It's Padre Whine Time!

Boy, I made a big mistake yesterday. I was feeling better, and, instead of staying in bed and sleeping, I was up all day, posting all over the internet and having a great time. So, of course, by evening time I had a relapse of The Ting Dat's Goin' 'Round.

But I had to get up early this morning to take care of things for Migración. It's time to renew our Missionary Visa, which requires lots and lots of paperwork, of course! Well, a couple of weeks ago I pulled out my passport and discovered that it expired back in May. Hmmm, a small complicación, pero la vida en Panamá es lleno con complicasiónes. I went to the U.S. Embassy, stood in the wrong line, then was set in the correct direction, and, eventually, started the process to renew my passport (everybody kept speaking to me en español; must be all that sun I've been getting!). So today I went to pick up my passport (six days earlier than they said it would take; I guess they've cleaned up that backlog I heard about last year). When I arrived at the Embassy, there was a long line outside of the first gate. I got on line, and a member of the congregación was coming up the walk, so I gestured for her to join me. It's always nice to have a friend to talk with in line. Then some official kinda person came down the line checking people's bank receipts for their visas and he told me that I could go ahead of everyone and enter. I guess I was in the line for Panameños, not estadoünidense. So, I went through security (had to empty my pockets and take of my belt, but could keep my shoes on) and wandered up the walk to The U.S. Consulate. I only had to wait about ten minutes to get my new passport.

Well, the new passport is ugly, ugly, ugly!! When the heck did they change the passports? The illustration below is of the former passports (I nicked this on-line; my passports are with my Migración Lawyers). Simple, nice little pattern for the background. Nothing ostentatious. Just a regular, decent, passport for regular, decent travelers. It doesn't call attention to anything. It is relatively understated, for a government document.

Now, here is a copy of the new, super-ugly tacky U.S. passport (not mine, as you can tell). Flags, bald eagles, wheat, "We The People"; Good Lord, folks, who designed this? IT IS DISGUSTING!!! It screams I IS A 'MURICAN!!! FALL AT MY FEET!! I IS FREE, FREE, FREE!!! (Well, not really free, but we loves ta pretend!). I guess they came out with this last year. Man, there are "picturesque scenes of Americana" on every friggin' page. Why are the Republicans so lacking in taste? Can we get them out of office fast enough? Will we be able to get the passports changed back to something normal? I was already feeling sick, and then I had to see this tacky thang!!! I went on and on and on about it all the way home. Poor Lovely Mona!

For the five-thousandth time in my life, I am embarrassed that the Republicans are in charge.
Hey, I hear the Church in Sudan is against homosexuality and wants Bishop Gene Robinson to resign. I guess there's nothing else to worry about in Sudan. . .

I also read that the Rev. Terry Martin has a new blog. Seems he all respectable and stuff and has a job at 815. Padre says, "Check it out!"