Bob Dylan Archives - Wisdom & Folly

It has been an eventful year. On top of the Covid pandemic, we’ve endured some personal losses but nothing that God will not redeem for great good. As usual we are closing out the year with summary remarks about good and bad stuff related to film, music, books, sports, food, and family.

Film Experiences

Jim: With Covid restrictions preventing us from going to the theaters, we watched all of our films this year at home, in many cases catching up on films from previous years. For me, the biggest disappointment was The Lighthouse, which is well acted (by Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson) with tremendous cinematography but ultimately an aimless, oppressive narrative. A more successful attempt at twisted horror is As Above So Below (2014), which could be described as American Treasure meets Blair Witch Project in the catacombs of Paris. Dante would be proud . . . maybe. I was mesmerized by the docudrama Wormwood (2017), which is another film that features a dark psychological trip of sorts, as the principle subject, Eric Olson, seeks to get to the bottom of the death of his father, Frank Olson, who supposedly committed suicide while working for the CIA in 1953. Whoa. Finally, I highly recommend the surprisingly profound My Octopus Teacher, which chronicles the relationship between filmmaker Craig Foster and an octopus off the coast of South Africa. Ever been moved to tears by a mollusk? I was.

Amy: This year has been predominantly about escape when it comes to my viewing habits. I find true crime and detective shows oddly comforting when stressed or sad, inspiring the idea of justice being achievable. Some of my faves this year were Criminal UK and Unbelievable. I also fell down the rabbit hole of The Crown: Season Four, going back and forth between watching and researching the true events. Social Dilemma was terrifying and nearly had me throwing all our phones and devices in the toilet. Emma and Rebecca were period piece highlight and disappointment, respectively. I fell in love with The Unicorn as one of the few shows set in the South I have ever enjoyed.

Food and Music

Amy’s Best Food Experiences of the Year: This year my favorite food experience was a two-parter. First, I loved watching the Great British Baking Show with Bailey and Andrew and then I enjoyed celebrating Andrew’s victory in our competition to predict the winner by going out with Andrew and Bailey at a local restaurant with a good friend as our server. Otherwise, our culinary experiences, like many others, were homebound. Sampling the variety of bakery creations the kids concocted was almost worth all of the clean-up. My traditional birthday meal at Chesapeake’s in Knoxville with Jim, my parents and sister and brother-in-law was especially meaningful this year’s challenges.

Jim’s Best Musical Experiences of the Year: I’ve continued to enjoy the recent spate of female singer-songwriters, including Mitski, Phoebe Bridgers, and Madison Cunningham. I appreciated the bold adventurousness of the new Morrissey album, I am Not a Dog on a Chain. The new Dylan album, Rough and Rowdy Ways, was a wonderful surprise. Even more surprising is the fact that the album’s 16-minute closer, “Murder Most Foul” became the first #1 song in the 80-year-old legend’s career. Like millions of others, I was thrilled with both of Taylor Swift’s studio albums released this year—Folklore and Evermore, which are really a time-released double album (a la Radiohead’s Kid A and Amnesiac). With these albums, Swift further cements her status as one of the best songwriters of our time, a fact that is sadly missed on many people, whether due to latent sexism or a simple failure to study the lyrics of her songs. But I digress . . . My most exciting musical discovery this year was the band MeWithoutYou. I regret to confess that I’m late to the party with these guys. But, man, has it been fun doing the deep dive into their seven albums . . . just in time for the band to announce they are calling it quits.

Sports

Jim’s Favorite Sports Moments of the Year: Watching two frustrated sports franchises finally break through to win championships in the NFL (Kansas City Chiefs) and Major League Baseball (Los Angeles Dodgers) was gratifying. Normally I wouldn’t pull for an L.A. team, but after knocking at the door for several years and being denied by the cheating Houston Astros a few years ago, it was good to see the Dodgers finally reach the mountain top, especially for Clayton Kershaw, who by all accounts is an admirable Christian guy.

Amy’s Favorite Sports Moments of the Year: Like so many things this year my favorite sports moment was bittersweet. Because of my work schedule I don’t often get to see my kids play, but I enjoyed cheering on Sam in his final soccer game of the year. Though it was heartbreaking to see Eastbrook lose in overtime in the sectional playoffs, Jim and I couldn’t be prouder and look forward to watching him play next year for our favorite college coach, Gary Ross.

Jim’s Most Disappointing Sports Moments of the Year: Seeing the Saints going down against the Vikings (again) in the post-season was tough to take last January. But far more painful than that was watching our son, Andrew, break his arm during a basketball game a few weeks ago. Happily, orthopedist Dr. Daniel Edwards at Marion General Hospital worked his magic on our young man, and Andrew is on the mend and will hit the courts again as soon as the cast is cut off.

Amy’s Most Painful Sports Moment of the Year: Because of Covid restrictions on the number of people who can attend kids’ games, I was not able to be at Andrew’s game when he fractured his arm. But seeing Andrew’s courageous response and the excellent care he received was a definite positive.

Good Reads

Jim: My most underwhelming read of the year was Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi book Dune. Just couldn’t get into it, but I’m glad to have read it. I’ve benefitted from digging into Solzhenitsyn’s Gulag Archipelago, which is disturbingly apropos for our time. I also appreciated Rod Dreher’s Live Not by Lies, which was inspired by, and takes its title from, Solzhenitsyn’s Gulag. I’ve also enjoyed working through two classics—Thucydides’ Peloponnesian War and Dante’s Inferno.

Amy: The highlights of the year were James Clear’s Atomic Habits, Leadership in Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin and The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*** by Mark Manson. The latter book was an especially refreshing read. Despite the crudeness of the title, the book spoke to me in a profound way, both as an individual and as a parent. I intend every one of my kids to read it and recommend that you do the same. And if you don’t care to take my recommendation, then frankly, my dear reader, I don’t give a #@%!

Best 2020 Family Memories

Jim: Our family retreat with my in-laws’ extended family in July was awesome. As always, we divided into teams and had some thrilling competition. I also enjoyed building a barn in Knoxville with my father-in-law and getting to know his mischievous cows, Lulu and Dottie.

Amy: Generally, the time we’ve spent together as a family, with Bailey home more than usual, was special. My niece Rachel’s wedding was definitely a highlight. And my supervisor’s traditional African wedding was a wonderful experience with Jim, Bailey, and Sam.

Best Kids’ Quotes of the Year

Maggie: “I have a zit on my soul.”
Andrew: “I think of our time on earth as a terrible sleepover where you just want to go home.”
Maggie: “Unlike humans, dogs deserve to be loved.”
Bailey: Regarding his initiation into the world of alcoholic beverages: “It’s like I’ve discovered a new primary color.”
Maggie: “I want my own guitar so I can get one of those straps and walk around with it in the woods and be one with nature. Wait . . . I hate nature.”

