In Summary: * Presently waiting for the streaming radio feed for my early college basketball game of the night to kick in. Sometimes the feed comes in before the scheduled start of the game so I can catch the pregame show. It seems this isn't one of those times.

Prayers, etc.: * I have a daily prayer regimen I try to follow throughout the day from early morning, as soon as I roll out of bed, until head hits pillow at night. Details of that regimen are linked to my link tree, which is linked to my profile page here.

Starting Ash Wednesday, 2026, I'll be adding this daily prayer as part of the Prayer Crusade Preceding SSPX Episcopal Consecrations.

Health Metrics: * bw= 227.85 lbs. * bp= 136/77 (66)

Exercise: * morning stretches, balance exercises, kegel pelvic floor exercises, half squats, calf raises, wall push-ups

Diet: * 06:00 – 1 sonic cheeseburger sandwich, 1 banana * 08:30 – 1 seafood salad sandwich * 09:50 – 1 more sonic cheeseburger sandwich * 12:15 – salmon with a cheese and vegetable sauce * 16:20 – 1 fresh apple * 18:20 – cheese and crackers

Activities, Chores, etc.: * 04:30 – listen to local news talk radio * 05:30 – bank accounts activity monitored * 05:45 – read, pray, follow news reports from various sources, surf the socials, and nap * 12:15 to 14:00 – watch old game shows and eat lunch at home with Sylvia * 14:30 – listen to KONO 101.1 San Antonio * 15:00 – listen to The Jack Riccardi Show * 17:10 – waiting for the streaming radio feed for tonight's college basketball game

Chess: * 14:25 – moved in all pending CC games

Luke 16 is one of those chapters that refuses to sit quietly in the background of the New Testament, because it challenges the comfortable assumptions we build around money, morality, and even the afterlife. It opens with a story that seems confusing at first glance, a manager who is about to lose his job for wasting his master’s goods and who then acts shrewdly to secure his future, and instead of condemning him outright, Jesus appears to commend his cleverness. If we read that carelessly, we might conclude that dishonesty is somehow being rewarded, but that would miss the deeper current moving beneath the surface. Jesus is not praising corruption; He is exposing the spiritual dullness of people who claim to believe in eternity yet plan only for this temporary world. The steward understood something urgent about his situation: time was short, consequences were coming, and relationships mattered. In that sense, the chapter becomes less about accounting and more about awakening, less about money itself and more about what our handling of money reveals about the condition of our hearts. Luke 16 pulls back the curtain and forces us to ask whether we are living with eternity in mind or simply surviving day to day, pretending that tomorrow will never demand an answer from us.

The parable of the unjust steward confronts us with the uncomfortable truth that unbelievers often show more intentionality about their temporary future than believers show about their eternal one. The steward knew he would soon stand before his master, so he used the limited authority he still possessed to position himself wisely for what was coming next. Jesus points out that “the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light,” and that statement should pierce us if we take it seriously. How often do we see people who reject God pour enormous effort into networking, investing, building reputations, and securing influence, while those who profess faith drift through life with vague intentions and half-hearted obedience? Luke 16 does not applaud dishonesty, but it does commend foresight, strategic thinking, and an awareness that today’s decisions shape tomorrow’s reality. Jesus is teaching that money, influence, and opportunity are tools, not trophies, and that their true value is measured by what they accomplish beyond the grave. If we only ever use resources to increase our own comfort, we reveal that our vision is limited to the visible, but if we use them to bless others, to advance truth, and to reflect God’s generosity, then we demonstrate that we understand something about eternity.

One of the most sobering lines in the chapter is when Jesus says that whoever is faithful in little will be faithful in much, and whoever is unjust in little will also be unjust in much. That principle cuts through every excuse we make about waiting for “more” before we begin to live faithfully. We tend to believe that if we just had more money, more influence, more recognition, then we would finally make a difference for God, but Luke 16 dismantles that illusion. Faithfulness is not a product of abundance; it is a product of character. The steward’s story shows that even in a moment of crisis, the way we handle what is in our hands reveals who we truly are. If we mishandle small responsibilities, larger opportunities would not purify us; they would only magnify our flaws. In this sense, Luke 16 is not merely about financial stewardship but about spiritual integrity, because how we treat temporary things reflects what we believe about eternal ones.

Jesus goes even further and states that if we are not faithful with unrighteous mammon, who will commit to our trust the true riches. That phrase “true riches” forces us to redefine wealth. The world measures wealth in dollars, assets, titles, and visible success, but Jesus points to something far more substantial. True riches are not confined to bank accounts; they include peace with God, influence that changes lives, wisdom that outlives us, and a legacy that echoes in eternity. Luke 16 suggests that our management of earthly resources is a test, not the final reward. If we cannot be trusted with something as fleeting as money, how can we be entrusted with spiritual authority or eternal impact? This is not about earning salvation, because salvation is a gift of grace, but it is about demonstrating that grace has reshaped our priorities. The chapter quietly asks whether we see our possessions as ownership or as stewardship, because that distinction changes everything.

Then comes the statement that no servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other, and Jesus concludes with the unmistakable line that we cannot serve God and mammon. This is not a suggestion but a declaration about divided allegiance. Mammon is more than money; it represents trust placed in material security, status, and self-sufficiency. Luke 16 confronts the fantasy that we can compartmentalize our devotion, giving God a portion of our hearts while reserving the rest for the pursuit of wealth or approval. The human heart was not designed for dual thrones, and whenever we attempt to enthrone both God and money, one will inevitably dominate. If we are honest, many of our anxieties, compromises, and moral hesitations stem from fearing the loss of financial stability or social standing. Jesus is not condemning prosperity itself; He is exposing misplaced trust, because the issue is not possession but allegiance.

