August 2010
2 posts
I've Got An Idea
I’ve got an idea…
Tonight as I sit in bed, memorizing 50 new words for GRE, Fantastic Mr. Fox is playing in the background. In the midst of cramming words like refulgent, laconic, and garrulous into my cranium, I can’t help but stop and soak in the artistic beauty of this film. When I watch, my left brain becomes entranced from the get-go. My eyes lock onto this crafty fox as he...
A Lot Can Happen In 48 Hours
It’s officially been one week since the 48 Hour Film Project hit Nashville, TN, and I have yet to officially recover. Six sporadic hours of sleep over two days has a way of doing that to a man. Anyway, I digress…
For those who are unfamiliar with the 48, it’s a creative, chaotic perennial contest where filmmakers are asked to go above and beyond the call of duty. After drawing a...
July 2010
4 posts
Monumental
Today was one of those days where the heat blast from opening your car door gives you goosebumps. Yes, Nashville was nothing short of a smoldering inferno, but that didn’t stop our brave group of Summer Scholars from making their way to the Parthenon for an afternoon of frisbee that fell nothing short of monumental.
I was the first on the scene, arriving at around 2:15pm. Under the white...
Twee2k
Tonight I reached a new plane of social media enlightenment. I have reached tweet number 2,000.
When I think back over the compilation of 2,000 thoughts characterized in 140 characters or less, a piece, I recall a lot of good times, funny videos, intriguing articles, and playful stabs at fellow tweeters. Ah, this presents a most satisfactory opportunity to tell the tale of my first...
The Rockets' Red Glare O'er Music City
We all take our own approach to individual liberty. Myself, I enjoy taking full advantage of our Constitution’s First Amendment which prohibits any law from, among other things, “infringing on the freedom of speech.” Last Sunday night, on our nation’s 234th birthday, I demonstrated this liberty by screaming “AMERICA” at the top of my lung from the Shelby Street...
Relighting the Fire
The summer sun is hammering hard in Nashville, so I’ve been attempting to limit the hours I spend outdoors. This has led me down a path where I find myself watching and studying a lot of films. Over the last week, I’ve entered the world of award-winning filmmaker, Wes Anderson. In fact, The Life Aquatic is playing in the background as I’m typing. His films, like The Royal...
June 2010
1 post
God Opens Doors
On my way home from work today, I had a phone conversation with my mother. During our chat, she asked me about my life, my new job, and all the essential motherly questions. I also told her about the film projects I’ve been working on, including an professional internship offer for later this summer. After assuring her that I was making enough money to buy groceries, which are an...
May 2010
2 posts
A Capital Adventure
This week I had the chance to road trip up to Washington, D.C. with two of the coolest girls you could ever hope to meet. My last visit to the nation’s capital was over a year ago, so I was thrilled to be back in town. With the rainy and dreary weather on hand, I began to doubt that the sun shined anymore in D.C., but weather aside, I could not have had a better time.
To kick our D.C....
Welcome to Nashlantis
It’s astonishing how we take for granted God’s creation. We spill oil into the sea and pollute earth’s beauty, but we are completely at nature’s mercy when the rains begin to fall and the wind starts to howl.
This weekend Tennessee saw the wrath of mother nature as waters rose well above minimum flood levels. Mayor Dean went as far to declare Davidson county is in a...
April 2010
4 posts
Become Like Children
Today , as I stood in my backyard, I experienced one of those so called “awe inspiring” moments…
“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3-4)
My old friend, Eric, was in town from Denver with his wife...
The Sleep Out To End Malaria: Nashville
In 2008, The World Health Organization (WHO) reported “Half of the world’s population is at risk of malaria, and an estimated 243 million cases led to an estimated 863 000 deaths.” 863,000 people died, in 2008, at the hands of a completely preventable disease! Shocking, isn’t it?
The carrier you may ask? A simple, small, stealthy female anopheles mosquito.
...
Social Justice Hits The Lipscomb Scene
Isaiah 1:17 - “Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.”
