If there were ethical basics that transcended time and place, then they were true both for Martians and for men.

“The show must go on.” I had always believed that and lived by it. But why must the show go on?—seeing that some shows are pretty terrible. Well, because you agreed to do it, because there is an audience out there; they have paid and each one of them is entitled to the best you can give. You owe it to them. You owe it also to stagehands and managers and producers and other members of the company—and to those who taught you your trade, and to others stretching back in history to open-air theaters and stone seats and even to storytellers squatting in a marketplace. Noblesse oblige.

I decided that the notion could be generalized into any occupation. "Value for value." Building "on the square and on the level." The Hippocratic oath. Don't let the team down. Honest work for honest pay. Such things did not have to be proved; they were an essential part of life-true throughout eternity, true in the farthest reaches of the Galaxy.

I suddenly got a glimpse of what Bonforte was driving at. If there were ethical basics that transcended time and place, then they were true both for Martians and for men. They were true on any planet around any star—and if the human race did not behave accordingly they weren’t ever going to win to the stars because some better race would slap them down for double-dealing.

Robert A. Heinlein, Double Star

The Minister's Lunch

The minister's bride set her luncheon casserole down with a flourish, and waited for grace. "It seems to me," murmured her husband, "that I have blessed a good deal of this material before.

Irma Rombauer, The Joy of Cooking

The Water World of the Mother River

Remo Savisaar, The Water World of the Mother River

Be sure to click through to see this larger. It is simply stunning.

Take sides!

Take sides! Always take sides! You will sometimes be wrong - but the man who refuses to take sides must always be wrong.

Robert A. Heinlein, Double Star

Hiroshige, 100 Famous Views of Edo

I'm rereading this so I'm rerunning the review from when I first read the book in 2013.

Hiroshige, 100 Views of Edo 

by Melanie Trede

I have been leisurely perusing this book on Sunday mornings when we get up and sit on the back porch with our coffee and the dogs running crazily after squirrels and mockingbirds. (Those of you with little ones, this time will come again for you, do not despair.)

This was a Christmas gift from my husband who knows of my fondness for looking at art on those Sunday mornings. Obviously, I haven't been always examining it on the back porch or even on every Sunday. Do not judge it by my leisurely pace. I'd find it hard to believe that you could find a better book about Hiroshige's famous series of woodblock prints.

The way the shadows are elongated and distorted
gives the impression we are really seeing
moonlit playgoers in the puppet district

Author Melanie Trede first puts Hiroshige in context by explaining that these types of series were common as travel guides. You'd get the latest series and admire the artistry while planning your next trip. Her explanations of the influences traded between Western and Japanese art, the constraints of the woodblock printing process, the Japanese government's censorship and other such information put me not only in the mood to better appreciate each piece, but put me mentally in that time and place. I especially loved little details such as the fact that a crane's feathers would be colorless but have a 3-D texture applied by the printer using his elbow to push the paper into hollowed out areas.

Think how this crane would have seemed to soar
into your room with those feathers lifting from the paper

All of this combines to make one appreciate what an artist's eye Hiroshige had, and his printer too for that matter. Impossible points of view, interesting framing, an insistence on showing the lowly facts of life as well as the noble things ... these keep the prints continually fresh and interesting.

Horse dung. A fact of life but very controversial
for a piece of art. I myself loved seeing the straw horseshoes

The book itself is also lovely, bound like a Japanese book, in a case with bamboo-like clasps. This setting prepares one for the treasury of art contained within. Just as Hiroshige would have wanted, one suspects.

Mom and Hurricane Dorian

We've been planning to move my mother from her condo in Florida to live with us here in Dallas. The original plan was a leisurely three-month period, which got moved up sharply a couple of times as various situations changed.

So after a three-week prep, Rose and I were going to fly to Florida today to help pack up Mom's stuff and then we were all going to fly back with her.

And then Hurricane Dorian happened.

So now Mom and my sister are flying to Dallas, with one day's planning and a suitcase each. Because if there is something an 85-year-old lady doesn't need, it's to go through another hurricane.

All of this is to say that I'm going to be away from the blog some while she gets settled in. Prayers appreciated!

Dum Laga Ke Haisha (My Big Fat Bride)

This charming romantic comedy is a fascinating look at the pitfalls of arranged marriage. When Prem's parents arrange a marriage to Sandhya, he didn't expect it to be with a woman who is more educated, has more earning potential, and is oversized. He can't even bring himself to touch her, which leads to one of the funniest and sweetest sequences in the film. He's even more taken aback when she stands up to him. Adding to Prem's woes is his failing business, which leads to the movie's climactic race where the husbands race through an obstacle course while carrying their brides.

This is from the writer/director of Sui Dhaaga (Made in India), which also looks at a couple who are struggling to learn to know each other after an arranged marriage. You can tell this is an earlier work, but I enjoyed it a lot. One of my favorite scenes was when the enraged couple were playing dueling songs at each other from the radio. I wish I knew what the songs were so I could have gotten the full message each was sending. It managed to be funny anyway. Halfway through I did get tired of Prem's continual whining but the ending was worth it. And I loved Sandhya the entire time.

Rating — for viewers with medium Indian film experience. (It's not rocket science, but without any cultural background at all you might feel kind of lost.)

This Just In — The Church and the Roman Empire (301-490) by Mike Aquilina

I am super-duper excited about this review book ... for one thing, I've had it on my wish list since I discovered it when scouting around Amazon for Mike Aquilina's new books. This is a brand new history series that promises to be just what I've been wanting — truthful Catholic history that's easy to read and that busts some of the ubiquitous myths about Catholicism.

