Jan 12021 Year in ReviewLast year I wrote most of my yearly retrospective, and got mostly depressed while writing the personal wrap-up (honestly, last year wasn’t great!), so I never published what I wrote. …Movies9 min readMovies9 min read
Jan 12022 Year in ReviewLifeish Stuff I’m midway through my eighth year teaching at my school. I got a new boss this fall, and it’s almost disconcerting how good he is at his job, and how good he is to work for. This has not changed the many downsides of my profession, but it does help…Movies10 min readMovies10 min read
Dec 24, 2021Dickinson and the Anachronism ProblemDickinson, which just wrapped up its third and final season, is a witty and loving show, created, according to Alena Smith, to make renowned poet Emily Dickinson relatable to modern audiences. Smith has done this by writing a coyly anachronistic retelling of Emily Dickinson’s biography, interpreting and portraying the elements…Dickinson5 min readDickinson5 min read
Dec 10, 2021The Definitive Song Ranking of the West Side Story Original Broadway Cast RecordingAbout a month ago I was driving in my car and listening to West Side Story Original Broadway Cast recording. As I was listening on this particular occasion, a few thoughts about these songs began to pop into my head. At first I was going to tweet about them, and…West Side Story13 min readWest Side Story13 min read
Jan 1, 20212020 Year in ReviewLife Update: Covid sucks. And now, on to the media things. Movies I’ve seen far fewer movies this year than is normal for me. I miss movie theaters so much; it’s just not the same to turn on my TV every night and stream something. …20209 min read20209 min read
Oct 28, 2020Avatars of Dishonesty: White American Evangelicals and TrumpMany wise writers about political theology have argued that the choice for president is not a matter of sin: it doesn’t matter who you cast a vote for, as long as you are following your conscience. Certainly, hypothetically, my hypothetical vote for a hypothetical candidate based on the hypothetical shaping…Trump4 min readTrump4 min read
Jan 1, 20202010–2019 FavoritesThis is a list of my favorites movies and TV shows from the decade, not a list of best anything. First, I do not consume enough cultural artifacts to have an informed opinion on anything. Second, I’ve prioritized items that have become part of my thought process or relaxation process…Movies10 min readMovies10 min read
Dec 31, 20192019 (Cultural) Year in ReviewA short update: I’m midway through my fifth year of teaching high school English. I have wonderful colleagues, and I’ve acquired a lot of experience — good and bad! I play piano in a trio and I’ve begun to book gigs in my local arts community. I spent most of…Movies7 min readMovies7 min read
Jan 1, 20192018 FavoritesI read and watched some things in 2018. Here are some of my favorites! Romantic Comedies Romantic comedy has been incredibly important to me since I was ten or eleven, and my brother came home from music camp and told me the entire story of You’ve Got Mail scene for scene (“And…Movies5 min readMovies5 min read
Nov 9, 2016A Christian’s Response to the Election of Donald Trump, and Our Role In ItWhat then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? MAY IT NEVER BE. David, the second king of Israel, a man chosen by God to rule His people, is perhaps most famous for the story David and Goliath, a story in which a scrappy…Christianity4 min readChristianity4 min read
