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Meet Alex!

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve been able to produce some videos! And man, I’ve really missed it. I’m constantly battling the tension between being someone who loves to create, but having a job where I manage stuff. Over the course of my career, I’ve found that it’s close to impossible, at least for me, to be both creator and the manager at the same time!

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Biblical Studies Ed Unfiltered Live Uncategorized Write

Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner: Thoughts on the Parable of the Great Banquet

This morning we approach the parable of the Great Banquet.  This is a continuation of the same event that we studied last week.  To refresh your memory, it is the sabbath and Jesus has been invited to the home of a ruler of the Pharisees.  While there, he starts off with what is to them is a scandalous action: recall that he heals a man and then challenges them on whether or not such a healing is among the works that should be counted as a violation of God’s sabbath (as opposed to their customs).  Then, after exposing their hypocrisy, he proceeds to instruct them in true humility.

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Basic Polenta Recipe

My basic go-to polenta recipe.  I use this all the time for any recipe calling for grits or polenta.  Especially good for Shrimp & Grits!

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Basic Pan-Seared Tilapia

Making a pan-seared tilapia is really easy.  The hardest part is deciding what kind of seasoning or sauce you’d like to have on the fillets, but with fresh tilapia, they’re good even with just salt, pepper and freshly squeezed lemon juice.  This recipe is really just to instruct on the cooking method for pan searing the fillets.

Ingredients

  • 1-2 fillets per person
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Seasoning of your choice (I like Cavendar’s)
  • Lemon for searing and garnish

Directions

  1. Pat fish dry with a paper towel.
  2. Sprinkle fish with salt & pepper and seasoning
  3. Heat 1 Tbsp Olive Oil and 1 Tbsp Butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Allow the skillet time to get hot.
  4. Sauté the fillets for about 3-4 minutes (depending on thickness) on each side, squeezing lemon juice on them during cooking.  Tilapia should be lightly golden and just cooked through.  Use a fish spatula (larger, thin & slotted) to turn the fillets without tearing them up.
  5. Transfer to the plate and serve warm with lemon wedges
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Content Marketing Create Uncategorized

Creating a “Flicker On” Effect in After Effects

I’m going to compile this and several other posts into a series I’m calling “How I Went from Knowing Nothing About Adobe Premiere and After Effects to Producing a Client Video in 2 Weeks.”  How’s that for a short, catchy title?  Since this effect was the last item I did in the video, I’m going to lead off with this one (and reorganize later!).  If you prefer this as a video tutorial, just scroll down to the very bottom of the post.

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Balsamic Pear & Goat Cheese Crostinis

Needed an appetizer the other night, so I went through my usual routine of perusing the internet for some ideas & then concocted these Pear & Goat Cheese crostinis. They actually turned out to be really good. So much so we made them again the next night!

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Another Portrait Sketch

I haven’t posted this sketch until now since I did it as a Christmas present for my sister.  But now, I don’t have to keep it a secret anymore.  Picture taken at Harper’s 3rd birthday party.  Figures that the one I liked best was the one picture where my lighting was terrible.  I think my flash probably didn’t go off.  But this is one of those pictures that I think just captures Harper’s personality!

Harper smile sketch Harper smile

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Some Photos from my Recent Trip to New Orleans

I only had one evening and a following morning to get out of the hotel and wander the streets.  While I didn’t get to go far, I did manage to snap a few cool pictures.  Pardon my obsession with the Hotel Monteleone sign.  Not sure why I was all into that, but I was.  Here’s a sampling.

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Preaching to the Choir: Keep Your Emotions in Check

If you want honest feedback (and that’s an important decision itself that you need to make!), then you need to learn to keep your emotions in check.

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In the Same Boat

Human nature is such that we love to divide ourselves over all kind of issues.  That’s a pretty self-evident claim.  Birds of a feather do flock together.  Even when we think we’re being inclusive, our inclusivity has it’s limits.  Sports, politics and religion are the easy targets, but in just about every aspect of our lives, we are experts at being subtle and nuanced in our ability to create division.