Dave R. Michaux--A Deeper Look

What are your religious beliefs?
I am setting out for the lofty peak which Christ obtained.

If a Christian, when did you come to Christ?
I don’t remember. It was at an early age.

What church do you attend? How are you active there?
I’ve been attending a lot of different ones so far. I will eventually choose one. I’m active in First Presbyterian church. Trevar and I go on Thursday mornings to help out with the food ministry that serves breakfast and lunch.

Are you active in the community?
I’m involved in College Life, which is a branch of Young Life, but for college age people. I work at the ministry thing on Thursday mornings. I’m a GRD in Manuey. (Here Dave waves his hands in the air excitedly, almost replicating a T’ai Chi move) I’m in T’ai Chi! I’m working on hopefully soon, volunteering at the men’s homeless shelter in Shelby called the Beacon. I possibly am going to be a youth pastor soon, which would be nice.

(Would you like to explain the youth pastor thing?)
Well, I’ve been involved in Young Life for a couple of years, but I really got involved this past summer. Basically, I had things friend who was in charge of Young Life in his area, and a few things feel through for him. He called me up and he needed another leader for the summer, and I was very happy and excited to oblige. So, anyway, I went and I was involved in this ministry, and I was involved for just three weeks, and the last week was camp. I feel in love with these students, and they just fell in love with me. Than I realized afterwards that they didn’t fall in love with me, that they fell in love with the Christ that was in me. At the end of the week, one of the students who had gone to church for most of his life, picked up the Bible for seemingly the first time and he would point to something and ask me what it meant, and I would give him my best answer. And than he would point to something else a few verses later, and ask again, “What does this mean?” It was so wonderful to be able to help somebody who was so hungry for the Bible and for God.

Now, I’m here, and I’m involved with College Life. College Life is good, but high school students are so much better. I think that I’m finding that I’ve got a special heart for high school students. And I just discovered this over this summer. And so it’s something new, and I’m still exploring and hence the youth pastor thing.



Have you been on any mission trips?
Yes. I have been on two trips to Jamaica. When people think of Jamaica, they think of the island, but once you get past the beaches, it’s third world. And it pretty much rocked my world. I went to serve, and to bring the gospel to the people, and they served me, and I was blessed ten times more than I blessed them.

How do you witness to people?
Hopefully with my actions, more so than my words. To be completely honest, I never have witnessed with the definition most people think of. I’ve never done that “witness” but I have had people come up to me and tell me how they can see that I live like Jesus. Which to me, is a strong form of witness, and it is sometimes stronger than words.

What are your parents’ beliefs?
My dad grew up Southern Baptist for a majority of his life. He would say that he is a Christian, and I think he is. My mother has had a lot of hurt done by the church, and by people who claim to be Christian. At times, she seems unsatisfied with the Christian faith, and she likes to explore other spiritual outlets, such as Buddhism.

What is your political standpoint?
I try not to consider myself on the liberal or conservative scale. I used to call myself a moderate but even that doesn’t seem to be an answer that I am comfortable with. I try to base my politics on what I see is most in line with God’s love, which often puts me in both camps. That’s why I don’t see the spectrum to be a good one. For some issues I will agree with the Republicans and other issues, I’ll agree with Democrats. But it’s because I use God’s love—I try to use God’s love, as a heavy influence in my political standpoints. Most people would probably say I am more liberal. Das ist gut! Ja.

What do you think are some major issues in the world? What do you think you can do about them/want to do about them?
There is a social disconnect between the Haves and the Have Nots. I would like to educate and guide the Haves about the circumstances of the Have Nots is what I would like to do about that.

There appears to be a disconnect between the teachings of Jesus and the actions of the Church. I would like to educate people, maybe even be a prophet to the church.

There is a problem with human nature in general that wants to, or is will to do almost anything to gain power over the oppressed or rather, not the oppressed, but the marginalized. And I have no clue what to do about that.

I was talking to the people who are going to Miami, and what we are going to do down there. Maybe bring them some food, water, bandages, and basically, we will be putting band-aids on broken limbs. But the root problem is the laws. We should change the laws. But the more I thought about it, that isn’t the real problem. When the people that are making the laws are referring to ex-convicts as monsters, that is a problem with human nature, not the law, and I don’t know how to fix that. Other than showing them the love of Jesus, which I don’t know how to do, because I don’t know how to get to this person. (Click here to find out more about the issues in Miami.)

Can I go pee? You don’t have to type that. Wait. Type it!

Dave R. Michaux --Who is he?

My friend Dave agreed to be my next victim. We settle into his apartment on his new couches and begin.

Tell me about yourself?
I was born in Maryville, Tennessee, outside of Knoxville. It’s a lot bigger than Boiling Springs. I lived there until I was 14. I was home-schooled for 5th, 6th, and 7th grade and then I went back into public school in 8th. We moved to Bluefield, West Virginia when I was in 8th grade. Bluefield was okay. High school was a new place, new faces. I was really quiet, especially since I didn’t really know anyone and it was the start of high school.

High school, is when everyone is trying to figure out who they really are and where they belong, and I was the same. I got into the punk rock culture. Most of my friends were punks or Goths or nerds, basically the “rejects”. I was pretty much the only professing Christian among my friends. It was difficult sometimes, but it was fine. They called me the “Holy Man”.

I graduated from high school and went to Bluefield College for freshman year. I had taken some undergrad courses in high school, so I kind of just slipped in there. After a year, I transferred to Emery & Henry where I graduated from in 2009. I transferred because I wanted to be challenged more, both academically and locationally (if that’s a word). I wanted to get away from home—not that home was bad. I am blessed with great parents. I just wanted something different.

I went to a Southern Baptist Church until I was 14. Than in high school I went to a reformed Presbyterian Church. Emory & Henry is a Methodist affiliated school, and I went to a Church of Christ, which was mainly non-denominational.

I have one brother. He is 26, and he lives in Maryville, Tennessee. He and I were close growing up, but we fought a lot—the typically sibling thing. He and I were basically each other’s closest friend. When we moved to Bluefield, he stayed in Tennessee. One of the reasons he stayed was because it was going to be his senior year, and he wanted to finish out high school there. He’s cool. He has red hair and blue eyes, just like me. He kind of was the black sheep in the family, and I guess that make me sometimes the “goody two shoes”.



Did you move around a lot?
I moved schools a lot. For kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd, I went to Fort Craig. Then the school system there changed to a year round schedule, and my brother was in a different school and so we would be on different schedules and my parents weren’t big fans of that. So I moved to another elementary school in town. Than I was home schooled. And than I went to Maryville middle, and than we moved. And than I switched colleges and now I’m here.

Are your parents divorced?
My parents divorced when I was child, toddler, babyish thing. The first that I remember was my mom and stepdad’s wedding. I was the ring bearer! I don’t remember the divorce. I don’t remember the in between stages. For all intensive purposes, my stepfather is my dad. Just not biologically. He’s pretty much my dad though.

