townies and soundies

Jason filmed a couple of music videos last week and I was able to tag along and get some behind the scenes pictures. Nate Nelson and Cortright did two soundies (continuous shot, raw sound videos) and Hope for Agoldensummer did a full video, complete with a blue bird that delivers messages (SWEET)!

Look at more of the soundies! They are awesome.

Eggstravaganza 2k8...

... the greatest Easter event ever! Well, maybe a close second to the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. But seriously, it was a great, triumphant, pastel-colored day. Thanks for the memories, Inglewood.

Here's the facebook invite info:

Let me tell you the story of easter...

Once upon a time there was a bunny. She ate a lot of candy and blew up like a balloon. Her chicken boyfriend broke up with her because he thought she was fat, and she was very upset. Miss Bunnie crawled into a hole and stayed in there to hide her blubbery body. But then all of her chicken and rabbit friends gathered around the hole and told her she was beautiful, and they gave her lots and lots of candy. So Miss Bunnie creeped out of the hole, and rose again. And that my friends, is why we celebrate easter.

Basically we just wanted to create an excuse to relive our childhoods, and we want you to come over and have fun doing it with us! (doesn't that sound dirty? i didn't mean it to... but its funny so it stays)

Easter egg hunts, pinatas, and good friends- what more could you want? COME OVER!

wear your easter dresses and khakis and sweater vests and little suspenders with rabbits on them.

For more pictures from the glorious day, click here.

How it Ends

Life really is a musical, I'm convinced of it. I don't necessarily believe that my ipod can read my thoughts or predict the future, but I do think that God has something to do with it.

I've been having so much uncertainty lately about things (silly things, really) and when I woke up this morning I prayed that God would just assure me that things are going to work out alright (which, I know deep down they will.) Sure enough, I turn on the ipod and hear song of comfort after song of comfort. And that's on shuffle. The first song was DeVotchka's "How it ends" and the lyrics go like this: (Seriously, read them.)


"Hold your grandmother's Bible to your breast.
Gonna put it to the test.
You want it to be blessed.
And in your heart,
You know it to be true,
You know what you gotta do.
They all depend on you.
And you already know.
Yeah, you already know how this will end.

There is no escape,
From the slave-catchers' songs.
For all of the loved ones gone.
Forever's not so long.
And in your soul,
They poked a million holes.
But you never lettem show.
C'mon it's time to go.

And
You
Already know.
Yeah, you already know
How this will end.

Now you've seen His face.
And you know that there's a place,
In the sun,
For all that you've done,
For you and your children.
No longer shall you need.
You always wanted to believe,
Just ask and you'll receive,
Beyond your wildest dreams.

And
You
Already know.
Yeah, you already know
How this will end."

You may think it's silly that I believe the Lord played this song for me this morning... but is anything too small for our God? You already now how this will end. :)

my itunes keeps playing this song every time i put it on shuffle.

Oh no
Love just leaves you bruised
If you want to know
Find something to lose

The world won't turn until something breaks
Who will make the first last mistake?
You say good things come to those who wait

Into the spiral
Your world and my world
It's never final
Love just leaves you bruised

I went because you said you'd be there
A box of candy
Smoke in your hair
I didn't know
I didn't care
Now I know
Love just leaves you bruised

photography for social change!

There are two things that I've aways wanted to be "when I grow up." A writer and a photographer. Unfortunately, these are two really hard things to do and do well. (And be able to live off of.) Recently, I've been feeling really discouraged in my endeavors.
Journalism seemed like the practical way to be a writer, but I don't think it's really my calling. And photojournalism seemed like a practical way to be a photographer, but I don't think that's my calling either.
What, Lord, could this mean? What do you have planned for me?
I have these desires and passions for writing and photography and so I know it must mean something for the plan that the Lord has for me... but I am not sure.
The unknown is terrifying and yet at the same time, I am excited that I serve a God who is faithful and merciful even amidst confusion and my own doubtful heart.

So where am I going with all of this?

