Author Archives: Brian D. Butler

Beautiful Bruges

Posted on August 5, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

I count my self lucky to have seen the beautiful Belgian town of Bruges nearly five decades ago before it became overtouristed and Disneyfied. Still, when I have return over the years, I still am enchanted. This charming tilt-shift video … Continue reading →

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Books Can Set Us Free

Posted on August 4, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

American Booksellers for Free Expression has launched a campaign for Banned Books Week 2024 centered on the theme Liberate Banned Books (#SetBooksFree). “Resisting book bans is about liberation,” ABFE noted. “It’s about liberation for schools and libraries from the rash of book challenges … Continue reading →

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Omnimappus Europeus

Posted on August 3, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

I’m always tickled when the wonderfully cheeky cartoon pops up on the net. The comic website about travel and language by filmmaker Malachi Rempen is still offering witty takes on modern life.  

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Every morning a new arrival.

Posted on August 2, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

       The Guest House by Rumi This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if … Continue reading →

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“other peoples’ joy can be annoying”

Posted on August 1, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

I stumbled upon the moody short film below and can’t quite articulate why it resonated so much with me. So, as usual I thought that I’d share it here to see if it hit home with any of you. Daniel … Continue reading →

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Rare Book Discovery

Posted on July 31, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

I have a hazy recollection of a brief visit to Canterbury’s  The Beaney House of Art & Knowledge many decades ago on one of my first trips to England, but I was intrigued by a story about its current special … Continue reading →

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To leave the world a little better than you found it

Posted on July 30, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Paul Auster // “That’s all I’ve ever dreamed of… To make the world a better place. To bring some beauty to the drab humdrum corners of the soul. You can do it with a toaster, you can do it with … Continue reading →

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Ma maison à Paris

Posted on July 29, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

Whenever I am in Paris for more than a few days, I prefer to rent an apartment in my favorite district of the city. It may not be the in the hippest arrondissement, but I have always loved the vibe … Continue reading →

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To Be Hopeful

Posted on July 28, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

                            To Be Hopeful “To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history … Continue reading →

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James Baldwin: Mountain to Fire

Posted on July 27, 2024 by Brian D. Butler

James Baldwin // “The world changes according to the way people see it, and if you alter, even by a millimeter, the way people look at reality, then you can change it.” To celebrate what would have been the 100th … Continue reading →

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