This may be funnier to those of you from Western Mass....
The Episcopal Church publishes a biennial clergy directory. In some circles, I've heard it called The Stud Book because it lists parents, children, spouses (current and former!), etc. It also lists former positions.
As most of you know, I spent twelve years managing The World Eye Bookshop - the world's second best job - an independent bookstore in Greenfield, MA.
Today, I received the form toupdate my listing in the directory. It's filled with bits of trivia (like my father's middle name). And, it lists my former employment as Manager of The World from 1991 - 2003. OK. That's pretty cool. But, I'm feeling a bit like a slacker. You'd think I could have done something about poverty, AIDS, sexism, homophobia, or at least poison ivy while I was in charge, eh? It's been making me giggle for the last hour.
The language mishap reminds me of another more serious one. The headline in the Greenfield Recorder (our local paper) on January 8, 1996 created some confusion and fear. The headline, in about 40 point font read: Inferno Destroys World Eye. A fire on January 7, 1996 gutted our building; only our cat, a few metal shelves, and (miraculously) the computer's hard drive survived. We later learned that a woman visiting the area for the first time was thrown into momentary terror by the headline, fearing that some some cataclysmic event in space had imperiled the planet.
The store was named by its founder - who thought that books were your eye to the world around you - but the name has caused issues periodically. This latest one is the most amusing. I'm submitting my changes electronically so that I can keep the paper listing me as the manager of the world. It might come in handy sometime when I need to be excused from a nasty meeting or a parking ticket. (Don't I get some consideration here? I used to be the manager of the world!)
28 March 2007
17 March 2007
What I had to cut from my sermon
All across the diocese this weekend, congregations are joining together to pray for peace. We have added litanies for peace and special prayers of the people to our services. Many of us will use a Eucharistic prayer with a theme for peace. And, we divided up the names of all of the US servicemen and women who have died in Iraq, and each congregation will pray for about 150 of them by name.
All that is to say that I wrote what seemed like a great introduction to my sermon and then realized that with all the other stuff in the service, my sermon needs to be shorter, rather than longer. So, as I was quite pleased with my reflection, I wanted somebody to read it. Here goes:
There are certain events in this country's history that are iconic. These events have had such a profound impact on our national consciousness, that they are permanently burned into our collective memory.
I have yet to meet a person who was over the age of five when President Kennedy was shot who could not tell me precisely where he or she was when they heard the news of his assassination. Many can describe the days that followed his shooting, and what they did.
The same is true for the September 11th attacks. Nearly all of us can tell the story of where we were and what we were doing when the news of that terrible morning became known. I myself was in a meeting at the local Chamber of Commerce. One of the office staff came in, looking stricken, and turned on the television. We were all surprised, as we were working on a project. When Marian explained that a plane had struck one of the towers, we stopped to watch, and like many, saw the second plane hit. Shock. Fear. Tears. All work ceased, as we remained glued to the television. The whole day took on a strange character. The bookstore was crowded, but not with people who were shopping. Instead, people came in to talk.
There are two other moments that are also burned into my consciousness. This country has declared war twice in my adult lifetime. And in both cases, I had been hoping and praying that diplomacy would win out. The news of both Operation Desert Storm and the War in Iraq were bitter disappointments.
On January 16, 1991, I was in Sylvester's bar in Northampton, MA - having dinner with friends. The lively bar scene grew suddenly quiet as all TVs filled with the image of news commentators announcing that "the liberation of Kuwait has begun." I remember sitting in stunned silence. I remember shock, fear, and tears that night, as well.
In March 2003, I was at Virginia Theological Seminary, interviewing for admission. I was visiting with the one student I knew, when she suddenly burst into tears. The war in Iraq had begun, she told me. I was crushed. That evening, I joined members of the community in the chapel to pray.
Ironically, on Thursday in Ironwood, we were watching a video of the Archbishop of Canterbury, ++Rowan Williams; it was filmed in April of 2003. It might be premature, he told the audience, to talk of a great victory in Iraq, at this point. How right he proved to be, in this regard.
