FRIDAY WAS MY LAST DAY OF CPE! Can you tell I am a little excited? Right after the appreciation lunch, Michael Earthman and I set out for the long trip to College Station, arriving there at 9:30 pm with one stop for gas along the way. We both were ready to get back down south for good and wet our gills in the humid air. This weekend was planned to be a relaxing weekend with my nephew...oh, and Troy and Shannon. Blaise remembered me from the trip down here the previous week and immediately became my shadow. I couldn't go anywhere without Blaise right there. He also wanted to be like his Parrain, so he wanted to do everything I did even lying on the pillow in the living room. I was his new play buddy. He had worn out the old models...not that the old models are old as in age but the ones that he has had longer. :-) It was a great weekend, where I showed Blaise some great things like how to clean the table after dinner. We (Blaise, Troy, and I) even went on a trail south of town on bikes. The weekend was great but ended to quick. Today I will be driving home and getting ready to move some of my stuff on Wednesday to Shiner, where I will be for the next year in the parish.

Posted by Big Mike at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Tuesday, 21 September 2004 11:16 PM CDT

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Mood:  cheeky

I just wanted to share a fortune I got at a Chinese restaurant earlier this summer but had forgotten about. I was cleaning up my room and packing, on the eve of my departure home after a grueling summer...yeah, whatever...and this fortune surfaced and I remembered how apropos it is to my philosophy of life. So I will share it with you.

The trouble with resisting temptation is it may never come again.

Posted by Big Mike at 1:01 AM CDT

Updated: Friday, 3 September 2004 5:07 PM CDT

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Last night had an interesting experience walking the halls going to a visit on the other side of the hospital. It all started when I was suddenly stirred from watching my movie by the phone ringing at 11:30pm. I don't think I was dozing. The primary chaplain on call needed me to go check on a patient. I quickly sprang into action at a moderate pace got dressed and headed down the elevator you walk across the hospital on the 2nd floor to the elevators for the East and South Towers. I get to the 2nd floor and begin making the football length trek to the other elevators down an empty hallway, which is surprising because normally there are people in and around the SICU waiting room (see Thurs. July 29). I think this is weird, but it wasn't until I saw a wheelchair sitting in the middle of the hall that I began to remember a similar scene in a Nightmare on Elm Street movie. My thought went something like this: "Isn't that weird, but I am awake so it can't be Freddie...but in the movie the people think they are awake but they aren't." At this moment a chill ran down my spine and the nest of hair on the back of my neck struggled to stand on end. I began to quicken my pace hoping to find anybody, a nurse, a lost visitor, a hobo...anybody. I could suppress the urge to continually look over my shoulder as I was frightened a man with a blade glove maybe standing at the end of the hallway following me. Luckily, I wasn't sleeping and Freddie is just in the movies. I made it to the floor and saw the patient without incident. I am just overjoyed that I didn't see a little girl jumping rope singing "1,2 Freddie's coming for you. 3,4 better lock the door. 5,6 get your crucifix. 7,8 better stay up late. 9,10 never sleep again." I would have freaked had this happened. (I bet you can't believe I actually remember that song from Nightmare 1.)

Posted by Big Mike at 1:05 PM CDT

Updated: Friday, 3 September 2004 5:16 PM CDT

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This weekend I was virtually homeless...well okay for Friday night, anyway, I went and saw two movies that had just come out and still had no home to go to. The bishop was throwing a party that I was not invited to, well truth be known, it was actually a dinner at the bishop's that he auctioned off. I decided to make myself scarce for the evening...but I digress. Anyway after the movies and going by to see that the dinner hadn't broken up yet, I decided to just drive and let the spirit guide me.--I know you are probably freaking that I would do something like this with the gas prices as they are, but I don't wanna hear it.--I ended up on a fast highway headed out of Lubbock. I figured hey let's see where this goes. I found a hidden treasure of Lubbock that I hadn't seen or heard of all summer. Down the highway just past the TDCJ prison was a place of entertainment called the Bunny Run/Bunny Ranch. I will let you figure out what kind of place it was, but this was not the treasure. The treasure was just past that down a Farm to Market road. I happened upon a canyon/lake park, but being that it was late and I didn't want to pay money to look at darkness I decided to come back when the sun was up. Sunday came and I decided to make my way back out to the Bunny Run...I mean the canyon/lake park. I used my southern charm on the cute young booth attendant to get in free under the guise of just looking around. Once in, I let the spirit guide me around just for a quick look, to see if it was worth come back with friends and paying. As I drove in, my jaw dropped and I wondered why I hadn't heard about or seen this place before. It was beautiful. There was a lake dammed up within this canyon with two beach/swim areas that I found and plenty of picnicking areas.--I know mom, you would have gone absolute bonkers with a picnic.--Luckily I had my digital camera so that I could take some pictures of the people of Lubbock's response to the city wide declaration that Lubbock was dry. The city may be dry of sellers, but they just line up on the outskirts like Vegas call girls flashing their signs of liquor sales enticing anybody and everybody in for a taste. But I digress again...The scenery was beautiful and the water was so inviting that I almost went home and got my swimming trunks to swim, but decided not to. Here is a picture of one of the views from the other side of the lake.

