Mark your calendars!
I'm turning 62 on Saturday. And in my honor I'm holding a zoom party.
Two years ago I didn't think I would see this celebration but barring bus accidents, I will. Those of you who know me well know my story of spending my 50th birthday in the belly of a boat repairing a diesel engine. Best birthday ever! So for me to be this social and plan my own party is a bit of a stretch. But as I started thinking about it, I got more and more excited.
I have this big family of folks. A real biological family that I have grown closer to through this nasty lung cancer. But a lot of other folks too. A church family, an AlAnon family. a coworker family, a client family, a sea scout family, and others that I have just met eclectically along the way because of who I am. So I'm going to be utterly selfish and ask three things of you if you want to come. A water picture, a story about my antics, and your presence at a zoom meeting.
First the picture. I have discovered that the best way to share pictures is to have them all in one place and then share my screen with the folks on the zoom call. So email me your picture of water. It would be nice if it had me in it but that isn't necessary. It can be your favorite picture of water. But I might ask you to explain it so don't make it too hard. There will probably be children on the call so no nude beaches. And yes I have friends who would do that.
Secondly the stories. Most of you know my love of stories. I have some good ones of my own but this is about me. So I would like stories that illuminate my character, the good, bad and ugly. They don't have to be funny but they do have to be from the heart. Embellishing is totally allowed because you know I would if I were telling the stories about you. Crying is acceptable because I imagine some of the stories will be like that too.
Finally the call. Because my friends stretch around the world from the UK, to Panama, and across this great continent (I had "nation" but I have too many American friends) I had a hard time picking a time. I have chosen 5:00pm Saturday for the call. But my plan is for it to be like "come and go." So I will open the call at 4:00pm and then let it go till the last party goer leaves. I (being the consummate dis-organizer) have put together an agenda that I will almost certainly not stick to. Think of it more as an airline itinerary. Flights get delayed but generally the thing runs in a certain path (though that is subject to change.) Though it may also be a bit like a sailboat trip. You don't want to miss the tide so if you are not there when we need to sail, you will stay on the beach.
Agenda
4:00pm - Opening the zoom room, general hilarity, sorting out of technical problems
5:00pm - Opening prayer
5:01pm - Introductions and awkward silence
5:15pm - Slideshow (with explanations)
5:35pm - Stories (Remember children may be listening.)
5:55pm - Blessing of the birthday boy and the blowing out of the candle
6:00pm - Beginning of strange farewells among new found friends.
... till the last guest leaves.
So here are the zoom coordinates:
Angus P - Surrey BC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting Jul 25, 2020 05:00 PM PST Vancouver
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88553601068?pwd=Sm4zRWl2TG9CcU8xaE9qSElYYmNRZz09
Meeting ID: 885 5360 1068
And oh yeah. Email me for the password cause someone has to be the bouncer at the door. If you need to call in by telephone that can be arranged so email me.
I'm looking forward to this. Don't disappoint me.