Opinion 202

Whoa, shit!  I've fallen behind!

Opinion 201

Did anyone else happen to stumble across this sad story?  It's a bit old, yes, but pathetic enough to endure.

Opinion 200: Fundraising

I love this, from President Obama's reelection site:

When Michael Jordan wrote a check to my campaign for U.S. Senate in 2004, I wasn't sure whether I should cash it or frame it.
Now Michael Jordan is taking his support to the next level. If you chip in whatever you can today, you’ll be automatically entered for a chance to meet both of us at an event later this month in New York City.
You're invited to bring a guest—so if basketball isn't your game, I encourage you to bring someone in your life who might enjoy meeting Michael and me over dinner, and maybe even shooting some hoops with some of the other basketball stars, past and present.
Now, I don't know if I'll want to sprint up and down the court that night, but I'm always up to launch a few jump shots. If you join me, don't be surprised if I challenge you or your guest to play.
Tonight is the deadline to throw your name in—and, today only, every entry counts for two. Make a donation, and you'll be automatically entered.
Thanks,
Barack

What children we've all become!

Opinion 199

I really love this picture.

Opinion 198: Words from the sage Randy Travis

"Since my phone still ain't ringing, I assume it still ain't you."

It's hard to turn down a simple, self-deprecatory country music lyric.

Opinion 197: Concerning books purchased

If you ever find yourself in Minneapolis' Dinkytown - an otherwise embarrassing experience, do yourself a favor and visit the Book House.  I am always impressed at the breadth of good books, both old and new, which can be found on their shelves.  I picked up four today a- book buying bonanza.  I have an odd habit of being extremely stingy with bookmoney for months on end and then, suddenly, as if loosed from invisible chains, bounding forth with open wallet, grabbing texts and throwing large sums of money across counters, rubbing book spines incessantly so as to distract myself from monetary guilt.

Loeb Classical Library: Cicero XXII - Letters to Atticus. 
-A fine Latin text with a very passable English translation.  I hope to practice my Latin on these pages.  God help them.

Sex, Economy, Freedom and Community -Wendell Berry
-It's really not what he has to say, it's how clearly he can say it.

Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Heidegger and Being and Time - Stephan Mulhall
-No, I don't expect any real help here as far as my reading of Sein und Zeit is concerned.  But as long as I am lost in the cave, it'll be nice to have this Mulhall gentleman as a companion.

And a lovely, lovely hardback edition of The Hobbit, large print with Tolkien's illustrations. 

God I'm a cultured man.

Opinion 196

The last cigarette is never as good as the second to last cigarette.

Opinion 195

On a bumper sticker: "I'm pro life vest and I boat"

Opinion 194

While we're confessing our sins here, I must admit that I've been listening to commercial country music for about the last month.  In many ways its both better and worse than I had feared.

Opinion 193: Alas, alas, aesthetic displeasures!

Things about Orthodoxy which have little to no appeal for me
-Any staretz
-Essence/Energy distinctions
-Head coverings
-Monastic literature
-Patriarchates
-The Jesus prayer
-Prayer ropes
-Beards (though I do own one)
-Living bishops
-Holy Russia
-Small Greek villages


Lord, I'm in trouble.

postscript: And it's been years since I last picked up Schmemann!

Opinion 192: a follow up

Then again, if everything here is more or less true, what else could they do?  The letter is clear and coherent, even reasonable...I get the sneaking feeling that someone who doesn't stand on an eagle while being encouraged to live forever might have been the actual author.

Opinion 191: Adminstration

From the fascinating "headline news" post up at oca.org (entitled, romantically, "Locum Tenens, Administrator, Officers and External Affairs Director meet"):

"...'There was much discussion of a wide variety of issues,' Father Eric added."

Oh thank God.  There was a moment there where I was concerned that, sans discussion of diverse issues, our church could be in trouble!