I heard once that "You don't need a reason to be happy".
That's absolute nonsense, if you ask me.
Of course you need a reason to be happy! This world is a mess; children are hungry around the world, including in America; and, as I write, the Steelers are losing. It seems to me that you need a really, really good reason to be happy.
But that doesn't mean you need a reason to be content.
Being content means being satisfied with what you have. Being content is, in my opinion, superior to happiness. If you're happy, you need to keep adding more and more metaphorical fuel to your happiness fire to stay happy. If you're content, you already have all you need.
In my experience, no one is always content. But the difference between those who are sometimes content and those who are never content is wide and very noticeable. The person who is sometimes content lives within their means and doesn't do absurd things to satiate their desires, as opposed to the person who is never content.
Being content isn't a neutral position. It doesn't just happen naturally; you have to work at it. Admittedly, it sounds counter-intuitive to work for contentment, but in my experience, and probably in yours too, it doesn't happen on its own.
And contentment doesn't mean complacency. Contentment means being satisfied with what you have; complacency means being unwilling to work for anything else. Being content doesn't mean you stop working, but instead means you are willing to accept either success or defeat from the work. (I also have an issue with the phrase "failure is not an option". Of course it's an option! If you're not willing to accept failure, you're going to miss out on anything you might have learned when you do fail)
Seek contentment. It's a lot more secure than happiness. Trust me on this one; the Steelers are still losing.
Three random thoughts:
1. The first week of classes is over! Hooray! Hooray! Now to enter into my regular semester schedule, instead of my bizarre first-week schedule.
2. HUGE thanks to everyone who's been voting over at Choose Your Own Blogventure! Let's keep it rolling, everyone!
3. I can now add Paul & Storm to my list of cool people who have responded to my internet comments in some way. Also on the list: Molly Lewis, Josh Harris and the good folks at ThinkGeek.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Confronting The Unknown
Tonight, I auditioned for my school's musical. No legs were broken.
There's something irreplaceable in the experience of an audition. You're given a blank slate to fill with as much quality as you can for your director. This is especially exciting in cold readings, where you have little to no preconceived notions about the performance. You can be as big and as bold as you want! The limits are your imagination!
And yet, I keep myself to what is, in my opinion, a barely remarkable performance. One or two highlights, yes, but for the most part, it's rather dull when I assess myself after the fact. Why is this? Why don't I push the boundaries and surprise even myself?
To be honest, I'm probably being too harsh with myself. It wouldn't be the first time. But I'm convinced that's not the entire story. I think we all keep ourselves within our perceived boundaries because that's what we know. That's what we've been taught to stay in. That's what's safe to stay in.
For my Physics class, I had to read a piece by Richard Feynman called "The Uncertainty of Science". A brief summary would go something along the lines of this - Science is, in its very essence, a collection of very good guesses that we have an amount of confidence in. The refusal to accept that something might not be true will only confine yourself in a realm of non-discovery; that is, to a boring life without any new excitement.
While I don't completely agree with Feynman, I do believe that refusal to question an idea is a foolish idea. We need to question the idea that we can't sing. We need to question the idea that we can only be friends with people in our social circle. We need to question the idea that we can't confront our fears and the unknown to surprise even ourselves.
As I conclude, let me clarify one thing - There's nothing wrong with faith. Faith, after all, is being certain of the unseen. It doesn't mean you don't test and prove your faith; I would say an untested faith is a dangerous thing to have, actually.
So let me encourage you to confront your unknowns. It doesn't have to be a big unknown to start. But if you don't start, no one's going to do it for you.
Three random thoughts:
1. Oh man, that audition was fantastic. I'm really excited about this musical. For serious.
2. The second part of my DR trip recap is coming, honest! I'm just... Distracted at the moment.
3. This semester has been fantastic so far. I'm really really hoping it keeps getting better.
There's something irreplaceable in the experience of an audition. You're given a blank slate to fill with as much quality as you can for your director. This is especially exciting in cold readings, where you have little to no preconceived notions about the performance. You can be as big and as bold as you want! The limits are your imagination!
And yet, I keep myself to what is, in my opinion, a barely remarkable performance. One or two highlights, yes, but for the most part, it's rather dull when I assess myself after the fact. Why is this? Why don't I push the boundaries and surprise even myself?
To be honest, I'm probably being too harsh with myself. It wouldn't be the first time. But I'm convinced that's not the entire story. I think we all keep ourselves within our perceived boundaries because that's what we know. That's what we've been taught to stay in. That's what's safe to stay in.
For my Physics class, I had to read a piece by Richard Feynman called "The Uncertainty of Science". A brief summary would go something along the lines of this - Science is, in its very essence, a collection of very good guesses that we have an amount of confidence in. The refusal to accept that something might not be true will only confine yourself in a realm of non-discovery; that is, to a boring life without any new excitement.
While I don't completely agree with Feynman, I do believe that refusal to question an idea is a foolish idea. We need to question the idea that we can't sing. We need to question the idea that we can only be friends with people in our social circle. We need to question the idea that we can't confront our fears and the unknown to surprise even ourselves.
As I conclude, let me clarify one thing - There's nothing wrong with faith. Faith, after all, is being certain of the unseen. It doesn't mean you don't test and prove your faith; I would say an untested faith is a dangerous thing to have, actually.
So let me encourage you to confront your unknowns. It doesn't have to be a big unknown to start. But if you don't start, no one's going to do it for you.
Three random thoughts:
1. Oh man, that audition was fantastic. I'm really excited about this musical. For serious.
2. The second part of my DR trip recap is coming, honest! I'm just... Distracted at the moment.
3. This semester has been fantastic so far. I'm really really hoping it keeps getting better.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
What Makes A Great Teacher?
That cutting back on the posting schedule deal is looking more and more appealing.
For now, though, I've got an idea that just popped into my skull, so let me share a few paragraphs about it.
Through my time in college so far, I've had a lot of good professors, but few great professors. (If you're one of my professors and you're reading this, you're one of the great ones, by the way) So as I was brushing my teeth, I pondered: What separates the good from the great? Here's a few key characteristics I came up with.
