What makes me a believer is that from time to time, there have been glimpses I’ve had which have made me suspect the presence of something extraordinary and beyond the realm of the immediate. You encounter the holy in various forms, which, unless you have your eyes open, you might not even notice.
—Frederick Buechner, writer and theologian from The space next to me bristles with silence. The emptiness is palpable. Loss isn’t an absence after all. It is a presence. A strong presence next to me.
—Jackie Kay, from Trumpet
Excellent thought as I sit in the darkness on this early November morn.
(via theantidote)
Since I just returned from old Constantinople, this track from The Decemberists performing live at WDET studios in 2005 takes on new resonance.
(via trentgilliss)
Jane Goodall at the Halki Summit
Over the course of three days on the island of Heybeliada across from Istanbul, our host Krista Tippett moderated a plethora of panels at the Halki Summit on Global Responsibility & Environmental Sustainability. One of the keynote speakers we found so endearing was primatologist Jane Goodall, whom may give Justin Bieber or Bono a run for his money in the world of superstar fandom. It seems that there was no one present who wasn’t captivated by her presence.
We recorded her keynote address and will try to make the audio available later this week.
Photo by Trent Gilliss
Loving the woodcut feel of these book cover illustrations for the Evelyn Waugh series from Back Bay Books. (Taken with instagram)
~Trent Gilliss, senior editor
Sarah Kay Performs “B” at the Bowery
by Trent Gilliss, senior editor
We hijacked the audio from this performance of “B” for this week’s podcast featuring our interview with spoken word poet Sarah Kay. Note: the very first words of the poem, “If I should have a daughter” are missing (and it contains an expletive).
Krista preferred the intimacy and relaxed style of this presentation at the Bowery Poetry Club in 2008 over her performance at TED2011:
What’s your take?
Elizabeth Cotten’s “Freight Train” is just what I needed this evening.
(h/t to Jeff Guntzel)
We haven’t posted a Tuesday evening melody in several weeks. And this ditty couldn’t be a more fitting reentry.
Is Our Political Identity Overtaking Our Religious Identity When Choosing a Mate?
by Trent Gilliss, senior editor
Stephanie Coontz’s provocative opinion piece in today’s New York Times touches on some interesting dilemmas facing men and women in modern America. It’s well worth reading and is a fun conversation starter with your spouse and parents. But, it was the above infographic accompanying Coontz’s commentary that caught this editor’s eye.
For the most part, the top five traits that men look for in potential wives have changed very little in 70 years. In 1939, the five most important qualities were:
- Dependable character
- Emotional stability, maturity
- Pleasing disposition
- Mutual attraction, love
- Good health
And, in 2008:
- Mutual attraction, love
- Dependable character
- Emotional stability, maturity
- Education, intelligence
- Pleasing disposition
The big mover: education and intelligence. It climbed from #11 to #4. Good health dropped two positions, and I suspect will plummet further down the list in the coming decades. The romantic in me is heartened to see that love and attraction are sitting atop the field.
For the purposes of this blog, though, the precipitous drop in having a similar religious background and the slight rise in men seeking a woman whose political background is similar to his own is intriguing. It seems men’s personal identities are mirroring our larger cultural identity. As U.S. society has become increasingly divided and hyper-partisan in political terms, men are assigning more value to having a like-minded partner in the political persuasion department. Will this trait continue to rise in importance? I hope not.
Source: “Measuring Mate Preferences: A Replication and Extension” by Christine B. Whelan, University of Pittsburgh, and Christie F. Boxer and Mary Noonan, University of Iowa
Q:I've got my black socks. I've got my sandles. I've got my stretchy pants pulled half way up my chest, and I don't care what anyone thinks. Aww, man. This is heaven, it really is. What do you think?
Anonymous
Dear Anonymous—
This, is heavenly.
This, is not.
This, is heavenly.
This, is not.
This, is heavenly.
This, is not.
This, is heavenly.
This, is not.
And these, well, it depends on your seasonal desires…
…and if you’re a cat lover.
Thanks for indulging me,
Trent Gilliss, senior editor
Before we marry the guy next door, don’t you think we ought to have a fling with a tall dark stranger and see if he can support us in the manner to which we’d like to be accustomed?
—Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention
Does anybody else find this statement by a leading Evangelical voice a bit incongruous? I understand what he’s getting at — not settling for Mitt Romney when there may be a better alternative for Evangelicals and social conservatives — but it seems quite strange for the president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention to be advocating for a political affair, if you will. The language is just so odd.
By the way, this quotation was excerpted from Barbara Bradley Hagerty’s excellent piece on today’s NPR Morning Edition. If you are interested in politics and/or kingmaking, this report is for you.
~Trent Gilliss, senior editor
