The final senior paper post

I spent a good portion of this semester working on my senior paper and finally turned in the final draft on Friday. It went through several drafts and I worked closely with an academic adviser to clean and tighten it up. The title of the paper is Toward a Postmodern Youth Ministry: An Examination of Postmodern Youth Culture in Conversation with the Emerging Church.

I am presenting a distilled version of the paper this Tuesday, May 1 at the Research Symposium for Senior Recognition Day here at school. If you’re a student at Luther and you’re interested, it’s at 10:10 in the King room on the second floor of the Union.

I’ve also uploaded the paper and would love to hear some feedback. You can download it here (PDF, 197kb). It is seventeen pages total, but just think of it as reading a chapter in a book. If you read it, you can leave me feedback via commenting on this post.

• The Straight Dope has the rundown on the real origin of the word ‘OK’. “The letters, not to keep you guessing, stand for “oll korrect.” They’re the result of a fad for comical abbreviations that flourished in the late 1830s and 1840s.” 04/23/2007

Bargain books

Every year Luther’s library has a “spring cleaning” sale in which they sell tons of books for extremely cheap prices. I have purchased a couple of books in past years, and this afternoon I bought three books for a whopping $1.50. Here’s what I found:

God and Reason: An Invitation to Philosophical Theology (Second Edition) by Ed. L. Miller: I thought this would be a good introduction to some themes and ideas of which I don’t yet have an understanding of (e.g., ontology). I’ve been interested in philosophical theology since I took the senior religion seminar last spring and this should be an edifying read.

Christ and Culture by Richard Niebuhr: This book, published in 1951, is probably Richard Niebuhr’s best known work. It’s been referenced in several books I’ve read and I have heard about it before so when I saw it I had to buy it (for only $0.25, to boot). Richard is the younger brother of Reinhold Niebuhr, another theologian who had tremendous influence in the life and theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Christus Victor: An Historical Study of the Three Main Types of the Idea of Atonement by Gustav Aulén: This one was just serendipity. As it turns out, Christus Victor has been on my Amazon Wishlist for a while, because I’ve always wanted a better understanding of the different views of the atonement. The book is a translation of lectures given by Aulén in 1930, and the hardcover version I bought from the library was printed in 1951. The above link goes to the Amazon page for a paperback version printed in 2003. Must be pretty good if they’re keeping it in print.

I’ve got a lot of reading to do.

• Wikipedia has a very informative entry on baseball statistics. I was looking for an explanation of the pitching stat WHIP, which stands for Walks plus Hits per Innings Pitched, a “measurement of how many baserunners a pitcher is responsible for allowing per inning pitched.” 04/18/2007
• How to Win at Rock-Paper-Scissors. “4. - Telegraph Your Throw: Tell your opponent what you are going to throw and then actually throw what you said. Why? As long as you are not playing someone who actually thinks you are bold enough to telegraph your throw and then actually deliver it, you can eliminate the throw that beats the throw you are telegraphing. So, if you announce rock, your opponent won’t play paper which means coming out with that scissors will give you at worst a stalemate and at best the win.” 04/16/2007
• Matthew McGough recounts his first day as a New York Yankees batboy. This is a funny read even if you don’t like baseball. “The conversation comes to a standstill, basically because there’s a sixteen-year-old kid in his Easter blazer and tie, standing in the manager’s office at Yankee Stadium two hours before first pitch on Opening Day, looking very lost and very anxious.” 04/13/2007

Senior paper progress via Twitter

I haven’t updated much in the last week, but I have a good excuse. I’ve been working on my senior paper - in fact, I am working on it now, taking a quick break to write this post.

Yesterday I put the finishing touches on the outline of the paper, which ended up being about six full pages, single-spaced. My goal today is to write all 15+ double-spaced pages of the paper and submit it as a rough draft. As of this posting, I have six pages and 1557 words written.

Here’s the cool thing. I am updating my Twitter page with my progress as I go. If you’re really bored, check it out here and follow my progress. While you’re at it, sign up for Twitter and friend me… it’s pretty much the coolest Web 2.0 app since flickr.

• I happened upon a great band by the name of Army of Me. Their new major-label album, Citizen, releases this Tuesday and several of the tracks are available for preview on their website. “Army of Me is hovering over the line between indie and mainstream. It is in your best interest to discover them now.” 04/09/2007
• Google Maps just released a new feature called My Maps, which allows you to create and share completely customized maps. You can draw lines, add text, and even embed YouTube videos. I can only begin to imagine the possibilities with this. Think about a virtual scrapbook in which you share an entire road trip complete with stops, pictures, videos, etc. Update: I was right. Check out this map - Oral Histories of Route 66. 04/05/2007
• Check out these Bonsai Sheepskin Sandals. “The unique ‘thermostatic’ properties of… sheepskin allow Bonsais to keep your feet warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Unlike sheepskin boots or closed-toe clogs, flip flops let the sheepskin to breathe as you walk, so the footbed remains comfortable and dry.” 04/04/2007

Music of the month

I suppose it should really be “Music of the last few months”, but whatever. Here you are.

Andy Davis, Fine China: I wrote about Andy Davis a couple of years ago in the first, pre-deletion iteration of this website. His first album showcased a unique songwriting style and his proficiency on multiple instruments (guitar and piano, among others). Fine China, a five song EP, is absolutely phenomenal. Andy’s talents shine even more than his previous album and it’s nice to hear a full band backing him up on several tracks. The second song, “Earth and Venus” is so catchy and well-written I can hardly stand it. You can listen to the entire EP on Andy’s Virb page. Favorite tracks: Earth and Venus, Fine China

Anberlin, Cities: Anberlin brings out the closet punk-rocker in me. Their music is well-crafted; every song is meticulously planned. A big selling point for any band is the voice of the lead singer and Anberlin’s vocalist has an incredible voice. Favorite tracks: Adelaide, Alexithymia, *fin

Ernie Halter, Congress Hotel: When I first heard Ernie Halter’s “Whisper” (on YouTube), I really had high hopes. I thought he might even be the next Matt Wertz in my life. Although Congress Hotel doesn’t completely disappoint, I think that it doesn’t completely showcase Ernie’s talent and songwriting capabilities. The album comes across as over-produced at times and under-produced at others. I pre-ordered the album, salivating at the thought of “Whisper” performed with a drum kit and a rhodes, but he just kept it acoustic. Oh well. I think he is going to go places, and there are several songs on Congress Hotel that really do shine. Favorite tracks: Melissa, Whisper, Better

The Alternate Routes, Good and Reckless and True: Get this album immediately. I covet the lead singer’s voice and their songs are pop/rock gold. Seriously. Check ‘em out… now. Favorite tracks: Ordinary, Aftermath, Time Is A Runaway

Radiant, We Hope You Win: It’s been a long time since these wannabe Brit-rockers from Texas have released anything, and it was worth the wait. Even though about half of the tracks are re-recorded songs from their debut EP The Sound of Splitting Atoms, the album was still worth the money. Their music has mostly a mellow feel; it’s great music to have on in the background yet you could really rock out to it if you wanted. Favorite tracks: That Girl, Oceans, Way You Make Me Feel

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