1. Great professors are steeped in tradition, but aren't stuck in it.
Traditions are good. Traditions (hopefully) take the good and leave the bad, leaving a better example for the next generation. Without tradition, you're wading into untested waters, and with education, that's not a fun experience for the student. However, it's also very common for professors to find a rhythm and stay there, even when it's not beneficial to the class. I've had professors that have gone to both extremes, and neither one is pleasant to deal with.
2. Great professors are invested in their student.
Not just from an academic standpoint, although that is surely important. The professor should draw the student to excel in all aspects of their life. They'll fail more often than not, but if they don't at least make the effort, then how could they ever hope to succeed?
3. Great professors have high, but not unreachable, expectations.
This ties in with my previous point. If the professor asks for mediocre work, guess what they're going to get? Contrariwise, the professor that asks for an absurd amount of work is going to have either much less than they expected or a burnt-out husk of a student.
4. Great professors give extra credit to students who blog.
It's only fair, right?
All right. That's all for tonight, class. (After all, those professors expect me to be paying attention in their classes in the morning) One final thought - These rules (except for the last one) could also apply to just about any relationship, though perhaps not as directly.
Three random thoughts:
1. I was cranky when I went to bed last night. Thankfully, the cause of that crankiness is not rectified.
2. Living with people you actually talk to is a lot different to, well, what I'm used to in college. It's better, yes, but it's also certainly different.
3. Go vote at my other blog, Choose Your Own Blogventure! I've only got four responses! This will only be fun if you get involved. (Yes, I mean you)
For now, though, I've got an idea that just popped into my skull, so let me share a few paragraphs about it.
Through my time in college so far, I've had a lot of good professors, but few great professors. (If you're one of my professors and you're reading this, you're one of the great ones, by the way) So as I was brushing my teeth, I pondered: What separates the good from the great? Here's a few key characteristics I came up with.
1. Great professors are steeped in tradition, but aren't stuck in it.
Traditions are good. Traditions (hopefully) take the good and leave the bad, leaving a better example for the next generation. Without tradition, you're wading into untested waters, and with education, that's not a fun experience for the student. However, it's also very common for professors to find a rhythm and stay there, even when it's not beneficial to the class. I've had professors that have gone to both extremes, and neither one is pleasant to deal with.
2. Great professors are invested in their student.
Not just from an academic standpoint, although that is surely important. The professor should draw the student to excel in all aspects of their life. They'll fail more often than not, but if they don't at least make the effort, then how could they ever hope to succeed?
3. Great professors have high, but not unreachable, expectations.
This ties in with my previous point. If the professor asks for mediocre work, guess what they're going to get? Contrariwise, the professor that asks for an absurd amount of work is going to have either much less than they expected or a burnt-out husk of a student.
4. Great professors give extra credit to students who blog.
It's only fair, right?
All right. That's all for tonight, class. (After all, those professors expect me to be paying attention in their classes in the morning) One final thought - These rules (except for the last one) could also apply to just about any relationship, though perhaps not as directly.
Three random thoughts:
1. I was cranky when I went to bed last night. Thankfully, the cause of that crankiness is not rectified.
2. Living with people you actually talk to is a lot different to, well, what I'm used to in college. It's better, yes, but it's also certainly different.
3. Go vote at my other blog, Choose Your Own Blogventure! I've only got four responses! This will only be fun if you get involved. (Yes, I mean you)
Monday, August 23, 2010
A New Adventure... Again
Tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM, my sophomore year will officially commence.
I'm filled with all sorts of terror and exhilaration.
This semester, I'm taking 6 hours of math, 4 hours of physics, 3 hours of English and 3 hours of acting. If my syllabi are any indication, my hardest classes will be, by a long shot, the two in my major. (That is, my math classes) In my opinion, though, that's just fine. If college isn't going to challenge me, I should probably leave now. Challenge means growth. Challenge means stretch my boundaries. Challenge means staying up until 3 AM working on homework that's due in 5 hours. (I have 8 AM classes everyday. And they're all math classes. Who came up with that brilliant idea?)
Academically, I expect this semester to be more difficult than last semester. (Ah, Lifetime Fitness, I'll miss you) Logistically, though, this semester looks to be much easier. I'm done with classes by lunch every day but Wednesday, I have roommates that actually talk to me, and my room actually gives me space to live in. Life is good.
If this blog becomes a burden, I'll be sad to see it go, but I would shed it to a weekly schedule in a heartbeat instead of giving up something else. I love blogging, and I'll try and keep it up, but it's just not as important as, say, spending time with friends, or homework. (Oh, the ever-present homework)
Anyway, I'll see you around.
Three random thoughts:
1. This was going to be the second part of my DR trip recap. However, the recapping is a bit more involved than I originally thought. Look forward to it, though!
2. I'm pretty sure my current room (which houses one person) is bigger than my room from last Spring (which housed two people). I am very pleased by this.
3. My internet died between writing my second and third thought. And I was going to write something awesome, too! Oh, the humanity!
I'm filled with all sorts of terror and exhilaration.
This semester, I'm taking 6 hours of math, 4 hours of physics, 3 hours of English and 3 hours of acting. If my syllabi are any indication, my hardest classes will be, by a long shot, the two in my major. (That is, my math classes) In my opinion, though, that's just fine. If college isn't going to challenge me, I should probably leave now. Challenge means growth. Challenge means stretch my boundaries. Challenge means staying up until 3 AM working on homework that's due in 5 hours. (I have 8 AM classes everyday. And they're all math classes. Who came up with that brilliant idea?)
Academically, I expect this semester to be more difficult than last semester. (Ah, Lifetime Fitness, I'll miss you) Logistically, though, this semester looks to be much easier. I'm done with classes by lunch every day but Wednesday, I have roommates that actually talk to me, and my room actually gives me space to live in. Life is good.
If this blog becomes a burden, I'll be sad to see it go, but I would shed it to a weekly schedule in a heartbeat instead of giving up something else. I love blogging, and I'll try and keep it up, but it's just not as important as, say, spending time with friends, or homework. (Oh, the ever-present homework)
Anyway, I'll see you around.
Three random thoughts:
1. This was going to be the second part of my DR trip recap. However, the recapping is a bit more involved than I originally thought. Look forward to it, though!
