As promised, here’s a list of the 46 reasons (read: excuses)* I haven’t blogged about our experience at the Heartland Film Festival…
For whatever reason, the number 46 is popping up all over the place all over town. Although I just can’t figure out why everyone’s talking about the number 46, I’ve decided to jump on the bandwagon.
I’ve decided to come up with a few lists with 46 things on each list. If I was smart, I would’ve started the lists about a month ago so it could be 46 lists for the…well…whatever it is that everyone else is commemorating in Indianapolis that has to do with the number 46.
I could definitely use your help in coming up with some lists. What would make some compelling lists? Don’t give me the “46 things to do before I die” list. I kinda have a list like that already. Can’t do a sandwich list, either. They’re already doing that.
Sidenote: Anyone notice that a sandwich from West Lafayette is in the Hoosier Sandwich Conference? Oh, the irony. I’ll bet someone somewhere isn’t happy about that.
Maybe I should come up with a list of 46 reasons why I haven’t blogged about our experience at the Heartland Film Festival yet. I mean, it did happen a few months ago.
But what else? What other lists should there be? Let me know! Be creative. Let’s have fun with this number 46.
When I started blogging I began a tradition of highlighting the top ten list of things that happened to our family during the last year. Not all of them are happy things. But they’re landmarks on our journey as a family – things that changed who we are. And some pretty cool memories and experiences have been included, too.
Then the list took a hiatus.
A long hiatus.
But it’s back. And better than ever.
Haven’t bragged on Aly’s growing artistic talent in a while. She’s been blowing us away with her creations recently.
She drew this freehand without anything to look at. I’m especially impressed with the detail on the unicorn’s horn. This girl desperately needs some art lessons because she has already surpassed the collective artistic ability of her parents. Gotta do whatever we can to encourage her to keep developing her God-given ability!
Everyone knows the BS “Championship” Series is broken. It has been for years. Well….everyone except SEC fans and the commissioners of the automatically qualifying conferences know it’s broken. College football needs a playoff. The teams deserve it. The fans deserve it. It would be the most-watched series of games in the history of sports on television. The postseason games would actually count and there would be real drama.
Instead, we’re left with yet another year of controversy because the champion won’t be decided on the field. Instead, we get a bunch of gymnastics by the supporters, arguing how every game really does count – unless it’s an SEC team. The argument is lame. The system is lame. It still needs to be fixed.
But the only time people seem to make noise about it is when their team is left out (like Oklahoma State this year and Auburn a few years ago). Maybe that will open their eyes and they’ll keep shouting for a playoff even after this season. I’m not holding my breath. Success and national accolades seems to make it easy to whitewash what’s really wrong with a system (read: Colts with Peyton Manning vs. Colts with an injured Peyton Manning). It’s a house of cards waiting to topple. But it’s easy to just look away when that happens. And the supporters will keep saying, “Hey – at least the right team won the championship,” even though we have no idea if the right team really did win.
But I’ve come to the conclusion that things will not begin to change unless the primary sponsors (Vizio, Tostitos, Allstate, and Discover Card) start feeling the pinch. Things will not begin to change unless the station carrying the games (ESPN for the foreseeable future) starts seeing a ratings decline. That’s the only way things will change. Since “Occupy ______” has become the new trend, I have decided to throw my support behind the Occupy BCS movement (#OccupyBCS, @DeathToTheBCS). I haven’t watched a BS game since Boise State beat Oklahoma – and I really haven’t missed anything. I invite you to join me. If there’s ever going to be any real change in the broken college football system, it has to begin with the people rising up and saying “No more!” And the only way our voice will be heard is if we stop giving the college football Fat Cats what they want – eyeballs on their games and butts in their seats. The only way our voice will be heard is if we stop watching the games!
Watch anything else. In fact, here’s a schedule of other shows on TV Monday night. Or better yet: turn the TV off. Read a book. Play Ninja Burger with your kids. Write a letter. Go to bed early. I don’t think it matters.
After all, you’re not going to miss anything on Monday night. You already saw that game once.
It’s time for the People to rise up! Join the Occupy BCS Movement!
I’ve hinted about it on occasion since leaving Muncie, but I am making myself available for supply preaching and guest preaching at churches in the area (read: within a 2-hour driving distance of the south side of Indianapolis). If you know of any churches looking for someone to fill in for whatever reason (even last-minute), I’d appreciate it if you’d pass my name along.
Sermons By Matt has samples of some of my messages and a page where I can be contacted. It will soon have a copy of my resume, too.
So – if anyone needs a guest preacher anytime in the near (or not-so-near) future, I’m your guy!
Hollywood has the Oscars (and the Golden Globes and the SAG Awards and a number of other self-congratulatory trophies).
The music industry has the Grammys.
Broadway has the Tonys and the Gospel Music Association has the Doves.
None compare, however, to the honor bestowed every year at MattDanTodd.com. Well…almost every year…
The 2011 Ralphies!!
In case you don’t remember what the Ralphies are, or want to see the past winners, you can refresh your memory here. And you may be wondering why I keep naming the award after a professor that I’ve never met. Well…it’s become tradition. And some traditions are not meant to be broken.
Or something like that.
Anyway, enough of the delay. Let’s end the suspense and see who this year’s winners are. I’m sure you’re about to fall out of your seat in anticipation. So in order to save you from potentially breaking your collar bone when you slip off the edge of your seat and ultimately try to sue me for causing you personal bodily harm (good luck with that…you might be able to get the Dallas Clark jersey from off my back cuz that’s about all I have), I now present to you the winners of the 2011 Ralphies:
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 6,300 times in 2011. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 5 trips to carry that many people.
Did you know Santa has an sister who was adopted from Kenya? Well…this Santa did, anyway. You could see the sparkle in his eye when he talked to us about our beautifully conspicuous family.
I know. It’s been 11 days.
I cannot, however, continue with this blog without sharing these three amazing videos. The first one still gives me chills. It makes me want to rush the court in our Living Room, like Aiden and I may or may not have done when we first watched the shot go in.
The other two videos? Just hilarious.
To my friends and family who are big fans of KY, I’m sorry. To everyone else…
You’re welcome.