The Pharisees, described in Luke 16 as lovers of money, scoffed at Jesus when He taught these things, and that detail is not incidental. Their reaction reveals that religious language can coexist with hidden idolatry. They knew the Scriptures, they held positions of spiritual authority, yet their hearts were tethered to wealth and status. Jesus responds by saying that what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God, and that statement overturns entire systems of admiration. We celebrate influence, power, and financial achievement, often assuming that visible success equals divine favor, but Luke 16 warns that heaven’s evaluation operates on different metrics. God looks at motives, at generosity, at humility, and at the quiet obedience that may never trend on social platforms. The chapter challenges us to examine whether our faith is shaped more by cultural admiration or by Christ’s commands.

As Luke 16 unfolds, it transitions into one of the most vivid depictions of the afterlife in the Gospels, the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Unlike the earlier parable, this account carries an intensity that feels almost like reportage. The rich man lives in luxury, clothed in purple and fine linen, feasting daily without apparent concern for the suffering at his gate. Lazarus, covered in sores and longing for crumbs, represents the ignored, the marginalized, and the invisible. Both men die, and their circumstances reverse with stunning finality. Lazarus is comforted in Abraham’s bosom, while the rich man finds himself in torment. Luke 16 does not say that the rich man was condemned simply for being wealthy, nor does it say that Lazarus was saved simply because he was poor. The deeper issue is compassion, humility, and responsiveness to God’s revelation.

The rich man’s torment is not described merely as physical suffering but as separation, regret, and an unbridgeable chasm. He pleads for relief, then for warning to be sent to his brothers, but Abraham responds that they have Moses and the prophets and that if they do not hear them, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead. That final line echoes through history with haunting clarity. It anticipates the resurrection of Jesus and the persistent unbelief that would still follow. Luke 16 underscores that revelation has already been given, and the responsibility lies with the hearer. We often imagine that if God would just perform a more dramatic miracle, then belief would be automatic, but Jesus teaches that hardened hearts can resist even the clearest signs. The rich man’s tragedy was not ignorance; it was indifference.

This chapter compels us to examine how we respond to the suffering around us. The rich man did not necessarily commit violent crimes or overt blasphemy; his sin was quieter yet equally destructive. He walked past Lazarus every day. He normalized inequality. He insulated himself from discomfort. Luke 16 suggests that neglect can be as damning as active cruelty when it flows from a heart unmoved by compassion. If our faith does not open our eyes to the needs at our gate, then something is deeply misaligned. Jesus is not presenting a simplistic equation where wealth equals damnation and poverty equals salvation; He is exposing the moral danger of abundance without empathy. When resources isolate us from the pain of others instead of equipping us to relieve it, we drift toward the rich man’s path.

The concept of the great gulf fixed between the two realms after death confronts modern sensibilities that prefer flexible outcomes. Luke 16 insists that eternity is not a negotiable extension of earthly life but a definitive continuation shaped by our response to God. The rich man’s request to cross over is denied, not because God lacks mercy, but because mercy was offered during life and rejected. This is not meant to provoke despair but urgency. Every breath we take is an opportunity to align our hearts with truth, to practice generosity, to cultivate humility, and to trust in Christ rather than in possessions. Luke 16 does not present a God eager to condemn; it reveals a God who has spoken clearly and who honors human choices with eternal consequence.

If we read Luke 16 carefully, we begin to see that it is less about fear and more about clarity. It clarifies that wealth is temporary, that stewardship is sacred, that allegiance cannot be divided, and that eternity is real. It dismantles the illusion that we can postpone obedience without consequence. It also offers hope, because the very fact that Jesus tells these stories means that warning precedes judgment. The steward had time to act before his master returned. The rich man’s brothers still had Moses and the prophets. We, too, have Scripture, conscience, and the testimony of Christ’s resurrection. The question is not whether information has been given, but whether it has been received with seriousness.

In a culture that often equates blessing with accumulation, Luke 16 stands as a corrective voice. It calls us to measure success not by what we store up for ourselves but by what we invest in others and in eternity. It asks whether our daily decisions reflect a belief that life extends beyond the visible horizon. When we give generously, when we forgive debts, when we choose integrity over advantage, we are living in light of a different kingdom. Luke 16 invites us to imagine standing before God not with a portfolio of assets but with a record of faithfulness. It invites us to see every paycheck, every opportunity, every relationship as part of a larger ledger being written in heaven.

The chapter ultimately points us back to the heart of the Gospel, because none of us can claim perfect stewardship. We have all mismanaged time, talent, and treasure at various points in our lives. The difference between despair and redemption lies in what we do with that realization. The unjust steward acted decisively when he recognized his coming accountability. The rich man, by contrast, recognized too late. Luke 16 encourages us to act now, not out of panic but out of purpose, to reorder our priorities while breath still fills our lungs. It reminds us that grace does not eliminate responsibility; it empowers transformation. When we understand that everything we have is entrusted to us temporarily, we begin to live with open hands instead of clenched fists.

As we continue to reflect on Luke 16, we will see that its themes stretch far beyond ancient parables and into the core of modern life, because the tension between wealth and worship, between comfort and compassion, between temporary gain and eternal truth, remains unchanged. This chapter is not merely a historical teaching; it is a mirror held up to every generation. It asks whether we are living as if eternity is real and whether our daily choices reflect that belief. And if we allow it to speak deeply, it will not leave us unchanged, because Luke 16 is not just about money or morality; it is about the orientation of the soul toward God and the recognition that one day every ledger will be opened, and every life will be weighed in the light of eternal truth.

