Looking back, my 2013 consisted of more year-round coursework at the School of Hard Knocks. Here’s a review of the ups, downs, and in-betweens of my studies.
Winter Quarter
January After completing my twelfth and (unbeknownst to me at the time) final season with the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, I returned to Orlando, slept for a few days and began reading the source material for my next book “The Raindancer.”
February marked the beginning of a three-year commitment to serve as a lector (someone who reads scripture) at the cathedral. The dean (the head priest at a cathedral appointed by the bishop) was eager to have me onboard and made arrangements for the construction of a custom step unit which is virtually invisible from any pew to aid me in reaching the podium’s microphone. You might think the transition to ecclesiastical podium from stage facile given my years of experience in live theater, but it proved to be more nerve-wracking than even I expected. My training included an intensive orientation to lector protocol, choreography, and for three different services. Granted no genuflecting is involved, but there’s enough formalities to make a professional understudy nervous.
Spring Quarter
March The highlight: serving as the lector for the 8:00 a.m. service on Easter Sunday. Ah-mazing!
April 2013 marked my mother’s eightieth birthday. My plan was to send my mother on a week-long cruise, but after the Carnival Cruise Lines mishap in the Gulf of Mexico, a lot of hemming and hawing on my mom’s part, and one remaining day for me to get a 100% refund for the cruise, I finally got it out of her that relaxing on the high seas was the last thing she wanted to do. What did she want? A quiet dinner with her family. So much for my easy “get-her-to-the-ship-on-time” solution, hello Plan B: dinner party for twenty. And if you’ve ever thrown a dinner party, you know how easy that is. (The previous sentence was abject sarcasm.) Despite minimal support from my siblings, mom’s birthday dinner was a success.
Lesson learned: expressions of gratitude are not about the gift, it’s about the recipient and their wishes.
Also in April, I made my annual pilgrimage to New York to audition for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. While there, I took in a show (“Motown the Musical”), saw a couple of friends, and had a fabulous meal with an old friend from the Christmas Spectacular at Tremont.
Summer Quarter
Early June No contract offer to participate in the 2013 Christmas Spectacular. The most bitter aspect of that jagged little pill: missing friends I’d made over the years and the culture shock of being in Orlando for the holidays.
Lesson learned: being a friend is no guarantee that the gesture will be returned in kind.
Late June At the gracious invitation of the aforementioned Tremont friend from the Christmas show and his fiancée, my dog Jack and I got to see how the other half summers when we took a much anticipated vacation in the Hamptons. The week was glorious. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been so lauded, chauffeured, and well-fed. Needless to say, a deeper friendship has been forged.
Lesson learned: go where you’re celebrated, not where you’re tolerated.
August ushered in a hellish bout of depression. I’m sure getting cock-blocked for the third time by the same person at a Disney interview had a lot to do with it. I also have to make note of one beneficent friend who went to great lengths to brighten my disposition. Great lengths. Thanks, Greg.
Lesson learned: when God closes a door, more often than not, that mo-fo ain’t re-opening for a long time so don’t waste your time trying to open it.
Fall Quarter
September For roughly five months, I pored over notes, interviews, photos, and the like, and wrote the book proposal for my second book, and received the greenlight to begin writing the first draft. Despite, downturns in just about every other aspect of my life; preparations for this book went smashingly well.
And I must give kudos to friends (old and new) who have been generous with their time in sharing their deeply personal stories and others who shared professional knowledge with me.
Lesson learned: leave the locked door alone and go for the window, especially when there are people willing to help.
Early October I sold quite a few copies of my book once I got over the fear of becoming that guy who’s always saying, “buy my book, buy my book, buy my book.”
October through November I threw myself headlong into writing the first draft of “The Raindancer.” I hoped to have the entire first draft completed by the end of the year, but amidst Christmas withdrawals, Facebook updates about Christmas in New York, and conducting more interviews and research for the book than anticipated, I only got through the first quarter of it.
