If you’re looking for the “everything is fine” version of me, you might want to check the archives from about three fiscal years ago. Currently, that version of Chris is unavailable, likely hiding under a pile of boxes or maybe trying to find a corner of the world where the cost of a pint of…
Lost and Found
For a long time, the calendar used to scream this date at me. March 5th. It would arrive with a heavy, thudding resonance—a day of defiance, of grief, of righteous anger. It has always been my day of marking the "Before" and the "After. And I have always marked it with the kind of sharp,…
Glimmers of Defiance
I am tired in my soul. I'll be honest. I've felt that drowning feeling, that specific soul-weariness that comes from watching the world break its own heart—again. Twice this week, I woke up to news of U.S. attacks. First Iran. Now Ecuador. Another day, another bombing. No wonder my whole being feels heavy. Sickened, angry,…
Livin’ the Dream
My past weekend was... a lot. I... -closed a show on Sunday night (Dracula, a bloody good time) -attended a funeral -officiated another funeral -and was formally installed as the Affiliated Community Minister of my congregation. On Monday, I went straight into tech week for the next show. In the middle of all this, I’m…
Sanctuaries and Citadels
I’m a stained glass artist. When people ask what I do, I sometimes joke that I "play with broken glass." It’s a flip-sounding line for a deeply intentional art form. The truth is, when I break a sheet of glass, I do so with immense care. My cutter, slick with special oil, scores a precise…
On Usefulness and Belonging
There is an expensive lesson that life offers, and I wish I’d had the currency to afford it sooner. It’s this: it is a profound waste of your finite time, energy, and spirit to court the approval of people who only value your utility. For most of my life, I have existed on the periphery.…
Chronically Extra
Last Friday, I was living my best life, hosting our congregation's very first drag show. I looked FABULOUS. My makeup was gagging. My hair was hairing. And I was, yet again, draped in a cloud of Betsy Johnson designed baby pink tulle and pastel rainbow crinolines – yes, my wedding dress made yet another real…
Drag Queens, Unicorn Snot, and Holy Moments
One of the oldest members of our congregation, a wise and wonderful woman in her 90s, pulled me aside after our worship service this past Sunday. Her eyes were bright. “I've always believed the saying that the arc of the moral universe is long, but it ultimately bends towards justice,” she said, her voice steady.…
I Really COULD Care Less
Yeah, I know. The phrase is I really COULDN'T care less. I get it. It's a grammatical pet peeve of mine too. The "typo" is intentional. Believe me, there really ARE times when you could care less than you do. I've been learning that lesson for the past year or so. About a year ago…
The Incredible Un-Forever
Why "the end" isn't a dirty word...
VoyagersHeart 