2. I'm pretty sure my current room (which houses one person) is bigger than my room from last Spring (which housed two people). I am very pleased by this.
3. My internet died between writing my second and third thought. And I was going to write something awesome, too! Oh, the humanity!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Ten Days In The Dominican Republic, Part I
As promised, here's a recounting of my recent mission trip to the Dominican Republic.
A few main thoughts before I begin. First, this trip didn't completely change my worldview; rather, it broadened it. Before I went on this trip, I thought that I was going to come in and provide all sorts of cool and interesting experiences for the people of the DR. Instead, I came away humbled and edified. God is already using these people to do great things. All I did was give them a little (very little) help.
Second, my money can be used to change someone's life. I know hundreds of TV preachers have told you this, but a relatively small sum of money can radically improve a family's life. The example I keep coming back to is the cement floor we poured for a family that cost a total of $300. That $300 floor means that family's belongings won't be ruined when it rains. That $300 floor means that family doesn't have to live in mud when it rains. I could go on, but I'll get to the actual story now.
PART ONE: ARRIVAL
After about 3 hours of tossing various items into overpacked suitcases in a process sometimes called “packing”, I left my house at 3 AM Monday morning to begin a ten day trip to the Dominican Republic. Our team was made up of seven members, thankfully including two who were fluent in Spanish. I was running on about six hours of sleep and was feeling generally good, despite a slight stomach pang I tend to get before big trips. Once at the airport, we waited until 4:00, when the bag checking area opened. Several of our bags were over the 50 pound limit, as we were carrying several supplies with us to give as donations. After some rearranging, though, our bags were tagged and we were on our way.
The flights were uneventful. Time was passed looking through the absurd magazines… And, of course, sleeping. The flights proceeded smoothly, and after a connection in Atlanta, we reached the Santo Domingo airport with no trouble. We had been warned we would have to pay an exit tax upon leaving the country, but it turned out we needed to pay it as we entered. We approached a window where we had to pay $10 to receive a card, similar almost to a Metro ticket card – Printed on thin paper with a pretty design on the front and a code of some sort on the back. We then walked about 25 feet to another station, where a man scanned the card, then placed it in a shredder. One of the ads on the wall from some beer brand read, “Welcome to Paradise”. I made the comment that Paradise shouldn’t cost $10 to get into.
We picked up our bags from the carousel. I was burdened with my rolly suitcase and a nearly fifty pound green duffel bag. The carrying experience was not pleasant. We rolled through customs with unsettling ease – with a glance at our form, they waved us through. We emerged through a set of doors to see at least a hundred Dominican faces, standing, waiting. For what, I’m not sure; perhaps some were waiting for friends, and perhaps some simply enjoyed watching the tourists roll in. Our contact, Juanchi, was holding a signed that read “COTN” (which stands for Children of the Nations, the organization we worked with). He led us to a bus, loaded our bags and we began our trek to Barahona.
During the ride, Juanchi was explaining things, but I could barely hear him, so I eventually tuned him out and watched the scenery. One side of the bus had a beautiful view of the ocean. The other showed poverty in the midst of industry. I recognized a few logos – Shell gas, Pepsi, several baseball teams (Baseball is HUGE in the DR) – But most of it was unfamiliar to me, especially the language.
After waiting about 30 minutes to pick someone up (We were officially on Dominican time at this point), we drove a bit more before stopping for some food at Pollo Rey (Chicken King). We all were given a standard fast food container that contained about 5 pieces of fried chicken and French fries and a soda. Being hungry, I began eating the food, and was rather unimpressed, but finished it anyway. Word got to me about 5 minutes in that we should remove the ice from our drinks, since the drink itself was good to drink, but the ice was probably made with local water. I played it safe and abstained altogether.
After a few more hours of driving (and entering progressively poorer areas), we reached Casa Betesda, our home base for the trip. The Casa included a swimming pool, a main house where the more permanent residents stayed and the meals where prepared, and our rooms, which were filled with bunk beds and, thankfully, included an air conditioning unit. The men slept in one room while the women stayed in the other. Each room also had its own bathroom, including a shower, but water was both limited and, while clear in appearance, contaminated. We used bottled water for brushing our teeth, kept our mouths closed in the shower, and flushed the toilets only when necessary. All things considered, however, the accommodations were fantastic.
Three random thoughts:
1. If you're seeing this thought, that means I haven't been able to get online since leaving for Texas to begin my sophomore year of college. So, hi! How's it going?
2. Five Iron Frenzy never ceases to amaze me. For all sorts of reasons.
3. I disdain cynicism, and avoid it as much as possible. So there you go.
A few main thoughts before I begin. First, this trip didn't completely change my worldview; rather, it broadened it. Before I went on this trip, I thought that I was going to come in and provide all sorts of cool and interesting experiences for the people of the DR. Instead, I came away humbled and edified. God is already using these people to do great things. All I did was give them a little (very little) help.
Second, my money can be used to change someone's life. I know hundreds of TV preachers have told you this, but a relatively small sum of money can radically improve a family's life. The example I keep coming back to is the cement floor we poured for a family that cost a total of $300. That $300 floor means that family's belongings won't be ruined when it rains. That $300 floor means that family doesn't have to live in mud when it rains. I could go on, but I'll get to the actual story now.
PART ONE: ARRIVAL
After about 3 hours of tossing various items into overpacked suitcases in a process sometimes called “packing”, I left my house at 3 AM Monday morning to begin a ten day trip to the Dominican Republic. Our team was made up of seven members, thankfully including two who were fluent in Spanish. I was running on about six hours of sleep and was feeling generally good, despite a slight stomach pang I tend to get before big trips. Once at the airport, we waited until 4:00, when the bag checking area opened. Several of our bags were over the 50 pound limit, as we were carrying several supplies with us to give as donations. After some rearranging, though, our bags were tagged and we were on our way.
