5 Quick Things #321 🐑

sheep, stars, busyness, & Busy Town

Hey there,

Happy first day of March! It’s arguably one of my favorite months of the year, at least here in Central Texas (when I lived elsewhere it was …not my favorite). We’re seeing early signs of bluebonnets along the highways, and even though that’s a bit worryingly early, I’ll take the beauty and call it a win.

We’re also at the stage around here of absolutely crawling to the end of next week where we can collapse into Spring Break. Ever since I started teaching I can’t unsee how challenging the school year is between Christmas and Spring Breaks — there’s just something about this gray phase that feels so very “in between.” Yes, finishing well to the finish line of May/June has its challenges, but the first few months of the second semester is that middle-of-the-marathon phase. Phew… I’m relieved it’s almost over.

Also also — we’re 2.5 weeks into Lent. If you tacked on another week to that I would have nodded along and assumed yep, we were just at the halfway point… Only 2.5 weeks in? So far, this liturgical season feels long. Lent always is, of course. But — just a bit over two weeks in? That’s not right. Lord, give us the grace to persevere well.

Starry Night Over the Rhône (1888), by Vincent Van Gogh #

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5 Quick Things ☕️

1. Why do we valorize busyness? For several years now I’ve gone out of my way to make sure I don’t answer “busy” when someone asks how I’m doing — and if I am, to let that be a signal to me that something’s off — because we’re not supposed to be busy. I loved this piece by

Dixie Dillon Lane

because it shines a light on several layers of our culture: “Busyness only gives the veneer of productivity; it is common to be busy without being productive as well as to be productive without being busy. Busyness gives the impression of productivity because it relays a sense of activity and importance.”

2. A farmer I am not, but I do love the country and have grown a deep affection for the flora and fauna that make up our real world. I enjoyed this reflection by

Nadya Williams

on the virtues of—surprisingly—sheep. Or maybe it’s not so surprising, since sheep are so often our scapegoat (see what I did there?) for a good metaphor: “That we are not an agrarian society is reflected in how we speak of sheep, that quintessential antithesis of leaders. Sheep are not interested in leading but are dreaming of a quiet rooted life. …Today, to call someone a sheep is more often than not used as an insult. To be a sheep is to be an intellectual lightweight, unwilling to think for oneself, likely to follow blindly to one’s doom.”

3. My dear pal

Seth Haines

is writing these days—in his wheelhouse—on our lifelong quest for the real, and in this one he ties in this quest with his love of photography. It’s a good one: “The Real—its definition is the sum of its words. Simply put, it is the actual-factual, by-God real stuff of the created world. And in this age of false, fungible, filtered, manipulated, AI-enhanced, tweaked, influencer-promoted, cotton-candy flavored, additive garbage, The Real is endangered. And if The Real is endangered, then its creators are an endangered species.”

4. Feeling the itch to read something that pushes you further out of “the machine” and in to the real world?

Ruth Gaskovski

and

Peco

have compiled a list of their recommendations and I agree with quite a few of them! …I can’t comment on them all, but I do highly, highly recommend Lewis’ The Abolition of Man, which poignantly prophesied where we’d be today once we left our foundational Tao (just read it, you’ll see).

5. And finally, one of my besties was on Pints With Aquinas and she did a fabulous job! Truly, Sarah oozes encouragement whether she’s on a long-form podcast or you’re clinking margaritas while sighing about the challenges of parenting. So grateful for her and what she puts out into the world. Her interview is a must-see (or must-hear — here it is in audio form).

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Currently Reading, Watching, Listening 📻

U2’s old Joshua Tree live album, Disc 2 (going to a concert last week rekindled my affection for live music)

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Quotable 💬

“It is in the darkest skies that we see the brightest stars.”

-Richard Evans

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You're forced to suddenly live without one item of modern technology. Which one do you choose? 🧑‍🌾

I’ve not wanted a TV for years, but I’m basically voted out by the majority in my household. I’d actually love to just use our projector and screen (install it from our ceiling) to make our movie nights more special, but alas…

And yes to the smartphone. It’s interesting how so many of us would like to do without it, yet the culture makes it increasingly harder to be smartphone-free (still worth it, though).

• TV: 63.7%

• Smartphone: 23.6%

• Computer: 9.8%

• Car: 2.9%

Find this week’s poll here.

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Quick Links 🔗

• 📐Create your own Rule of Life

• 🎧 Listen to A Drink With a Friend

• 📖 Read my books

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Question(s) For You to Ponder… 🤔

Who do you know that could use a phone call or a handwritten note?

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Have a good weekend,

- Tsh

p.s. Most of my students and children agree.