24 July 2008Dumb drugs


23 July 2008First time for everything


9 July 2008Google Docs, an appreciation


3 July 2008Lost and --


30 June 2008Money update


27 June 2008People in your neighborhood


26 June 2008Make Money on the Web


25 June 2008Writing on the bus


25 June 2008Macs and the Church


24 June 2008Paradise Lost in Three Easy Lines


23 June 2008Security Garbage


21 June 2008Heaven? Heavens.


15 June 2008Happy Father's Day


4 June 2008On Allergies

In which I whine about my head, because it’s Spring and apparently that’s what I do.

more


8 May 2008Why I'm not yet sleeping, or the bureaucratic bane


17 April 2008Me, publicly.

In which I discuss my distaste for anonymous blogs and link to my very non-anonymous Blogger profile.

more


16 April 2008Ohio

In which I wonder about the logic of sports in a midwestern public school.

more


16 April 2008My writing


6 April 2008Masterpiece's Sense and Sensibility on PBS


4 April 2008Friday: Rzewski's Pocket Symphony - C

In which I discover some unexpected joy in some wacky modern classical music.

more


1 April 2008Poetry Tuesday: Herbert's "Prayer (I)"

In which I first mostly misunderstand and then (thanks to some students’ comments) mostly understand a nice piece of early modern devotional poetry.

more


24 March 2008Mondays on Writing: Cohesion and Coherence


21 March 2008Primary Source Thursdays: A Woman Killed with Kindness

In which I wonder about a little postmodern bit in a early modern play.

more


18 March 2008Poetry Tuesdays: Lycidas

In which I embarrass myself with some recording and then spend a few lines playing around with a pretty famous poem.

more


17 March 2008On writing every day


3 March 2008Anuber Grubber


3 March 2008Grubber


28 February 2008Public Service Announcement


22 February 2008Speakerphone


20 February 2008Election results


19 February 2008Boys and Violence


19 February 2008Mormon Studies


15 February 2008Non-traditional Students


31 January 2008Upon reflection, I blame Huck and Ron Paul


31 January 2008Republican debate

In which I wonder why the Democrat debates are so much more pleasing to watch.

more


10 January 2008Things I Learned Reading Old Copies of The New Yorker as I Ate My Lunch (probably part of a series)


10 January 2008More Mormons in the News


7 January 2008Stinky Buckeyes


5 January 2008MoJo likes the Momos!


5 January 2008Mail mail

In which I wonder whether it is easier to fake righteousness or to conquer pride.

more


4 January 2008Late to the party

In which I find virtue in reading old magazines.

more


31 December 2007Phree Photo Phriday


31 December 2007The Big Dig is finally over...


24 December 2007Mormons in politics (not Mittens related)

In which I link to a satisfying interview with two LDS general authorities and complain about voter ignorance.

more


21 December 2007$170

Overpriced books.

more


13 December 2007For Sale


13 December 2007productivity nerd


13 December 2007knife


12 December 2007Muttonhead Quail


11 December 2007Happy Holidays in Ohio

Who are the closed-minded theocrats?

more


7 December 2007Honeycrisp


7 December 2007Wardrobe for a snow day

In which I share my unnecessary sartorial opinions.

more


6 December 2007Down to the wire...


5 December 2007Old


21 November 2007Candidates in a box


21 November 2007The complete shakespeare on the Beeb, horray!


19 November 2007Barack Obama is now following you!


10 November 2007NaNoWriMo update, evening 11/10


8 November 2007How I Amaze My Students

…or, How I Amaze My Students Without Doing Anything Special and how that doesn’t stop me from feeling stupidly proud of myself.

more


5 November 2007NaNoWriMo update, morning 11/5


31 October 2007Nerdular nerdness

In which I flex my tech muscles, but only briefly and without straining anything.

more


30 October 2007Invisible students

In which I realize that I have a very poor memory for my students’ names. And faces.

more


25 October 2007Another cookie


25 October 2007Now more irrelevant than ever


23 October 2007Heywood's "The Four PP"

A summary and (very cursory) analysis of some recent reading.

more


23 October 2007gmail goes imap


22 October 2007Miss Potter


19 October 2007New plan #2: NaNoWriMo?


18 October 2007A new plan


11 October 2007Mormons vs Evangelicals: the political face-off!

Professor looks at Mitt and thinks he’s OK. I’m not so sure myself, but that has nothing to do with religion.

more


5 October 2007Inside Higher Ed :: On Drivel

... I know exactly how this writer feels, because I have both given and received this harsh treatment. Though I think I’ve taken more (much more) than I’ve given.

more


3 October 2007A sad, sad, sad day

In which I mourn the loss of my access to the paid-for databases at BYU.

more


1 October 2007Wall-E trailer


1 October 2007Comfort food

In which I rediscover the joys of transfats and processed chocolate malted milk.

