Monday Morning

I'm spending this Monday morning getting ready to get on the road for home.  I have several thoughts from the weekend that I want to write about, but think I'll wait until I can sit on the deck and gather my thoughts into a coherent post.
I had an enjoyable dinner out with my cousins, spent an evening with a couple of old friends, took my mom to Mass at The Community of St. John, and prepared a good dinner for Mom on Sunday evening.
The weekend was pretty full and I'm sure the drive home will be a relaxing one and helpful in organizing my thoughts.

In addition to my weekend recap, we are now just a week away from the midterm elections and I am torn between avoiding political posts and speaking out on the issues at hand and the distractions that are being advertised and made into news. I am greatly dismayed at the level of willful ignorance and cognative dissonance surrounding the dismissal of the democratic process that is at risk. And I am concerned that the turnout among young voters (18-30) will be traditionally low, and I think those votes and voices are necessary.

Be well.
Happy Halloween
Happy Reformation Day
Go Vote in the US

John

No More Barchurch

It's kind of sad.
Tonight seems like a sort of farewell to barchurch.
Maybe it is time.

It has certainly changed quite a bit over the few years that it existed.
Its location has changed.
Its leadership has changed.
Its format has changed.
Its audience has changed.

Maybe the time for a downtown presence of The Venues has also changed.
The new format will be a monthly community connection with various movers and shakers in the Springfield area - I think.

There was a time when I really felt that our barchurch gathering was more spiritually beneficial to me than the regular Sunday gathering. It just felt like Jesus visiting with people in town instead of going to church or synagogue.
A little live music. A brief message. A beer with friends.
And it was all pretty low-tech.
It seemed very organic and natural.
It felt connected to each other and to God.
It felt safe. 

I feel like such an old guy to say that I miss that.
I am not opposed to change and I am very much in favor of adapting so that others can find their connection to God. My own faith and connection to God has undergone some changes over the past decade or so and I'm comfortable working that out on my own, but there is still a part of me that wants to help others make their own connection with God.
Somehow I think that the original intent of bringing the presence of God to the downtown community changed into just another trendy place for a small group of our larger church community to gather.

I'm not saying that the changes are either good or bad. Change happens.
I don't speak for The Venues, nor do I have any input into how it is managed or presented to the community. These are just my own thoughts and observations.
Tonight I will meet with a few friends at Mothers Brewery and raise a parting glass to my old friend, Barchurch.
And also to whatever is ahead for Downtown Venues.

John

To magic or not to magic?

As a part of cleaning up and organizing our basement storage area, I started going through my stuff to determine what to keep and store and what to get rid of. Admittedly, the magic is tough. It's a pretty limited market when it comes to selling the stuff and I really don't have any contacts in the field any more. I'm sure that I can do a little research and find an internet market for magic stuff, if that's what I decide to do.

Performing again would be fun, but it would have to be a whole new act and new audiences since my previous show was geared toward church groups and I've pretty much burned those bridges. Also, performing magic takes a lot of practice, not just in performing the effects, but also in the flow of the show. It's way too much to undertake if you don't have the gigs lined up and I've never really worked on marketing magic since I had a lock on that market in evangelical churches. Between preaching and magic I stayed as busy as I wanted to be with holding down the full-time ATC gig.

That said, it was fun going through stuff today and I really only made it through a small portion of my stuff. Maybe I could begin with working on a few pocket effects that I've used in small walk-around gigs. It might be nice just to have a few things to perform--just for fun. Maybe I could build towards a stand-up show or look for walk-around gigs. I could book a two-fer - Marrying and Magic! You get a preacher to perform the ceremony and a magician to entertain the guests while waiting for the couple to arrive at the reception!

