It’s dawned on me gradually, but there is a thriving hot dog culture in Ohio’s Mahoning County that doesn’t seem to exist in other parts of the state. I started becoming aware of it this past Spring, when I happened … Continue reading
I wanted to take some time off before the busy season for those of us who work in collegiate missions. At the same time, I also wanted to avoid extra expenses with travel. So, the last week has become a … Continue reading
I just finished reading Wendell Berry’s novel, Nathan Coulter. If my understanding is correct, this book is the original novel that launched the series of fictional stories of fictional people of a fictional town called Port William, Kentucky — which I’ve come … Continue reading
I recently finished reading Dolly Parton’s lyrical anthology, Songteller. It’s a coffee table book, with lots of pictures and one-page anecdotes about the song lyrics. So, it’s not exactly designed to be read cover-to-cover. Still, I’ve been gradually working my way through … Continue reading
I’m sincerely fascinated by politics. But also often dismayed. When two candidates run for a government position, their political campaigns inevitably seem to reach a point of absurdity and escalation: tribal chants… chest-thumping… name-calling… mud-slinging… and emotional appeals to the … Continue reading
I started translating the Good News According to Mark (also known as the Gospel of Mark), in August 2021. In mid-November 2022, I started transferring everything from my journals to the computer — typing it out and making minor edits … Continue reading
“Why should the fire die? Our Mom and Dad kept theirs alive…” These words from my favorite Nickel Creek album kept thrumming in the back of my mind, as Marci and I hiked the trails of an obscure nature preserve … Continue reading
I recently finished reading China Achebe’s novel, No Longer at Ease. It’s the sequel to Achebe’s seminal work, Things Fall Apart, which I read last year. And even though the tone and trajectory of this book were markedly different from the … Continue reading
I can’t remember the last time I read a whole book in a single day. Yet here I am: 3:58 in the afternoon, all 360 (small) pages of Douglas Coupland’s Life After God finished, consumed, digested. And I feel wired, … Continue reading