OK - must finish my sermon - the one I'm preaching in about 12 hours!
All that is to say that I wrote what seemed like a great introduction to my sermon and then realized that with all the other stuff in the service, my sermon needs to be shorter, rather than longer. So, as I was quite pleased with my reflection, I wanted somebody to read it. Here goes:
There are certain events in this country's history that are iconic. These events have had such a profound impact on our national consciousness, that they are permanently burned into our collective memory.
I have yet to meet a person who was over the age of five when President Kennedy was shot who could not tell me precisely where he or she was when they heard the news of his assassination. Many can describe the days that followed his shooting, and what they did.
The same is true for the September 11th attacks. Nearly all of us can tell the story of where we were and what we were doing when the news of that terrible morning became known. I myself was in a meeting at the local Chamber of Commerce. One of the office staff came in, looking stricken, and turned on the television. We were all surprised, as we were working on a project. When Marian explained that a plane had struck one of the towers, we stopped to watch, and like many, saw the second plane hit. Shock. Fear. Tears. All work ceased, as we remained glued to the television. The whole day took on a strange character. The bookstore was crowded, but not with people who were shopping. Instead, people came in to talk.
There are two other moments that are also burned into my consciousness. This country has declared war twice in my adult lifetime. And in both cases, I had been hoping and praying that diplomacy would win out. The news of both Operation Desert Storm and the War in Iraq were bitter disappointments.
On January 16, 1991, I was in Sylvester's bar in Northampton, MA - having dinner with friends. The lively bar scene grew suddenly quiet as all TVs filled with the image of news commentators announcing that "the liberation of Kuwait has begun." I remember sitting in stunned silence. I remember shock, fear, and tears that night, as well.
In March 2003, I was at Virginia Theological Seminary, interviewing for admission. I was visiting with the one student I knew, when she suddenly burst into tears. The war in Iraq had begun, she told me. I was crushed. That evening, I joined members of the community in the chapel to pray.
Ironically, on Thursday in Ironwood, we were watching a video of the Archbishop of Canterbury, ++Rowan Williams; it was filmed in April of 2003. It might be premature, he told the audience, to talk of a great victory in Iraq, at this point. How right he proved to be, in this regard.
OK - must finish my sermon - the one I'm preaching in about 12 hours!
13 March 2007
Could it be... Spring?
It's been downright balmy here in the UP over the last few days. It was, honest to God, 70 degrees today in Marquette. I walked around all day with no jacket on. Hooray!
Snow is melting, and small creatures are starting to appear. The bad news: I've killed two wee rodents - perhaps chipmunks - in the last few days, as they've been scampering about with abandon and not paying any attention to the big cars on the road!
I also saw another eagle, close up. It was eating something dead in the ditch, and flew up beside me as I drove past.
Last week, I learned to snow shoe, great fun. There was still plenty of snow, so we walked on the beach by my house for 2.5 hours. It was great. Both yesterday and today I've had brisk walks, enjoying the warmth and the sun.
The bad news is that it's supposed to be back to twenty, or so, by the morning. We'll see.
Snow is melting, and small creatures are starting to appear. The bad news: I've killed two wee rodents - perhaps chipmunks - in the last few days, as they've been scampering about with abandon and not paying any attention to the big cars on the road!
I also saw another eagle, close up. It was eating something dead in the ditch, and flew up beside me as I drove past.
Last week, I learned to snow shoe, great fun. There was still plenty of snow, so we walked on the beach by my house for 2.5 hours. It was great. Both yesterday and today I've had brisk walks, enjoying the warmth and the sun.
The bad news is that it's supposed to be back to twenty, or so, by the morning. We'll see.
07 March 2007
It must be quiz week!
Sue sent this quiz link along. Apparently my intelligence style is Interpersonal Intelligence. It's not as sexy as, say, artistic or kinesthetic, but I guess I must be in the right line of work, eh?
| Your Dominant Intelligence is Interpersonal Intelligence |
 You would make a good counselor, salesperson, politician, or business person. |
06 March 2007
Sermon for Lent 2
I meant to post this yesterday, but I thought that two new posts in one day was plenty. The fascinating part, for me, was that I preached this in Iron River - the most conservative congregation I work with. I didn't feel like I had too much choice about that - the word came, and I preached it.
