Wednesday, February 21, 2007

ASHES TO ASHES, STARDUST TO STARDUST.

Today is Ash Wednesday--the day that all good Catholics resemble a pirate's treasure map.

And while taking a shower this morning, two questions popped into my head.


First, did Catholics borrow the idea from Hindus? Or vice versa?


And second, which of the two religions is Ziggy Stardust?


[Author's Note: Yesterday, for the 39th year in a row, I didn't get any fatter on Fat Tuesday. Am I doing something wrong?]

16 Comments:

At 2:58 PM, Blogger Ms Mac said...

Now see, I get fatter every Tuesday. But I know what I'm doing wrong.

;-)

 
At 6:51 PM, Blogger The Big Finn said...

Just wait until you hit 40!

Um...you have some dirt on your forehead.

 
At 9:45 PM, Blogger Trac said...

What??? - It's called Ash Wednesday?

And to think that all these years I had been putting an H in front of that!?

I've always wondered why we eat pancakes the day before and not the day after in the UK? ;o)

(I was going to post 'Catholic Girls' - but I'm a bit drunk at the moment! It's the thought that counts!)
x

 
At 10:32 PM, Blogger christina said...

That's right, Sal, make those of us who gained 5 lbs from all those pancakes yesterday feel bad. :-p

When I was a kid we always, always, always had pancakes on Pancake Tuesday. I think my mother must be a closet Catholic.

 
At 4:30 AM, Blogger Angie said...

Great, twisted minds certainly do think alike! As I saw a reflection of the big gray dot on my forehead this morning, I thought, I look like a Hindu! (Our priest IS Indian, so...)

I think Ziggy is his own religion.

 
At 4:32 AM, Blogger Angie said...

Also, may I just say that in 24-ish years of getting ashes on my forehead, they have NEVER looked as nice as the ones in that picture. That must be from the "How to be a Priest" handbook or something.

 
At 1:34 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I definately vote for Ziggy (no matter what the question is). And Sal, I´m shocked: you`re 39?!

 
At 1:45 PM, Blogger Sal DeTraglia said...

Tiiiiiina: I'm shocked that you're 29.

Ang: When it comes to the ashes, I am (or, more accurately, was) of the "less is more" contingent.

Christina: Oh?! So that's were I've been screwing up. I've traditionally rung-in Fat Tuesday with a meal of stir-fried tofu, followed by a brisk Triathalon.

Trac: What a shame. You finally had the perfect excuse to get back at me for posting "Catholic Girls" onto you blog last year. Oh well, at least you had a good excuse (drunkeness).

 
At 2:28 PM, Blogger Trac said...

Haha - yes, well I'm sober now!
I'm not sure why people would stand in their living rooms doing things like that, but I am rather glad that people do. :O)
x

 
At 5:08 PM, Blogger christina said...

Hah! I've never heard that song before. Thanks, Trac. I wonder if there's a song entitled "Anglican Girls"? I used to be one of those.

 
At 1:42 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ziggy is a Zoroastrian ... You know, this reminds me of the day when Sister Mary Paula asked me what I was giving up for Lent, to which I replied "Catholicism." It was my last day in Catholic school.

 
At 5:34 AM, Blogger Berlinbound said...

Sal ... Greetings from the German Expatica Resident Blogger ... My first time here and I see that you are recently retired from Expatica? Would love to chat with you about that some day ...

 
At 12:15 PM, Blogger CanadianSwiss said...

I wonder how many cigars(?) the priest had to smoke in order to get all those ashes.

What's all this pancake thing anyway?

 
At 12:23 PM, Blogger christina said...

CS - pancakes are eaten to symbolize using up any "rich" foods - eggs, milk, sugar etc before Lent begins.

 
At 5:32 PM, Blogger CanadianSwiss said...

AHA! Thanks for clearing that up, Chistina.

 
At 8:47 PM, Blogger Michael Lehet said...

Here via TBF -

Classic - Pirate Maps!

I was at the barber that day and some guy walked in with his "ash" and I pointed to my forehead to let him know he had something there. Sort of like when you motion to someone they've got a crumb stuck to the side of their mouth....how was I to know?!?

 

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