1. First off, my latest piece is up on The Everyman, where I talk about how the world doesn't change (and slip in a little plug for Gentleman Instructed): Again and again, it was the same pattern, and rarely did I find a point that had been genuinely left behind since the 18th century (e.g. … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Everyman, Top Gun, Bofuri, and Sabaton
Anime and Manga
Friday Flotsam: New Year Reflections and Goals, New Medievalism, and Death Note
1. Another year older, not an hour richer, as the saying goes. Okay, that’s a bit much. Let’s see, in 2022 I put out three new publications, including a full-length novel that been receiving quite a bit of positive feedback. Also set up a website for my publishing label, got a new job, and had … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: New Year Reflections and Goals, New Medievalism, and Death Note
Friday Flotsam: On Retreat, More Anime, and Making History
1. Going on a silent retreat this weekend, which I really feel the need for. I've been experiencing what feels like some personal growth lately, and with it's come another sort of existential disappointment over where I am at the moment. 2. I'm taking a break from My Hero Academia for a bit, since it's … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: On Retreat, More Anime, and Making History
Friday Flotsam: Birthday Mindset, ‘My Hero Academia’, and Other Stories
1. Yesterday was my birthday, which is once again depressing to realize. I'm never satisfied - or even close to it - of what I've done with my life so far. But I'm trying not to think in those terms and to instead try to think of whether I'm doing better than I was yesterday. … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Birthday Mindset, ‘My Hero Academia’, and Other Stories
Friday Flotsam: Bl. Karl, Lasik, Tolkien, and Anime
1. First and foremost; today’s the feast of Bl. Karl of Austria, whose prayers we desperately need today as the wreckage of Christendom spirals ever more wildly out of control. Just learned of a quote of his that has immediately become one of my favorites: “We are bearers of culture even in the land of … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Bl. Karl, Lasik, Tolkien, and Anime
Friday Flotsam: Ember Days, RPGs, and ‘Bofuri’ Season 2
1. Last full week at work. One of my assignments was to make a particular alteration in the code. It was a matter of changing a single parameter in Javascript. It then took over a day to get it approved and pushed through for testing. Probably this is something that happens all the time in … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Ember Days, RPGs, and ‘Bofuri’ Season 2
A Disappointing Ending
I finished Cowboy Bebop this weekend, and, I have to say, I was really disappointed by the ending. I won't say what happens, except that's it's ambiguous and the writer has explicitly said that he wants people to make their own minds about it. Well, I can do that. In fact, I might end up … Continue reading A Disappointing Ending
Quick Thoughts on ‘Bofuri: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt So I’ll Max Out My Defense’
Since I mentioned Bofuri in the Friday Flotsam before last, I realized that I was due to give it a rundown. And since I’ve just come off of a re-watch over the past weekend (it’s very short: only twelve episodes in the first season), now seems the time. Maple and her Guild Teenaged Kaede has … Continue reading Quick Thoughts on ‘Bofuri: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt So I’ll Max Out My Defense’
Thoughts on ‘One Punch Man’
One of the most common complaints about Superman is that he's boring because he's too powerful. I don't buy into this at all; I think that, if you know what you're doing, you can make Supes's power level into the very thing that makes him compelling. One Punch Man is an illustration of that principle. Meet … Continue reading Thoughts on ‘One Punch Man’
Some Thoughts on ‘Silver Spoon’
I have recently begun to seriously explore the wonderful world of anime and manga. And one of my favorites so far has been Silver Spoon, which I am currently in the process of reading after having finished the anime (which, unfortunately, only covers about the first half to two-thirds … Continue reading Some Thoughts on ‘Silver Spoon’
Serpent's Den 