For four years I’ve shared about the addition gone wrong – you’re welcome for beating that topic into the ground. My expectation was that my first summer not having to worry about working on it would be awesome, and by awesome, I mean normal. Life is supposed to have its discouragements, but the four years on the project were something else. With that project done, it would make sense the onslaught of discouraging experiences would subside… but I was wrong. This past summer continued the theme of discouraging without the need of building issues. I’m so happy to have this challenge continue (written as downfaced as my daughter when she’s told it’s time to vacuum). I won’t give the list (I don’t want to brag), but it’s impressive. The worst thing was two weeks before my family trip in August, my mom had to call me at 530am because of a health scare that had me drive to her house and where I met two paramedics – that was scary… the paramedics weren’t scary, but having my mom have this moment was She was ultimately okay, but it meant she wouldn’t be able to go on the family trip anymore as planned. That family trip then ended up being the hardest one I’ve ever had. In a way, my mom was protected from it, but her strength, wisdom, and positivity would’ve helped it be better. It was like the devil knew how to make the trip harder. Next on my list was I had the worst Fan Expo experience I’ve ever had. You might be thinking, “Fan Expo? Isn’t that where dorks go?” Yup, and I was right in there with the other 100 000 plus people. As one of the hobbits being interviewed there pointed out (it might have been Sean Astin) in his panel, “We owe a big thank you to The Big Bang Theory because they normalized this type of thing, and made it popular.”
I go to Fan Expo for two reasons. I enjoy the interviews with the different actors, and then there’s normally an actor or two there I try to offer to do something like write a biography. Do I expect to be rejected? Absolutely. At the same time, I’m chasing a cool experience. By talking to a handful of celebrities over the years, I have been given some really cool experiences. For instance, having Zachary Levi remember me the two times I saw him there, 2019 and 2022, because of meeting him in New York in 2015 was incredible. He clearly didn’t take me up on any of my offers, but they were still great moments. The best person I’ve met was Dallas Bryce Howard. While in line with my brother, we started talking to someone at the one end of her table who turned out to be her husband. We chatted for five minutes or so until she had to interrupt us because we were next. I wish I had asked her to take the next person in line, but I was too stunned to think of that at the time. She was wonderfully friendly to everyone who saw her, but she seemed extra kind to us because of how we had connected to her husband. Howard genuinely seemed to value her fans and she had a wonderful personality to go with it. This follows what two of the panels I saw this year share, The Goonies and The Lord of the Rings casts. They feel very privileged to be able to have so many fans and to be able come together with their old friends at events like this. Their appreciation translated to friendliness.
This year, one of the actors I was excited about seeing was Mel Gibson. He didn’t share the same sentiment as the actors I mentioned – it was very opposite. He seemed as joyful as Eeyore on his worst day. At his panel, the interviewer was rubbish as he tried too hard to blow smoke: “Who’s here for Mad Max? Who’s here for Lethal Weapon? Who’s here… wishing I’d focus on asking meaningful questions?” When the star is introduced, they typically walk out with a big smile waving to the cheering fans. In this situation, the fans did their part; we cheered. Gibson? Not so much. Ever enter a room having been to the bathroom uncomfortably long and you don’t want to draw attention to yourself, so you try sneaking back in like “I was here the whole time”? That was Gibson walking on the stage. I don’t care how long you’ve been famous, how can you enter a room full of cheering people and not feel good? After making a comment about the lights being bright, he did the whole interview without even looking at the audience. I figured Gibson was doing the show to promote his new movie that’s a follow up to The Passion of the Christ, but it didn’t end up that way. Eventually, Gibson briefly mentioned he spent 10 years writing the sequel with three friends, and it’ll actually be two movies that were shot in less than normal time because things flowed so well. The first of the two will be out next year. What was particularly weird is I don’t think the name Jesus or Christ was even mentioned by either. The interviewer who referred to it once called it “The Passion”. It was like they weren’t allowed to say Jesus’ name, and based on the cultural climate we’re in, I wouldn’t be shocked if that was the case.
Fun Aside: My non-Christian friend later laughed: “How to you make a sequel to a movie when the main character is dead?” That was a question I never would’ve considered, but he was right. In most cases that should be the end of the story. In Christianity, however, the main character dying is just the beginning.
