FRIDAY, APRIL 11
I am only doing two posts today. I’ve spent much of the evening piddling around and making some changes. I think I solved the slow loading problems. All I did was move my TLB badge to the right column, re: Beth Cleaver’s smart advice a few months ago. Then I moved the site meter badges. I discovered my site meter was causing all the problems! I hate that thing. I’ve added a registration form, and made the RSS forms easier to find. If you have been reading TPF this evening, you may have noticed a few color changes. I’m playing with layout and style. I can’t find the shade of pink I want, so I am improvising. We’re making this thing up as we go along.
MY MCCAIN BUMPER STICKER ARRIVED
I think I may be the first person to be sporting a McCain bumper sticker in this area. I am loath to remove my Bush one, so I put the McCain one in a different location and retained the GWB one. I really don’t want to see him go.
THE PINK FLAMINGO IN THE NEWS
This evening I had a call from one of my best friends show told me The Pink Flamingo had made the ABQ Journal! It’s all over that article I did the other day about the Christian v Lesbian. (Believe it or now). Josie’s husband, Mike, better known as The Democrat (or The Dirty Democrat depending on how the polls are going) was quite impressed. She said he was rather excited to find it listed. If I could convert him to McCain, we’d be all set. I think I managed to sour him on Obama. He’ll probably end up voting for some 3rd party simply because he can’t stomach the Dem candidate and can’t bring himself to vote GOP. (We go through this every election).
There is a serious earthquake swarm off the Oregon coast. A volcano is suspected, but there is not one in the area. When you get swarms like this, it is indicative of the movement of magma.
A very big cat!
VERDI IN THE NUDE?
(not for me)
Give me a break! I don’t know which is worse, Un Ballo naked. Or a vile desecration of Ground Zero to be staged. The funny thing is Verdi would probably not be all that angry because he was a political animal. I am so sick and tired of freaked out opera – well, I’m screaming.
“…Indeed, though the production looks unlikely to win many prizes for the nuance of its message, Mr Kresnik has succeeded in his other aim, selling out the Erfurt opera house for the premiere. Only a handful of tickets are available for subsequent performances later this month. "One has to introduce new elements," he said. “Otherwise it is difficult to attract new theatregoers."…”
No, one only has to stage an opera that is well sung. The shape of curses to come? Once upon a time it was the curse of the Bambino, what will this one be called? Is the new Yankee Stadium cursed? What goes around comes around.
THE CHAMBERS BOOK OF DAYS
Born: Christopher Smart, poet, 1722, Shepburne in Kent; David Hamilton, architect, 1768, Glasgow; Marshal Lannes, Duke of Montebello, 1769, Lectoure; George Canning, statesman, 1770, London.
Died: Cardinal Beaufort, 1447, Winchester; Gaston de Foix, French warrior, 1512, Ravenna; Pope Gregory XIII, 1585; Stanislaus Poniatowski, last King of Poland, 1798, St. Petersburg; John Galt, novelist and miscellaneous writer, 1839.
Feast Day: St. Leo the Great, Pope, 461. St. Antipas, martyr. St. Maccai, abbot, 5th century (?). St. Aid, abbot in Ireland. St. Guthlac, hermit, patron of the abbey of Croyland, 716.
ST. GUTHLACDied: Cardinal Beaufort, 1447, Winchester; Gaston de Foix, French warrior, 1512, Ravenna; Pope Gregory XIII, 1585; Stanislaus Poniatowski, last King of Poland, 1798, St. Petersburg; John Galt, novelist and miscellaneous writer, 1839.
Feast Day: St. Leo the Great, Pope, 461. St. Antipas, martyr. St. Maccai, abbot, 5th century (?). St. Aid, abbot in Ireland. St. Guthlac, hermit, patron of the abbey of Croyland, 716.
St. Guthlac, one of the most interesting of the old Saxon anchorets, we have a good biography by a nearly contemporary monk named Felix. From this it appears that the saint was at first devoted to warlike enterprises, but after a time was moved to devote himself wholly to a contemplative religious life in Croyland Isle in the fen countries. Here he performed, as usual, many miracles, was tortured by devils, and had many blessed experiences; at length, on the 11th of April 716, he was favoured with a quiet and easy passage to a higher state of existence, at the age of forty-one.
