I'm Sure I'm Behind the Times
Samorost
I'm not sure what's going on here. I think I'm exploring the universe. I may just be high. Trippy but cool if you've got a few hours to kill.
And we ain't got no brains and we ain't got no hearts
It's just that wild old wind that tears us all apart
We're the scarecrow people, have we got lots in common with you
And if you don't start living well, you're all gonna wind up scarecrow people too
- XTC
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Finally Got Something to Say
Finally Got Something to Say
In this espn.com article about the Bill Belichick videotaping incident, the following statement is made:
The topic of credibility in sports (both professional and collegiate) is receiving a lot of attention these days. Between Barry Bonds' and other baseball players steroid and HGH usage, college boosters paying amateur athletes, basketball referees betting on games, and now the New England Patriots using video to possibly gain an illegal competitive advantage, it seems like now more than ever, the sports world is filled with individuals using dishonest means to succeed.
ESPN has run several articles on their website, and done specials about the topic on TV. Just read any public internet chats on the topic, and you'll see that the general public seems to despise cheaters in sports. It seems, that the concept of players, coaches, etc. breaking rules in sports is viewed by the public as one of the lowest things a person can do.
Now, whether or not there is any more cheating in sports today than there ever has been is debatable. It may not have always been steroids or video cameras, but one would have to be naive to think that cheating hasn't been going on since sports were invented. Or that even some of the "great" players and teams throughout history never cheated or bent the rules to gain a competitive advantage. The leg-whipping 49ers of the 80's is one example that immediately springs to mind.
The question I'm pondering is this: why, in our relativistic society, is cheating seen as such a terrible thing?
Think about it for a moment. America is growing less interested in absolute truth. People do not want a universal law telling them what is wrong and right. We even reinterpret our man-made laws in order to make them fit into our current cultural understanding of things. What is it about a game, who's rules are in one sense completely arbitrary, that makes people so upset when someone cheats?
Obviously, people invest themselves in sports in such a way (whether by fanaticism, gambling, or fantasy sports) , that they feel personally wronged if a player cheats. But the outcry against Barry Bonds, for instance, strikes much deeper than that. Bonds breaking a record doesn't really harm anyone but the record keepers. Why is everyone so morally outraged about supposed cheeting, if we don't really see things as ultimately right or wrong.
One thing I will admit, is that while philosophically a large portion of America is relativistic, practically the large percentage are probably not. Isn't it interesting though, that everyone still uses a moral standard. But the interesting thing about the world of sports, is that when one enters into it, they find several things that Christ intended for his church.
1. They find a concrete set of rules and a code of conduct which govern the sport, and an authority who upholds justice: a touchdown will always be worth 6 points, the home team always gets the last at bat, and it's never legal to tackle a player as he pulls up for a 3-pointer. The Bible gives us an ethic to live by that the unbelieving world does not have.
2. They find a community of fans who are united around a common goal. Some of them even dress up and go to worship together on Sunday afternoon. The church should be a family of believers united in their worship of their common savior.
3. They have a hope of "victory." This is deceptively fleeting and hollow, just ask how many Red Sox fans feel more complete now that their team has won the series in their lifetime. There is always next year (this from a lifelong Cubs fan). While they do not have the promise of victory that the Church has, I can't help but think that in some small way, sports fans believe they will overcome and transcend as their team attains victory.
Sports create a fantasy world of sorts which meets the innate needs of human beings for structure, purpose, balance, fairness, justice, and community. Cheating, ruins the illusion of fairness, justice, rule of law, and honesty which the arbitrary rules of Sports create.
Hey, I may just start updating this blog thing more often!
You can bend my ear
You can talk all day
Just make sure I'm around
When you've finally got something to say
- Toad the Wet Sprocket
In this espn.com article about the Bill Belichick videotaping incident, the following statement is made:
Why is the situation worse than people think? Because the NFL is on the precipice of blowing its status as the country's favorite sport. The whole NFL enterprise is in jeopardy from that single word: cheating. It's the most distasteful word in sports. And now the Patriots have brought the word into the NFL.
The topic of credibility in sports (both professional and collegiate) is receiving a lot of attention these days. Between Barry Bonds' and other baseball players steroid and HGH usage, college boosters paying amateur athletes, basketball referees betting on games, and now the New England Patriots using video to possibly gain an illegal competitive advantage, it seems like now more than ever, the sports world is filled with individuals using dishonest means to succeed.
ESPN has run several articles on their website, and done specials about the topic on TV. Just read any public internet chats on the topic, and you'll see that the general public seems to despise cheaters in sports. It seems, that the concept of players, coaches, etc. breaking rules in sports is viewed by the public as one of the lowest things a person can do.
Now, whether or not there is any more cheating in sports today than there ever has been is debatable. It may not have always been steroids or video cameras, but one would have to be naive to think that cheating hasn't been going on since sports were invented. Or that even some of the "great" players and teams throughout history never cheated or bent the rules to gain a competitive advantage. The leg-whipping 49ers of the 80's is one example that immediately springs to mind.
The question I'm pondering is this: why, in our relativistic society, is cheating seen as such a terrible thing?
Think about it for a moment. America is growing less interested in absolute truth. People do not want a universal law telling them what is wrong and right. We even reinterpret our man-made laws in order to make them fit into our current cultural understanding of things. What is it about a game, who's rules are in one sense completely arbitrary, that makes people so upset when someone cheats?
Obviously, people invest themselves in sports in such a way (whether by fanaticism, gambling, or fantasy sports) , that they feel personally wronged if a player cheats. But the outcry against Barry Bonds, for instance, strikes much deeper than that. Bonds breaking a record doesn't really harm anyone but the record keepers. Why is everyone so morally outraged about supposed cheeting, if we don't really see things as ultimately right or wrong.
One thing I will admit, is that while philosophically a large portion of America is relativistic, practically the large percentage are probably not. Isn't it interesting though, that everyone still uses a moral standard. But the interesting thing about the world of sports, is that when one enters into it, they find several things that Christ intended for his church.
1. They find a concrete set of rules and a code of conduct which govern the sport, and an authority who upholds justice: a touchdown will always be worth 6 points, the home team always gets the last at bat, and it's never legal to tackle a player as he pulls up for a 3-pointer. The Bible gives us an ethic to live by that the unbelieving world does not have.
2. They find a community of fans who are united around a common goal. Some of them even dress up and go to worship together on Sunday afternoon. The church should be a family of believers united in their worship of their common savior.
3. They have a hope of "victory." This is deceptively fleeting and hollow, just ask how many Red Sox fans feel more complete now that their team has won the series in their lifetime. There is always next year (this from a lifelong Cubs fan). While they do not have the promise of victory that the Church has, I can't help but think that in some small way, sports fans believe they will overcome and transcend as their team attains victory.
Sports create a fantasy world of sorts which meets the innate needs of human beings for structure, purpose, balance, fairness, justice, and community. Cheating, ruins the illusion of fairness, justice, rule of law, and honesty which the arbitrary rules of Sports create.
Hey, I may just start updating this blog thing more often!
You can bend my ear
You can talk all day
Just make sure I'm around
When you've finally got something to say
- Toad the Wet Sprocket
Friday, August 03, 2007
For Those Not Previously Aware
For Those Not Previously Aware
This is the token of my pledge to marry The Way-Above-Average Allison!
In case you're wondering, she said, "yes." :-)
She took my hand and said let's go together
You and me against the world
And so we stuck it out through still and stormy weather
And so we tumbled down the years...
- Marillion
This is the token of my pledge to marry The Way-Above-Average Allison!
In case you're wondering, she said, "yes." :-)
She took my hand and said let's go together
You and me against the world
And so we stuck it out through still and stormy weather
And so we tumbled down the years...
- Marillion
Monday, June 04, 2007
Climb Aboard Human Folk!
Climb Aboard Human Folk!
Occasionally people ask me what's going on, and occasionally I tell them. Actually updating my blog has become a whole other occasion, and a quite rare one at that. I am happy to report that my kitchen smells much better than it did the last time I posted. I have managed to happen upon some varied and exciting CDs in the last few weeks, so I thought I'd fill you all in on the wonderful details. Anything else you'd want to know about me can be found on Facebook. :-)
Marillion - Somewhere Else and Radiation
I've decided that if there is one album that you should buy this year, it should be Marillion's new release, Somewhere Else. It's an all around fantastic album that showcases all of the classic Marillion qualities and introduces some new chapters in the ever expanding Marillion catalog of sounds. Since receiving it in April, It's been in my CD player ever since.
Then, last week I aquired Marillions 1998 release Radiation. This album has been maligned for its sub-standard production values. I came in expecting it to be bad, but not this bad. It sounds like an un-mastered garage demo. But after a thorough examination, I've decided the songs on this CD make it as good as any other disc Marillion has written. This will go on my short list of "CDs that I'd pay good money for a quality remix version" along with Rush's Vapor Trails. It's also been described as Radiohead-esque by the kind of critics who don't actually listen to the CDs they review. There are a few parts that sound like Oasis and the Beatles, but I don't hear any Radiohead on here, with the exception of the purposely stripped down sound.
Speaking of Radiohead, Marillion did decide to cover The Tourist on Somewhere Else and rename it The Last Century for Man. Go buy this CD, but skip this hysteria tinged global warming doomsday track, and go straight on to the intriguing closer Faith. "Feel inside the atoms where the science breaks down/ If you don't believe in love, you'd have to make it up." This makes an interesting segue into:
Rush - Snakes & Arrows
Rush returns 5 years after the aforementioned Vapor Trails with this very strong release. Vapor Trails was mastered very badly, and many many people complained. Snakes & Aarows, by contrast is the best sounding Rush album since 1993's Counterparts. Musically, it's kind of a mix between Counterparts (my personal favorite Rush album) and 1989's Presto (an odd but cool Rush record). There is a lot of acoustic guitar here, a very solid groove from our favorite drummer Neil Peart, and the usual excellent bass playing of Geddy Lee. Alex Lifeson, on guitar, is busy being the unimpressive Alex Lifeson we've come to expect over the last decade. But that's OK, I've never listened to Rush because of Lifeson's guitar work.
But one reason I do listen to Rush is because of Peart's lyrics. I have nothing but respect for his gift as a lyricist. I've always been able to take his agnostic materialism with a grain of salt and appreciate his existential humanism. At least he always seems like a nice guy. He really drops the ball on Snakes & Arrows though. He's gone off the Richard Dawkins deep end I think. He goes so far as to equate the Christian right with Islamic Jihadists. Apparently evangelism is just as bad as suicide bombing in Peart's blindly egalitarian worldview. The real offense of Christianity is that it contradicts "my own moral compass" and threatens human progress because, according to Peart, it, "resists all science." Apparently, Peart is dissapointed that vestiges of this backwards thing called religion still inhabit the globe, "It's a far cry from the world we thought we'd inherit," and its, "like we're back in the Dark Ages."