The flights were uneventful. Time was passed looking through the absurd magazines… And, of course, sleeping. The flights proceeded smoothly, and after a connection in Atlanta, we reached the Santo Domingo airport with no trouble. We had been warned we would have to pay an exit tax upon leaving the country, but it turned out we needed to pay it as we entered. We approached a window where we had to pay $10 to receive a card, similar almost to a Metro ticket card – Printed on thin paper with a pretty design on the front and a code of some sort on the back. We then walked about 25 feet to another station, where a man scanned the card, then placed it in a shredder. One of the ads on the wall from some beer brand read, “Welcome to Paradise”. I made the comment that Paradise shouldn’t cost $10 to get into.
We picked up our bags from the carousel. I was burdened with my rolly suitcase and a nearly fifty pound green duffel bag. The carrying experience was not pleasant. We rolled through customs with unsettling ease – with a glance at our form, they waved us through. We emerged through a set of doors to see at least a hundred Dominican faces, standing, waiting. For what, I’m not sure; perhaps some were waiting for friends, and perhaps some simply enjoyed watching the tourists roll in. Our contact, Juanchi, was holding a signed that read “COTN” (which stands for Children of the Nations, the organization we worked with). He led us to a bus, loaded our bags and we began our trek to Barahona.
During the ride, Juanchi was explaining things, but I could barely hear him, so I eventually tuned him out and watched the scenery. One side of the bus had a beautiful view of the ocean. The other showed poverty in the midst of industry. I recognized a few logos – Shell gas, Pepsi, several baseball teams (Baseball is HUGE in the DR) – But most of it was unfamiliar to me, especially the language.
After waiting about 30 minutes to pick someone up (We were officially on Dominican time at this point), we drove a bit more before stopping for some food at Pollo Rey (Chicken King). We all were given a standard fast food container that contained about 5 pieces of fried chicken and French fries and a soda. Being hungry, I began eating the food, and was rather unimpressed, but finished it anyway. Word got to me about 5 minutes in that we should remove the ice from our drinks, since the drink itself was good to drink, but the ice was probably made with local water. I played it safe and abstained altogether.
After a few more hours of driving (and entering progressively poorer areas), we reached Casa Betesda, our home base for the trip. The Casa included a swimming pool, a main house where the more permanent residents stayed and the meals where prepared, and our rooms, which were filled with bunk beds and, thankfully, included an air conditioning unit. The men slept in one room while the women stayed in the other. Each room also had its own bathroom, including a shower, but water was both limited and, while clear in appearance, contaminated. We used bottled water for brushing our teeth, kept our mouths closed in the shower, and flushed the toilets only when necessary. All things considered, however, the accommodations were fantastic.
Three random thoughts:
1. If you're seeing this thought, that means I haven't been able to get online since leaving for Texas to begin my sophomore year of college. So, hi! How's it going?
2. Five Iron Frenzy never ceases to amaze me. For all sorts of reasons.
3. I disdain cynicism, and avoid it as much as possible. So there you go.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
A Reflection On Summer
I never knew what made Summer such a big deal. This year, I actually got a break from school. I'm not sure I entirely approve.
I spent the majority of my summer lazing about, watching TV and playing video games. A combination of a lack of transportation and general apathy tethered me to my home most days. That being said, I enjoyed most of these days. However, I feel like I had opportunities that I overlooked. In stark contrast to the busyness of my school year, I had so much free time I didn't appreciate it.
That being said, here are my top seven reflections from the summer in chronological order.
1. NEXT 2010
In early June, before I ever set foot in my home state of Virginia after finishing up May Term at college, I attended the NEXT conference in Baltimore, MD. The conference is aimed at young adults (college and up, though I went as a high school senior last year), and digs deep into doctrine. The speakers included Josh Harris, C.J. Mahaney, Kevin DeYoung, D.A. Carson, Mark Dever and Jeff Purswell. It's not often a speaker simultaneously reinforces my view of God while also pushing me to do greater things for Him, but that was certainly the case here. Josh's sincerity, C.J.'s heart for God's Word, Kevin's ability to leave those two or three big, amazingly applicable thoughts... Incredible. Go next year if you can make it; it'll be in Florida, so you can stop by the new Harry Potter park too.
2. Toy Story 3
I know, I know, this is kind of a lame highlight, but I saw it at midnight, and it was really good. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend it. Along the same lines, the only other movie I saw was Inception, which was also good, but requires much more brain thinkings. Toy Story 3 is just all around quality that you can enjoy even if you're dead tired.
3. Hanging out with friends
Since this happened throughout the summer, I decided to split the difference and stick this one in the middle. Hanging out with friends is generally a good thing, but I love hanging out with my friends. Why? Because they, like me, think sitting around and playing video games is a great way to spend an afternoon/evening. Also, I used this time to introduce one of my friends to Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, which is always a happy day.
4. Starting a blog
That's right, this lil' ol' blog is on my highlights of the summer. I've gone from consumer to producer in the blogosphere! I've enjoyed blogging so far, and look forward to many more tri-weekly posts.
5. Discovering Molly Lewis
I love discovering new music, especially since I don't do it very often. So when I finally listened to Paul and Storm's advice and looked up Molly Lewis on the YouTubes, I was immediately enthralled. Not much more to say about this; just wanted to let you know I like discovering new music. Especially talented ukulele players who do Dylan covers and writes songs about if Wikipedia were a person.
6. Final Fantasy: Distant Worlds
First, you must understand that I love Final Fantasy. Second, you must understand I love the National Symphony Orchestra. Third, you must realize I love Wolf Trap. Mix these things together and you get a fantastic evening of goosebump-inducing performances of some of my favorite music of all time. (They didn't play it, but my favorite song from the series is probably "Words Drowned By Fireworks" from VII, with the main theme from said game being a close second. Terra's Theme is good too. Aerith's Theme just gets me all choked up) While the fact that they included music from XI was... Disappointing, all in all, it was definitely a highlight of the summer.
7. Ten Days in the Dominican Republic
As fun and magical and exciting Final Fantasy was, the Dominican Republic trip was overwhelmingly the overall highlight from my summer. I have more substantial posts in the works (Yes, posts), but I'll briefly summarize by saying that the trip did not dramatically shift my worldview, but certainly broadened it. I thought that I would be the glamorous American, coming in to show the Dominicans how to get things done, and the organization we went with was already doing that. They were teaching the kids. They were helping the communities. All I did was help it along a tiny, tiny bit. That being said, God used me, and I genuinely cherish the experience. I recommend a similar trip to anyone interested.
