Morning Check-In

Where: Desk at home
Wearing: Nothing
H Factor: 3
C Factor: 8

I've been thinking that I should start using my journal more and figure I'll use hylandr's method to get me started.

I was quite shocked to see the news about furballmark last night. Although I didn't know him personally and didn't have the opportunity to see much of his writing on LJ, it is always tragic when someone is killed -- whether through accident as in Mark's case, by someone else's hand, or by their own -- for the very nature of the word "killed" implies untimely death. My condolences and best wishes to christophernwin and the rest of the family.

I think I will reserve judgement on the ultimatum to Iraq at this time, as it will give me something to think about and write about later in the week.

Last Sunday

This past Sunday a bunch of us RGMC members volunteered to serve as a choir for the Baptist church our director is a member of (for the special occasion of Women In Ministry Sunday, and to give the regular choir a break). It was an interesting service, made a bit more so by the fact that both the minister and the organist are quite bearish. We sang the Biebl "Ave Maria" and the arrangement of "Kumbaya" which is featured on our CD. As is our tradition we also performed a sign-language interpretation of the "Kumbaya" lyrics as we sang. Both songs will also appear on our concert program this Saturday (check the RGMC site for details).

During the preparation for the service, I noticed a hymn tune in the hymnal was given the name HANKEY. Now hymn tune names often bear no resemblance to the titles of the text commonly sung to them: in this case the tune name was the last name of the composer. Anyway, while we were chuckling over that one, I mentioned the tune name for "We Are the Body of Christ", the D-I 20th Anniversary hymn, is PITCHOFF. This isn't due to its being sung flat, or sharp for that matter; it's the name of the mountain peak in the Adirondacks on which it was composed.

Of course a certain chorus member came back with "You know, change one word in that title and you have a whole different meaning. Instead of 'We Are the Body of Christ', try 'We Found the Body of Christ'." As offensive as that may be, you know, he's got a point there.

Sunday evening we had our D-I service, and I'd made Pig's Ass and Cabbage with Potatoes (my late aunt's name for Mom's recipe -- Pig's Ass is, of course, ham), for our St. Patrick's Day potluck. Corned beef is traditional Irish-American fare (perhaps due to Jewish influence?), but apparently back in Ireland beef cattle were comparatively rare, and one would be more likely to use bacon or ham or perhaps lamb in a dish like this.