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a momentous announcement
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Nov. 21st, 2009 @ 02:09 pm
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Master, bless.
My most precious ones,
I have a number of things to share with you today...
First, I want to thank you for your loving counsel and understanding (re: yesterday's poll about my enabling comments on my livejournal).
I have decided I would do as follows: I shall enable comments at my discretion. I shall frequently enable them when I am discussing day to day matters, posting photographs and so on; I shall seldom enable them when I am writing more contemplative entries. I shall not enable them when I am feeling weary or reclusive. At times when I am feeling distressed, I may not enable them. Thus this journal will remain a serene, peaceful refuge both for you and me, and at the same time allow interaction now and then, which I know delights you, and is a blessing to me. I believe this is a wise and beneficial course of action.
Due to the evolving nature of my vocational work, I am endeavoring to acquire greater social networking skills. I have therefore joined My Leaky; you can find me here.
All of this is giving me courage.
I have yet more wonderful news to tell you about... The red martyr gown and princely cassock reached my doorstep yesterday. I shall model them for you in the hopefully near future, but in the meantime, I took photos of them so you could see what they look like.
The red martyr gown, also known as the Infinitus nightgown, is nothing short of breathtaking. It is like a combination of Snape's coat and robes and a very elaborate medieval cassock that a cardinal might wear:
Bear in mind that the front goes all the way down to the floor when I am wearing it. The hem rests upon my feet (my measurements were correct! 52 inches from the top of the shoulder). The designers at Kambriel did a masterful job in creating the garment I had imagined...
And here you have an idea of the train, which is symbolic of flowing blood, offered for Love's sake. The sleeves are floor-length. This gown will be my evening wear and help me rest from the weight of the black robes.
( This way to the princely cassock... )
Unfortunately, the photos do not do justice to how beautiful and finely tailored this coat is. I shall wear it during the ball. I am so happy to be doing something special for you at Infinitus, most beloved. My better half, who has seen the garments first hand, was very impressed.
I live to give you joy.
Your devoted
Logospilgrim, the quiet professorToday's version of stroppy: :  bashful |
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ready
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Nov. 19th, 2009 @ 11:01 pm
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Master, bless.
My most precious ones,
tomorrow, I shall be having dinner with ![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) karen_jk, and this makes me very happy. Earlier in the afternoon, I shall be picking up my first shipment of copies of The flawed master, and shall thus be able to give her one of them (it will be a Christmas gift), which also makes me happy...
I am starting to feel good about the book. I may as well, eh? It is what it is. And... I am... getting positive words about it... The Lord, I believe, has answered my petitions.
I am ready for 2010 and its various challenges. Its joys.
Your devoted
Logospilgrim, the quiet professorToday's version of stroppy: :  calm |
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frail professor
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Nov. 17th, 2009 @ 12:04 pm
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Master, bless.
My most precious ones,
I have not been sleeping all that well, my dreams involving convention hotels unable to find my luggage or missed flights, but prayer is regulating my thoughts, and I am feeling greater tranquility in my spirit.
A loved one has written very kind words about The flawed master, here. It is a balm upon my heart to know that the ardent prayers I offered up to the Lord whilst I was writing the book have been looked upon with merciful compassion.
In the morning, I am emboldened, but at night I am frail. I have so longed to comfort those who cross my path, to let them know that they are not alone, to show them that Love exists. It is my purpose.
Friday, I shall be hopefully spending some time with my dearest karen_jk; we shall share a beverage. This will be a blessing indeed. I need a bit of levity and relaxation.
Your devoted
Logospilgrim, the quiet professorToday's version of stroppy: : hopeful |
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The bed bugs missed me
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Nov. 15th, 2009 @ 12:15 pm
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30 bites today. Leg, side, back.
Not a happy bunny |
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I can do this, I think
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Nov. 14th, 2009 @ 12:12 pm
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Master, bless.
My most precious ones,
I have been giving myself a talking to this morning (after another rather sleepless night), and I think I am all right with the book. I wrote about topics that are in keeping with all I have written so far, my style is the same, my words and views are, as always, immersed in my faith, and I have done the best I could, I prayed for the Lord's guidance... Now I must be at rest. My agitation is sinful.
I am still learning the lessons I elaborated upon in The flawed master. This will no doubt be the case for the rest of my life.
I shall soon get in touch with The Leaky Cauldron and Mugglenet to see if they would be interested in my sending them a copy of the book. I am also thinking of sending a copy to the Ottawa Citizen. Nothing may come of any of this, but it seems like a good idea somehow to promote the book a little. Or whatever. I feel ambivalent about marketing, visibility and so on, but I shall try.
A message is not much use unless it is shared...
I shall have copies at the Three Deacons Church Store, and I shall see if other bookstores, such as Collected Works (and possibly Chapters), might wish to carry a few, especially with The Half-Blood Prince coming out on DVD next month. I am waiting for business cards bearing the book cover, and shall endeavor to give one to every person I encounter. I am also going to put up small posters in the downtown area.
