Author: Rev. Joe Dirt

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From Whence Came Valentine’s Day

I do believe it may be time to revive the ancient festival of Lupercalia.

From the Wikipedia article:

Lupercalia was a very ancient, possibly pre-Roman] pastoral festival, observed on February 13 through 15 to avert evil spirits and purify the city, releasing health and fertility. Lupercalia subsumed Febura, an earlier-origin spring cleansing ritual held on the same date, which gives the month of February its name.

Plutarch described Lupercalia:

“Lupercalia, of which many write that it was anciently celebrated by shepherds, and has also some connection with the Arcadian Lycaea. At this time many of the noble youths and of the magistrates run up and down through the city naked, for sport and laughter striking those they meet with shaggy thongs. And many women of rank also purposely get in their way, and like children at school present their hands to be struck, believing that the pregnant will thus be helped in delivery, and the barren to pregnancy.”

Read all about here: Lupercalia

The Wikipedia article on Valentine’s Day  stated there was no connection between the two…despite many authors making the connection.   Pope Gelasius (492 – 496) abolished the festival of Lupercalia . This same Pope established St. Valentine’s Day in 496.   Since I really do not have a dog in this fight, I am going with Valentine’s Day stemming from the abolishment of Lupercalia.  Besides Garrison Keillor reported it as so.

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Bottle of Tequila

He saw me limping down the hallway and asked,”looks like you had a wonderful time, what happened?” When he said that I was instantly back to her bedroom and recalling the events of the previous evening…

We had placed a few pillows behind our backs up against the headboard.  The lights were still low.  The Coltrane CD had started back around.  Man, is he ever timeless. With the warm glow that can only be felt from energy well spent, we were both smoking cigarettes and idly chit chatting about absolutely nothing of consequence.  I noticed that we had both pulled our knees toward our chests.  The result was two well formed tents, side by side in the sheets.  Mine was a good bit taller than hers.  My mind flitted back to childhood days when my parents would take me to the circus.  I wondered which tent was more interesting.  Was it the larger one with the 3 rings of non-stop entertainment, or the smaller one with all the made up freaks and hucksters trying to separate you and your money? Laughing to myself I wondered where the “tunnel of love” was.

It was at that point I slapped myself softly and she looked at me funny.

“Just a weird thought,” I explained.

My vision drifted down to my left arm.  I realized that I had left my Rolex knock-off on.   It surprised me that she had not complained, Continue reading “Bottle of Tequila”

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Herman Melville’s Moby Dick

I will not purport to write a review of Herman Melville’s book, Moby Dick or The Whale.  For me to do so would be pretentious beyond measure.  What I am attempting to do is proselytize for the book.  For some reason I missed reading this American classic until now.  Truth is I probably would not have appreciated the book when I was younger.

I do have a confession to make though.  I did not read the book, but listened to the audio-book which was a several day affair.  I spend so much time driving and at times my job is rote, I have found audio-books a wonderful way to fill the time.

What I knew of the book was the story of the obsessed Ahab and his hunt for the malevolent white whale, Moby Dick.  To me the book was a documentary with the story of Ahab’s hunt a vehicle for driving the narration forward and keeping the reader engaged.  Don’t misunderstand me, Ahab’s story is wonderful and there is much to be learned therein, but it is only part of the book.

The book is in large part a documentary on the Nantucket whaling industry of the 1800s, The  Deadliest Catch of its day.   It is also the natural history of the cetaceans as was known in 1850.  There is chilling passage in the book Continue reading “Herman Melville’s Moby Dick”

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Scuttlebutt

I found the origin of this word as used for gossip interesting.

Scuttlebutt in slang usage means rumor or gossip, deriving from the nautical term for the cask used to serve water.   Or in modern parlance gathering around the water cooler to gossip.

Growing up around the Navy bases I heard, “So what’s the scuttlebutt?” often.

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Rev. Joe’s Random Thought #9,369

…yeah I know you did not ask!

She was holding up the 15 or less line with nearly a full cart of groceries. (Why do the stores never say anything to these people?)  Then when the clerk announced her total she acted like it was a complete surprise.  It was only then that she started digging through her massive handbag looking for the exact correct change. Aggghhhhhhh!

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Easter Sunday & Friday the 13th

I was looking at things… So did you engage in an activity on July 13th, 1951 of a procreative nature?  A question posed to my 80 year old mother.  I wonder if she remembers or even will answer.

April 13th, 1952 I was born, an Easter Sunday.

I turned 21 on a Friday the 13th
I will turn 60 on a Friday the  13th.
I will reach my full retirement age of 66…on Friday the 13th, 2018

I’ve always considered turning 21 on Friday the 13th (and standing in front of a judge) a foreshadowing of the rest of the decaying rollercoaster ride that has been my life.  Does turning 60 on Friday the 13th foreshadow my senior years?  Does turning 66 on Friday the 13th foreshadow my retirement years.

Being conceived on Friday the 13th would explain the whole miserable lot. Taking my Okie calculator out of their gloves, it seems that it would have been a good statistical probability that I was launched into being on that infamous day.

Looking ahead – Easter Sunday is occurring on April the 13th occur in 2031 & 2036.  While both seem a little early to be checking out, they do have a certain synchronicity to them.  Of course, Easter occurs on April 1 in 2018, 2029 & 2040.  I like the irony of that.  Friday, April 13ths occur in 2029, 2035, 2040 and 2046.  On those days the irony and synchronicity are overwhelming.

You do not have a choice in when you were born.  You probably will not have a choice when you exit, but maybe…

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Rev. Joe’s Random Thought # 1,424

…yeah I know you did not ask!

They have started using a different brand/type of toilet paper at work.  It is no more than 60 grit.  It might be less.  I may ask my boss if I can file Workman’s Comp or get a stand up desk.

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Where have all our freedoms gone?

WHERE HAVE ALL THE LEADERS GONE
With deepest, deepest apologies to Pete Seeger

Where have all the children gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the children gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the children gone?
Grown to cynics every one
When will we ever learn?
When will we ever learn?

Where have all the cynics gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the cynics gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the cynics gone?
Ran for office every one Continue reading “Where have all our freedoms gone?”

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How Much Do You REALLY Love That New iPhone?

Another sad account of Foxconn and Apple and the high human cost of your iPhone: iEmpire: Apple’s Sordid Business Practices Are Even Worse Than You Think

Someone please tell what is right about unfettered capitalism be practiced globally with US in the lead.

Here is a link to a Forbes article listing the top 400 richest people in America. Number 400 has a net worth of $1 billion. Number 1 on the list, Bill Gates, has a worth of 59 billion. Six of the folks on this list made their wealth from Wal*Mart. Steve Jobs is number 39 with a paltry $7 billion. Michael Dell is number 18 with a worth of $15 billion.

Go to the top of the list and find the “source” heading. Click on Continue reading “How Much Do You REALLY Love That New iPhone?”

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This Is Mind Blowing…

This is one of the most mind blowing things I have heard in a while…

This is from a wonderful radio program / podcast Radio Lab.  Check them out at RadioLab.org

“Can you make your own universe? We usually think of the universe as ‘everything that exists,’ so how could you make another one?”