tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98731562011-12-14T22:06:21.537-05:00The manic mind of the minister - Auntie Mame Meets Cotton Mather. Blogging about Unitarian Universalism, UU Chrisitan spiritual practice, occasional cultural and political ravings, and the inner life of ministry. PeaceBang is the alter ego of a small town pastor serving an historic New England Unitarian Universalist congregation. Visit me also at http://www.beautytipsforministers.blogspot.comPeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.comBlogger11951100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-36907356522645956062008-03-13T19:35:00.001-04:002008-03-13T19:35:16.798-04:00

20080307ho_1pettigrew_500 Originally uploaded by Peacebang let's test his first

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-81361514927880915022007-05-06T18:04:00.000-04:002007-05-06T18:09:04.384-04:00

PeaceBang is now being hosted by WordPress, and you can join us there at www.peacebang.com.I owe a world of thanks to ChaliceChick for making a Christmas gift of my new domain names -- something about which I was entirely clueless.And I owe a galaxy of thanks to BoyInTheBands for shepherding me through the entire transfer process, for designing the new site, for working with me via e-mail from 11

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-75273817038325688892007-05-05T15:16:00.000-04:002007-05-05T15:17:34.385-04:00

HERE!

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-46333030000055791822007-05-02T14:07:00.000-04:002007-05-02T16:15:28.135-04:00

Hi everyone,We are in the process of designing www.PeaceBang.com, and it's up and ready to roll, thank to the marvelous Scott Wells.PeaceBangers can start setting bookmarks over there, and I'll be learning all the new tricks of posting over the next few weeks.I have a wicked busy month, so it may be a light blogging month. Then again, maybe I'll need the outlet!Good day, and see you over at

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-44248987398155177132007-05-01T08:29:00.000-04:002007-05-01T08:30:29.650-04:00

Hi everyone,PeaceBang the Blog is in FLUX.With the help of my dear friend BoyInTheBands, we are moving to WordPress.My learning curve on this stuff is as steep as it gets, so bear with me.

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-33965003814548068912007-04-29T20:39:00.001-04:002007-04-29T20:43:48.303-04:00

Hey everyone,I deleted the last post because I can't get into blogger regularly and it's making me ANXIOUS (haha, the irony!), so I deleted. The conversation was way too deep and important not to be able to respond to, but thanks for joining me for the short time it was up.I'm going to chill until I can move this blog outta Blogger.Ciao, and love.

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-24672523626469516152007-04-29T07:44:00.000-04:002007-04-29T07:46:19.447-04:00

Right ON, Ms. Palfrey!!Why should you be punished and impoverished for your "sins" while the Washington moralists and hypocrites sit smugly in their offices, confident in the knowledge that you're just a woman and can't touch them?If she has to go down, let her take her entire clientele down with her. Brava, I say.

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-41896175971518579132007-04-28T08:57:00.000-04:002007-04-28T09:03:58.456-04:00

So I'm watching the Yankees-Red Sox game last night when really, I should be working on my sermon, and I'm thinking hey, how come we don't have a preacher's bullpen we can go to when we're at the seventh inning of the church year?This could be a great job for talented retirees. It could be like, "Weinstein has given twenty-five decent sermons this year but her arm is obviously giving out -- she's

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-51832704793329417022007-04-27T17:47:00.001-04:002007-04-27T17:59:24.893-04:00

There is something so truly sweet about this.You're going to love the very cinematic fade-outs, and I think you'll agree with me that this cat plays some music that's better than some of the bad jazz you've heard in piano bars in your lifetime.I'm loving this little gray girl. She is a serious hep cat.Don't watch it anywhere where you can't laugh out loud, and scream with joy, and go "BWOH!"

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-81070314114358358002007-04-26T21:25:00.000-04:002007-04-26T21:32:55.700-04:00

I went for a walk today and listened to Lena Horne sing, "That's What Miracles Are All About" several times in a row.For three minutes and fifty-eight seconds of pure bliss, you can get it from i-Tunes for .99."The very factthere's you and me,that's what miracles are all about."I can't tell you how much the entire album, "Lena Horne: The Lady And Her Music" has meant to me since I first heard it

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-11708051105387395292007-04-25T21:48:00.001-04:002007-04-25T21:48:33.165-04:00

Ermengarde Earns Her Keep Originally uploaded by Peacebang. I came home today and Erm, who has been very squirrelly in the bedroom lately, had THIS to show me.

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-22783328873481365982007-04-25T11:00:00.000-04:002007-04-25T11:01:14.591-04:00

So... who wants to organize the great Blogger's Dinner at GA in Portland this year?(I did it last year)

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-62141646209122658702007-04-23T10:54:00.000-04:002007-04-23T11:05:01.557-04:00

Just having endured Don Imus' dismissal of talented young female athletes as "nappy-headed hos," I was particularly depressed by Alec Baldwin's rant against his 11-year old daughter in which he called her a "thoughtless little pig."It all seems of one piece to me. I was talking with my sister yesterday about a friend of ours whose husband is controlling, insulting and hyper-critical. Our friend

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-48399520875434469062007-04-22T19:26:00.001-04:002007-04-23T11:06:23.240-04:00

Spring NYC 2007 064Originally uploaded by Peacebang. Those gray things sticking out of the wall behind me are crystals!

