....here's 100 things about me. I was not tagged by Alison (though she was tagged by Ashley who was tagged by Darby), but I don't hold it against her. Still got love for ya and that curly hair. Admittedly, I probably am not the best candidate to be tagged but am feeling self-centered tonight, so here goes.
I think the idea is simply to list 100 things, interesting or boring (you can label at will). Kudos to anyone who makes is past the first few:
1) Name: Matt Hollowell
2) Hometown: Huntsville, AL
3) I have lived in 5 states and currently reside in Brentwood, TN
4) Virgil I. Grissom High
5) I was part of the Marching Tiiiiiiiiiiiger Band (didn't appreciate it then, miss it terribly now)
6) I attended UAB (undergrad--B.A. English)
7) twice (grad--M.A. English)
8) I was an Americorps volunteer post undergrad (Habitat for Humanity Cabarrus County)
9) I have worked as a grant writer,
10) newspaper photographer (Independent Tribune),
11) newspage designer (the Birmingham News),
12) graphic designer (freelance),
13) coordinating Editor for LexisNexis,
14) teacher (UAB, PVCC)
15) I play a bit of music, but mostly just for my daughter
16) My favorite song has always been "Nightswimming" by REM
17) My favorite band has always been The Cure
18) My favorite poets are Galway Kinnell and Ted Hughes
19) I have read the Gita several times but realize that I still don't understand it the way it should be understood/internalized
20) I would like to read the entire Mahabharata some day (I best get started; it clocks in at 1.8 million words; that's three times the length of the Bible)
21) I could be Hindu some day
22) Fave TV shows: Amazing Race, Project Runway, ATHF, live concerts on MHD
23) I have always been totally fascinated by cults/communes
24) I have just never had the guts to go beyond fascination
25) I have never been very good with women beyond friendship
26) I love dachshunds
27) I desperately want to go ice fishing
28) I understand some people's obsession with all things Disney
29) I have never really been to NYC, but I love Art Garfunkel's "A Heart in New York"
30) I live down the street from Dolly Parton
40) I saw Paul Reubens (aka Pee Wee Herman) at a bar last Tuesday
41) One of my mental happy places is the Pink Floyd laser light show circa 1999
41) I wish Don and I would have started our folk-metal band HolloDon
42) I love to play poker
43) I have only been to the casino twice, but I talk about it so much you would think I live there
44) I might be going to Vegas next month
45) I know a lot about the law, though I am no lawyer. It happens when you work for Lexis
46) I wish I could have spent one late-night hour with Johnny Cash
47) Some days, I don't regret a thing; some days, I regret it all
48) I say that purple is my favorite color, though I think it's really pink
49) For some terrible reason, I was completely hooked on the most recent season of the Real World
50) I desperately miss my high school friends
51) I work from home, so I spend about 23 hours a day in my house (some days, even more)
52) My closest friend lives 100 miles away (hence, the blogging)
53) I wish the winner of Top Chef would face off against the winner of Hell's Kitchen
54) I have always had many man-crushes and have always been quite vocal about them
55) My favorite movie is Being Human
56) Every day I listen to Opie and Anthony and Ron and Fez on XM 202
57) One of my favorite days ever was spent at Discovery Cove
58) I once had a rock band stay at my house the night before a job interview. smart.
59) I don't curse, but I don't believe words can be "bad"
60) You can often find me on Triplejack
61) I ruthlessly made fun of bloggers as recently as 6 months ago
62) For some reason, Jaime's blog inspired me to give it a try
63) I am very happy that my friends have begun to have babies
64) I eat gummy bears/worms at least three times a week
65) I love UAB basketball
66) I am constantly growing my hair out, then chopping it off, then growing it out again
67) I don't feel much anymore
68) I live in the past too much: proof
69) Every time I hear Bon Jovi (the old, not the new), I retreat into fond memories of the skating rink
70) I dig piercings and tattoos
71) I have very little faith but spend lots of my life thinking about religion/spirituality
72) I have never done anything very illegal
73) I am deeply afraid and strongly drawn to very deep water
74) I never want the ball in my hand with time running out and my team down by 2
75) I'm very good with deadlines and am very time-driven
76) I will play the Bluebird Cafe before I expire
77) I am not scared of dying, but I am petrified of dying without realizing it happened
78) I generally have very vivid dreams and can still remember lots of them
79) I have died several times in my dreams
80) I check my work email from the moment I wake up until I go to bed (product of working at home)
81) I am taking my first business trip next month
82) I wish I cared more for people (and for more people)
83) I believe my friends to be irreplaceable and I cannot love/appreciate them enough
84) I really hope there is an afterlife, but I don't know what version I would choose
85) I believe the best shower is an outdoor shower
86) If you have made it this far, chances are I love and miss you. Call me sometime and we'll do coffee
87) My favorite quotes: "it's easier for me to get closer to heaven than ever feel whole again", "I never said I would stay to the end", "now that i know that i'm breaking to pieces i'll pull out my heart and i'll feed it to anyone" -- all from "Disintegration"
88) I really wish I could paint
89) I thought this would be easier
90) I am eternally grateful to Henry Choi for pushing me to pick up a guitar
91) I have very good memories (but not a very good memory)
92) I hate opossums and love sea lions
93) In my next life, I would like to be a whale or one of those creatures that live at the bottom of the ocean
94) I think Tupac and I would have been a great secret friends
95) I will always wish I had pursued a PhD in Modern Brit Lit/poetry
96) I think a lot of people look like mashed potatoes
97) I wouldn't change my youth for anything, though I wouldn't recommend it for everyone
98) I secretly wish I could design/construct clothing
99) I am not sure the 100 things I have listed really mean anything or represent me all that well
100) I have not mentioned my wife or daughter (save #15), which, for those who know me, was very difficult to do. But I didn't really want to list the 100 most cutest thing Lily has done in her 14 months of life. Though, now I think that might have been more interesting reading...just being a realist, not self-deprecating.