more


28 September 2007Confessions of a Journal Editor

... I respond to an article in the Chronicle of Higher Ed on the lousy writing that passes for academic prose.

more


26 September 2007Who is you now?

... or some interesting thoughts that were similar to those that led me to ditch my anonymous academic blog.

more


26 September 2007Inside Higher Ed :: Mark of Zotero

... a very basic intro to Zotero from IHE.

more


26 September 2007Mr Voles, I understand you claim that you wrote all those plays normally attributed to Shakespeare?

“That is correct. I wrote all his plays and my wife and I wrote his sonnets.”

more


26 September 2007Sleeping ain't for sissies

...and napping ain’t for, um, Norwegians? No, that’s not right. Dang.

more


24 September 2007Sampter's triad

In which I describe what is wrong with me, and how I feel since surgery.

more


24 September 2007What happened here?

In which I explain about my new plans for the blog. Again. Because I have some compulsion to re-imagine what I’m doing online every year or so, apparently.

more


24 September 2007The Alinea Cookbook

...and the video they’re using to pre-sell it

more


24 September 2007Academic labor

... and what to do over the summer

more


23 September 2007Happy Anniversary

Kate and Jeff: 14 years and counting

more


23 September 2007Shakespeare's blog

...or rather, the closest we’ll likely get today

more


23 September 2007GTD + Japan + France

=unworkable but entertaining productivity video

more


23 September 2007Boston bikes


22 September 2007Oh, joy, Jeff's talking about Google again. Yawn.

... but it’s not me this time. Really. It’s Merlin, and he sees a glorious vision of the future, if only in his head

more


22 September 2007Workspaces

...and more of what I wish I had the time and inclination to do for an office

more


22 September 2007Librophilia

... and what I wish my office looked like

more


21 September 2007Domo arrigato, Mr. Bento

... and why I have not yet succumbed to the cult of the Mr. Bento

more


20 September 2007A Physical Space Occupied By A Single Individual

... I was almost about to title this “A Room of One’s Own” but I couldn’t bear the sacrilege to Virginia Woolf nor the idea that my post might have the same title as 10,000 others, all of which were written by teenage girls.

more


19 September 2007Arrrr.


10 September 2007OK!

I survived.

more


9 September 2007Penultimate medical update

In which I get my surgical plans, and prepare for what may happen on the table.

more


27 August 2007Medical update #3 (is it three, already?)

In which I get good news, at last.

more


21 August 2007Another medical update

In which I learn that the drug that works also dismantles my liver. Sigh.

more


15 August 2007Bikes in traffic (a video!)

In which I embed a 10 minute YouTube video, thus becoming one of the cool kids.

more


12 August 2007The Trigger Effect

In which I both link to a YouTube video and decry our dependence on technology. Oh, sweet paradox of life.

more


10 August 2007Medical update, Aug 2007

In which I explain how I need surgery, and how you (gentle reader, friend) may provide some help.

more


8 August 2007$64 Tomatoes

In which I mock a garden writer for writing such a lousy book.

more


7 August 2007Me and the nose of doom

In which I complain about my stupid nose.

more


6 August 2007Starting Fresh with Composting

In which I make a pun about compost (fresh: get it?) and start saving scraps.

more


5 August 2007Tintin and the Secret of Literature

In which I describe a book I want to own, but cannot afford (and probably wouldn’t actually read). (Copied over from my now-deleted anonymous blog)

more


5 August 2007Open Mouthed Kisses

In which I point to an excellent post by Roy Booth. (Copied over from my now-deleted anonymous blog)

more


5 August 2007Defense. Committee.

In which I snark about my wonderful MA committee. (Copied over from my now-deleted anonymous blog)

more


5 August 2007A most Notable Example of an Ungracious son, who in pride of his heart denyed his own Father, and how God for his offence turned his meat to...

In which I transcribe a previously untranscribed renaissance ballad. (Copied over from my now-deleted anonymous blog)

more


5 August 2007The Married-womans Case

In which I transcribe a previously untranscribed renaissance ballad. (Copied over from my now-deleted anonymous blog)

more


5 August 2007A merry Progresse to London

In which I transcribe a previously untranscribed renaissance ballad. (Copied over from my now-deleted anonymous blog)

more


5 August 2007A Looking-Glass for Lascivious Young Men: or the Prodigal Son Sifted

In which I transcribe a previously untranscribed renaissance ballad. (Copied over from my now-deleted anonymous blog)

more


5 August 2007Die, dumb old blog

In which I describe how I once tried to be anonymous online, but gave it up. Look at me now: I’m visible and boring!

more


5 August 2007Sustainable family

In which I lay out my plans to be a more responsible steward

more


19 July 2007Early morning grocery run


18 July 2007Bike-free day

In which I (partly) justify my lengthy driving today, and try to convince myself that I’m actually getting better about responsible car use.

