And now for something completely different. This song from Mumford & Sons is obviously an allusion to Plato’s cave metaphor, otherwise why would it called “The Cave.” I mean, how could they be singing about anything else? (Sorry, I’m being silly, or I’m losing my mind.)

“But I will hold on hope

And I won’t let you choke

On the noose around your neck

And I’ll find strength in pain

And I will change my ways

I’ll know my name as it’s called again.”

One reason why Frédéric Chopin “is the overwhelming favorite composer for the piano”: he loved the short works of J.S. Bach more than anyone else of his time.

My wife and I caught a wonderful benefit concert with Andrew Peterson, Eric Peters, and Concerning Lions last Saturday. I wish I could share some of it with you. I saw a couple video clips of the Chattanooga-based Concerning Lions on their site, I believe, and you should be able to catch songs from the other great musicians through The Rabbit Room and elsewhere on the inTerweb. I wanted to introduce myself to Mr. Peterson and shake his hand and if possible bless him in some way (Mr. Peters too, who looked like he could use a shot in the arm) but I didn’t take the opportunity. I didn’t want to talk about myself for 30 seconds, and what else would I talk about.

The concert was to raise money (and attention I suppose) for a very good counseling center in our city, Richmont Community Counseling Center, which is dedicated to helping those who cannot afford counseling from other sources. If you can’t tell from the website, they do some great work. May the Lord continue to bless them and others through them.

Somebody put up the “He’s Gonna Marry Me” video again. Enjoy it while you can.

Sissel and some guy singing Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”

That song always takes me back. I remember a night in college, when a friend was leaving because he’d flunked out (turned out in the end he had a learning disability). We took him out to our favorite haunt, Mitz & Bert’s diner in Lake Mills, Iowa, where you could get a tremendous hamburger and a big plate of hot-enough-to-burn-your-mouth french fries, plus a chocolate malt, for $1.03 (I had to watch my dollars in those days, so I remember). Before we broke up for the night, somebody played this song on the juke box, and it was like a benediction.

That was some time after my high school graduation, which is on my mind because we’re having a sort of informal class reunion this weekend, down in Kenyon. Every molecule in my body is screaming, “DANGER! STAY AWAY!!!!!!” but I guess I have to go, because I missed the last regularly scheduled reunion.

I’ve never understood why people invite me to things, or register disappointment when I fail to show up. Is it my unsmiling, expressionless face they miss? The way I sulk in the corners and avoid eye contact? My bitter, self-pitying jokes? Or my early exits with lame excuses?

No wonder I can’t talk to people. They’re strange.

This is a new song from Andrew Peterson, and I love it.

I was fairly pleased with my post yesterday, but it’s left me depleted. I feel like I’ve said everything I have to say for the moment.

Also, I’m bummed because Hunter Baker, author of The End of Secularism (don’t read it–it’ll only give him a swelled head) is now getting mentioned on Adam Baldwin’s twitter feed. Yes, that Adam Baldwin, the guy who plays Casey on “Chuck.”

Have I mentioned that I hate Hunter Baker?

In closing, here’s Sissel Kyrkjebø doing a little Grieg. “Solveig’s Song” from “Peer Gynt.” Comfort food for the soul.