Messing with Texas

woah look! its you again!

thanks for reading this. I’m sure there are all sorts of things you could be doing right now that would be a better use of your time. I cant think of any of them… but I’m sure they do exist.

So right now I am hanging out at SFA which is located in Nocogoches Texas. Nocogoches is spanish for the weirdest and most humid town that has or will ever exist. I have heard allot of talk about how great Texas is… but so far its all talk. Its weird how angry Texans get when you even hint that maybe Texas isn’t all that great and or really sucks. Everything is all fun and games and then someone mentions Texas and they lose their minds. If you look closely in a Texan’s eyes and then insult their homeland, you will see small atom bomb explosions going off within their retinas.

The best way I can describe Texas is to compare it to a fraternity. Texas is the United State’s frat. Everyone outside of Texas knows its weird, but is afraid to bring it up in fear of a butt-kicking. The only people who like it are people who belong, and they do things that make no sense at all.

I cannot begin to sum up the weirdness of Texas.. but i will say that they love it here. Alot.

Besides Texas being weird… camp is going pretty good. This week has been crazy going into it, but last week was AWESOME. especially for the first week. Sketches went really smooth. None of the campers died. And the audience was really solid.

Here in Texas though… the crowd seems a bit slower. We havent been getting much laughs. This may be due to the huge room we are working in (we are set up inside an extremely large basket ball arena)… or maybe it is because everything here in Texas is bigger except for the average IQ. (HAH)

Sorry about all the TX bashing… if you are in the frat.

moving on.

The Lord has been so faithful. Not only has he worked in HUGE ways to students, but I have been shown so much these past few weeks. I could talk on and on about what He is doing in me and how I am growing to know him. If you have time please call me and we can talk about it!

There is so much more I want to say… But I have to run off to do a free time option where we talk to students about acting and stuff.

The last thing i will say is that the one AWESOME thing about Texas so far is Taco Bueno.

Its like Taco bell only ALOT better. its amaizing. I cant even say how killer it is.

I love you guys and miss you.

pray for me. but most importantly… pray for these students.

short and simple

hello blogtown readers.

man the last few days have been really good.

I am constantly being reminded of how much my faith is based entirely on mercy and grace.

This week for me has been all about seeing two things.

one- I am selfish and so much of what I do is out of an urge to be seen or known.

and two- It is not about me. (life that is)

All this sounds so simple. And growing up in the church makes my ears thick to cliche’ words, no matter how muh truth they hold.

I am innately very cynical to large ministry organizations such as Student Life… yet no matter how much I disagree with the professional workings on finances and productional focuses… The reliance on Gods word is continually the core of everything here. And because the need for God’s truth and his life is set as the key to everything here, He is being glorified. And that is, and will forever be, the most important thing.

This works to remind me that as humans we will never fully understand God entirely correctly in the fullest extent. Yet because the gospel of Christ does not depend on us we can find God and know his love.

My prayer is that God makes me as small as possible this summer. How will i do that from a stage as I act like an idiot? I know he will teach me

I love and miss you.

“Hi” from Shocco Springs

Hello to all.

Welcome back to Benjamin David Blogtown.

Yesterday I left the Student Life offices in Birmingham, AL and arrived in Shocco Springs camp, AL. Here the entire summer staff gathers to collectively run a training week… which is pretty much camp without the campers. Each team is given a slice of the week to run and the rest of the time is filled with “exciting” and “awesome” meetings. Horay.

For the last 3 weeks I have been training with the rest of the cast of AT2AP in Birmingham learning lines and stuff like that. It has been pretty awesome getting to know all the other actors and actresses, yet I have quickly found that when you are around Drama kids all the time that the rest of the world looks nice, warm, and quiet.

That being said… I was stoked to meet the rest of the orange team that just joined us. Jessica Dodd is here (we have been friends sense middle school times) and we are quickly positioning ourselves as key leaders in moving the Orange Team into the noble and bloody victory over the other teams.
Our battle will be swift.
Our attacks will be silent and cunning.
The war will be vicious.
Our reign will be absolute.

THE END.

The first attack will happen at dinner tonight when we start an Orange Team “quack” (as seen on the Mighty Ducks movies)

The rest of my new team members are pretty kick butt. I’m not going to lie.
(I thought about lying… but I just can’t bring myself to it < I’m THAT Christian>)

Work here is hard. On top of trying my hardest to be a better actor and to be funny for people I have to spend time setting up the stage, speakers, and other visual rigs. I am constantly being stretched in my abilities.

I am somewhat sad to see Birmingham go. I got to hangout with some really cool people there that I wont be able to see while I am on the road. People such as Travis… who is one of the head dudes in S.L.’s creative department and has become a good friend. Friday night Travis and I filmed a short for Random Title that will soon be done and ready for you guys to go nuts over. It’s pretty rad. Once again… I’m not gonna Lie (wow I’m holy). It has everything a good video needs. True friendship. Guns. Revenge. A conference room. Lies. Demon papers. And fire. ….   Yeah I know. I can’t wait for you too see it either.
I will conclude this Blogtown with my upcoming travel schedule so that you and yours can know where I am and stalk me (and or) pray for my travels.

June 2-6               Lee University (TN)
June 10-14           Stephen F. Austin University (TX)
June 16-20            Wake Forest University (NC)
June 22-26            Stetson University (FL)
June 28- July2       Lee University (TN)
July 2-6                 Lee University (TN)
July 9-13               Fort Lewis College (CO)
July 14-18               Fort Lewis College (CO)
July 21-25              Oklahoma Baptist University (OK)
July 28-Aug 1         California Baptist University (CA)
Aug 4-8                   George Fox University (OR)

AUG 11          HOME!!!!!!!!

If you want to visit me and my crew/friends/team/army/death-squad and any of these places please let me know so that I can clear it by my leaders and stuff.

It would be great too see you. (yes I mean you) so let me know SOON.

Also thank you all so much for your prayers. I know thy have been heard.
I love and miss you.

Blessings and Peace

Birmingham Week One

So… hello to everyone reading this. whom ever and where ever you are or may be. Welcome to the Benjamin-david Blogtown.

As I write this I am sitting outside the Student Life corporate offices located in cool and sunny Birmingham Alabama. Today marks my one week anniversary with S.L. (thats biz talk) and thus I thought now would be a perfect chance to begin the escapades soon to fill this web page.

Allow me to begin by thanking all of you who have been praying for me. This time has proved to be super challenging within the first week. Already God is stretching me in ways that are exciting and hard. All of the craziness has swept in like a wild wind, it is hard to take it all in. Its like one day I was planning a trip, and then the next minute i was swept away by it. Unlike the other actors and actresses working with me, I have never been in any large theater production. Everything is new and somewhat sobering. It is awesome that I am being paid to act and that God is the focus here, yet there is slack where I am forced to play catchup to the others. I can already see ways in which God is growing me as a performer, and as a Christian.

Its weird how even when you are in an environment that is wholly focused on ministry and the pursuing of Christ, it is so easy to loose sight of your need for daily personal communion with the Father. It has been a challenge to find time apart from the craziness to be with him. Most of my day is busy with rehearsals and what not. I am finding that the teaching that was given from Lee and flint before I left fits perfect for where I am now.

Please don’t read this and think that I am totally being bummed out here. Student Life is amazing. I have already learned so much. If you think about it… I am like a professional actor and stuff. And if you think about that… I am like Tom Hanks and stuff. SUCKER WHAAAT!!??

So what else should I tell you guys about… hmm.

because I am 21, I have been made apart of “Truck World” (again a biz term). This means I am part of the 5 guys who will be driving the large trucks across the nation (literally not metaphorically) and yes this makes me a trucker or something.

Another cool thing is the positive feed back I have gotten from other actors and directors. Team members are eager to help with line memorization and complement me on my comedic timing. One of my favorite directors told me it was sort of hard to believe that I haven’t been in any large production before. This is all very encouragingly.

I have been included in several short video shoots for S.L. camp videos.

It has been hard to find a niche to fit into, but I have been becoming better friends with lots of the older staff, including Travis (who is thee original AT2AP actor) and Eric (the music director for S.L. … we hung out in his little studio and talked about records and played guitar.)

In other shocking news… This guy.

Speaking of Photos… I will soon have all sorts of amazing photos to post and share with all of your wonderful eyes and hearts.

ALSO…the new random title short video is done and will be online and ready to roll tomorrow.

That is it for Blogtown

I love you

-benjamin david

WELCOME TO BLOGTOWN!

hello! friends, family, enemies

hello and welcome. Welcome to Blogtown.

Here at Blogtown, you can hear from Benjamin Wallis as he is on the road with Student Life durring the summer of Oh Eight (and beyond).

Soon this space will be filled to the brim with thoughts and words. You can read these, and whatever else you want to do with them.