Dynamite!

Barack Obama, the 44^th President of the United States, received the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009. The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded 89 times to 119 Nobel Laureates between 1901 and 2008 – 96 times to individuals and 23 times to organizations. Since the International Committee of the Red Cross was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1917, 1944 and 1963, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1954 and 1981, that means 96 individuals and 20 organizations have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Given to any other person at any other time and this is a cause for celebration. Only in America can the bestowing of an award meant to recognize the champions of hope and equality be met with derisiveness. The main argument being that President Obama hasn’t accomplished enough in his little over eight months as president. First of all, Barack Obama didn’t have to be president to be nominated for the award, so his accomplishments shouldn’t be confined to his presidency. Secondly, if by accomplished nothing you mean becoming the first minority candidate to be elected President of the United States, at the same time running on a platform of open discussion with all nations both friend and foe, political and ideological differences aside. The award was given to Barack Obama the man, not Barack Obama the President.

The Nobel Peace Prize (NPP) is different from other awards in the Nobel confluence of honors. It’s the only award that takes both the physical body of work as well as the intentional body of work equally into account. Not to say that the body of work and research performed by the laureates in other areas (physics, chemistry, medicine or physiology, literature and economics) won’t have an impact on future generations but these are areas of study where the bulk of the results are tangible. Peace, even when pursued by the most ardent of searchers, remains a constantly fleeting idea, and therefore the concept of peace must be reexamined and reaffirmed. So almost as important as the works themselves is the inspiration and hope that is fostered. The prize has been awarded to individuals as well as organizations such as International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, Amnesty International, International Labour Organization and the United Nations. Primarily based on their actions but also in recognition of the mere existence of their work, the fact that in the given times there is an entity willing to serve the harmony of the world whether anyone is listening or not.

In 1994 the NPP was awarded to Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin. These men are not exactly the leaders of a region known for amicable games of checkers let alone peace. The reason they received the award was because of their participation in the Oslo Accords, at the time a ground breaking effort to form an understanding between Israelis and Palestinians because the two sides were at least speaking in the same room to each other, but hindsight being what it is, the accord has had little to no effect on the stability of the region. Since then, Rabin was assassinated in 1995, Arafat never adhered to ceasefire protocol or realistically attempted to control the radical factions of the PLO and Peres was quoted recently reminding Iran that "it could be wiped off the map," this from a NPP laureate. Basically the award was given in promotion of the idea of peace in the Middle East, a Pavlovian reinforced behavior modification on an international scale. So, the concept of using the award as a reassuring slap on the back instead of a celebration of accomplished works is nothing new.

What I don't understand is the disdain and in some cases acrimony towards this man for receiving an honor, which some people don't believe he deserves simply because of a difference in policy, this being America after all. Any American should be proud that the elected leader of our country has, arguably, by his mere position, demeanor, and ideology impacted the view of the international community towards America in a positive way, especially in light of events in the past decade. The only way this country, or any country for that matter, will survive is through active cooperation with the other nations of the globe. Any attempt to cross social, political, economic and religious boundaries in an attempt to unite the world against the problems facing all of humanity not just individual countries should be acknowledged and supported. Hunger, fear, climate-control and social equality have no political affiliation or agenda. It will take everyone working together and communicating in peace.

III,

(Source: http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/)

The Death of Country Music

This post is a little out of the ordinary but it's also been a long time coming. Its roots are in a discussion I had with a friend of mine about different genres of music. I started talking about some of my favorite musicians and my friend was surprised to find that a number of them were country stars. I don't mind country music. My early years were dominated by country music which is a blessing because it was the last time country music was any good.

When I began to articulate just why I deviated from the country path I found that the void of country music in my life was primarily the result of no true country music existing anymore. The country music fans of today are really fans of "Pop-country" a mixture of violins and guitars and belt-buckles and cowboy hats with twanged out pop and R&B. Basically club music sung by platinum blonds or boy bands with electric banjos.