After the service, the woman I'd heard was most conservative met me in the receiving line and said, "Thank you for your sermon. I really appreaciated it." My articulate response was, "Really?" And she said, "Yes, You've really opened my eyes to [and here she dropped her voice] gay people. I mean, I've never thought about [and here, she whispered, sort of like those older women who can't say cancer out loud] lesbians like that before." Now, friends, I confess that I wimped out. I didn't ask her in WHAT way. I decided that she'd already taken enough of a step.
So, here it is:
When I first read this morning's gospel, I was touched by the behavior of the Pharisees. It seemed to me that they were doing a nice thing. They were coming to Jesus, telling him that he was in danger, and that he should head out of town before harm came to him. It was a level of care and concern that I had not previously noticed from the Pharisees.
But, the more I thought about the passage, the more suspicious I grew of their good behaviour. After all, the Pharisees -- and there are a couple of notable exceptions -- were not a collection of people who seemed particularly concerned with Jesus or his well-being.... Unless, of course, it impacted them. Then, they were concerned, not for Jesus, but for their own safety and security.
So, what's really going on in this passage? Why does it appear in the lectionary during Lent? What does it say to us on our Lenten journey?
To give the Pharisees a little credit, they were in a tough spot. They were stuck between the temple and the Roman leaders. In this time of social upheaval and foreign invasion, they located the idea of salvation in getting their religious practices right. They were the ones who were concerned with the right practice of the Jewish religion and putting forward a proper appearance. Their strong motivator was to keep the Roman invaders off the backs of the Jewish faithful. So, their behaviour was not entirely selfish. But, in the passage that we hear this morning, it seems that these Pharisees, were not so much about trying to protect Jesus from Herod, as they were trying to protect the faith and the faithful from the volatile Roman invaders. Their motivator was to get this radical troublemaker Jesus the heck out of Dodge!
Remember, that from the beginning of his ministry, Jesus placed the needs and best interests of the poor, the hungry, the oppressed, the victimized, and the imprisoned at the forefront. Particularly in Luke's gospel, he talks repeatedly about overthrowing authority and finding justice for the poor. THAT kind of talk was treason to the Romans - which is why we find ourselves at the foot of the cross on Good Friday.
It's so easy to throw rocks at the Pharisees. to judge them for their bad behaviour. To join in the chorus of voices throughout the millennia that have criticized and belittled them.
It's much harder to realize that we are they. Hence, I believe, this story's appearance during Lent.
The situation we are facing in the church right now isn't quite the same as it was just over 2000 years ago. Christians (or even Episcopalians) are not a minority religion in an occupied country. We aren't trying to shut up Jesus in order to protect ourselves. Instead, I fear that we are running the risk of trying to quiet controversy in order to protect "the church."
Take the current issue of homosexuality that is causing so much grief and angst in the Anglican Communion. Those who believe that gay and lesbian people should not be ordained, have their relationships blessed, or even be welcomed to the table want gay people to go away. They want to limit who can be in leadership in the church and who may have their relationships blessed. The truth is that there have always been gay and lesbian people in the church, but when gay and lesbian Christians stayed closeted, were ashamed and afraid, and were not honest about who they were as full people of God, the church could ignore them.
It's the same on the other side of the argument. Those of us who believe that gay and lesbian people are full people of God, whose sexual orientation is not a bar to ordination, the blessing or relationships or being fed at the table, secretly wish that folks who speak out against the full inclusion of gay and lesbian people would go away.
We would prefer to quiet the likes of Peter Akinola (the Archbishop of Nigeria, who has led the international fight against inclusion of gay and lesbian people), Martin Mynns (the former rector of Truro Parish in Virginia, who has recently been consecrated bishop in the Nigerian church and now leads the Nigerian "mission" to save the Anglican church in the US) and many Southern Cone Anglicans. Can't these people see that this is an issue of justice and inclusion? Can't they see that Jesus loved all people? We'd prefer a church focused on justice and mission, not caught up in fighting about who does and doesn't belong.
