The Case of the Mysterious Book

Mystery achievement

Don’t breathe down my neck, no

I got no trophies on display

I sign them away, I mean what the heck?

~~ “Mystery Achievement” by The Pretenders

I posted about this on Facebook and got so many interesting remarks, and it prompted my own thoughts, that I decided I’d make a blog entry out of it.

On Friday, I got a package in the mail, and when I opened it, I found this book and this note. I do not know who sent it. It came from the return address of sales and marketing company in Brea, California. I do not know of anyone who is in Brea, I don’t recognize the handwriting on the note, and there was no additional note to tell me who sent it.

Muy misterioso, no?

I can only assume that it was a Facebook friend who decided that I might be interested in the book and took the time to look up my address online (probably not hard to do) and package it up and mail it out. When I posted it on Facebook, I said that if the person who sent it doesn’t want to post publicly, they could send me a private message, but I still have not had anyone step up and say that they were the one who sent it.

At first, I took it as an oddity, a weird little mystery about which to speculate on Facebook, and didn’t think too much about it. But as is my wont, I kept thinking about it, because something about it just niggled at me. And, as is also my wont, I have a few things to say about it. If this person is a Facebook friend, as I suspect, I hope they see this, because they need to.

First, Lee Strobel is generally considered to be a total hack among my atheist friends. He attempts to couch things in scientific terms, but he’s no more a scientist than I’m the Queen of England. He has no background in science whatsoever. Zero.

Second, why the secrecy? Why didn’t you sign your name? It’s almost as though you are ashamed, or more likely, worried about what I might say to you. (The latter is a legitimate concern, as you can tell, because I am writing a blog entry about it.)

And what is your purpose in sending this to me? Do you want to convert me? Are you so concerned about your own beliefs that you feel that I need to validate them with my own approval? (This was posited by my friend Mark, and I think it’s a legitimate point, one that hadn’t occurred to me.)

Finally, and this is really important, you have no idea of how I came to this point in my feelings about religion. You seem to have the arrogance to think that I haven’t thoroughly thought about this in my 50+ years of life on this earth. That if I really think about it, and read a book by some dude with no science background, I’ll suddenly have an epiphany and the scales will fall from my eyes.

You have no idea about my background or what type of religious indoctrination (I use that word purposefully) I received. You have no clue about the conflicts with which I have struggled in my life, including an ex-husband who “found God” and decided that I was possessed by a demon. You don’t know about someone in my life who burned one of my books because it had bad words in it. BURNED A BOOK.

You don’t know how I have grappled with these matters for much of my adult life, and the guilt that I have felt because I wasn’t pious enough or worthy enough to get into heaven and would surely burn in hell.

You don’t know how I prayed desperately for God to heal people I loved dearly, including an aunt who was like my second mom and an uncle who told me from his hospital bed that he thought of me as his daughter. They died, anyway.

You don’t know how I can’t be myself around certain family members because for them to find out that I don’t believe would be so horrible to them that I would be getting daily, tearful calls telling me to mend my ways.

You don’t know. But you were presumptuous enough to send me this book, thinking that you might save my soul, or that I might validate you, or whatever the hell reason you sent it to me. But you didn’t have the courage to stand up for your convictions and at least say, “Hey, Beth, I sent this to you because….” You did it anonymously. I think that is something you might need to explore about yourself, rather than worrying about my immortal soul.

One of the many reasons I left religion behind was the arrogance of those who have decided that their beliefs are the only true ones and that everyone must get on that Jesus train or burn in hell. My ex-husband was determined that I would see the light and when I saw that his attempts to convert me were going to continue as long as I was married to him, I asked for a divorce.

I do not make decisions lightly, and leaving religion behind was not easy. It took me many years of thinking, pondering, and discussion. Do you know how incredibly difficult it is to break away from a mindset and belief system that has been indoctrinated in you since you were old enough to walk? This has not been an easy journey for me and I still deal with family issues because of it. I’ll just say it...the fact that you would presume so many things about me and decide that I need to get religion is not only offensive to me, it is insulting. And it pissed me off. That is something you really don’t want to do.

