I don't know anything about this particular event. I am aware, however, of a similar event. At an Ohio limb meeting, in the early 1980s, at the Ohio State Fairgrounds, Wierewille took the stage and was quite visibly in some sort of distress, struggling desperately to finish his presentation, which he then ended abruptly. My father, who had seen him speak on previous occasions, turned to me and said, in a matter of fact tone, "He's had a stroke." Hundreds, maybe thousands, of people from across the state were present. Maybe someone else can fill in more details.
When he taught at an Ohio limb meeting in about 1980, it was apparent that something was amiss.
His gait was unsteady and he searched for words that eluded him.
My first impression was that he had a stroke.
It was a packed auditorium so I'm sure someone else must remember.
When I was on staff at HQ and he came back with his eye having been removed, and greeted us at lunch, it was also very obvious he'd had a stroke. One side of his face was frozen and that side of his mouth couldn't smile. He kind of waved and sat down, didn't say much.
I remarked to someone at my table, he's also had a stroke, and they reproved me. Since most of us were young, they wouldn't know what a stroke victim looked like. That's why no one realized he'd had one. He recovered over time.
VPW did have a stroke according to the POP paper. I'm not sure of the timing because CG doesn't give any dates, of course.
Perhaps someone who remembers these events could put a date to it.
The following are from POP (p 2):
Also, at Dr. Wierwille's recommendation, we changed the Ministry year for Europe from one
that paralleled the year in the U.S.A. to one that began and ended at the New Year period.
After we had moved to England it became quite apparent that Robert and Barbara Wilkinson were
of such a mind that they were not going to actively help, at least not with goodwill. This all came about
while I was on an itinerary, and in fact it was during that itinerary that Dr. Wierwille first had a stroke...
Picking back up, I called in to talk to Doctor about Robert and the situation that was developing and could not get through to him.
I was only told that he was gone and could not be reached. When I tried to call back again he still was not there,
so I went through to Howard.
Howard told me that he had had a stroke and that he was not well.
I got his permission to come on the next available flight and went to see Dr. Wierwille.
I found him physically weak but mentally sharp. I had been told not to talk to him about things of the Ministry,
but that was all he wanted to talk about. I remember when I told him about Robert that he got tears in his eyes
and said, "How could I have been so wrong?"
As a result of meetings that were held during that visit (but which did not include Dr. Wierwille) two notable changes were made.
The first was that Vince Finnegan would replace Bo Reahard as the head of International Outreach and the second was
that I would become the Country coordinator for the United Kingdom, replacing Robert Wilkinson.
And yes, reading POP is like swimming in vomit, as Dooj so aptly put it. It certainly makes me feel slimy. It's a good thing I can quickly scan written information.
Dr. Wierwille had two minor strokes that I am aware of, and then quickly and fully recovered from the symptoms each time. The brain is remarkably resilient organ for those who are in the lifelong habit of using it to it's fullest.
I know the date of one stroke was the late fall of 1982, when I was a WOW. I remember discussing the issue with my WOW brother, Tracy K. We could hear Dr sometimes stretching out the consonant "s" on SNS tapes at that time, and it was obvious he was hurting in some way. The actual symptom was pretty subtle, though. Of all his tapes that were released, and that are known today, this is the only stroke evidence that was manifested.
Thanks Wordwolf, but we're wondering if anyone knows about V.P. having a stroke while he was teaching.
I was at Emporia in my final year when he had his stroke. I don't recall that information being withheld, but maybe I'm wrong. That's just my own recollection. In fact, I think Craig discussed it later during a SNS, or some service from HQ. Of course, he was talking about it affected him.
Wierwille's demise reminds me of the demise of Atahualpa, the last emperor of The Inca Empire. His followers thought he was Divine and would rise from the grave after his execution. But, alas, he was just a man. His empire fell apart quickly after his death.
Not that your later posts add a great deal to VPW's stroke whilst teaching though your first post does add some info, thanks very much. Maybe Juedes got it wrong, not at the Rock at all.
