Author Archives: Caleb Coy

_Cloud Atlas_ Review (the novel)

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I had not heard of Cloud Atlas until the trailer for the film.  I immediately looked up the book and was interested.  When a friend told me she had begun reading it, I quickly followed along.

David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas is what some describe as a Russian doll of a novel, epic in scope and universal in theme.  The story is broken into six different stories that weave together in connection.  In terms of history, it’s a tale of “There and Back Again,” with fictional characters telling their story in layers unawares, from historical journal to epistolary romance to political thriller to farcical biopic pitch to digital recording to oral history.
200px-Cloud_atlas

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The War on Christmas is Getting Worrrssssssse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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THE WAR ON CHRISTMAS IS GETTING WORSE AND WORSE!!!

This year, the war on Christmas is getting so bad,

In the interest of shopping for Christmas because the nation couldn’t wait to begin, Black Friday was moved back to Thursday, taking over Thanksgiving!

The war on Christmas is getting so bad,

A Christmas Story and hundreds of other TV Christmas specials will be playing on several major and minor channels!

The war on Christmas is getting so bad,

they’re placing a gigantic huge Christmas tree in the middle of Times Square, New York!

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After Tragedy: Reflecting on Newtown and Henan

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“I have heard all this before.
What miserable comforters you are!
Won’t you ever stop blowing hot air?
What makes you keep on talking?
I could say the same things if you were in my place.
I could spout off criticism and shake my head at you.
But if it were me, I would encourage you.
I would try to take away your grief.” (Job 16:2-5 | NLT)

I don’t have much to say that others have not said.  What I would like to do is to direct you to some articles and blogs that I hope will help you, as they helped me, make sense of the tragedies at Sandy Hook and Chengpeng and remember what I should direct my mind and heart toward after it has passed.

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” To this day, especially in times of “disaster,” I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.” – Fred Rogers
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Christmas Persecutes the Lonely: A Conversation with Scrooge and the Grinch

Posted by Caleb Coy on

“Christmas is a holiday that persecutes the lonely, the frayed, and the rejected” -Jimmy Cannon

Ebenezer Scrooge and the Grinch who stole Christmas have since reformed their ways and now attend a former Christmas villain support group.  They both arrive a little early.  This is their conversation:

Grinch: So, ‘Nezer, how’s the credit union management goin’ for ya?

Scrooge: Great.  I’m glad I left before Marley and Farley was acquired by Goldman Sachs.  Now there’s a name right out of a Dickens novel if I ever heard one.  How does it feel to be the first Green Santa?

G: Inspirational.  I really felt like I’ve opened up a lot of doors for minorities.  Or should I say, opened a lotta chimneys.
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2012: “The Year of Beards”— Why The Bearded Man Should Be Man of the Year!

Posted by Caleb Coy on

Without a shadow of a doubt 2012 is the year of beards.  Beards have finally risen to the pedestal of prominence they deserve.  Men, take notice.  Your time has come.

I propose that the bearded man be nominated as TIME magazine’s person of the year.

Observe:
Since antiquity, the bearded men have spoken.  Hear their memes…


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On Chopping Perfect Christmas Trees

Posted by Caleb Coy on

Last night, Noah decorated his third Christmas tree for his first Christmas.  Well, he played while we decorated.

Because my grandmother was allergic to evergreens, I grew up with a plastic tree we assembled every year after bringing it down from the attic.  Not until I was married did I have my own live tree.  Now I get to decorate three trees a year: our own, my parents’, and my in-laws.

My wife comes from the home of the perfect Christmas tree, a little town called—I’m not kidding—Spruce Pine.  Since we got married we would always drive up there and pick a Christmas tree from this nice guy who sold trees at a reasonable price, and even offered us a deal on grass fed beef (we had to decline—we don’t eat that much beef).  We’d stuff it in our Corolla, shoving it in the trunk and yanking it through.  We would drive three hours with a tree between us.  A child’s car seat prevents us from doing that ever again.
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