Every post, a Freemason Post?
Is every post going to have to be a Freemason post? Should I add a little Freemason tidbit every time I log onto blogger?
Somehow I don't think that seems substainable in the long run.
There is this new website out called "King Solomon's Lodge". It is meant to be a central clearing house for all of the Masonic blogs on the Internet. I was using it this evening to get caught up on the lastest commentary from my Internet brethren when I stumbled accross numerous posts of my own. Posts like, "Here is the Ebay auction I just posted" or "Here is how people type 'hot mom' and show up at my website" or, "Here is me at a tennis match with my boss."
Hmm..not very Freemasonesque. It's weird to hop from Freemason site to Freemason site and, on most of them, there is a link to "John Ratcliff's blog". Click on it and you see pictures of my kids jumping in the swimming pool.....or....quite possibly an old guy in an apron. It becomes quite hard to tell from one day to the next.
Yes, I am a Freemason. Yes, some of my posts talk on that topic. However this is, was, has been, and always will be my personal weblog. Should I add a Freemason themed tidbit to every single post so that people who stumble in here do not suffer ontological shock? I'm not sure that is a good idea.
You are just going to have to deal with the fact that this blog covers a wide array of topics in my life.
Here are the upcoming topics in my life in the next two weeks.
http://www.kingsolomonslodge.org/
Now, a little post-script to this message. I just did a Google search and found out that Saint John's Lodge #9 in Seattle has a regular stated communication on August 16th; the same evening I have free on my business trip! Co-incidence or synchronicity? You know what my New-Age friends would say... I just sent an email and I hope I will have the pleasure of visiting a lodge in Washington State. Now *that* will give me cause for a Freemason themed post!
Somehow I don't think that seems substainable in the long run.
There is this new website out called "King Solomon's Lodge". It is meant to be a central clearing house for all of the Masonic blogs on the Internet. I was using it this evening to get caught up on the lastest commentary from my Internet brethren when I stumbled accross numerous posts of my own. Posts like, "Here is the Ebay auction I just posted" or "Here is how people type 'hot mom' and show up at my website" or, "Here is me at a tennis match with my boss."
Hmm..not very Freemasonesque. It's weird to hop from Freemason site to Freemason site and, on most of them, there is a link to "John Ratcliff's blog". Click on it and you see pictures of my kids jumping in the swimming pool.....or....quite possibly an old guy in an apron. It becomes quite hard to tell from one day to the next.
Yes, I am a Freemason. Yes, some of my posts talk on that topic. However this is, was, has been, and always will be my personal weblog. Should I add a Freemason themed tidbit to every single post so that people who stumble in here do not suffer ontological shock? I'm not sure that is a good idea.
You are just going to have to deal with the fact that this blog covers a wide array of topics in my life.
Here are the upcoming topics in my life in the next two weeks.
- Tuesday, I'm working. I don't talk about work on this blog.
- Wednesday, my brother *might* show up in town, or might not. If he does I will take pictures of niece and nephew and post them.
- Thursday, I have a DeMolay meeting. I doubt anything of significance will transpire worth commenting on.
- Friday, I will spend the evening with my father. Now that he knows he has terminal cancer he wants to spend lots of quality time with the family. I may, or may not, have something to comment on that topic.
- Saturday, I am being installed as Junior Warden at Napthali Lodge #25. That is certainly a Freemasonry thing, so look out, I might post a picture.
- Sunday, my nephew Brother Charles John Ratcliff will be getting married. You can be darned sure there will be posting some pictures from that!
- Monday, I will be flying to Seattle to present at a conference. I will attend a party in the evening. Pictures may be taken...
- Tuesday, I will give a presentation and later in the evening I will drink many alcholic beverages to celebrate my success.
- Wednesday, I will visit with my friends at Rad Game Tools.
- Thursday, I will fly back home and read many books that I may comment about on this blog.
- Friday, I will attend a wacked out New Age metaphysical discussion group where I will hear somebody attempt to explain why the Urantia material is a reasonable spiritual model to support. I almost for certain will have something to say about that.
- Saturday, I will be installed as an officer in Wentzville Lodge #46.
- Sunday, why on Sunday, I update my blog of course.
It's a crap shoot people. I could start a seperate Freemason blog but I don't think I want to do that on principle. You will have to sift the wheat from the chaff all by yourself.
Finally, for the record, this blog is anything but an open display of all of my inner secrets. I try, very hard, not to talk about my job here. I don't discuss many personal issues with my family. And, I don't talk about 'sekrit' Freemason rituals (though I may give you a link to the online version if curiousity is just killing you.)
