Personal Statement

So, now that I've officially applied for my phD in History here at The University of Mississippi, as well as applied to two jobs with the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation, it looks like I'm pretty much committed to Oxford for at least a while. Now, here's the funny thing. I have all of my application ready for the phD program except for my Personal Statement.

 When I wrote my personal statement for the Southern Studies program, I'll admit, I had a little whiskey before hand and tried to use some Southern charm. Now I find with my personal statement for the History Program here to be daunting. I have until the 15th of January to write it, so I've got time. It's more likely that I've just got too much to say for the personal statement at this time. Growl.

 Why is it that I'm in the most prolific point in my life but I can't write one little personal statement for the phD program? Hmmm?

Unemployment Tuesday!

I am told that today I should hear back from the Unemployment office in Mississippi. It is now 2 pm on Tuesday and I have not heard back from them. This doesn't unsettle me as much as you would think. What does unsettle me is the amount of spam text messages I have received since applying for said unemployment.

 Do you think I have nothing better to do with my time than to "find out who my secret crush is"... I totally have better things to do. This is both unfair to my cell phone plan and an annoyance. I have texted back "stop" to all of these nonsensical offers.

Please stop bothering me, spam texting. I will unleash the wrath of unemployed Margaret Blount Montgomery on you and you won't like it, I guarantee it. 

Just in case you didn't notice...

The Saints V. Bengals game was INCREDIBLE football to watch, but ultimately, the Saints pulled through. WHO DAT?!

Saints Game

May the beloved New Orleans Saints defeat the Cincinnati (that looks like a wrong spelling) Bengals. May the Saints ever be prosperous. Amen. 

Obviously, the poker game didn't go well...

I lost the poker game, but have continued to hang out with my friends as they are playing. There's something about being able to hang out and not feel compelled to play that's a little relieving. It might help that I'm broke at the moment and need my cash for other things.

 Anyway, the best quote of the night (so far):

 me: "I mean, Jesus might have picked up a hitch-hiker or two on that donkey riding into Jerusalem."
 friend: "That's what Jesus was crucified for- picking up hitch-hikers. He did at least, have twelve of them."

 There's something oddly right about that sentiment. If we pick up the hitch-hiker theory, then we are all hitch-hikers... eh.

 Back to my magazine.

My my my my pokerface...

After near on three months or so of Poker-less action, I will be enjoying the company of friends at the poker table. All this to say, wish me luck!

We are... Survivors...

Here I am, sitting in a coffee shop in Bay St. Louis, MS, writing this blog post about Surviving.

 I can't think of a better place to write about surviving than the MS Gulf Coast. Some of you might remember a little storm (sarcasm intended here) named Katrina.

This picture is taken from the City Park in Pass Christian. On the opposite side of the park is a Hurricane Camille placard (looks similar). The names that you can't read are those who lost their lives to the storm in Pass Christian.

 One would think this is still a raw subject. And it is for many people. Because, we are rebuilding in the best way possible. And that means creating something new out of what remains. For example, Live Oak trees that didn't survive "The Storm" (as locals call Katrina) have been carved into beautiful sculptures by chainsaw artists.

 Now, when I was in California, I experienced a "new" concern for the Mississippi Gulf Coast. BP and its Oil Spill was seen as a disaster. I remember where I was when I learned that the explosion happened. I was at a youth retreat called Happening in Mississippi (I think specifically I was at the Staff Training, or maybe it was the actual weekend). Anyway, the most people were upset about at the time were the lives senselessly lost in the explosion (which, as it turns out, could have been avoided).

 But back to California. I would say that I'm from the Mississippi Gulf Coast and I would get this response, "how is your family managing with the Oil Spill?" Now, I understand the concern. I get that. But, considering my family is not directly involved with the seafood industry (which, by the way, took a rough hit, but is bouncing back) and also considering that the Gulf of Mexico will eventually heal itself (an oil spill like this apparently happened on a smaller scale in the 70s or so).

All this to say, I've taken some rough hits in my life. So have many of my friends in Mississippi, in South Africa, in Tennessee, in California, in Massachusetts.

We have all had rough hits in our lives, but...

 We. Are. Survivors.

 There is nothing more simply said than that.

Christianity is a life of surviving. Christianity is a (no matter how you put it), a way of life where you experience the ups and downs of a man who ultimately gave his life for everyone all in a year. Phew. Talk about a rough hit.

But there's always Christmas. There's always Easter.

 When Hurricane Katrina hit, I went to a retreat at Camp Bratton Green in Mississippi. It was an emergency retreat, for me and for the youth on the Coast who had found themselves scattered throughout the state.

 I'll leave you with this. The prayer from the group in Pass Christian written started with, "God, we're flippin' pissed" but ended with, "we're ready for the Resurrection"...

...Think on that...