July 13th, 2010 | link
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Ce n’est pas un photographe
by Phil Nellis
Phil drew this (from this) and framed it for me as a graduation gift.
July 12th, 2010 | link
Christopher & Anna’s wedding in Nashville, TN
I have a few weekends open this summer and fall if you are interested in me shooting your wedding. Email me at joshualongbrake at gmail dot com.
Also, Jay gave me this idea and I think it would be really interesting: What if families hired photographers to go on vacations with them and document their trip? The parents wouldn’t have to bother with capturing moments. Rather, they could experience them with their kids and let a photographer capture and tell the story of the entire vacation (similar to something like my July 4th weekend last year).
So if you think you or someone you know would be interested in something like that, please let me know.
Graduation
July 1st, 2010 | link
On June 26th I graduated from Mars Hill Graduate School, earning the degree of Master of Divinity. I continue to reflect and gather my thoughts, attempting with every day that passes (I turned 27 two days later and immediately bought a puppy) to summarize the past 3 years of my life, which I have truly and deeply loved. I am a grateful man.
For now, photographs.
preperation
the waiting room filled with anxious graduates
me, Naomi & Diamond
Tim & spectacles
crossing the street to the park to have our class photo taken while Dad & Nanci take photographs with their telephones (family!)
lining up for a class photograph
Ben & Whitney direct us
I couldn’t help myself.
Ben, Naomi, Diamond, Troy, Jeremy, & Jeffrey
Troy, Jeremy, & Jeffrey
Diamond & Jeffrey
David, fellow M.Div., waiting to go into the auditorium
Jeffrey & Ben
Rachael & Dr. Stearns, Christie Lynk, M.A., Dr. Call, Dr. Badley, Dr McNeil, & Dr. Allender
Kj, Jeanette, & Paula, speaking eloquently and representing the M.Div., MACS, and MACP programs
psych students prepare to receive their degrees from Dr. Anderson
Jeremy, hoping there will be an actual diploma for him as he crosses the stage (I was doubtful)
Jeanette, Naomi & Ayana
Naomi plays a beautiful song she wrote
me & Jay after the ceremony ended
Nanci, me, & Dad (miss you sis)
Afterwards we went to Pike Place Brewery to watch soccer and celebrate with the Batstones, Becca, the Harms’, & the Shappells.
Jeffrey, at the pub
Jessie, Jeffrey, Liam & Charlie
I highly recommend graduating because your friends will buy you drinks.
Thank you, Mars Hill Graduate School. Because you exist, I now live with awe and wonder, which is better than any degree I could have earned.
June 23rd, 2010 | link
Derrida, on deconstruction:
This coming to being starting from nothing and as nothing, as God and as Nothing, as the becoming-self as becoming -God – or Nothing – that is what appears impossible, more than possible, the most impossible possible, more impossible than the impossible if the impossible is the simple negative modality of the possible. – This thought seems strangely familiar to the experience of what is called deconstruction. Far from being a methodical technique, a possible or necessary procedure, unrolling the law of a program and applying rules, that is, unfolding possibilities, deconstruction has often been defined as the very experience of the (impossible) possibility of the impossible, of the most impossible, a condition that deconstruction shares with the gift, the “yes,” the “come,” decision, testimony, the secret, etc. And perhaps death. (On the Name, p. 43)
Jacques is messing with us.
June 18th, 2010 | link
Jay, Heather, and I ran the San Juan Marathon a few weekends ago. It was both Jay’s & Heather’s first race and my umpteenth. I finished 13th out of about 70 runners. I was thrilled. Jay finished slightly ahead of me.
“I got 13th!”
“That’s great. Well done. I got 4th.”
“I hate you.”
No but really I hate him. That’s not even a haha.
Haha.
Heather ran the half-marathon and did remarkably well. She would remarkably hate me if I posted her official race photo, which she did not find as charming or humorous as both Jay and I found it. See, Heather. At least sometimes I think through things and have common sense. So, in the name of common sense, here is a photo that is not manipulated of Heather finishing the race.
She easily beat those guys behind her. SITTING DOWN. Always classy, Heather.
Here’s my slightly-less-classy finish photo.
Here’s Jay. This is the worst photo I could find of him, which kind of makes me even sicker.
What Jay? You don’t want a photograph of you on my internet website after you’ve run 26.2 miles? Think you don’t look your best? Deal with it.
I was happy to be done with that stupid, hilly, rainy race. However, during the race I did see, and I kid you not, killer whales out in the Puget Sound. KILLER WHALES. I also saw a few bald eagles, a fox, and deer. Did you see any of that Jay? Huh? Did you? Oh. You did. That doesn’t help.
Well, Jay, since this seems to be all about how much I loathe your running ability, I’m just going to keep going with it. I’m graduating and my birthday is next week so back off.
Did you, Jay, run the Prague International Marathon? Huh? No? That’s right. You didn’t. You didn’t. And can you grow a beard that will make women walk away confused and slightly angry? No. No you can’t. That’s why you’re married. Good hustle, I guess.
Oh hey Jay. You’re still there. How about that. Here are some photographs to refresh your memory of how you didn’t run the Prague International Marathon. Did you get passed by this guy during the final mile? No? Well I did.
And did you wear a homemade t-shirt giving a “shout out” to your dad back in the States? You didn’t? Huh. I truly had no idea.
And did you finish the PRAGUE INTERNATIONAL MARATHON with style & grace, making the Czech people think you’re pathological, maybe even borderline? No? This is getting fairly awkward.
Style & grace, Jay. Style & grace.
Alright dude see you tonight. BFF for life. For life. FF. Don’t leave me.
June 16th, 2010 | link
Last week of graduate school. Everything has to be turned in by Wednesday the 23rd. 4 classes. 4 big finals. No big deal. I wonder if crazy anxiety will settle in the day after graduation, like crazy-maddening-institutionalize-me anxiety. Probably not. But maybe. Whatever this M.Div. is going to take me places. $$$$$$$
Hyperbolic humor.
My final paper for Mars Hill Graduate School is tentatively titled Post-Structuralism, Re-Engaging Ecclesial Foundations, and Why Jacques Derrida Was A Fairly Decent Typographer.
By the by my philosophy prof reads my blog. Dual relationships EVERYWHERE!
I’m really tired.
(Also, t-shirt idea: It’s not countertransference. I just don’t like you. You’re welcome, psych students. No more complaining about how you’re never going to make money. I just paid for your grad school.)