Hugh Hollowell

If you are reading this, that means the new ‘aside’ feature of my humble blog is working.

Basically, it is a hack I put into the WordPress code (got the idea from Matt, the WordPress master) that lets me post short, tidbit type posts without having to have the pressure of writing ‘a big important post‘.  Hopefully, this will let me do quick, simple updates that all of you will actually read.

They are full blown posts, with comments enabled, just like any other post on the blog. Hopefully, these are just faster and more streamlined.

I agree with Matt’s sense of liberation when he implemented asides on his blog. He said

I fully expect to post in this category with a much higher frequency than my normal posts. I come across things all the time that I want to link so badly but I just don’t have the time to write an entry about. Now every interesting tidbit I come across is just a click of a favelet away from my readers. It’s liberating.

See you around.

We are, I think, spoiled.

I read an old business etiquette manual from the 1950’s the other day and it said I should return all phone calls within 48 hours. That would never fly today. Now, we want it now.

The proliferation of social networks do not make it any easier. Now instead on only one way to reach me, you can send me messages to over 10 different inboxes and messaging centers.

Here is a hint: If you email me and I do not respond to you in 12 hours or so, do NOT send me facebook messages, twitter messages, myspace messages and so on, telling me to check my inbox. If I am too busy to return your email, sending me more emails will not increase your chances. in fact, it MAY get you pushed to the bottom of the list.

Photo credit: afsilva

Yesterday I went to Edward McKay, a used bookshop here in town, and loaded up.

• Elizabeth George; A Traitor to Memory
• Elizabeth George; In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner

I love Elizabeth George for her detailed plots. Wonderful when I need to decompress and just read for fun.

• Karen Armstrong; The Battle for God

I loved her History of God and her two biographies on Mohamed. This one is a history of fundamentalism in the three monotheistic religions.

• Various; Practitioners

A collection of short essays by many voices in the so-called emerging church. I was most uncertain about this one, but it was recommended to me by several folks whose opinion I trust. It was also only $2, so I am not risking much.

• Jonathon Kozol; Ordinary Resurrections

I like Kozol and have, ever since I first read Rachel and her Children. Kozol interviews kids from the South Bronx.

• Richard Smoley; Inner Christianity

A guide to the Christian esoteric tradition. Not your father’s Christianity (unless your father was a monk).

• Pink Dandelion; An Introduction to Quakerism

I wonder if that is his real name…

• John Howard Yoder; The Politics of Jesus

Just started this one, but tons of people have recommended it to me. No separation of church and state to be found here.

While I do occasionally get sent books for review purposes, all of these are reading for pleasure. (I am such a nerd…)

but I won.

Read about my tangle with the State Police. By the way, you do know YOU are the one I am calling to bail me out, right?

Also, I posted some “First Day of Summer” pictures from Pullen Park on Flickr.

Twice in the last 24 hours have I had brilliant, just brilliant ideas for deep blog posts for this here blog of mine. They were both so big that I just knew they would be well recieved, and just as soon as I finished whatever the hell it was I was doing, I was gonna get right on them.

You see where this is going, don’t you?

I forgot them. I mean, clean and total memory loss.

I know it may sound funny, but that really bothers me. If I have an idea, and don’t write it down, did it really happen?

In other news, if you are interested, the new lifestream of my digital life is up at www.hughlh.info, where you can subscribe to read all my digital dropping: pictures, blog posts on all my blogs, links to my digital writings, my updates on twitter and everything else. I am working on tweaking the site over there, but it is now up and functional, giving it a distinct advantage over my brain, apparently.

Also, since it is now summer, the new about page should be up soon… probably Monday in the afternoon. There is lots going on, with me picking up a few new freelancing gigs I can tell you about and so on, but I will just wait and put them on the new page.

Overall, things are good.

The killer heat has abated somewhat. The smoke that infected all Raleigh from the wildfires on the coast has drifted away. I am wrapping up some long term projects, freeing me up for new things. I finally got moved and settled… still need a love seat, though.

I am seriously giving thought to taking this blog to a higher level. I have all these ‘weird’ ideas about minimalism, voluntary simplicity, the freelance life and more that I really want an outlet for, but don’t want the stress of launching a new project. Either way, I will keep you informed, dear reader.

Meanwhile, the weather is nice, I have Ella Fitzgerald on the CD player and a pot of coffee on the table. Life, is good indeed.