New Year’s Resolutions

Amy: This year has presented Jim and me with some of the most profound challenges of our lives. Next year my hope is that more of my challenges will come from within as I seek to grow in mind, body, and spirit.

Jim: To pray every morning on my knees.

Happy 2021 everyone!

December 30, 2019December 30, 2019

The Best and Worst of 2019

By Jim Spiegel

It’s been another exciting year, and we want to thank you all for reading and, if applicable, posting comments on our blog. Once again, we would like to close out the year with some summary remarks about good and bad stuff related to film, music, books, sports, food, and family.

Film Experiences

Jim: Most of the new films I saw this year were good. The biggest loser of the year was Joker. Yes, Joaquin Phoenix’s acting is superb, but the script is poor, the violence is gratuitously graphic, and the plot has more holes than a cheese grater. Ugh. But a big thumbs up for the film Us, which is freaky scary but somehow fun at the same time. From here on out, I’ll be seeing every Jordan Peele film as a matter of principle. I enjoyed Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and consider it an appropriate finish to the nine-part saga that took four decades to complete. But the best film I saw this year was Rian Johnson’s Knives Out, a superbly written who-dunnit which isn’t impeded by its star-studded cast. A close runner-up was Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Who can build a comical, poignant, and redemptive story around a despondent fading Hollywood star and the Manson murders in the ill-fated summer of 1969? Quentin Tarantino, that’s who.

Amy: Several of my best movie experiences were with Jim this year so we have quite a bit of overlap with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, though I wasn’t as keen on it as Jim, Knives Out, which I thought was great, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. I did have some small screen experiences that were quite good: Unbelievable, Great British Baking Show, The Good Place, and Monk were a few of the shows I enjoyed this year.

Food and Music

Amy’s Best Food Experiences of the Year: Like most exceptionally delightful food experiences, the one that tops my list this year was a combination of delicious food, wonderful company, and conversation enjoyed in an ideal setting. Jim, some of the kids, and I were invited to join a graduating student and his family for dinner at Bluebeard in downtown Indianapolis. The food was simple but quirky in its creativity (roasted cauliflower and mint!) but one of my favorite parts of the evening was that rather than ordering individual meals, we got a few bites of everything. It was a night we won’t soon forget shared with people dear to our hearts. A close second was a breakfast shared with Sam while visiting him in Bolivia. A good croissant with homemade jam is hard to beat but throw in a son you haven’t seen in months who can’t wait to share with you all of his adventures and it’s a meal to remember.

Jim’s Best Musical Experiences of the Year: This was an exciting year for new album releases by many of my favorite artists, including the Black Keys’ solid but not ground-breaking Let’s Rock, the Avett Brothers’ sometimes preachy Closer Than Together, and Taylor Swift’s Lover, which I reviewed on this blog a few months back. My favorite album of the year was Vampire Weekend’s Father of the Bride. It is a rich, thoughtful, and memorable record—perhaps the band’s best, which is saying a lot. But the highlight of the year for me was seeing Bob Dylan in concert at Ball State’s Emens Auditorium in November. This is the sixth time I’ve seen Dylan in concert, and I continue to be amazed at his endless rearrangements and reinventions of his songs. Incredible.

Sports

Jim’s Favorite Sports Moments of the Year: I loved watching Drew Brees break two NFL records in the same game two weeks ago, as he eclipsed the all-time career touchdown passing mark and had the all-time highest completion percentage for a single game (29 for 30!) in the New Orleans Saints’ defeat of the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football. Incredible.

Amy’s Favorite Sports Moments of the Year: I watched Andrew play a lot of basketball this past winter which is always a treat, especially when there is fresh popcorn involved. He also treated me to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch the NFL playoffs which was a pleasure.

Jim’s Most Disappointing Sports Moments of the Year: The New Orleans Saints were robbed of an NFC championship and Super Bowl appearance due to a blown pass interference call against the Los Angeles Rams last January (which did result in a league rule change, which I guess counts for something). This makes for the second consecutive year in which the Saints have finished their season in heartbreak fashion, as the 2017-18 season ended with the “Minneapolis Miracle.” Ugh. The retirement of Colts quarterback Andrew Luck was another disappointment, but hope was renewed by the emergence of Jacoby Brissett as a solid starting quarterback, only to be dashed by a rash of injuries to several Colts offensive players. Oh well.

Amy’s Most Painful Sports Moment of the Year: Seeing Joe Maddon dismissed as the Cubs manager was a knife to the heart. Andrew Luck’s retirement has seen my interest in the Colts fall to zero, having grandfathered him after Peyton.

Good Reads

Jim: As usual, most of my reading this year pertained either to classes I was teaching or publication projects I was working on. Regarding the latter, I read dozens of journal articles and book chapters on divine and human agency, in preparation for a book chapter I’ve nearly finished on George Berkeley’s view on the subject. As for new reads for classes, I enjoyed Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Ethics, a work that is especially intriguing because it was written during the final years of Bonhoeffer’s life when he was wrestling with one of the most excruciating of moral issues, namely how to respond to a tyrannical national leader. Knowing that Bonhoeffer ultimately took part in a plot to kill the Nazi Führer casts a fascinating light on his discussion of the legitimacy of civil disobedience. My favorite book among those I read this year was James Waller’s Becoming Evil: How Ordinary People Commit Genocide and Mass Killing—a work that is as insightful as it is disturbing regarding human nature.

Amy: My reading this year is clearly delineated into two eras: pre-working and post. In the first category are some of my favorite reads in quite some time: The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis, Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain, The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce and Rules of Civility by Amor Towles and several by P. D. Wodehouse. The post-working era is dominated by books on sales and business which I would never have predicted enjoying but which have taught me a great deal, both professionally and personally. A few favorites have been: Sell or Be Sold and Be Obsessed or Be Average by Grant Cardone, The Entitlement Cure by John Townsend, and The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make by Hans Finzel. I also listened to the entire Harry Potter series while driving for work and loved every magic filled minute of it despite the fact that J. K. Rowling uses the word “sniggered” entirely too often.

Best 2019 Family Memories

Jim: Like his older brother, Bailey, did a few years ago, our son Sam spent the Spring semester living in La Paz, Bolivia attending Highlands International School. It was fun to witness his personal development through this experience and especially thrilling to hear him speak Spanish fluently upon his return in June. Then this past Fall semester we hosted a friend that Sam made during his time in Bolivia. It was fun knowing that the experience here in the U.S. for Sam’s friend would be as life-changing as was Sam’s experience in Bolivia.

