I caught a bit of controversy brewing in the wake of a piece by Austin Ruse–which I’ll not promote by linking–in which he criticizes what he calls a new “homophilia” in conservative Catholic circles’ reception of the works of celibate homosexual Catholics like Eve Tushnet and Joshua Gonnerman. Somewhere in the discussion, someone offered a timid defense of Ruse by saying: “I do think there is a point about not defining ourselves solely by our sexuality as that only comprises... Read more
I love the blog Epbot. It has a lot of fun geeky stuff, neat craft tutorials, interesting stories…and every once in a while, the blogger, Jen, lets us in on a moment of vulnerability by talking about stuff like this: John was sick in bed, I needed some eggs to make cupcakes for a friend’s birthday, and I thought, “Hey, this is a great time for some exposure therapy! I haven’t driven myself in months, and I haven’t driven alone... Read more
— 1 — An ancient first contact story from Ireland? Michael Flynn mulls over the affinity of the Irish for the fantastic. An account in the Book of Ballymote states regarding Congalach, a tenth-century high king of Ireland: Congalach son of Mael Mithig was at the assembly of Tailtiu one day when he saw a ship moving through the air. Then one of them [i.e. the ship’s crew] cast a spear at a salmon, so that it came down in... Read more
Fresh from my mailbox: A while back, philosopher Sam Rocha posted sample tracks from his album project on his Patheos blog. I bookmarked the link, and found myself listening to some tracks multiple times a week. Finally, I admitted to myself that I was going to buy the CD, so I might as well order it right away. It was released on August 28th, the feast of St. Augustine, and arrived in my mailbox today. Sam calls Late to Love “Augustinian Soul Music”—Augustinian... Read more
So, I have a new blog template. I bartered some editing for it. Isn’t it peaceful? Thanks to Chris and my friend Autumn for setting me up. I’m kind of hoping that the nice fresh digs (and the new schedule I’ve worked out for the fall, which should give me more free evenings) will lend itself to more writing. Writing may not make me much (or any) money, and I don’t know whether it does anyone else any good, but…sometimes... Read more
Seize the day. Go gonzo. Live the good life. Give it all you’ve got. Suck the marrow out of life. Life is what you make it. Carpe diem. Except sometimes the day doesn’t seem good, and there’s no energy for seizing or sucking or giving or making. Sometimes there’s grayness and tedium and a soul that can’t seem to find the energy either to hate or to love. What then to make of these catchphrases, these pocket philosophies? What then... Read more
— 1 — We want camping last week. Somehow, it’s taken this long for me to take my kids camping. It was a blast, despite a bit of wet weather. Aetheline, Pascal, Gui, and their cousin Daniel. We shared a campsite with my brother and sister-in-law and their son, which worked out well, and my parents were camping at the same park, so there were plenty of adults around to keep an eye on our little ruffians. It was only... Read more
I found her! And what a story! http://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/April/12-09.htm Mine is obviously a print of a contemporary copy. Apparently the scroll reads “I am the light of the world.” Ellen, you were right that this is considered a subset of “Tenderness” iconography, but stands out because Christ is reclining and touching her with his hand, rather than cheek to cheek. I love how they look completely engrossed with one another. She even has a feast day in the Russian Orthodox Church,... Read more
You know how “gift-giving” is one of the Love Languages, alongside “words of affirmation,” “acts of service,” “quality time,” and “physical touch?” I always rank pretty high for “gift-giving” but, honestly, I think it’s really more a subset of “acts of service” than anything else, at least for me. That’s why homemade gifts are so much more heartwarming than storebought gifts, and thoughtful gifts are more gratifying than extravagant but off-the-cuff presents. I suppose I’m saying “It’s the thought that... Read more
Peace and Pekoe
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