more


17 July 2007Brooks B-17

In which I compare a $70 leather saddle to a $1000 wooden stool.

more


13 July 2007Rides around the neighborhood

In which I describe taking Mary on a busy road at rush hour, and how using my bike makes me feel like I’m better than everyone else on the road.

more


29 June 2007Why google deserves to win (again)

In which I get all gushy about a new feature in Google maps.

more


25 June 2007Replacing oil with sweat

In which I describe my first nervous steps to decrease my car use.

more


24 June 2007Question

In which I make some minor changes to the site.

more


24 June 2007First rides

In which I go out for a bike ride, we buy a trailer, and I realize I can’t ride after dark.

more


20 June 2007Bag it; tag it; sell it to the butcher in the store

In which I fret about dropping Latin.

more


19 June 2007Ride home, day 1

In which I get wet.

more


19 June 2007First low-carbon commute

In which I ride my bike to campus for the very first time.

more


18 June 2007Latin and tigers and bears, oh my!

In which I begin my study of Latin.

more


15 June 2007Rivendell

In which I gush about a company that makes expensive bicycles, but thinks about them in the same way I think about bicycles.

more


15 June 2007Program note: please help


15 June 2007Transformation, 1


15 June 2007$120 a month

In which I lay out my ambitions to pedal to work rather than give my money to the House of Saud.

more


19 May 2007Nerd alert

In which I install a second operation system because it will distract me and help me procrastinate.

more


11 May 2007Whineblog: Why I Hate Yahoo

In which I gripe about Yahoo and then discover the screw-up is me.

more


3 May 2007Spaceman Spiff and the Magic Pincer Hand

In which I imagine a world where all work is play

more


30 April 2007Paster's "Leaky Vessels"

Review of a recently read article.

more


30 April 2007Bowers' "Comedy, Carnival, and Class: A Chaste Maid in Cheapside."

Review of recent reading.

more


27 April 2007Carlton's "Charles I: The personal monarch"

Review of a recently read book.

more


27 April 2007Times Select for Free for Me

In which I celebrate a newly discovered benefit of the academy.

more


27 April 2007TV Turn Off Week

In which I whine about being virtuous. Oh pitiful me.

more


24 April 2007Taylor's entry on Middleton in the Dictionary of National Biography


24 April 2007Short notice: various readings for Tuesday April 24, 2007


23 April 2007Haigh's review of Heinemann


23 April 2007Tricomi's "Middleton's Women Beware Women as Anticourt Drama"


23 April 2007Levin's "If Women Should Beware Women, Bianca Should Beware Mother."

Review of a recently read article.

more


20 April 2007Anthony Milton's "The Church of England, Rome, and the True Church: The Demise of a Jacobean Consensus"


20 April 2007Brewer's preface to _Letters and Papers of Henry VIII_


19 April 2007New Directions in Scholarship


19 April 2007Reading Log

In which I reveal my plan to use the power of the public Interwebs to succeed.

more


2 April 2007The Prestige and Stranger than Fiction

In which I complain about recent films.

more


1 April 2007New Spring Resolutions

In which I explain how January is a lousy time for starting anything, but April is brilliant.

more


26 March 2007On starting: the follow-up

In which I talk about my excellent first day of the term.

more


25 March 2007On starting

In which I explain my optimism for a new school term and my plans for a couple of new systems to make me even more successful and happy.

more


24 March 2007Saturday updates

In which I discuss the blessings of entertaining with a large family, keeping up with friends via Twitter, and the constitutionality of newspaper journalism. Unrelated ideas? Yes.

more


21 March 2007On pretension

In which I show my mature judgment winning over my childish need for social comparison.

more


20 March 2007Haircuts

In which I rant. That is all.

more


19 March 2007Ouch

In which I hurt — all over — and take drugs to make it both better and worse.

more


18 March 2007The virtues of writing every day (proposed)

In which I briefly discuss some data gathered by Robert Boice and apply it to my next week’s activities.

more


17 March 2007The ever-recurring tools post

In which, yet again, I talk about what tools I use for my work. Because annually isn’t enough, I guess.

more


16 March 2007Post-a-palloza

In which I commit to post every day for a week.

more


25 February 2007On happiness and choice

In which I relate the results of an interesting discussion between my startlingly intelligent wife and myself.

more


24 February 2007Internet toys

In which I describe the new things I’ve added to the website. I hope it isn’t as boring as that sounds.

more


14 February 2007Free time

In which I worry about not wasting away some unexpected free time.

more


13 February 2007Priorities

In which I explicate the wonders of my to-do-listizing, which is wondrous to behold.

more


29 January 2007What's wrong with butt pickles?

In which I post an old story by Jack.

more


28 January 2007A blog for Kate

In which I discuss setting up a blog for a new, non-technical user: my wife.

