Journal
I think I’d blog more if I wrote here as I do in my journal: fast writing from slow reading. If a post slows down, I’ll send it to blog heaven where those other past posts, now pages, ripple over my masthead.
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The suburb of God
“Ye are the light of the world. A suburb that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” — Matthew 5:14 “For unto you is born this day in the suburb of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” — Luke 2:11 “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a Continue reading
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Two-ness
The storms that started south of Roanoke continued until soon after the big thunderclap around 2:00 this morning. We had been asleep for about four hours at Betty’s when it woke me up. Nashville got seven inches of rain. Columbia got less, but enough wind to knock down power lines. Some of them and their Continue reading
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Shakespeare
If you visit our kitchen, you’d see a small painting that accompanies what purports to be a quotation from Shakespeare. But it’s not Shakespeare; it’s a modern sentiment that the Internet has put in Shakespeare’s mouth. My dear friend who painted it believes the words are Shakespeare’s, just as I believe the words in Deuteronomy, Continue reading
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What I read this year
Here’s what I read this year, alphabetized by last name: Genesis, translated by Robert Alter Exodus, translated by Robert Alter Leviticus, translated by Robert Alter Jonah, translated by Robert Alter On Revolution by Hanna Arendt (third read) Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism by Benedict Anderson (second read) The Poetics of Continue reading
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Have you never read?
They were indignant and asked him, ‘Do you hear what they are saying?’ Jesus answered, ‘I do. Have you never read the text, “You have made children and babes at the breast sound your praise aloud”?’ – Matthew 21:15 – 16, REB What haven’t I read this year? This year I never read Rhinoceros. I’ve thought about Continue reading
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On the wing
After drinking her smoothie, Bethany said, “I must make haste.” “Do you have a recipe for haste,” I asked, “or do you just wing it?” She paused. “I usually just wing it.” And she left. Continue reading
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Southern (gothic) liberals
Can I trust my governor after his medical-school yearbook features him in blackface? Can I trust Atticus after Go Set a Watchman? Continue reading
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Republicanism and redistribution
Today’s plan by Elizabeth Warren is more republican orthodoxy. She wants to keep private equity firms from looting and destroying U.S. corporations. I first read about private equity firms in Robert Kuttner’s book, published last year, Can Democracy Survive Global Capitalism?: Invariably, a private-equity takeover means an even deeper squeeze on worker wages, benefits, and job Continue reading
slow reads 
