Phil White
@revdphilippa.bsky.social
Liturgy, church music, knitting, poetry, cool saints, hymn-writing, small children. Not in that order. Sometimes also sleep.
She/her. God is love and mercy is greater than we can imagine.
She/her. God is love and mercy is greater than we can imagine.
There is definitely a lot of truth in the Somewhere-Anywhere distinction, but it doesn't map easily onto class or education, and it is also not a value judgement.
November 25, 2025 at 11:52 AM
There is definitely a lot of truth in the Somewhere-Anywhere distinction, but it doesn't map easily onto class or education, and it is also not a value judgement.
Yes, this. I went to a good, rural state school and ~90% of the sixth form went to university, ~50% of that was to universities within 40 miles (of which there were 7), and probably about 50% of the sixth form then returned to the area where we grew up.
November 25, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Yes, this. I went to a good, rural state school and ~90% of the sixth form went to university, ~50% of that was to universities within 40 miles (of which there were 7), and probably about 50% of the sixth form then returned to the area where we grew up.
That's a narrative that's become so prevalent over the past ~40 years and it's wrong, demeaning, and worst of all self-fulfilling.
November 25, 2025 at 10:50 AM
That's a narrative that's become so prevalent over the past ~40 years and it's wrong, demeaning, and worst of all self-fulfilling.
See also: must coax, beg, bribe and threaten tired toddler to get into bed and sleep.
November 22, 2025 at 7:00 PM
See also: must coax, beg, bribe and threaten tired toddler to get into bed and sleep.
I like Aaronovitch but am not a completist and haven't read this one. Adore urban fantasy!
November 20, 2025 at 8:58 AM
I like Aaronovitch but am not a completist and haven't read this one. Adore urban fantasy!
Quite. (Tho I miss the days when something being on AO3 was a guarantee of basic grammar and readability.)
November 20, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Quite. (Tho I miss the days when something being on AO3 was a guarantee of basic grammar and readability.)
The supreme example of this of course is the Junius manuscript - heavily illustrated at the beginning (by at least two artists) and then nothing, though space left for illustrations throughout.
November 20, 2025 at 8:56 AM
The supreme example of this of course is the Junius manuscript - heavily illustrated at the beginning (by at least two artists) and then nothing, though space left for illustrations throughout.
Oh I must have a look - it sounds great. The other thing one might want but not be able to get in Wodehouse is slash - but I suspect that's not included in the book under discussion!
November 20, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Oh I must have a look - it sounds great. The other thing one might want but not be able to get in Wodehouse is slash - but I suspect that's not included in the book under discussion!
It definitely sounds like a verger job. Anything where doing it a) on time and b) accurately matters...
November 13, 2025 at 10:51 AM
It definitely sounds like a verger job. Anything where doing it a) on time and b) accurately matters...
Did he think you were 12?!
November 8, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Did he think you were 12?!
In the daytime he would !
November 8, 2025 at 11:50 AM
In the daytime he would !
Agreed with both of you! Just quibbling (for no good reason) with the idea that because there's a hospital in Banbury, nobody needs a bus to the JR.
November 4, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Agreed with both of you! Just quibbling (for no good reason) with the idea that because there's a hospital in Banbury, nobody needs a bus to the JR.
Though you can't always control where you get referred to. I had to take 8yo to Banbury for an op (which was great! The Horton is lovely!) and I'm sure plenty of people from Banbury and surrounding areas get sent to see consultants at the JR.
November 4, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Though you can't always control where you get referred to. I had to take 8yo to Banbury for an op (which was great! The Horton is lovely!) and I'm sure plenty of people from Banbury and surrounding areas get sent to see consultants at the JR.
Would it be cynical of me to suggest that Synod for the last couple of quinquennia has been stuffed with single-issue con-evos (via the superior planning and resources of that wing) and therefore the number of available people who can be bothered with real governance is limited?
November 3, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Would it be cynical of me to suggest that Synod for the last couple of quinquennia has been stuffed with single-issue con-evos (via the superior planning and resources of that wing) and therefore the number of available people who can be bothered with real governance is limited?
Yes (though have been doing so less on the grounds of reducing energy usage, then wondering if it actually makes any difference)
November 3, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Yes (though have been doing so less on the grounds of reducing energy usage, then wondering if it actually makes any difference)
The whole idea of knitting against the clock gives me the shivers.
November 2, 2025 at 9:25 PM
The whole idea of knitting against the clock gives me the shivers.
FWIW I think it's worth keeping both and that sounds a pretty sensible way to do it.
November 2, 2025 at 4:52 PM
FWIW I think it's worth keeping both and that sounds a pretty sensible way to do it.
Apparently I am also an innovative Puseyite, which surprises me somewhat. (Doing it again with my second choices resulted in a crypto-liberal Laudian... but both told me I should relate to Charles Gore?!)
November 2, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Apparently I am also an innovative Puseyite, which surprises me somewhat. (Doing it again with my second choices resulted in a crypto-liberal Laudian... but both told me I should relate to Charles Gore?!)
Amazing. Thank you!
November 1, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Amazing. Thank you!