Of course, all of this may be moot if the book is terrible, but, well, I am attempting to be more confident. I am trying to follow the Lord's inner promptings; if He wills for the book to be a blessing to others, then it will be.
Man alive. You know, I always figured my life would be a bit strange... Let us say that my expectations have been exceeded.
Just wrote down the name of the Arts and Life editor at the Ottawa Citizen. God help me. I may be too much of a small fry (or my writings may be too odd) to be of interest... We shall see, I suppose. I may well lose the nerve I currently seem to possess.
Your devoted
Logospilgrim, the quiet professorToday's version of stroppy: :  exhausted |
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The sun is up
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Nov. 13th, 2009 @ 08:52 am
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Today's task - as always the ironing
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Nov. 10th, 2009 @ 10:30 pm
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What was achieved - Dark Gods in the Blood.
Chapter 28 of Being Hermione Granger.
Tea and toast.
Landlord is coming round on Thursday morning to discuss me moving out. |
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very well
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Nov. 10th, 2009 @ 04:33 pm
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Master, bless.
My most precious ones,
today I am feeling that familiar, but more intense, post-publication shock.
It is caused by this:
Print $20.00
And now that the book is on its way to some of you, I am trembling a little. I feel so blessed, so grateful to God for the task He has given me (I can only echo St. Paul and say that I am not worthy of being called an apostle), and at the same time, when I gaze upon the book, I wonder whether my arrogance has poisoned the well, as it were. But the Lord can purify anything.
This morning, I was comforted by Meister Eckhart's words: "For however you are devoted to him, you may be sure that he is immeasurably more devoted to you and has incomparably more faith in you." And my heart did a little flip inside my chest...
In the book I say, most beloved, that you give birth to God in me, and that when I see you, I see God. I wrote that Harry gave birth to God in Snape, and that Snape gave birth to God in Harry. Love restores us all and gives us true sight. This is possible because Love joined itself to us, in the flesh...
I write because I want all to know the joy and peace I have known. C'est plus fort que moi.
I have lived without hope; and now, above all things I want to share hope, always. Sometimes, the message is difficult... Medicine often tastes bitter. I can tell you that I myself have drunk it, and that I am much better for it... Indeed the Lord has made sweet what was bitter. Now, despair is far from me...
Nothing can annihilate hope, whose roots are Love.
I shall share an excerpt from The flawed master to illustrate what I mean...
You know, a diamond at one time was a piece of coal. By unbelievable pressure this ugly piece of coal is turned into a diamond. It's sort of like our interior lives. A lot of us are inundated by pressures, all permitted by the Lord, intended to transform us into spiritual diamonds. He wants to make all of us new.183 (Mother Angelica)
Voldemort boasted that he had "crushed" Snape. Unbeknownst to the Dark Lord, he had actually contributed to Snape's sanctification. His actions added to the pressures that put certain choices before Snape, who then had to make a decision. Bit by bit, moment by moment, year by year, the metamorphosis took place, and during the battle that signaled Voldemort's ultimate defeat, Harry declared before all of Hogwarts that the Headmaster was a diamond.
Did those present suddenly remember a person who was not Snape? Did a pleasant man manifest himself in their minds? I doubt it. But they saw him in a new light...
Did you ever see a statue of a grouchy saint? I saw one once.
It was the most gorgeous statue I ever saw. It was Padre Pio, who was a grouch, you know. Now, everybody excuses the poor guy and says, "Well, he had the stigmata and he was suffering." Come off it. He was a grouch; he was a typical Italian grouch -which I can relate to! So I bought that statue in New Orleans a few years ago. He had the most beautiful, grumpy look on his face. See, that's my kind of saint. I want a saint who struggles like I do. There's no such thing as perfection. There is only the struggle for holiness.184 (Mother Angelica)
When each one of us is confronted by his or her "inner Snape," what we must say to Love is "Very well."
Oh, but we want to be safe, we want to be successful, we want to have assurance. That's the world. Look closely at the apostles and see them for the dodos that they are. They had big personalities and bigger tempers. They were jealous of one another. Peter's psychological profile is so bad you would not elect this man dogcatcher. Imagine a leader who panics in a crisis. But God knows that His grace is at its best in our weakness.185 (Mother Angelica)
If we are to know peace, if we are to taste love, if we are to be healed, we must accept, like Professor Snape had to and did, to take the risk of embracing our humanity. We must leave behind the imaginary ideas we have about ourselves. Holiness is not inaccessible; it is living our true life.
Holiness is bowing before the many ways we disappoint ourselves and others, and not giving up: holiness is hope founded upon love.
So it is that I write. I do not give up. I believe that God can mold me. I trust Him. What shall I do when He says, "You give them something to eat"? Shall I put the two pieces of bread back in the basket and walk away, because I do not believe two measly pieces of bread can do much good?
No. I shall watch Him bless the bread and then do as He asks.
