The van ride: What are you here for?

Okay, so the guys get into the “guys” van. Our attractive charm is obviously coming out as two girls approach the van, look in, and decide to jump into the “girls” van. This could definitely turn into one of those sixth grade dances where the guys and girls stand on opposite sides of the ballroom, staring at each other. We will see how that goes for the rest of the week. The following guys rode in a church van with me. I asked them a basic question: what are you hoping to achieve, learn, or gain from your week in Port St. Joe’s while serving in the community and worshipping God in his beautiful creation?

“I will enjoy meeting some new friends and learning some applicable things in my relationship with the Lord.”

-Luke Hanson

“I want to get more plugged in with the college ministry while serving my fellow classmates and the people in town.”

-Mack Outlaw

“I hope to witness growth in the Kingdom as well as in my own personal relationship with Christ.”

-Stephen Thurman

“Trace called me and asked me to be a construction leader, which is definitely out of my element. I am hoping to invest my time and energy into people to enhance personal relationships with others and honestly just have a lot of fun.”

-Lee Reeves

“As the old, wise man, my first goal is that everyone we come into contact with who does not know Christ will come to know Him through our involvement. My second goal is that everyone on crew eleven has so many blisters that they cannot grip a hammer upon our return back to Auburn. My wife wears the pants in the family, and she tells me what my goals are. My family hopes to start taking more mission, volunteer opportunities such as this. It is imperative that my children understand what mission and giving is truly about. My five year old daughter may genuinely know more about the Bible than myself. She tells me something new every day. She is like a sponge. If you teach a child something early, they will soak it up.”

-“Chaperone” Jonathan Tinsley

“I am single and on the market. No joke, trips like this are relationship factories. I would not be surprised if Facebook relationship statuses change hourly.”

-Anonymous

While this last person asked to remain anonymous for obvious reasons, there is some truth to the comment. We will grow in relationships with people. We will get to know each other. While it may only be on a friendship level, people will grow in community with one another as we realize “we are all in this together.”

Hands: The Message of Hope

Psalms 39:7
"But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.

Psalms 119:74
May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your word.

Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Hebrews 3:6
But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.

This week I came across this anonymous character on YouTube who goes by the screen name of “MadV.” It is definitely a rip off of the movie, V for Vendetta, but what he has done is an original message of simplicity that people in the digital community have clung to and joined not just as observers but as followers. I believe his aim is to send a message of hope around the world that illustrates simple, powerful texts written on the palms of people’s hands in the context of the world we live in (often in our homes, dorm rooms, or apartments where our computers might be). I have heard this digital movement mentioned as several different things, one of them being “We’re all in this together.” If you watch the YouTube video below, I think you will be moved by the truth in the ordinary sayings written in palms of our own hands.

This week we are going on a journey not far from our home here in Auburn, Alabama. While I love writing on my blog for my Fab Five Fan Club, our underlying theme and motive of the week should be to bring hope in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. I often communicate with those in the Deaf Community using my hands for every contextual meaning one might say in the construction of language. The hands become symbols of language and symbols of communication all in one in a dualistic relationship unlike any spoken language can achieve. When hands are linked, there is a powerful feeling of togetherness, community, and relationship. Isn’t there?

In community outreach, we will love children with the hugs of hope and love, often holding hands with new bonds forming. In the construction zone, we will create, build, and repair as the Ancient Carpenter once did himself in order to make a living in the town of Nazareth. I write on this blog and create through photography with hands that God has blessed me to work with. Our hands communicate. Our hands orchestrate. Our hands shape God’s Will into action.

As we venture down south a few hundred miles, we must communicate the messages that this video resonates across the Web, but the most important of all these handwritten scripts is hope. God brings hope in fulfilling roles that a blog cannot visibly describe in word or photo. Our hope is in Him and His Word alone, and it is pivotal that those who feel they are sinking in a world of sin see the hope we have in our mission this week. We are sending a message of hope simply by going to serve, but we shall send a message of hope through Him that has eternal ramifications in the celebration of angel’s voices. As you work with the use of your hands, remember this: “we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.” We are building upon His House in the lives that we seek to change. Our hands are not just a flab of skin, muscle, and bone. As humans, our hands send a powerful message that “we’re all in this together.” It is only fair to those around us that we boast of our unique and life-changing hope in the togetherness we have in relationship with Him.

