Luck & the Venutos

Mystophur and I and the whole Art Monastery Project are some lucky, lucky peeps. I was talking with someone about the project and my newly international life and she shook her head and said, “You are so lucky.” I was annoyed. I thought, “I’m not lucky. Italy didn’t happen to me. I made a decision and then acted on it. Yes, all this is amazing and dreamy and I’m doing a lot of work toward that end! You, too, could be “lucky” enough to decide to move somewhere beautiful and go after something idealistic. I dare you. Go ahead, be lucky!”

But now, a few days later I have a new perspective on her comment. Luck may be playing a role. Sure, it was my decision to go to Yale, but was it my decision to become friends with Pix? Or was it luck that I met her? And then, because we’d been friends for so long and she told him about the project, BenVenuto found his way into this project. And then, because BenV is such an enormous and essential part of this little organism, his parents got involved.

First, they offered to pick up Mystophur and me from the White Plains airport and put us up at their place for the night so we could get into NYC rested the next day. Then, they took us out for an incredible French dinner. Holy yum. At that dinner, they introduced us to a pair of people who are fascinating and overwhelmingly relevant to the Art Monastery: Mr & Mrs Sopranon.

Mrs. Sopranon is assistant to the President of the American Academy in Rome in New York. We had long discussions about the two institutions and how we might build a relationship between the two. Our dreams would be to become a junior partner to them– the incubator that helps give rise to those greats who earn the Rome Prize. She was bursting with advice and encouragement.

Father Sopranon is the priest at St. Andrews in Stamford, CT, the historic Anglo-Catholic parish in the heart of downtown Stamford, a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut, and a part of the global Anglican Communion. He was previously the organist at St. Francis Episcopal Church. He was nearly jumping out of his seats and certain points- he and Mystophur hit it off so delightfully. I loved that I was sitting between them, in the cross-fire of their mutual admiration.

The evening left Mystophur and me abuzz, full of really exquisite food and energized by the meeting of great intelligence and like-mindedness. It is so exciting to meet these sorts of people, the Venutos & the Sopranons. It is the greatest honor when people who are so alive in their own ideas, so smart, and so charming like the Art Monastery, get the vision, and jump in on figuring out how they can help. What an honor. And what luck!Mystophur and I and the whole Art Monastery Project are some lucky, lucky peeps. I was talking with someone about the project and my newly international life and she shook her head and said, “You are so lucky.” I was annoyed. I thought, “I’m not lucky. Italy didn’t happen to me. I made a decision and then acted on it. Yes, all this is amazing and dreamy and I’m doing a lot of work toward that end! You, too, could be “lucky” enough to decide to move somewhere beautiful and go after something idealistic. I dare you. Go ahead, be lucky!”

But now, a few days later I have a new perspective on her comment. Luck may be playing a role. Sure, it was my decision to go to Yale, but was it my decision to become friends with Pix? Or was it luck that I met her? And then, because we’d been friends for so long and she told him about the project, BenVenuto found his way into this project. And then, because BenV is such an enormous and essential part of this little organism, his parents got involved.

First, they offered to pick up Mystophur and me from the White Plains airport and put us up at their place for the night so we could get into NYC rested the next day. Then, they took us out for an incredible French dinner. Holy yum. At that dinner, they introduced us to a pair of people who are fascinating and overwhelmingly relevant to the Art Monastery: Mr & Mrs Sopranon.

Mrs. Sopranon is assistant to the President of the American Academy in Rome in New York. We had long discussions about the two institutions and how we might build a relationship between the two. Our dreams would be to become a junior partner to them– the incubator that helps give rise to those greats who earn the Rome Prize. She was bursting with advice and encouragement.

Father Sopranon is the priest at St. Andrews in Stamford, CT, the historic Anglo-Catholic parish in the heart of downtown Stamford, a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut, and a part of the global Anglican Communion. He was previously the organist at St. Francis Episcopal Church. He was nearly jumping out of his seats and certain points- he and Mystophur hit it off so delightfully. I loved that I was sitting between them, in the cross-fire of their mutual admiration.

The evening left Mystophur and me abuzz, full of really exquisite food and energized by the meeting of great intelligence and like-mindedness. It is so exciting to meet these sorts of people, the Venutos & the Sopranons. It is the greatest honor when people who are so alive in their own ideas, so smart, and so charming like the Art Monastery, get the vision, and jump in on figuring out how they can help. What an honor. And what luck!