Black Panther

T'Challa, the King of Wakanda, rises to the throne in the isolated, technologically advanced African nation, but his claim is challenged by a vengeful outsider who was a childhood victim of T'Challa's father's mistake.

I remember seeing the Black Panther superhero show up in Captain America: Civil War, about which I remember only the basic details (plus many too-long fight scenes). However, I did remember Black Panther and the glowing reviews piqued my interest. Then a friend animatedly talked not only about the expected Marvel elements but about the fascinating point of the conflict between the hero and villain. And that piqued Tom's interest and fanned the flame of mine even hotter.

After seeing it last weekend I can say this is the only Marvel movie that I'd be interested in seeing more than once. Not only are the ideological points worth discussing, but the design and style are fresh and exciting. I really loved the used of so many African elements for architecture, clothing, and ceremonies. This movie is a visual feast.

For once, I wasn't bored during long fight scenes, largely because the action is broken up between four very different simultaneous fights. Also I loved the blending of classic superhero movie with James Bond elements. There is an inventor coming up with amazing tech, there is a counterpart to Felix from the CIA who helped James Bond (in this case the token white, instead of Felix's being the token black), and the scene in Busan screamed Bond movie. All very cleverly done.

Above all, the basic storyline is one which we all recognize but which is put forth in interesting, compelling terms. Black Panther rises above other Marvel films, however enjoyable they may be. Wakanda forever!

Weekend Joke

A man calls home to his wife and says, "Honey I have been asked to go fishing at a big lake up in Canada with my boss and several of his friends. We'll be gone for a week. This is a good opportunity for me to get that promotion I've been wanting, so would you please pack me enough clothes for a week and set out my rod and tackle box. We're leaving from the office and I will swing by the house to pick my things up. Oh! And please pack my new blue silk pajamas."

The wife thinks this sounds a little fishy but being a good wife she does exactly what her husband asked. The following weekend he comes home a little tired but otherwise looking good.

The wife welcomes him home and asks if he caught many fish. He says, "Yes! Lots of Walleye, some Blue gill, and a few Pike. But why didn't you pack my new blue silk pajamas like I asked you to do?"

The wife replies, "I did, they were in your tackle box."

Well Said: Listening as a gift of self

The silence of listening is a form of attention, a gift of self to the other, and a mark of moral generosity. It should manifest an awareness of our humility so as to agree to receive from another person a gift that God is giving us. For the other person is always a treasure and a precious gift that God offers to help us grow in humility, humanity, and nobility.

I think that the most defective human relationship is precisely one in which the silence of attention is absent.

Cardinal Sarah, The Power of Silence

I struggle with this. It is so hard to not be thinking of what one wants to say in response instead of simply listening and giving the person one's full attention. And yet when I do, it is rewarding.

Worth a Thousand Words: The Cutest Dog in the World

Zoe

This is Rose's dog Zoe and though she is a bit grayer now than when this was taken, she is just as cute.

Well Said: Joining a Resistance Movement

Mankind must join a sort of resistance movement. What will become of our world if it does not look for intervals of silence? Interior rest and harmony can flow only from silence. Without it, life does not exist. The greatest mysteries of the world are born and unfold in silence. How does nature develop? In the greatest silence. A tree grows in silence, and springs of water flow at first in the silence of the ground. The sun that rises over the earth in its splendor and grandeur warms us in silence. What is extraordinary is always silent.

In his mother's womb, an infant grows in silence. When a newborn is sleeping in his crib, his parents love to gaze at him in silence, so as not to awaken him; this spectacle can be contemplated only in silence, in wonder at the mystery of man in his original purity.

Cardinal Sarah, The Power of Silence

Crooked Heart by Lissa Evans

When Noel Bostock—aged ten, no family—is evacuated from London to escape the Nazi bombardment, he lands in a suburb northwest of the city with Vee—a thirty-six-year old widow drowning in debts and dependents. Always desperate for money, she’s unscrupulous about how she gets it.

Wise beyond his years and raised with a disdain for authority, Noel has little in common with the impulsive Vee, who hurtles from one self-made crisis to the next. The war’s provided unprecedented opportunities for making money, but what Vee needs—and what she’s never had—is a cool head and the ability to make a plan.

On her own, she’s a disaster. With Noel, she’s a team.

Together, they cook up a scheme. But there are plenty of other people making money out of the war—and some of them are dangerous. ...

I really enjoyed this book, having come across it after watching Their Finest which was based on a book also written by Lissa Evans. The teaming of Noel and Vee has been compared by more than one reviewer as having a Paper Moon vibe and that's fair.

I really enjoyed the way the author could set a sense of place and time, seemingly effortlessly. It was a different take on wartime England during the Blitz and yet absolutely recognizable.

I was thoroughly invested in Noel's and Vee's separate dilemmas and enjoyed the way the plot set me up for various predictable events and then took completely unexpected turns. It has serious issues but they're handled with a light enough hand that I never felt dragged down. In that way it reminded me of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand.

If you're looking for a light but absorbing story, this is one to try.

Worth a Thousand Words: Redpolls

Redpolls, Remo Savisaar

Well Said: What the desert teaches us

Great things begin in the desert, in silence, in poverty, in abandonment. Look at Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, and Jesus himself. The desert is where God leads us in order to speak to us in a heart-to-heart conversation (cd. Hos 2:16-23). But the desert is not only the place where men can experience the physical test of hunger, thirst, and total destitution. It is also the land of temptation, where Satan's power is manifested. The devil often leads us there to hold out to us the prospect of all the world's splendors and to persuade us that we would be wrong to give them up. By going into the desert, Jesus exposed himself to Satan's seductive power and firmly opposed it, thus prolonging the event of his baptism and his Incarnation. he is not content to descend into the deep waters of the Jordan. christ descends also to the very depths of human misery, to the regions of broken hearts and ruined relationships, to the most depraved carnal dictatorships and the desolate places of a world marred by sin. The desert teaches us to fight against evil and all our evil inclinations so as to regain our dignity as children of God. It is impossible to enter into the mystery of God without entering into the solitude and silence of our interior desert.

Cardinal Sarah, The Power of Silence

Lagniappe: Texts from Don Quixote

Dulcinea
DULCINEA
BESTIR YOURSELF
dragons-
dragons everywhere

where are the dragons?

where are you?

