Day Zero Project #98: Learn how to make a paper crane.

This is a story; a story of paper cranes and friendship. I call it "Shuffleboarding with Jesus." If that sounds vaguely familiar, then kudos to you and your intimate knowledge of Kurt Vonnegut stories.

"In Heaven, shuffleboard is everything" 

                                                                 - Kurt Vonnegut "Happy Birthday, Wanda June"

In the story, everyone plays shuffleboard together. Jesus, scientists, atheists, billionaires, vegans, you name it. I'd like to think that life is best lived like that shuffleboard court in Heaven, surrounded by all sorts of people who are not the same as you, but make life a little bit more fun and interesting.

I happen to think of myself as a middle-class, near vegetarian metalhead atheist with a weak spot for kittens, Elton John and all things fried. And if I filled my time with others who are exactly as myself, where is the opportunity for growth? Where is the chance to learn a little bit more about the world?And, honestly, there are just not many people that I've met who meet that description...

And it was with this attitude that I found myself at a church group shuffleboard night at St. Pete Shuffle. Church groups are about as far from myself as you can get, but you know what? The night was great. Of course it was, there was shuffleboard. And I won.

And if I would have told myself that I'd rather not spend the night with people who don't share the same beliefs as I do then I wouldn't have found myself eating cheese pizza at midnight in a bar being taught how to make paper cranes.

If only Church would have been that cool growing up...

Mine's the one that barely looks like a crane on the left.