1. Read classic noir pulp short Angel Face by Cornell Woolrich, about a savvy stripper-with-a-heart-of-gold trying to save her loser of a brother from a false accusation of murder with help from a sympathetic detective. Really exactly what you want in this kind of thing: snappy dialogue and narration (“One of them was kind of … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Some Reading and Some Thoughts
Friday Flotsam
Friday Flotsam: Cars, Alignments, and Age
1. I am thinking I am going to have to find creative ways to avoid driving places for the near future. $70 for a full tank is rather much. Looks like I may be self-identifying as Albanian for a while (there’s a very beautiful, but also very ethnically definite Albanian church within walking distance of … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Cars, Alignments, and Age
Friday Flotsam: Another Odd Fact, Villains, and Agatha Christie Quotes
1. An odd rollercoaster of a week; I had some days of great consolation and happy productivity, and others of intense depression and extreme lethargy, where I simply could not seem to get anything done. At the moment I’m mostly okay, but yeesh, I really feel the need of a change. 2. Got into an … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Another Odd Fact, Villains, and Agatha Christie Quotes
Friday Flotsam: Crashes, Consolations, and Memorial Day
1. Had a car accident last weekend. No one hurt, thank God, and really not more than a fender-bender. Only, my fenders ended up much less bent than the other guy’s (he hit me, but no one really at fault; just a bad situation involving merging and unexpectedly stopped traffic), so I felt bad about … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Crashes, Consolations, and Memorial Day
Friday Flotsam: Psych Days, Recreation, ‘The Living Shadow’, and an Interesting Fact
1. One thing I would recommend to any fellow sufferers from depression or related problems is not to be ashamed to occasionally take off ‘psych days’ to try to recoup yourself, especially if your job is a source of strain and unhappiness (which, I may be cynical, but I think most jobs these days are). … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Psych Days, Recreation, ‘The Living Shadow’, and an Interesting Fact
Friday Flotsam: Of Glory, The Chastisement of Wickedness, and Monopolies
1. Today, of course, is the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, which comes this year amidst a tumult of, shall we say, significant events. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to pray the Rosary and make some kind of special obeisance. 2. Boethius reaches the conclusion that to be good is to … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Of Glory, The Chastisement of Wickedness, and Monopolies
Friday Flotsam: Political Mobs and Some Other Stuff
1. Is it just me, or do most motivational speeches sound exactly the same? “I had something I wanted to do, and I worked hard every single day, and I’m committed, and I have my teammates' backs,” etc. It is as if they are all made to pattern, formed by the same teacher or following … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Political Mobs and Some Other Stuff
Friday Flotsam: Fable World Building, ‘Safety Last’, and Reading
1. A week of little progress and a lot of crashing. As often happens when one loosens the reins after Lent, Brother Ass takes off and goes wild. But on the positive side, he’s gotten a taste of discipline and so bringing him under rein again should be a bit easier than it was in … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Fable World Building, ‘Safety Last’, and Reading
Friday Flotsam: Oscars Slap at the Everyman, Core Values, and More
1. My latest post went up on The Everyman earlier this week, this one talking about the Oscars slap. I take it as another sign that the social framework is breaking down: For my own part, I think the incident raises some interesting points. First, let’s have no illusions about Will Smith’s personal life, which … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Oscars Slap at the Everyman, Core Values, and More
Friday Flotsam: The Emperor, the Director, and the Lexicographer
1. Today is the centenary of Bl. Karl of Austria’s death. Accordingly, I went to Mass before work to seek his intercession that God will send us good leaders (among other things). Those who aren't yet familiar with Emperor Karl are invited to learn more here. 2. A mild insomnia has been bothering me all … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: The Emperor, the Director, and the Lexicographer