Listen. I’m a tolerant person. I’m cool with people believing what they want to believe, as long as those beliefs don’t hurt or discriminate against others. Some people who have a deep and abiding faith do very good things because they feel it is the central tenet of many religions to serve others. I respect that, I really do. But some of us help others because we feel it’s just the right thing to do. Both are equally valid approaches with a common goal.

So if I can respect those who believe, why can’t you, Mystery Mailer, respect me for not believing?

Do unto others, man. Do unto others.

What do you do on a gloomy, rainy day?

Well, if you're me, first you run errands and get soaked while running from the store to the car. Jeez, by the time I got into the car, it was dripping off my hair and my glasses were completely obscured. Oddly enough, by the time I got home, it was only sprinkling. Grrr. Ain't that always the way?

Then in the afternoon, if you're me, you play on Crackbook way too long (if it's so much fun, I don't know how it can be bad), and then you play some Rock Band. Yeah, baby!

In fact, this is me playing Rock Band. Well, okay, it's how I imagine I look playing Rock Band, because Chrissie is one cool rock chick. ("Brass In Pocket" would be a fun song to have on there.) If I were a rock chick for real, I think I would be Chrissie Hynde more than anyone else. She's got attitude, and I've been told that I do, too. Huh? Go figure. I haven't played with Rock Band for a while, so it was fun to try some of the songs on the original game, and to try guitar. I'm starting to get the hang of it, figured out that I need to have it slung a little lower on my hips, and now realize that I would be a better bass player than a guitarist, because it's a more natural motion for me to pull up instead of stroke down. Hahaha. I'm cracking up right now. So I tried some of the easier songs, like "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?", "Roxanne," and "Say It Ain't So" by Weezer. I even hit the whammy, baby! After Ken got home, he played drums while I played guitar, then he took over guitar and I did vocals.

"Mississippi Queen" was a lot of fun, although I'm not a huge fan of that song. I am proud to say that I did excellent on "Wanted Dead Or Alive" (much better on vocals than guitar), and when I sang the lines "I've seen a million faces...and I've rocked them all," I really got into it! Ha! Oh man, this is so much fun! This is a way for the talentless to actually feel like they have some. Talk about an ego stroker. I still need to get a scarf to tie onto the microphone.

It also reinforces my respect and appreciation for real musicians...you know, the ones who don't play musicians on TV. My friends Jim, Deb, and Darren, and Indigo's Paul, are all very talented (I hope I'm not leaving anyone out), and I am always in awe of someone who can play so incredibly. I've got fumbling fingers with freakin' Rock Band...how much harder is it to do it for real? So I'll keep playing, and you guys keep doing it for real. It's your talent that makes real music, and I'm just along for the ride. You make my dreams come true!

Here is one of my favorite Pretenders songs, "Message of Love." Hard to believe that 50% of the people in this video are dead: Pete Farndon (bassist) and James Honeyman-Scott (guitarist). But Chrissie is still going strong.

The four right chords can make me cry

That's a phrase from the Third Eye Blind song "Semi Charmed Life." Cousin Shane and I have always agreed that that phrase sums up very well how we feel about music, and how it affects us.

We all have different kinds of music that we love, but I think many of us can find common ground in a mutual love of music in general. No matter what kind of music we favor, there is someone out there who also appreciates it. And even if it's not our usual style, any music lover will somewhere, somehow, find a way to connect with another music lover. For example, I'm not a fan of modern country music, but I worship love and value Johnny Cash and his music. Anyone who enjoys modern country, but says they don't like Johnny Cash...well, all I can say is bring it on, because it looks like we've got us a rumble. Give the guy his due, and don't mess with the Man in Black. Seriously. But I digress.