I remember at the beginning of the 1983 ROA he and Dorothea were walking down the paved path that goes from the gazebo to the big top. I was close enough to him to be concerned; it just looked like he was wandering in space when he walked past where I was. Then a friend of mine was at the Word in Business in, I think, Nashville less than 2 months before he died, and my friend concluded, "He's slipping". A month before that, he spoke at the dedication of the auditorium and to me he sounded fine. But if I recall, in Dec. of '84 he did a businessmen's pfal class in Colorado. It was a clipped form of pfal for people who didn't have time to sit through 34 hours of class. I don't recall it ever being referred to after that, so perhaps the BOT was humoring him by letting him do it; knew that the end was near.
Was anybody here at that 'businessmen's' class? How was he then?
If my memory serves me correctly, according to P-O-P he didn't want to do the businessman's class at Gunnison, but that he was talked into it by Bob W.
At the time, I remember resenting that class being run for businessmen "who didn't have time", as if their time was more important than others. It cut across all of us, in my opinion, who had to convince everyone else that PFAL was worth the time commitment. I felt it further evidence that there were social classes within TWI. Normal dolts such as myself had to play by the rules but if one made a lot of money, exceptions were made for you. That is so obvious now that the statement I just made is laughable. But in 1984 I was just starting to see this stuff.
Sorry, I guess that didn't exactly answer your question. No, I wasn't at the class, I was at home being angry about it.
Was anybody here at that 'businessmen's' class? How was he then?
I was not. I was probably working.
It was a clipped form of pfal for people who didn't have time to sit through 34 hours of class.
It was 36 hours and no one with a family and a job has 36 hours of time to squeeze into 2 weeks, the get 'em in-get 'em out schedule that was recommended for a long time. That's half the time Jesus was dead, for God's sake. A lot of people did it but it wasn't the way to do it. IMO.
but if one made a lot of money, exceptions were made for you.
If you had some shine to bring to the party, some influence, some dough-ski bro-ski, you got some fudge room. For awhile. The best time for many people to be in the Way was when they were getting in - once you "knew better" all hel l could break loose if your Holy Spirit dove pin dove the wrong way because the weak willed idiots running the Way couldn't teach the bible with Satan getting that kind of access into the pen.
The best time for many people to be in the Way was when they were getting in - once you "knew better" all hel l could break loose if your Holy Spirit dove pin dove the wrong way....
You know, that is really funny, especially that way you put that, but I actually witnessED that happen at a Corps night. 3-piece suits were in vogue in my day, and some poor guy had his Holy Spirit (proper noun so it should be capitalized in this instance) pin on his jacket lapel, and his W.O.W. pin on his vest, ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE!!!!! Everybody knows that the holy spirit dove down toward the W.O.W. pin, and the pin should always be over your heart!!! WHAT WAS HE THINKING???
The HS dove pins were niceI and the blue "WOW" pins kinda snappy. But then you add a nametag pin to the assemblage and you're doing cross stitch to your coat. All those holes Now that's devilish. But I always liked wearing the dove pin as long as some horse's as s didn't come along and feel me up getting it to fly one direction or another.
The HS dove pins were niceI and the blue "WOW" pins kinda snappy. But then you add a nametag pin to the assemblage and you're doing cross stitch to your coat. All those holes Now that's devilish. But I always liked wearing the dove pin as long as some horse's as s didn't come along and feel me up getting it to fly one direction or another.
Yeah......but every corps guy worth his salt knew that proper pin protocol required constant vigilance in checking which way holy spirit dove was flying every so often.....and especially after hugging one of the ladies.
The whole development of the weird fetish like fascination with properly aligned and regimented stuff, be it pins, chairs or hair lines, was well...really weird.
There's a play on a quote that goes: Those who can, do: those who can't, teach; and those who can do neither, administer.
James Baldwin the author said this which is kinda related: "Those who say it can't be done are usually interrupted by others doing it."
Add in a little "lead, follow or get out of the way" and there's an idea there somewhere.
