Auld Lang Syne

8/8

Come to the church after leading my Wednesday morning study group. Still recovering from a day when I felt like I’d had enough.

Now that we’ve got Martin and Noche in the house, the goal is to find a way to make it a  more permanent relationship. Emails going back and forth with Jamie. His people coming in for a late afternoon sit down.

Enjoy sitting in the backyard writing awhile. Jamie’s daughter Bella helping go through old files in our ongoing effort to clear out what’s no longer necessary.

It’s getting close to time to head to my Interfaith Assembly meeting. Jeremy is in the sanctuary. He’s got some mikes set up and has two singers, a man and a woman named Nicole. He calls me over. Turns out he’s doing music for a movie. I ask what it is. He’s not sure but it’s by Lionsgate studios. They need a recording of Auld Lang Syne. Do I want to join in? Sure, why not. 

We put on headphones. Hear his Let it be’esque piano intro then start to sing. Over and over we record the old New Year’s Eve song. We change positions. Sometimes singing harmony, sometimes just melody. Maybe a very high harmony by Nicole, I throw in a bass. Jeremy joins in too. Listening through the headphones, I’m intrigued as Jeremy lays layer upon layer turning us into a chorus, a New Year’s Eve party, not too rowdy or out of control. Trying to create a product they’ll use. Later that night, he sends me a copy of the recording. Yes, I can hear my voice in there.

As usual, we’re trying to keep the Assembly alive. I head crosstown to Jan Hus to make a presentation to the We Humanists AA group. I enter quietly. And am touched and moved to hear the stories of my old friend Ada, their founder. Of lives saved. The freedom to live and let live. The sense of radical acceptance. (Sigh. Again, the church could learn from AA....) In all that I do on her behalf, I try to stay faithful to who Ada was. 

Back at West-Park, the Session meets. The money situation is, as always, grim. We hope to hear from our potential partner by Friday. Time is running short. I don’t want to be forced to give in before I absolutely have to.