27 February • Community

Saturday 27 February :: Community

Pictures from Previous City.

I had a bunch of good ones, but needed to be sure no one would be able to recognize anyone—I'd do that even if they all weren't kids and youth.

Porch Story :: June 2019

• Summer's been in session with the fun and randomness that come with the season, so I'm linking my June summary to Porch Stories host Kristin's July.

• My end of the month summary blog for June 2019 covers less than a week, but those five days were good ones. Sometimes I sit on my actual porch, at other times it's a virtual veranda in a different time and clime, yet everywhere I'm still doing whatever I can to imagine my next move. Months became years became decades, and now?

• And now? I spent the last week of June helping with summer day camp in the San Fernando Valley. Besides mostly doing line chef-type dicing, slicing, chopping, and mincing in the kitchen, I enjoyed good conversations and glorious gardens. Snacks were yummy—one day we even had ice cream cones with our choice among five or six flavors of award-winning Thrifty Ice Cream! Dinner menus were varied and well-prepared. As usual, I've tried to be selective about the pictures I blog, so I chose color-filled ones to represent the venue well.



• With Day Camp sessions from 3 to 9, on Tuesday I got there just as all volunteer, LA-based The Rescue Train wrapped up a day of feline Trap-Neuter-Release, partly sponsored by the church that sponsored the onsite day camp. I have the impression Feral Fix LA also welcomed household pets who needed neutering.

#Write31Days 11 • San Diego County

Filling in the blanks on my perfunctory San Diego County post from last night.

You don't need to listen to many weather forecasts to realize San Diego County has four micro-climates: coast, inland valleys, mountains, and desert. Depending on the moment in time, the City of San Diego {also known as "Previous City" in this blog} has either the seventh or the eighth largest population in the USA. San Diego overall has a true multiple mystique that includes small town – almost hick town – sensibility, border town awareness, shadow of the huge city up north inferiority, all the while plainly recognizing itself as a surfers delight, as that place where "I plan to keep this job only until surf's up again, so why bother to do it well?"

With its oversight of air, land, and sea, the Unified Port of San Diego meant 1–flying out of and into Lindbergh Field to and from Tucson more times than I can count. It sometimes lead to 2–walking across the international border for a day of bargaining, purchasing, and savory comida local because I had papers. For several years it meant driving to the international border for posada sin frontera that provided temporary respite, a short-term home for the Holy Family on their way to Bethlehem; symbolically posada sin frontera also announced solidarity with and sanctuary for all strangers, sojourners, or travelers, documented or not. I've already written about the 3–place of ships or Embarcadero in this series.

The Pacific coast of San Diego is a place of wild imaginings because you know it stretches further than anyone possibly could see. Ocean Pacific is where you can't help but "still feel small when you stand beside the ocean" as Mark Sanders' and Tia Sillers' "I Hope You Dance" implores. The far-reaching expanse of San Diego County included concerts in North County, seasonal excursions to Julian to enjoy snow, apples, hiking, day-long and weekend retreats. San Diego County was Thanksgiving Day Dinner with neighbors and friends, with their neighbors and friends.

The San Diego County Fair (formerly Del Mar Fair) became the place where I received multiple awards for my art and design, including a Best in Show and two Best in Class. {I'll photograph my ribbons and rosettes and add them to this post when I retrieve them from storage.} San Diego County meant acceptance into juried art shows and several other presentations of my own design. University City in San Diego County award me a prize for Street Banner contest entry; you know I loved seeing my banners all over that section of town! That was a few years ago, so I imagine all the banners from that year have faded enough they no longer use them.

San Diego County was a place where several churches welcomed me to various ministries. That's a long one I won't even attempt to blog... When this series concludes I'll take some time to illustrate my post more generously, but for now my three header photos are from Vacation Bible School 2013 at Church Around the Corner. The open, casual welcome from pastors and people finally gave me confidence to leave a place that had offered me growth and change, yet at the same time helped me admit I needed more. During fall, winter, and spring I was part of the prepare and serve crew for Thursday evening family dinners; bible study followed, and I got to facilitate whenever senior pastor was out of town. Three summers in a row I taught Vacation Bible School at Church Around the Corner.

That's my summary of San Diego County highlights; stay tuned for City of San Diego.

Porch Stories: Almost Summer

Kristin lives in the bluegrass state of Kentucky, where kids and teachers are out of school until fall. That means it's time to say, "Hello Summer Break!" Just as she did for 2016, Kristin has created a Not To Do list for summer 2016; at least from where I sit. and work. and try to make time to play... Kristin's made a stellar list for year-round considerations.