Your devoted
Logospilgrim, the quiet professorToday's version of stroppy: :  okay |
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The flawed master: official release
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Nov. 9th, 2009 @ 04:42 pm
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Master, bless.
My most precious ones,
God have mercy upon me, The flawed master: lessons Professor Snape taught me is now available on my website.
Print $20.00
Do forgive me if this book is more expensive than Bring forth the best robes; it is longer and because I am listing it on amazon, I must increase the price (manufacturing costs, retail costs, lulu and royalty fees...). If I were a big time publisher, it would be different, but being quite small... God bless you for your support and understanding.
Speaking of amazon, the book will be available there in 6 weeks or so.
I am a little incoherent at the moment.
My dearest ones, from my heart my intention was for this book to be a blessing to you; please forgive me if my words cause you any sort of distress. Although I seem to have been called to write, I do not yet possess much (if any!) wisdom. However, the Lord lends me His strength and I trust in Him (though this does not negate the fact that I am unworthy of my vocation). I shall be praying a lot this week... The weather will be pleasant; I believe a tranquil stroll through one of my favorite graveyards will be in order. And, praise be to God, Archbishop Seraphim will be conducting a special anointing service thursday night. I can tell you that I shall be present.
I cannot believe I have written another book. It is there, on my desk, and I am bewildered. I, the least of servants, have been granted to praise Eternal Love again! It is mind-boggling. My mystical essays may be nothing more than muddled nonsense, but may God transform them into an offering of love...
I am bowed before you.
Goodness, I need to lie down.
Your devoted
Logospilgrim, the quiet professorToday's version of stroppy: :  indescribable |
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O, heavenly sanctuary
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Nov. 8th, 2009 @ 10:26 pm
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Master, bless.
My most precious ones,
I am hoping the proof copy will arrive tomorrow... At the same time, I have been thinking, O, Lord... I am not sure about this...
You know, the usual.
I thought you might like to see the set of robes I made for myself yesterday. These are made of polar, very warm. Lest you marvel at my "sewing skills," the robes are basically three rectangles sewed together: two at the front, joined to one at the back. The length at the shoulders is 48 inches, and at the center, 51 inches (this is necessary to prevent trailing).
Now... What does your professor wear on sunday mornings?
( Two more... Closer up, and from the back )
I was overjoyed this morning because I visited our new bookstore for the first time (it is in what was formerly known as the church garage). It has just opened (there was a rush to get everything done in time for the consecration of Bishop Irénée and Metropolitan Jonah's visit). Man alive! I was astounded and delighted. It is beautiful. I was expecting books and perhaps a few icons... But they had everything, music, a breathtaking selection of icons, incense, books, cards, prayer ropes, even vestments and chalices. Whenever I need gifts for loved ones, I shall have all I require at hand. I left with icons. You can never have too many icons.
They will, um, carry my silly books. If you live in the Ottawa region (our church is at 15 Lebreton St. N. in Chinatown), the store hours are:
Thursday: 12:00pm – 4:00pm
Friday: 11:30am – 4:30 pm
Saturday: 11:30am – 4:30 pm
Sunday: 2:00pm – 4:00 pm
I shall try to take pictures for you next time I am there.
Well, I shall see if I can get some work done on my fics (in addition to "Darkest before dawn," I shall update "O my soul" soon -a miracle!) to get my mind off The flawed master's imminent release and my fears that I am foisting something horrific upon my unsuspecting cherished ones. My stomach has been a little tender (because of the anti-inflammatories I took this week, combined with mild agitation, I believe); it was with such gratitude that participated in the Liturgy today... Blessed be the name of the Lord.
In this world, everything is flawed, but... Regardless of this -indeed, because of this- I can only say "It is good." The Lord has taught me to see and the words in my heart are, yes, Master, it is good. Suffering produces patient endurance, the fruit of which is peace and love.
Your devoted
Logospilgrim, the quiet professorToday's version of stroppy: :  book may be here tomorrow |
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I am a skilled procrastinator
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Nov. 9th, 2009 @ 12:10 am
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I have done no ironing, tidying or cleaning, despite the fact I have no clean shirts to wear tomorrow and the shoe collection on the stairs is in miinent danger of being confiscated by the managing agents.
I did clean the bath, but then had another bath with all the finest unguents which has rendered it dirty and sticky again.
I've not washed up after dinner, and as that involves simply filling the dishwasher, I think there are bonus slut points for being uber lazy there.
And instead of loading the dishwasher, I made a post about how I hadn't loaded the dishwasher.
On the other hand I have finished a short fic you won't see till January, made some cups of tea which all tasted a bit funny, watched the News Quiz, Have I got news for you, four episodes of Armstrong and Miller, The Unbelievalbe truth, the Cenotaph ceremony, the British Legion thingy from the Royal Albert Hall, wanted to punch a lot of Guardian readers quite hard, and then read lots of AJ Hall fic. |
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sleepy