Required Reading

I didn't post Sunday, so I'm posting now to make up for it. Busy days. Lorenzo is here, and I'm finishing my thesis, so I've pretty much just been in a mad rush. It's of course terrible timing to have a guest, but Lorenzo is also a great traveler and explorer-- a few times he has just decided to go wander around Galway by himself, shopping and looking around, to give me some time to work. This weekend, he did the Cliffs of Moher/Burren day tour, and right now he is off to the Aran Islands. He is spending the night there, which is cool, and also gives me some time to work. It has been quite nice having him here, of course, even though I'm busy-- it forces me to get out of the house and enjoy some of the fun things Galway has to offer. (Last night, we went to a trad session at my favorite pub. I had missed it.)

So in lieu of any real news or updates, I offer you some educational reading and viewing materials.


Early Christian same-sex marriage ceremonies. Contrary to what some conservatives would have us believe, the "institution of marriage" has definitely changed quite a bit over the last thousand years or so. Not only were same-sex unions tolerated, they were actually sanctified, and the article shows an icon of the wedding of St. Sergius and St. Bacchus, with Christ looking on as the best man. Awesome. If I ever marry a woman, I am totally using one of the early Christian same-sex marriage rites.


Less serious but no less interesting is possibly my new Favorite Thing Ever: Drunk History.

People who are passionate about history get drunk and then explain an historical event. Actors (such as Michael Cera or Jack Black!) then re-enact the event, very literally, based on the (often somewhat confused and slurred) narration. The rest can be found here-- but be warned, the second video features some rather gratuitous vomiting.