The AM Intrigue

  • Art not Power

    Art not Power

    J.R.R. Tolkien was a prolific letter writer, so much so that there is an entire tome compiling his correspondence. In Letter 131, Tolkien writes that “[Elvish] ‘magic’ is Art… and its object is Art not Power, sub-creation not domination.” Distilling…

  • Free will v. Determinism

    Free will v. Determinism

    I do not believe in fate/destiny. I’ve no background in philosophy (so I’ll happy concede that I have no idea what I’m talking about), but I do not believe in it simply because all things occur within the law of…

  • Hope in Decline

    Hope in Decline

    Decline is something I find myself thinking a lot about these days, for obvious reasons as I gesture at the state of the world, at the state of America. A few weeks ago, I saw The Lord of the Rings:…

  • The Magic of the Song of Durin

    The Magic of the Song of Durin

    You, the first-time reader of The Lord of the Rings, experience the events of the story exactly as some of its more unknowing characters do; that is, you have no idea what’s going on: there’s all this talk about destroying…

  • Into the Dragon’s Den

    Into the Dragon’s Den

    After many months – oh, how I’ve grown – my contract job comes to an end. Ahead of me are two interviews and either a job or limitless opportunities – oh, how liberating. I do not put all my hope…

  • Lentils, pizza, yogurt

    Lentils, pizza, yogurt

    Lentils, of course – as I detail here. Other than that, though, I make a pretty decent pizza. Here’s a simple dough recipe. Then just add whatever you want. I do sauce, cheese, onion, garlic, tomatoes, shredded tofu meat, and…

  • Your wish becomes somebody’s command

    Your wish becomes somebody’s command

    A dull yellow schoolbus rumbles to a halt and out comes a sole student – Mitchell Green. Without looking back, Mitchell begins his short walk home – no more than a mile. He feels the bus rumble away behind him,…