I am beset by dragons my love!
There has been perfidy
in this strange land of iron islands
and wraiths that drape themselves in steam

are you in the kitchen?

no kitchen could produce a bellow so terrifying
nor a stench so foul
as that of these steel dragons

I think you are in the kitchen

they perch upon nests of flame

yes

you are absolutely in the kitchen

that is the tea kettle

I WILL SLAY THEM ALL

please do not stab my tea kettle

ah, dear one
your concern for my safety does you credit
but a man must be brave
where is my steed
where is Rocinante
I REQUIRE SWIFTNESS

Mallory Ortberg, Texts From Jane Eyre:

And Other Conversations with Your Favorite Literary Characters

This is such a fun frippery of a book. It didn't always hit the mark, but when it did I couldn't help laughing. Out loud, of course!

Well Said: Embracing the Future

To have a child is to embrace a future you can't control.

Radio Lab, Tom French, 23 Weeks 6 Days episode

We tend to think of what we can't control in terms of dread, of the worst that could happen. But what if we turn it around and think of the times joy or happiness has surprised us? That is something we can't control either. And a child brings those in measures overflowing, in unpredictable ways.

Worth a Thousand Words: Bouquet of Flowers

Henri Rousseau, Bouquet of Flowers, 1909-1910
via Arts Everyday Living

Lagniappe: Roman Libraries

I do not know whether any lending-libraries existed in Rome, but there were reference libraries, not only in Rome, but also in the country towns. Aulus Gellius says that once, when staying with a distinguished man at his villa near Tivoli, an argument rose among the guests on the danger of drinking iced water in hot weather. Those who considered the habit harmless doubted certain quotations made by a fellow guest, who, to prove his point, ran out to the public library and returned with a quotation from Aristotle strongly denouncing iced water as dangerous to health. Gellius adds that the guests were so much impressed by the quotation that they all decided to give up iced water in future. What interests me is not their decision, but whether the man who ran to the library was allowed to return with a copy of Aristotle, or whether he just wrote out the quotation; and this Gellius leaves in doubt.

H.V. Morton's A Traveller in Rome (1957)

Funnily enough, what interests me is just the opposite from Morton. I find it fascinating, and also hilarious, that all it takes is a quote from one famous philosopher and everyone decides to change their habits. Then, as now, food fads require very little traction to become authoritative and have everyone jumping to adjust their lifestyles. Human nature really doesn't change from age to age.

Praying for the victims and their families in Florida

I was horrified, as were we all, to hear about the shootings in Florida. And when I read Archbishop Chaput's response, it echoed my own.

Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia issued a Feb. 15 statement in wake of the shooting in light of his past experience as shepherd of Denver.

“Nineteen years ago, I sat with the parents of children murdered in the Columbine High School massacre and buried some of their dead. Nothing seems to change, no matter how brutal the cost. Terrible things happen; pious statements are released, and the nation goes back to its self-absorbed distractions.

“The latest massacre in south Florida requires two things from all of us. We need to pray for the victims and their families because, as I witnessed firsthand at Columbine, their suffering is intense and long lasting. And we need to be angry: angry at our lawmakers for doing so little to prevent these catastrophes; angry at our news and entertainment media for simultaneously feeding off these tragedies and fueling them with a steady stream of sensationalism and moral incoherence; angry at ourselves for perversely tolerating these things, and then forgetting them until the next round of violence.

“This is Lent. As a people, we have a lot to repent and confess. And let's not lie to ourselves that tighter gun restrictions — as vital and urgent as they now are — will solve the problem. We've lost our respect for human life on a much broader scale, and this is the utterly predictable result.”

National Catholic Register

We talk and talk and what is being done? Little. We point our fingers and argue and settle back down into thinking it won't happen again. We fail both the victims and the perpetrators who, if they were in their right minds, would be horrified at what they have wrought.

Dearest Lord, have mercy on us. Show us the way. Help the suffering victims and grieving families and friends. Heal us all.

I can do little right now except pray. And yet, I am also helping prepare for our parish's semi-annual marriage retreat. It is our bit, the entire team's effort, to help make this world a better place. One where the goodness can ripple out and affect a broken world.

Doubtless there is more I can do, but for right now I am thankful to have this event to throw myself into.

Please, dear Lord, use us all to restore respect for human life so we may love one another as you love us.

Black Bean Tamale Pie

Just in time for Lent and more emphasis on meatless meals — this Black Bean Tamale Pie is really delicious and serves a lot of people! Get it at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

Lagniappe: The Thing About New Orleans

That's the thing about New Orleans, now. It's a generous city. Give you what you want before you hardly know to ask for it. Trouble is, acourse, that a man wants a number of things that aren't particularly good for him. And those sort of things are a New Orleans specialty.

Owen Parry, Rebels of Babylon

Worth a Thousand Words: Carnival Keepsake

1892 Mardi Gras Invitation
via Letterology

Do yourself a favor and click through to see some of the simply sumptuous invitations from the Golden Age of Mardi Gras. This one began life folded in pumpkin shape. Go see!

Worth a Thousand Words: Waxwing

Waxwing, Remo Savisaar

Worth a Thousand Words: Frozen Lake

Frozen Lake, Edward B. Gordon

Well Said: Grab Aholt of God

This life is much too much trouble, far too strange, to arrive at the end of it and then be asked what you make of it and have to answer, "Scientific humanism." That won’t do. A poor show. Life is a mystery, love is a delight. Therefore, I take it as axiomatic that one should settle for nothing less than the infinite mystery and infinite delight; i.e., God. In fact, I demand it. I refuse to settle for anything less. I don't see why anyone should settle for anything less than Jacob, who actually grabbed aholt of God and wouldn't let go until God identified himself and blessed him.

Walker Percy, Questions They Never Asked Me

That made me giggle. The part about Jacob left me thoughtful though. We ourselves must show determination in the quest to know God.

Dunkirk

The story of the miraculous evacuation of Allied soldiers from Belgium, Britain, Canada and France, who were cut off and surrounded by the German army from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk between May 26th and June 4th 1940 during World War II.

This was a good look at how it must have felt to be one of the people: soldiers and officers on the beach, on the civilian rescue boat, in the RAF plane ... all with no idea of what else is going on aside from their own positions. Writer/director Christopher Nolan expects you to come to this film knowing what Dunkirk is. He doesn't care about the extraneous elements (if they can be called that). We don't get any views of British or German government or military other than anonymous planes battling to sink or save the soldiers. We get the feelings of helplessness mingled with determination that the characters all must have felt. I think Nolan achieved his goal, stated below.

