Arion: A Journal of Humanities and the Classics is a favorite journal that, when I have opportunity, savor more than just read. It fills the lacuna of my formal cultural education.
The on-line version of Arion journal for Spring/Summer 2007 has an article by Camille Paglia, whom I always enjoy reading. While I do not always agree with her opinions, she is always thoughtful and intelligent, and rises above the din of contemporary critics and commentators. Continue reading
A statement that many find challenging is one that says, “a congregation, while a legitimate expression of church, is not equivalent to it.†(see The Hidden Lives of Congregations) So, here’s a riddle: When is a congregation not a church? And when is a church not a congregation. Continue reading
Tomorrow marks the official “back to school†mark for me with the requisite faculty “retreat†(that in quotes as there’s nothing akin to a retreat about it. Let’s all just admit that it’s work-related, therefore work). So, summer is officially over, and along with it, summer travels.
They say traveling is educational in the sense that it expands one’s worldview. I got world travel out of my system when I was much younger, and today don’t feel much compelled to put up with the discomfort and inconvenience of tourist travel (not the least of which is putting up with airline travel). But I’m happy for the memories and experiences of those interesting places I have visited. Continue reading
Fall in Virginia is quite a different matter from the same season in New York or Oregon, the other two places in which I have experienced its bittersweet mingling of pulsating life and coming death. It has always been my favorite season of the year, but here in the steamy South (I know it gets steamier south of here, but this is all the steam I can bear) it is a completely different matter. Fall, when it finally comes here, is a more about the weather than the calendar, and when the weather finally cools I tap into that combination of renewed energy that comes with a new academic year and the melancholy of remembering that winter will soon close in around us. My melancholy has an extra depth this year as I watch my sister’s struggle with pancreatic cancer, a struggle she stands no statistical chance of winning, but still we hope. Continue reading
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The following is from the book Myths: Fact and Fiction about Teaching and Learning by Israel Galindo. How well do you know fact from fiction?
MYTH: The reason why coffee is such a popular morning beverage is because of the caffeine, which serves as a stimulant. Continue reading
Remember the good ole days? As a young lad growing up as a sand-lapper in Beaufort, SC I have fond memories of mosquitoes, Spanish moss, red bugs, marshlands, and even that strange Gullah dialect that was embedded in the people in the backwoods of the estuary. These were days when we left our doors unlocked, rarely made appointments for anything, shared our resources, trusted neighbors and strangers, and lived a relatively simple lifestyle.
Can you recall a recent time in your life when you felt out of place or lost in a particular environment? We all have experienced this feeling in our lives. Perhaps, the last time you began a new job you had that “Gee, I feel out of control†feeling. A recent visit to a new doctor’s office or hospital might have stirred a “how do I get to where I’m going?†feeling. Finding what you need in an unfamiliar store may create a bit of frustration. Navigating your way around an unfamiliar city creates anxiety.
I try to blog every other week while some of my colleagues are more faithful in their writing. In this week’s post, I thought I would write on stewardship (I know that is a dirty word in some churches) but received an email from a former professor of mine that linked back to his blog. Be assured that the content is of high quality but that is not the point of my ramblings today. You see I am an advocate for using technology for personal and spiritual advancement. Continue reading
I’m a fan of late night infomercials. Given that I’m an insomniac that shouldn’t be a surprise. I got hooked when I saw the first Pocket Fisherman infomercial by Ronco, an early (and still popular) product from Ron Popeil (more, more). Since those early days Ron Popeil and company have shaped the infomercial phenomenon with a steady stream of products. Using a successful format for pitching products, which included the teaser, “But wait! There’s more!†Popeil has sold his inventions, from the Veg-O-Matic, Mr. Microphone, the Inside-the-Shell Egg Scrambler to the wildly successful Ronco Rotisserie Oven, that last due in no small part to Ron Popeil’s memorable pitch, “Set it and forget it!†Continue reading
