I was gonna say, it sounds like the Unitarians would be a great fit for you. But the social justice-focused churches are also good--mine is like that, and it's unlike anyplace else I've ever been; all the hard and calcified doctrine is simultaneously less oppressive and more alive. 0.10000000 (That was Matilda's binary solo)

I haven't gone to Mass on a regular basis since college. When I'm visiting my mom on the holidays (namely, Christmas), I'll go with her to her church, but I found it too Protestant and not enough like my church growing up to be comfortable.

Too much singing, especially of the usual stuff that I grew up just mumbling along with the rest of the congregation. When they speak it, I know the words. When they sing it, I don't know the melody, so I just listen and fume because I can't mumble without standing out. Also, they don't have any kneelers! Again, way too reminiscent of the various Protestant churches I've been in to make me feel like I was actually going to a Catholic Mass.

Speaking of Easter and calendars, this is the first and only time in my life that my birthday is on Easter!

My sister's birthday is Sunday too. I should maybe remember to do something about that.

0.10000000 (That was Matilda's binary solo)

JZ, could you tell Matilda this for me?

There's no map
To human behaviour
They're terribly moody
Then all of a sudden turn happy
But, oh, to get involved in the exchange
Of human emotions is ever so satisfying

Such a driving, inescapable earworm. Though lyrically so perfect for toddlers!

Our next door neighbor who works odd shifts at the hospital has been playing that Björk album constantly every minute she's home for the past week, so between her and us it's been a nonstop Björkathon for quite some time.

My birthday sometimes falls on Easter. I hate when that happens. I want my own day! And not to have to go to church. (Although the chocolate is always welcome. )

Did I read somewhere that Easter's not going to fall this early again for, like, two hundred years or something?

We did a fixed rate 5 year and got a crazy low interest rate during that time. We weren't sure we'd stay in our condo or try to buy a house at some point during those 5 years. However, we had a broker who kept us updated constantly on rates. When we were approaching the 5 year mark, we went to a 30 year fixed and our rate only went up a small amount. We saved a nice chunk of change for that 5 years. Plan now is to stay put for another year or two and watch the market. If it becomes feasible, we'll buy a house and hope to keep the condo as a rental (our mortgage is way less than rents in our area).

Did I read somewhere that Easter's not going to fall this early again for, like, two hundred years or something?

My mom sent me an e-mail with the following:

1) The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that).

2) The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year.

We don't get "introductory low-interest" on a variable rate mortgage. We just get a lower rate than is offered on a fixed mortgage.

Right. Because it isn't just being able to afford changes in the index. It's that the payments are often artificially low for some reason or other.

So if, just to toss out numbers, the rate should be 5% for the first five years based on the index, and you're paying 1% under an introductory rate, you're going to see a jump in your payment in the sixth year regardless. And if interest rates go up, that jump is going to be very big. Add in that some of these mortgages only require you to pay interest for several years. So when you have to start paying back the amount you actually borrowed, your payment jumps by an additional amount.

We got a 30 year fixed when we moved 5 years ago. Oddly enough, our rate is lower than some of the rates trumpeted in the "Lower Your Rate!" junk mail we're always getting.

This is very similar to my problem. Even when I found a church that had traditional pomp AND liberal politics, no one ever welcomed me into the community, so I drifted away.

I could give you a rec, but it's in Manhattan.