I'm not sure how to explain some of my special music moments, but I'll try. Sometimes it's an entire song, sometimes it's a hook, sometimes it's a guitar solo, sometimes it's a phrase or two, sometimes it's a drum riff. Whatever it might be, the right combination can definitely bring a tear to my eye, and it's usually a tear of joy. It's those moments that stick in your mind, and every time you hear it, in your head you say, "Man, that is so cool!" So here, in no particular order, are a few of my special music moments. This is by no means an exhaustive list. Some of you may know exactly what I'm talking about in some of these songs. Some of you will have no clue, but maybe it will make you want to hear the song, if you're into this kind of music.

I've been listening to the Godfathers a lot lately, natch, so there are going to be a bunch here from their songs.

The second guitar solo in "Birth School Work Death." It makes me want to do a Pete Townsend windmill.

This spoken bit from their song "Tell Me Why": "I told her I loved her very much. I told her I loved her more than life itself. I told her...I told her I loved her more than I loved myself. And that's sayin' something."

The phrase "I have to hear your sweet voice, honey, breathing down the line" from their song "S.T.B." In fact, the name of my AOL journal was originally Breathing Down the Line.

From their song "Cause I Said So": "And I don't need no Ph.D., 'cause I'm ten times smarter than you'll ever be!"

In their song "Obsession," for most of the choruses Peter yells "no no no," but towards the end of the song, he yells "YES!" with a cool echo effect. I love that, and I yell it every time in my car!

Okay, I guess that's enough Godfathers, but man, I dig those cats! On to other bands, other songs.

The big huge drum riff in "Fat Bottomed Girls" by Queen.

In the B-52's song "Devil in my Car" when Cindy sings, "I've got the devil juice in my...CAAAAAARburetor!"

The fiddle in John Mellencamp's song "Paper In Fire."

The crescendo of Harry Connick, Jr.'s song "When My Heart Finds Christmas," when he sings, "MYYYYY heart told me once before, to find my dream and search no more!" I just have to throw my arms out dramatically and sing along. Yes, I really do.

The segue from the Cars' "Shoo Be Doo" into "Candy-O." The first song is kind of low key and sinister, lots of loopy synthesizer, Ric singing "Don't you tell me what to do" then Ric yells (again with the cool echo effect), "Don't tell me what to--tell me what to--tell me what to---" and the throbbing bass and synths of "Candy-O" kick in. Oh man, TURN IT UP!

The minor tone of the Police's "Message in a Bottle" and this stanza:

"Walked out this morning, don't believe what I saw
Hundred billion bottles washed up on the shore
Seems I'm not alone in being alone
Hundred billion castaways, looking for a home."

When Chrissie Hynde sings "But I noticed his scent started to change somehow, his face went berserk and the veins bulged on his...brow" in "Up the Neck," and in "Tattooed Love Boys" when she speaks/sings, "Yeah, I shot my mouth off and you showed me what that hole was for." Chrissie's a bad girl! She's such a rock chick.

These lines from "Somebody Got Murdered" by the Clash: "Somebody got murdered, his name cannot be found. A small stain on the pavement, they'll rub it off the ground."

The way Jim Morrison's voice sounds all growly and tough and smooth and soft, all at the same time. And the way he sings "Try to set the night on...FIYAAAAAAH!"

"Ring of Fire." Is there a more perfect song?

It always makes me happy to sing along to Elvis's "Suspicious Minds." And "Viva Las Vegas," especially the big finish. There I go, throwing out my arms again.

The bassline and backbeat in Devo's "Going Under."

The lines "Levitating lovers in the secret stratosphere" in Blondie's song "(I am Always Touched by your Presence) Dear." Even the title of that song is ultra-cool.

The guitar in Dick Dale's "Misirlou."

I'd better stop, because this could get really long. What music moves you? Do you have certain songs, or bits and pieces, that you just can't get enough of? Do tell! Since I'm in such a rockin' mood, here's a live video of "Tattooed Love Boys." I also love it when she says, "Stop snivelin'!" towards the end.