My brother and I would go and see our dad almost every other weekend. Or if my parents were going out of town, than we would go over to his house.

There is a lot that is--I’m not ashamed of necessarily, it’s just—family history. Some recent history, and some not. I don’t know my own level comfortableness with discussing it. Everyone has their family stuff that they don’t like talking about.

Do you want to get married and have kids one day?
Absolutely I do. I would want no less than two, no more than five. Five is maybe even pushing it. I want a baby girl. I want a daddy’s girl. I just want a little girl that will look up at me and be like: “Daddy, I want this.” And than my heart is going to melt. And it’ll break my wallet. But I’ll love her.

Yeah I want to get married. It would be wonderful.

How did you come to Gardner Webb?
I came to Gardner Webb because Tom Viall came here, and he was a good friend of mine from Bluefield College. The first couple of times I came to Gardner Webb, it was just to visit him. He was always trying to convince me to come here, saying that I should just come here for seminary. I guess it worked. But than I came here and he left, and that kind of sucks. But I’m here, and it’s a good place. Good people. Good education. And it’s a beautiful campus. There’s not too much concrete. Also, it’s a good education for not too big of a price. And it wasn’t too far from Virginia. And I knew there was going to be this girl named Courtney, and I had to meet her. (I love shout outs)

What do you want to do with your life?
Wow. I want to love God and love people. That drives everything I want to do. The end.

Are you dating someone right now?
No.

How do you relieve stress?
I relieve stress by hanging out with my friends. And/or shooting zombies in the face. And/or eating. Mostly, just relaxing with my friends. I do whatever they are doing. Prayer.

What irritates you in other people?
It irritates me when other people have a disregard for any group of people. And it irritates me when people are okay with ignorance and mediocrity. Also, chewing with your mouth open.

What kinds of things do you like to do?
I like to be with people.

I like to debate theology.

Play video games.

Talk about the eminent zombie apocalypse.

Eat food.

I like to pray.

I like to read the Bible with people.

I like to cook. I cooked chicken the other day, and that was really fun. I like to cook any kind of dish. If I have a recipe for it than I can make it. (Here Dave gets really excited and pulls out some expensive oil that he had bought for cooking. We smell it and than continue the interview)

I enjoy serving people tea, and other things.

I enjoy eating cookies.

I like to drive and take road trips.

I like traveling in general.

I enjoy running sound.

I enjoy being in a punk rock band. I was in one in high school. It was called “Scantily Plaid”. It’s a play on words. There was this guy Michael, and he was in his boxers and someone was like “Hey look! You’re scantily plaid!” And the name stuck.

I enjoy listening to people. Whether it’s listening to them being excited about something or their troubles.

I enjoy good music. (What’s good music?) It depends on my mood.

I enjoy fire.

I enjoy slip and slides.

I enjoy fun noodles.

I enjoy comic books.

I’m awesome.

I enjoy your face. The end.

What do you want people to know about you?
See above answers.

If you could give one piece of advice to the world, what would it be?
Love people. Can it be a command? (Yes.) Then—love people.

If there was one thing in the world that you could change, what would it be?
That people would love people. With agape love. (Why?) Because agape love originates from the lover. All the other loves—eros, philos—are conditional on the person receiving the love. But agape stems from the giver, and ultimately stems from God, and is therefore never ending. And that’s the love that I want people to love each other with. It’s not a timid love.

Trevar J Simmons--On Media and Technology

Technology and media have become part of our day to day lives. How do you feel about this? Is it a positive thing? Negative thing? How would your life be different without technology and media.
I can’t say it is a positive or a negative thing. Most likely both. I say that because, one I think it is developing faster than we can morally and ethically understand the use of technology. Outside of the moral and ethically realm there is an interpersonal realm to this question that I’ve come across in a lot of my English classes as well as in casual conversations and I’ve heard it preached a hand full of times where people think that technology is removing the human element to day to day life.

You go to a restaurant and have your order taken by a machine. You go to the grocery store and a machine rings your groceries up. You call a telephone number and a machine answers and helps you. We call people on the telephone instead of seeing them, we text them instead of calling them. We email them instead of going into the next cubicle or in the same room. And Facebook and Twitter add to this issue, and people think it is worse than it was before. It’s impersonal and bad communication. I disagree. I think it is a different form of communication. It has its pros and cons. The conversations that go on concerning this interpersonal communication surrounding this technology reminisces the conversations concerning the spoken word verses the written word. Conversations that still take place today in a certain form, and have taken place for thousands of years with Aristotle, Plato, and pre-Socratic philosophers. It’s been going on for millennia. I only give that allusion to highlight how there are pros and cons about both sides. And different doesn’t necessarily mean worse. It’s nice to have all these various forms to connect with various people.

For the second part of the question, well, I mean my life wouldn’t have technology in it. I would have more candles lit in my room at the moment. I wouldn’t be listening to music. I mean if you are talking about all technology, and my life had no technology in it, than I would be a primitive ape. I mean, even more primitive. I would be in a different place in the evolutionary chain. Even apes use technology and tools. I think of the 2001: A Space Odyssey before the monolith. (Here Trevar makes the famous music). Boom boom boom.



I mean if you are talking about more recent technologies, I guess the catchy answer, I wouldn’t be alive today, regardless of my parents being alive. I had a possible fatal disease when I was a teenager and if I hadn’t been taken to the hospital one day, I think that I would have died that day. Maybe they could have saved me with “modern technology” but I don’t know.

Do you think media is biased? How so?
Media, not being a person, has the inability to be biased. Do I think that the people in media are biased? Yes, of course. I think everyone is biased. I don’t think that it is always a bad thing. Sometimes, it’s an unfortunate thing. Sometimes it is an enriching thing. It’s a fact of life. I guess the part I don’t like is when the people in media claim to be without bias, because I think they are wrong. They could be right but I doubt it.

Favorite book: I don’t have a favorite
Favorite author: I adore Mary Shelly’s "Frankenstein". I really like Joan Didion’s "The White Album", specifically the title essay. And I do like Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
Favorite candy: Currently, M&Ms—plain, peanut, peanut butter, mint, dark chocolate, dark chocolate peanut, crispy.
Favorite color: I like drab colors.
Favorite movie: I <3 Hucklebees, Planet of the Apes (all of them)
Favorite food: pizza
Favorite Bible verse: I don’t know if I would call it my favorite, but my theme verse is either: Hebrews 10:19-25 or 1 John 4:8

I have to pee.

Trevar J Simmons--A deeper look

What are your religious beliefs?
About? I don’t know how to answer this question. The general question I hear is: what religion do you associate with? I often associate myself with Christianity. I am aware that some Christians would not allow me or they do not approve of me claiming that name for myself. Sometimes I do not want to claim that name for myself, because of other people who claim it for themselves, and because of the baggage associated with that word. I feel judgmental saying that I don’t want to be a Christian because of other people, but I guess it’s true. Everyone is judgmental at some point. I really enjoy a quote than came to me the other day by Maya Angelou.

