Hiatus
Monday, August 18, 2008
If you’ve checked at all lately, you’ll notice that the pace of my posting has slowed way down. Way down. Here’s the thing: In the process of finishing my project, I’ve decided to move toward another blog that is fully devoted to the topic of commercial media communication and the church. There’s a lot to look at and discuss in this arena, and I think I’m better off separating this from my lighter personal and tech fare. In addition, I’m finding less time available to post personal and tech writing—and I feel strongly about redirecting my writing energies (now that the academic project is near complete) toward a new, more focused site.That said, there is much to do in going to a new blog—and I’m hoping to up the ante by changing software platforms. That, in itself, may take a few months of work. In the mean time, the TSAWWT will stay live right here in case anyone is interested in archived posts, and I may post sporadically if needed—if anything to keep folks abreast of the progress toward the new site. As a parting shot that will be featured here for a few months, I will close out with a post on a concept that I think needs increased attention: Externality. I've had this in my head for a while, so it's nice to get it posted.
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Donna Martin graduates!
Sunday, May 04, 2008
And so will I. I’ve been staring down the barrel of a deadline this past month, which I hope explains why I haven’t posted. Every shred of writing time has been devoted to full drafts of my thesis chapters 1, 2 & 3.With that overblown deadline behind me, I’m pleased to announce I have been “approved to walk,” which is the graduate school lingo for being allowed to participate in commencement and receive my M.A. in Communication (actually, I receive an empty decorative folder—the diploma is issued once I complete and defend my thesis).
Saturday, May 24, I get hooded like a proper master. And at some point after that, my family gets a full-time dad back.
So grab picket sign and march, people! Donna Martin graduates!
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Explain yourself
Saturday, January 26, 2008
You may have noticed I took the month of January off from TSAWWT. Chalk it up to some serious family holiday time, thesis research and the intense preparation process for my comprehensive exams.With my comps behind me forever (knock on wood: I don’t yet know if I passed), I’m moving on with the project full on. Woo-hoo! While some of the enthusiasm has waned, I’m happy to report that I’m still geeking out about what I’m finding. There’s a certain amount of exhilaration to the notion that I’m truly looking at this issue (marketing and advertising targeting churches) from an unheard perspective. The more digging I do, the more this is clear to me.
Anyhow, look for more snippets and excerpts from me on this as we push toward the April deadline for my graduation requirement: Three thesis chapters completed to “get hooded” as a Master of Communication.
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Where have you been?
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Apologies. Keeping up with my posts has been more of a challenge in the past two weeks. I’ve been ratcheting up my thesis research—finding a bunch of new sources, along with an increase in overall busy-ness. Plus, I’ve been more prone to relax or sleep rather than post in my down time. You may see me post in more bursts, rather than a regular pace. Hope this is okay for the time being.
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What am I becoming?
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Pulled this out of a recent post from Greg Boyd’s blog. It bears repeating, as I am continually coming to terms with what disciplines I need to embrace in my life, and why I need to embrace them: “…each act of violence we engage in, however small, dulls our capacity to experience and appreciate the sacredness of life, while each act of self-sacrificial love, however small, increases our capacity to experience and appreciate this sacredness. This, I believe, is the true meaning of ethics. It's not that we are tallying up an account of good deeds verses bad deeds, as though God were some sort of ethical ledger-keeper. Rather, the importance of ethics is that each one of our behaviors (which, remember, includes each of our thoughts) moves us forward in becoming a certain kind of person. God wants us to experience abundant life, and each act we engage in either increases, or diminishes, our capacity to do this.”
Here’s the link to the post, which is really a movie review/reflection.
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Don't smoke
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Charp sent me more great snaps from my distant past. This is me (middle), him (left) and Wayne Hanson (right) in Germany doing our best Eurotrash pose. And It would be pretty cool taking a drag on our fake smokes, if it weren't for the stupid American fanny packs silently screaming "tourist." I believe Wayne was playing some street music to earn some quick Marks for souvenirs. This would have been spring of 1990 (May or June)--the NCBC choir trip to Austria, Germany and Hungary. While not-so-secretly pining for a new girlfriend back home, I think my goal was to play it as cool as possible, and not get swept up in some stupid choir trip fling (like that would ever have happened). What a geek. But, then again, I'm just a bigger geek now. And, I got the girl. (PS: Bri, made you look at another fake smoke gag - gotcha, pal!)We were merely freshman
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
We can't be held responsible.
