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.

Who knew we would need this stuff again?

I should have listened in English 11!!!

I came to Advanced Editing today expecting to hear A LECTURE about parts of speech and sentence structure. I had no idea Professor Nyandwi would have us diagramming sentences like we did in high school.

Its' been nearly eight years since I took a class requiring this knowledge, so naturally most of it has slipped my mind.

I'm glad there are only two of us in the class and she is dumber than me. I'm gonna be perfectly honest; I'm not sure that last sentence is proper english (or this sentence for that matter).

I plan to write what makes sense to me, and I can usually put together a coherent sentence.

But should I be reconsidering my major?

Please tell me I'm not the only one who blanked out in class when we were supposed to be learning where to put the gerund on stilts!!!

I should point out that I am still in class while Teach is blabbering about grammar up front, so maybe if I stop typing and pay attention i'll learn something...

That's probably wishful thinking.

Are you ready for some football?!

This is the best time of year, hands down. I get almost giddy about the prospect of playing flag football, watching the Hogs, and who can forget America's team?! Oh Yeah!

This year my flag football team has more talent than ever before, the Hogs have a QB (finally), and the Cowboys have Felix Jones.

This could be the best year of my life!

I mean, i got to be a part of a state and regional intramural championship team, won several softball championships, married the woman of my dreams.... Does it get any better?!

Well all signs point to an amazing fall , so it's full speed ahead into what hopefully eclipses last year.

This year, along with playing ball, I get to watch some youngins grow too. Something tells me that will be as rewarding as winning myself!

Religion vs. Jesus

I keep seeing evidence that friends of mine or students i have been around in the past have had bad experiences with religion. My very simple yet hopefully uplifting prayer for you is this; if you have had bad things happen to you in church or have found church to be a place where you find nothing you seek... try Jesus

I feel this strong on my heart, there are many people who have encountered the spirit of Jezebel in the modern church. The spirit of Jezebel will try to kill anything it cannot control. Understand, this is not of God and is not an accurate representation of what God wants his bride (the church) to be.

From Jesus' day to today the "religious people" have been blinded by rules and regulations and have struggled to weed out the people who aren't like them and won't allow anyone who doesn't conform to their idea of what church should be inside their clique.

I say, let em have their church... give me Jesus.

I've found that religious people will fail me over and over, and the feelings I will be left with will be disgust and disdain for the whole scene. But once I decided people would no longer hinder my attempt to know Him more, the floodgates of change opened.

The bible says in Philipians that we are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Does that excuse us from church? Not hardly. We are stronger in numbers; in fact our strength grows exponentially with just 1 person agreeing with us, "One can chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight."

What i'm getting at is that no matter how many people have let you down or how church people treat you, there is an escape from the opinionated evil attitudes of men, and his name is Jesus.

One moment in His presence will make all the hurt of the past feel like ancient history. How? Because as a friend that sticks closer than a brother, Jesus wants to bring us abundant life and a peace that passes understanding. Life is never easy, but without Jesus you will never be satisfied.

Please don't look at this as a cliche ploy to get you to come to my church, because it has nothing to do with me. This is about you. Give a day to Jesus and ask him to change your life. He will blow your mind. If you need anything else, let me know...

I'm here for you...

Back to school

We all remember the feeling of anxiety and optimism that accompany a new school year. It gives a chance for a fresh start, or maybe just means we are one year closer to being finished forever.

I'm getting old though, so I'm starting to think a little differently.

Am I nuts to not want it to be over? I have been in school since 1991 (excusing a couple financial aid caused "breaks") and i am feeling a little bit of dissappointment in the fact that this may be the last year of my academic life. Don't get me wrong, i am no nerd, class is not something I look forward to. But after several years living the college life and a summer break full of the real world, I am not so sure I wouldn't rather stay in school forever.

I miss the good old days of high school; basketball practice bright and early (ok, not my favorite part), hangin' out with the gang, and spending ZERO $ on living expenses.

And college has been even more fun. No curfew, no early classes, FREEDOM!!! And now it's down to this. One more year for it all, then on to quickly becoming a fat, bald, old man I will surely be.

My advice to those who have a little time left in HS or college, please please please leave your mark and do your best to have no regrets once it's all said and done. I wish I would have been where i needed to be in my life to be a witness at CHS back in the day.

If you are feeling down about the fact that your summer is gone and it's time to go back to school I say this; when life gives ya lemons, make lemonade... If there is a way to make your campus a better place than when you got there, do what it takes. I have always said I want my life to matter, i want to leave the world a better place. I want the small little dash on my tombstone separating my birth and death dates to be absolutely incapable of telling my story.

I want the same for you.

PS. I love my life and my wife and wouldn't trade them for the world, but my point remains; make the most of the time you have, and live life to the fullest!!!

Did Tiger choke???

So Tiger Woods lost the PGA Championship today after holding a 54-hole lead and a 14-0 record when starting Sunday in the lead of a major.

