We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
"Be not affrighted. Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him." Mark 16:6
Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia! Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!
Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia! Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia! Lo! the Sun's eclipse is over, Alleluia! Lo! He sets in blood no more, Alleluia!
Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia! Christ hath burst the gates of hell, Alleluia! Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia! Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia! Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia! Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!
Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia! Following our exalted Head, Alleluia! Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia! Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
The wonderful tune which brings back every Easter in one's life, and a few tears, too. Composer? Unknown. Words by Charles Wesley, 1739. The verses were written for the opening of the Wesleyan Chapel in London, in an old foundry. Hence the term Foundry Collection of hymns.
The rest of Wesley's verses of the song are on the continuation page, below.
We have the whole crew here this year, sadly without Popop who died a couple of weeks ago. Mrs. BD is busy picking out his funeral music. Yes, it will be an RC Funeral Mass.
Thanks to God, life goes on and Easter is a magical day, a feast day in Christianity.
I'm grilling 2 marinated butterflied legs of lamb - might be more than 16 people need especially including the littles. I have 4 1/2 grandkids and 4 step-grandkids.
Mrs. BD is making 2 traditional Rice Pies. I made some mint sauce. Everybody else has to bring sides.
I think we'll watch the NYC St. Patrick's Easter Mass live on the machine in the morning, cuz too much to do to get to our church. Yes, we Protestants do love an RC Mass and I do like Cardinal Dolan. Same narrative.
Easter blessings to all, regardless of views on existence and its mysteries.
Had we stood in that crowd that day, it is a forgone conclusion that we would have been part of the sneering mob, ushering him to eternal doom.
He who knew no sin, took ours on to Him, and became the sacrifice for us that each of us deserved.
Good Friday may be a day of celebration for you. But not for me. It is a day of conviction, meditation, remembrance, and sorrow.
Sorrow that a God who never had to, sent His only son, to suffer everything I have always deserved.
The realization of this is the beginning of gratitude. But on Good Friday there was nothing to be grateful of for sure. Only some vague promise that He might return.
On Good Friday, the only hope we had dared to believe in was dead. Evil had won, mockers had succeeded, traitors were enriched, and the enemy of everything good declared victory.
On Good Friday even God the Father turned his back.
It was the smell, not just of death, but of abandonment, hopelessness, emptiness, and defeat. It was all encompassing, it was suffocating.
On THAT Friday there was nothing good...nothing good for anyone.
On Good Friday hell rained down everything it could on Him, and fortunate for us, He was strong enough to take it!
28After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29When he had come near Bethpage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30saying, Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, Why are you untying it? just say this, The Lord needs it.
32So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, Why are you untying the colt? 34They said, The Lord needs it. 35Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38saying, Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven! 39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, Teacher, order your disciples to stop. 40He answered, I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.
I do have some updates, but I have been busy. Short update(s). First, my personal close family arrived yesterday. Sister and her family (husband and children) from Vienna, Austria in arrivement. My father and his wife also arrived. My mother and my sister (who cares for her at age 88) arrived. My brother and his wife also arrived. All of this time spending and tiring, but essential with some more opportunities but with a less likelihood for complete original involvement of this kind likely again soon.
I also have a new teach announced for in 3 weeks as a potential which was unknown, sudden, and possible starting after April's first week. I have been doing calls and set ups for that as well as preparation for an early MRI and completing chemo and radiology, while taking an in-laws family trip this weekend shortly.
There other stories I will expand on a future day (Monday or Tuesday) but the key point are two fold. One is a larger natural public completion I will present to High School children after I speak with two of my pastors and possibly a local Rabbi of a friend. Another is using that as a larger presentation for more options possibly in video and/or public revolutions after it is seen on Maggie's Farm.
The second fold is this attached story - a great shortage resolution of the value of Reservoir Dogs by Quentin Tarantino. While I have found many very good Tarantino films, Reservoir Dogs has been, since its release, as one of the greatest of its kinds. I have loved it only slightly less than Pulpy Fiction. Tarantino had several good films, but these were his two best overall in my view. My son did a wonderful set up and arranging a discussion about Reservoir Dogs and made it very much worth reading - I recommend it today and will follow up later with more. Enjoy this, I was overwhelmed by his knowledge as quite excellent.
