Ms O'No.

I had an interesting church-experience today, which made me reflect upon the role of church in society today compared to say 100 years ago. In the past I've been active in the church in various ways (mainly playing the piano and singing) but I've never really bothered to go to services unless I've been participating. So now when I don't do any of these things anymore, I kind of like to go there as a bit of a Sunday routine type thing. It gives me stuff to think about, which I like. So today I sat next to this old lady, who kept looking at me in a bit of a funny way. When the service was over she asked me if I was there as the mother/sister/cousin/whatever to any of the children in the choir. I told her I was not. She said that she'd not seen me before and introduced herself and I did the same, explaining that I've been there every Sunday for the past six weeks. As I got out to get my coat, the priest was there, asking me if I was there with my grandmother (probably meaning the old lady who'd been talking to me). And I had to explain for the second time in two minutes that I was actually - lo and behold! - there out of my own free will. The priest looked delighted and went "oh, but that's even better then", adding that he did actually recognise me. And then he tried to get me to stay for coffee, which I politely refused but by means of compensation I told him I'd be back next week. I think it's interesting that whereas 100 years ago everyone went to church, it's nowadays apparently completely unbelievable that a fairly young person would go there because she wants to.

On a funnier note I was asked a while ago to give my opinion about this play, so that whoever's producing it could write on the poster "The Land Baron says blablablablabla". Well, this is now published and I was utterly amused to notice in what company my one sentence statement has ended up. It's basically me and every member of the local self-proclaimed cultural elite. In the light of that I wish I would've said "Go see it, it's fecking good" or something equally unpretentious. But I ended up with something about how the play deals with a serious matter in an amusing way, or something along those lines. I can't actually remember. I just scribbled down a couple of sentences on the spur of the moment because they needed it there and then and told them to change it if they wanted to, or just not use it at all. I love the way people will go "right, so who the hell is the Land Baron" when they see the poster. Pissing all over the pretentious bonfire! Yeah!

Oh my gosh, I was at the library yesterday and noticed a guide to the US of A, written by someone called Zac O'Yeah. I mean, is this the funniest name in the universe or what? I like the Irish touch to it. I'm thinking about finding this guy and marry him just so I can call myself Mrs O'Yeah. Although, seeing as I'm a mite negative sometimes I'll probably just change my name to O'No.