Winter Quarter
December Writing this book is both a personal and professional challenge. I have a vision for where it should go and what I think God wants it to be. He’s supplying the resources to get it written, but in all honesty . . . I’m a little afraid of the task that lies before me. I shipped off copies of what I have of the first draft to key people for feedback. In my heart of hearts I wanted them all to say that it was beyond my abilities, just plain awful, or that the family wanted to put a stop to the project.
Well.
You’ll be glad to know that God has no intention of stopping my involvement with the project and I have no intention of sabotaging this work He’s begun. The family wants to forge on, the medical advisors like it, and I have nothing to take up my time otherwise.
Lesson in the process of learning: I don’t know. Do what’s in front you? Answer the call?
You know, my intention is not to sound whiny, but this year has been tough. Very tough. But it’s also been gloriously rich with blessings. First and foremost, I still have my mother, who is in fantastic health. I’m in good health and of sound mind (despite what many of you might say). And there’s a small circle of friends who encourage and inspire me to be and do better. I hope in some way that I return the favor in kind.
Anyway . . . as for 2013, I don’t think I’ve ever been so glad to leave a year in the past, but I’ll try to bring the lessons learned with me into 2014. I do hate do-overs. But when considering the alternative, I’ve very happy to have been around for every day of the year known as 2013. I’m also very grateful for God’s mercies. I’m also thankful for you. Thanks for coming along for the ride.
Friends, I wish you peace, love, contentment, good health, prosperity, and the fullness of God’s blessings now and throughout the new year!
Anonymous says:
Late to the party on this one — happy to catch up on your past year; helped to answer some questions (why, the absence in NYC, etc. ). Happy New Year!
Clay Rivers says:
Thanks, Anonymous.
Stephen Mitchell says:
As always everything you write is a pleasure to read. No matter the content. My new life in Santa Barbara has left me so busy lately, it was nice to catch up on your year. I hope that 2014 gives you all you hope for and more. You are a very gifted person and a pleasure to know. Life is never easy but has so many great days in the Hampton’s (or whatever this years adventure is) that make it all worth it.
Don’t forget your west coast friends the Mitchell’s.
Clay Rivers says:
Thank you, Steve. You’re one of my most valued readers as you stumbled across my blog serendipitously—without knowing me from Adam—and you’ve been a reader ever since.
I’m inclined to believe that 2014 will be a year full of surprises! Congratulations on the new beginnings in Santa Barbara. It’s been a joy following you and your family’s journey over the years and meeting in NYC for the 2013 tweet-up! I don’t think I’ll ever forget my west coast friends, the Mitchells.
Jodi Malitsky says:
I love reading your blog. You have a way of doing a rant, without any anger whatsoever. No matter what your challenges, you turn them into your achievements. You are a wonderful, talented man, & I am thrilled to be your friend. Keep writing, we all need more. XO
Clay Rivers says:
Jodi, shh! That wasn’t a rant per se as much as a well-tempered but passionate summation of … well, maybe you could call it a rant. But I try to keep an eye on the accompanying blessings, too. Thanks for the gift of your friendship and support. Both are priceless treasures. Brace yourself, I’m going to write like it’s my j-o-b. (How ironic.)
Sitzy says:
Clay, you may not realize it, but reading about your ride helps me to tolerate and appreciate my own ride. I’ll bet that others feel that way too. Thanks for sharing the difficult realities that life can throw your way and for expressing the blessings in it all too. I’d LOVE to hear you lector at the cathedral and I encourage you to consider recording audiobooks of your writings. (Really, I’m not joking.) Here’s to 2014, let’s see what kind of ride it will be!
Clay Rivers says:
Sitzy, I tell you … there’s nothing like a peek at someone else’s ride to make you appreciate your own—ha!
Thank you for your gracious comments over the years. Helping others is the main reason I write. And this year, I will look into recording an audiobook version of “Walking Tall.” Rest assured, you’re not the first one to mention this.
Twenty-four hours into 2014—I’m loving the ride so far!
shar says:
You will always have my ear, voice, and heart. Not always in that order but the intention remains constant.
Clay Rivers says:
Thanks, Shar. And happy new year!