In case you’ve lived under a rock this year, IJM is the newest social justice club to hit the Lipscomb scene.
International Justice Mission (IJM) is an international nonprofit that battles injustices like slavery, sexual exploitation, and...
One Day Without Shoes
Imagine growing up without a pair of shoes to call your own. Imagine that have to walk miles every time you go to school, every time you need medical help, or even every time you want water. If facing the daily risk of cuts, infection, and parasites wasn’t enough, you may not even be allowed to attend school based simply on the fact that you can’t afford footwear. This is a reality for...
March 2010
2 posts
Broadway Via Drive-In
Last night was a night I will never forget.
It all began after the 1st annual IJM Dance Party Nashville came to a triumphant close at Rocketown. Around 11:45pm Ben Carpenter, Anna Albonetti, Rachel Pierce, Summer Cassilly, & I were all sitting around waiting to wrap things up, dreaming about a way overdue trip to Taco Bell on Broadway. Then, out of nowhere, two LU prospective students, Taylor...
Guatemalan Adventure
On February 5th, 2010 I hopped off a plane in Guatemala City. As our team of eight loaded into our rental trucks only a few things were for certain - The air was warm, I was hungry, and we were definitely not in Nashville anymore.
After grabbing our first traditional Guatemalan meal at Burger King (“Rey de Hamburguesa” for our Spanish speaking readers), we began our four-hour trek northbound...
February 2010
5 posts
Welcome to The Cove
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” - Dr. MLKJ
Last week I heard about a new documentary called The Cove. It was awarded audience favorite at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and is currently nominated to win an Oscar or best documentary of the year. So, I decided to check it out.
I quickly learned that 23,000 dolphins are brutally slaughtered annually in a...
Vida Me Asombra
This week my life was shown an intriguing new door.
Several days ago I was approached by a member a Lipscomb’s Missions Department with a surprising opportunity. I was asked to take a weekend a trip to Guatemala, a trip that would take place in 2 weeks. This is all the information he could share with me at the time, so of course, I said I was on board.
Since this initial offer,...
Super Bowl XLIV
Who Dat!?!? Geaux Saints!
Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints for winning their 1st Super Bowl tonight. The Indianapolis Colts gave a great effort, but just couldn’t match the Saints in the second half. The photo above does a brilliant job of capturing the emotional climax of the night as Tracy Porter darts to the endzone to score on an interception thrown by Peyton Manning. This is...
Defining That Ultimate Goal
Tonight during a discussion of missions and service, I heard a common phrase emerge. That phrase went something like this: “Our ultimate goal as Christians is to go to heaven.”
If you conduct a Google Image search for the term “heaven” you’ll immediately see pics of golden gates, clouds breaking, rainbows, frilly walkways into the sky, and the cute narrative image...
The Great Nashville Blizzard of 2010
The following is a detailed account from a survivor of the Great Nashville Blizzard of 2010.
Friday January 29th
9:50am: Awoke to a cacophony of “Snowy Nashville” tweets.
9:52am: Opened my window blinds to discover the tweets were accurate. Lipscomb was a winter wonderland.
11:00am: Boldly faced the icy conditions to give prospective families a tour of LU.
11:15am: Realized...
January 2010
5 posts
Life!
Tonight I caught a sneak peak of Discovery’s newest masterpiece, Life.
(For all you Planet Earth lovers out there, Life is the next step in the awe inspiring series.)
What follows is the epic tale of how I came to discover Planet Earth…
During spring break of 2009 I decided to stay in Nashville to do a local mission trip. After strenuous days of physical labor, I would return home...
Sticking It To The Man
Last night Conan O’Brien stuck it to NBC with a $1.5 million skit which includes the world’s most expensive car, the Bugatti Veyron, brilliantly dressed as a mouse while the original mastered version of the Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction” plays in the background. Is the skit on its own funny? No. Is it crazy expensive? In the words of O’Brien, “Hell yes!” And with this combination, the skit is...
Role Model/Entertainer (and not the other way...