"The empathy for the characters has nothing to do with their story. I did not want to go through the dialogue, tell the story of my characters... The problem is not who they are, who they pretend to be or where they come from. The only question I was interested in was: Will they get out of it? Will they be killed by the next bomb while trying to join the mole [stone pier]? Or will they be crushed by a boat while crossing?"

— Christopher Nolan

I wish Nolan had had the courage to abandon his trademark fiddling with timelines. The soldiers, the rescue boat, and the RAF pilots all had their own time frames, each beginning at different points in relation to the evacuation.  It was more confusing than anything and once I gave up trying to keep track of them (or most of the soldiers) everything got much clearer. A straightforward telling would have received a much higher rating from me. However, it was still pretty good and from Christopher Nolan that's not bad at all.

Jesse, Paul, Bryan, and Julie hide in plain sight ...

... and discuss a book by a man who, as Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett said in their dedication of Good Omens, "really knew what was going on”.

Yes, it's The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton on SFFaudio.

This book which grabbed me by the throat as I read the humor, intelligence, plot twists, and adventure. At the end I was thrown for a loop and could only agree with Goodreads reviewer Dan Schwent who said, "The Man Who Was Thursday reads like P.G. Wodehouse writing from a Phillip K. Dick plot while on a Nyquil bender. "

See where that takes us in the discussion!

Worth a Thousand Words: Spring Snow

Spring Snow (Shunsetsu), Takeuchi Seihō

Lagniappe: Offending your family

Fledgeby's mother offended her family by marrying Fledgeby's father. It is one of the easiest accomplishments in life to offend your family when your family wants to get rid of you.

Charles Dickens, Our Mutual Friend

Ouch! Funny and true. And, I must add, the eventual effect on Fledgeby was considerable.

Worth a Thousand Words: Maria Magdalena

Mary Magdalene, Carlo Crivelli, via Lines and Colors

Well Said: When it is difficult to smile at my spouse

Because I talk so much of giving with a smile, once a professor from the United States asked me: "Are you married?" And I said: "Yes, and I find it sometimes very difficult to smile at my spouse, Jesus, because He can be very demanding - sometimes." This is really something true.

And there is where love comes in - when it is demanding, and yet we can give it with joy.

St. Teresa of Calcutta, National Prayer Breakfast 1994

Toyota: One Team Ad

Yes. This is how America does religion. Or should, at any rate.

Weekend Joke: Superbowl Edition

A sports fan was sitting in the top row at the Super Bowl, barely able to see the field. He noticed a vacant seat about 3 rows back on the 50-yard line. It was still vacant when the second quarter started, so he went down and asked the man seated next to it if anyone was sitting there.

The man said “No, have a seat.” A few minutes later he asked the man if he knew whose seat this was and why they weren’t here at such an important event. The man said that for ten years it had been his wife’s seat but that she had passed away.

Feeling sorry for the nice man, the fan asked if he didn’t have a friend or family member that he could have offered the seat to instead of just leaving it vacant. The man said “No, they’re all at the funeral.”

Well Said: The Destiny of the World

The destiny of the world is determined less by the battles that are lost and won than by the stories it loves and believes in.

Harold C. Goddard, The Meaning of Shakespeare, Vo. 2

Explaining why the Vatican seems so eager for a deal with China

I have to say I was dismayed at the news that Pope Francis was going to finally approve the seven bishops that the Chinese government had appointed for the state-run government church. "What is this," I wondered, "the Middle Ages? Elizabethan England?" So I went looking for an informed perspective. And who better to give that context than John Allen?

The Vatican has its own long history of trying to accommodate Beijing, in an effort to clear the way for establishing diplomatic relations and creating a more stable legal framework for the life of the Church in China.

The debate has always been over how far Rome ought to go in trying to achieve that aim, and at what point compromise becomes appeasement. It has special resonance because we’re talking, in part, about the legacy of martyrs in China who’ve paid the ultimate price for their fidelity to the pope.

Definitely worth reading. Read the whole thing at Crux

Lagniappe: Chopin and Liszt

I write to you without knowing what my pen is scribbling, for Liszt is at this moment playing my Etudes and he transports me out of my proper senses. I should like to steal from him his way of playing my pieces.

Chopin in a letter

I just find this fascinating ... and also endearing.

Spinach and Egg Pie

Wow, so very delicious ... you've got to try it! Get the recipe at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

Well Said: The Church is like a tree with complex roots

Erasmus conceived of Christianity as a fundamental core of truth that had unfortunately been obscured by by a layer of abuses. Christianity could only be restored to its natural, pristine simplicity if these centuries of un-Christian accretions were scraped away. essentially, the Church of Erasmus was like a ship encrusted with barnacles. But this view was fundamentally too simplistic; like many others before and since, Erasmus presumed there was a very clear, easily discernible dividing line between the essential "core" of the Christian message and the various traditions and customs that had accumulated over the centuries. He assumed restoring the Faith was as simple as pruning an overgrown bush or scraping off a layer of paint to reveal the original wall beneath.

The truth is much more complex. Not only the Church's essential core, but the broad strands of its historical and cultural development are attributable to Divine Providence as well. For example, Erasmus assumed the primacy of the pope was a historical development due primarily to political factors. Yet centuries after Erasmus, Pope St. Pius X taught that the Roman Church became the head of all the churches, not through political considerations, but from Divine Providence. Yes, there are many human traditions in the Church, but even the human traditions develop in light of divine doctrine, such that to simply hack away all custom simultaneously attacks the divine teaching at the root of these customs. The Church is not like a ship covered in barnacles; rather, it is more like a mature tree with a complex root system. One root might look insignificant or disposable, but to what other roots is it attached? If this root dies, how does it affect the whole organism? Not all root are equally important, but every root nourishes the tree to some degree, such that to chop it off is to inevitably wound the tree. Whether Erasmus himself realized this by the end of his life is known only to God.

Philip Campbell, Heroes & Heretics of the Reformation

I've always heard the "barnacle" comparison but the tree roots concept seems much more accurate, especially considering what I've read about how chaotic Church history has been since the beginning.