Or I could book resort shows and work during future trips to Mexico.
Maybe I can sell some of it, keep some of it that I might be able to use, and either play for free or book a few shows every now and then.
What will probably happen is I'll get it somewhat organized and safely stored so the kids can throw it all out when I finally kick the proverbial bucket.

sigh

John

I was with people and it was okay

 Yeah, I went to the city wide training for the Crisis Cold Weather Shelters tonight and it was actually a good time. I got to see a number of the people that worked at the same shelter as I did last year and look forward to working with them again. It looks like we have added a couple of faith communities into the fold and will be able to offer more beds and warm sleeping areas on the coldest of nights this winter.

The shelter where I will be working will have an orientation and set-up night prior to opening for the cold weather season. I know that we still need a number of volunteers to help each night the shelters are open.
Our shelter uses two people that stay overnight. A split shift is available if you want to share the night with somebody. Plus we need an additional two people from 7 to 10 for set-up and check-in, and a couple of people in the morning from 6-8 for clean-up.
We also need 1 person to pick-up dirty linens and deliver them to the laundry and return with the clean linens from the previous day.
Our shelter also takes pets, but the city buses don't, so we need pet transporters in both the evening and the morning. It takes a team of 10-12 volunteers to make it work every night the shelters are open. It works out really well if there is a large volunteer pool and each worker only has to work one or two nights per week.

I really can't begin to tell you how much you will gain by giving of yourself as a volunteer. It has really been one of the best things I've ever done.
I showed up at The Connecting Grounds a couple of years ago and Pastor Christie and Bob put me to work. Then I showed up a second night and it was like I just belonged there. The third night Pastor Christie just smiled and said, "I've got you, don't I?"

There is so much to be done and I volunteered in a lot of places before really finding my spot at the overnight shelters. This year I'll actually be working as one of the paid staff, but I don't think it will change much of what I do or the attitude that I bring to the job. You should come work with me some night.

If you'd like to help at any of the shelters (ours is really the best) let me know and I'll get you the info you need. We also need coffee, tea, hot chocolate mix, sugar, creamer, breakfast bars, oatmeal packets, snacks and food. 
Winter clothing like gloves, hats, coats, leggings, socks, etc., are also big need items. If you want to make donations I can direct you on that as well.

I wish there wasn't this huge need, but there is.
I am so grateful for the faith communities and the volunteers that make themselves available to serve.
Come join us!
You'll be glad you did.

John

I'm Tired - Here's how I re-energize

It happens.
It's not burnout. It's not exhaustion or fatigue. And it's not something physical.
I'm just tired
...of people.

I know I probably sound like a broken record (how's that for a boomer phrase?), but people really do wear me out. Sure, there are people that I genuinely like and like being around, but why are there so few of them? And sometimes I wonder (suspect) that others might feel the same way about me. Is it supposed to be this difficult to find a community of people that you enjoy spending time with?

I'm going to venture out into the public arena tomorrow night for a community training session for volunteers that will be working at the various shelters and services for the Crisis Cold Weather Shelters (CCWS) this winter. I expect to see some familiar faces and I expect to meet some new people, too. It's rare that being with other people energizes my spirit, but I have a feeling this might be one of those occasions. The people that attend these kinds of events tend to have an abundance of energy (and knowledge) and are willing to share it with people that have the same goals and purposes.

If you are in the local Springfield MO area and would like to attend, check out this link. 
It's a long cold weather season and we need plenty of volunteers.

Come check it out.
You may find and area that you'd like to serve the unsheltered community through the CCWS or other services. And even if you don't, you'll come away feeling better about people and you may have a little more energy than you had going in. 

John

About that job...

For the past two cold weather seasons, I have served as a volunteer at a Springfield Crisis Cold Weather Shelter (CCWS). There are several in the area that are staffed and primarily funded by local churches. The majority of the staffing is done by volunteers, but there are a few paid positions. Though I was primarily a volunteer last year, I did fill in for a paid staffer on a couple of occasions. The city's part of the CCWS program runs from November 1st through March 31st. They provide bus transportation to and from the shelters and (perhaps) help with some funding. I'm not really certain about the funding part. The shelter where I've served will have one paid overnight position for the entire time and two from Dec 1st through the end of February when there are more cold nights. 

