We had the opportunity to go to an Orthodox wedding yesterday, our two friends were getting married. They met at the church. They met in the class we all took together. It was a special class. I thought it was potentially normal to have this many passionate people joining a church at the same time, I thought that these passionate people were normal, none of that is true. That’s what I spoke about in the speech I was surprised to have to give. That’s because I was his sponsor, which is sort of like a best man.

I wouldn’t have been his best man if he wasn’t choosing from amongst people in the church, but it’s still a nice honor. Abby was meant to be the lady-sponsor, but she wanted to be in the choir to make it sound good for the wedding. Ultimately she had to take care of a sleepy, hungry, Roby instead, so, she regrets not simply being the sponsor. That would have been nice, if ironic, since, you know, we Aren’t married.

If my sponsor can be Catholic it’ll be Jack, if they have to be Orthodox, it’ll be Stephen, the man I sponsored yesterday. Funny the requirements of these things.

Barrier’s to entry are good.

There was another family at the wedding and then the reception, they’re Orthodox, though they attend further south. They have five children, they’re home schooled and they live in a cabin with no electricity or running water. They’ve got a generator, but they turn it off at six and use fuel-lanterns for light. They traveled around the world as a family before buying 100 acres in central / southern Vermont. We spent practically the whole time talking with them and their beautiful children. Roby got on with their daughter Bridget, who wore an incredible wool sweater, all white. Her brother looked like my dad when he was young and he said he hated everything about school, home or not, just wants to carve spoons and be in the forest. I respect that.

That’s a goal.

They also mentioned that a few of their kids had a tough time reading until they were in about the 4th grade. Which is when I learned to read. This has historically been considered, at least in my own personal histories, an extraordinary delay requiring great interventions. I remember them! I was and am very dyslexic and I do believe I needed those interventions to get where I am today, at least I think I did. These kids seem pretty well adjusted.

Then again, they’re like 12.

And they were at a party

It’s good to be at a party.