You want God's attention? Remember to grovel!
Tonight in Bible readings I was brought back to a famous prayer (and prophecy) from Daniel 9. It was a prayer I’d once known well, and probably spoke approvingly of. And now those around me talked about how beautiful a prayer it was, and all I could think was how truly awful it was.
Escape from Doubting Castle
I have an audiobook of The Pilgrim’s Progress Retold - a much simplified version of the original Pilgrim’s Progress. It has the same quaint language and earnestness as the original, and I find that amusing (John Bunyan’s probably turning in his grave right now…).
I listened to it again recently, and one scene hit differently from before: Their imprisonment in Doubting Castle by Giant Despair.
The wizard from Chicago
I’d heard the Dresden Files recommended for years before I finally started reading them in 2022, and I was quickly hooked. Over the next year or so I’d read or listened to the extant seventeen novels, two short story collections, and one novella. Then in 2024, for good measure I watched the TV series.
Now it’s just a matter of waiting for what comes next…
Visiting the Sherlock Holmes Emporium
Did you know there’s a Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium on Cape Cod? Well, there is in fiction, anyway. Let me tell you about it.
I've got free space again
One of the consequences of my photography obsession was that I spent much of 2024 scrambling to try and make sure I had enough space for all those new photos. A few months ago, I took my laptop apart to more than double the space available.
In reality, it wasn’t too hard, but given I’ve always said “It’s not an accident that I’m a software person, not a hardware person”, I was proud of myself for (finally!) getting it done.
Another recipe: Peanut butter choc chip cookies
We recently had our annual cooking competition at work. The theme this year? Anything with chocolate in.
When pondering what I should do, I was reminded of a simple but tasty recipe I hadn’t made for many years. So here it is.
The lure of nuclear power
Here in Australia we have an election tomorrow, and one of the things the Coalition has promised as part of their energy plan is nuclear power. We’re told 19 out of 20 major nations either already use nuclear power or are building that capacity, so we’re the odd ones out. Nuclear is going to solve all our problems.
The perils of incumbency
Last year when I was in Sydney, I visited the State Library of NSW, and they had a collection of Australian political cartoons from the last 120 years. Some of them were funny, while others would probably have been more funny if I actually understood their political context. But there was one from our last election that particularly caught my eye.
100 months: a celebration
I started this blog in December 2016. It’s now March 2025. That’s 100 months - and I’ve published at least one post in each of those months.
Sometimes I get frustrated when I don’t manage to write what I want or as much as I want - but it’s still an accomplishment to celebrate.
Why look ye into heaven?
What is it about the phrase “Why look ye into heaven?” that ties together a Bible Truth Camp, an opera, a telescope, the progress of science, and humanity’s place in the universe?