The folks I would like to tag don't have blogs. However, Jaime C., Melissa, Don, Lizzie, Brett, etc. feel free to give me 100 back and post as a comment.
Disclaimer: There is no way I am going to proof this post, so any misspellings, bad grammar, etc. is just that.
shanti,
mjh
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Jesus Christ
Does it really matter if He really is who he says He is? (Yes, I capitalize references to Jesus and God, but I don't believe it matters to Them.) I have been trying to answer this question for myself for a long time, and I doubt I will ever truly come to a peaceful conclusion (partly b/c I like questions rumbling in my head for those rainy days). However, today and most days, I don't truly believe that it matters.
Do I believe that Jesus and his authors laid down a positive life-path? Yes. I might even declare that he laid down the best example/instruction for how to live a peaceful, fulfilling life: selfless, loving, generous, remorse without hate, empathy with action, etc. Do I believe that living like Christ or being a "little Christ" (as I have been told this is what "Christian" actually means) would make my world better? Yes. Do I believe it matters whether Jesus really was the son of God, dying, resurrecting, reappearing, sitting at the right hand? No. Why would it? Would America cease to be America if we learned that George Washington never existed, that he was just a Johnny Appleseed story that made the middle school history books (I do realize that this is a terrible analogy, but I have become distracted)? (Yes, I was one of those grad students who did not care whether Shakespeare was one man or many.)
I bring this up b/c the church I have been attending (I have no clue where my "membership" is these days--church membership...that's another topic for another day) has really been pushing the "Jesus Matters" angle. I understand why and I understand the timing. We have been in a time of reconciliation of sorts (more like synthesis) of world religions (at least as they pertain to the Christian Church). I hear lots of talk about "many paths to God"; full disclosure: 1/2 of my family is Hindu and I am currently reading The Third Jesus by Deepak Chopra, so maybe my ears are simply pointed East. Still, however, it seems that the Church stands to lose a lot of power if Jesus becomes less superman and more idea.
Other point: I don't (and will never) know if Jesus really was God incarnate and neither do you. In fact, I don't know if there is an afterlife and neither do you. Not to sound harsh, but that is the truth on the table. If you are interested in what happens when a pastor starts preaching that Hell doesn't exist, please check the story out here. It is definitely worth your time.
Well, I don't remember where I started or why I started writing this morning, as real life has crept in (meaning my work Inbox is filling up), so I am hesitant to post this random entry at all, but, in the spirit of blogging, it will stand up and be counted.
Hopefully, I will pick this theme up again soon and try to make sense or a circle out of it. For now, however, work calls...oh, and I do realize that it's all about faith and I have never really had much. Hence, the problem.
shanti,
mjh
Do I believe that Jesus and his authors laid down a positive life-path? Yes. I might even declare that he laid down the best example/instruction for how to live a peaceful, fulfilling life: selfless, loving, generous, remorse without hate, empathy with action, etc. Do I believe that living like Christ or being a "little Christ" (as I have been told this is what "Christian" actually means) would make my world better? Yes. Do I believe it matters whether Jesus really was the son of God, dying, resurrecting, reappearing, sitting at the right hand? No. Why would it? Would America cease to be America if we learned that George Washington never existed, that he was just a Johnny Appleseed story that made the middle school history books (I do realize that this is a terrible analogy, but I have become distracted)? (Yes, I was one of those grad students who did not care whether Shakespeare was one man or many.)
I bring this up b/c the church I have been attending (I have no clue where my "membership" is these days--church membership...that's another topic for another day) has really been pushing the "Jesus Matters" angle. I understand why and I understand the timing. We have been in a time of reconciliation of sorts (more like synthesis) of world religions (at least as they pertain to the Christian Church). I hear lots of talk about "many paths to God"; full disclosure: 1/2 of my family is Hindu and I am currently reading The Third Jesus by Deepak Chopra, so maybe my ears are simply pointed East. Still, however, it seems that the Church stands to lose a lot of power if Jesus becomes less superman and more idea.
