Tea with McNair

• thought o'the moment

Pick a task that needs to be completed now and finish it. Size, difficulty, and time are not the issue. Completion.

Nothing like it.

(Though their may be activities that are better, nothing equals it.)

[ Click certificate to enlarge, download, print, complete, frame. Congrats! ]

• and dry cleaning

"Get your doves here!'

"Lamb. New baby lambs here. Almost spotless!"

After hearing the story, as a kid, of Jesus upending the tables of the "money changers" and sacrificial animal merchants in the lobby of the Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, I became averse to peddling souvenirs of me in a church event. (And, I'm allergic to rope burns.) Selling stuff at speaking engagements and performances of my one-man plays may be my least favorite part of what I do. ( ...and the middle seat on planes.)

Following a few years of speaking at camps, Campus Life and Young Life clubs, and school assemblies, I created my first one-man play, The Fifth Gospel, by accident. It was the first and only one-man play I had ever heard of anywhere. Years into my 80+ shows-a-year schedule someone told me about Eugene O'Neill's 1942 play, Hughie, with Jason Robards—it has two actors.

 Enter THE FIFTH GOSPEL, The Most Outrageous Story Ever Told, on 21 January 1972—one actor, thirty characters. It was intended to be a "one night only" performance—an experiment in the nexus of faith and art. All my life I had portrayed everyone from the blind shepherd boy (and other Christmas pageant cliches) to Nebuchadnezzar (twice), and numerous "dramatic readings" or scripture. The Fifth Gospel though was an actual work of theatre with good guys, bad guys, conflict and resolution, humor, tragedy, and a post-modern ending in which the hero dies and his loyal followers are scattered and confused. It was also the most human gospel account anyone had ever experienced. Even though most of the stories were taken from an old book I had owned since I was four years old, the audience responded with enthusiasm as though they were seeing and hearing this all for the first time.

Some of it was new, born of my notorious imagination and a long life as a churchaholic. I wanted to explore the incarnation, God as human, walking and living among us. But if he, Jesus, was to be with us, I wanted him to join in: a confused six year old staring into a mirror whispering, "Son of G-g-g-g-od?" Or using the same excuse not to have to get up, "It's tooooooo earrrrly. Besides I'm the Son of....."

Later, stopping to cool off in a river with his ill-assorted team, a water and mud fight breaks out. A very human moment, based on a Colorado River expedition I took one Summer with...a group of guys. This is my most "borrowed" scene. When you hear a speaker tell of the water fight Jesus had with his guys, ask "where did you get that"? It's not in the four Gospel accounts. I wrote my version in 1968 as a skit for Sunday school and included it in the first performance of The Fifth Gospel ("5G") in 1972. I am flattered when anyone quotes it and mystified when nationally notorious speakers pass it off as a work of their own imagination.The water fight is the signature scene in this 20 character, one actor play. It is a hilarious and important opportunity to see "God among us."

By the second or third performance the requests started, "Do you have this on tape, for sale?" In those days "on tape" meant audio cassettes. My discomfort with selling stuff kept me from creating "5G" products for a some years. Eventually there was a two cassette package of the play plus a one hour Q&A recorded on a college campus. Eventually a video was made and sold. Both versions were quite popular. The video even appeared on a few "Christian TV stations." I heard about these, though NO ONE ever asked permission to air the show. I'm sure they meant well.

Everyone I know who uses the theatre arts as a traveling ministry has had their material pilfered, purloined, copied, lifted, and stolen. Some, who publish scripts of their work, know of scores of productions of their work that did not purchase scripts or acquire performance rights. Even if performed to a non-paying audience, it is illegal to use these works without permission in any setting. This is income taken out of their pockets.

Ignorance of these simple, widely known laws is no excuse. It's ignorant.

Many times I have had the "but it's just for our church/camp/campus" conversation. I always ask, "Will their be refreshments at this event?"

"Sure."

So, I have to ask, "Did you steal the food, too,?"

All this to say that for so long I have not been comfortable navigating the commercial products side the speaking biz. But I have found ways to live with all the choices, requests, and expectations.

Eventually I became aware of the efficacy of "tapes" and now DVD's, CD's, and other versions of my workshops and performances. (I benefit from the resources of other speakers and artists.) Just last week, at the annual Writing for the Soul conference, in Denver, I had several attendees relate how often they had re-listened to my Recapturing Your Creative Spirit keynote from last year's conference.  There is new McStuff being developed in the resource pipeline.These items will all be an extension of what I hope to accomplish in live settings.

More importantly I know how often I have gotten educated, inspired, coached, entertained, and affirmed by podcasts, CD's, and videos of everyone from Earl Palmer, Ken Davis, Dennis Prager, and Roy Williams (Wizard Academy and Monday Morning Memo), to Ted Swartz, Anita Renfroe, Guy Kawasaki,  Curt Cloninger, Ron Carlson, and the TED talks (to name, and link, just a few favorites.)

Enter the new social media—Facebook, Twitter, email, and web logs. It struck me as just a bit silly this Christmas as I was approached one thousand "friends" on my "C. McNair Wilson" Facbook cite. (The "C" is silent.) 

At a gathering of 400 wonderfully creative Salvation Army youth workers, mid January, in California, it was suggest I create a "fan" page. Wow, I hate that word, too—fan. But I had with my own free will joined a bucket-full of fan pages with great enthusiasm. I found a way to make it work for me. Best part is I don't have to "confirm" everybody or anything. You too can join up.