But my question is this... Did Tiger choke or did Y.E. Yang just outplay him?

I had no doubt Tiger would run away and hide today; there was no way he would lose a major on Sunday with a 2 stroke head start. Tiger losing today could mean only one thing... The biggest chokejob of his career. And coming from arguably the best of all time, that aint happenin'...

The circumstances of the day set up perfectly for another storybook finish. Tiger struggled all day long with the putter, and even allowed Yang to sneak up on him and (gasp!) pass him!!!

But before you think this is an open and shut case, think about this. Tiger was 2 over on the day and trailed Yang by one stroke heading to the 18th tee. He still had a chance to put major pressure on Yang by smokin' a drive down the fairway, which he did.

What happened next was pretty cool.

Instead of laying up safely on the green with his second shot, Yang, who knew Tiger had to shoot for the flag, took his fate into his own hands and took aim himself. As soon as he stuck his shot within feet of the hole Tiger was toast and I was on my way out the door.

So although Tiger did lose his lead throughout the day in very un-Tigeresque fashion, he had a chance at the end and for the first time had a seemingly inevitable victory snatched from him.

My opinion is that someone finally stood up in the face of the immense pressure of Tiger, and beat him at his own game...

What do you think???

Michael Vick's biggest problem

Why is Michael Vick getting so much more fuss than other law breakers like Cleveland Browns WR Donte Stallworth?

Yeah, he was involved in some terrible stuffD. Dog fighting is disgusting to me, and I'm not particularly fond of animals. But ESPN and other outlets spend so much time talking about Vick and addressing the backlash that would (and now will) follow a team signing him.

Why?

Because he was too famous.

Donte Stallworth killed a man. Hit him with his SUV and took his life. Stallworth was drunk and high when he got in the SUV to drive, what good did he think was going to come of that?

Point is, both have paid their debt to society by spending time behind bars. Vick spent 24 months either in prison or home confinement, while Stallworth spent 24 DAYS in jail. Personally, i think Stallworth got off way too easily. Either way, they messed up and they paid for it.

So why did people talk about showing up to picket and demonstrate their displeasure with Vick if he signed with an NFL team? I believe it all has to do with money.

Michael Vick was the highest paid player in NFL history at the time of his suspension, after he inked a 10-year $130 million deal in 2005.

Stallworth isn't nearly as famous as Vick, and doesn't make nearly the $ Vick did.

I think it's about time to drop the whole conversation about Vick the criminal and get back to Vick the football player.

Yes, people still have his story fresh on their minds and many are upset that he is getting a second chance, but after losing well over $100 million, (including endorsements) several properties, and his job, wouldn't you say he's been punished enough?

I think Vick deserves the second chance he's been given by the Philadelphia Eagles, and although I'll be rooting for his team to fail miserably (as a Cowboys fan, it's in the DNA), i want to see Vick succeed. Because i want to believe that although people fall they are capable of getting up, dusting themselves off, and becoming a productive member of society.

You'd better agree, cause next time it may be you who needs the forgiveness...

By the way...

While I'm thinking about football, (who am I kidding, I'm always thinking about football) The Cowboys kick off the preseason tonight, Lord please keep Felix healthy this year!

Cannot wait til the Hogs get started, all will be well in the world...

If there is a better time of year, I have no recollection of it now.

This blows Christmas out of the water, i never got cool stuff anyway... Haha i sure hope my mom doesn't read this!

I think we need to have city league sports for old people in Clarksville, maybe i'll pitch that around town... There has to be more available than softball as far as organized sports go. Basketball, Flag Football???

Here Goes Nothin'

Never done this before, but i have thoughts and sometimes feel like they have nowhere to go... Since I'm a little weird and want to know if anyone agrees w/ my outlandish ideas and/or "brain splatters," what better way than to publish it for the world (or whoever is bored enough) to see?!

There will be everything from sports to church to the most random things to cross my brain, so anyone who wonders how this blog got its name will quickly find out... I'm not normal... and that's a good thing.

Lately, church has consumed me. More importantly than that, REAL has consumed me. I knew there was more to God than religion and denomination and church as usual, i had experienced enough to know that. But the students i have been blessed with have sparked in me a desire for more than "normal."

It may sound cliche but status quo isn't good enough for them, i can tell by the way they show up on Tuesday nights for prayer and Bible Study and Wednesday nights to service, and more importantly, by the way they respond in service on Sunday. There is more available than show up, leave, repeat... There has to be.

We are walking through doors that lead us into places many people only talk about. Does that make us any better than anyone else? No. We have been just as jacked up as anyone in the past, but the point is, there is MORE than just salvation for the believer. I've heard before if God wanted you saved just so you could go to heaven he would've knocked you upside the head on the day you were saved... He wants us to reflect Him...

That's enough for now, i'll talk about reflection later... If you get it, it'll change your life...