Early on the activities at the Way were pretty much relaxed and enjoyable. Years pass and with increased "knowledge" and "maturity" you get a passle of poorly packed procedures and pain-in-the-tushes worrying about how straight the chairs are and if the mints are fresh and properly distributed in their little sissy bowls, ready for that unfortunate teacher at the podium whose breath is so atrociously rank that some form of masking is required less, I guess, the front row pass out from the sheer putridity of their breath. I guess - I never understood why anyone would actually need breath mints at that point. Before, I get it. After, I get it. Alone at the podium, speaking to a group....? That's some serious stank. Thus I've pondered - the need for Mints. Perhaps after running my mouth off for 1/2 hour or more some refreshment is needed, the better to remind those I see immediately after of how sweet every word that comes out of my mouth really is. I dunno.
Our family has a little saying when we've been working or having serious fun and it's time for a shower, I confess to having introduced it and it seems to live on - average activity produces "1/4stank".....up from there you're at "1/2 stank" and a shower or bath is pending...."3/4 stank" - it's time. "Full Stank" - get the hose, you've reached Discovery Channel status, proceed to the Rhino's Pen.
Mints at a podium to keep one's salivary glands at full function - kinda tweezey. Kinda tweezey.
All of that stuff would give a stroke to anyone and I don't say that lightly. The worry, the fear that "something" wouldn't be exactly right and the full potential of the moment marred if not terminally damaged to the extent that the person holding forth so boldly in this day and time would what - be peppered so powerfully by packs of daimonion that they'd have to split their brain into two and devote half their believing to flooding their hedge of protection with plugs to fill the holes created by the utter chaos of someone sneezing at the wrong time? Is there ever a right time to sneeze? Or because a door slammed - possibly caused by some poor soul leaving, over come by the breath of the teacher who forgot to write in his notes "use the mints" because he'd had to park his own car and thus so horribly distracted by the walking then forgot to remember the mints? Or something?
This kind of paranoid pea-pickin' hardly characterizes a corps like regiment of highly trained, able bodied and fully prepared leaders. If you can't handle the kind of stress produced by improperly placed water glasses, what are you going to do when faced with the big stuff, like the front row not laughing at the right time or worse, laughing at the wrong time? And especially when that should be a no brainer since they've heard it all before many times?
In a way it's surprising their weren't more strokes.
quote: I felt it further evidence that there were social classes within TWI. Normal dolts such as myself had to play by the rules but if one made a lot of money, exceptions were made for you.
Richard Thomas says that he lived in the same house as Dr. Carolyn Rawlins the year before he went in residence. He says she was a "heavy hitter" ABS wise, so she could get what she wanted from VP with a phone call. He didn't really have anything bad to say about her, but every time she made a delivery she'd want to have fellowship afterward...even if it was 3AM. Nice.
The whole development of the weird fetish like fascination with properly aligned and regimented stuff, be it pins, chairs or hair lines, was well...really weird.
Or......really obfuscating.
With one hand gesturing to the heavens for spiritual hallelujahs, the other hand was busy adjusting lapel pins and nametags and breath mint ediquette. In a world of mixed-messaging, the person in the pew is the obfuscating target.
Or, in other words.....
The proper pin protocol of personal presented paraphernalia was paradoxical in principle. While pretending to preach platitudes of pentecostal purity.....paranoia was pervasive.
The HS dove pins were niceI and the blue "WOW" pins kinda snappy. But then you add a nametag pin to the assemblage and you're doing cross stitch to your coat. All those holes Now that's devilish. But I always liked wearing the dove pin as long as some horse's as s didn't come along and feel me up getting it to fly one direction or another.
Oh crap, socks, now you have me re-living the trauma of it all. I'd forgotten about all that! Ooh! I hated it when some self-righteous whatever would come along and re-adjust my holy spirit pin! It was so condescending. When someone did that you were supposed to be thankful. Yech! Of course, I ended up doing that too.
The whole development of the weird fetish like fascination with properly aligned and regimented stuff, be it pins, chairs or hair lines, was well...really weird.
There's a play on a quote that goes: Those who can, do: those who can't, teach; and those who can do neither, administer.
James Baldwin the author said this which is kinda related: "Those who say it can't be done are usually interrupted by others doing it."
Add in a little "lead, follow or get out of the way" and there's an idea there somewhere.
