Hey everybody...

Hey Gang...this is Phil Smith '94 and I have finally got the blog thing to let me in and let me post. I can't make the dinner on Feb. 3 but hope to attend or maybe even host an event in the near future. I am living in Burlington, NC and work at Elon University in the position of Assistant Chaplain & Director of Religious Life. I have been here since August, after about 9 years in Georgia. It's great to be back in the Tar Heel State! Big thanks to Christy for setting this up. I'll be back to post more and catch up on everybody.

BSU Update - Carlene

Finally learned how to get on this thing! :) I have enjoyed catching up with all of your stories and look forward to staying in touch with you before our next reunion in 2009! Most of you know that I have been with BSU for over 19 years and I wouldn't trade one minute of it. I have been blessed more than I deserve just from knowing you guys. BSU had a really good Fall semester. We sponsored a Christian recording artist by the name of Shawn McDonald and 750 people showed up at Kenan Auditorium! It took a lot of work but the BSU group didn't seem to mind the hard work. It was a good Christian testimony for the campus. For those of you who have not seen the new student center (they closed down the University Union)...the Fisher Center has a huge movie theater in it and we publicized our concert over the pre-movie commercials. We had a very nice Fall retreat to Fort Caswell with the theme "Listening to God". Most of you remember our Fall retreats....they continue. Our Winter Retreat will be at Holden Beach again, close to home for me. We continue to be asked back to lead one of the coveted Spring Flings at Fort Caswell. This year will be April 13-15. I have fond memories of each of you listed on this blog. I hope more will join in. Thank you for what you meant to BSU and thank you for what you mean to me. In Christian love, Carlene Evans Holden

If you're ever in Nashville

It is so Great to read about what is going on with you guys. I'm still in Nashville. I e-mailed Christy last week and mentioned how hard it is to recap so many years in one e-mail. But, it is good to take a moment to look back where you've been. I moved to Nashville June of '95. I didn't know a sole. Luckily I found a friendly Church to plug into and made friends. The first few years I worked for Una Baptist Church's before and after school program and Summer Camp. Also during that same time I held internships at Magnaton Records, Moriane Music Group, and EMI Music. At EMI I worked for Mark Bright, who at the time was BlackHawk's producer. I never told him about singing BlackHawk songs Karaoke style a Hieronymus Seafood. After that I began working for the YMCA as an assistant sports director. Then in '99 I recorded a CD called "No One Wants To Be Lonely." When I received them from the manufacturers they had abbreviated the content of the box "Griffin, No One Wants....." Fortunately that wasn't true. For the next two years I toured around the Southeast playing coffee shops and bookstores. It was fun, but didn't pay much. After that I started working at Lowes home improvement and also back at the YMCA on weekends. I'm currently waiting to hear back for a position working with Active Older Adults at the YMCA. I do a lot of writing and I'm STILL pursuing a writing deal. I've had the good fortune to collaborate with some #1 songwriters over the years. In 2005 I was awarded "Song of the Year" in New Zealand for a song recorded by and co-written with Great American Country's Kylie Harris. And no, I didn't get to go. I got a new computer for Christmas and now have songs up on myspace if anyone would like to check them out. Hope this will be a great year for everyone and I look forward to hearing from you all soon. Love, John Griffin

www.myspace.com/4johngriffin