MySpace a place for friends

Saving the world (one forum post at a time).

Nature scenery.

Bible study, church, and Eucharist.

Native American awareness issues.

Reading (biblical/theological scholarship, social issues, devotional/contemplative material, sci-fi/fantasy, novels, etc.).

Writing (columns, journals, but especially fiction).

Duke basketball, NFL football (Carolina and Washington), college football (South Carolina and yes, even Duke).

Certain video games: Namely Zelda and Mega Man (especially the X series). Mario and Metroid receive honorable mentions. Zelda is something of a gaming passion for me, however.

My three dogs and cat. I think I look forward to seeing them more when I get home than my own family. =P

The British Isles.

Biking, hiking, and dancing. And none of those are so enjoyable as doing them in my bare feet.

Barefooting (no fetish, though).

Good, strong, firm, hugs. None of this half-assed, pansy, side-armed crap. Real hugs! 'Cause we all need the love. =0)

Classical music.

Movie soundtracks.
Game soundtracks.

Celtic music.

Pop rock (certain kinds).

Alternative rock (not screechy please).

Contemporary Christian (though I loathe the lyrics, ironically enough).

'90s music.

Christmas music (done well--not pop rock crap).

Examples: Kildare, Daughtry, Staind, Switchfoot, Jars of Clay, The Cranberries, Mannheim Steamroller.

Least favorite musical genres: Opera, country, rap, and '80s music (in that order).

The Star Wars saga (a six-part tale of the most dysfunctional family in the galaxy).

Superman (i.e. 1, 2, & Returns--not so much 3 or 4.)

Spider-Man (all, though 3 is notably inferior to the first two).

Batman Begins (the '90s series was okay too, but can't compare to this one).

Shrek (the first two were epic in their hilarity--the third was atrocious).

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (quite possibly the greatest comedy ever made).

Office Space (not far behind Monty Python).

I have a liking for certain indie movies like Napoleon Dynamite and Dummy.

Most Adam Sandler movies (especially Click and 50 First Dates).

Red vs. Blue series.

The Corporation (a stunning expose' of a documentary every American should watch).

The Simpsons, Family Guy, American Dad--oh hell, who am I kidding, I don't even watch TV unless there's a game on I'm interested in seeing. =P

I also like the BBC religious sitcom, The Vicar of Dibley, but most have never heard of it.

I have a passionate loathing for (so-called) reality TV shows, and none are so horrific as the dating ones.

Oh boy, I could almost write a book on this all its own...

Favorite Books I've Read:

Would it be generic of me to say the Bible? Nay, let us not be lacking in piety! (I appreciate the Apocrypha too, it should be noted.)

The Politics of Jesus by John Howard Yoder. It literally changed my entire view of the one who founded my worldview.

The Blackwell Companion to Christian Ethics, a collaborative effort. Long, expensive, but readable, but it does a damned good job of showing that, yes, liturgy matters in ethics--at least Christian ethics.

Almost anything by N.T. Wright, especially Jesus and the Victory of God. An even more life-changing author for me than Yoder.

Brian McLaren's works on postmodern Christianity (especially A New Kind of Christian) were indispensible for first getting me to think outside the standard evangelical box, even if I no longer put much stock in postmodernism itself.

Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour. This should be required reading for anyone interested in the volatile Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder. If I could only become one-tenth the man Paul Farmer is....

My favorite works of fiction were both authored by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. Both completely changed the way I view fiction and the art of crafting a story. That, and they're f***ing epic.

Wisdom Hunter by Randall Arthur. My favorite novel from over a decade ago that still leaves its impression to this day.

The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. I never even read them until I was an adult either. (For shame.)

I also have a thing for Star Wars books too, both novelizations of the movies themselves and beyond. Revenge of the Sith by Matthew Stover I consider to be one of the finest pieces of writing I've ever encountered, not just in Star Wars but anywhere.

"To Read" List:

Lies My Teacher Told Me and Lies Across America both by James Loewen.

Wealth as Peril and Obligation by Sondra Ely Wheeler.

Improvisation by Sam Wells.

Wondrous Depth by Ellen Davis.

The Art of Reading Scripture by various scholars and exegetes.

I need to read more Wendell Berry and Paul Farmer. Those two are seriously the prophets of our times. Stanley Hauerwas too (my former ethics professor, incidentally).