Category: Status

Why Paper Notes Are (Sometimes) Better

I have no papers that I typed at Mullins High School in 1992-1996. I have a nice collection of hand-written ones.

I have very few (very very few to be precise) of my papers or notes that I typed at Wofford College in 1996-2000 unless I printed those out. Even then, the hand-written notes far outweigh the typed papers and that’s not just because of volume.

I have a few of the papers I typed in Graduate School at Yale University from 2000-2003 but they are in terrible formatting shape. I still have all of my paper notes. I still have the paper notes that colleagues and Professors passed on to me and that I made a copy of either in my own hand or by paying $.10 a copy on the printer if I wasn’t at the Yale Art Gallery where I had unlimited printing abilities.

Take notes. Use paper. Your future self will thank you.

Life in 2023

“I’ll be on the road in one min, Beautiful. I’m waiting for my Watch to update.”

Me to Merianna just now before I head off to 4th of July festivities. What a time to be alive.

Planning Out Social Media in 2023

I’m constantly on the fence about pre-planning or pre-scheduling too many marketing posts ahead of time on social media. It’s handy, for sure. However, given that events happen without warning, there are real risks that could make whatever you’re trying to do look incredibly out-of-touch.

However, there is a benefit to having a month (or week) long agenda of posts to help keep you or your team on track. Social media is a platform that often rewards spontaneity, and you should be building that into marketing efforts. But it would be best if you had a foundation on which to grow, and a good plan can get you there.

For example, I stumbled upon a free monthlong planner for social media posts in January 2023 from Plann. There is any number of these out there. Still, the benefit is that these calendars take away the guesswork and produce dozens of content pieces that can be used across social networks, promotional materials, videos, recaps, etc. 

So spend some time thinking and planning while allowing your marketing efforts to remain responsive and flexible in 2023!

I Made the Smithsonian

One of my bucket list 🪣✅ items finally got checked off! Asia Has Claims Upon New England is in the Smithsonian!

Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

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Harrelson, S. (n.d.). Asia has claims upon New England : Assyrian reliefs at Yale / Sam Harrelson. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved December 29, 2022, from https://www.si.edu/object/siris_sil_869658

Where To Go Next?

It’s been an interesting week since I first posted about leaving the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship last Friday. I’ve had mostly pleasant conversations with old friends and partners in various ministries with lots of support and affirmation of my decision. There have been a few more confrontational DM’s and texts from those who felt that I was too harsh towards the Fellowship, but that was to be expected. Challenging the institution is the greatest of sins to some.

One of the things I’m personally considering at this point is the “what’s next?” question when it comes to my own nascent ministry a couple of decades too late.

The Alliance of Baptists is the obvious choice being my own baptist convictions, and that’s something I’ll continue to pursue.

My partner Merianna is now a Minister in the United Church of Christ after leaving the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship herself a while back. I attended a UCC church for a few years while at Yale Divinity School, so it pulls at my heartstrings as well.

Then there are Quaker groups and Unitarian Universalist fellowships that I could also see myself joining due to my own personal worship preferences and philosophies.

On top of those, there’s that still small voice telling me to take ministrieslab or Hunger Initiative seriously and pursue those as ministry opportunities in my anti-authoritarianism way. Both are registered 501c3’s and ready to go. I’m still thinking about that, but thinking that may be the way to go.

Thoughts?