Vanity
Before the word vanity took on its dominant modern meaning of “excessive interest in one’s own appearance,” it meant something like “futilty” or “emptiness,” from… Read More »Vanity
Random
Isaiah and Cervantes on Bread
Isaiah “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters;and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!Come, buy wine and milk without money and without… Read More »Isaiah and Cervantes on Bread
Two ways to waste time
By frivolling useful chunks of time away on things that bring neither useful results nor joy;* By believing that you can’t get anything important done… Read More »Two ways to waste time
Who knew?
This time last year none of us had any idea about most of the important things that 2020 would hold. Do we ever? Here’s to… Read More »Who knew?
Castles on Clouds
I’m a couple of chapters away from finishing Les Miserables,* thanks to the enthusiasm of a friend** and to Nick Senger’s excellent chapter-a-day read-along schedule.***… Read More »Castles on Clouds
What’s News? And other stories
Questions for self: Why do you read the news more than once a day? Will things really have changed since the last time you had… Read More »What’s News? And other stories
Black History Month: the things we forget and the things we can’t see
Some things about Black History month: It is not a recent product of early-21st-Century political correctness, but has roots going back to the 1920s; It… Read More »Black History Month: the things we forget and the things we can’t see
It could have been better (1)
It always could be.
Knowing better (3): the best values
My values are the best that I know; I assume you feel the same. Changing them is hard – it takes some combination of (delete… Read More »Knowing better (3): the best values
Variable speed
Rushing is usually a bad idea. We get flustered or anxious, we forget or ignore important things, and we often feel guilty about it afterwards.… Read More »Variable speed