Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Featured”
As a lover of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work, I have waited with wincing anticipation for the release of the new biopic. Honestly, I worried and fussed in all the days leading up to the screening of Tolkien.On the one hand, I really wanted to love this film. I love biopics, where in the warp and weft of great filmmaking, a director …
“Ask the questions that have no answers.Invest in the millennium. Plant sequoias.” —Wendell Berry, Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation FrontIt is one of the more clichéd remarks of our time to decry the distracted age in which we live. Ours is the generation of “instant gratification,” as the saying goes. And so it is. As with most other clichés, this …
In the summer of 2014, I enjoyed the enormous blessing of spending the summer working at the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park. Lodging a stone’s throw from the oft erupting Old Faithful Geyser in the heart of the world’s first National Park was a wild pleasure I’ll never forget. Propelled by a desire to enjoy more of God’s …
I love podcasts. They’re a great form of media for many reasons: they’re free, they’re always available to stream or download, there’s a topic for everyone, and you can listen to them while you do other things (like driving or mowing the lawn or washing dishes).But I love them primarily because they help me think more clearly about things I …
As attentive visitors and Rochester natives alike know quite well, ours is a city steeped in excellent music. The Eastman School of Music, an institution which plays a central role in strengthening this vibrant local tradition, routinely hosts world-class musicians.I was the recent beneficiary of one of these concerts; an installment of the Fernando Laures Piano Series at Kilbourn Hall …
Welcome to a timeless debate that will surely continue millenia into eternity – coffee or tea? As an artist or art enthusiast, chances are pretty high you swear by at least one of these glorious beverages to start your projects and keep them going, and many over the centuries have taken the preparation and drinking of the stuff itself to …
On March 29th, 1855, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow recorded the beginnings of a poem in his diary: “A day of pain; cowering over the fire. At night, as I lie in bed, a poem comes into my mind, – a memory of Portland, – my native town, the city by the sea.”The following day bore the fruits of his meditation: “Wrote the …
Every few months, a high-profile artist makes a political statement of some kind. Immediately there’s a public outcry from those who disagree: “Artists should stick to their art. Let’s not mix politics and art!” Then comes the bold, enlightened response from the artist and his/her fans: “All art is political.” Suddenly, the conversation halts. We all pause to feel the …
Perhaps you’ve heard of the most recent installment of the Star Wars saga. I have seen The Last Jedi three times now, and it gets better each time. I was speechless after the first viewing, overwhelmed by a flurry of excitement, joy, and disappointment. After two more viewings, I collected my thoughts and–aside from a few minor qualms–I have grown …
In today’s world of social action and hypersensitivity (righteous and otherwise) to championing the forgotten and underrepresented, we are still neglecting our perhaps most undervalued group – anyone who isn’t between the ages of 15 and 29.
