…Let’s Go Exploring!Andy Dayton, former associate web producer Saying goodbye is something I’ve always struggled with, and writing a parting blog post is no exception. The same questions apply: Is it a place for dramatic sentimentality? Should it be like the sit-com flashback episode, where I fondly reminisce on the crazy adventures we’ve had? Or do I take the more casual, “no big deal” approach and say simply, “Seeya later!” I tend to lean toward the last option but can’t say for sure that it’s the best one. I put in my last day as a full-time employee at Speaking of Faith last Monday, operating a static camera for Krista’s live conversation with Michel Martin in Washington, D.C. It was a wonderful event and a great way to end my two years with the program. Seeing Krista as the interviewee gave me a glimpse of what SOF’s future may hold, and I’m excited. I’ve learned so much as a member of the talented team that puts Speaking of Faith together, and look forward to continuing that learning as a listener. But, the question remains how to say goodbye? Sometimes the best thing to do is look to those you admire. Included above is the last panel from the last comic strip of Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes. It doesn’t exactly say goodbye, which is perhaps part of why I love it. And to be honest, my hope is to be able to contribute to this blog from time-to-time during my continued exploration — so perhaps goodbye isn’t completely necessary. I thank the colleagues that I’ve been so lucky to work with over the past two years, and those of you that have been listening, looking, and reading. I’ll seeya later.
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…Let’s Go Exploring!
Andy Dayton, former associate web producer

Saying goodbye is something I’ve always struggled with, and writing a parting blog post is no exception. The same questions apply: Is it a place for dramatic sentimentality? Should it be like the sit-com flashback episode, where I fondly reminisce on the crazy adventures we’ve had? Or do I take the more casual, “no big deal” approach and say simply, “Seeya later!” I tend to lean toward the last option but can’t say for sure that it’s the best one.

I put in my last day as a full-time employee at Speaking of Faith last Monday, operating a static camera for Krista’s live conversation with Michel Martin in Washington, D.C. It was a wonderful event and a great way to end my two years with the program. Seeing Krista as the interviewee gave me a glimpse of what SOF’s future may hold, and I’m excited. I’ve learned so much as a member of the talented team that puts Speaking of Faith together, and look forward to continuing that learning as a listener.

But, the question remains how to say goodbye? Sometimes the best thing to do is look to those you admire. Included above is the last panel from the last comic strip of Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes. It doesn’t exactly say goodbye, which is perhaps part of why I love it.

And to be honest, my hope is to be able to contribute to this blog from time-to-time during my continued exploration — so perhaps goodbye isn’t completely necessary. I thank the colleagues that I’ve been so lucky to work with over the past two years, and those of you that have been listening, looking, and reading. I’ll seeya later.

Sometimes It Takes a Flood Trent Gilliss, online editor We’ve used Tumblr as our blogging platform for several years now. Along the way, we’ve followed some fantastic Tumblrs and gained some new followers who post news, data visualizations, photos, and other enlightening material we would probably never have known about. The comic above was posted by one of our new followers, Nick Mueller from New South Wales, one of 23 Australian Youth Delegates to the Copenhagen Climate Negotiations. He serves as an astute reminder that even as we stare down these serious challenges, we can face these issues with humor and a lighter heart “to support young people to make the change needed for our planet in a personally sustainable way.” (via nickgoestocopenhagen)
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Sometimes It Takes a Flood
Trent Gilliss, online editor

We’ve used Tumblr as our blogging platform for several years now. Along the way, we’ve followed some fantastic Tumblrs and gained some new followers who post news, data visualizations, photos, and other enlightening material we would probably never have known about.

The comic above was posted by one of our new followers, Nick Mueller from New South Wales, one of 23 Australian Youth Delegates to the Copenhagen Climate Negotiations. He serves as an astute reminder that even as we stare down these serious challenges, we can face these issues with humor and a lighter heart “to support young people to make the change needed for our planet in a personally sustainable way.”

(via nickgoestocopenhagen)

Calvin and Hobbes: Math Is a Religion

by Trent Gilliss, senior editor

Calvin and Hobbes: Math Is a ReligionSome good clean humor to start the day, direct from one of my favorite comic strips via a tweetmeme.

For those who can’t easily read the word bubbles, a transcript:

First frame
Calvin: You know, I don’t think math is a science. I think it’s a religion.
Hobbes: A religion?

Second frame
Calvin: Yeah. All these equations are like miracles. You take two numbers and when you add them, they magically become one new number! No one can say how it happens. You either believe it or you don’t.

Third frame
Calvin: This whole book is full of things that have to be accepted on faith! It’s a religion!

Fourth frame
Hobbes: And in the public schools no less. Call a lawyer.
Calvin: As a math atheist, I should be excused from this.

How To Draw Anything

Shiraz Janjua, Associate Producer

This week’s show is with fisher, writer, and painter James Prosek. As he says in his interview with Krista, “Creativity is my faith. That’s my way of stopping time. Making stuff with my hands, that tactile quality of even running a pencil across the paper… Making a mark on that paper is really important to me.”

Through my many years of obsession with drawing, comics and cartoons, I understand what he’s talking about. Making a mark on a page takes skill, concentration, and an observant eye. Even then, you can’t always render what you see adequately. So what to do? This hilarious post on art/design blog Aviary solves all your drawing problems.

(via kottke.org)