Quick Takes: Turkish-style Coffee and Other Things

Welcome to a suitably random series of quick takes, as you can tell from the first topic.  Those who wish to read a random assortment of things about yours truly are encouraged to continue.  Which reminds me, there are two award posts I should do in the near future from Josh W and Lynlynsays.  Look forward to them!

 

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I’ve determined that my favorite method of brewing coffee is the Turkish method: stirring very fine coffee grinds into some water, simmering it for five minutes (I try to keep it between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit), and then stirring before pouring it into a cup.  My grandmother uses this method, though I never employed it myself until the past month.  One interesting thing about this method is how one can stir up the grinds on the bottom of one’s cup to heighten the flavor.  The end result is very strong–especially with the Death Wish Coffee (the most caffeinated coffee in the world) I’m using now.

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I’ve nearly finished an awesome book titled A History of Apologetics by Avery Cardinal Dulles.  Readers of Catholic books are quite familiar with that name, even if they have not read any of this astute writer’s books.  This is a Catholic book, but Dulles intended to survey the entire history of apologetics with a focus on defending Christianity before outside faiths.  The work eschews apologetic writing between members of various sects of Christianity.  So, both Catholic and Protestant writers in Western Europe and America are covered.

Dulles covers everything from the New Testament and Apostolic Fathers to the modern apologists of the 1970’s.  His book provides a brief summary of the writers and points out their strengths and weaknesses.  One feels compelled to explore these authors after reading about them, since Dulles can only spend three or four pages at most for each author.  Still, he weaves the work of each apologist with developments made by their contemporaries and successors, making for a very readable book.

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You’re Under Arrest: the Movie is somethings fans of the anime series must watch, and may provide a good introduction to the franchise for those who have never seen it before.  In my opinion, Kobayakawa and Tsujimoto stand as the best female partners in anime, and I was happy to watch them in this intense and action packed tale.  The plot is rather basic, but the animation and action more than make up for that deficiency.

At the moment, I’m watching You’re Under Arrest: Full Throttle, which is the third season of the TV show.  As you can see, I’m a die hard fan, and the movie might be the best way to see whether you might enjoy it also.

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Today mark’s Padre Pio’s feast day and the forty-eighth anniversary of his natalis into eternal life.  I have a great love for this saint, and the delight I feel when this day rolls around is equal to that brought about by a major holiday.  St. Pio is famed for his miracles, healings, bilocation, reading of hearts, long hours spent hearing confessions (14+ on some days), holiness, mortification, and being the only priest to bear the stigmata.

St. Pio told his friends that he would “work with both hands” when he got to paradise and also that he would not enter himself until all his spiritual children arrived.  Today, he still delights in bringing poor sinners back to God.

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Anyone here read Otaku USA?  This is the one anime magazine the Great Recession failed to destroy.  (How I miss Anime Insider!)  Their articles have consistent high quality, and the writers are conversant with most of the classic anime–especially Daryl Surat.

Still, much of what I read on the aniblogosphere has more depth and variety than found in the pages of Otaku USA.  Sure, the writers of the magazine have more expertise, but they restrict themselves to product reviews, anime reviews, manga reviews, video game reviews, and interviews.  All popular and informative articles to be sure, but bloggers can pick apart and expand on themes within anime in ways that magazine writers hesitate to do.  Anyway, the magazine is still well worth the discounted price. 🙂

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For my last two quick takes, I want to mention a couple of YouTubers.  The channel Glass Reflection is run by my favorite anime YouTuber, Arkada.  He’s very articulate, has watched a vast amount of anime, and produces videos of high quality.  The only things which detract from his presentation are his love of puns (Okay, I’ll admit to liking a good pun here and there), and that he is beginning to strike one as jaded with anime.  (Or is it the fact that he rated Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis “skippable” simply getting on my nerves?  I’ll spare you the aggrieved otaku rant.)  I’ll encourage you to check out his channel: your favorite anime has probably been reviewed there.

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I’ve started to get back into exercise, and credit the pastor who runs VikingPreparedness for that.  It is hard for me to motivate myself to exercise: exercise is another name for drudgery.  But, the fantasy of being in shape to survive a major disaster, TEOTWAWKI or “The End Of The World As We Know It,” is surprisingly motivating for an oddball like me.  (If I were not an oddball, I’m sure attracting the attention of a beautiful woman would suffice as a motivator.)  Yes, I know that it’s fantasy, but a fantasy which allows me to overcome my aversion to exercise is a good thing.  You all probably have similarly fantastic motivations for some activity of yours.  With Viking Preparedness, it’s also fun to hear the non-PC ramblings of an ex-Special Forces soldier turned unorthodox Protestant pastor.  He’s more sensible and hopeful than what one imagines when one hears the term “prepper.”