Heroes & Heretics of the Reformation by Phillip Campbell

With the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation last year we naturally have seen many books on the subject. I'll be honest, I'm not that interested in the reformation. I was offered a few review copies of books by Protestants who espoused ecumenism but whose samples showed their even-handedness came from embracing Catholics who agreed with them. And you just can't be Catholic and fully agree with the Protestant point of view. There's always that pesky topic of the Eucharist getting in the way for one thing.

So my interest was piqued by this book which says in the introduction that, although every effort is made for historical objectivity, it is written from a Catholic viewpoint and presumes the claims of the Catholic Church are true. I was further interested when reading an Amazon review saying, in part:

Frankly, I was surprised that I enjoyed this book so much. Its publisher, TAN books, is a highly-conservative Catholic publishing company, and I had feared -- especially in light of the title -- a biased, one-sided defense of Rome's handling of the Reformation. Instead, I found a well-written, well-balanced account of the forces that led to the Reformation, the major players in the drama, their beliefs, and the Counter-reformation that followed.

What I found was a well written book that somehow managed to be so interesting I couldn't put it down. That is high praise indeed for a book about a topic I didn't care about in the first place.

This epic, complex ideological struggle is examined first by following the progress of the Protestants who fueled the Reformation (Luther, Calvin, Knox, etc.). The last third of the book looks at major Catholic figures of the Counter-Reformation. Philip Campbell is skilled at untangling the threads so that we can see each person's background, motivations, influence and the historical backdrop for the entire situation.

One of the things that I really liked was the afore mentioned even-handedness. It was often apparent when telling about someone's major objection to Catholicism. Philip Campbell would then clarify what the Catholic teaching was and put the person's objection into context. Perhaps they'd misunderstood the teaching or they'd come across a grievous abuse or any of a number of other possibilities. He doesn't use that moment to judge the person. The history is past. He just uses it to help modern readers gain further context.

The book ends by connecting the Reformation with our world now. Campbell answers a typically modern question, "Why fight over religion?" by examining various aspects of understanding what faith means today and how the 16th century struggle still has relevance. He also considers where subsequent years have taken the Protestant-Catholic relationship.

I've been bending the ear of everyone who would listen to tell them how wonderful this book is. Now it's your turn. Go get it, even if you don't think you'll like the topic. It's fascinating.

Lagniappe: Farmers' Barns

If a farmer fills his barn with grain, he gets mice. If he leaves it empty, he gets actors.

Sir Walter Scott

This makes me laugh, thinking this has been the case for so long.

Worth a Thousand Words: View of Turkey from the ISS Cupola

View of Turkey from the ISS Cupola, NASA Commons

This unusual image, photographed through the Cupola on the International Space Station by one of the Expedition 30 crew members, is centered over Turkey. The lake just above the bracket- mounted camera at center is Egirdir Golu, located at 38.05 degrees north latitude and 30.89 degrees east longitude. A Russian Soyuz spacecraft is docked to the station at lower right and part of the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) can be seen in the cupola window just above it.

Lagniappe: Lifting Chickens

I have new chickens, layers eight weeks old. When they were chicks living under lights in the mudroom, I made a practice of picking them up one at a time, those that would let me. And now when I enter the poultry yard, I feel like a one-man midway at the chicken fair, birds standing in line waiting to be picked up. No good can come of lifting chickens, I can almost hear my dad thinking that, though he's gone now, too. And yet the birds churr and cluck, and I leave the yard happy.

Verlyn Klinkenborg, More Scenes from the Rural Life

This is indelibly in my mind's eye ... all those chickens lining up for their turn to be lifted. I laugh out loud every time I read it.

Weekend Joke

Before going to Europe on business, a man drove his Rolls-Royce to a downtown New York City bank and went in to ask for an immediate loan of $5,000.

The loan officer, taken aback, requested collateral. “Well then, here are the keys to my Rolls-Royce,” the man said. The loan officer promptly had the car driven into the bank’s underground parking garage for safe keeping, and gave him $5,000. Two weeks later, the man walked through the bank’s doors, asked to settle up his loan and get his car back.

“That will be $5,000 in principal, and $15.40 in interest,” the loan officer said. The man wrote out a check and started to walk away.

“Wait sir,” the loan officer said, “while you were gone, I found out you are a multi-millionaire. Why in the world would you need to borrow $5,000?”

The man smiled. “Where else could I park my Rolls-Royce in Manhattan for two weeks and pay only $15.40?”

Worth a Thousand Words: Japanese Christians In Portuguese Costume

Japanese Christians In Portuguese Costume, 16-17th Century

Well Said: Crosses Finish God's Work In Us

Crosses are the great means God employs to deny self-love in us and to increase and purify his love within us. While we, on our side, labor for these two ends by the means which he has placed at our disposal.

The crosses finish the work; without them it would be imperfect.

The reason of this is clear. Self cannot kill itself; the blow must be struck from elsewhere and self must rest passive in receiving it.

As long as I act I live; I shall mortify myself in vain, I shall not succeed in dying spiritually by my own efforts.

God must do this for me. He must act within me, and the fire of love must consume the victim.

There are so many different kinds of crosses that it is impossible to enumerate them all; and the same crosses are capable of infinite variety.

They change according to different characters, different circumstances, different degrees. Some are simply painful, others are humiliating, others unite humiliation to pain.

Some assail a man in his worldly possessions, in those who are dear to him in his health, in his honor, even in his life.

Others assail him in his spiritual interests, in that which touches his conscience, in that which concerns his eternal salvation; and these are undoubtedly the most frequent, the most destructive, and the most difficult to bear ...

All have an effect upon us which inward mortification is unable to produce, and without them we cannot expect to attain to an eminent degree of holiness.

Father Jean-Nicholas Gage

It is funny that suffering turned out to be a major component of the first season of Westworld. I thought it was because it was a modern series, an HBO series (not so much sex in this one, but plenty of violence). In the end, it turned out to have more significance.

At the time, I thought it was interesting because Catholicism puts such an emphasis on the Cross, which, I hasten to add, is different from straight suffering as shown on Westworld. And so it is fortuitous that this quote came up this week, furthering my meditations on the topic.

And, of course, Lent is not that far away with our participation in denying self-love and increasing our love of God.

