1. Happy Feast of the Epiphany! From my reflections this morning: why those three gifts of the magi? The foremost is recognition of Christ’s three roles as King, Priest, and Sacrifice, as elaborated on in the famous song. But there’s something else as well which becomes clear when we consider that these are gifts offered … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: The Epiphany and Other Thoughts
A Brief Vignette
"So, we got this musical, see? It's about gamblers and gangsters and such. I'm thinking we cast that Brando kid.""Ah, good idea boss, but, uh, you know Frank Sinatra's interested in the film too.""Oh, good point. Here's what we do; we cast Brando as the lead and give him the bulk of the singing, and … Continue reading A Brief Vignette
Thought of the Day: On Darwin’s Popularity
The standard narrative for On the Origin of Species is that it changed the way people saw the world and rocked the intellectual foundations of Christian civilization. The truth is, it didn't change anything. People didn't abandon their faith and shift their paradigms because they read Darwin; they ate up Darwin as a perfect narrative … Continue reading Thought of the Day: On Darwin’s Popularity
Poem – “It Was a Very Good Year”
When I was 17, it was a very good yearIt was a very good year for small town girlsAnd soft summer nightsWe'd hide from the lightsOn the village greenWhen I was 17 When I was 21, it was a very good yearIt was a very good year for city girlsWho lived up the stairsWith all … Continue reading Poem – “It Was a Very Good Year”
TCM Remembers – 2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IxrVWs80Zw The big one for me, of course, is Akira Takarada; the last major player, either in front of or behind the camera, from the original Godzilla. He was a mainstay of the series ever since, and I'll always be sorry that his cameo in the 2014 film was cut. Other notables include, of course, … Continue reading TCM Remembers – 2022
Pray for Pope Benedict: UPDATE
Dec. 30, 2022, c. 6 pm EST. A current notice: I have heard word that Pope Emeritus Benedict is doing poorly; last update he is described as in "stable but grave" condition, lucid, but very frail. His condition hasn't changed since yesterday, and he's declined to go to the hospital, but nevertheless it is sounding … Continue reading Pray for Pope Benedict: UPDATE
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
‘Perseus Corbett’ Gets Another Review!
Mary Catelli's Erratically Updated and Exceedingly Unorganized Journal (she forget 'Delightfully Named') has a brief, but delightful review of Perseus Corbett and the Forbidden Valley, which can be found here. It's really too brief to make sense quoting from it, except to say that it opens with the encouraging trio of "Action! Adventure! Romance!" Just … Continue reading ‘Perseus Corbett’ Gets Another Review!
Some Christmas Music
In the words of Ross Scott, "I've got some good Christmas music for you this year!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPdHkHslFIU
Talking ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ at ‘The Everyman’
Post for Christmas delving into the themes of Miracle on 34th Street (see also my review for more detail on the film): The world at the start of the film, thus, is the modern world; impersonal, materialistic, and competitive, dismissive of tradition and traditional values in favor of an endless pursuit of an uncertain goal. … Continue reading Talking ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ at ‘The Everyman’
Serpent's Den 