Reader’s Notebook, 2/15/18
I have a few more books to share, but this time I will do something a little different: write about a book I have not finished yet. I looked into the site’s archives and couldn’t find a direct reference, but I’m pretty sure one of the reasons I started writing about the books I read here is because of the…
KU Hoops Update
This Big 12 basketball season is exhausting. Every time I look at the schedule, checking the next 2–3 games, there is never a break. Every game comes with a series of questions and perils. There have been years when the top has been better, when you could look at the top 2–4 teams and think they all have a shot…
Nordic Skating
This is has nothing to do with the Olympics but is a must-watch. It is equally amazing and creepy. The best parts are about halfway through this piece, when you see the ice surface flexing and then cracking after Marten Ajne skates across it. I can’t ice skate, so I’ve never been tempting to go out on our lake when…
Big Weeks
It was a big week for L. Last Thursday was St. P’s annual leadership day, where they invite other schools to come in and take a look at several of the leadership programs they run for the students. Last year L got to give a brief speech about her experiences in the program.[1] This year she took a big step…
Friday Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/user/224aiwksicafjldlua6nnpo4y/playlist/0U2Dqa7fz1hCJBsMeKlOMf?si=A_QCUgoxRumqpDRyxp4jEg “Get Out” – CHVRCHES. First single off their next album, and it sounds as shiny and glorious as their songs from the past. “The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs” – Wye Oak. Another first single from an up-coming album. It looks like Wye Oak will be sticking with the more electronic sound they adopted for their last…
Reaching For the Stars, Vol. 1
I’ve been kicking around an idea for awhile about using the 1980s American Top 40s[1] I listen to most weekends as a jumping off point for writing about old songs. Every weekend, whether I listen to an entire countdown or just catch a few minutes here and there, I’m bombarded with memories from 30+ years ago when all those songs…
The Big Reveal
I’ve watched my share of Fixer Upper over the years. My wife loves it. My kids all love it. If you’re between, say, 30 and 50, white, and live in the suburbs, odds are someone in your house is a fan. While I appreciate the show, it has worn on me over the years. Thus I enjoyed McSweeney’s poking a…
Reader’s Notebook, 2/6/18
A couple very different books completed over the past week. Blue Highways: A Journey Into America – William Least Heat Moon I came across this in an odd way. In Nick Offerman’s Paddle Your Own Canoe, the actor/comedian/writer mentioned this book as having had a large influence on his life. He offered a blurb that it was about traveling across…
More Super Bowl – JT
Well shit. I totally forgot about the halftime show in my Super Bowl roundup. You would be correct if you thought that had something to do with my reaction to it. Justin Timberlake’s performance was visually appealing, but otherwise safe, confusing, disappointing, and forgettable. I had heard the “controversy” coming about the rumored use of a hologram of Prince during…
Pretty, Pretty, Pretttttttty Super
So, yeah, I watched the Super Bowl. I’m a goddamn American, right? Despite my lack of interest in the NFL these days, I wasn’t going to miss the biggest game of the year. Also, if I’m only going to casually watch pro football I kind of have to watch the Super Bowl, as it has become a cultural obligation. Like…