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

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

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