Farewell Address

Hello, everybody. It is after much thought and deliberation that I have made the decision to close down Fiddleback Fever. We've been at it for a year and a half now, and it's been fun. Also, it's been wildly successful. I never dreamed Fiddleback would grow this large or garner over 21,000 hits. I never even really expected it to last more than a couple of months. However, I think that Fiddleback has run its course, and the time has come to let it rest. Fiddleback's scope has grown too large for a couple of people to run, and most of our contributors are focusing on their own blogs. Fiddleback was a group thing from the beginning, and it's time for me to move out on my own. I'm starting another blog, this time with a more personal focus.

I'll never forget Fiddleback Fever. It forged quite a few friendships for us, and gave us a sort of notoriety at Christendom. So much has gone into Fiddleback that I have decided to leave Fiddleback up for reference to the Cow Pope and other gems of traditional Catholic brilliance from bored minds. It's time for each of us to officially go our seperate ways online. Fiddleback has lived out its lifespan in scope, nature and in its usefullness for friendship. The friendships are now transcending the tool that brought them together.

I thank all those who have contributed to Fiddleback Fever, you will always be part of the Fiddleback team. I also thank those who have read our thoughts so vicariously over the past eighteen months. Please be kind to Fiddleback's memory.

Here is a list of the blogs and other internet places of Fiddleback Fever's contributors:

John: This Red Rock
Meredith: Basia Me Catholica Sum
Rob: [No Blog]
Sheila: Enchiridion
R.T. Sender: [No Blog]
Charlemagne: Charlemagne's Palace
Bowman the Black: Christendom Commons
Fidelio: Midnight Radio

Well, in all honesty, that's all folks. I hope you don't mind me being so abrupt, but I have been thinking about this for about a month now. I really feel this is the right choice.

So good night, farewell, God bless.

John

Delhi, India

Randym News

Obviously, Randym News was delayed. This, we are sure, disappointed our readers. All two of them.

...

The Rambler will be on hiatus this week, to allow writers to see their doctors about carpal tunnel syndrome.

...

In keeping with the tradition of violating tradition, Marti Gras (Carnavale for the Rome students) will not be celebrated on the last Tuesday before Lent. Rather, it was yesterday. It was a night of subdued chaos, filled with masks, opera-singing Phantoms, and weird hooded men. Oh, and a free chocolate bar.

...

A blood drive was held Wednesday. There was a minor incident as Fr. O’Kielty dumped holy water and garlic powder on the volunteers to make certain none of them were vampires.

...

Ladies’ Open House was last Sunday. The ladies are reportedly still recovering from the invasion. Two birthday parties also occurred in Campion during the event.

Today, all three "house" dormitories have an open house of their own, including a beach party at the girls’ place. Considering that it was snowing as Mass let out earlier, that takes some courage.

...

Dale Ahlquist speaks tomorrow night. Dr. Carroll speaks Wednesday. There’s gonna be whole lotta speakin’ goin’ on.

...

And that’s all the news that’s fit to blog. Thank you, and good night.

Bowman the Black
Reporting Blogger

Decisions, decisions

Lately I've been in some tremendous quandaries. There is just not enough time left in my college career to finish everything I mean to do. Here's my to-do list so far:

*Major in Classics: because Mr. S. talked me into it. I daresay he could talk anyone into anything. He could probably talk my brother into reading Jane Eyre -- if he wanted to.

*Major in English: because I love English, and because I must do my thesis on King Arthur, or I'll mourn forever.

*Go to Rome: something that I am actually going to do! Hooray! My parents told me last night that I may go. This does, however, take a semester of my time. Gladly spent, but there'll be some making-up to do.

*Be an RA.

*Finish my 2 current novels.

*Join the choir.

*Have fun, occasionally.

