Commonplace #19

Some things that recently caught my interest

May 18, 2026

Submariner. Reader. Writer. Seeking bold coffee, sublime jazz, and unforgettable stories.

Dear friends,

This past month has been a whirlwind of activity as we prepared for the end of the school year. Both of our kids graduated this past week. Our daughter graduated with honors from high school and is preparing to attend college in the fall. Our son graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science and is completing an internship this summer. He will return to college in the fall to complete his Masters. We are very proud of both of them.

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. - Proverbs 22:6

Links of interest:

As I pull back from writing and focus more on other aspects of my life, I keep returning to writers and readers I admire. Petya K. Grady shares some thoughts On depth and lightness in this recent musing. I have watched Petya’s transformation as a reader and writer over the past two years and it is such a beautiful experience to observe someone discover themselves within a passion project.
My Book of the Year 2025 was Exogenesis by Peco Gaskovski. In his recent essay, Measuring out my life in coffee spoons, he sneakily announced a prequel. I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy.
My latest entry in the Roots and Wings series, Learning to Fly, is a reflection on Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God. For May, we are reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.
My love affair with Substack is waning, but my passion for Mary Roblyn’s writing is stronger than ever. All Things Must Pass is a sublime example of her skill with words, exploring the human experience.

Music:

My go-to for music recently has been Jazz on the Beach hosted by Adam Sieff. Usually, in my car, I am listening to Christian radio, but at home, while working on the computer, I always have Adam’s excellent mixes playing in the background. I love how he continually introduces me to new music and artists. He also has a blues program if that is more your style. For the full catalog of programs, check out his Mixcloud site at the link below.

Jazz on the Beach

Faith:

My wife and I have found a real spiritual home at The Life Church. We appreciate how upfront they are about what they believe, teach, and value. It has been a privilege to make so many new friends. One of the aspects of this church I value most is how well our pastors apply biblical principles to everyday life. If you happen to be in the Memphis area, we would love to invite you to one of our locations, but most importantly, we hope you have a good spiritual home where you are being fed.

We are currently in a learning series on relationships called “I Can Relate.” Here is a recent one from Pastor Johnny Hill that is applicable to all types of relationships.

Style:

I spent so many years wearing a uniform that my personal sense of style never developed much. In the past couple of years, I have experimented with a few different fits and am slowly putting together an updated wardrobe. My wife took me clothes shopping, and we found a few shirts and pants I liked. However, one of my challenges has always been putting a full outfit together. I heard about Stitch Fix from some friends and have recently enjoyed experimenting with different styles. My wife and I both signed up and got our first curated box. It was a lot of fun trying on different outfits, modeling for each other, and seeing what we liked and didn’t like. If you are like me and struggle to find your own style, check out the link below.

Stitch Fix Referral Link

Personal Reading:

I’ve highlighted one fiction and one nonfiction title as my top recommendations from this list.

Recommendations:

Fiction - Worth Dying For by Lee Child (Jack Reacher series #15)
Nonfiction - The Way of the Shepherd: Seven Secrets to Managing Productive People by Kevin Leman and Bill Pentak

The rest of the fiction: