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Ted's Takes

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Short opinion pieces on wisdom, truth, books, life, God, and other topics. The pieces in this genre are intended to be a paragraph or two, with some occasional exceptions. Due to this inherent quality of brevity, I expect to post new content in Ted’s Takes more often than in the other genres.

April 11, 2022

Ted’s Favorite Life Quotes – No. 2

Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man. ~~ Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) Ted’s Take: First, pursue reading, for by it we become more enlightened and knowledgeable. I simply love good books — and especially biographies of people I respect. Second, pursue conference (a word for speaking or debating), for by it we become more prepared to fully engage with people, with ideas, and with life. While I do not consider myself a good public speaker or debater, I do like to engage with people about life. So I am ready for interesting conversations. Third and finally, pursue writing, for by it we are compelled to be clear, honest, and true. I am not surprised that there is a strong commonality between this element of Sir Bacon’s quote and my favorite life quote from Blasie Pascal. 
March 20, 2022

Ted’s Favorite Life Quotes – No. 1

I have made this letter longer than usual, only because I have not had the time to make it shorter. ~~ Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)

 

Ted’s Take: This quote has been my inspiration to strive to make my writing crisp, clean, and concise. Writing for me is a process of iteration — and reiteration. I have discovered that after bringing my written piece to a “final” version which is as good as I can make it, when I return to the text after a day or more — lo and behold, my fresh perspective helps me to find ways to improve what I had previously thought was finished. Thus, for me, good writing takes time. Like Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, which was only 272 words long, less really is more. I believe the right words, used at the right time — and placed in the right phrasing and rhythm — will, in the twinkling of an eye, enlighten the message on a page like the dawn enlightens the night sky’s vanishing darkness.