INTRODUCING: Department of Arnophilia

In order to keep this weblog hip & modern, to continue to appear to the younger generation of bloggers, I'm spearheading the initiative to introduce several new magazine DEPARTMENTS. Earlier this month, I inaugurated The Department of Beards. Sadly, in recent developments, I have lost my beard, but I & my co-correspondents will continue to chronicle all things Beard at www.itwaslost.org. Today, I am proud to roll out the New Department of Arnophilia. A recurring theme at this website, starting with a discussion of the word "arnophilia", as used in Thomas Pynchon's Against the Day (on page 211) & as defined in the Wiktionary: the only reference they found was the Pynchon. Then, there has been some art by Olaf Mary (pictured above & originally posted here), & a series of quasi-arnophiliacal Christmas compositions to the Nahum Tate text "While shepherds watch'd their sheep by night / All seated on the ground", called Different Shepherds. Seated on the ground, ahem, at the very least. There have been some letters to the editor that we should explore the themes of arnophilia in closer scrutiny, exploit this great word, possibly eventually with its own spin-off blog. (DISCLAIMER: No way should it be concluded that any of the contributers to itwaslost.org are arnophiliacs, or that we advocate the unfair practice thereof, merely that we are bold enough to peer past margins of society & nature where more timid blogs fear to travel.) Look for more postings at the Department of Arnophila (added to the sidebar below) as 2009 expands! I leave you with Billy Connolly: