Five Years of Blogging

It’s hard to believe, but it was five years ago today that I first began blogging. As a way of celebrating my longevity in the blogosphere I’m going to highlight some of my better posts over the years. You may think this a rather self-indulgent post, but the fact is, unless prompted, most people will not take a look at a blog’s old posts. Regardless, it’s without question a very long post, so you may want to scan the subheadings for a topic you’re particularly interested in. I’ll start by giving you a history of why I began blogging in the first place and move on from there. At the end I’ll select my five favorite posts from the past five years.

The Launch and Relaunch

I first started blogging the spring of my sophomore year. I was going to be studying abroad in Italy that summer and I wanted to be able to share that experience with my family and friends without sending out mass emails every other day. So I created a blog. I had had a website in one form or another since I was twelve years old but since getting to college had all but ignored it. So, on Martin Luther King weekend in 2004 I redesigned my site and incorporated a blog on Xanga.com. Below is what my homepage used to look like.

Not bad for one weekend. The photos, if you’re wondering are: Westcott Fountain, Joel Helms, me and a kid named Shawn in the Bronx, me painted up for a football game, Kyle Kozloski and Joe Landon, and Brad Kreuzinger with a very young David Wirgau.

Even though my purpose for starting a blog was for studying abroad, I began blogging that spring just to get people used to the idea of checking it. I would put links to my site in my AIM away message. I started putting a link to my homepage in my email signature. I became addicted, even though I doubted that anyone was really reading.

The Xanga blog was great when I was an amateur. But after a while I become frustrated with my inability to have absolute control over all parts of my website. So, on May 16, 2007 I launched the new version of my website which was self-hosted and used WordPress.  I moved all my old Xanga posts over to my current blog (although I never did go back and clean up some of the old hyperlinks, so some things from those posts may not work). If you’d like more specific information regarding my WP theme and plugins, click here.

Studying Abroad

Even though I had a blog for a few months before going overseas, I’m going to begin my recollections with the posts that defined the original intent of my blog.

I was in Europe for nearly two months (this link will show you all my posts from that summer abroad). I began a ten-part series called Strange Things About Europe which remains one of my favorite parts of my blog even today. The strangest thing of all, which actually never made the list, was the fact that the program had fifty-one people but only four men. My favorite of this series came toward the end of May:

Strange Things About Europe, Volume 8
1) Monday was an American national holiday: Memorial Day. I did not get a day off from school that day. Justification: I’m in Italy, not America.
2) Today is an Italian national holiday: Festa della Republica. I did not get a day off from school today. Justification: I’m an American, not an Italian.

In my class The Grand Tour we read works (in English) on those who had visited Florence. The best, and the one that made my blog, was Mark Twain in The Innocents Abroad, who quite succinctly summed up my international experience:

“The gentle reader will never, never know what a consummate ass he can become until he goes abroad. I speak now, of course, in the supposition that the gentle reader has not been abroad, and therefore is not already a consummate ass. If the case be otherwise, I beg his pardon and extend to him the cordial hand of fellowship and call him brother. I shall always delight to meet an ass after my own heart when I have finished my travels.”

I think the most memorable part of my trip to Italy was when I was in Rome the same time that President Bush was there.

Now there was a bit of excitement that occurred between the Coliseum and the Pantheon. As I’ve mentioned in past posts, President Bush was in Rome the same weekend as us. This meant anti-Bush and anti-American protests. Well, in order to get from the Coliseum to the Pantheon we had to cross the main protest. It was miles long and had hundreds of people marching in it. Dr. Carribino stopped to let us take pictures of it. We were given handouts and other things from the protectors. It was actually quite a sight. The only thing that kind of pissed me off was seeing the American flag with a Nazi swastika spray painted on it. I don’t care what kind of a message you think you’re sending, that’s not a symbol that should be tossed around lightly.

We stopped to take a look at Trajan’s Column before heading on to the Pantheon. As we’re standing up, looking for which way to go next (this was not the normal route that past FSU groups had taken, so we had to get our bearings), we see a flood of people running towards us. I run up some steps to get a better look; most of our group just ran with the approaching crowd, thinking the worst. I wanted to see if they were running from something or running to something before I decided where to go. As I’m looking I hear explosions. I found out later that it was probably nothing more than fire crackers or smoke bombs. At the time I’m thinking pipe bomb, 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, projectile nails. Now I’m on auto-pilot. I take off running for the nearest alley. Fortunately the nearest alley to me was also the nearest alley to the rest of the group, so I didn’t get separated. A lot of people were seriously freaking out. I admit that I was pretty scared. I did my best to try to calm some people down, but I’m not sure it did much good.

This was one of the best trips of my life. I would recommend studying abroad to anyone, though I would also recommend going with someone you know. In my case, it would have been nice to have had another Christian guy along with me.

The Navigators

Much of my blogging has had to do with my involvement with The Navigators, first as a student, then as an alumni volunteer and finally as a staff member (in varying capacities). My earliest posts found me recounting the stress of being the Activities Team leader, a job I had just started when I began blogging.

I’ve written reactions to multiple conferences. The Spring 2004 conference featured an opening talk by Dave Haus, who remains one of my favorite Navigators ever. One thing he said still challenges my decision-making process.

“Courage is acting when success is not certain and sacrifice is necessary.”

That summer I attended my second summer training (the first during the life of my blog), the National Collegiate Program in Colorado Spring at the Navigators’ headquarters (this link will show you all the posts from that training program). I worked Conference Services, which meant that me and my teammate Tim made sure that all the events happening at the Glen went down as planned. That said, we weren’t always serious, as this radio conversation shows (note: Jake was our boss, David was a coworker).

David: Did you say you were in the kitchen or the carriage house?
Tim: Carriage house. I’m moving this carriage all by my lonesome.
David: Okay, we’ll come over there soon so you won’t be so… lonely.
Tim: I’m just kidding. I haven’t started moving it yet. I’m inside watching TV.
Tim: Don’t tell Jake.
Jake: I’ve already heard.
Jake: It’s so hard to find good help these days.
Tim: And good bosses.
David: We have an opening.

Our Bible study that summer was led by the one and only Jerry Bridges. Yeah, seven weeks of Jerry. That’ll make anyone jealous. He spoke each week on a different doctrinal point. Very good stuff. My small group was led by the head staff from the University of Amsterdam. A Dutch Bible study leader meant that study ended with beer.

One of my best memories from that trip was the banquet the men put on for the women. It was done largely without the assistance of the Nav staff who were in charge of the STP (the team leaders and program leaders weren’t even invited). This is when I had a rock star moment.

My job was to go downstairs to the castle lobby where we had asked the girls to arrive and escort them to the Great Hall. Awesome. I was actually thinking about requesting that job earlier but thought it would be too prideful of me to do it. So the time comes. Everything in the Hall is set. I walk down the stairs in my tan suit with my hair parted neatly down the middle and my facial hair cleanly trimmed. I’ll be honest, I’m looking good. I come down the stairs and it’s like I’m a rock star. The girls start screaming and taking pictures. I didn’t realize it at the time but I’ve been told by many of the girls that when they first saw me they all instantly thought “The Bachelor.” Anyway, I led them through Oriel Hall where there were three guys standing on either side of the entrance to the Great Hall (doors are closed). I tell the ladies that it would be our pleasure to escort them to their tables, I knock on the door, I pull one door while Jakar pulls the other and they all start screaming again.

I imagine some of you are wondering if I was serious when I wrote that my hair was parted, since these days I don’t have much hair. When I was at that training program I looked like this.

Back in Florida, the conference in the Fall 2005 semester remains a touchstone moment for a lot of people in our community. It’s remembered by those who attended as “the conference where everyone cried.” Mike Schmid gave three great talks. At the time I was trying to figure out what I’d do when I graduated the following year. My response to the conference, with that in mind, was this:

The one thing I got out of that weekend more than anything else was to be obedient. Everything else stems from that. As I analyze my response to that vision I realize that there would have been a time when an answer from God that simplistic and open-ended would have insulted me, but now I feel completely at peace and at ease with that answer.

Later, in the spring semester, I ended up applying to EDGE Corps, being accepted and turning the job down. It was difficult to live out the lesson of obedience in real life, but I do believe it was what God was asking me to do.

I would later go to work for The Navigators, but rather than join EDGE Corps (which would have forced me to leave Tallahassee) I came on staff in a part-time capacity at Florida State. I tried to write extensively about that year for the benefit of my donors and prayer supporters. This included posts about fund-raising, my trip to St. Louis for the National Staff Conference, the men’s retreat, the spring conference, an audio recording of the message I gave on Ephesians and our spring break trip to Chicago. I’m particularly proud of the post about Chicago since I spent so much of my life planning that trip. It’s also one of the few posts on my blog where I do some video blogging to compliment my writing.