While I'm not exactly saying that I have an idea to change the world or cure diseases, I feel like the Lord has placed this idea into my head and that I have to do something about it. I want to use photography and writing as a means for social change. My photojournalism teacher recently talked about the fact that sometimes when you photograph people... that is the first and possibly last time they will have their picture taken. When your picture is taken, you feel like you belong to something. One of the greatest feelings in the world is to have someone make a piece of art for you. It's a part of you and once it is put into a tangible form... it can be life changing.
My mom painted a portrait of me recently and I can't describe the way it felt to look at that painting, something deep within me stirred. Since we are made in the image of God and God is the Creator, it makes sense that we would love to create things as well.
I'm not sure what this feat will look like. It may mean me going overseas or to rural areas with my camera and taking pictures of people and giving them to them. My mind has been racing thinking about it, but I think using photography to highlight issues and bring to life the fact that not everyone lives in a house and owns a car and has a facebook account. All I know is that something has sparked inside me...

Begging the Question and Starlight: The Last Email

From time to time I like to send out emails. Like massive, group emails to cool people in my life. Here's the latest.
----------------------------

Well, hello, there.

It's been what feels like a year since I've written. I really should be studying for a mid-term that I have tomorrow (whoops) but I was inspired to send out email since it's been so long. I have this theory that I shouldn't have to study because I should learn everything I need to know in class, so I'm really not worried. But I'm kind of worried... so this begs the question-- what kind of theory is it if the theorist doesn't even believe in it?

(I do not really know what "begs the question" means. People use this phrase all the time, especially on college campuses, and I believe they use is incorrectly. I do not know if they are using incorrectly, though, because I myself don't know how to use it. I just have an innate sense that the usage is all wrong.) --EDIT-- I googled "begs the question" and I found a truly hilarious article. Check it out here... you'll be rolling in laughter. http://www.themorningnews.org/archives/the_nonexpert/begging_the_question.php --END EDIT--

Most of you I haven't talked to in a very, very long time and for that, I am deeply sorry. Sometimes I get really sad when I think about how close we used be (emotionally, and by location) and now so far away. This is my lame attempt at an apology and a little update on what's been going on with me in the many months we've had of this break in communication.

The short version of the last couple of months, take one:

I'm a junior in college, which is not very much different from being a junior high school except everything is magnified. Looking back, junior year was the hardest for me in high school. Classes were difficult, many friends had already left for school, and the choices of colleges and universities daunted me. Now... it's not much different. Classes are really hard (fun, challenging... but so demanding!) and friends are getting engaged/married, and the choices of the real world daunt me. It's a weird feeling.

But the future is promising. I still have my internship with the Admissions department here and I love it. I don't know if this would ever turn into a Real Life Job, but I've talked about it. I know it is certainly not something I'd like to do FOREVER, but I do love it and UGA and I'm all about working for something I love. And besides, who doesn't love wearing a University of Georgia polo shirt and a sweet magnetic name tag? I'm all about it!

The friends and I are in the midst of trying to find a house for next year which has led me to the conclusion that house hunting might be my least favorite thing I've ever done (right below getting my wisdom teeth out but just before taking the SATs.) It's seriously not fun at all. We would finally find a house we like, and then it would have to be in "the hood" or next door to "questionable inhabitants." Whatever. I'd sleep in my hammock in a field if it meant I didn't have to look at another 4BR/2B house listing again in my life.

This Friday is the beginning of Spring Break and you know what that means: New York. No, you probably didn't know that's what it means, but this year, for us, it rings true. I'm off to the Big Apple for the first real time (I've seen Lady Liberty and been to Ellis Island, but only for the day. Weird, but true.) and we have a 15-page itinerary. If we can get ourselves up and organized enough to see a tenth of the stuff we've planned, I will be a happy tourist. And if I see Tina Fey just chillin' out outside the NBC studios, I might die of excitement. So if you never hear from me again, it's possible that this is what happened.

Oh, and I am going to the Cannes Film Festival in France this summer. Look for me on the Red Carpet lookin' supa-fine and swanky in my red carpet getup. I'll be right there, hopefully friends with Tina by then.

Well. I do need to get some sleep because it's super late and I have a test tomorrow. All theories are bust. Which begs the question... what is the point of busted theories???

Good night sweet friends and fellow email/gmail lovers.

MORGAN
Jesus Loves and Jesus Lives!

PS. Pray that a lovely house will fall into our hands. (Or better yet, pray that it falls into a nicely landscaped yard just a few hops from campus. And, it magically has free cable. And hottie neighbors. And a cupola with a spiral staircase. And appliances that run on dreams and starlight.)