This is the first blog post of 2013 and the first blog post of the Spring 2013 semester. Take a look at the picture. This is a literal metaphor of looking into the future. The future is rapidly approaching, the future is among us. However, this time "the future" looks a little different. "The future" doesn't look like another semester of school, "the future" doesn't look like the same ol', same ol'. This future looks like NO school, NEW life. I will be graduating at the end of this semester in pursuit of success in the job market. After all, that's what the point of college is, right? A professor put it this way:
"You're about to be fired from your full-time job of 18 years and be forced to figure out how you're going to live. Does that involve finding a new job? Changing living conditions? Changing locations? Good luck."
The time is now. The future is now.
So, this is the first blog post in the last six weeks. When asked to describe my winter break, I have been responding with one word: "short." Yeah, it was six weeks. Yeah, many Biola students think it DRAGS and LULLS and takes just way to long. Me? I could have easily lasted a few more weeks. I've realized this is simply in Lott Family fashion. For my whole life, our breaks have been packed full of trips, adventures, fun, and the like. We travel, we sight-see, we do everything but sit around at home watching television. I'll give you the simple breakdown.
Finals → Wedding → Simi Valley → Reedley → Christmas → Walnut Creek → Simi → New Years → Rose Parade → Biola → IRIS → Ralph B. Clark Park → Long Beach → Young Empress → Temecula → San Diego → Temecula → Simi Valley → Ventura → Pismo Beach → UCLA → Biola → UCLA → First Day of School
Here's the slightly longer version:
After a week of difficult end-of-the-semester final exams, I spent two near-all-nighters editing a wedding video so the couple would be able to have their video in time for Christmas. I then headed to Simi Valley where I stayed for 1 hour before I left with my family to central California to celebrate Christmas with my extended family on my mom's side. After a few days and a lot of fun, we continued north into Walnut Creek to celebrate Christmas with my extended family on my dad's side. After a few days and a lot of fun, we returned home to Simi Valley to celebrate Christmas by ourselves, the immediate family. After a few days and a lot of fun, we experienced New Year's Eve with our long-time friends the Weirs and Gencarella's which led into a observance of the 2013 Rose Parade in Pasadena. I then made my way down to Biola University to participate in the interterm IRIS by speaking about my documentary thisisstuttering to preface the film The King's Speech. This then led into a visit from Ms. Morgan McGannon as we headed to Ralph B. Clark Park. Long Beach was next as Mr. Isaac Svensson and I prepared for a music video shoot the following day for a band called Young Empress, which turned out exceedingly well. I then made my way down to Temecula to visit Ms. Morgan McGannon and her family. We ate at a winery, we enjoyed San Diego, we enjoyed Temecula, we shopped at a mall, we enjoyed relaxing. After a few days and a lot of fun, I returned to Simi Valley to work hard before Ms. Morgan McGannon would visit my family. After a few days and a lot of fun, Ms. Morgan McGannon visited and we toured Simi, visited friends, stayed up way too late with Mr. Sean Cook, enjoyed Ventura, and prepared for our trip to Pismo Beach with my family. After a few days and a lot of fun, my family, along with Ms. Morgan McGannon and Mr. Dan Mitchell, made our way to Pismo Beach to enjoy a few days and a lot of fun, including but not limited to playing football on the beach, Joe vs. The Volcano, Quelf, McClintocks, and The Monster. We then headed back home to Simi Valley, Ms. Morgan McGannon left, and I said goodbye to Simi Valley as I prepared for a documentary shoot involving Mr. Marc Wymore, in which his sister Corri was going to be giving him, a type 1 diabetic since he was 2, her kidney in a miraculous kidney transplant, an evidential example of God's providence and provision. After a few days and my mind being rocked by the incredible intricacies of modern medicine, I returned to Biola and to begin the semester. And here we are. Right now.
Here's a slightly longer version of a specific part: IRIS.
I was honored and curious to speak in front of about 100 Biola students about my life as a stutterer and my film thisisstuttering. To understand the context read this: http://emliv.blogspot.com/2012/12/thisisbig.html. This was the first step of complete vulnerability and honestly in direct response to the release of the trailer to thisisstuttering. It's difficult to put into words how this speaking engagement went, it was an incredible experience. The entire day was preparation for the viewing of the film The King's Speech, "the story of King George VI of Britain, his impromptu ascension to the throne and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch become worthy of it." A number of professors spoke on different topics, which led to Mrs. Teri Clemons, a speech pathologist/professor at Biola, to speak about the science of speech impediments. I was then introduced as a "real-life stutterer" and I told my life-story, what it's been like living with a stutter, the challenges, the trials, the learning opportunities. I then showed the trailer to thisisstuttering and talked about the project, the challenges, the trials, the learning opportunities. The audience was then polled for questions, to which I answered to the best of my ability. It was at this point when the significance of this speaking engagement became known. First of all, and this has taken me 21 years to figure out, but God has given me my speech impediment for a reason. I've come to the realization that if this film changes one person for the kingdom of God, then my years of struggle and embarrassment have been worth it. It's easy to blame God for my stutter, "what did I do wrong? Why do I deserve this?" Instead, it's "use this for your glory" and "reach people that would not be reached by any other means." So, I spoke publicly about my deepest, darkest secret. I was vulnerable. Following the Q+A, a number people came up to me, saying things such as "I have never told anybody this, but I'm struggling in this way" or "thank you for being vulnerable, now I will be more intentional and sensitive with my friends." These conversations following the session are what turned this opportunity from "cool" to "INCREDIBLE." God is using this film in ways that are just barely becoming known. This has already been a life-changing experience and I am nowhere even close to be able to predict what is coming next. I can barely even handle it. God's got this.
WHAT.
Here is all sorts of different media things from break. Enjoy.
And that's that! That's the post! Unbelievable. Shout out to Dan Mitchell for taking the last few pictures of Ms. Morgan McGannon and myself. I'm all about them.
Think about your last few months. Think about all the things that made you genuinely happy. Are those things substantial enough to base a lifestyle of them?