Honorable mention
- Finishing the Rock Band 2 Endless Setlist on Expert Guitar
Lowlights
- Being sick with a constantly running nose for about a month
- The lack of reliable internet for the first month or so of the summer
- Not finishing Final Fantasy XIII
So, that's my summer. And what did YOU do on your summer vacation?
Three Random Thoughts:
1. I totally forgot these three random thoughts in my first posting of this. If you saw it without this, you're an early bird!
2. This is my 20th post! Hooray!
3. I'm leaving to head back to college on Thursday. I won't be back until Christmas break. I'll see some of you faithful readers there!
I spent the majority of my summer lazing about, watching TV and playing video games. A combination of a lack of transportation and general apathy tethered me to my home most days. That being said, I enjoyed most of these days. However, I feel like I had opportunities that I overlooked. In stark contrast to the busyness of my school year, I had so much free time I didn't appreciate it.
That being said, here are my top seven reflections from the summer in chronological order.
1. NEXT 2010
In early June, before I ever set foot in my home state of Virginia after finishing up May Term at college, I attended the NEXT conference in Baltimore, MD. The conference is aimed at young adults (college and up, though I went as a high school senior last year), and digs deep into doctrine. The speakers included Josh Harris, C.J. Mahaney, Kevin DeYoung, D.A. Carson, Mark Dever and Jeff Purswell. It's not often a speaker simultaneously reinforces my view of God while also pushing me to do greater things for Him, but that was certainly the case here. Josh's sincerity, C.J.'s heart for God's Word, Kevin's ability to leave those two or three big, amazingly applicable thoughts... Incredible. Go next year if you can make it; it'll be in Florida, so you can stop by the new Harry Potter park too.
2. Toy Story 3
I know, I know, this is kind of a lame highlight, but I saw it at midnight, and it was really good. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend it. Along the same lines, the only other movie I saw was Inception, which was also good, but requires much more brain thinkings. Toy Story 3 is just all around quality that you can enjoy even if you're dead tired.
3. Hanging out with friends
Since this happened throughout the summer, I decided to split the difference and stick this one in the middle. Hanging out with friends is generally a good thing, but I love hanging out with my friends. Why? Because they, like me, think sitting around and playing video games is a great way to spend an afternoon/evening. Also, I used this time to introduce one of my friends to Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, which is always a happy day.
4. Starting a blog
That's right, this lil' ol' blog is on my highlights of the summer. I've gone from consumer to producer in the blogosphere! I've enjoyed blogging so far, and look forward to many more tri-weekly posts.
5. Discovering Molly Lewis
I love discovering new music, especially since I don't do it very often. So when I finally listened to Paul and Storm's advice and looked up Molly Lewis on the YouTubes, I was immediately enthralled. Not much more to say about this; just wanted to let you know I like discovering new music. Especially talented ukulele players who do Dylan covers and writes songs about if Wikipedia were a person.
6. Final Fantasy: Distant Worlds
First, you must understand that I love Final Fantasy. Second, you must understand I love the National Symphony Orchestra. Third, you must realize I love Wolf Trap. Mix these things together and you get a fantastic evening of goosebump-inducing performances of some of my favorite music of all time. (They didn't play it, but my favorite song from the series is probably "Words Drowned By Fireworks" from VII, with the main theme from said game being a close second. Terra's Theme is good too. Aerith's Theme just gets me all choked up) While the fact that they included music from XI was... Disappointing, all in all, it was definitely a highlight of the summer.
7. Ten Days in the Dominican Republic
As fun and magical and exciting Final Fantasy was, the Dominican Republic trip was overwhelmingly the overall highlight from my summer. I have more substantial posts in the works (Yes, posts), but I'll briefly summarize by saying that the trip did not dramatically shift my worldview, but certainly broadened it. I thought that I would be the glamorous American, coming in to show the Dominicans how to get things done, and the organization we went with was already doing that. They were teaching the kids. They were helping the communities. All I did was help it along a tiny, tiny bit. That being said, God used me, and I genuinely cherish the experience. I recommend a similar trip to anyone interested.
Honorable mention
- Finishing the Rock Band 2 Endless Setlist on Expert Guitar
Lowlights
- Being sick with a constantly running nose for about a month
- The lack of reliable internet for the first month or so of the summer
- Not finishing Final Fantasy XIII
So, that's my summer. And what did YOU do on your summer vacation?
Three Random Thoughts:
1. I totally forgot these three random thoughts in my first posting of this. If you saw it without this, you're an early bird!
2. This is my 20th post! Hooray!
3. I'm leaving to head back to college on Thursday. I won't be back until Christmas break. I'll see some of you faithful readers there!
Monday, August 16, 2010
My Heroes And Their Shared Traits, Part II
The angry letters have not poured in, so the series continues.
Shared Trait #2: My heroes don't seek to become heroes.
Notice I say "seek", not "want". By which I mean being a hero isn't their driving motivation for doing what they do. Those who try to be heroes are overly concerned with trifling details like never offending anyone (which is impossible, just so you'll know) and making sure what they present to the public is shiny and perfect.
The problem with this obsessive appearance management is that no one is really like that. No one is perfect, or even in that neighborhood. By instead allowing their weaknesses and insufficiencies to be on full display, I can better relate to my heroes and relish in their successes all the more. I'd rather watch a man who I know has struggled finally succeed than watch a man apparently breeze into success. That just irritates me.
The real danger lies in placing a perceived audience's wants and desires above your own convictions. In making the masses the main concern, the focus is on the ideal, most sellable product, not the authentic product. Being authentic isn't everything, but it's better than the alternative. Through seeking not recognition, but fulfillment your own burning desire (And I do believe you need a burning desire for something for it to be truly successful... More about that later), the product is a better representation of its producer. While it may not be as popular, it will certainly be better.
This post feels scattered. However, it's what's pulsing through my brain at the moment, so it's what you're getting. If you need any clarification, leave me a comment or a Tweet or something.
Look forward to the next edition!
Three Random Thoughts:
1. I have a new experiment I would love to have you participate in. Choose Your Own Blogventure is an interactive fiction I'll write based on the audience's voting! Check it out!
