Safe Haven

I have just learned that Ben E. King, best known for the 1961 anthem "Stand By Me," has died. I grew up listening to his greatest hits. That song is arguably the greatest song in American pop music. It wasn't even my favorite. That was "Spanish Harlem." I heard Mick Jagger say that Ben E. King was his favorite artist. I believe it. 76 seems too young for today. The news blurb said it was natural causes. I always find that morbidly funny as a Christian. There is nothing natural about death. I hope that he hoped in Our Lord, and that I'll see him in the glorious resurrection.

5. If the Spurs make the shots they are supposed to make, the Clippers don't have a chance. 4. Time to step up, Kid. No Wainwright to fix your mistakes. 3. It says it's a "Share" size Skittles. Shut up, Skittles. Don't tell me how to live my life! 2. I read "Dominus Iesus" yesterday. Comforting. I might say, "oddly compelling," if Nathan Hall were here. 1. Dear Floyd Mayweather, you are not the greatest. You were not 56-5 in the golden age of boxing, with 3 of those 5 losses after 1978, in fights that never should have taken place. If Ken Norton broke your jaw, I doubt you'd survive the round, much less 15. Joe Frazier would destroy you. You'd be selling encyclopedias. Not only did The Greatest beat Joe Frazier, he did it twice. (Still probably going to buy the fight.)

You may have noticed that you haven't been invited into my virtual living room lately. Yeah. I'm not going to die. We know that for sure. And if I do? Well, as they say, it's been a good run. (I went to Confession on Sunday, before Mass.) Yes, I went to Mass. I figure I'm not contagious, I can settle the cough down for a few hours, and...it's Mass. If I'm not a public health threat, I'm going. A great hue and cry from my reader has reached my decidedly blocked ears, so I blog. I've decided that I have to do this. There is something about me; I must be talking. When I stop talking, I stop thinking. When I stop thinking, spiritually and otherwise, this is not good. [Some may argue that your thoughts aren't that great.--ed.] That's a true story, if I ever heard one. Lots of people are in less than optimal health these days. St. Luke, pray for us! I've been on a Hall and Oates kick for some time now. I blame Nicole DeMille entirely for this...