Amy: I got to visit Sam in Bolivia this spring which was a thrill. Being gone so much for work this fall has honestly made any time with the kids feel like a gift, except when I’m tired and they are being annoying—ha ha. Our Christmas felt special with Bailey home from college and watching the kids connect with one another more as adults than kids; their shared humor, conflicting opinions, and overall weather-beaten affection is something to behold.

Best Kids’ Quotes of the Year

As usual, most of the best quotes of the year come from Maggie:

Maggie: “What’s the difference between a Presbyterian and a normal person?”
Bailey: “I could spice up cardboard and make it taste better than anything you’ve ever eaten.”
Maggie: “If you don’t do anything wrong, then you won’t get caught doing it.”
Maggie (Regarding my giving her some spending money): “Dad, you’re like a young male grandma.”
Maggie (after my sugar-holic daughter hypocritically lectured me about the sugar content in a food product I was buying): “I don’t obey the rules, but I know the rules.”

New Year’s Resolutions

Amy: To continue to introduce more discipline into my time management. To figure out how to keep up my love of reading and cooking despite working full-time. To be ambitious in my Bible reading plan for this year.

Jim: To pray more, to fast more, and to remember that this world and our time in it is, as Kanye West puts it, a “God dream.”

Happy 2020 everyone!

July 31, 2018

Risk Takers

By Jim Spiegel

Great artists and intellectuals take risks. They dare to challenge prevailing paradigms of thought and popular practice, which guarantees they’ll receive resistance and ridicule. Gregor Mendel’s pioneering work in genetics was ignored by his peers. Claude Monet endured abuse by both critics and the public. Marcel Proust was rejected by publishers more times than he could count. Galileo’s and Einstein’s insights were profound and eventually world-changing, but they were strongly opposed before their ideas eventually took hold. Aldous Huxley and Bob Dylan were hated by many even after they were established in their fields. And Socrates, Joan of Arc, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King were killed because of the risks they took.

Risk is a standard feature of innovation. This guarantees opposition, an unfortunate deterrent to proposing new ideas. So along with the fact that innovation demands strong imagination and intelligence, the innovator must be courageous, willing to be hated or humiliated for the sake of the truth or beauty they pursue.

Risk also guarantees occasional, if not frequent, failure, as illustrated in the lives of Thomas Edison, Winston Churchill, and the Wright Brothers. So eventual success requires persistence and even an obstinate personality. The innovator, then, must be a well-differentiated person, defining him- or herself by a standard beyond public opinion. To many s/he will necessarily appear insensitive or even insane.

The oft-repeated exhortation to “be a risk-taker”—a favored bromide at graduation ceremonies every Spring—is almost never fully serious or else it is hypocritical, because most people only like risk-takers in the abstract. They resent and are annoyed by the real, concrete risk takers in their lives (though all of us have benefitted from them). This is one more sad fact about the human condition.

Perhaps a better or more realistic exhortation is “be patient with risk takers” or “be open to new innovations.” Not everyone has the disposition to be a genuine risk-taker, so why encourage everyone to do so? But all of us encounter risk-takers and are forced to decide whether to ignore, resist, ridicule, or even hate them because their ideas cut against the cultural grain and challenge our own beliefs or values. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t subject their ideas to rigorous critical review. On the contrary, rational critique is the mature, responsible response to new challenging ideas. It is good for the world of arts and ideas and good for risk-takers themselves.

So if you’re not a risk-taker in the sense of pursuing innovations in your field, then at least take the risk of patiently considering and perhaps reasonably responding to the risk-takers in your life. Their latest risk might be one of their mistakes, but your demonstrating this through rational argument will help them and the rest of the world more than empty ridicule or blithe dismissal.

January 1, 2017

The Best and Worst of 2016

By Jim Spiegel

Film Experiences:

Jim: It was such a busy year that I didn’t see as many films as I normally do. But I really liked Dr. Strange—an interesting interface between Western science and Eastern mystical concepts, though it would have been better with more character development and less explosive action and eye-dazzling CGI. I also enjoyed Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which so deftly weaved in connections to the main plotline of the Star Wars films. And Zootopia was a lot of fun—I still go back and watch that scene with the sloths at the DMV. Hilarious. But by far my favorite of the year was Hacksaw Ridge, which manages to wrestle with a serious moral dilemma, powerfully portray self-sacrificial love, and provide a compelling romantic love story.

Amy: I hate to be Debbie Downer, but when I went to consider movies I loved this year, I first thought of movies that disappointed rather than delighted. Kung Fu Panda 3 was a disastrous but memorable night out with the kids, which started with a soggy drive to the theater and ended with a misleading Yelp review of the local Chinese restaurant. Another big disappointment was Star Trek Beyond. I went to see this one by myself in the theater while Maggie and a friend saw Secret Life of Pets. Though I have loved the previous installments of the recent Star Trek series, I am pretty sure I would have enjoyed Secret Life more . . . if the girls would have allowed me to sit in the same theater as them. I saw Magnificent Seven with Bailey and friend who did let me sit with them, maybe because I bought the popcorn, and was thoroughly entertained. Hacksaw Ridge was probably the most powerful movie I saw this year, despite a few flawed and uneven performances, however my favorite experience this year was watching various Jane Austin and Elizabeth Gaskill adaptations (Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Wives and Daughters to a name a few) with Maggie and Andrew. It was like watching them all for the first time and I can’t wait to rediscover more of these beloved period pieces with them.

Jim’s Best Musical Experiences of the Year: My love for Cage the Elephant continued to grow with their latest album Tell Me I’m Pretty, produced by Black Keys front man Dan Auerbach. The band’s sound is less densely textured now, whether due to the departure of guitarist Lincoln Parish or Auerbach’s production. In any case, its still great CTE music. Manchester Orchestra’s Hope was another highlight for me. The album is a more mellow reworking of the songs on their Cope album from the previous year. It is a fascinating demonstration of how much difference musical arrangements and production makes. I also finally picked up the Raconteurs’ Consolers of the Lonely. Another superb record from the ever-expanding Jack White catalogue. I believe he is the greatest rock music talent of our time. The man is a bona fide quadruple threat (singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer). Other artists I discovered this year—in some cases thanks to my oldest sons, who have become quite the music connoisseurs—include Cloud Cult, Portugal the Man, the Gorillaz, and the incredible Stromae. But the very best musical experience of the year was seeing Bob Dylan in concert in Indianapolis with my daughter Maggie, who is the only real Dylan fan among our kids. As we sat there at the show, she must have said to me at least ten times, “Dad, I can’t believe that’s really him.”