2. I'm trying to fit in all sorts of shenanigans before I head back to Texas. Friends coming over Monday and Tuesday, then... What do you call it? Oh yeah, packing.
3. Football season is back. I realize several members of my audience could care less, and I'll refrain from posting about it unless I get a serious itch about it, but I thought you should know I'm going to be excited.
Shared Trait #2: My heroes don't seek to become heroes.
Notice I say "seek", not "want". By which I mean being a hero isn't their driving motivation for doing what they do. Those who try to be heroes are overly concerned with trifling details like never offending anyone (which is impossible, just so you'll know) and making sure what they present to the public is shiny and perfect.
The problem with this obsessive appearance management is that no one is really like that. No one is perfect, or even in that neighborhood. By instead allowing their weaknesses and insufficiencies to be on full display, I can better relate to my heroes and relish in their successes all the more. I'd rather watch a man who I know has struggled finally succeed than watch a man apparently breeze into success. That just irritates me.
The real danger lies in placing a perceived audience's wants and desires above your own convictions. In making the masses the main concern, the focus is on the ideal, most sellable product, not the authentic product. Being authentic isn't everything, but it's better than the alternative. Through seeking not recognition, but fulfillment your own burning desire (And I do believe you need a burning desire for something for it to be truly successful... More about that later), the product is a better representation of its producer. While it may not be as popular, it will certainly be better.
This post feels scattered. However, it's what's pulsing through my brain at the moment, so it's what you're getting. If you need any clarification, leave me a comment or a Tweet or something.
Look forward to the next edition!
Three Random Thoughts:
1. I have a new experiment I would love to have you participate in. Choose Your Own Blogventure is an interactive fiction I'll write based on the audience's voting! Check it out!
2. I'm trying to fit in all sorts of shenanigans before I head back to Texas. Friends coming over Monday and Tuesday, then... What do you call it? Oh yeah, packing.
3. Football season is back. I realize several members of my audience could care less, and I'll refrain from posting about it unless I get a serious itch about it, but I thought you should know I'm going to be excited.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
The Struggle With Stuff
I'm back from the Dominican Republic. It was an amazing trip, which I will write about later. For now, though, I've an idea that's been itching in my mind.
We all have things. Big or small, valuable or worthless, we're surrounded by them. Computers, cars, food, envelopes, pens, bookcases... They're all things. And there's nothing inherently wrong with things. Even if we don't physically require them, things can satisfy an emotional need. However, this doesn't mean we should get all the things we can get.
The trouble comes when things become stuff. Things are individual entities which have immediately recognizable purposes. Stuff is that stack of CDs in your bedroom, that pile of magazines in your closet you'll never read again, those t-shirts you used to wear all the time that now sit at the bottom of your dresser drawers... Stuff is unappreciated. Stuff is ignored. Stuff isn't junk, because junk is worthless. Stuff has worth, but you don't care about it any more. It doesn't matter. It's just there.
Things becoming stuff is a subtle process. One month, you're listening to that CD non-stop; the next, it serves as a placeholder for crumbs and loose change. The change can't be avoided completely, but it can be stemmed. Don't buy that new CD for another week or two. (The music will still be there) Find a new way to beat that game. Or maybe actually finish that game! In simpler terms, be content with the things you have.
Inevitably, though, things become stuff. So, what should we do with this stuff? There are several options. You can start appreciating and using it again, but sometimes that simply isn't an appealing option. You could give it to someone else who would use it, or maybe sell it. Or you could just throw it away. I would save this option for a final resort, because stuff usually has some value to it in someone's eyes. But in my experience, allowing the stuff to stick around is the absolute worst option. When it's gone, you realize how much you didn't need it, and how much room you have for better things.
Preparing to head back to college in a week means I'm going to have to once again separate the things from the stuff. I won't have added much to my collection over my summer, but there's a few things. Books, games... Things I will use. Things I will enjoy. Not just stuff that I'll stuff in my suitcase. I really hope it stays that way.
Three random thoughts:
1. I finished Assassin's Creed II earlier. Is it just me, or were they trying to be a Dan Brown novel? Granted, I enjoyed the gameplay, but still...
2. I would be going to a Paul & Storm concert this Saturday, but I'm going out to dinner with friends instead. Which is also good... I suppose.
3. I got up at 9 AM this morning, which is three hours earlier than I intended. (Stay up from 5:30 to 3:00, then you can criticize) Hopefully my sleep schedule will return to normal.
We all have things. Big or small, valuable or worthless, we're surrounded by them. Computers, cars, food, envelopes, pens, bookcases... They're all things. And there's nothing inherently wrong with things. Even if we don't physically require them, things can satisfy an emotional need. However, this doesn't mean we should get all the things we can get.
The trouble comes when things become stuff. Things are individual entities which have immediately recognizable purposes. Stuff is that stack of CDs in your bedroom, that pile of magazines in your closet you'll never read again, those t-shirts you used to wear all the time that now sit at the bottom of your dresser drawers... Stuff is unappreciated. Stuff is ignored. Stuff isn't junk, because junk is worthless. Stuff has worth, but you don't care about it any more. It doesn't matter. It's just there.
Things becoming stuff is a subtle process. One month, you're listening to that CD non-stop; the next, it serves as a placeholder for crumbs and loose change. The change can't be avoided completely, but it can be stemmed. Don't buy that new CD for another week or two. (The music will still be there) Find a new way to beat that game. Or maybe actually finish that game! In simpler terms, be content with the things you have.
Inevitably, though, things become stuff. So, what should we do with this stuff? There are several options. You can start appreciating and using it again, but sometimes that simply isn't an appealing option. You could give it to someone else who would use it, or maybe sell it. Or you could just throw it away. I would save this option for a final resort, because stuff usually has some value to it in someone's eyes. But in my experience, allowing the stuff to stick around is the absolute worst option. When it's gone, you realize how much you didn't need it, and how much room you have for better things.
Preparing to head back to college in a week means I'm going to have to once again separate the things from the stuff. I won't have added much to my collection over my summer, but there's a few things. Books, games... Things I will use. Things I will enjoy. Not just stuff that I'll stuff in my suitcase. I really hope it stays that way.
