The cheese grater on my soul

I really don't get it. I don't get the draw of a person who laughs in the face of polite society. I don't get the draw of a person who uses sex as a grotesque weapon to destroy the moral walls of society. And despite the hype about whatever the social commentary may be, I don't get the draw of bowing down at the alter of a pop star who uses explicit and downright disturbing imagery to make their point.
Yes, I am talking about the person who is truly the cheese grater on my soul. Lady Gaga.
I am truly appalled at what passes for entertainment in our society. Gaga is known for pushing limits of decency and comfort. She routinely flouts laws of common decency to make a political statement.
There are so many places you could start to criticize her. I would suggest focusing on her videos, which are not only explicit, but truly horrifying. Calling her videos pornography would be a compliment. Her videos cross lines of decency and morality in explicit ways in order to cause unrest in people's minds. This is all of course to get a message across, which is why she gets away with it of course. But why should we be OK with this?
If you've seen her video Alejandro you know what I'm talking about. Her explicit representations of sexuality are just plain disturbing and I will not stand by it as if I'm OK with it.
Wearing a low cut dress or tight skirt is one thing, but when you take it to an extreme where nudity is implied and other sexually explicit acts are being performed and implied I simply cannot do it.
In her latest video Born this way she basically gives birth to some sort of monstrous thing inside a kaleidoscope and includes all manner of grotesque imagery that I won't describe but instead let you see for yourself.
I don't care what kind of a point you are trying to make. I will never be OK with the use of grotesque sexuality being used to make a statement.
I've heard several people comment and say, "she actually has a really nice voice and is such an amazing performer." I would say, "SO what!" Lots of people have great voices, but lots of people don't use disgusting tactics to promote themselves.
I would venture to say that her videos border on pornographic. Now that I say that however, that doesn't even seem to do justice to the videos. Either way...
Adolescents are growing up listening to and singing her songs. Is this the kind of role model we want to have for our kids? Someone who models obscene behavior under the guise of advocacy? I know I won't be introducing my kids to her "music".
Call me old fashioned, conservative, or whatever. Lady Gaga is an out of control diva who has gone too far.
I chose not to include a photo in this post for a very specific reason. We all know what she looks like. I don't need to show you.

'Tis the season

It begins on black Friday. The day when people rampage through department stores like herds of cattle in preparation. These same people go ballistic at the sight of a sale or great deal on Christmas decorations. This can't be what it's all about can it? Of course not! It's about loving one another. Being with the people you love. Reaching out to a friend in need. Writing a small note of encouragement. Just like Jesus. It's so simple. We're celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior. How cool is that?
I would encourage everyone who is distracted by finals, shopping, or whatever else may be drawing your focus away from the main point of this time of year, to stop and re-frame your thoughts. Think about what is stressing you out. Is it finals? If it is, that's fair, but also consider, is it worth it to freak out this much? What will it help? Wouldn't it be better to take a deep breath, study as much as you can and then just do it. Freaking out will only hurt you in the end. I can't say I'm a prime example for this yet, but it's one goal of mine: only freak out when absolutely necessary.
Are you stressed about finding enough gifts for people? Or even about affording said gifts? If so, why? If you don't get someone a gift, will they love you any less? If they will, then there are some serious issues in that relationship. If you can't afford to get big gifts, write a heartfelt note, or make a small gift. As cheesy as it is, it's way cooler, and people will actually care about it later on.
Throughout this special time it is important to take advantage of the extra time we have been blessed with to enjoy the one around us, but also out creator. This past weekend I was blessed with the opportunity to go on tour with my choir. I cannot think of a better way to start of the Christmas season than spending quality time with my close friends serving others. Because that's what it is really. The concerts are a group experience and we want the audience to get wrapped up in the service.
In addition to getting the opportunity to sing beautiful music under the direction of fantastic directors, I get the opportunity to get to know the people in my choirs and the others even better. It's practically a whole weekend devoted to relationship building. Everyone comes together to make a beautiful sound. No one voice is more important than any other. It's the most amazing experience and there is not a doubt in my mind that God is sitting in the room with a smile on his face. Music really does transcend every other form of communication.
Music is what brought all three choirs together. The Whitworth Choir that is big, powerful and amazing, yet an amazing group of people. The Men's Chorus, who have grown so much in the last couple years. Not they are an amazing group of men who are not only a blast to be around, but they are darn good now! Also. They serenaded me, so they get a few extra life points in my book ;) And last but definitely not least there is the Women's Choir. I've been a part of this ensemble for three years now. The ensemble has changed in many ways and I have changed with it. There is a feeling of love and mutual support that abounds among its members. Each person is important to the ensemble as a whole. I am going to miss it so much when I leave Whitworth. Choir has been such a blessing in my life. Many of my closest friends have come from various choirs and some of my favorite experiences have come during choral gatherings. It also helps me to stop and slow down once in awhile and focus on God in such a beautiful way. Choir time is a time that is solely devoted to choir. And nothing else. It is a time when I do not allow myself to worry about whatever else I may have going on at the time.
This weekend with the choirs blessed me immensely. I consider myself so lucky to get to be a part of the choral program at Whitworth. So much so that I encourage anyone else who feels like they want an opportunity to slow down to come to the concerts this weekend. Friday at 8pm and Saturday at 3 and 7 at First Presbyterian Church in Spokane. See you there :)