All this to say, I understand Peart's beef with false religion, and especially those "Christians" who really do act as hypocrites. What is very interesting is Peart's statement in the song Faithless, that: "I don't have faith in faith, I don't believe in belief. You can call me faithless... But I believe in love and that's faith enough for me." Much like in the song Ghost of a Chance from Rush's Roll the Bones album ("I believe there's a ghost of a chance we can find a way to love"), Peart takes an existential leap of faith in this concept of "love" that can be a possible good. Certainly, Peart's worldview, with all its bravado about being rational and materialistic, is very much based on faith. So, much like Marillion in Faith, which admits that science breaks down at a point and is insufficient to answer all questions, here Peart is admitting that he has to make up love in order to make his life worth living. It's kind of sad, especially after the events Peart talks about in his book Ghost Rider.
XTC - Apple Venus Vol. 1 & Wasp Star: Apple Venus Vol. 2
I've been wanting to explore XTC's catalog outside of Nonsuch for some time now. My initial impression of these companion albums is that they proved a fear of mine to be true. It seemed like Nonsuch was so borderline saccharine in its near perfection that more of the same would simply be artificial and indulgent. Some of the quirky lyrics and overtly Beach Boys arrangements are worn a bit too thin between these two discs. They could have combined the two volumes and made one outstanding work. Volume 1 is largely orchestral, and exquisitely beautiful in some parts. Volume 2 contains more of the upbeat rock based sound that made Nonsuch so catchy. As it is, we have two discs lacking variety and containing a bit too much filler. Still, I have to say that this band is very creative and refreshing to listen to. It's a sign of a group's skill at writing and arranging when they can pull off an album of mostly orchestral arrangements that doesn't sound trite. So go ahead and climb aboard human folk, I'm really starting to like this little known band.
Hooray for Be-Bop Records and Tapes!
As if this couldn't get much longer, I wanted to close by stating how much I love used CD stores, and how much I regret the trend away from the hard CD format towards MP3 downloads. I picked up a couple of rarity CDs by the Gin Blossoms and Toad the Wet Sprocket. Sure, each only had about 5 songs on them. But it was fun to be able to collect songs I didn't own yet, and have an actual CD to keep in my collection. It would have been much easier to download Till I Hear it From You, a hit Gin Blossoms song that doesn't appear on any of their full length studio recordings. But it was more fun to find it as a B-side to the Follow You Down single, which included two other Gin Blossoms songs I didn't own.
The Toad CD was a live acoustic performance from 1994 at a radio station in Atlanta. I had no idea this existed, and it's very cool to have, especially since the band isn't together anymore. Another trend I sort of dislike is bands that release all of their live shows on CD. Another trend I sort of dislike is bands that release all of their concerts on CD, as Pearl Jam has done for some time now, and apparently Genesis will do on their upcoming tour. It just seems to water down the collection of "official" releases, and make it less interesting to try to collect those rare recordings of a band on some European radio broadcast or TV show.
My golly that was long! If you made it all the way to the end, you get a prize! (My deepest respect and admiration)
Are you joking?
No I'm just fine
You take Nanci
For me Loretta's fine
No, I've changed my mind
I'll take Nanci
For you Loretta's fine
- Toad the Wet Sprocket
Occasionally people ask me what's going on, and occasionally I tell them. Actually updating my blog has become a whole other occasion, and a quite rare one at that. I am happy to report that my kitchen smells much better than it did the last time I posted. I have managed to happen upon some varied and exciting CDs in the last few weeks, so I thought I'd fill you all in on the wonderful details. Anything else you'd want to know about me can be found on Facebook. :-)
Marillion - Somewhere Else and Radiation
I've decided that if there is one album that you should buy this year, it should be Marillion's new release, Somewhere Else. It's an all around fantastic album that showcases all of the classic Marillion qualities and introduces some new chapters in the ever expanding Marillion catalog of sounds. Since receiving it in April, It's been in my CD player ever since.
Then, last week I aquired Marillions 1998 release Radiation. This album has been maligned for its sub-standard production values. I came in expecting it to be bad, but not this bad. It sounds like an un-mastered garage demo. But after a thorough examination, I've decided the songs on this CD make it as good as any other disc Marillion has written. This will go on my short list of "CDs that I'd pay good money for a quality remix version" along with Rush's Vapor Trails. It's also been described as Radiohead-esque by the kind of critics who don't actually listen to the CDs they review. There are a few parts that sound like Oasis and the Beatles, but I don't hear any Radiohead on here, with the exception of the purposely stripped down sound.
Speaking of Radiohead, Marillion did decide to cover The Tourist on Somewhere Else and rename it The Last Century for Man. Go buy this CD, but skip this hysteria tinged global warming doomsday track, and go straight on to the intriguing closer Faith. "Feel inside the atoms where the science breaks down/ If you don't believe in love, you'd have to make it up." This makes an interesting segue into:
Rush - Snakes & Arrows
Rush returns 5 years after the aforementioned Vapor Trails with this very strong release. Vapor Trails was mastered very badly, and many many people complained. Snakes & Aarows, by contrast is the best sounding Rush album since 1993's Counterparts. Musically, it's kind of a mix between Counterparts (my personal favorite Rush album) and 1989's Presto (an odd but cool Rush record). There is a lot of acoustic guitar here, a very solid groove from our favorite drummer Neil Peart, and the usual excellent bass playing of Geddy Lee. Alex Lifeson, on guitar, is busy being the unimpressive Alex Lifeson we've come to expect over the last decade. But that's OK, I've never listened to Rush because of Lifeson's guitar work.
But one reason I do listen to Rush is because of Peart's lyrics. I have nothing but respect for his gift as a lyricist. I've always been able to take his agnostic materialism with a grain of salt and appreciate his existential humanism. At least he always seems like a nice guy. He really drops the ball on Snakes & Arrows though. He's gone off the Richard Dawkins deep end I think. He goes so far as to equate the Christian right with Islamic Jihadists. Apparently evangelism is just as bad as suicide bombing in Peart's blindly egalitarian worldview. The real offense of Christianity is that it contradicts "my own moral compass" and threatens human progress because, according to Peart, it, "resists all science." Apparently, Peart is dissapointed that vestiges of this backwards thing called religion still inhabit the globe, "It's a far cry from the world we thought we'd inherit," and its, "like we're back in the Dark Ages."
All this to say, I understand Peart's beef with false religion, and especially those "Christians" who really do act as hypocrites. What is very interesting is Peart's statement in the song Faithless, that: "I don't have faith in faith, I don't believe in belief. You can call me faithless... But I believe in love and that's faith enough for me." Much like in the song Ghost of a Chance from Rush's Roll the Bones album ("I believe there's a ghost of a chance we can find a way to love"), Peart takes an existential leap of faith in this concept of "love" that can be a possible good. Certainly, Peart's worldview, with all its bravado about being rational and materialistic, is very much based on faith. So, much like Marillion in Faith, which admits that science breaks down at a point and is insufficient to answer all questions, here Peart is admitting that he has to make up love in order to make his life worth living. It's kind of sad, especially after the events Peart talks about in his book Ghost Rider.
XTC - Apple Venus Vol. 1 & Wasp Star: Apple Venus Vol. 2
I've been wanting to explore XTC's catalog outside of Nonsuch for some time now. My initial impression of these companion albums is that they proved a fear of mine to be true. It seemed like Nonsuch was so borderline saccharine in its near perfection that more of the same would simply be artificial and indulgent. Some of the quirky lyrics and overtly Beach Boys arrangements are worn a bit too thin between these two discs. They could have combined the two volumes and made one outstanding work. Volume 1 is largely orchestral, and exquisitely beautiful in some parts. Volume 2 contains more of the upbeat rock based sound that made Nonsuch so catchy. As it is, we have two discs lacking variety and containing a bit too much filler. Still, I have to say that this band is very creative and refreshing to listen to. It's a sign of a group's skill at writing and arranging when they can pull off an album of mostly orchestral arrangements that doesn't sound trite. So go ahead and climb aboard human folk, I'm really starting to like this little known band.
Hooray for Be-Bop Records and Tapes!
As if this couldn't get much longer, I wanted to close by stating how much I love used CD stores, and how much I regret the trend away from the hard CD format towards MP3 downloads. I picked up a couple of rarity CDs by the Gin Blossoms and Toad the Wet Sprocket. Sure, each only had about 5 songs on them. But it was fun to be able to collect songs I didn't own yet, and have an actual CD to keep in my collection. It would have been much easier to download Till I Hear it From You, a hit Gin Blossoms song that doesn't appear on any of their full length studio recordings. But it was more fun to find it as a B-side to the Follow You Down single, which included two other Gin Blossoms songs I didn't own.
The Toad CD was a live acoustic performance from 1994 at a radio station in Atlanta. I had no idea this existed, and it's very cool to have, especially since the band isn't together anymore. Another trend I sort of dislike is bands that release all of their live shows on CD. Another trend I sort of dislike is bands that release all of their concerts on CD, as Pearl Jam has done for some time now, and apparently Genesis will do on their upcoming tour. It just seems to water down the collection of "official" releases, and make it less interesting to try to collect those rare recordings of a band on some European radio broadcast or TV show.
My golly that was long! If you made it all the way to the end, you get a prize! (My deepest respect and admiration)
Are you joking?
No I'm just fine
You take Nanci
For me Loretta's fine
No, I've changed my mind
I'll take Nanci
For you Loretta's fine
- Toad the Wet Sprocket
Friday, May 11, 2007
That Hideous Stench
That Hideous Stench
For a long, dark week did The Stench reign in terror over it's unwitting subjects. All the land was troubled and forlorn till one arose from his meager quietude to challenge The Stench's power. Armed only with valor, anti-bacterial chemicals, and an apple cinnamon air freshener, our hero set out to face what he knew could be his final end.
Under cover of night, our hero stole quietly into The Stench's lair. At first, he thought he would not be able to stand from the strength of it. It was so pungent and revolting, that even to this day, it's memory still burns in his mind, so much so that he fears he will never be free of it.
Long into the night the battle raged. Both sides traded terrible blows, for The Stench was no willing victim. It's fury was truly awesome to behold. Yet our hero's determination could not be assuaged. With all of his might, the hero leaped upon his enemy and hewed away at his hideous, armored flesh. Caring little for his own life, but only for the death of his foe, our hero reigned blow upon blow down upon The Stench.
