All you need is Affirmation

I know John Lennon wrote "All You Need is Love," and that some equate love with affirmation, but I have a different opinion.  Love isn't necessarily affirmation.  People who hate, and wish you evil, may still respect you, and give you affirmation.  You don't have to love someone to affirm the fact that they're doing a good job.

This conclusion was the result of a friend's slap down, this morning.  She noticed a discrepancy in a memo.  The dates were off.  She went to her supervisor about it and he more or less just shrugged it off with a "not my job."  And he referred her to his boss.  His boss, instead of thanking her for noticing the mistake, and allowing him to rectify the situation, slapped her down by saying that it was no big deal.  So what if people show up for a dinner and it's a day off?

I felt sorry for my friend.  Instead of affirmation, she was given disrespect.  She was given the impression that she was stupid for noticing a mistake.   It's her fault for paying attention to details.

What does it cost us to give everyone affirmation?  Nothing!  My friend should have been given a simple "thank you, for calling this to my attention."

Come to think of it, isn't affirmation something we all are looking for?  I know psychologists would say that we're all looking for love, but I don't need or want everybody's love.  But I do want everybody's affirmation that I do good work. 

Bargaining with God

Remember when Abraham bargained with God?  Genesis 18: 20-32  God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, and Abraham asked the Lord to spare them for the sake of fifty innocent people.  I guess there weren't fifty innocent because Abraham got Him to accept ten innocent people.  Well, I was thinking of different kinds of praying and realized that bargaining with God, is a legitimate prayer.  I don't recommend it because you may get what you bargained for, besides God's sense of humour seems to be at our expense.!

As a child, I used to bargain with God.  When I was in the fifth grade, I bargained with God to win a softball game.  We tied.  The promise was to pray every night, every single prayer I knew.

Since that worked, not exactly, but that's God's sense of humor, I felt that I still obligated to keep my part of the deal.  So for quite a while, (and it was a burden) I prayed every single prayer I knew.

In the seventh grade, I was in another softball game, and I really, really, wanted to win.  And I made the same bargain.  And I knew a few more prayers--long ones!  Salve Regina, the Apostle's Creed, The Confiteor, and thank God, I didn't promise a Rosary.

We tied.  Again.  You would have thought I had learned my lesson, the first time.

I dutifully, prayed every single prayer I knew, every single night.  It was a terrible burden.  I hated it, but I did it.  I'd cry while praying, but I promised and a promise is a promise.

Finally, I talked to a priest about it, and he said I could stop.  Truthfully, I forget what the priest said, except for the important fact that I wasn't obligated to continue.

Besides, God cheated.  He knew I wanted to win, not tie.  Sometimes, God yanks our chain.

Script Kiddie

Michael F. Stewart and Mac Doninri (Don) L. Dimanlig are the author and artist, respectively, of the Assured Destruction Series.  Michael F. Stewart is not afraid to experiment and combine the written story with stylized modern graphics, technology, and social media.  The Assured Destsruction series is published by Non Sequitur Press.

In Stewart’s first Assured Destruction the reader was introduced to the major character, Janus Rose.   Since Janus’ dad deserted the family, Janus and her mom have taken on the computer recycling business.  To complicate matters, Janus’ mom has multiple sclerosis.  The prognosis isn't good.  And this is how Janus’ life is—complicated. 

This second novel in the series, Script Kiddie, adds more drama to Janus’ life.  Assured Destruction is in danger of being foreclosed.  Janus’ friend runs into trouble with online dating.  As usual, school marks are precarious.  Janus’ boyfriend is running out of patience.  Mom’s boyfriend is suspicious.  The police have Janus doing community service.  Teen age stress is complicated even more by the online hacking community. 

An interesting concept is that Janus has a few alter egos.  She has set up old computers with names and personalities, and interacts with them.  They’re Gumps, Frannie, Heckleena, Tule, and more.  Not only do they help Janus think through her options by getting her to focus, these on-line characters help us, the reader, to explanations, and character motivation.

NB my favorite quotes:

If life’s a stage, then you should be in the audience, Heckleena tweets.

@Heckleena For some reason the director keeps shoving me out for more, JanusFlyTrap replies.

Heckleena is one of my many alter egos, which allow me to say what I want without inciting direct hatred. JanusFlyTrap is the real me.

