Prop 8, Great Canon, Illness, Dream Job, and Hail

Anselm Samuel and I went to San Francisco tonight for the chanting of tonight's portion of the Great Canon. A trip that takes 1.5 hours on Sunday morning took 2.5 hours tonight. What caused the delay? The police had cordoned off the area around the Supreme Court building. (FYI: California has a divided Capital. The Governor and the Legisture and most of the Cabinet work in Sacramento. The Supreme Court and the Attorney General work in San Francisco.) Why the police presence? Why three helicopters cirling the area? Why all the closed roads? Because tomorrow the Supreme Court decides whether we are a democracy or an oligarchy. Of course, they can only make that decision if we let them. "...does that star-spangled banner yet wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?" Does it? We will find out soon. I have my pen ready to sign the recall petition of any Justice who votes to overturn Prop. 8. Americans, especially Californians, should not abide tyrants.

In other news, probably of more import, the Great Canon is really amazing. I was out of breath not very long into it (Orthodox readers will know why.) and had trouble hearing all the words from my labored breathing, but I was really moved by the multiple entreaties to our mother among the Saints, Mary of Egypt. I am so tremendously humbled to have someone like her praying for me. I won't be able to make it to Church tomorrow night for the chanting of the fourth part of the Canon, but I am looking forward to the 5th week of Lent when we will chant the entire Canon in one service.

Anselm Samuel and Basil Wenceslas are still sick with coughs. We have taken them both to the doctor several times since November when they first got sick. The prayers for sick people have been said, candles have been offered, and much holy water splashed and consumed. They have taken many pills and syrups. Now they have inhalers. They eat well. They get plenty of exercise. We even have hired a house cleaner to come in and give the place a very thorough cleaning. I can't think of what else we can do to get them well. I am beginning to think that maybe there is a mold or something like that under the carpets. I mention this now because tonight we had to leave the service early when Anselm had a coughing fit and had to lay down from the post-spasm exhaustion.

I think everyone knows I don't really like my job. Really there are only two good things about it: I am learning a lot about stuff I never knew about (For example, this week I learned how to change a pop-up assembly in a bathroom sink.), and I get to spend a lot of time with my kids. But I always feel like I am wasting my education and past professional experience. Also, the job pays very little. Today, Athanasia emailed me a job announcement that just floored me. She called it "The perfect job for Matt" and she was right. It would utilize my advertising experience, my theological education, my sales ability, my bon ami approach to customer service, knowledge of music, choral experience, love of liturgics and academics, and even my Army training. And it is only part time and pays great big gobs of filthy lucre. I can hardly believe it is a real job. I just finished writing my resume and cover letter.

Dear reader, if you are a praying person, and even if you are not, please, intercede with the Lord God that I get this job.

Finally, we had a hail storm today. It was exciting. Anselm Samuel and Basil Wenceslas got a big kick out of it. Anselm said the bouncing ice looked like popcorn popping. It did.