Man of Leisure

NFLH: Papal Funeral Edition

Here's the News From Lower Hallenia, Number 2: the Papal Funeral Edition.

nflh040805.mp3 (15:50, 4.8 megabytes)

Topics in this week's podcast:
I. Introduction
II. Five Questions: Appearance
III. John Paul II's Funeral: thoughts
IV. Shout-Outs: Ryan & Tom
V. Favorite Song of the Week: "Blow It Out", by The Features
VI. Over and Out

Friday Five

1. What's one thing you've always wanted to do, but never have?
Ride in a helicopter or ultralight airplane.

2. When someone asks your opinion about a new haircut/outfit/etc, are you always honest?
No one ever really asks for my opinion on hair or clothes. I sometimes offer my opinion unsolicited, which isn't always nice. But for the most part, I am honest - though I often cut people down in the process. Not very nice, as I say.

3. Have you ever found out something about a friend and then wished you hadn't? What happened?
Not that I can think of off hand. I often try to avoid gossip, because I'd rather experience people for who they are. That allows me to have friends myself who wouldn't themselves be friends (kind of like a "go between"). I believe that's a result of my years of seminary training, since priests never, ever reveal what they've learned in the confessional.

4. If you could live in any fictional world (from a book/movie/game/etc.) which would it be and why?
I like the world created by JRR Tolkien, especially Hobbiton. What a pleasant life, built upon leisure and community. Is anyone who knows me surprised?

5. What's one talent/skill you don't have but always wanted?
I'd like to play an instrument well. I had a trumpet and a guitar growing up, but I never realized at the time that I'd ever want to learn them well. I wonder what I have now that I'll wish in 20 years that I'd worked on harder?

The Friday Five

Courtesy of the friday five, an archived 5 questions from 3/7/03:

1. What was the last song you heard?
"Every Little Kiss", by Sara Evans, featuring Bruce Hornsby on piano. It's the final track on her "Born to Fly" album.

2. What were the last two movies you saw?
In the theatre: The Passion of the Christ (big-time approval) and Spartan (so-so).

On the Digital Versatile Disc: Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (so-so) and Old School (so-so).

3. What were the last three things you purchased?
A dozen (14) donuts from Winchell's; five raffle tickets from the Village Block Party; a set of Phat Guy Shirt placemats and coasters.

4. What four things do you need to do this weekend?
Pick up Joseph, my radio co-host, at the airport; attend the Confirmation Mass on Sunday morning at the Chapel of Christ the Teacher; serve Kristin as the backup Hall Director on-duty; cook Hobbit Casserole for Christine in celebration of her birthday last week.

5. Who are the last five people you talked to?
Megan, Randy, Paul, Rachel, and Anne. We volunteered together at the Oregon Food Bank's Learning Garden this morning.

The Good Friday Five

1. What do you do for a living?
I manage a residence hall on a university campus. "Managing the hall" means supervising a staff of five student Resident Assistants who build community among their residents. I also am responsible for ensuring that the mail is delivered and that maintenance requests are responded to in a timely fashion; maintaining the security of the residents and the building; dealing with policy violations by residents.

2. What do you like most about your job?
The daily contact with very bright young adults, who have a zest for life and a great sense of hope. And having a staff of delightful people who bring great joy to my existence.

3. What do you like least about your job?
The drudgery of paperwork.

4. When you have a bad day at work it's usually because _____...
They're rare, but they happen when I'm up all night responding to a crisis and then still have to undergo a full day of meetings and paperwork.

5. What other career(s) are you interested in?
Being a professor of philosophy. Or a full-time man of leisure.

Friday Five

So there haven't been any new questions posted today, so I took a look in the archive at FridayFive.org. Here's a goodie from January 23, 2004:

At this moment, what is your favorite...

1. ...song?
At this precise moment, "The Remedy", by Jason Mraz, is running through my head. I downloaded an acoustic version from the iTunes Music Store, and it's a catchy little ditty.

2. ...food?
I'm craving some sushi right about now. And since it's a Friday in Lent, my craving meshes nicely with the demands of my religious observance.

But as far as my favorite food, it remains the sweet, sweet bacon. I've had about 4 lbs. of the 30 that my friends gave me for my birthday. Mmmm. Bacon.

3. ...tv show?
The Simpsons. Homer is the man.

4. ...scent?
The melange of flower aromas from every corner of campus smells nice.

5. ...quote?
"Oh I would do anything for love, but I won't do that." - Meat Loaf

3/26: Hand-tooled Friday Five

So the folks over at Friday Five didn't post any questions this week. I've decided to write my own:

1. What're your plans for the weekend?
Clean my room today so that it is presentable when an AHD candidate comes by to see the space where he may live next year. Attend "Cars & Guitars" this evening, a garage band concert in my residence hall's parking structure. The bands are Call It Arson and Eve's Dilemma (review here). Then off to Menucha for the Sacramental Preparation retreat, where I'll be speaking about prayer.

2. What's stacked on your desk right now?
A few books: "The 1977 Annual World's Best SF", "Mr Phillips", "The Syntopicon to the Great Books of the Western World", "GBWW Volume 7: Plato"; a shadow box that used to hold a fat-guy-shirt greeting card; several photos waiting to be framed: Tom and I playing golf in our Marian shirts, my meeting with Pope John Paul II, and Tom dancing with Sunshine; gifts from New York for my sister and mother; a birthday gift for The Pinque; gift certificates to Mio Sushi and Red Robin.

3. What's unwatched on your TiVo?
Last Sunday's "The Sopranos"; several weeks worth of "Scrubs"; "Waiting In The Wings", a CMT documentary about African Americans in Country/Western music; "40 Greatest Drinking Songs", a countdown hosted by convicted drunk-driver Wynonna; 21 episodes of "The Simpsons".

4. What'd you give up for Lent?
In practice, nothing. I've really dropped the ball on observing Lent this year, aside from the staunch dedication to avoiding meat on Fridays. Whoop-dee-do.

5. What are you thankful for this week?
My friend and pastor Fr. Claude gave me a nice bench to sit outside my apartment on nice days. It's very pleasant, and I hope it doesn't grow a few extra legs and disappear. It will be great for the summertime, when I can move it to the smoking area across the street to enjoy a cigar while reading some philosophy texts.

There it is, my hand-tooled Friday Five.

Friday Five

If you...

1. ...owned a restaurant, what kind of food would you serve?
Breakfast all day, so that I could get hash browns and bacon at every meal. The dinner menu would feature barbecue. And desserts to die for, with various creme brulees. Mmmm. Creme brulee.

2. ...owned a small store, what kind of merchandise would you sell?
Fudge, books, beer, and wine.

3. ...wrote a book, what genre would it be?
Travelogue/expatriate life. I've enjoyed the heck out of Peter Mayle's books about living in France, and Frances Mayes' books about Tuscany.

4. ...ran a school, what would you teach?
Philosophy in the Socratic method.

5. ...recorded an album, what kind of music would be on it?
Bluegrass, "Space-age Bachelor Pad Music", and covers of Johnny Cash and The Beatles (especially done in the Swing style).

Questions courtesy of the friday five.