1. We had graduation this past Friday. I found it a very melancholy day, and not just because I've spent the last two years working with these kids, whom I'll probably never see again. Watching them setting out on adult life made me think back to my own youth and think about how little I've … Continue reading Sunday Sundry: Graduation, Richard Nixon, Voting, and ‘The Odyssey’
Friday Flotsam
Sunday Sundry: Politics, My Current Influences, and a Little Godzilla
1. Friday was the May crowning and the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, so we had a very Holy Family day. 2. Honestly, I find the image of the titular King of England, Scotland, and Ireland coming to tell jokes to Congress to be kind of sad. I would like to see America become … Continue reading Sunday Sundry: Politics, My Current Influences, and a Little Godzilla
Saturday Sundry: Police, ‘Beowulf’ and Miscellaneous
1. My latest addiction has been police body cam videos. Partly this is to study what real violent incidents look like for safety and awareness purposes, though there also something perversely fascinating of watching just how stupid some people can be. What I find most impressive is when the cops remain calm and unflappable when … Continue reading Saturday Sundry: Police, ‘Beowulf’ and Miscellaneous
Saturday Sundry: More Iran Thoughts, History, and the Dynamics of Service
1. I've actually seen some commentators trying to spin Iran as a big win for Trump, which makes me write them off pretty much immediately. I think the best case scenario here is a 'War of 1812' situation: America launches an incredibly stupid war based on unrealistic expectations, realizes that their expectations were unrealistic when … Continue reading Saturday Sundry: More Iran Thoughts, History, and the Dynamics of Service
Monday Mixer: Mostly Current Events
1. Extra late this time. I was meditating on what to post, as well as coming out of spring break and trying to prep for the end of the year. 2. For the record (and I'm a couple weeks late in saying this), I am completely done with the Trumpster. I favored him all through … Continue reading Monday Mixer: Mostly Current Events
Saturday Sundry: Life Change, Misc Thoughts, and ‘One Piece’ Again
1. The big news this week was that I found out that my contract with the school is not being renewed, so I'm going to have to scramble to find a new job. This was, of course, extremely disappointing, though I had seen hints of it coming, so I wasn't completely caught off guard. I'm … Continue reading Saturday Sundry: Life Change, Misc Thoughts, and ‘One Piece’ Again
Friday Flotsam: Miscellaneous Thoughts, Equality, and ‘One Piece’
1. Everyone knows that the best way to encourage dissent and rebellion in a country is for a foreign power to launch an unprovoked sneak attack against it. 2. If a statement is true, it cannot be racist. If it is false, the falsity is more important than racism. Therefore, the first question should never … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Miscellaneous Thoughts, Equality, and ‘One Piece’
Saturday Sundry: US Foreign Policy, ‘Rear Window’ and ‘Fiddler on the Roof’
1. US Foreign policy since about 1898 has followed a pretty consistent pattern: Step 1: "The US has gone into X:" "Yay! USA! This is a righteous and noble crusade!"Step 2: "The US has left X:" "Yeah, that whole thing was a stupid idea; why did we do that?" Step 3: Repeat 2. To put … Continue reading Saturday Sundry: US Foreign Policy, ‘Rear Window’ and ‘Fiddler on the Roof’
Sunday Sundry: ‘Hamlet’, the Witan, and Rockefeller
1. Is it really just to expect a community to house and care for a man indefinitely because he has shown that he is a danger to it? 2. My sophomores are starting to read Hamlet, only since they've so far only done Shakespeare through a translation, they're slightly panicking (which is exactly why I … Continue reading Sunday Sundry: ‘Hamlet’, the Witan, and Rockefeller
Monday Motley: ‘Taming of the Shrew’ and Statehood
1. I took a quick trip to Maine this weekend to see my niece and nephew in a play, as well as to celebrate my father's birthday, hence why this is coming late. 2. The play was The Taming of the Shrew, the second time I've seen it recently (a friend was also in a … Continue reading Monday Motley: ‘Taming of the Shrew’ and Statehood