That year while on staff I was faced with the choice of what to do the following year, whether to work for The Navigators full-time or drop back to a volunteer staff position. This is one decision that I did not blog about during the decision-making process, since I knew that if I decided to leave that job it would likely mean leaving my job with the DOEA as well. It was really the first time that I censored myself on my website, but I believe it was for good reason. I eventually detailed my decision to leave when the Fall 2008 semester began.

Music, TV and Movies

I love music and I’ve used my blog to share my taste in tunes with others. I’ve written about three concert experiences. The first was Soul Fest 2004 in New Hampshire. This is when I discovered that Paul Colman is an amazing live performer. But it’s also when one of the best moments ever occurred with me and my favorite band, Jars of Clay:

Their performance got cut short because of lightning. But let me tell you: it was worth it. It had been threatening to rain all day. It started to pour during their show… right as they started to play Flood! No lie! It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. Last year it was raining during Flood too, but the fact that it started to rain as Dan sang the words “Rain, rain on my face” is something I will always remember.

Early on in 2005 Jars of Clay came to Tallahassee and, due to rain, were forced to play at the church I was attending at the time. While watching them play that night I had a terrific revelation:

And this crazy thought went through my head as they were taking the stage: I played bass on that stage at Rez Week 2003 with the Nav band. I’ve played on the same stage as Jars of Clay, and I played on it first! That doesn’t sound like it means much but it gave me a warm feeling at the time.

But that wasn’t actually even the best moment of the evening. This was the night that the women of The Navigators unveiled their “I Heart Nav Boys” t-shirts (which really ought to be reprinted for a new generation of women). Those shirts prompted this encounter.

So after the second show the band was signing autographs and selling stuff so I decided to hang out. I was hoping they would bring advanced copies of their CD but they didn’t. Liz, Mandi, and James were all getting things signed so I decided to buy a $3 pic just for kicks. I mean, they’re there. Might as well get something signed. We were at the end of the line, so when we got up there we were able to talk to them for a little bit without anyone shooing us away. Looking back on it I’m surprised I wasn’t a babbling idiot or that I didn’t give them a lame hand shake or something like that. But the conversation, that’s the kicker. Both of the girls were wearing those Nav Boys shirts. As they walk up to the table Stephen says something like, “Now wait a minute. I thought Navs didn’t date.” No way!! I thought the Navigator never-dater thing was just a joke among us here at FSU, or at worst a joke among the state. But no, evidently the whole world knows the unofficial rule. Now, of course, being Nav boys ourselves James and I had to get a little defensive (even though it was true). But here I am arguing – the kidding around way I do with everyone else – with the members of Jars. And since the four of us are all kind of like that we’re all doing it. It was so fun.

I returned to Soul Fest in 2005, which was the best of the four I attended. I saw Jars of Clay perform twice, found out that Chris Tomlin is by far the best worship leader I’ve ever seen, and rediscovered Paul Colman’s on-stage greatness.

I have to mention this about Paulie Pops (his own nickname) and then I’ll shut up and move on. While playing on the main stage he introduced his audience to the idea of the “chord of recognition”. What is that? Well he played the first few notes of Eric Clapton’s Layla to demonstrate. People started to cheer. He really hadn’t done anything yet, but because people recognized the song they began to cheer immediately.

Taking my love of music to a more personal level, I have created soundtracks for both 2007 and 2008 that highlight the music that impacted me the most during that calendar year.

When it comes to television, I really only talk about two shows: 24 and Scrubs. I don’t watch a lot of TV, but I’ve seen every episode of both of these shows and I like talking about them.

I don’t talk about movies too often, but after an amazing experience on opening night of The Dark Knight I couldn’t keep quiet. The midnight showing was all sold out. Or so I thought.

If you’re familiar with these kiosks you know that they print out one ticket and one ticket-like receipt for each ticket you purchase. But my machine just kept on printing. It printed out six little pieces of paper instead of four. I take a closer look at what I’d been given. In my hands were two tickets to the Friday show that I had meant to buy, two receipts for those tickets and two tickets for the midnight premiere showing! I know it sounds crazy and like I’m making it up but that’s really the way it happened. So I tell James to get to the theatre as quick as he can. We were even able to get two seats together even though we were two of the last two people in.

