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This is way off topic, but Dr. Shades Choro, why've you been dissin' on me so much in your Missionary Journal, bro?

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Okay, so I read the board rules AFTER I posted my comment, and I am WAY off topic, but G... er... "Dr. Shades", surely there are exceptions for old missionary companions.

Wait a second. . . WAIT A SECOND. . . COULD IT BE??

I only had one companion named "Wayne," so are you really, truly. . . Elder Wayne Van Cleave, one of my two missionary companions from the M.T.C.??

If this is really you--and please correct me if you aren't--but HOW THE HECK ARE YOU?? In the years since I've sometimes wondered how you're doing or whatever became of you. Gimme a run-down on what's happened since your return, eh?

And c'mon, bro., I've been nothing but respectful to and about you in the pages of my missionary journal. You were the counterweight to Elder Gibson and the only person who kept me sane during the M.T.C. Why do you think I've been "dissin' on you?"

Also, I'm supremely curious--how did you find "Elder Shades' Missionary Journal?" Does anyone else know about it that you know of?

Once again, WELCOME ABOARD if it's really you, and IT'S GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN!! Thanks for joining us on this little ol' website of mine.

--Elder G*********, a.k.a. "Dr. Shades"

Yes, indeed it is I, Van Cleave Choro.

And no, you have never "dissed" on me. It was just a lame attempt by me at being funny. I'm doing very well. I've been married for 16 years with two kids, and currently living in Santa Monica while my wife finishes a pediatric dentistry residency at UCLA. I'm an elementary school teacher, but currently on hiatus - being Mr. Mom, for now.

Regarding your missionary journal, it's quite funny actually. Yesterday, I was home sick from church, and your name just popped into my head and I couldn't shake it, so I googled you. (Isn't google a wonderful thing?). And as far as I know, nobody else knows about your journal. To be perfectly honest, you are the only person from our mission I have had any contact with since then.

So, that about sums it up. by the way, do I HAVE to call you Dr. Shades? Because I only know you by your real name.

You know, Gibson was a real pain in the arse, but I always thought you were a real good guy who wanted to be the best missionary he could be. Sorry if I tempted you with my singing Depeche Mode and Oingo Boingo all the time.

(Postscript: In defense of Gibson, he had just graduated from HS. I had been out of HS for a year-and-a-half, and Shades, you were already in the Marines. But the fact is, we were ALL kids with varying strengths and weaknesses. I know that I had some companions later on, who thought I was a "real pain in the arse" as well. )

Wayneman wrote:So, that about sums it up. by the way, do I HAVE to call you Dr. Shades? Because I only know you by your real name.

Due to Danite mobs, we maintain our anonymity here. Thanks for understanding.

Well, I guess I"M screwed.

Wayneman wrote:Yes, indeed it is I, Van Cleave Choro.

VAN CLEAVE CHORO!!! A big double-welcome to you!! This is truly a great day.

And no, you have never "dissed" on me. It was just a lame attempt by me at being funny.

Ah, gotcha. But I sure as heck dissed on Gibson, so I'm glad you're not him!!

Not too many months ago I caught up with President Smith and his wife at their home. She told me a pretty hilarious anecdote about him. Wanna hear it?

Regarding your missionary journal, it's quite funny actually. Yesterday, I was home sick from church, and your name just popped into my head and I couldn't shake it, so I googled you. (Isn't google a wonderful thing?).

That's interesting. I tried the same trick, but my missionary journal never came up, since I don't use my real name on it. So how on earth did you find it after a google search?

And as far as I know, nobody else knows about your journal.

Speaking of the journal itself, did you start reading from the beginning? If so, did anything I write jog your memory about things?

If memory serves, your first area was Inuyama, which was my third area and is the area I'm currently blogging about. Perhaps I mention some members or Eikaiwa students that you remember. Would you mind taking a look at this page--I know it's long, but please help a brother out--and tell me any first names that you still remember that I've since forgotten?

To be perfectly honest, you are the only person from our mission I have had any contact with since then.

And it's been 17 years. Were you one of the ones who left a month early to attend the Spring semester of college? I think Gibson and me were the only ones who didn't. Even so, I ended up extending a month, and didn't get back home until February 14, Valentine's Day.

So, that about sums it up. by the way, do I HAVE to call you Dr. Shades? Because I only know you by your real name.

No, I suppose I can make an exception for you. I had to "unmask" when I gave my Sunstone presentation, and the fine (ahem) folks at FAIR published it to their wiki for all the world to see. So it's rather an open secret now.

You know, Gibson was a real pain in the arse, but I always thought you were a real good guy who wanted to be the best missionary he could be.

Why thank you!

Sorry if I tempted you with my singing Depeche Mode and Oingo Boingo all the time.

Nope, 'twas all good. I can see from your blog that you're still a Depeche Mode fan.

By the way, for another coincidence, the poster named "harmony" who posted two posts before this one has a son who went to Nagoya, too. He was there for part of the time that we were, in fact.

I hope you stick around for quite a while. It's GOOD to hear from you!

Welcome to the board, Wayneman!

That's interesting. I tried the same trick, but my missionary journal never came up, since I don't use my real name on it. So how on earth did you find it after a google search?

Actually, when I googled your name, I found that your alias was "Dr. Shades" from the FAIR wiki website. Then I found this site, saw that Dr. Shades had a missionary journal, and because I knew it was you, well...

Speaking of the journal itself, did you start reading from the beginning? If so, did anything I write jog your memory about things?

Yes, I started reading from the beginning, but I, in my infinite narcissism, stopped reading after the part where we got to Japan. Unlike you, I hardly ever kept a journal, but it was a lot of fun remembering those things from your perspective. I remember I was sick with the most wicked flu I have ever had, and was laid out for about a week.

If memory serves, your first area was Inuyama, which was my third area and is the area I'm currently blogging about. Perhaps I mention some members or Eikaiwa students that you remember. Would you mind taking a look at this page--I know it's long, but please help a brother out--and tell me any first names that you still remember that I've since forgotten?

You are correct that my first area was Inuyama. I checked the list of names you have, and to be forthright, I remember very little of the Japanese names, but quite a few of the elders you mention. Again, I was not very diligent about my journal.

And it's been 17 years. Were you one of the ones who left a month early to attend the Spring semester of college? I think Gibson and me were the only ones who didn't. Even so, I ended up extending a month, and didn't get back home until February 14, Valentine's Day.

Yes, I left the mission a month early so I could get into the spring semester of college.

Not too many months ago I caught up with President Smith and his wife at their home. She told me a pretty hilarious anecdote about him. Wanna hear it?

Most definitely.

I can see from your blog that you're still a Depeche Mode fan.

Yup.

Speaking of the journal itself, did you start reading from the beginning? If so, did anything I write jog your memory about things?

I also remember Gibson having a MAJOR obsession with Woodward Shimai.