The ***OFFICIAL*** Weekend Singles' Thread -- Easter Weekend (April 14-16)

April 14, 2006 | Victoria Delsoul and Army Air Corps

[Victoria Delsoul]

The True Meaning of Easter

By: Paul Arinaga

There's a lot of controversy about the true meaning of Easter. Some claim that it's actually a pagan celebration in origin. Others lament that retailers, greeting card companies and television are changing Christianity's greatest feast into something with meaning "the size of a jelly bean."

In any case, the most common view about the real meaning of Easter is that it's a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that through this act, sin and death are conquered. Easter also can be seen as a season of joy. The time of sorrow is over. Lent's penitential forty days have passed, and the fifty days of the Easter season have begun. Winter is over and spring is in the air. In times past, it's said that priests would regale their parishioners with funny stories. Easter was truly a time to rejoice. To rejoice that Our Lord has Risen and that one day we too shall pass through death (which has lost its sting) and rise to New Life!

While I am certainly not erudite enough to give you the definitive answer on what Easter means. I believe that it offers many valuable insights about life, no matter what your religious beliefs. In fact, the Easter story is so powerful that it probably offers something even to an open-minded atheist!

One of the biggest lessons from the Easter story, I believe, is the power of forgiveness. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about what forgiveness actually is. In my opinion, it doesn't mean condoning the wrong that has been committed or allowing it to happen again. Moreover, the act of forgiving is not necessarily something you do for the transgressor (although it can be), although its power can transform the transgressor, too. It is something you may do for yourself.

When you can forgive, you can finally be free of the burden of guilt, anger, hatred or resentment. The healing process can begin or finally conclude. You can also let go of the person who hurt you. This makes you stronger and removes the power that person has over you. It's somehow ironic that by not forgiving we allow the person who has harmed us to continue to harm us, even if they themselves are unaware of the long-term damage that is being inflicted. Of course, ultimately, we are responsible. By taking responsibility now for our own interpretation of what happened in the past, we become much stronger - I think that's what people mean when they talk about "self-empowerment".

I'm not sure whether forgiveness is the main lesson of the Easter story or even a primary message from it. But I am sure that it is a valuable one. And I'm also certain that if we can learn how to forgive, we will be more productive - and happier - human beings.

Hi everybody. The themes for today are sports and movies:

1- Strange sports stories where you either participated or were a spectator. (Anything that seemed out of the ordinary and made you laugh.)

2- Favorite romantic films. Tell us about your most memorable tv/movie romances, or romantic moments.

3- Tell us about your favorite romantic movie dance scene: actors, actress, songs, soundtrack... which particular scene you thought was the best, famous quotes, etc.

And as you all well know, “in this world nothing is certain but death and taxes” and since it is also a tax weekend, we'd like to add some tax trivia, too.

Make sure to read this great essay regarding the history of taxes in the U.S. written by Army Air Corps. Outstanding job, AAC. Thanks.

Tax Trivia:

1. In 1913, the Sixteenth Amendment to the U. S. Constitution was passed. What did it do?

2. About how much did the U. S. government collect in Income Taxes in the year 2001?

3. Which country does NOT have an income tax?

4. Why was the first U. S. Income Tax implemented?

5. Which U. S. President was responsible for the largest Federal Income Tax cut in the 20th century?

6. Which President implemented the very first Income Tax in the United States?

7. As a percent of income, which country has the highest tax rate?

8. As of the year 2000, the U. S. Internal Revenue Code (or tax code for short) is how many pages long?

9. Who writes the Income Tax laws in the United States?

10. What does the Internal Revenue Service call their electronic method of filing Income Taxes?

Please, join us for some fun.

Your hosts for the weekend are:

Victoria Delsoul                             Army Air Corps

This weekend's Music

Sergio Mendes & Black Eyed Peas - Mas Que Nada

Shakira - Whenever, Whatever

Los Lonely Boys - Heaven

Los Lonely Boys – Heaven (Spanish Version)

Etta James – At Last

Charlie Rich – The Most Beautiful Girl

The Cardigans – Lovefool

Maroon 5 - This Love

Frank Sinatra – I've Got You Under My Skin

Smokey Robinson – Just To See Her

Mariah Carey - Emotions

Barry Manilow – Copacabana

Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders - The Game Of Love

Andy Williams – Moon River

Louie Prima – Jump Jive And Wail

Shania Twain - You're Still The One

Smokey Robinson – Cruisin'

The Mamas & The Papas – California Dreamin'

Ricky Martin – Livin' The Vida Loca

Goo Goo Dolls – Give A Little Bit

Neil Diamond - America

Lou Bega – Mambo No. 5

Bobby Darin – Mack The Knife

Wayne Newton – Danke Schoen

Neil Diamond – I Am I Said

Bobby Darin – Beyond The Sea

The Marcels – Blue Moon

Sam Cooke – Another Saturday Night

Elvis Presley – My Way

Patti Labelle – Lady Marmalade

The Pretenders – Back On The Chain Gang

Bobby Darin - More

Joni Mitchell – Both Sides Now

Roy Orbison – Pretty Woman

Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody

Sheryl Crow – All I Want To Do

[Rca2000]

WHEN oh WHEN is the original Mission Impossible series going to be on DVD(I have most episodes, some recorder on tape from the late'80', some homemade DVD's I bought, and ALL of the columbia house releases. But there are still a number of them I need!!(from all 7 seasons, 66-73)

[Rca2000]

Sorry about the double post!!