They still had some people to interview when I left, but I think I'm in for the shorter (Dec-Feb) part. Although it means staying in the Midwest through the coldest months, it does have its benefits. 
The people that I've worked with at the shelters are the best. 
And the churches that give their space and resources are doing the things Jesus talked about--giving shelter to the homeless, feeding the hungry, clothing the poor. It is a blessing to be a part of faith communities that honor their teachings of loving your neighbors.

Yeah, I do hope they hire me for the paid gig, but the truth of the matter is that even if they decided to hire somebody else, I'll still be there most weeks as a volunteer. 

Now you know...

John

Friends

I'm not a very good one.
At least not in the way of a friend that goes out of his way to check on others or one that always wants to be around others. It is an extremely rare occasion that I might be sitting alone on the deck, smoking a cigar, listening to music or reading a book and then have the thought that I should contact someone and see how they're doing or want to get together.
It's just not me. I'm very comfortable by myself.

That said--I saw a couple of people last night that I hadn't seen in some time and was really lifted up by their presence and the few words that we were able to share. It wasn't anything profound or out of the ordinary. It was just a feeling of - this person is of my tribe, one of my people. 
What makes it more weird is that it doesn't appear that we really have a lot in common. It's just that underlying feeling you get when you sense that this is a good person and I like them.
And I know that the feeling is mutual. 

It was a good reminder that sometimes it's okay (maybe even healthy) to be around other people. 
It feels weird to type that, even a little scary or uncomfortable.

So maybe there is someone that you need to reach out to. Just drop them a text or dm to say hi. It may brighten their day a bit--yours, too.

John

Watching vs Reading

Watching a TV drama series isn't really that much different from reading, is it?
Sure, reading takes a little more imagination since you have to come up with your own mental imagery, but is it really that different?

I've started watching a few series shows every now and then. I do find them enjoyable, but they seem to be more of a mental break than I get from reading a book. I find that books (even sort of boring ones) are much more engaging than watching movies or shows. I feel like our society in general would rather be entertained than engaged in thought or simply learn something. 
It could be that I haven't been conditioned to learn through video as much as it is used today. 

I am back to enjoying fiction books. For a while I was only reading to learn, not reading to escape or be entertained. I am enjoying them. They are good entertainment and I often wonder about the characters and how the authors develop them. Movies and TV dramas move along quite a bit faster and I never really think about the character development. 

Maybe easy is just our thing. It's easier to watch than it is to read just like it's easier to watch an athletic event than it is to be...you know, athletic. Listening to music is okay, but watching a band is entertaining.
Maybe it isn't about easy. Maybe it's about being entertained.
It's weird that I feel a little lazy after watching a couple of hour long shows, but I feel like I've accomplished something after reading for the same amount of time.

Are you more of a watcher or reader?
Maybe a little of each?
Maybe neither?

John

Brrrrrr... (and what you can do about it)

I have a few words for all of you fall lovers,
...but it is best if I don't post them!

It's in the 30s this morning (that's just above freezing for the rest of the world) and will dip well below the freezing point for the next two nights! The high temperatures for the next few days may mean having to turn on the effing heat already, or at the very least--lighting the fireplace. 
It's only mid-October for crying outloud!

This morning I'm sitting inside for my coffee and quiet time because I'd have to dress in sweats and a jacket if I went out onto the deck!
sigh

As if winter isn't bad enough on its own, over the past few years I have found additional reasons to dislike the cold weather. According to data collected by The Connecting Grounds, there are around 2400 people in Springfield MO without regular or permanent shelter. This includes people that often stay in small motels, couch surf with friends or relatives, sleep in their cars or vehicles, and nearly 800 that are simply living (and sleeping) on the streets.
The Springfield area crisis cold weather shelters open from November 1st until the end of April whenever the temperature is forecast to be below freezing, so they aren't even open yet for the coming below freezing nights. The number of available beds in the crisis cold weather shelters is around 125. That leaves over a thousand people sleeping outside or in their cars!

