Category Archives: You’re invited

A few weeks ago I was accidentally made the leader of a church which doesn’t actually exist and now we have over 2,000 members.  I’m pretty sure than makes me some sort of Pope so please send me hats.

More about that here if you missed it.

We decided that it would be nice to have some commandments, but “Commandment” seemed a bit pushy so we’re leaning more toward “Helpful Hints” or “Life Hacks”.  I came up with the first few.  The rest are a few of my favorites you’ve come up with.  Feel free to add your own:

Current Life Hacks for the Church of Bloggessianism:

• Don’t be an asshole.
• Extra gravy for everyone.
• Two holy days of observance each month requiring Bloggessians to take the day off and watch bad tv or read in bed. We also get all the regular holidays off for every other religion because we’re incredibly open-minded and like to support other beliefs as well. This includes Talk-Like-A-Pirate-Day, National Donut Day, Deviled Egg Appreciation Day, etc. (FYI…today is National Sundae Day, even though it’s Tuesday, but it’s nice because you need to leave right now and eat ice cream for religious reasons.)
  
• If you see a sloth you are given special dispensation to hug it. Present your official card to any zoo officials.
  
• Here is your official I-Can-Hold-A-Sloth-Because-It’s-Against-My-Religion-Not-To card.
  
• Mosquitos are now illegal.
  
• Wearing slippers and pajamas in public is a sign of your faith and you’re allowed to kick judgey people in the knee if they question you. Togas are also acceptable if you are feeling particularly religious or if you’ve run out of clean clothes altogether.
• Bacon at every meal. Chocolate dipped bacon for special high holidays.
• Blessed are the pickles, for they are pickled.
• Thou shall always ask for help when you need it.
• Thou shall carry thy metal spork for all sudden stabby needs.
• Thou shall glitter-bomb assholes.
• Thou shall get your slow ass out of the fast lane.
• Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s giant metal chicken.
• Thou shalt not lick foxen, unless the foxen are into it.
• Thou shalt not share things on facebook until thou hast verified their truth.
• Thou shalt not throw co-workers under the bus.
• Thou shalt not leave your cart in the middle of the grocery aisle and wander off to find tuna fish.
• Thou shalt not talk to people who are less than 10 pages from the end of the book they are currently reading
• Thou shalt not make commandments.
• Thou shalt not shalt others. 
• Honor the saints of Bloggessianism. St. Wil of Collating.  St. Jeri Ryan of Spatula. Nancy W. Kappes, Patron Saint of Chemical Substances.  James Garfield, Patron Saint of Taxidermy.  Etc.
• Special dispensation from parallel-parking.
• Pants are always optional. Always.
• We brake for taxidermy. Also chocolate. And phantom Sasquatches.
• Never stand if you can sit.  Never sit if you can lie down.
• We all get our own pony.
• Cadbury mini eggs are available year round.
• And none for Gretchen Weiners.
• You may decline on the gravy, or give your gravy as a charitable contribution to those less gravied.
• Christmas is a mandatory onesie day.
• No one leaves the house until all cookies are eaten.
• All orphaned pygmy hippos will be adopted, and named George.
• On the sabbath, excerpts shall be read from “The Phantom Tollbooth.”
• Take care of each other.
• Never take advice from someone with bad eyebrows.
• The go-to phrase for asking anybody to hold something shall invariably be, “Hold my poodle.”
• Everything comes with a side of pancakes.
• No observances during the Zombie Apocalypse.
• Whosoever believeth in me shall be confused all the days of their lives.
• FOR CHRIST’S SAKE, LOIS. THIS IS CAMP. GET TOUGH OR DIE.
• Depression lies.
• Red dresses are sacred.
• Bloggessians may be taxidermied upon death and kept in the family home. Keeping them fashionably dressed is a must or you may be haunted by them.
• The only weapons we believe in are books and we believe in heavily arming everyone.
• Mandatory Cupcake Monday
• Taco Tuesday
• Saturday is now Caterday.
• Time is a “wibbly wobbly concept” and therefore deadlines are portals that must be avoided unless we’re okay with being trapped in a rift.
• Bloggessians can decline social events without guilt for any reasons related to their heads getting in the way.
• Celebrate the awkwarding.
• Never let anyone be awkward all alone.
• Remember that thou art as special and irreplaceable as the people you love most. 
• Keep the Victor in thy prayers and do not succumb to the wrongness; forever and ever or until the gravy runs out.
• Wine shall be an acceptable beverage at all hours of the day.
• Everyone should be owned by at least one animal.
• Naps shall be mandatory.
• Members of the church can still be members of any other religion or lack-thereof, but membership into the Double Unicorn Success Club is automatic.
• Spiders must ask permission before entering a home.
• All members, male and female alike, shall have their own tiaras.
• Inappropriate giggling is always appropriate.
• Share your successes. Share your failures. Share your booze.
• No icy cold weather allowed. But sometimes snow.
• Our biggest tenet is David Tenant.
• One can NEVER have too many towels.
• Above all things, we strive to be furiously happy. If that doesn’t work, wine slushees usually will.
• The official religious sacrament offerings are tiny cakes made for squirrels.
• If a llama is within ten feet of you, then you can try to ride it if the llama is into it.  If you’re feeling extra religious you may wave a flag. (Pirate flag is suggested.)
• Tithing is expected.  It is also expected that you spend all of your tithing on ridiculous things that you would never buy for yourself except now you have to because it’s a religious requirement.
• (INSERT YOUR COMMANDMENT HERE.)

These commandments might seem contradictory, but that’s fitting because being contradictory is also part of our (dis)organized religion.

Everyone in the Church of Bloggessianism is given an official title when they feel they are ready for that level of responsibility.  “Strangeling” is the perfect beginner title for all neophytes who don’t yet know what unique title they want to settle on. Once you’ve decided that being weird is a good thing you are officially a Strangeling. Then, once you’ve eaten a good slice of pie, or watched a zombie move, or accomplished something a grown-up should have to do, you become qualified to choose any title that best fits your personality.  Right now I’m Jenny Lawson, Notorious Lion Whisperer.  I’ve already picked out my business cards.  Here’s a helpful chart if you need suggestions picking a title (or page down to have one randomly assigned).

Or if there are just too many options you can use this clever thing my brilliant friend made us:

The Random Title Generator for the Church of the Bloggessianism

(My randomly assigned title today was Dreadful Overlord of Ermine Canon.  I approve.)

If you’d like to commemorate your title (or bestow a title to a special someone) you can customize this card with your title.  The official I-Can-Hold-A-Sloth-Card is printed inside.  Any profits raised by the church will go to buying taxidermy and helping homeless children, but a basic tenet of the church should be “No helping homeless children if you don’t want to” so you have full permission to just print this out for free yourself.  (PS. The coupon code TISTHESEASON gets you 60% off that card this week.)

Now go out and be awesome.

May peace and gravy follow you the rest of your days.