Just as our hero felt he would not be able to sustain his fight, The Stench recoiled in great pain and agony. With a mighty howl, The Stench collapsed to its knees. Then suddenly, before our hero's astonished eyes, The Stench disintegrated and was seen no more. On that day did our hero swear to never allow such evil to rise again in power, and did set out on a quest throughout the known land to find and destroy all such stock from which The Stench did arise.
In season, out of season
What's the difference when you don't know the reason
In one hand bread, the other a stone
The hunter enters the forest
All are not huntsmen who blow the huntsman's horn
And from the look of this one
You've not got much to fear...
- Genesis
For a long, dark week did The Stench reign in terror over it's unwitting subjects. All the land was troubled and forlorn till one arose from his meager quietude to challenge The Stench's power. Armed only with valor, anti-bacterial chemicals, and an apple cinnamon air freshener, our hero set out to face what he knew could be his final end.
Under cover of night, our hero stole quietly into The Stench's lair. At first, he thought he would not be able to stand from the strength of it. It was so pungent and revolting, that even to this day, it's memory still burns in his mind, so much so that he fears he will never be free of it.
Long into the night the battle raged. Both sides traded terrible blows, for The Stench was no willing victim. It's fury was truly awesome to behold. Yet our hero's determination could not be assuaged. With all of his might, the hero leaped upon his enemy and hewed away at his hideous, armored flesh. Caring little for his own life, but only for the death of his foe, our hero reigned blow upon blow down upon The Stench.
Just as our hero felt he would not be able to sustain his fight, The Stench recoiled in great pain and agony. With a mighty howl, The Stench collapsed to its knees. Then suddenly, before our hero's astonished eyes, The Stench disintegrated and was seen no more. On that day did our hero swear to never allow such evil to rise again in power, and did set out on a quest throughout the known land to find and destroy all such stock from which The Stench did arise.
In season, out of season
What's the difference when you don't know the reason
In one hand bread, the other a stone
The hunter enters the forest
All are not huntsmen who blow the huntsman's horn
And from the look of this one
You've not got much to fear...
- Genesis
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Sometimes Its Good to Appease Family Relations
Sometimes Its Good to Appease Family Relations
I said I'd never do this on this blog, but my SIL "tagged" me, and I haven't posted in a while, so why not.
Seven Random Facts About Me
1. I was born in South Dakota
2. My profile pic is Phil Collins circa 1977
3. My house smells like sea food right now, and I don't know how to fix it. It's quite distressing.
4. There are 1,105 e-mails in my inbox at work. That constitutes less than a tenth of the e-mails stored in my Outlook.
5. I almost lost the tip of my right ring finger in a near-tragic bicycle chain incident when I was three.
6. I prefer Steve Hogarth to Fish. No contest.
7. I am unable to conclusively decide which of these pictures is funnier:
Caption on pic #1 reads, "Sense: This picture makes none." Of course, your vote, as always here at The Average Brad 2.0, is welcome on the subject. I tag Sara Jo, because she might possibly do it.
Ozone disappearing in the sky
Bud man asking us why ask why
If I could find my magazine this bug would die
I complain
China boy standing up to a tank
Southern boy living in the house of yanks
If I can't seem to get my motor bike to crank
I complain
Complain, so much easier...
- King's X
I said I'd never do this on this blog, but my SIL "tagged" me, and I haven't posted in a while, so why not.
Seven Random Facts About Me
1. I was born in South Dakota
2. My profile pic is Phil Collins circa 1977
3. My house smells like sea food right now, and I don't know how to fix it. It's quite distressing.
4. There are 1,105 e-mails in my inbox at work. That constitutes less than a tenth of the e-mails stored in my Outlook.
5. I almost lost the tip of my right ring finger in a near-tragic bicycle chain incident when I was three.
6. I prefer Steve Hogarth to Fish. No contest.
7. I am unable to conclusively decide which of these pictures is funnier:
Caption on pic #1 reads, "Sense: This picture makes none." Of course, your vote, as always here at The Average Brad 2.0, is welcome on the subject. I tag Sara Jo, because she might possibly do it.
Ozone disappearing in the sky
Bud man asking us why ask why
If I could find my magazine this bug would die
I complain
China boy standing up to a tank
Southern boy living in the house of yanks
If I can't seem to get my motor bike to crank
I complain
Complain, so much easier...
- King's X
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
These Pretzels Are Making Me Messy
These Pretzels Are Making Me Messy
Not much explanation necessary, pretzels can be quite crummy. Ergo, my shirt is full of crumbs at the moment. Did I use the word "ergo" correctly? I'm having an internal debate right now as to whether or not I should indent paragraphs on my blog. For some reason, it seems like if I'm going to separate each paragraph with a double space, than an indent in superfluous. Accent on the "super" SJ.
I got to see Nickel Creek play last night at the wonderful Mississippi College basketball arena. Uncomfortable benches and pour acoustics aside, they really did put on a great show. Nickel Creek is one of those bands that I like a lot, but have never gotten into since so many of my friends own their CDs (I'm weird like that). I was familiar with most of the set, which was fun. It was also interesting to hear music I didn't know so well, and really experience it as they presented it.
They are all fantastic players, and their vocal harmonies are incredible. I got goosebumps a few times. They also got to do a good amount of jamming which kept things lively and interesting. I'm not sure if it was better than the Alison Krauss concert I saw last year (courtesy of Trey). It would have been nice to see them play in a place like Thalia Mara Hall. So far, live Bluegrass definitely beats live Rock music in my experience.
There was a group who held up signs reading "Short People" the whole time. I thought it was just because they were short and wanted recognition (Sorry John!). Then the band came out for their encore and announced, "We never thought we would play this song again, but there are some people who have been holding up some signs all night..." It turned out that Short People is a Randy Newman song. It's a really funny song, although it's untrue that, "short people got no reason to live." At the least they keep us tall folks entertained.
And the sun came up on a sleepy day and never went down at night
And the crowd kept on singing Waste Away but it just didn't feel right
And the prince and the drummer and the fire girls couldn't get our guitars in tune
And I knew it was over when the sound man said, "I wish we were still in June..."
- Spock's Beard
Not much explanation necessary, pretzels can be quite crummy. Ergo, my shirt is full of crumbs at the moment. Did I use the word "ergo" correctly? I'm having an internal debate right now as to whether or not I should indent paragraphs on my blog. For some reason, it seems like if I'm going to separate each paragraph with a double space, than an indent in superfluous. Accent on the "super" SJ.
I got to see Nickel Creek play last night at the wonderful Mississippi College basketball arena. Uncomfortable benches and pour acoustics aside, they really did put on a great show. Nickel Creek is one of those bands that I like a lot, but have never gotten into since so many of my friends own their CDs (I'm weird like that). I was familiar with most of the set, which was fun. It was also interesting to hear music I didn't know so well, and really experience it as they presented it.
They are all fantastic players, and their vocal harmonies are incredible. I got goosebumps a few times. They also got to do a good amount of jamming which kept things lively and interesting. I'm not sure if it was better than the Alison Krauss concert I saw last year (courtesy of Trey). It would have been nice to see them play in a place like Thalia Mara Hall. So far, live Bluegrass definitely beats live Rock music in my experience.
There was a group who held up signs reading "Short People" the whole time. I thought it was just because they were short and wanted recognition (Sorry John!). Then the band came out for their encore and announced, "We never thought we would play this song again, but there are some people who have been holding up some signs all night..." It turned out that Short People is a Randy Newman song. It's a really funny song, although it's untrue that, "short people got no reason to live." At the least they keep us tall folks entertained.
And the sun came up on a sleepy day and never went down at night
And the crowd kept on singing Waste Away but it just didn't feel right
And the prince and the drummer and the fire girls couldn't get our guitars in tune
And I knew it was over when the sound man said, "I wish we were still in June..."
- Spock's Beard
Monday, April 09, 2007
Playing With Colors
Playing With Colors
I'm still trying to decide on what color I want to accompany the new layout. I really like red, but feel its a bit polarizing (a word I'm using a lot of late it seems). Either people will like it or hate it. I had a khaki background over the weekend. I thought it was understated and neutral, but thought I might get bored with it. It also has a tendency to appear green sometimes. I don't want to do black or white, and every other color I've tried looks fruity. So right now it's a competition between "firebrick" (red) and "khaki 4". You're opinion is welcome, but is in no way guaranteed to affect the final decision.
Easter always encourages me to reconsider the significance of Christ's death and resurrection. The verse that kicked around in my head all day Sunday was Romans 4:25, which tells us that Christ was, "delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." If we are united to Christ, we are united to his risen and glorified person, and not simply to a dead and condemned savior. In other words, God does not just punish Christ in our place and than accept us as we are. Rather, he deals with our sin through Christ's death, and then unites us to a risen Savior - alive, glorified, and righteous.
I was prepared to say more about it here, but I almost feel burnt out on the subject from hearing about it at three services (including one Thursday night). What a sad thing to be burnt out on the Gospel! Really though, this weekend was a good time to remember, reflect on, and respond to what Christ has accomplished, once and for all, for his people. I wish we truly did celebrate Christ's death and resurrection every Sunday, and every day for that matter, as we did yesterday. The chief offender will now attempt to remove the log from his eye...
O cross that liftest up my head
I dare not ask to fly from thee
I lay in dust life's glory dead
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be
I'm still trying to decide on what color I want to accompany the new layout. I really like red, but feel its a bit polarizing (a word I'm using a lot of late it seems). Either people will like it or hate it. I had a khaki background over the weekend. I thought it was understated and neutral, but thought I might get bored with it. It also has a tendency to appear green sometimes. I don't want to do black or white, and every other color I've tried looks fruity. So right now it's a competition between "firebrick" (red) and "khaki 4". You're opinion is welcome, but is in no way guaranteed to affect the final decision.
Easter always encourages me to reconsider the significance of Christ's death and resurrection. The verse that kicked around in my head all day Sunday was Romans 4:25, which tells us that Christ was, "delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." If we are united to Christ, we are united to his risen and glorified person, and not simply to a dead and condemned savior. In other words, God does not just punish Christ in our place and than accept us as we are. Rather, he deals with our sin through Christ's death, and then unites us to a risen Savior - alive, glorified, and righteous.
I was prepared to say more about it here, but I almost feel burnt out on the subject from hearing about it at three services (including one Thursday night). What a sad thing to be burnt out on the Gospel! Really though, this weekend was a good time to remember, reflect on, and respond to what Christ has accomplished, once and for all, for his people. I wish we truly did celebrate Christ's death and resurrection every Sunday, and every day for that matter, as we did yesterday. The chief offender will now attempt to remove the log from his eye...