                                                              ##

Shadows have lengthened and the sun shines into my eyes through the windows. The hair on

the back of my neck does a little dance.  It’s nearly closing time and despite the thrill of adventure a new hard drive always sends through me, I’d rather not profile a killer in the dark.

                                                                 ##

I don’t understand the half of it, but I want to, oh how I want to. And I will. It’s like

cracking the binding on a dusty old spell book and reading arcane language promising to augment your powers, create wards of protection, and destroy your enemies.

                                                                 ##

First Prize: I will bow to your feet, sing your praises,

and be otherwise suitably impressed. But you’ll never have all that, because this code is

impossible to crack.

NB these related sites:

Author Michael F. Stewart http://michaelfstewart.com/    http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2969126.Michael_F_Stewart         http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17696977-script-kiddie

How about taking a chance on a raffle to win a $ 25 gift certificate from Amazon, or a free ebook of Assured Destruction, Script Kiddie  ?

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Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

It's Sunday and it's time for highlighting this week's posts in Sunday Snippets--a Catholic Carnival.  RAn from This That and the Other Thing hosts this weekly event.  Every Sunday we group of Catholic bloggers bunch our posts together and put them on RAn's blog.

I posted quite a bit this week, even a book review.  I write book reviews for Tribute Books, and this time I was asked to review Ghostly Summons by John A. Karr.  I was happy to do this because I would never have picked this book out to read because it's a paranormal mystery, which isn't my cup of tea.  However, I had to read it to do the review.  Surprisingly, I liked it.  It may not be my usual fare, but it held my interest.  I couldn't tell "who done it."

It's easy to see how the idea for the book can easily be made into sequels.  The main character is compelled to solve crimes by apparitions.  The victims appear to him.  He can't get rid of them until he solves the crime.

The other, and by no means less important at all, I'd like to call your attention to the novena to St. Dominic.  His feast day is August 8, so the novena should have been started on July 31st. But better late than never.

What a Waste

The Gospel today related the beheading of John the Baptist.  (Matt. 14: 1-12)  Fr. Kevin said “What a waste that John’s life was cut so short over something so frivolous.”  Father continued that John went to heaven and where do you think Herodias et al, went?  Those of this world will never understand why religious give up their secular life to become a monk, a nun, etc. 

This life is not forever.  All is passing; only God abides.  

*  Picture from Wikipedia Common License Images.  This picture is by Caravaggio.

The Chalice Veil

A few years ago, one of my conservative parish priests requested a chalice veil.  The intent of a chalice veil is to show honor to a sacred vessel.  The chalice will hold the precious blood of Jesus.  Before Vatican II, a chalice veil covered both the paten and chalice.  The paten is a plate that will hold the body of Jesus.  The paten was  placed over the chalice, and then a covering (chalice veil) would be draped over both of them.  The veil was the same color as the priest's vestments.

My friend, Helena, made two chalice veils for father.  They were reversible, so all four of the colors were available to match the priest's vestments.

Over time, they were lost.  I know because I tore the sacristy apart looking for them.  Both the upstairs, and the downstairs one.  I wanted one now because Fr. Nic, my chapter's spiritual advisor, requested one.  You see, the chapel we use is non-denominational.  There's no tabernacle.  The tabernacle is in the Catholic Chaplin's office.  The office is down two flights of stairs, way over on the opposite side of the building.  Hence, Fr. Nic thought it would be nice to honor Jesus by showing a little respect, when He was carried to the chapel.

Helena to the rescue, again.  Praise God.  She made one to fit over just our chalice.  There's no paten on top.  There is a chalice lid with a cross on the top.

How do you like it?

Vanity of Vanities

How should I read, " Here is one who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and skill, and yet to another who has not labored over it, he must leave property."?  Should the tone show outrage?  After all someone is profiting from my hard work, when he doesn't deserve it.

Maybe I should just do the reading, matter of fact.  Read in a dogmatic style.  This is the way it is!

Part of me wants to complain during the entire Reading.  That comes natural to me, anyway.  But I can't be vain reading about vanity, can I?

What about half and half?  I'll complain to "...he must leave property."  After that, I'll be dogmatic with a note of optimism.  There is a Gospel that I'm leading into.

I have some praying to do.