Amy’s Best Food Experiences of the Year: It is sad to say that the more confident I get in my own cooking, the less I enjoy eating out. In fact, one of my highlights food-wise this year would be catering a wedding with one of my favorite people. I love the process from start to finish, coming up with the menu, calculating portions and getting to spend hours and hours with a friend. What could be sweeter? Watching others, whether it is just my family or hundreds of strangers, enjoy food I made is a thrill. The other culinary highlight for me this year was eating with Jim and Bailey at Fogo de Chao, a Brazilian steakhouse in Indianapolis. The food was amazing, but the company was the best.

Jim’s Favorite Sports Moments of the Year: The Chicago Cubs are World Series champions! After suffering with that team for 33 years (and after the franchise itself had suffered a championship drought for 108 years) it has finally happened. What an absolute thrill to see it happen, with my son Andrew—the only truly dedicated sports fan among our kids. After the game 7 victory, we visited Samuel Morris Hall—one of the male residence halls at Taylor—and went from floor to floor high-fiving and chest bumping fellow Cubs fans until about 2:00 a.m. Later, Andrew told one of his friends, “I’m pretty sure some of those students thought my dad was drunk.” And so I was—drunk on the ecstasy of a world championship. The Cubs are champs! Another championship I should mention was that won by my son Andrew’s little league team, which I coached. Not quite at the same level as the Cubs championship, but still thrilling.

Amy’s Favorite Sports Moments of the Year: The Cubs are champs. Nuff said. A close second? Drafting Andrew’s little league team with a dear friend. As Jim mentioned, the team won the championship and I think we all know who to thank for it.

Jim’s Most Disappointing Sports Moments of the Year: With the Cubs winning the World Series, no sports disappointment can spoil my joy for long. But I must admit that watching the Ohio State Buckeyes defeat my Michigan Wolverines in overtime last month was pretty hard to take. And I confess that as I watched there were moments when my feelings for Ohio State bordered on . . . intense dislike. So I confess that I relished Clemson’s trouncing of the Buckeyes last night. Ah, misery loves company.

Amy’s Most Painful Sports Moment of the Year: Both involved our kids. One was literally painful. Nothing prepares you for that text or phone call telling you that your kid has been seriously injured on the field. So thankful nothing was permanently damaged though I am pretty sure I lost a few hours off my life due to elevated blood pressure. The other was a strange mixture of heartbreak and pride as one of the kids sacrificed his pride for the sake of his team. This experience showed me again that sports can play a significant role in the moral development of my kids, however hard it is to watch.

Good and Bad Reads of the Year:

Jim: I did a lot of reading of early church fathers over the summer, and it was really rich. Clement of Alexandria’s Paedagogus and Stromata are moral-theological treatises that are amazingly relevant today. Likewise, John Cassian’s Institutes and Conferences. I also read Athanasius’ Life of Antony, which is one of the most influential books in Christian history, deservedly so. Among contemporary works, my favorite of the year was Mike Mason’s The Mystery of Marriage, which has become something of a contemporary classic. Chock-full of honest and bracing observations about marriage, the book is also a stylistic masterpiece. Mason calls himself a “purveyor of fine sentences.” And so he is. The only negative reads of the year were a few philosophical articles and one book—Brene Brown’s Daring Greatly, which was recommended to me by a colleague. I’m not into pop psychology, and Brown seems to epitomize that.

Amy: This year I didn’t read nearly as much as I wanted to but the upside was I loved just about every book I read. I couldn’t stop quoting The Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller. I chuckled along as I read All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot. Cried through Roots by Alex Haley, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Ann Jacobs, and All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. I also read a few of the James Bond books, which are much better than the movies, as well as some Agatha Christie and Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith, aka J.K. Rowling.

Best 2016 Family Memories:

Amy: The first half of this year, my nephew Josh lived with us which was a treat, especially given the fact that he and my sister’s family have been living overseas for more than a decade. He helped fill the void left by Bailey who was in Bolivia from January to May. Bailey’s first extended time away from home was a bittersweet experience for me. Missed him terribly, but so wonderful to watch him growing up and to see the Lord working in his life. It was humbling to see others influencing and caring for him while I could not. I am tearing up now at the memory of seeing his smiling face as he walked towards us at the airport. This spring and summer we managed a few family hikes during which the majority of the children refrained from cursing the concept of the great outdoors. This was a major victory. Table Rock State Park is a new favorite destination. Moving was a huge undertaking and while I am glad it is behind us, I will treasure memories of working along side Jim and the kids.

Jim: The best and at times more challenging family experience of the year was moving into our new (or, rather, old—built in 1920) house in Upland, Indiana. September was a zany month, but we pulled it off. I especially enjoyed the excursions I had with each of our kids this past year. In March I visited La Paz, Bolivia where Bailey attended Highlands International Academy for the semester. In July I went on a church mission trip to El Salvador with Sam. In August, I took Maggie to the Dylan concert and I took my Andrew to see the Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Did I mention that the Chicago Cubs are World Series champions? Yeah!!!

Best Kids’ Quotes of the Year

As usual, the best quotes from our kids this year come from our poet-comedian-dreamer daughter, Maggie (12) and our observant moral theologian Andrew (10):

Maggie: “If I were God the world wouldn’t be nearly so complicated.”
Andrew: “Everything that has to do with tomatoes is bad.”
Maggie: “In the future this will be the past, and I will be glad.”
Andrew: “You can’t turn back time but you don’t need to if you make the right decisions.”
Maggie: “There are two things I dislike about life: There is no background music and there are no musical montages.”

New Year’s Resolutions:

Amy: To be more prompt and not use my kids as an excuse for being late more often than I should be. To be a good neighbor and friend and not overthink or analyze my interactions with others. To be more intentional in my thoughts, not allowing them to wander . . . sorry, what was I saying?

Jim: My primary goals this year are moral-spiritual: to be more meditative and disciplined in controlling my own thoughts. And, with regard to this blog, to do more posts that feature biblical reflections and practical theology. I also resolve to do more praying for our political leaders than complaining about them.

Happy 2017 everyone!

September 4, 2014September 4, 2014

The Black Keys’ Turn Blue: A Review

By Jim Spiegel

Some of the great albums in music history have been borne out of divorce. From Bruce Springsteen’s Tunnel of Love to Willie Nelson’s Red Headed Stranger to Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks, it seems the devastation of the end of a marriage brings out the best in songwriters. The latest confirmation of this sad psycho-aesthetic fact is the Black Keys’ most recent effort, Turn Blue. Release of the album was apparently delayed by singer-guitarist Dan Auerbach’s divorce proceedings, which were particularly dark and full of disturbing allegations.