O cross that liftest up my head
I dare not ask to fly from thee
I lay in dust life's glory dead
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Around The Horn
Around The Horn
Blue Cross Sponsors Walking Program for Mississippians
They are trying to encourage us to sign up for this program at work. After reading through the website, I’m still not sure what the program is, but I’m thinking about signing up for it just for the free pedometer. I actually happen to walk quite a lot. I realize Mississippi is one of the fattest states in America, and I realize why Blue Cross would want to encourage this (it’s all about the Benjamins), but really this just makes me laugh.
Blue Cross has offered to map out a walking route specifically for our firm around the downtown, and one in our building for rainy days. Analysis: American adults are way too pampered, need to be told by their employers and insurance company to exercise, and apparently can’t even plan out walking routes for themselves.
Reminds me of a line from the Jimmy Stewart classic Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation:
Mr. Martin Turner: You haven't done much walking have you Hobbs?
Roger Hobbs: Only since I was about four years old!
(Turner proceeds to demonstrate the correct way to walk)
Watch Out for Christian Homeschooling Terrorists
Whitewashing Jihad In The Schools
More than a little disturbing...
Take Me Out To The Ballgame!
The 2007 Major League Baseball is now in full swing (ducks tomatoes), and of course, so is Fantasy Baseball. So far, my favorite player on my team is Boof Bonser. This almost beats out Coco Crisp for best name in the Majors. If you got points in Fantasy Baseball for best player names, I would be in first place.
My beloved Cubs celebrated their 300 Million dollar payroll expansion with a pathetic opening day performance. Zambrano had better sign that contract extension quick before he blows another start like that. They seem to have played better yesterday. I say get the losses out of the way early. Now summoning the ghost of Harry Carey to go get busy dismantling that Billy Goat Curse...
Six million ants crawling on a plate
Six million ants crawling on a plate
None of them give back
As much as they take
That is a fact of life
- King Crimson
Blue Cross Sponsors Walking Program for Mississippians
They are trying to encourage us to sign up for this program at work. After reading through the website, I’m still not sure what the program is, but I’m thinking about signing up for it just for the free pedometer. I actually happen to walk quite a lot. I realize Mississippi is one of the fattest states in America, and I realize why Blue Cross would want to encourage this (it’s all about the Benjamins), but really this just makes me laugh.
Blue Cross has offered to map out a walking route specifically for our firm around the downtown, and one in our building for rainy days. Analysis: American adults are way too pampered, need to be told by their employers and insurance company to exercise, and apparently can’t even plan out walking routes for themselves.
Reminds me of a line from the Jimmy Stewart classic Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation:
Mr. Martin Turner: You haven't done much walking have you Hobbs?
Roger Hobbs: Only since I was about four years old!
(Turner proceeds to demonstrate the correct way to walk)
Watch Out for Christian Homeschooling Terrorists
Whitewashing Jihad In The Schools
More than a little disturbing...
Take Me Out To The Ballgame!
The 2007 Major League Baseball is now in full swing (ducks tomatoes), and of course, so is Fantasy Baseball. So far, my favorite player on my team is Boof Bonser. This almost beats out Coco Crisp for best name in the Majors. If you got points in Fantasy Baseball for best player names, I would be in first place.
My beloved Cubs celebrated their 300 Million dollar payroll expansion with a pathetic opening day performance. Zambrano had better sign that contract extension quick before he blows another start like that. They seem to have played better yesterday. I say get the losses out of the way early. Now summoning the ghost of Harry Carey to go get busy dismantling that Billy Goat Curse...
Six million ants crawling on a plate
Six million ants crawling on a plate
None of them give back
As much as they take
That is a fact of life
- King Crimson
Monday, March 12, 2007
Living Forever
Living Forever
Two songs from Genesis caught my attention last night. I was listening to We Can't Dance, the bands last real album, as Phil Collins left the band shortly after it was recorded. I chuckled as I realized that some of the topics were very adult. No, not in that sort of way. Adult in the sense that they were singing about problems and issues and topics that adults would care about, as opposed to the average youth.
In Living Forever Collins complains about how "they" tell us to do one thing to stay healthy and live longer one day, and then, based on new research, tell us the complete opposite another. It was really quite funny to think that the band was doing something very Rock & Rollish in writing an angsty (for adult contemporary) song complaining about people telling us how to be. Only this is middle age and not teenage angst. The album closes with a fitting tribute to the band's past, which seems to acknowledge that the band was coming to a close. Fading Lights remarks that "these are the times of our lives" and urges us to "remember."
At this point, I was struck by the fact that life and times are passing. We watched a concert by geriatric rock legend Jerry Lee Lewis the other night. He is 71 and he looks it. It got me thinking about the age of some of my favorite musicians, many of whom are in their mid 50's. In the short span of Rock & Roll's history, the originators of the movement (those who survived into old age) are getting older and will soon be passing on, and now the second and third generation of rock musicians are in their 50's and 40's. Phil Collins is 55, Neil Peart is 54. Even Eddie Vedder, who's band Pearl Jam was spearheading the youth-driven Grunge movement as recently as the early 90's, is now 41 (having outlived several of his contemporaries in the Grunge scene).
In the long span of history, Rock & Roll is a fifty year old phenomenon. It remains to be seen if history will regard it's members as worth noting in say, two or three hundred years. Eventually, it's progenitors will be mere memories, and will only remain for those who "remember." Something that in my lifetime and over the last half century has seemed so important to so many people is very transient, and may well be a very temporary and perhaps inconsequential movement when history rolls on.
A friend of mine is fighting a life-threatening medical condition, and his quality of life may never be the same. I was reminded by my Mom yesterday to be thankful of things like the ability to take a walk on a pleasant day. In the past I've had a habit of marking when the seasons change by saying to myself, "enjoy this spring [summer, fall, etc.], you may never see another one like it." I realized yesterday that I have come to expect a certain constancy from life. I may think to myself that this might be the last spring I experience, but mentally I also note that it will come again, just like it did last year. Likewise, I get a certain feeling every time I take the exit for Fortification street, which leads to my neighborhood. Having lived in Belhaven for over six years now, there have been many times in the past where I've noted that exit sign and thought, "this might not be home forever," yet I've come to expect that it will be.
But it won't be. The Bible reminds us that this world is not our home, but that we seek a heavenly dwelling place. The things of this earth are passing. Psalm 90 reminds us, "The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away." Ephesians 5 says, "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil."
I recently read an interview with Nick Mason from Pink Floyd. He was asked why he thought that Dark Side of The Moon was such an enduring recording. He answered, "I think Roger's [Waters] lyrics work incredibly well, they are still relevant today and, rather extraordinarily, they are particularly relevant to an older generation. They could have been written by a 40- or 50-year-old rather than by a 20-something-year-old. The thing about time passing and losing out and all the rest of it." It is interesting that, in an art-form that glorifies youth and creates a facade that tries to defy the passage of time, one of Rock's highest selling and most enduring statements is about the fleeting nature time.
The shortness of time is universally relevant, and something that everyone must deal with. The Psalmist reminds us that time is short and then comes judgment. Many hope to prolong their lives, but they are ignoring the inevitable; "Who considers the power of Your anger, and Your wrath according to the fear of You?" Judgment awaits those who do not fear God for His justice and trust in Christ for His mercies. The Psalmist's prayer is timeless and true when he says, "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom."
Sorry is the fool who trades his soul for a corvette
Thinks he'll get the girl, he'll only get the mechanic
What's missing?
He's living a day he'll soon forget
That's one more time around, the sun is going down
The moon is out, but he's drunk and shouting, putting people down
He's pissing,
He's living a day he'll soon forget...
That's one more time around, there is not a sound
He's lying dead clutching Benjamins
Never put the money down
He's stiffening
We're all whistling
A man we'll soon forget
- Pearl Jam
Two songs from Genesis caught my attention last night. I was listening to We Can't Dance, the bands last real album, as Phil Collins left the band shortly after it was recorded. I chuckled as I realized that some of the topics were very adult. No, not in that sort of way. Adult in the sense that they were singing about problems and issues and topics that adults would care about, as opposed to the average youth.
In Living Forever Collins complains about how "they" tell us to do one thing to stay healthy and live longer one day, and then, based on new research, tell us the complete opposite another. It was really quite funny to think that the band was doing something very Rock & Rollish in writing an angsty (for adult contemporary) song complaining about people telling us how to be. Only this is middle age and not teenage angst. The album closes with a fitting tribute to the band's past, which seems to acknowledge that the band was coming to a close. Fading Lights remarks that "these are the times of our lives" and urges us to "remember."
At this point, I was struck by the fact that life and times are passing. We watched a concert by geriatric rock legend Jerry Lee Lewis the other night. He is 71 and he looks it. It got me thinking about the age of some of my favorite musicians, many of whom are in their mid 50's. In the short span of Rock & Roll's history, the originators of the movement (those who survived into old age) are getting older and will soon be passing on, and now the second and third generation of rock musicians are in their 50's and 40's. Phil Collins is 55, Neil Peart is 54. Even Eddie Vedder, who's band Pearl Jam was spearheading the youth-driven Grunge movement as recently as the early 90's, is now 41 (having outlived several of his contemporaries in the Grunge scene).
In the long span of history, Rock & Roll is a fifty year old phenomenon. It remains to be seen if history will regard it's members as worth noting in say, two or three hundred years. Eventually, it's progenitors will be mere memories, and will only remain for those who "remember." Something that in my lifetime and over the last half century has seemed so important to so many people is very transient, and may well be a very temporary and perhaps inconsequential movement when history rolls on.
A friend of mine is fighting a life-threatening medical condition, and his quality of life may never be the same. I was reminded by my Mom yesterday to be thankful of things like the ability to take a walk on a pleasant day. In the past I've had a habit of marking when the seasons change by saying to myself, "enjoy this spring [summer, fall, etc.], you may never see another one like it." I realized yesterday that I have come to expect a certain constancy from life. I may think to myself that this might be the last spring I experience, but mentally I also note that it will come again, just like it did last year. Likewise, I get a certain feeling every time I take the exit for Fortification street, which leads to my neighborhood. Having lived in Belhaven for over six years now, there have been many times in the past where I've noted that exit sign and thought, "this might not be home forever," yet I've come to expect that it will be.
But it won't be. The Bible reminds us that this world is not our home, but that we seek a heavenly dwelling place. The things of this earth are passing. Psalm 90 reminds us, "The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away." Ephesians 5 says, "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil."
