The Buckeye Science Guy

I'm looking forward to dazzling some third graders with some of the science I learned back in my previous life of empirical and experimental pursuits. As I left for college, I had my sights set on double majoring in Chemistry and Physics with an initial career goal of chemical engineering and an eventual goal of teaching high school chemistry and physics.



And this guy (along with Mr. Wizard) was one of my idols!

But as divine providence would have it, I changed majors and have given my life to a much less empirical effort of teaching, discipling, and inspiring.

But my lab coat has arrived and in about a week I'll begin my corny appearance in my daughter's class as some kind of crazy science dude to jazz up a bunch of third graders about science and share some cool hands-on experiments and demonstrations.

Any suggestions on a good "stage name" for me? I thought of covering my lab coat with Ohio State logos and images and becoming the Buckeye Science Guy. Too much 'cheese?'

Family Foto Fest

I know...it's "photo."

But I spent several hours at my mom & dad's perusing old photo albums and stumbled across some interesting photos. Since my two brothers occasionally visit this blog, I feel obliged to post these.





Perhaps you can match the photo with the names..... Billy Joe, Chris, or Jason.

Bumper Deer

Yeah...it's a new game being played in various parts of Cincinnati and Clermont County. I scored 1,000 points Sunday night by just BARELY hitting a deer with my Ford Focus. I think you actually do score more points if you don't really injure the deer.

I rounded a corner and saw the deer ambling out to the center of my lane. As I NEARLY came to a complete and controlled stop, the deer looked up just in time to get bumped about ten feet down the road. He (about a 6 point buck from what I could tell) rolled over once and then scrambled back to his feet hopping off into the darkness.

The only evidence left on my the flexible fiberglass front of my Ford Focus was a tiny tuft of fur lodged between the license plate and mud guard.

In all honestly, I'd rather not play that game anymore.

Toledo Travels

The Glass Pavillion...across the street...



Perhaps this 'blogspot' has not outlived its usefulness.

I took a quick trip to Toledo from Tuesday at about 4pm to Wednesday nearly the same. Although about 450 miles were added to my odometer, it was a great day spent. I got to hang out with a buddy from the Ashland Seminary days (Steve North) and some of his creative day-seizing friends uptown, downtown, old west end, Polish Village, central city, and various other parts of Toledo.

It was really my first time to actually stop in Toledo and I thoroughly enjoyed the personality of the city I was able to experience. We visited a poetry reading at the Collingwood Arts Center, got a delicious cup of organic Guatemalan coffee from Brewed Awakenings, then spent several hours at a sacrosanct fire pit at Dennis' "place" just enjoying good conversation and friendship.

I believe that Rick McKinley and Donald Miller's church in Portland has really pegged the core philosophy of community in the simple name of their effort...Imago Dei...the image of God. When fellow image bearers share deeply from their own experiences, pain, weaknesses, and imaginations...beautiful things happen.

In addition to the art of fellowship, I experienced some of the most magnificent art created by fellow image-bearers from the past few hundred years at the Toledo Museum of Art. Who knew that Toledo was hiding this gem of a collection...just a few hours away. As really my first experience of an art museum (of that caliber) I am inspired to seek out the art here in Cincinnat...and a place to share with some local poets!

Thanks to Steve, Joseph, Jim, Tom, Dennis, Alfred, Geoffery, and the rest...for a great taste of Toledo!