Highlights Reel 2024
I’ve been on the road a lot in 2024. I started with a week in Guadalajara, Mexico because I wanted to see if it would be a place where I would be comfortable for an extended stay. Lisa and I had a great time here, and I decided it would be a good place to return. The next month I went to Guanajuato, which I was also scouting out. Then it was some shorter trips — New Orleans to see my niece Melissa (see her picture in the dictionary under Future Star) and Florida for Spring Training.
I was off to Spain for most of April in Cordoba, Granada, and Madrid, where Lisa and I were able to be together for a week. After that I settled in for awhile until I got restless and went to Denver to visit my son, Seattle for the APA conference, and back to Florida to see the Mouse in Orlando.
The last two months I’ve been back in Guadalajara, improving my Spanish, enduring the U.S. election and trying to figure out my life.
Here is my “Best of 2024” list:
The Mezquita-Catedral - This ancient mosque turned into a church in Cordoba, Spain is one of the most amazing buildings I’ve ever seen. It began as a mosque in the year 785 on the orders of orders of Abd al-Rahman I, founder of the Islamic Emirate of Córdoba. It was expanded under each subsequent ruler until the Christian conquest of the area in 1236. In the 1600s another major renovation was completed, with the addition of a new nave and transept, right in the middle of this sprawling structure.
On the same trip I visited the Alhambra in Granada, which was another unbelievably beautiful and grand mosque inside a walled fortress. It is so large that photos don’t do it justice.
IMAC Spanish school in Guadalajara - I studied Spanish here for two months, and improved a lot. The school has wonderful teachers and is a great environment for learning.
Madrid - Lisa and I spent a lovely week here, wandering around the world-class art museums, eating well, and enjoying the Spanish culture. This is a place that I would like to spend more time.
Preaching - I’ve been able to preach at my church in Park Ridge about once a month this year, and this pace gives me the opportunity to do more preparation and reading each time, which I really enjoy.
I published my first book on Amazon! It’s not what you think — it’s a coloring book of mandalas that I have drawn. The whole process of putting it together and seeing it actually turn up in my mailbox was fascinating.
Seeing my niece Melissa play the part of Carole King in “Beautiful.” The musical was in New Orleans, and it always brings tears to my eyes when I hear her beautiful voice. She has a website: melissacampbell.org.
This blog - It has been a lot of fun (and sometimes a challenge) for me to continue writing this blog every week. I love the comments I get from people who I didn’t even know were reading it!
The Second Mountain by David Brooks - This is a really interesting book about how this journalist’s life has changed.
Playing with AI. Two things about this: life moves unbelievably fast, and I love playing with new tech.
The Night Watchman by Louise Ehrlich - I really got engrossed in this Pulitzer Prize winning novel.
Discovering Sarah Jarosz - I first heard this artist this year, and I can’t stop listening to her. Check out her song Take the High Road.
Filming a DEI video for the BOOM - This project took a lot of time this year, but was very rewarding. I filmed and edited myself talking about Diversity and best interview practices for my denomination’s local Board of Ordained Ministry. In the process, I learned a bunch about video software and the value of good lighting.
Sunday dinners - Almost every week we have dinner with our good friends Greg and Danny. Greg is an incredible cook and a trained sommelier, and both of them are fellow psychologists. We eat well and have some of the best conversations with them.
Slow Horses - This is my favorite series on Apple TV. It’s an unorthodox spy show, with Gary Oldman starring as Jackson Lamb.
An LGBT Pride event in Park Ridge, Illinois. This was a huge success, in a relatively conservative Chicago suburb. The love in the air was palpable.
A Million Miles Away - Michael Peña starred in this movie on Amazon Prime Video. It is about a man who struggles to become an astronaut, and all that he goes through to get there. I really liked this film.
As I look back, I feel very blessed. There was a lot more, of course. I continue to search for my purpose at this time in my life, and it is unsettling. I also struggle with my writing projects, and with what I can do to improve the state of the world, and especially our civility — the way we treat each other. There is a lot more to do, and I’m looking forward to it.
And the winner is …
This year the Fruitful Detours charitable donation went to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). I’m guessing I have a bunch of readers from my church who nominated them. UMCOR provides disaster relief around the world, and often stays in hard-hit areas long after initial needs are met. Their website says, “UMCOR comes alongside those who suffer from natural or human-caused disasters – famine, hurricane, war, flood, fire or other events—to alleviate suffering and serve as a source of help and hope for the vulnerable.” UMCmission.org/umcor/ Fruitful Detours is proud to support them.
