Meet the Pros

Tonight I will be speaking at an IABC event for students, Meet the Pros. And I'll be showing them this blog post. Hello!

Google News Goofs

Usually during my lunch break I enjoy taking a quick look at Google News, just to see if anything crazy is going on. Who knew I would end up searching for craziness in the aggregator itself:



Now, who can tell me what Dr. Evil has to do with biscuits?

What what about this "World Fitness" caption/link underneath him? I'd love to see Dr. Evil lifting waits with that pinky all over the place.

"ONE BILLION DOLLARS..." Oh, well, that how much Kraft is paying for these "biscuits." Bwahahaha.

Things I will miss about Austin, Part Deux

The "walk-to-my-journalism-class" edition:

First, the Littlefield House. It's such a quaint little place, and I've always wanted to go inside, but never knew how I could. But, I saw it on the way to the CMA Building, and it's nice enough on the outside.



Next, the UT Tower view from the CMA Building. Looks like it's just growing out the trees. Nice.



Finally, the CMA building itself. Terribly UGLY building, especially that horrible brown monstrocity that's right on Guadalupe Street. Still, I will miss it.



Tomorrow, I think I might have the "Far-West-neighborhood" edition.

Things I will miss about Austin

Okay, I think I'll start some kind of photo-series about things I will sorely miss about Austin once I move to Minneapolis. I think I should get all this mushy stuff out of the way so that when I finally move there, I'll be sick of it all. :-) Okay, so here goes the first post.

Things I will miss about Austin ("Before the Exam" edition):

Recylce Bins everywhere you look.



Going over notes in atrocious handwriting.



Bottlenecking.



More to come!

Camera Toss

Apparently there's this new craze called camera tossing.

This is my very first attempt, EVER, and I must say I'm proud of it.



I might have to do this more often.

Okay, this is too much.

The national youth group program that I have long been a part of (as both a high school student and a young adult minister) is now indirectly endorsing Jack Bauer.

My favorite:

10. There is never any traffic.
If Jack or the agents have to get anywhere, they simply drive there in 10 minutes. No questions asked, no traffic... period. I love it.

Too cool!

The Spirit of Jack Bauer

What America needs is Jack Bauer.

If you don’t know who Jack Bauer is, shame on you. In the latest season of 24, Fox’s most heart-pounding real-time thriller yet, Kiefer Sutherland portrays Jack Bauer, the man who saved Los Angeles from death by Syntox nerve gas by blowing up a natural gas distribution center and thwarting the secret terrorist plot made by the President of the United States. How awesome is that? Jack Bauer is only the greatest fictional protagonist to have ever, well, existed.

I say he exists because Jack Bauer represents the spirit of the American man that has been lost in the blurring of gender personalities. He is the quintessential hard-hitting, rough-riding, terrorist-catching superhero.

My younger sister likes to say that if you are ever seriously injured, “you just got Bauered.”

If you’re killed, oh dear. “You got Jack Bauered.”

So, I say America needs Jack Bauer because our men are wimps. Okay, so I’m all for gender equality when it comes to opportunity, but not when it comes to personality. The men of America are in a rut. According to Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, American men die six years sooner than women on average. They say the main reason is that women are more likely to get periodic exams and preventive health screenings. According to the April issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, men and children are getting fatter while women’s weight as a whole remains steady.

Last month, an ABC News Poll found that 44 percent of women attend church services regularly, while only 32 percent of men attend. To me, this does not denote a lack of faith, but a lack of discipline.

Aside from health issues, men have also become a bit too girly. Just recently, movie star Michael Douglas, who stars with Kiefer Sutherland in the new movie The Sentinel, was quoted in Scotland's Daily Record newspaper as saying: "Young guys are somewhat androgynous and use cosmetics. The lines seem to be getting much closer."

But not because of Jack Bauer. On the cover of the latest issue of Rolling Stone, there’s Kiefer Sutherland in a black shirt with squinting eyes, tattoo-covered arms, and a cigarette in his mouth. (Okay, I don’t recommend the cigarette, though it is reminiscent of the Marlboro Man.) Emblazoned across the cover: “Is Saving the World Killing Kiefer Sutherland? The Dark Life of 24’s Tortured Action Hero.” Here is what we wish men would be like. Here is our Superman (who, according to Internet gossip, wears Jack Bauer pajamas to sleep).

I say all of this lightheartedly. But when it comes to personal experience, I have to say that I am impressed when a man pays for my drink. I am impressed when he opens a door for me, or when he pays me a compliment.

These things didn’t used to be impressive. They used to be expected.

Again, these aren’t gender stereotypical because they social actions, not opportunity-based. These are courtesies of men, not offenses to women. Why should women be offended by strong, disciplined, caring man? Why should men feel awkward and wonder whether a woman would appreciate or take offense to these courtesies?

I’m not looking for men to be Jack Bauer, because that would commence gunfights and terrorist thwarting all over the country. We don’t have the energy for that.

What I wish is that men (and women) would embrace the spirit of Jack Bauer, a spirit of defending their freedoms, their friends, and their significant others (for fans of 24, cite Audrey Raines). The strong-willed, tough-loving spirit of Jack Bauer is not restricted to a television show, but can be lived in reality.

Job Update

Blogging will be light for about, say, the next MONTH or so because I'll be working on moving to Minneapolis. I've been offered a job with Wells Fargo Corporate Communications, and well, I took it! I've got tests, finals, papers, moving, birthday, graduation, and so much more coming up, so pray for me! :-)