I think that it's safe to say that no matter which side of this (or any) debate we might have in the church, we don't much like controversy. We would far rather just pretend to be nice and get along. And when someone does come along who makes us uncomfortable, who makes us look at things we'd rather not see – people like Gene Robinson OR Peter Akinola, we wish they'd be quiet, go away, and stop causing trouble.
Frankly, it doesn't matter what the source of controversy is. Christians disagree about all sorts of things: the war in Iraq, the death penalty, the best way to fight poverty, the place of women in the church, the role of government, you name it. But whatever the issue, our call as Christians is not to sit quietly and hope to avoid trouble or to try to silence those who disagree with us. Our call is to speak out. Which is not easy to do. It's scary and risky.
Jesus also told the people that he longed to gather all of the people together, like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. He doesn't long to gather the conservatives OR the gay people. He longs to gather everyone, together. And when that happens, then our divisions will cease.
Paul tells us, in his letter to the Philippians, that we are to imitate him – and to stand firm in the Lord. As we continue our journey through Lent, towards Holy Week and the cross, we are to look to Jesus, rather than the Pharisees as our example.
Jesus spoke the truth in love. With a few notable exceptions, Jesus did not rant or rave. He did not condemn people. He did not tell soldiers to stop being soldiers or prostitutes to stop being prostitutes. He ate with tax collectors and sinners. He allowed a woman of ill repute to anoint him with oil. He conversed with an woman of ill repute at the well and offered her "living water."
Jesus loved people for who and what they were. And when he did disagree with people, he generally did it with grace and gentleness. Jesus did not shy away from controversy and difficult situations. He did not worry about how others perceived him. He cared about justice and freedom and peace. And he spoke out clearly to get them.
Our call, this Lent - and every day - is to follow Jesus’ example with courage.
After the service, the woman I'd heard was most conservative met me in the receiving line and said, "Thank you for your sermon. I really appreaciated it." My articulate response was, "Really?" And she said, "Yes, You've really opened my eyes to [and here she dropped her voice] gay people. I mean, I've never thought about [and here, she whispered, sort of like those older women who can't say cancer out loud] lesbians like that before." Now, friends, I confess that I wimped out. I didn't ask her in WHAT way. I decided that she'd already taken enough of a step.
So, here it is:
When I first read this morning's gospel, I was touched by the behavior of the Pharisees. It seemed to me that they were doing a nice thing. They were coming to Jesus, telling him that he was in danger, and that he should head out of town before harm came to him. It was a level of care and concern that I had not previously noticed from the Pharisees.
But, the more I thought about the passage, the more suspicious I grew of their good behaviour. After all, the Pharisees -- and there are a couple of notable exceptions -- were not a collection of people who seemed particularly concerned with Jesus or his well-being.... Unless, of course, it impacted them. Then, they were concerned, not for Jesus, but for their own safety and security.
So, what's really going on in this passage? Why does it appear in the lectionary during Lent? What does it say to us on our Lenten journey?
To give the Pharisees a little credit, they were in a tough spot. They were stuck between the temple and the Roman leaders. In this time of social upheaval and foreign invasion, they located the idea of salvation in getting their religious practices right. They were the ones who were concerned with the right practice of the Jewish religion and putting forward a proper appearance. Their strong motivator was to keep the Roman invaders off the backs of the Jewish faithful. So, their behaviour was not entirely selfish. But, in the passage that we hear this morning, it seems that these Pharisees, were not so much about trying to protect Jesus from Herod, as they were trying to protect the faith and the faithful from the volatile Roman invaders. Their motivator was to get this radical troublemaker Jesus the heck out of Dodge!
Remember, that from the beginning of his ministry, Jesus placed the needs and best interests of the poor, the hungry, the oppressed, the victimized, and the imprisoned at the forefront. Particularly in Luke's gospel, he talks repeatedly about overthrowing authority and finding justice for the poor. THAT kind of talk was treason to the Romans - which is why we find ourselves at the foot of the cross on Good Friday.