‘Someone asked her if she was a Christian, and she asked the enquirer, “Are you a Christian?” And the person replied, “Yes, yes of course.” And Angelou said, “Already? Being there already is unlikely for most of us.”’

If being a Christian implies being like Christ, than few people are so completely like Christ. Maya was trying to give a different connotation to being completely like Christ, and that is something I have not found and that is something that I am not. So although some days, I do not want to be a Christian, other days I hope that one day I will be.

If you’re a Christian, how did you come to Christ?
Again, I’ll stick with the normal or the reception of this question of which I am familiar. I was raised Christian very similarly to how one is raised Jewish. It was my culture. It was my parents’ religion. It was what I was born into. I also had what one may refer to as a “born again experience.” I did choose to be baptized. I have chosen to stay involved with local churches. My initial response to this question was to say that I am still coming to Christ. And to push off of the concept of the born again experience, I believe that I am born again many, many times. And that God is making me new again, and again, and again.

What church do you attend? How are you active there?
I most often attend Shelby Presbyterian Church. I like to think of church as going beyond the walls of a church building. In that sense, the church that I am most often with is a small group of wonderful people within the Gardner Webb University Residence Education program. I could have said about Shelby, even within that church, my church within church if you will, is the Sunday school class I attend. More recently I have been getting involved in a small group at church that I believe will also be a church within a church.

I have began to attend the food ministry that happens in my church building and I think that the people that I meet there are a wonderful example of the church and the kingdom and I’ve very glad to meet them.


Are you active in the community?
Starting with my smallest community, Royster, I am pretty involved, although my involvement is largely supervisory. Outside of that, I’m probably at a medium level of involvement at Gardner Webb and at the Divinity school, more so than some, less than others.

I’m involved in the community of Cleveland County through the Hands need Hands program, which is part of Communities in Schools, and I mentor a nine year old named Patrick. He’s the coolest nine year old I know. (How many do you know?) Maybe just one. We hang out and do fun things. I love him.

I recently started getting involved in the food ministry at my church, which provides meals and emergency food for the people in the community who need it.

I am currently working on volunteering at the men’s homeless shelter in Shelby, the Beacon.

In the larger community, I am making a trip to Miami, Florida next month, with the main purpose of making a community of homeless people feel a little more human than the city is making them feel, especially since the city has forced them to be homeless. I’m going with three other guys, and we hope to make, or to start to make some change in how the city treats them. (Click here to find out more)

How do you witness to people?
I’m going to say that I don’t, and I consciously don’t. I don’t have anything against evangelism per se, but I am uncomfortable with the connotations that I most often find associated with evangelism and witnessing. As opposed to witnessing, I want to share myself with people, and my whole self, as much as I can. Part of who I am is my relationship with God, and so that comes out eventually. I am not going to force it out, and I might not even massage, persuade or finesse it out. If in certain relationships it never explicitly comes out, than I can still have shared what God wanted me to share with them, which is love and the gospel.

What is your political standpoint/Where do you stand in politics?
On the outside. I am sometimes, unfortunately, uninvolved and ignorant of politics. Other times, I am purposefully uninvolved in politics. Given time and discussion, I do take stances on “political issues”. But I do not have an overarching political stance.

Trevar J Simmons--Who is he? Part III

Because Trevar has a lot to say. ;-)

What kinds of things do you like to do?
This is another one of those questions that is just so broad.

When I buy coffee, I like to open it. Open it and smell it. Ground coffee—it smells the best when the seal is first broken. I also just like the process of opening it up. The anticipation, the sound of the seal coming off…I love it.

I like to be with people. Generally. Generally, less people verses more. When with people, I like to shoot the breeze, talk about deep questions, or just be in their presence doing completely different things, or similar things. It’s just fun to have other people around sometimes.

I like to appreciate art. And interpret art. I like to interpret things in general: people, events. I love to interpret. Perhaps itself is an art form.

I like to make other people happy. I am a people pleaser. Which is part of why I want to help people. I mean, not only do people need help, and not only does God send us to help them, but I like them to be happy.

I like to hang out without my pants on. Generally, it’s just around my apartment when I’m alone. It’s just comfy.

I like to watch the rain. But not be rained upon. I like the sound, the smell, the sight. I like to watch the way the rain affects plants, animals, people.


I am a people watcher. I loved living in West Palm Beach and going to this place called City Place, and all kinds of people would go there and you could just stand and watch people for long. It was great.

I love to be at the ocean: on it in a boat, in it scuba diving, on the beach or a cliff by the ocean watching the water, listening to the waves, feeling the wind, tossing rocks in the water, sometimes even fishin’.

I like to eat. And eat. AND EAT!

I especially like to eat pizza, because it can be prepared in so many ways. One of my favorites is the frozen pizza. Or pizza that I make. Or Papa John’s. Or Dominos. Or Pizza Hut. Pretty much pizza.

I also like Asian food. Some people say that they like Japanese, or Chinese…I just Asian. Oh and Mexican! I like tacos, and chalupas. And Italian food. I just love food. It is a great art to appreciate.

I like T'ai Chi.

I like to bite my Peanut M&Ms in half. Especially when I can get the peanut to stay in the half of the Peanut M&M that is not in my mouth. Sometimes I’ll take the peanut out of the M&M not in my mouth and eat the peanut and chocolate separately.

I like to eat Doritos. And with most flavored chips, I like to lick both sides of the chips to see which side has the most flavor and than I put that side on my tongue. And if it’s a really hard call, when alone, I will lick one side of the chip and than put the other side on my tongue. And I am not the only person who does this! I’ve discovered at least one other person. I don’t remember how we came across this though.

Does having my back rubbed count as something I like to do? It doesn’t have to be a massage. Just somebody touching my back and moving their hand around. Specifically on my back, but I also like it on my head, or arms, or legs, or feet.

I like to play games, specifically with people. Some are fun by yourself. But mostly with other people. Video games, I’m not so crazy about unless I’m playing with someone else.

I like to watch my fishies.

I like to walk at night. I like to look at things at night. Thinks look great during the day. But I like the way they are in the night. Whether they are specially light or not, or in the moonlight or not. The moon doesn’t even have to be out.

I like to take hints from Courtney Butler about finishing answering this question.

Oh oh oh—I like to have my tattoo!



Okay I’m done.

If you could give one piece of advice to the world, what would it be?
What do you mean by “the world”? I think the advice would change, depending on specific people and their specific situation. I don’t know that I like to give advice, because than it seems that I think I know something that they don’t, and I’m uncomfortable with that. I’m not them, and I don’t know what they should do. I think that everyone is different and we all have different “shoulds”. So, “Stop shoulding on yourself.”