I don't know what the statistics are in your area. I don't think that ours are unusually high for cities the size of Springfield (I may be wrong on that). I do believe that Springfield ignores the problem and does far less than other cities when it comes to care for the unsheltered community. Most of the work that is done is provided by (and often is opposed by the city) the faith community of several local churches. 
I might add that it is a pretty small number of churches that participate from this bible belt community. The large, evangelical churches are virtually invisible when it comes to caring for the hungry and homeless in our area.
If only Jesus would have said something about this!

What can you do?
First - you can volunteer. Find a place in your local area that needs volunteers to feed and shelter people during the winter. Sign up for one night per week or a couple of nights per month.
Second - contribute. Shelters are in need of blankets, food, medical supplies, hothands, socks, coats, gloves, etc. Contact providers in your area and see what they need. Many have Amazon shopping lists so you can order online and your purchases will be delivered directly to the shelters or service providers.

And just find a way to show you care.  

It's going to be a long winter. I'm a little depressed about it. I should make plans to go back to Mexico, but instead I'm making plans to be here and working with others in the cold weather shelters. If you live in the area and want to volunteer or contribute in some way, drop me a message and I'll see if I can point you in the right direction.

John

Why aren't you going to church?

Okay, so that's a weirdly worded question.
If you eliminate the contraction it would be--"Why are not you going to church?" 
"Why are you not going to church?" feels awkward, but sounds better. 
"Why aren't you going to church?" though weird, seems best.

Anyway--Why aren't you going to church?
That's my question.

I grew up going to (Catholic) church.
Every Sunday.
Every holy day.
Un-counted weekday masses.
Every funeral or wedding.

As a kid I found the Mass to be ritualistic and boring.
Today (as an ex-vangelical) I can see the purpose and power from a liturgical format, such as Catholics use.
But I'm not going back to that.

As an adult I began going to a baptist church, even became an evangelist. We attended church Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night--every single week.
For years.
For decades.
There are a number of reasons we (I) left the evangelical cult. Topping the list would be the hypocrisy of sounding like Christians, but acting like assholes. They were (are) obviously following a very different Jesus than I follow. 

We found a church that we like. It's more inclusive and feels right in the way it (they) recognize the image of God in each and every individual, but--I don't know, it still feels like church. And I don't know if they follow Jesus or not. 
I could go along with a more Universalist teaching. I just wish they'd say that.
It's a little weird going to a "supposedly" Christian church that seems to be afraid of offending people by saying they are a Christian church.

And to be honest, I miss a good worship service--music, songs, prayers, (maybe even a message), just to honor and praise God for being God. I enjoy my quiet time and solo worship, but I do miss the community worship of God and haven't found it for a very long time.
In fact, I'm a little hopeless in believing that it might still exist. Maybe it never really did. Maybe religion has always been kind of a cultish control thing that uses a false god to capture enamored souls and control people.

Please don't misunderstand me. 
I truly believe in God as Creator and Supreme Being. 
I believe in God Incarnate as Jesus.
I believe in The Holy Spirit of God that lives in us and makes each of us an image bearer of The Almighty.
I just don't know if I'm going to find that in a church community.

And maybe that's not what church is supposed to be.
Maybe it is supposed to be a community of truth seekers with each person bringing their own perspectives, their own misgivings, their own struggles, and their own hopes.
Maybe one day I'll figure it out.

So...
Why aren't you going to church?
And what would bring you back?

John

Business and Politics

I know that at the head of every business, whether large or small, are people that have their own ideas on politics. I expect these people to have political leanings towards those that support policies that better their businesses or help to achieve their business's goals.
Many businesses quietly give money to politicians, others take very outright and open stances for parties or individuals and take the chance of alienating nearly half of the voting public by contributing to politicians that will vote against the policies their potential customers might favor. It always amazes me that business owners are willing to do that.