It's so easy to throw rocks at the Pharisees. to judge them for their bad behaviour. To join in the chorus of voices throughout the millennia that have criticized and belittled them.
It's much harder to realize that we are they. Hence, I believe, this story's appearance during Lent.
The situation we are facing in the church right now isn't quite the same as it was just over 2000 years ago. Christians (or even Episcopalians) are not a minority religion in an occupied country. We aren't trying to shut up Jesus in order to protect ourselves. Instead, I fear that we are running the risk of trying to quiet controversy in order to protect "the church."
Take the current issue of homosexuality that is causing so much grief and angst in the Anglican Communion. Those who believe that gay and lesbian people should not be ordained, have their relationships blessed, or even be welcomed to the table want gay people to go away. They want to limit who can be in leadership in the church and who may have their relationships blessed. The truth is that there have always been gay and lesbian people in the church, but when gay and lesbian Christians stayed closeted, were ashamed and afraid, and were not honest about who they were as full people of God, the church could ignore them.
It's the same on the other side of the argument. Those of us who believe that gay and lesbian people are full people of God, whose sexual orientation is not a bar to ordination, the blessing or relationships or being fed at the table, secretly wish that folks who speak out against the full inclusion of gay and lesbian people would go away.
We would prefer to quiet the likes of Peter Akinola (the Archbishop of Nigeria, who has led the international fight against inclusion of gay and lesbian people), Martin Mynns (the former rector of Truro Parish in Virginia, who has recently been consecrated bishop in the Nigerian church and now leads the Nigerian "mission" to save the Anglican church in the US) and many Southern Cone Anglicans. Can't these people see that this is an issue of justice and inclusion? Can't they see that Jesus loved all people? We'd prefer a church focused on justice and mission, not caught up in fighting about who does and doesn't belong.
I think that it's safe to say that no matter which side of this (or any) debate we might have in the church, we don't much like controversy. We would far rather just pretend to be nice and get along. And when someone does come along who makes us uncomfortable, who makes us look at things we'd rather not see – people like Gene Robinson OR Peter Akinola, we wish they'd be quiet, go away, and stop causing trouble.
Frankly, it doesn't matter what the source of controversy is. Christians disagree about all sorts of things: the war in Iraq, the death penalty, the best way to fight poverty, the place of women in the church, the role of government, you name it. But whatever the issue, our call as Christians is not to sit quietly and hope to avoid trouble or to try to silence those who disagree with us. Our call is to speak out. Which is not easy to do. It's scary and risky.
Jesus also told the people that he longed to gather all of the people together, like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. He doesn't long to gather the conservatives OR the gay people. He longs to gather everyone, together. And when that happens, then our divisions will cease.
Paul tells us, in his letter to the Philippians, that we are to imitate him – and to stand firm in the Lord. As we continue our journey through Lent, towards Holy Week and the cross, we are to look to Jesus, rather than the Pharisees as our example.
Jesus spoke the truth in love. With a few notable exceptions, Jesus did not rant or rave. He did not condemn people. He did not tell soldiers to stop being soldiers or prostitutes to stop being prostitutes. He ate with tax collectors and sinners. He allowed a woman of ill repute to anoint him with oil. He conversed with an woman of ill repute at the well and offered her "living water."
Jesus loved people for who and what they were. And when he did disagree with people, he generally did it with grace and gentleness. Jesus did not shy away from controversy and difficult situations. He did not worry about how others perceived him. He cared about justice and freedom and peace. And he spoke out clearly to get them.
Our call, this Lent - and every day - is to follow Jesus’ example with courage.
05 March 2007
A Literary Meme
This comes from my friend Wayfarer's blog. I suppose that I should have all 100 highlighted after 12 years in bookselling, one undergraduate degree (nearly a minor in English), and two graduate degrees. But alas, not so. I'm also realizing that I've not read much that isn't theology - and am missing most of the new fiction from the last four years. Not, a surprise.
