top two odd TAC experiences of the week:

odd experience #1: while sitting in the coffee shop, i observed about a half-dozen girls of the "Amish" sort preparing to play the board game Trivial Pursuit. they gigglingly set up the board, picked their pieces, and commenced. the designated questioner drew a card from the box. she read the appropriate question aloud. i don't remember the exact question, but it was about a member of the Monkees. the following conversation ensued:

Amish girl #1: Do you even know any members of the Monkees?
Amish girl #2: I've never heard of the Monkees.
Amish girl #3: As far as i know, Monkees are just monkeys.
Amish girl #4: Let's try a different card.

needless to say, i did not stick around to see if they did, indeed, have better luck with the fated Different Card.

odd experience #2: in mass this morning someone's cell phone rang. that, in itself, is odd at TAC. we usually come to mass ready for a serious spiritual experience, to commune with God (to put it into my own terms). so for someone to bring their phone to mass at all, especially one that's ON is out of the ordinary. so the phone rings. and rings. AND RINGS!!! and it doesn't bloody stop!!! by this time everyone is looking around, like Who the HELL is not taking care of this issue!!! it finally stopped. then started again about 5 minutes later. it was someone within the 5 closest people to me, but we were all staring at each other blankly. it stopped. it started. it stopped, it started. on about phone call #4 i was pretty sure it was the girl next to me, who had been sleeping for most of the mass. phone calls #7 and 8 (both of which came during the consecration) nearly set me over the edge. i stopped focusing on transubstantiation and started contemplating whether i should slap her, take the bag into commons, or just dig out the phone and throw it out the back door. finally after phone call #9, the offender excused herself. i was more than happy to let her out of the pew. i was in awe. THE GUTS!!! wow! i think i would die after phone call #2! amazing.