Just a few notes first:
Don't forget that Thursday is "Queer Essay Topic" day. Show up prepared to participate.
Friday will be "The Smell of Fear..." continued. Bring your wubby and anything else of comfort.
I'll now return you to your regularly scheduled program...Janis, the nun.
Rubber Duckie asked that I write something about myself, and I agreed
to do so. Having read through Rance's blog in order to understand the
dynamics of this interesting online community I shall begin from the
beginning with the same words that Rance once used: Call me Janis.
I'm an ex-nun. No, wait I can neither confirm nor deny that I'm an
ex-nun or even a nun for that matter. All I can confirm is that I wrote
those poems that were posted last week on this wonderful blog.
But nevertheless, Rubber Duckie asked that I say something about
myself and man did she raise the bar high when she said that I'd say
something about myself. I wasn't planning on saying anything.
69. Yang and Ying. Flip-flopped. I loved how Bubba wrote that she
liked the idea of me 69ing. I love the idea, too. Thanks Bubba! That
was really sweet...
Okay, let's see, my favorite book? I have three. The Song of Songs
from the Bible, The Yellow Pages, and Kama Sutra. My favorite movie?
There are three as well. A Nun's Story, Top Gun and Grosse Pointe
Blank. My favorite music or musical group? I have three as well. The
Vienna Boys Choir, Enigma, and Janis Joplin. My favorite food? Wine
and cheese, Shrimps and Pizza. Oh and chocolate chip cookies! Okay
enough of this interrogation.
I want to say a few lovely words about the first time I developed an
awareness of God and what God means to me. I was in second grade and
our teacher asked us to draw a picture of God. There was nothing
special or particular about what I had drawn. As a matter of fact I
later learned that I fell into the same category as 98% of my
classmates, who had all drawn God as Santa Claus. The other 2 percent,
which happened to be two of my closest friends, had drawn God as
something else. One had drawn God as a woman in high heels, and the
other had drawn God as a cloud. My teacher praised us all for our
artistic attempt to capture what God meant to us but it was the first
time that I began developing a sense of awareness that there was more
to God than the old man in white hair and white beard. For this I am
eternally thankful to my teacher who instilled this awareness quite
early on. Do you have a story like this, too? If so, I'd love to hear
about it.
Oh no, more interrogatory questions. Did I live in a convent? What if
my answer is yes, no, maybe? Why did I leave the convent? I left it
because I fell in love with a man who's face reminded me of Jesus.
Well no, actually not true. His face reminded me of...well, actually of
no one. I'll just call him "Citizen of the World". My favorite subjects in
school? I liked religion (I attended Catholic school), art and
history. Did I have any other jobs besides the one as a nun? Yes. I
used to weigh tealeaves at a pharmacy.
Do I want to say anything about my teen years? Sure. In general I
would say I had a natural curiosity about the world around me. As a
teen I attended bible study once a week. It was a way for me to
connect with others and to make friends. I loved bible study. We would
first congregate together in one large group and sing songs and share
what was affecting us in our daily lives. And then we would pray
together to ask for guidance or strength or to simply give thanks.
Later we would meet in smaller groups and have one adult be our
designated teacher and read to us a story or passage from the bible.
We also read Christian literature, which I was particularly fond of.
These early years are what shaped my way of thinking and fed my
never-ending quest for knowledge. They were the foundation to my
spirituality today.
Anything else? Well I leave it up to you. I'd love to read what you
have to share on the topics I have outlined today.
Later,
J.
Administrative Notes:
RDD: Thank you for dedicating yourself to watering the wonderful
virtual flowers here that Rance once planted. Keep up the good work!
F: You should just get a DVP for each and every lovely comment you
make on this blog. May I give you a kisshug sometime?
C: Thanks for liking my hot poems. Can you write one for us, too?
VW: I'm not sure of anything. Are you?
J: You sure know your Song of Songs! Thanks for comparing my poems to
Sufi. That is really swell.
L: Are you sure you wouldn't know what kind of poems a nun or ex-nun
would write?
Lab & Lanie: You both deserve 20 DVP's each for reading and commenting
to the Nun poems. It seems that it was really brave of you
to do so.
R: Did you enjoy my poems? I haven't seen a response from you and I
was told that my poems were sought out partially for your benefit and
enjoyment.
Posted by captainhoof
at 11:27 AM CST