The songs on Turn Blue reflect what must have been some rough years for Auerbach, beginning with the haunting and patient opener “Weight of Love,” featuring some extended, anguished guitar solos that reinforce Auerbach’s grim declarations: “Used to think, darlin’, you never did nothing. But you were always up to something. Always had a run in, yeah. I got to think those days are coming to get ya. Now no body want to protect ya. They only want to forget ya.”

A few songs later, Auerbach’s grudge has turned to dismissive contempt: “You wanted to love but you didn’t know how. That’s okay, it’s up to you now. Its got so bad to where I wouldn’t allow, but no more. It’s up to you now. (I’ll) let you go, so you can grow old.” (“It’s up to You Now”). Elsewhere, things get even more gloomy when he declares that even death would be preferable to his current situation: “Bullet in the brain I prefer than to remain the same” (“Bullet in the Brain”). And in the title track, there are more ominous lines: “I really don’t think you know there could be hell below, below.”

Vengeance, contempt, condemnation, suicidal thoughts. Yep, that’s the psychological landscape of the death of a marriage, as anyone who has been through divorce will testify.

But what is interesting about this record is that it isn’t a dark or brooding album from a musical standpoint. Much like their 2010 album Brothers, there is an early 70s era Motown vibe to many of the songs (especially “In Time,” “Waiting on Words” and “10 Lovers”). Also, several tracks are upbeat, and the album is full of melodic hooks. These are hardly qualities of a depressing album. This probably explains why most reviewers of the album haven’t properly attended to the heaviness of the lyrics.

Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney set out to make an album unlike their previous release, El Camino, which was loaded with radio-ready track. This one, they resolved, would be devoid of pop songs. In spite of themselves, the album does contain some catchy pop-rock tunes, including “Fever,” with its addictive keyboard line, as well as the insta-classic closer “Gotta Get Away.” Even more so than the rest of the album the music of “Gotta Get Away” defies its lyrics. The chord progression and triumphant guitar solo feel like liberation and triumph. But what Auerbach tells us is that he’s just glad to have escaped, even if there is no hope of finding love again: “I went from San Berdoo to Kalamazoo just to get away from you. I searched far and wide, hoping I was wrong, but maybe all the good women are gone.

And so the album ends, perhaps appropriately, on a pessimistic note. Maybe Auerbach will find love again, as his newly remarried bandmate Patrick Carney apparently has. Fortunately, all the good women are not gone. So although he’s turned blue for now, he doesn’t need to stay that way.

March 8, 2013

Hodgepodge

By Jim Spiegel

1. Cursive handwriting is almost a thing of the past, a fact that is bemoaned by many people. Check out this piece in Prospect about the “Curse of Cursive Handwriting.” My sentiments exactly.

2. Here is an interesting piece from the Chronicle of Higher Education about “The Quest for Permanent Novelty.” It provokes reflection about the nature and purpose of art but also—presumably aside from the author’s intentions—thoughts about the ineradicable human desire for what is eternal.

3. And, in case you missed it, take a look at this clip where Senator Ted Cruz repeatedly asks U. S. Attorney General Eric Holder this question: Would it be constitutional for a government drone to kill a suspect who poses no imminent threat. Simple, right? Not for Eric Holder. Gulp.

4. Lastly, here is my Books & Culture review of Bob Dylan’s latest album, Tempest.

January 4, 2013

The Best and Worst of 2012

By Jim Spiegel

Best Film Experiences:

Jim: This year I was blown away by two films whose plots involved the silent film era: Hugo and The Artist. The former, directed by Martin Scorsese, is a powerfully redemptive story that is a visual and emotional delight. Even given his impressive filmography, I regard Hugo as one of Scorsese’s best. And The Artist is a true original at a time when Hollywood needed a breath of fresh air.
Amy: What have I watched this year? Obviously nothing that great or I would be able to remember. I did love the experience of watching Lincoln, but I told Jim afterward, I don’t know if I loved it because it was a great movie or because it was such an amazing performance by Daniel Day Lewis. He is so good, it’s hard to evaluate the film as a whole. From a pure experience standpoint, gasping in shock surprise with several girlfriends and a theater full of shocked fellow watchers in Twilight: Breaking Dawn was a highlight.

Worst Film Experiences:

Jim: I didn’t see any really bad films this year, but Hunger Games was a definite disappointment. I read the book, and then watched the film, and they were equally disappointing. The problem: none of the characters made any reference to God, prayer, the afterlife, etc. Given that death and physical trauma figure into the story so prominently, this is highly unrealistic and a significant flaw in the narrative.
Amy: This year has seen a lot of disappointments for me, more in the shows that I watch than in films. Frankly I expect most movies to be bad but several favorites on the small screen turned into just another agenda driven lecture punctuated by commercialist drivel. I guess one of the worst would be Snow White and the Huntsman but was I really expecting that one to be good or did I just want to get out of the house? Hmm.

Best and Worst Musical Experiences of the Year:

Jim: The new Dylan album, Tempest, was the highlight of the year for me. These days, every new Dylan album, especially given the fact that the man is so well along in years, is a treat. And the fact that his music is as good as ever is really astounding. Unprecedented, in fact. What other popular artist is still writing and recording great songs into his/her 70s? Another highlight was the Black Keys concert in Cincy that I attended last March. Those guys are finally getting the recognition they deserve. But will their popularity undermine their creativity from here forward? Time will tell.
Amy: I don’t really do musical experiences. Concerts give me vertigo and my iPod is mostly full of stuff for the kids. But I did enjoy discovering The Tallest Man on Earth, The Temper Trap, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.

Jim’s Favorite Sports Moments of the Year: Seeing the Detroit Tigers win the American League Championship was definitely a thrill. But like 2006, they swept their way there (defeating those darn Yankees 4-0), while the Giants had to go the distance to defeat the Cardinals in the NLCS. So, just like 2006, the Tigers were hurt by the long layoff and got swept in the World Series. Hopefully, next year, the Tigers can win the ALCS in a more protracted series so they’ll be well-tuned for the World Series.

Jim’s Most Disappointing Sports Moments of the Year: Watching the Giants sweep the Tigers hurt, but the whole “Bounty-gate” debacle concerning the New Orleans Saints hurt even worse. Ugh.

Amy’s Best Eating Experience of the Year: Eating curried goat with my hubby in the Bahamas. I seriously would have licked the plate had no one been watching.

