I've been working on this piece for about two weeks now and feel I could spend a lifetime studying the implications and applications of the subject. Still, it was a pleasure to grapple with the meaning of beauty and how it affects humanity at its core.

As an update, my other article, William Blake and the Fossilization of the Imagination has hit over 1,300 reads and 100 recommendations. I've had so many people tweet me, sharing the link. I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for the support as people lend their minds to critical thought.

Due to a dramatic winter storm, Asbury University experienced three snow days in a row. Grateful for the chance to break the routine, I gathered some willing victims and experimented with photography in the snow. Its acts as a beautiful (and sometimes blinding) natural reflector. I found the combination of a thin cloud cover with snow to be ideal. 

This week I was asked to write for my university's newspaper regarding movies and their relation to Valentine's Day. I was given freedom with that general prompt and chose to write on how the tradition of dinner and a movie may not be the ultimate expression of love and appreciation. The perspective I hoped to encourage was one of examining the activities we engage in with others and how they communicate our value of those people. 

The headline chosen for the article is a bit pointed compared to the thesis of the piece. Hopefully, it will not sway your reading too greatly.

For one of my independent studies this semester, I've had the opportunity to direct the play Death by Design. The hopes for this project included recording the play (so as to give theater students resume material), to attempt a long piece, and to direct a play. 

As we look to three filming days next week, I must voice gratitude to a forgiving and eager cast, a loyal crew, and encouraging friends. Clips of the finished product will be posted online within a few months. 

Over the past two weeks, Asbury University's Media Communication department has crewed the men's and women's basketball games in order to produce a professional simulcast of the events. The first batch of games I directed and operated hero cam. The second, I had the opportunity to assist with a few producer responsibilities (obtaining sideline interviews) and photographed our crew. 

It has been a fantastic experience to work with our HD truck and add the INFBs, Panasonics cameras, and replay to our show. I've loved having the chance to watch each member of the crew grow more excited as they developed their technical and creative skills.