By David Fortier
Come Sunday morning, the weather will have begun to turn, but who knows for how long and what’s next–the classical New England trope applies here exponentially with climate change: ““If you don’t like the weather in New England now, just wait a few minutes” (Mark Twain).
Meaning, when the weather changes, it’s not simply from a warm sunny day to a warm rainy day but from 70 degrees to 40 degrees, rain and sun optional and always to an extreme extent.
There is that part of me that loves a rainy day. There is something in me when it rains that responds to a subliminal message–from nature, perhaps–that tells me to slow down, take an accounting, putter a bit, call a friend, read.
Toward the end of the school year, the rainy cold weather for long stretches is a kind of gift to teachers, of whom I am one, because the students, who are anticipating the end of the year and along with that anticipation, setting aside studying and replacing it with an excitability that distracts from academic industry.
So, May is here, the dogwoods and the apple trees in the yard are blossoming. We are waiting for the rhododendron to bloom. It is a wonderful anticipation.
In Connecticut, the state legislature has passed an early voting law after hours of debate. There is plenty more to come.
Across the pond, the coronation of King Charles will have already occurred. War will continue to rage on in Sudan and Ukraine, and in other manifestations, how many other places?
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Reading and listening from this week: Mostly articles from the New Yorker, the Atlantic and the New York Times, a smattering of these just to keep up with the news. Once in a while, I look into articles from the Bulwark and the Dispatch and a few from the Heritage Foundation to see what is happening there.
One commentator that I tend to follow is Jamelle Bouie, with the New York Times. And just when I am thinking it’s not fair to mention him without linking an article, the thought occurs to me to check the Bristol Public Library site to see if the library offers an online subscription and voila, it does. Click here and follow the instructions.
If you prefer The Washington Post, click here and scroll down the page to the dots, click the second dot, and register. Of course, you can always subscribe to both, but you need to be a library cardholder.
If you are still interested in reading Bouie (and you have subscribed), click here for one of his latest pieces., “Something Has to Give.”
And another New York Times guest essay by Laurence Tribe on the debt limit, “Why I Changed My Mind on the Debt Limit,” deserves reading. Click here.
As for listening, try “A philosopher’s psychedelic encounter with reality,” from The Gray Area podcast, hosted by Sean Illing and featuring an interview with Justin Smith-Ruiu, professor of philosophy who published an recent article, “This Is a Philosopher on Drugs.”
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Let’s hope the weather forecast holds up.
Enjoy!
“Come Sunday morning” is intended to be a weekly review, a recounting of the past week and an anticipation of week to come. Among its features will be reviews of old and new books, sharing of favorite podcasts, some family news, Bristol events and happenings and issues surrounding education, work and community journalism. He can be reached at dfortier@bristoledition.org.
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