Monday Random

It took me a while to finish One of Ours, but my next Pulitzer, not so long.

All the Light we Cannot See is a longer book, but it’s going by more easily. Yes, Cather had a beautiful writing style, but Doerr writes in a way that’s hardly noticeable at all…and I like that almost as much as a well-turned (and lengthy) phrase. The story is building beautifully, and I can see bits and pieces coming together; but more than that to me, it’s just so comfortable. I actually love reading it. It feels like it isn’t going to end – although it will one day, and I will be quite disappointed.

I don’t want to say much more though – gotta save something for the wrap-up.

I was listening to a favorite Christian podcaster as I walked the dog today, and she mentioned a run-in she’d had with, what we call in Christian internet circles, the “hyper-discernment” crowd. Yeah. There’s a group of people out there who absolutely thrive on picking away at every aspect of what every other Christian says and believes. They scour and scan the internet looking for someone to say something they deem “wrong,” then they descend upon them with their private versions of the wrath of God. And of course, the bigger the whale, the better the bang. Fairly well-known podcaster? Jackpot! Whatever gets the clicks.

I’m not just picking on “Christians” though. It’s the norm now. That’s what the “influencer” culture is all about – saying and doing things that draws the most attention. It doesn’t actually matter whether they believe it or not. Tucker Carlson comes to mind, sucking up to Trump on air, but in private, hating his guts. It really is a matter of following the money. I think this has contributed to our overall disbelief in just about anything with which we disagree. There are so many lies out there, we’ve just decided we may as well be comfortable with the ones we like to hear.

Reducing your on-line presence really will make a difference. I know it will. I’d even go so far as to say cutting it off completely will get the best results, but I’m trying to be realistic. Not everyone can do without, nor is it absolutely necessary. I’m just saying, life would be better without it.

I finally broke down and got a new phone. Taping the old one together for the last year or two just wasn’t cutting it anymore (and I’m pretty sure the lady who laughed so hard at the phone store agreed). I’m liking it plenty so far – mainly because my top purpose for having a decent phone is to take pictures during my rides, and this one – a Galaxy S23 – does it quite nicely. While I had to spend a bit of time in post-editing with my old phone, this one takes some pretty nice shots without the extra work.

Hope it can keep it up longer than the last one…although I guess five years is a decent run for phones these days. I only remember ever having one – a beige job that hung on the wall of our kitchen – while I was growing up. It’s amazing what we’ve lost since those days. Things like having to answer the phone on behalf of what could be anyone in the house, or stretching the cord across the hall into your sisters’ room for a little privacy. And then, having to leave the house without one in your pocket. How did we manage?

Expectations, I guess. I honestly wouldn’t mind being unreachable for long periods of time. Fewer and fewer people even know what that’s like anymore.