As we move deeper into Luke 16, the thread that ties the entire chapter together becomes increasingly clear, because both the parable of the steward and the account of the rich man and Lazarus are not separate moral lessons but two sides of the same revelation about stewardship and eternity. The first story shows a man who realizes judgment is coming and adjusts his behavior while there is still time, and the second shows a man who ignores warning signs and awakens to irreversible consequence. In both cases, the issue is not merely financial mismanagement but spiritual perception. The steward, though flawed, understood urgency. The rich man, though outwardly successful, remained spiritually asleep. That contrast becomes the heartbeat of Luke 16, because it reveals that intelligence, status, and prosperity do not guarantee wisdom in the eyes of God. Wisdom, according to Christ, is measured by how we prepare for what lies beyond the visible horizon.

The steward’s shrewdness is not about deception being endorsed but about foresight being valued. He understood that relationships built in the present would matter in the future, and Jesus uses that awareness to teach a far deeper principle. When He says to make friends by means of unrighteous mammon so that when it fails they may receive you into everlasting habitations, He is not instructing us to manipulate people through money. He is revealing that generosity and intentional stewardship create eternal impact. When resources are used to lift others, to share truth, to relieve suffering, and to reflect God’s character, they echo beyond the grave. Luke 16 shifts our understanding of wealth from accumulation to influence, from possession to participation in God’s purposes. Money becomes a temporary instrument through which eternal outcomes are shaped, and that reality forces us to examine how casually we often treat something Jesus considered spiritually revealing.

The idea that money is a test runs through this chapter with relentless clarity. It is not the size of the amount but the posture of the heart that matters. A person with modest means who gives sacrificially may demonstrate greater faith than a wealthy individual who gives comfortably without inconvenience. Luke 16 dismantles the illusion that generosity begins at a certain income level. Faithfulness begins wherever we are. If our hearts are attached to security in possessions, even abundance will never satisfy us. If our trust rests in God, then even limited resources can become powerful tools for good. Jesus teaches that the management of what we see reveals how we will handle what we cannot yet see. That principle moves the conversation beyond finance into every arena of life, because time, influence, opportunities, and relationships are all entrusted to us temporarily.

When Jesus says that if we are not faithful in that which is another man’s, who will give us that which is our own, He introduces the concept that everything we currently hold is ultimately borrowed. Our careers, our homes, our talents, and even our very breath are gifts sustained by God’s grace. Luke 16 confronts the illusion of ownership and replaces it with stewardship. If everything belongs to God, then our role shifts from owner to manager. That shift changes how we spend, how we save, how we speak, and how we serve. It produces humility, because we recognize that pride over possessions is misplaced. It produces gratitude, because we see every provision as evidence of divine generosity. And it produces responsibility, because we understand that what has been entrusted will one day be evaluated.

The Pharisees’ reaction in this chapter is deeply instructive because it reveals how easily religious identity can coexist with misplaced devotion. They scoffed at Jesus because they loved money, and their mockery exposed a hardened resistance to truth. Luke 16 shows that external religiosity cannot compensate for internal allegiance to mammon. The Pharisees likely believed they were righteous, yet their attachment to wealth distorted their ability to hear Christ clearly. Jesus’ response that what is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God is a thunderclap that echoes into modern culture. We admire wealth, celebrity, and visible influence, often equating them with success and favor. Yet Luke 16 reminds us that heaven evaluates differently. God sees motives, secret acts of kindness, unseen sacrifices, and private obedience. What the world overlooks may be celebrated in eternity, and what the world applauds may hold no weight at all before the throne of God.

The account of the rich man and Lazarus intensifies the chapter’s message by illustrating the eternal consequences of indifference. The rich man’s life appears enviable by earthly standards. He enjoys luxury, comfort, and daily feasting. Lazarus, by contrast, suffers publicly and continuously. Yet death reverses their circumstances completely. Luke 16 does not present this reversal as arbitrary but as revelatory. The rich man’s life demonstrated no evidence of compassion or repentance. His wealth insulated him from empathy. He stepped over a suffering man daily without allowing it to disrupt his comfort. That repeated indifference became the evidence of a heart disconnected from God. Lazarus, though poor and afflicted, is shown as one who ultimately receives comfort. The chapter does not romanticize poverty, nor does it demonize wealth. It reveals that what matters is the orientation of the heart toward God and toward others.

One of the most haunting aspects of the rich man’s plea is that even in torment he still views Lazarus as a servant. He asks that Lazarus be sent to cool his tongue and later to warn his brothers. There is no indication of personal repentance, only a desire for relief and a wish to spare his family from similar fate. Luke 16 suggests that character, once solidified in life, carries into eternity. The rich man’s perspective did not transform simply because circumstances changed. This underscores the urgency of spiritual formation now. We do not become compassionate by accident, and we do not suddenly develop humility after death. The choices we make daily shape the person we are becoming. That reality should sober us, because it means that small acts of generosity and small acts of neglect both carry weight beyond what we see.

Abraham’s statement that a great gulf is fixed between the two realms emphasizes finality. In life, the rich man could have crossed the street to Lazarus. In eternity, the chasm cannot be crossed. Luke 16 reveals that opportunities for compassion and repentance exist within the span of earthly life. After that, consequence solidifies. This is not presented to terrify but to clarify. The Gospel consistently offers grace, forgiveness, and transformation to those who respond in faith. The tragedy is not that mercy is unavailable; it is that mercy is ignored. The rich man had access to Moses and the prophets, meaning he had access to revelation. His brothers also possessed that revelation. The refusal to heed it resulted not from lack of evidence but from unwillingness to submit to truth.

The closing words of the chapter, that if they do not hear Moses and the prophets neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead, resonate profoundly in light of Christ’s resurrection. Luke 16 anticipates the reality that even the miracle of resurrection will not coerce belief in hearts determined to resist. Faith is not produced by spectacle alone but by humility and openness to God’s voice. This challenges modern assumptions that dramatic proof would automatically solve unbelief. Scripture indicates that the deeper issue is often not insufficient evidence but hardened desire. When wealth, status, or autonomy become ultimate, truth is filtered through self-interest. Luke 16 invites us to examine whether we are genuinely seeking God or merely seeking validation of our existing priorities.

