Parker's Update

Hi, Its Parker again! This time on my blog, You get to hear what I do all day long! Yeah!!! Anyways, I started this podcast with my awesome smartz and terebul speling. I edit every single episode that we put out. So, if you don't like it, then you'll have to deal with it! First of all, I would like to start out with a bit more about me. I can solve a Rubik's cube! It's really not that difficult, just watch some Youtube. And while you're at it, listen to us! I am WAY more entertaining than a Rubik's cube... I think. Everyone seems to always fall asleep around me! (So rude!) Anyways, what have you fans been up to lately? I love to read Shakespeare. His work is pretty funny, especially his "Taming of the Shrew." You all should read more books. Be interesting people, stop reading this, and go outside! Ha ha ha just kidding. You should go outside and listen to us! It's the best of both worlds. I enjoy going to big church meetings, called Presbytery - it's where the church meets and discusses a bunch of stuff. And they use this system called Roberts Rules: so they have to say stuff like, "Mr. moderator, I wish to make a motion to eat lunch." And then people have to second it and stuff - it's pretty cool! Alright, I am going to stop writing; I just lost my 5th pinky finger!!! So, bye! 

Welp, I'm back again. (It is 200 years later, I'm a time traveler) I'm going to talk all about my editing process - it's a lot of fun! Basically, once we record the episodes, I take them and import the recording into a program. (More about that program soon!) From there I am given a transcript, and edit the recording from the transcript. So if there's a sentence that says: "Um, um, toothpaste, yeah, it's like Bible and stuff," I can edit it out. Then it would sound like: "Bible stuff." Pretty neat, eh?  Also, when Noah goes off on a tangent and just keeps blabbing, I can remove that as well. Then it's time to add all the awesome music you hear every week! I find uncopyrightable selections from the World Wide Web. Once I do that the episode is nearly finished! Except for the fact that it takes 12.7 billion years to export to a file. :( But once it finally uploads to my computer, I send the recording to The Bossman. He then refines and releases it! So yeah! That's all there is to it!

The software I use is called Riverside Studios. It's basically silly because it won't work half the time, and the recording always comes out bad. So I have to do some magic editing skills, and it comes out awesome. We also try to record via Google Meets but it doesn't always turn out fine, so I have to use even more magic editing skills to make it great again. (Just like Matthew makes his customers' lawns!) Now... here's the interesting part. How on God's Green Earth do we get that recording to all the podcast platforms that y'all know and love? 1 word: "Spotify for Creators." Actually, that's 3 words but o' well. I heard from an elder in my church, he does a lot of stuff like this, to use Spotify for Creators. Visit Beacon Light CRC in Indiana if you want to learn more - my father is the pastor there too. Anyways, here is a link from a informational page on Spotify for Creators that tells you how you can make a podcast yourself. How to Start a Podcast They make it really easy to start something like this. If you, listeners, want to make a podcast, or want to know what to do, check that out. Also, we might be able to give your show a shoutout, and give you a few pointers on how to get the right content. If you are looking to start a business, or want to advertise for something, I'm sure Noah and Matthew can help you with that, as they have experience with both those things. BTW, I JUST APPLIED TO A WHITE CASTLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ahem. Sorry, it's gonna be exciting though. I just can't wait to get a job!

Lastly, I just want to let you guys know that it's usually tricky to figure out what words to say while recording. Sure, the team writes a bit of rhetoric to discuss, but mostly the whole thing is all impromptu except for the quotes. We are slowly striving to get rid of quotes, and just say and have generic information. Because when you hear the news, you don't hear them say: "and this is from the Not the Bee on February 30th, 1491." I don't have much experience with public speaking or anything, like Mr. Boss, but lot of times I just improvise for whatever I say at the end, and often beginning. All the rest comes to me. I find that this is a huge area where I see personal growth. Especially in CC, I discovered I am learning to talk about something and can keep going. We've come a long way from our absolute worst and first episode: Injustice in the Justice System. Why do you guys keep watching that one!?!? It's literally the crappiest episode, and yet it has the most views!!! Listen to our newest ones instead. Forget about the first couple attempts. But yeah, knowing what to say is a struggle for everybody, because we have to make the show interesting and not drab every time. A cool experience with speaking that I've had recently is doing evangelism with a young seminary guy, Jeremy Chong, from Covenant OPC in Orland Park. They occasionally go to Chicago and evangelize with Gospel tracts and everything. I would recommend it! Even just going once is a lot of fun and an amazing opportunity to spread the Truth to countless people.