For the world, are you talking about all the people in the world? Or the things in the world too? The trees? All the people past, present, and future? Just in America? Some people mean the world to me. Are those the people I’m giving advice to? How about based on some of our conversations and what is in my mind right now, if I could give one “word” of what I might deem as wisdom to the “world”: If God is a personal God, than expect God’s relationship to differ on the people involved.

God doesn’t relate to me the way I hear other people talk about it. Sometimes I wish I could feel a strong sense of “calling” the way other people do. Maybe God doesn’t relate to me like that because I’m a different person. I can’t expect to have the same experiences that other people do. Some people talk in tongues. I would love to have visions, to prophesize, to have this mystic ecstatic relationship, but I’m not a very ecstatic person. I’m pretty chill, mellow, with a more or less quiet demeanor. So it only makes sense that God wouldn’t relate to me that way. Of course, it does open doors to does God relate to people so differently that their religion is different than ours? That maybe God gives them different Holy texts, different revelations, manifests, interpretations of holy actions?

If there was one thing in the world that you could change, what would it be?
Today that one thing would be ending oppression. Or, somehow giving everyone the gift of love, because I think that would end oppression as well. Maybe everyone already has that gift, and just aren’t using it?

Trevar J Simmons--Who is he? Part II

What do you want to do with your life?
Help people. And have fun doing it. I can’t give you every detail because I don’t know them. There is a verse in Proverbs that says: “Give me neither poverty nor riches”. (Proverbs 30:8) And I want to do that with my life. I don’t want to be rich or poor. If I do make a good amount of money, I don’t want to live like I do. I want to do good things with it. I want to give it away, or fund things. I don’t want to spend it on a big or a nice house. Or maybe not even on a house at all. Because I might not stay in one area long enough. I’m not obsessed with living in a good neighborhood or having a nice car. Or not even a car at all. I don’t need a big TV. I don’t need lots of space or fancy clothes.

For helping people, I might amend it to say, loving people. The reason I said help as opposed to love is because lots of times when people say they want to love people they don’t always do anything about it. They mean love, not that there is anything wrong with it, but they mean loving their church family and their family. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with it or that they don’t need it, but there are so many other people to love. I do want to love my church family, and I pray so much that I can stay in a church somewhere. But I have various and many sundry other dreams, some realistic, some not.

I want to be very innovative in the way that I help people. I believe our God is a god of innovation and creativity and I want to be like that god and be creative and innovative. I would be very okay if I didn’t start anything brand spankin’ new. But the way I do things, I want them to be innovative and creative. I want to be involved with things that are rather new.

I want to encourage people. I’m big on encouraging people. Or, at least I hope I am.

I would like to take over the world. How? Through love of course. I can’t use force because I’m a pacifist. Once I take over the world, maybe I would milk it for fun for a few days. But not oppressing anyone of course. And than I would pray, and say "Jesus, it’s time for you to come back. Because I have the world and I’m giving it to you". I hope that you realize I’m being extremely silly here. I realize that sometimes I try to be funny and it doesn’t work. But I’m okay with that. I realize that maybe I took it too far.



Are you dating someone right now?
What do you mean by dating? (Are you interested romantically in someone?) I mean, you and I have had cribbage dates. Dave and I have had food ministry dates. We’ve had cigar dates. Coffee dates. Sabrina and I have thesis dates. Heather and I have studied—if you know what I mean. So I date a lot of people. I mean, romantically is...kind of a fluid term. If it represents a certain infatuation with another person, I mean I love my friends and I think there is a level of infatuation. Let’s look it up! (We proceed to look up the definition for romance).

I think romance can be a non-sexual thing. For the romantic thing, in the sense that you try to impress people, or you want to make special time for someone—I think I do that on a certain level with my friends. Maybe I try to tide up my apartment a bit before they come. I don’t tidy up for my residents. I want to make sure I have clean dishes if my friends are coming over, or I might take stuff off the couch. If that’s what you mean by dating, having dates or romantic interest in someone. Do I want to have sex with any of you? Not really, no offense. Maybe if I was married to one of you I would want to have sex with you. I hope. (Is there any of us that you maybe want to marry right now?) Nope. (Are you about to propose to someone in the next week?) No. Why are you writing that down? Why aren’t you writing this down? (Here Trevar threw a pillow at me).

Sometimes I think we separate too much the way we love certain people. I think those categories can be very oppressive sometimes. I should be able to show my affection for a friend by holding their hand if I want to. And I’ve done that in my circle of friends. Not everyone is accepting of that. I think it’s very much a social thing, and I don’t like that. In some cultures it’s okay to do things like that, but in ours, not as much. I can’t hold hands with a guy. Or even sit next to each other! Did you know that some guys, if they go see a move, they can’t sit next to each other! They have to have a chair in between them. I think that it is so stupid and it bothers me.

I think that it is a beautiful thing in our language that we can use the word “love” for someone that we love romantically, sexually, and also with your friends. There is much ado about the different words in Greek that can be translated as the English word “love”. And people think that it is so wonderful, and they can express different things and how wonderful it is in Greek. But I love blurring those lines. I can love a taco, and I can love my friend, and I can love God. And I understand that they have different nuances, but they are similar. I’m not saying that you miss it in Greek, but I just love it.

Although I choose to limit sex to one romantic relationship, and that’s just in my life, I choose not to limit romance to a sexual relationship. Romance isn’t sex. You can be physical without being sexual. It’s just a way you love someone, and they way you interact with them. It’s definitely intense, mutual. I just think it involves making both people feel so special.

I have a different definition of romance than most people. The connotation is most often sexual or a dating relationship, like a pursuing sexual romance. But I think it can be the feeling of excitement and mystery. There is always a mystery when people are involved.


How do you relieve stress?
Not very successfully I think. I hope that when I get better at T’ai Chi, that it will be a way to relieve stress. Because I first take a deep breath in and than exhale any stress or tension. I love the way that Amber says that. (Amber is the T’ai Chi instructor at Gardner Webb).

I’ll take walks sometimes. But my stress walks are best at night, and generally late at night. I love the quiet campus at night. Or the beach at night. Or the city at night. You’re not going to run into too many people. I mean in the city you might, but on campus I don’t want to walk into too many people. I might sit out at the lake. It’s a good way to relieve stress. I’ll talk to God, talk things through. Or I mean—not talking out loud to God, but more so just having conversations with God in my head. Granted, a way one conversation in my head, because generally I do most of the talking if I’m stressed. If I’m really stressed, I’ll throw something. Not that that fixes things, but I like it.

I’ll watch TV. I’ll eat—although that generally doesn’t relieve the stress, but adds to it. But for some reason I do it.

I’ll play on the internet to relieve stress. Or hang out with friends. I try not to ask people when I’m stressed to hang out with me, because I don’t want to use someone as a medication to make me feel better. I need to be able to get over things by myself. Not that I won’t on occasion have someone to vent to or be around, but I don’t want to use people in that way.

