Witty Words From Dr. Einstein

This is so not in the spirit of PeaceBang but still, I had to share:

When his wife asked him to change clothes to meet the German ambassador, Einstein reportedly said, "If they want to see me, here I am. If they want to see my clothes, open my closet and show them my suits."

Such a wit, that Einstein!
Such a schmart man. A bit schlubby, but he could get away with it. He was a genius. You and me, just regular boys and girls who could never get away with that hair or those stained cardigans.



[Someone very striped is sitting on the desk at this very moment, and just took her pill and her Clavamox like a champ.]

"Faith, Hope and Love"

PeaceBang was just TICKLED to find this at Overstock.com, because she signs all of her pastoral correspondence and her church newsletter column this way (so original, of course):


http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?page=product&prod_id=1769222

I have never ordered anything from Overstock.com before, and I don't remember what caused me to check it out this past week, but I received my necklace in the mail yesterday and I adore it. I love that it's Christian without being a cross, and I love that it floats freely on the chain in such a holistic symbol.

God will have to forgive me for loving the bling so much. I got five new necklaces as Christmas gifts and they're all terrific. Sometimes I look at all my jewelry and I feel like Gollum caressing his Precious (pronounced in that gravelly voice as "PRRRRRRRRRRee-shusss").

But really, this would make a wonderful gift for a minister.


[Cat health status: good/Cuteness status: 10/Long-term prognosis: Unknown]

Dry Flyaways: An Interfaith Clergy Issue

Taking a deep breath and tearing my mind away from my gorgeous, fashion-forward cat (on her, stripes are always slimming, and she is a veritable whiz with the eye pencil), I turn my attention to a serious problem among some of the most venerable Boston-area clergy, as evidenced by yesterday's televised interfaith worship service in celebration of Deval Patrick's gubernatorial inauguration :

DRY FLYAWAYS.

Now, far be it for me to say anything, because I was just there with the ENTERTAINMENT (seriously, when I showed up to join my group, Sweet the Sound, the usher referred to me as ENTERTAINMENT, which I adored. It made me feel like Doris Day in her early chanteuse years, slipping through the side door into the nightclub in search of the really crummy little dressing room). I was not processing with the rest of the venerable clergy, but I sure did have a great front row seat to watch them all make their entrance.

We had Episocpal Bishops and UCC Conference Ministers and Unitarian Universalist Presidents and Catholic Cardinals And Muslim leaders and Chief Rabbis and Wampanoag Elders and more people I can't recall and wow, it was a colorful and impressive assemblage.

However, PeaceBang couldn't help but notice that while the vestments were resplendent and the smiles mostly large and genuine, there was an awful lot of dry, flyaway winter hair going on. She watched with great respect as all these religious leaders filed by singing "God Of The Ages Who With Sure Command" and thought to herself, "The only thing that could make this occasion more resplendent is a good pomade."

Really. You just take a dab in your hand, rub in between your palms and run your hands through your hair. It adds shine and polish and PeaceBang just wished she had packed some in her bag and could have done a quick Pomade Fix on everyone before the service began. Some people, who shall remain nameless, really needed a haircut. Someone else, who bought me a coffee at Starbucks before the service, had shiny and beautiful and gorgeously smooth hair, so we know it can be done.



PeaceBang recommends:

American Crew Pomade.
In a pinch, you can use a rich moisturizer.

Update on Erm

They are going to give her antibiotics, anti-parisite medication, prednisone and something else.
A tracheal wash could kill her (she may not survive anesthesia) and the results would be inconclusive (and extremely expensive!).

As it is, this is wiping out my savings hour by hour. It's horrifying to watch it disappear and to know that I may have to euthanize her in a very short period of time to alleviate her suffering.

She is no longer in oxygen because they want to see if she can survive without it. If not, there's not much hope.

My lame little beauty tip for the day:
Maybelline Volume Express Waterproof mascara is NOT waterproof. It definitely doesn't smear onto your face, but it washes off with tears.

My Beauty

Ermengarde Christmas 2006 015
Originally uploaded by Peacebang.

This is the only beautiful face I want to gaze upon tonight, and she's at the animal hospital in an oxygen container struggling for her life.

She has acute pneumonia. There was no real warning; I just coaxed her out of hiding this afternoon and found her gasping for air.

PeaceBang has no words. She is just too heartsick and worried.
[I am leaving updates at Peacebang.blogspot.com, with appreciation for your care -- xoxo ]

Your Image in 2007

cool chick
Originally uploaded by Peacebang.

My darling and hard-working people,

At the start of this promising new year, take a moment for yourself to bless yourself, re-dedicate yourself to the work to which you were called, let go the disappointments and failures of the past year, and move into 2007 with all the bad-ass 'tude for God you can muster.

As always, you're going to need it. The world needs it. We must rock. We must rock hard. People are drowning in noise and things, and if the Holy Spirit knocks mildly on the door, ain't no one gonna answer.

