Sunday the 19th

Greetings people!

Today is the feast day of one of the Saints associated with miraculous happenings. It's the feast of St. Januarius, or in Italian San Gennaro. He lived in the Naples area and was martyred. Each year on his feast day, the miracle of his blood liquifying occurs. Some of his blood is preserved in vials and is usually a solid mass. But on certain days during the year, when the vial is brought close to the reliquary containing his skull, it begins to bubble, liquify and increase in volume. When it doesn't occur, tragedy usually strikes that year. The vials have been tested by scientists throughtout the ages and they have testified it is beyond science. Check for it on the internet and draw your own conclusions...

The weather was fantastic today! Low 80's and little humidity. I shut off the A/C and opened the windows and doors. Such a fresh smell inside now. Supposed to get into the 50's tonight--nice snoozin' temps!

Well, I pretty much accomplished all I set out to do this weekend. I pulled weeds, mowed, saw a play, washed clothes, handle some correspondence, cleaned the shower, shopped, bought a jacket, stopped at the liquor store, listened to the UT game, listened to the Titans game, wrote a speech, made some handouts, went to Mass, participated in parish council and financial board meetings, and got squared away for my trip to Cleveland. I am happy!

This is TEAM Week for us Audit Division employees. All the staff is in town for renewal and rejuvenation! Talked with Joan and Doug tonight. Will see them tomorrow along with some of my other wonderful friends.

Today was a crime day in Nashville! I heard sirens all afternoon, and saw the police helicopter flying over numerous times. There were some stabbings and Salvation Army storage across the river caught on fire. Sad...will have to go through the closet and help replenish.

Guess I'll call it a day and get my weary bones to bed. Even got a "hey" from Dave. Glad you're back in touch.

Have a great week. If you don't see a blog, then I'm partying with Revenue! And in honor of St. Januarius:

Deus, qui nos annua sanctorum Martyrum tuorum Januarii et Sociorum ejus solemnitate laetificas: concede propitius; ut quorum gaudemus meritis, accendamur exemplis. Per Dominum nostram Jesu Christum; qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus: per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Mark

September 17

Whaddya know! Actually blogging two days in a row! I'm getting back into form I guess.

I was so glad today was Friday! Been working on some issues at the office and needed a break. Now I have Saturday and Sunday to focus on other things and get some more small jobs done around here. I really need to mow--looking like a prairie out there! And weed the flower beds--the bermuda grass is vining all through them.

Ivan didn't hang around long. It did get a little windy last night, but not as bad as they led us to believe. So adios to Ivan!

My friend Dave told me about a Circle Players production at Hume-Fogg School auditorium entitled Blood Brothers, a story about twins separated at birth and their saga. I went tonight and it was great! Music was not over the top and the acting was on the mark. A small crowd of about 75. Two shows are left--tomorrow at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $15 and you can get them at the door. It runs a little short of 3 hours. Thanks Dave!

Well, company is coming next week! All our employees will be here learning about this, that and the other. It'll be good to raise a glass or two with Tom and Joan from New York, David and Chris from Chicago and Rick from Chattanooga. My friend Doug will be here as well--definitely a beer or four there! Or maybe some Jack???

Water pressure was very low after work today. Mom called and said a water main burst at 2nd and Franklin on the other side of downtown. Before I left for the play, I filled the tub with water and filled my Brita pitcher. The tub water was a rusty brown. The water in the pitcher is crystal clear. The pressure seems ok now, so I hoped they have it fixed. Didn't make it home in time to see the news.

As some of you know, I am a political junkie. I even served on the Davidson County Republican Executive Committee for a number of years. The recent polling numbers have me baffled...14 point lead for Bush in Gallup but only 2 points in Pew?? Someone is not doing something right! Unless Gallup called the West and South and Pew the East and upper Midwest! I still think the campaign will get nasty--on both sides. I wish they would go back to the issues. I can't imagine what is going through Kerry's head with the constant staff changes. Maybe that's the source of all the waffling positions?? I wish there was a viable third party out there. Or at least a sensible independent candidate. I think the Democrats are desperate and are really thwarting Nader's quest to get on the ballot in so many states. True, the Republicans would probably do the same if the polls were trending the opposite way. Well, wait--he was on most of the ballots in 2000 and there was no problem. Wait...it was those swanky Palm Beach Florida voters who had the problems and couldn't pull their heads out far enough to see who they were voting for! Well, anyway, 46 more days...

I still think election day should be on a Saturday or Sunday so more people have time to vote.

Well, the day is coming to a close. Hope you had a good week and you are looking forward to a great weekend!

Mark

Thursday the 16th

WOW! Ivan has arrived in Middle Tennessee. Getting a good amount of rain and some wind gusts. I hear the house creaking just a bit...

Not much new in Nashville. Life as usual...

A progress report on my genealogy class, Midwestern US Research, which I am taking through BYU: I turned in three lessons this morning and went to the library this evening and completed one more. Yee-Haw! I'll get this one done soon and move on to the next class; but I haven't decided on which one is next!

We had wonderful Chinese food lunch today. But my fortune was a little disappointing--Practice makes perfect. Is someone trying to tell me something???

Well, time to sign off and watch the news. See what kind of forecast we have for tomorrow.

A special note to some friends reading--

Chris...thanks for being a good friend!
Dave...where the hell are you??
Vaidas...we need to get a beer...no...multiple beers!

And to Gary Bettman and the National Hockey League...why the hell are you making our lives so miserable. Play the damn game and work out the details on the side!!

