GODBLOGCON '05: HERE IS MY REQUISITE ...

... GodBlog Con wrap-up! Actually it isn't a requisite, it's not work to comment on a positive event in one's life.

Some know I attended seminary at Talbot ('86), which is part of the BIOLA team where the convention/conference was held ... it was nice to be back in the academic setting after a long absence. It brought back memories of how much I love learning ... but I fought the demons jealousy and envy suffering only a minor wound.

The campus is nothing like what it was like when I went there ... these kids have no idea what it was like to walk to the library in snow up to my chin.

We had to boil our own coffee over campfires in the rain ... these students can get a double-whipped Columbian Oreo-antifreeze or a mocha-latte chocolate-swirl frap in a padded booth, in an air-conditioned coffee shop, with Christian rock blasting from twelve woofers and twenty four tweeters.

The conference was a real positive experience; the following are random observations:

• you could tell the intellectual God-bloggers from the authentic God-bloggers because the latter talked about impacting culture for Christ, while the former debated how infralapsarianism might affect culture and whether or not communion with God pre-dated communion with man in the light of Sarcratic and Plutonic revelations.
• pastoral-bloggers were easily distinguished from the professorial-bloggers because the latter spoke in Powerpoint and frames, while the former always gave three supporting points for each of their comments, with a joke or an illustration thrown in here and there.
• the God-polibloggers were more difficult to recognize amongst the masses(BLOGNOTE: these would eventually evolve into polywogs given sufficient Carbon dating; I didn't get to meet Carbon, besides I'm married) ; I finally determined they were the ones who constantly mentioned someone named Harriet in the same breath as Dr. Dobson.
• eventually I learned how to recognize conservative God-bloggers from neocon-God-bloggers and liberal God-bloggers. The neocons were everywhere Hugh Hewitt was rumored to be and the conservatives were right behind them handing out blog-cards. The liberals, on the other hand, were both appearing somewhat waxened as they stood frozen in the headlights of an oncoming convoy of right-wing Jesus freak bloggers.
• the students were easy to recognize; they didn't have nametags hanging from sundry parts of their clothing.
• the non-blogging theology professors were easy to sight; they were the ones dressed in early missionary hand-me-downs and wearing '60s style sandles.
• the small God-bloggers were those whose stats weren't as high as they wanted them to be, they had a permanently set brow and their smile on upside down.
• the conference speakers could be spotted by looking for someone not wearing a nametag, looking slightly out of place on a Christian college campus; they could be identified as those looking for someone not wearing a nametag, looking slightly out of place on a Christian college campus.
• there was one other genus of blogger who was easy to find; the DO-TYTS-bloggers ... just follow the laughter and look for people who were smiling and having a good time. [BTW - DO-TYTS means: DOn't Take Yourself Too Seriously]

Do I have criticisms or disappointments? Yes, but my great-great-great grandpappy told me, "Listen you little twerp, if you don't got nothing nice to say 'bout your friends and neighbors ... well, shattup! Save the negative for your enemies and competition." That's a direct quote so help me!

SUGGESTIONS:

• first, let's ensure next year's speakers have a worldview other than that of the Mainline and Orthodox faiths.
• second, let's ensure next year's speakers don't have so many acronyms behind their names.
• third, let's ensure next year's keynote speakers have at least one representative from those who shave their legs and not their faces.
• fourth, tell the keynoters to move around and mix; walking around joined at the hip makes it difficult to get to know them.
• and finally, let's ensure that GodBlogCon '06 is close to my home, so I can afford to drive ... better let's have it at my home. Well, someone else will have to cook, Rita just threatened my life and my daughter Naomi said, "I ain't lettin' no stinking blogger sleep in my bed!"

Bottom-line, great conference and great people make for a great time!

I especially enjoyed metting Denyse O'Leary - Post Darwinist; Lores Rizkalla - Just A Woman; DJ Chaung - djchaung; Cecelia Henderson - Kicking Over My Traces; ; HH; Mark Daniels - Better Living; Amy & Roger of A-Team Blog; Mark Olson - PsuedoPolymath; Laura Springer - Laura's Writings; Christy Wilson - Stand to Reason; Mike Laprarie - Mike's Noise; Matthew Eppinette - Matthew's Random Musings; Breda McGill - The Bread; Stephan Adams - The Trophy Husband; Joshua Clayborn - In The Agora.

And it was also great to reunite with all my allies from the SoCal Alliance - Rick Moore - Holy Coast; John Schroaeder - Blogotional; Brad Hightower - 21st Century Reformation; Stacy Harp - Mind & Media; Bill Rice - By Dawn's Early Light; and the irrepressible Matt Anderson of Mere Orthodoxy. And meeting soon to be new bloggers - Henry and Travis. And my new friend Joel from Oklahoma.


GodBlogCon; GodBlogCon '06