I’ve been a busy boy these past few weeks, but all that hard work is soon going to pay off. The fun part’s coming when I get to tell yous what’s been in the works.

Kevin looks like a guy you can trust. Until he asks about Nick Cannon.

One of the revelations will be a complete overhaul of my web presence which brings me to the way it all got started–blogging.

Kevin Haggerty invited me to talk about my life as a writer, professor, and pop culturista. Although he may have outed me in at least one area. No, I’m not gay* in case you were wondering

There are even a couple new wrinkles for those of you who know me all too well. At the very least you can discover which Muppet I would spend the day with and how I really feel about Flo from the Progressive commercials.

So click on over to Kevin’s site The Isle of Man to read the interview sure to sweep the nation like a Hoover.

*Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Well, I can’t take ALL of you, just a piece. Specifically, an inspirational piece.

See, I’m going to Gettysburg this weekend for a unique time of reflection and writing. I’ve wanted to go stay in a house in the middle of nowhere for a long time but never did it. I finally buckled down a couple months back and researched possible towns to stay in. I’ve been to Gettysburg before, but as soon as I thought of it I knew I had my winner.

Then I set about checking out bed and breakfast type establishments. I’ve never stayed in one of those. I found one that actually doesn’t serve breakfast. This was actually a key attraction for me. Instead, they have a stocked kitchen and you just do your own thing. EXCELLENT if you know anything about my life and sleep patterns.

It’s also major off season. This means A) The rates are cheap and B) There’s no one staying there.

I literally get the entire house to myself because the proprietors (who are very nice) stay offsite nearby.

All this to talk about inspiration. I recently asked the Twitter world what music they use to get in the creative mood. A lot of the responses were movie soundtracks. I get that. Ellie Soderstrom and her husband Mike are all about the Tron soundtrack, so I’ve been playing that one recently.

I listen to a lot of rock, and that won’t change, but I’m open to new ideas! So I’d like to know, What Music Inspires You?

I told her I had to think about a couple of the questions and would reply via email later.

Here are the 2 questions:

1. If you could require a college student to read one thing before they graduate, what would it be and why?

2. What advice can you offer an undergraduate?

Those are pretty big questions. I could’ve answered a lot of different ways too. There are potential funny answers, lots of them. There are also plenty of serious answers.

I came up with answers I felt good about and sent them off.

I’m curious, how would you answer those two questions for a young student?

Since I’m about to become UncleClaytion again, I thought I would take time to comment on a topic that women go crazy over every year: What to name people who don’t exist yet.

My dog's pouting because he wants a cool and relevant name like Tolkien.

The  new list of most popular baby names came out recently and it appears as though people are taking their cues from pop culture. For example, the Kardashians and Twilight are influencing many young parents searching for just the right name to identify their flesh and blood for all time.

Maaaaaakes sense*.

As a result, we have a lot of Isabellas and Jacobs running around. The rest of us will just have to hold our collective breath in crushing anticipation of what the next pregnant Kardashian names her child. Sigh. Even writing that sentence satirically makes me want to punch myself in the face to numb the pain of reality.

Well, I thought I would hop into the debate since pop culture happens to be my area of expertise. I want your baby to have a name that will stand out and exude important characteristics like power and success or at the very least sound cool.

I want young parents and animal owners everywhere to stay ahead of the trends, so here is the 2012 baby naming guide, pop culture edition.

1. Katniss–The Hunger Games movie will change everything when it comes out in March 2012. Top name of the bunch? Katniss. But by 2013 you’ll also start seeing some babies named Primrose, Thresh, Rue, and maybe even Peeta.

2. Adele–She’s a singing sensation and ready to win a bunch of Grammy Awards. I would watch the show and all, but I’m sure I’ll be washing my dog’s hair or something. Musical runner up for boy name could be Bruno, as in Bruno Mars, as in I hope I don’t ever hear “The Lazy Song” ever again.

3. Muppet names–I’m thinking it’s about time for some new baby Muppets and wouldn’t be surprised if someone dropped a Kermit or even Beaker on their little Animal.

4. Thor–You know it’s going to happen.

5. Of course I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention what a lovely name either Kate or Emily is. What do you mean I’m just saying those two because of some personal and selfish reason? Psshhaw. Emily was also my grandmas name, so that’s a nice bonus.

6. Selene–The new Underworld movie comes out in a couple weeks, and I’ve been waiting for, oh, years. Yes, it’s a Kate thing. But Selene really works for me IYKWIM.

7. Lorax–Dr. Suess is coming back to the screen in 2012, so maybe Lorax will catch on. Could work for either a boy or girl that you don’t really love.