Are there companies or businesses that you refuse to do business with based on their politics and the political party or candidates that they choose to finance?

Where do you draw the line?
If you travel, you need to patronize a major airline.
If you drive, you need to buy gas from an oil company.
Most big businesses tend to be on the political right.
Most small businesses tend to cost a little more.
Do you boycott one company for their anti-LGBQT+ policies, but patronize another politically right company because you really like their product?
How do you choose?
Does boycotting a company have any impact on the company or just make you feel better about where your money may end up?

Just curious.

John

Lazy Day

Okay, so they are all pretty much lazy days, but this one is lazier than most.
After spending 9+ hours in the car each of the last two days, this one is lazier. One might think that I'd be ready to move around and be more active (and I will, eventually), but for now I am content to just sip coffee and enjoy the quietness of the deck.

The two day travel was to celebrate my youngest brother's retirement from the Navy. I didn't make it to the actual retirement service on Friday, just to the family open house/party on Saturday. The whole weekend was quite the send-off and a testament to the type of leader, co-worker, and shipmate that Pat was throughout his career. Both Navy friends and personal friends traveled from coast to coast to be there to celebrate with him and his family.

It was a good weekend.

Now I'll need to do a few things today and in the coming few days. I definitely need to get back to establishing an exercise time. (It's not going to be in the morning for today!) I will be sure to do something today. It will be a good thing to move a bit after so much driving for the past two days. 

I hope you have a chance to be lazy today--even just for a short period of time.

John

New Routine

There really isn't anything routine about my life. I like it that way.
Well, there is one thing--morning coffee and computer time. I was going to say coffee and quiet time, but most of my day is quiet time so...

I'm trying to add daily exercise into my day. I suppose morning would be the best time but I'm not very motivated to do anything other than drink coffee, scroll the internet, or read a book. I don't have a regular wake-up time. I wake up when I'm finished sleeping, usually between 7 and 7:30, but today was much later (9:00). It's past the time of year when heat is a problem for outdoor exercise and I have everything I need to exercise indoors whether it is too hot or too cold outside. I just need to make it a part of the daily habit. 

I'm going to try for the morning.
Morning exercise will give an early energy boost for the day and remove exercise from things I need to do for the day. It's not like I'm killing myself every day--for now, I'm just talking about 30-40 minutes of cycling, walking, or light weights. I am hoping to increase the intensity as it becomes more routine and I get in better shape. I'm not looking for a great physique or super strength. I'd just like to drop a few pounds, lower my blood pressure a bit, and be able to tie my shoes and breathe at the same time.

Today's exercise will be a walk to the Dollar General to pick up a few things. It's a little over 3 miles for the round trip. I'll bring my backpack or shopping bags to save a sea turtle and not use their plastic shopping bags. It's not exactly like being in Mexico and walking to the corner Oxxo or neighborhood market, but that might be where the idea comes from. At least I'm not hauling a 5 gallon jug of water up hill and upstairs.

I know it's not much compared to the daily exercise routines for those that have them, but I'm old, I'm fat, and I'm not that into comparing myself to what others are doing. Besides, just hauling around an extra 60 pounds all day should count for something.

Okay
Time to walk.

John

So Much Stuff!

One of the things I realize after being in Mexico for a few weeks--we have so much stuff!

I'm not sure I am ready to do the whole minimalist thing, but we certainly have far more stuff than we need to have. The many decorations on the shelves and pictures on the wall look nice, but there are just as many that are in boxes somewhere, having been replaced by the current ones--and none of them are necessary items. 
We have boxes of kids stuff, books, magic, arts and craft supplies, and all kinds of things in the basement and they are all just gathering dust. 

I'm not saying that we should do without the comforts of life, but there are plenty of things that we would never miss if we got rid of them. The task to purge ourselves of all of the junk seems a little overwhelming. I need to figure out a way to make it fun or at least maybe a profitable endeavor.
Or I could just pitch a bunch of crap into the garbage.

Any way you look at it--we have way too much stuff. 

