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Lampwick 43 said:
@bearfan and @terrell39 are you guys hanging in there alright? There's a lot of power outages going on in Texas in the middle of some extreme cold and winter storms.

apnews.com

Officials: 2 dead in Texas as subfreezing cold sweeps US

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A sprawling blast of winter weather across the U.S. is likely to blame for the deaths of two people in Texas, where an unusually snowy emergency Monday knocked out power for more than four million people, shut down grocery stores and air travel and closed schools ahead of frigid
apnews.com apnews.com
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Thanks for asking!
Down here in Houston, power off and on since Monday for hours at a stretch. Worst one was all night Tuesday with no power. That meant no heat so inside was 48 degrees (outside was about 25). Thankfully upstairs is about 10 degrees warmer so we slept upstairs.
Power has been on about 12 hours now (crossing fingers).

Tough part is no running water since Monday.
We did plan ahead by turning off water for house and draining pipes Sunday night so pipes wouldn't freeze and burst. We also filled up tub, sink, & pots with water to flush toilets. And like @bearfan , we are also collecting ice and snow to create more. However, main water pipe near us for the community burst so no-one around us has any water. The people in Houston who do have water have low pressure and/or filthy water. Just read a Tweet from Doctor here who says her hospital has no water for the children's dialysis.
Also read a Tweet water should be restored today (toes crossed; no shower since Sunday and washing dishes with cold water and soap).

Our one miracle is when my son was younger, we were in the Cub Scouts so I had camping gear we could use to cook! ( small single burner stove with small 10k btu tank). 2 hot meals and drinks a day made us feel human after hours in the 40 degree temperature.

At least temperature should finally reach 40s tomorrow, 50s Saturday, & 60s Sunday.
 
JudasMyGuide said:
(Our parish priest actually said that I shouldn't be too bothered by failing then, that we all are fasting in a way enforced on us and that that's sometimes better than any plan that we come up with.)
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That's a very interesting and if I may say, humane interpretation.
 
Maiden's family tree [from Eddie's Archive box set 2002]:

Edit: it seems Nicko's past bands are missing - (Gordon Giltrap, Streetwalkers, Pat Travers, Trust).

maiden's family tree.jpg
 
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JudasMyGuide said:
Are you in some way addicted to their presence, so much that you disregard your spiritual goals?
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I guess so. I have this craving to stay relevant to people whom I’ve lost contact with, even if they are the most self-absorbed bastards. And I’m disappointed in myself for not finding peace within my own actions, but always keeping an eye on what others are doing.
 
terrell39 said:
Down here in Houston, power off and on since Monday for hours at a stretch. Worst one was all night Tuesday with no power. That meant no heat so inside was 48 degrees (outside was about 25). Thankfully upstairs is about 10 degrees warmer so we slept upstairs.
Power has been on about 12 hours now (crossing fingers).
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Glad to hear they have the power on for you in portions. I know a few people who spent three days without power. It sounds really bad down there.
 
JudasMyGuide said:
The secular answer would be that it helps with discipline (which is rather useful even for a non-believer) and might also help your general mental well-being, because you learn to stop, restart and for example by depriving yourself of something that easily brings you pleasure with no effort you'll get your dopamine centres in your brain somewhat back to normal, making you happier in the long run and being able to enjoy the things you actually want to enjoy more.
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This is why I do it. I am raised Catholic, non practicing, but enjoy the challenge of lent.
 
Not eating pastries and candy is great for dieting too. That demands strength of character though, and I'm enslaved to chocolate pastries and cakes.
 
A load of non-religious people observe Lent, and observe things like New Year's Resolutions, Dry January, or Veganuary, even if they don't drink much and don't feel strongly about animal slaughter.

I think people get some psychological benefit from the idea of exerting self-control over impulses and refraining from excess, something they may feel some guilt about, or something that might be classed as a 'sin' of sorts by society. And maybe a proportion of them just like the oneupmanship of telling others just how virtuous they are - usually the ones who post constantly on social media about the success of whatever it is they're abstaining from.

I'm also convinced that charity runs are a modern-day twist on pilgrimages.
 
Brigantium said:
A load of non-religious people observe Lent, and observe things like New Year's Resolutions, Dry January, or Veganuary, even if they don't drink much and don't feel strongly about animal slaughter.

I think people get some psychological benefit from the idea of exerting self-control over impulses and refraining from excess, something they may feel some guilt about, or something that might be classed as a 'sin' of sorts by society. And maybe a proportion of them just like the oneupmanship of telling others just how virtuous they are - usually the ones who post constantly on social media about the success of whatever it is they're abstaining from.

I'm also convinced that charity runs are a modern-day twist on pilgrimages.
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As for me, I'd say that even non-religious people can intuitively feel and understand that you can't succeed in striving for happiness without at least some form of ascetics. And it shows in these types of fasting you mention.

Sure, the "ostentatively virtuous" folks exist, within and without the Church. But that one has a million other forms also, so I think it can be recognised from other stuff these people do.
 
My girlfriend just left for college. It’s in Vermont so we’re quite a distance away and I’m both an emotional wreck and excited to fill up the these first three months she’ll be gone with music we’ve already agreed to listen to.
 
Diesel 11 said:
My girlfriend just left for college. It’s in Vermont so we’re quite a distance away and I’m both an emotional wreck and excited to fill up the these first three months she’ll be gone with music we’ve already agreed to listen to.
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That place looks beautiful in the pictures.
 
So does most of New England. I'm also particularly enamoured by New Hampshire, especially because the name sounds so cool.

For an autumnal person like me it's a shame I've never seen it anywhere around there.
 
Yeah it does look like a beautiful state and she’s been telling me about how nice it and the college is.
 
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