What Are You Doing? - 24 April 2021 - Plague Journal Day 408

Micah 6:8
Deuteronomy 6:1-3
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Remember yesterday's post of Christopher Walken dancing with abandon? Shortly after posting that, I came across this quote: "You cannot improvise unless you know exactly what you're doing." - Christopher Walken, actor/dancer.
I'm sure fans of his work on SNL (Saturday Night Live) back when it was regularly funny would recognize that aspect of Walken's approach to things, but in fact, that really is the case.

In the jazz and bluegrass worlds, unless you know the tune you're playing well, you have no business improvising on it. Further, unless you really know your instrument - what it can and cannot do, and how to coax what you want out of it - you have no business improvising on it either. Unless you know exactly what you're doing, you cannot improvise successfully.
I'm sure I've mentioned Ellis Marsalis's comment that much of improvising is recovering from a mistake. That's still consistent with this idea, as it's hard/impossible to recover from a mistake if you don't know what you're doing.

I think that's enough for today.

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

Make Your Choice - 23 April 2021 - Plague Journal Day 407

Micah 6:8
2 Samuel 6:14-15
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Here's a great blast from the past for your audio and visual enjoyment - because we can all use some simple, unbridled joy these days.

And here's another one for you. Now your day is better, and you're welcome.

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

22 April 2021 - Plague Journal Day 406

Micah 6:8
Psalm 24  Genesis 1:27-31
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Today is Earth Day. I remember when it started, and it wasn't all about humanity is an evil disease destroying Mother Earth as it became. I also remember when fans of the Detroit Lions and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats could reasonably have ecology flags, but these days they look like they're promoting the Green Bay Packers or the Edmonton Eskimos. Sorry, folks, the current flag won't fly here!

In addition, today is April Showers Day. I'm pretty sure I went to school with her; but the best showers and school story I have to share took place in my Chemistry class in High School. The teacher was explaining that there was a water fountain there in case we got chemicals in our eyes - it was a pretty cool thing with two fountains aiming slightly inward so we could wash both eyes at once.
Further, there was an emergency shower in case of one's clothing catching fire, or of a larger chemical incident (not just eyes). I told you that to tell you this. The teacher showed where the shower was, and how to operate it by simply pulling on a lever. One of my classmates asked, "with your clothes on?" the teacher replied, "Well, <female name redacted for safety>, if you want to take them off, I won't stop you." Imagine an exchange anything remotely like that today - the teacher would be fired and up on charges; and I wouldn't have a great story and memory to share on April Showers Day.

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

I Meant What I Said and I Said What I Meant - 21 April 2021 - Plague Journal Day 405

Micah 6:8
Genesis 11:1-9
Matthew 6:7-8
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

While some urge us to write clearly, using only common, easy words, that advice is to be ignored today, as it is Big Word Day.
Today, let us resolve not merely to eschew obfuscation, but rather to elucidate our audience through the employing of a surfeit of sesquipedalian words and oblique, though never obscuring, constructions. Our eleemosynary aim ought to be to elucidate and delight while assigning to any pedestrian locution its due floccinaucinihilipilification.

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

But Is It Art? - 20 April 2021 - Plague Journal Day 404

Micah 6:8
Exodus 31:3-5
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Today is Joan Miró's birthday, he was born on 20 April 1893 in Barcelona. His paintings are interesting stuff, I suppose, but I really much prefer Salvador Dalí, Piet Mondrian, or René Magritte.

 

Note that I totally resisted making this post a play on a 404 - Page Not Found error.
You're welcome.

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

Ingenious! - 19 April 2021 - Plague Journal Day 403

Micah 6:8
Proverbs 23:4-5
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

NASA have done it! They have successfully flown a helicopter (drone?) on another planet - in this case, Mars (or is it Barsoom? or Malacandra?).
Let's hope it doesn't need protection from any marauding Tharks!

Of course, it might be discovered by some seroni or pfifltriggi - that would be a much better outcome. How many hnau are there up there? Inquiring minds want to know! (Yes, I know that's not the same publication. Thanks for noticing.)

 

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

Worship - 18 April 2021 - Plague Journal Day 402

Micah 6:8
1 John 3:1-7
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

 

 

This is the third Sunday in Easter

When the COVID case levels settled down in Grosse Pointe, we resumed our in-person worship.
Yes, we still have in-person worship in the Sanctuary today. You need to have registered ahead of time to attend, and an email went out from the church with all the details!

For our 9:30 worship service we are back to Pastor Ray for the message, a duet for our offertory time, and a hymn for us to read along while Doug plays. (We're slowly getting back to real Methodist worship - we'll be singing together again one day!) Remember, we'll be streaming for all those who can't join us in person.

As usual, today's stream should just appear as the latest entry on our YouTube channel, here.
You'll find all our previous worship videos right there at that same place, and today's stream will stay there as a recording as well.

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264