Alfred Russel Wallace was born on this day in 1823. After Charles Darwin there are two figures I think are counted as critical to the development of modern evolutionary thought. Darwin resisted the public forum, disliked the rough and tumble of public disputation, and feared the challenge to his position in society publication could lead to. If it weren’t for the fact that Wallace had come up with pretty much the same idea and would have published, forcing Darwin’s hand,... Read more

Good Zen, good poetry, some naughty words. Hopefully this is fair warning to any potential reader… HOMAGE TO MY FATHER My father said:Fuck Father Farrell,what does he know, that old bastard! Study all the religions. Learn Italian.See Venizia, Firenze, talkto all kinds of peopleand never, never think you know morethan someone else! Unless,unless they’re full of shit. And if they are, tell them;and if they still don’t get it, fuck it,there’s nothing you can do about it. Learn how to... Read more

The deed has been done. The doctor found six polyps. They are now being tested and I’ll know if there are any problems within a week or so… So, kids… When the time comes, get that test! Read more

Apparently a major marker of crossing sixty is one gets to revisit the indignities attendant upon turning fifty. Thought I had slipped past this one as I’m now sixty-one. But apparently my doctor keeps records. Never did like her… So, today I’m eating green jello, drinking green gatorade (god, I hate gatorade) and this evening I drink some other nasty fluids planning on then spending large amounts of time in the loo, followed by getting up in the middle of... Read more

The superman of my childhood, George Reeves, was born on this day in 1914. I still recall learning he had died. And wondering if death comes even to Superman, what about me… Read more

It was with considerable sadness that I read Chris Walton’s announcement he will no longer be posting at the venerable blog Philocrites. As another of my favorite UU bloggers put it, Chris has been one of the true silver backed monkeys of the Unitarian Universalist blogosphere. The leader of our pack… A new baby and the pressures of work as editor of the UU World led to his decision to pack it in. I considered him to be one of... Read more

Louis Braille was born on this day in 1809. Read more

WHO IS THE TRUE CHIEN? And Other Ghost Stories About Our Lives James Ishmael Ford 3 January 2010 First Unitarian Church Providence, Rhode Island Text Calling out to hungry hearts.Everywhere through endless time.You who wander you who thirst.I offer you this heart of mine.Calling all you hungry spirits.Everywhere through endless time.Calling all you hungry heartsAll the lost and left behindGather round and share this mealYour joy and sorrowI make it mine. “Gate of Sweet Nectar” Inspired by the Zen Oryoki... Read more

Today is the feast of St Seraphim of Sarov, perhaps the most famous of the Eastern Christian saints. An ascetic and mystic, Seraphim is frequently compared to St Francis of Assisi. Now I’m no fan of extreme asceticism. And Seraphim is something of an exemplar of that reckless enthusiasm, throwing himself into extreme disciplines that no doubt had a negative effect on his health. But there is also something in the character of fierce devotion to practice that can be... Read more

The Curator Miller Williams We thought it would come, we thought the Germans would come,were almost certain they would. I was thirty-two,the youngest assistant curator in the country.I had some good ideas in those days. Well, what we did was this. We had boxesprecisely built to every size of canvas.We put the boxes in the basement and waited. When word came that the Germans were coming in,we got each painting put in the proper boxand out of Leningrad in less... Read more