Being a bonehead

I was just thinking this morning about some of the cool people I have met and taken classes under in the last three years, and I just realized--I should have gotten my pictures taken with them. Those are cool memories, and pictures are great ways to capture memories.

I take my camera almost everywhere, and I forget to take pictures in most of those places. I need to really work on that one.

This past week, I had a class with Alister McGrath, and last summer I was able to hang out with Graham Tomlin and Dallas Willard. I would have loved to have gotten a picture with them.

I could remember and reflect upon lessons learned and experiences gained through and since those courses more easily perhaps with the supplement of a photo.

My roommate nic takes some awesome photos--I look forward to the time he gets a digital camera so the world might see his skill.

What are some cool experiences you've had, that you haven't recorded in some way?

In my experience, recording those experiences helps to seal them in my memory.

MGM Studios

A convergence of worlds is taking place before my eyes. I feel a bit like Neo in the matrix.

While on the soundstage at MGM, I can look out a window in our lobby and see 100s of tourists walk by each day. I wonder if they even know we are inside the facility recording this theology class?

It's like I can completely see their world through the windows, but they have no clue about mine. Maybe it's like the old testament prophet and his assistant who saw the spiritual reality of the armies of the Lord while everyone else's eyes were oblivious to this reality.

There is also another humorous consideration to being on this set. In the same building as us, the "who wants to be a millionaire" attraction is bringing in droves of tourists. As we come out of the doors of our soundstage, I can't help but wonder if they think we are celebrities. I'm actually tempted to go over to these people being held behind a rope and sign some autographs just for giggles.

It makes me wonder about the perceptions we carry about others--what are legimate, and what are not? It also makes me wonder about our awareness. What events are transpiring around us that we are entirely oblivious to. What is happening just outside your house right now--what's happening next door, or across town that would shock us or thrill us?

Updates

Last week was much more packed than I expected, and this current week as allowed minimal downtime for reflection and writing. But, I had a window to share some of what has been happening in my world recently.

Mostly I have been feeling a bit of a crunch because much of this month has me travelling. I am currently in Orlando, FL on one of the soundstages at Disney's MGM Studios. That's right--you had thought it might be the case, and it's true--I'm a star.

Seriously, I am taking a class on Faith and Science and it is being recorded on one of Disney's soundstages. There is this big empty room (8000 square feet) and in the middle of it is our "classroom". Dr. Alister McGrath is our professor, and he is the former principle of wycliffe hall in Oxford (this guy is really smart--he has a PhD in both Molecular Biophysics and Theology).

I still need to upload some pics from vacation and other cool events, but that may have to wait until later in the week.