If it can be said Rock n' Roll achieved perfection in 1974 then I propose the death of country music occurred in 1995. Country music transitioned through many phases over the years but the basis for the country music of today enjoyed just five short years of perfection 1989-1994. After 1994 people entered the realm of country music and events were set in motion that would bring about the end of the Nashville sound. Consider: Garth Brooks was the first country music rock star and his success directly influenced the new generation of people who saw that country musicians could have the kind of success that many thought only existed in the rock star stratosphere. "In Pieces" was released in 1994 and was the last great album from Garth Brooks who began touring in Europe after the overseas success of the album. Everything changed after that.

1995 – Shania Twain scores first top 10 hit “Any Man of Mine” off her “The Woman in Me” album. Shania’s success leads her to follow up with the album “Come on Over” off of which the song “I Feel Like a Woman” led her to mega-stardom and Pop-Country was born. By 1998, Twain was on the first installment of VH1’s Divas with Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Gloria Estefan and Aretha Franklin.

1995 – The group “Lonestar” debuts on the Billboard Charts. Lonestar would later explode with crossover pop hit “Amazed.” Directly contributing to the success of such pop-country bands as Nickel Creek and Rascal Flatts by laying the ground work in both look and sound. Lonestar also fired original bass guitar player John Rich who after a failed solo career teamed with Big Kenny to form Big & Rich and create hip-hop country.

1995 – Faith Hill’s album “It Matters to Me” is delayed after she has surgery on her vocal chords. Later that same year she agrees to tour the following year with Tim McGraw. Hill breaks off a former engagement with her manager to date McGraw who had also recently broken off an engagement. The two are married on October 6, 1996. Hill then takes a three-year hiatus and records “It’s Your Love” with McGraw. Hill returns after record success with her duet with McGraw and focuses all of her energy on love songs, abandoning the somber and soulful melodies of "It Matters to Me." The duo strangleholds county music with their love albums for years.

After 1995 the entire landscape of the genre changed but hopefully with the advancements in personal recording and the increasing popularity of finding unknown artists on the rise the focus will come out of the lime light and recording studios and into the hearts of the songwriters and just maybe we can find our way back to Memphis.

One Night Stand-Up

On July 13th 2009 at approximately 7:45 pm. I stepped onto the open stage at the Comedy Store on Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles California. The bright lights blotting out the front row, I was alone on stage. I was also alone in the club save for my fellow amateur comedians. The Pot Luck shows at the Comedy Store are a tradition that date back to the earliest days of the store. Alumni that have gone on to stardom after paying their dues at the open mic include Richard Pryor, Sam Kinison, David Letterman and more.

The evening begins when the sign-up sheet appears in front of the store at 6:00 pm. Up to 40 aspiring comedians can sign up for 15 to 20, three-minute performance spots. After seven weeks of not making the cut Bobby Pope appeared in spot #12. It was a slow night at the club, a total of four people were in the audience and not at the same time. Technically three people were audience members and one was a comedian sitting with a friend. So the fanfare was nowhere and the crowd a little brutal but the show went on.

The performers were gracious to each other and the night became a proving ground for new material. Not a bad situation to be in when performing for the first time. It was a walk through for hopefully many attempts to come. My three minutes went by without incident, there were some definite hits and some misses and I was able to end on a laugh. In the end the sting of the stage is as strong as ever. I am a person who thrives in the spotlight. A full house may mean more pressure but you also get a more accurate barometer of how well you perform. Some questions were left unanswered but the experience I will always have.

Joke that got the biggest laugh - "So I was shocked to find that in L.A. you can buy hard liquor at the drug store. You can walk into CVS and buy enough Vodka and Tylenol P.M. to recreate Liza Minelli's honeymoon."

III,

Six Months in L.A.

