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Rogue_McMayhem
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Name: Johann
Birthday: 6/1/1987
Gender: Male
Interests: Theatre, film, academics, games of any type, literature, Humanities, SF, any band that Reese Roper is in.
Expertise: I can juggle. And I'm not very good at that. Yeah, that's about my claim to fame.
Occupation: Student
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
2/15/2005
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| This is the first time in my life that I will not be with my parents and siblings on Christmas day. I'm going to go see all of them on Friday and Saturday, but not today. It's strange for me. I'm thinking back on Christmas during my childhood, with dad behind the video camera recording every morning, every present for the future. I wonder what will ultimately become of those tapes, and now digital recordings, I assume stored on my mom's computer. I wonder if my parents will watch them as they get older. I wonder if they will be a comfort to them in their old age. Maybe, maybe not. I hope so. Working at Starbucks and seeing people shopping for a gift to make someone else happy while they are demeaning me as a person made me pretty bitter towards Christmas both this year and last year. But now, on Christmas morning, I don't feel that way at all. Emily is still asleep in bed, and I got up early because I woke up and couldn't fall back asleep. In previous years I've looked at what it meant to Jesus to be born into a frail human body, or I examined a poem by Longfellow about Christmas. But this year, I'm more concerned with my immediate family than any sort of cosmic or theological pondering. I've been thinking about this post for a few days now and I was planning on doing another theological post, but now that I'm here, that's not what I care about at all. Today I care about love. Love is more important than all the gifts or expensive doodads available, as we all know. But sometimes we forget to actually live like that, or celebrate like that. Today I'm glad I have the love that surrounds me. And I look forward to the love that I will share this weekend with my family too.
Arise Shine!
Your Light has come
The people dwelling in darkness
Have seen a great light
The Angel said a baby will be born
And you will call his name Emmanuel
He will save the world from its sin
Open up your heart and let the Christ child in
Love,
B.J.
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| So, I have two more days of class and four finals to take, and then I'm done for this semester. Man, it's been a long, difficult, tumultuous ride. But a good one. I've enjoyed it, discovered lots of things about myself, Christianity, literature, theatre, and, well, even leadership.
At any rate, I'm really looking forward to next semester.
But that's not the main reason I brought you here. Oh no, not at all. The real reason you came was so that I could tell you how badly you need to see Australia.
It's incredible. It's beautiful in every way. The cinematography is breathtaking and perfect (Well, it is Baz Luhrmann after all), the direction right on (again, Luhrmann) the acting is pitch perfect (do you expect less from Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman?), and the story/screenplay is great. It's a love letter to the nation of Australia, but also to film itself. This film takes all the best aspects of old-time cinema and mixes them with all the best innovations of the past 20 or 30 years. The film is so metaphorically rich, even with metaphors inside metaphors, and although it is a sprawling epic encompassing many different genres, it does not fail any one genre, nor does this weaken the film. In fact, it really only makes the film stronger. Often "artistic" films are not popular, and "popular" films are not considered artistic, but this fits both categories. There have been some truly outstanding films this year, and there are many more to come out in the next month, but I whole-heartedly believe that this is the best film of the year. Seriously, go see this movie. It's that good. It's funny, sad, moving, heart-warming, and action filled all at the same time. I loved it. The characters are extremely well drawn, and the images of the hybrid nature of Australia, it's untamed civilization, and its inherent frontier are brilliantly insightful. If you love stories, go see this.
Also, in large part due to Australia, I have a new man-crush in my life. No, I am definitely heterosexual (If you don't believe me, ask Emily), but if I were a teenage girl with a crush on a celebrity, this is who it would be.
Hugh Jackman. He can sing, he can dance, he can act, he's one good-lookin' guy, and to top it all off, he's actually only been married once and is still married. And for my geeky nature, he's Wolverine. What more could you want?
So, goodbye Ewan McGregor, my old man-crush.
Hello, Hugh Jackman, my new man-crush.
<i>Here is the news...</i>
Farewell,
B.J.
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| So some of you may not know that I have a horrible, paralyzing fear of any bee, wasp, hornet, or any other type of stinging insect. This of course stems from my early childhood, when I was I think 3 or 4, and Annaka would have been 6 or 7. Annaka and I were playing an alternate version of hide and seek that we created and called “Search for the King” (or Queen, depending on who was hiding) and I decided to hide in a flowering bush (a Forsythia to be exact) that we had in our yard. Unknown to me, there was a honey bee nest in the bush, and the bees didn’t really want me to share their space, so they attacked me. Naturally, I tried to escape, but I got caught on the bush until Annaka heard my screams and helped pull me out. Fastforward 17 years or so, and Emily has come home for her lunch break, we’ve finished eating, and she’s putting together some trail mix for a snack in the afternoon. While she’s doing this, she glances at our kitchen curtain and jumps when she sees a wasp. This of course makes me freak out, and we spend a little time trying to figure out how to kill it, but fail. Emily has to go back to work, and I’m reduced to watching the wasp and hoping it will move onto a hard surface where I can hit it while praying for God to just strike it dead. However, while I’m desperately praying, some friends knock on the door and offer to take care of it, and do so, to my great relief. All of this is to say that I have the best friends in the world, and I am glad that they’re here, and that God used them to save me in answer to my prayer.
Godspeed,
B.J.
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| Well, in answer to Luke's question, my class is a discussion of the "Currently Reading" book. According to the syllabus I wrote yesterday, the class is:
A survey of major literary figures and how they believe humanity responds to faith and culture as demonstrated in short fiction.
And my listed course objectives are thus:
• The student will gain an appreciation for and familiarity with major authors of both western and nonwestern backgrounds.
• The student will discuss both the Christian faith and other major world faith traditions.
• The student will learn about their own faith and the faiths of others.
• The student will learn to think critically about literature and faith.
Anyway, I hope that answers the question... And I hope my class actually manages to do those things...
Farewell,
B.J.
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| So, it's been some time since I last posted. Lots has happened. I've started trying to eat better and exercise more. I think it's cruel and unusual to get shin splints (which are in part due to my overweight) 2 weeks after I started running to lose weight, thereby keeping me from exercising to lose weight. Bah.
I read several good books this summer. The Bridge of San Luis Rey, Of Mice and Men and others. I went to an awesome wedding, Hayley's. I've almost finished preparing for the next class I'm teaching. I'm getting excited about The Odyssey, the fall production. I'm wondering why Bush, who purportedly wants to protect and spread democracy, is not coming out stronger for Georgia, a true democracy. I'm looking forward to school starting in a week. I'm taking early American Literature, Literary Theory and Criticism (Which I'm super excited about!), Christ and Culture, and Intro to Leadership (gag me with a stick... I'm going to do as little work as I can get away with for that class. And I'm guessing I'll be able to almost entirely ignore that class).
Well, I don't know that I have much else to say.
<i>I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I have to go.
We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.
Light takes the Tree; but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me, so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.
This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.</i>
Farewell,
B.J.
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