Monthly Archives: December 2024

We are moving into a period of bewilderment

Posted on December 31, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

“We are moving into a period of bewilderment, a curious moment in which people find light in the midst of despair, and vertigo at the summit of their hopes. It is a religious moment also, and here is the danger. … Continue reading →

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Annus horribilis

Posted on December 30, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

It has been a horrible year for the world, for the U.S., and for me personally. But I would rather see 2024 out with something uplifting. I can’t think of anything more sublime and beautiful than this extraordinary video of … Continue reading →

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What’s Your WOTY

Posted on December 29, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Along with seemingly endless “best of lists of the year” we are also now being offered lots of options for the WOTY (word of the year). The English language seems to provide ample fodder these days with a wealth of … Continue reading →

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Bookstore Tourism, Season Art, End of the Year Mischief

Posted on December 28, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

The Poetry Pharmacy is a new London bookshop, on Oxford Street, offering tonics for all sorts of emotional ailments. Calm, comfort, inspiration: whatever you’re searching for, there’s a book of poetry, philosophy or psychology to help you find it. “…because … Continue reading →

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Holly

Posted on December 27, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Holly by Seamus Heaney. It rained when it should have snowed. When we went to gather hollythe ditches were swimming, we were wet to the knees, our hands were all jags and water ran up our sleeves. There should have … Continue reading →

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Magic persists without us

Posted on December 26, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

“the Egyptians loved the cat were entombed with it instead of with the women and never with the dog but now here good people with good eyes are very few yet fine cats with great style lounge about in the … Continue reading →

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So this is Christmas

Posted on December 25, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Game developer John C. Worsley, who previously used Star Trek: The Next Generation scenes to create Picard singing a Christmas carol to Q, has created an amusing mashup of the original series sounding out a Star Trek rendition of the John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band holiday song “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” using … Continue reading →

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“Merry Christmas From the Family”

Posted on December 24, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

My favorite local radio station has been playing this modern classic Christmas tune for the last three decades. It never feels like the holiday without Robert Earl Keene’s Merry Christmas from the Family. Folks outside of the U.S. may think that … Continue reading →

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Holiday Cheer

Posted on December 23, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Way back in 1993, the American Beat writer William S. Burroughs wrote and narrated a 21-minute claymation Christmas film which was produced by Francis Ford Coppola. And, as you can well imagine, it’s not your typical smarmy holiday flic. The … Continue reading →

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Snow Patrol

Posted on December 22, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

We finally had our first snowfall of the season, which reminded me of this series of snowy woodblock prints by Kawase Hasui. Maybe it had something to do with my purchase of some very expensive plane tickets for a Japan … Continue reading →

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