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-83019407466560502932007-04-22T19:11:00.001-04:002007-04-22T19:16:02.166-04:00

Spring NYC 2007 040Originally uploaded by Peacebang. When I am really sapped, I find it really healing to empty my mind and fill my eyes with color and beauty and diversity. New York City is one of my favorite places in the world to do this, so I spent all day yesterday in the city. What a glorious day.I fell in love with this 5-floor store, ABC Carpet and Home (such a prosaic name for such a

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-44995391037901109592007-04-22T19:03:00.001-04:002007-04-23T11:10:35.592-04:00

Spring NYC 2007 043Originally uploaded by Peacebang. Union Square in New York City was all abloom with flower stalls and produce stands.It was almost miraculous to finally be out in the sunshine.Here are some hydrangeas. I wanted you to see the bigger size, it's just an explosion of color:http://farm1.static.flickr.com/169/469069465_004eb81cf5.jpgAmazing to get such vibrant colors from my little

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-62800329405279486902007-04-19T16:05:00.001-04:002007-04-19T16:05:03.435-04:00

The Sanctity of the Classroom Originally uploaded by Peacebang. I remember when Chris, a tall, shy, arrogant, pimply blonde high school junior in my creative writing class, submitted obscenity-filled blood-fests in lieu of assignments.In each case, I told him his work was garbage and insisted that he re-write the paper.He came to see me after class one day, red in the face and coldy

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-86759392524745308412007-04-19T08:31:00.000-04:002007-04-19T08:37:01.992-04:00

I watched "American Idol" on Tuesday night and, um, Melinda was the only one who didn't have serious pitch and tonality problems.What happened this season?That kid Sanjaya was atrociously bad. What was the deal there?The kid who sang badly and then tried to redeem himself by giving a shout-out to his friends at Virginia Tech (Chris?) had terrible tonality issues, and was "pitchy."Jordin Sparks

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-51879122392310886832007-04-18T13:42:00.001-04:002007-04-18T13:54:29.009-04:00

This editorial by Jeff Jacobs appearedin today's Boston Globe:http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/04/18/why_we_need_religion/Have at it, gang.I appreciate that for once, a conservative writer admits that atheists can still be good and moral people (THANKya, Jesus), and I really--especially lately -- appreciate his point that the philanthropic spirit is not as

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-20496052263066111002007-04-15T20:56:00.001-04:002007-04-15T21:04:47.492-04:00

Joel Monka wrote a very provocative post here:http://cuumbaya.blogspot.com/2007/04/working-class-unitarians.htmlreferencing another article by Doug Muder that was like a punch in the stomach, but a really loving and good punch that let's you see the stars while you're lying on your back getting your breath back:http://freeandresponsible.blogspot.com/2007/04/unitarian-universalism-and-working.html

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-40823994529615967722007-04-15T19:11:00.001-04:002007-04-15T19:11:11.987-04:00

Still Waters Originally uploaded by Peacebang. I knew something was wrong, or off, yesterday when I sang almost an entire concert from somewhere not quite in my body. Every third or fourth song, I would look into the audience and really connect, but most of the time I was smiling and energetic but on some deep level I just wasn't home.Partly it is this time of year. I go into reveries and

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-7482516339678627522007-04-14T12:07:00.001-04:002007-04-14T12:07:23.499-04:00

blogger picnic Originally uploaded by Peacebang. Philocrites asked a few weeks ago if we all wanted to plan a Boston Area Blogger's Picnic.We are welcome again at First Parish in Milton, and maybe if we pick a good date, it won't POUR RAIN THIS YEAR!!Does May 19th work for you?

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-77997402296691237082007-04-13T13:30:00.001-04:002007-04-13T13:30:25.750-04:00

Sweet the Sound Concert Tomorrow! Originally uploaded by Peacebang. Sweet the Sound will have a concert tomorrow, April 14, at 3pm at the First United Methodist Church in Melrose, MA.The church is at 645 Main StreetThis probably concludes PeaceBang's blogging until such time as she has many hours to devote to the problem of signing into Blogger. She has cleared her cache, chosen new

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-52971811169366553292007-04-12T21:55:00.000-04:002007-04-12T21:59:31.721-04:00

I'm glad he got fired.I am depressed, however, reading the comments on MSNBC.com, which I have to believe represent the Average American.There's the usual trite comments about "free speech" and "double standards," the expected vitriol against Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, the brilliant analyses about how this is "all about money," and lots of folks saying Imus went too far but he shouldn't have

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-13029880252194784412007-04-12T21:24:00.000-04:002007-04-12T21:32:14.096-04:00

I spent most of Monday curled up with this marvelous novel about America, about incestuous love, about sexual identity, about family secrets, about growing up and getting pounded into manhood or womanhood by culture and self and the deep desires of mama and papa.After years of slogging through pointless, derivative novels, it was a joy to read something so thoroughly engaging, original and

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-56773384595089508902007-04-12T13:46:00.001-04:002007-04-12T21:24:21.512-04:00

Love You, Mr. VonnegutOriginally uploaded by Peacebang. I'm going to manage to say that I love Kurt Vonnegut without feeling the necessity to mention his Unitarian connections.Because they don't matter.His literature and his essays and lectures do matter.I adore/d his genius mind, and his work has greatly enriched my life.Rock on, Mr. V. Your works go before you.This poignant image was on his

