Today's a confluence of two American celebrations which belong well together. First, as everyone knows, it is Mother's Day, which is why I have the Tiger's baseball game on as I write this. My Mom's a die-hard Tiger's fan and is at the game today (my brother got tickets through his work), and though I'm … Continue reading Two Days to Remember
Author: DBreitenbeck
Saturday Flotsam: Heroic and Pseudo-Heroic
1. Somehow, I forgot all about the Flotsam yesterday until late, so we're doing it today instead. Albeit still kinda late. 2. An idea that came to me that I haven't quite fleshed out. There is today what might be called 'pseudo-heroic' fiction. This is framed as a heroic tale, but has this crucial difference. … Continue reading Saturday Flotsam: Heroic and Pseudo-Heroic
Poem – “Boots”
INFANTRY COLUMNS We're foot—slog—slog—slog—sloggin' over Africa —Foot—foot—foot—foot—sloggin' over Africa —(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin' up an' down again!) There's no discharge in the war! Seven—six—eleven—five—nine-an'-twenty mile to-day —Four—eleven—seventeen—thirty-two the day before —(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin' up an' down again!) There's no discharge in the war! Don't—don't—don't—don't—look at what's … Continue reading Poem – “Boots”
Friday Flotsam: Grammar, Super-Heroes, and Socio-Political Stuff
1. I'm learning grammar at the moment. I figured after five books, a few short stories, and dozens of articles published, it was probably time. Don't want to rush into these things. Obviously, I already knew a fair bit of grammar, but I knew it either instinctively, simply out of use, or from distant recollections … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Grammar, Super-Heroes, and Socio-Political Stuff
Niceness is Fun
St. Joseph the Worker at C365
Another Catholic365 post is up; this one talking about St. Joseph the Worker the topic of labor: This universalism – “world peace”, “end world hunger”, “save the earth”, and so on – has its advantage. Namely, that the end goal is one that no individual can either achieve or judge. If all environmental issues, for … Continue reading St. Joseph the Worker at C365
Poem – “Character of the Happy Warrior”
Who is the happy Warrior? Who is heThat every man in arms should wish to be?—It is the generous Spirit, who, when broughtAmong the tasks of real life, hath wroughtUpon the plan that pleased his boyish thought:Whose high endeavours are an inward lightThat makes the path before him always bright;Who, with a natural instinct to … Continue reading Poem – “Character of the Happy Warrior”
The Invisible Fire
Part of the process of building the Brooklyn Bridge (as with other, similar structures) involved sinking pressurized caissons made of reinforced timber into the East River so that workers could dig the foundations into the river bottom. The caissons go to the bottom, are pressurized to the level of the surrounding water to keep them … Continue reading The Invisible Fire
Friday Flotsam: Self-Examination
1. Maybe it's from what I've been reading, or maybe it's born of melancholy, but today I feel like being honest and 'real' as the saying goes and just sharing a bit about myself and my perspective in general. Though I suppose how real I am is something of an open question. But never mind. … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Self-Examination
Pilgrim’s Pass: Gollum as the Failed Man
I've mentioned this before, but Pilgrim's Pass is rapidly becoming one of my favorite YouTubers: he's very intelligent, well-read, has a fun sense of humor, and an interestingly fresh perspective that eschews the dying left-right dichotomy. His latest video (which follows others on Aragorn, Frodo, and Gandalf) deals with Gollum as an example of failed … Continue reading Pilgrim’s Pass: Gollum as the Failed Man
Serpent's Den 