Advatages of growing up poor.

I've been kicked out of better places than this.

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Not long ago a very nice blogger-lady asked me how I could have gone to so many schools, or lived in so many neighborhoods in St. Paul. I answered, "We moved a lot." Truth be told, we were either kicked out because my parents fought too much, got blood on the stairs, smashed holes in the walls, made too much noise smashing whiskey bottles - don't ask, or they couldn't pay the rent, and things like that. LOL! I only mention this as a lead to my story: "I've been kicked out of better places than this."

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I'm used to it.

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I have discovered, quite by accident mind you, that I have been deleted from a few blogrolls. One very sweet lady informed me by email that she could no longer link to me because of the links in my sidebar and because I allow comments by known homosexuals and liberal minded Catholics (Gerald no longer blogs now days - he's not gay of course, just a dissenter.) Anyway, the lady said I was a scandal, as did one or two other bloggers. In fact, they delete my comments whenever I leave them on their blog-posts. Funny thing however, if I search their blog for my name, earlier posts they wrote with links to me, pop-up.

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Well, pray for me then - please! As one most in need of God's mercy. I realize how easily one's reputation can be tainted by the company one keeps, especially when one is in a certain profession, or a religious, or just climbing the ladder of success and trying to earn a reputation. Yet most assuredly I am not trying to promote sinful lifestyles, erroneous or heretical beliefs, much less dissent on either of my blogs, though I candidly deal with these issues as they appear frequently - even daily - in the news; and yes, I permit polite dissenting comments.

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Without trying to sound pious, or give the impression I am seeking approval, I want you to know I have been going to confession with greater frequency as well - last week twice, this week only once so far. So yeah, I'm trying really, really hard to be good and to please God. But trying to please people is just something I have never been much good at. My apologies.

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Season's greetings!