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-55540767418189465342007-04-12T10:36:00.000-04:002007-04-12T10:57:02.651-04:00

One of my guilty pleasures is reading celebrity gossip blogs, but lately I've reached my disgust limit with them and I don't think I'll be going back again.The thing is, although the sites are often quite funny, they can also be incredibly vile -- and they give really ignorant, decidedly unfunny people a forum for contributing extraordinarily hateful comments about the various celebrities --

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-88467163044964131482007-04-12T10:26:00.000-04:002007-04-12T10:27:17.944-04:00

Hey PeaceBangers,I haven't been able to post due to technical difficulties, and it's killing me! Because as you can imagine, I have a few things to say about Imus.But until I can figure out why Blogger won't let me post from home, ta for now.

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-22542754217744726552007-04-09T10:41:00.000-04:002007-04-09T10:43:26.434-04:00

This essay of mine appears in the anthology, Christian Voices in Unitarian Universalism. I'm glad to be able to share it with you today as the front page article in this week's UU World online magazine:http://www.uuworld.org/spirit/articles/22324.shtml

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-8782876570992754602007-04-08T13:53:00.001-04:002007-04-08T13:53:09.691-04:00

Buddy Jesus Originally uploaded by Peacebang. Happy Easter!

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-16860198559206839132007-04-07T09:42:00.000-04:002007-04-07T09:48:32.670-04:00

I'm not quite sure what Jesus was doing today the year he was crucified. I believe one of the things orthodox tradition has him doing is harrowing hell and freeing all the souls, very Rambo the Redeemer. Maybe Mel Gibson will make a movie. But look, I found this great passage in "The Gospel of Nicodemus Acts of Pilate and Christ's descent into Hell" in Wilhelm Schneemelcher, ed., New Testament

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-58181477441731670652007-04-06T17:03:00.000-04:002007-04-06T17:13:37.492-04:00

I'm standing crammed in with dozens of other greater Boston-area citizens on the train from Downtown Crossing to Braintree.As we pull into the JFK-UMass station, this exceedingly nerdy-looking kid, probably 20 or so years old, blonde, cute, nice sideburns, opens his phone and dials."Hello, grampy? It's me. I'm at JFK-UMass... yeah. I'm at JFK-UMass! .... I'm at the JFK-UMass station. . . . I'm on

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-52129290354615768932007-04-06T09:41:00.000-04:002007-04-06T09:42:56.623-04:00

Friends,I will be preaching part of the Good Friday service today at the Paulist Center on Beacon Hill, right up Park Street from the T stop.The service starts at noon and goes for about 2 hours. I am preaching the last homily.Blessings to all,PB

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-80470381483148836952007-04-05T18:39:00.000-04:002007-04-05T19:30:52.710-04:00

I saw an ad just now in the new Christian Century (p. 61) that chafed at me. It seems to me lately that ministry-oriented ads are either totally bizarr-o (like the recent Meadville Lombard fiasco that looked like a reject from the "Close Encounters Of the Third Kind" ad campaign) or saccharinely precious, and forgive me for saying it, overtly feminized, if not exactly feminine.The ad is for SOAR,

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-60755973525492101832007-04-05T08:38:00.000-04:002007-04-05T08:46:03.450-04:00

Living in an old parsonage in the kind-of-rural suburbs has many charms. One of these charms is the Annual March of the Ants which usually begins about now, and which involves hundreds of ants marching determinedly through my kitchen giving me a huge case of the skeeves and my cat a huge source of crunchy protein.You've heard, I gather, of my encounter with the three drowned mice in the olive

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-35754748423716498422007-04-03T15:57:00.001-04:002007-04-03T16:13:03.269-04:00

will-blinkingOriginally uploaded by Peacebang. Just in case you were having the kind of day where a photo of a dog doing cute things might make you unaccountably happy, let me be of assistance:http://www.spiritofchange.org/articles.php?id=226

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-35029080636943641812007-04-02T12:56:00.000-04:002007-04-02T13:30:01.119-04:00

I really wanted to love Mira Nair's new film"The Namesake," because Jhumpa Lahiri is one of my favorite authors and I wanted to get lost in this beautiful story.It was a mostly lovelyand moving film. The first half, focusing on the arranged marriage between Ashoke (Irrfan Khan) and Ashima (Tabu), was lyrical and memorable.The second half of the film felt jarringly wrong on several levels,

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-25996634840259500522007-03-31T11:32:00.000-04:002007-03-31T12:08:22.587-04:00

Someone I simply loved died last weekend of cancer.I say I "simply" loved her because it was simple. I loved her the first moment I saw her come to church on her husband's arm. I had an immediate reaction in my heart, kind of a shy recognition of real beauty, the way you feel as a little girl when you see a woman who strikes awe in your heart because she's just so pretty, she is the most

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-10972893047207988602007-03-30T08:15:00.000-04:002007-03-30T08:59:16.997-04:00

