On the Common 086
What we carry, what we commonplace
Good morning, all.
We are now deeply into the time of the year when I start hypothesizing about something called “Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder.” I AM WEARY OF THE HEAT. THE SUN BEATS ON MY HEAD. I AM BEING OPPRESSED BY THE SUN. WHEN WILL IT BE COOL AGAIN.
Tragically hot,
Kelly
The Part Where There’s an Essay: What’s a Commonplace?
A few years into homeschooling, we developed a morning routine where we sat around the table and did a few subjects together. One of the things we did during this “Morning Time” on Tuesdays was what we called “commonplacing.” I don’t think this is actually a verb, but it comes from the noun “commonplace,” which we then eventually verb-i-fied.
A commonplace book has been a habit of readers and learners since Roman times. Most people agree that Marcus Aurelius kept one. Readers of all types and occupations have kept a book like this. It’s simply a collection of quotations, thoughts, and miscellany that the person happens across from day to day. Here’s a bit of John Milton’s:
I wanted to develop the habit of keeping one of these, and I taught the kids to do so alongside. It’s a helpful habit for kids because it causes them to pay attention to what they’re reading. If they know they should be finding a quote for their commonplace book, they take note of what they’re reading and try to find their favorite bit.
It’s a helpful habit for adults because it cuts down on the number of times we might say the following two things:
“Ooh, that’s so good; I forgot that quote was in there.”
(or, alternatively)
“Oh, there’s a great quote about that; I wish I could remember where I read it.”
If you write down your favorite quotes, you at least have a small chance of recollecting them when you need them.
So that is what the bit at the bottom of this newsletter is: quotes from my commonplace books through the years. They have taken on a “commonplace book” form of their own over on Instagram, where you can flip through several years of them.
I apologize if this phrase has been confusing to you as I’ve used it, and I hope this clarifies a bit for you. I also couldn’t resist the punning with “On the Common,” “Common Ground,” “Commonplace,” etc etc. Do any of my readers keep a commonplace book?
For the Anglophiles
An interesting bit here on how loyalties fall for the Ireland women’s football team, when players can come from either side of the border.
Reads & Listens of the Week
The Things We Carry to Church. “He is Jesus of sinners. He is Jesus of the soiled, of the shamed, of those who are sickened by what they see in the mirror. He is embarrassed by none of them. They are welcome in his church.”
The Power of “Intellectual Technologies.” “Like a church service, the Web is a spiritual habitat that works on our minds and hearts to incline us to think, feel, and believe in certain ways. Why is it so hard to think well?”
The scale of carcinogens has gotten some attention recently, and it’s explained further here. But mostly, I just really appreciated the sentiment behind the title: Being Alive is Bad for Your Health.
You might find this podcast helpful if you’re worried about Artificial Intelligence: AI Won’t Really Kill Us All, Will It?
A great many people…do now seem to think that the mere state of being worried is in itself meritorious. I don’t think it is. - CS Lewis, Yours, Jack
I keep a Commonplace book. I am starting to wonder if I need to categorize it though. In the beginning, it was fun to simply have a place to jot all the things down. However, now that the book is full, it's hard to locate anything quickly.
I keep a commonplace book! I am about to start teaching a children's literature class with an online classical school and am hoping to have my students start keeping a commonplace book, as well! I'm still thinking through how to begin...I may have them do the first several entries as assigned copywork that I select, and then move toward having them select their own passages.