This Week in Britishness

As an unrepentant tea drinker I of course lean toward the Anglophilic, but even I have to concede that these two pieces take Britishness to extremes.

The first was an excerpt of a memoir called Coming Up Trumps that I have to admit sounds wonderful, written by the 90-year-old Baronness Trumpington, nee Jean Campbell-Harris, who seems to have been brought up in luxury and been willing to do pretty much anything to anyone at any time. The photo here is the time "when my good friend Tom King – Lord King of Bridgwater – commented that those people who had served in the Second World War were starting to look ‘pretty old’, it was a natural reaction to stick two fingers up at him." As one does when in the House of Lords.

In the snippet in the Daily Mail, the Baronness writes (among other things) of her time at Bletchley Park.

Although essential, the work formed a dull and exhausting routine. Whenever we could, we rushed up to London and danced all night, then ate enormous breakfasts at a Lyons Corner House, with fake scrambled eggs, fake everything. We always went to the 400, a nightclub on Leicester Square that doesn’t exist any more. We had such happy parties there. I was horrified once because I was at one table with a boyfriend and I looked round and saw my brother at another table with a girlfriend. That was bad enough. But then I looked round again and there, at a third table, was my father. With a girlfriend.

I will have to get my hand on this memoir when it comes out.

And the second moment of Extreme Britishness...well, this is where I have to admit that I regularly and very happily listen to The Deadline, the weekly obits podcast produced by the Daily Telegraph. And there is this very odd section in the middle about letters written to the Telegraph that almost makes me wonder if it's a parody of Britishness.

Take this week, for instance, in which there is a segment about letters on "the proper way to fold fitted sheets" that somehow leads us to King Alfred bowling the cakes, George II's son Fred "who was killed by a cricket ball," and Rule Britannia...I'm still not sure how that worked. You'll just have to listen to it yourself. And say no to the tyranny of hospital corners.

Now, mustache news...

Review: Audiobook -- The End of the Affair

Remember how I told you I was going to be listening to Colin Firth reading The End of the Affair by Graham Greene on my drive up and back from Fort Bragg? Well, I did that very thing and am here to tell the tale. Or at least give my opinion. Which is mixed.

First of all, Firth's performance is phenomenal. Truly, it impressed me throughout: the emotional depth he gave to the retelling, and the voice characterization -- especially of Parkis, the private detective, who I kept thinking was a completely different person speaking.

Part of the reason the reading is so powerful is that the writing is potent stuff. And it sounds good being read. The description of London, of gloomy pubs, of the atheist's parlor, of boarding houses, of the narrator Bendrix's own state of mind, are all beautifully rendered.

So it's just a shame that I found I didn't like the book at all. I didn't like Bendrix, or Sarah, the woman with whom he had the titular affair. I actually liked Sarah's husband Henry much better than either of them. Sarah's journal entries simply annoyed me, which is unfair as they were journal entries and sounded realistically journal-like. And the melodrama -- I kept thinking, "Oh please. Get a grip, people."

And I can't help but think that God, for whom all the angst of the affair was spilled, was rolling his eyes and saying "Get a grip" too. Greene made the affair about as tangled and tormented as possible. But really, poor God. I just picture God saying, "Hey, leave Me out of this. I didn't ask to be dragged into this little triangle."

But dragged God was. I guess this was supposed to make the book deeper and profound. It just bothered me, getting God involved when God really has no say in the matter. So God and Henry are the two people I like best in the book. Too bad the book isn't actually about them.

Still. I'm glad I heard it. And what a lovely voice to hear it in.

Various & Sundry: Sad Affairs, Fairy Tales, Superheroes, Parents, Happy Endings

I'm on my way shortly to Fort Bragg where I will be covering the service for St. Michael and All Angels. While on my way, I plan to listen to Colin Firth performing The End of the Affair. Doesn't that sound delicious? In a tortured, repressed sort of way, of course. I'm wondering if Colin will need to move books slightly to the left.



My sister brought these Six Fairy Tales for the Modern Woman to my attention, and I think they're pretty fabulous. My favorite:

Once upon a time a woman grew up in a land-locked state, and continued to live there because she had married her high school sweetheart, and his job was tied to the area, and she wanted to stay close to her parents, but she had always wished she had learned to surf. So when she turned 65 she used some of the money from her savings account, took her first ever solo vacation to the coast, and took a week's worth of surfing lessons, and had a very nice time.

The End.