Mattress Multimedia Musings

This is all prompted by the fact that I just got another multimedia posted on the Whitworthian website. It's a show about Once Upon a Mattress go enjoy it please!

But might I take this moment to say that as a photographer on the newspaper you rarely get recognized, but you contribute one of the most interesting parts to a newspaper. The photos. What catches your eye when you open the paper? An engaging photo. That's right. But how do you recognize a photographer? You can see which article gets the most online views....oh wait that credit goes to the writer. Word of mouth? Well who can measure that. Sadly it's the burden we bear as photogs. We get over it though.
A fun new outlet that I've discovered is multimedia . I have learned how to gather interview audio and edit it together, and take photos that come together in a cohesive story. It's quite amazing really. It's wonderful because you get to hear the source talk about their story. You get to hear their passion and hear things in their words. The visual aspect allows many more pictures to go with a story as well, not just the one that runs in print. Some things lend themselves to multimedia better than other. For example, my show on the Men's Chorus that I did last year. The music lent itself perfectly to audio clips. The photos end up working out but only because I spent so much time going to several rehearsals to get the right photos.
Another thing about multimedia. It takes time...so much time. I've done enough of these to safely say that for every minute I have of audio I spend editing.
For example. Three minute show-at least three hours of audio editing without fail. Hours staring at squiggly lines that move and move. The men's chorus one that was a little over four minutes-that took somewhere around five or six hours of audio editing. Then there's the photos. Take hundreds. Use about 35-50 depending. Hours more there editing them all to look just right. But wait...there's more. Production. It's not enough to have audio and photos ready to go. They have to match up. The photos have to be lined up with the audio that goes with them if possible. Picture times have to be determined and transition must be set. It's a lengthy process.
But in the end it's worth it. Especially if it's something people enjoy. People love the way it goes even farther in depth than a regular written story.
How did this all start again? Oh yes. How does a photog get recognition. This is how. We put in a heck of a lot more work, but if I may say so myself. People love the result far more :)

WBC worries...but not about Whitworth

I suppose it was only a matter of time.
Yes, only a matter of time before I chose to address the one, the only, the Westboro Baptist Church.
I must say that I am to impressed with our President. Dr. Beck Taylor. This man's only been our president for a matter of months and already he's fending off protesters as our fearless leader. Late one Sunday night the emails started to appear in his inbox. Students were livid that a group like this could be allowed to protest anywhere near the university.
The truth of it is this. They are completely within their rights. As much as it pains me to say it. I'm in Gordon Jackson's Media Law class right now and my eyes are opened each day as I learn what can and cannot be done.
Honestly, I'm not worried about Whitworth. We're all big kids. We may get upset or angry, but I pray that we are able to maintain our composure as our campus comes under spiritual attack. The wonderful thing about Whitworth is that we are a Christian institution. We adhere to and even teach Christian love. We are able to see where this group is so incredibly flawed and are able to respond with as much maturity as we can muster. The best response to this group would be no response, as the cartoon this wonderful Whitworthian article suggests, but as we all can guess that rarely works with a large group of idealistic college students. I commend Whitworth for providing other opportunities for students to express their opinions whether it be at the town hall style forum or the alternative responses drafted as a result of the meeting. The Whitworthian has been following this story closely and has kept students informed as to what will happen on that day. There will be a love walk/run to raise money for organizations that reach out to the groups that the WBC target and there will be a banner that is held by ASWU members to represent the student body. Some students are satisfied with this response, some are not. At some point, you can't please everyone.
Of the many suggestions given, I think this is a good synthesis of the ideas that people had. Although I will say that I think one of my favorite anti-protest ideas (which I heard from Thomas Pendell, [oh look, here's his blog]) I heard was this:

Evacuate the campus and leave a large sign outside that reads:
"Raptured. Sorry we missed you."

Anyway, as I was saying....
My worry comes for others in the community, specifically Ferris High School. The picket site was changed on the WBC website from Rogers High School to Ferris for a reason unknown to us. This is where I see problems arising. Both of these schools are not Christian institutions. They are public schools that are not allowed to teach the love of Christ. These kids are also younger and more impressionable. Many may be persuaded that Christianity is not worth it if it produces people like this.
Also, to be perfectly honest, high schoolers are more likely to respond on an impulse reaction and not consider the consequences of their actions. They are more likely to respond violently whether it being throwing eggs or spitting on them (I've been keeping tabs on facebook and have heard these and many other absurd suggestions presented).
I believe that Whitworth and the Christian community of Spokane has a duty to reach out to these schools in our community. The community of Spokane affects Whitworth but Whitworth is also a part of Spokane and affects it's growth and personality (there's a little reference to Systems Theory for those of you who took Ron Pyle's Theories class).
We as Christians have a duty to come alongside out brothers and sisters and show them the true love of Christ.
I also believe that the Christian high schoolers in the Spokane area have an amazing opportunity to engage their peers in discussion about Christianity. What a better way to bring up the topic in a public school setting?
I have already emailed the pastor at my church and told him that I think the youth pastor should talk with the kids about this amazing opportunity that they've been presented with. While I haven't heard back from him personally I have a feeling I'm not the only one who is thinking along these lines.
My prayer is this. That we come alongside and pray for our brothers and sisters under attack who do not know the love of Christ. I pray that this evil attack (because that's what this group does frankly) is used as an opportunity to lead even more people to Christ. We've been given an amazing opportunity to minister here.
As I sit here thinking about this I start to giggle a little bit.
Doesn't God work in ironic ways?

The first of those amendments

Do you know just how important the first amendment is? I mean not just to someone who deals in journalism, but to everyone. Nearly all of our other freedoms and rights stem from that one right to free expression.
I am currently enrolled in Gordon Jackson's Media Law class and McPherson's Media Law class. Both classes are teaching me about the importance of the first amendments. Entire chapters and weeks of classes are spent on it.
I am realizing just how lucky we are to live in a country where we can express nearly any sentiment we want.
Now I just finished up a chapter that dealt with personal injury laws. It was a little heavy to read, because there was example after example of people who had died from copying something they saw or read in a publication. At first it makes you want to jump in and censor everything that's published. In retrospect though, I am realizing that although tragedies happen, if we did allow censorship it would turn into a slippery slope and the lines between free speech and threats to personal safety would be pushed past their reasonable limits.
I am starting to appreciate freedom of expression. Even nasty expression. Obvious example. The almost Koran burning. While I come nowhere near supporting this, I do at least appreciate why he had the legal right to do this had he actually gone through with it. Ethically speaking is separate from the law. you can't regulate ethics without standardizing them and I think everyone can appreciate that sentiment at least.
Needless to say, all my classes are making me think. They make me think about the ethics of laws, whether or not they should be ethical, and what I value in my own life concerning freedoms.
I worked on our student publication in High School and we were constantly fighting the administration to combat prior restraint. I had an amazing adviser who instilled pride into us and taught us that as long as we were fair ethical journalists, we had the right to publish whatever we liked.
I even had a parent on my case for using the word "sex" in one of my articles, even though I was quoting an outside source. It never went much farther than that, but it was still fascinating to see just how much people so badly wanted to restrict our rights to expression.
It wasn't so long ago that people were jailed and injured for opposing the government. When you study the history and progress of free speech, it makes you appreciate how far it's come and what value it holds. I'll be the first to admit that media has plenty of problems. But is there a field out there that doesn't?
After I left my high school, I kept tabs on the journalism program to see where it would go because it was on track to really go places. Latest I've heard since a new adviser for the paper was hired: before it goes to print, a copy goes to the administration for "final edits." This cuts right to my heart. The sentiment of the first amendment is lost.

