Entry: My Weekend

I was just watching an episode of 'Ghost Hunters'. I have mixed feelings about the show. I still, however, find it pretty entertaining. But then again, that's probably because I'm easily amused. ;)

This particular episode had the TAPS team checking out the former home of Lizzie Borden. For all those who don't know, she was the prime suspect in the brutal murder of her parents. Some of you may have heard the ol' nursery rhyme...

Lizzie Borden took an axe,
and gave her mother forty whacks.
And when she saw what she had done,
she gave her father 41.

Anyhoo...she was later aquitted of all charges. But, enough of that distraction.

I ended up going out with Marwa and her posse Friday night to celebrate her graduation. We went to a Japanese steakhouse. The food was plentiful and good and, as is the norm for such places, the service was very LOUD. Why some dude needs to take a spatula (sp?) and bang it around a grill like that is beyond me.

Saturday rolled around and I caught a matinee showing of 'An American Haunting' (which has been reviewed below). It was a total waste of time. Don't even bother. I also checked out three different apartment complexes in Mt. Pleasant (since my lease is soon to be up). That night, her highness (my friend Julie) decided that it would be really nice if she had a nice dinner delivered to her door for her. Of course, I obliged. (I'm such a tool).

Sunday was pretty eventful. I actually (brace yourself here) attended a Unitarian service downtown. (I can just see my mother cringing as she reads that). You can read about the church here. I was curious to see how a mass was conducted for a clergy that really had no single belief system and yet welcomed all. The gentleman who presided over the event (analogous to a "priest" in a Christian church) looked a lot like that guy from the Hercules series.

I spent a lot of the time looking at the interior decor of the church (is "church" even the right word to use???). The stained glass window behind the podium had an interesting combination of images. It had a picture of Moses with the 10 commandments, a picture of the Arc of the Covenant, a picture of a Jewish Menorah (sp?), and another figure of a guy who looked Moorish (the prophet Muhammed??). Above those images were four other people. The right-most three all had a scroll and feather (pen). One of them was a female. The left-most gentleman seemed to be holding a book. I honestly have no idea what the representation is supposed to be here. I also noticed that they had a few Alpha-Omega signs in various spots.

The sermon (again, correct word??) was pretty neutral in its messages. It was all pretty much about tolerance, peach, and co-existance with others. The ending part of the sermon was a discussion on the word "Enchantment" and, to support his discussion, he recounted three person stories from his past (one from a psychologist, one from an astrophysicist, and I forget the third). He also told another story about a Wizard and a Mouse which basically is supposed to teach people to be happy with what they are and what they have. He also went over an old African legend regarding the wisdom of the desert and our need to respect it.

At the end of the sermon, he said..."For all who see God, may he go with you. For all who seek their own path, may you find it...", and a few other things that I don't remember. He tried to fit everyone in that last message.

Overall, I must say that it was a positive experience. Although I really don't see myself going back anytime soon. Although it was a faith-independent service, it still FELT like church to me. Same big echoing hall...same dude up front talking to the masses...same stained glass windows...same kinds of responses from the clergy...same collection plate...and so on. I really do like what they've put together there, but I'm just not comfortable with it. Maybe it's the fact that it felt like a Christian mass but wasn't (and my Catholic upbringing was rejecting it), or maybe it justed seemed like the same ol' Christian mass (and my "love of religion" was rejecting it). Either way, I got the heebie-jeebies. Great bunch of folks though. If you're ever looking for a new experience, check them out. I really can't find anything about them to be critical about. :)

After that, I visited some friends downtown and walked around for a few hours (and boy do my feet HURT!!).

After that, I attended a recital that Christina was throwing at a Presbyterian church downtown (my second "church" that day). Her performance was flawless and definately note-worthy!

After that, came home and watched 'Ghost Hunters'.

Blah. Not feeling well. Time to hit the sack.