There is much that is admirable in this biography, and the character it ascribes to St. Guthlac. The account contains no trace of those monstrous aceticisms which so often disgust us. He wore skins instead of linen, and had one daily meal only, of barley-bread and water; but no self-inflictions are recorded, only abstemious habits and incessant devotion. 'The blessed man Guthlac was a chosen man in divine deeds, and a treasure of all wisdom; and he was stedfast in his duties, as also he was earnestly intent on Christ's service, so that never was aught else in his mouth but Christ's praise, nor in his heart but virtue, nor in his mind but peace and love and pity; nor did any man ever see him angry nor slothful to Christ's service: but one might ever perceive in his countenance love and peace; and evermore sweetness was in his temper, and wisdom in his breast, and there was so much cheerfulness in him, that he always appeared alike to acquaintances and to strangers.' We must confess, not a revolting character.
Monk Felix describes the fen wilderness: 'There are immense marshes, now a black pool of water, now foul-running streams, and also many islands, and reeds, and hillocks, and thickets.' Doubtless, a true description. The villages were mostly built on beds of gravel, which afforded comparative security. Ethelbald founded an abbey in Croyland Isle, St. Guthlac's retreat, which was destroyed by the Danes when they sacked Ely and Peterborough. It was rebuilt, and destroyed by fire; and again rebuilt. The monks in after time got to be somewhat ill-famed for drunkenness, revellings, and such like.
Croyland Isle, like the Isle of Ely, is now no more. Of the four streams which enclosed it, the drainage has removed all trace of three, changing them. to quiet pastures and rich farming land; and the Welland itself now runs wide of the village, in a new channel. The curious old triangular bridge stands high and dry in the centre of the village square, lorn of its three streams; and on it sits a robed figure in stone, with a great stone in its hand, supposed to be, amongst other things, a loaf. The modern church is built out of part of the old abbey, and a beautiful portion of ruin remains, though the restorers, alas! are at it. We ourselves can testify to the beautiful peace of those Croyland fens, even at this day; and they must have been much more beautiful in the saint's time.
There is much that is admirable in this biography, and the character it ascribes to St. Guthlac. The account contains no trace of those monstrous aceticisms which so often disgust us. He wore skins instead of linen, and had one daily meal only, of barley-bread and water; but no self-inflictions are recorded, only abstemious habits and incessant devotion. 'The blessed man Guthlac was a chosen man in divine deeds, and a treasure of all wisdom; and he was stedfast in his duties, as also he was earnestly intent on Christ's service, so that never was aught else in his mouth but Christ's praise, nor in his heart but virtue, nor in his mind but peace and love and pity; nor did any man ever see him angry nor slothful to Christ's service: but one might ever perceive in his countenance love and peace; and evermore sweetness was in his temper, and wisdom in his breast, and there was so much cheerfulness in him, that he always appeared alike to acquaintances and to strangers.' We must confess, not a revolting character.
Monk Felix describes the fen wilderness: 'There are immense marshes, now a black pool of water, now foul-running streams, and also many islands, and reeds, and hillocks, and thickets.' Doubtless, a true description. The villages were mostly built on beds of gravel, which afforded comparative security. Ethelbald founded an abbey in Croyland Isle, St. Guthlac's retreat, which was destroyed by the Danes when they sacked Ely and Peterborough. It was rebuilt, and destroyed by fire; and again rebuilt. The monks in after time got to be somewhat ill-famed for drunkenness, revellings, and such like.
Croyland Isle, like the Isle of Ely, is now no more. Of the four streams which enclosed it, the drainage has removed all trace of three, changing them. to quiet pastures and rich farming land; and the Welland itself now runs wide of the village, in a new channel. The curious old triangular bridge stands high and dry in the centre of the village square, lorn of its three streams; and on it sits a robed figure in stone, with a great stone in its hand, supposed to be, amongst other things, a loaf. The modern church is built out of part of the old abbey, and a beautiful portion of ruin remains, though the restorers, alas! are at it. We ourselves can testify to the beautiful peace of those Croyland fens, even at this day; and they must have been much more beautiful in the saint's time.
Dime con quien andas y te digo quien eres.
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