tagged 
Action
Action Monday
22Sep
Thursday
18Sep
Axios
Here is a recent photo of my spiritual parents, Father Gregory and Khouria Frederica. It was taken at a 15th anniversary banquet, and the original photo had a speaker stand growing out of Khouria’s head. Hooray for Photoshop!
I actually expected Fr. G to make some kind of retirement speech at the banquet. But, as Providence would have it, the Bishop told everyone that we all (120+) should have regular face-time with Fr. G, and he even offered to give us all Fr. G’s cellphone number! That might prove problematic… *if* Father ever turned his cellphone on. :)
If it weren’t for Khouria’s earlier books and Fr. G’s receptivity some five years ago, we would not be Orthodox. In fact, I don’t know where or what we’d be without them.
Tuesday
16Sep
Speaking of St. Tikhons...
This is Fr. Nicodemus, a monk who gave us a tour of the monastery church, it’s history, the icons and relics, etc. He also gave us a tour of the ancient icon house and the monastery museum. I don’t recall him looking any of us in the eye, out of humility I presume. Last time I saw him he was either recovering from or about to have knee surgery. Walking looked to be quite painful for him.
It was on this last trip that the car my godson and I had rented broke down, about 15 miles from the monastery. We left before everyone else, thank God. We somehow managed to get a cellphone signal and called the monastery for a ride. The closest rental facility was about four hours away, and although we spent a good part of the afternoon at a gas station in BFN (pardon me) Pennsylvania, eventually some friends showed up with room enough for two. My poor godson… I did not handle that situation very well.
tagged Orthodox
Orthodox Monday
15Sep
Signs of the Times
Posted on Sep 15, 2008 in The Great Outdoors, Outtings, Religious
Sep 15, 2008 in The Great Outdoors, Outtings, Religious 
My second trip to St. Tikhon’s Monastery & Seminary happened in 2006. My first trip saw me bring a Canon point-&-shoot; for this trip I had just purchased a Canon Digital Rebel and was armed with several books on photography under my belt. How helpful they were I don’t know, but I do know that I was very inspired.
Early each morning I’d creep out of the dorm where our men’s group was staying and run around taking photos of anything I could find. It was bitter cold, but very quiet and I was happy for the time alone, with no particular schedule, aside from the 8am Liturgy I hoped to attend.
This image shows the top of a little gazebo overlooking a lake close to the monastery church. I don’t think there was a direction toward which one could look without seeing an icon, or cross, or ‘something’ that lifted the mind. It was wonderful. Unfortunately for us, our last men’s trip to St. Tikhon’s saw us staying in a hotel some 13 miles away. The seminary dorms were full of seminarians!
tagged Day, Monastery, Historical
Day, Monastery, Historical Friday
12Sep
Naked Songs
Posted on Sep 12, 2008 in Miscellany
Sep 12, 2008 in Miscellany 
While using iTunes 8 new “Genius” feature, which suggested songs I might like but don’t have based on the song I had chosen in my library, I came across an artist I had never heard of: Ashley Chambliss. Her 2005 album nakedsongs immediately found it’s way from the iTunes Store into my library. The style of piano playing she employs is similar to the style I used when I was an aspiring (and terribly naïve) singer/songwriter.
It’s nice to hear someone really nail that style, and also to be reminded of the hours upon hours I spent “in concert” in my parents conservatory saving the world and myself with my little music. Sometimes I envy that guy, the one in the conservatory playing late into the night. Perhaps there’s something to be said for naivety…
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About the photo: Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos, fell in love with Theseus of Athens. According to the Greek myth, she accompanied Theseus when he left Crete but was later abandoned by him on the island of Naxos.
