Language

The Episcopal Church has, in its history and possibly sometimes now, a tendancy to have sermons that were a little obscure, due to a rather complex use of language. Apparently, some sermon writers and corporate management types have studied the same use of language. I present an actual company job description for an account aquisitions officer. The company name has been replaced with XXXXX.

Description

Owns the face-to-face interaction with the customer. Responsible for acquiring new customers within the KSLG space. · Focuses on delivering a positive customer experience according to XXXX standards. · Builds strong customer relationships. · Focuses Creates initial business relationship and works with counterparts to transition new customers to the region effectively. · Drives XXXXX’s initiatives down into assigned account set/territory while delivering revenue, units, margin, enterprise, and services revenue. · Teams with internal XXXXX resources and leads the cross functional sales team in making the best business decisions.

Qualifications

Anticipates how market and competitive factors will influence the selling of XXXXX products and services. · Long-term vision of business/technology direction for XXXXX. · Advises customers/XXXXX on strategic business and technology plans. · Recognized internally and externally as a thought leader on the industry, the XXXXX business model and competitors. · Effectively exercises power and influences key decisions for the benefit of XXXXX and the customer. · Works effectively with functional leaders throughout the organization/models effective team leadership.

Uh... ok.... yeah...

Well at least we are no longer empowered or empowering. I suppose Dilbert did that in. Some managers apparently thought that empowerment meant instructing the employees to hold many meetings and make many inconsiquential decisions that would never be implemented anyway, thus freeing management from having to listen to the whining of the employees since they no longer had any extra time to stop and complain.

Symbols - tech tip

So you are writing away and want to add a a special character:

Maybe you wish to show a copyright symbol: © ® ™ ™

Or you want to show your pride in you fraternity/sorority: Γ Δ Ι

Did you with to write Taizé ?

How about some german: ß ö

Are you into math ≤ and are hungry so you need some π?

Is it time to take a note ♪ or two ♫?

Or you are just a former electrician who wishes to go back to your old job, because there is no place like Ω (ohm).

Just remember to ☺.

Well, if you are using a PC, there are ways to accomplish this task. In MS Word, there is always, "insert", "symbol". In other places, such as blogger, you can also use the character map ("start menu", "accessories", "system tools", "character map"). Here you can either find the shortcut key (alt key plus a four number code) or find the symbol you want, click "select" and then "copy." You can then return to blogger and select "edit" and "paste." Not every symbol is available for every font so your actual mileage may vary.

For the Macs, I believe there was something called keycaps. It may have changed though.

Selecting music

There is a great difficulty in selecting music for a congregation you have never seen before, a choir you have never heard sing, and an organ you have never played. So, I have followed so simple tricks to help out.

1. Read over past music lists and bulletins (ordos for the Seabury crowd).
   
2. Be conservative in hymn and service music selection. Try to avoid assumptions on the congregations repertoire and participation until you have heard them sing.
3. For the choir, especially if they are small - say hello to canons. They can be quite lovely and are generally easier to prepare in a short time.
4. So you have a hymn that is quite nice and appropriate but likely not in the congregations repertoire. No problem, now you have an choral anthem. It is even more fun if it can be performed as a canon which is sometimes harder for a congregation.
5. Oh look, a Charles Stanford anthem written for SAB choir. How Anglican of me.

Having finished the initial music preparation, I am looking foward to starting in September.

St. Mary the Virgin

In honor of the Feast of St. Mary the Virgin (or Feast of the Assumption of the Blesed Virgin Mary, or The Fest of the Dormition of Our most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary), I created a shared playlist for the Rhapsody music service. It contains:

Rhapsody Playlist:
"1. --- Hail! Blessed Virgin Mary - The Cambridge Singers
2. Ave Maria (Chant) - Giovanni da Palestrina
3. Hail Mary full of grace (English, 15th Century) - Hail Mary full of grace (English, 15th Century) - Oxford Camerata
4. Ave Maria a 8 - The Sixteen / Harry Christophers
5. Ave Maria - Leontyne Price
6. Ave Maria (Josquin Desprez) - Giovanni da Palestrina
7. Ave Maria - David Haas
8. Ave Maria - Heidelberg Schola
9. Ave maria - Anton Bruckner
10. Ave Maria - Placido Domingo / Vienna Boys Choir
11. Hail Mary - Cantus
12. Rejoice, O Virgin - Troparion for the Virgin Mary - Sergei Rachmaninov
13. A Hymn To The Mother Of God - The Sixteen and Harry Christophers
14. CANTICLE: Magnificat anima mea/O rubor sanguinis - Anonymous 4
15. Magnificat - Christopher Tye
16. Magnificat primi toni BuxWV 203 - Marie-Claire Alain
17. Magnificat in D, BWV243 - Magnificat - Johann Sebastian Bach
18. Magnificat (Octavi toni) - Cristobal de Morales
19. Magnificat quinti toni (3 versets) - Jehan Titelouze
20. Magnificat - Theatre Of Voices
21. Eight Short Preludes on Gregorian Themes for Organ, Op. 45 - Salve regina - Marcel Dupre
22. Magnificat ( 2nd Service) - Orlando Gibbons
23. Gregorian Chant, Mode I/Gregorian Chant, Mode I: Salve Regina - The Choir Of The Church Of Saint Agnes
24. Salve Regina a5 - Giovanna Pierluigi Da Palestrina
25. Hail Holy Queen - Happy Voices

"

To convert or to be transformed

In yesterday's sermon, the Interim Pastor made a brief reference to converting and/or transforming. This got me thinking. It appears to me that to convert only requires a personal choice to accept a particular faith and it's doctrine. To be transformed, though, requires opening oneself to allow God grace to bring about a change. Conversion would then be our work and not God's.

Is this not treading toward pelagianism? Why then are some Christians so forceful about converting others? If we are only concerned with conversion, are we then allow those we convert to fall into heresy and sin? Should we instead be helping others to be transformed by Christ?

Feel free to comment.

Sibelius acquisition

Earlier this week, Sibelius Software Ltd., maker of one the two more popular music notation software programs (with the other being Finale), was aquired by Avid Technology, Inc. Sibelius will be come part of Avid's audio unit, Digidesign. Let's hope that that quality of Sibelius remains.

Read the full press release here:

http://www.sibelius.com/news/press100.html