Raison D'Etre

This blog exists for a few reasons:
-I needed a place to write about things that matter to me. I'm currently a Journalism student at IU Bloomington and a Cox Research Scholar, working at both of those things made me realize that if you really want to do something (or cover something), the best method is probably to just do it yourself.
-Ultimately, I would like this blog to serve as a voice that calls the attention of others to things I think need paying attention to. I am straight edge, religious, and politically independent. I am attracted to things that deal with those issues, hopefully you will be to.
- I wanted a place to keep my photos and video projects. I like doing both of those things and I wanted a place to publish them. I wanted freedom from the pitch and deadline system of the various publications on campus. I want to be the editor, I want to have creative control.
-Finally, I want a place to shamelessly promote things I like. My band (www.myspace.com/forgloryandempire), other bands, movies, books, etc
I don't want to be objective if I don't want to be.

For those reasons I decide to start xScholarx, I'm going to shoot for an entry once a week (hopefully).
I hope you're intrigued.

Thomas.

p.s.
In case you're wondering about where the blogs name comes from, here's a handy explanation: Academically I do scholarly research with my scholarship. I actually just completed a paper for an academic conference on Yellow Journalism. As I continue to progress in my school work I hear the word scholar more and more. People use the word scholar to denote someone who researchs and works to further the scope of human knowledge. I sometimes feel like the word is used to divide those in the academic world from those who are not. I've always been proud of where I came from and I dislike the notion that someone with education is superior to someone without it. I really started thinking about the connotations behind the word "scholar", when my mentor informed me that the work I was doing made me a scholar. As I was finishing my first scholarly work (which had a lot to do with how distinctions of class effect somethings apparant value) I decided that if I was going to be a scholar, I was going to be one who kept the interest of the common man in mind.
The X's serve as a reminder of the music and lifestyle I feel in love with as a teenager. X's represent Straight Edge and numerous straight edge hardcore bands proudly display their choice by surrounding their band name with X's.
In essence the name represents my desire to research and further myself academically, all while keeping my origins close to my heart and work.