ANNOUNCEMENT: NotGISH Scavenger Hunt Coming at the End of the Week

A preview of the Not-Greatest-International-Scavenger-Hunt!

(I do realize that what that says is NotGreatestInternationalScavengerHunt Scavenger Hunt, much like chai tea and ATM machine, but there are no grammar police in the NotGISH world!)

With the end (for now?) of the Scavenger Hunt formerly known as GISH, nee GISHWHES, colloquially known as Misha’s Folly, I miss it, and I’m a little bit sad that I opted not to participate last year, which turned out to be the last year (I guess, although Misha is mercurial, so we will see) and so I wanted to do a bit of a hunt here; for you.

And yes, for me, too.

Beginning on Sunday, July 30th, I will furnish two items per day for you to find, create, do, and overall still your neck out of your comfort zone, but not too far out; I’m not a hypocrite on neck sticking out, but I hope that you’ll use the 8 days that follow Sunday to do something extraordinary or at least something extra and perhaps ordinary.

You can share your items on your own blogs and social medias, you can include links in the comments section of each item I post or include the items themselves.

I don’t have the capacity for prizes, but I will choose one random participant for a “grand prize” or at least a “lovely prize” or maybe simply a “mediocre-I-didn’t-know-I-needed-this prize; what the heck is it?!”

If you want to get your mind in the scavenger hunt feeling, glance at my previous GISH items over the years by searching #gish on this site.

And may the gishes be ever in your favor.

^{Lindt chocolates and the Candy Taste Test.}
^(c)2020-2023

June Inspiration, Expanded

As I mentioned in the June Inspire last week, I’ve been awed by the number of inspiring events I’ve been privileged to have participated in since the very beginning of the month. Since I was unable to choose one or two to write about, I thought I’d write about most of them, and include some photos and links so you can explore on your own in your own timeframe and let them capture your imagination and inspire you as well.

One warning before I really get into it: this will be picture heavy (as well as, from my estimate, word heavy).

June began with a weekend retreat that I’m still feeling. June is also the end of the school year, and so during finals and Regent’s exams, my youngest often doesn’t have to go to school, and since the whole crew at home took a day off to see The Flash movie (no spoilers ahead), we decided to take a road trip to Connecticut. And then finally, a field trip to a college outside of Albany to tour a set of books (a Bible actually) of Biblical calligraphy and illuminations. And in between all of that it’s been busy with driving my kids, funeral for a colleague and friend, interfaith doings, Red Hats lunch, a broken hearing aid, weekly rosary, and Father’s Day, an interfaith prayer service, and a fellowship luncheon.

June has been a lot more than usual, and it’s still got a few days left; Indiana Jones will be inspiring in its own way. I don’t want it to sound as though I’m complaining; I’m really not, although once I get started it’s hard to turn off the listing; it’s like a waterfall. However, I can’t say it’s been dull or uninspiring; it’s definitely been the opposite of both of those.

Pride Quotes

^{Quotations from Harvey Milk, James Baldwin, Leslie Jordan, Audre Lorde, Marsha P. Johnson, Elliot Page. Art by KBW. (c)2023}

A sample of quotations from a diverse group of LGBTQIA and Allies.

“Gender is who you are, and sexuality is who you want.” — C.N. Lester, “Trans Like Me: A Journey for All of Us”

“Cut the ending. Revise the script. The man of her dreams is a girl.” — Julie Anne Peters, “Keeping You a Secret”

“When all Americans are treated as equal, no matter who they are or whom they love, we are all more free.” — Barack Obama

“Love is never wrong.” — Melissa Etheridge

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” — E.E. Cummings

“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing we’ll ever do.” — Brené Brown, “The Gifts of Imperfection”

“Where there is love, there is life.” — Mahatma Gandhi

“We declare that human rights are for all of us, all the time: whoever we are and wherever we are from; no matter our class, our opinions, our sexual orientation.” — Ban Ki-moon

“To realize a world of equality and dignity for all, we will have to change laws and policies; we will also have to change hearts and minds.” — Rick Parnell

“Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?”— Ernest J. Gaines

“What I liked about the rainbow is that it fits all of us. It’s all the colors. It represents all the genders. It represents all the races. It’s the rainbow of humanity.” — Gilbert Baker

More quotes can be found here.

David Tennant on Pride

Pride

For the next four weeks, I’ll be posting some information, links, art, and photos for Pride and hopefully including some LGBT+ history. I’d like to start by saying that last week I heard some complaints by folks with nothing better to do asking why Pride gets a month and our veterans only get one day. This is obviously meant to create an issue where there is none. First, Memorial Day is not about veterans in that way; it’s about the war dead, which most people are glad to ignore until it suits their agenda. If they really felt this way, they’d spend Memorial Day at the cemetery, at a house of worship, volunteering instead of barbecuing and at baseball games and concerts. Second, there are many, many veterans (and war dead) who are in the LGBT+ community, and Pride is as much for them as any other person. Third, for those who declare that “pride” is a venal sin, I’d like to suggest that those divorced, adulterous, lying, hypocrites stay quiet and/or remove the log from their eye.

I wonder if, when these people see a rainbow in the sky if they shake a fist at it and complain loudly to the Creator about how woke He is.

Pride was born in revolution, even though LGBT+ people were around long before 1969. The ones who are out and open and celebrate Pride are not only celebrating themselves but are celebrating those of the community who are still not out, for personal reasons as well as safety ones.

My friend has a denim vest with the stenciled words: The first pride was a riot. I’ve used that to influence the art I created last night for this post. Sometimes the simplest designs tell a greater story.

Marsha P. Johnson

Sylvia Rivera

Stonewall Riots

Library of Congress Research Guides: 1969: The Stonewall Uprising

A Prayer for St. Elen on her Feast Day

Mental Health Monday – Doodles & Scribbles

Sometimes, you just need a mindless break. But some of those mindless breaks can actually be mindful.

Yesterday, after mass, and the May crowning, and then praying the rosary in the garden there, I came home to my husband and daughter heading out for some Mother’s Day shopping, and I opted to stay home. What did I do with myself?

I sketched and I colored and I read.

The reading was a heavy, emotional book, and the coloring helped me through the traumatic chapter. As you can see from the photo, I wasn’t able to finish the coloring page. I plan to do some more tonight.

In addition to the sketches, I’ve included photos from this week. When I was in the depths of my depression, I’d drive a little bit and take photographs. At that time, my focus was on church architecture and really old cemeteries where the names were barely visible. Today, I take photos of nearly anything that catches my eye.

Drop some of your art and photos into the comments. And remember to breathe.