Three random thoughts:
1. I finished Assassin's Creed II earlier. Is it just me, or were they trying to be a Dan Brown novel? Granted, I enjoyed the gameplay, but still...
2. I would be going to a Paul & Storm concert this Saturday, but I'm going out to dinner with friends instead. Which is also good... I suppose.
3. I got up at 9 AM this morning, which is three hours earlier than I intended. (Stay up from 5:30 to 3:00, then you can criticize) Hopefully my sleep schedule will return to normal.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
My Heroes And Their Shared Traits, Part I
I have a lot of heroes. If I sat down to name them all, I'd come up with at least 20, possibly more. Some of them I know personally, some I dream of meeting someday, and some I only know through their work they've left behind. But among all of them (or a good number of them, at least) there are some common themes. Since every blog needs a good running series, this sounds like a good one to start with, right?
Before I get started, let me explain what I mean by a hero. Hero is a loaded word. I do not mean someone that I hope to completely emulate. In fact, I disagree with many of my heroes' political and/or religious beliefs. However, I can still appreciate their work and support them. To give some examples, I love Paul & Storm, but I wouldn't recommend them to all my friends, since they use an amount of profanity in their music. Some of which I can tolerate, some of which I cannot. There are those that would say that means I shouldn't listen to them at all. While I wish that all of their music was clean and squeaky, I know that's not their way. I can listen to what I can enjoy and leave the rest for everyone else.
A hero doesn't have to be perfect. If you set up that expectation, you will be disappointed. This is something I've learned over the past few years... No one hero in particular has let me down, but if I decide that anyone that I disagree with on a certain issue is no longer worthy of my time... I'm going to have to go and live on a deserted island somewhere. We're not made to be the same. We're made to be complementary.
Everyone still following me? No? Great! Let's get started!
Shared Trait #1: My heroes love sharing their work.
Whether it be their writing, teaching, or musical talent (to give three prominent examples), my heroes find extreme joy in bringing their product to the public (specifically, me). It's not a matter of money or a self-serving egotistical power trip. They have something to share with others, and they WANT to share it.
There's not too much to this. People who want to share their work are more interesting then people who either keep their work to themselves or only share what they do reluctantly. For example, in a hypothetical college speech class, you might be able to tell which students actually care about the speech they're given, and which just want to slide by. The only one who might (MIGHT!) gain more enjoyment from such a speech would be the one giving it. Conversely, the one who enjoys giving the speech will almost certainly provide the audience with a more engaging time, even if the quality of work is not as high.
Notice that I say my heroes love sharing their work. I don't say my heroes constantly share their work, or that my heroes share their best work. Somehow, even when my heroes deliver what they consider to be "not their best", I don't care, because they're doing it anyway.
This is something I've been trying to get myself to do lately, which is one of the reasons I started this blog. I am notorious for creating something and then letting it sit on my hard drive for my own personal enjoyment. Someday I'll work up the nerve to share it with all of you. Until then, you get blog posts.
I'll post more traits in future editions, unless I get several angry letters asking me to stop. Which I very well might.
Before I get started, let me explain what I mean by a hero. Hero is a loaded word. I do not mean someone that I hope to completely emulate. In fact, I disagree with many of my heroes' political and/or religious beliefs. However, I can still appreciate their work and support them. To give some examples, I love Paul & Storm, but I wouldn't recommend them to all my friends, since they use an amount of profanity in their music. Some of which I can tolerate, some of which I cannot. There are those that would say that means I shouldn't listen to them at all. While I wish that all of their music was clean and squeaky, I know that's not their way. I can listen to what I can enjoy and leave the rest for everyone else.
A hero doesn't have to be perfect. If you set up that expectation, you will be disappointed. This is something I've learned over the past few years... No one hero in particular has let me down, but if I decide that anyone that I disagree with on a certain issue is no longer worthy of my time... I'm going to have to go and live on a deserted island somewhere. We're not made to be the same. We're made to be complementary.
Everyone still following me? No? Great! Let's get started!
Shared Trait #1: My heroes love sharing their work.
Whether it be their writing, teaching, or musical talent (to give three prominent examples), my heroes find extreme joy in bringing their product to the public (specifically, me). It's not a matter of money or a self-serving egotistical power trip. They have something to share with others, and they WANT to share it.
There's not too much to this. People who want to share their work are more interesting then people who either keep their work to themselves or only share what they do reluctantly. For example, in a hypothetical college speech class, you might be able to tell which students actually care about the speech they're given, and which just want to slide by. The only one who might (MIGHT!) gain more enjoyment from such a speech would be the one giving it. Conversely, the one who enjoys giving the speech will almost certainly provide the audience with a more engaging time, even if the quality of work is not as high.
Notice that I say my heroes love sharing their work. I don't say my heroes constantly share their work, or that my heroes share their best work. Somehow, even when my heroes deliver what they consider to be "not their best", I don't care, because they're doing it anyway.
This is something I've been trying to get myself to do lately, which is one of the reasons I started this blog. I am notorious for creating something and then letting it sit on my hard drive for my own personal enjoyment. Someday I'll work up the nerve to share it with all of you. Until then, you get blog posts.
I'll post more traits in future editions, unless I get several angry letters asking me to stop. Which I very well might.
Friday, August 6, 2010
My Testimony So Far, Part III
And now, the conclusion to this three-part blog series.
God is still working on me, constantly pointing out my sin; not to condemn, but to lovingly correct me and draw me closer to Him. If you ever wonder "How can you call yourself a Christian when you do X, Y, and Z?", there are two possibilities. One, I may be struggling with that particular problem. For example, I still have a prideful habit of ignoring people I don't consider "worth my time". For that, I am truly sorry. I have no excuse for that kind of behavior. The second possibility, though, is that the so-called "Unchristian" behavior may not actually be Unchristian. For example, I don't believe that playing video games is inherently sinful (in most cases. I have some issues with certain games...), nor do I see a problem in making stupid YouTube videos to the glory of God.