Amy’s Worst Eating Experience of the Year: I made the mistake of purchasing heavily scented yet temptingly discounted dishwasher detergent a few months back and paid dearly for my frugality when it “tainted” all of our dishes. No matter what we ate, all I tasted was synthetic lavender. Yuck.

Satisfying Reads of the Year:

Jim: In the scholarly category, it’s Plantinga’s Where the Conflict Really Lies. As is typical for Plantinga, it is lucid and well-argued—the best treatment of science and religion I’ve ever read. Also, this year I resolved to read three classics every year, and this year they were Virgil’s Aeneid, George Eliot’s Silas Marner, and Eusebius’s History of the Church (which I am still reading). Three very different books, but each rich with insight and deserving of the moniker “classic.” I also greatly enjoyed reading another superb apologetics book by Paul Copan—When God Goes to Starbucks. He tackles some really challenging questions, such as regarding homosexuality and the Old Testament “holy wars,” and his responses are consistently insightful and sensitive.
Amy: This has been a good book reading year for me. If I am going for mind-expanding, worldview-challenging it would be The Fountainhead. I realize she would think I am a mindless religious zombie but I still love Ayn Rand. I read a lot of history this year, my favorite being Destiny of the Republic about the assassination of James Garfield. For sheer pleasure, Roald Dahl’s Boy and Going Solo were pure delight.

Political High Point of the Year: Jim: Still waiting for one. Amy: Ditto.

Political Low Point of the Year: The presidential election. Nuff said.

Best 2011 Memories of Our Kids:

Bailey: “There is no better feeling than picking up a heavy whipped cream can.”
Sam: Through tears and cries of pain over a splinter “You promise it’s just a thin layer of tissue?”
Maggie: “Mom, do you have a town inside your head where you go when you are bored?”
Andrew as he hands us his front tooth after riding the bummer cars: “That was the most awkward time I ever lost a tooth.” And another good one from Andrew, when explaining that he would rather listen to Rascal Flats than my gospel choice: “I don’t like this one, no offense to God.”

Most Satisfying Shared Experiences of the Year:

Jim: Our time in the Bahamas last January with the Taylor softball team.
Amy: Redoing our upstairs bathroom.

New Year’s Resolutions:

Jim: To take my wife out on even more dates and to avoid sugary carbonated soft drinks.
Amy: To limit the number of times I begin sentences with the phrase “I am so sick and tired…” and to take time every day to remember what an awesome guy I married.

Happy 2013 everyone!

December 11, 2009

Top Ten Albums of the Decade

By Jim Spiegel

It’s the end of the ‘00s, which means it’s time for top ten lists. Below are my picks for the best albums of the last ten years. Honorable mentions: Bob Dylan’s Modern Times, The Killers’ Day and Age, Neko Case’s Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, The Strokes, Is This It?, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ By the Way, The Shins’ Chutes Too Narrow, Arcade Fire, Funeral, and Modest Mouse’s Good News for People Who Love Bad News.

10. Aha Shake Heartbreak (2004) – The Kings of Leon Just when it appeared that no one would make a great rootsy, blues-based rock again, the Followill boys arrived on the scene to prove it can still be done…and how. Aha Shake Heartbreak was the sophomore effort from the Kings of Leon, a marked improvement on their debut which earned critical acclaim in its own right. These guys are the full package, soulful at every instrument with the chemistry of kin to boot. This album soars from the start and never lets up. Highlights: “King of the Rodeo” and “The Bucket”

9. Ringleader of the Tormentors (2006) – Morrissey For his second album since his return from a seven-year hiatus, the Moz put legendary ‘70s producer Tony Visconti at the helm. The results lived up to the hype, as Visconti built innovative orchestral elements into most of the song arrangements. Combined with the fact that the songs were among Morrissey’s strongest compositions ever—both technically and emotionally—it’s no surprise that some critics hailed it as the best ever from the Pope of Mope. Highlights: “The Youngest Was the Most Loved” and “In the Future When All’s Well”

8. No Line on the Horizon (2009) – U2 Following two strong but less than groundbreaking efforts, the legends from Dublin looked to find some fresh musical inspiration in the unlikely country of Morocco. Setting up camp in a studio in Fez, some of the songs on the album bear the marks of Arabic musical influence. During the long recording process the band invited producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois to make songwriting changes as well in hopes to make the material still stronger. The results on No Line speak for themselves, as it is the most fresh and inspired U2 album since Achtung Baby. It is also less commercial than anything they’ve done since Zooropa, which explains the cool reception of the album in some quarters. But let’s hope this doesn’t discourage the band from further musical exploration.

7. Hail to the Thief (2003) – Radiohead On the heels of their landmark Kid A and Amnesiac albums, what could the Oxford quintet do next? How about create another masterful album which is even more unified than its predecessors, if only because it’s creative explorations are not as multifarious. The album also has a discernible theme, which is evident in its title. And the interpretive Rosetta Stone for the 16-song cycle is “A Punchup at a Wedding,” where the most sacred of events is marred by a drunken brawl. For Radiohead the wedding is nature, and human beings are the intoxicated fighters. A powerful image, even if it does seal Yorke & Co. as misanthropes. Such a dark theme, however, does not diminish the sheer beauty of this album. Highlights: “Go to Sleep” and “Scatterbrain”

6. Retriever (2004) – Ron Sexsmith This unsung Canadian songwriter’s songwriter has yet to make an album that isn’t at least very good. Retriever features a dozen artful tunes which demonstrate why everyone from Elvis Costello to Paul McCartney count themselves among Sexsmith’s biggest fans. Producer Martin Terefe effectively created an organic warmth which perfectly reinforces the wistful melancholy of most of the tracks. Several songs are achingly beautiful. Some still move me to tears. Highlights: “Imaginary Friends,” “For the Driver,” and “Wishing Wells”

5. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002) – Wilco Recorded in 2001, Wilco’s record company, Reprise Records, refused to release the album because of its perceived lack of commercial viability. Eventually the band was released from their Reprise contract and signed with Nonesuch Records, who released the album the next year. Naturally, the album sold like hotcakes. It’s a brooding, sometimes dark record with plenty of atmospherics and interesting turnarounds. Probably the very things that turned off the Reprise execs are what turned on listeners. So much for the convergence of market sense and aesthetic sensibility. If you haven’t discovered the raw rock paradise of Jeff Tweedy and friends, this album is a good place to start. Highlights: “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” and “Pot Kettle Black”

4. Neon Bible (2007) – Arcade Fire After the critical exultation over their first album, Funeral, most fans of the indie band Arcade Fire braced themselves for a let down with their follow-up. But Neon Bible proved to be even stronger than their debut. Both albums are melodically and emotionally rich, but Neon Bible is more mature in terms of lyrical vision. The album’s abiding theme of spiritual angst is especially compelling, with several songs wrestling with the realities of sin, death, and redemption. Highlights: “Intervention” and “The Well and the Lighthouse”

