Postus Interactivus! (Survey Time!)

Howdy, folks!

I've been on a bit of a sabbatical from blogging, but the hecticness is finally over!*

Since I combined my two blogs, I thought it might be a good idea to see what you guys** are actually interested in reading about. Please complete this (very short) survey and let me know! For your convenience, I've included a short description of each option below.

Thanks!!


Survey:

Create your survey with SurveyMonkey


Descriptions:*^

Arts & Faith: My thoughts about the intersection of these two topics. This will manifest itself in mini-essays, personal reflections, and perhaps the occasional interview or guest blog.

Wednesday Review: Typically, I've reviewed books, movies and music on Wednesdays. Learn what's out there that's good! (I only review things I liked.)

From the Vaults: These posts feature old work of mine (from childhood, school days, college, etc). Basically good fun.

Off the Shelf: I've traveled a lot, and in my travels, I've collected some great souvenirs. Off the Shelf posts tell the stories behind the stuff.

Memory Lane: Here, I basically recount a story of my life and travels, either from memory or from my journal. If you're wondering, "that sounds boring," I have lived in six states and three countries, and have visited several more. I also spent six years in the Air Force. So... it can't be that boring.

Creative Writing: If you're interested, I'm happy to share some of the things I create.

Q&A: Submit your questions about faith, writing, or adventure in the comments section of the most recent post, and I'll answer some of them.

Other: Daily life stuff, or you can make a request for specific content.



*It might return at some point, but when it does, I'll be ready!
**Assuming you're still here after my months-long absence...
*^For examples, see previous posts.

Work-Life Imbalance

Originally posted on the Ooligan Blog.

School, work, and life: The graduate school trifecta. It can be demanding, especially around finals week. Thankfully, the only thing at stake is our futures, a fact we’re so much more aware of than we were as undergraduates. So no pressure.

Everyone’s work-life situation is unique to them; the only thing I have in common with my fellow students at Ooligan Press is that we’re all studying book publishing at Portland State University. The rest is up for grabs. We work, we have families, we’re looking for jobs in the industry—we’re trying to get enough sleep. It’s impossible, and that’s why we keep blogging about it.

Weekend Update - Anna Lynn

Big update for my first ever "Weekend Update:" I have a new niece! Her name is Anna Lynn and she is now seven days old. She's a petite little thing; even though she was only about two weeks early and not premature, she was born 5 lbs 11 oz, and fits well in the little preemie outfits I brought her yesterday.

Me holding Anna, 6 days old.

Mom came out on the train, so I picked her up and we drove to my brother and sister-in-law's together, sniping at each other when we got confused about which roads to turn on, and laughing immediately afterwards because this is how we roadtrip. We're having fun.

Wednesday Review: Whatever the Cost

Hello everyone! Today I’m reviewing the book Preaching in Hitler’s Shadow: Sermons of Resistance in the Third Reich.

Introduction: Preaching in Hitler’s Shadow is a collection of sermons translated by editor Dean G. Stroud, which were given between 1933 and 1944 in Germany. As the subtitle indicates, all of the sermons are, in one way or another, examples of resistance to the Nazi worldview, and in some cases to specific actions taken by the Nazi state. After a preface and acknowledgements, the book opens with a long editor’s introduction. Normally, I skip introductions. You do not want to skip this one.

The introduction provides much-needed* context for the sermons that are to follow, building a picture of life in Nazi Germany. Much has been said in recent years about the failure of the church in Germany to take a strong enough stand against Hitler, especially with regards to the Holocaust. This book provides a look at those in church leadership who did oppose Hitler, and how they did it through their preaching.

What We Have to Offer

So there I was, pacing the floor in the middle of the night, having a rather intense conversation with God.

You see, I was experiencing a bit of frustration. Surely, I thought, God would not have called me to write, and certainly not to leave my job to do so, unless he meant for me to actually write– to do something with it. Yet, despite my best efforts to figure out a way forward, and my not-quite-best efforts to “do the work,” progress was nonexistent.

I went to a conference once where the keynote speaker talked about failure, and how the only way we fail is if we don’t show up – our job is to write; the results are up to God. So what had happened? I’d shown up; I’d left my job, moved back to Oregon, self-published my poetry book, and attended writers’ conferences. I was doing my job, trying to write, but almost all of it was drivel, and not in a “you’re your own worst critic” sense. I know drivel when I read it.

It was drivel.

The day before the pacing incident, I’d made a solid attempt at two poems. They were horrible. But the next evening, I’d felt inspired. I was listening to Ginny Owens’ new album,** and I’d just gotten to the end of “The Fire.” I paused the music, picked up my pencil, and flipped open my notebook. I took a moment. I bent over the page. I began to write.