Trivial (?) pursuits
Last week's Friday Five (it's "last week" once we reach Monday, right?) ask about the stuff I'm "into." This sounds potentially MUCH racier than any answer from me could ever, ever possibly be, alas.
Having thus lowered your expectations, I shall begin.
1. What's something you're into that others don’t get?
Sherlock Holmes, I guess, but most of the non- fellow travelers whom I've told about my strange and wonderful obsession profess to finding it benign or cute or even suggestive of intelligence (on my part), which suggests a willingness (on their part) to see it as "gettable." The people I *haven't* told are ones who I suspect would find it silly or wasteful (of time and money), or possibly even idolatrous (you know the crowd I run with). I don't give them the opportunity *not* to get it.
I suppose church could qualify as an answer to this question, as well. I have a lot of friends who think religion is not only absurd, but actively bad. Sometimes I see their point (better than they can, because I see it from the inside!), and yet this is where I find G-d.
2. What's something you've wanted to get into?
But never have? Hmm ...
As far as craft-y or home-related hobbies, I've already tried a lot of the ones that looked good to me (cake decorating, cross-stitch, scrap-booking). I would love to get into serious cooking, but feel I am too old for it to make sense to invest financially in all the cool equipment (this being the season of life during which one is supposed to be divesting of "stuff"). Plus, as I essentially live alone, for whom would I cook? So instead of getting the sous vide machine or the power blender/food processor or a full set of scary knives, I cook vicariously through my home-chef second son.
Music? I have sung in classical choruses, and wish I could get back into serious singing, but I have no time. *Had* I the time, I'd be interested in being in a really good a cappella group, preferably one where I had to work hard to keep up with the general standard of musicianship (as opposed to one where rehearsals consist of little more than rote repetition of things for the sake of the non- music readers). I have actually considered, for a change of pace repertoire-wise, trying the Sweet Adelines (ladies' barbershop, but before you laugh, some of those choruses are very accomplished) ... still, as I've already noted, no time.
Fandoms? I think the Sherlockian world is enough for me, and sometimes (if I'm honest) it borders on more than enough. I super-love Star Trek, but am quite content to observe things from the fringes of that community, which is by all appearances *much* wilder and crazier than the Sherlockian one. My other great love from the realm of fictitious worlds has been Don Camillo, but trying to create an internet fan community for Guareschi (as I did around the turn of the millennium) was draining, and my combination of (American) liberal politics and Protestantism probably made me an unideal choice to spearhead it.
Intellectual pursuits? I would love to learn another language (Italian, perhaps; the lack of it didn't help me on the Guareschi front). I'd also love to be part of a good, serious (but not self-important -- I just mean college-class-y, in the best sense) book club. I would try my church's one (just based on the titles they select), but (all together now) I don't have time.
3. What are you less into than you once were?
Theology of a certain sort. I used to be passionately interested in what you might call popular theology, not just as an intellectual exercise, but as a component of my faith. I was sure that every theological question had a correct answer, and I desperately wanted to know it -- not to be a know-it-all, but because faith is always faith *in* something, and I wanted to have faith in the right things. Thus, I read tons and tons of books by C.S. Lewis and other writers of his ilk -- pop rather than academic, but pretty rigorous for what they were. Theodicy, Christology, soteriology, ecclesiology, liturgy, Biblical criticism, spiritual formation, and the efficacy of prayer were once my favorite topics of conversation, meaning that there must have been lots of folks who headed in the other direction when they saw me coming.
(Incidentally, I eventually earned a master's degree in academic theology, which is a different animal not necessarily connected to personal faith.)
These days, I have my doubts as to whether classic popular theology asks enough of the right questions, which has (as you might expect) mightily dimmed my passion for trying to suss out the correct answers to them. The questions to which I want answers now tend to be more practical and political in nature. But "What is the most just way for humans to exist together?" is still, to me, a G-d question.
One major indicator that I am less interested in a thing is that I'll start donating my books on the subject to the library and/or Goodwill. A lot of my aforementioned C.S. Lewis & co. (along with some Calvinistically inclined InterVarsity Press books and some rather naïve volumes on the topic of church music ministry) went away in the last purge.
4. What difficult-to-find item would you really like to get your hands on?
I am not a collector, so there's nothing like that on my list. That said, I would desperately like for the BBC to release its 1980 Don Camillo TV series on DVD (region 1 or 2; my computer can handle either), or at least just let it stream somewhere. However, I am probably the only person who cares about this, so I am guessing it will never happen. The funny thing is, I actually *have* all of it (someone's home-made video recordings of the episodes, taped from the original broadcasts) on a pair of PAL VHS cassettes that I purchased decades ago from a nice-seeming chap I met online (via a now untraceable path, alas), but I lack the equipment to view it (let alone transfer to NTSC and DVD). (So maybe I *don't* have it? Who knows what's actually on those tapes!) I looked into getting the transfers made years ago, and the price quoted was close to $1000 to for that many hours -- 9 or 10 -- of tape. I could probably afford that today, but I think I am afraid to pursue it, lest I be told that the tapes have degraded too much since I bought them to be usable now (which would make me too angry at myself for words).
