Orthodixie

As of December 31st, there were 8,147 comments logged on the Orthodixie blog. The blog has been in operation since May 2004 — about 70 months, averaging 30 days per month, say: 2,100 days — which equals less than 4 comments per day. (Though I do appreciate the camaraderie of the ComBox, this has never been a “comment driven” blog.) I believe that the Western Rite query may have generated the most comments for one post; here’s the interview.

Thus, it was with great reluctance that, just yesterday, I agreed to pay for comment privileges through HaloScan-JS-Kit-Echo.

There was a time, briefly (for about 4 weeks, a couple years back) when this site was getting an average of 800 visits per day. I’d get out of bed thinking “OMG, gotta go put something up on the blog.” For what? I mean, really. So, I relaxed a bit and settled on basically plugging the weekly podcast and only putting up things that interested me.

Some things interest me but seem beyond the normal scope of this blog. For example, here’s one that I didn’t put up, too controversial: a video of the Ecumenical Patriarch purportedly presenting a Coca Cola executive with a copy of the Koran (skip to the 3:50+ mark).

FWIW: There have been 572,583 visits to this blog since its inception, with 997,465 page views.

I admire prolific bloggers, but I cannot imagine churning out all those words — not to mention all that wisdom (lack of), and managing all those comments (time) — on a daily basis. Thank God, there are those who can and do.

Every day, I check Drudge, AOL, News Forum, Get Religion, Mere Comments, Antioch, OCA, and ROCOR. Like a skipping stone on the pond, I hit some of the sites linked in the side margin of this blog. And, depending on the hot topics of the day, I may even visit a popular church gossip site. I also read some theology and, forgive me this, some psychology — those, coupled with Scripture, the pithy sayings in the Franklin-Covey planner, family conversations and church events, shall, undoubtedly, figure into the substance of my challenge:

In recognition of the New Year (inspired and awed by Molly’s perseverance), I am pledging myself to 30 posts in 30 days. Beginning tomorrow, each day this month, I shall throw some words, mostly my own words, up on this screen.

Don’t feel that you have to comment … but, if you do, it’s paid for.

🙂

BTW – Here’s some funny stuff, I don’t care who you are:

Dave Barry’s Year in Review

When Convert Priests Meet

Happy New Year!

Image Source

Seeing as it is that time when we are forced, like it or not, to look back on the year just passed, here’s a look back on some of the 2009 episodes of the Orthodixie Podcast.

Honestly?

I can’t believe I didn’t get fired!

Anyway, should God allow and by your prayers, I look forward to more jabs at American Orthodoxy in 2010.

Forgive me.

The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.

Excerpted podcast links in order of appearance:

Supercalifragilisticexpiali-Orthodox — Jan 17, 2009
Orthodox White Boy – Jan 31
Antiochians – Running on Empty? – April 20
Just An Old Fashioned Love Song – May 30
Hot Rockin’, Flame Throwin’, But Old Timey – June 20
American Orthodoxy: More Fun Than A Barrel Of Bishops – July 31
Ewnay Yearay At Bill’s Bible, Bait & Tackle – Sept 14
Bishops And Old Shoes – Oct 23
King, Queen, Prince – And A Rebel – At Jiffy Lube – Aug 15

T he following may be of interest to some …

Others, according to what I’ve read, have taken issue with Orthodox participation.

FWIW …

[More links on The Manhattan Declaration – here.]

Back in the 7th grade I played on my first school football team. I knew absolutely nothing about the game, but being a “big ol’ boy” (as they say in the South) I think my parents didn’t want me getting much bigger. They believed football would get me into good shape and I was certainly hoping that my mom would no longer have to order my pants from the “husky” section of the Sears Christmas catalogue.

I mean, whoever thought up that phrase for boy’s pants – HUSKY? Now there’s a real confidence booster!

Anyway …

Other than being HUSKY, I brought nothing to the game; I wasn’t agile, I knew no rules … I was a walking paper weight.

But, there I was on the field, listening to our coach, who was 3.5 years older than Methuselah (about a million in dog years). His name was Mr Jeff – and he was telling us about THE ONSIDE KICK.

I’d never heard of such a thing.

Apparently, when the opposing team kicks off to you – if you don’t catch the ball, they will! And, with the onside kick, the ball may actually come to a walking paper weight …

… in other words, a HUSKY dumb lineman

… that would be, can you hear me? ME!

Honest to goodness, the other guys lined up on the ball and kicked what was supposed to be an onside kick …

Alas, I’m getting ahead of myself.

MR JEFF: THE BALL … MAY COME TO YOU … ONE OF YOU LINEMEN … DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RUN WITH THE BALL! FALL ON IT! DO YOU HEAR ME?!

Us: Yes sir!

MR JEFF: SO … AGAIN … WHAT DO YOU LINEMEN (that’s what he called us husky paper weights) – WHAT DO YOU LINEMEN DO IF THE BALL COMES TO YOU??

Us: Fall on it!

MR JEFF: FALL ON IT – HOLD ON TIGHT … AND DO NOT TRY TO RUN WITH THE BALL! DO. NOT. MOVE!

Well, wouldn’tchya know, that ball came to me.

It’s one of those memories that’s burned into my mind: a husky 12 year old boy, without a clue, staring as that ball was kicked … a line drive (perfectly) right to me!

The Good News? I caught it.

Now, for the rest of the story …

The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.

His Eminence, Archbishop JOB of the Orthodox Church in America, Diocese of Chicago and the Midwest, has died.

SYOSSET, NY — On Friday, December 18, 2009, His Eminence, Archbishop Job of Chicago and the Midwest unexpectedly fell asleep in the Lord.

Details about the life and ministry of His Eminence, Archbishop Job will be posted [here] shortly. Information about funeral services will be posted as they become available.

HERE

May His Eminence, Archbishop Job’s memory be eternal!

UPDATE – here.

UPDATE: Ancient Faith Radio interviews Fr. John Zdinak, Chancellor of the Archdiocese, who spoke with the Archbishop this morning, and offered details of the Archbishop’s passing – here.

UPDATE: Funeral arrangements.