Category Archives: General

Teaser Tuesday from Bad Religion

Posted on January 23, 2024 by smellincoffee

A tease from Ross Douhat’s Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics. The way orthodoxy synthesizes the New Testament’s complexities has forced churchgoers of every prejudice and persuasion to confront a side of Jesus that cuts against their … Continue reading →

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Teaser Tuesday Ice Storm Delay Edition

Posted on January 16, 2024 by smellincoffee

“It’s funny. No matter where you go, or how many books you read, youstill know nothing, you haven’t seen anything. And that’s life. We live ourlives trying to find our way. It’s like that Santōka Taneda poem, the one thatgoes, … Continue reading →

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A year after the Selma tornado

Posted on January 12, 2024 by smellincoffee

A year ago I paused to take a quick shot of the turbulent sky, a mix of gloom and glory, of bright morning light and dark storm clouds. I posted it to Instagram with the caption “Skies, current mood: conflicted”. The … Continue reading →

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Top Ten Tuesday: Books to be Published this year!

Posted on January 9, 2024 by smellincoffee

 The Sher-dar madraseh is yet another sign that Islam in the Iranian world is like a woman’s plain chador worn over party finery, a cloak that covers, disguises, or incorporates much traditionally Iranian, pre-Islamic, Zoroastrian belief. This time, General Alchin Yalangtush Bahadur had let … Continue reading →

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The Best of 2023: Annual Year in Review

Posted on January 3, 2024 by smellincoffee

Considering that I’m about to finish my first read for 2024, it’s high time for looking back on the past year and all that. At the close of 2023, I had three goals: to finish off Mount Doom, make solid … Continue reading →

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Top Ten Books I Read in 2023

Posted on January 2, 2024 by smellincoffee

Today’s treble-T is top ten reads of 2023. But first, these important messages from Teaser Tuesday: “Your order, sir?”“What?” I looked up and remembered where I was. “Sorry. I was watching two people break into my home.”“So….a dozen assorted donuts … Continue reading →

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2023 in Other Media: Games

Posted on January 1, 2024 by smellincoffee

I’ve never been one for chasing the latest and greatest games and platforms, preferring instead to find games that I can spend a lot of time with. Case in point: I played The Sims 2 from 2004 to 2018 (when … Continue reading →

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What I Read in 2023

Posted on December 31, 2023 by smellincoffee

Favorite titles in bold, reflection to follow later today or tomorrow. January (1) Chasing New Horizons: Inside the Epic First Mission to Pluto, Alan Stern & David Grinspoon(2) Think Like an Ecosystem: An Introduction to Permaculture, Amelia des Plantes(3) People … Continue reading →

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2023 in Other Media: Movies

Posted on December 31, 2023 by smellincoffee

2023 was a big year in movies for me, partially because of losing the Harmony Club: I still hang out with one of the guys, but since we’re in a private apartment instead of a bar/clubhouse open to random dropbys and tourists, now … Continue reading →

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December 2023 in Review

Posted on December 30, 2023 by smellincoffee

I don’t anticipate finishing off any books in the next couple of days, so I’m posting this early to make room for all the obligatory end-year posts, which will follow in the days to come. First up, I HIT MY … Continue reading →

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