Yes to the former, no to the latter...

Yes, I definitely have that one!

I won’t say it saved my faith, but it did shift it considerably, and has had lasting effects.

Btw, if I can be a support to you in any way, please let me know. It’s a hard place to be.

Not yet. You recommend?

Tolkien friends:

Our school parents association is getting everyone a book as a teacher appreciation thing.

What should I ask for?

The crucial thing to understand about Peter Thiel is that he adores "The Lord of the Rings" and no one in human history has ever so utterly completely missed all the salient points of what a book is about.

When I was in that spot, I was lucky to hear about an Ignatian group that was offering weekly meetings with a spiritual director during Lent. The first couple of weeks: nothing. After that, I gradually started to rerecognise where God had been hiding. We carried on meeting. Really helpful.

A large white waterfowl with orange feet stands in front of a door. On the door is a cardboard sign secured with tape that reads, "DO NOT LET THE DUCK IN." Adding insult to injury, I think the duck might be a goose.

Whatever you do,

If we include hymns and other songs, I have thousands of poems memorised. If not, then I have a mere handful...

Really?? I'm impressed. I'd like to learn that one. So far I have about 4 lines...

What poems do you have memorised?

there is no folly of the beasts of the earth which is not infinitely outdone by the madness of men

There’s something about presiding over a paella that makes me feel very, extremely, extraordinarily… something or other.

Baked Alaska is a lot easier than baking a cake, IMHO

Hi everyone, on this Resurrection Sunday, a reminder: keep praying. Dead things come to life in Jesus.

And if you’d like someone to pray alongside, drop me a DM and I will gladly join.

"The world will never starve for want
of wonders; but only for want of wonder."

- G.K. Chesterton

Him and Seth are the OT bros.

Having done both (one as undergrad, the other post-grad), I am nodding vigorously.

This might be interesting for my middle schooler, if you don't mind alpha testers who are minors?

Tim Vine The Jokeamotive YouTube video by Grandad Gaming 13

And finally(!) Tim Vine. He's a one-liner guy. No individual joke is particularly amazing, but he pummels you into oblivion. An absolute joy, if you're in the right mood.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz4u...

Women: Know Your Limits! Harry Enfield - BBC comedy YouTube video by BBC Studios

Harry Enfield was famous in the late-80s and early-90s for creating comedy characters and building his sketch shows around them, and Paul Whitehouse (who worked with him) took that a step further with the Fast Show. Shaped my teen years.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS37...

The Two Ronnies - Swedish Made Simple YouTube video by Irish Drew

Ronnie Barker was a star for 50 years or more. One of those who could have been a classical actor, but enjoyed being silly too much. Search for The Two Ronnies (him with Ronnie Corbett) and there are loads of brilliant wordplay sketches like this:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc3M...

Classic Comedy Morecambe and Wise YouTube video by billy bullshit

This is probably their most famous sketch. This is the kind of thing I grew up watching with my Mum :)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFgd...

Morecambe & Wise with Tom Jones YouTube video by St0neykins

While Monty Python grew out of The Goons and Beyond the Fringe, Morecambe & Wise were a throwback to the old music hall entertainers. Just pure fun.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WMj...

Alan Bennett. My Brother Esau, Beyond The Fringe, 1964 YouTube video by Aston Forgosa

Beyond the Fringe were a group: Alan Bennett, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, and Jonathan Miller. They wrote sketches, and were the first to really target figures of authority. The whole Beyond the Fringe show is brilliant, but as a way in, here's Alan Bennett preaching.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOuc...

Maggie Smith & Kenneth Williams read Betjeman's "Death in Leamington" YouTube video by Lindsay Wilson

And secondly, in huge contrast, reading poetry with Maggie Smith (to the then-Poet Laureate John Betjemen). He was a phenomenon.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzzB...

Rambling Sid Rumpo Do you ken Jim Pubes? YouTube video by therealche

Kenneth Williams started on Hancock's Half Hour, but upstaged him so much they had to get rid of him. A lot of people know him for the Carry On films and camp/risqué humour, but he was better than that. Here are two things to show his range. Firstly, radio silliness:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzZR...

The Poetry Society YouTube video by Tony Hancock - Topic

Tony Hancock's radio show was so popular that pubs had to have it on or everyone would go home. He's the epitome of the loser-star: takes himself so seriously that he can't see how ridiculous he is. Galton & Simpson wrote his show, and all their stuff is incredible.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb4N...

Spike Milligan - Dustbin Dance YouTube video by krazykat1977

Here's Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers singing the Dustbin Song. The first time I saw this I fell off my chair.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0EB...

THE GOONS ~ INSURANCE, THE WHITE MANS BURDEN YouTube video by khent712

Spike Milligan wrote the Goon Show (and performed it with Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe). He discovered that on radio you can do ANYTHING – eg. this episode is about buying the English Channel and insuring it against arson – and with it invented surrealist comedy.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=V46A...