I recently read an interview with Nick Mason from Pink Floyd. He was asked why he thought that Dark Side of The Moon was such an enduring recording. He answered, "I think Roger's [Waters] lyrics work incredibly well, they are still relevant today and, rather extraordinarily, they are particularly relevant to an older generation. They could have been written by a 40- or 50-year-old rather than by a 20-something-year-old. The thing about time passing and losing out and all the rest of it." It is interesting that, in an art-form that glorifies youth and creates a facade that tries to defy the passage of time, one of Rock's highest selling and most enduring statements is about the fleeting nature time.
The shortness of time is universally relevant, and something that everyone must deal with. The Psalmist reminds us that time is short and then comes judgment. Many hope to prolong their lives, but they are ignoring the inevitable; "Who considers the power of Your anger, and Your wrath according to the fear of You?" Judgment awaits those who do not fear God for His justice and trust in Christ for His mercies. The Psalmist's prayer is timeless and true when he says, "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom."
Sorry is the fool who trades his soul for a corvette
Thinks he'll get the girl, he'll only get the mechanic
What's missing?
He's living a day he'll soon forget
That's one more time around, the sun is going down
The moon is out, but he's drunk and shouting, putting people down
He's pissing,
He's living a day he'll soon forget...
That's one more time around, there is not a sound
He's lying dead clutching Benjamins
Never put the money down
He's stiffening
We're all whistling
A man we'll soon forget
- Pearl Jam
Monday, February 26, 2007
Replaying The Classics And Crying With The Crows
Replaying The Classics And Crying With The Crows
I've had my new Dell laptop for two weeks now. I must be lucky, because unlike so many other folks, my battery has not exploded, my computer didn't arrive bogged down with "bloatware," I haven't been attacked by any malicious viruses, and the supposedly lousy Windows Vista hasn't given me any problems yet. I count my blessings every morning.
So, I've been busy ripping my considerable CD collection to my hard drive. This has made for hours of entertainment. It has been a lot of fun going through my collection and pulling out some CDs that I haven't listened to in some time. There are some really good CDs hiding in the forgotten regions of my collection.
Under the Table and Dreaming by Dave Matthews Band is one of the first CDs I bought. It hasn't really been forgotten so much as under-appreciated. When I got to college and found out that everyone liked Dave Matthews Band, I lost a lot of interest in them. This is the band at their best though, before they became superstars and Dave still performed in his pajamas.
I remember the day I got my hands on Chroma Key's first two CDs Dead Air for Radios and You Go Now. It was the Thanksgiving break of my first year at Belhaven. Dead Air for Radios became one of my all time favorite CDs, while You Go Now seemed half-hearted and got overshadowed. However, I forgot how much I listened to both of them at the time. As such, You Go Now replays with a lot of old memories. There is some angry, depressed stuff on there! Anyway, I think You Go Now could use some reconsideration on my part. It's unique but strong recording.
I go way back with Counting Crows also. Their live album Across a Wire is the band at its best. I'm usually distrustful of live albums. Often the sound quality suffers, or the music is a stale reproduction of the studio recording. The Crows rearranged a lot of these songs, half of which are acoustic, while the other half is electric. That's not terribly original, but the performances stand out above and beyond many of the studio recordings. Sullivan Street is a great example of this. I also really like the versions of Raining in Baltimore and Anna Begins better than the album versions. The other notable performances are the acoustic Have You Seen Me Lately and the reinterpreted Mr. Jones.
I've heard a lot of negative things about Adam Duritz' stage presentation, but that certainly isn't the case on Across a Wire. He manages to sing many of his lines better than on some of the studio recordings. He's an earnest human voice behind some bleeding heart lyrics. His honesty keeps it from getting too sentimental. I've talked about his lyrics before, but how can you not shed a tear with the guy when he sings things like, "When everybody loves me, I hope I never get lonely." and, "It's good for everybody to hurt somebody once in a while. The things I do to people I love shouldn't be allowed." Duritz and I shared a few moments this weekend. Across a Wire is one of a handful of live albums that have made that kind of an impact on me.
I even dusted off my best of Bon Jovi CD after I heard one of the songs on the radio. That guy used to have a really good voice. Age has not treated it well though. Momma, don't let your boys grow up to be cowboys. Particularly not the kind that rides on a steel horse with a six string on his back. He'll only go down in a blaze of glory.
It was me and my sidekick
He was drunk and I was sick
We were caught up in a barroom fight
Till an Indian shot out the light
I'm so tired of being tired
Sure as night will follow day
Most things I worry about
Never happen anyway...
- Tom Petty
I've had my new Dell laptop for two weeks now. I must be lucky, because unlike so many other folks, my battery has not exploded, my computer didn't arrive bogged down with "bloatware," I haven't been attacked by any malicious viruses, and the supposedly lousy Windows Vista hasn't given me any problems yet. I count my blessings every morning.
So, I've been busy ripping my considerable CD collection to my hard drive. This has made for hours of entertainment. It has been a lot of fun going through my collection and pulling out some CDs that I haven't listened to in some time. There are some really good CDs hiding in the forgotten regions of my collection.
Under the Table and Dreaming by Dave Matthews Band is one of the first CDs I bought. It hasn't really been forgotten so much as under-appreciated. When I got to college and found out that everyone liked Dave Matthews Band, I lost a lot of interest in them. This is the band at their best though, before they became superstars and Dave still performed in his pajamas.
I remember the day I got my hands on Chroma Key's first two CDs Dead Air for Radios and You Go Now. It was the Thanksgiving break of my first year at Belhaven. Dead Air for Radios became one of my all time favorite CDs, while You Go Now seemed half-hearted and got overshadowed. However, I forgot how much I listened to both of them at the time. As such, You Go Now replays with a lot of old memories. There is some angry, depressed stuff on there! Anyway, I think You Go Now could use some reconsideration on my part. It's unique but strong recording.
I go way back with Counting Crows also. Their live album Across a Wire is the band at its best. I'm usually distrustful of live albums. Often the sound quality suffers, or the music is a stale reproduction of the studio recording. The Crows rearranged a lot of these songs, half of which are acoustic, while the other half is electric. That's not terribly original, but the performances stand out above and beyond many of the studio recordings. Sullivan Street is a great example of this. I also really like the versions of Raining in Baltimore and Anna Begins better than the album versions. The other notable performances are the acoustic Have You Seen Me Lately and the reinterpreted Mr. Jones.
I've heard a lot of negative things about Adam Duritz' stage presentation, but that certainly isn't the case on Across a Wire. He manages to sing many of his lines better than on some of the studio recordings. He's an earnest human voice behind some bleeding heart lyrics. His honesty keeps it from getting too sentimental. I've talked about his lyrics before, but how can you not shed a tear with the guy when he sings things like, "When everybody loves me, I hope I never get lonely." and, "It's good for everybody to hurt somebody once in a while. The things I do to people I love shouldn't be allowed." Duritz and I shared a few moments this weekend. Across a Wire is one of a handful of live albums that have made that kind of an impact on me.
I even dusted off my best of Bon Jovi CD after I heard one of the songs on the radio. That guy used to have a really good voice. Age has not treated it well though. Momma, don't let your boys grow up to be cowboys. Particularly not the kind that rides on a steel horse with a six string on his back. He'll only go down in a blaze of glory.
It was me and my sidekick
He was drunk and I was sick
We were caught up in a barroom fight
Till an Indian shot out the light
I'm so tired of being tired
Sure as night will follow day
Most things I worry about
Never happen anyway...
- Tom Petty
Friday, February 02, 2007
Happy Groundhog Day!
Happy Groundhog Day!!
And what a happy day it is! Punxsutawney Phil warbled out of his warm, cozy hole with all the confidence and gusto necessary to face the new day. And afraid of his shadow, he was not! This means, my friends, that spring is most certainly on its way to an early arrival. This is only the 14th time since 1886 that Phil has predicted an early spring - a rare event which may not happen again in our lifetimes!
Of course, this news could not come at a better time. This cold is starting to hammer me down. I don't think I can take six more weeks. Here's to spring, and here's to our hero Punxsutawney Phil! Hip, hip, hooray!!
Routine was the theme...
He'd wake up, wash and pour himself
Into uniform
Something he hadn't imagined being...
As the merging traffic passed
He found himself staring
Down... at his own hands
Not remembering the change, not recalling the plan
Was it...?
He was okay
But wondering about wandering
Was it age?... By consequence?... or was he moved by
Sleight of hand?
- Pearl Jam
And what a happy day it is! Punxsutawney Phil warbled out of his warm, cozy hole with all the confidence and gusto necessary to face the new day. And afraid of his shadow, he was not! This means, my friends, that spring is most certainly on its way to an early arrival. This is only the 14th time since 1886 that Phil has predicted an early spring - a rare event which may not happen again in our lifetimes!
Of course, this news could not come at a better time. This cold is starting to hammer me down. I don't think I can take six more weeks. Here's to spring, and here's to our hero Punxsutawney Phil! Hip, hip, hooray!!
Routine was the theme...
He'd wake up, wash and pour himself
Into uniform
Something he hadn't imagined being...
As the merging traffic passed
He found himself staring
Down... at his own hands
Not remembering the change, not recalling the plan
Was it...?
He was okay
But wondering about wandering
Was it age?... By consequence?... or was he moved by
Sleight of hand?
- Pearl Jam
Monday, January 29, 2007
As the Streets of This City Tear Themselves Apart
As the Streets of This City Tear Themselves Apart
Every day entropy seems to greet me with a new pothole, as if to say, "don't you forget about me." 80s movies that everyone should have to see once before they die... The Breakfast Club is up on that list somewhere. You thought this post was gonna be about urban violence didn't you? Entropy is a little bit harder at work in Mississippi than in some other parts of the world. We like to call it Yazoo Clay.
XTC's Nonsuch kept me thoroughly entertained on Saturday night. Oh the boundless joys of clever and silly lyrics! Nonsuch is a satisfying blend of social satire, psychedelic flower celebration, and quirky love songs, set to Brian Wilson styled harmony and told with nursery rhyme charm. There are a few unfortunate instances of that distinctly British sexual innuendo throughout though. Nick Davis works his production genius to create a marvelous sounding album. I find a new favorite line every time I listen.
Everytime I look at my watch
I'm reminded we are poor in hours per day
Every second spent with her's a
Bulging wallet overstuffed with angels pay
This time last year I was conducting "Overhype the Super Bowl Week" on my old Xanga blog. While I once again have little to no interest in the Super Bowl, I did read this interesting article on ESPN.com about the evolution of the halftime show and the glamor surrounding the event.
