I thought I’d start my maiden blog here by giving a brief auto-biography, both spiritual and non. I was born long, long ago in the whitebread suburbs of NYC, into a Jewish (more ethnic than religious) family. I loved old movies, historical fiction, and classical music. I played the piano and the bassoon, with great sincerity if not technical brilliance. I trod the boards as Cornelius Hackl in our high school production of “The Matchmaker.” I was not popular, but had a small group of great friends, as well as a few wonderful, caring teachers. The two greatest literary influences during my adolescence were Muriel Spark (terrible things can still be hysterically funny) and Thomas Hardy (happiness is an occasional episode in a life full of pain. Oh yes, I was a melodramatic youth.) During my senior year in high school I made my first trip to Europe: the world seemed to open up for me, French was no longer just an academic subject, and I drank my first Campari.

I entered Oberlin College as a medieval history major, detoured through Classics, and emerged with a degree in Russian. Those were halcyon days! Out in the real world, I put myself through graduate school in International Economics and Finance. I worked in the refugee business, in a cheese store, as a bartender in an expensive French restaurant, and am now employed (for 20 years!) by the City of New York. If I live long enough, I will retire with a nice pension.

The Christianity Thing started hitting me in my mid-teens. Over the years it would come and go, I was intrigued and resistant, I wanted to receive Communion but couldn’t, and I thought that if I walked into a church and addressed myself to a priest he would subject me to an inquisition. When I was in my late 30’s it started coming up again, this time to such an extent that I could no longer ignore it. I spoke to some priests who were gentle and encouraging, and got myself baptized. I church-shopped a bit and settled quickly on Ascension. The building, the artwork, the pews with doors. The choir sang the Bruckner “Os Justi” and I cried. So I stayed. I did not find it, initially, the most welcoming place (this was a long time ago, and I believe Ascension is much warmer now) but after a while I started getting involved and getting enveloped by the parish community. I will not now go into my Career as a Christian since then – all that will come out in future postings. I will close by saying that entering Ascension was the beginning of an unexpected journey. And I know my story is not unique!