Thu Feb 04, 2010
Change RSS Feeds
We switched the software on the blog so make sure, if this is in your RSS feed, you change it. The new blog will be at the very same address.
Tue Feb 02, 2010
Why Is This Guy On A Stamp?
Prez recently received some pharmacy continuing ed thing in the mail and I noticed it had a 61 cent stamp on it featuring Richard Wright. Stamps and coins and that sort of thing say a lot about how we think about ourselves (Mr. Jefferson wanted our coinage to feature Anglo-Saxon gods, for example). Wright was a communist (although he later fell out with the movement) and at the least a racialist, but what is most striking to me is that he lived the last 14 years or so of his life as an expat. I would think people on our stamps represent unifying figures. I understand that Wright's documentation of the very-real racism of his era was very important. But this is a man who chose to live away from here for a very long time. And that is fine. But why is he on an American stamp?
Mon Feb 01, 2010
A Walk In The Clouds
I took this picture today while Kosta B. was fixing the wall in the altar:
Sun Jan 31, 2010
Flora In Winter 2010
We continued a family tradition yesterday - visiting the Flora In Winter exhibit at the Worcester Art Museum. The floral interpretations of selected art from the museum's collection were refreshing on a day where the temperature hovered around 10 degrees. Here is my favorite - probably one of the most straightforward takes in the exhibit but nevertheless beautiful:
Sat Jan 30, 2010
Set List
I jammed with Brian the other night in his newly upgraded "Man Cave". Part of the upgrade is the presence of a computer and projector, so we could project chord charts and lyrics on the wall as we played (as opposed to the painstaking process of writing chords out on the whiteboard in my office when we play there). Anyways, here is our set list, as best as I can remember:
-Hey Joe
-Here Comes The Sun and Oh! Darling from Abbey Road - our first time playing these Beatles tunes.
-How Many More Times
-Mr. Crowley
-Voodoo Child
-The Wind Cries Mary. We referenced an old SNL skit by occasionally singing "The Wind Cries Shasta".
-Hallelujah
-Queen Jane Approximately - A great Dylan tune. We talked about how his vocal phrasing is all over the place, which makes it a bit harder to sing, even though it is a Dylan tune.
-Knocking On Heaven's Door.
Thu Jan 28, 2010
Archbishop Of Canterbury Honored By Orthodox Seminary
The Archbishop of Canterbury will speak and receive an honorary degree this Saturday at St. Vlads (where I was an exchange student). Details are here. Predictably the Orthodox blogosphere is lighting up like crazy over this. He recently received an award from an award from a Catholic-affiliated organization; Mike Potemra has a nice take on it here. I am interested in reading what Dr. Williams has to say on Saturday. My opinion on this is that it is great the Vlads is hosting him and having him speak. I may disagree with the honorary degree part but I of course respect the institution's right to grant one.
Wed Jan 27, 2010
Water Damage And Repair
Our beloved Cathedral church building recently had some water damage. We found the areas of the roof that were leaking and fixed them. Now comes repairing and refurbishing of the inside damage. Kosta Bloumis and his crew have been on the job fixing up the five or so areas that we identified. When they are done Anatoly will do the finishing and art restoration (no icons were affected but some decorative pieces will need to be touched up). Thank God we have such dedicated and talented people who are so quick to offer their time and talent. Here is a photo of one damaged area in the process of being redone (the southeast part of the nave, right before the south part of the transept)
One Of The Nicest Things Ever
We had our monthly HOPE (the group for children after Little Angels, roughly K-second grade) session on Monday, which happened to be my name day. Since we didn't meet in December due to holiday busyness, we focused on St. Spyridon at this meeting. I even brought out the slipper relics for the children and parents to venerate (this is something that almost never happens, so it was a big treat). After the religious section we went downstairs and the children did a project related to our Haitian relief efforts. Olga told me that we would be having pizza delivered from her store - Brothers' Pizza in Southbridge. We usually only have light snacks at HOPE so I asked what was up. It was pizza for my name day! Of course, since I am going gluten-free, I cannot have pizza, so part of me was a little disappointed. Olga didn't skp a beat - her husband Jimmy would be bringing me a gluten-free pizza, whicih is one of their specialties. I couldn't believe it - I was truly touched! The children devoured eight or so pizzas while I enjoyed my special 'za. It was the perfect ending to a great name day.
Mon Jan 25, 2010
Dedication
The dedication of our parishioners never ceases to amaze me. Yesterday our GOYA basketball team bounced back from a tough loss Saturday with an impressive win. After the game, Jimmy V. said to me "64 by 112". Wha???? I asked him what he was talking about and he said "Those are the dimensions of the gym (at Mt. Carmel). I counted the ceiling tiles". Jimmy is a driving force in our Family Center project and even while watching his son's basketball game was in Building Committee mode measuring the dimensions of the gym.
More...
Sat Jan 23, 2010
Ecumenical Movement
A picture from tonight's service:
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