Who knew that Up With People did four halftime shows in the late 70s and early 80s? Also of note, halftime performers go on for free. When you broadcast to 160 countries, I guess you have that bargaining power. There are a bunch of stories about prima donna performers who refused to be held to some contract or network policy. I expect that kind of thing from Janet Jackson, but Garth Brooks? Did you know that CBS accidentally broadcast footage of the Tienanmen Square massacre into China in 2004? This continues to hamper relations between the NFL and the Chinese government, go figure!
I'm picking it anyway. Colts 58, Bears 26. Yep, you heard it here first folks, there's gonna have to be a safety or something in there somewhere! The best Super Bowl halftime show ever is still, hands down, The Mighty Bomb Jack Show.
And the delta sun burns bright and violent
Mississippi and the cotton wool heat
Sixty-Six the highway speaks
Of deserts dry, of cool green valleys
Gold and silver veins, shining cities
In this heartland...
- U2
Every day entropy seems to greet me with a new pothole, as if to say, "don't you forget about me." 80s movies that everyone should have to see once before they die... The Breakfast Club is up on that list somewhere. You thought this post was gonna be about urban violence didn't you? Entropy is a little bit harder at work in Mississippi than in some other parts of the world. We like to call it Yazoo Clay.
XTC's Nonsuch kept me thoroughly entertained on Saturday night. Oh the boundless joys of clever and silly lyrics! Nonsuch is a satisfying blend of social satire, psychedelic flower celebration, and quirky love songs, set to Brian Wilson styled harmony and told with nursery rhyme charm. There are a few unfortunate instances of that distinctly British sexual innuendo throughout though. Nick Davis works his production genius to create a marvelous sounding album. I find a new favorite line every time I listen.
Everytime I look at my watch
I'm reminded we are poor in hours per day
Every second spent with her's a
Bulging wallet overstuffed with angels pay
This time last year I was conducting "Overhype the Super Bowl Week" on my old Xanga blog. While I once again have little to no interest in the Super Bowl, I did read this interesting article on ESPN.com about the evolution of the halftime show and the glamor surrounding the event.
Who knew that Up With People did four halftime shows in the late 70s and early 80s? Also of note, halftime performers go on for free. When you broadcast to 160 countries, I guess you have that bargaining power. There are a bunch of stories about prima donna performers who refused to be held to some contract or network policy. I expect that kind of thing from Janet Jackson, but Garth Brooks? Did you know that CBS accidentally broadcast footage of the Tienanmen Square massacre into China in 2004? This continues to hamper relations between the NFL and the Chinese government, go figure!
I'm picking it anyway. Colts 58, Bears 26. Yep, you heard it here first folks, there's gonna have to be a safety or something in there somewhere! The best Super Bowl halftime show ever is still, hands down, The Mighty Bomb Jack Show.
And the delta sun burns bright and violent
Mississippi and the cotton wool heat
Sixty-Six the highway speaks
Of deserts dry, of cool green valleys
Gold and silver veins, shining cities
In this heartland...
- U2
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
I've Got All This Space and Nobody to Decorate It
Notable Recently Heard Song Lyrics
Some world-views are spacious, and some are merely spaced
- Rush
I've got all this space and no money to decorate it...
...I wanna reach down and pick the crowd up
- Temple of the Dog
Fist on my plate, swallowed it down
- Pearl Jam
Press my face up to the window to see how warm it is inside
See the things that I've been missing, missing all this time
- Beck
Come my joy, come my love, come also my heart
Such a joy as none can move could probably move me
Such a love as none can part, such a heart as joys in love
I can feel it beginning to move me
Ooh, ooh, Good Lord! Ooh it's really beginning to move now
Ooh, ooh, very quickly now I'd say
In fact I think probably I'm going to have to go now...
OOH, OOH, OOOOHHH!!!
- Robert Fripp (with ridiculous Cockney accent)(MP3)
More Adventures in Mississippi
As we turned onto the gravel road it became apparent that we were getting closer. At a house in the woods, outside of Vicksburg, near a town called Bovina, we were going to participate in an authentic Mississippi hog roast! A pig on a large grill and a few scraps of goat in a smaller one for good measure were only the beginnings of the potluck feast before us. The real feast though, was not carnal in nature, but rather musical. A dozen musicians or more armed with banjos, guitars, fiddles, dulcimers, and one washboard gathered on the back deck to carry on an old Southern tradition.
This was the Mississippi Old Time Music Society, and we were their audience. We wandered the grounds with the strains of banjo floating in the air behind us. A walk around the wooded property revealed a pen of chickens, four-wheeler tracks, and a fishing pond. (We were informed that the "chickens" were actually something called a "Moa." However, it should be noted that this researcher can find no evidence of a chicken like bird called the Moa. Rather, the Moa was apparently a large flightless bird native to New Zealand which is now extinct.) Unseasonable 70 degree weather ensured our enjoyment of the afternoon.
We returned in time to partake of the country cooked feast, which we ate as we listened to the the screechings and scratchings of blue-grass and gospel. All the while we pondered the nature of life. Was man meant to live off the land with elbow room to spare, or in the close quarters of the city with the society of other humans? One thing was for sure, man was meant to partake of good food, express himself through good music, and fellowship with fine friends.
Back down the dirt road, onto the pavement, and then to the highway, we made our return to the more familiar scenery of Jackson and Belhaven. Whether your home is in the rural haunts of the countryside, the bustle of urbanity, or the quietude of suburbia, it is the opinion of this writer that one should be content to be able to enjoy the best all worlds whenever he can.
He came from an island
And then he died from the street
And he hurt so bad like a soul breaking
But he never said nothing to me
Say hello to heaven...
- Temple of the Dog
Some world-views are spacious, and some are merely spaced
- Rush
I've got all this space and no money to decorate it...
...I wanna reach down and pick the crowd up
- Temple of the Dog
Fist on my plate, swallowed it down
- Pearl Jam
Press my face up to the window to see how warm it is inside
See the things that I've been missing, missing all this time
- Beck
Come my joy, come my love, come also my heart
Such a joy as none can move could probably move me
Such a love as none can part, such a heart as joys in love
I can feel it beginning to move me
Ooh, ooh, Good Lord! Ooh it's really beginning to move now
Ooh, ooh, very quickly now I'd say
In fact I think probably I'm going to have to go now...
OOH, OOH, OOOOHHH!!!
- Robert Fripp (with ridiculous Cockney accent)(MP3)
More Adventures in Mississippi
As we turned onto the gravel road it became apparent that we were getting closer. At a house in the woods, outside of Vicksburg, near a town called Bovina, we were going to participate in an authentic Mississippi hog roast! A pig on a large grill and a few scraps of goat in a smaller one for good measure were only the beginnings of the potluck feast before us. The real feast though, was not carnal in nature, but rather musical. A dozen musicians or more armed with banjos, guitars, fiddles, dulcimers, and one washboard gathered on the back deck to carry on an old Southern tradition.
This was the Mississippi Old Time Music Society, and we were their audience. We wandered the grounds with the strains of banjo floating in the air behind us. A walk around the wooded property revealed a pen of chickens, four-wheeler tracks, and a fishing pond. (We were informed that the "chickens" were actually something called a "Moa." However, it should be noted that this researcher can find no evidence of a chicken like bird called the Moa. Rather, the Moa was apparently a large flightless bird native to New Zealand which is now extinct.) Unseasonable 70 degree weather ensured our enjoyment of the afternoon.
We returned in time to partake of the country cooked feast, which we ate as we listened to the the screechings and scratchings of blue-grass and gospel. All the while we pondered the nature of life. Was man meant to live off the land with elbow room to spare, or in the close quarters of the city with the society of other humans? One thing was for sure, man was meant to partake of good food, express himself through good music, and fellowship with fine friends.
Back down the dirt road, onto the pavement, and then to the highway, we made our return to the more familiar scenery of Jackson and Belhaven. Whether your home is in the rural haunts of the countryside, the bustle of urbanity, or the quietude of suburbia, it is the opinion of this writer that one should be content to be able to enjoy the best all worlds whenever he can.
He came from an island
And then he died from the street
And he hurt so bad like a soul breaking
But he never said nothing to me
Say hello to heaven...
- Temple of the Dog
Monday, December 18, 2006
Here Comes the Flood
Here Comes the Flood
If I had to pick a quintessential Peter Gabriel song, it would probably be Here Comes the Flood. While Wallflower is my personal favorite, there is a depth to the lyrics of Flood that allows it to take on various meanings, lending itself to reinterpretation through different performances. That helps to explain why I own four different recordings of the song.
Originally recorded in 1977, Gabriel was reportedly unsatisfied with the bombastic nature of the full band performance on the track. He favored a simpler piano accompaniment. I first became familiar with the version Gabriel recorded in 1990 for his first greatest hits compilation, Shaking the Tree (it also appears on his 2003 compilation Hit). It is a stunning departure from the original, just Gabriel's voice and his piano. While I usually give credence to original versions, I had always viewed the 1990 version as the definitive recording of this song.
However, the completist in me couldn't resist checking out the other available version of the song. Gabriel had developed a close working relationship with King Crimson's Robert Fripp over the recording of his first two solo albums. This yielded a collaboration between the two on Fripp's 1979 solo album Exposure. Gabriel got to re-record Here Comes the Flood with the simple piano accompaniment he wanted, while Fripp added an intro and outro (Water Music I and II) and some frippertronics to the track, and Brian Eno stitched a few sparse keyboards into the whole thing. To me, it contains the perfect balance between the full band version and the simplified ‘90 recording.
It gets better though. After a mess of record company obstructions and objections altered the 1979 release, Fripp ended up remixing and re-releasing Exposure in 1983. This resulted in yet another version of Here Comes the Flood. Basically the same track, the vocals were brought more to the forefront and the whole thing was given a much warmer, fuller sound. Some of Fripp's guitar on the first chorus was removed, and another keyboard section was added over both choruses.
I loved how the extra guitar tracks from the earlier version build up through the first chorus. If I ran the world, I would have kept the instrumentation as it is on the '79 version and given it the polishing it received on the '83 version. But I don't, so for now I'll have to live with competing versions of the song until one day when I do run the world (In fact, I think the '90 version has the best overall vocal performance, so I would slap that on the '79 version too if I could). The whole Exposure album has been beautifully remastered and contains both versions of the song.
I've never been able to put my finger on what exactly the song is about. I first heard it during my senior year of college while I was studying philosophy. At the time every song seemed to deal with the existential crisis of modern man lost in a cruel universe without God, values, or hope. I do think there is an element of that in the song. Stranded starfish waiting for the "swollen Easter tide" seems like a reference to modern life without religious hope. What the flood itself is, is harder to pinpoint, but I think it has to do with the ever-changing world in which we live. Existence is not static being, but rather, fluid becoming.