This site serves for me to post pictures, tell stories, occasionally rant, rave, and/or preach. And that is about it.
See you in lodge my brothers.
http://www.kingsolomonslodge.org/
Now, a little post-script to this message. I just did a Google search and found out that Saint John's Lodge #9 in Seattle has a regular stated communication on August 16th; the same evening I have free on my business trip! Co-incidence or synchronicity? You know what my New-Age friends would say... I just sent an email and I hope I will have the pleasure of visiting a lodge in Washington State. Now *that* will give me cause for a Freemason themed post!
Comments
I noticed that website scrapes quite a bit of content that isn't always related, but it doesn't give a quick snapshot of what's going on. I just ignore some topics that look off-topic.
I like your post today, I have taken a slightly different way... I like my masonic blog, and personal blog separate. But that's because I like to post stupid videos and pictures on my personal one that not all brethren would want to see :o)
Keep up the great work, I enjoy reading your blog.
Bro. Ken Dennis
North Bay Lodge #617
North Bay, Ontario, Canada
I personally feel that the variety is perfectly acceptable and fine. In the spirit of Brotherly Love, I enjoy hearing what my Brethren are up to, what they spend their time doing. Are we not Masons always? I don't remember ever thinking "I'm not going to be a Mason tonight." I'm always a Mason, even if I'm doing nothing more than watching a movie, or reading a book, or working, or even getting a speeding ticket. We may take off our literal Apron as we leave Lodge, but I feel that Apron we were given figuratively stays with us forever from the time we first received it.
I myself have decided to separate out my blogs based on interests, but I do not think this is right for everyone. I did it only because I felt I would have enough things to say to make adequate use of each blog.
Keep up the good blogging.
Jeff Day
Laurel Lodge #13, AF&AM
Roseburg, Oregon
And you are linked on my weblog not because you always write on Masonic subjects, but because you occasionally write on Masonic subjects.
What Would Hiram Do?
You can't take a break from being a Mason, can you? And frankly, I don't think that anyone can sustain months or years of weekly posts of original "Masonic" content, in the context of what you're trying to describe. Ordinary life sneaks in there.
But we know that you're a Mason, so we read your blog with that in the back of our heads. ;-)
The Tao of Masonry
I am not sure as to whether or not you or anyone of the other visitors to your web site can help me or not. This is a shot in the dark so to speak.
I am of the MacDonald Clan of the Highlands. We now spell our name as McDonald, since about the 1880's I believe.
My father has been trying to find our "TRUE PLAID and Coat of Arms". Since the time of the Brittish Royals deciding that they all wanted to have a little "Scot" in them, the Plaids, Tartans, Crests and Coat of Arms have become nothing more than Resale Trinkets and are mostly hogwash!
I have searched and searched online to try and find what I know through family lore as to be "OUR" Clan. To no avail! My dad has even been flamboozled into getting a Family Tree/Crest.. that says we came from Ireland, once it showed up in the mail!
What I know for certain is this: Our Coat of Arms shows a severed hand with a sword and a viking like looking ship on it( the hand is on top and the ship is on the bottom) the rest I am not sure of. My dad remembers this from one that his Great aunt had. I know that we are direct descendants of the MacDonalds who were nearly wiped out by the Campbells.
My portion of the family settled in Southern Illinois and Northeastern Arkansas. Paragould, Arkansas is where my fathers main branch settled. From there we have William Jefferson MacDonald(Mc) 02/19/1850, William Jefferson McDonald Jr. 1887-1937, Robert(Bob) Jefferson McDonald 02/06/1891-10/13/1950 etc. other family names to include Yantis, Hale, Rolson and Stewert( maybe Stuwert).
There was a clash of the family clan a few times ( name spelling change was the start of one) but the family still remained basically intact until about the 1940's. After that the young McDonalds did not seem to be as inclined to abide by tradition and unity.
This is where my branch of the clan started down the trail of lost heritage.
I am the family detective! (smile) It was not until I began pressing my dad William Grayson McDonald Jr. for more imformation( born in 1938)on our history, that he began to get involved himself. Now he is trying to find our "true" and "proper" Plaids, Crest, Coat of Arms, Tartan etc.
I would appreciate any help that you or any other "Scot" can offer. Whether it be as to the above or any history we are missing. This is very important to me. Not only for my own inquistive nature and love of my family, but for my sons, who I think need to know there was something to us before the Xbox, Myspace or Youtube!!
Sincerly Yours,
Deborah Cecil
Nee- McDonald
Contact me at Orchid65@msn.com
P.S. Yes, the Cecil is a Welshman... Hatfield House! LOL! Also a Mason!
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