No matter what else David Sibley accomplishes in his life, he will always be best known for shepherding Charles Wesley to the 2014 Golden Halo. In fact, we’ve already taken the liberty of writing the first line of his obituary: “The Rev. David Sibley, longtime Lent Madness Celebrity Blogger…” Okay, that’s all we have so far and as the youngest CB (again), we hope we don’t need to finish this anytime soon. Welcome back, David!
The Rev. David Sibley, Distinguished Celebrity Blogger, is in the middle of his seventh year as a southern transplant into the northeast, where he now lives on Long Island and serves as Rector of Christ Church in Manhasset, New York. Raised right in the middle of South Carolina, David studied and did research as a chemist before being whisked away to seminary in New York City. When he’s not in church, David enjoys travel, hiking and camping, all things food and music related, and is a sports fanatic – with his teams of choice in baseball (Chicago Cubs), college football (South Carolina Gamecocks), and soccer (Liverpool FC) being minor obsessions. When the ideas are forthcoming, he’s been known to blog at Feeding on Manna, and holds forth much more often with his partners in crime on Twitter at @davidsibley.
1. Since being named a Celebrity Blogger is obviously your greatest lifetime achievement, how will you handle the inevitable post-Lenten letdown?
You know, I truly believe that the Lent Madness spirit can last year-round. I have to admit, that, after several years of being a Celebrity Blogger, the kitsch round has rapidly become my favorite. You come into contact with a portion of the internet – mainly Zazzle and Etsy – that was clearly made solely for Lent Madness. But when Lent is over, there’s some self-loathing part of me that keeps being drawn back to find kitsch.
Mind you, I don’t order it for myself – I do have some taste – so instead, I order random items and mail them to Tim. I like to think of it as the Lent Madness spirit living year round.
2. What is the single strangest thing you’ve learned about one of your assigned saints?
I think Thecla baptizing herself in a pool of ravenous seals has to be up there, especially since that bit of knowledge came not long after binge watching of Arrested Development. Loose seals!
3. What is your favorite saint-inspired food and why?
While not exactly saint inspired in the name, I would like to think Saint Laurence would have appreciated items done well on the grill, as long as they weren’t… him. So I’m going to say that a nice steak and some grilled vegetables in the middle of summer really can’t be beat.
4. Besides Lent Madness, what do you most look forward to during the season of Lent?
I mean, the highlight of my Lent is pushing Tim into conniption fits as I push deadlines with stunning alacrity. But more seriously, I appreciate the “reset” that Lent can provide for me, personally. By nature, I’m a pretty anxious person, and am generally more than willing to take count of my failings and shortcomings. (I tend to count them before anyone else can even call me on it!) With the themes of the season, Lent gives me a time that I can focus on forgiving myself and others, so that I can grow a bit more. I find that release from my own anxieties to be freeing and life-giving.
Living in New York but rooting for the Cubs? (It’s so wrong.)
Seriously, I appreciated your reflections on the forgiving and replenishing threads of the Lenten tapestry.
Really, how can it be so wrong? I was born in Chicago (lived there a brief 10 years), then NYC, Toronto ON, Ithaca NY and now live in Providence RI, but have always been a Cubbie fan. We take naturally to Lent as a time for forgiving and replenishing.
Just good-natured ribald rousing. I think the dedication of Chicago fans is heartwarming (she said solicitously:-)
Younger than Meagan Castellan?? I can’t believe it!
So you’re a procrastinator, then rooting for the Cubs makes perfect sense, they have been procrastinating about making the World Series, but hope springs eternal.
I myself am a third-generation Cubs fan. I’m delighted to share that faith with this Distinguished Celebrity Blogger.
Welcome back Distinguished Blogger Dibley, as noted by Kathy in Nicaragua. I forgive you for your 2014 Golden Halo “winner take all” coup, obviously not my first choice, But there is this year and I’m willing not to hold a grudge since you are a bona fide Southerner from the Palmetto State, site of my very first real job after college graduation. After two years in an un-named city, I hurriedly returned to my preferred Tar Heel state and now I’m an adopted VOL! Welcome back and offer premium kitsch..OK?
I’m glad to see that you are back since you are my favorite Celebrity Blogger. That way I can say that I know a Celebrity! As Harry L. would say, “I raised you from a pup!” And I’m proud of what you have become. Go Gamecocks! Yea, Cubbies!
didn’t we already have Thecla on a bracket? how else would i know about ravenous seals?
Thecla was on last year’s bracket. She was so memorable that we named the stray cat who appears on our porch after her. So far the stray cat has not fallen victim to any ravenous seals.
I recognize your photo in Istanbul, which we visited for the first time this summer. It is such a magical place, and the mosques, especially the Haghia Sophia, are truly astonishing. I hope you enjoyed your visit as well. The connection with Turkey wasn’t something that I had anticipated, but I find that we really did connect with Turkey and the Turks. Perhaps being on a Rick Steves tour had something to do with it: he picks his guides with a view to world peace.
Does he know that the even more famous David Allen Sibley is the world’s premier author and illustrator of a series of guides for birders? I was wondering how he had time to blog on saints!
Well, since I grew up on Sibley Court, I am your faithful follower. Are you related to that esteemed general??
Lent providing a “reset” – I like that.