Usually, I try to do a crap-ton of blog posts on Sunday evening and set them to show up over the course of the week, but I had this crazy story in my head all day yesterday buzzing like a gnat. It would not leave me be and so I was compelled at bug-point to write the dang thing. Close to 6,000 words and I still have some to add. So, the posts had to wait. Here’s today’s such as it is. Happy Monday and may you have no pests in your head.
Pope Formosus (c. 816-896) was elected Pope on October 6, 891. He had been in some controversial positions over the years before he became Pope and his involvement in political intrigues continued into his papacy. So much so that a later Pope, Stephen VI, had Formosus dug up, dressed in papal robes and tried for crimes. This was called the Cadaver Synod. He was convicted of not being worthy to be Pope. They annulled all the acts he performed as Pope, cut off the three fingers of the hand he used to consecrate and ripped the papal vestments from his body. Then they threw his body into the Tiber River. (A monk later pulled it out and when Stephen VI died, Formosus was reinterred in St. Peter’s.)
Wow. That was insane. I’ve got a bad habit of making comments like “are they gonna dig up my dead body to try me?” YIPES! Someone just may. It’s been done.
Jean Paul Laurens Painting of the proceedings
Posted in Friday Facts | Tags: Cadaver Synod, Friday Facts, Jean Paul Laurens, Papacy, Pope, Pope Formosus
I went to see Killer Elite. Why? You may ask. What a question. Think about it. Clive Owen, Jason Statham, and Robert DeNiro. What’s not to like? Well, there were a couple of things. One was there were several lines of dialogue that were so cliche, they made me groan. Mega groan. Another thing was the amount of ammo that was sacrificied in the making of this film. Sad really. They used enough bullets to save several third world countries. One last thing was that it was hard to know who to root for at times in this movie. Who was bad and who was good was up in the air. And on second thought, maybe that was a good thing to like about the flick. It wasn’t predictible in that respect.
Jason was quite yummy as the torn and tortured contract killer. DeNiro was wise and an elder statesman contract killer and Clive, well, Clive was his usual charming self. Albeit a contract killer. So, you see the dilemma on who to like? But I guess I should’ve known that would be an issue. I mean, really– look at the title!
Over all, I enjoyed the movie. It was good and had an intriguing plot. A little dash of romance didn’t hurt either.
Posted in movies | Tags: Clive Owen, films, flicks, Jason Statham, Killer Elite, movies, Reviews, Robert DeNiro
Today, I’m blogging here: http://saydegrace.com/blog/posts/
Posted in Wordless Wednesday | Tags: wordless Wednesday
So, it’s getting to be that time again. You know, NaNoWriMo. Are you ready? I think I am. Not too sure as I’m dashing through a first draft of Book Two in a three book series right now. I’m debating editing this one as it needs it desperately or starting the first draft of Book Three in the series. Tough call. Do I stay in the heads of the current hero and heroine or do I move on to the new ones? I do usually like to let a draft simmer a while before I edit, so we’ll see.
This will be my 3rd NaNoWriMo and I won in 2009 and 2010. My 2009 book, Redemption for the Devil, was published this year by Desert Breeze Publishing and my 2010 book, Tormented, is out on submission right now. It’s been under consideration for several months and I’m getting tired of waiting to hear something, so I may send it elsewhere. Soon.
Posted in Books, Writing | Tags: Desert Breeze Publishing, editing, NaNoWriMo, Redemption for the Devil, The Gambler Series, winner, writing
This book, Pirate’s Promise is the followup book to Stolen Treasures. Both are written by Laurie Ryan. She’s a great writer and a wonderful person. Her stories are fun and as a girl who lives in a coastal town, I love the whole water, ships and pirates themes of these two books.
Pirate’s Promise has a really great heroine. She’s a lawyer and the author of the book does a great job with the whole legal world thing. She doesn’t get any of it wrong. A pet peeve of mine is when the world I know so well in real life gets skewed beyond recognition. Doesn’t happen here.
The hero in this book, Hawk, is a strong minded, loyal and amazing person. He gives up his own comfort to try and help a village in need. He denies himself his own pleasures for various reasons, all of them good. I enjoyed his character growth.
This story has a cool premise and isn’t run of the mill. The mystery is intriging and the characters well rounded. I loved the humor as well. In my favorite line, the heroine says to a guy, in part, “dippity-do head, slick.” It cracked me up.
I highly recommend this book as well as the one before it, Stolen Treasures.
They are both available at my publisher’s website on Laurie’ page: http://www.bookstrand.com/pirates-promise as well as Amazon.com and other sales outlets.
Posted in Books | Tags: coastal, Laurie Ryan, Lawyer, pirate, Pirates promise, romance, sirenbookstrand, Stolen Treasures, suspense
Today’s fact is that I’m allergic to goldenrod and tis the season for it. I have to stay away from it or I get crazy sneezing fits. This year hasn’t been so bad because I learned a neat trick. Buy local honey and take two teaspoons a day and it will help allergies. The local bees pollinate from the local plants and it acts as a kind of inoculation. It really works!
The goldenrod is the state flower/herb for a couple of states.
The goldenrod has two interesting facts related to it. It is a source of rubber and was actually investigated for use in WWII as such. Thomas Edison experimented with it and grew a plant that yielded 12% rubber. Henry Ford gave Edison a Model T with tires made of goldenrod.
The other interesting thing about goldenrod is that it’s been used medicinally. It is used for kidney and bladder issues as well as for sore throats, colic, menstrual cramps and as a poultice for wounds.
A very useful plant- if you can get past the sneezitis.
Posted in Friday Facts | Tags: fall, Friday Facts, goldenrod, Henry Ford, medicine, Model T, rubber, sore throat, WWII
I wanted to post this because everyone seemed to love the prayer and what it said on Tuesday. This song is beautifully done.
Posted in Random thoughts | Tags: channel of peace, prayer, Sinead O'Connor, song, St Francis
Posted in Wordless Wednesday | Tags: wordless Wednesday
I’m not Catholic. I’ve always been a Methodist but I love the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi. It speaks to me. Today is his feast day and I thought I’d share the prayer here. I try to live by it although I fail miserably most of the time. It’s that whole Channel of Peace thing. I’m a bit high strung for that. He’s also the patron saint of animals and I’ll share a picture of my kittimal at the end. She also has a problem living by his prayer as she’s a demon-cat. Don’t let her looks fool you. LOL! I still love her, demon or no demon.
Make me a channel of Your peace, where there is hatred, let me bring Your love, where there is injury Your pardon, Lord and where there’s doubt, true faith in You. Make me a Channel of Your peace, where there’s despair in life let me bring hope, where there is darkness only light and where there’s sadness, ever joy. Oh Master, Grant that I may never seek so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love with all my soul. Make me a channel of Your peace, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in giving to all men that we receive and in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Posted in Random thoughts | Tags: animals, Assisi, channel of peace, demons, pets, prayer, St Francis
Jillian Chantal 