One side note. If you have not seen The Conversation, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS ASAP as the 50th anniversary this year. With Cazale in it, the film was largely ignored in the US in 1974 for poor reasoning by criticals. It is, by far, a great film overlooked back then. It was Cazale's poorest US film, its only wealth winning a Cannes 1974 Palme d'Or. It also won or was nominated for various Academy Awards, BAFTA and Golden Globes, in addition to MANY others. It starred surprisingly great actors. Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Teri Garr, Cindy Williams, Harrison Ford, and Robert Duvall put together an AMAZING story with top level management and story making. Phenomenal and widely overlooked until only now. My other son, upon my call after watching it, surprised me shockingly by admitting the very day before he'd seen a local Manhattan Film offer for The Conversation's 50th Anniversary and he took it in and was overwhelmed by its great production for 1974. I laughed and agreed deeply with him. I highly recommend this if you have time, too.
John Donne (1571-1631) had an interesting life. Besides being an erotic poet and a metaphysical poet, he was Dean of St. Paul's and an admired preacher.
To His Mistress Going to Bed
Come, Madam, come, all rest my powers defy, Until I labour, I in labour lie. The foe oft-times having the foe in sight, Is tir’d with standing though he never fight. Off with that girdle, like heaven’s Zone glistering, But a far fairer world encompassing. Unpin that spangled breastplate which you wear, That th’eyes of busy fools may be stopped there.
Unlace yourself, for that harmonious chime, Tells me from you, that now it is bed time. Off with that happy busk, which I envy, That still can be, and still can stand so nigh. Your gown going off, such beauteous state reveals, As when from flowery meads th’hill’s shadow steals.
Off with that wiry Coronet and shew The hairy Diadem which on you doth grow: Now off with those shoes, and then safely tread In this love’s hallow’d temple, this soft bed.
In such white robes, heaven’s Angels used to be Received by men; Thou Angel bringst with thee A heaven like Mahomet’s Paradise; and though Ill spirits walk in white, we easily know, By this these Angels from an evil sprite, Those set our hairs, but these our flesh upright.
Licence my roving hands, and let them go, Before, behind, between, above, below. O my America! my new-found-land, My kingdom, safeliest when with one man mann’d, My Mine of precious stones, My Empirie, How blest am I in this discovering thee!
To enter in these bonds, is to be free; Then where my hand is set, my seal shall be. Full nakedness! All joys are due to thee, As souls unbodied, bodies uncloth’d must be, To taste whole joys. Gems which you women use Are like Atlanta’s balls, cast in men’s views, That when a fool’s eye lighteth on a Gem, His earthly soul may covet theirs, not them.
Like pictures, or like books’ gay coverings made For lay-men, are all women thus array’d; Themselves are mystic books, which only we (Whom their imputed grace will dignify) Must see reveal’d. Then since that I may know; As liberally, as to a Midwife, shew Thy self: cast all, yea, this white linen hence, There is no penance due to innocence.
To teach thee, I am naked first; why then What needst thou have more covering than a man.
I'll write more about news or information later this week. It's been a bit busy for me. Will explain more information and updates.
But some fun is starting and I'm more interested in who you're rooting for in March Madness. My team favorite (Syracuse) did not make it, some difficult losses meant no offer and they passed on even attending NIT. Probably better. NIT is not much of a gain for anyone lately. I disagree, but some people take that view. Long ago NIT was more important than NCAA tournament, but seems after 1960 or so, NCAA overwhelmed NIT.
At any rate, I'm of the view this year that Purdue has the best option to win. They fell short the last 2 years despite a better team. I've seen this before, and in the past teams that pull 2 year stunts of that nature but still reach a high level in the NCAA third, they'll push for a long chance and probably win. Virginia was probably the most recent option like this several years ago. It's my view Purdue can do this. Big 10 is, typically a lousy NCAA option. This may be their best chance and Big 10 is long overdue. The closest you could get is Maryland of 2002 - but Maryland is Big 10 now and was ACC back then, so that DOES NOT count. Which means 2000 with Michigan State is the last truly Big 10 victory. 5 others have made the final - Michigan (twice), Michigan State, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Ohio State - but all of these lost the victory. Big 10 has not shown value. It is my view Purdue is the one to pull that off. Big 10 is long overdue.
But that's just my view. Share yours if you're interested. Would love to hear options and beliefs regarding the outcome.
We have the whole crew here this year, sadly without Popop who died a couple of weeks ago. Mrs. BD is busy picking out his funeral music. Yes, it will be an RC Funeral Mass.
AVID HUME’S 
A quote 
Why do we do things that are bad for us? 
John Donne (1571-1631) 
Is wearing a necktie
It's J.S. Bach's birthday