We love brother, yes sirree!

Shannon and Scott got to fly home this weekend to see Matt get ordained an elder. I wish I could've been there, but at least I got this cool picture! Have you ever seen a better looking family?

I have. The Washington picture is pretty tough to beat, but check out this picture. It's one of my all time favorites.  The composition, the styling, the colors, but most especially the faces make this picture great. I could rattle off all sorts of technical humanities jargon to analyze this picture, but let's be honest: it speaks volumes on its own. I love my family.

Metaphysical Speculations

Last semester I taught my first class ever on 17th century metaphysical poetry. Before the class I knew next to nothing about such things. My focus is more contemporary literature. But I find that I've fallen in love with Mr. John Donne. He uses unusual metaphors to explore ideas about life, death, love, and religion--and forces us to think of such things from a fresh perspective. Take this new favorite of mine:

DEATH be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not so,
For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee,	5
Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee doe goe,
Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie.
Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell,	10
And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well,
And better then thy stroake; why swell'st thou then;
One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.

Haunting and powerful. Think about it. Love it.

My density has popped me to you

Remember, remember the fifth of November. No I'm not talking about V for Vendetta or Guy Fawkes. Today I'm celebrating the often overlooked yet momentous moment in science: the invention of the flux capacitor. That's right, the flux capacitor. The thing which makes time travel possible. So thank you Doc Brown, thank you DeLorean, and thank you Marty McFly for making the past 57 years awesome.

Here's to you flux capacitor. Happy Birthday.

Truth with a capital T

My life for the past two years has been consumed by Stephen King. As such I think it only appropriate to begin this blog with a quote from the king of contemporary horror. The primary duty of literature, King believes, is "to tell us the truth about ourselves by telling us lies about people who never existed" (Danse Macabre 251). (Yes, yes I do have to properly cite quotations. It's who I am.) I completely agree, only I would expand King's definition to include all areas of the humanities. My goal is not to make this blog propagandistic, but I do whole-heartedly believe in the power of the humanities to teach us truths about ourselves. So my plan for this is to share a little of what I love.