Wednesday Blog by Seán Thomas Kane

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This podcast is a broadcasted version of Seán Kane's Wednesday Blog. Covering topics from history to natural history, astronomy, and language, the Wednesday Blog offers listeners a thoughtful reflection in the middle of each week. Support this podcast: ht

Sean Thomas Kane


    • May 28, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 11m AVG DURATION
    • 181 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Wednesday Blog by Seán Thomas Kane

    Why André Thevet?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025 21:53


    This week, the second in several scribblings about my research: why I chose to study André Thevet and build my career on the mound of his works.---Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane

    On Toponymy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2025 17:17


    This week, the first in several scribblings about my research: how I connect historic places in my sources with their modern names.---Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane

    On Conversion

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2025 14:36


    This week, I spoke with a friend who converted to Catholicism as an adult about her conversion and how she relates to the Catholic Church as a whole.---Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane

    On Vanity

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2025 18:52


    This week, I reflect on the role of love in balancing between self-praise and community in a discussion of vanity.---Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane

    On Boston

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2025 12:22


    This week, some comments about my trip to Boston last month and reflections on that resilient city.---Click Here to Support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane

    On Servant Leadership

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2025 13:59


    This week, in memory of His Holiness Pope Francis and of the revolutionary anniversaries in America and Ireland this week, some words on the humility necessary for the best sorts of leaders.---Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkanePhoto: By Korea.net / Korean Culture and Information Service (Photographer name), CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34828249

    Montaigne and the Ages of Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2025 13:43


    This week, reflections on Michel de Montaigne's perception of his changing character throughout his life.---Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane

    Dominion or Cultivation of Nature?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2025 13:14


    This week, how our relationship with the natural world reflects on our relationships with each other.---Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkanePhoto by Hariprasad Ashwene, 2024.

    Tóg go bog é | Take it easy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2025 10:27


    This week, a few words on taking life slower.---Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane

    On Translation

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2025 10:27


    This week, how I take nuance and particularity into account in my efforts as a translator.---Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane

    We, Irish Americans

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2025 10:10


    This week, what does it mean for my community to call ourselves Irish Americans?---Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane

    The Divine Essence

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2025 19:56


    This week, a meditation on the Name of God.---Art: Studio of El Greco, "Agony in the Garden," (1590) oil on canvas, 102 x 131 cm, Toledo Art Museum, Toledo, Ohio, USA, National Gallery, London.Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane

    Homeownership

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2025 7:03


    This week, a few words on homeownership.---Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane

    Distractions

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2025 8:01


    How distractions can be beneficial or detrimental, from a certain point of view.---Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkaneI recommend you now listen to: On PausesA link to the WBEZ Chicago story referenced in this episode.

    Three Ologies

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2025 17:26


    This week, talking through three terms I've historically had trouble understanding: epistemology, ontology, and teleology.---Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane

    On Numbers

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2025 14:27


    This week, how numbers are both a universal language and symbols representing deeper meaning.---Click here to support the Wednesday Blog:https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane

    On Genealogy

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2025 10:55


    This week, I discuss how my experience working with genealogy databases helped prepare me to be a professional researcher. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane

    On Social Media

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2025 12:42


    This week, some thoughts on the divestment of our social media attention and why I choose to use different platforms for different sorts of messages. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane Photo of the author by Hariprasad Ashwene, 2024.

    The Second Quarter-Century

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2025 31:34


    This week, looking ahead to the next 25 years here are three things that I hope we see become ordinary things by 2050. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://wwww.patreon.com/sthosdkane

    The First Quarter-Century

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2025 13:40


    This week, to begin Season 5, I discuss some hopes of mine for the first quarter of the twenty-first century through reflections on three things that I imagined might be possible twenty-five years ago. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane

    On Names

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2024 23:15


    Season 4 Finale: This week, to celebrate Christmas I've decided to write a bit about naming conventions that I've come across, and to explain why I use my full name professionally. Nollaig shona daoibh | Merry Christmas! --- Click Here to Support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    On Democracy

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2024 8:43


    This week, for my birthday I want to write to you about my belief in all of us and how democracy remains our best hope. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    The Versatility of Storytelling

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2024 12:51


    This week, how the same tools can be used to weave a variety of different stories. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    Notes on "Carruthers Smith's Museum"

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2024 19:39


    This week, some notes on the story I released here last week, more about Carruthers Smith and the other stories who populate that tale. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    Carruthers Smith's Museum

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2024 41:57


    This week, a story about excess and secrets all in a museum built by an old reclusive Gilded Age tycoon named Carruthers Smith. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane The episode artwork this week was generated by Dreamstudio. I really need to get back to sketching. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    The Joy of Reading

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2024 13:43


    This week, an odd sort of sorrow that explains my reading habits. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    The North American Tour

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2024 38:41


    This week, some words on the places I visited and the people I met on this North American Tour I finished on Sunday. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    The Strenuous Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2024 10:41


    This week, to start November, a realization I had recently about how to overcome less severe colds. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane⁠ Photo: a moose diorama on display at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University in Philadelphia taken by the author in August 2022. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    The Face