I'm not sure why the second book has come out before the first, but I don't care. I'm diving in now and wanted to let you in on the ground floor! Here's the book description:

Suspense, politics, sin, death, sex, and redemption: Not the plot of the latest crime novel, but elements of the true history of the Catholic Church.

Mike Aquilina gives readers a vivid and engaging account of how Christianity developed and expanded as the Roman Empire declined. He also sets the record straight about commonly held misconceptions about the Catholic Church. Readers may be surprised to learn:

• The Edict of Milan didn’t just legalize Christianity; it also established religious tolerance for all faiths for the first time in history.
• The growth of Christianity inspired a more merciful society: Crucifixion was abolished; the practice of throwing prisoners to wild beasts for entertainment was outlawed; and slave owners were punished for killing their slaves.
• When Rome fell, not many people at the time noticed.

Aquilina brings Church history to life, enabling Catholics to more deeply consider the true origins of the creed that unites us, the Bible we read, and the liturgy we celebrate.

Throwing Shade

Karin Jurick, Throwing Shade

The Curse of Capistrano - SFFaudio

Jesse, Paul, Maissa and I talk about the swashbuckler who originated in California but went on to influence superheroes up until this day — Zorro! Join us as we discuss The Curse of Capistrano at SFFaudio.

Well Said: Community Life

The companionship of girlfriends was very different from the community life I live now; but in none of those relationships did I really feel my gifts were so valued, or my weaknesses so accepted and cared for.

Brother Guy Consolmagno, Brother Astronomer

I was especially struck by the phrase "my weaknesses so ... cared for." Isn't that what we need? Not just acceptance but to be helped in our weaknesses.

Brother Guy is talking, of course, about being a Jesuit and a Vatican astronomer. But I looked at that description and thought it might be the perfect one for what we long for in a community. My family is that way. Many of my friends, especially my Catholic women's book club, give me that too.

Does every group have to give us those feelings? No, of course not. But the ones that matter most to us are the ones that do.

The human spirit

One of the things forgotten about the human spirit is that while it is, in the right conditions, noble and brave and wonderful, it is also, when you get right down to it, only human.

Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!

Bank of the Guadaira with Boat

Emilio Sánchez-Perrier, Bank of the Guadaira with Boat
via Lines and Colors

This is a perfect painting for today since it is Hannah's birthday. I don't know anyone who loves nature more than she does ... or is more knowledgable about trees.

The Faithful Traveler in Portugal - a new 9-episode series

The Faithful Traveler in Portugal strikes the perfect balance between history, travel, and spiritual inspiration, and is a great introduction for anyone planning a pilgrimage to Portugal, and a perfect opportunity for armchair travelers to see these magnificent sites from the comfort of their own homes.

From monasteries and convents to cathedrals and shrines, there is a lot for the faithful traveler to see in this amazing country, beginning with its most famous—Fátima—and including many breathtaking sacred sites throughout Portugal's beautiful cities of Lisbon, Santarem, Coimbra, Batalha, Alcobaça, Porto, Braga, and more! Host Diana von Glahn presents the history behind these sacred sites in a fun and informative way that allows virtual travelers to see things others miss! Or to inspire you to plan your own trip — maybe even to World Youth Day in Lisbon, in 2022!

This series is running on Catholic TV (not EWTN).

I'm friends with Diana and I can't imagine a better guide for a series like this. She combines fun and interest with love of God ... and that's an infectious combination indeed.

Visit this page to see episode listings, details on the many ways that you can access the show, and much more. As well as a picture of Diana's smiling face!

A total dining experience for seniors with cognitive problems

“As residents go through the life cycle of dementia and Alzheimer's, they lose their dexterity,” Schumaker says. “Thrive Dining allows them to easily eat with their fingers.”

The Thrive Dining menu takes all the elements of the full, traditional menu and recomposes them into gourmet bites.

I love to see creative ideas applied to problems, especially when it shows respect to those being served.  And I love to see people enjoying a good meal. This new program does both. So it's no wonder this piece just grabbed me. Read it all at Dallas Observer.

Vase of Flowers

Odilon Redon, Vase of Flowers
via Arts Everyday Living

It's simply that I didn't understand.

It's not often that one gets an immediate answer to the question, "What's wrong with me?", and yet later in the day it became clear that my lassitude was of the hormonal/cyclical variety. The mundanity of that is both uninspiring and helpfully contextual. St Paul says in 1 Corinthians that he does not even pass judgment on himself, since the Lord will bring to light what is hidden in darkness. We think we understand ourselves or others, for good or for ill, and then we stumble on some obscure motivation which puts the situation in a new light. I'm not just lazy. She's not just malicious. He's not just a pushover. They're not just tactless. It's simply that I didn't understand. "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," said the man of perfect understanding, in the most intolerable circumstances, giving the rest of us a model to follow.

Mrs. Darwin at Darwin Catholic

New Podcast - An American's Guide to Bollywood

Hannah & Rose go over 5 tips for watching Bollywood movies in their new podcast, An American’s Guide to Bollywood.

Our upcoming movies are Lagaan, Tashan, Monsoon Wedding, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, and Baahubali 1 & 2.

Yes, Hannah and Rose have a new podcast!

Their first episode — 5 Tips for Watching Bollywood — should be helpful to anyone who has been watching my continual Indian film reviews with bewilderment. iTunes hasn't added it yet, but the link goes to the website where you can listen: An American's Guide to Bollywood.

Wild Boar Family

Wild Boar Family, Remo Savisaar

Once I planned to write a book of poems ...

Once I planned to write a book of poems entirely about the things in my pockets. But I found it would be too long; and the age of the great epics is past.

G.K. Chesterton, Tremendous Trifles

Just because this is a good time to laugh.