KH, aka Four Tet aka Kieran Hebdan’s new release “TEXT022″ is a stunning blend of electronic music, drumbeats, and African chant. Give it a listen and believe.
Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
19 Dec
An Open Letter from a PTA Mom to Mike Huckabee: A Message for Those Who Long for God’s Presence in Schools
Reblogged from Educate For Texas:
By Kimberly Burkett
Dear Mr. Huckabee,
We all share in great sorrow and grief from last week’s horrific events in Newtown, CT. I would like to think that it was overwhelming sadness from the loss of life that led you to state on Friday that the reason behind the mass killings of first graders and their educators was we have…
9 Sep
A Ramble in the South End
Reblogged from Musings by Ramona:
By Ramona Flightner/ @ramonaflightner
On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, I joined a friend on a walking tour of the South End. There is a walking tour company in Boston called “Boston by Foot” and I have wanted to take their Victorian walking tour for a while. It’s on my bucket list for the fall. My friend had noted that their tour of the month was on the South End, and I leapt at the chance to learn more about that fascinating area of Boston.
This blog post is review of a Boston By Foot tour for which I was one of the guides. It's apparent that the writer followed along with one of the other (excellent) guide but I like it not only for the validation for our tours, but also for the importance of taking tours and learning local history. I hope this post inspires others to get out and explore their own neighborhoods.
1 Sep
Book Review: The spirit level by Richard G. Wilkinson and Kate Pickett
Author: Richard G. Wilkinson and Kate Pickett
Title: The spirit level : why greater equality makes societies stronger by
Publication Info: Tantor Media (2011)
ISBN: 1452655057
Summary/Review: The thesis of this book is that greater equality creates a better society is a no-brainer for me. But we live in an age where there are some who promote greater inequality and deny the need for society at all. The authors richly illustrate the advantages of equality and the disadvantages of inequality in our world. This is probably not a work to listen to as an audiobook as I think for my mind it requires greater attention and study.
Rating: **
31 Aug
Book Review: Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life by James Martin
Author: James Martin
Title: Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life
Publication Info:
ISBN: 0062024264
Summary/Review: One of my favorite religious writers takes on the misconception that religious people must always be somber and serious. Richly illustrated with examples from scripture, the lives of saints and holy people, and the author’s own life, Fr. Martin demonstrates the importance of joy and humor to the spiritual life. The book runs a little long as he often overstates the point but it’s a good read with a nice selection of jokes as well.
Recommended books: In Pursuit of the Great White Rabbit: Reflections on a Practical Spirituality by Edward Hays and The Humor of Christ by Elton Trueblood
Rating: ***
22 Aug
Guest Post: Parents -- Reach for the Duct Tape
Hi Readers! Here's a little list of tips from Vicki Hoefle, author of the brand-new book: Duct Tape Parenting: A Less is More Approach to Raising Respectful, Responsible and Resilient Kids. - L
5 Simple Ways to Let Go and Raise a Resilient Child, by Vicki Hoefle
Hey there Free-Rangers! I want to give a quick kudos to you for encouraging your children to take reasonable risks.
3 Aug
Book Review: The Rough Guide to Yellowstone & Grand Teton by Stephen Timblin
Author: Stephen Timblin
Title: The Rough Guide to Yellowstone & Grand Teton
Publication Info: Rough Guides (2011), Edition: 2,
ISBN: 1848367716
Summary/Review: I read a couple of travel guides to feed my daydreams of taking my kids to Yellowstone in a few years and enjoyed the armchair tour. This guide is good in that it lists of options for hiking in and around Yellowstone. This of course expands my daydreams to what would be a months long visit to Yellowstone and its environs.
Recommended books: Lost in My Own Backyard by Tim Cahill and Moon Yellowstone & Grand Teton: Including Jackson Hole by Don Pitcher
Rating: ***
24 Oct
October 30th: Avenue of the Arts – Boston By Foot Tour of the Month
Huntington Avenue photo courtesy of Yarian Gomez's photostream on Flickr
Come out this Sunday October 30th at 2pm for a guided walking tour of Boston’s Avenue of the Arts lead by Boston By Foot guides (including yours truly). The tour begins in front of The Church of Christ, Scientist on Massachusetts Avenue and the cost is just $15/person. If you become a Boston By Foot member admission is reduced to just $5 and you get lots of other benefits as well.
Have you ever wondered why so many cultural institutions dedicated to fine arts, music, education, religion, and sports are clustered in one area in Boston? As we walk along this cultural corridor we’ll explore the history of Huntington Avenue and learn about:
- landmarks created by two of the most remarkable women in Boston’s history: Mary Baker Eddy and Isabella Stewart Gardner
- not one but two acoustically perfect concert halls
- not one but two historical figures named Eben
- the oldest artificial ice sporting arena in the world
- Boston’s lost opera house
- the many innovations and contributions of the YMCA
- the site of the first World Series game
- expansion and development at Northeastern University, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
- and much, much more
I’m particularly proud of this tour because I originated the idea and collaborated on the research and manual writing. So please come out and join us to learn more about this fascinating Boston district.
Huntington Avenue in 1920, courtesy of Boston Public Library's photostream on Flickr
26 Jul
Book Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Author: Suzanne Collins
Title: Mockingjay
Publication Info: New York : Scholastic Press, 2010.
Books Read By Same Author: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire
Summary/Review: The final installment in The Hunger Games trilogy is the strongest of the series. The whole series is built on moral ambiguity and in this novel Katniss Everdeen finds herself among the revolutionaries in an austere and militaristic society. She once again finds herself being used as a symbol for propaganda and uncertain who to trust. Collins does a great job of detailing the unromantic truth of war and the ignoble motivations of those involved, even the “good guys.”
Related books: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves by M. T. Anderson and The Dead Republic: A Novel by Roddy Doyle
Rating: ***
22 Jul
Beer Review: Notch Saison
Beer: Notch Saison
Brewer: Notch Brewing
Source: 22 oz. bottle, poured in pint glass
Rating: **(6.8 of 10)
Comments: Inspired by a style of beer once enjoyed by farm laborers, this beer is refreshing and goes down almost too easily on a beastly hot summer evening. The beer is a hazy, sunny orange with a slightly floral, hoppy aroma. The taste is simple and clean, a little spice and a little bubblegum but nothing too challenging for these temperatures. Definitely a great summer beer and a good reward for a hoeing a field.
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