I’ve been getting some web traffic recently looking for my book of sermons, Flesh and Bones, in PDF form; that’s heartening, though I realised that I’ve been preaching longer since Margaret and I compiled those sermons as a benefit for St Luke’s than I had been preaching all told … | Continue reading
This is the last day of teaching in my BTh classes at Regent’s which means these may be my last lectures, ever (depending on how my job search turns out). My Regent’s students have been very good, very generous and patient, and I greatly appreciate having been given the chance to … | Continue reading
We hadn’t spent significant time with the Feeneys for donkey’s ears, so this overnight visit to Wolverhampton only just began refreshing the connections that time has allowed to grow paler. Our hearts were fed as we caught up on shared sympathies through turbulent years, and news … | Continue reading
This morning we attended the Church of the Most Holy Trinity, Wolverhampton, where our very dear friends Fr Damian and Fiona Feeney preside from a beacon-top from which you could see Russia, if the earth didn’t curve and the atmosphere were clearer and those pesky trees would mov … | Continue reading
I only ran one mile this morning — plantar fasciitis has come back, with genuine commitment. I’ve had problems with my plantar fascia before, so I recognise the symptoms; the main question concerns what to do about it. My trainers are probably at the end of their lifespan; this w … | Continue reading
Two days, no running, long travel, preach + interview, return, full day of academic activity, preach, get ready for rttravel tomorrow, preach Sunday, collapse in a heap. That’s the story. | Continue reading
I got to walk some extra miles yesterday, dashing about point to point to connect with Marika Rose from Winchester, Anthony Reddie and Willie James Jennings here at Regent’s, and then Cory Doctorow at Blackwell’s. It was… a day of abundance, including a terrific conversation with … | Continue reading
The last two days have been similar: clear skies, chilly temps (6° and 7°), though this morning I had a bad case of heavy legs and a slower pace, while Sunday I was more limber and ran to a more favourable time. Another day, another two miles. Saturday, I neglected to mention, Ma … | Continue reading
Clear skies, limber limbs (at least after the three-quarter mile mark), positive pace, only 6° (my hands were distinctly chilled), two more steady miles. I keep hearing rumours about posts coming open, but for the time being there are very few that seem at all fitting for me. May … | Continue reading
8°, clear skies (sun shining directly down Howard Street so that I had to stare downward at the road), heavy legs, but a decent pace and two good miles. I’m working from home this morning as Margaret has work to do down at Ripon College Cuddesdon and the ladies need oversight. An … | Continue reading
I note these runs not because there is the least little thing that’s interesting about them, but because that practice keeps me coming back to the site and typing something in. My hope — futile so far — is to shift my impulse-to-scribble from FB and Twitter back to the blog where … | Continue reading
Light overcast this morning, 9°, nothing special about my physical condition or sensations, two miles at a non-disappointing pace. A lot of work to do, so time to get to it! | Continue reading
Yesterday afternoon I recalled the advertisements for Archway, our favourite local brand of biscuits when I was a youngster in Pittsburgh. I looked googled the company slogan in hopes of rediscovering the specific adverts I had in mind, the ones Robert Drosnes used to mock by pul … | Continue reading
I missed writing yesterday’s morning report to the effect that I did indeed finish my two miles, in 11° and clear skies, with comfortable legs — which led me to the mistaken apprehension that we were in for a lovely day. Breakfasted with M., marked essays, tutorial at Oriel, lunc … | Continue reading
I liked the Jam and Style Council back in the 70s and 80s, but in retrospect I think it difficult to overestimate the (often unacknowledged) importance of Weller (et al.)’s voice as a sign of trust that we can do better, together…. And we’re going to see Billy Bragg tomorrow nigh … | Continue reading
This morning I caught a glimpse of what regular official runner-type people evidently experience: the temperature had climbed back up to a more comfortable 9°, very light cloud (I could see the sun rise over Headington), a respectable pace with no significant discomfort, and two … | Continue reading
6°, clear skies, adequate pace, two miles, much marking, several referee obligations. A full day; no time for feeling dispirited. | Continue reading
Two rejections today. If the point of this year of job-seeking is to break me, well, I’m holding out — but I’m not cheery. | Continue reading
6°, clear, legs okay, decent pace, two miles. Full day of teaching and appointments, off to Oriel for Morning Prayer in a few minutes. Rejected for another job yesterday. | Continue reading
I was well satisfied with last night’s homily, and it was great to have the chance to sit and catch up with Fr Chris. It would be great to have a weekend to unwind after five high-intensity days (starting with preaching at Oriel last Wednesday), but instead it’s back to the coal … | Continue reading
Another morning chillier than the 7° the Home Office measured, but light overcast and a decent pace. My legs weren’t as limber as yesterday, but all turned out satisfactorily. Morning Low Mass at Cowley St John, afternoon must-do marking, then preaching at Jesus College tonight. … | Continue reading
The last three days had been so intense, filled with sermon prep and interview prep and being on best behaviour and (now) waiting to hear back, and dammit with hearing about Dooce (was it Dooce© with a copyright or Dooce™ with a trademark?), that when this morning came and I got … | Continue reading
9°, thick overcast, heavy legs, and a disappointing pace, but I ran my two miles. Feeling immense stress about today’s interview and micro-sermon, but there’s nowt for it but to press on. | Continue reading
I’m still knocked off my stride after hearing last night that Dooce had died, that she could no longer just go on living. And I’m not the only one; even after she’d dialled up some unwise* posting recently, her death has struck seismic shudders into a community of online readers … | Continue reading
