Reflections of a Common Catholic Rock and Roll Wild Child

"If heavenly grace and true charity come in, there shall be no envy or narrowness of heart, nor shall self-love keep its hold. For divine charity overcomes all, and dilates all the powers of the soul."

St. Therese, the Little Flower

This has been a very, very strange week.

On Monday, in Texas, my cousin Greg was buried. I have not yet heard from anyone in the family there about where I may send a Mass card. However, I know that when someone dies unexpectedly, like Greg did, that little things can be let to fall through the cracks. I wish I could have been there for Walter Jr., Rex and Mark. Especially Walter, because he was here for me when Dad died. And especially Mark, because he just lost his wife a short time ago. And especially Rex, who is the Texas version of me in that he was the wild, drug using, hard drinking, rock and roll playing wacko who found his way back to a God of his understanding - and now plays music for his denomination. I would love to hook him up with Bob, the founder of Ceili Rain. What a combo that would be in the Christian music world.

I got back to work and discovered one of our IT Techs, a lovely woman named Carla, had passed away after a short and viscious illness! Carla was one of those wonderful older women often found in IT departments - short grey hair, glasses, no make up, cargo pants and plastic pocket protectors and a wallet full of pictures of her dog. Only, because she is not high tech, the pictures are on her phone. We used to compare Fur Baby pictures all the time. She knew I was a Catholic and didn't mind. I knew she was Gay and didn't care. The connection was through our love for dogs...and I was SHOCKED to find out she had died!

So, two sudden deaths in a period of 10 days; talk about letting one know that it is not me who is in charge of ANYTHING.

The Hive has been shut down to unlimited blogging. I suppose I should feel a little bit guilty because I would not allow George or Robert to attack me personally - their posts would be immediately reported. I went through too much hell with those two people and if they wanted to get into horrible behavior contests with other posters that was fine by me. Go for it. Exercise your freedom to be a bore and a goon all you want. Take a swipe at me, even a small one, and it was not going to be tolerated.

Most of the time, they knew and behaved. However, I will not participate at the blog site set up by Carmen Sabatino (The Swarm) because both of them participate on that site. My experience with George is that, he presents very calm and together. He then opens up fake accounts under fake names and goes after people he hates. He hates me. Now, most of the time he forgets I am around - however, every once in awhile we end up at the same 12 step meeting and then KAPPOW he manifests as FiFi ChicagoBaby or Sylvester Studacaker on a blog site somewhere and starts posting about something I wrote 4 years ago, when I first showed my new boss my writings about my strugggles to become a better supervisor.

Robert will probably lay low for a long time - he has thrown his hat into the ring once again and will be running for Mayor of Modesto. You have to give the guy credit for courage. He is willing to put himself out there when his reputation among reasonable voters is one of Bizareness. I have the picture of a headline in the Modesto Bee in about 10 years - ROBERT STANFORD ELECTED MAYOR. Hey, Carmen ran over and over and over and over until finally, enough new people moved to the Central Valley and elected him. I was one of those people - twelve years ago I voted for him because I did not have any idea he is as suited to working with his fellow elected officials as Marcy Bachman (or however you spell her name).

I will tel you that I admire both Sabatino and Robert because they are drastically and passionately devoted to their cause. I am just never really sure what their causes are - it is difficult to follow their writings and their logic. I am willing to accept that I can't follow their logic because I am not smart enough to do so, if it means I do not have to delete emails calling me names, fend off weirdly worded sexual advances and pretend that I do not recognize someone's syntax when they write under a false name.

*sigh*

Another weird thing happened this week - all my allergies kicked in at once. I have been on a sneezing jag. Drives me nuts.

Tonight, Father taught the RCIA class and it was a beautiful teaching on The Eucharist. Every time I think I have had it with some of the people in the front office, or I am too tired to continue this journey I think of St Ignatius of Antioch being driven to his martyrdom, taking the time to write me a letter...of course, it was addressed to The Philedelphians but he was writing to me too. He wrote it maybe 70 years after the life, death and resurrection of Our Lord...and he wrote that the same bread we eat at our celebrations is the SAME FLESH THAT HUNG UPON THE CROSS.

So, how can I let a few snippy office workers derail me?

Please keep my soldier in prayer. I was really hoping Congressman Ellison would stand up and shout at Karzi, "YOU STARTED THIS VIOLENCE...YOU WHIPPED UP THE FRENZY. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?"

But he didn't.

We fly unto thee, O Virgin of Virgins.....