Saturday on Substack - 8.VI.2024
No pop-up tonight! (Just when I was resigning my fate to using the TAB key to post forever and ever!)
Forgive me once again for being pretty silent online as of late; I am cleaning and moving furniture like crazy on top of all the “normal” stuff that goes on in the house to begin with. It helps that the kids aren’t in school, but it also seems like this June is just full of appointments and errands as well. I did order a bed for one of the girls and the thought of not having the room ready enough to bring the pieces up there to build it when it comes has me scrambling to get things done. However, the list of things that still need to get done is still discouraging. I’m just plugging away at the tasks - it’s actually incredible how small toddler clothing is, and how a small pile of toddler clothes actually consists of no fewer than 200 separate items! The room where the bulk of these toddler clothes has resided looks no better than it did a couple of days ago, but after several hours of working in there, the toddler clothes are actually beginning to get stored away in a logical and organized way. (Where I can put them before they can go in the basement is an open question!)
Normally, I wouldn’t ‘abandon’ writing so completely, but when this is done, I think that all of us are going to be happier and the space in the house will be utilized in a way much more in line with what works for us now. I also hope that with the kids all having drawer and closet space, the pile of laundry that lives on the family room couch will shrink to a more manageable level. All of it is driving me so incredibly crazy right now! (Did I mention that one of these dressers needs to be cleaned, sanded, and finished? Lord, have mercy.) More than that, it’s a project that is important for the kids and this seems to be the time where I need to focus on that, because as much as I like to write, the kids need me a lot more. (The recent struggles with the glitches on Substack haven’t helped either - I just don’t have the time or attention to go back and forth with somebody by email to try to get things working.)
In any case, please forgive me for the radio silence; I appreciate you all an incredible amount. (For those who are paid subscribers, I did post the bonus notes earlier today [yesterday].)
Writing
Reading
I pray against myself. - Gladsome Lights | I *think* it’s another way of thinking of “Thy Will Be Done”
Second Honeymoon, Day 10 - Rural Revolution | Makes me want to road trip around the US!
Are Shutterfly class action settlement vouchers real? - verifythis.com | I got a notification on this and apparently, this is legitimate. Nothing against Shutterfly, but a $5 Shutterfly voucher seems hardly worth the lawsuit. But lawyers have to find a way to get rich, I guess.
Gen Z jobseekers are bringing parents to interviews, employers say: ‘Unprepared’ - NY Post | I saw something else as well claiming that many companies are preferring older workers to younger because so many younger employees are having so many maturity issues.
Watching
The Spectacular Failure of the Star Wars Hotel - Jenny Nicholson | Do I love Star Wars? No. Do I love Disney? No. Did I have any clue about this thing before I came across this video? No. However, I watched/listened to the entire 4-hour video because the video is epic. EPIC. And it should be required for anyone getting any type of degree in business. I was thinking of doing a whole post on just this video, but I don’t think I’ll have the time, at least for awhile.
Influencer Insanity Ep. 7 - Tradwives: The business of being a “traditional wife…” - Hannah Alonzo | So much I could say - and also something that could be its own post!
We just cleaned the worst house in channel history for free - Midwest Magic Cleaning | I probably usually only watch about 20% of these videos, but I really, really enjoy the commentary while I’m doing chores of my own. The transformations are impressive and a reminder to keep working on stuff!
Listening
The Orthodox Clergy Crisis - with Matthew Namee - Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick
Jonathan Pageau/Rod Dreher - Preparing for a Soft totalitarian future
Frederica Mathewes-Green on the Jesus Prayer - Gospel Simplicity
Music
Nana Mouskouri - The White Rose of Athens
Sheryl Crow - “Strong Enough” | She used to be one of my absolute favorite musicians. And then, well, politics. Well, mostly politics.
Holy, Holy, Holy - ecole_gregorienne
Laugh
Don’t know if this is a laugh or cry, but when you sing your doctoral research - in math (German language)
That Ladder of Divine Ascent!
A quick tour of Saskatchewan highlights (Leroy & Leroy)
Learning
What Type of Lawn Mower Oil Should I use? | Considering I’ve never changed the oil in my lawn mower, it probably is high time that I do so.
Nana Mouskouri - Wikipedia
How to Fold Clothes with the KonMari Method – KonMari, The Official Website of Marie Kondo | This is all Rod Dreher’s fault!
Extreme ironing - Wikipedia | And it wasn’t even invented by Germans!
Hindustani Violin
Miscellaneous
Timing matters! (It’s kind of neat how it goes into Zelda-music territory as the timing spreads out)
Thank you for being patient with me on everything. You rock! If you’ve made it down this far, there’s one more thing I’m going to mention - the priest at our church in Post Falls, Idaho when we were there - Fr. Basil (Bill) Calderoni - has been in very poor health for a long time, and the news is that he’s in hospice now, and so prayers for him and his family would be appreciated.
I will have to look at more of this post tomorrow, but just now I'm thinking... is part of the AI fail you note the fact that it couldn't imagine an L-shaped bed? Give it a "D" in Furniture!