Six months ago I pulled onto Hobart Blvd with my roommate and the Penske moving van we had rented and gazed upon the apartment that would be our new home. 30 seconds later a car crash occurred in the intersection we were just in, somehow almost punctuating the cross country journey we had taken with a final thud. The beautiful country we passed through from the lowlands of the south to the plains of the southwest finally across the desert had given way to the vast expanse of the city, and smashed against the reality of the situation. We were there.

The basics came slowly but surely, television, phone line, internet. The intangibles still up for grabs, interviews, auditions, school, careers. In between there was life. Since I've been here I've experienced three earthquakes, only one of which I have actually felt. I spent St. Patrick's Day at the roof top bar of a very nice hotel that I would normally not be allowed in. The Lakers won the NBA championship with rioting and fire. The 4th of July celebrations with barbecues and fire. Tragically the death of Michael Jackson and the year is only half over.

The time has gone by very rapidly. I remember being shocked that I had been in L.A. for two months and now college football season is only two months away. I have seen the Rose bowl and the Coliseum, been to Dodger stadium and Angel stadium in Anaheim but was turned away because the game was sold out. My first friend from Georgia ventured west for a week in May and we astonished ourselves by seeing all the sights it took a week to see last year, in a day. My roommates involvement with USC and also his attention to 7-11 online giveaways has made it possible to see several movies in advance and also for free. Some times these are great and sometimes they make me regret ever giving money Transformers 2. I have played volleyball on the beach and also enjoyed the simple but fantastic pleasure that is In N' Out Burger.

The career path has been exciting and frustrating at the same time. I have been able to be my own person and people seem to appreciate that more here than I have ever encountered. The downside is waiting for the opportunities. In a place where individuality is celebrated, you are evaluated, individually, which can take some time in the constant search for "it" whatever "it" is. I'm not sure I ever want to be "it" but I believe it takes a little bit of "it" to become free to create. I remain optimistic that something will happen very soon because for the first time in a while all of my bases are covered. The rest will hopefully be history, I just need to continue to try and not be bogged down by self doubt.

Hopefully the next six months will be just as exciting and rewarding as the previous six as new obstacles and challenges arise but new friends and experiences will be discovered. The life we have on this planet is only ours for a short time and to strive to be ordinary and take the easy beaten path is to truly miss out on what makes life worthwhile.

III,

Stallworthless

How much is the life of a human worth? Have you ever considered what the price of your life would be? What about a loved one? Does the price vary considering how long the person has been alive or what they did while alive? Do you think the very question is repulsive? If you do you're definitely not alone. The hard truth is that the law allows for that very question to be realized.

I am from Georgia originally, I moved to L.A. in 2009 about a year and a half removed from one of, if not the biggest, sports scandal in Atlanta history. Michael Vick, star quarterback for the Falcons had been convicted of operating or knowing of an operation of dog fighting on his property in his home state of Virginia. Michael Vick received 23 months in prison with the last three months being house arrested, he is scheduled to complete his sentence on July 20th. This trial split Atlanta down the middle. I was working for a local sports radio station at the time and went to several Falcons games that season. The city was a mix of outrage and utter indifference. One side viewed the situation as just another punk athlete getting too big for himself and paying the consequences. The other side viewed this as an act of justice strengthened by special interest groups persecuting a man for a victimless crime. The main portion of the argument was whether or not the sentence fit the crime. Measured against other crimes, how did this sentence for the deaths of animals measure with other major crimes of drug/weapon possession or assault/murder. I was originally on the side of "Vick got what he deserved," until recently.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth was driving drunk on March 14 in Florida when he struck and killed a pedestrian. Charged and convicted of DUI manslaughter.

Pretty hefty terms in the judicial world. Stallworth's sentence you ask? If a man was given 23 months in prison for the violent death of innocent animals then the DUI slaying of an innocent man must be life without parole. Wrong. For murdering an innocent man Stallworth received 30 DAYS in prison. How does something like this happen in a country that prides itself on Liberty and Justice? Here's the important part, Stallworth reached a "confidential" cash settlement with the relatives of the victim. Until this moment, all of the arguments and complaining about Michael Vick getting a rough treatment over some dogs went in one ear and out the other for me. Most of these people, I told my self very self righteously, were just exalting the game of football over what was right and they were more upset at the loss of a quarterback than seeing justice done. Now, I have to admit they may have a point.