8. Gatsby–Did you know that a new version of The Great Gatsby is hitting theaters for Christmas 2012? Leo DiCaprio is playing the iconic Jay Gatsby, so either half of his name works. I like that actually. Also look out for Daisy.

9. Abraham–It’s not coming out until summer 2012, but Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter excites me. Fantastic book. Maybe we’ll get a new wave of little Abe’s running around the countryside with throwing axes.

10. Alice–There’s another Resident Evil movie coming out next year. If that doesn’t make sense to you just check out Box Office Mojo and look at how many hundreds of millions the last one made. Alice continues to rise in popularity and is the name of the title character here. Also look out for Milla as in Jovovich.

The wildcard in all this is the guaranteed blockbuster The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (December 2012). By the time we get to 2013 it’ll be all Bilbo and Frodo and probably even Tolkien. That last one makes a great name for a pet.

So there you go sis and anyone else who relies on me for that perfect pitch of cultural relevance**. Or something.

*God help us.

**God help you.

What other baby names can we get from pop culture?

There’s a singer I like named TobyMac who’s been singing a song for a long time called In The Light. Will’s story changes lives because he lived in the Light. I hope you’ll take a minute to read this story, especially if you’ve never seen it. Then go look at the beautiful monument that the Norton’s had placed last month in tribute to their Willdabeast.

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On May 22, a devastating tornado hit Joplin, Missouri. Millions of people now know the story of Will Norton, the 18 year old who could not survive the storm that struck as he drove home from his high school graduation service.

The storm ripped him from his vehicle even as his father in the passenger seat struggled to hold him. A cell phone and graduation cap were the only thing found until Will’s body was discovered a few days later. He was reportedly reciting Scripture in those final moments. But the story goes deeper.

I first heard about Will through Amy, one of my original blogging acquaintances. Her family survived the deadly tornado despite harrowing conditions that she recounted in a powerful way. Her description of the town in the days following the tragedy will shake you.

I learned about the discovery of Will’s body when I came across a link Amy put on Facebook. She only added “What an amazing life. Thinking today about Will’s family and friends.” The search for the high school grad had come to an unhappy end, but Amy linked to a video called “50″ by Will Norton. I got choked up when I watched it, kind of like the way I feel now as I write this.

What an amazing life, passionate and full in such a short time.

Will drew thousands of subscribers to his YouTube channel and also used Twitter. His final tweet from the day he died simply said, “I’m graduating today!”

As the sad irony of that statement sunk in I scanned down the page and was shocked at what I saw. His second to last tweet pierced me as chills cascaded along my back. The message read:

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Matthew 24:36

I froze. Things like that just don’t happen.

I searched on and found Will’s Tmblr page. A variety of images and words filled the page from months of random postings. He bubbled over with excitement after getting accepted to Chapman University in California for their exclusive film and media arts program.

And then I came to this senior photo taken in late 2010 and posted by Will:

Given the circumstances surrounding his death, I find this picture almost impossible. My heart felt thick in my chest, and I couldn’t stop thinking about this young man.

When a tragedy like the events in Joplin strikes, we burn with questions. Our human understanding will never figure out the answers no matter how much we struggle to understand all those ‘why’ questions.

Think of the work to be done. Joplin faces so much rebuilding. Think of families like Will’s who will never go back to normal again. You can never go back after a disaster like that.

Sometimes the best we can do is try to find some beauty in the storm. The heart and words of Amy who literally lived to tell the story contained beauty. The care of Ellie and her family at The Gig also struck me. They’ve raised money for a great guy named Mark who also lost everything.

And there was a lot of beauty in the life of Will Norton, a guy I can’t wait to meet someday. Less than a month before he died he put this out on Twitter:

“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” John 1:4

This world is sometimes filled with darkness as black as the terrible skies over Joplin that day. We’ve got to find the light. Not only did Will discover the light for himself, but even now in death his time here shines for the rest of us to see.

Watch that video Amy passed along about 50 things Will had already done in his life. What a full life he lived in such a short time. Then let your mind work over the thoughts and questions that will inevitably come.

Let’s take on the challenge to live lives that are full and meaningful. We can determine to make an impact on others in the way that Will and the folks of Joplin have shown. Find the light. Be the light.

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Visit the Will Norton Page on Facebook to learn more about how you can honor Will, celebrate his life, and contribute to the ongoing rebuilding efforts in Joplin.

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If you are struggling with loss or grief or emptiness during this holiday season, know that you are loved and that darkness can’t exist in the presence of light. There are people in this blogging community who care about you and know how to listen.