5. What is the standard attire for people into whatever you're into? If there is none, what would be the appropriate dress?
The only two things I'm into which might ever cause me to try to "dress appropriately" for an event are church and Sherlock Holmes fandom.
Regarding the former, we live in a world (*not* the one I grew up in) in which Sunday morning attire (indeed, almost all attire) has become increasingly casual. The theology (speaking of which) behind this is utterly sound -- G-d's love is "come as you are," so G-d's people shouldn't socially pressure others to dress any particular way (especially in ways that decrease their comfort-level) at our assemblies. But I am middle-aged and middle-class and, therefore, possess not only both dress-up and dress-down outfits (in my wardrobe), but also (in my psyche) decades' worth of internalized standards about their proper usage. And, well, I don't see how I will ever *not* regard the weekly assembly of G-d's people as more of a dress-up than a dress-down event. Thus, I am always garbed in the standard church lady uniform of skirt and matching top, black loafers, some kind of co-ordinating costume jewelry, and neat hair.
Okay, thus described, it's clear that my dress-"up" is really more dress-medium. If you saw me, you'd characterize it as office attire, rather than fancy event attire, and its traditional purpose in the church setting is similar to its purpose in the office context -- viz., to indicate general respect via conformity to cultural norms, and to keep the wearer from standing out too much from the crowd ("event" attire would actually fail, on the latter ground). All that said, I have no issue with others making a different choice from mine ... unless, that is, they choose to dress "sexy." And even then, I hope I'd never make a comment on (or treat someone differently because of) whatever micro-miniskirt, deep cleavage-revealing (or chest-hair-revealing) top, skin-tight disco pants, or fetish-level high heels they might be sporting (don't laugh -- it does happen!). But I've gotta admit that, while biting my tongue and neutralizing my facial expression, I would be doing all kinds of questioning (of the "WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HE OR SHE THINKING???" variety) in my head. (And I know this from experience.)
Major Sherlockian dinners generally just call for fancy event clothes, but Victorian cosplay is also permitted, and the Sherlockian who doesn't own at least one deerstalker comes ill-equipped to the fandom. I eventually bought one, a nice one, and it shows up at certain events. Especially on bad hair days. :-)
Having thus lowered your expectations, I shall begin.
1. What's something you're into that others don’t get?
Sherlock Holmes, I guess, but most of the non- fellow travelers whom I've told about my strange and wonderful obsession profess to finding it benign or cute or even suggestive of intelligence (on my part), which suggests a willingness (on their part) to see it as "gettable." The people I *haven't* told are ones who I suspect would find it silly or wasteful (of time and money), or possibly even idolatrous (you know the crowd I run with). I don't give them the opportunity *not* to get it.
I suppose church could qualify as an answer to this question, as well. I have a lot of friends who think religion is not only absurd, but actively bad. Sometimes I see their point (better than they can, because I see it from the inside!), and yet this is where I find G-d.
2. What's something you've wanted to get into?
But never have? Hmm ...
As far as craft-y or home-related hobbies, I've already tried a lot of the ones that looked good to me (cake decorating, cross-stitch, scrap-booking). I would love to get into serious cooking, but feel I am too old for it to make sense to invest financially in all the cool equipment (this being the season of life during which one is supposed to be divesting of "stuff"). Plus, as I essentially live alone, for whom would I cook? So instead of getting the sous vide machine or the power blender/food processor or a full set of scary knives, I cook vicariously through my home-chef second son.
Music? I have sung in classical choruses, and wish I could get back into serious singing, but I have no time. *Had* I the time, I'd be interested in being in a really good a cappella group, preferably one where I had to work hard to keep up with the general standard of musicianship (as opposed to one where rehearsals consist of little more than rote repetition of things for the sake of the non- music readers). I have actually considered, for a change of pace repertoire-wise, trying the Sweet Adelines (ladies' barbershop, but before you laugh, some of those choruses are very accomplished) ... still, as I've already noted, no time.
Fandoms? I think the Sherlockian world is enough for me, and sometimes (if I'm honest) it borders on more than enough. I super-love Star Trek, but am quite content to observe things from the fringes of that community, which is by all appearances *much* wilder and crazier than the Sherlockian one. My other great love from the realm of fictitious worlds has been Don Camillo, but trying to create an internet fan community for Guareschi (as I did around the turn of the millennium) was draining, and my combination of (American) liberal politics and Protestantism probably made me an unideal choice to spearhead it.
