Miscellaneous

In his most recent collection of essays, Joseph Epstein recounts growing up in the 1950s. It sounds like a pretty good era. This passage really struck home with me: > Play was not yet organized. The endless cycle of lessons and special tutoring for middle-class children had not begun

Miscellaneous Rambling I spend hours in my garden. I spend a fair amount of time walking. I occasionally am forced to drive an hour or more in my car. I burn through good audio programs like Rob Ford burns through crack. I'm constantly running out of good free

Is the Catholic Church serious about promoting priestly vocations? Then it needs to get rid of female altar servers. Now don't get me wrong: The girls who have stepped up and served (especially in my parish) have been a real blessing. We have troubles getting enough altar servers

H.I.F. Speaking of gardens: I just want to keep my nose buried in mine: Male student named Connecticut school's prom queen [http://news.msn.com/us/male-student-named-connecticut-schools-prom-queen#tscptme] .

Thinking about starting an online local newspaper? You may want to check out this essay by Bill Kauffman about The Batavian [http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/the-hyperlocal-beat/]. Excerpt: > Five years of 12-hour-a-day and seven-day-a-week workloads later, Owens has embedded The Batavian

H.I.F. This has a strong ring of truth to is, at least to me: "The truth is, processed foods contain carefully orchestrated flavors and other sensory factors designed to be as addictive as possible. This is in stark contrast to whole foods, the taste and consistency of

A handful of great passages from Joseph Epstein's new book of essays . . . and I'm only about 15% of the way through it: "[I]n the matter of literary criticism, as Mencken once remarked, it is only justice that hurts." "[I]f the same

A Random Passage "Anyone who believes that advertisers control consumers need only be told a few names: Tucker, Henry J., Ford, Edsel, Mercury Park Lane, Studebaker, Wagonaire, Lincoln Blackwood, AMC Marlin, Buick Reatta, and Eagle Premier. These were among many automobiles that were marketed strenuously by their manufacturers but

In anticipation of the coming football season, I thought I'd post this picture that really cracked me up a few days ago. (If you don't follow the NFL, my apologies . . . and good for you, btw).