Great article in the NY Times, "It's Not You, It's Your Apartment."http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/29/garden/29breakers.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5087%0A&em&en=8fe5465208e08c14&ex=1175313600I can't TELL you how many times I have dated someone I thought was a decent guy and been totally grossed out by his living standards.Some questions I have asked myself on dates over the past 20 or so years:>

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-76206699150379034962007-03-29T17:24:00.000-04:002007-03-29T17:32:45.962-04:00

Thirty letters between star-crossed hotties Marlene Dietrich and Ernest Hemingway are being released by the JFK Library today and I, for one, can't wait to read them. They include beauts like this, written from him to her on June 19, 1950:"What do you really want to do for a life work?Break everybody's heart for a dime? You could always break mine for a nickel and I'd bring the nickel."When I

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-79514072355046856552007-03-28T21:32:00.000-04:002007-03-28T21:44:18.964-04:00

An intestinal infection of some kind hit me on Sunday and I really haven't been able to tolerate solid foods since then. I've had the odd bagel, I've had a few sticks of pretzels, I had three chocolate chip cookies today (what a risk!), and on Monday I remember having some soup and crackers.Nothing digests. I'm like that cartoon car they showed you in elementary school when they were trying to

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-30204986863604047462007-03-27T22:51:00.000-04:002007-03-27T22:52:47.541-04:00

I was just sending my Music Director an e-mail listing hymns for an upcoming memorial service and I wrote "'Tis a Gift To Be Single" by mistake.Heh heh.

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-64264126584063468242007-03-26T21:24:00.000-04:002007-03-26T21:35:04.919-04:00

On Sunday I gave an unexpectedly intense sermon on the commandment "thou shalt not kill," and chose a truly unsingable hymn for the closing hymn. Big mistake; bigger than usual. Because of a very sad loss we had announced earlier in Joys and Concerns, and because the sermon itself mentioned the loss and went on to be emotionally rougher in the delivery than it had sounded inside my head, there

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-27466852060207780912007-03-26T21:17:00.001-04:002007-03-26T21:17:30.958-04:00

Erm Originally uploaded by Peacebang. She's sneezing and stuffy again. I can hear her snoring a bit when she dozes.I'm worried, and I have her back on prednisone.

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-14722787912046595652007-03-26T20:47:00.001-04:002007-03-26T20:47:48.566-04:00

I am preaching this coming Sunday on Jesus as a Trickster figure, and as Holy Fool.Does anyone have favorite readings on the subject?Thanks for helps. Kiss of peace.

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-81474663349418802372007-03-26T19:04:00.000-04:002007-03-27T15:36:59.707-04:00

One of the nice things about being confined to bed is that you get to actually read uninterrupted.I was taken down a nasty stealth flu bug on Sunday afternoon -- one of those bugs that comes on like the character Cato in the Pink Panther movies, where you walk through the door with your bag and coat and it jumps out from behind the couch going HI-YAH!So I finished Elizabeth Gilbert's

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-26476410222436875012007-03-24T09:56:00.000-04:002007-03-24T10:39:37.522-04:00

Here's a great article in Slate (thanks, Chris) that articulates some of my squicky feelings about the narcissistic yoga culture that's been oozing out of control among American spiritual seekers over the past few years...http://www.slate.com/id/2162283/pagenum/all/I'd love to be able to do yoga. I've tried many times, and my too-short limbs and meatball-shaped body have resulted in failed

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-4125364391176415052007-03-23T21:28:00.000-04:002007-03-23T21:32:34.541-04:00

Maybe it's just because there's been a lot of suffering in my church this week, but I laffed and laffed at this PG version of the "300" trailer, the original of which I found startlingly violent:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNqiSkd1M6k&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ewtfsrsly%2Ecom%2FWho knew that Sparta could be so hot? It's been the #1 flick for weeks, I think. Which means that I have a pretty good

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-16320006194401043512007-03-23T17:20:00.000-04:002007-03-23T17:26:41.808-04:00

...someone wrote it to say, "I'm sorry, but you look like Betty Butterfield,"and having investigated the matter, I have to say that I DO!(PB and BB= Separated at Birth)I can totally be Betty Butterfield for Halloween, so thank you to whoever it was that wrote in anonymously to tell me about my rat-haired red-headed doppelganger out in cyberspace... I had never heard of "her" 'til today:http://

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-11809895204647576952007-03-21T19:24:00.000-04:002007-03-21T20:27:32.567-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4Ek8JCRAxA

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-76779960305241563292007-03-20T16:41:00.000-04:002007-03-20T16:43:32.005-04:00

Yo!Christian peeps in the Fairfield County area, this is for you.An old college buddy with a lovely wife and two kids and a great sense of humor, loads of creative talent and a liberal sensibility is looking for a church home.I don't think they're sect-specific so much as ISO a loving and vital congregation.Write in if you can hook my boo up.Love,PeaceBang, all lamely hip-hop for some reason

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-2575770620047419862007-03-19T20:15:00.000-04:002007-03-19T20:21:39.355-04:00

MotherBang and SisterBang and I saw "Grey Gardens" on Broadway last week and loved it, but now I can't stop talking like Edie Beale.Here's the legendary Christine Ebersole doing a number at the Drama Desk Awards,http://www.entertainment-link.com/broadway/musicals/grey-gardens.asp?gclid=CM38-_WHgosCFQhDUAodiWtAHgWe saw her marvelous understudy, Maureen Moore, and were all freely weeping at the end

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-41694833075324535062007-03-19T17:38:00.000-04:002007-03-19T17:47:35.322-04:00

This morning I decided to take a whole day of Sabbath, where I would actually do no work at all.It's 5:40 pm now and I am doing pretty well at it.I did do some dishes but I have refrained from putting away the laundry or cleaning up my desk or answering any church e-mail.I have been reading, and lazing, and sleeping. I have been staring out the window and thinking. I have been petting the cat.