Also, while we're talking about modern fairy tales, I thought Lance Mannion had a mighty interesting take both on Iron Man 3 (arguing that it is a commentary on The Incredibles) and on Star Trek: Into Darkness (or as he put it, Into Perpetual Adolescence). I haven't seen either of those movies to comment further, but I loved the insights nonetheless.

I'm not a parent either, but I thought this article asking other parents at the park not to help her kids was terrific. "They're not here to be at the top of the ladder; they're here to learn how to climb." True for so many things.

Not that there's anything wrong with winning. Let's just pause to admire the fact that the A's swept the Yankees this week, and especially their win in 18 innings on Thursday.

Sermon - audio

I was back at Incarnation Santa Rosa last Sunday, and they record the sermons and post it on their website.

I'm really glad that the sermon from the second service is the one that got posted. At the first service, there was someone talking in the back of the church and I got really distracted at the end. This version turned out much better, I think.

Various & Sundry: Mostly heartstring-tugging, and some celebrity gnomes

How's your week been? For me, it was one of those weeks when I couldn't quite tell what day it was. It's Saturday, right? I know it's Saturday because I'm working on a sermon. Trinity Sunday, don't you know.

Yeah, I'm not planning to explain anything. Let's focus on tugging some heartstrings, shall we?

We'll start with Queen Helen Mirren who continues to be fabulous, this time by meeting with a 10-year-old boy with terminal cancer.

When royal officials informed his family that Queen Elizabeth II would not be able to fulfill his wish by meeting with him, actress Helen Mirren decided to reprise her famous role. The Academy Award winning star of the 2006 film The Queen invited Oliver and his family to a play (in which she also portrays the queen), then took them backstage for tea and a special knighting ceremony for young Oliver. Mirren stayed in character the entire time.

There's a reason Tom and Lorenzo call her Queen Helen of Fuckinfantastica. And it's not just the fashion. It's also the celebrity gnomes.

Yes, celebrity-designed gnomes. To the shock and horror of many, the Chelsea Garden Show is *gasp* allowing garden gnomes in the displays -- just this once, on its 100th anniversary.

“It’s good to confront the received wisdom that all gnomes are nasty,” Mr. Llewelyn-Bowen said. Referring to his wife, he added: “Also, Jackie has had to overcome her poshness and confront her gnomophobia.”

Dame Helen's and other celebrity-designed gnomes are now available to buy on eBay. Three guesses which one of these was designed by Sir Elton John.

Meanwhile, at least two hankies are required for this story about the Marine who is reunited with the dog he worked with in Afghanistan. It is lovely. And I have to blow my nose again after reading it.

I was surprised to learn this week of the death of Henri Dutilleux. Surprised because I had no idea he was still alive, or had been alive all this time (as one is until one dies, I know).

I have for many, many years attempted to play his Sonatine for flute and piano (well, just the flute part), with limited success. But I found a recording of it to give you an idea of what it would sound like if I ever were able to play it well. It's such a reflective and--what's the right word?--I don't know. It's a no-nonsense piece of music. I can hear the intelligence behind it. I think that's what I like about it.

Wisteria Outbreak 2013

I don't know what happened, but the wisteria is particularly amazing this year. I even took video so you could hear the bees.

Isn't that incredible? Roses are going like gangbusters too.

Man, I wish I could go to this Bar Mitzvah!

Thanks, Kellor! This is awesome!

Review: The Beggar King and the Secret of Happiness

I love a good storyteller, and Joel ben Izzy is an excellent storyteller. I actually heard him for the first time at, of all things, a convention for professional fundraisers as he told a story about King Solomon that illustrated how non-profit organizations need to be able to tell their own story.

The Beggar King and the Secret of Happiness also starts with a story about King Solomon -- and stops just as Solomon reaches the crisis point. And then ben Izzy begins his own tale, which is just as harrowing.

A storyteller by profession, ben Izzy is happily married with two lovely children, making a living doing what he loves, when the worst thing that could befall a storyteller happens to him: he loses his voice. And it doesn't come back.

We have both the print book version and the audiobook version, and I ended up listening to the audiobook over the course of a couple of weeks as I drove here and there.

Now, one of the great things about listening to this book as an audiobook is that you know that somehow his voice does come back, since he's telling you the story. But I was still anxious to see how this would play out for him.

Another great thing about listening to this as an audiobook is that you get to hear him tell stories. Each chapter begins with another story from all over the world -- some I knew, but many I didn't. They're chewy stories, ones that have stuck with me since I heard ben Izzy tell them as I try to digest them fully.