Early on the activities at the Way were pretty much relaxed and enjoyable. Years pass and with increased "knowledge" and "maturity" you get a passle of poorly packed procedures and pain-in-the-tushes worrying about how straight the chairs are and if the mints are fresh and properly distributed in their little sissy bowls, ready for that unfortunate teacher at the podium whose breath is so atrociously rank that some form of masking is required less, I guess, the front row pass out from the sheer putridity of their breath. I guess - I never understood why anyone would actually need breath mints at that point. Before, I get it. After, I get it. Alone at the podium, speaking to a group....? That's some serious stank. Thus I've pondered - the need for Mints. Perhaps after running my mouth off for 1/2 hour or more some refreshment is needed, the better to remind those I see immediately after of how sweet every word that comes out of my mouth really is. I dunno.
Our family has a little saying when we've been working or having serious fun and it's time for a shower, I confess to having introduced it and it seems to live on - average activity produces "1/4stank".....up from there you're at "1/2 stank" and a shower or bath is pending...."3/4 stank" - it's time. "Full Stank" - get the hose, you've reached Discovery Channel status, proceed to the Rhino's Pen.
Mints at a podium to keep one's salivary glands at full function - kinda tweezey. Kinda tweezey.
All of that stuff would give a stroke to anyone and I don't say that lightly. The worry, the fear that "something" wouldn't be exactly right and the full potential of the moment marred if not terminally damaged to the extent that the person holding forth so boldly in this day and time would what - be peppered so powerfully by packs of daimonion that they'd have to split their brain into two and devote half their believing to flooding their hedge of protection with plugs to fill the holes created by the utter chaos of someone sneezing at the wrong time? Is there ever a right time to sneeze? Or because a door slammed - possibly caused by some poor soul leaving, over come by the breath of the teacher who forgot to write in his notes "use the mints" because he'd had to park his own car and thus so horribly distracted by the walking then forgot to remember the mints? Or something?
This kind of paranoid pea-pickin' hardly characterizes a corps like regiment of highly trained, able bodied and fully prepared leaders. If you can't handle the kind of stress produced by improperly placed water glasses, what are you going to do when faced with the big stuff, like the front row not laughing at the right time or worse, laughing at the wrong time? And especially when that should be a no brainer since they've heard it all before many times?
In a way it's surprising their weren't more strokes.
You know, some of us could have one heckuva stand-up comedy routine if only more people could relate to this stuff.
Who on earth ever came up with idea of stringing chairs? I mean, talk about a waste of time and resources! We would even have work assignments dedicated to stringing chairs. Yep...the peak of leadership training.
You know, some of us could have one heckuva stand-up comedy routine if only more people could relate to this stuff.
Who on earth ever came up with idea of stringing chairs? I mean, talk about a waste of time and resources! We would even have work assignments dedicated to stringing chairs. Yep...the peak of leadership training.
There was one time a guy in town was promoted to crew leader in a Wendy's. He had them align the chairs in the lobby with a string. I thought it was more of a military thing.
I dunno - back stroke Twinky? I need to apply my anchor-like attention span to the topic at hand.
Strokes can be kinda hard to track, small ones. Confused thinking, garbled speech, a momentary lost feeling - where was I - what was I doing? I feel that way a lot more now than when I was younger so who knows? This could be the result of some synaptic misfire posing as a post. I dunno, reading later I wouldn't discount that about some of this stuff. People often experience minor strokes and go on in normal activity - if there are effects it won't be seen until later.
In the back of my mental drawer I do recall that VPW had had a stroke, heard about it from friends at the Way Nash. The last year I saw him - around '84 he appeared not so good. I have no idea when it happened, don't remember. I do remember his health had been deteriorating by 1980 and he bounced back and forth over the next few years was my impression, remembered now.
On the important topic of Chair Stringing - oh yes, sooooo essential to good spiritual hygiene.
