Hey guys, and thanks everso much for the good thoughts. My part went quite well - and I basically conclude that I must be addicted to the relief of something uncomfortable being over. Bikerchic got the closest figuring I must love pain of this kind - that's eerie Kate, you are right but I don't know why, I have several Mum-stories that would back it up tho'.
Anyway, the parents of the groom are like the Sommer family. You know them, great people but as frustrating as hell when it comes to time management, with everything. The sort you invite an hour before everyone else. The service started 75 mins late. The guests were asked to be seated on a 85 degree muggy day about 30 minutes earlier than required, outside in rural Estacada OR. I had a mike in my hand about that time. So I warmed the audience up a bit - the fact that the kegerator had Coors draft helped too, it was nicely liberal. I don't really have to say anything, just the sound of my voice was strange enough to do the trick. Mom Sommer was late.
It was a pretty quick ceremony, as intended. I had 3 opportunities (aka screwups) to test everyone's sense of humor, it went okay. I got a lot of thanks by the bride, groom and both families that was genuine enough to make me fell like I will do it again if asked. Now that to me is puzzling. I can go several ways on this as to the real reason I do this, and maybe that's it, it's a medley of reasons, like life itself.
1. In all marriages (6) I have performed since 2000 there have been just one jw, a very fine local jazz musician named Thera who worked with the bride. We barely talked, I didn't know him, he played the trumpet, excellent. So one point could be that I am doing things for the gratitude of "worldly people". And it feels good. Never had that as a dub, well maybe a handful of times and I tried really really hard.
2. I am an only-child needing attention and getting it. It pains me as I am desparately shy. Because I have slogged through a lot of stuff in my 50 years, not the least being 5500 miles from Chelmsford, Essex UK (aka home), I only know "being exposed" as a method for attention (aka self image/worth)
3. I can't say no to helping anybody. Actually I had never met the couple nor the parents before, despite the fact that my daughter has dated another son for a couple of years. My daughter asked me if I would marry them as one father (cancer) and one grandmother (cancer) were dying (the couple has had a house together for five years, so it was for their family as much as anything) . So I said yes. And then found out it was bigger and bolder (and later) than I had been told.
I don't mean anything by this, but retail at my hourly rate (www.greenstead.com) that was about $1500 of my billable time over several weeks. So it's a nice gift to someone I didn't know and I do feel good about that.
As I said, thanks for your kind thoughts (above) and through quantum physics they must have reached me as it went way better for my role today than I expected.
Father Glen