[Nowhere Man]

There is no easy way to skip the vital grief steps w/o future problems. In the grief processing fields we say one should never go over, around or avoid the grief. You must go THROUGH it.

Hard for the pets left behind when one dies. When Oliver died in December, Toby would just go out & sit, stay, sleep on his grave. He stopped eating etc. They had only been together since Labor Day when Oliver brought Toby here out of the woods, but they were very close.

Yeah, I noticed that G.W. has perked up a little but he still has that lost look for his brother from time to time. Where we buried Greystone, Pansy started at the spot for a while from the window. Pansy, being the oldest is like the queen and leader as well as the mother figure. I mentioned this before, but when we got Corky in 1989, Pansy washed her and now that Corky will be 17 next month, Pansy still washes her like she is her mother. She did the same to all the kitties, even Greystone when he was ill.

[peacebaby]

I couldn't do -15! i'd be worthless.

Here, we didn't have a very cold winter, which means the summer will be full of mosquitos and fleas. Going to be a bad summer in this regard.

[rzeznikj at stout]

Busy.

I'm currently staying at home with my folks while I'm a full-time student.

The family was over--so I had to help with the cooking. And the usual familial "what's happening" while the pit ham my mom was cooking took forever and an eternity to cook...

However, my social life didn't come up for a change. OTOH, it was eclipsed by the details of my graduation next month and my cousin's country-style wedding at the end of August.

And well, let's just say my 84 year old grandmother has quite the mouth...;

[HitmanLV]

Hey, you are in the UK? Fantastic! One of my all-time favorite funny men is Benny Hill, and I even have a couple of his songs posted on my FR Profile page! :-)

I hope you like Benny! I hear he is considered a bit taboo these days. A shame!

[Victoria Delsoul]

LOL! Your grandmother sounds like a lot of fun to be around.

Anyway, I'm glad you were able to visit us and post a little.

[HitmanLV]

He almost quit being an attorney because of that. He said losing cases he should have won was making him physically ill. He couldn't stand seeing people get screwed over by the system and having no recourse even in court a lot of times.

I am an attorney and I quit the biz a few years ago. Best move I ever made. It's a vile business filled with vile people. Thankless. And that was on a good day! ;-)

[Nowhere Man]

I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved pet, Greystone

Thanks. We laid him to rest today and it was hard but now I am at a little more ease that he is in a better place although I still miss the little guy.

[HitmanLV]

The law is a rotten business! The 1/2 way decent people leave the field. The rotten ones rise to the top! :-)

[Victoria Delsoul]

Such fond memories....

[carlr]

Coldest I can remember was -40,maybe the lowest the thermometer could read as some in the area have reported -50.Christmas day in 1981 and during a brutal time Jan-Feb of 1994.
At that point it probably doesn`t make a lot of difference.

Going to have to call it a night,hard to keep my eyes open.

[tuliptree76]

The law is a rotten business! The 1/2 way decent people leave the field.

LOL! Well, I'm currently not practicing. :-)

[HitmanLV]

I'm sure it's coming along! Quite a few classic series are starting to show up (Stg Bilko among them). The Odd Couple has to come out soon, too. Keep your fingers crossed!

[Nowhere Man]

I was born with scoliosis and a bad connection between my stomach and esophagus. Cats can have birth defects too. You gave Greystone five great years of life. I am proud of you for looking after him (and your other cats) so well.

Thanks. one thing I'm glad that we took great measures is that we now know that we did all we could even though we did lose in the end. One vet suggested putting him down 3 weeks ago, we said no, we wanted to try this and that first. Had we put him down, we would be forever playing "what-if" and "Monday morning quarterbacking." As you put it, maybe Greystone was a victim of a birth defect that took time to come out. Even our main vet said that.

[HitmanLV]

Yep, I get all nostalgic and misty eyed from time to time! :-)

[HitmanLV]

Me too. It's a dead end job!

[peacebaby]

If you were here, you wouldn't be sleepy...it's still in the70s.

night.

[rzeznikj at stout]

Well, let's just say she was referring to playing with a certain part of her anatomy--and using a four letter word to describe said part of anatomy...;)

Not exactly something I'd expect to hear out of my 84 yo Catholic grandmother, but it happened nonetheless...;)

[snugs]

Just saw your post before I turned in - not a great Benny Hill fan more a Morcambe and Wise girl myself.

Just found this photo of Dalek egg to all you Dr Who fans