Overcast morning, 7°, and I initially set a walking pace because my right calf had a cramp during the night; I wanted to allow my muscles to stretch out slowly, and that seems to have worked out all right, because the second mile this morning felt good, perhaps even better than m … | Continue reading
I’m a [reluctant] descriptivist — if you really want to say ‘irregardless’ you may — but I’m also a zealous advocate of knowing as much as one can about the ways words work together. Often that has little or nothing to do with ‘rules’ or ‘grammar’, but simply the effect wrought b … | Continue reading
My utterly leaden legs would scarcely move this morning, slowing me to a snail’s pace during my two miles in clear 7° weather. Preaching and dinner tonight at Oriel — need to finish up my homily and really finish marking. Tomorrow is my next interview process, part one. | Continue reading
12°, overcast (recent rain, with the prospect of more later in the day), but my legs felt all right, and the two miles passed without particular difficulties. | Continue reading
At this point, I’d simply like to remind people that human beings in complicated social-economic systems have a long track record of poor preparation for unanticipated consequences of structural change. | Continue reading
Two miles, leg muscles that just wouldn’t get loose, 9°, overcast (heavy rains apparently due in an hour or so), but got my run in. It’s a Bank Holiday thanks to His Majesty, but I’ll go in to work to clear up my marking backlog and prepare handouts for tomorrow’s classes. | Continue reading
11° — for the past two days, it’s been too warm and humid for me to keep my hoodie on for the whole run — and heavy overcast, legs took a long time to limber up, very slow pace. I’ll attend morning Mass at Cowley St John, spend the middle of the day marking, go… | Continue reading
9°, overcast and just a bit of drizzle, adequarte pace, two miles. Coronation Day, marking, maybe get a barber to trim my beard. | Continue reading
The Proclaimers might walk 500 miles, but it occurred to me the other day that if, as I recall (and am too lazy to check) I started running two miles every morning (give or take), that by now I must have run more a good many more than a thousand miles. Take that, Craig and… | Continue reading
I gave myself a break from the morning run today. Yesterday’s travel + [unsuccessful] interview exhausted me, and put a wee dent in yesterday morning’s confidence. Only a wee dent, though; mostly just a reminder that nothing is a foregone conclusion in my favour, not even a non-r … | Continue reading
Two miles, 5°, clear skies, no aches or pains, and a decent pace. Yesterday I saw a genuine young person running toward me, and he bounded as he went; he stride had a coiled-spring vitality that I can’t even imagine feeling, though perhaps if I ventured into the world of yoga or … | Continue reading
7°, clear and pleasant, a little weary, but a satisfactory morning run (two miles, as always). Today begins with Morning Prayer at Oriel, then a brief window for prep, a ninety minute lecture at Regent’s, another short window, then an appointment, then another lecture, by which t … | Continue reading
On International Workers’ Day, the Memorial of St Joseph the Worker, I’m observing (a week or so early, but the dating is irresistible) the first anniversary of my former employer calling me to a meeting and telling me they wanted a divorce. It’s also May Morning in Oxford, which … | Continue reading
Runs yesterday and today, 7° and 6°, adequate pace though a bit… weary. Tomorrow is May Day, the international version of Labour Day, and my notional anniversary of begin told that I was to be made redundant. Further, I got some job discouragement this week: a couple of rejection … | Continue reading
3°, 5°, 11°. Rain and drizzle, and two miles a day. Nothing extraordinary, though today’s relatively warm temperature persented a pleasant change. | Continue reading
One degree — one! — and clear skies, a bit stiff but gradually limbering up, and a good pace. First day of teaching. | Continue reading
Two miles, 6°, clear and dry and no real breeze, and a startlingly good pace, since my joints were a bit unhappy at the start. I just pushed on, and the run went by rather quickly. | Continue reading
Two miles, several puddles (there was a downpour moments before I started this morning), 8°, footsore from a long day in dressy shoes yesterday. I gave myself latitude to just register the two miles, without striving for a pace; I felt great, positively springy, for the first thi … | Continue reading
A good run this morning: two miles, one degree, good, steady pace, in another spell of MIST . I will soon leave for Newcastle, where my former student and very dear friend Bishop Helen-Ann (Francis) Hartley will be installed as Bishop of Newcastle (after having already served as … | Continue reading
Two miles, six degrees, dark skies, a positive pace, overall a decent morning run. Yesterday or the day before, Alan Jacobs posted his approval and challenge to Brad East, concerning Brad’s straightforward use of “culture’ in a treatment of H. Richard Niebuhr’s famous typology. A … | Continue reading
4° (I mean, really), clear skies, a breeze from the northeast, wobbly joints that eventually settled into a satisfactory, comfortable pace for my daily two miles. Today is ‘personal statement for another job application’ day, ‘finally hammer out my plan for the A2 Intro to the Ne … | Continue reading
8° but it felt chilly nonetheless, felt all right but not strong or especially limber, pace was undistinguished. Yes, two miles. Hey, Anil Dash (whom some of us actually remember from the old days at Movable Type) has a very apt reflection on ‘selling out’, a concept that seems t … | Continue reading
It would be useful if, instead of referring to Barry Bonds (simpliciter), people referred to Bonds I (the star outfielder for the Priates from 1986 to 1992 or ’93), or Bonds II (the peak value version, who played for the Giants from ’92 to let’s say ’99, when he was still an amaz … | Continue reading
Yesterday I met with students for a revision, and today I had a make-up tutorial (making up a missed tutorial, not a tutorial on how to make this pig’s ear look more silk-purse-ish) so it really is Trinity Term. I got a [North American usage] slew of emailed tasks last night, so … | Continue reading