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-35261268706211783092007-03-18T15:09:00.000-04:002007-03-18T18:13:35.917-04:00

It had to have been seven or eight years ago, when I was the minister of a UU church in Maryland. I did a lot of weddings back then: our congregation didn't have a building of its own, so I got a lot of cold calls out of the book from people wanting to get married at home, or at country clubs, or at mansions-for-rent, or at beautiful little inns. I have all their names in my book of records,

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-625950026271818452007-03-17T22:27:00.000-04:002007-03-17T22:32:03.580-04:00

The annual banjo festival is here again and I can't believe that I can really actually play the BANJO. Last year when I went, I could only watch in stupidly grinning admiration as these guys, the coolest ever, strummed away:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdm9u9Nc0tkThey sound a million times better in person. The video sound is all wangly.This year I will bring my own BANJO to the festival and

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-44095705242352969032007-03-17T10:32:00.000-04:002007-03-17T19:53:52.743-04:00

I got to see my "Nightline" segment again last night with the Search Committee who brought me to my congregation in 2002. We have a reunion dinner every year and this was our fifth anniversary, which none of us can quite believe.One of them brought over a DVD produced by her husband, who took all the promo spots and edited them together with the 3-minute segment. We watched it over appetizers and

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-20209833087805228642007-03-16T17:00:00.000-04:002007-03-16T17:06:13.741-04:00

I am just about to prepare a chicken recipe for a dinner party this evening, which is why this article is making me laugh in a particularly wicked way:http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/16/opinion/16shaw.html?th&emc=thYa gotta love a guy who defends the presence of RATS in restaurants.As far as my own kitchen safety at home goes, honey, I'm about to put on some disposable surgical gloves and get that

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-17252955683519977982007-03-11T23:38:00.000-04:002007-03-15T22:25:59.892-04:00

In the past week I've seen Scorcese's celebrated film "The Departed" and David Fincher's just-released serial killer crime drama "Zodiac.""The Departed" was entertaining, but I'm so sorry Scorcese didn't win the Oscar for "Goodfellas," which is by far a superior film. I don't know what to say about "The Departed." Jack Nicholson works hard for his paycheck, Matt Damon is typically earnest and

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-83052012283609273842007-03-09T18:49:00.000-05:002007-03-09T18:50:30.991-05:00

Scott lovingly wails on me here:http://boyinthebands.com/archives/the-healthy-sustainable-diet/And it's great, because he totally knows what he's talking about.::::stomp, stomp, stomp, SLAM::::Just kiddin'. I'm going to make some tofu and veggie buffalo wings (really) and to watch "The Departed."

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-57487022166600826102007-03-08T06:51:00.000-05:002007-03-08T07:21:22.337-05:00

I tried to go to sleep early last night, but I thought it very possible that my segment would air on "Nightline" so I gave up around 11:00 and turned the light back on.I saw immediately that I wouldn't be on, as they were featuring some scandal about Rick Warren called "The Purpose-Driven STRIFE" (cue ominous music).This story gave me such a bad fit of the giggles I almost threw out my back.

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-26332804576261921012007-03-06T17:12:00.000-05:002007-03-06T18:01:49.597-05:00

I'm just wondering this honestly, and with no sense of judgment (quelle surprise!), but honestly, as middle and upper-class Americans are running around trying to eat organic everything and grass-fed beef (if they eat beef) and full-moon harvested herbs and drinking biodynamic wine, isn't it true that most of the people in our country are still eating mostly crap?Shouldn't we be working on

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-38228201621621876662007-03-04T07:34:00.000-05:002007-03-04T07:38:02.543-05:00

Reverend Mother http://reverendmom.blogspot.com/ is blogging about a lot of the things I would be blogging about here if I wasn't trying to take a hiatus for Lent.And I don't mean the recent post about my beauty tips blog, I mean the entries about "The Secret" (a pop spirituality phenomenon that seems to me to be recycled Shakti Gawain), the theological underpinnings of UU memorial services, and

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-82678959855628544422007-02-27T09:16:00.000-05:002007-02-27T09:22:47.444-05:00

This strikes me as a particularly Lenten scandal:http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2007/02/27/cherished_music_wasnt_hers/It's not about money, it's not about sex.It's about the deep human desire for beauty and transcendence through art.It's about the mystery of creative talent and the sin of trying to steal someone else's when you feel you haven't got enough of your own.It's about

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-70260589509911591542007-02-26T13:03:00.000-05:002007-02-26T13:06:10.944-05:00

Remember when Adrien Brody won the Oscar for Best Actor a few years ago for "The Piano?" And when he got to the stage he grabbed presenter Halle Berry and swept her into this amazingly inappropriate back-breaking, long kiss? When Jennifer Hudson won last night for Best Supporting Actress, I thought it would have been great if she had done the same thing to presenter George Clooney. That would

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-52190410591920389622007-02-24T08:34:00.001-05:002007-02-24T08:34:48.257-05:00

Well, bless their hearts. http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2007/02/24/theyre_dancing_in_the_street/

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-26049778788687615392007-02-21T08:49:00.000-05:002007-02-21T08:52:16.896-05:00

Hola, amigos,Given all the attention that Beauty Tips For Ministers is getting these days, I will be taking a little break from this blog.If anything totally inspiring comes to mind, I'll be sure to share it.I'm off to church for a midday service to get smeared on the forehead and reminded that I'm mortal but that I get to spend my eternity with God.It's one of my favorite holy days.Peace.Bang.