It’s impossible to turn on a TV these days without being let down by your favorite sports figures. In an era monopolized by thugs, steroid junkies, and adulterers, I often find it discouraging to flip on the news. Bad news sells, plain and simple.
I’ve heard it said all too often that athletes are entertainers, not role models. And in most cases, this is probably a good rule to go by,...
Commitment.
Yesterday Lane Kiffin took the football head coaching position at the University of Southern California. Kiffin, after spending 1 year with the University of Tennessee, shattered his contract and is on his way to the west coast. At first, this didn’t bother me, but sources have now disclosed that he will be taking several critical members of the coaching staff to USC and several top recruits...
Unique, New York
I blogged earlier this school year that I was torn between the Lipscomb mission trip to NYC and the trip to Cozumel. For those of you that don’t know, I wound up choosing the path to Cozumel. My sister, on the other hand, decided to join the winter break team bound for NYC. Unfortunately, as the New Year approached my sister became ill and wasn’t able to make make the trip. With very...
December 2009
2 posts
My Top 10 Favorite Christmas Movies (Of All Time)
10. Mickey’s Christmas Carol - Disney compressed the classic Christmas Carol story into 24 minutes. What’s not to like?
9. White Christmas - When global warming melts the polar ice caps and snow becomes a figment of the past, this film may very well be the only way to prove to our children that “snow” actually existed.
8. The Reason For The Season - This...
Planet Earth Muffins
Tonight marked the final Muffin Monday of 2009. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this festive weekly event, every Monday night a group of dedicated muffin eaters gather in Apartment 206 to feast on muffins - tasty scrumptious delicious muffins!
Last night, as I was attempting to study for finals, I decided to pop Planet Earth in the DVD for the first time in a long time. As I laid in bed...
November 2009
5 posts
The Greatest Sports Moment Of My Life
The clock showed 2:37 in the 4th quarter, the Arizona Cardinals leading the Tennessee Titans 17-13, when Vince Young was handed the football on the Titans’ own 1 yard line. I can not even begin to presume what nickname will be chosen for the drive that followed.
Every fan at LP Field was on their feet as the final minutes began to run out. It seemed like the Cardinals would deliver a...
Recycling Initiative: Day 1
Last weekend as I left LP Field, after an huge Titans win over the Bills, I grabbed a water bottle off the ground to throw away on my way out. My reasoning was that it would make the stadium cleaners’ job a little bit easier. As I walked down the corridor I triumphantly shot the Dasani bottle into the nearby trash can just like Kobe. As the bottle rained flawlessly into the receptacle I...
Pregaming for Anteaters' Ball
Tonight at 6:30pm the doors of Alumni Auditorium will open here at Lipscomb University. The crowd will flock through the double doors to see what they know will be the show of a lifetime. In the midst of all the fun and spectacle, it’s easy to get caught up in the flow. But here’s what it’s all about:
Tonight marks the 6th annual Anteaters’ Ball. Each year the men of Alpha...
Winning Out
No team in NFL history has ever started a season 0-6 and still made the playoffs. This is fact. To do so would require a team to win 9 or, more likely, all 10 of your final games. Impossible right?
Well, tell that to Chris Johnson.
Earlier this week, Chris Johnson had this to say: “We really believe like we can … like we started off 10-0 last year … before we played Jacksonville, we...
Trunk or Treat!
Halloween…..
I remember the good ole days of dressing up like a Ninja Turtle and driving around the countryside to trick or treat. These are some of my fondest memories and I wish everyone could experience Halloween just as I did. However, things have changed since I was a youngster. The economy isn’t as bright and cheery, gas is more expensive, and neighbors have seemingly become...
October 2009
7 posts
A Lot Can Change In 19 Years
This semester I’m enrolled in a Biblical Ethics course taught by Lipscomb’s renowned Dr. Camp. I’ve had countless people illustrate how this course will “change my life” and “help me see the world from a completely new perspective.” I have to admit that at first, I was a bit skeptical. Through my traveling and learning over the past few years I’ve...