Other point: I don't (and will never) know if Jesus really was God incarnate and neither do you. In fact, I don't know if there is an afterlife and neither do you. Not to sound harsh, but that is the truth on the table. If you are interested in what happens when a pastor starts preaching that Hell doesn't exist, please check the story out here. It is definitely worth your time.
Well, I don't remember where I started or why I started writing this morning, as real life has crept in (meaning my work Inbox is filling up), so I am hesitant to post this random entry at all, but, in the spirit of blogging, it will stand up and be counted.
Hopefully, I will pick this theme up again soon and try to make sense or a circle out of it. For now, however, work calls...oh, and I do realize that it's all about faith and I have never really had much. Hence, the problem.
shanti,
mjh
Monday, March 31, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
unChristian
I am reading an interesting new book, unChristian. I don't have it in front of me now, so I won't give the author, ISBN, and all that jazz. You can find more information here and watch a video by the authors here.
The basic gist of the book: the authors conducted research to try and determine what the popular Christian public image is these days; they tried to determine what both insiders and outsiders think about the Church and its members, its message, and its role in overall society.
What makes the book rather interesting is that it takes the data a step further. It is not simply a critical view of modern-day Christians, but instead it first presents the data fairly objectively, then attempts to offer action items (in the form of alternative paths, questions to consider, etc.) designed to rectify the PR problem (evidenced by the collected data). The authors identiry as Christians themselves, and, therefore, they are vested in altering the image of their chosen societal segment.
I have only gotten through the first couple of chapters, but I thought I would mention it as a knee-jerk recommendation, if any of you are looking for something to read/ponder. Not quite beach reading, but it doesn't appear to be too technical, either. Once I get further in, I will surely offer updates.
shanti,
mjh
The basic gist of the book: the authors conducted research to try and determine what the popular Christian public image is these days; they tried to determine what both insiders and outsiders think about the Church and its members, its message, and its role in overall society.
What makes the book rather interesting is that it takes the data a step further. It is not simply a critical view of modern-day Christians, but instead it first presents the data fairly objectively, then attempts to offer action items (in the form of alternative paths, questions to consider, etc.) designed to rectify the PR problem (evidenced by the collected data). The authors identiry as Christians themselves, and, therefore, they are vested in altering the image of their chosen societal segment.
I have only gotten through the first couple of chapters, but I thought I would mention it as a knee-jerk recommendation, if any of you are looking for something to read/ponder. Not quite beach reading, but it doesn't appear to be too technical, either. Once I get further in, I will surely offer updates.
shanti,
mjh
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Emotions
So, I need some emotion-labeling help. Some scenarios:
1) you give up something you love (let's call this "AAA") for something else that you love ("BBB"). You fully recognize that BBB is not only for the better, but for the best. 100% BBB is the best choice, and you are eternally happy with that choice. However, every once and a while, you wish you could have stuck with AAA. What emotion is this? It's not regret, it's not unhappy, it's not envy...what is it?
2) you believe that you really could be an important, famous artist (though deep down you know (1) it's completely untrue and (2) you produce zero art on a yearly basis). It's not quite delusion, it's not quite unearned confidence, it's not envy or jealousy. Could it be unresolved passion? Not really b/c you would think passion would somehow manifest itself...so what is it?
3) you really want to (desperately want to) read more, but you end up watching junk TV most nights. But you really want to read more and are in fact in the middle of three books. But you find yourself plopped in front of an America's Top Model marathon. Obviously, the latter emotion is apathy/laziness/regret, but what is that initial desire? What do you call it when you really want something but do nothing to attain it? ...what is it?
shanti,
mjh
1) you give up something you love (let's call this "AAA") for something else that you love ("BBB"). You fully recognize that BBB is not only for the better, but for the best. 100% BBB is the best choice, and you are eternally happy with that choice. However, every once and a while, you wish you could have stuck with AAA. What emotion is this? It's not regret, it's not unhappy, it's not envy...what is it?
2) you believe that you really could be an important, famous artist (though deep down you know (1) it's completely untrue and (2) you produce zero art on a yearly basis). It's not quite delusion, it's not quite unearned confidence, it's not envy or jealousy. Could it be unresolved passion? Not really b/c you would think passion would somehow manifest itself...so what is it?
3) you really want to (desperately want to) read more, but you end up watching junk TV most nights. But you really want to read more and are in fact in the middle of three books. But you find yourself plopped in front of an America's Top Model marathon. Obviously, the latter emotion is apathy/laziness/regret, but what is that initial desire? What do you call it when you really want something but do nothing to attain it? ...what is it?
shanti,
mjh
Monday, March 24, 2008
KD Lang
Just want to say that I love her.Smoothest voice around with a soul to match.
"A thin ice
Covers my soul
My body's frozen and my heart is cold
And still
So much about me is raw
I search for a place to unthaw
Something in me
Broods love into fear
It veils my vision leaves my thoughts unclear
My eyes
From blue turn to gray
Hoping to mask what they say
I've been outside myself for so long
Every feeling I had is close to gone
I've been outside myself for so long
I have been
In a storm of the sun
Basking, senseless to what I've become
A fool to worship just light
When after all, it follows night"--kdl
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