Thoughts

I guess my non-sports thoughts have been simmering for a bit. All this Sports-Blitzing has been awesome, but there's more goin' on in this ol' noggin than that!

Church has been awesome lately. Pastor has been seriously hittin' in the kitchen w/ some great Word. I have been challenged and I hope the rest of the church has too. I pray the people all get fired up about spreading the gospel all over Clarksville and impacting our community.

Candy is happy, and we all know when momma's happy, everyone else can be happy! She changed jobs and it has made all the difference. Instead of waking at 5ish and getting home at 7ish most nights, now she has a manageable schedule. I felt bad for her for a while, so I'm glad she has what she wants/needs now.

One of my best friends, Jarod, is about to go to Africa for 2 years after joining the Peace Corps. It still sounds crazy, but not really out of the norm for Tall. This is the same dude that decided on an internship in HAWAII, as opposed to one in Russellville. I love that dude and his wife Sarah, and I hope they have massive inheritances one day for the good they will do the world through their ministry.

I'm sure I could sit here all night, but it's bedtime. I'll write more later.

Dear Blog:

Sorry it's taken so long to write. I feel like I'm cheating on you with that other blog (The Sports Blitz). I have neglected you so long the year has changed and it's been weeks since I last put finger to keyboard about something random and mostly thoughtless.

I have been busy with school. My classes are interesting for the most part, all Journalism classes with a P.E. basketball class thrown in there.

Church has been awesome, new faces and a beach scene the past two weeks! It takes a little while to get it all set up, but it's worth it to see the youth's faces as they see the sand and tiki torches!

I am learning a little about radio and editing audio for my show, that has been pretty cool! I would like to get better at this whole radio gig and maybe get to another level one day.

I think that's about it for now, just a lot of schoolin', workin', and churchin' these days. Let's try to keep it rollin'!

We're all growin' up so fast...

Jarod and I were talkin' about the "good ol' days" and all our memories from back in the day. We talked about the 3 years we spent living together doing the most random, stupid things we could think of, and the funny exploits we will remember forever.

Some of my favorites were brought back to mind when Tall sent me a link to a new YouTube video he and Dustin made of them dancing to Justin Timberlake. Classic.

It made me think of how our parents used to tell us we were growing up and that time would fly by and blah, blah, blah... Only it isn't so much blah anymore, it's true!

It seems like just yesterday we were all together at The Pad, yuckin' it up like astronauts and quoting random movies like there was no tomorrow.

Now Dustin, Jarod, Brad, Josh, and I are all married and life has hit us all squarely between the eyes (Phil, not to be forgotten, has a serious lady friend, and she gets the stamp of approval!). It's not all bad, we have all had great experiences with our significant others, but it just makes me all sentimental to remember the good times and how we're all growin' up so fast!

The New World Order---at least as far as media is concerned

Civic journalism is becoming THE journalism, which gives hope to measly little stringers and free lancers like myself.

Newspapers are folding (no pun intended), and the field that may be most needed in society, the one with the ability to get information to consumers and voters, is struggling. Stories are still breaking, as people are still stupid all over the world, but mainstream media outlets may be falling behind the pack. That pack is the supposed lower-class, under-appreciated, little guy blogger or hard-working free lancer who busts his or her butt in an effort to be the first on the scene.

The big boys, NBC, CBS, Fox News, CNN, and the like, are responsible for fact-checking and absolutely confirming leads before they can feel comfortable running a story. This absolution of fact takes time and much more depth of reporting than what limited civic journalists can do.

But with stories like Tiger Woods' "accident" being broken by TMZ or other sketchy National Enquirer-esque outlets, what is the outcome going to be? Will journalism be changed by a few people who decide to quickly report that there is more to a story than a major player will confirm?

Will this question change the ethics of professional journalism?

I hope not.

I would rather see facts slowly come out as information is sorted out than to have to sift through tons of junk information to get to the real meat.

Does this mean I have counted myself out as a reporter of the news as a so called "little guy?"

Nope.

I just hope to become a high-quality journalist with the highest level of ethics possible while still getting the job done.

I hope I get the chance.

My Favorite Neighborhood Serial Killer

So I understand murder is wrong. The 10 Commandments specifically forbid it, and I will preface this entire post with this disclaimer.



But I'm addicted to watching a master murderer in action.

Matt Baxley piqued my interest in the Showtime series Dexter, a show about a serial killer. I heard about the show as it was beginning, but never really thought enough about it to watch.

