I’ve been thinking about John McCain a lot this week.  That’s what he intended. We talk about communication plans in my Com Theory course.  A communication plan is a strategy to use media with specific messages to reach a specific audience for a specific purpose.  Content, target, and timing are all key elements.  We know that Senator McCain planned his funeral and memorial services in the year before he passed.  He wanted to the nation to hear his concerns for this country and the pride he had in it.  He knew there would be memorials, a funeral, and a burial service.  He knew there would be television coverage of it all.  It would be his last opportunity to make the point that guided his life: Doing what is right for this nation is more important than party or convenience or self.

I pray the services he planned for this week will accomplish the goals he set.I pray that his character, his patriotism, his courage and love and respect for all those who serve our nation will have a lasting impact on this nation.

Somehow we must heal the divisions among us. We must learn to discuss, not argue. We must listen and be willing to learn. We must stand our ground when it’s not popular to do so, and we must look those those who have gone before us and set a high example as John McCain did.

No one is perfect. No one gets everything right. The question is whether we do our best with intelligence, respect, dignity and honor.

God bless him and his family. May we continue to learn from his words and his example, whether we agreed with him on every issue or not.

I took the picture you see in 2012 when I attended a National Association of Television Production Executives in Miami Beach.  My hotel was vintage, tidy, and right on the beach.  It was worth losing sleep to rise at 5:30 a.m. so I could be on the boardwalk in time for sunrise.  The sound of waves, the smell of the sea, the peachy pastel morning light made the hour each morning one of peace, beauty and contemplation.

It occurred to me that the waves I loved to watch were much like the media I study.  Waves have such power and regularity.  They never stop. There is never a rest from them.  They can be breathtakingly beautiful — especially for an in-lander like me. They can  be devastatingly destructive.  Peaceful mornings turn violent when a hurricane blows in.

On that morning I saw a parallel between ever-present waves on the beach and the ever-present waves of media messages flowing over our lives and our culture.  Media bring us news and information.  They bring art and beautiful music, but  they also bring hatred, ugliness and destructive effects.  Those varying outcomes are constant, and they demand our attention and study.  As consumers we must be continually aware of our exposure, our engagement, and the consequences of our media use.  Are we being entertained, informed, deceived, distracted, persuaded — or all of the above?  Like the ocean, these technologies we call media should be enjoyed, appreciated, and respected, not only for the way they enrich our lives, but also for the potential they have to do quite the opposite.

For more information (and differing viewpoints) see the article from Poynter : http://go.pardot.com/…/230e0036e0d7f7d749a192a1e06f7e047874…

This year, I was invited to speak about “Teaching with Trek” at the Official Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas.   The goal of this series was to show how Star Trek could be used to teach media literacy as well as other important themes in the classroom as well as at home and in society.  I spoke about Star Trek as modern myth, its message of diversity, and “Why Klingons Have Ridges and Tribbles Don’t.”  If you were in my Media Criticism or Media and Modern Mythology classes at The University of North Alabama, those are familiar topics.  My son, Chris, and my husband, Randy came along for moral support.  Chris and I have been to conventions before, but this was Randy’s first Star Trek convention.

I have to admit, I was more than a little nervous, but the audiences were so welcoming and supporting, I moved right into “teaching mode”.

    The first presentation was in a large lecture hall.  We were pleased to have approximately 650 people in the audience.   The other two presentations were in a smaller venue, and we had a full house both times.  Trek fans were engaged, interested, and they asked lots of questions.  It was lots of fun to share what I teach with them.  It felt like the best of both worlds: teaching and Star Trek!

We had some other firsts as well.  We all had an opportunity to try VR for the first time and experience a museum of Gene Roddenberry’s keepsakes from Star Trek.  I wish I had a photo of the three of us in headsets.  I kept trying to walk through the hall of the Enterprise D and kept bumping into that table!

The picture above-right is part of the Ten-Forward set from The Next Generation.  You can see it behind the table holding VR equipment for the Virtual Reality demonstration.

There are always lots of interesting things to do and see at a Star Trek Convention.  Discussion about production design, writing, and lot of interviews with ST cast and production team members.

The costume contest is always fun too!

It was really interesting to see the props, costumes, and production art from the Mirror Universe in season 1 of  Discovery. 

Of course the most exciting moment of the entire week was when Patrick Stewart announced  that Jean Luc Picard will be back in a new Star Trek series.

All in all, it was an amazing week! Chris and I had were in our natural element.  Randy is not a big Trekker, but he had a great time too.  We have lots of great memories, and we’re looking forward to next year!

Jan, Chris and Randy ready to go home. Chris and I are wearing our DS-9 25th Anniversary T-shirts.

The first day at a Star Trek convention involves registration, figuring out where everything is, seeing the vendor room and booking photo ops.  Once those things are settled,  we really enjoy the wide variety of activities.   I especially like the programs about the writing and production in the franchise.  Michael Westmore did two interesting ones on design and makeup for cast members  and aliens.  Others focused on costuming and production design.