There is a thread of mercy woven through the severity of this chapter, because warning itself is an act of love. Jesus tells these stories so that listeners might adjust course before it is too late. The steward’s story demonstrates that change is possible when accountability is recognized. The rich man’s story demonstrates the tragedy of ignoring that recognition. Together they form a call to awakened living. Luke 16 urges us to consider how we are using what has been placed in our hands today. It asks whether our resources are building only temporary comfort or contributing to eternal good. It challenges us to evaluate whether we are serving God wholeheartedly or attempting to balance divided loyalties.

When viewed as a whole, Luke 16 dismantles the myth that faith is merely internal belief detached from daily choices. True belief expresses itself in stewardship, compassion, and integrity. The way we treat money reveals trust. The way we treat the suffering reveals love. The way we respond to revelation reveals humility. This chapter does not allow us to hide behind abstract theology. It presses faith into the practical details of living. Every financial decision, every opportunity to give, every moment we notice someone in need becomes spiritually significant. Luke 16 transforms ordinary transactions into eternal investments when they are surrendered to God.

The beauty within this confrontation is that God’s grace empowers faithful stewardship. We are not left to manufacture righteousness by willpower alone. Through Christ, hearts can be reshaped, priorities realigned, and attachments loosened. The Gospel invites us to release our grip on temporary security and to trust in the eternal faithfulness of God. Luke 16 ultimately directs our gaze toward Christ Himself, because He embodies perfect stewardship. He used His authority not for self-exaltation but for sacrifice. He stepped toward the suffering rather than stepping over them. He embraced the cross, investing His life so that others might gain eternal life. In Him, we see the ultimate reversal, where apparent loss becomes everlasting gain.

As we close our reflection on Luke 16, the message settles into something deeply personal. The ledger of eternity is not written with currency alone but with choices, compassion, and allegiance. Every day presents opportunities to demonstrate that our treasure is in heaven rather than in fleeting acclaim. We may not stand at a literal gate where a Lazarus lies, but we encounter need constantly in various forms. We may not manage a vast estate, but we manage time, attention, and influence. The question Luke 16 leaves with us is whether we will live awake to accountability and rich in mercy. It calls us to strategic generosity, unwavering devotion to God, and a recognition that eternity is not an abstract doctrine but a coming reality. When that truth shapes our decisions, money loses its mastery, compassion gains momentum, and life becomes an intentional preparation for the everlasting kingdom that cannot be shaken.

Your friend, Douglas Vandergraph

Watch Douglas Vandergraph’s inspiring faith-based videos on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@douglasvandergraph

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#002290 – 05 de Setembro de 2025

Aprendi a patinar com quase 25 anos, tive as primeiras aulas de surf com uns 35 anos, quase 50 quando comecei a andar de surfskate. O primeiro cubo 3x3x3 resolvi-o depois dos 40 anos, as primeiras aulas de música aconteceram depois dos 50 anos. O corpo, nesta longa convalescença, não tem a agilidade que lhe conhecia e devo proteger-me de mais lesões, por enquanto. Mas há os muitos livros que não li, a proporcionar-me mundo e mundos que ainda nem sei que desconheço.

#002289 – 04 de Setembro de 2025

Planos para o futuro são muitas vezes uma forma de adiar o presente, de empurrar o tédio com a barriga. No tempo que ainda não existe, sou imensamente organizado, todas as acções que queria tomar já despudoradamente detalhadas.

#002288 – 03 de Setembro de 2025

Alguma música é como vinho do Porto. A discografia de Stephen O'Malley, por exemplo, é vasta mas apetece não a beber toda de uma vez. Outra, mais escassa e intensamente deliciosa, como a dos YOB, escuta-se em ocasiões especiais, de preferência ao vivo.

• this month started like most: overwhelming. while i usually take the contours of my life with relative grace, there’s something about this month that scares me. lots of decisions are being made in the next couple of weeks, let’s see if they’re correct—or at least worth the wait.
• ever since i’ve been writing more, the specter over my shoulder is starting to be exorcised. reality seems to be taking shape and i finally have the eyes to see it.
• i think i need at least ONE roommate. living alone is obviously a luxury most want but don’t receive, however, i’m starting to talk to myself way too much. it’s a habit i picked up in high school, regurgitating study material to myself silently in my school’s media center, but it’s ended up overstaying its welcome. i can clearly remember moving into my first apartment in dc rehearsing my professional elevator pitch in front of the bathroom mirror wearing only a towel while hitting power poses. i recite monologues around my place too, of course thinking i’m preforming like there’s an eviction notice on my door. anyway, i think i just need a pet. i was cat-sitting for my friend momina a couple months ago (if you’re reading this hiiiiii) and i was immediately taken aback having another living thing in my home. i don’t necessarily ignore the silence, i didn’t really have the ears to hear the frequency. it’s like the cat’s signs of life widened my understanding by reminding myself adolescence, back when i was sharing a room with one or both of my siblings. i miss the noise.

* i think i’m attracted to men that are built and look like walruses. * it’s fleeting, but i sometimes feel 17 again. it’s like i wake up and lose progress one day. sometimes i look in the mirror and see him staring back. is there something i’m missing? * i think i’m the only person who knows about madi sipes & the painted blue. i found the band right before covid hit while i was visiting home for spring break. i was in a phase of isolating myself and illegally watching movies on my 2017 macbook air until 2 AM, using the last couple of dollars from my work study paycheck to buy snacks from the vending machine by my dorm. some say i might’ve been struggling financially—i’m gonna have to agree. anywayyyyy, the music is kinda made for people who want to imagine what sex is like without actually having to experience it (there has to be a better way to say this my god). it’s melodramatic, sometimes gaudy, but always good idc. these lyrics were tearing 19-year-old me apartttttt.