I can be accused of pride at times. In an effort to keep myself humble, here is a damning photograph of me with a full blown 80s pop music mullet. I'm accompanied by my NCBC freshmen-in-arms, Christopher Morris Heile (left) and David Charpentier (right). We haunted the west end of floor 4 - Carlson Hall, and judiciously inflicted our musical sensibilities on the "holy boys" that surrounded us (those legalistic male pastoral majors who dressed for "their best lives now" and felt that listening to Sting, The Beatles, 10,000 Maniacs and a steady supply of U2 was injurious to our eternal souls and theirs). As is apparent, I am compensating for my lack of guitar skill (something Chris had in spades) buy kissing my fancy hollow body acoustic-electric Kramer. I figured it was okay if I was a barely functional on the instrument, so long as I loved it that much. Truth be told, it was the only kiss I could get my freshman year. And then there was Charp, with his freshly minted Rattle and Hum movie T-shirt. I wanted that shirt.
Fond memories, culminating in one of the greatest road trips of my lifetime to Charlevoix, MI for Mr. Heile's fantastic wedding. Good times. So there's another question for Charp: can you find the videotape we made of that trip? Thanks for the scans. So nice to have hair again (on my head).
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I’m a quantitative research methods survivor
Thursday, April 19, 2007
I just finished up my last project for this class, and can now concentrate completely on my prospectus due in a couple weeks. Given the fact that I entered the MA Comm program with an exception on the statistics prerequisite, I was a little worried about staying afloat in this class—where the math really hits the fan, so to speak. Well, I made it through. I’m thinking about planting a tree to commemorate this life event. I just realized there are five more classes, then comprehensive exams, then two more classes (seminars), the thesis and defense—and that’s it! This is really starting to fly by.
In the newborn fog
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
What happened? TSAWWT is humming along with its regular brand of brilliant wit and/or boring content, and then--nothing. Is this a blog fast? What gives?
Well, you saw the news last month. A newborn is now calling the shots around here. And while I have several thoughts running through my mind at any given moment that I would love to blog about, the combination of precious little sleep, the day job and grad school have me on the ropes with my writing.This too shall pass. I do plan to post most often on my Thesis topic in the future as a way of flushing it out and getting some feedback going. I also hope to redesign TSAWWT's page layout at some point--moving to a three column with permalinks (finally). Don't hold your breath, but I do promise this will happen.
Until more sleep and free time opens up, explore the links on the rest of the site. I'm going to get some shut eye while I can.
A pretty good weekend for the Vikes
Sunday, October 22, 2006
A few weeks ago my nephew, Cameron, broke his femur (into 5 pieces) in a football game. Needless to say, this local football hero saw a promising 2006 season end far too soon. He made it through an 8-hour surgery to put the bones back in place and attach a metal plate and several screws. The kid's been through a lot.
Fast forward to today, and I just watched the Vikes trounce the Seahawks 31-13. Just yesterday, Cameron had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sit in on a closed practice at Winter Park. He pretty much got to meet everybody on the team. Pretty cool. Here's a shot with Brad Johnson.And there's many more candid photos where that one came from. Mom and dad also were on hand to enjoy the event, and made sure plenty of photos were taken.
I'm really going to miss seeing Cameron play this year, but this is one story that will become legend in our family.
Finally, a URL you can remember
Sunday, October 08, 2006
It’s official. This blog now has the simplified domain of http://www.toddwold.com. 
Find me here—and try to keep up with The Speed At Which We Travel from time to time. Also, spread the word and add me to blog rolls, etc. I know I risk getting a little big for my britches—but I’d like a wider audience. If you have friends that enjoy perusing blogs and/or have their own, turn them on to TSAWWT via my new URL.High-def communication
Friday, September 15, 2006
My first paper for COM600 (Intro to Communication Theory) was to create my own definition of communication. Here it is:“The dynamic, contextual and coded interchange of meaning between or within interactively capable beings.”
I’m not happy with it, but I think the paper’s closing paragraph was pretty good—far better than the definition itself. So as a writer I found a bit of satisfaction there. “Crafting a definition of communication is both art and science. As Frank Dance (1970) assigned the role of conceptualizing communication to science, he also asked, 'Do our definitions of communication serve us' (p. 203)? I believe they do. Each model provides a useful new perspective on this essential behavior, even when I don’t fully agree with all of them. These diverse viewpoints have broadened my thinking and given me an appreciation for the skill and originality involved in combining words to produce both an artful and a practical definition.”
The definition is a lifetime work in progress—one that may never “arrive” at a final destination. To give you an idea of this, professor Leta Frazier Ph.D. shared hers with the class last night, and I was blown away:
“Sharing Meaning”
I love it. Sure, you can criticize it for being too simple or too general, but you must give credit to something that says so much with just two words—and very simple words at that. You learn how to “share” in kindergarten.
