The most popular posts on Clay Pot Chronicles for the month of January were about a James Cameron film, the president’s speech on Just War Theory, and the “problem of evil.”  Avatar, Obama, and Haiti.  Three hot topics, to be sure.

Here are the results:

First place by one pageview:  Jamie Arpin-Ricci’s Review of Avatar

Second place (with the most comments): Reaction to President Obama and Just War Theory

Third place, my processing of the tragedy in Haiti:  An Open Letter to God, In the Wake of the Haiti Earthquake

Thanks so much to all of you who regularly read and engage in the conversation here.  I’m honored to have you along for the journey!

Related posts:

1. Reaction to President Obama and Just War Theory
2. Jamie Arpin-Ricci’s Review of Avatar
3. Images from Haiti

We’re setting out on a weekend trip to Tennessee!  A short break and some needed time with my wife.

We went with a group of friends in the Spring to raft on the Ocoee River.  It was a great time – we did the “middle” Ocoee with class ‘3′ and ‘4′ rapids – not bad for my first time in a raft!

This time, we’ll be doing the “all day” trip – the upper Ocoee and its class ‘4′ and ‘5′ rapids in the morning, then the middle river after lunch.

Look forward to checking in with you next week.  I’m sure there will be a story or two to tell!

I’ve been noticing my friends’ reaction to social media.  Seems to form a continuum, going from regular involvement on one end to disdainful rejection on the other end!  Where do you fit?

Participator

Actively engages on more than one social media platform.  Uses social networking to functionally communicate with friends and meet new people.  Doesn’t just post (status updates, tweets, blogs), but engages (commenting, following, friending) with others.  This two-way stream is a key characteristic of the full participator.

I’m reading this post on a feed aggregator while scheduling some link-candy tweets on HootSuite just before I sit down for my after-dinner Delicious organizing session – wait, got hit up on Google chat, be right back …

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Lurker

You know who you are!  You check in on others using your wife’s Facebook.  You read friends’ blogs but wouldn’t dream of putting your own out there.  The thought of signing up for things makes you ill.

The last thing I need is one more password to remember!  I won’t let you know I’m out there lurking in the shadows.

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Yawner

Apathetic.  This is probably the smallest group.  Passions tend to run hot or cold for social networking and the use of social media.

I simply don’t care how many people are following Oprah or whose blog is at the top of Technorati.  I simply don’t care – and if you ask me about a mutual friend’s Facebook status …  I. simply. don’t. care.

.

Condemner

Like the Yawners, this group doesn’t engage social media; but they have a passionate disinterest!  Just ask the Condemner about Twitter and be prepared for a 10 minute diatribe on how it is useless, inane, and downright harmful to the moral fabric of the country!

Linkedin?  Yeah right – just give me a face-to-face meeting any day!  YouTube … geez, don’t get me started – I get what I need from the local news.

What’s your story?  Do you fit neatly into one of these categories or are you somewhere in between?  Give us a ‘number’ in the comments.

(BTW, if you say you’re a “Yawner” in the comments of this blog post, I’ll probably argue with you!)

Related posts:

1. Social Media: Are You More or Less Human?

I’m back after a blogging hiatus – a semi-intentional(!) absence through the Lent season. Let me explain.

One of the things I learned from Lent this year was the value of time. I went into Lent with the intention of giving up something that would be “dramatic,” difficult, and sacrificial (it turned out this brought out some of the worst judgmentalism and hypocrisy in me). But, in addition to discovering some of the ugliness that corrodes my heart, I realized that the “thing” I wanted to give up didn’t change the way I spend my time at all. So, after some soul searching, I ended up fasting from some things I used to spend a lot of time on: blogging and social networking.

I limited my Facebook interactions dramatically and eliminated blogging entirely. Over time, I may get some clarity and be able to articulate some of the lessons God was teaching. But for now, I’ll just say that I enjoy writing/blogging and it hones a thoughtful, creative edge for me. I look forward to getting back into conversation with you!

Related posts:

1. Social Media: Participating, Lurking, Yawning, Condemning?
2. Wondering What To Give Up for Lent?

“If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us.”  2 Corinthians 4:7 (The Message, Eugene Peterson).

Perhaps it’s the excitement of a ‘new year’ and all the hype of resolutions and fresh starts.  Or, perhaps it’s ‘guts’ to do what I’ve considered for some time.  Or, perhaps it’s just plain self-importance!  Whatever the case may be, here it is: a new blog.

The desire is to create conversation, link to resources, develop thoughts, and share life.  You’ll find out soon enough that this is the work of an “unadorned clay pot,” but walk with me awhile, and together we may just draw nearer to the Source of that “beauty” within!