the cult of we - brown & farrell (2021)

speed read. all i can say is,

• when the numbers go into b- and t-'s in magnitude, my eyes glaze over
• it's a cult of the talker of the hyperbole and symptomatic of larger society
• how can anyone be so greedy???
• he (neumann) sounds hypomanic

in other news, if they can toss around money of that magnitude one wonders why they cannot also do something about that national debt that beggars comparison.

affogato, homemade

our special reunion dinner, we tell each other. before the frenetic rounds of obligatory activities come up and swallow us whole. 

belated birthday thoughts

the little tornado we were not sure would see this age with this sentience has decidedly completed three decades and now nurtures a tornado of her own. how miraculous this is, i think. how undeservedly good and merciful of God. how generously he blesses.

sunday date

impromptu after-dinner affogato. arguably immensely more enjoyable than in younger days, on account of life. starting the work week on tuesday has much to recommend it.

everything is tuberculosis - john green (2025)

sweeping and informative (as befits a self-confessed OCD author), garnished with positive vibes for collective action, and run through with the obligatory feel-good human interest story (which works quite well). with mercifully short-ish chapters.

he is harshly critical of the DOTS program but here in the east we do not see it as the unmitigated evil he makes of it. perhaps it is more of a matter of matching the meat to the man.

be thou my vision

prayer should not be perfunctory nor carelessly reflex nor flightily shaped

worship is not a duty it is the only response to an awful awesome God

HOM and i attend the inauguration ceremony. it is a more traditional ceremony than we are now used to, yet with none of the liturgy we are accustomed to. fortunately the hymns are familiar and beloved. the speakers are mostly sharp and precise. the messages are heartfelt and courageously encouraging. it is good to feel the communal commitment to a task, i think. sometimes we lose this sense of urgent mission in the sunday services where chatter predominates.

in any case, C is inaugurated to his position. may he run his race with diligence and perseverance. may he be excellent in his new calling.

side observation. there is a clear predominance of testosterone.