3. Return to Cookie Mountain (2006) – TV on the Radio This unique outfit from Brooklyn, New York blends progressive rock, jazz, hip-hop, and electronica. The song’s lush textures, thanks to the production wizardry of band guitarist Dave Sitek, reward repeated listening. Layers of melodies, rhythms, and vocalisms create a unique and hypnotizing soundscape for stream of consciousness lyrical explorations. One of the album’s standouts, “Wolf Like Me,” is quite possibly the song of the decade. Other highlights: “Hours,” “A Method,” and “Dirthywhirl”

2. Love and Theft (2001) – Bob Dylan Just prior to the album’s release, the Bobster was quoted as saying Love and Theft felt like a greatest hits album. This seemed like pre-release hype at the time, but he turned out to be correct. Each song feels like a classic, whether the style is rockabilly, swing, bluegrass, parlor jazz, or blues. Dylan and his band—featuring the incomparable tandem of Charlie Sexton and Larry Campbell—move effortlessly from genre to genre, humbly serving each tune. Lyrically, Dylan is at the top of his game—which is no small boast—spinning captivating yarns, tossing off wise proverbs, telling jokes, and creating an abiding feeling of riverboat adventure and Old South nostalgia. All in all, a flawless album. And to think he did it as a man in his sixties.

1. Kid A / Amnesiac (2000-01) – Radiohead Okay, so these are two albums rather than one, but I’m combining them because all of the music was recorded during the same sessions. The band didn’t want to release it all on one double-length CD, so they divided the songs into two separate albums. In actuality, it’s more like a time-released double album, with half of the songs appearing about six months after the others. AMNESIAC The novelty of the release format only hints at the originality of the music itself, which felt at the time—and in many ways still does feel—as if it had been recorded in the year 2050 and sent back to our time to blow our minds. Amazingly, the albums have “aged” well. The truth is, as with all great music, it doesn’t seem to age at all. Kid A highlights: “Optimistic” and “Idioteque”; Amnesiac highlights: “I Might Be Wrong” and “Knives Out”

May 19, 2009

Together Through Life

By Jim Spiegel

A few months ago Bob Dylan surprised everyone—including his record company—with the announcement that he had recorded a new album, and last month Together Through Life was released, to the jubilance of Dylan cronies like me everywhere. At nearly 68 years of age, the great rock bard is nearing the end of his extraordinary career. So each new album is a yet more precious gift. What is most remarkable is that late-period Dylan is arguably his very best. The most recent trio of albums—including Love and Theft, Modern Times, and Together Through Life—form what I have begun calling Dylan’s Americana Trilogy, all having been produced by Jack Frost (Dylan’s pseudonym as record producer) and showcasing a rootsy, relaxed kind of energy to match consistently strong compositions. However many more albums he records, the first decade of the 21st century will surely go down as a peak Dylan period.

200px-together_through_life Dylan’s voice is now a gravelly rasp but still quite capable of delivering powerful emotions, startling metaphors, and home truths. Dylan smartly surrounds his vocals with equally raw instrumentation, including David Hidalgo’s accordion which graces most of the songs on the album. What no one seems to have noticed is the prominence of guitar work on this album, thanks especially to Mike Campbell (of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers fame). No other Dylan album (among the 30+ he has recorded) features so many guitar solos. In fact, there are multiple solos on most of the songs—gritty but melodic stuff that richly accents the lyrics.

Here’s a quick survey of the tracks, most of which Dylan co-wrote with Grateful Dead wordsmith, Robert Hunter:

“Beyond Here Lies Nothin'” – This minor-key tex-mex rocker is the ideal opener for this song cycle, setting the mood for the album which consistently makes the listener feel like he’s sitting in a smoke-filled border town café. Think Carlos Santana meets Los Lobos, with a generous helping of 1950s Sun Records spontaneity: “I’m movin’ after midnight down boulevard of broken cars; don’t know what I’d do with out it—without this love that we call ours. Beyond here lies nothin’—nothin’ but the moon and stars.”

“Life is Hard” – This song was the seed crystal of the entire project, as Dylan and his band went into the studio to record to this tune for the upcoming film My Own Love Song and it ballooned into an album project. This slow swinging romantic ballad is deceptively complex musically—one of Dylan’s most sophisticated ever. An instant classic, really, that won’t be immediately recognized as such because Dylan’s voice isn’t strong or nimble enough to do it justice. But in the hands of a capable jazz singer, the genius of this song would become apparent. If only Nina Simone were still alive…

“My Wife’s Home Town” – This stark brooding tune works as an anthem for every husband who’s been tortured by his wife’s disapproval: “She can make you steal, make you rob, give you the hives, make you lose your job. She can make things bad; she can make things worse. She’s got stuff more potent than a gypsy curse.” In spite of this, he confesses, “my love for her is all I know.” In many ways, this song’s black humor typifies the entire album.

“If You Ever Go to Houston” – An upbeat nostalgic piece featuring a tasty interplay of classical guitar, organ, accordion, and pedal-steel guitar. “If you ever go to Houston, you better walk right. Keep your hands in your pockets and hang your gun belt tight. You’ll be asking for trouble, if you look for a fight.” But, as with most of these songs, the lyric redounds to his own emotions: “Put my tears in a bottle, screw the top on tight; if you ever go to Houston, you better walk right.”

“Forgetful Heart” – Another minor-key meditation, at turns sad and angry, featuring a dark swirl of quiet guitar distortion. In the face of lost love, Dylan sings “the door has closed forevermore, if indeed there ever was a door”—one of those lines with potentially endless applications to life situations. Is it regret? Exasperation? A sense of futility in the hands of cruel fate? Perhaps all of the above.

“Jolene” – In the refrain to this rollicking bluesy number the singer declares to his lover, “I am the king and you are the queen.” But the irony is that despite his pronouncements, it is he who is ruled by his lover. Dueling guitar solos punctuate the song and drive home the theme.

“This Dream of You” – A mournful quasi-waltz draped with accordion, violin, and a plaintive refrain: “All I have and all I know is this dream of you which keeps me living on.” This is another song which, like “Life is Hard,” displays a surprising musical elegance. While one of the greatest writers of blues music, Dylan’s reach as a composer extends into diverse genres, even parlor jazz and show tunes, as each album in the Americana Trilogy demonstrates.