And then ben Izzy does something really amazing: in telling his own true story, he helps you realize that you are (most likely) in the middle of your own story -- and that you don't get to skip out of it. You just get to go through it.

He concludes with one of the best explanations  that I've yet heard -- a hard-won answer drawn from personal experience -- of whether everything happens for a reason.

And then you get to hear what happens to Solomon.

But that's another story.

The 2086-year-old man

Everyone else I know is posting very reverential and reflective meditations on Ash Wednesday and Lent and such-like. Me, I just wanted to tell you about this absolutely fantastic interview I heard with Mel Brooks on the WTF podcast with Marc Maron.

If you have ever loved Blazing Saddles or Young Frankenstein, you owe it to yourself to listen to this. First of all, it's an amazing conversation with someone who has lived a lot of life. Secondly, you learn lots of inside scoop on Brooks himself and on his movies. Such as:

• What was the one scene he cut from Blazing Saddles
• Who he originally asked to play the Gene Wilder role
• How Young Frankenstein came to be written
• Where they got all the gadgets from Young Frankenstein
• Brooks' role in movies such as The Elephant Man, Frances, and The Fly
• and so much more

As I said, this was an absolutely amazing interview. And then, if you're a deep comedy geek, you'll want to follow up with the next interview with Carl Reiner, Mel's straight man in the 2,000 year old man albums.  

Yes, yes, yes, you need to get through about 30 seconds of profanity at the beginning of the podcast. Trust me, it's so worth it. 

Enjoy.

Sunday Funnies, December 2, 2012

I've posted this before, but at a less timely time of year, and I think it behooves us all to take time to listen to noted jurist, Daily Show correspondent and Mac pitchman John Hodgman advise us on the proper time to put up Christmas decorations. Enjoy.

Photo of court-ordered "sadness tree"

Why you should be extremely jealous

Because I got to hear Barbara Cook perform her new cabaret show last night and you (most likely) didn't.

Along with singing such standards as The Nearness of You and the incredible pairing of House of the Rising Sun and Bye Bye Blackbird, she told us about being addicted to YouTube videos. With that in mind, here's a Barbara Cook video I invite you to watch. I still want to know what it is she does when she sings that makes a person cry.



How does she do that!

Sunday Funnies, Olympics week 2

I have been having a great time listening to these daily podcasts from The Bugle offering an up close and personal view of the Olympics. Very funny. And very British. Here's today's podcast, which I haven't even had a chance to listen to yet.

Sunday Funnies, July 1

I'd go with Donald Duck and the strip-ed awning, never mind the expense. Have a wonderful 4th of July! (Sorry, Canada. I'm a 'Merican.)

Update:  Don't know what happened! Let me get that video embedded again, Blogger.

Sunday Funnies, Father's Day bluegrass stylings

Happy Father's Day! I'd be celebrating with my dad but he and mom up and absconded to Grass Valley for the Father's Day Bluegrass Festival there. So I thought I'd post a couple of bluegrass songs I find amusing. Enjoy.

Various & Sundry, Revisions and Remixes

Whew! I have a couple little things left to do for the (first round of) Confirm not Conform revisions, but the bulk of the work I needed to hand in is IN, the last will go in today. So I'm starting the day off right, with a Various & Sundry blog entry.

Because I was typing away like mad last week, I didn't get to services for Trinity Sunday. Twitter to the rescue! Jill Cox forwarded on the fabulous sermon from her church in Little Rock (her tweet: "Our priest talked about squirrels and/or zuchinnis falling out of trees...his best EVER!" You know that's going to be good). And Lent Madness Supreme Executive Committee member Tim Schenck provided the Definitive Trinity Sunday Sermon, ending with the immortal words,“Blah, blah, blah Unity, blah, blah, blah Godhead, blah, blah, blah Essence.” You're all set for next year.

I loved these postage stamps of British fashion, issued in honor of the Queen's Jubilee--but really, do you need an occasion?

In the world of tea, this week I learned that Dr. Horrible has a signature tea blend: Dr. Horrible's Tea of Evil Tea! I realize this won't be interesting to anyone who doesn't know about Dr. Horrible. Or likes tea. But too bad. I think it will be excellent for those days when you can't quite find your evil laugh. Or death whinny. Yeah, you need to check out Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog for this to make any sense.

In all the obits that I read this week, the one that stood out for sheer loveliness of life was that of Andy Hamilton, a tenor saxophonist from Jamaica who was "a leading figure in Birmingham’s [UK] West Indian community for more than 60 years."

