Specializing

Most biblical scholars and professors have developed a specialty or specialties in their studies (except guys like D. A. Carson who seem to specialize in everything!). It is recommended to begin specializing relatively early on in one's studies. Otherwise, one will know "a little about a lot." Right now I know a "little about a little."

Common specialties in the academic world are the historical Jesus, Christian origins, early Judaism, Greco-Roman backgrounds, the Gospels (or an individual gospel), Pauline studies, patristics, languages, etc.

But where should I start? After every class I take I find a new specialty I would like to explore. Perhaps a specialty is something to be developed once a foundation has been laid but right now I am still laying the foundation. Perhaps once I finish my MA program I can look back and see the subjects that really stand out to me and interest me.

Right now things I really enjoy are Greek, Paul's epistles, and the gospel of John (it would take a lifetime to read the literature on John alone!). I also like historical backgrounds, which is why I want to learn Latin--so I can read the classics as well as the church fathers.

Perhaps going to SBL and seeing the academic exchanges among the world's top scholars will help lead me in the right direction.

15 Shuffled Song Meme

Nick Norelli continues a fun music meme. Here are the rules:

1. Turn on your MP3 player or music player on your computer.
2. Go to SHUFFLE songs mode.
3. Write down the first 15 songs that come up--song title, and artist--NO editing/cheating, please.

Here is my list:
1. "Tell Yer Mama"--Norah Jones
2. "Bad Day"--Fuel
3. "Cuckoo's Nest"--Nickel Creek
4. "Track 76"--Hannah's Hundred
5. "The Spirit vs. the Kick Drum"--Derek Webb
6. "Mountain Cry"--Blues Traveler
7. "Spit on a Stranger"--Nickel Creek
8. "Ex-Girlfriend"--No Doubt
9. "Yellow Ledbetter"--Pearl Jam
10. "Sweetness"--Jimmy Eat World
11. "Times Like These"--Jack Johnson
12. "Step Inside Love"--The Beatles
13. "Einstein On the Beach"--Counting Crows
14. "Born Country"--Alabama
15. "You Shook Me All Night Long"--AC/DC

iTunes Announcement

Yesterday Apple's home page had a cryptic message: "Tomorrow is just another day. That you'll never forget." Pretty big teaser, right?

With a teaser like that I thought it would be some revolutionary iPod the size of a fingernail that does your taxes or something. But this was the announcement:

I like the Beatles. This is pretty cool. But I'm having a hard time understanding what the big deal about this is. Who doesn't have half the Beatles' songs already on his mp3 or laptop? My thinking: Apple finally got the rights to sell the Beatles' music so they're making up for lost time. 

As the ever delightful Jo Bennett told Michael Scott and Jim Halpert: "You can't give me gravy and call it jell-o 'cuz gravy ain't sweet." I don't see what's so exciting about this other than a fat paycheck for some folks at Apple.

On another note, it is very impressive that the Beatles continue to sell decades after they disbanded. They truly were a historic band. Maybe that's what all this is about.

Self-Portraits

When I heard about the NIV 2011 being released.

When I heard about the new critical Greek New Testament that will be given away for free at SBL this year.

Quote of the Day

Rick and Bubba, local radio hosts, were commenting on Pamela Anderson visiting Tel Aviv in hope of persuading orthodox Jews to stop wearing fur hats. They said she visited the Wailing Wall and toured Jerusalem. Rick's comment was astute:

Citizens are worried that before long it can no longer be called "the Holy Land."

Chinese Lunar Calendar: Wives' Tale or Forgotten Truth?

Think about all the good that China has provided: sushi, chopsticks, dragons, big walls....Jackie Chan. The list could go on, but there is one more to mention...the Chinese Lunar Calendar.

The Chinese Lunar Calendar is a chart that predicts the gender of a child based on the age of the mother at conception and the month of conception. As you can see...

Now, I've had a feeling that we are having a boy. Well let's just run the numbers....my wife is 28....conceived in September...well, well, well....

What did I say? I suppose only time will tell:)

Why I Love my Mac, Reason #74

The "Recent Items" function under the Apple button. 

This function can make life very easy, especially if one is editing a single document over a course of time or using several documents and need to bring them up. As you can see, it displays several recent documents and applications used. BOOM.

FYI: the third document in the above picture is actually named "A Congregations greatest asset." I'm not sure how your browser displays this, but in my preview a portion of the image was cut off, leaving a very questionable title.