Stories

The Hour of Sext: The sun is overhead. The traveler reaches a crossroad.

August 24, 2021

This is the fifth in a series of eight reflections on the Hours of prayer, focusing on Sext, the Hour in the middle of the day, when the sun is directly overhead. This series celebrates the release of the Praying the Hours soundtrack by Lolo Meares. An excerpt from the soundtrack starts the post so…

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The Hour of Terce: The light climbs. The worker pauses.

August 17, 2021

This is the fourth in a series of eight reflections on the Hours of prayer, focusing on Terce, the mid-morning Hour. This series celebrates the release of the Praying the Hours soundtrack by Lolo Meares. An excerpt from the soundtrack starts the post so that you can have her sonic imagination of the sleepy joy…

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The Hour of Prime: The day is lit. Choose your course.

August 10, 2021

This is the third in a series of eight reflections on the Hours of prayer, focusing on Prime, the start of work (for many around 8 a.m.). This series celebrates the release of the Praying the Hours soundtrack by Lolo Meares. An excerpt from the soundtrack starts the post so that you can have her…

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The Hour of Lauds: The sun returns. The sleeper awakes.

August 3, 2021

This is the second in a series of eight reflections on the Hours of prayer, focusing on Lauds, the break of day. This series is to celebrate the release of the Praying the Hours soundtrack by Lolo Meares. An excerpt from the soundtrack starts the post so that you can have her sonic imagination of…

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The Hour of Vigils: The Long Dark

July 27, 2021

Today begins a series of eight reflections on the Hours of prayer, starting with Vigils, the time deep in the night known as “the long dark.” This series celebrates the release of the Praying the Hours soundtrack by Lolo Meares. An excerpt from the Vigils album of the soundtrack starts the post so that you…

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The Greek Chorus and the Cry of Oyez

July 20, 2021

The first and the last words you will hear in the film Praying the Hours are sung by a Greek Chorus—all of whom are played by one woman: Lolo Meares. The chorus helps the audience transition from one Hour to the next, urging them to pay attention. This is the purpose of praying the Hours,…

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Director Lauralee Farrer and Evie Webb

Success Is What We Say It Is

July 13, 2021

“Woah,” he said, tears filling his eyes, “that’s it right there. That’s everything.” I was in conversation with a young artist at the end of his strength in that strange dance marathon of making a living while also making his own art.  He started our conversation declaring that he is “through”—done with spending all his…

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Praying the Hours still

How An Idea Turned Itself Into a Movie

July 6, 2021

We called the completion of Praying the Hours a little over two months ago—on Mayday, 2021, so it would be easy to remember. Within the time since then, while I have been working on finding its audiences, I picked up one of my journals from over two decades ago. There I found the slip of…

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It Did Not Entertain Me.

June 29, 2021

Two of my dear friends released huge film projects last week. Each of them were in  the news, each watching the numbers with their respective studios and each heaving a sigh of relief—then joy!—that something they’ve worked on for years has solidly hit its mark. I lived with each of them through those projects and…

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A Divine Cycle of Art and Prayer

June 22, 2021

Now that you’ve been given access to the movie Praying the Hours, one of these days—when you’re in the right mood—you’re going to watch it. And when you finally come to the end, several things will happen, among them, you’ll want to hear the music again. Lauren Meares’ achingly beautiful score was inspired by the…

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