Status update
Well, in the month and a half since I last posted I finally got a call to interview for a job I’d applied for back in July. I didn’t get the job. It’s actually the second time I applied for this position. The first time was back in 2002. Then, the person they hired turned out to have the surliest disposition I’ve ever run across. Regardless of his qualifications, his unfriendly attitude made him unsuitable for the job, imho. I don’t know who they hired this time but I can only hope that he/she is more approachable. One funny thing that happened after I failed to get the job was that Cherrie, a woman who was on the hiring committee the first time I’d applied told me that she was sorry I didn’t get the job (this time), that she wished she’d been on the hiring committee. Well, I happen to know that she didn’t vote for me the first time around so her expressions of regret sounded rather hollow to me.
So I am stuck at this job that I pretty much hate. I can’t seem to get ahead in my financial situation. I owe everybody something. What happens when I need to pay for car maintenance? I clearly wasn’t meant to be economically comfortable. I guess there are lots of people who have it worse than me. I should shut up and count my blessings, eh?
We still have a problem with lack of communication at St. Stanislaus. We are starved for information and the parish seems content to let us go hungry. I am responsible for two Masses each weekend and it looks like I will be providing music at a third Mass which in practical terms means I am there for four Masses. Who’d have thought I would turn out to have such an overdeveloped sense of responsibility?
And it looks like I need a new guitar. But, of course, I can’t afford one. My old one is about to break so soon enough, I will not have a choice. I will have to buy one. *sigh*
The latest
I haven’t posted in quite a while. Here’s what I’m up to these days.
I’ve been taking lots of photos. I post almost all of them to my flickr page so feel free to take a look. My cousin Danny came up to help shoot an event a couple of weeks ago. It was the Edible Extravaganza. We did a couple of model photo shoots while he was here too. He and I have also been playing LOTRO a little more than we had been for almost a year. Nice!
I applied for a new job recently. The due date to turn in my application materials was July 10th. So far, they’ve done nothing about trying to fill the position. 70 days and counting. The job is the lab aide over in the Music department. I’m still hopeful.
Stuff at church has kept me busy. I am back to doing Mass on Saturday evenings again so that makes four that I am at each weekend. I am trying to cut back to two by handing off the 11:30 Mass to A) the Philippino group, B) Carmelo, and/or C) Kyle. But once we start using the new church, who knows what the Mass schedule will be! Latest I hear on that is we are hoping for Thanksgiving. First Sunday of Advent would make more sense to me, but whatever. In some ways, I am the de facto music coordinator. I’m the one that gets calls about absences and I get notified when there is information to disperse to the other musicians. I don’t get paid to do this but someone has to do it.
I may also be stepping up to fill the Deputy Grand Knight position in my local council. I am willing but not necessarily eager. I should find out in the next week or so.
New tv season is starting. I’ll post soon about the shows I am watching this year.
I’d try to think of more to write but my lunch is almost over.
Avoiding extremes. Where?
Jody and I were talking about Catholic Blogs this weekend. As far as I can tell, they come in two flavors; the ultra-conservative, Latin is the only language Jesus would be happy with, Gregorian Chant to the exclusion of all other music adherents, and the full-time mother writing about NFP and home-schooling.
Where are the blogs/posts that are for those of us living in the real world?
I’ve always considered myself conservative but I think I am really orthodox without being very conservative or liberal. I mean, compared to those who want to roll back everything that’s happened since the Second Vatican Counsel, I must appear to be an extreme leftie. I just want us (the Church) to follow the guidelines and rubrics as they are. One example: in the Rite of Marriage published in 1969, it says, “If there is a procession to the altar, the ministers go first, followed by the priest, and then the bride and the bridegroom. According to local custom, they may be escorted by at least their parents and the two witnesses. Meanwhile, the entrance song is sung.” When have you ever seen the bride and groom process in together? I never have. Sure, sure. People will have all sorts of reasons why they think things should be done in a certain way. For me it comes down to, “How does the Church say to do it?”
So I think I’m going to try to make at least an occasional post about what I think the Church is saying and giving my slant on what’s best where there is room for creativity.
Letter to the Editor
Saw this today. Third letter.
Hope for an alternative
I agree with Kim Morrison that Barack Obama would be a great president. I have hope that he can provide free health insurance for everyone.
I have hope that he can bring our soldiers home and make the world a safer place. I have hope that he can protect Americans from poverty by printing more money at the mints.
And, I have hope that he can make me a taller, more attractive, wealthier person, immune to all illnesses. The best part is that all of these will be accomplished at absolutely no cost to me.
Some skeptics would say that he can’t do these things because he hasn’t had enough leadership experience, foreign policy experience, or government experience. Some would say that Obama can’t provide for all our needs without doubling taxes. And, some would say that he hasn’t provided one piece of a specific plan to reach these goals.
Well, to those people I ask, “Where is your hope?”
All these years I’ve been creating accomplishments and gathering experience to list on my resume. From now on, I’ll just list my hopes and plans. All that work was so unnecessary.
Angie Smucker
Racine
Classic
January, part 1
I drove down to southern California a couple times this month. The first time was for the family Christmas get-together. Almost everyone who might possibly be there was. It was pretty cool. Check here and here for pictures.
The second time was for a Studio Photography Lighting Workshop. This turned out to be a disappointment. The instructor knew his stuff but wasn’t too good at teaching it. An outline would help this guys presentation immensely. Despite the downside, I’m glad I went. If I hadn’t, I’d still be thinking I should have. But now I know I do not need to attend any more from this guy.
On both trips, I was unpleasantly reminded of one of my biggest pet peeves, drivers who like to cruise in the fast lane. For the love of God people! Doesn’t ‘Slow Traffic Keep Right’ mean anything to you? This kind of thing really pushes me toward road rage. If I had another person in the car to keep company, I might be less sensitive to the bad driving of others. But as it is…
Clearly, more travelling needs to take place
create your own personalized map of the USA
or check out our California travel guide
Yes, I’m bored. Bored and bereft of creativity.
First photoshoot
Here is a photo from my first photoshoot. It was nervewracking but ended up being cool. The model, Sabrina, was very easy to work with. I’d like to get more into photography and I think that working with different subjects will help me to improve.
There are additional photos on my flickr page. I’d appreciate any feedback.
Thanks!