Thoughts before the trip…

While in South America this past summer, I kept an active podcast that people could subscribe to through RSS (like ITunes). I am currently in a Social Media class, and our professor has encouraged us to post a podcast in a blog entry this week. Listen if you would to by clicking here with your mouse. The podcast is geared toward more thoughts in anticipation towards the Amplify trip to Port St. Joe’s, FL. If you are a little more traditional in your blog preferences, then read and maybe skip the podcast. Or do both. I am thankful when people simply take a few minutes to look at these entries.

I just passed my oral defense graduation exam. It is definitely one of the best feelings to know you have completed an important segment of life to move on to the next best thing. I think often times I give credit to myself individually when last semester I stayed up for at least two and half days straight (60 hours) to finish exam week and last minute grand finale projects. The reality is that I did not do it alone. The Good Lord Above was right there alongside me. While I did not always think and/or realize this obvious truth when I was sipping my third cup of coffee in the middle of a study storm, this definitely was the case with blessed protection and strength. Hopefully with intentional realization in our own minds, God brings us through hard times so that he may be glorified; this philosophical base also applies to good times as well. We have so much, and we believe we have so little. We worry when there sometimes is not much to worry about. We stress (some have that gift to never stress however alien that might be) when that only seems to make things worse. On this trip to Port St. Joe’s, God will be glorified in our actions to serve and also to enjoy His Presence through His Creation and fellowship with new friends. While I might write and challenge us as believers throughout the week, just remember that no matter whether losing or winning (even though in a sense we are always winning with Christ), God will be glorified. Sometimes I think God is glorified simply by enjoying Him and growing in relationship, which is the source of ultimate enjoyment. So enjoy God. Get a tan. And realize we are here for His glory.

Podcasts at their best: Laugh with me. These are hilarious!

Podcasts at their best: Laugh with me. These are hilarious!

In the academic world, we are often very serious with our theories and suggestive research all the time that sometimes we forget to laugh a little. So on a slightly serious note, PC Magazine might intellectually inform readers that podcasting is the following:

(iPOD broadCAST) An audio broadcast that has been converted to an MP3 file or other audio file format for playback in a digital music player. Although many podcasts are played in a regular computer, the original idea was to listen on a portable device; hence, the "pod" name from "iPod." Although podcasts are mostly verbal, they may contain music, images and video
(http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=podcast&i=49433,00.asp).

I think this is really a good academic definition of podcasting as interesting as that is. So now that we have accomplished a very-excellent-Bill-and-Ted-Adventures academic definition, I thought I might resource some of the experts that really know what they are talking about. For instance, I often enjoy getting any type of advice from a ninja, really. So I asked a real ninja, “What is podcasting?” And this is what he said…



In all honesty, I used to play on an Ultimate Frisbee Club team with someone who regularly dressed up like a ninja on the field. Of course, that was his nickname as well, “Ninja.” I looked for some more experts in the field, and I came across a couple that seems to speak from experience in terms of podcasting. They analogize podcasting to a specific talent when someone goes fishing. While I was kind of wondering what planet these two live on, it kind of made sense.



In comparison to the older couple above, Helen and Olly seem to have some realistic advice in terms of starting a podcast of your own. Something that they point out is that you should try to do something in your own unique personality in a very unique way that no one else is doing. In other words, be very original and creative in your own originality. If you are truly trying to market yourself, it helps to have a consistent title. It is kind of like branding yourself. In terms of a recognizable icon, you are kind of hoping to become one. I do not mean in the celebrity sense but more so of an online presence.



Podcasts can obviously be used for a variety of purposes. In the past, I have used podcasts to express details of my travels around the world. When having a really rough day, I often listen to podcasts in order to have a good laugh. This one always gets me rolling. These are podcast of older Jewish people telling jokes, and they are hilarious! The first one performed by Charlotte Bornstein is so funny. She is about to roll over herself in the video. The joke is not funny, but her laugh is an original kind in its own element. On the following link, you will find another link with her name on it (http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/old-jews-telling-jokes/id303783970). You should check this out. I promise you will not regret it. The older Jewish people who tell jokes apparently have a homepage website too (http://oldjewstellingjokes.com/). It should make you laugh as well.

Several humorous podcasts are somewhat vulgar in content, which is not always so funny to me individually. I found that Brian Regan is a hilarious comedian who is very clean with his jokes but also very hilarious. His podcasts are somewhat difficult to find, but on his website, you can find some clips to his website (http://www.brianregan.com/experience-av.html). When you Google “clean comedy podcast,” some interesting results definitely show up (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=AsB&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=clean+comedy+podcast&start=0&sa=N).