The song also has important associations with the end of the year for me. It actually sounds a little bit like Auld Lang Syne. The lyrics deal with continual change, and there is an ominous tone of something about to break which has been holding back "the flood" until now. Reflection, transience, and expectation all seem to meet in the lyrics and instrumentation. The Fripp version includes a sound clip during Water Music I of a narrorator describing cataclysmic climate change, rising sea levels, and the flooding of major cities. I think this song captures the essence of uncertainty and frailty in a world, seemingly, without absolutes or hope in anything beyond the natural order of things. Humanity tossed along on a sea of chance. It is the dreamer, the one who chooses his own reality, who will be able to survive in such a world. "Drink up dreamers you're running dry."
A rare song that merits multiple interpretations and repeated listenings.
When the night shows the signals grow on radios
All the strange things, they come and go as early warnings
Stranded starfish have no place to hide
Still waiting for the swollen easter tide
There's no point in direction
We cannot even choose a side
I took the old track, the hollow shoulder across the waters
On the tall cliffs they were getting older, sons and daughters
The jaded underworld was riding high
In waves of steel held metal at the sky
And as the nail sunk in the cloud
The rain was warm and soaked the crowd
When the flood calls you have no home, you have no walls
In that thunder crash you're a thousand minds within a flash
Don't be afraid to cry at what you've seen
The actor's gone there's only you and me
And if we break before the dawn
They'll use up what we used to be
Lord, here comes the flood
We will say goodbye to flesh and blood
If again the seas are silent in any still alive
It'll be those who gave their island to survive
Drink up dreamers you're running dry
If I had to pick a quintessential Peter Gabriel song, it would probably be Here Comes the Flood. While Wallflower is my personal favorite, there is a depth to the lyrics of Flood that allows it to take on various meanings, lending itself to reinterpretation through different performances. That helps to explain why I own four different recordings of the song.
Originally recorded in 1977, Gabriel was reportedly unsatisfied with the bombastic nature of the full band performance on the track. He favored a simpler piano accompaniment. I first became familiar with the version Gabriel recorded in 1990 for his first greatest hits compilation, Shaking the Tree (it also appears on his 2003 compilation Hit). It is a stunning departure from the original, just Gabriel's voice and his piano. While I usually give credence to original versions, I had always viewed the 1990 version as the definitive recording of this song.However, the completist in me couldn't resist checking out the other available version of the song. Gabriel had developed a close working relationship with King Crimson's Robert Fripp over the recording of his first two solo albums. This yielded a collaboration between the two on Fripp's 1979 solo album Exposure. Gabriel got to re-record Here Comes the Flood with the simple piano accompaniment he wanted, while Fripp added an intro and outro (Water Music I and II) and some frippertronics to the track, and Brian Eno stitched a few sparse keyboards into the whole thing. To me, it contains the perfect balance between the full band version and the simplified ‘90 recording.
It gets better though. After a mess of record company obstructions and objections altered the 1979 release, Fripp ended up remixing and re-releasing Exposure in 1983. This resulted in yet another version of Here Comes the Flood. Basically the same track, the vocals were brought more to the forefront and the whole thing was given a much warmer, fuller sound. Some of Fripp's guitar on the first chorus was removed, and another keyboard section was added over both choruses.
I loved how the extra guitar tracks from the earlier version build up through the first chorus. If I ran the world, I would have kept the instrumentation as it is on the '79 version and given it the polishing it received on the '83 version. But I don't, so for now I'll have to live with competing versions of the song until one day when I do run the world (In fact, I think the '90 version has the best overall vocal performance, so I would slap that on the '79 version too if I could). The whole Exposure album has been beautifully remastered and contains both versions of the song.
I've never been able to put my finger on what exactly the song is about. I first heard it during my senior year of college while I was studying philosophy. At the time every song seemed to deal with the existential crisis of modern man lost in a cruel universe without God, values, or hope. I do think there is an element of that in the song. Stranded starfish waiting for the "swollen Easter tide" seems like a reference to modern life without religious hope. What the flood itself is, is harder to pinpoint, but I think it has to do with the ever-changing world in which we live. Existence is not static being, but rather, fluid becoming.The song also has important associations with the end of the year for me. It actually sounds a little bit like Auld Lang Syne. The lyrics deal with continual change, and there is an ominous tone of something about to break which has been holding back "the flood" until now. Reflection, transience, and expectation all seem to meet in the lyrics and instrumentation. The Fripp version includes a sound clip during Water Music I of a narrorator describing cataclysmic climate change, rising sea levels, and the flooding of major cities. I think this song captures the essence of uncertainty and frailty in a world, seemingly, without absolutes or hope in anything beyond the natural order of things. Humanity tossed along on a sea of chance. It is the dreamer, the one who chooses his own reality, who will be able to survive in such a world. "Drink up dreamers you're running dry."
A rare song that merits multiple interpretations and repeated listenings.
When the night shows the signals grow on radios
All the strange things, they come and go as early warnings
Stranded starfish have no place to hide
Still waiting for the swollen easter tide
There's no point in direction
We cannot even choose a side
I took the old track, the hollow shoulder across the waters
On the tall cliffs they were getting older, sons and daughters
The jaded underworld was riding high
In waves of steel held metal at the sky
And as the nail sunk in the cloud
The rain was warm and soaked the crowd
When the flood calls you have no home, you have no walls
In that thunder crash you're a thousand minds within a flash
Don't be afraid to cry at what you've seen
The actor's gone there's only you and me
And if we break before the dawn
They'll use up what we used to be
Lord, here comes the flood
We will say goodbye to flesh and blood
If again the seas are silent in any still alive
It'll be those who gave their island to survive
Drink up dreamers you're running dry
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
A Dense Fog
A Dense Fog
It had set in the night before, but I was still surprised to be greeted come morning by a dense fog. Though the pillar of cloud appeared to block my way, the cotton ball aura yeilded to my car as I turned out of the driveway and onto the road. O coma way o coma way say I, sang U2 as I made my way through the neighborhood. I wasn't so much coma way-ing as goina way-ing to work. A new day obscured by clouds.
Life appears as a scene obscured by a dense fog. Events in the present are visible, moreso the closer they come. Events in the future or past, in front or behind, become hazy and eventually invisible. Experience and present view give an idea of what lies ahead, but only that. Efforts to project into the future, like high beams that shine back off of fog, often prove futile and have the unintended effect of blinding the view to the present.
On through the mist, the world white washed in wetness, I continued on my way. The skyline is still purified by the lather of clouds stretching up and over my twelth floor window. Awake without caffein, I wait for the coffee to be ready. Anticipation of future events confused with the awareness of the present and the memory of the past.
And you know it's time to go
Through the sleet and driving snow
Across the fields of mourning to a
Light that's in the distance
And you hunger for the time
Time to heal, desire, time
And your earth moves beneath
Your own dream landscape
Oh, oh, on borderland we run...
- U2
It had set in the night before, but I was still surprised to be greeted come morning by a dense fog. Though the pillar of cloud appeared to block my way, the cotton ball aura yeilded to my car as I turned out of the driveway and onto the road. O coma way o coma way say I, sang U2 as I made my way through the neighborhood. I wasn't so much coma way-ing as goina way-ing to work. A new day obscured by clouds.
Life appears as a scene obscured by a dense fog. Events in the present are visible, moreso the closer they come. Events in the future or past, in front or behind, become hazy and eventually invisible. Experience and present view give an idea of what lies ahead, but only that. Efforts to project into the future, like high beams that shine back off of fog, often prove futile and have the unintended effect of blinding the view to the present.
On through the mist, the world white washed in wetness, I continued on my way. The skyline is still purified by the lather of clouds stretching up and over my twelth floor window. Awake without caffein, I wait for the coffee to be ready. Anticipation of future events confused with the awareness of the present and the memory of the past.
And you know it's time to go
Through the sleet and driving snow
Across the fields of mourning to a
Light that's in the distance
And you hunger for the time
Time to heal, desire, time
And your earth moves beneath
Your own dream landscape
Oh, oh, on borderland we run...
- U2
Thursday, December 07, 2006
The Word of the Day is...
The Word of the Day is...
MacGuffin
Apparently coined by Alfred Hitchcock himself. I'm most impressed by the example from G.I. Joe.
At the moment when she knew we couldn't see
She came up from the ocean, driven by the sea
And she kept on hangin' round like she would never leave
In between the wind and rain she screamed...
- King's X
MacGuffin
Apparently coined by Alfred Hitchcock himself. I'm most impressed by the example from G.I. Joe.
At the moment when she knew we couldn't see
She came up from the ocean, driven by the sea
And she kept on hangin' round like she would never leave
In between the wind and rain she screamed...
- King's X
Monday, December 04, 2006
What a Perfect Mess
What a Perfect Mess
I've decided that the cleanliness of my apartment is exemplified by the condition of the blinds in my living room. I have two windows on one wall, and, thus, two sets of blinds. When I moved in, the blinds were caked with a layer of dust and grime that initial efforts failed to clean. When my brother moved in, he was determined to fix that. He spent about two days working at one set. Then he gave up too. Now one set of blinds is (fairly) clean and white, while the other is still a grimy gray.
The two sets now serve as symbols similar to Yin and Yang, representing my general attitude about cleaning. The white represents the extremes of cleanliness, and the dingy gray represents the apathy towards dirt that "doesn't hurt." When balanced against each other, these attitudes achieve an equilibrium of general cleanliness about the place.
The obvious and necessary parts of my house are kept rather clean (the carpet, the dishes, most of the bathroom), while the less noticeable parts (the corners behind the furniture, the dust on the blinds, the extra cabinets that I don't have anything to put in) are left well enough alone. The other day I noticed a family of spiders hanging out in the corner of the livingroom. At first I was startled and thought I should do something. Then I realized, "hey, as long as they eat the other bugs, they can stay." Generally, my motto is, "if you don't get it dirty, you won't have to clean it." These are principles that all men should live by, in all areas of life, I think...
In other news, I've re-discovered the joys of sweat pants. Why have I been depriving myself for so long? Warm, soft, flexible -- every man's best friend! Especially well suited for long, cold days (and nights) spent at home while nursing an illness, or for lounging around on the weekends. However, don't allow your new friend too much license. If you aren't sweating, you probably shouldn't take him out in public.
Mad props to Aquafresh. 24 years cavity free and counting. I should get paid for this type of publicity.
Speak to me in a language I can hear
Humour me before I have to go
Deep in thought I forgive everyone
As the cluttered streets greet me once again
I know I can't be late, supper's waiting on the table
Tomorrow's just an excuse away
So I pull my collar up and face the cold, on my own
The earth laughs beneath my heavy feet
At the blasphemy in my old jangly walk
Steeple guide me to my heart and home
The sun is out and up and down again
I know I'll make it, love can last forever
Graceful swans of never topple to the earth
And you can make it last, forever
You can make it last, forever you...
