I wrote some thoughts on the abundance and scarcity of life, especially as they relate to parenting.
Latest newsletter: Vocation and Virtue
New entry on the ‘stack: Harold Bloom, Samuel Johnson, and Uncle Screwtape teach me how (not) to be based.
New post: Montaigne at Golgatha
Paluxy River; Glen Rose, TX
First rodeo; Johnson County, TX
New essay up on the ‘stack: on resentment
Beautiful, surreal, and disturbing collection of lesser-known WWII photos, courtesy of Art of Manliness.
I wrote some reflections on Dallas Willard’s The Divine Conspiracy
I haven’t DM’d much, but I’m very very excited to dig into old-school D&D with some friends this week.
A good reflection from The Dispatch on the passing of Tim Keller. I read The Reason for God over a decade ago, and it was a milestone in my intellectual and spiritual life. I could talk about how I think a little differently now than then, but Keller’s life and ministry illustrate why me quibbling over such minutiae is fruitless BS. We all die. And Keller’s integrity and relentless fixation on the grace of God are an example of what we should all desire to leave behind us. I pray I can learn from his example.
The Gaslight Anthem, “Positive Charge” — feels really good to have these guys back again, at this time in my life. 🎶
Sure, people are using AI to make music, but there’s little that’s more f**king real than Every Time I Die and Dillinger Escape Plan members joining forces.
After my misadventure trying to self-host a blog on a VPS running nginx (a fun learning experience, but waaay too cumbersome for my needs), I’m returning to posting here on microblog. That said, I’ve also started a linkage/commentary newsletter. Go here if you’d like to follow that experiment.
New essay up over at Mockingbird: Death and Deconstruction
Also can’t stop listening — Thrice, The Artist In The Ambulance - Revisited 🎶
Can’t stop listening — Vagabon, “Carpenter”
Grateful — 2022
While I wouldn’t recommend everyone change jobs, have a newborn for the first time, move house, roll an ankle, and get laid off from aforementioned new job all in the same year, I find myself this NYE feeling gratitude more than any other emotion. I got to welcome my daughter into the world, move into what is pretty much a dream home in the city limits surrounded by great neighbors, work with a mentor and friend again, follow him back to an old team, and develop new fitness modalities. Amidst all of this, I managed to read 36 books, keep hosting The Gap Year, help lead the thriving 20s/30s Bible study at church, travel, pick up guitar again, and spend lots of time with friends and family. I have plans and goals for next year, but they’re mostly just further developing the good things I already have going on.
Make no mistake, it has also been immensely challenging too. The instability of working at startups can be disorienting. Raising a tiny human who would not exist without you violently shines a light on your frailty. A new home entails uncovering things that need new work and ongoing maintenance. Having a fitness routine, which is critical for your own sanity, upended by an injury can leave you feeling adrift and frustrated. And unemployment just plain sucks — “funemployment” my ass (thankfully I start a new job this upcoming week).
But there are also blessings in the challenges, things that would not happen had you bypassed them. As Dr. Kelso said, “nothing in this world worth having comes easy.” It’s been a blessing. I wish I could show myself ten years ago where I’m at now. It doesn’t all come easy, but it’s all worth having.
I was laid off yesterday. This is a first for me, and while it sucks, I had the honor of working with some great people. This was also the first time I got to formally lead a dev team. One beam of light in the darkness has been the opportunity to connect them with [a recruiter I’ve had the pleasure of working in the past] and write recommendations for them. Taking the time to reflect on what you value in each person you work with is something I think every leader should do, in work and in life. If you want to give yourself an instant dose of joy, practice gratitude for the people around you. My only regret is that I didn’t do this more when I worked with them.