• i would’ve been that one grad student in elizabeth holmes’ chemistry lab praying on her downfall.
• i’m sitting at my desk trying to work but i think this job is genuinely making me depressed. it’s hard to explain but going to the office feels like a funeral procession—i find myself gravitating to all black outfits and walking somberly to the metro as if i’m awaiting the fate of my livelihood. last year when it was even worse (lol yeah that’s possible) and my mom would comment on how sad my eyes looked on facetime. i didn’t believe her at first but now it’s all see when i look at myself in passing. it’s draining. i just want these people to take me seriously like everyone else in my life. why can’t they see me? but also who fucking cares about them? idk. it also sucks because i’m wearing my sophie sweater today and serving too much cunt for a corporate environment.

• i will never forgive the initial commodification of large language models by openai. its gonna take so much longer for ai research to be taken seriously by the general population.
• i deleted my twitter account about two years ago and while i’m eternally grateful for that decision, i’ve always been nervous that i’d be missing out on the inside jokes that make up most of internet culture. all that to say, thank god for those meme pages on instagram reposting tweets like i really needed someone to fill that vacuum of humor and they came through for me.
• i have a memory from elementary school where i was in my music class and playing with a sharpened pencil on the carpet. all i remember next is the pencil going through my left hand and blood leaking all over my uniform shirt. it seemed that no one helped fast enough as the blood dried on my skin with smudges from my tears i’m guessing? i still don’t know if that was a dream.
• time isn’t as close as i think it is. it’s like when i turn back i can’t see it anymore, i’m waving back to get its attention—i still feel the weigh over my shoulder.
• i’m gripping what i want so tightly i might kill it. i can see the life leaving its eyes and veins pop. but it’s for me. i know it’s for me.
• oliynykova’s serve is so cool, it looks too cool to be that consistent and fluid.
• i think ariana grande was allowed to co-opt black culture without too much blowback from the public since she was a child star on nickelodeon. to me at least, working with dan schneider under the age of 18 gives you one hall pass for a socially unacceptable behavior. i’m thinking about this since i’m a) a gay guy and b) listening to positions in a time of tumultuous transition.
• this tweet fr follows me everywhere:

• there has to be a drink with the same flavor profile as classic red bull like i can’t keep drinking caffeine like this if i want to retire in brazil.
• i find it so endearing that my barber sings along to the radio while he cuts my hair. he’s not shy with it either, finding harmonies with the melody and vocalizing the ad-libs with precision. i sometimes join him in between cuts obviously avoiding eye contact even though everyone knows the words to s&m…
• i’m actually so glad i don’t have a childhood home. i don’t think i can visit a space of mine that has witnessed so much change. my presence is inherently transient. i’ve gotten so attached to places i’ve only lived in for a couple months, college dorms mostly. i look back at the photos and can explain ever design choice, every poster placement, every pin on my wall.
• why do we need to ai-generate little latin boys with grammys if we have bad bunny performing at the super bowl?
• i don’t have my pulse on the culture like i used to but i hope bugonia is a frontrunner in the oscar conversation. (aside: i’ve heard so much about one battle after another [review below] and tbh i wasn’t as impressive as it was made out to be. coming into it i had this expectation that pta succinctly captured the climate of post-covid america in three hours and while he kinda did, it didn’t move me at all? that’s a pretty loaded statement and i probably need to write a full-blown essay about it but i digress…)

• i think gpt by stayc is the best songs on love in the internet age post-covid and that’s a hill i’m willing to die on. i’m also only sharing this opinion because i think i’m dl, but in a k-pop sort of way. (aside: i’ve been on the periphery of k-pop stan culture for most of my time on twitter and regularly found myself running in the same circles as people with irene avis. in a way i felt an kinship with them and i don’t think i have time to explain further.)
• the world has always been broken
• i feel like 2% of all air canada employees speak french fr
• are you predicting trends or just observing what’s already in front of you?
• whenever i drink a strawberry matcha i feel like a fruit fly drinking sugar water in a wet lab
• is media literacy really at an all time low if the only people seeing these takes are also concerned with anti-intellectualism? we only talk about these issues as outsiders looking in instead of actually interacting with the realistic opinions of the people who are “media illiterate.” it also doesn’t help that these conversations mainly happen online with media publications regurgitating the spark notes version of a video essay an editor found on youtube. i guarantee you most people don’t know who mina le is.
• there’s something about the personality of the average british person that makes the traitors uk the best in the franchise
• emerald fennell’s movies are gonna be cult classics in 30 years and yes i’m being dead serious
• rather than relying on gestures, we rely on diction and syntax
• we need more horny b-roll footage
• industry is one of the only shows that treats sex scenes as something that is used to explicitly help the narrative to make relationships more obvious to viewer without it teetering on “show, don’t tell.” it feels less intimate—more viscous and voyeuristic. it’s like i’m watching something too realistic to suspend my belief that i’m watching television.
• imagine if tennis had loser brackets… like imagine an unseeded player grinding through the draw after losing early and then having to reset the bracket against sinner in the final… like i’d kill myself.
• life constantly feels like you’re traversing fog of  war and unlocking previously restricted areas; somehow MOBAs are a useful metaphor.
• time builds fondness
• and of course this knocked me off my ass btw:

There are two cardinal rules of writing. First, you never say I’m trying to write a book, novel, short story, etc. Second, you never talk about what you’re writing in detail. Break these rules and you’ll never get anything done.

I don’t like talking about my upcoming projects because I always jinx myself. However, eventually I’m going to have to talk about them. And since I’ve been mostly consistent on posting on this blog, the momentum helped me bring back unfinished short stories out of the back burner.

I’ve stopped writing short stories for several years because I’ve been so busy. Now, I’m back in the game. I have a chance to finish my short story trilogy before the year is done.