more


18 November 2006On mayonnaise

In which I wax nostalgic about mayonnaise, and suggest ways to improve your own mayonaise life. But without much detail on the suggestion part.

more


17 November 2006Nerdy mac news

In which I encourage all my Macintosh loving friends to download a piece of free software.

more


17 November 2006Getting political

In which I say nice things about Tom Vilsack, the first official Democratic candidate for the 2008 presidential election.

more


17 November 2006Comments: fixed!

In which I announce to all that I have solved my former technical problems by following the instructions.

more


15 November 2006On chatting with students

In which I experiment with technology™ to help teach those crazy students of mine.

more


13 November 2006On Borat

In which I try to unravel the staggering popularity of the film (as of November 2006).

more


11 November 2006On internet procrastination

In which I reveal my secret for avoiding screwing around online for excessive periods of time.

more


10 November 2006On using online applications

In which I say nice things about Google products (circa October 2006) and how they make me a 21st century man.

more


10 November 2006Tweaking the layout

In which I discuss the redesign of this site.

more


2 November 2006On teaching, humility, and learning from others

In which I take my teaching evaluation and apply it to my life.

more


2 November 2006In Praise of the MacBook

in which I say nice things about a new computer. Scandalous and shocking, I know.

more


31 October 2006On napping

In which I defend the practice of mid-day sleeping in lieu of doing other perfectly normal activities.

more


29 October 2006Newbie Fountain Pens, II

In which I try to further involve my friend Thom into the dangerous world of gravity-fed permanent ink delivery tools.

more


1 October 2006In my office

in which I describe my office on campus. And that’s about it.

more


4 August 2006Newbie fountain pens

In which I recommend three choices for a young man choosing his first grown up pen.

more


2 August 2006Tools report, August 2006

What software and hardware I use to do what I do (whatever that is). At current, very preliminary and messy. Such a work in progress that I’d call in a .01 release. Pre-beta, as they say.

more


1 August 2006Rethinking web publishing

In which I explain where I’ve been, praise one blogger and mock another, and promise (to try) to be less of a pompous windbag.

more


10 February 2006Recipe: Candied Salmon

Almost a recipe for an excellent, easy, healthy weekday main course. (Almost a recipe because it’s more a procedure than a formula.)

more


8 February 2006On Kindness and Responsibility

How we were recepients of the amazing kindness of others, and how I feel a responsibility because of it.

more


6 February 2006On Writing the Tease

In the latest episode of “The West Wing” the characters were each dealing with a potential nuclear accident in Southern California. The fictional San Andreo … Three stories interconnect: the president, the republican candidate, and the democratic candidate. The show is engineered so that we will cheer the democrat and shake our heads at the republican….

...and thoughts on the cheapest trick of writers, and why to avoid it.

more


1 February 2006The Experiment, part 3

In which I get still nerdier, still talking about my computer, as if there was nothing better I could be doing.

more


31 January 2006On Ease and Integrity (and funding this site)

Why I think that essay writing companies are unethical and immoral, and why I think you should take advantage of them to help me fund this site.

more


27 January 2006links for 2006-01-28


24 January 2006Park on a downhill slope

Something I wrote months ago, but never posted here. It’s worth reading, if I do say so myself, because it’s actually really useful stuff.

more


21 January 2006On footnotes, endnotes, and writing

A fairly long meditation on the ecosystem of writing software available for Mac users circa January 2006

more


17 January 2006The experiment, pt. 2

wherein Teddy teaches me the value of technology avoidance. Kind of.

more


15 January 2006An experiment

In which I try to limit my technology exposure to only the basics. The basics in a brand-new PowerBook.

more


19 December 2005Bigger than the web

Barry Goldblatt? Did you say “Barry Goldblatt?” My heavens, I believe you did.

more


17 December 2005Making money with this site

A discussion with David Seah about the hows and whys of AdSense.

more


13 December 2005Back on the sleep wagon

Sleep? Who needs sleep? Well, all humans do, but we don’t have to be happy about it, do we?

more


12 December 2005Looking at this blog


7 December 2005Quote


5 December 2005Live site upgrade and future plans


3 December 2005Sleep update

I’m still sleeping little: under three hours for all of yesterday. And I plan to continue. Cool, huh?

more


30 November 2005Sleep crash


30 November 2005How to Sleep


21 November 2005Hot cocoa cook off


20 November 2005Recipe: green beans


18 November 2005Recipe: chocolate chip cookies


17 November 2005Ingredient: unsalted butter


17 November 2005Student writing


16 November 2005Recipe: risotto


12 September 2005Old Guys


2 September 2005On the news and newsworthiness


29 March 2005Recipe: Carrot soup


17 March 2005Burgers in Manhattan


2 March 2005Burgers and food snobbery


16 February 2005Article: Frosty the Vegetable