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1171801009192326532007-02-18T07:07:00.000-05:002007-02-20T11:45:06.573-05:00

I suppose once you've made the cover of the Sunday paper as a blogger, your anonymity is pretty much totally over:http://www.boston.com/yourlife/fashion/articles/2007/02/18/preaching_fashion/Now, I know that the vast majority of you who read this blog know who I am.That's fine and that has always been fine.Since I began this blog well over two years ago, I have always been happy to tell any

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1171756603219598322007-02-17T18:50:00.000-05:002007-02-20T08:04:22.246-05:00

You must realize that I have a personal affection for Psalm 118 that comes from the fact that my church choir sang its lyrics at my candidating Sunday and again at my Installation.This is the day the LORD hath madeLet us rejoice and be glad!!So I was perhaps more deflated than usual to read of one Unitarian Universalist minister's translation of the psalm as,This is the day we are given,let us

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1171727628055932502007-02-17T10:50:00.000-05:002007-02-19T15:47:35.176-05:00

As someone who freezes in terror whenever a microphone or camera is pointed at her, I am beside myself with admiration over this interview on a local cable channel featuring Unitarian Universalist minister, the Rev. Parisa Parsa:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmT9eRyZUzMShe speaks comfortably and with great poise and intelligence about ministry and about Unitarian Universalism.Seminarians, watch

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1171677868807778212007-02-16T21:02:00.000-05:002007-02-19T00:21:36.353-05:00

dords snowOriginally uploaded by Peacebang. And in the interest of inter-species harmony and fairness, I must add a Friday Dog Blog to the mix.This is my nephew, Gordon, who lives with SisterBang in Connecticut.This photo makes me cry. It's the tenderest thing I ever saw. Our beloved old gentleman with his white face against the white snow.Dogs are the most special beings.

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1171677808285632982007-02-16T21:01:00.000-05:002007-02-16T21:05:56.996-05:00

AnnieOriginally uploaded by Peacebang. This isn't my cat, but it's a very adorable cat. PeaceBangers, meet Annie. She was apparently on her way outside but never made it, choosing to crash by the warm stove instead.She's no dummy! Have you SEEN it out there? All kinds of ice! She has to have The Warm Paws!

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1171464101047986032007-02-14T07:39:00.000-05:002007-02-14T17:22:45.370-05:00

Folks, there have been some more bloggers weighing in on the James Luther Adam quote that was the focus of this month's Carnival.Here, Earthbound Spirit muses about the accusation of atheism being thrown at all kinds of reformers and infidels through the ages:http://earthbound-spirit.blogspot.com/2007/02/uu-carnival-is-atheism-non-belief.htmlThe original conversation is here:http://

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1171405826233993292007-02-13T17:23:00.000-05:002007-02-15T12:51:26.743-05:00

Here's an article from the Boston Globe suggesting that napping in the afternoon may be beneficial to heart health:http://tinyurl.com/2dkllrBut speaking of heart health (!), what really infuriates me is that once again, we don't know if the results apply to women because so few women were included in the study.Heart disease kills far, far more women every year than breast and skin cancer combined

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1171373881875558182007-02-13T08:35:00.000-05:002007-02-13T09:09:12.843-05:00

You know how you send out e-mails to people with several points about pastoral news and/or committee work? And then someone sends you back your e-mail with their own replies in bold or in another color font?I just got one this morning and where I signed, "In faith, hope and love," he had added in blue font, "Totally," as his own sign-off.It's going to keep me grinning all day. Good old "totally."

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1171040913074754522007-02-09T12:06:00.000-05:002007-02-18T04:24:45.153-05:00

Wesley Morris writes this about Eddie Murphy's latest fat-woman-bashing flick, "Norbit:"http://tinyurl.com/2tg4xlIt's funny, it's effective. Right on, Wesley. Thanks from over here.I did see Mo'nique's fat-girl-finds-romance film "Phat Girlz" and found it to be embarrassingly bad but also guiltily refreshing. Mo'nique's take on the tale is that African men just love heavy women and will

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1171037563754633962007-02-09T11:10:00.000-05:002007-02-20T11:52:52.593-05:00

Since I'm planning to preach soon on the integrity of atheism, I was tickled to see that the UU Carnival topic this month was prophetic atheism, based on some remarks made by our great theologian, James Luther Adams:http://uucarnival.wordpress.com/2007/02/05/seventh-uu-carnival-topic-atheist-prophets/We'd love it if you submitted your take on the subject.Here, Ms. Kitty takes us through the