Best Fall Break Ever - Chicago Style
Fall Break… After overcoming the first half of a chaotic semester, this was a much needed vacation (even if it is only one day). With a 3 day weekend to do whatever I wanted, there were just so many choices. What was a guy to do??
How about… CHICAGO!
Ahh Chicago… After a 7 hour red-eye drive, we had finally arrived in the windy city. As the clock rolled around to 5:00am,...
Reflections of IJM Benefit Nashville
Tonight I had the incredible opportunity to attend the International Justice Mission’s Benefit Dinner in Nashville, TN. “IJM is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals work with local officials to ensure immediate victim rescue and aftercare, to...
The Code Blue Blues
If you had told me this summer that my Titans would be 0-5 at this point, I would have called you a dirty, dirty liar. Then I probably would have even punched you face for your gridiron blasphemy.
Well, it’s October 12, 2009, and the Titans are indeed 0-5. And with all of our defensive injuries and upcoming schedule, a sudden improvement doesn’t seem likely.
Still, regardless...
And the Missions Madness Begins
Tonight was the annual “Missions Fair” at Lipscomb University. Close to 40 teams were represented, sending trips to 6 of the 7 continents (Sorry Antarctica). Since I’m a senior, this may be my last chance to partake in a Lipscomb Mission trip. Gotta make this one count. So many choices, so little time.
During my time at Lipscomb University I’ve been part of several...
Complacency, Meet Gandalf
Do you ever fall victim to complacency?
Then I would like to introduce you to my friend, Gandalf.
I’m currently watching Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. As I’m enjoying this epic piece in film history, I can’t help but notice the stagnant rut that King Theoden has fallen in. The man just sits around entranced all day while his kingdom runs itself right into the...
Loving My City
I drive on her streets cause shes my companion. I walk through her hills cause she knows who I am. She sees my good deeds and she kisses me windy. I never worry now that is a lie.
Nashville, my city, how I love you.
Since I’ve joined the Ethos family here in Nashville, I’ve been attending house church every Wednesday night out in Hermitage. Tonight we set out to love our city, so...
September 2009
5 posts
Not Your Typical Blog About Owls
Words cannot express the sensation of “Good New Music.”
Every once in a while I fall into these stagnant periods where I need something new to snap the chains of complacency. Being the Electronica/Party Rock junkie I am, I’m starting to fall into the Owl City kick. This is the first new music train I’ve hopped on since I gave Innerpartysystem a ride a few weeks back,...
Black Lights and Laser Sights
White shirts may look radiantly cool under black lights, but wearing one gives away all hope of camouflage in the unforgiving world of laser tag. I learned this lesson in middle school, and it still holds true today.
Tonight I was invited to cheap-date function which ended in an extreme game of laser tag at Nashville’s esteemed Laser Quest. This was the first time I’ve been to Laser...
It's Only a Game... (Keep telling yourself that)
I can’t express how much I enjoyed watching Chris Johnson score touchdowns for 57, 69, and 91 yards during today’s game. Each touchdown was followed by a traditional high five from my dad and the supporting cast of section 116, making it all the sweeter.
However, I can’t express how much I hated watching Matt Schaub pass for 4 touchdowns during today’s game, even if his...
At The End of Slavery - Trailer Contest
Exciting news for IJM followers - they’ve just created a new film titled “At The End of Slavery.” This inspiring film is 33 minutes of chilling footage, insightful interviews, and , oh yeah, it’s narrated by Danny Glover! (Mad love for Angels in the Outfield/Lethal Weapon 1,2, & 4 ((sorry 3)) We plan on having an on campus screening here at Lipscomb University in...
First Edition
As I sit down to write my first post, I ponder what to blog about. This is a pivotal point in my blog-life, as a poor first blog spells inevitable unpopularity. So to get things started I shuffle through my Third Eye Blind playlist and get focused. A moment passes and my eyes wander up to the television to reveal none other than Bear Grylls pulling a 30lb catfish out of the water with his bare...