Intellectual pursuits? I would love to learn another language (Italian, perhaps; the lack of it didn't help me on the Guareschi front). I'd also love to be part of a good, serious (but not self-important -- I just mean college-class-y, in the best sense) book club. I would try my church's one (just based on the titles they select), but (all together now) I don't have time.
3. What are you less into than you once were?
Theology of a certain sort. I used to be passionately interested in what you might call popular theology, not just as an intellectual exercise, but as a component of my faith. I was sure that every theological question had a correct answer, and I desperately wanted to know it -- not to be a know-it-all, but because faith is always faith *in* something, and I wanted to have faith in the right things. Thus, I read tons and tons of books by C.S. Lewis and other writers of his ilk -- pop rather than academic, but pretty rigorous for what they were. Theodicy, Christology, soteriology, ecclesiology, liturgy, Biblical criticism, spiritual formation, and the efficacy of prayer were once my favorite topics of conversation, meaning that there must have been lots of folks who headed in the other direction when they saw me coming.
(Incidentally, I eventually earned a master's degree in academic theology, which is a different animal not necessarily connected to personal faith.)
These days, I have my doubts as to whether classic popular theology asks enough of the right questions, which has (as you might expect) mightily dimmed my passion for trying to suss out the correct answers to them. The questions to which I want answers now tend to be more practical and political in nature. But "What is the most just way for humans to exist together?" is still, to me, a G-d question.
One major indicator that I am less interested in a thing is that I'll start donating my books on the subject to the library and/or Goodwill. A lot of my aforementioned C.S. Lewis & co. (along with some Calvinistically inclined InterVarsity Press books and some rather naïve volumes on the topic of church music ministry) went away in the last purge.
4. What difficult-to-find item would you really like to get your hands on?
I am not a collector, so there's nothing like that on my list. That said, I would desperately like for the BBC to release its 1980 Don Camillo TV series on DVD (region 1 or 2; my computer can handle either), or at least just let it stream somewhere. However, I am probably the only person who cares about this, so I am guessing it will never happen. The funny thing is, I actually *have* all of it (someone's home-made video recordings of the episodes, taped from the original broadcasts) on a pair of PAL VHS cassettes that I purchased decades ago from a nice-seeming chap I met online (via a now untraceable path, alas), but I lack the equipment to view it (let alone transfer to NTSC and DVD). (So maybe I *don't* have it? Who knows what's actually on those tapes!) I looked into getting the transfers made years ago, and the price quoted was close to $1000 to for that many hours -- 9 or 10 -- of tape. I could probably afford that today, but I think I am afraid to pursue it, lest I be told that the tapes have degraded too much since I bought them to be usable now (which would make me too angry at myself for words).
5. What is the standard attire for people into whatever you're into? If there is none, what would be the appropriate dress?
The only two things I'm into which might ever cause me to try to "dress appropriately" for an event are church and Sherlock Holmes fandom.
Regarding the former, we live in a world (*not* the one I grew up in) in which Sunday morning attire (indeed, almost all attire) has become increasingly casual. The theology (speaking of which) behind this is utterly sound -- G-d's love is "come as you are," so G-d's people shouldn't socially pressure others to dress any particular way (especially in ways that decrease their comfort-level) at our assemblies. But I am middle-aged and middle-class and, therefore, possess not only both dress-up and dress-down outfits (in my wardrobe), but also (in my psyche) decades' worth of internalized standards about their proper usage. And, well, I don't see how I will ever *not* regard the weekly assembly of G-d's people as more of a dress-up than a dress-down event. Thus, I am always garbed in the standard church lady uniform of skirt and matching top, black loafers, some kind of co-ordinating costume jewelry, and neat hair.
Okay, thus described, it's clear that my dress-"up" is really more dress-medium. If you saw me, you'd characterize it as office attire, rather than fancy event attire, and its traditional purpose in the church setting is similar to its purpose in the office context -- viz., to indicate general respect via conformity to cultural norms, and to keep the wearer from standing out too much from the crowd ("event" attire would actually fail, on the latter ground). All that said, I have no issue with others making a different choice from mine ... unless, that is, they choose to dress "sexy." And even then, I hope I'd never make a comment on (or treat someone differently because of) whatever micro-miniskirt, deep cleavage-revealing (or chest-hair-revealing) top, skin-tight disco pants, or fetish-level high heels they might be sporting (don't laugh -- it does happen!). But I've gotta admit that, while biting my tongue and neutralizing my facial expression, I would be doing all kinds of questioning (of the "WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HE OR SHE THINKING???" variety) in my head. (And I know this from experience.)
Major Sherlockian dinners generally just call for fancy event clothes, but Victorian cosplay is also permitted, and the Sherlockian who doesn't own at least one deerstalker comes ill-equipped to the fandom. I eventually bought one, a nice one, and it shows up at certain events. Especially on bad hair days. :-)