After watching two more lack luster panels, it was time for me to get the autograph I had prepaid for from Gibson. I originally wanted a selfie, but this wasn’t an option like it always is with other actors at the show. For the signing, there was the one group of people at the far end of the room waiting to be brought up in shifts to the area closer to the signing section. The signing section led to a curtained off area, so no one could see Gibson minus the handful of people in line for his autograph. When I stepped into the signing section, I casually took a picture and was then greeted by security… and not in a good way. This very muscular and towering above me, black man was not happy with me claiming I could be kicked out for that sort of thing as he took my phone and erased the picture… the picture I may or may not have restored because deleting a photo on a phone doesn’t fully delete a photo (a fact I learned from clients who caught their partners cheating). I was very confused since there were no signs saying we couldn’t take pictures, and it seemed pretty innocent, especially since everyone took pictures of Gibson at his panel. As someone who’s always hated getting in trouble, this was unsettling, but it was still better than what was coming next. I had originally hoped to give Gibson a book mark I made with information about my Christmas Carol 2 book. After thanking him for making a couple of his movies I really liked, I was going to throw in, “The one thing you still haven’t done is Christmas movie. This could be your answer.” It’s dumb; I know, but it’s fun to dream. While in line, and seeing people being herded like cattle through the signings, I had given up on that idea. It was like a reenactment of the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld where everyone was afraid they’d be told: “No signing for you!”
When I was in front of Gibson, the assistant beside him who had taken the Braveheart picture I was forced to buy for the signing, slid it to him. Seeing the picture, Gibson seemed to scoff as he reached over to his assistant to get a different colour marker to sign it. In that brief moment, I quickly said, “Thank you for your faith in Jesus…” silence… awkward silence. It was like the people in line froze because I said that. Meanwhile, Gibson remained unaware I was even there in front of him as he slid the picture toward me, and without looking up, grunted, “There you go.” As I walked out of the curtained off section stunned with how disappointing that experience was, I realized Gibson never once looked up at me. From what I could tell, he never once looked up at anyone. It was brutal. Was it boredom? Was it grief that his career has lowered to this level? Was it shame? Was it fear? Later that week, I saw an article in the paper saying he was criticized for a brief silly moment he had leaving the interview. Was he aware of that already and the life was sucked out of him?
When I originally bought my Fan Expo ticket, the two actors I really wanted to see were both on the Saturday. Two weeks before the event, the other actor moved to Sunday – that was disappointing. My wife very kindly encouraged me to go back for the second day. On my way home with my friend feeling defeated after three lackluster panels and proof why they say, “Don’t meet your heroes,” I regretted my decision to have purchased the Sunday ticket. Not wanting to waste it or the opportunity to see the one actor I had originally wanted to see more than Gibson, I went back… and is a story I’ll share next time.
Fortunately, a few nights before I went to Fan Expo I had read this passage in Psalms, the lyric section of the Old Testament:
I cry out to God; yes, I shout. Oh, that God would listen to me! When I was in deep trouble, I searched for the Lord. All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven, but my soul was not comforted.I think of God, and I moan, overwhelmed with longing for his help.
Has the Lord rejected me forever? Will he never again be kind to me? Is his unfailing love gone forever? Have his promises permanently failed?Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he slammed the door on his compassion?
But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works. (Psa 77 1-3, 7-12, bold added)
My first world problems are nothing compared to what people would’ve experienced back then, but what jumped out at me was the line: But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. This is how we fight discouragement. We need to write out a list of all of the particularly good things God has done for us over our lifetime, so we can be reminded when we’re feeling low. The list is particularly helpful because when you’re feeling low, it’s hard to think of positives. If they’re already written down, however, it’s a lot easier.
In the last lesson, we looked at four ways to reduce discouragement through humor, logic, by recognizing how others can have it worse, and considering what you can learn. This lesson gives a very practical tip: write out a list you can refer to when things are tough. A side tip is to look at Scripture like this passage to remind us that we’re not alone in our discouragement. What separates those who are resilient is their ability to push through instead of wallowing in their self pity.
This week may you consider all the good things you’ve experienced in your life to combat the negative that can haunt our memories.
Rev. Chad David, ChadDavid.ca, learning to love dumb people (like me)
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