Perhaps this should be entitled "Thrilling Tales From My Fascinating Life". [With apologies to Harvey Pekar]
Today was a little longer than some, but no less rich in its variety. As those who read The [New] Coracle know, I get up slightly before sunrise and do small things like walk the dog, read a variety of papers, calculate the previous day's losses to my IRA, and post a thing or two on this weblog. If I haven't much to talk about, I'll find an absurd headline, Celtic prayer, or photo from my vacation. Riveting, I know.
By 7am, I'm working on Sunday's order of service and putting together my notes for school the next morning. E-mail is viewed and, if necessary, responses are composed. Since I receive between 30-100 e-mail messages every 24 hours, my responses are to the point. Early in my tenure this confused a few people as they assumed, incorrectly, that I was being terse with them. It's just that I find casual conversation better when it's face-to-face. To attempt to communicate in the same manner via e-mail is mildly demented. That's just my personal opinion, of course.
By 9am, I am at the parish office and, once again, viewing e-mail, checking phone messages, and going through what has been delivered by the U.S. Postal Service; and, just as logically, I respond to e-mail, write some letters, and return phone calls. I also initiate some communication so that the fabric of spiritual community remains strong.
Some days I have a meeting with our bookkeeper, treasurer, and/or music director in the late morning. It is also a good time for visits with parishioners and hospital calls. Today, at 11am, I celebrated the Holy Eucharist at Noble Horizon, as I do once or twice a month. [In fact, it should be noted that 50%+ of the "spiritual services" offered at Noble Horizon are initiated by Trinity Church. Not only does our own Alexis officiate at Morning Prayer once a month, during Lent she is leading a very well-received discussion group at Noble.] Afterwards, I visit with a few of the residents, as has been my custom since my days as Trinity's interim rector.
I'm not much of a lunch guy, but today I had to be in Litchfield for a meeting so I was able to have lunch with my wife. This doesn't happen all that much, so it was a nice treat.
At 2pm, I agreed to attend a meeting of the "interfaith committee" of a counseling center that has it's offices near my home. I'm not entirely sure why I agreed to do this, since I generally stay away from meetings of organizations that don't pay me, and especially since, when a meeting involves clergy, one will experience the following:
1. At least half of the clergy will be late.
2. The meeting will not begin on time.
3. Ten minutes worth of agenda will be spread across 60 to 90 minutes.
Sometimes other, more occasional, moments present themselves. For example, there will be attempts at one-upmanship as clergy chest-thump about who is the busiest or has the most responsibility within his or her diocese/presbytery/synod/etc. There will be moments of nervous laughter as is often the case with introverts. Some people will be permitted to speak off topic, others not. It's a bit like a meeting of the junior high chess club, except junior high chess clubs usually accomplish things at their meetings.
So, by 3:05pm, after experiencing numbers 1 through 3, with bits of the other moments mixed in for fun, it was time for me to go. Needless to say, I'll carefully review my participation with this group in the future.
Ever since monastic days, I read Vespers sometime between 4 and 5. During Lent, I usually use a longer form. At 5pm, I walk the dog and prepare the Children's bulletins, Sunday lections, fiddle with some late e-mail and phone calls, etc.
At 7pm, I'm off the clock. Sorta. I still have a book manuscript to finish, but that's even more tedious.
As you can see, it's a non-stop life of excitement.