I've seen it used many times in hotels, post-Way years by set up crews, banquet staff, etc. I don't know who originated it - probably someone who had more important tasks to complete and wanted a way to get that one done fast. It's a reasonable method for getting a straight row of something. It's a quick 'n' dirty way to do it. It's a low-fi method, slightly better than eyeballing them but no good if someone's going to follow up with a micrometer. Line 'em up, get 'er done, move on to the next task - that's the idea. I know - I've been in, planned for and supported 100's of business/work/training/presentation meetings in this post-apocalyptic-Way-Gone life I enjoy. Less so now - however it's done, it's done and once it's done, it's done. I've yet to see a business leader worth any amount of salt in his grit worry over the dammed chairs. As long as there are butt s in the seats and the projector works, they've got their own job to do and it usually isn't worrying about how straight the rows of chairs are.
On the issue of humor I stand by the words my Dad always said, or would have if he'd thought of it which he didn't - you really do have to learn to laugh at yourself - you might as well because everyone else is.
There was one time a guy in town was promoted to crew leader in a Wendy's. He had them align the chairs in the lobby with a string. I thought it was more of a military thing.
I never asked him if he was in the ministry.
SoCrates
Oh, that's funny! It's probably a good thing you didn't ask him about the ministry, though, he had to have been TWI.
I've yet to see a business leader worth any amount of salt in his grit worry over the dammed chairs. As long as there are butts in the seats and the projector works, they've got their own job to do and it usually isn't worrying about how straight the rows of chairs are.
i'd have to agree
seeing so much time spent on lining up chairs and spoons and forks, etc., always baffled me
ohgod forgive me, i'm no spiritual because i know it's all in the details
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waysider
I don't know anything about this particular event. I am aware, however, of a similar event. At an Ohio limb meeting, in the early 1980s, at the Ohio State Fairgrounds, Wierewille took the stage and was quite visibly in some sort of distress, struggling desperately to finish his presentation, which he then ended abruptly. My father, who had seen him speak on previous occasions, turned to me and said, in a matter of fact tone, "He's had a stroke." Hundreds, maybe thousands, of people from across the state were present. Maybe someone else can fill in more details.
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WordWolf
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Broken Arrow
Thanks Wordwolf, but we're wondering if anyone knows about V.P. having a stroke while he was teaching.
I was at Emporia in my final year when he had his stroke. I don't recall that information being withheld, but maybe I'm wrong. That's just my own recollection. In fact, I think Craig discussed it later during a SNS, or some service from HQ. Of course, he was talking about it affected him.
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waysider
Wierwille's demise reminds me of the demise of Atahualpa, the last emperor of The Inca Empire. His followers thought he was Divine and would rise from the grave after his execution. But, alas, he was just a man. His empire fell apart quickly after his death.
The Royal Hunt of the Sun
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Twinky
You are naughty, Waysider! (Funny too)
Not that your later posts add a great deal to VPW's stroke whilst teaching though your first post does add some info, thanks very much. Maybe Juedes got it wrong, not at the Rock at all.
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johniam
I remember at the beginning of the 1983 ROA he and Dorothea were walking down the paved path that goes from the gazebo to the big top. I was close enough to him to be concerned; it just looked like he was wandering in space when he walked past where I was. Then a friend of mine was at the Word in Business in, I think, Nashville less than 2 months before he died, and my friend concluded, "He's slipping". A month before that, he spoke at the dedication of the auditorium and to me he sounded fine. But if I recall, in Dec. of '84 he did a businessmen's pfal class in Colorado. It was a clipped form of pfal for people who didn't have time to sit through 34 hours of class. I don't recall it ever being referred to after that, so perhaps the BOT was humoring him by letting him do it; knew that the end was near.
Was anybody here at that 'businessmen's' class? How was he then?
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Broken Arrow
If my memory serves me correctly, according to P-O-P he didn't want to do the businessman's class at Gunnison, but that he was talked into it by Bob W.
At the time, I remember resenting that class being run for businessmen "who didn't have time", as if their time was more important than others. It cut across all of us, in my opinion, who had to convince everyone else that PFAL was worth the time commitment. I felt it further evidence that there were social classes within TWI. Normal dolts such as myself had to play by the rules but if one made a lot of money, exceptions were made for you. That is so obvious now that the statement I just made is laughable. But in 1984 I was just starting to see this stuff.
Sorry, I guess that didn't exactly answer your question. No, I wasn't at the class, I was at home being angry about it.