The Irish Oatmeal Foundation, in association with Facebook, presents:

[ Cue percussionist...Click gray sound bar, listen, then scroll down. ]

Timpani Drum Roll

" McNair Wilson International Fan Club & Dry Cleaning "

Have a look. Become a fan, or . . . don't. Check out my speaking and performance schedule. I hope we'll work together LIVE and SOON. When we release a new book, DVD, t-shirt, or inspirational money clip buy a case and we'll make more McStuff.

"Excuse me, can I get some more hot water for my Assam, please?  You're closing? Well, where's the light switch, I'll close up."

• do un-2 others

MY DAY—Tuesday, 16 February 2010—Up early to pack for a week away from home. Drove to Denver 49.8 miles to speak at an in-service day for the faculty of the remarkable Denver Academy, a 1-12 school for kids with "alternate learning styles." I challenged them to Recapture Your Creative Spirit. The event was held in their little theater, perfect. Hope to return to extend the conversation on creativity in the classroom and their personal pursuits. [Visit the Denver Academy website, click VIDEOS,  watch the "Henry Winkler Visits DA" series. Priceless.]

Finishing midday, I wended my way through downtown Denver to a new favorite breakfast spot—Snooze Eatery—that my friend Scott Barnes introduced me to a few months ago. I'm going again tomorrow, but today (2.16.10) was national Pancake Day. As always the food was delicious, fun and quite filling. It ruined my appetite! My server, Lisa, was surprised to see the two $2 bills I left as a tip. My dad carried $2 bills for tips. It was his way of saying, "You did good and I absolutely noticed." 

As I was packing my Mac to leave (of course, Snooze has wifi), Lisa said, "Come back and see us again, McNair."

"Would tomorrow be to soon?" I asked.

[Click on photo and make your own.]

More wending through the labyrinth of one-way streets to the hotel I will be calling home through Sunday morning—checking in for the annual Writing for the Soul conference. I beat the bellman to my room, so I was ready when he had empty his cart of all my gear: "Thanks, Robert." Handing him a tip in the form of $2 bills.

"Oh, wow...thanks, sir." Noticing that the  paper currency in his mitt was neither Mr. Washington nor Mr. Lincoln, but the talented Mr. Jefferson. Our third President is always welcomed with a smile by service folk 'round the globe. 

At the end of the evening, passing through the Grand Hyatt's lobby, I noticed three Japanese business men trying to figure out the value of U.S. coins and currency. I insinuated myself into their small group numismatic meeting. Handing a "Jefferson 2" to the men they grabbed it and looked at me with wide-eyed interest. They'd never seen one and asked, "This is okay." Then he tried to give me two $1 for the "Jeff 2."

I welcomed them to Colorado in my "broken sushi Japanese." We all had a hearty, bi-lingual, laugh.

Approximately 20 minutes later, back in my room, there came a knock at my door. A man from room service entered, carrying a tray and a lone glass of red wine—Rodney Strong Cabernet.

"The hotel wanted to thank you for assisting a group of Asian guests in the lobby."

Just another day-in-the-life and a pocket full of 2's.

(I'll need to make a bank run tomorrow to restock. You can spread the smiles too with 2's. On your next bank visit, just ask, they usually always have a few.)

• when in the world is mcnair? (and where)

Now that I am back on the speaking, consulting, coaching, and performing trail it is important to publish—for all to see—a current calendar of my events. Some—like this Sunday, 14 Feb. 2010*—are open to the public.

It  will also assist you in seeing that I may already be scheduled to come to your city or region and you may be motivated to piggyback onto that trip with an additional event for your organization, conference, or college. In such cases travel costs are shared (cheaper.) 

While my main website is being renovated I wanted to make a basic list of current dates for 2010 available right away. It is now posted on the bottom half of the "About" page of this blog. You can always jump to that page using the link directly under my photo at the top of the LEFT hand column of this web log.

 Be warned, it is just a basic list of info: The folks at Typepad have not-yet figured out how to provide tabs, columns, and other features that I already have on my 1954 Royal,  manual, portable typewriter.

There are already contracted engagements coming up in March through October of 2010 in places as wide ranging as Northern,Central, and Southern California, Houston, Downtown Denver, and Atlanta. And that's just the ones that are set or close to it.

I love the diversity of my work: coaching corporate leaders and ministry professionals on their speaking skills, facilitating the brainstorming of a group that is conceptualizing and designing a new ________ facility/product/marketing plan, delivering a keynote address to several hundred folks at the annual gather of the "NAWIITYD" (National Association of Whatever-It-Is-That-You-Do), or spending a few days/week on a college campus. All these stir my enthusiasms and allow me to put to full use my "Xperience" and personal, factory-installed passions. Here and there I even get to be an Artist-In-Residence and guest director for a University theatre department. (See Alice in Wonderland photo at top of this blog from Huntington University.)

[ Click calendar to enlarge.]

Please do not assume your organization (budget) is too small to invite me. My booking philosophy—thanks to my friend and mentor "Danny D"—is "If the date you want me is available on my calendar, how can we get to yes?"

I have not had a year that was too busy, yet.  And there are always available dates in the immediate (this month) and distant future.  Best time to contact us is TODAY: [email protected]!

  •     •     •     •     •     •     •     • 

* Sunday, 14 February 2010 — a live performance of my one-man play . . .

Horizon Community Church 
2121 Dad Clark Drive
Highlands Ranch CO 80126
(470 @ University)
Just 40 minutes up I-25 from Colorado Springs

Free admission, casual dress. Be there, or be somewhere else!

 

• building a dream

Part Two: "Where is this?"  . . under construction / renovation.

(See front view in photo on previous post, below.)

The excitement builds...and so does this amazing place.

• never judge a building by it's bricks

Where is this building and what's inside?

Have you been here?

I have, and when I tell you what's inside you will want to go...

soon and often (the "t" is silent by the way.)

Coming soon . . .