There were interviews with series writers and show-runners and lots interesting interviews with celebrities from the series and films.  We were lucky to see Patrick Stewart because he doesn’t often make the conventions.

Cast interviews are big part of these conventions, especially in an anniversary year.  William Shatner, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Patrick Stewart and most of The Next Generation cast were there.  It’s lots of fun to see the actors, hear their stories and see how they interact with each other.

Attendees also have the opportunity for photos and autographs with cast members.  William Shatner and others use this to raise money for the charities they support. Last year, at 50^th Anniversary Convention, we met Michael Dorn and Brent Spiner.  This year, we had our picture taken with William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols.   These pictures are on my office wall along with the picture Patrick Stewart autographed.

A large exhibit featured the costumes, sets, props and make-up in the new Discovery series.  The detail on all of these much more elaborate than previous series.  Some were designed and produced using 3-D printing technology.

I used Star Trek in my classes since I began teaching more than 30 years ago. I filled a small notebook this time with information about the creation and production of the new Star Trek series, Discovery.

There were lots of people in costume and fans from all over the world.  There  was a sense of comradery, respect and belonging that felt more like church than a fan convention.  These were people who share a vision is positive, diverse, expansive and exciting.  Respect is foundational.  At times there were crowds, lines, and complications, but only once in five days did I hear a cross word.

There are lots of interesting displays at the convention including a collection of art celebrating Star Trek: The Next Generation.  One of my favorites was the restored set from the original series.

My husband Randy is not a Trekker.  He would never choose a Star Trek Convention as vacation destination, but I would love him to go with me some time.  It’s such a unique experience, and I’d love to share it with him.  (Don’t hold your breath….)

I’m not sure when Chris and I will make another Star Trek trip, but I know there’s one in our future someday —maybe even with a next generation of McMullen Trekkers.  Now that sounds like a plan!

August 12, 2017

It’s every Trekker’s dream vacation.  My son Chris and I attended the Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas in August, 2016, for the 50th Anniversary of the franchise. It was an exciting and informative experience.   I watched the very first Star Trek episode in 1966, and I haven’t missed an episode in any series in the franchise since.  Chris began watching with me when he was little, and it’s been “our thing” ever since.  

We went to the convention last year to  celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of Star Trek and learned 2017 would honor the 30^th Anniversary the Star Trek: The Next Generation.   We knew we had to be there.  I’m so glad we did.  I don’t get that much one-on-one time with either of my boys now that they’re grown, and Chris and I had so much fun.  Last year we saw Terry Fador’s show at the Mirage,  enjoyed seafood at the Rio, and Sunday Brunch Buffet at the Bellagio.

This year we ate at Guy Fieri’s restaurant and shared the biggest burrito I’ve ever seen and fried ice cream!!’’

We love checking out the vendor’s room.  It’s absolutely packed with everything Star Trek that you can imagine – Tribbles, T-shirts, jewelry, books, posters, art, backpacks and lots and lots of photos.  Many of the cast members and other celebrities sign autographs there as well, and others just walk around to meet people. Chris found a phaser pillow and those are accent tables in various Federation shapes.

That was just the beginning of an amazing five days!!!

I was almost done with my 3 ½ mile walk.  It wasn’t yet 8 a.m., but it was hot and muggy, and I was ready to be home.  As I turned the corner onto my street, I saw something unusual in a neighbor’s yard. There were three mushrooms growing in a spot missed my their lawnmower.   I kept my pace, turned the corner and then stopped.  Something told me to go back and take a closer look.

Anybody driving by at the time probably got a chuckle at my undignified pose as I bent over to investigate.  I listen to podcasts while I walk, so I had my phone; that means pictures.

These didn’t look like the ordinary toadstools I’ve seen in my yard.  They hadn’t yet opened and so were perfectly round, snowy white, and textured.  I decided to get closer, set my phone on the curb (that was even more undignified) and took the vertical shot above.  It wasn’t until I got home and looked at that photo that I really appreciated what I had seen.

I was surprised by the delicacy and detail of the mushrooms in the photo.  Color, shape, and texture combined to make something unexpectedly beautiful.  They made me smile, and amazed me once again that God would put so much creativity into a an apparently insignificant thing.  I’m glad I didn’t miss the mushrooms.

Nobody gets up in the morning and expects to be surprised by a fungus!  I certainly didn’t.  God often has these little treats for us.  I think they’re His way of sharing His love and His work and making ordinary life a little more special.

I looked on the web to try to find out what kind of mushroom these are.  I had trouble locating an image that seemed right.  Eventually I found one, and if these are Amanita cokeri, they’re fairly rare.  That only makes me more grateful that I followed the impulse to t go back and investigate.

God has so many sweet surprises for us.  So often, all we need to do is pay attention and enjoy them.

⁷ “But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
⁸ or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you.
⁹ Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?