Most recently, translating Hebrew has helped a lot in de-stressing. It helps me focus a lot, it helps me get my mind off of things and than I don’t immediately get back into whatever it was that was stressing me out.

What irritates you in other people?
A lot of times it’s not what is in other people, but it is my mood, how I am reading the other person. A lot of times it’s more about me than the other person.

Sometimes I really hate it when people will just tap on things. Not always. But sometimes, when they will have something and be tapping it consistently. And that’s when I will walk over and politely take the can away. And than I feel like a jackass.

In general, the things that I am annoyed by in other people are things that I do myself. And it’s an inconsistent annoyedness. Such that, I might be annoyed with someone if they are indecisive one day and the next I won’t be. But I am constantly indecisive.

I hate it when people make a big deal about how I don’t like to make decisions. Say we are going to go out to eat. I don’t care where we go. I like everything. And than someone will say “You never make a decision. You make it tonight”. So I make the decision and THEY DON’T LIKE IT! Or they say, I don’t want to go there. Or they are passive aggressive about not liking it while in the restaurant or on the way there. And that’s part of the reason I don’t like making the decision in the first place. It drives me mad! (During this Trevar became very animated leaping up from his chair and than falling dramatically back into it). Moral of the story—don’t make Trevar decide. It’s so irritating when I truly don’t care, which is most of the time, and other people do care! Make the decision!

Trevar J Simmons--Who is he?

My friend Trevar agreed to let me interview him for the third week of this blog. Let's just say this was the longest interview yet and I have over eleven pages of notes compiled on Trevar now. I'll try to condense it a tad.


Tell me about yourself.
I don’t want to answer this one.

What do you want people to know about you?
I want people to know that I don’t like the question tell me about yourself. Nothing against all you folks that ask that. I just never know where to start. I think it depends on your setting. If I’m in a class room and the teacher says tell us about yourself. Well, my name is Trevar Simmons, I work as a GRD in Royster. It’s my fourth year here. That type of stuff. But whne it’s one on one like this, so tell me about yourself, I don’t know what to say. I ask this question too, because I’m a hypocrite. I want people to know that.

I want people to know that I like being comfortable. This is randomly on my mind. Decorum dictates in a meeting or when listening to someone you shouldn’t slouch or put hand up over your face or something like that because it means you are not listening and you are disrespecting them. I just want to be comfortable. I apologize for my posture sometimes because I’m afraid it’s going to offend someone. I don’t like that I have to do that. I just don’t want to be uncomfortable just to listen to you.

I like to wear comfortable clothes. So I’m not going to dress up for you. Well, probably not. If I go play at a church on Sunday that someone invited me to, I’ll probably dress nicer than normal. Or when I go preach at some church that I’ve been invited to, I’m going to dress up and take out my earrings. I’m uncomfortable with that. I’m going to do it though because I feel that I am a guest. If I was a guest in a Muslim mosque, and they asked me to, I would do it. And chances are I would have as much in common with Muslims as the Christians that would judge me by my earrings. Who knows, maybe I’m wrong and I shouldn’t have piercings. Who knows, maybe I’m right.

And more with the comfort thing--if I am sitting near you or something and my foot accidentally touches or something, it doesn’t bother me if I touch you. And if you were to move and touch me it doesn’t bother me. You moved it there because you thought it was comfortable. Don’t feel like you need to move it. I like touching. I like physical contact.


I want people to know that I try very hard to remove all the untouchables in my life. Untouchables—it’s not really a familiar word, and I’m using it in a different way. I came across it when I was reading Gandhi’s autobiography. It was talking about untouchables in the sense of the caste system, based on your religion, race, economic status,, would you would be part of the society that no would want, an outcast. Anyways, in my “world view” I don’t want to have anything that cannot be touched by criticism. I want it to be touchable. I believe I have a very strong faith, and I associate myself with the Christian religion. But I feel like, or I highly doubt, I will ever move away from God, and a belief in God, and in Christ, and a belief in God’s power via spirit. But I don’t want to put a fence around that. Because if I put a fence around it, than I’m putting God in a box, and God doesn’t belong in a box. If I put a fence there, I might put it in the wrong place. I might put it a little too far from God.

And it’s scary to not have a fence there, because sometimes it seems that I am wishy-washy and it does not mean that. But it also means that some of my deepest beliefs, some of my favorite beliefs, some of the beliefs I am most passionate about, can come into question and it’s really scary and unnerving to have those questioned. Especially when you have had them for a very long time and you are very passionate about them and very active about them, and than to find out that you might be wrong, that’s rough. But in studying history, and being in relationships with other people, I feel like, for me, it is the best option. I don’t want to have wrong beliefs that cannot be touched. And if I have a right belief and it’s touched, I think it’s going to stand. And sometimes it can be the right belief but in the wrong position. It can have good intentions, but it needs some massaging. It needs to be reformed, and refitted. And so I hope that when I dialogue with people, even if I come across as very, very certain, I am not. I am just passionate. I want to hear what other people think. I hope that I give that a very strong consideration. Because it is possible they are right, and I am wrong. It’s possible that neither one of us are right. But together both of our beliefs can be formed into something better, and something that is “right” or “truth”.

I want people to know that I am hungry. Not all the time. Just right now.

Where were you born?
I was born in Rockport, Maine. In a hospital.

Do you have any brothers or sisters?
I have an older brother who is 31 turning 32. I think. I have a hard time remembering his age. His name is Heath, like the candy bar, Douglas Simmons. He’s a cool guy. I like him.

Did you move around a lot as a child?
I grew up in Friendship, Maine. I stayed in the same house all my life. And I like it because I don’t know anything different.

How did you come to Gardner Webb?
Well, my car took me. (Here I glare at him). I guess I don’t know when graduate school become part of my plans, but it did at some point. My parents said that they would be unable to help me out financial with grad school especially after seeing how much undergrad was. I said I guess I’ll have to get a full tuition scholarship some where and that would narrow down my choices. I always joked at least to myself that it would suck if I got two because than I wouldn’t know where to go.

The Christian History professor, Dr. Gary Poe, had some sort of connection with McAffe School connected with Mercer University and they had this event called “The Scholar’s Day”. Dr. Poe told me that he was allowed to invite two people to the event and he asked if I wanted to be one of those people and I said sure. McAfee flew a me and a friend of mine up to Atlanta and put us up in hotel. Three or four of them were actually from Gardner Webb and we went and had dinner at the Dean’s house and spent the next day in various meetings and interviews and stuff. About a month or so later I found out I had received a full tuition scholarship to McAfee. So, my decision was made for me I thought. Duke and Gardner Webb had also accepted me, but I didn’t know about the tuition. So I e-mailed them both back declining and I got an e-mail back from Gardner Webb saying that if money was the only problem that they would match it.