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socks
Was anybody here at that 'businessmen's' class? How was he then?
I was not. I was probably working.
It was a clipped form of pfal for people who didn't have time to sit through 34 hours of class.
It was 36 hours and no one with a family and a job has 36 hours of time to squeeze into 2 weeks, the get 'em in-get 'em out schedule that was recommended for a long time. That's half the time Jesus was dead, for God's sake. A lot of people did it but it wasn't the way to do it. IMO.
but if one made a lot of money, exceptions were made for you.
If you had some shine to bring to the party, some influence, some dough-ski bro-ski, you got some fudge room. For awhile. The best time for many people to be in the Way was when they were getting in - once you "knew better" all hel l could break loose if your Holy Spirit dove pin dove the wrong way because the weak willed idiots running the Way couldn't teach the bible with Satan getting that kind of access into the pen.
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socks
"Pin Protocol".
The HS dove pins were niceI and the blue "WOW" pins kinda snappy. But then you add a nametag pin to the assemblage and you're doing cross stitch to your coat. All those holes
Now that's devilish. But I always liked wearing the dove pin as long as some horse's as s didn't come along and feel me up getting it to fly one direction or another.
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skyrider
Yeah......but every corps guy worth his salt knew that proper pin protocol required constant vigilance in checking which way holy spirit dove was flying every so often.....and especially after hugging one of the ladies.
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socks
The whole development of the weird fetish like fascination with properly aligned and regimented stuff, be it pins, chairs or hair lines, was well...really weird.
There's a play on a quote that goes: Those who can, do: those who can't, teach; and those who can do neither, administer.
James Baldwin the author said this which is kinda related: "Those who say it can't be done are usually interrupted by others doing it."
Add in a little "lead, follow or get out of the way" and there's an idea there somewhere.
Early on the activities at the Way were pretty much relaxed and enjoyable. Years pass and with increased "knowledge" and "maturity" you get a passle of poorly packed procedures and pain-in-the-tushes worrying about how straight the chairs are and if the mints are fresh and properly distributed in their little sissy bowls, ready for that unfortunate teacher at the podium whose breath is so atrociously rank that some form of masking is required less, I guess, the front row pass out from the sheer putridity of their breath. I guess - I never understood why anyone would actually need breath mints at that point. Before, I get it. After, I get it. Alone at the podium, speaking to a group....? That's some serious stank. Thus I've pondered - the need for Mints. Perhaps after running my mouth off for 1/2 hour or more some refreshment is needed, the better to remind those I see immediately after of how sweet every word that comes out of my mouth really is. I dunno.
Our family has a little saying when we've been working or having serious fun and it's time for a shower, I confess to having introduced it and it seems to live on - average activity produces "1/4stank".....up from there you're at "1/2 stank" and a shower or bath is pending...."3/4 stank" - it's time. "Full Stank" - get the hose, you've reached Discovery Channel status, proceed to the Rhino's Pen.
Mints at a podium to keep one's salivary glands at full function - kinda tweezey. Kinda tweezey.
All of that stuff would give a stroke to anyone and I don't say that lightly. The worry, the fear that "something" wouldn't be exactly right and the full potential of the moment marred if not terminally damaged to the extent that the person holding forth so boldly in this day and time would what - be peppered so powerfully by packs of daimonion that they'd have to split their brain into two and devote half their believing to flooding their hedge of protection with plugs to fill the holes created by the utter chaos of someone sneezing at the wrong time? Is there ever a right time to sneeze? Or because a door slammed - possibly caused by some poor soul leaving, over come by the breath of the teacher who forgot to write in his notes "use the mints" because he'd had to park his own car and thus so horribly distracted by the walking then forgot to remember the mints? Or something?
This kind of paranoid pea-pickin' hardly characterizes a corps like regiment of highly trained, able bodied and fully prepared leaders. If you can't handle the kind of stress produced by improperly placed water glasses, what are you going to do when faced with the big stuff, like the front row not laughing at the right time or worse, laughing at the wrong time? And especially when that should be a no brainer since they've heard it all before many times?
In a way it's surprising their weren't more strokes.
