"But who will write us a riding song. . .

Or a fighting song or a drinking song,
Fit for the fathers of you and me,
That knew how to think and thrive?
But the song of Beauty and Art and Love
Is simply an utterly stinking song,
To double you up and drag you down,
And damn your soul alive."
-- The Flying Inn, p. 71

Thought I'd give this blogging thing another try, 'cause I'm nothing if not dogged (snerk). I figured I'd explain the name and why I chose it (to all my numerous fans), and marvel at how Chesterton continues to have his pen on the pulse of modernity even nearly 100 years later.

The Flying Inn is one of Chesterton's novels, and I decided to read it basically because I loved the idea of a traveling pub rambling through the countryside trying to escape the nefarious forces of prohibition. They've got a wooden sign, a barrrel of rum, and a wedge of cheese -- how could I not read this book?!

Well, it turns out The Flying Inn is also about the growing fascination with, in England and elsewhere, non-European religion and philosophy in the West, and how this is a bad thing. About abandoning our culture for a foreign culture that is really not all that better than our own. It's about England, and the English, and how English and Western culture should be praised and celebrated, repeatedly, in song. Not to mention, the novel deals with the ridiculousness of things like Prohibition, Vegetarianism (unless, of course, like Patrick Dalroy and myself, you mean vegetables that have been liquified and fermented, and add fun to a party), and Diplomats. Never enough ridiculing of diplomats found in literature in my opinion.

Of course, the inferiority complex the West has about her own culture is not the main thrust of this blog (as my very first post ever *below* will reveal), but it's not a bad topic to bring up once in awhile (and I just might). But I didn't pick the name of The Flying Inn for my blog because of the book's thematic content.

Why, then, The Flying Inn? Well, since most of my posts will probably be semi-incoherent anyway, why not name it after a pub, right? Mostly though, I liked the idea of being "on the run," unable to stay in one place too long else the authorities catch you, always popping up to cause trouble or merriment or an epic battle, whatever the need may be. No need to worry though, my blog will probably never be as cool as I just made it sound in the last sentence.

So, this is The Flying Inn, and it will cover many topics, flying from one to the other without warning. Hopefully someone, somewhere will share a bit of my wedge of cheese and enjoy it.