Sam's Online Journal

January 8, 2013

From the Vault: The Facebook Phenomenon

I first found out about facebook when I was leading a group of students on an educational tour of England, Ireland and Wales in 2008. The youngsters kept taking pictures and telling each other to “tag me in it,” and I could only imagine a classic game of tag. Yet, no one was hitting anyone … Continue reading From the Vault: The Facebook Phenomenon

January 8, 2013January 8, 2013

Love is More than a Two-Way Street

You’ve heard it time and time again. Love means compromise. Love means unconditional. Love means you need a two-way street, give and take, a whole lot of… understanding. And while that’s all true (and certain types of love have more layers to them), it doesn’t quite add up. You see, the beauty of love is … Continue reading Love is More than a Two-Way Street

January 7, 2013

Pointe to Pointe: A Poem (Inspired by a portrait oil painting)

Pointe to pointe Toes dancing on a puff of air His body glides to hers She waits, pliant and willing For a kiss, paused in time Her hand reaches for his A perfect fit, it seems For nimble souls to tread In each other’s company Pointe to pointe She slides into his embrace Perfect strangers, … Continue reading Pointe to Pointe: A Poem (Inspired by a portrait oil painting)

January 7, 2013February 5, 2013

Growing Up Seventh-Day Adventist: A Different Kind of Brother

One of my favorite lines in Zoolander is when Ben Stiller is addressing a group and says, “And when I say brother, I don’t mean, like, an actual brother, but I mean it like the way black people use it. Which is more meaningful, I think.” For me, growing up SDA (Seventh-Day Adventist), it was … Continue reading Growing Up Seventh-Day Adventist: A Different Kind of Brother

January 7, 2013

The Real Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

“So, kids, what special day is coming up?” the teacher asked her fourth grade class. “Valentine’s Day” they responded in unison. Little Johnny actually jumped out of his seat and punched the air for emphasis. “Yessss,” the teacher continued. “But what other special day do we celebrate soon?” “Groundhog Day?” a little girl in the … Continue reading The Real Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

January 6, 2013

There Are Good Guys Out There. I Swear.

There are good guys out there. I swear there are. I mean, what’s the point of believing in anything if you can’t believe that there have to be good guys out there? I should know. I’m one of them, but good guys come in all shapes and sizes. How can you tell if you’re seeing … Continue reading There Are Good Guys Out There. I Swear.