A sermon reflecting on pilgrimage as a spiritual practice, inspired by a backpacking trip in the Gila National Wilderness.
The Successful Pilgrim
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Barcelona (and Sitges) by Mouth
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Restaurant and market reviews from Spain.
A First Day at the Fringe
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A review of my first day at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Mas Comtal
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Last weekend, Sadé and I went wine tasting at a vineyard called Mas Comtal in Penedes. I have been to a couple of different wine tastings before. When I was in Spain about 9 years ago when I visited to a big corporate cava producer. It was fairly unimpressive. It felt like a commercial venture–wine Disneyland. And when I was in France in the summer of 2019, I went to a couple of small...
Walking the CNT’s Streets (or a Tour of Spanish Civil War Barcelona)
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Last week we went into Barcelona and went on a Spanish Civil War walking tour organized by Nick Lloyd and Catherine Howley. It’s been reviewed in the Guardian and other places. In many ways, it has been the best thing we’ve done in Spain: by turns educational, provocative, and emotional. The tour took place almost entirely along Las Ramblas and in the Gothic quarter. It started in Plaça de...
Perugia
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I spent last weekend visiting my friend from graduate school Zach Nowak. Zach’s now the Director of the Umbra Institute and invited me to come stay with him. I had never been to Italy before and the combination of seeing an old friend and free housing seemed like a great idea. Zach’s an Italian citizen but he’s originally from Rochester, New York and has a deep love for, and deep knowledge of...
When the Spirit Says Do
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as preached at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, August 29, 2021 Thank you, Sophia for that exquisite violin performance. It is a blessing to have such talent in our congregation. I think that I can speak for the entire community when I say that we are proud of your achievements and wish you the very best as you continue your musical education. I am certain that you will bless...
Here & Now
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This week, I must confess, I have been feeling more than a little tearful. It has been 154 days since I last preached a sermon to you in person. And I have been missing you. And I have been missing my life from the before times. And my family--other than my son this has been the longest I have gone without seeing any of them. And I have found myself struggling to live in the here and now.