Things you shouldn't have to tell yourself

[ganzfeld]

Originally Posted by JoeBentley

I doubt a light ash smudge would show up under the heavy makeup needed for television without being retouched.

With HD TV, the whole makeup thing has changed dramatically. People would look terrible in HD with all that makeup on. And light smudges do show up clearly.

[Ms. K]

Originally Posted by A Turtle Named Mack

There has been speculation as to whether Santorum and Gingrich (the two R. Catholic candidates) will show up at the debate this evening sporting the ash mark. It certainly would be inappropriate to question why they would have it, but I would be interested if they had it and were asked if the smudge they bear is just as placed in an AW service, or if it was placed there or touched up by the candidate or staffer. It is fine with me if they wear the smudge because they genuinely made the religious observance, but to touch it up to make sure everyone sees it would be a dishonest and inappropriate religious appeal - not least because the ashes signify humility, but they would be worn as a prideful self-advancing gesture if they are placed or touched up outside of church.

I'm Catholic, and I will be offended if they show up sporting ash marks on their pointy little heads. Making a self-serving spectacle of oneself should be justification for someone smacking one in the mouth.

Besides, MOST of us will wipe them off before going to work (if we remember they're there).

[smittykins]

Jimmy Buffett's "Cheeseburger In Paradise" isn't exactly the best song to listen to if you're fasting for Ash Wednesday.

[Ms. K]

So, I didn't see ash marks, just a bunch of ash holes.

And for the record, I forgot I had ashes on my forehead when I went to Wal Mart, and was told by a very nice Mennonite lady that I had something smudged on my forehead!

[Layla]

I saw a lady with a smudge on her forehead at last night's scotch festival. I almost mentioned it and then remembered that it was Ash Wednesday. There are a lot of people in Dallas who are not giving up booze for lent. Or does the giving up of things start today? I don't remember...

[DawnStorm]

Turning a light on will make looking for things a lot easier!

[Spud Sabre]

Wash your hands immediately after eating your supper with peppers and/or onions.

[Alarm]

Poutine, especially deluxe "sugar shack*" poutine is not the most balanced supper yuo can have. No wonder you felt sleepy and sluggish afterwards!


*A regular poutine with sausage, bacon and maple syrup added.

[DawnStorm]

Dawn, you cannot complain to yourself about not being able to get things done when you sleep half the day! You can't have your cake and eat it too! You're not up all night either, so that's no excuse. GET YOUR ASS IN GEAR!!

[lavender blue]

Pay closer attention to your stuff, or you will keep losing it.

[Garnet Jello]

Get around to doing your work for the theatre, dammit. You can watch Porky Pig cartoons and read posts later.

[Cervus]

Originally Posted by Lainie

Yeah, Ash Wednesday can trip you up if it's not something you're exposed to growing up. I had an embarrassing incident with a dormmate my first AW at college. She was rather offended, even after I explained that I just didn't know, but fortunately she wasn't a boss or someone else whose taking offense mattered.

That happened to me in 5th grade, when two girls showed up for school with "dirt" on their foreheads. When I pointed it out, they were rather snotty about it, like they couldn't believe I didn't know what Ash Wednesday was. Well, I didn't. (I encountered religious snobbiness frequently in school, enough that I learned to keep my mouth shut because my family didn't go to any church at all.)

[Garnet Jello]

During my freshman year of undergraduate school, I remember being totally baffled by my classmates who had ashes on their foreheads. For a moment, I had thought that perhaps they were a part of some sort of protest. I suddenly remembered it was Ash Wednesday. I was glad that I didn't ask anyone about the smudges because I knew that it would be the sort of thing that people would be snotty about.

[smittykins]

When will you learn?

PUT. CAP. ON. SODA. WHEN. NOT. DRINKING.

You're damn lucky your netbook still works.

[smittykins]

When will you learn, part 2?

Put your iPod Shuffle back in its case when you're done with it!

It would have saved the frantic searching you just had to do...

smitty"damn, those things are tiny"kins

[cehrriins]

Erin, you really need to stop staying up until 3am when you have to get up at 8am...especially when you need to be all awake and cheerful to deal with a bunch of kids.

[Lainie]

Originally Posted by Cervus

That happened to me in 5th grade, when two girls showed up for school with "dirt" on their foreheads. When I pointed it out, they were rather snotty about it, like they couldn't believe I didn't know what Ash Wednesday was. Well, I didn't. (I encountered religious snobbiness frequently in school, enough that I learned to keep my mouth shut because my family didn't go to any church at all.)

Originally Posted by Garnet Jello

I was glad that I didn't ask anyone about the smudges because I knew that it would be the sort of thing that people would be snotty about.

My dorm-mate was snotty and easily offended on any number of topics. Since I know about Ash Wednesday now, I've never had to ask anyone else about that, but my questions about other things generally resulted in polite explanations, and led to some mutually instructive conversations. Snottiness has been the exception, not the rule, IME. ETA: As an adult, that is. Elementary school kids are another matter.

[DawnStorm]

It is important to change the furnace filter every two months, and to have a backup filter on hand, thus avoiding those emergency trips to the Home Depot on a late Saturday morning when everyone and his dog is there!

[DawnStorm]

It is better to turn the air conditioner on--even if it's only for a day--than to be all hot and miserable. Besides, it's a good way to make sure the system is working properly.

[Layla]

It is beyond time to make up my mind about R and whether or not his presence in my life is worth the stress. This is complete idiocy.