I almost called this blog post ‘Death By a Thousand Paper Cuts’ because of compounded work/work problems coming from various directions over the previous weekend. But then the sun came out, and who has time to dwell on petty work problems when the sun is out?

I read this thing about making art that I liked.

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A Jehovah witness has just felt the wrath of my deteriorating patience. I am sitting on a bench (mid-transit) with headphones in, typing away on my laptop. She offers me an invitation to church- I immediately decline. It’s early and I’m tired and very eager to be done with the conversation. I can feel her angling for another chance to put the invitation in my hand, so I try to explain “Sorry, I don’t believe in that. I’ve had the chance to think it over because I grew up going to church.”

Her face brightens: “Oh! You did, did you?!”

I can see that my attempt to shut down the conversation has only given her another opening. I quickly try to circle back to my original point. I almost say in my tired curmudgeonly state: “Yes, but I’ve put a lot of thought into it and I have made up my mind. And also, I am very SMART.”

I leave out the smart bit because nobody has ever convinced anyone of anything by stating that they are smart. It has the essence of a child telling you that they are 4 and 4 quarters. It is otherwise inferring that she is not smart, which may be true because I can see that she is still standing in front of me ready to take another swing.  I am very grumpy.

But I would like to say this: a PSA to all Jehovah witnesses, evangelicals and overall zealots. This is for strangers and for the people I grew up with.  I’m incredibly tired of your smug, condescending, inauthentic concern for my soul. I’m not buying it. I’m also not an idiot. I’m not walking around with my head in the clouds waiting for someone to hand me a pamphlet. One sermon isn’t going to change my entire well-thought-out view on the matter.

And also, I am very smart.

Exhale.

Before the lady can start her next pitch, I tell her that I have work to do. She jumps back, startled, and then works her way over to a new victim.

30 Minute Playlist: Tracing a Shadow

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