Some of these things are going to have to go. Either I drop one of the majors to a minor (which is rather like being asked which of your children you would save from a burning building), or I keep both majors and do nothing else. No writing, no choir, no fun. (Rome stays, though. It must.) Five classes and a thesis each semester of senior year. You know, they could make a reality TV show out of that: Double-Major Survivor. I wouldn't watch it, though. My opinions on reality TV are quite emphatic ever since I accidentally watched an episode of Amish in the City.

What to do, what to do? I wonder if I'll be completely decided before the exact moment I declare. I've been waffling back and forth all year. Any input, anyone?

Randym News

The night after the last Randym News update, several gentlemen on campus gathered to write up poems at an Undisclosed Location. (This location was known to any lady who peeked at the posters requesting submissions, since they were posted on doors often left open in the unseasonably warm weather.) Several of the gentlemen, including three Fiddlers, labored through the night, finally breaking at six in the morning.

A fourth Fiddler, who thought he had successfully escaped the incident, was later trapped into helping out that same day. Just remember: real men write poems.

...

The actual Valentine’s Day passed with little incident. Day classes were cancelled due to a staff meeting; night classes were sparsely populated due to certain students "forgetting" that they still had to show up that night.

...

A makeup class for Professor Arias’ Theology 102 class took place this passed Wednesday night. It was marked by a brief incursion of three armed and masked men; two were armed with automatic weapons, the third with a katana. These armed men have not been identified, but it was noted by eyewitnesses that the Christendom Inquisition’s undercover agent was not present. The Inquisition’s spokesman was not available for comment on any possible connection.

...

The Shield of Roses rally tomorrow looks to be successful. There aren’t enough people signed up to stay late for the buses to do that, so Shield’s still on the same schedule.

...

The Rambler continues, though the price of each issue is about $75. To keep this up, John J. may have to cut staff pay down to two peanuts an hour.

A donation jar (actually a vase) has been set up in Regina Coeli’s Chester-Belloc Room. John J. is asking for fifty cents from each student. It’s suspected that he’ll be more likely to get dollar bills than quarters -- everyone knows that quarters are so valuable around here. He probably won’t mind.

(Unless, of course, he was planning on pilfering the fund for laundry money.)

...

And that’s all the news that’s fit to blog. Thank you, and good night.

Bowman the Black
Reporting Blogger

How to Protest "the Da Vinci Code"

Janet Batchler (of Act One) has an interesting way for us to protest this movie. She posted it on her blog Quoth the Maven (http://quoththemaven.blogspot.com/) on February 11th. Here's my summary:

Four ways of protesting:

1) Ignore it. (Wrong!)
- Doesn't help, and it's the opposite of what actually works (see below).

2) Physical/visible/audible protest. (Wrong!)
- Only gives them free publicity.

3) Rational argument. (Wrong!)
- Doesn't help, because most people won't listen -- or if they do, they'll still go check out the movie to "see the other side." Remember, the object is also to convince people making movies like this is a bad idea.

4) Go to the movies. (Right!)
- A movie ticket is a vote; go vote for another candidate.


If' you've been ignoring it like I have, the movie comes out on the 19th of March -- the weekend that kicks off Spring Break here at Christendom.

I wonder if Curious George or The Pink Panther will still be out?

Bowman the Black
Quietly Protesting Blogger

Randym News

Tonight, we’ll lead off with the biggest news: the South Dakota abortion-ban bill has excited everyone on campus. We’re all praying that Governor Rounds will sign the bill into law as soon as possible, so that we can get on with the Supreme Court battle. Now that’s good TV.

In related news, Jenne L., our resident South Dakotan, is currently accepting applications for becoming her neighbor.

...

Shield may be getting a chartered bus or two for next week, meaning that drivers would not be needed . . . if enough people sign up. They’re also offering (again, dependant on how many people want to) to leave late so that people can visit the museums in DC.

It’s too bad they couldn’t have done that on some other day than that of the St. Genesius’ Night festivities. Fortunately, extended practice has never been a hallmark of the St. Genesius’ Night skits.

...

"Valentine’s Day" is tomorrow. The sophomore class president has been witnessed stalking young men in an effort to gain servers for the Pamper-the-Women Dinner. A certain Fiddler made himself scarce at the sight, but chivalry left a message for him.

