couch time

I heard Doug Pagitt speak at a gathering of the Indianapolis Center for Congregations. He's an author and the pastor of Solomon's Porch, a Christian community, or you might say, "hippie church"(that's what he calls it). I found him to be quite interesting, well read, humble, self effacing, and the more he talked the more I agreed that Solomon's Porch is truly a "hippie church." I've known a couple of "hippie churches" in my time. There will always be a place in the world and in my heart for a "hippie church."

At Solomon's Porch they sit on couches. He explains that they considered theater seats, pews and couches. The theater seat has the connotation of being entertained, the pew has the connotation of a lecture, a couch has the connotation of home. Naturally they chose home. When you put it like that, who wouldn't. The only thing I wonder is if people over time have their favorite couch they want to sit in. I know I would. I wouldn't want the couch with the musty smell, or the one with the floral pattern, or the one that looks like grandma's couch. I also wouldn't want the one that is hard as a rock because it's really a sleeper sofa. Can you imagine what a great nap time you could have if you could sit on a couch at church?

Indiana gun show

Today I went to my first Indiana gun show, the Indy 1500. I paid $3 to park and $9 to get in. I carried in one hand my Remington Nylon 66 22 rifle, and in the other hand an antique leather gun case. I was hoping to sell both and based on my experience in the parking lot things looked promising.
These things amazed me:
Upon arrival and stepping out of my car I was almost immediately approached by anther guy carrying a gun and he asked me what what I was asking for my Nylon 66.
I was amazed that four or five other guys asked me what I wanted for my Nylon 66 before I got to the front door.
I was amazed that as I walked around the show I had 40 or 50 other people ask me about my Nylon 66.
I was amazed to see hundreds of people walking around with all kinds of guns looking at and buying guns of all description.
I was amazed that there seemed to be as many deals going on between the customers as the dealers.
I was amazed that after awhile it seemed odd if someone was NOT carrying a gun.
I was amazed that I saw Dave Rieck, someone that I knew from Illinois.
I was amazed that I saw a guy from my faith community.
I was amazed that when I said, "How come you're not carrying a gun, he said, "I am" and pulled out a pistol.
I was amazed that I sold a gun that I bought for $50 over 30 years ago.
I was amazed that the guy who bought it from me had a wad of money in his pocket as big as your fist.
I was amazed that he peeled off $175 without batting an eye.
I was amazed that as I walked away from the gun show there were many more people carrying guns on their way to the show.
I was amazed to see men and women and people pushing little kids in strollers.
I was amazed to see a very classy looking elderly woman proudly carrying a rifle.

The whole thing was amazing. Thousands of people over three days at the Indiana State Fairgrounds walking around carrying guns, looking at guns, buying and selling guns. None of the guns were in cases. Everything was just as casual as if we had been carrying around ice cream cones. Amazing.

regrets

Recently I've taken up trying to play the guitar....again. Don't laugh. In the process I remembered a song by Don McLean from 1972 or thereabouts that had some nice acoustic guitar work on it. I have the album (an actual LP "long play") but I thought I would like to download it off itunes. The name of the song was "Narcisissma." Not only wasn't the song there, but the whole album was missing from the itunes store. Bummer. No Beatles, no Led Zeppelin and now no Narcisissma on itunes.

In the process of a google search I read somewhere that Don McLean regretted making the album. Well Don, if I had recorded a song like Narcisissma or some of the others from that album I would be pretty proud of them.

Some of the words to those songs have stuck with me for over 30 years. "On the Amazon" was as creative as anything the Beatles wrote about an octopus's garden. The More You Pay (The More It's Worth) is a story of a boy who bought an old horse at an auction for two bits and has a lot to say about what has real value in life. In Bronco Bill's Lament there is an old man reminiscing about his life.
"I coulda been most anything I put my mind to be
but a cowboy's life was the only life for me
it's a strong man's occupation ridin' herd and livin' free
but strong men often fail
where shrewd men can prevail
I'm an old man now with nothin' more to say
but oh god how I worked my youth away
You may not recognize my face I used to be a star
a cowboy hero known both near and far
I perched upon a silver mount and sang with my guitar
but the studio of course, owned my saddle and my horse
but that sixgun on the wall belongs to me...."

It's some really good and memorable philosophy set to music. I have the album, but regretfully no record player.