May 2012
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She turned uphill , her head thrust forward on her heavy neck, like an irresistible force searching for an immovable object. –from The Ivory Grin (1952)
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From Grumpy Ex-Pat: I am teaching a 2nd year course next semester on 'Love' – a course for theology majors. What three movies should I show? I am thinking of Baran, Romeo and Juliet and Once, although I cannot think of any theological meaning to ascribe to the latter. I got very good suggestions last…
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When I was young, I used to be fairly vicious in denouncing music that I thought inferior, especially if I thought it was merely commercial. If you've seen the movie High Fidelity, think of the two music nerds who worked in the record store, especially the character played by Jack Black. I don't think I…
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Three Movies and a Book Winter's Bone I suspect most people who read this blog regularly have already seen this–after all, you're the ones who told me about it. But a brief description for those who haven't: it's about a seriously messed-up family in rural Missouri. and is a very grim portrayal of the methedrine…
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Weekend Music I'm sorry the name of the song is visible here, so you won't get the same shock of recognition I did when I happened across this song the other day. I almost never listen to the radio anymore, but one day last weekend I turned it on, and the regional PBS station was…
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An anecdote from the Caryll Houselander biography I've been reading. I always wondered if this wouldn't be the case: …in Lourdes they witnessed the cure of a five-year-old boy who, as a baby, had been kicked in the face by a horse, disfigured and blinded…. Iris remembers the moment when the child received his sight:…
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In a comment on the previous discussion of Wagner, Rob G mentioned a book by E. Michael Jones called Dionysius Rising, in which Jones discusses various unhealthy tendencies of modern music (or so I understand–I have not read the book but I remember seeing reviews when it came out). That reminded me that a magazine…
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Janet Cupo had surgery for cataracts last week and is having some pretty serious complications. Please keep her in your prayers.
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Wagner: The State of the Question (For the benefit of anyone coming across this post in isolation from its predecessors of the past two weeks: I am writing this after having seen a repeat of the Metropolitan Opera’s 2011-12 Live in HD broadcast of its new Ring cycle.) I suppose I should say “The Ring” instead of…
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It’s only when we try not to experience our special suffering that it can really break us. —Carryl Houselander, from Maisie Ward’s biography of her
Light On Dark Water 