OMD. Could it be?

I'm doing the final (I promise) edit of Xmas Carol, my horror novel. In the process of many edits, I've read the book at least 40 times, probably 50. Now, here's the thing -- after so many times through the manuscript, I can't help but notice something. Brace yourself, guys. This is really strange.

There is a point in the novel when, as I read it, I smell Xmas trees! It always happens in this one scene. I swear, every single time I read this scene, the scent of pine trees overwhelms me. It's the smell of Xmas!

Now, I don't want to jump the gun here or anything, but do you think this could be a miracle? I'm gettin' goosebumps; you? Seriously, do you think dog, in his mighty canine wisdom, scented this scene so that each and every reader will experience the Xmas tree miracle (as I've taken to calling it) when they read it?

I've consulted Maven Miracle, the secular expert on miracles, and she had a terrific suggestion. I won't say which scene causes this miracle to take place. This way if a reader claims to smell pine trees while reading another scene, I'll know to discount this report. But if people all smell Xmas trees while reading this particular scene, we'll know that we have a verified miracle on our hands! Take that, Holy See!

I'm all a-twitter over this. To think that my horror novel, Xmas Carol, may have a miracle within it! Dog!

Guess I'll have to watch the All-Star Game

My ultra-favorite player this year, Bryce Harper, just replaced Giancarlo Stanton on the All-Star team. The rookie is only 19 and is the youngest player ever to make it to the All-Star game. This is very cool. And mark my words, he'll make waves at the game. This kid is amazing.

So now I'm going to have to watch the game. Four players from one of my two main teams, the Nats, are going to the All-Star game: Bryce Harper, Ian Desmond, Gio Gonzalez and Steven Strasburg. Plus Dickey from the Mets will also be there. So yup, I have to watch the game. Starlin Castro's going too. With all these guys in the line-up, I can't diss the game (too much) this year.

But to be clear: it's not a game, it's a show. If it was a game, they'd keep the best players in for the whole thing. Instead, they trot people out like runway models. It's not a game. Just saying.

The collapse of the ex-gay movement

There's a story in the New York Times about a change of heart by the president of Exodus International. That's the organization that up till now was seen as a leading force in the "ex-gay" movement -- the ludicrous notion that people can change their sexuality. Doesn't happen, kids.

Alan Chambers, the president of EI, now says that it's impossible to change one's sexual orientation -- and the wingnuts are very upset about this. If they can't make believe gay people have the ability to "change", then their argument against giving us "special rights" (i.e., the same rights others have) falls apart. And if sexual orientation isn't a choice, then it can't be a sin. That sound you hear is wingnut heads exploding.

I'm always intrigued by the nature of the comments by religious wingnuts. Their priorities are so strange. For instance, for this guy, it's all about who gets to share heaven. I don't think he wants icky gays up there:

Robert Gagnon, an associate professor at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and author of books on homosexuality and the Bible, last week issued a public call for Mr. Chambers to resign. “My greatest concern has to do with Alan’s repeated assurances to homosexually active ‘gay Christians’ that they will be with him in heaven,” he said in an e-mail. 

I have news for him. Without gay people to spruce the place up, heaven is going to look quite dull. In any case, Chambers' remarks are a positive development. The days of straights looking down on gays in this country are just about over.

TV chuckle alert

Tonight, ABC's 20/20 (9 PM) is broadcasting a show called "Heaven: Where Is It? How Do We Get There?" Should be fun. It's going to include people of various religions from around the world, discussing their ideas about heaven.

Do you remember "Heaven", the marvelous documentary that Diane Keaton directed and produced? How I adored that film. (It was of course trashed by the NY Times, which has never once been right about a book or a movie. When I read one of their reviews, I always assume the opposite is true. They're quite useful when viewed this way.)

I'm hoping this will be a bit like Keaton's "Heaven" but it probably won't be. I assume Keaton went into the project with the idea of showing what a stupid idea heaven is. Not sure about these folks but it's probably a safe bet that they're either believers or wussy types who would never upset believers. Still, it's great fun to hear the stupid ideas people have about this nonexistent place. I'm looking forward to it.

Some people really have a racket

STERRETT, Ala. (RNS) Marija Lunetti, one of six young peasants who claimed that the Virgin Mary began appearing to them in 1981 in Medjugorje, Yugoslavia, says the mother of Jesus is aware of the economic crisis in Europe.

Realizing that she stumbled into a great scam when she was a child, this woman turned a simple lie into a lifelong affair. Here's more:

Lunetti spoke briefly in an interview about the economic crisis in Europe and the weather -- "Hot like here," she said -- before she had her daily apparition on Sunday (July 1) night on her visit to Shelby County, Ala. During the apparitions, she says the Virgin Mary appears to her and prays over the pilgrims, even though they cannot see her vision.

She's a real entrepreneur, she is. And get this:

Lunetti's normal time for an apparition Friday morning was while they were on an airplane bound for Alabama. Instead, Lunetti had her vision Friday night after 8 p.m. once she arrived at the Colafrancesco home.

If you let some people get hold of a racket, they never let go. Daily apparitions that no one else can see. You have to give her huge credit for pulling that one off. And yes, it's all from HuffPo, that font of modern knowledge.

Amusing note of the day

The Vatican has registered one of its worst budget deficits in years, plunging back into the red with a €15 million ($19 million) deficit in 2011 after a brief respite of profit.

Karma, anyone? I can just see the Pope walking around his ultra-mansion, picking up this gold thing and that gold thing, and putting each down as he yells, "Never! I'll never sell this!" 

PS: I'm going to say "Pope" rather than "popey guy" from now on. The reason is that this blog is translated into many languages (via that Translate widget on the top left). And I don't think "popey guy" will translate very well.

PPS: When I added the translation widget, my hits picked up. There are people from all around the world reading this blog now. I think that's so cool. I welcome you all!

The weird voting system for the All-Star Game

This "vote for your favorite player for the All-Star Game" thing is meaningless. How can this vote matter in any way when the rules say you can vote as many times as you want?

What are they tallying, exactly? The OCD quotient of certain baseball fans? The stupidity of baseball fans? To do your favorite player any good you'd have to be manic, dimwitted and willing to sit at your computer for days, clicking on the same button.

And these jokers at MLB require your email address to register your vote! Do you think Major League Baseball will misuse your email address? Duh. These guys sell everything they can get their mitts on.

It's just aggravating, as is the All-Star Game itself. MLB ruins baseball every year. They did it big-time this year with all that idiotic interleague play. The season was so good before the very long period of interleague play. And now it's lost its mojo. Thanks, MLB, for everything!