Truthfully, had it not been for an internet site i watch previous episodes of my favorite TV shows on, i may never have sought out Dexter.

When I was in junior high my mom thought I was crazy because I checked out a book about serial killers from the library. I didn't have an explanation for it; I wasn't gonna kill anyone.

It just interested me how these seemingly normal guys (and gals, I suppose) could go about their business pulling off a double life for so long, and KILL people on the side.

I wondered what enabled them to get away with it for so long, what in the world would drive a person to do some of the horrendous things I read about, and what were the neighbors thinking when Jeffrey Dahmer rolled up to the house with a bunch of 50 gallon drums?

All this drove my interest in a show about a lovable serial killer, Dexter Morgan.

I'll spare all the details of back-story and plot lines, but Dexter had a traumatic experience that led him to killing things, beginning with annoying animals as a youngster.

Eventually, however, he turns to killing people. According to the "code of Harry," his adoptive father Dexter's "dark passenger" should be used for good.

So in Harry's twisted logic, killing people who have escaped justice or have killed and will kill innocent people again is justified.

He uses this "code" to pick his victims, who are always deserving, according to Dexter. Working for the Miami Metro Police Department as a blood spatter analyst makes access to tools and a knowledge of how to cover his tracks available to him.

The show chronicles Dexter's life as he tries to be as normal as possible; making friends, being involved in the community, and even finding a girl friend. His #1 rule, don't get caught. A normal looking life is essential to keeping up the facade.

Every episode I've seen thus far (I'm into the current season, season 4, episode 6) has made me like the guy more and more.

He's a SERIAL KILLER! What is wrong with me?! I guess it just seems like "taking out the garbage" as Dexter calls it, is something we all wish we could do. The show just has the guts to make the protagonist and resident good guy a mass murderer.

If you have the stomach for it (which I will admit, the language is rough and Showtime has never been too strict on a clothing policy) I say you should take an hour and try the show on for size.

If you like it, I'm not crazy; if you don't, suit yourself!

Been a long time

Looking at my last post I see it has been a long time since my last thoughts. Since I last posted USC has lost (TWICE), Florida has been more than tested by Arkansas (which I didn't think was possible) and the Gators, Crimson Tide, and Shorthorns have separated themselves from the rest of the FBS. It looks like an SEC champion will be in the NC Game vs. (most likely) Texas.

As of now USC is looking like a possible at large BCS team because of Oregon's tie breaker with USC that will send the Ducks to the Rose Bowl vs. Ohio State or Iowa. Somehow USC will manage to get matched up with Cincinnati or TCU or Boise State and drill them like Georgia did Hawaii a couple years ago. I shouldn't say that, because a Boise State-Oklahoma or Utah-Alabama type game may come from this bowl season, where a David takes down a Goliath, (isn't that how it should always be? I'm pretty sure every time I read the Bible, David wins!) but USC is injury riddled and still adjusting to a freshman QB.

It should be an interesting finish to the season in college football, stay tuned for some NFL knowledge!

College Football

So as I write this USC is struggling with Ohio State (trailing 15-10 in the 4th) and Oklahoma State has already lost. We could very easily see two top-five teams go down today.

#1 Florida rolled again this afternoon, granted it was against a less than scary Troy team that is not nearly the level of competition USC and Okie St. play

ed today. I still wonder if Florida has a weakness and even if they do the more important question may be; who can exploit it?

They have small backs, but a man for a QB that can make the tough runs on short yardage. Their receivers are young, but they have Riley Cooper and Aaron Hernandez back with experience.

Their defense may be a little suspect, but even if they are, can anyone outscore them?

I'm not sure at this point I could point out one team and say they would even hang with the Gators for 60 minutes.

Texas maybe? They struggled with mighty Wyoming in the first half today, and I'm not saying teams shouldn't be allowed to start slow, but being tied with the Cowboys at the half? Maybe the Dallas Cowboys.

I would have thought Oklahoma could give Florida a good game this year after making last year's national championship competitive but with Bradford and Gresham going down with injuries, I'm taking them out of the mix as well

It looks like Georgia will survive South Carolina, but I fully expect them

to run

into a buzzsaw next week in Fayetteville against a team that is on the record as saying they have game planned all summer for the Bulldogs. No homerism needed to know that if SC can put up 37 points on Georgia, Ryan Mallett, Michael Smith, and the UA receiving corp will be licking their chops.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, thank God for football! Because nothing else brings the excitement of a new season and the hope that believes your team can take on anyone...

Anyone but Florida.