In 1949 Hamilton decided to try making it in the British jazz scene. While staying with friends in Birmingham, he met his future wife, married, took a job in a factory and settled down. He played for weddings and parties at weekends and, in 1953, formed a band, the Blue Notes, with the pianist and fellow Jamaican Sam Brown. He also went into promotion, putting on bands at ballrooms and clubs across the city. 

At the same time, he was informally teaching young would-be musicians who came to him for advice. He preferred to describe it not as “teaching” but as “helping”, and he had his own unique method, which began with getting the pupil to relax and listen.

He recorded his first album at the age of 73. It was one of the year's best sellers. Alongside Kathryn Joosten, it's been a week for recognizing people late in life.

On the other end of the life spectrum, the baby hawks that I've been watching through the HawkCam have up and flown away! Here's a great video of one of the young hawks fledging.



And finally, for your listening pleasure, the new hit from Mr. Rogers: The Garden of Your Mind. It's mighty catchy! (h/t Anibundel) Enjoy!

Sunday Funnies, April 15

You might think I have a tax themed edition, but no! I am very excited to present this week's episode of Judge John Hodgman which features Rachel and Leeman, who were students at Canterbury when I was the chaplain at Kenyon College. And, as you will hear, Rachel is an Anglican priest--actually being ordained today. Blessings, Rachel!
The Sound of Young America

"Vulnerability is our most accurate measure of courage."

Brene Brown is an academic who studies vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame.  Doesn't that sound like fun?  But what she has learned is incredible--and how she herself has changed from her studies underlines her point.

If you didn't see her first Ted talk that she references, here's the link. So good.

The first of Kenyon's goodly race...

...was that great man Philander Chase.

And today he's up against Thomas Merton in the first round of Lent Madness.

I'm not saying how you should vote.  I'm just saying Thomas Merton doesn't have a theme song, does he?

Monday Morning Preacher: Oh no! Audio!

Putting my mouth where my money is, the sermon I preached yesterday is online as a podcast. Ack. So that's what I actually sound like? No fun.

What's odd about this one, listening to it, is that it's written out as a manuscript but lots of it is a riff on the manuscript.  I think those parts that stray from the manuscript are better.  Dunno.  I also don't like how many times I start a new sentence with "and." I sound very run-on-y a lot of the time. Decent point; ok delivery. Could use a bit more polish.

What do you think?

Various & Sundry, January 27

I think my favorite obituary of the week was for ChiChi, "Perhaps World's Oldest Dog," who died at the age of  26? 25? No one really knows.  Poignant, though. “'We just feel completely empty; the whole apartment’s empty,' Mr. Pavich, 38, said in an interview. 'That little 10-pound guy fills up not just your apartment, but your life.'" Aww.

Also this week, I was very sad to see that organist Gerre Hancock died.  He was a master of improvisation, as you will hear if you listen to the improv at the end of this post. "When asked about the difference between sacred and popular music, Hancock replied: 'It's all sacred as far as I'm concerned. Some works better in nightclubs than in churches, but anything beautiful is sacred.' A fitting epitaph, and by that measure, he gave the world a vast treasure of sacred music." Amen.

 Liturgy geeks, take note! Jonathan Hagger, aka MadPriest, has started a new venture, offering New Words for Holy Communion, a monthly, downloadable resource providing prayers, intercessions, acclamations, biddings and blessings for use in the eucharistic services of the church. He does very good work, and I can imagine this being an excellent resource.

Ta-Nehisi Coates has done an amazing series of posts this week confronting some "comfortable history" about the Civil War.  They are long, but well worth reading. Part I addresses the situation facing Lincoln when he took office; Part II speaks of the economics of slavery; Part III compares the American Civil War with the end of slavery in other nations.

Part I ends very powerfully this way:

I have come to a fairly recent regard for Lincoln. He rose from utter frontier poverty, through self-education and hard work, to the presidency and the upper reaches of American letters. His path was harsh. His wife was mentally ill. His son died in office. He was derided in newspapers as ugly, stupid, a gorilla and white trash. For his patience, endurance, temperance and industry in the face of so many troubles, Lincoln was awarded a shot to the head.

Now in some sectors of the country for which Lincoln died, patriotism means waving the flag of his murderer. The party he founded supports this odious flag-waving and now gives us a candidate who would stand before that same flag and peddle comfortable fictions. What hope is there when those who talk of patriotism brandish the talisman of bloody treason?

The matter falls to you. Don't conned. Don't be a mark. Live uncomfortable.