A note: These are gonna be somewhat random today! Enjoy with me. 
I.
So last night I went to a hockey game, which made me very happy. I’ve been attending NHL games since I was nine years old, when I saw my first game in the Penguins’ “Old Barn” (the Civic Arena), and the Penguins played the Whalers (who don’t even exist anymore…).
Even though the Jackets are, um, underachievers, I do love them. And our seats were four rows from the ice. FOUR ROWS. It’s amazing the amount of detail you get at that level: the smoke from the Zamboni, the tape on the players’ pads, the crack of the puck against the sticks. It’s great. Sadly, we lost. But we saw some good things and some really cute pee wee players.
II.
Some not awesome things? The way people dress at games. First, it was about 10 degrees when the game let out last night, and some folks were not dressed for it. The most egregious violation? A woman about my age wearing sheer lace tights with no, um, undergarments, and a “dress” that ended at the very bottom of her hip bones. Yeaaaah. Not exactly appropriate!
III.
One of my big pet peeves is when people don’t understand the difference between “hearing” and “understanding” something. I noticed this today in a Facebook group I belong to for transplant folk.
“Hearing” is actually knowing there’s sound happening, you’re hearing it. “Understanding” is making sense of that sound. So I can hear the overhead announcement, or hear you’re talking to me, but I might not be able to understand it. Making things louder (like TV volume) doesn’t always help with understanding. It may, however, enable me to hear the sound, if I wasn’t hearing it at all before. I “hear” quite a bit. I just may not be able to place it or know what you’re saying to me, especially if your voice is new. Eventually, I’ll start to pick it up and it’ll be easier.
IV.
As we know, I have a lot of body issues. There are certain things I will never be able to do: climb Everest, own a bird, SCUBA dive, etc., because of my body, things in my body, etc. That’s OK. I realized a long, long time ago that I cannot, contrary to popular self-talk self-esteem-building gurus, do everything. That’s OK.
Apparently the Federal Government doesn’t agree. It’s a “civil right” to play sports in school. They have to make “reasonable changes” to their sports teams to allow disabled kids to play.
Can we look at this objectively? I could NEVER join the track team when I was in high school. It would’ve been horrible. My lung function just wasn’t there. I knew that, so I didn’t! If you’re blind, obviously you can’t play baseball or really, most sports! If you’re deaf, it’s easier, because signs are there to communicate, and you really don’t need to hear when it comes to batting or kicking or tackling someone, or running a race. But if you can’t run, or can’t see, or can’t catch the ball, then, yeah, playing sports may be a problem.
Life ain’t fair. We should all have learned this by the time we turned 18. Eventually, we have to learn what we can and cannot do. No one can do everything. I am not trying to be a mean conservative. Millions of kids, “dis”abled and not, don’t play sports, because they’re klutzes or they’re too short or too tall or not fast enough or just don’t have the skills. They are not being denied their “civil rights.” School is about learning. It’s not about giving everyone a level playing field, because that doesn’t exist. Gifts and talents are not distributed equally. How about, instead of focusing on doing things that we can’t do, we focus on the things we can do?
V.
Lent approaches. Here’s my plan so far: Facebook’s out; breviary every. single. day, all four offices that I like to say; increase in Daily Mass attendance; cutting back on meat consumption for Lent, not just on Fridays. This will be refined as we go forward.
VI.
Auditions this weekend, assuming I can get to them with the crazy weather that is upon us. Oh well. Batten down the hatches and get there.
VII.
My Church is having a special Mass for Candlemas (the presentation of Jesus in the temple) tomorrow. I am excited about this, because I’ve never been able to get to it. Whee blessed candles, right? I am, I’m afraid, one of those Catholics that are into a great many of the smells and bells and special feast days.
Em sounds like a plan on Lent!
I just hope it sticks! It’s still being refined…I’ve got some time.
Yes, very true. Do not worry probably the day before Ash Wednesday I will have an entry about what is being given up for Lent, but what will be gained.