I am thankful for the mindset that allows me to take this experience and learn lessons, offer my suffering for others so it has deeper meaning, and reset my humility. I wouldn't have those without Christ and the Catholic Church. So much to be grateful for ... including those crosses to help finish God's work in me.

Lagniappe: Playing by the rules

Joan Bright had lived in Argentina, Spain and Mexico City and the experience of life abroad had taught her an important fact: the British alone played by the rules. They formed orderly queues at the bus stop, they said sorry when there was no need to apologize.

Giles Milton, Churchill's Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

Worth a Thousand Words: Under the Lamp

Under the Lamp, Marie Bracquemond

Worth a Thousand Words: Weary

James McNeill Whistler, Weary
via Lines and Colors

Lagniappe: Society of drunkards

"Drink," said Amram cheerfully, as he poured wine and water into a cup; "it will hearten you, and your faith does not forbid the use of the grape, for have I not heard you styled the society of drunkards?"

"That is only one bad name among many, sir," said Rachel, as she took the cup."

H. Rider Haggard, The Pearl-Maiden

I didn't like the book enough to finish it, but I simply loved this comment made to a Christian maiden in hiding.

Well Said: Projects for the dehumanization of man

Except for one's own sins, so many, many projects for the dehumanization of man are Satan's works, simply because he hates man.

Pope Francis, Homily Sept. 29, 2014

via God or Nothing by Cardinal Sarah

Worth a Thousand Words: Cute Female Bearded Tit

Cute Female Bearded Tit, Remo Savisaar

Doesn't this look like something a cartoonist came up with? Just incredibly cute! And also somehow angry looking.

As a loyal Cowboys fan, this puts me in a terrible predicament.

I do hate the Eagles with the fire of a thousand suns. And yet, to root for The Patriots ...

Can they both lose?

God or Nothing: A Conversation on Faith with Nicolas Diat — by Cardinal Robert Sarah

In this fascinating autobiographical interview, one of the most prominent and outspoken Catholic Cardinals gives witness to his Christian faith and comments on many current controversial issues. The mission of the Church, the joy of the gospel, the heresy of activism , and the definition of marriage are among the topics he discusses with wisdom and eloquence.

I began this after a conversation with friends about the Catholic Church in Africa. I expected the entire thing to be biography, but the last 2/3 or so was Cardinal Sarah answering questions about the global Church today, evangelization, and connecting with God. As a result it was informative and inspirational in equal measures. Cardinal Sarah frequently quoted Popes Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis which made for an interesting juxtaposition of papal styles, all with the same message.

I was really interested in the global view and sometimes surprised at how provincial my own American thinking was. For example, Cardinal Sarah was criticizing the way that parishes will personalize the liturgy outside of the bounds of what is allowed. I thought of the dumbing down that is often done and was nodding in agreement. His example turned out to be that in Africa Masses can sometimes last 6 hours with continual dancing and so forth. I had to laugh at my own surprise and then was thoughtful because the impulses that lead to the very different personalizing of the Mass showed the same problem — glorification of the people and not of God. Fascinating.

I also enjoyed Cardinal Sarah's down-to-earth style in talking about current issues. He's not afraid to tell how the cow ate the cabbage. As the interviewer, Nicholas Diat, says, "Sometimes, the cardinal's thinking seems tough and too demanding. It is certainly a great mystery how someone can be so radical only to arrive at last at a happy medium. Robert Sarah displays a gentle and angelic stubbornness in all things."

I think that what makes the cardinal's tough, demanding thinking palatable is that he always is aiming at dignity for each human person. And that, as he tells us, comes from loving God. Thus his declarations often end in gentle treatment for the individuals most affected by the problems he is detailing.

This is a book I'll be coming back to. For one thing it really made me think of Pope Benedict XVI's style and I've been missing that for a while now. Highly recommended.

Well Said: Bandaging the wounds of the world.

In observing the poor, I too have learned to say, in poverty: My God I am glad about all the trials I have experienced, and I thank you in advance for all the ones yet to come. I hope they will help to bandage the wounds of the world.

Cardinal Robert Sarah, God or Nothing

I am not yet advanced enough to be able to thank God in advance for the trials to come in my life. I am always hoping to dodge the Cross.

However, that idea of trials helping to bandage the wounds of the world is one that helps me reconcile myself to those advance trials. Almost (not quite) to be able to embrace the idea. Baby steps, baby steps.

Valentine's Day is on Ash Wednesday. That's bad.

Beyond Cana is on Feb. 16-18. That's good!

That's very good!

If you live near Dallas, we've got a great romantic package that lasts for more than one evening.

The Beyond Cana® marriage retreat offers the time and tools to restore and strengthen marriages - with God and His direction for us at the center.

It's a 2½ day retreat designed to enrich the marriages of couples who want to focus on the communication, respect, love, and intimacy that are so integral to a good marriage. With date nights!

Tom and I've been helping present this retreat for over ten years and can vouch for the way it has made our good marriage better.

To sign up or for more information, go to the St. Thomas Aquinas website.

Litany: To Jesus in the Womb of Mary

This litany seems a good one to remind us that all life, whether or not we can see it in front of our eyes at the moment, is precious.

Today is the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision that made abortion legal. Let's take a few moments to reflect on Jesus in the womb of Mary. It is a reality of the Incarnation that we don't often consider, but he was the unborn baby of a single mother.

Jesus, knit so wonderfully in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, uniquely human from the moment of conception in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, present at creation, created in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, word made flesh, taking on a human body in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, subject to human development in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, whose Precious Blood first flowed through tiny arteries and veins in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, hidden nine months in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, begotten by God, nourished by the substance and blood of His Most Holy Mother in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, leaping from eternity into time, in the womb of Mary
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, revealing with His Father and the Holy Spirit all wisdom and knowledge to His Most Holy Mother, in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, aware of His role as Redeemer in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, Sanctifier of His Precursor from the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, Eternal Word, Divine Child, embraced by the Father, in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, raising His Mother to the heights of sanctification, in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, everlasting delight of heaven, in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, manifesting His Incarnation to His Holy Mother, in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, adored and contemplated by His Mother in the sanctuary of her womb Jesus,
before whom the angels prostrated themselves, in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, in whom the very angels beheld the humanity of the Infant God and the union of the two natures of the Word in the virginal womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, whose Holy Limbs first budded in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, whose Godhead the world cannot contain, weighing only a few grams in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, Divine Immensity, once meaning only tenths of an inch in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, Sacrificial Lamb, Docile Infant in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, who was to suffer the agony and passion of death, accepting the human capacity for pain ad grief, in the womb of Mary,
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, Lamb of God in the womb of Mary Spare us, O Lord.
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, Holy Innocent in the womb of Mary Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Have mercy on us.

