I’ve fallen several weeks behind in this endeavor to electrify my old journals (mostly) from the 1980s. So, I’m going to try to get caught up with this project and, at the same time, begin responding to and reflecting on this situation the world — my world, our world — finds itself in during this strange spring season of 2020.
A first reflection: Maybe the notion of 20/20 will serve as a metaphor that encourages us to see ourselves — all of us (in which us really means all of us, from Jonesborough, Tennessee, to its antipodal point of Oceania and the closest city of Augusta, Australia, and back again) — as one people, one world under God, including all iterations of God’s name in whatever tongue, tribe, and nation.
Now, to my little world and its past. I thought that this stretch of days, from February 14 to 20, would’ve generated years of Valentine’s Day musings about loneliness and hope for love, but that turns out not to be the case. I found only one entry on a February 14, and that was from 1978. It doesn’t even mention Valentine’s Day. Some romantic I am!
Captain’s Log: Stardate 021.478 (Tuesday, February 14, 1978)
Today was a little short of yesterday but it was still a great blessing just to be alive. I got Anita’s ticket from Dr. Bryant and I’m praying for a good time tomorrow evening. I don’t know what the Lord will have happen between me and Anita but it’s totally in His hands and I’ll accept whatever should happen.
I went home tonight and took Phil. We had a couple of pizzas and he met the family. I’ve also got some plans made for April which I’ve gotta get rolling.
“Rampal” above and below is Jean-Pierre Rampal, a flute hero of mine. Dr. Joyce Bryant, my flute teacher at Mars Hill College, got tickets to see Rampal in Charlotte, North Carolina, and she had an extra ticket for my new friend and piano accompanist Anita Miller.
I have no idea what the “plans made for April” might have been, unless it was the music for Easter and 5th Sunday in Walnut. Maybe further entries will shed some light on this.
Captain’s Log: Stardates 021.578-021.678 (Wednesday-Thursday, February 15-16, 1978)
Last night was unbelievable as far as the concert goes. Rampal had me completely in his spell and at the end I got his autograph and his accompanist’s.
Between me and Anita everything went well or as well as I might expect. Today I practiced hard ’cause I’ve got a full head of steam rollin’. . . .
I have in my mind images of Rampal on stage, but I have no memory of getting his autograph or of the trip to Charlotte and back.
Captain’s Log: Stardates 021.778-021.978 (Friday-Sunday, February 17-19, 1978)
There wasn’t much to this weekend except for today. We got together at Youth Group and worked on our new music for Easter and the 5th Sunday in April. It was really nice ’cause we had about 20 people or so and are expecting more.
Tonight I saw “The Eagle Has Landed.” It was a real good flick. . . . .
The Eagle Has Landed (1976) stars Donald Sutherland, Robert Duvall, and Michael Caine. This is perhaps interesting only in that I was thinking just last night of another Sutherland film from back then, The Great Train Robbery (1978), which also starred Sean Connery and Leslie-Anne Down
Captain’s Log: Stardate 022.078 (Monday, February 20, 1978)
There’s really not much to say. It was another blessing of good life. . . .
Well, that last entry sounds almost like these 2020 groundhog days of quarantine. We go to bed whenever we feel like it. We don’t set an alarm and wake up whenever we wake up. We actually make 90% of our meals at home and eat 95% of them there. . . .
