Personal News: December 2005 Archives

Floor Show at Johnny Rockets

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And other events seasonal and otherwise.

Lunch today--we were out shopping for a couple of last-minute things. A new Johnny Rockets had opened in this center. We like the retro feel and the food is DEFINITELY the comfort-food variety. We decided to stop in.

Well, there it is--like juke-box controllers in each of the booths, waiters in aprons and little soldier-like hats. One of the few places you can get a cherry coke that is a real cherry coke, etc. You all know the attraction or detraction (depending on how you view it).

But absolutely unique to this one--or a new corporate initiative--every now and again, either in cue with certain songs or at regularly intervals, the wait-staff, the managers, and everyone who is not cooking or handling customers breaks into a dance routine. While I was there it happened twice--once to Aretha Franklin's "R-E-S-P-E-C-T," and once to Donna Summers's "The Last Dance." And you know, I have to admit, it raised a real smile on my face. There was such an obvious enjoyment in the staff and in the patrons. And of course Sam was bouncing along to the music and asked to join the entire wait-staff.

On another event--last Sunday hauled our bodies down to what passes for a downtown here in our sunny city to see the Rockettes. The last time I recall doing this I was about Sam's age and I saw them at Radio City Music Hall along with the premier of "Bedknobs and Broomsticks." That was quite a trek from where we lived at the time.

And, I'm pleased to say, that even the touring show was quite wonderful--everything you may have heard rumored about the act and more. Slow motion falling soldiers and regimented "step-step-kick-step-kick-step" to quote Roger DeBris. A very nice, pardon the pun, kickoff to the upcoming season.

And to all of my visitors, I hope and pray for something that will raise a smile on your faces today and remind you of the event we are about to celebrate. May the excitement in the air enter your hearts and transform the way you look at the world.

Merry Christmas--a bit early, but who knows when I will return?

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The Marvels of Technology

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The birthday celebration continued last night with the first official "Christmas" activity of the season. We went to the MGM studios and saw the annual Christmas display--yes, complete with Nativity for the Disney nay-sayers among you--and even Christmas Carols that mention God and all sorts of stuff. (You'd be surprised at how much God shows up in Disney Parks around Christmas time--oh yes, it's still largely secular, but Disney is business savvy enough to know not to offend it largely Disney-neutral pro-religion clientele.)

Afterwards, we raced to the other side of the park to see one of the nighttime shows which we have not seen ever before. This was one of the marvels of technology. In the course of this show I'd seen things I had never seen before--for example, movies projected on the back side of a fan-like spray of water. I wasn't sure if I was seeing them on the reverse side of a CO2 cloud or water, but then determined that for the consistency of image and appearance, it had to be on a fine fan-like mist.

The show was amazing and fun and capped off a fine evening of enjoyment. Boy thought it splendid and scary, and Linda, a bit winded from our cross-park sprint, said that it was worth it.

You know, there are so many things to thank God for. Yes, even these moments of levity, these light entertainments. No, they aren't the end-all be-all of life, but they add highlights to it. They remind us of things beyond ourselves and put us squarely in God's courts again in a pleasant and hopeful way. There is too much of the daily grind that seems directed toward wearing down any possibility of hope, any fragment, wisp, or trace of trust. These things do not reestablish trust or hope necessarily, but they are small gifts, tokens along the way--one way the Father says, "I love you." And they are one way we can understand that message in the churn of daily life.

God is where you look for Him, in every situation, in every place, in every moment. Indeed, because He dwells within us, He is present to us always. We need merely take the opportunities to be present to Him and thank Him for the many graces and blessings that come to us because of Him.

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Today I have so much to be thankful for it's hard to know where to start.

Let me start by giving thanks for each person who took time to wish me well on my birthday celebration. I deeply appreciate it.

Second, Julie D. at Happy Catholic informed me that I have been nominated in the category of "Best Religious Blog" in some sort of blog awards. I mention this, not so much to encourage you to vote early and vote often, but more to express my deep appreciation for the kindness shown by whoever it was that nominated this blog. That the news arrived to me on my birthday was an exceptionally nice present. This is one of those cases where the nomination is enough in itself. Thank you, whoever you were who did the nomination. And thank you to those who even thought of it. You are all most generous and kind.

Third, I have the joy of this day--an exceptionally heady, wonderful, full-bodied joy that pervades the season and the day. It is God's utterly unmerited gift to me.

So to all at St. Blogs--thank you. You are the best extended family anyone could hope for.

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My Birthday Celebration

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Today--

Saw Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, which I found most profoundly disturbing in a very good way.

Received four movies including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Christmas in Connecticut, Death on the Nile, and my favorite of the series, Evil Under the Sun--could there possibly be a better match-up than Diana Rigg and Maggie Smith? For that matter, except for Angela Lansbury, is there anyone to compare with Maggie Smith no matter what she sets her mind to?

Have a book yet to open.

Broke the Advent Fast to have a near-feast for dinner at a local sea-food restaurant. (But then, it is Sunday, a good day for breaking fast regardless.)

Blessed all day by a real sense of God's abiding presence.

Not much more to report. Perhaps more tomorrow. God bless you all. May the real joy of the Holy Spirit be with you in this season of waiting.

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About this Archive

This page is a archive of entries in the Personal News category from December 2005.

Personal News: October 2005 is the previous archive.

Personal News: February 2006 is the next archive.

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