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1171033438352460262007-02-09T06:58:00.000-05:002007-02-09T11:05:51.086-05:00

I'm supposed to be working on a sermon on communal grief and the cost of repressing it, but I can't stop thinking about Peter Jackson's "King Kong" starring Naomi Watts, Jack Black and Adrien Brody. It was on HBO last night and although I had intended to go to bed early, I wound up watching the whole thing until 11pm.Some of you may recall that I originally inquired about the meaning of "KK" here

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170976698580643202007-02-08T18:15:00.000-05:002007-02-09T12:05:09.033-05:00

ANNA NICOLE SMITH IS DEAD. You hadn't HEARD, right? Because you don't follow celebrity gossip like PeaceBang does, and you were watching the SERIOUS news all day, where they didn't mention it.(sarcastic cough)I have to admit that when I heard the news I definitely had an emotional reaction. Which is strange, but just a testament to how effective the whole Rupert Murdoch We Own Your Brain

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170906169910686932007-02-07T22:21:00.000-05:002007-02-13T22:09:52.116-05:00

On February 8, 1997, I went before the Ministerial Fellowship Committee with fear and trembling for the interview that would determine whether or not I would welcomed into the ministerial fellowship by my colleagues.I had been through a terrible breakup with a thoroughly odious human being that winter and was walking around all wounded and weepy until about mid-January when my mother said to me,

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170861317375625072007-02-07T08:11:00.000-05:002007-02-13T13:07:48.136-05:00

Just skimming the headlines I could barely finish reading this on the death of 4 year old Rebecca Riley, who lived very near to me:http://tinyurl.com/2z2xmsHow do you diagnose a TWO AND A HALF YEAR OLD as having attention deficit disorder?? Or bi-polar disorder? Isn't being squirrelly and difficult the job description for a two year old? Isn't that we call them the Terrible Twos? This kid never

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170859958342258222007-02-07T06:45:00.000-05:002007-02-07T20:55:35.050-05:00

As you will recall from this post,http://peacebang.blogspot.com/2005/07/i-used-to-love-jane-siberry.htmland this one,http://peacebang.blogspot.com/2007/02/call-me-issa.htmlI purchased a sweet little silver ring in France several years ago that just happened to have the same spiral symbol on it that showed up as the motif in Jane Siberry's Philadelphia concert I attended days after my return from

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170798281019032042007-02-06T16:43:00.000-05:002007-02-07T15:55:21.563-05:00

Remember a year or so ago, when it seemed incomprehensible that we would consider war with Iran? And now, some neo-cons are making noise like it's a fait accompli?A friend sent me this:http://www.lucasgray.com/video/peacetrain.html

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170728769526624642007-02-05T21:23:00.000-05:002007-02-07T12:42:43.410-05:00

I would like to report to all of you that I have officially upgraded my status on the BANJO from"Simply Atrocious With No Hope" to "Still Really Bad But There's Hope."Now I'm going to practice!

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170722231389846642007-02-05T19:10:00.000-05:002007-02-06T12:30:34.846-05:00

Reading the Christian Century today, I found myself caught and held by the words of Fred Craddock. Here is the item from their Centurymarks column:MORALITY TALEWhen asked to reflect on why pastors like Ted Haggard fall morally, preaching guru Fred Craddock said that it stems from the fact that many pastors never learn to deal with favorable attention. 'Never at home or in seminary did anyone

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170720587024868272007-02-05T19:09:00.000-05:002007-02-06T11:34:51.996-05:00

Does anyone have experience with this Bible study curriculum?A Methodist pastor friend is using it and likes it a lot. http://www.thewiredword.com/I would welcome your thoughts and comments.

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170688179337187952007-02-05T10:08:00.000-05:002007-02-05T21:47:45.746-05:00

Notes On A Scandal Originally uploaded by Peacebang. Miguelito and I went to see "Notes On A Scandal" last night and found it howling good fun.It was far more "Whatever Happened To Baby Jane" meets "Fatal Attraction" than I expected, but the performances by Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett are a delight, and the score by Philip Glass keeps your adrenaline rushing.This is very high pedigree

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170628257499128872007-02-04T17:25:00.000-05:002007-02-07T17:23:08.016-05:00

As long-time readers of this blog may remember, I was mightily miffed when, several years back, I attended a Jane Siberry concert and noticed that the visual motif of her concert tour was the exact same symbol I was wearing on a ring on my finger. I had just purchased the ring in France, and when I spoke to Jane after the concert, I made her a gift of the ring. She said to me, in a very

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170619483719125402007-02-04T15:00:00.000-05:002007-02-04T15:04:44.666-05:00

I know it's sexist of me to say this, and I shouldn't even notice it, but I happen to get a huge kick out of the fact that when we have a big church dinner or luncheon, it's more often than not a team of men in the kitchen.They even wear aprons. And when it's not men in the Lead Cook position, they're always in there helping. Often in those aprons.It kills me.So last night we had this very

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170559006445709152007-02-03T22:15:00.000-05:002007-02-03T22:16:46.650-05:00