No school like the old school
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
I have something new in common with my 7-year-old daughter. We both started school this week—second grade for her and the M A in Communication for me (is that seventeenth grade?). I think she likes the idea of a kind-of shared experience for us. She keeps asking me if I’m going to school yet. Well, it’s official. I’m a student of Bethel University Graduate School.
After a rather involved and compressed admissions process (I just decided to apply for this in late July), my first real class is 9/7/06. Two years from now I hope to be discussing my thesis with you and shopping for a book deal (a guy has to have a dream). For now, Emma and I could use your prayer support as we get used to homework all over again.Quantum theology
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
In the category of truly sidetracking my one-track mind, I stumbled upon this fascinating information in a news release from an author positing an interesting hypothesis behind the Salem witch trial hysteria. Not to pitch this book or its specific hypothesis, I was more fascinated by the little-known quantum physics experiment that gave rise to it. I did a little more research on it to verify what I was reading. (How did I get sidetracked? A new RSS feed from PR Web's religion category.)
The double slit light and quantum eraser experiments: Photons are fired one at a time. If the researchers does not know which slit each photon passes through, a zebra pattern is formed indicating interference as taken place. If the researcher knows which slit each passes through, the zebra pattern disappears. It makes no difference whether the measurement is taken before or after a photon passes the slits, or if it is taken before and then erased. The result is the same. The researcher’s knowledge or lack of knowledge makes the difference.The release stated that Noble-winning physicist Richard Feynman called this the “central mystery” of quantum mechanics, that something as intangible as knowledge -- in this case, which slit a photon went through -- changes something as concrete as a pattern on a screen.
“It’s perhaps even more spectacular,” said author Stephen Hawley Martin, “that a basic tenet of modern science has been proven wrong by this experiment. Yet, no one in science or elsewhere seems to have focused on this. Thought that remains inside a person’s head would be incapable of having an effect on this experiment. Yet thought in the form of knowledge about which slit a proton passed through had a profound effect.”
From wikipedia, “How can this be? It would seem that the 'choice' to observe or erase the which-path information can change the position where the photon is recorded on the detector, even after it should have already been recorded.”
Is choice hard-wired into the nature of the universe? I’m going to have to think about this one for a while, but I can’t help but wonder how this experimental finding fits into the metaphysical and/or spiritual realm transcending the physical. Fascinating theological implications.
Busted!
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Looks like Derek and Becky have been outed attending a "liberal" church. Cool!
This is a screen grab from the video on the New York Times web site, "Politics and the Pulpit," that featured our church and pastor Greg Boyd. As I was watching I caught a glimpse of someone familiar and had to rewind and look again. Sure enough, there was Derek and a partially obstructed view of Becky. So, I guess this means about a million people have seen him in the past couple of days. See my July 30 post for background on this whole deal.
On a nonfiction (fender) bender
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Summer reading list 2006Summer is upon us, and it’s time for my annual list of light summer reading (which is ushered in by my birthday as I generally receive a few books to get me started). Some are new and some are a little less new:
• Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas, compiled by Michka Assayas
• The Hidden Power of Electronic Culture: How Media Shapes Faith, the Gospel, and Church, by Shane Hipps
• Church Re-Imagined: The Spiritual Formation of People in Communities of Faith, by Doug Pagitt
• Naked Conversations: How Blogs are Changing the Way Businesses Talk with Customers, by Robert Scoble and Shel Israel
• The Myth of a Christian Nation, By Greg Boyd
Plus, whatever strikes my fancy in the book tent at Cornerstone.
Some pretty light stuff. When will I ever get back into fiction? I guess I’ll leave that to the movie theatre. “Cars” anyone?
Some kind of wonderful
Friday, May 05, 2006
Some Kind of Wonderful (1987) was my favorite movie for about 3 years—capping my high school experience. It was, in my opinion at the time, the finest film of the modern era (high praise from a sheltered preacher’s kid who couldn’t even go to movies until high school). One of the things I identified with was being outside the popular circles. Not quite the lowest in the adolescent caste system, but definitely confined to the creative, artistic, dramatic clique. An Eric Stoltz type rather than a Craig Sheffer.I mention that to say this: Just when my career life is in the midst of a major change curve, I hear from one of the few people in my high school past that I always wanted to reconnect with. I get an Email out of the blue last week from this old friend—perhaps via my work address mined from a Google search, which finds me all too easily (along with a pro snowboarder from out West who seems to lead a much more exciting life than I do). Cool. Plus, she is in contact with another one of those few friends I lost all track of.
