Friday Five

Singing Owl on Rev Gal Pal Blogs asked this week's Friday Five:

Yesterday I had two separate conversations in which people were musing about how much change is occurring. The WW II generation, of which my mom is a part, went from horse and buggy to automobiles, saw the lessening, or even the end of many diseases, went from widespread use of kerosene lamps and outhouses (in the country, and most folks were rural)) to a totally electrified and plumbed society. The fastest means of communication was a telegraph. The second conversation--gulp--was about MY generation and how much change occurred in the last half of the 20th century. The person said his 13 year old had not seen a vinyl record album until a few days before, couldn't remember a time without cell phones, and on and on.

1. What modern convenience/invention could you absolutely, positively not live
without? Electricity ! Which runs so much of what I take for granted ... I'd love to be able to produce my own however with solar and/or wind generation!

2. What modern convenience/invention do you wish had never seen the light of day?
Why? Nothing really .. it's what we humans do with the devices that are the problem, isn't it? Anything that can be used for evil, or make us "crazy" (which I think is the subtext here) had at one time a good and proper use. However, from time to time on public transport here in the UK, I'd wish there was a "MUTE" button on people using their mobile (cell phone) around me!

3. Do you own a music-playing device older than a CD player? More than one? If
so, do you use it (them)? hmmm older than a CD player ... no; and only one due to a student budget, otherwise it would be more probably. OOPS - just realized we do have a tiny electric radio in the kitchen but that's because we're in England.

4. Do you find the rapid change in our world exciting, scary, a mix...or something
else? Probably a mix, as above, it's what we do with things that scares me but the amazing creativity of making things smaller and smaller (ie technologies) - that is exciting. Thinking of what it means to be a scientist these days is a challenge that our theology hasn't caught up with in many cases.

5. What did our forebears have that we have lost and you'd like to regain? Bonus
points if you have a suggestion of how to begin that process. Living without a car puts you in touch with some of this; not to romanticize our forebears but there is something about being closer to the people around you - not being insulated - that is humanizing. Although it takes a lot to do when the people around you are not like yourself (ie the immigration and changing ethnic/religious demographic). How to bring it back ?? Probably through lots and lots of relationship building : talking casually with people is impossible in cars, but on foot or public transport it happens more naturally. Making the environments where casual talking, milling around, "doing" something without purpose - all that can start to be a way to regain what I'd describe as "knowing one's neighbor" which needs to happen before you can begin to "love your neighbor."

a VERY late Friday5 (Rev gal pals)

And can you believe that in two days it will be Palm Sunday for Western Christians? Our Lent is almost over, while our Orthodox sisters and brothers, whose liturgical year follows the older Julian calendar, are just starting theirs. Nicholas did a recent book report on George Washington, and we were surprised to find out that our first President's birthday was originally Feb. 11, since he was born just before the change to the Gregorian calendar. Apparently the change almost caused rioting, as some indignant people were sure that they were being cheated out of eleven days of their lives!

To help you adjust--and enjoy the process--here's a Friday Five about time and transitions....

1. If you could travel to any historical time period, which would it be, and why?

around the time of Jane Austin. I know it was probably not great for women, esp in ministry (duh!) but I really wonder what it would have been like to live such repressed lives. Did they really know how bad it was - the movie Persuasion near the end drives me mad when they can't say how the lovers feel. Obviously I'm romanticizing ..

2. What futuristic/science fiction development would you most like to see?

so many things that could save the earth environmentally ... cars that drive without costing the planet its resources would be a start - have you seen the pollution in China and India?

3. Which do you enjoy more: remembering the past, or dreaming for the future?

great question :: probably depends on how I'm feeling. Usually looking toward the future tho; I'm not one of those always telling stories about "remember when ..." That really used to drive me crazy growing up that people were "stuck" in their high school days and not much beyond

4. What do you find most memorable about this year's Lent?

It will always be known as the Lent we tried to get back to the USA!! I promised JD that working on finding the right job in the right place would be my priority and it has been ; that's been how the blog really got going as well.

5. How will you spend your time during this upcoming Holy Week? What part do you look forward to most?

Lots of work (again, duh!) Missed Monday's clergy vow renewal; Wed with one school Easter celebration; Maundy Thurs eve service; Good Friday eve service; home communions (2); Sunrise PLUS 2 services Resurrection !
And then a great idea of our Easter Dinner with friends on Easter Monday. The Brits DO have it quite civilized to give everyone the day after Easter "off" ... a "bank holiday!" So we'll have the ham with all the trimmings and friends then. Altho a good G&T will have happened on Sunday after a nice nap!

This WAS fun.

RevGalPals Friday 5

So alright it's Saturday night but I've been wanting to "play" with RevGalPals since I thought of having a website ages ago...  I'm not an official member but wanted to answer this week's Friday 6 (actually six this week) 

Spring :: 

What have you seen/heard this week that was a :

1 sign of hope 

the longer daylight ... here in Northern England that's a REAL big deal

2. an unexpected word of light in a dark place 

on Monday seeing the beauty of London by walking around and seeing daffodils, crocus, and even pink and white buds on the trees 

as well as my sister's artwork 

3 a sign of spring 

there are actually daffodils in my own back garden ! 

4  challenging/ surprising 

how easy it was to get to-from London (for a couple days) and how difficult it can be to return to a setting-environment where it's really hard to live (ie multiple deprivation, urban priority area ... that's Brit-speak for pretty bad inner city)

5 share a hope for the coming week

looking toward the week before Holy Week, just getting through all that needs to be "done" and hoping nothing else gets added in. 

Thanks for listening!