Why now? I hate leaving anything unfinished. At this point in my life I don’t care if my works succeed or not. It’s all about just finishing. Best to be last in the finish line than to drop out completely. At least I can say to myself in the mirror that I did it.

Do you have any writing projects in your back burner? Do you want to finish them regardless if you succeed or not? Take advantage of 2026 before 2027 creeps up on you.

#writing #project #shortstory

Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we. worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.

—Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church, 1917

#lent #prayers

This series begins with the post, Rules for Thee: The Homeowners Association Community Standards. Moving on to “Prohibited Items,” this is what it says for my HOA-governed neighborhood (emphasis mine):

Certain alterations/conditions are not allowed within the Declaration without the written approval of the Board as submitted by the ACC. These include, but are not limited to those listed below. They are considered to be in VIOLATION and subject to immediate action by the ACC through the Violation Procedures as amended from time to time.

•Window Air Conditioning Units

•Satellite Dishes over 39.37 in.

•Aluminum, metal, plastic, or fiberglass roofs where the roof pitch is equal to or greater than 3/12 unless covered by composite asphalt/fiberglass multi-tab or dimensional shingles.

•Wood or asphalt mineral surface roll roofs

•Plastic or Artificial flowers.

The first major problem I had in my new house was the a/c. Within two or three years, it needed new coils because mine were freezing up and the type I had was outdated and no longer on the market. WTF! Next, I needed a new fan motor because mine burned out. That was between year three and four. By year five or six, the a/c was irreparable, and the cost for replacement was $9k!!! Thankfully, it went out in the “fall” or I probably would have died.

So, for a year or so, I had one a/c window unit in the back. Next, I added another to the front. Then, I added a portable one that had a part you had to put to the window, but it didn’t hang out the window. It was hot AF in this house! I gathered a fraction of the money then applied for a bank loan to finance a new unit.

I wrote all that to say not one time did the HOA say anything. There were other “violators” in the neighborhood. And I actually didn’t know it was against “Community Standards” until a gracious informant clued me in. Plus, I have definitely seen artificial flowers. Do you really think homeowners are asking for permission from the “Architecture Committee” for box air conditioners and fake ass flowers?

When you closed on your house located in an HOA-governed community, you agreed to things that you may not have imagined. Yes, you as a grown person—who likely made the largest purchase of your lifetime—signed up to have an abundance of rules for a property you thought you owned. These rules exist to create homogeneity for the betterment of the community, aka “to increase property values…or at least that’s what they continue to tell you. Look at the verbiage HOAs use (emphasis mine):

It is the intention of the ACC to maintain a high standard of exterior architectural appearance throughout the Vista Palms Community. The following guidelines have been set up to protect the integrity of the community for both the developer’s interests and the purchasers’ investment therein. Your adherence to these guidelines will help preserve the quality of Vista Palms.

However, if you have come to understand how rules work, rules are not for everyone. And they are often enforced arbitrarily. You can see this by driving through a community. But you will not truly know unless you know someone who the HOA has made an example of. Thankfully, I will demonstrate this through a review of my neighborhood in a series of posts, beginning with this one.

My HOA Community Standards document informs homeowners upfront that they don’t mean everything that they say. And even if they don’t say something, it may still apply to you (emphasis mine):

This Community Standards Document is established to assist the Architectural Control Committee (ACC) and Owners with procedures and guidelines through consistent and high quality design standards for the property alteration process. It supports and amplifies the Declaration of Restrictions and Covenants and other governing documents that bind each property Owner. It is provided to residents of Vista Palms for their future reference. This document is not intended to address all possible situations, alterations, etc…These standards do not cover every possible situation that may require ACC approval.

So, what does the Architectural Committee have jurisdiction over? Well, everything related to the outside of your house and the surrounding land as follows (emphasis mine):

Any exterior property alteration (to the home or the lot) requires the completion of an “Application to Architectural Control Committee” form that must be approved by the ACC. A copy of a blank application form is included in this booklet.

Examples of alterations include, but are not limited to:

•Awnings

•Brick pavers: location and color

•Changes to the exterior color of the home (painting)

•Exterior decoration applied above garage doors and fronts of homes

•Recreational or sporting equipment

•Fences

•Flag poles and antennas

•Front door: style and/or color

•Gutters: style, color

•Items in flowerbed besides plants

•Lanais, sunrooms and gazebos

•Lighting: placement and size

•Landscaping (refer to Article 4)

•Pools, spas, hot tubs, whirlpools

•Porches, decks and patios

•Roofing

•Screen Enclosures

•Home additions and exterior renovations

You bought/financed a house so that you could apply to your HOA to determine if you can make any changes to your house. Does that sound like something you own?

I imagine this scenario below to make myself laugh even though it isn’t the greatest analogy [because the car doesn’t stay on the lot in one community].

You buy a Ford Expedition. You decide you want change the color of the car from black to blue but you have to apply to the Ford Architectural Committee (FAC) first. They say yes because blue is safer than black (Why did they sell you a black car then?). But it has to be sky blue because it has to match the current fleet of Ford Expeditions. Your a/c stops functioning and so you leave the windows down all the time. The FAC tells you that you cannot have those windows down like that and they are going to fine you $1000. (They don’t have to do to this. They want to do this.) You are confused because there are other Fords drivers with their windows down but, apparently, they only have their windows down at night. A/C repair is $800 which you obviously do not have right now because, duh, why would you be having your windows down while it is 106 degrees outside. There are two nails in your left passenger tire and you get one used tire to replace it. The FAC sends you a notice that you aren’t allow to have mismatched tires on your Expedition because that doesn’t represent the “high standard” of the brand. But you don’t need four new tires plus you don’t have the money to replace them all in addition to needing a new $800 a/c and having to pay the $1k fine for having your windows down all day for the past few months. You play your music loud in your Expedition’s upgraded sound system while you try to come up with a plan for all your expenses. The FAC sends you a violation stating that the volume of your music is unacceptable for a person who drives a Ford Expedition and you will be fined $1000. You now have the money to get all new tires and to get the a/c fixed. You receive a notice from Ford Law Firm that your case has been referred to them and that you owe fines and attorney’s fees for multiple violations and if you don’t pay, they will take you to court to get a lien and/or take the car from you to sell it. But you own the it. What? At least you can just sell the Expedition because it has a value higher than other brands…except that people are now buying much older cars because they realized that there is better value in those. Plus, there are so many other Expedition-type vehicles on the market that are cheaper than yours and with similar features. Also, sky blue is like, so senior-citizen.