Look at the list of books below.
* (Bold) the ones you’ve read
* Italicize the ones you want to read
* Leave unchanged the ones that you aren’t interested in.
I've added another piece there are a number of personal favourites on this list. They are in red.
* If you are reading this, tag, you’re it!
1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austin)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. Bible
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolsoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down(Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)
Look at the list of books below.
* (Bold) the ones you’ve read
* Italicize the ones you want to read
* Leave unchanged the ones that you aren’t interested in.
I've added another piece there are a number of personal favourites on this list. They are in red.
* If you are reading this, tag, you’re it!
1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austin)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. Bible
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolsoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down(Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)
Harry Potter Character Quiz
I don't know if I am more amused by the fact that I am Albus Dumbledore, OR by the fact that I am more like Lord Voldemort than either Ron Weasley or Draco Malfoy. Hmmm. Fascinating. Thanks to Suzanne for sending me to this quiz. :)
You scored as Albus Dumbledore. You are very wise, observant, and analyctical. You have a very "well-organized" mind, which makes you function in a calm and fair manner. Though you get angered easily, its rare of you to ever act out of temper. You are constantly seeing the good in people and are naturally forgiving because of it. You're easy to please and a great person to learn from.
href="'http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id="2852'">Harry Potter Character Combatibility Test created with QuizFarm.com |
01 March 2007
Snow Day!
Even by Yooper standards, this one's getting alot of hype. For the last three days, all anybody could talk about was the weather. Blizzard. High winds. Whiteouts. 10-15" of snow. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
Last night, I received an email from Manuel that said, "Do not leave the house in the am until we've talked." I went to bed feeling like a ten year old. "Please, please, please let it snow," I chanted as I went to bed. And I awoke feeling that same disappointment I felt when I was ten and the much vaunted snow storm had not materialized.
I got up, made coffee and began scouring the online weather resources to sort out what was happening weather-wise and what I should do.
I called Manuel at 8:30; he said, "Good Morning. I think you should stay home today." The storm was late, but still coming. And so, I stayed home. I was back to feeling like that ten year old who has suddenly gotten a day free from school.
5I'm home on a Thursday! (It's my busiest day; I usually leave the house at 8:45 and get home around 11:30pm.) I have NO obligations. Er, no, scratch that. I have a ton of obligations and suddenly all the time I need to do them. Er, scratch that, too. I have time to noodle on the computer and have lunch with Ellie!
I'm home from lunch now, and sitting at my computer. As soon as I finish posting this entry, I'll be ready to produce a worship booklet for our diocesan Spring Conference next weekend. And ten minutes ago, the snow began to fall, in earnest. I don't know how hard the wind is blowing, but the snow is falling more at an angle than straight down.
I'm feeling grateful for a day at home with Sam!Cat, power, food and heat.
Last night, I received an email from Manuel that said, "Do not leave the house in the am until we've talked." I went to bed feeling like a ten year old. "Please, please, please let it snow," I chanted as I went to bed. And I awoke feeling that same disappointment I felt when I was ten and the much vaunted snow storm had not materialized.
I got up, made coffee and began scouring the online weather resources to sort out what was happening weather-wise and what I should do.
I called Manuel at 8:30; he said, "Good Morning. I think you should stay home today." The storm was late, but still coming. And so, I stayed home. I was back to feeling like that ten year old who has suddenly gotten a day free from school.
5I'm home on a Thursday! (It's my busiest day; I usually leave the house at 8:45 and get home around 11:30pm.) I have NO obligations. Er, no, scratch that. I have a ton of obligations and suddenly all the time I need to do them. Er, scratch that, too. I have time to noodle on the computer and have lunch with Ellie!
I'm home from lunch now, and sitting at my computer. As soon as I finish posting this entry, I'll be ready to produce a worship booklet for our diocesan Spring Conference next weekend. And ten minutes ago, the snow began to fall, in earnest. I don't know how hard the wind is blowing, but the snow is falling more at an angle than straight down.
I'm feeling grateful for a day at home with Sam!Cat, power, food and heat.
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