Down on the Beach, Staring into the Sand in Pensacola
Digest No. 34 - June 2026
This will be a short digest, for reasons which will be evident below!
On Reading & Researching & Writing
I finally finished my review of Michelle Brown’s Illumino and sent if off to the editor. I’m still working on my review of Chesterton and the Philosophers, which requires a slightly different style than I’m used to writing. I’ll be sure to link to those when they are published.
I’m continuing in my slow read of Walker Percy’s Love in the Ruins, which is even better on this second time through. And I have, like so many others, begun Malcolm Guite’s Galahad and the Grail. It is proving a marvelous read thus far, and I’m glad to say I’ve already pre-ordered The Coming of Arthur. I’ve not read a ton of Guite, but I can clearly see the appeal.
I have two presentations in the works, plus my final course paper for the University of Birmingham. The first presentation coming up in early July is on teaching The Declaration of Independence using classical pedagogies. The second one, which is in late July, is part of a larger project looking at political motivations and considerations behind film adaptations of Hemingway’s work. The paper for Birmingham will be on theories of character-based leadership in schools. July will be a bit crazy in the Hadley household.
On Traveling & Other Things
Of course, normally, June is the busy month for us. We travel to Jubilate Deo in Monroe, LA as well as to the annual Repairing the Ruins conference. But this year, we did not go to either (though my oldest is at RTR for the ACCS Honors Choir). This is because we’re preparing for a new baby (due July 7, at this stage) and our move to Tallahassee. So, we’ve got plenty going on.
Sarah Hadley has been a trooper, handling much of this while dealing with the aches and pains of pregnancy. The low-key aspect of June has been a boon for packing, etc. We cannot wait to welcome this new little one into our home!
We’re a movie going family, and we like to do that with friends and family. This is a big Summer for theatre trips. It is definitely shaping up to be the most movies I’ll see in theatres in a single Summer in a long time. Masters of the Universe was fun but lacked coherency. If they had just leaned into mocking the HR-conflict-resolution concept, instead of vacillating on it, I think it could have been a home run.
On Listening
1996 was a good year for music. The Colour and the Shape by the Foo Fighters was definitely one of the best albums that released that year. “Walking After Your” has had multiple lives, being re-recorded in 1998 with a full band. But I’ve always been partial to that simpler, original. This is the song that made me think of Grohl beyond Nirvana, which I think was true for a lot of people.1
I say this, but 1995’s “Big Me” was really good. And the video set the tone for the majority of Foo Fighters videos.
Will miss seeing you this week but so glad Sarah is doing well and plans are coming along!