catapult magazine

Instead of trying to shed light on someone else’s discussion by inserting my admittedly asenine banalities, I’ve decided that naked snow angels deserve their own thread. And isn’t “environment” the perfect place for it?

This thread represents the positive side of environmental activism. Let’s put naked snow angels in the same category with tree hugging, indoor composting, bear encounters, and Wendell Berry. I just want it to be something we can all agree on.

Anyone who participates in this particular discussion (myself included) is proving they will talk about absolutely anything — and also encouraging a man with a very sick obsession.

Having said that, I confess to being somewhat unclear on the concept. If one is fully clothed and makes a snow angel, then modifies it so that it appears naked, does that qualify as a naked snow angel? Or is it only a naked snow angel if the constructor of the angel is himself (or herself) naked at the point of construction.

And who proports to know what angels look like naked anyway?

If I could only read one Wendyll Berry book, which one should it be?

i periodically pick up Sex, Economy, Freedom, & Community (or those words in some order) which is a collection of essays that seem, from what i’ve read about Berry, to be pretty represenative of his ideas on a broad range of topics. but it’s the only one i’ve read anything from so far, so perhaps i’m not the best person to ultimately answer your question.

hi, by the way, from seattle. two weeks down, less than a week to go.

Life is a Miracle is a good one he put out recently. Of course there is also his fiction and poetry which I have yet to sample. Admittedly not first on my reading agenda though.

Could the last three posts be construed as redemptive action?

The posts would have to be classified as redemptive only if the initial post needed redeption. Otherwise we could just call it a discussion. Not a very lively one, i might add. By the way i’m so proud to have a “sick obsession”. If it weren’t for “sick obsessions” the world would be a whole lot less colourful. Let’s revel in our differences.

Do you suppose Wendell Berry, in his most unguarded moments, contemplates making naked snow angels himself?

Wendell Berry is no god. Many a mere mortal has contemplated the possibility of naked snow angels. Especially anyone who has frequented this website of late…

Who the heck is Wendell Berry?

And more importantly, why do I have this insatiable, indescribeable desire to continue to discuss him despite the fact that I don’t really even know who he is?

You’ll just have to read him. Suffice it to say that, though a gifted writer, if the man made a naked snow angel, it might not be entirely a pretty thing, at least in comparison with other snow angels. (Though in comparison with a naked snow angel made by Rush Limbaugh, a Wendell Berry snow angel would be beautiful. At least, so I imagine)

Of course, perhaps the beauty of naked snow angels is their diversity. I’ll confess, I have very little experience with naked snow angels myself.