With Continual Reference to Justin Kahn.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

I Can't Work Like This.

COI isn’t the place to get into sensitive religious issues. But there is one that has affected me deeply and because of that I must speak about it. If you feel that this is a private matter, that turn your heads, move onto some other blog.

Here it is: There is a Church near the Penthouse. This church has a bell tower. What I want to know is if I am being so unreasonable in asking the Church to set the bell tower to Vibrate.

Because for example, yesterday my muse was guiding me to write a work of inestimable genius when the bells for Compline chimed in. I am not Catholic, but I did feel a certain obligation and of course after Compline my muse was gone, probably with some secularized Protestant.

I understand that in a world without clocks or other personal time measurement systems, bell towers make enormous sense. But in today's world, a world where I am trying to write, couldn't they maybe just send a text message to everyone at the appointed hours?

16 comments:

Jenn said...

Wow. I am Catholic and I wouldn't know Compline from Vespers. Am very impressed that you do.

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

Kyrie eleison.

Anonymous said...

Buddhist bell towers are set to vibrate by default, which is one of the reason's we're so calm.

Charlene Amsden said...

Justin, as a writer I would expect you to embrace free speech, but here you are trying to silence the voice of the church. Shame.

One Sunday morning many, many years ago it was the morning after my {now ex-) husband's 35th birthday bash. The two of us were walking to the store (the car was across town where some sane soul took his keys from him). With every step he flinched because his shoes were too loud on the sidewalk, then we stepped in front of St. John's Catholic Church and the bells began to peal. Those bells called him to prayer -- right there on the Sidewalk, on his knees.

Sassy Sundry said...

On All Saints Day you post this. Thunder, Lightning, the way you diss Compline is frightening...

Justin said...

jenn, I didn't know Catholics spoke in tongues. j.

Justin said...

p-t b,
That is a very beautiful image.

j-d k

Justin said...

no,no, no quilly. Not the voice of the church, just the metallic clanging. j.

Justin said...

Sassy, lucky for me the church abandoned the Index Blogicus Prohibitorum. Repurcussions will be minor. j.

Taihae said...

at least the church doesnt do that nextel walkie talkie beep, then loudly announce the time.

Comrade Kevin said...

Justin - to expand upon Taihae's idea, perhaps you could talk them to downloading ringtones for their church bell? Maybe it would be better if they played Keep Feeling Fascination by Human League.

Justin said...

taihae, Also, it hasn't been linked to brain cancer. But who knows what is just around the corner. j.

Justin said...

comrade k, I would even pay whatever the fee is to download a ringtone. Or at least my, what is it?, ten percent.
j.

Anonymous said...

It could be worse. It could be like a giant clock-radio and you can't reach the snooze button. Or like those really OLD quasi-digital clocks (gee, I remember them well) that had flippy kind of numbers that sort of buzzed every minute as the number flipped over and then the number sort of went "splat" into place. You could hear a big "splat" every minute on the minute.

Justin said...

maleah, The theological ramifications for the complete absence of snooze buttons are staggering. Maybe not staggering, but it is funny to think about a snooze button. j.

Nessa said...

Justin, don't you know the bells toll for thee?

Justin said...

goldennib, Is that some kind of literary reference thing or something? j.