I am so picky about jazz, when I find a new jazz record that I like, I listen to it four or five times a week for months. Chet Baker With 50 Italian Strings is what I’m on now.
This Season’s Jazz Record
For Everyone Listening To “The Rise And Fall Of Mars Hill”
This is what that dude is up to today.
On Teaching Modern Literature
The thing is, Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” is far better if no one tries to explain it to you. You may as well try to explain why pain hurts. The same is true of A Farewell To Arms. If someone doesn’t understand A Farewell To Arms, they are simply too young to read it.
This just isn’t true of the Aeneid, though.
You Are Obligated To Respect Others, Not To Make Them Feel Respected
“A humble man trains himself to feel respect when he is shown conventional signs of respect, while an arrogant man is unwilling to train his feelings and instead demands others train their actions around his feelings. The idea that anyone is morally obligated to make others feel respected is just godless relativism dressed up in fake politeness.”
-from my latest for CiRCE
Sayings
“A brother offended is not easily won,” and a brother easily offended is never won.
This Is The Most Underrated Record Of The Last 20 Years
“Do what you gotta do/
and don’t misunderstand me”
Sayings
A prudent man with a backbone will always be a wild card.
Quit Asking Potential Teachers About Their “Personal Philosophy of Education.”
Skip asking potential teachers about their “personal philosophy of education.” That won’t tell you anything about them. Ask them to write a description of a school which calls itself classical, thinks of itself as classical, but isn’t. How have they fooled themselves? What allows the illusion to persist? When is the illusion likely to be shattered? If someone can answer those questions, they know what they’re doing. You can quit asking about a “personal philosophy of education.”
Resolutions For Classical Schools
This year, resolve to not pray that God would “help us all to have a good time tonight.”
This year, resolve to not call your students “you guys.” Your name isn’t Madison and you are not a Chili’s waitress.
This year, resolve to use the word “prayerfully” in ways that do not involve asking people to consider giving donations.
This year, tell your students to occasionally throw in a “If you’re actually reading this, circle this sentence in red” into the middle of their papers just to keep you on your toes.
And for the same reason, resolve to throw an occasional “If you’re actually reading this” sort of claim into the lesson plans you’re required to submit.
My Favorite Song By…
Miles Davis: “It Never Entered My Mind”
The Beatles: “The Long and Winding Road”
Oasis: “Slide Away”
The Rolling Stones: “Emotional Rescue”
Nirvana: “Something In The Way”
U2: “Ultra Violet (Light My Way)”
The Clash: “Straight To Hell”
Tom Petty: “Walls (Circus)”
R.E.M.: “At My Most Beautiful”
The Cure: “All Cats Are Grey”
Simon & Garfunkel: “The Only Living Boy In New York”
New Order: “Temptation”
Radiohead: “Lucky”
Interpol: “Direction”
Led Zeppelin: “When The Levee Breaks”
Air: “You Make It Easy”
Coldplay: “We Never Change”
Prince: “7”
Bill Evans: “Suicide Is Painless (Theme from M*A*S*H)”
Bruce Springsteen: “The Rising”
Bob Dylan: “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right”
David Bowie: “Life on Mars?”
Pearl Jam: “Wishlist”
The Beach Boys: “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”
The Smashing Pumpkins: “Blank Page”
Portishead: “Deep Water”
Pink Floyd: “Wish You Were Here”
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: “Into My Arms”
Tom Waits: “Alice”
My Bloody Valentine: “Sometimes”
Brian Eno: “This”
Blur: “Ambulance”
Depeche Mode: “Condemnation”
Marvin Gaye: “Save The Children”
There are still faint glimmers of civilization left in this barbaric slaughterhouse that was once known as humanity. 