Because I have something like 400 books stored in Houston, a few of which I'd like to bring back to Cairo with me, I decided to travel without a book on my person, and that way I'd have one less book to carry. Instead, I grabbed my kindle—which I hadn't touched in over a year—to start diving into whatever unread book(s) I might have on it. Walter Mosely's ARCHIBALD LAWLESS, ANARCHIST AT LARGE has thus far not disappointed. Apparently, you can hardly ever go wrong with me if the book prominently features a character that tethers between genius and madness.

Enjoyed watching BUGONIA on the long leg from Paris, though its title does strike me as a little forced. I also watched the Francois Ozon film adaptation of Albert Camus' THE STRANGER, which was surprisingly good. Surprising only because the book itself is rather peculiar and doesn't quite lend itself too well to movies, but the black & white cinematography alone is just gorgeous, and all the performances are very on point.

The weather in Houston this time of year is both warm and crisp, and much more pleasant than Cairo right now which has yet to fully shed its winter chill, despite Khamaseen dust storms having just rolled in early this year—typically a sign of incoming spring.

The AirBnB I'm staying at is just around the corner from my kid's place, his school sandwiched in-between. Got to walk him to school this morning, which was just absolutely delightful.

#journal #travel

I’ve been playing Marvel SNAP for close to three years. If you’re not familiar, Marvel SNAP is a card battling video game where you play cards with Marvel superheroes and villains, each of which has a point value and most of which have abilities that affect the game.

Games usually take about five minutes, so it’s a really good casual game to play on your phone. You can win without spending a ton of money, and the developers seem to really put a lot of effort into keeping the game competitive.

….and, I think it’s going to die.

Because Marvel SNAP depends on players spending money to get cool variants (the same card you already have, but with a different picture) or entirely new cards. They launch a new set of cards every four or five weeks. They call these “seasons,” and if you pay ten bucks for a season, you’re guaranteed to get some new cards.

So the primary way this game makes money is by getting players to pay money for new cards. Which presents a problem: the business model demands infinite growth, but neither the IP nor the game design will support that.

Every recognizable Marvel character already has a card. So if part of the fun of the game for you is playing cards that feature your favorite characters, you know at this point that you’re never seeing any more.

They’re starting to do new versions of old characters with slightly different abilities. So right now, for example, they’ve got Star Lord: Master of the Sun, which a) makes me start singing “Dayman” in my head and b) is the third Star Lord card they’ve released. But even as they release new cards for old characters, they’re trying to give them new abilities, but the game is simple enough that most of the good abilities have already been assigned to a card, so the card descriptions are getting longer and more intricate which directly contrasts with the simplicity of the gameplay.

The motivations for getting a new card boil down to either “this unlocks a new way to play the game” or “this strengthens my existing strategy.” There was a bit of buzz when the Marvel Zombies dropped in October, satisfying the former motivation, but nothing really essential for the second motivation.

What this means is that since October of ‘25, nobody’s had a whole lot of motivation to get new cards. And it doesn’t look like the situation is going to get any better. It used to be that they’d launch a new card and people who had that card would mop the floor with you, and you’d have to get that card or a reasonable defense for it in order to stay competitive. That’s just not the case anymore.

Which is fine! It’s still a fun game! I could happily play with just these cards more or less forever! But since the business model depends on endless growth, I think we’ve reached a crisis point.

So it’s basically a microcosm of capitalism, is what I’m saying. Trying to milk endless growth out of finite resources is a fool’s errand, and capitalism as a whole seems to be at the same place as Marvel Snap. They keep trying to convince us that we need some new thing, or that the next consumer revolution is upon us, but they haven’t introduced anything that’s a real game changer since the smartphone in ‘08.

Whereas it used to seem like the breakneck pace of advancement would never let up, there are now legal adults who’ve grown up wihout any really significant advances in technology. (Yes, I am aware of the AI “revolution” but remain unconvinced that it’s a real thing anymore than the blockchain “revolution” was. Just because a lot of credulous dopes have invested money into something doesn’t mean it’s got real value.)

The frustrating thing is that everybody knows this. Nothing grows forever, especially nothing that’s built on resources that can’t grow forever. So maybe it’s time we stop pretending that endless growth is a real thing.

Quando si lavora alla costruzione di un curricolo nazionale per la prima infanzia nei Balcani, si ha spesso l’impressione di muoversi in un territorio apparentemente tecnico, fatto di indicatori, standard, descrittori di competenza. Ma sotto questa superficie si agitano forze molto più profonde: identità collettive in trasformazione, eredità storiche che non smettono di pesare, aspirazioni europee che chiedono di essere tradotte in pratiche quotidiane. È in questo spazio, dove la pedagogia incontra la geopolitica culturale, che il pensiero di Kwasi Wiredu diventa sorprendentemente rilevante. Non perché offra soluzioni preconfezionate, ma perché illumina un nodo cruciale: ogni società, quando riforma la propria educazione, sta in realtà ridefinendo se stessa.