...

A petition to change the night of the Valentine's dance-and-dinner to Monday was attempted and failed, because it only received a hundred signatures.

...

An all-night meeting in an undisclosed location has been planned to gather poems for the ladies. Interestingly, this year the women almost vetoed the poems entirely.

...

The SAC has managed to find a way to keep the basketball teams at home, by somehow arranging for snow. We are told people might actually show up now.

...

The Christendom Inquisition’s investigation into Professor Arias continues. An undercover operative has been inserted into the class to monitor the proceedings. As yet, there are no plans to burn anyone at the stake, but we are told this will be subject to further review.

...

The Webmistress of 8 O’Clock Chaplet has been busy updating her blog’s sidebar to actually include short profiles and (*gasp*) pictures. Doing so has caused her to have a minor psychotic breakdown, and this chased most people out of the computer lab while she undertook this Herculean effort.

...

And that’s all the news that’s fit to blog. Thank you, and good night.


Bowman the Black
Reporting Blogger

Announcing...

How the Academy Awards should go each year...

I nominate St. Peter!




















John

Delhi, India

Randym News

The new incarnation of The Rambler has been launched. Two Fiddlers have articles in the first issue, and more will be joining soon. One article can be found at Charlemagne’s Palace.

John J. wants the paper to be as much like a professional publication as possible, and so announced at the last meeting a starting salary of 3 peanuts an hour for all members.

More information on The New Rambler can be found in Sheila's last post.

...

Dr. Blum’s History 202 class might actually be talking about things that didn’t happen in France. Film at eleven.

...

A new professor has joined on a temporary basis, taking over one of the Theology 102 (Doctrine II) classes. His name? Professor Arias.

Parents, don’t panic. Agents of the Christendom Inquisition are standing by.

...

A fencing club has started. Does this mean Charlemagne will be able to challenge men of honor to duels? We’ll keep an eye on this one, folks.

...

An effort has begun to start a "second-shift Shield." Yes, that’s right, folks, Shield of Roses is now in the afternoon as well. Currently there’s a shortage of transportation, but organizers hope this will change.

...

February 11th, currently confused with the 14th, fast approaches, and the anxiety builds. Will there be enough poems to go around? Will the Secret Coordinator of Poems (Whose Name Is An Open Secret) collapse of exhaustion filling in for all the men who slack off? Stay tuned for more updates.

...

And that's all the news that's fit to blog. Thank you, and good night.

Bowman the Black
Reporting Blogger

Silence reigneth.

The halls of Fiddleback Fever are eerily silent. Dust collects on the tiled floor. The faint hum of a trapped fly is the only sound. Where are the fiddlers?

Writing the school newspaper, that's where.

The esteemed Baggage Boy has finally found another outlet for his creative genius (or whatever that insane writing addiction can be called). Charlemagne has finally found a place where he can sign his own proper title (complete with numerals indicating "Third of that Name") instead of having to borrow someone else's. Even Meredith and I are eyeing the new paper nervously, pondering whether or not to jump in, and what we would say if we did.

The Rambler, "Phoenix Edition" (so called because it rises from the ashes of its less glorious predecessor, the plain old Rambler), has been driving this campus just a little crazier than it used to be. All of a sudden, instead of just talking, people are interviewing each other and publishing their finds. Editorials are being written. Actual news has been sighted in the paper. Why, it even has ads! Naturally we are excited. Somewhere near 40 people have expressed interest in working on the new paper, and the rest of us are just biding our time.

The price we have to pay, however, is the continued absence of two of our fiddlers -- that is, two-thirds of the posting power -- and prospects of the loss of the rest looming overhead. Quite sorry, Gentle Readers, but I'm afraid it will remain quiet until our resident reporters have their articles done for this week.

Charlemagne's Palace

I invite all of you to enter Charlemagne's Palace today, the latest addition to the Catholic Blogsphere.