Tag Archives: academics

A Grief Observed: A Talk on the Anniversary of My Parents’ Deaths, with C.S. Lewis

Here is a little piece on a special day: the anniversary of the death of my father and brother on a villainously cold night when I was fourteen, and on the eve of the anniversary of my mother’s passing in … Continue reading

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My 18 Phrenetic Stages of Academic Paper Writing, Or Why Writing is So Hard

Writing is both beautiful and challenging, with heart-breaking hopefulness in the shadows of sheer impossibility. By creating this digital space, I have been able to create a writing environment where I can bypass many of the dead-ends and disasters of … Continue reading

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Announcement: Teaching Engaging Classes Online: A Tutorial and Discussion (by Signum University)

A lot of teachers and professors are suddenly finding themselves in the position of moving to a fully online teaching schedule as colleges, universities, and even some school districts shut down in response to the coronavirus. As a result, there … Continue reading

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Can Cod-liver Oil Cure Us of Poetry? A Thought on the Uselessness of Poets in Today’s Economy from L.M. Montgomery’s Rainbow Valley

It was probably unfair that I had this much fun in a government meeting, but it is even more unfair that the fun came at another’s expense. It is no secret that North American state, provincial, and federal governments view … Continue reading

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A Grief Observed: A Talk on the Anniversary of My Parents’ Deaths, with C.S. Lewis

Here is a little piece I did this time last year. This past week had that frightful cold snap once again–experienced throughout our entire continent–and the cold has finally broken. But on this day, February 4th, it is hard not … Continue reading

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The Stumbling, Grunting, Teeth-Gritted, Exhilarating Race to the Finish

I am hardly someone who has the right to use a marathon as a metaphor. Or any sports analogy, really (see here for proof). I have never run anything approaching a marathon. I can do the two miles and a … Continue reading

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The Inklings and Arthur Book Wins the Mythopoeic Award!

Originally posted on The Oddest Inkling:
I am utterly astonished and delighted to announce that The Inklings and King Arthur has won the Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Inklings Studies! This is a prestigious award that “is given to books on Tolkien, Lewis, and/or…

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Will They Want Me Even Though I’m A Boy? Heading to the L.M. Montgomery Institute Conference (L.M. Montgomery Series)

Though Matthew and Marilla would have been considered me a fine specimen of boyish orphan for Mrs. Spencer to bring home from the orphanage, they, like my farming fathers before me, would have been disappointed. And a little puzzled, if experience … Continue reading

Posted in Canadian literature, L.M. Montgomery, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 53 Comments

Why the C.S. Lewis and Friends Colloquium is Awesome: Wordless

Just a quick note to say that I have had an amazing conference at Taylor University this past week. The C.S. Lewis and Friends Colloquium is truly awesome, and I hope to come back to why I think so. My heart … Continue reading

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A Grief Observed: A Lecture on the Anniversary of My Parents’ Deaths

It was a little eerie returning home on Saturday evening. My wife and I went to see the Oscar-nominated SF Fairy Tale, The Shape of Water. It was cold, terribly cold. With the wind chill it was approaching -30 Celsius (below -20 … Continue reading

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