NOTE: I went to a private school so legally speaking, the school has the right too do this. Whether or not they should....that's up for a whole lotta debate.

And so it begins

Another year begins. Senior year. Wow. How'd that happen? I think I'm getting old. Gone are the days of staying up until 3am just for fun and because I had energy. Somehow I've managed to survive school up to this point and all that it has thrown at me.
I look forward to seeing what this year has in store for me. I know it will be an exciting one to be sure. Even as a senior, I love meeting new freshmen and helping them along in their college journey.
New living situation. Just one lovely housemate. Although we live next to a lot of really cool people for sure :)
This year classes will test me I think. In number the classes are not too many, but in content they are heavy. It will be a year that tests everything I've been working for all these years. But isn't that kind of exciting while being scary at the same time?
Choir is beginning again on Monday and I could not be more excited. I couldn't decide which ensemble I wanted to be in so I put it in God's hands. I was called back for both and I am back in Women's Choir again :) I am so happy. If I had made it into Whitworth Choir I would have had to learn an all new ensemble and be away from the ensemble that I've grown to adore over the last two years. I'm excited to pour my heart into the new group of lovely ladies. This is going to be an amazing year for the choir's. I can feel it. The Men's Chorus is gaining numbers, and I think the quality of Whitworth and Women's Choir is going to take a huge leap. I'm so excited to see what happens. especially at Christmas :D
As I year up for this year to really be kicked into gear I am excited to see what God holds in every aspect.
It's gonna be a good year :)