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johniam
quote: I felt it further evidence that there were social classes within TWI. Normal dolts such as myself had to play by the rules but if one made a lot of money, exceptions were made for you.
Richard Thomas says that he lived in the same house as Dr. Carolyn Rawlins the year before he went in residence. He says she was a "heavy hitter" ABS wise, so she could get what she wanted from VP with a phone call. He didn't really have anything bad to say about her, but every time she made a delivery she'd want to have fellowship afterward...even if it was 3AM. Nice.
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skyrider
Or......really obfuscating.
With one hand gesturing to the heavens for spiritual hallelujahs, the other hand was busy adjusting lapel pins and nametags and breath mint ediquette. In a world of mixed-messaging, the person in the pew is the obfuscating target.
Or, in other words.....
The proper pin protocol of personal presented paraphernalia was paradoxical in principle. While pretending to preach platitudes of pentecostal purity.....paranoia was pervasive.
.
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Broken Arrow
Oh crap, socks, now you have me re-living the trauma of it all. I'd forgotten about all that! Ooh! I hated it when some self-righteous whatever would come along and re-adjust my holy spirit pin! It was so condescending. When someone did that you were supposed to be thankful. Yech! Of course, I ended up doing that too.
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Broken Arrow
You know, some of us could have one heckuva stand-up comedy routine if only more people could relate to this stuff.
Who on earth ever came up with idea of stringing chairs? I mean, talk about a waste of time and resources! We would even have work assignments dedicated to stringing chairs. Yep...the peak of leadership training.
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So_crates
There was one time a guy in town was promoted to crew leader in a Wendy's. He had them align the chairs in the lobby with a string. I thought it was more of a military thing.
I never asked him if he was in the ministry.
SoCrates
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Twinky
We seem to have moved quite a long way from whether or not VPW had a stroke whilst teaching at the Rock.
Though it does seem established that he suffered a stroke whilst teaching at WIB.
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socks
I dunno - back stroke Twinky? I need to apply my anchor-like attention span to the topic at hand.
Strokes can be kinda hard to track, small ones. Confused thinking, garbled speech, a momentary lost feeling - where was I - what was I doing? I feel that way a lot more now than when I was younger so who knows? This could be the result of some synaptic misfire posing as a post. I dunno, reading later I wouldn't discount that about some of this stuff. People often experience minor strokes and go on in normal activity - if there are effects it won't be seen until later.
In the back of my mental drawer I do recall that VPW had had a stroke, heard about it from friends at the Way Nash. The last year I saw him - around '84 he appeared not so good. I have no idea when it happened, don't remember. I do remember his health had been deteriorating by 1980 and he bounced back and forth over the next few years was my impression, remembered now.
On the important topic of Chair Stringing - oh yes, sooooo essential to good spiritual hygiene.
I've seen it used many times in hotels, post-Way years by set up crews, banquet staff, etc. I don't know who originated it - probably someone who had more important tasks to complete and wanted a way to get that one done fast. It's a reasonable method for getting a straight row of something. It's a quick 'n' dirty way to do it. It's a low-fi method, slightly better than eyeballing them but no good if someone's going to follow up with a micrometer. Line 'em up, get 'er done, move on to the next task - that's the idea. I know - I've been in, planned for and supported 100's of business/work/training/presentation meetings in this post-apocalyptic-Way-Gone life I enjoy. Less so now - however it's done, it's done and once it's done, it's done. I've yet to see a business leader worth any amount of salt in his grit worry over the dammed chairs. As long as there are butt s in the seats and the projector works, they've got their own job to do and it usually isn't worrying about how straight the rows of chairs are.
On the issue of humor I stand by the words my Dad always said, or would have if he'd thought of it which he didn't - you really do have to learn to laugh at yourself - you might as well because everyone else is.
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Broken Arrow
Oh, that's funny! It's probably a good thing you didn't ask him about the ministry, though, he had to have been TWI.
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excathedra
seeing so much time spent on lining up chairs and spoons and forks, etc., always baffled me
ohgod forgive me, i'm no spiritual because i know it's all in the details
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waysider
It was a distraction. Spend all your time obsessing over the "piddly-diddly" and you'll be too busy to notice what's really going on.
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