So the question was raised again. How much does a human life cost? How misguided are the priorities of America that we place so much emphasis on buying power that the common belief is that green purchasing squares can buy happiness or in some cases replace a loved one? 30 days for killing a human being. That's the bottom line, forget the arrogance of offering anything but condolences and apologies to the family especially trying to buy their pain. "I feel bad but, um, I really wanna play football so, would you take this money so I can go do that." That's is all Stallworth's fault. The family actually accepting the money, is society's fault.

Let's compare Michael Vick's 23 months with some other sports crimes.

1998 - Leonard Little, NFL St. Louis Rams. Drives drunk and kills a wife and mother. 90 days in prison.

2000 - Ray Lewis, NFL Baltimore Ravens. Was charged with, a later acquitted of manslaughter of two men after several witnesses recanted their testimony. Lewis plead guilty to obstruction of justice and testified against two people he was in the same limo with, and originally tried to protect. He never spent a day in jail.

2004 - Jamaal Lewis, NFL Ravens/Browns. Was charged with conspiring to possess and distribute a copious amount of cocaine. Spent 4 months in prison.

That's in the old U.S. of A. Let's compare that to a case from Venezuela. MLB relief pitcher Ugueth Urbina was arrested for the attempted murder of five people. Long story short, Urbina attacked five farmers on his property in Venezuela with a machete and gasoline and no one was killed. Urbina received 14 YEARS in prison and his professional baseball career is over.

You kill, or even try to kill, somebody anywhere else in the world and they put you in a place where you can't do that anymore and they throw away the key. Here, we ask if you would like to donate to the empty hole left in your victim's families. We slap your hand and say shame on you but don't worry we'll have you back in time for the big game. That is of course unless you hurt an animal. Hurt an animal and we'll call you an animal. Put you in a cage and make you respect animals. Hurt a human and you get treated humanely. I guess we'll just have to wait until animals learn to care about money, then we can buy them off too.

III,

In Memoriam

Wilson Eugene Anderson (Pops) was my grandfather on my mother's side. He passed away recently and he was without a doubt the coolest, slickest and most honest person I have ever known. A veteran of the War in Korea he returned home to Dawsonville, GA where he married my grandma Annette Crane. (Nanny) They moved to Jasper, GA where Nanny and Pops lived happily married for 53 years. Raising my mom (Jackie) and my aunt Hayley, Nanny stayed home while Pops worked for the Ford motor company in Atlanta before retiring to be a farmer. In his younger years, Pops and his friends and family may or may not have ran moonshine, the jury is still out.

Each viewing at the Funeral home in Jasper was packed to capacity. The funeral was tough especially for Nanny. Funerals are always tough to get through because we feel so bad for the friend or loved one we've lost. The truth is we are really feeling bad for ourselves. If you are of the Christian faith then the bible tells us not to be sad when a fellow believer passes on because they are with the Lord, a place we all hope to be someday. I held Nanny's hand while she wept and repeated the words "I did all I could, I tried to keep him here, I tried to save him."

As much as I love my grandmother I knew this simply wasn't true. Not that the cancer that took my grandpa hadn't spread to three major organs and that there was nothing anyone could do, that was true. Nanny couldn't have saved Pops because there is only one person who can truly save us, and that is the good Lord. So, Nanny could not have saved Pops, she could have only kept him alive. My father died when I was six years old and hardly a day goes by when I don't think of him. It will be 18 years this October since my dad went home, in some ways in seems every one of those 6,574 days and some ways it seems like the blink of an eye. Though I feel sad for myself, I would not bring him back for anything because that would be truly selfish. With all the pain and suffering in the world I feel more emotional for children just beginning their walk through life than I do for those who have slipped beyond the veil.