We have seen a variety of sources give information on what a podcast is. A podcast is what you make it should you choose to start one. Through RSS feeds, people can follow you literally as an active audience. In the podcast world, you are what you want to become, and if you talk, someone is bound to listen.

If you have not laughed today, you will…

Okay, so I have been debating on whether to include an entry of this kind because honestly I feel like an idiot for what I am about to tell you, but I cannot help but find it funny!

I was up in the library doing my usual all nighter studying for my comprehensive in my favorite subject of all time, Theoretical Foundations of Communication Research. Anyway, I was so thrilled to study the rhetorical analysis of Aristotle’s greatest works that I needed to go use the restroom…taking a study break…no big deal, right?

I got up from my desk at the fourth floor (supposedly the most quiet floor of the library) to walk over the bathroom which is near where the stairwell is. So I basically was on the other end of the library. So it was a good long walk for my thoughts to meander through my mind going over my latest favorite theory. I believe it was the semiotic triangle. Anyway, I was nevertheless very deep in thought as if I was sitting in the cave analogy of Plato’s own thoughts himself.

I walked into the bathroom, and I noticed a quick change in the design of the floor plan of the bathroom. Auburn had taken out all the stand up urinals in the men’s bathroom and replaced them with stalls. At my frustration in this new architecture magical feat, my deep thoughts were interrupted because I had to hassle with opening the stall door in order to do my business. When finished, I was about to walk out of the bathroom when I noticed a unique box on the wall. I had never seen anything quite like this in a men’s restroom. Then it hit me like a Mike Tyson punch in the stomach….

I was in the women’s restroom all along. Fortunately, my leisurely activities washing my hands and all were not interrupted by any cordial guests. I slowly walked out of the door as if I was 007 sneaking into a secret mission. In the best awareness of my obviously observant personality, I do not think anyone saw me but me, and then I laughed at myself because even though very idiotic I have to admit it was very hilarious.

Conform…Reform…it is now time to Perform…because we are going to talk about Forums!

Forums are a great place to find information about different topics. Now the sources may not always be 100% credible, but sometimes you will find forums where you can actually leave a question, and then a supposed expert will answer you. If I talked about that with this post, that would be incredibly boring, I’d say. So let’s talk about what all college kids have in common….college life. That’s right! These are forums provided by yours truly on college life. Now I no longer live in the dorm, and I am proud to say I am one of those twenty-seven year olds who will live with Mom until I truly grow up whenever that is. In reality, these forums have a variety of purposes, for better or for worse.

College Confidential (http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/) is a great place to find the inside info when applying to schools around the country. I think it is great for both kids and parents, even though parents or sons and daughters alike may not want the other to know what he or she knows (for instance the best party schools and all), but there really are some usual tidbits here for those who are about to graduate from high school.

CollegeNet (http://www.collegenet.com/elect/app/app?service=external/Forum&sp=S4898) talks about several random subjects that may come up while in college….more about life more so than the admissions criteria for your favorite traditional university. For instance, I read about an adult who was 52 asking if that was indeed too old to go back to school. Another student was giving advice to others on how to balance a hectic schedule. Perhaps graduate students in the Communication and Journalism program at Auburn University should add to this one, especially after partaking in comps week. We certainly know how to balance, as long as it does not involve sleep.

Moving on already, TheForumSite (http://www.theforumsite.com/forum/list/College-Life/90) offers forums on many things, but it also has a section specifically just for college life. I must admit some of the subject matter is rather hilarious. Someone is asking about UFO encounters. Another person is announcing a pajama party. That sounds interesting. One person is writing about how much books and college in its entirety is a “rip-off.” It rather expensive, unless you are a GTA, I guess. Another person is asking for advice because he or she hates her major.

As you can see, there are all kinds of forums specifically geared just for college life. The forum becomes interactive in the fact that you choose you want to read, and you choose what you want to write. In fact, there are probably so many topics you will not have time to read and write about all of them unless you do this for a job or something or better yet, a class :)

It would not be fair unless I gave an academic definition of forum before I closed this post of wise wisdom. Because it is the most credible source provided on the Internet, Webopedia.com defines a forum as the following:

“An online discussion group. Online services and bulletin board services (BBS's) provide a variety of forums, in which participants with common interests can exchange open messages. Forums are sometimes called newsgroups (in the Internet world) or conferences.”

Forums almost act as common communities where people with similar interests come together to discuss. In the instances of this entry, that would be college life. Keep readings because more exciting entries in the life of James L. Cartee, the 3rd are bound to come in overwhelming forms.