Beagle Problems

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A reader writes:

I agree with your advice regarding the beagles.  I don’t know how to make them behave, but I have some advice for disaster mitigation. My partner and I just moved into a new house over the weekend, and our adopted beagles, who have been doing pretty well for the most part recently, both promptly crapped in the only carpeted area of the house as soon as they arrived.

Fortunately, when the carpet cleaner was steaming the carpets (just the day before…), I took the advice of my extra-cautious girlfriend and requested some maintenance tips from him with regard to the little troublemakers. He said to use an enzyme cleaner, and do not follow the directions – use a lot of it – like 6-8 ounces, cover it with plastic wrap so that it doesn’t dry out – and leave it there for 4 days. Apparently the enzyme needs to stay wet in order to keep working. And it won’t turn moldy. We’re just on day 2, so I’m crossing my fingers that the stains will be gone by Wednesday.

Our beagles – George and Elroy – were survivors of hurricane Katrina.  They came to us in January as a pair. We had planned to foster them temporarily, but you know how that goes. I’ve attached a pic of them from the last leg of their journey to Seattle.

Of course, there are also times when they pee in protest. My older beagle, Dusty, responded to my ex-boyfriend’s first night staying over with exquisite directness. When we were making coffee in the morning, she simply got into the bed where he had slept and opened her bladder. When my fiance moved in, and we had a party for him, she took the opportunity to protest by walking nonchalantly into the middle of the crowd and squatting. Not much you can do about that. But soaking with enzyme-cleaner afterwards can help.

“The Conservative Soul” Book Club

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The book launches today, and my media whoredom is in full swing. In the acknowledgments, after thanking my agent and editor, I write:

"This book was informed throughout by the readers of my blog, who have written countless emails challenging arguments made here and making others."

Which is true. Without many of you, and countless emails and posts over the years, the book would not have emerged the way it did. So thanks for six years of online argument. I got a book out of it! I also write in the prologue the following words:

"Think of this book as an opening bid in a conversation, rather than the final summation of a doctrine."

For me, it’s been an fascinating experience to see how two media can interact – how ideas and arguments that started on a blog can evolve into something more concrete in a book. So, to take the next obvious step, I’m hoping to continue the debate about the boook … on the blog. I’m resurrecting the Book Club format I experimented with a few years ago – but with my own book this time.

Here’s the idea: you buy the book online or from a store, you get three weeks or so to read it along with everyone else, and then I post the sharpest email criticisms of the book and respond to them. It’s like an online reading club which ends in a grilling of the author. I’ve hired an extra pair of eyes to read every single email and make sure I don’t miss the best counter-arguments. So the book will continue, I hope, in some way on the blog. As will the arguments.

Buy the book here, and join the book club. Emails about the book can be sent by emailing theconservativesoul@gmail.com. Have at it.

Yglesias Award Nominee

"If there are still Republicans opposed to governmental intrusion into people’s lives, not many of them are to be found in Washington D.C.," – Andrew Stuttaford, NRO.

Andrew has been an honest voice for limited government and individual liberty for a long time now at National Review. It must be cold and lonely work these days.

Seeing and Believing

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A priest writes:

Your article "When not seeing.." was discussed Sunday afternoon at a gathering of my family in Houston for lunch.  My family is Protestant and Catholic and we are, with rare exceptions, Democrats. We thank you for your reflection.  And I know from "Virtually Normal" and other writings that the reflection is a soul portrait.

The only line I wish you had added, toward the end, is this:  "And from a deep understanding of human powerlessness comes the political tradition we used to call liberalism." Your self-revelation has been immensely helpful to me.  As I struggle, at age 71 years, to free myself from the grip of the god of judgment and condemnation, I am strengthened by what you have shared.

The essay is an abridgment of a central argument in "The Conservative Soul."