Pops always said him and me were just alike, easy going, we knew all the answers we were just waiting on the questions. Now my grandpa knows all the answers and all the questions. He sees the world the way we wish we could sometimes. The truth is I'm not sure any of us could handle it. Critics of Heaven and Christians claim that if Heaven is so great then why don't we kill ourselves to get there? I believe everyone has a job to do, and Pops did his and a few other people's jobs along the way. My life has yet to settle on its course yet, but I hope that mine will mean half as much as Pop's and my father's did. May they rest in peace.

III,

Shredded Tweet

So, I have a problem. I find myself faced with an uncontrollable need to let my friends, family and co-workers know exactly what I'm up to all the time. I mean sometimes I'll just be walking along and I'll think of something really ironic about my t-shirt or the fact that I think stickers could save the economy or maybe just feel the need to quote a random song that makes people wonder what's really going on under my skin in this crazy mixed up world. But alas, I guess I'll have to settle with updating my Facebook status whenever I'm around my computer, laptop or cell phone. Oh if there was only a place I could go on the Internet that was accessible from my computer, laptop and cell phone that allowed me to post my inner thoughts, fears, song lyrics, mindless ramblings, comments on the weather and uneducated misinformed theories on deeply social and philosophical ideas. I don't want to deal with profile information, photos, videos or invites to social and political events, no, I just want to tell people what I'm thinking right now or they'll never truly understand or accept me. 

Ladies and gentlemen, there is such a place in cyberspace. A place where self-indulged celebrities and self-indulged joe somebodies alike can post messages to anyone who has nothing else to do but be spoon fed quips from people they know or wish they knew. The amorphous blob that is devouring the consciousness of America and the ultimate downfall of privacy and originality is Twitter.

The fundamental problem I have with Twitter is who cares? Do you really think your friends need to know what you watched on television last night? Another question I have is when did we develop this desire to let people into our lives on a moment by moment basis? Has reality TV invaded so much of our culture that even when no one respects reality TV we all have this secret desire to be "on" all the time? Do we really feel the need to behave like cameras and microphones are constantly rolling waiting to capture that "gem" of wit or social humor? Sadly, that would almost be acceptable, if Twitter was a place for the exchange of social and cultural witticisms and cynicisms between people of all classes and walks of life. It is not however, instead it is a place for people who get upset at the prospect of the government wiretapping and violating their right of privacy, spray painting their every mundane utterance all over one of the most non secure forums outside of a bulletin board in a frat house, the Internet. 

Finally, the introduction of celebrities into the fray of the masses. The art of "Buzz Marketing" strikes again. Buzz marketing was invented by companies who were too tired of creating something original for the consuming public that they advised a way to poll the populace to try and figure out what alternative, non-mainstream, fad, consumers were interested in. Then, the big companies would either 1) buy out the fad or 2) create their own knock-off polished commercialized version. All of this in an attempt to remain relevant. As enticing as the allure is of "following" (never mind the stalker lingo) a celebrity on Twitter to see what makes them tick, the truth behind why they have allowed themselves to be viewed in this forum is lost. Celebrities have to keep you interested in their lives because that's how most of them make money. When celebrities "tweet" they are reminding you that they are still out there (as if we didn't know) and not to forget how funny and candid, or eccentric the parts of their lives they shared with you are, the next time they have a project up for sale. 

So the next time you think of something culturally relevant to say, or have a moment of clarity in this ever increasingly serious world, save it. Get together with your friends in a social space (not Myspace) for some non-Facebook, face time and exchange ideas the old fashioned way, with good conversation. Take the time to formulate an opinion or cultivate a philosophy before splattering it for all the world to see. Realize that maybe not everyone should be privy to your whereabouts at all times. And finally, come to terms with your own self worth, be your own person, and not a mindless Twit.

