About

Words, Pictures and Sundry Ideas.

And sometimes, all three simultaneously. I have a strong affection for the arts, particularly the forms that allow us to share our experiences and perspectives in a linear way, such as the written word, film, and theater. Whether in writing, photography, art, and especially film, the media are as fascinating to me as what they allow us to convey to each other.

I’m pretty sure I was the only 7th grader in the history of all middle schools to actually enjoy John Steinbeck’s “The Red Pony.” He’s been my favorite author in American literature, save one David James Duncan – a man I’d love to pay the honor of making one of his great novels into a motion picture.

In college, I double-majored in Communication Arts and Biblical Literature. If I had a nickel for every time I was asked if I was preparing to be a televangelist, well, I’d be as rich as most of them. Fortunately, I never resorted to that career path.

My ComArts degree has been in heavy rotation since 1998. However, my studies in Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern Texts haven’t quite pulled their weight. Maybe someday I’ll be on Jeopardy and win the big bucks with, “What is Tiglath Pileser?”

On a slightly more abysmal note, I’m convinced we’re losing our “reading life” as a culture and it saddens me. I’m fine with audiobooks and my beloved iPod, but we can’t afford to lose our ability to read, focus, and process long-form books. This applies to both non-fiction AND fiction. I worry about our culture’s collective ambivalence towards narrative and the growing attitude that fiction doesn’t relate to the REAL world or that there is time for it in light of everything else. It seems to start with the seemingly growing challenge of consuming a 300+ page novel and quickly atrophy, eventually reducing our ability or interest in other arts. Our kids won’t have a chance at cracking the tough problems in other disciplines if the synapses in the language centers of their brains can’t fire optimally as a result of neglect.

In all, it’s always been about “STORY” for me. I love the subject of “narrative,” and am certain the rest of my life will be spent in pursuit of telling as well as hearing as many of the best stories available and yet to come.

The Summary.

People have things to say to each other. More often than not, our inability to listen well tarnishes the performance. And so it goes, I work on that precious skill, though not as often as I should. Perhaps I’ll get the hang of it one day sooner than later. Regardless, I’ll be a forever learner, bookworm, tinkerer, keyboard-banger, wordsmith, what have you.

But, More Importantly…

I’m the proud and honored husband to one Kimberly Nentrup. A woman who has graciously carried the burden of my awkward surname for more than a decade now. I’ve spent over half my life with this one woman and I’m as madly in love with her today as I was when we were dating in high school. My life’s greatest aim is to love her well. I know it’s my charge and I take it seriously. My late Grandpa, Russell Nentrup once told me that the secret of life is to love your wife. I believe he was right.

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I speak Spanish.
I believe baseball is America’s critical sport, to which all others aspire even if they don’t know so, and even in spite of the desecration of commercial interests, performance-enhancing drugs and instant replay.
I am an avid cyclist and growing fan of professional cycling. I might argue that it’s the world’s sport more so than soccer (but I’m trying to appreciate that as well). I seriously love the bicycle. (Nearly 2K miles in 2008….hope to exceed that in 2009 while cheering Lance to his EIGHTH victory in Le Tour De France!)
I play guitar and am picking up bass in 2009.
I cook like a mad man. (No joke. As I type this, I have a whole wheat and duck egg pasta dough resting in the fridge that I made from eggs laid by ducks I know personally. I’ll cook you dinner–all you gotta do is ask. For reals.)
I love public-speaking, job interviews, participating in focus groups, going to the dentist or doctor. (seriously…you get to be “helpful” by being an unapologetic narcissist for an hour or so…how great is that?
I just don’t dig video games. I try and try….they just don’t do much for me. Which definitively disproves my alleged geek-status.