- Billy Corgan
I've decided that the cleanliness of my apartment is exemplified by the condition of the blinds in my living room. I have two windows on one wall, and, thus, two sets of blinds. When I moved in, the blinds were caked with a layer of dust and grime that initial efforts failed to clean. When my brother moved in, he was determined to fix that. He spent about two days working at one set. Then he gave up too. Now one set of blinds is (fairly) clean and white, while the other is still a grimy gray.
The two sets now serve as symbols similar to Yin and Yang, representing my general attitude about cleaning. The white represents the extremes of cleanliness, and the dingy gray represents the apathy towards dirt that "doesn't hurt." When balanced against each other, these attitudes achieve an equilibrium of general cleanliness about the place.
The obvious and necessary parts of my house are kept rather clean (the carpet, the dishes, most of the bathroom), while the less noticeable parts (the corners behind the furniture, the dust on the blinds, the extra cabinets that I don't have anything to put in) are left well enough alone. The other day I noticed a family of spiders hanging out in the corner of the livingroom. At first I was startled and thought I should do something. Then I realized, "hey, as long as they eat the other bugs, they can stay." Generally, my motto is, "if you don't get it dirty, you won't have to clean it." These are principles that all men should live by, in all areas of life, I think...
In other news, I've re-discovered the joys of sweat pants. Why have I been depriving myself for so long? Warm, soft, flexible -- every man's best friend! Especially well suited for long, cold days (and nights) spent at home while nursing an illness, or for lounging around on the weekends. However, don't allow your new friend too much license. If you aren't sweating, you probably shouldn't take him out in public.
Mad props to Aquafresh. 24 years cavity free and counting. I should get paid for this type of publicity.
Speak to me in a language I can hear
Humour me before I have to go
Deep in thought I forgive everyone
As the cluttered streets greet me once again
I know I can't be late, supper's waiting on the table
Tomorrow's just an excuse away
So I pull my collar up and face the cold, on my own
The earth laughs beneath my heavy feet
At the blasphemy in my old jangly walk
Steeple guide me to my heart and home
The sun is out and up and down again
I know I'll make it, love can last forever
Graceful swans of never topple to the earth
And you can make it last, forever
You can make it last, forever you...
- Billy Corgan
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
This Day Keeps Getting Better and Better
This Day Keeps Gettin Better and Better
I happen to be reading (or finally finishing) C.S. Lewis' space trilogy right now, so during lunch today I checked out Lewis' biography on Wikipedia. I had heard this before, but it was intersting to note that Lewis died the same day that President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. Then I read the "On this day" segment on the main page and realized that today is the actual anniversary of Lewis' and Kennedy's respective demizes. It also happens to be Greg Hawkin's birthday.
So, happy home-going to you Clive Staples Lewis! President Kennedy, I haven't much to say to you. And G, have a happy birthday and knock back an Amber Boch for me! It certainly is a noteworthy day in world history!
Ok, hey, I'm goin' outside you can put the plate back on the shelf
And it's cold, though the snow isn't falling
The neighbor can speak for himself
And the cold, hard look in your eye is more than a line in the sand
And the truth gets hard to imagine the hours get harder to stand
He's a seasick terminal passenger singing this song to himself
Til the soul bought soul on his skelleton leaks into somebody else
He's a sea-saw caught in a storm, a hurrican after the war
When he drinks all the blood you can offer he still wants more
Now the planes and rumbling trains
Are shaking the ground in our town again
Thought it twice, kicking the ice
I got myself turned back around singin'
Everything's gonna be fine
I'm sure that we'll both be OK
Hey, I'm back and outside now just put the plate back on the shelf
And its cold, though the snow isn't falling
The temperature speaks for itself
Its a moonlit reason to quit, and nobody answers the phone
So if there's still blood left in your body I'll come back
Home
- Kevin Moore
I happen to be reading (or finally finishing) C.S. Lewis' space trilogy right now, so during lunch today I checked out Lewis' biography on Wikipedia. I had heard this before, but it was intersting to note that Lewis died the same day that President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. Then I read the "On this day" segment on the main page and realized that today is the actual anniversary of Lewis' and Kennedy's respective demizes. It also happens to be Greg Hawkin's birthday.
So, happy home-going to you Clive Staples Lewis! President Kennedy, I haven't much to say to you. And G, have a happy birthday and knock back an Amber Boch for me! It certainly is a noteworthy day in world history!
Ok, hey, I'm goin' outside you can put the plate back on the shelf
And it's cold, though the snow isn't falling
The neighbor can speak for himself
And the cold, hard look in your eye is more than a line in the sand
And the truth gets hard to imagine the hours get harder to stand
He's a seasick terminal passenger singing this song to himself
Til the soul bought soul on his skelleton leaks into somebody else
He's a sea-saw caught in a storm, a hurrican after the war
When he drinks all the blood you can offer he still wants more
Now the planes and rumbling trains
Are shaking the ground in our town again
Thought it twice, kicking the ice
I got myself turned back around singin'
Everything's gonna be fine
I'm sure that we'll both be OK
Hey, I'm back and outside now just put the plate back on the shelf
And its cold, though the snow isn't falling
The temperature speaks for itself
Its a moonlit reason to quit, and nobody answers the phone
So if there's still blood left in your body I'll come back
Home
- Kevin Moore
Monday, November 20, 2006
The Foolishness of Paragraphs that are Better as One Word
The Foolishness of Paragraphs that are Better as One Word
The beginning of this Thanksgiving week finds us remembering Kevin Gilbert, who's birthday was today. I'm not one to jump on the dead hero bandwagon, but I'll recognize the influence Gilbert had on my musical landscape. Not only did he write Sharyl Crow's "All I Wanna Do," he produced the first two Spock's Beard albums, and was a major influence on Neal Morse and Nick D'Virgilio. He also inspired the songs "The Great Nothing" by Spock's Beard and "I Was Not Ready for You" by Mike Keneally. For a guy who wrote sarcastic folk-pop and who got his break engineering sessions for Michael Jackson and Madonna, Gilbert really did set the stage for a large segment of the nineties prog rock revival. Before his death, he was in line to replace Phil Collins in Genesis, and was supposed to produce what became Dream Theater's Falling Into Infinity album. I've been enjoying his album Thud for the last week. Pretty sad guy, but he turned a great rhyme. We'll be singing nah, nah, nah when we all fall down...
The Cubs are about to sign Alfonso Soriano to an eight year, gazillion dollar contract. That's pretty cool, except that it appears Juan Pierre won't be coming back, leaving us with a leadoff man who hit 40 homers last year. This guy has to bat down in the lineup if he's gonna do us any good. I'm still waiting to see how Jim Hendry plans on fixing the pitching problem.
I was contemplating the existence of Eskimos last night. I live in Mississippi and get cranky when the temperature drops below 40. It boggles my mind that people live in Alaska. So I wonder, how did Eskimos and other northern folk ever learn to survive up there? These people make houses out of snow. That is absolutely amazing. Crazy, but amazing nonetheless.
So this Thanksgiving, I'm thankful that I don't live in a house made out of snow, and that it is only 38 degrees outside, instead of 60 below. I'm trying to be mindful of the many blessings of modern America, and not be an ungrateful materialist. I've constantly been reminded this year that very few people in the history of the world have the wealth, convenience, and opportunity that I do. The overwhelming majority of people in the world live in extreme poverty (Why are little ones born only to suffer, for the want of immunity or a bowl of rice?)
I'm also reminded of the friends I have who are spending Thanksgiving on the mission field in China, Ukraine, Ethiopia, and Nigeria without all the American conveniences we take for granted. Let's not pull any punches, it's idolatrous to be thankful for "blessings" in the abstract. Our treasure is Christ, and our God is the one worthy of thanksgiving:
(Case in point, I'm thankful for www.crosswalk.com, the Bible online in every modern English translation. People have died to have the Bible in their language, and so many people don't have it. I can search the whole thing on the net.)
The beginning of this Thanksgiving week finds us remembering Kevin Gilbert, who's birthday was today. I'm not one to jump on the dead hero bandwagon, but I'll recognize the influence Gilbert had on my musical landscape. Not only did he write Sharyl Crow's "All I Wanna Do," he produced the first two Spock's Beard albums, and was a major influence on Neal Morse and Nick D'Virgilio. He also inspired the songs "The Great Nothing" by Spock's Beard and "I Was Not Ready for You" by Mike Keneally. For a guy who wrote sarcastic folk-pop and who got his break engineering sessions for Michael Jackson and Madonna, Gilbert really did set the stage for a large segment of the nineties prog rock revival. Before his death, he was in line to replace Phil Collins in Genesis, and was supposed to produce what became Dream Theater's Falling Into Infinity album. I've been enjoying his album Thud for the last week. Pretty sad guy, but he turned a great rhyme. We'll be singing nah, nah, nah when we all fall down...
The Cubs are about to sign Alfonso Soriano to an eight year, gazillion dollar contract. That's pretty cool, except that it appears Juan Pierre won't be coming back, leaving us with a leadoff man who hit 40 homers last year. This guy has to bat down in the lineup if he's gonna do us any good. I'm still waiting to see how Jim Hendry plans on fixing the pitching problem.
I was contemplating the existence of Eskimos last night. I live in Mississippi and get cranky when the temperature drops below 40. It boggles my mind that people live in Alaska. So I wonder, how did Eskimos and other northern folk ever learn to survive up there? These people make houses out of snow. That is absolutely amazing. Crazy, but amazing nonetheless.
So this Thanksgiving, I'm thankful that I don't live in a house made out of snow, and that it is only 38 degrees outside, instead of 60 below. I'm trying to be mindful of the many blessings of modern America, and not be an ungrateful materialist. I've constantly been reminded this year that very few people in the history of the world have the wealth, convenience, and opportunity that I do. The overwhelming majority of people in the world live in extreme poverty (Why are little ones born only to suffer, for the want of immunity or a bowl of rice?)
I'm also reminded of the friends I have who are spending Thanksgiving on the mission field in China, Ukraine, Ethiopia, and Nigeria without all the American conveniences we take for granted. Let's not pull any punches, it's idolatrous to be thankful for "blessings" in the abstract. Our treasure is Christ, and our God is the one worthy of thanksgiving:
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."
"Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content."
"Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ"
(Case in point, I'm thankful for www.crosswalk.com, the Bible online in every modern English translation. People have died to have the Bible in their language, and so many people don't have it. I can search the whole thing on the net.)
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