It was the night of the Superbowl. As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t really care about football, but I don’t mind if anybody else does. Adrienne had another one of her Middle School Colds and I was sick as usual, so we watched a livestream liturgy instead of going to Mass before the kickoff and then she went to watch the game by herself. I did some writing with one tab open to Twitter, as usual. There were two... Read more
This week we had two major political news stories: one about Joe Biden and the other about Donald Trump. The first story is that three Circuit Court judges ruled that former president Trump does not have immunity on his felony charges for attempts to overthrow the federal election in 2020 and 2021. The trial could go ahead this Spring, barring further delays– which will no doubt happen, as Trump will surely appeal to the Supreme Court. The second news... Read more
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark: A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. He said to him, “See that you tell no one anything,... Read more
I’ve been exhausted lately. My seasonal depression and anxiety are the lowest they’ve ever been in a February, but it’s still February. I still can’t get to sleep before three or perhaps five, and I still don’t have much energy or creativity. Due to climate change or the El Nino or something or other, there’s been no snow since my trip to the waterfall. I liked the snow better than the irritating gray void. Snow makes things look clean. I’ve... Read more
Hi folks, There’ll be a real post worth your time up before long. This is just my monthly post with all my notes about what I’m doing when I’m not on Patheos. First of all, I was honored to be at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette again this month, writing about politics. I would love it if everyone could read and share that and talk about how I’m the best political commentator since sliced bread became a political commentator, because it... Read more
I hope it’s not a surprise to you that Jesus is Jewish. Over the weekend, as I’ve already mentioned, I met a couple of nasty Traditionalist Catholic internet trolls. I didn’t mention before that one of them was a pretty severe antisemite, and in the course of insulting me for being middle-aged he also was spouting crass antisemitic conspiracy theories. He even claimed that in doing so, He was defending the honor of Jesus and His mom. It made me... Read more
Over the weekend I tussled with a Catholic traditionalist troll. This happened on Twitter/X, of course. I have the app open all day while I’m writing in a tab, which is how I got famous for constantly doomscrolling there. He was male, the kind of traditionalist troll who says “based” all the time. I think he was originally offended because I said that exorcists are con artists, and after what I’ve been through I don’t apologize for that belief.... Read more
This time, I KNOW what’s wrong with Serendipity. My long suffering Nissan started limping again when I ran over one of the locally famous potholes at the Walmart. Pulling into a parking lot and turning her off and on again several times fixed it; I drove all around town to see what would happen and the problem didn’t recur. I almost decided to pretend it had never happened, but on second thought I drove her to the parts store... Read more
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark: On leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered... Read more
They are performing baptisms, or ceremonies that look like them, at the “Take Our Border Back” convoy rally down in Texas. The videos came across my social media: a white woman in a red T-shirt with an American flag printed on it, sits in a shiny new horse trough holding her nose. A man I presume is a minister in a black cowboy hat mutters a prayer over her while another man shouts invocations loudly; she gets dunked, and comes... Read more
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