Junior Year Reflections

What a whirlwind this year has been. If at the beginning of this year someone would have told me what this year was going to be like there's no way I would have believed them.
New living situation: theme house. That was a lot of fun. Putting on a different activity each month merely added to the things I had to do but it was fun. It kept us connected to the campus community and gave people even more of a reason to come have fun at the Decades house. I'm still amazed that the NY times somehow latched onto the theme house program. On July 25th there will be an article featuring theme houses at Whitworth. My housemates and I were interviewed and photos were taken and the article is set to run July 25th in the Life and Education section. Go figure. Yes in the end there was some shuffle with the actual occupants of the house but what group is without conflict. Next year. Pirate Clubhouse (I still think Pirate Playhouse would have been fun however ;)
Same major: While I did not change to communication like I thought I might I have enjoyed everything about the Journalism major and the Visual Communication minor. I think I'm even done with all the class for my Vis Comm minor. Wow. Journalism is still on track with only a minor set back with the unexpected need for me to drop one of my classes. But I'll make it up so no harm done really.
Medical issues: Probably the most unexpected turn of events for the year I'd say that threw a wrench into life. What if you woke up one morning and couldn't see out of one eye? What is you blew it off and attributed it to exhaustion and the same thing happened the next day? Well that's what happened to me. Optic Neuritis. Not what I was expecting. Swollen optic nerve to be specific. For two and a half months now I have had anywhere from no vision to incredibly foggy vision. After a series of doctors, optometrists, neurologists, MRI's, spinal tap(which by the way royally suck) and countless blood tests they still can't really figure out what happened to me. Admittedly most of the nasty diseases they tested for came back negative, however a conclusion still has not been reached as to the cause. They are sending me to more doctors over on the west side but most everyone has estimated an almost complete recovery of my vision which is quite relieving. The recovery process is slow, one step forward and two steps back but it's going. I can see far more than I could before and I am used to it quite frankly. It's getting better and better. My personal goal is to have it all the way better by the time I go back to school which would be about 5 months from the start of all this.
Throughout all this I have seen the expanse of how many people love and care about me. Friends, family, peers, peers I haven't met, my church family, my work family, friends of friends, friends of friends of friends, professors, people I will never ever meet. That's how many people have been praying for me. It has been hard to deal with all the doctors appointments and school while away from home. It was hard to find ways to get to and from doctor appointments and hard to get all my work done. However more people than I know are praying for me and I cannot help but feel uplifted by their love and care. In the times when I have felt lest hopeful and most scared, there has always been someone looking out for me. God has mad it explicitly clear to me that he will not let me go through troubles alone. He is always there for me and that is shown by the love he has surrounded me with. To everyone who has cared for me or prayed for me throughout all of this. Thank you. You all show God's love through your thoughts and prayers and it has been such an encouragement. Being home is so reassuring for this process and will help me in the coming months as I continue to deal with the recovery of my sight.
While this sudden overnight loss of vision did make my grades suffer, cause me to drop a class and become emotionally overwhelmed, within the first week of this God was teaching me so much. What an unfortunate way to have your stubbornness attacked and broken down. BUT I could not have asked for more loving and caring arms to be met with by my peers when that wall of stubbornness was broken down.
Friends new and old: I have met so many new friends, and retained so many older friends. I met new freshmen, sophomores, juniors and even seniors. To everyone of you that I met, thank you for enriching my life. I could not have made it through this year without you in my life. Each one of you is special in their own way. Some of you have driven me to the doctor, others of you have greeted me with a hug and a smile whenever I see you. Others of you have put up with my antics. I honestly don't know how you do it sometime ;)
I met friends ust beginning their college journey and watched them grow, I had friends who were ending their collegeiate journey and got to help them plan and cry as the whole process occured. I watched friends struggle and reach out for help. For anyone in that boat I hope I was there to catch you when you fell and lend an ear to listen. Some of you, you know who you are, helped me out so much this year. Listened to me, laughed with me, cried with me, pulled pranks with me. I cannot describe how thankful I am for you.
Breaks: My breaks were filled with short excursions home to see friends and family and remember where I came from. Insanely enough I came home one time to discover that my family had finally moved(who would have thought that day would happen). I even got to spend one break going home with a a particular close friend and got to see where he comes from. You can learn a lot about a person by learning where they come from. I got to meet his family and friends and see all the places I had only heard about, see where he grew up, went to school, and became the person he was. I am so greatful for that experience.
Choir: Yes it gets it's own special section because more than the newspaper or any other thing I have been a part of choir has enriched my life in the way that only music can. The lovely ladies in women's choir brighten my mood on the darkest of days and choir was my time during the week when I would regain the sanity lost earlier in the day. Debbie is one of the sweetest directors to work with and her love and comitment to the choir makes us all want to succeed. To the ladies in choir, thank you for all your laughter, jokes, and hugs. You enriched my life so much.
Nothing however will compare to the bonding experience of the Christmas choir concert tour. All three ensembles gathered together for one purpose. There's really nothing like it. I'm already looking forward to next year's tour. I bonded with the women's choir, whitworth choir and even the men's chorus(who will always have a special place in my hear ;). It was by far the highlight of my year. There is a way that choral music changes people and binds them together that I will never fully understand but maybe it's because I can see God acting through each person involved.
Graduation: This marks the hardest end of the year for me yet. It only took this long, but Whitworth has become more of a home for me than it ever was before. I was not in a rush to leave this time. I knew a lot of people graduating that I will miss dearly in the coming year. Good luck to everyone who I know that graduated, you will all go on to do great things in your lives and I hope you visit and stay in touch. You will be dearly missed.
Alas there was so much that happened this year that I know I cannot even begin to exhaust it all in one measely blog post but my goodness does it feel good to try. I'm sure in a matter of minutes I will remember even more of the year that was significant but for now this shall suffice. This year was nothing short if insanity and I wouldn't have traded it for anything!
Now a new chapter begins. Interning for the Sammamish Review. I begin that adventure in a few short days in addition to the search for a paying job. This summer could shape up to be quite an adventure. My oh my I can't wait to see where it leads. My sister is graduating HS and starting a college journey of her own. I am continuing in my own endeavours. I wonder what God has in store for me next? Whatever it is, I know it's going to be exciting!