Speaking of the Truth, this is getting to be longer than Noah's, ha ha ha, which I didn't think was possible! Cuz he just doesn't stop talking. So ultimately, you have to always remember, folks, to stay with the Truth! SEE YOU IN THE NEXT ONE!!!

Noah's Update

Hullo there! It's me, again, Noah Boss! I know, I know, you are probably sick of my talking. You can probably just hear my voice in your mind while you are reading. It goes on and on, doesn't it? "Man, this Noah guy just won't shut up!!!" - That's what you're thinking, isn't it? Well, here's a fun fact: did y'all know I've visited 27 states? Most of it has been from the yearly family vacations we take. We try to go to fun new places every time. Another major reason why I have been going to so many states is because I was travelling to tournaments nationwide for Speech and Debate. It's not just the U.S. though. My mother is Canadian, and we visit our family there somewhat frequently. Thus, I have also been to 4 provinces in Canada. Enough about that...

Let's get into what I try to add to the podcast.

If any of you are wondering what I do for CB4Truth, here's what I do. As a co-host, it's always really hard to know what to say. Once Matthew gets the bones of his amazing outline, I structure it, and add notes on what to talk about pertaining to that topic. I find myself writing the little introduction speeches that lead us into the conversation before the topic. Along with Matthew and Parker, I help brainstorm what our episode will be about. I handle the listener outreach prospects. What in the world does that mean? Well, it means I'm the guy who will respond to comments we get, manage the cb4truth@gmail.com email, and reach out to listeners, LIKE YOU, who are interested in being guest hosts. I also advertise to my friends whenever we drop a fresh episode. I've currently got an account on Not the Bee, a conservative Christian news site, and I try to do ads there too. Here's what one of them looks like: Not the Bee Post! I dabble in video editing, and do a smidge for the episodes, but Parker always does pretty much all of it, and does an amazing job! So, mostly I stick with image editing. I'm very bad at it, so I have to spend like 5 hours on one thing to actually make it look realistic.

Using image editing, just on the default paint app, I... Man, I've said 'I' or 'I've' or 'I'm' so many times in this one blog! 34 times to be exact. Let's just say Noah for this paragraph. Noah made the updated CB4Truth Logo, the one that says the name of it, and then 'With Parker Allen and Noah Boss.' So that was cool. Mr. Boss also makes some fun-ish things with his editing thingamabob. Pirate Parker! Noah knows it really sucks, mainly because he has ZERO artistic skill. I know, right!?!? This guy is the worst! But yeah, that's the best thing he could make. If you have any requests for what you want him to photoshop/edit, email us, or put it in the comments. I'll pass it on to Noah.

One last thing that I do: I manage this website. I first started working on it for fun, but then decided to finish it, and made it as a surprise for Parker. Now it is the main informational hub for CB4Truth. Let us know if there are any problems or bugs with it. I will try my best to fix any little changes needed, or make any revisions in the content you find here. 

Oh! Speaking of websites, WE ARE NOW ON YOUTUBE!!! Well, I haven't gotten around to putting all our episodes on YouTube Music yet, but we do actually have a YouTube channel on the video platform. You can find our episodes there, and maybe... just mayybee, we would put something else on there in the somewhat distant future. (If CB4Truth gets bigger that is.) NO PROMISES!

Anyways, I didn't sign up to write a 500 word essay, although it's already 727 total, including numbers and links. So just remember, in all the hard trials, in every day life, in anything that you do, do it for The Lord, and stay with the Truth!

