Returning to the older linear format, I rose after 7 and opened a bag of OPBeans, which are supplied by Portland Roasters, and every bag supports Oregon Public Broadcasting, OPB. I added that to the last of the beans from California and made coffee. I had some Palmers and a banana to go with it.
I got 80% of the blog done until I got a note from Pastor Ken that he needed color copies of his presentation for the meeting after church. I jumped in the shower, after saving my work, and soon was in a tie from Deborah, and my usual dress shirts, sweater vest, and black shoes. Today I picked the cheaper loafers, as the dress shoes are tight. I printed out Ken’s item, two copies, and headed to the UPS store nearby. For $1 a page, I made nine copies of the color work (the $42 receipt will be in my 2026 taxes). I collected cheapish mechanical pencils I use for gaming, but left them in the house by mistake. I did have my laptop and Ken’s item on a USB drive (on a converter from A to C USB).
The service was busy for me as I had visitors and had to walk through the church a few times after folks used the restrooms and left another door. We need to ensure nobody is still in the church, and I had to walk the first floor. Ken introduced the new Revival for the church and said he felt the drive to have people believe they needed to feel Christ in their hearts was missing something; this is a focus of many American church movements. More was to adopt Christ’s mantle and to work in the community. It should not be about the self but about the community and us. My words: pick up your cross, not to feel better. Thus, Ken calls us not to the altar but to the community here in our church since 1943 and about the church, the community of Beaverton, and further out. A revival of service.
I rushed out after drinking even more coffee. The meeting was scheduled for 12:30 at McMenamins Cedar Hills, our go-to place. I had a double local gin and tonic. Everyone else stuck to lamer drinks. We talked about plans and tasks were assigned. Mine is just money. I had the three sliders for lunch. Excellent.
With that done and the group broken up (I paid for the pastors and Dondreas’ lunch), I got a seat at the bar, got iced tea this time, and focused on my blog. The bartenders were chatting, and another man at the bar was, I believe, a former cook. They chatted about the food and the drinks. They were kind enough to include me in their conversation while I wrote and ordered a dessert. A cookie still hot in an iron baking pan with a scoop of ice cream. I should have done the cheesecake instead, but I will be in NYC soon, and nothing is as good as a natively grown NYC cheesecake.
I did talk to Deborah a few times as we both traveled and at her house. It is good to start our day together and try to end one of our days together. We miss each other’s company.
I drove home, took off the tie, and soon was headed back. Dungeons & Dragons at M@’s place tonight. We all were there this time (Jack, who was going to be a bonus player, could not get back from Idaho in time to play). We had a plan to use the D&D spell Wall of Stone and create stalactites that could be released with just some damage to fall on the would-be-god we were facing. The bad guy generates an anti-magic field, but boulders are boulders even when created by magic. We dropped them on it to various levels of success.
Later, starting a new high-level campaign, our group of adventurers headed to hell to destroy the evil artifact. Off to see the Wizard, or in this case, the ruler of D&D hell (since the 1970s original mention of him), Asmodeus. Kind of like going back to the old games.
I returned home, read more Civil War, and soon slept.
Thanks for reading…and sorry if this seemed rushed. It is 😉
Alohawild (Michael Wild's) Website 