Jesus, Son of God and Messiah in the womb of Mary Have mercy on us, O Lord.
Have mercy on us.

LET US PRAY:

God, our creator, You formed us as women and men,
equal partners in the stewardship of Your world:
joined forever as sisters and brothers,
yet within each of us lives a rich diversity of different gifts,
different hopes and different limitations.
In Jesus, Your word born fully in our flesh,
You have seen and loved in us all that You have made us to be.
Though graced, we are limited and often weak.
But our weaknesses themselves are no obstacle to Your passion for us.
Teach us to see in ourselves what you have seen in each of us from birth.
Teach us to know our gifts and limits.
Keep us confidently on the path of self-knowledge,
fullness of wisdom, and joy in being Your children.
We ask this through Christ and the Holy Spirit, with You,
One God, forever and ever.

Amen

Weekend Joke: What Causes Arthritis?

A drunk man, who smelled of liquor, sat down on a subway next to a priest. The man's tie was stained, his face was plastered with red lipstick,and a half-empty bottle of gin was sticking out of his coat pocket.

He opened his newspaper and began reading.

After a few minutes the man turned to the priest and asked, "Say Father, do you know what causes arthritis?

The priest replies, "My Son, it's caused by loose living, being with cheap, wicked women, too much alcohol, contempt for your fellow man, sleeping around with prostitutes and lack of a bath."

The drunk muttered in response, "Well, I'll be damned."

He returned to his paper.

The priest, thinking about what he had said, nudged the man and apologized. "I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to come on so strong. How long have you had arthritis?"

The drunk answered, "I don't have it, Father. I was just reading here that the Pope does."

Well Said: To have a child ...

To have a child is to embrace a future you can't control.

Tom French, RadioLab, 23 Weeks 6 Days episode

Worth a Thousand Words: Pathway

Charles Guilloux, Pathway
via Arts Everyday Living

Lagniappe: His long body

... his long body was as still as the floor it lay on.

Dashiell Hammett, The Maltese Falcon

No real significance to this, just it is so beautifully put.

Worth a Thousand Words: Silvered Brook

Silvered Brook, John Fabian Carlson
via Lines and Colors

Baahubali

We are always interested in Indian/Bollywood movies, especially after liking Lagaan so much. However, when we've tried the real thing we've often had a really hard time understanding them.

So we were interested but wary when we got a recommendation from a computer guy in India that my husband's been working with. He first mentioned Slumdog Millionaire which was interesting because we like it but never really knew how accurately that conveyed a feel for India. Then he recommended Baahubali. Amazingly enough, the Dallas library had copies of parts 1 & 2, making for 5 hours of movie goodness.

BAAHUBALI: THE BEGINNING

(2015)

The young Shivudu is left as a foundling in a small village by his mother. By the time he’s grown up, it has become apparent that he possesses exceptional gifts. He meets the beautiful warrior/princess Avanthika and learns that her queen has been held captive for the last 25 years. Shividu sets off to rescue her, discovering his own origins in the process.

We had absolutely no idea what to expect but was an exciting movie. It had many familiar story elements: the young man seeking his place in the world (and romance), finding a new path (and romance), and learning about his unexpected history (and romance). Along with epic battle scenes. And some singing. (That much of the culture we knew to expect.)

Interestingly, this echoed the main themes of The Last Jedi, which we had seen at the theater that day. Some themes are common to us all, despite the cultural differences.

Note: The CGI in this is painfully obvious. We weren't sure if that was due to the quality of the original or the transfer to DVD. Whatever. Just ignore it and keep watching. It's worth it.

BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION

(2017)

It's as if they cut a long movie in half and this is literally the second part. 'Nuff said. If you watched the first, you're good to go on this one. Here was my husband's reaction.

Epic. And he tied all 5 hours together. Myth. Battles. Good. Evil. Singing. Dancing. And war elephants.

I loved this beyond all reason ... it was Shakespearean in the family complications by the end. And it had enough crazy amazing action for anyone who is a fan of superhero movies.

Also, you could tell the budget was bigger. The CGI was much improved.

Rating — Introduction to Bollywood (come on in, the water's fine!) This one depends more on whether you can handle long-ago historical/fantasy movies than Indian films. Are you a Lord of the Rings fan? Did you like 300? You'll probably do just fine.

Scott and I discuss Baahubali 1 & 2 at A Good Story is Hard to Find.
An American's Guide to Bollywood discuss Baahubali 1 & 2 here.

Worth a Thousand Words: Palau Baro de Quadras

Palau Baro de Quadras, Carlos Lorenzo

Well Said: Good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being

If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago

Well Said: We may neither change nor desert the Lord because of his wounds

[The Catholic] will understand that all the known or unknown betrayals by the few or many members of the Church, the sordidness of soul, the narrow-mindedness, the cruelty, and all the infidelity that the Church may have had and lived within herself are only the counterpart to the sweat of blood in Gethsemane and of the wounds and blood of the Cross. That is why we must think about the holy being of the God-Man. We may neither change nor desert the Lord because of his wounds.

Cardinal Guiseppe Siri

Worth a Thousand Words: Memory of a wonderful winter day

Remo Savisaar, Memory of a wonderful winter day

Well Said: The Catholic Church and the end of all governments

There is not, and there never was on this earth, a work of human policy so well deserving of examination as the Roman Catholic Church. The history of that Church joins together the two great ages of human civilisation. No other institution is left standing which carries the mind back to the times when the smoke of sacrifice rose from the Pantheon, and when camelopards and tigers bounded in the Flavian amphitheatre. The proudest royal houses are but of yesterday, when compared with the line of the Supreme Pontiffs. ... She saw the commencement of all the governments and of all the ecclesiastical establishments that now exist in the world; and we feel no assurance that she is not destined to see the end of them all. She was great and respected before the Saxon had set foot on Britain, before the Frank had passed the Rhine, when Grecian eloquence still flourished at Antioch, when idols were still worshipped in the temple of Mecca. And she may still exist in undiminished vigour when some traveller from New Zealand shall, in the midst of a vast solitude, take his stand on a broken arch of London Bridge to sketch the ruins of St. Paul's.

