Orthodixie

Hundreds of Orthodox Christians are expected to gather late this spring in Topeka, Kansas.

That’s right, Topeka!

Hundreds!

“Why?” you may ask.

First of all, it has nothing to do with, so I’m told, the zip code.

Here at blog central, we know that the real reason folks want to visit Topeka is for the food.

Here, I kid you not, is a man taking a picture of a hamburger near Topeka.

See! THIS is so not true.

It’s more like THIS (but, think incense).

Here’s proof that you CAN have fun in Topeka, Kansas.

But, before you come, some pointers:

You’ll need to fly into Kansas City (shown here, circa yesterday).

For the trip from the airport to Topeka, it’s best to have one of these.

Wait. Here’s a native Kansan now.

Perhaps you’re wondering about the night life?

Or maybe you can’t wait to see the skyline?

And who could forget that wild and crazy shape of the state itself?

By now, you’re problem asking, “Well how do I get there?”
Click HERE.

okay. Okay. OKAY!

The real reason Orthodox Christians are converging on Topeka this June …

The 3rd Annual Parish Life Conference of the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America.

June 14 – 17, 2007

If you’ve never been to a Parish Life Conference, you’re missing out. And, chances are, if you have been — you’re coming again. It’s like an Orthodox family reunion … that grows every year. Oh, and … kids & teens? They love it!

This year’s keynote speaker — Reader Herman, aka Dr H. Tristram Engelhardt, M.d., Ph.D. — is a hoot! Oh sure, he’s real smart and all, but a hoot to boot. Also, there’s workshops scheduled throughout the conference to fit a variety of interests and needs.

The schedule is chock-full of events for all ages and the hotel is as fine as they come.

EVERYTHING you need to know is to be found H E R E.

Join us in Topeka this June for DOWAMA’s annual family gathering! Click the above link and register today!

Perhaps it’s the really cool places? Or because of this? Or this!
Other reasons to visit Topeka, Kansas?
Wanna plug the DOWAMA PLC?
Click the Comments.

This blog is a recipient of the Thinking Blog Award.
My e-pal Dixie is the culprit just too kind.

Here are the instructions:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.
3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote.

All right … even though I promised I would never do another MEME after the one I did do, I’ll do it. [Incidentally, speaking of which, there’s a query in the comments of that old post about whether Duke’s Mayonnaise is available in Texas. Welp, sha’azam! (that’s the way they spell it in the Old Country) Even though I no longer eat it — we recently found Duke’s in a Middle Eastern specialty store!]

I don’t get out much; I stick pretty close to the blogroll in my side margin. All of those blogs are thought provoking regular stops. Fr Stephen Freeman offers daily more than daily deep and serious thoughts. (He ain’t got time for no MEME! But, do make time to visit Glory to God for All Things.) Also, my e-pal Dawn is bogged down fabu bizzy with her new book tour. But The Dawn Patrol (and its multitudinous comments) is a thought producer.

But there are others that nudge the ol’ noggin’ …

First off, John travels. In Notes From a Common Place Book, he views the world, the church, politics, through the lens of his journeys among others (voices that often need a hearing in our troubled times).

E-buddy Jan Bear … she’s working on getting a novel (or 2?) published. The girl can write — I just wish she did it more for free on her blog.

Then there’s James, I mean Reader Seraphim, I mean Deacon James … Doh! This guy. His Ancient Church blog lifts my spirits in a God-pleasing way.

This next recipient — not holding my breath that they will reciprocate the MEME (What an idea!) — is the most thought provoking “blog” around:
Get Religion. Do it. Daily. Dey works hard for no money.

Finally — I know, I know … I’m stretching the nature of the MEME here — this guy is the funniest thing since Dave Barry! I cannot put him in my side margin because Baptists also read this blog some of his funnies ain’t fittin’. But, just between you and me, here’s a recent post from Wilder by Far. (You can navigate to the main page for more, but be warned … do not read this blog while eating, drinking or driving. On the other hand, it has been known to help cure melancholy and bronchitis.) Okay, so I lied. John’s never made me think at all. Kudos to him for that.

Oh, about that promise never to do another MEME, I also promise to quit using the strike feature.

My son decided, without any knowledge (to my knowledge) of recent events, to create a new character last night. He loves to pretend to be a pirate — Yet last night he played one who’d lost his right hand and had it replaced by a plastic hoe. I dubbed him, innocently enough, “Cap’n Hoe!”

“Ho, ho! Cap’n Hoe!”

My soon-to-be-teen came in from homework saying, “Dad! Stop saying that!”

I said, “What?”

She said, “Cap’n Hoe!”

“I was thinking of blogging it.”

“Dad, don’t! You’ll probably get kicked off of Blogger — and even lose your radio program.”

Later, my youngest, who had been quietly persistently working with scissors, pencil and bag, announced her new creation: An American Eagle! (Imagine a white paper lunch bag with pencil drawn eyes and tiny V-shaped beak with styrofoam packing inserts for wings.)

Then, to the shock of myself and Cap’n Hoe, she took the pirate’s pistol and shot him! She killed the eagle!

We both at the same time said: “That’s illegal!”

“What?” she asked.

Cap’n Hoe said … “You can’t shoot an American Eagle, it’s illegal. Illegal means it will get you elected … ellected … allected … arrgh! … It means you go to jail!”

Cap’n Hoe said, “I kept saying elected instead of ARRESTED!”

The End.

This blog post has absolutely no point whatsoever. Except, perhaps, to say that: I’ve never been a fan of shock-jocks nor Gansta Rap. If the whole radio media industry begins to clean up their act … that would be a good thing.

The following note is from a mom regarding a picture caption within this post …

So, I go into my favorite youngest daughter’s room to find her changing the sheets on her bed. It’s Tuesday, no one asked (or told) her to change her sheets, no plans for house guests, and I am curious, but I don’t say anything. I asked her if she listens to The All- American Rejects and she scoots past me saying “move along.” I stepped back as she made her way around the bed and when she saw me looking at the pile of sheets she is rolling onto the floor, she says “dirty little secret.” Then she says “it ends tonight, 11:11pm” She takes a few more steps and looks at me like I am in her way then she says “I’m waiting.” I am staring at her with a dumb expression on my face (not too difficult to achieve) because she’s never used such short snippy phrases when talking to me before, and she says …

“What, Mom? I forgot that if you shake a Pepsi before you open it, it spews, and it got all over my bed, so I have to change the sheets. You came in here asking me if I listen to The All-American Rejects, and I was telling you the names of their songs!!!!”
______________

Heh heh.

Christ is Risen!

At risk of becoming a photo-blog, here’s some pictures from yesterday’s
Saint Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Monastery & Bluebonnet Tour.

Hover your cursor over the pics for captions; click to enlarge.

Enjoy!