Bfth's Boring Blog

This Sunday today, is Mother's Day.  And believe it or not I'm thinking about my father. Let me backtrack in a bit to explain.     This Saturday the church that I have been attending in the Poconos was having a showing of the movie  Conclave . I'm glad I got the chance to see it with other people as opposed to just seeing it by myself.  It was a movie that I think my mother would have enjoyed (and perhaps poked a little fun at too for all the "rituals"). My father, though not generally a "movie" guy, would have probably liked it too.   This church that I attend in the Poconos is an Episcopalian one.  If you've read some of my blog posts, you know that I was raised as a Presbyterian. That was the denomination that my mother had chosen when she was a teenager. Prior to that she and her mother, and her mother's mother had been Methodist.  (For a long time it was the ONLY church in town...I believe it was wear my grandmother's high school gra...

 Several years back I wrote a piece about my friend Ed:   https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2021/03/unexpected-2-ultimate-fab-soy-bomb.html .  While it's not required reading, it might help to give that link a quick look over before continuing on here.  (Go on...we'll wait.) Way back then I wanted to create a drink in Ed's honor:  The Tropical Ed.  But I never did.  Finding pineapple soda isn't that easy and I'm not a big fan of sugary drinks.  (Oh, who am I kidding?  I am, but I'm trying NOT to be.)  I kind of forgot about it.  But then... A friend of ours who is a musician also like to "explore" new sodas.  He and my husband like to try new things, particularly those that are zero sugar.  (Zero sugar IS all the rage.  Forget "diet" coke, zero sugar coke is much better.  The same goes for Pepsi, Dr. Pepper and so on.)  He had found a new soda, Tropical 7-Up.  We hadn't found it and he promised ...

  It's graduation season.  I LOVE graduation season.  It's not about my son who is in college and will have two more years to go.  (Don't get me started on costs.)  It's about the fact that several large institutes of higher learning have their ceremonies at the Prudential Center in Newark.  It's only a couple of blocks from where I work.  Parking prices go through the roof.  (Can you blame the lot owners?  I may not like it, but I can't diss them for it.)  Traffic becomes even more "difficult" than usual.  As a result (or at least for this day), my manager has allowed the team to work remotely instead of being in the office.  Which for me means that I was able to come back to the Poconos a day earlier than usual and that's a big plus for me.  I was able to look out my office window and see the greenery.  To check on the frogs in the pond.  (Large, Medium, Small and Kermit)  I should be able to move my ...

  Google has pointed out (as it does just about every year) that today is Teacher Appreciation Day. In my book, a good teacher is worth their weight in gold.  I know there are "not so great" teachers out there.  I had a few.  My son had a few.  Thankfully they were in the minority.  The majority of the teachers that I had were amazing.  So amazing that I remember them clearly, even as I can't remember where I left my keys or other "silly" stuff.  I'm so grateful to those men and women who taught me.  I'm so grateful to those men and women that taught my son.   My son texted me yesterday.  He had a math test (although it may have been an exam as they are heading into finals week).  Math was never my strong point.  (I still have math-phobia.  Don't put me on the spot and ask me to add two and two together because I will totally stress out and not be able to answer.  You may think I'm kidding, but I'm not....

 My husband and I have been playing this game since we purchased our home in the Poconos.  We call it "What is that?"  We come across things in the house and on the property that we have no idea what they are.  Early on we asked the former owners and quite often their response was "we don't know either."   We also play a version that the game that is more: "WHY is that?"  For example, the three electrical outlets on the outside of the detached garage that are all relatively close to each other.  I understand what they are, but why?  Maybe I should forgo the WHY and just turn to one of my favorite SNL sketches and start singing "Oooo weeee...what up with that?  What up with that?" As things started to grow and green in our yard, I've been wondering and asking "What is that?" more and more often.  In many cases Google Lens can help, but not always.   For example, when these things started sprouting: The "bottom" of the s...

The first musical I did in high school (and I'd like to say it was the best musical we did while I was in high school) was "Mame."  I was only in the chorus (I never really got out in any production), but I loved the show and the cast.  Just this past weekend, the movie version of "Mame" was on TCM and I watched it.  Despite a great cast (I love Lucy), it falls completely flat.  It's not just that Lucille Ball was miscast (she might have been able to pull it off IF the production was better), but there was no connection, no sparkle.  I love the show.  I love the music.  I didn't love the movie. The music and lyrics are wonderful, written by the late, great Jerry Herman.  (He also did the music/lyrics for 2 of my other favorite shows, "Hello Dolly!" and "La Cage Aux Follies".)  One of the many great songs from the show is "Open a New Window."  The opening lyric: "Open a new window; open a new door. Travel a new highway, ...

 I haven't written in a while.  Usually, I'm writing at least 2-3 days a week.  However, lately I've just not been "feeling it."  And I don't like that I haven't had that drive. WHY haven't I been feeling it?  I think that has something to do with the state of the world.  Let's be honest (and I always try to be honest...probably too much so as I can write about things that probably make some/most people cringe and think, "Bfth!  TMI!  TMI!"), we are living in a time that is pretty depressing, frustrating, angering, horrifying...well you get the idea.   I don't want to be a Debbie Downer.  I want to be Bright Side Bfth.  On the other hand, I won't bury my head in the sand.  We need to be educated and informed when it comes to the world.  We can't disregards the injustices that happen on a daily basis.  When civil rights are being depleted and removed, we can't ignore it.  We need to be able to differentiate f...

  This past week, I "treated" myself to a "spring break" taking two days off in the middle of the week.  It was only 2 days long and wasn't a "real" vacation as I stayed "home" (in the Poconos) and had a variety of things that I had to do that couldn't be done on a weekend or covered in a lunch hour.  (Or even an extended lunch break.)  It was good to have the time, even if it wasn't a "traditional" vacation. On Easter itself I went to an early morning service.  This may have been a mistake on my part, as music on Easter has always been a big part of the holiday for me and this service was quiet.  So that may have thrown me off my mark.  When I got home from church, I wanted to go out with my husband, but he wasn't into it. I'll admit that I got a little "miffed."  So instead I went for a walk and thought about it.  This Easter was never going to be the one that I wanted.  My son is away, my parents are dec...

"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled as to console, To be understood as to understand, To be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life." (A Prayer of St. Francis) I am not Catholic.  I am Christian and I am profoundly saddened by the death of Pope Francis.    I am not saddened by the fact that a "Pope" died, but that a man who truly followed in the footsteps of Jesus and lead by example has passed away.  For me, Francis exemplified what Christians strive to be.  He, like Jesus, humbled himself.  He walked among sinners and outcasts.  He advocated for those who are marginalized. He embraced...

 After a long, cold and dark Lent, we've reached Good Friday.  I still have challenges with understanding why it is "good," but that's me.  For Christians around the world (and that includes me), it is a reminder of a dark day.  The day that Jesus, without any due process, was crucified and died.  What was his crime?  He cared for sinners and outcasts.  He was kind and listened to those not like him.  He ate with the lowest of the low. (You know tax collectors!)  He called for his followers to be compassionate and to care for others.  (Yes, I'm going back to one of my favorite verses:  Matthew 25:  31-40.)  And yet in doing this the angry mobs called for his death.  A man who preached love was hated.   I know I am no religious scholar.  I know that I've oversimplifying it all here, but... For me, Good Friday is a reminder of a darkness that filled man's hearts.  A darkness that I try (and, if I...