of having and raising children or what you owe to your parents.

You learn that it is truly in giving that you receive the most. And that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a consumer looking for your next fix. You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life. You learn that you don't know everything and it's not your job to save the world. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.

You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about love. Romantic love and familial love and worldly love; how to love, how much to give in love and when to stop giving or walk away. You learn to look at things as they really are and not as you would have them be. You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn that just as people grow and change so it is with love. You learn that you don't have the right to demand love just to make you happy.

You look in the mirror and come to terms with the fact that you will never be a perfect 10; nobody is, not even those airbrushed models. And you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head and agonizing over how you stack up. You learn that your body really is a temple and you begin to care for it with respect. You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking more water and taking more time to exercise. You learn that fatigue diminishes the spirit and can create doubt and fear. So you take more time to rest. And you learn that just as food feeds the body, laughter feeds the soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play. You learn that for the most part, in life, you get what you believe you deserve and that much of life truly is a self-
fulfilling prophecy.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different from working toward making it happen. More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance. You also learn that no one can do it all alone and that it's ok to risk asking for help. You learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom. You learn that life isn't always fair; you don't always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to good people.

On these occasions you learn not to personalize things. You learn that God isn't punishing you or failing to answer your prayers, it's just life happening. You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you. You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we often take for granted; a full refrigerator , clean running water, a warm bed, a long hot shower.

Slowly you begin to take responsibility for yourself, by yourself and to make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than your heart's desire.

Put up a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind. Make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility. Finally, with courage in your heart and with faith by your side you can take a stand, take a deep breath and begin to design the life you want to live as best you can.

So, don't just wake up. Experience the awakening.