Savannah Sorrow

Everybody dreams. Dreams are apart of life. Famed Austrian psychiatrist Sigmund Freud researched dreams with his work on the unconscious mind. One theory proposed dreams to be the residue of thoughts that accumulate during the day and slowly make their way into the forefront when the mind is restless. Dreams are believed to be windows into our personalities and psyches. We seek to know the meaning of dreams and why certain dreams occur. Dreaming is sometimes credited as an important step in visualization, if you dream of success you will be more likely to achieve success. As kids we are told to dream big but not to daydream in class, or pursue pipe dreams. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream of peace for the future, for society and for humanity.

I had a dream. 

My dream was not grand in nature. I didn't want fame or fortune or cultural significance, no. All I wanted was a date. One date. One measly evening out with good food and good conversation and maybe even a good-night kiss, I'm not picky. But no. Not me. For my dream died a slow painful death. On the eastern side of the state of Georgia, by the shores of the Atlantic ocean, Mandy Moore secretly married boyfriend Ryan Adams in Savannah. 

The dream is gone. The wish has vanished. I moved to the other side of the country, L.A., Hollywood, the number one place to run into celebrities and Mandy Moore gets married in my home state! If I believed in signs, this would be a big one. Of course the real victim in all of this is the list. Everyone has a list and it tragically dies, slowly but surely as you get older and become more tied down with responsibility and family. Whether this list contains just women and or men or as mine does, a list of situations, time proves the ultimate victor. 

Mandy Moore became an infatuation of mine when I was a teenager. In the time of Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, Mandy Moore didn't achieve the musical prowess of Christina or the pop cultural exposure of Spears. She also never transformed her identity. This is the allure of Ms. Moore, er uh, Mrs. Adams. (It even hurts to type) Mandy has remained her dignified self when other young starlets have made headlines for less flattering forms of self-humiliation. 

As I stand, prepared to erase her from my list, I know it will be more difficult to erase her from my mind, my heart and my dreams.

III,

Oscar Night in L.A.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences held the 81st Academy Awards this past Sunday, February 22nd. I am a huge film fanatic and consider myself a bit of a film geek. Hugh Jackman hosted for the first time and being a natural born performer he did very well. The show decided to change its format which was a good thing after so many years. Not all the changes will stick around but I hope one in particular will. The awards for best actor and actress in both the leading and supporting categories were presented by five award winners from previous years. Each previous winner introduced and explained a little bit about the nominee they were representing. 

The show also stuck to its basic principal of excluding blockbusters from the major awards. I will be the first person to stand up and say that I would rather see an independent passion project with a smaller budget than another cookie cutter, dumbed down, action flick. The point remains that good film making isn't restricted to dramas or the flavor of the multicultural week. Two films unjustly prejudiced against were The Dark Knight, as well as Chris Nolan not receiving a best director nod, and Wall-E. Having not seen Wall-E I can't fully speak on it's behalf but I have heard from reliable sources that it is more than just another Pixar triumph and addresses the human condition in an open and frank way. The Dark Knight was a great film. If you take away the mask and the costumes The Dark Knight is a great crime film regardless of the superhero aspect. The direction is good, the score (another gyp) is amazing and the acting by all involved serves some really great performances. When will the academy learn that budget and subject matter do not always predict good content or process?

After having been outside the Shrine Theatre for the S.A.G. Awards and being able to see the red carpet and even a few A-listers, I was really excited about the prospect of staking out the Kodak Theatre for the Oscars. Alas, duty called and I helped The Dust work on his first project of film school and thus missed the red carpet.

After enjoying the show I learned something that changed my view on missing out on the red carpet. As it turns out, representatives from the infamous Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) from Topeka Kansas were picketing the event on the corner of Sunset and Highland. WBC makes it their duty to picket the funerals of homosexuals who have died as a result of hate-crimes or the AIDS virus. At a time of celebration these people held signs depicting Heath Ledger and the words "Heath in Hell." They also held signs depicting president Obama as Satan and signs reading "God Hates America." The church has also taken to protesting the funerals of soldiers from Iraq. On the official website the church claims the reason soldiers joined the military was because "they are lazy, incompetent idiots." The church has picketed the funeral of Fred "Mr." Rodgers, Coretta Scott King and Jerry Falwell. It is important to note that WBC is not officially linked with any baptist convention or organization.