Mark

Monday the 13th

Greetings friends!

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

We have celebrities in the neighborhood tonight! Travis Tritt and John Mellencamp (formerly Cougar) are filming a music video on 6th. The lights are blazing bright tonight...and cars and SUV's line the streets. So watch for a video on the various music channels with the two and you'll get to see part of Germantown.

That wasn't the only traffic tie-up at afternoon rush hour...a diesel fuel tanker overturned at the foot of the Jefferson Street Bridge near 3rd Avenue North about 2:30. Traffic downtown was backed up; and the downpour at 4:15 didn't help! Although there was a perfect rainbow starting at the Coliseum and over toward the new Shelby Street Bridge. A bright rainbow!

Had an Oktoberfest Steering Committee meeting tonight. Things are on track! Come on out to Germantown on Saturday October 9 for the festivities. The Paulaner Bier 5K Run starts at 8 am, festival kickoff is at 9 am in front on Assumption Church. Monroe Street United Methodist and Assumption Catholic will begin their church services at 9:30 am. The oompahs start not long after that on the main stage off the corner of 7th Avenue North and Monroe. Hope to see you here! Check the neighborhood website www.historicgermantown.org for more up-to-date schedule information.

Well, September 13 has been a fine day; the feast of St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople 398-407. An eloquent speaker and defender of the faith.

Have a restful evening and may tomorrow dawn brightly and full of promise.

Mark

At weekend's end...9/12

It's 10:28 p.m., Sunday night. Sitting here with a cup of orange tea, to help break these sinuses, listening to Matt Drudge on the radio. I know I haven't kept up-to-date on my blogs recently...my humble apologies. I will do better!

It's been a rainy, overcast day here in Nashville. It wasn't supposed to be like this, but I'm glad it was. It was a good break from the heat and humidity. And did it rain! It poured more than a few times this afternoon.

Things have worked out well so far. Got some little piddly jobs done. My frame of mind has tremendously improved over the past day or two. Got to do some chatting with a few good friends and I feel expunged.

Watched some football this weekend too--Go Irish! And believe it or not, UT-Martin, my alma mater, only lost by two touchdowns to Tennessee State Univ. I think that is some kind of benchmark! Martin football has always suffered to their premier sport on campus--rodeo! I knew a couple of the rodeo guys when I was there and amazingly, it is a true sport!

Another surprise yesterday was that my cousin Robin was online. His great-great-grandmother was Polly Bell Nicholson, my great-grandfather, Thomas Bell's, sister. He lives in Doncaster England. We haven't touched base lately, so I was glad to hear from him. I do correspond with his grandmother, Molly. I am trying to get all my English branches together. Went to the genealogy library yesterday and looked for more Bell's, Jobson's, Robson's and James' in microfilm from Eglingham, North Sunderland and Warkworth England. That's where my families seem to be centered in the mid-1800's. Found a few possibilities, but nothing certain...yet!!

A week from today starts TEAM Week for the Audit Division of the Tennessee Department of Revenue. All the division's employees will be in Nashville for a week of learning and meetings. I look forward to it and usually dread it, but this year, I'm relaxed going into it because I don't have that much to do other than sit, listen and see my dear friends.

Well, that's about it from Germantown Nashville. I need to mow the yard sometime when it dries...and pull some weeds from the flowerbeds and garden. Work on the inside and the outside goes to hell and vice-versa.

My priest, Fr. Bernard, lost one of his sisters last week. Mary Margaret has been failing lately and last Wednesday she passed on. Say a prayer for him and his family. Thank you.

Time to call it a night...finish my tea...wash up and hit the sack. Good night my friends--I thank God for you!

Mark

9/11

We shall never forget....New York, the Pentagon and Pennsylvania.

Greetings on the 4th!

Hello!

Sorry I haven't blogged the past few days. Had some stressful times and last night fell asleep during the Titans/Packers game, woke up and went straight to bed. But I am back now!

Hope everyone is enjoying the long Labor Day weekend! I hope no one made plans for Florida! Poor people down there are really getting hammered--and not in the good way. I hope the hurricane picks up some speed and moves out of the area quicker than forecasted. From the path they are showing, we'll get between 2 and 5 inches of rain next week--fun!

Went to Mass this evening instead of tomorrow morning. A change is good. I went to St. Ann's on Charlotte Avenue in West Nashville. A nice church... Found a prayer there that is great based on Psalm 46:11...

Be still and know I am God. ---Psalm 46:11

Lord, I come to you in a moment of stillness
to praise you and thank you
for the many blessings of my life.

I thank you for your mercy and forgiveness
when I am sinful and weak.
I thank you for loving me everyday
even when I can't seem to love myself.
I thank you for always being there for me
even when I'm not there for you.

Come to me Lord, in a moment of stillness.

Open my heart to you, to Jesus, your Word
draw me closer to others, closer to You.
Transform me please, dear Jesus,
into a person of prayer
a heart that longs for you.
Reveal to me, Holy Spirit, your vision
for me and grow me
into the person of faith you made me to be.

Help me Lord, to be still
and know you.

Amen.

Well, that about sums up today. Being still would be good--but not too still! Just need to be more thankful for the people God has given to me in my life and things he has let me have. Maybe a short prayer every morning in thanksgiving for the new day, the sunrise and a chance to make someone smile or feel better. Yeah, that's the ticket!

Have a great rest of the Labor Day weekend!

Mark