I found out last year that the admission development department had called up Dr. Goodman, who had taught at Palm Beach Atlantic. They asked him if he had any connections to find out about me to see if they should give me full tuition. Dr. Goodman made some phone calls and decided that he would recommend and said “Yeah, let’s do it.” We might have met but we didn’t even really know each other. I ended up loving him. It was still a rough decision deciding, but I really wanted the English degree. So I decided on Gardner Webb.

Trevar is in the dual degree program pursuing Master of Divinity and Masters of Arts in English (a literary focus).

Do you want to get married and have kids one day?
I don’t want to have kids. For many reasons. It’s a very large responsibility that I don’t know if I will ever be completely ready to tackle, and who really is ready to raise another human being? Just being so unsure about so many things in life, I wouldn’t know what to teach them. I am a huge worrywart and so I would worry about them constantly. I’m sure I would screw them up mentally some how as well. That’s not something I want on me. And I’m not a huge fan of kids. C.S. Lewis would say that’s a defect in me and it probably is. I just have a problem with patience with a child. I just want them to be an adult so that we can do adult things and not kid things. It’s just the way I am.

And this is unfortunate, but most examples of people with children in my life are examples where it’s very hard to be involved in the sorts of ministry that I want to do in my life. I’m positive it can be done, but most of the time people use their children as an excuse not to get involved. I’m not interested in the wealth and fancy things in life and while I’m sure my children would be okay with it if they didn’t know any different, it would be hard for me to not to want to give it to them. And I’m sure it would be hard in school if they didn’t have the nice clothes or the nice toys. I’m sure kids could fit into my plans, but it’s something that you don’t hear a lot about, and it would be new territory, and it would make me nervous to tread it.

As for marriage, I mean I hear a lot about this whole sex thing, and I currently think I will be celibate until marriage, and I’m pretty sure that I will keep that convictions. I would like to have sex sometime because people say that it is amazing, but I’m okay with being single for the most part. And than again sometimes, it is hard to be who I see myself being in the future, with a spouse. I wouldn’t be able to just get up and go where ever I want to go because I would have to think about my spouse. And not in the whole ball and chain thing, but I would think about my spouse because I would love her. Once again I don’t want to have nice things, and not that I can’t find a woman who would be very okay with that, but I would want to get her nice things, because that is how romance is portrayed in our society, and I can’t get around it. There I go blaming society instead of myself.

Caitlin N. Munro--On Media and Technology

Technology and Media have become part of our day to day lives. How do you feel about this? Is it a positive thing? Negative thing? How would your life be different without technology and media?
I feel like anything, technology and media have their positives and negatives. Take texting and Facebook for instances—because I use those the most. It’s awesome being able to connect with people all over the world at any time of the day, but I wonder if it takes away from our face to face conversations. Like what do we lose by relying on Facebook and texting? At times I think about deleting my Facebook, but than I would never know anything that goes on at GW and I would lose touch with my friends that I don’t see on a regular basis.

Do you think media is biased? How so?
Nothing can ever truly be unbiased, especially when dealing with forms of communication because you as the speaker or the writer always has to choose the words to say and so your words can bring about biasness. Also, people’s interpretation of what has been said can create biasness. You can say the simplest thing and someone will find bias in it. So yes, I would say technology and media is biased. But in regards to the fact that all things are biased to a certain degree.


Some last minute randomness:
Favorite book: I read so many good things it's hard to pick.
Favorite food: The edible kind! But I really like apples.
Favorite candy: Mr. Big Bars
Favorite color: pink-hot pink!
Favorite Sports team: Miami Hurricanes or the Dolphins
Favorite Movie: High School Music 3 or She's the Man
Favorite Bible verse: 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 and Psalm 103

Caitlin N. Munro--A Deeper Look

What are your religious beliefs?
Love Jesus. Love people.

When did you accept Christ?
Even though I grew up in a Christian home, it wasn’t until I was 18 that I accepted Christ. One summer at VBS, there was a little girl in my group from the local children’s home. The girl just had such a passion about God, and always talked about how Jesus was her best friend. She had something that I realized I wanted. At the end of the week, I felt like God was saying: “Caitlin, I can love you just as you are. Just come to me.” And so I did.

What church do you attend? How are you active there?
I attend Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church on Sundays. And than on Wednesday nights I attend West Wood Heights and help with the Youth.

Are you active in the community?
I am a FOCUS leader. And I have the most amazing team, even if we are hyper and loud. Because of my ESL major, I get a lot of opportunities to work with students either in small groups or one on one.

Have you gone on mission trips?
I’ve been on a number of mission trips. Freshman year for Spring Break I went to Ecuador, and that summer I went to Mexico. Sophomore Spring Break I went to Wisconsin and that following summer I went to Kentucky. For Spring Break of my Junior year I went to Guatemala and than this past summer I went to Wales.



How do you witness to people?
I think that the best, most effective way to witness to a person is to build a relationship with them. I don’t think that people want to be hit over the head with a Bible. They just want you to love them and accept them as they are. I need to be more accepting and loving of other people. St. Francis of Assisi said “Preach the gossip and if necessary, use words.” Jesus shared his message of love and grace by building relationships and loving people and as Christians I feel that we are called to do the same thing.

What is your political standpoint?
Typically, I just don’t care. I am pretty apathetic. I mean I definitely have opinions on different things, and if you listen to me, or for that matter don’t listen to me, I’ll share them. For the most part I really don’t like politics because I feel that politics divide us rather than bring us together. I think we get so caught up in someone’s political belief or standpoint and we can’t see them for who they really are.

What do you think are some major issues in the world? What do you think you can do about them/want to do about them.
I think that the fact that there are people starving is a major issue, and the fact that people don’t have clean water. I think about how I take for granted everyday being able to walk to the fridge or just to the facet and being able to have enough food or water. I, as an individual, don’t really know what to do about it, and as a Christian, I think that people need hope. Something God has been teaching me is to just love people, where he has placed us. You never know what the smallest action of love can mean to someone.

Caitlin N. Munro--Who is she? Part II

I realized that these posts get a little long, and so I am going to try and break them up a bit.

What irritates you in other people?
I hate when college students or adults act like they are in middle school. It’s okay for middle schoolers to act like middle schoolers because that is what they are. But college students and adults are not and so they should stop. Of course I’m preaching to myself on this at times. I also hate when people brush their teeth and spit in the sink and don’t rinse the toothpaste out. It’s disgusting. Don’t do it.

What kinds of things do you like to do for fun?
I like to read, and journal. I like to hang out with my friends. I like random adventures. I like to travel. I like to eat. I really have enjoyed attending the Zumba class. I like to go to the Broad River Coffee shop and drink their dollar coffee of the day and read a good book that is not related to school. I like to play with kids and swing on swings even though they are dangerous to me. (Here a friend-Claire Saunders inserts into the conversation that it is really Caitlin that is dangerous to swings. Apparently she broke one once.)


