Go off on a tangent.

The Patriarch who owned the military academy I resided in (and a string of other inconsequential places - though 'ours' was fully accredited for shipments to West Point yada & yada and the scholastics prove to have been 'Good') was an Evangelical type.

Would periodically show up for 'chapel' [march in. march out.] with his fav Accordion Player Guy! [nope, not making this up]. and {cackle}. Fortunately my roomies, before I got the rank to be left alone (!) were at worst, non-theologically oriented and at best.. budding anti-theologicians.

Anyway and overall - it was a Gas. And there was a lot of freedom, if you learned how to seize it. A few years ago I had the distinct pleasure of finding my old chem/physics teacher and comparing notes. The trust he had offered, in giving me the key to the chem shack (that, and music!) certainly saved me from committing homicide or other distractions. Ah.. Providence.

And our Engl. prof had us read A Doll's House -with comprehension-. I was ready for de-chatteling of females, long before I had the words. So I bear no ill-will towards what might be too easily caricatured as 'provincial'; I got to see the beneficent side of Corp Religion through later-on accidental acquaintance with a (Episcopal?) priest - surely among the wisest of folks yet met.

(I played some Purcell in his small SF church, occasionally. Trumpet is enhanced when an *organ* accompanies; the long reverb-time also stirs Psyche. Recommended therapy, but: practice practice. And find an accompanist who can transpose.. a high-D can kill ya)

So I gather we both have encountered the usual mix of sublime/ridiculous, enough to eschew any of the pop-labels, even if it's fun to skewer the sanctimonious At All Times [?]


Ashton