Thomas Babington Macaulay, On Ranke's History of the Popes

You know, I never really thought of it that way before. "A 2,000 year old institution" is a phrase I hear a lot but this brings it sharply into focus. People may call the Church old fashioned but what that means is that she has outlasted all the other fashions and trends of two millennium.

Weekend Joke: The Professional

I ran this several years ago but it I didn't remember it and loved it ... again! Many thanks to Seth for sending this!

A woman received a call that her daughter was sick. She stopped by the pharmacy to get medication, got back to her car and found that she had locked her keys inside.

The woman found an old rusty coat hanger left on the ground. She looked at it and said "I don't know how to use this." She bowed her head and asked God to send her HELP.

Within five minutes a beat up old motorcycle pulled up. A bearded man who was wearing an old biker skull rag was the rider. The man got off of his cycle and asked if he could help.

She said: "Yes, my daughter is sick. I've locked my keys in my car. I must get home. Please, can you use this hanger to unlock my car?"

He said "Sure." He walked over to the car, and in less than a minute the car was open. She hugged the man and through tears said "Thank You SO Much! You are a very nice man."

The man replied "Lady, I am NOT a nice man. I just got out of prison yesterday. I was in for car theft."

The woman hugged the man again sobbing, "Oh, thank you God! You even sent me a Professional!"

Worth a Thousand Words: Vanilla Sun

Belinda DelPesco, Vanilla Sun

Well Said: Miss Marple and greed

"The trouble is," said Miss Marple, "that people are greedy. Some people. That's so often, you know, how things start. You don't start with murder, with wanting to do murder or even thinking of it. You just start by being greedy, by wanting more than you're going have." She laid her knitting down on her knee and stared ahead of her into space.

Agatha Christie, The 4:50 from Paddington

That is so often the definition of sin, isn't it? Wanting more than you're going to have. And then trying to get it leads to big, big trouble.

Paddington

In the deep jungles of darkest Peru, British geographer Montgomery Clyde happens upon a previously unknown species of bear. He is about to shoot it to take back a specimen to the United Kingdom when another bear playfully takes his gun away. He learns that this family of bears is intelligent and can learn English, and that they have a deep appetite for marmalade. He names them Lucy and Pastuzo. As he departs, he throws his hat to Pastuzo and tells the bears that they are always welcome should they wish to go to London. (Wikipedia)

Several years later, Lucy and Pastuzo's young nephew sets off to London, but fails to find either the explorer or a home. He is taken in briefly by the Brown family, while unbeknownst to him he is being pursued by a Museum of Natural History scientist with evil designs.

This was completely off my radar since my kids are grown and I never encountered the Paddington books. An upcoming visit with our 5-year-old goddaughter and Paddington 2's stellar reviews brought the original movie to my attention. How lucky for me that it was streaming on Netflix so I could catch up before taking Maggie to the movies next weekend.

What a delight this was. Much like Babe, this didn't talk down to children and still had plenty for adults to enjoy. It was charmingly old fashioned while being set in the modern world, funny without being stupid or crude, and balanced sweetness with playful mischief. There was also a certain amount of mystery and danger that engaged us, despite all expectations.

We were all impressed at the level of care that went into the film, from the shooting and production design, to the completeness of the story. For example, we watched with a daughter who's watched many a movie with a good friend who is a production artist and always pointed out background reinforcement of the story. So we were clued in to the color scheme. Red is adventurous and on Paddington's side. Blue is careful and apprehensive about the world. The way family members' clothing changes depending on their character development and the storyline was delightful.

And the story didn't show us a single marmalade sandwich in the opening act that it didn't use by the end. The use of a running joke as an dramatic plot device at the ends was brilliant. It was a really well constructed script.

Paddington 2 is supposed to be even better, though I'm darned if I know how they'll achieve it. I'm just grateful it brought this movie to our attention.

Worth a Thousand Words: Red Alert

Karin Jurick, Red Alert

I love the way the rascal in the painting is eyeing the girl!

2018 Challenge - Books and Movies

I have to admit it — my challenge for last year was mostly a bust. I abandoned it pretty early in the year mostly, I think, because I made the list out of a sense of duty. I'd done all those other yearly challenges, after all. Why stop now?

2017 turned instead into a year of reading and watching whatever I picked up and that morphed, surprisingly, into series. You can see some of that in My Year of "In Order."

• I read Terry Pratchett's books in order of publication, stopping only short of when his Alzheimer's began manifesting in bad books.
  
  
• We are just two movies shy of watching all the James Bond movies. It's been very interesting.
  
  
• Star Trek still has about a season and half to go before we can move on to The Next Generation. (Yes, this "in order" may take the rest of my natural life, but what a way to go!)
  
  
• We began watching The Avengers. They have proven to be just as whimsical and clever as I recalled. We're halfway through the second season and then will sample some Wild, Wild West to see if it is as spy-fy-ish / steampunk as I recall.
  
  
• I finished reading the Bible in chronological order. That began in 2016 but became a treasured habit. So much so, in fact, that I promptly began all over again. I'm using a different translation — Knox edition — as well as my study Bible which has become the place where I put all my notes from commentaries and studies. 

The result is that I've got a different approach this year which is much looser.

Once we finish James Bond, we're going to begin watching Billy Wilder's movies in order. We will also sprinkle in a little Akiro Kurosawa (in order, natch) through the year as we go.

I have a couple of series I'd like to reread:

• Slough House (begins with Slow Horses)
• Night Watch (which I've reviewed quite a few of, if you check the Book Reviews page, beginning with Night Watch)

Mostly, I have a big list of books that I began but never finished. Some are really long and I just dip into them occasionally. This is especially the case with Paul Johnson, Louis L'Amour, and Sense of Wonder.  Others, though, were put down when the next shiny new book came along. They're too good to abandon but I need to stop adding new books and finish them.