Poetry

Really? Yeah, once.

Life Events

I have written a post on my birthday every year I’ve had my blog (20, 21, 22, 23, 24). The first four of those posts show a version of me that I don’t like, one that resists the idea of being celebrated arbitrarily on your birthday. But as of last year I’ve changed my tune. Now I see my birthday as an opportunity to love others.

On a day like my birthday when I’m interacting with so many people, how much more important is it that I make sure to bring my highest possible relationship quality? Tonight I imagine there will be a handful of people at Nav Night that typically don’t talk to me that much who will come around to say hello and wish me a happy birthday. Will I treat that person as just another well-wisher or will I do my best to bless that person in the limited time I have with them?

This past summer my good friends Kyle and Nicki got married. The eight months leading up to their wedding I had been Kyle’s roommate and Nicki’s next-door neighbor. I chose to write about their love story as I had witnessed it during that time. My favorite part of the story (you know, besides the happily ever after part) was while they were still fake-dating. Kyle’s chronic back trouble was acting up.

So Ross’ party had given way to tending to Kyle and trying to get him comfortable. It was getting late and the birthday party crew had dwindled to myself, Ross, Nicki and Kyle. Nicki had gone to her side of the duplex to get something, a heating pad I think, and when she returned I stopped her at our door. Thinking that I was being considerate, I told her that I thought Ross and I could handle things if she wanted to go home and get some sleep. Looking past me, she responded saying, “I just want to take care of him,” and rushed into the house.

It wasn’t just her words, and it wasn’t just how she said them. She had a look on her face and in her eyes, a look that I can really only describe as a mothering look, a look that I hadn’t at all expected to see. But there it was. It was love. Because he was hurting so was she. I stood there in the doorway struck dumb by the scene, for it isn’t everyday you see that sort of thing. And even though they were still only fake-dating, that’s when I knew this story was going to end well.

A year and a half earlier I had been to my cousin’s wedding. They had decided to make the ceremony a roast of both the bride and groom, which I found to be oddly appropriate.

After everyone walked down the aisle and took their places my Uncle Chuck, the father of the bride, began to perform the service. I had heard they wanted to make the ceremony fun, but I had no idea just how great it was going to be. The service was essentially a roast of both the bride and groom. This struck me as being what was missing in other weddings. Not that each wedding needed the participants to be embarrassed in front of their family and friends before saying “I do.” But this roast did a great job of exposing each person. Here were the things they might not tell just anyone, now out in the open. The commitment they were making, it was to this person with these idiosyncrasies. Despite how difficult it might seem to combine these two lives – any two lives – in a marriage, they were committing to the challenge for life. I left knowing they were committed to each other and not just a feeling, which is something I can’t always say.

I’ve written about some not-so-rosy times on my blog as well. My first roommates post-graduation were terrible. I used my blog as a way to vent. But one roommate left on his own terms and the other one (or two, if you count the guy who he let stay with us constantly) was eventually evicted. A couple months later I was in a fender bender which I felt wasn’t my fault. I was hot for justice, but God impressed on me the need to grant the other driver grace.

My Five Favorite Posts

This will be my 373rd post to my blog. It wasn’t easy narrowing the list down to the five I like best, but here are my picks (sorted from newest to oldest).

• The Camp Special Renaming Project (October 6, 2008)
• My Roommate and My Neighbor (July 1, 2008)
• Chicago Spring Break Trip 2008 (March 17, 2008)
• “Would You Guys Mind Watching My Bike?” (January 19, 2008)
• The Last Night of NCP (August 2, 2005)

Looking Ahead

If you had told me when I started that I’d be doing this five years later I would never have believed you. And really, I’m only a little less skeptical at the thought of being a blogger five years from now. Who knows where I’ll be, what I’ll be doing, or even whether blogging will still be a growing form of communication. I’m going to take it a year at a time. This past December I set forth some blogging goals for the year that I intend to accomplish.

Your Feedback

Okay, first, I’m not looking for a giant pat on the back. But if you did happen to click on one of the links and found that something I wrote made you smile or think or something you could mention that in the comments. I hope you’ve enjoyed this look back at the past five years. I know I have.