Matthew's Update

Yo! What's up everyone?! This is Matthew! I'm kind of sick right now to be honest, so I can't stop couching every 5 minutes. Noah and Parker will tell you (If you ask them) how awesome my 16th birthday party was! It was absolutely PICKEL AMAZING. We played pickleball at Pickle Time in Crown Point Indiana for 3 hours! Now, my birthday isn't in March at all, but because its 2 days before Christmas, it is really hard for anyone to put together a party at that time. Normal people have Christmas parties or are going on vacation. After begging my mom for the past 3 years for a party, it finally happened! Noah blew the ball out of the park literally every time he had the ball. He either absolutely failed, hit someone on the head, or made the greatest save in history. He also got me a hiking filter straw, a devotional for teens, and a 6 pack of Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs. Parker was just Parker - he won everything, I think. He didn't get me anything. You guys should have been there. There is also one more thing! I will be going on a mission's trip to beautiful Honduras this summer. Currently, I am on the kids' team and am loving it! We'll be dancing, singing, and engaging the kids; hopefully letting them come to the Lord and give their lives to him. It will be a blast because it is my first missions' trip ever. Don't worry, I'll send pics back for all of you! I might be able to convince Noah and Parker into doing a missions' trip episode when I return! If you do want to see us, see if you can join us for an episode. WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU! 

I'm getting my license on June 11! That will be fun. Aaaanyways, you didn't come here to hear me rant as long as Noah, you came to see what I do for the Truth and how enjoyable this experience is. Many of you may not even know I'm part of the team, but simply because I'm not a host, doesn't mean I don't help. I make the outlines. If you haven't been on an episode, you may be thinking... "What outline?" Well, each episode needs an outline, because without it, Parker and Noah would have no quotes and would not know to talk about at all! For the outline, I usually try to get at least 5 quotes, and I categorize it into titles. Here is a picture of one I did recently!  Outline! That's just half a page one out of like 7! Here's the Bible section I did! JUST VERSES! It's literally so simple, I just find the things we need and throw them into a document! Literally, it takes about an hour or two to get all the info in there. By then your brain is really dead from looking at a screen all day, so I take a break for food and water. And then like the night before the recording, Noah finalizes the outline, he structures it and adds some rhetoric, and some intro/outro stuff, and the fun topic. He also yells at and then murders me for having way to much stuff! It happens every week! LOL

Now, finding the right quotes is harder than climbing up Mount Everest barefoot! They can't be too long, or Noah will have to cut my throat  some of it. And they need to have easy to read words in them since some of those big scientific ones are like a different language. While I do have the world at my fingertips, Google sometimes doesn't find me the most relevant sources. Sometimes too much information becomes a problem. I need to choose credible websites because we need to have truthful information. Credible sources are not like Wikipedia, or Quora, or even I've seen some people use Reddit. These can be great starting points for your ideas, and you often can use them for conversationalist type quotes for opinions. But don't have them as info that you are using prove anything. We even mentioned in our first episode that Wikipedia is not truthful, and is extremely biased towards certain subjects. (DON'T LISTEN TO EPISODE 1, IT'S REALLY BAD!!!) But yeah, that's not what you want in any quote. Thus, I always try to find sources from both sides of the isle. While all of us are insanely conservative, it is extremely important to look at both sides of the argument. And sometimes our unique guests can help with that. But yeah, picky, picky, picky with credible information. I am ready to continue serving CB4Truth and many years to come. I intend to join Parker and Noah in countless more episodes. We just got to find a working rhythm to our schedule and episodes so I can be a reoccurring guest. It is going to be awesome though!!! 

I hope this blog has helped you to realize all the work that goes into the production of the podcast. I may live in the shadows, but I play one of the key roles in Christian Boys For Truth. I enjoy anything outdoors and go on a yearly hiking trip with Noah. (THS TIME WE MIGHT BE GOING RAFTING!!!!!!!!!!!) I see God's Truth everywhere I turn. And I hope you find that Truth in this show. Currently, there are a lot of opportunities for me to serve in the church, in CC, and on my hockey team, so not only am I committed to all that, but I am committed to y'all. I love you guys, and I'll see you next time. So don't forget to STAY with the Truth!!! (Really, guys - do it!!) Have a blessed day!! 

Outline! JUST VERSES!

In the meantime, marinate in a few of the worst selfies of us together!

They are so bad. Warning: these will make your eyes fall out!