RIP Mike McGrady – aka one-part Penelope Ashe.
“It came after a night of reading ‘Valley of the Dolls,’ ” he later told Newsweek, “which I couldn’t put down because I was asleep.”
JOB
She thought she could be a martyr….
April 29, 2012 by at 2:50 am
Anonymous, c. 1500
The 29th of April is, when not displaced by Sunday, the feast-day of Saint Catherine of Siena, the great Dominican tertiary.
The wonderful Maria Lectrix has read and recorded Catherine’s dialogue with God the Father — starting here.
Also edifying: Wikimedia Commons’ gallery of Catherine-of-Siena-related pictures, including this painting of a Carmelite/Dominican/Franciscan triple threat, and some intense images of Catherine’s exchange of hearts with Our Lord.
Project Gutenberg has her Letters in multiple formats for free. The translator and editor of that volume, Vida Scudder, prefaces one of Catherine’s letters to Blessed Raimondo of Capua thus:
With all her longing to suffer for her faith, Catherine was only once, so far as we know, exposed to physical violence. This was on the occasion of which she is here speaking. She is still in Florence, faithful under the new Pope as under the old to her efforts to bring about the passionately desired peace. In a tumult in the disordered city, it came to pass that her life was threatened, and she took refuge with her “famiglia,” in a garden without the walls. Hither her enemies pursued her, but as they drew near, fell back of a sudden, awestruck, as she herself here tells us, by her words and bearing. The danger was averted, and Catherine had met one of the disappointments of her life.*
*Footnote: As she herself expresses it, “The Eternal Bridegroom played a great joke on me.”
Between Heaven (?) and Mirth (?)
April 26, 2012 by at 1:15 am
Surely there must be a power which always arranges things to happen in the most humiliating circumstances. When I was a boy I had faith in the Christian God. Life under His shadow was a very serious affair; I saw Him incarnated in every tragedy. He belonged to the lacrimae rerum like a gigantic figure looming through a Scottish mist. Now that I approached the end of life it was only my sense of humour that enabled me sometimes to believe in Him.
Graham Greene, The Comedians
Today in Porn: Grandma Wants to Watch a Nice Movie from Netflix Edition
April 24, 2012 by at 12:57 am
Mr Potter, take notes for your next poetry slam.
“The Rabbi of Chelm” takes Prairie Du Chien by storm!
April 16, 2012 by at 10:22 am
Critics are raving about the new hit play from the 4H “Nifty Neighbors” Creative Consortium which can be seen in it’s entirety here.
Written by JOB, yes, but more importantly, made a reality because Mrs. JOB courageously assumed the directorial duties – giving the lie to the idea that women only have to be BEHIND men of great deeds – sometimes they’re well out in front doing the most excellent work. “Sweet fragile creatures,” indeed!
And many many hands to help behind the scenes too – thanks to you all!
(With apologies for the poor sound quality, I simultaneously doff a big ten-gallon Stetson to Paul and Liz Bransky for having the wherewithal to record it in the first place (my day job prevented me from attending the one-day opening/closing performance, alas!))
Also, if you actually want to follow along, the complete script can be found here.
It’s Time to Fix the Bill of Rights
March 4, 2012 by at 4:58 pm
From the YouTube Music Video Archives: From the Indies to the Andes in his Undies
January 15, 2012 by at 10:21 pm
While trying to get the lowdown on Fair Use laws, I came across this old gem from the Hoosier Hot Shots. As is typical of the music videos genre, there’s a fair amount of debauchery in this epic of Otto Zilch. So consider yourself warned.
From the Indies to the Andes, What a mission! / Stopping only now and then to do some fishin’ / And he went without a copyright permission / Was a very daring thing to do
“When You Feel Shame, Get Your Shit Together”
November 30, 2011 by at 11:35 am
“It’s as old as the bible”. Go to 2nd Samuel, or, if you have nine minutes and thirty-four seconds, have a listen. Warning: Adult Content
Today in Casanova.
November 29, 2011 by at 5:54 pm
Just everything about this article. But maybe especially this, from a fellow recalling his being presented with the manuscript:
“I was completely ignorant of the existence of this manuscript,” Mr. Racine said in an interview. “It had never been put on display. But there was no doubt it was authentic. It was an unforgettable moment. It was almost as if we were in front of a religious relic.”
The Girls of Summer (For Webb)