Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Mercury and Mardi Gras

Well today is Mardi Gras. Or if you prefer, Carnivale, Faustnaut Day, Kinkling Day, Pancake Day, Shrove Tuesday or whatever else you may call it. The Tuesday before Ash Wednesday when all good Christians are supposed to use up their leavening supplies, lose their effing minds and go absolutely wild with the intention of getting all that sinful behavior out of their systems in preparation for the pious abstinence of Lent.

I was always taught that you were supposed to give up something during Lent. It was supposed to be something that you liked so that it would be a sacrifice to do without it. I went to a Catholic college that had a Catholic Seminary. I learned from the Priests and some of the Seminarians that there is a Lent loophole. There’s always a loophole. Lent is supposed to represent the 40 days that Christ disappeared into the desert to fast and to endure and ultimately overcome the temptations of Satan as well as the days during Holy week ending on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. This is the reason that the dates for Easter, and by extension Ash Wednesday move around every year. They have to fall on a Wednesday and a Sunday that are 40 days apart. However (and here is the loophole), Sundays don’t count. Don’t believe me? Get out a calendar. This was straight out of the mouths of Priests and Priests-in-training (who happened to regularly drink with us). If you like that it gets even better. The Sabbath, or for our purposes – Sunday, according to the Church officially begins after sundown on the evening before. Yes. That would be Saturday night. Think for a moment how important this information (directly from a Church official) would be to a college student. Can I hear an Amen!? Like I said, there’s always a loophole.

I’d like to take a moment to mention that the planet Mercury is in retrograde. If you’re not into Astrology that probably doesn’t mean much to you. What it means to me is that my friggin’ laptop died yesterday. You see, Mercury rules communication among other things and under that falls things like electronic devices and the internet. Which reminds me, the internet was down here at work this morning. I researched the problem and I think it’s going to be something I can (attempt) to fix myself. I just need to run down the parts. In any event, whether it is Mercury in retrograde, a design flaw in my Dell, or a three year old computer just going kaput, the point is…my communication from home will be spotty for a while.

I’ve got my supply of beads ready in case someone yells “Hey Mista, throw me somethin’!” Happy Mardi Gras!


23 comments:

Kitty said...

As you know Bruce, I'm ready to talk planets anytime. When I get my new calendar for the year one of the first things that go on are the periods when Mercury is retrograde. I need to know when all that stuff is going to go t*ts up (quaint English expression meaning everything going wrong). This is a relatively short period of retrograde Mercury - thank goodness.

My last Dell started playing up after about 3 years too - this new one has a 4-year onsite warranty, so they're not going to catch me like that again! Hope you manage to fix it.

Take care. x

Bruce, a work in progress said...

Hi Kitty. I am familiar with the expression and find it terribly appropriate what with me ready to throw beads and all. I love quaint English expressions.

You are far more knowledgeable regarding the planets and stars than I am but I'm always willing to learn. I've found that if you pay attention to what's going on you realize there is something to it. It's at least as accurate as a weather forecast.

The computer fix looks like it could be a couple of things. The first is relatively easy (famous last words), the next is a little harder but not impossible. If those don't work then I curse and weigh the cost of fixing it against a new one.

Tequila Mockingbird said...

i had a friend who used to give up shots for lent. not booze altogether, just shots.

you'd throw beads at me, right?

Bruce, a work in progress said...

TM, I tried to give up cursing once in college. That lasted about five minutes. So I thought I should start out a littel easier, I gave up salt water taffy one.

Now you're not the kind of girl that would expose herself in public just to collect some plastic beads made in China that you buy in any of the tourist shops on Bourbon St. (or party store anywhere) for about four dollars a bag are you?

Malach the Merciless said...

I gave up Catholicism for Lent, years ago.

Hungry Mother said...

Saint Patrick's Day is also off for Irish Catholics. So, you can give up the booze and drink on Sundays and St. Paddy's Day during Lent.

As an practicing ex-Catholic and non-practicing Pagan, I don't celebrate Lent, but I do acknowledge the Vernal Equinox, the founder of the feast.

I've got plenty of beads for boobs.

Mike said...

Maybe that would explain why my computer has been all mucked up lately. Or maybe it has something to with lent.

Either way, something ain't right.

Malicious Intent said...

Kewl, Mercury is in retrograde on super Tuesday....awesome!

Catholics, so cute they are.

Mike, your computer is all mucked up because you refuse to use a keyboard cover, or at least some saran wrap.

Malicious Intent said...

Kewl, Mercury is in retrograde on super Tuesday....awesome!

Catholics, so cute they are.

Mike, your computer is all mucked up because you refuse to use a keyboard cover, or at least some saran wrap.

Biscuit said...

Not that I participate in Lent, but I always thought that it would be a better idea to do something positive, like spend that time building a new positive habit. I know so many people who give up stuff like potato chips. Seriously.

Bruce, a work in progress said...

My wife got a new Oriental Trading Company catalogue today and it's full of a bunch of Easter stuff. The cover has a cartoony picture of Jesus coming out of a tomb looking really happy with his hands in the air and three crosses in the background on a hill. I picked it up and said to my daughter, "look, he didn't see his shadow." Yeah, Mal I'm going to hell. At least I would be if I believed that sort of thing.

HM, ya gotta celebrate St. Patrick's day. You get special dispensation for that. I acknowledge the "original" holidays too.

Mike, that explains what's going on with my computer. It gave up having anything on the screen for Lent. I assume you mean mucked up in a figurative sense...right?

Crab Ca...er, um, I mean MI, Super Tuesday. I hadn't thought about that. Let's see what happens with all those new fangled computerized votin' contraptions. Can a computer screen have chads?

Bruce, a work in progress said...

Biscuit, you're right. That is a much better way to observe it. The golden rule is all we need and you try to live your life by it everyday, not on "special" days. I make light because I've given up on the whole religious "be good for fear of damnation!" bullshit. Be pious on certain days because you're told to, the rest of the time you can be a miserable shit as long as you confess your sins on your deathbed you can get into heaven. Meanwhile some poor heathen who's lived a good life will burn in hell because he hasn't accepted someone he's never heard of as his savior. Utter nonsense.

Moooooog35 said...

I learned to like Lent so that, someday, I could give it up for Lent.

So far, it's worked out pretty well.

Anonymous said...

(oYo)

Now where's my beads sweetheart?

Bruce, a work in progress said...

Here ya go Prepo:

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meggie said...

First visit. Hmm Mercury in retrograde... wait to hear bad/good news, expect delays on communications... yada yada. It seemed to work re our legal crap.
Interesting post!

Bruce, a work in progress said...

Welcome Meggie! Thanks for coming. Hmm, delays if all kinds I think. Could explain the two hour commute today due to the overturned tractor-trailer and the closed highway.

Tequila Mockingbird said...

ME? NEEEEEEEEEVER! we have guavaween and gasperilla in fla, and i would ride on the hooters float when i worked there.

soooo do i get some freakin' beads?

Bruce, a work in progress said...

TM, I already gave tossed you some on your blog but since you asked so nice :-), here are more:

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Malicious Intent said...

WAKE THE HELL UP! Please.

Crashdummie said...

.... Hey Mista, throw me somethin :D

Bruce, a work in progress said...

Huh? Wha...What time is it? Sorry MI. I'll be back, I promise. I've been in a little funk for a couple of days, been busy at work and my laptop at home is dead and in pieces awaiting a new part. All that together equals me not blogging much. I'm glad to know you miss me.

Hey Crash! How've you been? You're a little late but I would never deny a ladie her beads. Here ya go!

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BBC said...

I don't pay any attention to all that stuff.