“Shake Shake Mama” – A rocking blues tune with more gut-punching dueling guitars and humorous social commentary: “Some of you women really know your stuff; but your clothes are all torn and your language is a little too rough.” But, at bottom, it’s a blues song, as Dylan declares, “I’m fatherless, motherless, and almost friendless too.”

“I Feel a Change Comin’ On” – This is a bouncy tune with an optimistic musical vibe offset by a melancholic lyric. “Life is for love, and they say that love is blind. If you want to live easy, baby, pack your clothes with mine.” Again, however, the happiness is derailed: “Well, now what’s the use in dreaming. You’ve got better things to do. Dreams never did work for me anyway even when they did come true.”

“Its all Good” – If Together Through Life is essentially a musical dark comedy, then its signature song is this closer. Some reviewers have actually called it upbeat and positive. Chalk one up for superficial assessment. This is a sardonic jest at the shallow optimism behind the idiom of the song title. But this seems lost on some listeners, in spite of lines like these: “People in the country, people on the land, some of them so sick they can hardly stand. Everybody would move away, if they could. It’s hard to believe, but its all good.” And this: “The widows cry. The orphans bleed. Everywhere you look, there’s more misery. Come along with me. I wish you would. You know what I’m saying—it’s all good.” Right. The truth is things are very far from all good. In fact, nothing in this world is all good, as Dylan has been reminding us for almost fifty years. This world is a tragic place, and we’ll eventually lose our sanity if we don’t follow the implicit advice of the album’s title.

December 29, 2008April 22, 2020

The Best and Worst of 2008

By Jim Spiegel

As you probably know, this was our first year to blog, and we have been pleasantly surprised with all the attention and activity our posts have drawn. Thanks for reading and, if applicable, posting comments. It’s been a blast. To close out the year we decided to do our first joint-post. Where our opinions differ, we’ve included separate entries.

Best Film Experiences:

Amy: Lars and the Real Girl—This is a sweet and original movie with great performances. I don’t know if it was my ultimate favorite for the year, but like those who vote for the Oscars I sometimes suffer from long-term memory loss with regard to movies.
Jim: Born into Brothels—Yes, it was made in 2004, but I didn’t see it until this past year. What a remarkable display of the life-changing power of art. Inspiring and heart-rending. And, while I’m on the subject of documentaries, I’ll recommend one that was released in 2008: Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed—Who would have thought that the ID perspective could be so entertaining? To the critics who panned it as “propaganda,” I say you’re only proving Ben Stein’s point!

Worst Film Experiences:

Amy: Tropic Thunder—I cannot say anything derogatory regarding the performances, but this movie made me feel like I needed to take multiple showers afterward. I will never listen to the recommendation of a Blockbuster employee again.
Jim: Bobby—This film has more contrived scenes than an episode of Baywatch (and almost as much cleavage), and it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a movie with such self-conscious directing.

Best Musical Experiences of the Year:

Amy: Sara Bareilles’ Little Voice—This is my soundtrack when hanging on by a thin thread. Just crank it up and feel a few decades younger (until the children find you, that is).
Jim: The Killers’ Day and Age, Bob Dylan’s Tell-Tale Signs, and a half-dozen different albums by the most underrated band in rock history: The Kinks.

Favorite Songs of the Year:

Amy: “Human” from the Killers’ Day and Age. It’s the only song whose entire lyrics I have learned since we started having kids, with the exception of “Yahweh” by U2. Both are daily offered up as prayers of desperation as I cruise the back roads of Indiana in a mini-van that sounds like an airplane struggling to take off.
Jim: “Red River Shore” from Dylan’s Tell-Tale Signs. This song is one of the Bobster’s most poignant ever. It will break your heart in more ways than you can count. Thank you, God, for endowing this man with such creative genius. Amen.

Best Sports Moment of the Year: Brankle Construction’s championship in the Upland Coaches’ Pitch Baseball League. There were plenty of life-lessons to go around as Brankle (Bailey’s team, coached by Jim) dramatically triumphed over the haughty and hitherto undefeated Pratt Construction team in the playoff semi-final—essentially a little league baseball version of the Giants-Pats Super Bowl.

Worst Sports Moments of the Year: The Detroit Lions dubious record-breaking 0-16 season. They’ve set the mark for futility. Now let’s see if they can set the mark for biggest single-season turnaround.

Most Satisfying Read of the Year:

Amy: North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. Gaskell takes social justice issues, adds insightful cultural observations, and wraps it all up in a beautiful love story.
Jim: Degenerate Moderns by E. Michael Jones. Jones’ provocative (and well-argued) thesis is that modernism (e.g., Rousseau’s political philosophy, Margaret Mead’s cultural anthropology, Freud’s psychology, and even Picasso’s artistic vision), was the result of rationalized sexual misbehavior. While he can be overweening at times, Jones can also be profoundly insightful.

Political High Point of the Year: The election of Barack Obama as U.S. President.

Political Low Point of the Year: The election of Barack Obama as U.S. President.

Most Preposterous News Event of the Year: The “pregnant man” story. Only in a culture where a significant minority believes that gender can be socially (or physiologically) constructed could such a claim pass as anything but a joke or an abuse of language (or both). Its yet another confirmation of Richard Weaver’s thesis that the demise of Western culture begain with the rejection of essences.

Recurrent Theological Theme of the Year:

Amy: When you ask God to deliver you from difficult circumstances, it doesn’t mean He will beam-you-up-Scotty. Rather, He will preserve you through the storm. As hymnist John Keith put it, “When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, my grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply; the flame shall not harm thee; I only design thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine” (“How Firm a Foundation”).
Jim: The importance of maintaining high regard for the classical Christian creeds (especially the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds) and the imprudence of treating disputable theological issues as if they were creedal.

Most Satisfying Shared Experience of the Year: At least when it comes to the professional aspect of our relationship, it was definitely doing this blog together.

Amy: I love you, honey-bunny.
Jim: I love you, too, honey-bunny.

New Year’s Resolutions (regarding Wisdom and Folly):

Amy: 1) to explore less of my mommy-can-you-get-me-a-drink side and more of my I-read-interesting-books-and-watch-artsy-foreign-films side and 2) to leave more room in my opinions for respectful disagreement with those I respect and an escape hatch that offers the option of (gasp) changing my mind.
Jim: 1) to explore atheism as a philosophical and psychological phenomenon and 2) to continue to do my best to overlook insulting, patronizing, or condescending comments on our posts, while resisting the temptation to delete them! Thankfully, there were very few of these (among the hundreds submitted). Nearly all reader comments were constructive, even when critical. Thank you! And to all of you, may God bless you with a healthy and happy (in the Aristotelian sense of eudaimonia) year in 2009!