Pirate Cat Originally uploaded by Peacebang. Just when I thought Ermengarde was doing so well, I noticed a few days ago that she seemed to be squinting her right eye a bit. The squinting was pretty bad today, and the eye is a bit teary. So I come home tonight from a lovely church event and she's like a little pirate cat, "aaargh, matey!" Looks like the white is pink on that side. I got

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170450577698085212007-02-03T01:10:00.000-05:002007-02-07T14:01:28.196-05:00

This year's UU Blog Awards were very dramatic and exciting! Thanks UU Updater, for getting the party started!View the results here: http://uupdates.net/uublogawards/winners/2007I'm VERY sorry that I didn't nominate anyone, and I'm glad others didn't slack off the way I did.Thanks to whoever nominated me. I don't really know what the categories all mean (what "class" am I "best" of?), but this was

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170451912534661602007-02-02T16:31:00.000-05:002007-02-02T19:20:01.683-05:00

I just learned that Molly Ivins died at 62.This obit will make you laugh out loud. What a great writer. She will be sorely missed by this reader:http://tinyurl.com/2at8s3My favorite tidbit:“There are two kinds of humor,” she told People magazine. One was the kind “that makes us chuckle about our foibles and our shared humanity,” she said. “The other kind holds people up to public contempt and

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170370484749381352007-02-01T17:53:00.000-05:002007-02-02T16:32:42.230-05:00

Sweet GirlOriginally uploaded by Peacebang. It looks like this little sweetie is going to be okay. Her lungs are still cloudy but much, much better.She's going to stay on prednisone for the forseeable future.Thank you so much for being lovely and supportive during the entire crisis. The doctors made such dire predictions early on that I think I was needlessly traumatized.I could look at that face

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170340837913224792007-02-01T09:39:00.000-05:002007-02-01T18:14:22.076-05:00

winged victoryOriginally uploaded by Peacebang. OOh, so close!As I said the other day,"I'm up for Best Religious Writing, Best Anecdote or Narrative, Best UU Themed Blog, Best Minister's Blog and something else."You can vote here:http://uupdates.net/uublogawards/Thanks for your support. You're warming ye cockles of my heart.

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170338007236049902007-02-01T08:51:00.000-05:002007-02-06T16:23:37.590-05:00

Oh Lordy.Yesterday I heard on the news that there were "suspicious devices" found all over Boston. I got nervous. I forgot about it. Today, I learned all about it:http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/01/us/01boston.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=sloginSeems that a clever viral campaign for the Cartoon Network was to blame.We were terrorized by modified Lite Brites. Welcome to the new millennium.

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170300123949873282007-01-31T22:04:00.000-05:002007-02-01T23:00:40.946-05:00

It was a crisp, sunny day today and I thought for the millionth time that if I'm going to make it through to April without resembling and feeling like a mobile piece of fungus, I need to get out in the fresh air and take walks.Except this: I kind of have a walk phobia.Seriously, you say. PeaceBang, that is too neurotic even for you.It's true, though. I don't know what it comes from, but it takes

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170279900858438842007-01-31T16:37:00.000-05:002007-02-01T13:30:50.893-05:00

Alert Unitarian Universalists who like to try to observe every major holiday might want to know that Feb. 3rd is Tu B'Shevat, or "Jewish Arbor Day." It might be tough to incorporate it into the same weekend you've already got your pagan group doing Imbolc and your Christian group doing Candlemas (which I'm not sure is official, and I must admit that I don't know what it is), and then there's

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170116434536720382007-01-29T19:17:00.000-05:002007-01-29T19:29:13.356-05:00

Gee, folks, thanks to whoever it was that nominated this blog for all those awards!I'm up for Best Religious Writing, Best Anecdote or Narrative, Best UU Themed Blog, Best Minister's Blog and something else. You can vote here:http://uupdates.net/uublogawards/If I win Best Religious Writing (which would be particularly meaningful to me, I must admit), do you think I can raise my fees? ;-)If you

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170015779938632292007-01-28T15:21:00.000-05:002007-01-28T15:25:52.520-05:00

When we first arrived in Antigua, we stayed at Palacio de Dona Beatriz at the outskirts of town. Lovely place with a great concierge named Rudy.I saw that they offered an hour massage for $35 -- who could resist? -- so I ordered one up.Jorge showed up right on time and set up his massage table in the chapel next to our room:He had no sheet to cover me with. Imagine the flurry of flustered

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1170005999797964272007-01-28T12:23:00.000-05:002007-02-03T15:38:03.173-05:00

Most people, when they go on an exciting trip, will focus on the great stories and minimize any mishaps. Me, I like to maximize the mishaps because, let's face it, they're often more interesting and dramatic than the usual "wow-it-was-beautiful" stuff. So indulge me, if you will, my stream-of-consciousness narrative of my last few days in Guatemala. And then, I promise you, I'll tell more happy

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9873156.post-1169434036839655122007-01-21T21:44:00.000-05:002007-01-21T21:47:16.970-05:00

Hola, PeaceBangers!I attended church today in Santiago de Atitlan in the Guatemalan highlands. Very, very emotional. From what I understood, the priest preached on the body of Christ. There were tons of people of all ages and the music was sung and chanted mostly by children's choir and guitar. Heavenly music.I'm in the restaurant of our very lovely accomodations and don't have time to blog,

PeaceBanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11431551457505981195noreply@blogger.com0