The File - October 30, 2021
/Say Something
Thought this may have some relevance in our current times given everyone's negativity about....well, everything. In 1973, a man sent a distressed letter to E.B. White (July 11, 1899–October 1, 1985), lamenting that he had lost faith in humanity. The author, who was not only a masterful letter-writer but also a professional celebrator of the human condition and an unflinching proponent of the writer’s duty to uplift people, took it upon himself to boost the man’s sunken heart with a short but infinitely beautiful reply.
White’s letter, penned when White was 74, endures as a spectacular celebration of the human spirit:
Dear Mr. Nadeau:
As long as there is one upright man, as long as there is one compassionate woman, the contagion may spread and the scene is not desolate. Hope is the thing that is left to us, in a bad time. I shall get up Sunday morning and wind the clock, as a contribution to order and steadfastness.
Sailors have an expression about the weather: they say, the weather is a great bluffer. I guess the same is true of our human society — things can look dark, then a break shows in the clouds, and all is changed, sometimes rather suddenly. It is quite obvious that the human race has made a queer mess of life on this planet. But as a people we probably harbor seeds of goodness that have lain for a long time waiting to sprout when the conditions are right. Man’s curiosity, his relentlessness, his inventiveness, his ingenuity have led him into deep trouble. We can only hope that these same traits will enable him to claw his way out.
Hang on to your hat. Hang on to your hope. And wind the clock, for tomorrow is another day.
Sincerely,
E. B. White
Read Something
On Democracy by E.B. White
A great collection of White's essays. Highly recommend.
Understanding the Significance of Supreme Court Cert in ‘Shinn v. Jones’
Does the general prohibition on a federal habeas court’s considering evidence outside the state court record “apply when a court reviews the merits of an ineffective-assistance claim that has passed through [the] Martinez gateway around procedural default?” Disentangling that sentence is worthy of a Law Journal article, so here it is. Recommended reading for lawyers and non-lawyers alike.
Aftermath by Briohny Doyle
“Aftermath” begins and ends with scenes set on water — an oyster farm on a lake, a rental house on a bay. These fluid bookends are apt for an essay that ruminates on the illusion of before and after that we all lean on to cope with uncertainty. Whether we’re responding to COVID-19, climate change, or personal grief — all of which come to bear in Briohny Doyle’s gorgeous essay — humans tend to yearn for the way things were or the way they might be, for an idealized past or dreamed-of future.
When Your Mother Is a Texas Ghost Hunter by Cat Cardenas
On the hunt with TikTok star Brittany Broski and her mother Heather Long, lead investigator of the Texas Ghost Gals.
Do Something
San Antonio - Tower of the Americas' Spooktacular Halloween Bash
This event has more free fun for the entire family. There will be live music to monster mash to, food, and activities for kids like a pumpkin-carving contest, face painting, a sack race, and trick-or-treating.
Austin - MACC: Día de los Muertos
This year's two-night party at the Mexican American Cultural Center will be held in person and features community altars, sugar skull decorating, calavera masks, food trucks, live music, dance performances, screenprinting by Coronado Studios, an artisan mercado from Frida Friday ATX, and more. That's on both nights, yes – but: on Monday only, there'll be a live butterfly release.
The San Antonio Zoo’s annual Halloween celebration Zoo Boo! offers a non-scary, daytime Halloween event for the entire family, daily through Sunday. A Halloween-inspired singalong as the San Antonio Zoo Train transforms into the Scarecrow Sing-Along Express. A day at Zoo Boo! is full of activities that includes cowboy’s dance parties and cowboy’s scavenger hunt. Children can find all the hidden cowboy signs around the park and turn in their map for a prize. The zoo transforms into eight realms of Halloween fun, with two realms making their zoo debut: Bubbling Seas and Dios de los Muertos. A daily costume contest will be held for all the little ghouls and goblins and includes a chance to win an official zoo prize pack.
