No Introduction Necessary

Friday Sept.30, I had planned to work eight hours, but was feeling the bitter tail-end (a man can hope) of this head-cold and arrived late. I had to predict how long the day would be for me, since my pay would be issued before the hours were logged. I said I'd leave at five, forgetting that John Vinci would probably have scheduled the Alumni Board meeting according to the Eastern Standard workday, and disregard mine. Being that this was the board meeting before the Annual Alumni Business Meeting with the general assembly of Alumni at Homecoming festivities, this board meeting was important. We would be announcing the need for a new organizational charter, and that announcement might cause a stir. I clocked out early, and three sixteen, and told myself I'd make it up later.

The Board meeting went well, and my personal concerns about the future financial independence of the Association from the College were heard and roundly agreed upon by everyone except the hedging Mr. Vinci. I spent the evening in a pleasant and somewhat carefree interview with the lovely Miss Spilker, and took in Amelie for the first time.

Saturday Oct.1 brought another teleconference to attend the Annual Business Meeting itself, this time at 6 a.m. I set my speakerphone and listened to people talk while I had coffee, smoked a pipe on the porch in some comfortable old jeans and Levi's thrift-store shirt, and made and consumed two eggs over easy. The first one I neatly cut apart, white from yolk, and took the latter in one bite, the second I entered whole, which was quite rewarding. The meeting was hard to picture, being far away and presumably held in the new building. I did say a piece about the Board's desire to accurately represent the alumni interests as a priority over the college's interests, should they be at odds, but my phone presence had to be interpreted to the audience, and my interpreter badly reworded my point such that I spent the next several days wishing I had not spoken at all. Meetings are hooey, but my morning was beautiful. Had a brief chat with Mrs. Emily Asbenson (née Holmes) about her life now and her husband's choice of law school. It was refreshing to catch up with such a pleasant college acquaintance after several years.

I made my way to work for the remainder of the morning, and through the noon hour making up all the lost time from the day previous. Went home, napped a bit, worked a lot on cleaning and organizing things, and a little on my freelance editing project, a.k.a. the book. A note about cleaning: shoes store well in shoe boxes.

Sunday Oct.2 was my first day at Hillview during their new two-service schedule, representing something of a contained hive-off. The schedule is confusing, but I managed to work a bit more on the book, meet over a late breakfast with the author and Mr. Adcock, my colleague in the project. Leaving our meeting a little while after noon, I attended the sermon by elder Kenrick Devaul, a delightful offering on the first part of St. Paul's second letter to Corinth. Breaking of bread service was also moving. I shared a bit, and commiserated with Mike Broussard and Osh Merjanian, who sat near me.

Lunch consisted of beer and lamb shawerma, and the afternoon I devoted to Miss Spilker. In the evening I felt a pluck of guilt for shirking the new Christian film in theatres, a hokey contrivance entitled Courageous. And Allan texted me "ARE YOU COMING?" So I went. It was edifying, and spending time with Sanjay Krishnaswamy, Dawn Tisdell, Dawson Gilson, of course Allan Kuo, and others over dinner at Denny's afterward was enjoyable.

Monday Oct.3 has been a bit of a gloomy, slow day so far. I have decided I will spend the rest of the week in a work-blitz, night and day, so be surprised if I have much to log between now and next Monday.

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More updates to come. Life got more exciting after this.

Clouds v Sunshine

Thursday 22
Kings and kingdoms will all pass away
But there's something about that Name.

Friday 23
I had another physical therapy appointment in the morning. My back and neck have improved greatly and I am so thankful for the care of Dr. Choi and co. The healing process after a car accident is such an important thing, and they've really put me back on my feet.

I also had the opportunity to do some freelance work for a potential contract employer; the meeting took place in the afternoon. The meeting was a chess game, two people each sizing up the other, each assessing how the other might make their business more profitable. Unfortunately, some questions of ethics were raised in my mind. We'll see what happens, but I won't compromise my professional integrity for any reason.

Study in the evening was good again, back in 1 Timothy 4, and Hebrews 12 by way of conversational rabbit trails. The ever-genuine Rick DeVaul leading discussion. It's always a wonder to me how meek and strong he can be at the same time, complete with his twinkling eyes and salt & pepper beard. He reminds me of Laura Ingalls Wilder's childhood memoirs concerning her father. God wants this to be my credo and modus operandi for the time being. (Well, actually Christ is technically the credo. Anyway.)

Saturday 24
Got up a little earlier than I wanted, and put on my grey suit and that purple J.Crew tie I've been meaning to wear someday. I like to look sharp at a wedding; in retrospect I should have just chopped my beard off and gotten a haircut. But none of that is important. The wedding was important. For those of you who don't know my best-female-friend Christina (formerly) Yakel and my Bible-study buddy Jeremy Walker, this was the equivalent of Jim and Pam finally getting married. Since Jer is from FBC and Christina is from HBC, of course all the Fairhaven guys were there, and most of the Hillview friends and most of Martha and the Chores, so we were critiquing the wedding band the whole time, taking notes for our own debut at the DeVaul wedding in June. We are all anxious not to biff our first wedding. It goes without saying that Christina was beautiful in her golden tresses and pure-white gown, Jer more fun than ever stalking his long, tall tuxedo around the reception, and both of them full of charisma and sparkle. The succinct service and bubbly reception were truly celebratory, and all of us worked up a healthy glow, dancing and singing our exultation.

Sunday 25
Hillview's German intern Tobi preached at Grace on Sunday, and his natural earnestness complemented well the slim boyish carriage and warm coloration so common in young German scholarly types. He is truly a sincere seeker of Christ and I am grateful to have gained a friend in him, as I think he is exactly what he appears to be, and will continue to be of humble and solid repute, a man worth knowing and by whom to be sharpened. He preached on the importance of sharing Christ with people who need him, an echo of Friday night's study taught by Rick, and the tears in D.L. Moody's view of the world.

Martha and the Chores practice was a little lame-o in some respects, but it was refreshing to have Peter shoulder some of the responsibility for the practice. Still everyone kept coming to me instead of him with questions, though. All things considered, we have a way to go before we're kings and queens of R&B, so I anticipate a few more weeks of rough going. I do wish the bride had requested a little more Nat King Cole and a bit less Bebe & Cece Winans. :P

Monday 26
Since I don't think stealing Zooey Deschanel's heart is a realistic plan, I'm keepin' my eye out for someone who could sing me this song. It's been stuck in my head for weeks.

It doesn't get better than home,
now, does it?

She would never have to sing me this song, even though it's cute as anything:

Stopped by my parents' house after work for a bite, a chat, and some family prayer time. It was pleasant. Lately prayer has been a necessary release valve more than any kind of discipline for which I might take credit.