Everyday it still amazes me that we live in a country that is so proud of its freedom and society and yet we still turn a blind eye to those who are not free. We celebrate our freedom of speech but are often quick to condemn anyone who speaks their mind. We celebrate our freedom of religion but anyone who does not believe exactly as we do are considered evil and wrong. Only in a country as free as ours can a person defend their "rights" one day and do all they can to restrict the "rights" of others the next. The ultimate hypocrisy in this country is our egotistical sense of the freedom to be right, even if only in our own minds, no matter what. 

I am a christian man. I believe in the bible and the lord Jesus. I believe that the most misunderstood person in history was Jesus. A life and a message so simple and so profound that has been more misinterpreted by so many I cannot think of. I have many christian friends that cannot believe the state of the world. They are shocked day by day at the horrors of our society. They wonder in amazement how so many people disregard Christianity. To this I say look no further than WBC. How can we hope to live in peace and spread the word of love when there are so many spreading the word of hate in His name. 

I saw an advance screening of the documentary film "Religulous" by HBO political commentator Bill Maher. The film was touted for asking the tough questions many religious people today aren't willing to answer. The film really focuses on Bill's own fear of people who don't care whether they live or die because of their beliefs, making decisions that effect people who do care whether they live or die. I went to this film for the same reason many religious people did not, I wanted to hear these questions. What I saw was a well formatted series of ultimate questions intended to make even the most ardent theological scholar slip up. Though I came out of the film confident that upon opportunity I could very easily explain the majority of the questions posed, I was discouraged at the sheer blindness and unwillingness to participate in discussion by many religious people. This was the brass ring for believers, this was a chance to stand up confidently and passionately and explain the fundamentals of our faith for the dominantly non-religious audience. Yet they were no where to be found. Only regurgitated slogans and scriptures that have no meaning to people who don't have a base in the faith. 

I'm not in favor of abandoning religious beliefs or compromising what you believe to be right but the point is that we are instructed to lead by example. We cannot force anyone to believe as we do just as we would not want to be forced to believe anything we didn't agree with. All of us, religious and not have got to realize that we are all in this world together. We cannot call ourselves the land of the free if we continue to restrict the freedom of others.

Six Days in L.A. Revisited

One year ago, I traveled to Los Angeles for six days to visit the University of Southern California with my roommate who was planning to attend film school. We stayed in Chinatown and rode the gold-line metro into the city everyday. I remember seeing the sights and the university and the beach and wondering to myself if I would ever be back. 

Almost one year later I am sitting in a coffee shop on Union St. borrowing their wireless internet because the wireless at my small apartment off of Venice Blvd. isn't installed yet. I think back over the last year and I see myself leaving the beach at sunset and vowing that I would return and touch the water when I had earned my way back. I remember the nine months of waiting to hear if USC was the destination of my roommate, meaning a travel partner. I remember packing up the car and moving van and leaving tiny Woodstock Georgia for a 2,200 mile trip across the country and through the desert. 

I've been in L.A. for almost a month now and this city has surprised me from day one. The people are nothing like the stereotype says but the weather is. The opportunities greater but the pool deeper. The sorrow more real but the dreams are more fantastic. On a resume I submitted to my talent agency I wrote that I want to inspire and to explore meaning and purpose. I quoted James Dean:

Dream like you'll live forever,

Live like you'll die today.

In my first pontification of the new year I want to look forward to the time in my life that will surely resonate for the rest of my days. My time in L.A. this time around has no time table long or short. My life has reached a point beyond safety nets and testing the water.

III,