Job 12:7-9New International Version (NIV)

References: Kuo, Michael (ND) Amanita cokeri .  Retrieved 8-11-17 at MushroomExpert.com http://www.mushroomexpert.com/amanita_cokeri.html

Hot dogs, fireworks and freedom are “key words” for Independence Day.  It’s a great day to remember how blessed we are – and we are blessed.  Things we take for granted – like running water, indoor plumbing, air conditioning and health care – are only dreams for many people in this world.  While we may not have everything we want, we usually rest for the night in a comfortable bed and doze off in safety.  The Bill of Rights, education, self-determination – these are all things we should remember and appreciate because they were bought with blood and tears and toil and thought.

There’s another word we also need to remember:  respect.

As citizens, thinking people, and especially as Christians, we will disagree with others, but we must always do so with respect.  Yesterday, Beth Moore, a Christian author and teacher I greatly admire, posted about her passionate concern about how social media is being used, especially when self-professed believers post and share mean-spirited messages and memes.

“Funny” does not make it okay.

In the past, the Supreme Court has withheld First Amendment protection to certain kinds of speech (legal obscenity, advertising) because it did not contain ideas and therefore did not contribute to the marketplace of society.  Some say the “marketplace” doesn’t work in a digital era, but the principle still resonates.  Are we communicating ideas or merely vitriol camouflaged under the guise of clever humor?

We don’t need snark.  We need ideas.

Our nation is founded on important ideas.  As American citizens we need to respect them, our founders, and our defense and discussion of national issues.

As Christians, we need to remember Paul’s words to the Colossians, “And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, …” (Col. 3”17, NLT)

Yes, it’s hard to do.  I see things online that disturb me greatly.  Those emotional reactions can be positive if they motivate me to learn more, think more, and respectfully advocate my position with facts provided by reputable sources.  Then emotion is fertilizer; it can produce growth and change.  On the other hand, if my emotion only generates more negative emotion from those who respond, I have accomplished nothing.  We might as well be kids in a barnyard throwing dried “cow patties” at each other.  It might be funny if someone gets hit, but nothing is accomplished.  Nothing grows.  No problems are solved.

All we have is a stinky mess.

Our nation deserves more.

One of the most important things we can give our children is an appropriate self-concept.  That doesn’t mean telling them they’re wonderful all the time.   Sometimes it doesn’t have anything to do with what we say to them.

Psychology and Com Theory offer some insight into this process.  George Herbert Meade wrote that who we are is not just a product of our biology, it’s a process of interaction – communication – with other people.  Charles Horton Cooley developed what he called “the looking-glass self.”   We see ourselves as other people see us – what they say, their body language, how they respond to us.  We believe what people tell us about our value, our ability, about who we are.  That assessment doesn’t have to be fair or accurate to shape our lives.

The Apostle Paul warned fathers not to aggravate their children or they’ll become discouraged and give up trying. (Col. 2:21).  What we say matters.

Years ago on a Focus on the Family broadcast Dr. James Dobson made I point I will always remember. He was talking about building the “self” in a child and he stressed how much children want to believe what we say about them.  He stressed that we parents must make a distinction between the child and the child’s behavior.  “You did a bad thing,” not, “You are a bad boy/girl.”  One addresses an action, the other labels the person.  Labelling Theory (Becker, 2003) tells us that once we get labelled, it’s hard to peel the label off, and some labels stick for life.

It’s just as important to make that separation regarding good things as well.  “That was a good/kind/generous/thoughtful….thing you did” rather than “What a good boy you are”  or “You’re a good girl.”  We don’t want our children to think they’re so good that they can’t do wrong – or that God owes them a few because they are so good already.

We want to raise smart, thoughtful, caring and humble kids who understand every decision matters, and that who they ARE is different from what they DO.  We love them, they are significant – no matter how well they perform.  Success or failure is not everything.  Consequences are real.  What we do may reflect who we are, but it is not all of who we are – or who we can be.

I tried to follow that principle as my boys were growing up, as well as another Dobson suggestion.  Always say as many affirming or positive things to your child as corrective or negative things.  Even Dr. Dobson said on some days that can be hard.  He said to find something even if it’s “I like the way you tied your shoes.”

Correct, guide, teach, but guard children’s spirits so their “self” can grow in a realistic, healthy way without insecurity or egocentrism.

IF you’re a former student and this seems familiar, we talk about these concepts in the Com Theory lecture on meaning construction.Here are some resources, if you would like more information:

• James Dobson’s Family Talk at https://www.drjamesdobson.org/ . There are lots of resources on this site.
• Focus on the Family at focusonthefamily.com
• https://www.sophia.org/tutorials/meads-theory-of-self-and-cooleys-looking-glass-self The Sophia site offers a single page resource that gives some basic information about both of these concepts.
• Labelling Theory :
  • https://www.thoughtco.com/labeling-theory-3026627
  • Becker, Howard (2003) “Labelling Theory” in Key Ideas in Sociology. Martin Slattery, ed. Nelson Thornes, Ltd. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=c4BwHtKcitwC&oi=fnd&pg=PA134&dq=labelling+theory+AND+Howard+Becker&ots=Sry9z4HmiB&sig=-AjOMIZBgRKj6loV2I4gjovXRrQ#v=onepage&q=labelling%20theory%20AND%20Howard%20Becker&f=false