Because I plan to take Kristin's list to heart – probably with a couple of additions along the way – rather than another list, today I'll write a little about the magic that's (usually) summer. Usually because of I can't remember how many consecutive years earlier in this century I wanted summer to end soon because it had been a season of sadness, despondence, near-hopelessness. Though I almost never admit to endings, as an aspect of my ongoing acknowledgment of new beginnings, I've decided in an only semi-arbitrary manner that my LA days as a "San Diego transplant" will expire at the end of June 2017. I relocated to Current City very late June 2015; unlike previous places, in two years I've made solid professional and social connections and friends, which astonishes me more than my inability to mine and reweave new life sources in my three prior sojourns did. Why so surprising? This is rootless, anonymous, southern California. I'm still crazily needing longer-term, more supportive and stable housing, but everything else is going so well it's anything but sad, despondent, or hopeless.

I suspect summer evokes special memories for most people.

In my southern California world, weather's mostly been typical May Gray; June Gloom usually follows. Gray and gloom means a couple of months of cool, sometimes overcast misty days. But you know I know it's almost summer because about two weeks ago they hoisted this year's Where Summer Plays Hollywood Bowl banners onto lightposts and lampposts all over the county!

Summer couldn't be summer without open air music! I spent a summer in the Berkshires as a Tanglewood fellow and got to enjoy all the concerts under the big tent. That same Boston Symphony's Esplanade Orchestra plays at Hatch Shell beside the Charles. Summer Pops alongside the San Diego Embarcadero. LA Phil at Hollywood Bowl. Oldies blasting as dynamically as possible (without disturbing or irritating neighbors) in the car. More. More. MORE!

Summer memories almost always feature food. Short list: Friday night potlucks with grill on Mission Bay. Salads bountifully packed full of Mediterranean style veggies and savory vinaigrette dressing. Double dips of ice cream. My summer memories include directing and teaching in church summer programs, typically one week long more or less traditional Vacation Bible Schools, though those four years of six-week long summer day camp in City of History are among my lifetime best memories. In the same paragraph as food because VBS always includes snacks, sometimes BBQs or picnics, often features lunches out with other participants.

Blog post tile: almost summer, but I've done little more than present my own lists of music and food. Some of Kristin's counsel:

• Don't forget to play. • Choose joy. • Don't plan every moment of the day. • Don't shy away from spontaneity. • Don't hold on too tightly – to plans, to people, to things. • Don't always say yes. • Don't always say no.

If I want to, because I need to, duplicate and even recreate some of those memories of the magic that's usually summer, I'd be wise to take all her wisdom into my heart and own it.

head of the class friday 5

Deb hosts Friday 5+ about school and asks, It’s Back-to-School time! Are you that “A+ Student for life” or the King/Queen of Detention? RevGals want to know! We are all still learning (or re-learning) some kind of lessons!

Tell us about your learning edges in:

1. Reading: what’s in your “to-be-read” stack?

Although I love Love LOVE ideas, I'm not much of a reader, but as an Amazon Viner I was ecstatic to get The Call: The Life and Message of the Apostle Paul by Adam Hamilton to review. So far I've read only two chapters, and as usual, I love Hamilton's practical scholarship and his attention to real life applications.

2. Writing: are you blogging? Journaling?...

Blog-related: I recently went through my entire 13-year old blog to be sure all book reviews had current amazon links and a cover image; to be sure all links were live and opened in a new window/tab, which meant antiquated asp and php pages had died, and some of them didn't have an automatic redirect to their current page or site. Because this is the 2nd decade of this century I made sure all images were large rather than thumbnails, because you know everyone has broadband.

What am I writing? Blogs: I've been doing Kate Montaung's Five Minute Fridays; I've been paper journaling some at the coffee shop, snack shop, and sandwich shop.

3. ‘Rithmetic: Family budget? Church budget? National debt?

Trying to keep afloat and also deal with the fact I still get a monthly paper bill / invoice / statement from the last entity my mortgage note went to, in spite of wisely and necessarily having gone through foreclosure during November 2013. My style with this one is also known as Head In The Sand. Between the County, HOA, and mortgage, I owe an amount close to the National Debt. My financial adviser, friend and former neighbor's Dad who's a title expert, told me that entity had "no legal authority to foreclose."

4. Music: favorite new hymn or worship band?

Still listening to a lot of Mary Chapin Carpenter! Since migrating up this way a couple months ago, both churches I've attended – PCUSA and ELCA – have exceptionally excellent, though very traditional music and liturgy. I want a bit of rocking praise, some music with a bit of edgy excitement and style, I'm also on the American Guild of Organists supply keyboard list. The placement guy added me very quickly and I've received several friendly, welcoming emails from him and the chapter dean! Very different from experience in Former City. Getting some Sunday, Saturday evening gigs may lead to meeting some fun people and learning interesting music.

5. Detention: uh huh... If you were supposed to report for detention today, what would be the note on the slip?

Talking, socializing in class.

PS
Student for life here; I love being on campus, and as greedy as I am about learning, I'm not crazy about more formal virtual school. I took an online class in Cascading Style Sheets a few springs ago, so I know. However, we had mandatory chat once a week, and I enjoyed those interactions, especially since I sort of knew some of the other students from real life.

