Aaron Armstrong's Blog, page 33
June 30, 2019
Being Terrible at Patriotism, Canada vs America, & Barnabas vs Avocado Toast
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Fireworks, grilling, and spending time with friends. That’s what you do on Canada Day, which happens to be the day we’re releasing this episode. Oh, and Independence Day is this week, too, and all the Americans do that same stuff. Except bigger. And more explosive. Because that’s how we do it here in America. Thinking about this got us all kinds of patriotic in the studio, and you get to enjoy the benefits. Listen in as we discuss:
Which country has a better national anthem?Nicknames for Am...
June 28, 2019
Links I like (6/28)
Charles Smith:
Our home was filled with leadership books. They were left on bedside tables, stuffed in briefcases, and alphabetized near the theology section of our home library. As a young businessman and civic leader, Dad devoured anything that helped him wrap his mind around his growing responsibilities. As his only son and namesake, I followed suit. By the time I graduated high school, I could quote John Maxwell and Peter Drucker like a seasone...
June 23, 2019
Book conventions, cat poetry, & Amazon vs humans
Not every conversation makes sense, but sometimes they really make no sense. Such is the case in this episode recorded in Birmingham a couple weeks back, where our nadir was reached after a hard day of standing in a conference hall. Listen in as we discuss:
Dave’s poor defense of Dave Matthews BandMusic we’d never let our kids listen toCat poetry after an impromptu on-air readingDave’s experiences at a recent book conventionThe pros and cons of getting recommendations from Amazon vs a human...June 21, 2019
Links I like (6/21)
Trevin Wax:
Celebrity Christians and Our Own IdolatryMore than 100 years ago, G. K. Chesterton wrote about this romantic notion—the secret desire to be wrecked on an island. Why are we compelled by stories of deserted islands? Why is our first response, when we imagine people on an island, to experience a flash of envy? Even when we consider all the inconveniences and problems awaiting the deserted, we thrill at the thought. Why?
Lore F...
June 16, 2019
“A story has to be true to be beautiful and good”
Recently, the team was in Birmingham for a certain work-related event. Because we needed a break from what we were doing for our work-jobs, we decided to record a couple of episodes of the show… and it just so happens that an author Barnabas and I enjoy was in town and able to join us on the show. This week we’re joined by K.B. Hoyle, author of The Gateway Chronicles and The Breeder Cycle, to chat storytelling, writing middle-grade fiction, and being a Christian who writes for the general...
June 14, 2019
Links I Like (6/14)
Matt Capps:
We Will Sne...British theologian Colin Gunton once argued that one shortfall of modern ecclesiology derives from the fact that it has rarely been rooted in the conception of the Triune God. This observation is worth consideration. I would argue that the unity of the Triune God, even as each member is distinct in his function to accomplish the plan of redemption provides a framework by which we can understand the unity and the mission of the church.
June 12, 2019
Buying vs borrowing books, loving the library, & being part of the problem
In a special bonus episode, we’re answering a big question that we’ve kind of talked about in the past, but we really felt like it would be good to hit directly: What factors determine whether we buy or borrow a book?
What prompts us to buy a book brand-new in a brick-and-mortar bookstore—and are we part of the problem with them going under?What books we’ll borrow from the libraryHow the library is really useful for audiobook consumptionWhy we don’t like borrowing books from people (or loan...June 9, 2019
Summer reading, getting fatter & happier, and what not to read on vacation
It’s getting hot outside, which means it’s the time of year when many blogs are sharing their annual Summer Reading Lists
, mostly filled with big thick theology books and historical works. Which is… fine. But is that the best way to use your reading time when you actually get to go on vacation? That’s what we’re talking on this episode over donuts made in my kitchen. Listen in as we get fatter and happier discussing:
June 7, 2019
Links I like (6/07)
Luke Holmes:
Why Should Christians Read Widely?You have to plow through for the good books, you see. It’s understandable that the classics go fast. But there are piles of other books you can’t even give away; they end up going to the recycling bin. What can be learned from these books that are called “life changing,” “must reads,” and “instant classics” that are then quickly forgotten and good for nothing but scrap?
Karen Swallow Prior (who...
June 2, 2019
The Writer’s Process, Writing Like You Speak, and Coldplay vs Dave Matthews
Since Dave was being all professional and in a meeting, Barnabas and I decided to have a conversation about what might be the grossest phrase associated with writing: the writing process. What are the habits, practices, and disciplines that work for us? What does it look like to be writers who have jobs? Y’know, simple stuff like that. Listen in as we dig tackle the following topics:
Which of us would prefer to live the romanticized version of the author’s lifeWhat our writing processes actu...