• A History of the American People by Paul Johnson
• Lone Star: A History Of Texas And The Texans by T.R. Fehrenbach
• Heroes & Heretics of the Reformation by Phillip Campbell
• Heroism and Genius: How Catholic Priests Helped Build — and Can Help Rebuild — Western Civilization Hardcover by William J. Slattery
• The Big Book of Adventure Stories edited by Otto Penzler (rereading)
• Plain Tales from the Hills by Rudyard Kipling
• Sense of Wonder: A Century of Science Fiction by Leigh Ronald Grossman
• Acts of the Apostles (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture) by William S. Kurz SJ
• Hebrews (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture) by Mary Healy
  
• The Gospel of John (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture) by Francis Martin and William M. IV Wright
  
• God or Nothing by Cardinal Sarah
• Meditations Before Mass by Romano Guardini
• Theology and Sanity by Francis Sheed
• The Everlasting Man by G.K. Chesterton (rereading)
• Louis L'Amour's complete short stories
• Meetings with Remarkable Manuscripts: Twelve Journeys into the Medieval World by Christopher de Hamel
  

You've got to admit, that's a pretty big stack of great books — tragically unfinished. It could take a year. Especially since I've got some other "assigned" reading as I go for various podcasts and my book club. For example, Kristin Lavransdatter (1,100 pages) is taking up most of my reading time now. But we shall see how it goes for whittling this list down!

Worth a Thousand Words: Arrival of Heralds to the Kremlin

Apollinary Vasnetsov (1856–1933), Arrival of Heralds to the Kremlin

Lagniappe: Bertie's Christmas Eve

"Come, Teddie, it's time you were in your little bed, you know," said Luke Steffink to his thirteen-year-old son.

"That's where we all ought to be," said Mrs. Steffink.

"There wouldn't be room," said Bertie.

The remark was considered to border on the scandalous; everybody ate raisins and almonds with the nervous industry of sheep feeding during threatening weather.

Saki, Bertie's Christmas Eve

A Treasury of Hours: Selections from Illuminated Prayer Books by Fanny Fay-Sallois

Before the invention of the printing press, wealthy men and women of Europe commissioned hand-lettered and hand-illustrated volumes from some of the finest artists of the time. Among the most precious were books of hours, which contained psalms and readings arranged for specific times of day. Many of these books contained ravishing illustrations—called "illuminations"—picturing such biblical scenes as the Nativity, the Mount of Olives, the Dance of Salome, and the Pentecost. The margins of these pages were often embellished with enchanting decorative motifs of flowers, foliage, birds, and animals.

I've long been fascinated by the idea of using a Book of Hours for devotion. This lovely book from The J. Paul Getty Museum delivers the closest experience I'm likely ever to have.

Selections from a variety of illuminated prayer books take the reader through a good representation of what patrons would have found in the books they commissioned for their own daily prayer. They include variety of different books of hours and topics ranging from calendar pages, gospel passages, hours of the Passion, hours of the Virgin, and the saints. Each spread has a prayer and annotation so you can get more out of the illustration and prayer.

This is a book I will visit again and again. Not only is the artwork delightful but the artists' interpretations gave me new food for thought and reflection. Just as a Book of Hours is supposed to do!

Worth a Thousand Words: Street in Saintes-Maries

Vincent van Gogh, Street in Saintes-Maries, 1888
Via Arts Everyday Living

Lagniappe: A Citrus Tart and the Unexpected

The air is clear and cold, and there are paper-white narcissi in a bowl on the table, filling the kitchen with their gentle, vanilla smell. Winter at its purest. This is the sort of day on which I like to bake — a cake, a pie, a tart perhaps. I enjoy making pastry, though rarely do, each time adding as much butter as I dare, just to see how crisp and fragile I can get the crust. Today I want something fresh, with a clean bite to it, a dessert to make everyone smack their lips. I decide on a lime custard tart in the style of a tarte au citron. The lime zest cuts through the cool air. The warm smell of baking pastry wafts into the house. Heaven. Halfway through baking, I check the tart's progress only to find the pastry shell empty and the citrus filling forming a lemon-colored pool on the baking sheet. I pile the whole damn failure into a bowl (and later eat it in secret after everyone has gone home) and start again.

Nigel Slater, The Kitchen Diaries

I can relate. I love, love, love that honesty.

A Divine "Mistake": Priest’s hospital room mix-up allows dying woman to receive sacraments

Shortly before midnight on New Year’s Eve, Father Gergorio Hidalgo went to a hospital to give Communion to a patient. But a “mistake” in room numbers allowed him to administer the sacraments to a dying woman as well.

“Last night I went to the hospital at 11:32 p.m. for an emergency. By mistake, I go to the wrong room. Patient is dying. Confession, anointing, communion and then she passed away 2 hours later. Best mistake I have ever made. THANK YOU GOD FOR USING MY MISTAKES,” the priest, better known as Father Goyo, posted on Twitter.

Read the whole story here. Via Jeff Miller.

The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton

A hilarious, fast-paced tale about a club of anarchists in turn-of-the-century London. Gabriel Syme is invited by a fellow poet to attend a secret meeting of anarchists, whose leaders are named for the days of the week, and all of whom are sworn to destroy the world. When Syme is unexpectedly elected to fill a vacancy on the anarchists' Central Council, the plot takes the first of many surprising twists and turns.

I've meant to read this for some time but, since I find Chesterton's novels the most difficult of his writing, I needed a push. That came in the form of upcoming participation in an SSFaudio podcast episode.

This grabbed me by the throat and I read it with delight at the humor, intelligence, plot twists, and adventure. At the end I was thrown for a loop and could only agree with Goodreads reviewer Dan Schwent who said, "The Man Who Was Thursday reads like P.G. Wodehouse writing from a Phillip K. Dick plot while on a Nyquil bender."

We were warned. The subtitle does say "A Nightmare."

And yet, reader, I loved it.

I'm really looking forward to having this particular bender unraveled by conversation at SFFaudio.

Worth a Thousand Words: Lynx

Remo Savisaar, Lynx

Weekend Joke: The Texan and the Australian

A Texan farmer goes to Australia for a vacation. There he meets an Aussie farmer and gets talking.

The Aussie shows off his big wheat field and the Texan says, "Oh, we have wheat fields that are at least twice as large."

Then they walk around the ranch a little and the Aussie shows off his herd of cattle. The Texan immediately says, "We have longhorns that are at least twice as large as these."

The conversation has, meanwhile, almost died when the Texan sees a mob of kangaroos hopping through the field. He asks, "And what are those?"

The Aussie asks with an incredulous look.

"Don't you have any grasshoppers in Texas?"