In so many ways, much of life seemed simpler in Mexico. Realistically, much of life also seemed harder. Not needing a car and being able to walk everywhere is nice--until you have to walk everywhere. Uber is relatively inexpensive and taxis are readily available. The occasional cost of a ride for hire is way less expensive than owning a vehicle of your own.
Regular trips to the store or market for daily food items doesn't feel inconvenient and a weekly trip to the laundry service to have your clothes washed, dried, and folded (about $6 for 10 days of laundry for the two of us) is downright luxurious!

We have traded the convenience of everything being close at hand for living a more rural life. The perimeter of our lot is .47 miles and the walk to and from the mailbox is .26 miles. In the distance I walk to get the mail, the kids can be at the beach after stopping for dinner and a beer along the way!
The only way I get dinner and a beer in that distance is if my neighbor invites me in!

It's a mile to the nearest gas station/country convenience store, a little farther to a Dollar General store and about 10 miles to the nearest fast food restaurant or supermarket. I doubt that Uber Eats or pizza delivery is available in our neighborhood.
That's not to say that I don't have a simple life--I do. And it's a pretty good life, too.
But damn, we do have a lot of stuff!

John

Back in the USA

It's good to be home.
But I have several reflections and thoughts about my three weeks in Mexico that I want to share. For the most part, these are currently unorganized thoughts that I have and will be spending some time thinking about as I enjoy my time sipping coffee, tequila, or lemonade, while smoking cigars and contemplating life's mysteries from the comfort of my deck.

First of all, I'm back to my rural setting with no internet service other than to tether to my phone. I guess we're going to breakdown and pay for the high cost of rural internet. (sigh) We'll offset some of the cost by dropping our satellite TV service and just use several streaming services for entertainment. It is kind of weird that I had better internet service in Mexico even though the overall infrastructure seems to be less stable than here.  

On infrastructure...
It strikes me as odd that in a city the size of Puerto Vallarta you still can't safely drink water from the tap. Buying bottled water and bags of ice is the normal way of life. Availability of potable drinking water is still a big thing in much of the world. While we have cities with poor (even toxic) water and rural areas with old pipes and infrastructure, for the most part you could pull into any gas station in the country and safely drink the water from the hose spigot on the outside of the building.
I'm wondering what type of filtration systems the breweries and coffee houses have to purify the large amounts of water that they use on a daily basis.

On space...
It's an old city and there is little space for growth in the old town area. Like many modern cities, growth means building up. There are quite a few new developments under construction. If you are looking to move to Puerto Vallarta in the not too distant future, pre-buying a condo might be a good idea. 

I mentioned infrastructure...
It is surprising how many homes and businesses do not have air conditioning. With the mountains to the east and the ocean on the west, the temperatures of this tropical city aren't too bad, but the humidity is something else. The daily highs were often below the temperatures of the Midwest, but even temperatures in the mid 80s would leave me soaked with sweat in just a few minutes of walking or working around the house. Sweating is just a way of life during the rainy season.
In truth, I don't think the current infrastructure could handle the load if even a small portion of the homes added air conditioning.

Less regulation...
Life is pretty simple. I don't know what kind of licensing or health inspections (if any) are needed to operate a road side food stand, but there are a bunch of them and the food at the few we tried was pretty good. I guess you just trust your instincts. If it looks and smells good and lots of locals are buying food, go for it. If you have concerns, don't.
The tropical climate means lots of good fruit and fresh vegetables in small neighborhood shops. Many of the small stores had little in the way of refrigerated foods, but plenty of produce. The bakeries had fresh, unwrapped loaves of bread or other baked goods on shelves or in cabinets that you could pick up and buy. 
There were larger grocery stores--even a Walmart and Costco in Puerto Vallarta, but they were a little further out and not convenient for regular day to day kind of needs.

I have more thoughts about the lifestyle and the people of Puerto Vallarta, but it can wait for another morning. For now, I have things that I need to tend to.

John