After this breathtaking drive around the canyon/lake park where I did a little off-roading on some dirt roads, I made my way on a Sunday afternoon carefree drive and ended up on the Texas Tech campus. I thought I would include a picture of a sign that gives the indication that soccer at Tech is the red-headed step child. I will let you figure out why.

Posted by Big Mike at 1:01 AM CDT

Updated: Friday, 3 September 2004 5:17 PM CDT

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Today was the day of free meals. The first meal was a wonderfully perfect German lunch. The head of the recreational therapy department on my floor found out that I am of German decent and thus love sauerkraut. She told me that she would bring up some "brats and kraut" homemade that is if I would like to partake of a meal from the mother land. It was awesome. I left the rec therapy room stuffed to the neck...I kept looking in the mirror thinking sauerkraut was coming out of my ears. Being my day off, I went home to rest up for supper at the CPE supervisor's house. Bob invited us to his house for an evening together away from the hospital...for sanity. Surprisingly, all of us interns showed up and even two residents. I had bets out on who would actually show up, because some of us don't seem to...how shall I put it...get out much. Well, this evening was the exception. We had a good evening eating to our hearts content and then topping it off with the highlight of the evening...Keylime Pie. Mmmmmmm, Mmm! Other than eating, nothing of note happened today, but this should be to no surprise...my life revolving around food.

Posted by Big Mike at 1:01 AM CDT

Updated: Friday, 3 September 2004 5:23 PM CDT

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Look at the product of my labor. It was a labor of love...okay, one afternoon. The bishop has some grapevines growing on his backyard fence. I don't understand it, I was told that grapevines are labor and time intensive, but the bishop doesn't do anything with these vines, but allows the rain to fall on them when it does rain. I went out there one day a couple of weeks ago and found a few beautiful looking bunches of grapes but didn't pick any. Fast forward to today. I couldn't help myself. I just had to go pick some grapes...if there were any good bunches left after the birds had their pickings. I did find quite a few bunches and clipped them off. I tried on and immediately found that the seeds were bigger than the ones in the store, big enough that spitting them out is preferable. Despite the seeds, the grapes are pretty tasty. I have thought about making wine, but need the huge wooden tubs and about three barefooted beauties to stomp the grapes. I will, however settle for two...any takers? Please send a picture resume. What I mean by a picture resume is a full body color picture that has not been digitally touched up nor airbrushed. I will post my acceptances on this blog so check back.--Okay I'll stop day dreaming...at least on this blog........

Posted by Big Mike at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Friday, 3 September 2004 5:24 PM CDT

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Let me tell you a tale of a small yet affective affirmation of my vocation.

Tonight I accompanied Ben, our evening chaplain (3:00pm - 11:00pm shift), to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU--pronounced `sĭk-ū'), not to be confused with Medical ICU (MICU--pronounced `my-kū'), to be with a Catholic family when they visited their loved one in SICU. The patient, whom I will call Joachim Xavier, was unconscious and not doing well, so the visit was going to be more the family just being there with Joachim Xavier. Ben introduced me to the family and then stepped aside to let me minister to them in a way that he couldn't...he was not Catholic, which is one reason why he suggested I come. As I stood there at Joachim Xavier's bedside with the family opposite me, my mind was racing. I wanted to say something to get the conversation ball rolling, but what can you say. "How are y'all doing?" just doesn't work well in this situation. I mean the family present was comprised of four females and I didn't want forty sharp claws digging into my flesh for my insensitivity, because of course they weren't doing too well. After a period of silence, which I found uncomfortable, I fell back on a CPE Intern Chaplain's standard phrase: "Is there anything I can do for y'all?" This was the only thing my mind could find to say that was least likely to result in bodily harm to my person. The immediate response was: "Pray." I offered a prayer modeled after a couple of prayers for the dying and the family of the dying. Seeing the papally blessed rosary the daughter placed in Joachim Xavier's hand I offered to pray a rosary with the four ladies, of varied relation to Joachim Xavier. --I don't know if "papally" is a word...there is a red squiggly line under it as a hint. I may have made it up, but oh well, deal with it.--I had offered to do it in the waiting room after visiting time was over, because I figured they wanted some time alone with Joachim Xavier.

This is where the title comes in. Throughout the visit, I achingly desired to do more for them...to perform a more priestly function, i.e. Anointing of the Sick or give a priestly blessing. Knowing my place, I did what I could do and offered to continue to pray with them and to offer up a rosary with them. They made it known that praying the rosary was more desirable to them to do it right there in the presence of Joachim Xavier; so while other families visited with their loved ones we prayed a rosary without concern of being heard by others. The end of the rosary coincided with the end of family visiting time. I excused myself and left the bedside with the priestly desire remaining. I know that one day, God willing, I will be able to offer the sacraments, almost upon request, as well as priestly blessings and such.

