bryan parys's Page

This post originally appeared in The Good Men Project

You’ve probably never listened to—or heard of—Paul Mauriat and his Dynamic Orchestra. And, really, this is okay. Musically, you’re not missing anything. But, let’s be realistic: we are always missing something.

Paul Mauriat, a classically trained French composer, died at 81, releasing over 120 records in a career that spanned almost a half-century. He…

Luckily, a bird has never crapped on my head.

There are times when I’m walking and I catch the sight of a flying bird, its wings akimbo and soaring more like a kite than a sentient being. I get that feeling of wonder—the kind of cheesy awe that will probably make me a “birder” in my twilight years. That is, I’m in awe until it flies directly over my head.

At this point, I crane my neck slightly, bracing myself for something. I stare up at the bird and I get scared that…

The road needed replacing.

The road: a ramp between I-95N and 128N in Peabody, MA, perhaps one of the most used for commuters working in Boston but living north of the city.

On March 9, a UPS tractor-trailer rolled over on the ramp. Reports continue to fly around causes, none emerging as definitive: the driver lost control of the turn. He was cut off. He was...who knows?

After the rollover, the damage control shut down a major artery that shoots from the urban heart of…

[Disclaimer: The following is an adapted excerpt from a semi-formal talk I gave a few weeks ago on the topic of “Wrath,” as part of a series on the “Seven Deadly Sins.” This is part of a larger series called Ockham’s Kegger sponsored by Christ Church—an Episcopal community in South Hamilton, MA. The point of Ockham’s Kegger, says Fr. Patrick Gray, is to discuss “issues of Christian faith in a casual and relaxed atmosphere… This program…will serve up challenging ideas to…