So, we will be setting up a lunch soon. This will be wonderful, I think. I feel just like Eric Stoltz again, only fat, bearded and balding, which isn’t very wonderful at all.
What happened to April?
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
I have been remiss in posting. Most of this has been due to about two weeks of 12 hour days. I have some some posts drafted. Just need to get them out there. For those that think I've met some cruel fate, the news about my death has been greatly exaggerated. Look for more posts in May. Happy May day one day late.Merry Elvismas
Friday, January 06, 2006
As I’m sure you know, each January 8th many cultures around the world celebrate the birth of another kind of king…the king of Rock-n-Roll: Elvis. Our family plans to crowd around our television set on Elvismas Eve, near our adorned Elvismas tree (pictured), and ring in the day by watching Elvis get all shook up in “Clambake” while dining on deep fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Tell me about your cherished Elvismas traditions or fond memories from Elvismases past in the comments section. (Or get into the spirit of the occasion by making something up.)
Here’s wishing you a happy and safe Elvismas holiday. And take it easy on the cholesterol.
Christmastime post 2005
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
We've a variety of Christmas greetings for family, friends and friends we haven't yet met. It has been a year of blessing and challenges--and most of all, of love. Emma and Ethan bring us so much of it. They grow in us a capacity to love and be loved that begins to connect us more with the love of our Abba Father. They are truly our beloved, as we all are His.
Here is a rather fine photo of them giggling and hugging near the hearth.
God went to such great lengths to love us, asking only to be loved in return.
Jesus began His human life as a helpless infant, bound to us in love like our own children. His human journey ended in the selfless giving of His life empassioned with the relentless love of a divine parent. Remember this love as we celebrate His gift to us this Christmastime.
Happy Christmas Everyone!
Please enjoy our Christmas photo page, along with our annual year in review photo page.
If you don't get the password via Email, shoot me an Email or comment on this post and I'll get it to you.
Be sure to drop us a line, a link or stop by our place for some cookies and coffee.
Life is a discotheque
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
My son Ethan likes to get his groove on--especially to POP-era U2. After chasing him around the house long enough to get him to show off his moves, we are pleased to present this short film: Discotheque. Honestly, we don't have a whole lot of dancing in the gene pool, so it's hard to know just where this comes from. We're considering it a gift from above at this point (rather than some kind of spastic aberration). He's certainly got the music in him, and don't try to stop him from getting jiggy with it. Enjoy. (Requires Quicktime.)Playing with scissors
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
My daughter, Emma, took advantage of a day off of school by honing her skills as a hair stylist to her toy horses, My Little Ponies, Polly Pockets and Barbie dolls. The scene was strange and surreal, like some tiny gnome barber had been loosed upon the miniature toy creatures of Emma's room.My wife emphasized to her that the hair will likely not grow back in—at least not as long and thick as it once was. Several dolls and one ziplock bag of hair later, all of Emma’s horses and half of her dolls are looking more punk rock than the pretty little ponies and princesses they once were.
At least she didn’t go after her own hair—yet.
Cordless saw for sale, cheap
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
In giving my father a new circular saw for Christmas, I inherited his classic Black & Decker model. Recently he enhanced its value even more by converting it to a cordless model, which is much more convenient. I haven’t had a chance to use it yet, but I’ve been thinking about how much it would fetch on Ebay with its retro styling and cord free operation.Storms touch home
Sunday, September 25, 2005
In the space between the tragedies of Katrina and Rita, severe weather visited us here in Andover. So my blogging has slowed a bit in dealing with that after being a little ill a week before. Here is what happened to our garage door. Insurance is a good thing at a time like this. And we are so thankful to be in-tact otherwise. Others in our neighborhood had their houses torn up pretty bad.Re: my prior post. Not to be overly mystical, but I flipped on the TV set today to hear Tina Turner belting out the very song, "We don't need another hero" from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. God is wild that way!
And so it begins
Saturday, July 09, 2005
I'm home with E boy today, trying to figure this kid out. Dawnshelle is on her way to Adventureland in IA to meet up with Grandma and E girl. They will be back tomorrow. E boy is pretty active, and was up at 6:30 today before D left. My slumber was cut woefully short. Pray for me.As for this Blog, it is my first entry. I am beta testing Rapidweaver. I like it so far, so we will see. For now this Blog is a beta. I'm so 2004, but since everyone else seems to have one, why not me? I think it will be good for me as a writing tool--not too concerned about who reads it, if anyone.
Immediately I owe this Blog a couple of updates: The Cornerstone post fest report: 5 sessions with Brian McLaren and the breakout bands/shows of the festival. So more to come. For a primer, check these links:
Cornerstone
Brian McLaren