Part of Rocking It For God is to develop confidence and strength in who you are and what you are bringing, even in the visual sense. You must be willing to project not just sweetness and light and healing, but leadership, vision, trustworthiness. I know that you ARE a trustworthy and devoted leader, but does your body know that? Are you projecting it when you step into a room? Are you willing to? Or are you tip-toeing in with an enormous cross dangling from your neck, hoping that will provide all the presence you need? Are you getting your charisma from a collar or a chalice pendant?

PeaceBang is very interested lately in thinking about our inner reality of our public image vs the way it plays out to others.

Let me confess that in my deepest heart, I would love to be as cool as the chick in the leopard coat above, (and oh, for that hair!). I love her. In reality, however, I'm about as cool as this:


(Cute Finnish Pastor)

I like to think, though, that that creative, eye-catching, comfortable-in-her-skin, babe somehow gets through on some layer that people feel even if its invisible inside my meatball shape and Lane Bryant couture.

Another case in point. In my lived experience, life in ministry often feels like it moves in this way:

Tough! Fast! Cool! Zoomy! Shiny! Movement! Freedom! The only thing wrong with this image is that it contains only a solitary figure. In my version, you would see hundreds of people riding with this chick.

Okay, that's how I feel about ministry and religious life. I am aware, however, that to most everyone else, it appears that this is more the reality:

Fun, eh?

So, my cookie pies, what have we learned? That it's up to US to create, cherish and preserve a vibrant, fabulous inner reality about who we are and what we are doing. And when we do, it will start sneaking its way into our exterior reality and presence, and hopefully will draw others to our lives, our visions, our communities.

Rock on in 2007!

(Photos of cool woman and bike by Ben Kerns)

Paris the Pastor

Paris the Pastor
Originally uploaded by Peacebang.

Remember how you had all those questions about what to wear on your hospital visits during your Clinical Pastoral training?

Just get a gander of the beneficent heiress Paris Hilton making the rounds at a children's hospital in Sydney. What you can't see is that the jeans are cuffed up to mid-calf length, and she's wearing open-toed white slingbacks with a 4" cork heel.

Aside from those details, you know what else really works about this look? The bare shoulders and the Heidi braids and the little insouciant white bow in the hair. Nothing says, "I'm here and I care" like braids and a bow.

Let's ordain her RIGHT NOW.
Because she is so totally called to this work.

2007 Cleansing Ritual

2007 Cleansing Ritual
Originally uploaded by Peacebang.

Happiest of healthy, faithful and beautiful new years to you, my darling powder pigeons!!

It being the first day of a new calendar year and all, it would be a great idea to take a long bath (not too hot or you'll wind up all dried out) in some lovely bubbles, and exfoliate all the skin you're in.

PeaceBang uses Body Shop Coconut Exfoliating Scrub and recommends it, but there are many products out there, or just a scrubby loofah will do.

This is more than merely cosmetic. Your skin is the largest organ of elimination in (on?) your bod. By ridding yourself of dead skin cells, you help detoxify. So get at those callouses on the feet (a major energy center) with a pumice, and don't forget your back and neck.

Give yourself a nice facial masque at the same time (PeaceBang loves the Tourmaline Radiance Masque by Aveda) and a hair moisturizing treatment (Carol's Daughters makes a beautiful, all organic one).

When you're done soaking and scrubbing your person, rinse off in tepid water and dry yourself with a big fluffy towel. Slather yourself in a rich body creme, paying special attention to elbows and feet, and wrap your silky body in something pure cotton.

Tell your beloved that you'll be having naked worship in your bedroom, and only he or she is invited. Tell 'em PeaceBang sent you. That's good for you too, you know. Body and soul. Just be sure to turn off the phone.












(The nude is by Edward Weston)

You Do What You Can

A Bit Heavy Of The Brow
Originally uploaded by Peacebang.

PeaceBang's much-beloved and trusted hairdressed decided to "try something new" the other day and committed upon PeaceBang's head what we used to refer to in the 6th grade as a "butch," as in, "You got totally butched."
(This was before the GLBT era, when "butch" has an entirely different connotation)

So today PeaceBang was fussing in the mirror before church and realizing that oh gads, the front of her hair hits her RIGHT at her double chin(s). What to do, what to do? No bright lipstick to draw the eye even more irresistably to the jawline. How about a smoky eye to distract attention upwards?
But it's Sunday morning, not an appropriate time for a smoky eye.

So PeaceBang applied a slightly brighter blush than usual to the apples of her cheeks and drew in a bit more of a definitive eyebrow than usual. At least, that's what she *thought* she did. By the light of the church, she took one look at herself in her office mirror and blurted out, "My God, I look like Theda Bara!"

Who was born Theodosia Goodman, bless her smoldering little silent screen goddess' heart.

Lesson: Hair grows. Do the best you can with it, even in these lifeless, dull, dry hair days, and leave the eyebrows alone.