Wiredu parte da un’idea semplice e radicale: non esistono concetti neutrali. Ogni parola porta con sé un mondo, e ogni traduzione è un atto politico. È un’intuizione che nei Balcani si percepisce con forza. Termini come agency, holistic development, participation arrivano da organismi internazionali con un’aura di universalità, ma quando entrano nelle lingue locali si trasformano, si piegano, talvolta si svuotano. Non perché manchi la volontà di comprenderli, ma perché ogni lingua custodisce una propria visione dell’infanzia, della comunità, del ruolo dell’adulto.

Wiredu ci invita a non subire questo processo, ma a governarlo. Non basta importare concetti: occorre ricostruirli dall’interno, farli risuonare con le categorie culturali locali, evitare che diventino slogan tecnici privi di radicamento. È un lavoro che nei Balcani assume un valore particolare, perché qui la lingua non è solo uno strumento comunicativo: è un marcatore identitario, un terreno di memoria, talvolta un confine politico. Progettare un curricolo significa allora anche decidere quali parole meritano di entrare nel lessico educativo nazionale e quali invece rischiano di imporre visioni estranee.

 

Uno dei contributi più originali di Wiredu è la sua capacità di tenere insieme universalismo e particolarismo senza farli collidere. Egli sostiene che gli esseri umani condividono una base comune, biologica e cognitiva, che rende possibile il dialogo interculturale. Ma questa base non cancella le differenze: le rende intelligibili. È un equilibrio che descrive perfettamente la condizione dei sistemi educativi balcanici, sospesi tra l’esigenza di allinearsi agli standard europei e il bisogno di preservare la propria specificità culturale.

In questo senso, i curricoli non sono semplici strumenti tecnici: sono dichiarazioni di appartenenza. Aderire agli standard internazionali significa affermare una direzione politica; valorizzare le tradizioni locali significa rivendicare una continuità storica. Wiredu ci ricorda che non si tratta di scegliere tra i due poli, ma di costruire un ponte credibile. Gli universali non sono un’imposizione, ma un terreno comune; i particolari non sono un ostacolo, ma la forma concreta attraverso cui ogni società interpreta quei principi.

 

Wiredu non separa mai la filosofia dalla politica. Per lui, pensare significa intervenire nella realtà, soprattutto in contesti segnati da eredità coloniali o post‑imperiali. Nei Balcani, questa prospettiva è particolarmente pertinente. La scuola dell’infanzia è uno dei pochi spazi in cui le società possono immaginare un futuro diverso da quello ereditato. È qui che si costruiscono le prime forme di convivenza, si negoziano le differenze linguistiche, si sperimentano modelli di partecipazione che possono influenzare la vita civica.

La democrazia consensuale evocata da Wiredu, fondata sulla ricerca di accordi e sulla centralità della comunità, offre una chiave di lettura interessante per i contesti balcanici, dove la frammentazione etnica e linguistica ha spesso ostacolato la costruzione di politiche condivise. Un curricolo che valorizza la partecipazione delle famiglie, la pluralità culturale e la cooperazione tra educatori non è solo un documento pedagogico: è un gesto politico che mira a ricucire il tessuto sociale.

 

Il metodo di Wiredu, che unisce rigore concettuale, attenzione alle pratiche culturali e pragmatismo, si presta sorprendentemente bene al lavoro curricolare nei Balcani. Significa analizzare con precisione i riferimenti internazionali, ma senza assumerli come dogmi. Significa osservare le pratiche educative locali, non per idealizzarle, ma per comprenderne la logica interna. Significa costruire un quadro coerente che sia allo stesso tempo fedele alle aspirazioni europee e rispettoso delle identità locali.

In questa prospettiva, il lavoro curricolare diventa un esercizio di decolonizzazione concettuale nel senso più alto del termine: non un rifiuto dell’esterno, ma un uso critico e creativo delle influenze globali per costruire un modello educativo autentico, credibile e sostenibile. È un processo che richiede tempo, ascolto e capacità di mediazione, ma che può produrre risultati profondi e duraturi.

Il pensiero di Kwasi Wiredu offre una lente potente per comprendere ciò che accade quando un Paese riforma il proprio curricolo della prima infanzia. Non si tratta solo di definire competenze o descrivere pratiche: si tratta di decidere chi si vuole diventare come comunità. Nei Balcani, questa scelta è particolarmente carica di significato, perché riguarda società che stanno ancora ridefinendo la propria identità dopo decenni di trasformazioni politiche e culturali.

Integrare la prospettiva di Wiredu significa riconoscere che ogni curricolo è un atto di sovranità culturale, un modo per affermare una visione del mondo e del futuro. Significa costruire un’educazione capace di dialogare con l’Europa senza rinunciare alla propria storia, e capace di valorizzare le culture locali senza chiudersi in esse. È un equilibrio difficile, ma è proprio in questa difficoltà che si misura la maturità di un sistema educativo.

 

Go Dawgs!

My early game to follow tonight comes from the Big Eight Conference and will have the Butler Bulldogs men's basketball team playing against the Georgetown Hoyas. Start time is scheduled for 5:30 PM CT.

And the adventure continues.

The Victory of Ukraine

For days beseen in Heav’ Litany if Ghosts in fear Justice in Water And small pens The rhythm of daily wonder Effects to the late in May Fallen years and days.. And the months we sceptre Iranian blues by the lift Salmon in wonder of the Navy Pressing by the dew And skips of the Ron for water’s end In peers we knew the end Small wonder for wars that would Like this one, and the news we thought Blasting to corridors And courage to connect the one Not freely, but in temper And just in spirit- To go alone For Victory this alias And a sky of wonder to know Same time as the Deity- Our Father in Heaven Who put us first In fearless wonder And the day gave way Making Bread as hand in hand The four shots we heard that day And we knew of Absolom- and the meek and wonder To be old and powder’s due This symphony of a hangman’s dirge Calling collective to the Royal A page in view, And offering to collect A fortune’s path- but we were there, in toe The ecstasy of charting In due course change our plan And noticed charge Victory is ours And Home For the better day As we wait.