What do you want people to know about you?
I’m not perfect. I’m the furthest thing from it. I make mistakes more times than I can count in the day. And I stick my foot in my mouth on a second to second basis usually. But I’m still loved in a crazy undeserving way by the One who colored the sky blue, and chose the shades that the leaves would turn in the fall. And I’m just learning to love Him more and to love others like He loves me.


If you could give one piece of advice to the world, what would it be?
Sometimes it’s better to just be, instead of always trying to do. Live each moment to the fullest. Smile and laugh as often as you can. See the value that God sees in each person and remember He died for them, just like you. Take time to listen to the sounds around you and smell the flowers as you walk along this crazy, beautiful, awkward thing we call life.

If there was one thing in the world that you could change, what would it be? And how?
Little kids wouldn’t go to bed hungry at night. I’m not entirely sure how to change that though.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
I would want to be able to fly. Or zap myself anywhere instantaneously. Because I’m lazy and I just want to get where I’m gong. I want to see the inside of restricted areas. Like the President’s Oval Office or all the rooms in Buckingham Palace that they don’t let you go in, or the inside of the C.I.A.!

Caitlin N. Munro--Who is she?

My friend Caitlin agreed to be my second victim. After trying to meet up a few times, we finally managed to sit down together in her apartment late at night.



Tell me about yourself.
I was born in the unmemorable place of Craven County, North Carolina. I resided in unmemorable Emerald Island, NC. I say unmemorable because I don’t remember them at all!

We moved to Miami, Florida when I was just a year old. My life was filled with the joys and “carefreeness” of being a child. I enjoyed playing with Barbies and making mud pies in our backyard. But than my world came crashing down around me just before I turned five, when my only child status was destroyed. I had been the center of the universe as I was the only child, the only grandchild, and the only grandchild of all my grandparents’ friends. However, I managed to adjust to Ian’s presence in my life.

From the time I was four until I finished second grade, I attended Kendall Christian School in Miami. It was a quaint little church school, where my favorite teacher years later labeled me as “the most dramatic child she had ever taught in her entire teaching career.” In third grade I attended Westminister Christian school, where I spent a year in purgatory, also known as Mrs. Bender’s class. Let’s just say she was the devil incarnate. School progressed. In 7th grade, I had Mrs. Horton. She inspired me to achieve my very best and introduced me to the challenges of Charles Dickens.

When I was 14 my crazy parents got an insane idea, even for them, to relocate our family to the tiny town known as Lake Placid. And no, it is not where they held the Winter Olympics nor is it named after the movie.



My life in Lake Placid could be viewed as…dull. But I tended to make it interesting. Instead of following the rules and doing things the easy way, I proceeded to do, as my father would say “being forewarned about the glass door but proceeding to walk through it once or even eight times.” After a sickly graduation day, I spent my summer returning to the love of my savior, Jesus Christ. I started that following fall at Gardner Webb University, where my life has been like a journey on a road full of twists and turns leading to a destination unknown. The End.

Do you want to get married and have kids one day?
Yes! I would like to marry my best friend. But unfortunately my best friend is a girl, so that might prove problematic to my beliefs. So, if anyone around the age of 21, who is single, loves Jesus a whole lot, enjoys mission work, wants to have kids, and likes to have spontaneous fun and laughter, is reading this, please give me a call!

I would like no less than two kids, and no more than four. I would like to adopt at least one child, and I would also like to be a foster parent at least once in my lifetime.

How did you come to Gardner Webb?
(Emphasis is Caitlin’s)
I. LOATHE. THIS. QUESTION. But I like to torture other people with it.

There weren’t a lot of reasons but I came for a University Fellows Scholarship interview thing and really enjoyed the campus. I just knew this is where God wanted me. The End. I came to Gardner Webb expecting a big life changing moment. But I’ve come to realize that God uses the small everyday moments in our lives to teach us more about Him and to grow us. Gardner Webb has definitely provided lots of small everyday joys in my life.

What do you want to do with your life?
If I loath that other question, than I have a deep hatred for this question. I would like to be a professional nomad. I just want to travel or live abroad and tell people about Jesus and eat cool food and take fun pictures. And play with kids. And listen to youth. And just bring smiles and laughter to the hearts of all that I meet! And I also want to get married—see the question from earlier.

How do you relieve stress?
Well, my bad habit is that I go shopping. But since I am becoming more and more budget conscious as I approach the “real world”…sometimes I run or exercise. Sometimes I journal or read. I recently discovered that painting is a great stress relief. I’m a big venter to my friends. But that’s not a good habit either, and I’m trying to drop it.

Sabrina K. Jurey—On Media and Technology

Technology and media have become part of our day to day lives. How do you feel about this? Is this a positive thing or negative thing? How would your life be different without technology or media?
Yes. To both. There is a part of human nature that likes to look backwards with a little bit of longing. As a whole, change is a little difficult, and technology has changed so much lately. It has to deal with the whole rose colored glass thing. On the whole, there are very few things that are wholly and completely negative for society. Typically it balances itself out.

Do you think that media is biased? If so, how?
Everything in life is biased. There is no such thing as an objective person, or media or anything. There is no such thing as objectivity. We all come from very specific positions in life, and you can try to be as unbiased as possible, but you can’t completely separate yourself. I think that a better strength lies in realizing what areas you are biased about.


Sabrina’s parting statement?
I don’t volunteer things regularly. Ask me questions.

A big thanks goes out to Sabrina for allowing me test my project out on her and use her life to broadcast to others and allowing me to steal some of her Facebook photos.

If anyone had any comments/questions/concerns, Sabrina would love feedback. As would I!

Sabrina K. Jurey--A deeper look

Today we will be taking a deeper look at Sabrina and her beliefs.

What are your religious beliefs?
Well, I am a Christian. Non-denomination, though I do lean more to the Lutheran Presbyterian United Methodist side of things.

I didn’t grow up in a church. My mom was raised Catholic, and my dad wasn’t really raised anything, but my parents brought my brother and sisters and myself to Wednesday night children programs at a Church of God church, from the time I was five until around I was 12ish. At that age, my siblings decided that they wanted to do other things. I personally made the decision to start going to a church with I was in the 9th grade on my own. My parents were very supportive of my decision—in fact they have also been very supported of me no matter what I have chosen to do, and they will no matter what I choose to do. Even if I decide to go be a crazy fanatic.

Sabrina went on to say that church and religion is definitely more personable to her now. She has made it her own. She attends Shelby Presbyterian church, where she also teaches an adult Sunday School class. She has been on a few mission trips, including one to New York where she helped run a day camp for children. She is interested in possibly doing more in the future. But for Sabrina, she is not one who would stand on the street corner and shout things at you. Sabrina is more interested in building relationships with people and helping meet their physical needs.