For some fellow believers, video games are a temptation to ignore more important things, and therefore they consciously avoid them. For this, I applaud their efforts, and pray for continued success in their efforts. However, until I have such an issue, video games are as sinful to me as books or music; that is, only if there is something sinful about the particular game or if I allow it to interfere with ministering to others.
I've used a lot of Christianese in these posts, which is mostly out of laziness on my behalf. Sorry about that if some of it doesn't quite make sense; I'll be glad to clarify any of it for you if you'd like. Also, I probably could have been a lot clearer... But I have other things on the mind. Like my first plane ride outside the country. Oh, it's already over now, isn't it? Right now I'm probably fast asleep after a hard day of work.
In any case, I have one more scheduled post queued up for this Monday. I'm too tired right now to write one for Wednesday, so that'll have to be a gaping hole in my schedule. Oh well. See you in ~5 days!
God is still working on me, constantly pointing out my sin; not to condemn, but to lovingly correct me and draw me closer to Him. If you ever wonder "How can you call yourself a Christian when you do X, Y, and Z?", there are two possibilities. One, I may be struggling with that particular problem. For example, I still have a prideful habit of ignoring people I don't consider "worth my time". For that, I am truly sorry. I have no excuse for that kind of behavior. The second possibility, though, is that the so-called "Unchristian" behavior may not actually be Unchristian. For example, I don't believe that playing video games is inherently sinful (in most cases. I have some issues with certain games...), nor do I see a problem in making stupid YouTube videos to the glory of God.
For some fellow believers, video games are a temptation to ignore more important things, and therefore they consciously avoid them. For this, I applaud their efforts, and pray for continued success in their efforts. However, until I have such an issue, video games are as sinful to me as books or music; that is, only if there is something sinful about the particular game or if I allow it to interfere with ministering to others.
I've used a lot of Christianese in these posts, which is mostly out of laziness on my behalf. Sorry about that if some of it doesn't quite make sense; I'll be glad to clarify any of it for you if you'd like. Also, I probably could have been a lot clearer... But I have other things on the mind. Like my first plane ride outside the country. Oh, it's already over now, isn't it? Right now I'm probably fast asleep after a hard day of work.
In any case, I have one more scheduled post queued up for this Monday. I'm too tired right now to write one for Wednesday, so that'll have to be a gaping hole in my schedule. Oh well. See you in ~5 days!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
My Testimony So Far, Part II
Here comes part 2!
At some point when I was around 14 or 15, a certain combination of Youth Group, Christian music and mission trips (Not to mention a heapin' spoonful of God's gracious hand) showed me my selfish pride in trusting in my good deeds for my salvation. I realized that being a Christian isn't about memorizing Scripture or even about racking up good deeds, although those things are components of being a Christian.
No, being a Christian means recognizing the vomit-inducing grossness of our sins (Revelation 3:16) and trusting that God is great enough to forgive us through the saving blood of Christ. It means submitting yourself heart, soul, and mind to God and allowing Him to transform you to become more like Him. This process is not easy, nor is it instantaneous. I still struggle with sin, and at times fail completely. But I trust that God is working through all these circumstances to His glory and, ultimately, my eternal benefit.
Stay tuned for part 3 on Friday!
At some point when I was around 14 or 15, a certain combination of Youth Group, Christian music and mission trips (Not to mention a heapin' spoonful of God's gracious hand) showed me my selfish pride in trusting in my good deeds for my salvation. I realized that being a Christian isn't about memorizing Scripture or even about racking up good deeds, although those things are components of being a Christian.
No, being a Christian means recognizing the vomit-inducing grossness of our sins (Revelation 3:16) and trusting that God is great enough to forgive us through the saving blood of Christ. It means submitting yourself heart, soul, and mind to God and allowing Him to transform you to become more like Him. This process is not easy, nor is it instantaneous. I still struggle with sin, and at times fail completely. But I trust that God is working through all these circumstances to His glory and, ultimately, my eternal benefit.
Stay tuned for part 3 on Friday!
Monday, August 2, 2010
My Testimony So Far, Part I
12 hours from when I write this, I'll be at the airport, getting ready for a 10-day mission trip to the Dominican Republic. This morning, I was challenged once again to share the gospel more often. So, since I'm supposed to have my testimony ready to share in the trip, I suppose I could also share it with all of you. So, I've set up my blog to autopost the three parts this week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. For the next Monday and Wednesday, I'll post some other material... If I get around to writing it.
The story of what God has done in my life is best begun with my conversion. To be honest, I don't remember it well; I was around six years old, still living in Connecticut at the time, and on the way home from church on, if I recall correctly, Easter Sunday of that year. It used to bother me that this experience was shadowy in my memory. Now, though, I realize that this event, while extremely meaningful, was only the beginning of God working on me.
For the next six to eight years, I was the typical (maybe stereotypical) church brat. I knew all the answers in Sunday School, could find all the verses, etc. Behavior-wise, I was pretty good. I seem to remember going through a brief period of "I'm the most important person in the world and everything is everyone else's fault" (it may not have been as dramatic as all that, but that's what I was saying in my mind), but generally speaking, I was a good kid.
Rather than padding it out with fluff, I'll just leave it there for now. I need to stretch for two more installments, and I'm already 12 to 14 years old, after all. Look forward to another post on Wednesday.
No random thoughts until I get back. I'm barely scratching this out as it is.
The story of what God has done in my life is best begun with my conversion. To be honest, I don't remember it well; I was around six years old, still living in Connecticut at the time, and on the way home from church on, if I recall correctly, Easter Sunday of that year. It used to bother me that this experience was shadowy in my memory. Now, though, I realize that this event, while extremely meaningful, was only the beginning of God working on me.
For the next six to eight years, I was the typical (maybe stereotypical) church brat. I knew all the answers in Sunday School, could find all the verses, etc. Behavior-wise, I was pretty good. I seem to remember going through a brief period of "I'm the most important person in the world and everything is everyone else's fault" (it may not have been as dramatic as all that, but that's what I was saying in my mind), but generally speaking, I was a good kid.
Rather than padding it out with fluff, I'll just leave it there for now. I need to stretch for two more installments, and I'm already 12 to 14 years old, after all. Look forward to another post on Wednesday.
No random thoughts until I get back. I'm barely scratching this out as it is.
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