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2024 10:15


    This week, I have a spooky short story for you, based on an experience I had over the summer. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane Photo: an empty corridor in the Paris Métro as seen by the author on the evening when this spooky story takes place. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    On Pauses

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2024 11:19


    This week, some words about silence in communication. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane Photo: the poster for the new film "Lee" which is discussed in this episode. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    On Editing

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2024 11:17


    This week, I want to write to you about the revealed joys found in the experience of editing. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    An Equine Etymology

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2024 11:22


    This week, I discuss the two Irish words for the horse, and what they tell us about the history of the Irish language. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    On October Baseball

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2024 8:48


    This week, a great celebration commences in our national pastime. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    What's the Difference between Beavers and Humans?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2024 26:03


    This week, to conclude a month of chaos I interviewed environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb about his book Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane. Links Ben Goldfarb's Website: https://www.bengoldfarb.com NOAA Fisheries, "Oregon Beavers Engineer Better Fish Habitat, More Fish," 14 July 2016. Popular Science, "From the Archives: Do Beavers Rule on Mars?", 6 May 2022. Harvest Public Media, "The Midwest and Great Plains are gearing up for water fights fueled by climate change", 3 Sep 2024. Photo Credit: Beaver in the Pipestone Creek, Pipestone National Monument, Minnesota. Photo: Gabe Yellowhawk. Public Domain. Learn more here. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    Asking the Computer

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2024 11:13


    This week, I address news that the latest version of ChatGPT will help with your math problems. --- Links: New York Times, 12 Sep. 2024, Cade Metz, "OpenAI Unveils New ChatGPT That Can Reason Through Math and Science." Eddie Burback, 1 Sep. 2024, "AI is here. What now?" YouTube. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    Speed Limits

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2024 13:50


    This week, some moderation in Maverick's “need for speed.” --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    Elephant Tails

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2024 10:32


    This week, some animalistic thoughts. Photo credit: Fighting African Elephants in Stanley Field Hall. Taxidermy by Carl Akeley . 41411 is on the left with two tusks and its trunk is raised. 41410 is on the right, with one tusk. (c) Field Museum of Natural History - CC BY-NC 4.0 --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    A Keepsake

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2024 8:57


    This week, I take you along on an investigation I undertook recently into a family heirloom from World War II. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    The Flood

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2024 10:55


    In the last week, I've learned about the impermanence of things after a flood struck our house. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    Olympic Optimism

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2024 6:58


    In celebration of the last few weeks of the Summer Olympics in Paris, I want to write to you about the optimism that the Olympics embody. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    Dúlra

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2024 13:13


    This week, how it's good to pause and notice the ways we supersede older things with the new while benefiting from the old all the same. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    On Exploration

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2024 13:28


    This week, some words on two books about exploration that I've read this summer: Hampton Sides's The Wide Wide Sea, and Michael Palin's Erebus. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    The Power of Hope

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2024 11:48


    This past weekend, history was made when President Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race. The next 48 hours inspired tremendous hope again. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    On Political Violence

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2024 10:12


    This week, I feel compelled by this past weekend's events to write about the follies of political violence. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    Utopia Lost

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2024 16:59


    This week, I have a short story for you that I wrote three years ago after the death of a dear friend. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    An Election Year Independence Day

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2024 8:50


    This week, I'm writing to you with this week's holiday in mind, with some of my aspirations and hopes for America. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    Two Cities

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2024 12:48


    This week, a few words about the trip I just completed to London and Paris. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    A Tiger in the Sun

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2024 17:55


    This week, I have a short story for you, in the style of an Irish aisling, a dream narrative, about a tiger basking in the warm February sun. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    Paradiso

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2024 16:10


    This week, I conclude my three-part reflection on Dante's Divine Comedy with the Paradiso. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    Purgatorio

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2024 13:32


    Last week, I wrote my thoughts on the first cantica of Dante's Divine Comedy. This week then, the second part, the Purgatorio. All quotations from the Divine Comedy come from Robin Kirkpatrick's English translation published in the 2012 Penguin edition. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

    Inferno

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2024 13:50


    A while ago, I began reading Dante's Divine Comedy. So, over the next three weeks I will be writing my own reflections on each of its three parts. This week then, I begin with the Inferno. --- Click here to support the Wednesday Blog: https://www.patreon.com/sthosdkane --- Dante: Inferno to Paradise, https://dantedocumentary.com The Blues Brothers, "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love and Sweet Home Chicago," https://youtu.be/FrLZoQUl2mQ?si=g9rLDM6ZPM7tXJ97 Molly Fischer, "The Tyranny of Terrazzo: Will the millennial aesthetic ever end?", The Cut: New York Magazine, (3 March 2020), https://www.thecut.com/2020/03/will-the-millennial-aesthetic-ever-end.html Ian McKellen's performance in Macbeth "Tomorrow, tomorrow, and tomorrow" speech (5.5.17–28): https://youtu.be/4LDdyafsR7g?si=3qgAmsaKW6oKJKXq --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sean-thomas-kane/support

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