Thursday, April 14, 2011

Between Two Buildings on Roosevelt Road

The abortion clinic I've been writing about is between two buildings. To the west of it is a large bridal shop complex, meaning there are shops renting and selling tuxedos. Now, a bridal shop would be fun to shop at.

The building to the east is a four or five story office building. The lady pro-lifer from a previous post told me there's a pregnancy care center inside that will support mother and baby for one year (I'm not sure if that's 12 months after the birth, or includes the nine months of pregnancy).

There are no outside signs indicating there's a pregnancy care center inside. Do pro-lifers at prayer vigils ever carry signs saying things such as, "Pregnancy Center at 123 Main Street," Pregnancy Crisis Help two block north," "Pregnancy Care Center next door in the brown building"? Does anybody have any feedback for me?

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Messy Relationships

I'm referencing my previous post about marriage, What About Wedding Vows? and this post about frenemies.

My jilted friend's son's Boy Scout troop was hosting a spaghetti dinner in a church, a Catholic Church. I saw with my friend, her children, and a male friend. My friend has found a boyfriend who kind of reminds me in looks of her adulterous husband.

One the other side of the room sat the cheating husband, his mistress, their baby, the MIL, and a son.

I ran into the cheating husband and greeted me as if all was usual. I had no heavy literature book to hit him with, which was a good thing. The husband turned to his eldest son and said, "Johnny, did you say hi to Lena?"

"I said hi to her before," Johnny said.

"Yeah, I saw him at the original table." I replied to hubs.

Hubs and Johnny laughed.

"Heh, heh, the original table [i.e. family] where I came from." said hubs. He was laughing.

"Well, you need to go back there." I said wondering were I got the nerve to say that!

"That's a conversation for another time." Hubs said.

Then we said good-bye. I was glad the hubs took it so well, and didn't get mad at me. I did wonder what his side of the story is. But mostly it made me remember the good times I spent with them as a family and how nice he had always been. But niceness doesn't extend to making babies with other women. Gee whiz.

So he and his group and my friend and her group spent the evening looking across the room at each other. I'm glad the hubs didn't introduce me to his mistress.

The mistress resembles his wife/my friend and 

The children spent the evening going back and forth between the two groups. What else where they suppose to do?

My friend was hurt of course. I wondered aloud how God doesn't strike them with lightening since we were in a church. Actually in the school's gym, but still it's church property. But if God was going to strike anyone of us with a lightening bolt, it might of been me. You know, we church people aren't actually a group of Virgin Marys. That's why we have the sacrament of reconciliation.

Now about Frenemies: I looked it up. It means toxic friendships or girlfriends who are jealous of each other.

I think I need more than reconciliation. I think I need a long conversation about spirituality with my parish priest.


I've been writing this post in the public library, and a woman brought in her pet cat. It was in a cage, but it kept meowing the entire time. Finally a library staff member made her remove the cat.

Abortion Clinic on Roosevelt Road

On Monday I stopped at the small building where the pro-life people were praying. I hope no one I knew saw me turn into the parking lot because I wouldn't want them to think I was there for an a__________. See, I can't type that "a" word and "I" in the same sentence. Now I get it when women who have had miscarriages don't like to see spontaneous abortion on their medical records.

There were two pro-lifers on duty, and a lot of empty lawn chairs. The pro-lifers are on different shifts, and it looks like some shifts have more pro-lifers than other shifts. It was a cold and chilly day. I introduced myself.

Neither pro-lifers were Catholic, but were there for the 40 Days for Life campaign. They kept talking about the Catholics. The man, Jerry, said being pro-life is a humanitarian issue. The woman is a fallen away Catholic, but is assured of God's love and concern for all people. I was feeling a bit down that day, and meeting this loving woman speaking of God's love was a comfort to me.

Since my car was the only one in the parking lot, they thought the clinic was closed that day. There were no patients/clients or workers.

I would like to partake in more prayer vigils when I have the time. I stayed about 10 minutes before leaving for my chiropractic appointment.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Prayers on Roosevelt Road

I was driving down Roosevelt Road (doesn't almost every town have a Roosevelt Road or a Washington Street?) during rush hour. Ahead I saw a small, squatty dismal looking building. I didn't notice any cars in the parking lot. Maybe there were cars, but I didn't see them. I was driving, so I was also trying to pay attention to the road in front of me.


"That store must have gone out of business," I thought. "It's sad to see companies go out to business with the down economy."

"Why are there people gathering in the parking lot? I guess it's still a business and the manager is having an outside meeting" I thought some more.

"Why is the manager having an outside meeting in the chilly damp air when the building is right there?" I asked myself.

"They're all standing in a circle, as if they were praying."

As I passed the building, a man facing the street was holding up an anti-abortion sign.

Ah.

They were indeed praying and were dedicated to be out in the cruddy weather.

The company was still in business, but business looked slow.

I think the prayers were working.


Also, I did like the gentle and friendly looking anti-abortion sign.

A Value System I Do Not Understand or Call in the Psychologists

A Soap Opera of an adult topic, but this is a real story:

I was listening to a frenemy tell her story. She divorced her third husband. And then she developed an electronic relationship with a man named Darmin (a name I made up), whom she went to elementary school with so long ago. They will be going to a B&B soon. She expects to sleep with him [am I telling a story or gossiping?], but expected that her first sexual experience after her divorce will be traumatic.She doesn't want to associate Darmin with any trauma, so she found another guy to sleep with. She said sleeping with the other guy was traumatic..

Um, why sleep with anyone right now? If it's going to be traumatic, why do it? Perhaps a psychologist would better be able to answer this question. I was just clueless about the whole thing. I was also clueless as to all the slang she was using, so I kept asking her to clarify. What I do hate is feeling naive (sp?). Sometimes I feel like I should be living in a different era because I don't always jive with this era.

And why am I referring  to her as a frenemy? Call in the psychologists.

Maybe I'll write a post about how and why we became friends.

Lena