Thinking of Gallagher - 04 December 2021 - Plague Journal Day 632

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

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

It looks like today is the day I actually hit the stores to do some real shopping. As easy as it is to buy things online, it seems to me that shopping at an actual store with actual people there is kind of an important thing to do.

If nothing else, I'm putting money into the local economy - even at a chain store, the employees are locals, right?

So it's off to fight Arnold for Turboman again (or whatever the impossible item might be this year). If anyone has a line on a Cabbage Patch Doll, we're still looking for one - thirty years and counting! (Just kidding, please tell me no one actually still has those things.)

At any rate - I've broken out the Christmas coffee mugs, the nativity scene, and the Advent wreath, and Santa is in the front window,

so we're well on our way to being in the Spirit. Ho Ho Ho! To Bethlehem! To Bethlehem!

Keep Calm and Don't 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.

Moustaches! - 03 December 2021 - Plague Journal Day 631

Micah 6:8
Luke 2:41-51
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

I may have mentioned this before. One of Heidi's absolute favourite authors is Agatha Christie. It was exciting on one of our visits to Devon to happen across some historical markers related to Dame Agatha's life and work, as well as to see "The Mousetrap" in London a few times. As I recall, the first time I was in London - way back in 1975 - The Mousetrap was already billing itself as the world's longest-running play. Well, it's still going lo these many years later.

Why do I bring this up today? I saw a notice that on this day in history, 03 December 1926, Novelist Dame Agatha Christie disappeared for eleven days. This is a period about which little to nothing is actually known, even to this day. Fairly recently there was a novel published about that period - positing a tale to explain those eleven days. I've not read it, but it's a great idea for a novel.

Then, I came across this Friday Fun Fact: Russia has eleven times zones.

Could this be mere coincidence? The medical rule of thumb is that it takes one day per time zone traversed to bring one's circadian rhythms into sync with the new locale. This is looking more and more suspicious, no?

Poirot? Where are you!?

Keep Calm and Don't 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'd Rather Do It Myself! - 02 December 2021 - Plague Journal Day 630

Micah 6:8
Psalm 2
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

On this day in history, 02 December 1804, Napoleon was crowned emperor of France at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. He was also crowned a bunch of other things - including King of Italy, and that took place using the Iron Crown of Lombardy, a relic that actually has a role in the novel I'm currently writing. Legend has it that the Iron Crown included a nail from the True Cross, and that's how it's tangentially related to my plot. When it's done, you'll all be welcome to read it for yourselves. Until then, I'm the only one enjoying the story. More's the pity.

I read a really interesting book that gave insight into Napoleon's rise to power and let me travel the same path that Beethoven had done, from admiring Napoleon to thinking he was a conceited, egotistical jerk - a once-great man. "Able was I ere I saw Elba," indeed. Jerk.


Keep Calm and Don't 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.

To Bethlehem! To Bethlehem! - 01 December 2021 - Plague Journal Day 629

Micah 6:8
Luke 2:1-7
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

This is the First of December. That means it's time for Advent Calendars to start swinging open in homes across Christendom.
My tradition (I was going to say my new tradition until I realized how long I've been doing this) is to read "The Christmas Mystery" by Jostein Gaarder. It's a really fun book with a short chapter for each day of December from 1 to 25 following the story discovered by Joachim in the 'magic advent calendar' he discovers in a bookshop.

I've been reading this book each December since we received it as a gift in 2007 - hence my hesitation to call it a new tradition: I've been reading this book every Advent for over twenty years now.

At any rate, if you've not read this book, I would recommend that you get it and start. The chapters are short enough that you can catch up when the book arrives, or get the Kindle version and start right in!

Have a very Happy Advent. Get yourself ready - He's coming!

Keep Calm and Don't 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.

Full Fathom Six? - 30 November 2021 - Plague Journal Day 628

Micah 6:8
Exodus 2:1-10  Mark 1:4-5
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Sure, I could tell you that today is National Mason Jar Day (it is), and be all excited about it. After all, Mason jars are pretty great. Heck, a knock-off version was so popular it got a University in Indiana named after it (with an even niftier snide nickname - Fruit Jar Tech!). Yes, I could tell you about that, but then I'd miss the best thing about today.

On 30 November1835 Mark Twain, the celebrated American author, was born.

It's bizarre and distressing that another generation of Americans will likely be barred from reading some of his writings. Apparently it's impossible to understand that words are used now in ways that they weren't in the past. This might explain some of the confusion among folks who only read archaic translations of Holy Scripture. There are even words that are used now to mean the opposite of what they did in the time of King James. For example, when we hear that someone let someone else go or do something, we understand "allow" as the meaning of let. Back at that time, ambassadors were supposed to be allowed to come and go "without let nor hindrance" from the courts to which they were sent. "Let" meant to hinder - just as has been preserved in the tennis notion of a let ball - one that was hindered by the net.

At any rate, today we here at the Grand Teuton Blog celebrate the birthday of Mark Twain!
In an amazing stroke of coïncidence, that's the exact same day and year that saw the birth of Samuel Clemens, the celebrated American author. How cool is that?!


Keep Calm and Don't 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.

Paging Mr. Ziegfeld - 29 November 2021 - Plague Journal Day 627

Micah 6:8
Proverbs 26:11
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

I heard some music this morning that greatly improved my opinion of Antonio Salieri (even if he did murder Mozart!). It was his set of variations on La Folia, and it showed just how much imagination he had, and how much mastery of orchestration and composition. I was very favourably impressed.

"What is La Folia?" I hear you ask. Check this Wikipedia page for some background. Quickly, though, it's a chord progression and melody that seems to be the oldest composition we have in Western classical music. Who is the composer? The fabulously fecund Anon, I'm afraid.

Still, it's a piece that really does ask for variations, and I have a suggestion. I'd love to see John  Williams create a set of variations in the styles of many of the film scores he's created - Jaws, Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harry Potter, E.T., maybe even going back to television for Lost in Space.

Someone please help me to get this idea to Mr. Williams - I would love to hear this!

#PagingJohnWilliams

Keep Calm and Don't 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 - 28 November 2021 - Plague Journal Day 626

Micah 6:8
Luke 21: 25-36
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one? 

 

For our 9:30 AM worship service we will have the Chancel Choir at offertory time, three(!) hymns for congregational singing, and a guest preacher (yours truly). Remember, we'll be streaming for all those who can't join us in person, and intend to continue that practice indefinitely. Still, know that we miss seeing you in person - please come join in corporate prayer, praise, and worship as soon as you feel ready.

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 Don't 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