Defying Gravity
isn't it funny how insignificant things can make us happy?
Today is brilliant. I'm still not level, but most days I feel good again, even happy. It's quite pleasant. And I think Jellybean is too. She has a funny way of seeing when I'm thinking and when I'm just feeling. I was just feeling for a long while. Today, almost levitating.
I'm working very hard to regain my zeal for the ministry and the congregation in general. I think I've mentioned how my team has slipped into 'who is this guy' mode. I assert they grew so accustomed to a rock-solid producer, to have that personality on his heals is most shocking. But, they are learning that there's a limit to how much you can shovel in one direction.
Our new guy is a real breath. He's so young and full of ideas and zeal for right that it defies gravity. Jah definitely saw my meltdown coming long before I could have conceived of it. And right on time my new friend arrives. He's from Houston and it is funny to hear him worry about 'the cold'. He told Jellybean and I the other day about his classmates getting sent to the frigid north (ND) and the big city (LA) and how thankful he is to be here.
“How long would do you hope to stay?” Bean asks.
He responds, “Oh, just as long as the congregation wants me here!”
I smile inwardly remembering how the warmth of our welcome wore through after less than three years. But those were different times and we are different people. He has tremendous potential and I expect he will in short order get pulled into greater orbits than these few people here.
I hope he can be a Timothy to my Paul... but he's a bit of an oddball. Big health and fitness nut (personal trainer by trade) and loves sports. He struggles with love of the ministry... which surprised me. Either by hook or by crook, I'm really good at door-to-door and have learned to LOVE talking to people, especially with the new emphasis on just having conversations. So, maybe there's a chance there to elevate him.
He's an earnest and honest communicator. GREAT! I can work with that. It's such a challenge when so few people here can have intelligent conversations on deeper matters. Not that he and I have dived deep on matters. But he seems to pick up very quickly on complex matters I've explained to him.
We, however bond over 80's cartoons. He LOVES the Transformers. And of course, I LOVE robots and robot stories and robot toys. I don't think I ever showed you my robot shelf. Growing older made me realize I need to be selective in my collecting. So I decided on vintage robot toys. And books. Funny but true, we worked together the other day and I think I said 'I'm reading this book' five times about five different books. X-D
One I'm reading is James Patterson and Matt Eversmann's 'The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians Tru Stories of the Magic of Reading. Oh, SXS!! It's wonderful. I picked it up because of the cover. I am SUCH a sucker for a good book cover. I can't tell you how many books I've read because of a good cover. It is a series of interviews with small book-store owners and librarians. And WHAT a breath of fresh air it is. So few of the hundreds of people in my life love books. Like breath books. You are a rarity in my pantheon.
Here is a whole book of people that do. The book sleeve didn't hook me, but the first chapter did. A bookstore owner tells the story of a patron insisting she take a check to support her book-giving program for kids in school. It made me weep. The idea that people care this much about these little paper bricks.
The second hook was the statistic they mention that 1 in 5 people in the US read books for pleasure. My jaw fell on the floor. Another stat is that in 1984 34% of children read books for fun. In 2023 that dropped to 13%. Damn you, social media!! Television didn't help with that. There were millions like me and Jellybean and you who grew up with 3-5 channels or no channels at all.
I wrote previously on my feelings and passions for libraries and it is heartwarming to hear librarians talk about how relevant they still are. I always kind of thought my young friend with an english degree might end up being a librarian.
Anyway: Secret Lives – RECOMMEND
We had a good meeting last night. Good energy and we had fun with the songs. Old me would have concocted a scheme to split one into male/female voices. I always love that. though I've only every done it twice. It's VERY engaging.
Post-meeting we learned Wicked was showing at the local theater and so we did a midnight showing. It was GREAT. Not the greatest film of all time, but I seem to have a soft spot for musicals. There were a few off-putting things (forced diversity is weirdly mathematical in its ratios) and a few characters were odd casting-choices. But, the songs! Oh, SXS, I was melting. Highlights:
What is this feeling?
Dancing Through Life
Popular (obviously
One Short Day
Defying Gravity
I wish we'd seen it on broadway. The movie is entertaining, though Alphaba (the green one) gets into casting a spell at the end and it's pretty uncomfortable for a man of god. Survivable, but that stuff all ways worries me.
All in all: recommend.
I'm working hard to maintain a regular publishing schedule on thehypocrite and having fun there. There is parity between that anonymous and more opens. I can't say a lot of things that I can on thehypocrite.
Haha, you should see how often my friends come to me with complaints someone has put this or that online. The question I always ask is, “did you tell them it bothered you?”. And I'm sure you can guess their response. So, away I send them to address their grievances. When did I become the internet police telling people they can say this or that online?
Back to Campervanbeethoven. Enough playing with words for now.
Love always,
Charlie
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Thank you for coming here and walking through the garden of my mind. No day is as brilliant in its moment as it is gilded in memory. Embrace your experience and relish gorgeous recollection.
Into every life a little light will shine. Thank you for being my luminance in whatever capacity you may. Shine on, you brilliant souls!
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