Sixth in the How Do Bishops Become Bishops Series*

Today I sent in all of my application files – the resume, the weird, only-clergy-have-to-go-through-this-torture, online resume on steroids called the OTM Profile, the application, and the application essay questions. Also, my three references have sent in their corresponding letters of reference. (Which, by the by, each and every one I got a chance to read before it was sent and each one made me cry. In the good way.) The deadline for all of this stuff is tomorrow at close of business, but I got it in today and I have to admit, there was a bit of nervousness as I hit ‘send’. And a minor moment of panic when I got a reply saying that one of my .pdfs was unopenable. Granted, the admin sent that note immediately and I immediately got on it and sent them one that worked, so no problem there. But still. Um, eek?

All the same, in recognition of the angst involved with this entire process that may continue till the end of the year and beyond if I were to actually be elected, Vicki called in lunch and we set up the monster board… but first, we prepped the meeting that Liz was going to and that I double booked and was sending info with her for. Which means that we reviewed a few trees worth of material and may have ranted just a tiny bit about the proposed diocesan budget. As you do. (Hey, we’re on council. It’s actually our job to rant.)

With time enough to prep for the meeting I am attending this evening after Monsters Killing, we set to our task with gusto. It is incredibly satisfying if you’ve never tried it, and oddly and wonderfully synonymous with the actual work of the church when we get into the whole demons-and-exorcism thing, which is a fun and interesting sideline with just a bit of a downside (accidentally becoming, you know, possessed which happens more often than perhaps you’d imagine. Or perhaps not, depending on your imagination.)

And really, if only systemic change was as easy as rolling a bunch of dice and getting a five or a six. (Or a four, if you’re blessed, and since two out of the three of us playing are priests, I think we should just be able to hand out the blessings willy-nilly. They didn’t account for that in creating the game, I suppose.)

Anywhoozle, the game in question is Arkham Horror, based on the amusing anti-Christian Humanist writings of H.P. Lovecraft. (Admittedly, the amusement is from a certain perspective, and certainly not Lovecraft’s own.) So, there are a lot of tentacle monsters, but really, we see those as a metaphor for the Ego and the dysfunctions of the systems we encounter, tentacle monsters being at least easier to catch out of the corner of one’s eye. Also, tentacle monsters can be felled with a shot gun. Mostly. Not so in bringing health to unhealthy systems. Though there are days I’d like to try, just to see.

And there you have it. A major release of pent up energy happened when I hit send. (And then again the second time I hit send.) But I’m not the sort to go out drinking in celebration. I’m the sort to play stupidly intricate board games and eat fried food and drink home made iced tea in celebration. Ah, the insight you now have into my brain…

*Disclaimer: Yeah. Here I am describing the process and showing you that normal people go through it. This isn’t me campaigning. Really, I’m not sure it would help.