Midweek Miscellany

Finally a chance to write! And I haven't even started reading blogs yet....

First of all, the blackened tuna turned out great, and the mango salsa went very well with it. I'm not sure I'd make the mango salsa every time, but the tuna was spicy enough that the sweet made a good partner. I will definitely make the blackened tuna again--it was quite easy, and a nice blend of spices. Oh, and I got a dozen roses, too. Isn't that sweet?

Fellow blogger Laurel and I exchanged a couple of emails about the Packard Predictor. I don't know if you've read Laurel's blog, but she runs a restored gas station on Route 66 in Afton, Oklahoma, and has several Packards on display. I love hearing her stories about the "Roadies" that come through! Anyhoo, she mentioned that she'd love to have the Predictor in her collection, but since it's the only one, that might be kind of difficult. I was surprised, because while I knew it was a concept car rather than a production car, I thought they'd made at least 2 or 3 of them. I emailed my contact at the Museum, and she forwarded my email on to the archivist, Andy. He wrote me back right away, and said that yes, the '56 Predictor is indeed the only one ever made. How cool is that? It's in such beautiful shape, too. Looks like Laurel and I love our "rarities!"

Today was errand-running day, because the snow is supposed to fly tomorrow, and it sounds like it could be a doozy. First stop was our library branch, where my book was in (I had it transferred from the main branch to our local branch--what a great service!). Remember when I wrote about the 1918 influenza pandemic? While I was researching, I came across the title of a book by Katherine Anne Porter: Pale Horse, Pale Rider. It's a fictional account of a girl who falls in love with a young man ready to go off to war, and it is set during the outbreak. I knew it was a must-read! It's actually a novella, so I should be able to knock that out pretty quick. I'll let you know what I think of it. While I was at the library, I heard someone go, "Pssst!" I looked up and it was Aubrey from the lab! It was great to see her, and she had some wonderful news--she bought a house! I'm thrilled for her. We had a nice chat and got caught up on a few things.

Let's see...then it was a stop at Circuit City. They just opened this one by us last year, and they're already closing it! CC is in a fix financially, and they're closing several stores. What a drag that they're closing this one. Everything is on sale right now, but it's odd how the prices seem higher than they were before...! Hmm, interesting! I've been wanting to get a car adapter for my MP3 player for a while now, and I did find one for a pretty good price. That will come in handy when we drive to Missouri for Thanksgiving. I also picked up the new Pretenders CD, "Break Up The Concrete." Chrissie Hynde rocks!

A quick stop at PetSmart for some Enchant-a-Cat litter (it's really Exquisicat, but I like Enchant-a-Cat better, so I call it that), and a peek at all the kitties. Awww, they are so cute! There were a couple that looked just like Sheeba, and I wish I could bring all of them home with me! But Sheeba wouldn't be happy with me, and I also don't want to be known as the Crazy Cat Lady of Nutwood.

Then on to Target, where I got a few more presents for Ken, so I think I'm done with his Christmas shopping. A couple of house things, and I treated myself to another CD. Cousin Shane wrote to me the other day about how he bought some new CD's recently, because of the band names. We used to do that once in a while--if we were intrigued by a band name, we'd get the CD despite never hearing anything by them before. One of the ones he got was by a band called The Wombats, I believe. Ha ha! I haven't done that for a while, and I think the last one might have been The Ass Ponys (and I ended up liking their music quite a bit). I did it today with a band called The Ting Tings. I can hardly wait to listen and see if I like it or not! Isn't that a fun name for a band?

Finally, off to the grocery store. (I got this monster head of cauliflower on sale--the thing is huge!) I was happy to get home and get everything unloaded. We're well-stocked, so groceries won't be a problem. I'm off to do some reading now, books and blogs, but I also want to get my new CD's on the MP3 player. That actually might have to wait until tomorrow. Hope you all had a good day!

My plan is to write about something more substantive tomorrow. I haven't figured out exactly what, but I will!