BONUS: Recess!

RevGals just want to have fun! What’s your favorite way to unwind?

From summer 2008, here's my teaching edge. I LOVE teaching middle school age, so not surprisingly, I like teaching confirmation. I taught VBS during summers 2013 and 2014, but don't have pics of myself from either of those years, since I took most of the pics—and blogged some of them here. I've been enjoying walking through the Westwood neighborhood, and I'm looking forward to moving to the very exciting, noisy, colorful section of Korea Town, K-Town – next week. I've been grazing through the close to 9,000 local meetups, and hope to take in a few fun ones, and maybe a couple related to writing or art.

blooming things friday 5

For the weekly RevGals feature, Deb hosts today's blooming things Friday five; here's my chronological show of 14 blooming local specials over the past few years.

•Nasturtiums from summer 2007
•VBS 2013 tree
•VBS 2013 blooming markers and crayons;
•Balboa Park botanical building, August 2013
•Balboa Park botanical building and lily pond, august 2013
•Balboa Park botanical building and lily pond II, August 2013
•Rocks on Fay Bike Path, La Jolla, January 2014
•Unidentified sprouting green on Fay Bike Path La Jolla, January 2014
•Unidentified (by me) plant along Fay Bike Path, La Jolla, January 2014
•Fay Bike Path, La Jolla, Agave Americana/ Century Plant, January 2014
•VBS 2014 Jesus Loves You Tree
edited to correct the next three dates to the year 2015
•San Diego, CA, Lemon Tree, February 2015
•Avocado Tree in San Diego, CA, February 2015
•Blooming Fence, Tierrasanta, San Diego, March 2015

week of grace 03

I'm slowly learning to be more present in the moment so my lists will get longer and better. I realize Tara has been at this for quite a while; she's still the model I'm lookin' to.

1. Conclusion of VBS worship last Sunday at Church Around the Corner... it actually was standard every-other-Sunday casual format Eucharist followed by some of the VBS kids/ campers singing one of the songs they learned.

2. Serving as organist Wednesday evening for brief Eucharist celebrating Mary, Mother of Jesus – Theotokos (bearer of the eternal Word) – at Church On The Hill. I even used the zimbelstern for the Alleluias at the end of the final stanza of Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones!

3. First trip of the season to DQ on Thursday evening! I had a medium caramel sundae. It's always a temptation to size up when the next size is only 20¢ more. So I did.

4. It was wonderful to hear the sounds of solar panels being installed on the roof of Town-and-Gown when I was there on Friday practicing for Sunday.

5. Enjoying third Saturday lunch group from the PCUSA where I used to be involved. Especially fun to sit and talk with folks other than my "usual" table companions.

6. Excited to find a colorful bicycle outside Town-and-Gown when I got there this morning, so I made a great beginning on the bicycles photo group I've long wanted to do for my urban blog and my Facebook design page.

7. Getting my ticket for the Friday, 19 August Padres/Dodgers game at Petco. Just like last year, I'll be singing the National Anthem at a MLB game—with at least a couple hundred others! This year we have better, more expensive by $7 tickets, but I trust we'll still have an awesome view of the city and the people at the game.

8. I got more retweets and fave tweets than usual this past week, partly due to my being a little more industrious with actual tweets, rather than auto-tweets from blog or fb. 6,000+ tweets and counting on my suntreeriver twitter acct.

week of grace 02

A few years ago a therapist reminded me try to notice, appreciate and celebrate micro joys such as gently falling powder, a freshly picked berry. Related to noticing and observing, this past week at Vacation Bible School we talked about "God sightings" with the kids―needless to say, those would include aspects of nature such as flowers, trees, beaches, mountains, along with human interactions. Part of me says "but God's presence is hidden and paradoxical, as in the sacraments," yet there still remains a sense in which we can recognize in retrospect how God was there at that time! Here's a short second blog post of the past week's graces in review; for sure I need to do lots better about noticing and recording those small pleasures.

1. Five mornings of Vacation Bible School at Church Around the Corner!

2. A clean place to stay with two kittehs and one doggeh while the guys detoxed the mold in the house (along with tearing up floors and part of a bathroom).

3. Yummy Belgian waffles four mornings in a row!

4. Serving as organist for Wednesday evening's brief eucharist for the second take this (calendar and liturgical) year of the Feast of the Transfiguration.

5. Returning "home" to a house still not put back together, but with a fair amount of progress and tolerable air that doesn't smell too too bad.

6. Fresh, hot pizza from the Towne Square store after the VBS set strike party early Friday afternoon.

VBS 2014 day 5

Pictures from the final day of Vacation Bible School at Church Around the Corner, "CAC." These open full-size in a new browser tab or window, "depending on your settings." I've done my best to format these with non-traditional (not laptop, not desktop) devices in mind.