LJ Idol Week 3: Giving Thanks the Fun Way

[dogriver]

After I graduated from high school, I attended Providence College and Theological Seminary, a small Christian college near Winnipeg, Manitoba. It was a true privilege to attend Prov, and one of my favorite parts about attending it was being in one of the choirs, known as the College Singers. During my stint at Prov, we went on three touring expeditions: two out west through western Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, and one three-week tour of England and Scottland.

Being the only blind person in the choir had its benefits: the funniest event of the whole experience was the time when I was permitted to walk through the ladies' changing room, with my completely and utterly sightless artificial eyes bugging out and my mouth agape, pretending to take in the beauty that was uselessly laid out before me. Other fun experiences included the singing itself, tours of some truly historical sites, and a lot of laughs with a lot of truly wonderful people.

Accomodation for these tours was provided by local churches. It was typical for members of the churches at which we sang to very graciously take us in for the night. The church would also make us a meal. After the meal was over, it was our practice to sing a "thank-you" song ... it was either "For Food and Hospitality" or a goofy little number that I suspect one of the profs wrote under the influence of cafeteria food.

This particular day, we were going to give thanks to the church hosting us by singing "For Food and Hospitality". I walked up to Dr. Thiessen, our choir director, and asked him if I couldn't conduct the choir this once. Knowing that I had something of a sense of humor, and that this was not an official performance, Dr. Thiessen acquiessed. He had no idea what I was going to do.

The meal's finished: probably buns and cold cuts, that's what we usually got, except in England where every single church fed us quiche as if it were the newest, most exciting thing ever invented. Having devoured said meal, I walked up to the front of the room, amid some questioning laughter from people who had no idea what was coming next. I raised my hand and started to sing, and the choir fell in step as I started swinging my arms around like a madman in a completely unrealistic parody of choir conducting. We sort of made it to the end of the song. But that evening was my first and only choir-conducting experience, not to mention the most fun I've ever had giving thanks.

Comments

[littlelessevil.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed this entry. It reminds me in a way of Girl Scout Camp from a few summers back when my co-consular and I had to direct the girls in giving thanks before every meal. It was always a fun and amusing exprience.

[rosepurr.livejournal.com]

Cute story!

[emaline412.livejournal.com]

Fantastic.
I can picture it! Thing is, the church probably loved your rendition just the same as they would have anyone else's. Thanks can come in so many forms.

And, quiche! It's the new sandwich!

[blackfroggy.livejournal.com]

i love the story.

[anchasta.livejournal.com]

Funny! :)

(I'll drink a pepsi, not a coke!)

[browneyedgirl65.livejournal.com]

Oh that's fun! Doesn't everyone harbor secret ambitions to be a conductor, even if only once? I have sudden Bugs Bunny flash backs too.

Also, love the phrase "written under the influence of cafeteria food." Yikes!

[lacombe.livejournal.com]

Excellent perspective! You just gave me the inspiration I needed for my entry. ;-)

[desert-rose.livejournal.com]

This was great, and I was really able to visualise you waving your arms around in front of the choir!

Thanks for the smile!

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

Reminds me back when I was in a church choir. On Laity Sunday one of us non-conducting choir members would take over for our director, waving arms included.

Yep, I'm smiling!

[1-rhiannon-1.livejournal.com]

Excellent post! I imagine that the audience loved it!

[lordrexfear.livejournal.com]

Now that is the type of thing YOUTUBE was invented for, but I'll take the next (first best?) thing in a story.

[libra-dragon.livejournal.com]

Great post

[tulip-in-yellow.livejournal.com]

I know the conducting part was the funny focus, but I laughed out loud at the image of you walking through the ladies dressing room! Your humor really shines through here.

[hopefulnebula]

Oh, that sounds awesome. Choir rules that way.

[nishadee.livejournal.com]

Brava!!

*grin*

[lilmissmagic71.livejournal.com]

I loved this entry! I was smiling from beginning to end! Thanks!

[elva-undine.livejournal.com]

Mmm quiche...

[kittenboo.livejournal.com]

wonderful story!

[lisasali.livejournal.com]

What fun! Things never worked out for me to tour with my college choir over spring break, but we made many trips to churches on the weekends. We had lots of scalloped potatoes and ham. Not in front of the church members, of course, but on the bus, we sang: "Sing Hallelujah, God hath provided the ham." We also sang a Thank You song after meals, and I can't help but wonder if it was the same one. Ours started: "The every grateful memories, of your kindness shall be, indellibly (uh), enstamped, (I think, and is that even a word?) upon the tablets of our hearts..." Thanks for bringing back fond memories. If I weren't so full, I'd go whip up some scalloped potatoes, just for old times' sake.

[n-decisive.livejournal.com]

What a great way to have given thanks! :)

[johnmill79.livejournal.com]

Hey, that was a cool entry! I always wanted to conduct my choir at university, but I'm afraid it would have been just as fruitless. That whole experience sounds amazing, though.

[sushimustwrite.livejournal.com]

This was a great story from beginning to end. I can see you waving your warms around while conducting the choir.

But the real question... what'd the ladies think when you wandered their bathroom?

[monkeysugarmama.livejournal.com]

Very funny! This was well written and unique - and I find your sense of humor inspiring.

[wherdafux-d-cat.livejournal.com]

Such a fun entry!

[mme-furiosa.livejournal.com]

Sweet! This story made me smile.

[belenen.livejournal.com]

haha, that was awesome! ;-)

[blue-eye.livejournal.com]

Thanks for bringing a smile to my face...

[sircaliban.livejournal.com]

:) wonderful story.

[marjory.livejournal.com]

What a hoot!

As for English folk giving you quiche, no vol-au-vents? No celery sticks with squeeezy cheese piped into them? No laboriously semi-baked potatoes? The churchy cuisine can be very exciting...

[masterofmusings.livejournal.com]

Well, I didn't mind quiche the first six or seven times, and in every other respect I couldn't have been more pleased and grateful for the way we were treated.