Posted by Big Mike at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Friday, 3 September 2004 5:25 PM CDT

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I was invited to a Jamaica in the grand city of Idalou, TX. For you white guys and gals, that is pronounced like ha-my-ka. I didn't know what I was getting myself into, but accepted the invite to go with Fr. Peter, the priest chaplain at CMC. For those of you who want to know what a Jamaica is before I continue with my experience of it, I will tell you. If you don't want to know just now skip the next sentence and come back to it if you still are clueless. A Jamaica is basically a church festival/picnic that lasts all day and night pretty much. Okay, now for my experience. Idalou is about 9 miles east of Lubbock, so we are that much farther out in the middle of no where. We arrive at 2:00 to the already bumping Jamaica, which stared at about 12 noon. He fills in at the parish when the pastor is on vacation, which explains why we don't take three steps without someone walking up and talking to us. We walked from booth to booth seeing what they had to offer, primarily foodwise. Lucky me, most of the booths were selling food, from tamales and burritos to turkey legs and grilled corn-on-the-cob. Meanwhile, a Tejano band was playing and everyone was sitting under tents listening. Without the tents the people would have been baked to a crisp in two hours with the heat. I felt like I was at a Hispanic version of the Shirmporee, the parish picnic at my home parish in Palacios. The band situation was different though. A band would play a short set and then switch out with another band. This would go on until about 9:00pm. When I found this bit of information I started praying that we would not stay the whole time. I have never been to any church picnic that lasted more than three to four hours. I don't know how they do it, though I did also find out that the parish only has a Jamaica once every two years. Father and I stayed for the greater part of the evening. I tried to keep my head under the tents as much as possible because God has started taking my head sun screen away...that is my hair for those of you who didn't get it. I still ended up getting burned and had to gingerly wash my hair (that is the one left) for a week. I looked like the number 3 billiard ball. A main difference of this Jamaica and other church picnics down south is there was no auction. Of course there was a raffle. I think that is a pre-requisite for picnics. Anyway, that is the basis of my experience. I will go now because there is a band practicing VERY LOUDLY and my brain is being bombarded with noise with is hindering my thinking ability. Kind of like that book (1984) where a loud noise would sound in someone's ear to make him forget things. Well the snare drum is doing that to me...owe...owe...owe...owe. Got to...owe...ummmm can't remember...

Posted by Big Mike at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Friday, 3 September 2004 5:35 PM CDT

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Today I saw the most beautiful thing and experienced something of nostalgia. First, fifteen minutes into lunch I was paged to support a family whose loved one was passing away. I did not fully know what I was getting myself into, and was not ready for what I would witness. It was the most beautiful thing, I think the good Lord has allowed me to witness. Many family members were in the room and were given an opportunity to say their good-byes and then the lady peacefully passed away. I could not have asked for a better event at which to be present. I felt an amazing calm as this child of God was called home. I can only hope and pray to go so peacefully. This summer's CPE is giving me many irreplaceable experiences that I would not trade for anything in the world.

The day was capped off with an evening of nostalgia at the drive inn theater. Lubbock is home to a two screen drive in theater that plays some of the newest releases with not so new releases. My case was unique, because it was two relatively new releases--"Spiderman 2" and "The Notebook." The first movie, of course, was an exciting comic book come to life, but the second was a mushy love story that I pegged within the first ten minutes and even slept through parts of it without missing anything. A unique aspect of this theater is that it broadcasts the movie soundtrack via radio waves. It was a great way to cap off the day and the workweek.

Posted by Big Mike at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Friday, 3 September 2004 5:36 PM CDT

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Covenant Medical Center was accepting donations of blood, with the promise of a shirt--not one-size-fits-all--and the possibility of a metal mug. I went all excited up to the place of donation and expected to have no problems like always; even with questions like have you reused needles after someone else for any purpose? Um...no! Getting rejected was the furthest from my mind, but the unthinkable happened. Evidently, drinking after someone is cause for rejection...by finicky girls, but not from donating blood; however, recently visiting a place like Honduras is. Who would have guessed that doing the Lord's work would hinder me from donating, but of course this was the Lord's work in another country...a country that just happens to have a high risk of Malaria.

I was not at all disappointed with the rejection, though I had wanted to help out with a donation. Nevertheless, I didn't leave empty handed. The check-in ladies offered me a shirt anyway, just for offering to donate. I didn't get any cookies though. Sadness. :-( The good news is I get to donate in March of 2005...or at least attempt to do so again.

Posted by Big Mike at 12:01 AM CDT

Updated: Friday, 3 September 2004 5:37 PM CDT

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