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Abstract

Read it back to me,' said Helen. Pam cleared her throat. '"Modern independent woman, late thirties, enjoys playing Scrabble, reading and socialising with friends".' 'Late thirties?' Helen touched her crow's feet. 'Would anyone believe that?' 'Everyone exaggerates in their profiles.' 'Socialising with friends?' 'Well, I'm here right now,' said Pam. 'We're socialising.' 'I don't think sisters count,' said Helen. 'No offence.' 'You've got friends. What about Jen?' Helen glanced out the window and saw the postie ride straight past her letterbox. 'She stopped coming over.' They sat in silence for a while after that. Helen tried to remember the last time she'd had someone round. Someone other than Pam. The woman from next door had come over once, with an invitation to a Tupperware party. Helen had wanted to say yes, but panic quickly filled her body and that was that. 'It's pointless, you doing this,' Helen said, walking over to the computer. 'I can't go on a date. I can't go anywhere.' 'You don't have to,' said Pam. 'They can come here.' Helen frowned. 'It might be fun,' said Pam, eyebrows up. Helen sighed. 'Oh, go on then.' A week later, Pam rang up to check on the progress. 'Where did you write my password down?' Helen said. 'On the pad next to the computer!' said Pam. 'Right, yes, here it is. I'll log on now, then.' 'Call me right back.' There were seven interested people. Seven! Helen had the option to contact anyone she thought she might have a 'connection with'. She read through cliché after cliché. Young at heart. Loving living life. Easygoing. Pam answered the phone instantly. 'So?' 'No good,' Helen replied. 'No one sent you a "kiss"?' 'Just middle-aged men who love living life.' 'That just means that they can still get it up.' 'Pam!' Helen wasn't even sure if she could go to bed with someone. It had been a long time. She put her hands on her stomach. It reminded her of bread dough.

What Are They For? Reading Recent Books on Augustine

“…Although Donatists and Arian Christians were sharply divided, Flynn notes Augustine's reference to Donatists' alliance with Manichaeans, Arians, and Jews against the Catholics. Quodvultdeus chides pagans and paganism for their idols, but especially for their addictive, devilish culture so long permeating Carthage, which he likens to ‘a cloud of blinding smoke that makes the spectator forget he is even human.’ He is wary of ‘Arriani’, whom Flynn identifies as ‘Homoians,’ who gave precedence to the Father (as sender) over the Son and Holy Spirit (who were sent) and whose recruiters either paid or forced potential converts, and then, like Donatists, rebaptised any Catholics among them. ‘Do not permit the Arian heretic to revile the church.…”