Last Week, I Got Two Cats and a PhD

So far, this has been quite the year—much of it unexpected.

Back in October, I was offered another book deal. I just submitted the manuscript last month, with publication happening, hopefully, in November. The book is on discipline, understood within the virtue ethics tradition—particularly the Thomistic tradition. Really, it’s part philosophical treatise, part field manual—the publisher wanted me, effectively, to blend traditional wisdom with modern self-help. If nothing else, the book is definitely different, and I think people will enjoy it, especially because it has a ton of practical “to-dos.” Like workouts and… stuff!

Last week, I successfully defended my dissertation and, God help us, officially became Dr. Flynn. I am, however, pleased to report that in all my day of holding a PhD, I have not once corrected anyone for calling me Mr. Flynn, proving I’m not quite the Maximally Insufferable Being that one magnificently obsessed critic of mine seems to think I am.

But seriously—just Pat, if you please.

Anyway.

Since the defense, people have asked what I am going “to do” with my PhD, and the answer, so far as I’ve been able to tell, is nothing.

Really, this is because “doing” the PhD didn’t change what I was already doing—the writing and research—and “getting” the PhD isn’t changing that either. I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing and that’s that.

I’ve had a number of articles accepted and/or published this year as well. I was most excited—and surprised—by my article “Simply Put: The Argument for Divine Simplicity” winning the ACPQ Rising Scholar Essay Contest, which is appearing in the next issue of ACPQ. Other articles either already out or forthcoming from this year include “Worse Than Magic: Two Answers—and One Challenge—for William Lane Craig,” “Cruel Worlds and Counterfeit Natures,” “Theistic Ethical Optimism,” “Three Problems for Triseity,” and “An Anti-Theological Argument from Suffering.” Several more are still in the peer-review pipeline, so we’ll see where they wind up, if anywhere.

There has been even more happening in my life on the non-writing/non-academic side. For those of you who follow me on other parts of the internet, you’ll likely have heard of this little Wood’r Ice venture my wife and I started. Essentially, we’re taking Philadelphia-style water ice—which I grew up with, being originally from that area—and bringing it to Wisconsin. So far, the response has been really positive, and we even got some pretty awesome PR out of the gate, including a segment on Fox 6 Real Milwaukee.

This has been a huge undertaking, of course, getting into the food business. Kind of ridiculous, actually, but whatever. It’s something we’ve wanted to do for several years and decided there was never going to be an optimal time—so, why not just go for it?

So here we are, just going for it.

As many of you know—because I obnoxiously keep force-feeding you clips—I’m in two pretty busy bands in the Milwaukee are: Top of the World, a Van Halen tribute, and Jessie Marie and the Rippers. I joined the Rippers back in November because Jessie, who sings for Top of the World, lost her guitarist and asked me to step in. Obviously, I wanted to help her out… and it was an absurd amount of work, essentially having to learn three hours of material in less than two months.

So that nearly killed me.

But things have otherwise been going really well and, despite how taxing all the rehearsing and gigs are, live performance is just something I live for. There’s really nothing quite like it.

Few other things.

I somehow acquired two cats yesterday.

Funny how this happened, too.

My daughters convinced me to go to the local HAWS shelter, you know, just to look at one.

Next thing you know, I’m filling out an application and—before you know it—two kittens are in the backseat of the van!

Isn’t that funny??

Two other things.

I know a lot of you also follow my fitness content—which is, in fact, far more popular than my philosophy content. Anyway, I’m pretty proud of where I am fitness-wise. Despite everything going on, I’m still getting the workouts in.

If you’re curious about my appraoch, see my book Strong ON!

Sorry, I need to plug at least some of my stuff, sometimes!

Last thing.

Christine is pregnant again. : )

God willing, Flynn baby #7 arrives in February.