What is your political viewpoint?
Well, I would have to say that I am more “liberal”. This is kind of a beef of mine though. The whole liberal versus conservatives thing—in any sphere—not just politics, but also religion. It’s so subjective. To one person, I might be a liberal, to the next person I might be a raging liberal, and yet to that person over there, I might be just moderate.

On that note, I am third party. In the last election I voted for Bob Barr, the Libertarian. I voted him for a couple of reason. Partly, it was a protest vote. I was protesting the two-party system in America, and the notion that voting third party is throwing your vote away. I don’t feel like it’s throwing it away. If the people who wanted to vote third party, actually did vote for them, the numbers would grow and maybe we actually go do something about the two party system! But instead, they are being persuaded that they can’t make a difference, and that they are just throwing their vote away. It’s kind of frustrating. I also partly voted third party, because whether it was Obama or McCain that won, they are all going to have to deal with the same issues. There is no particular difference. They would all have to deal with the war, the economy, etc. And it’s not like we are really in a position to change a lot—maybe just get out of Iraq a little faster.

What do you think are some major issues in the world? And what do you think you can do about them/want to do about them?
Poverty/hunger and standards of living I feel are some major issues. The fact that so much of the world has to exist on so little. I do what I can to help. I sponsor a child through Compassion International. I have been sponsoring her since September 2004. Her name is Chureeporn. Her English nickname is Joy. She lives in Thailand. And last Christmas, instead of buying people gifts, I donated the money to World Vision.

Sabrina K. Jurey--Who is she?

I'm not entirely sure of the format that I will be doing all of these blogs, so if things get a little experimental please don't freak out, but stay with me. It will be a fun journey. A number of my questions, I have left broad on purpose to give the person free head with their answers and see where it leads us.

My friend Sabrina agreed to be my first victim.

Sitting in Sabrina's GRD apartment in HAPY, the smell of her Kung Pao noodles floating in the air, we begin the interview. I, nervous as this is the first time interviewing someone and representing them to the world. Sabrina, nervous as she doesn't know what to expect from me (or maybe I just made that up). I figure we can start out slow and simple.

Sabrina was born in Seattle, Washington. She is the eldest of three (one brother and two sisters). Sabrina grew up in Auburn, Washington (about 40 minutes southeast of Seattle) and didn't leave until she went off to undergrad at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, MN. Sabrina chose this college because she wanted something new and exciting, but at the same time comfortable. Her mother's family was in the area, and so she was close to family still.

She graduated from Augsburg after only three years because of AP credit from high school. She wasn't 100% sure what she wanted to do after college, and so she looked into grad schools. A friend of hers lived in North Carolina, and so Sabrina decided to move to North Carolina and possibly get a MFA in Creative Writing. She realized soon that she couldn't write for deadlines--not creatively at least. She spoke with her pastor in Seattle about possibly going into Children's Ministry, and having been encouraged to pursue it, Sabrina headed to North Carolina thinking of attending one of two colleges: Gardner Webb University or Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. Out with friends one day, someone asked her where she was going, and to her surprise, Gardner Webb University slipped out of her mouth. Surprised at this, having not consciously made the decision, she decided that she would go to Gardner Webb, where she is pursuing a dual-degree in Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in English. (Hopefully she won't find too many grammar errors in this!)




What do you want to do with your life?
Honestly? I'm still not entirely sure. I have a strong desire--not to change the world--and not to save the world, but that kind of idea. I realize that no one generation can do it by themselves. But I want to make a difference and I want to help people.

Do you want to get married and have kids some day?
I want to get married one day. My parents are still together, and they have been such a great example for me that I have positive hopes for marriage. And my grandparents just recently celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary, so I know that marriage can work.

As for kids...(a slight pause here)...I want kids. I want to adopt kids. I don't feel the need to "fruit my loins". I want to adopt as many kids as I could afford. (Here I ask if she would want to simply adopt or would there be a possibility for foster kids?) I think foster care would be hard because of the notion of having to let them go. Just the possibility of getting attached to them and than seeing them go off would be difficult for me. I wanted at least five kids when I was younger, and as I get older, it changes, but I definitely want kids.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Well, when I was younger, I wanted to be a teacher, a first grade teacher. About half way through high school I decided that I wanted to be a history teacher. But than I ended up doing an internship in Thailand, teaching English as a second language. But I wasn't very good at the lesson plan stuff, so I changed my mind. One day, when I was five or six, I was watching Muppet Babies, and it was the episode that Kermit wanted to be a cab driver and for a day or two I wanted to be a cab driver as well.

What kind of things do you like to do?
I love to read. My favorite books is by "Beloved" Toni Morrison. It has changed my way of thinking most recently. I love to write--journal, poems...anything. I was published in the Broad River Review and in my undergrad journal. I love to watch movies with friends. I'm not a big fan of watching TV and movies by myself, but with other people, I enjoy it. I love spending time with my friends.

I love my kitties! I have an apartment off campus that they stay at and I go every day to see them and play with them. Their names are Isaac Newton, Chloe Marie, Annalea Bell, and Melody Anne (named after my sister).

If you could give one piece of advice to the world, what would it be?
Don't be afraid to be who you are.

If there was one thing in the world that you could change, what would it be?
Only one thing? (Yes, Sabrina, only one thing) I would teach the world to love--because hopefully love would solve a lot of other problems there are in the world.

How do you like to relieve stress?
I like to stay up until 4 in the morning giggling and watching movies with people. I like to hang out with friends. I like to go on long walks, and to play with my kitties. I am introverted, but I like to hang out with people.

If you could have any superpower what would it be and why?
Sabrina: Teleportation...I think it would be pretty cool
Me: (Excitedly) You could rob banks!
Sabrina:...No. I would choose to use my powers for good...not evil.
Me: I feel a movie reference coming on.

Favorite movie: I <3 Hucklebees
Favorite color: Green
Favorite candy: Dark Chocolate
Favorite thing to make: I love to bake--I make a fabulous banana bread (which hopefully she will be giving me a piece of!)

My Vision

So although my project will be slightly different than everyone else's and also will be difficult at times, I am pretty excited about it.

Basically I have a passion for people, and so I really wanted to do my blog on people, but wasn't entirely sure how to tie it in with media.

My vision is to interview different people and find out about their lives. I'm thinking about doing one person a week until the end of the semester. The week will be broken up into three or more blogs. The first blog will be a background of the person and just about their life. The second blog, I think will be a blog about their views on religion, politics, and other "wordly" issues. The third blog I am thinking will be a blog on media/technology and the effect it has on the person. What is their view on media and technology...is it a good thing? A bad thing? How does it effect their day to day life. With the posts, I am hoping to have some pictures and maybe in between blogs have pictures as well.

So if anyone is interested in being interviewed, or just interested in having something put in, let me know and we'll see what we can do.

Class

This blog is for my Digital Media Convergence class. Not entirely sure what my topic is going to be yet, but we'll see what is to come! :-)