8.5.05
7.5.05
6.5.05
Charity's Grandpa
Charity's grandpa passed away earlier this month. He was a very hardworking Christian man. He lived well into his eighties and worked hard up until the very end. He passed away while mowing the lawn. Death is never good, but he did have a long, full and healthy life until the last.
Earlier this year he had suffered a heartattack and doctors suggested that he undergo surgery. He declined, as the risks involved being bed ridden for the rest of his life. He wanted no part of that. He was able to make such a decision, because there is something he valued more than life itself and he knew his hope lay beyond this life. Well, he has seen his Hope face to face, now.
My friend Molly took this photo when Charity's family was at Grace Central for Sam's baptism. Grandpa is the one rockin' the plaid jacket and bolo tie.
Earlier this year he had suffered a heartattack and doctors suggested that he undergo surgery. He declined, as the risks involved being bed ridden for the rest of his life. He wanted no part of that. He was able to make such a decision, because there is something he valued more than life itself and he knew his hope lay beyond this life. Well, he has seen his Hope face to face, now.
My friend Molly took this photo when Charity's family was at Grace Central for Sam's baptism. Grandpa is the one rockin' the plaid jacket and bolo tie.
5.5.05
What's Rockin' the Reverend?
About a month ago I bought an album by a guy from Seattle named Aaron Sprinkle. His name sounded familiar and it was in the cut out bin for three bucks and the album cover reminded me vaguely of some old Japanese prints I use to admire way back in my undergrad art history courses and so I rolled the dice. Much to my good fortune they came up snake eyes! Actually I don't even know what that means other than I think snake eyes is a good thing when rolling dice, isn't it? Well if its not, then forget that metaphor and replace it with your own that means something good happened when you took a risk. Because something good happened. Aaron Sprinkle made a good record and I bought it for three dollars. This guy has a real knack for writing bouncy, memorable melodies that aren't cheesy. In all his happy songs there is a hint of melancholy and in every sad song there is a glimpse of hope. I think that can be said of most skilled songwriters. That's the way it should be anyway, I mean that's the way life is most of the time.
After listening for a while I rememered where I knew him from. I already have one of his albums from five or six years ago and I forgot about it. This is a sure indication that I have far too many cd's. But my friend birty has even more so that will be my justification. Birty and I often speak about life and the world and we've often discussed the desire to simplfy our lives. To reduce. But when we say that we never mean music.
I'm rambling because I've not eaten lunch and my blood sugar is low and my brain is getting all skittish and goofy. So if this post annoys you I'm sorry. Bring me a sandwhich or something.
Soooo- Check out this album by Aaron Sprinkle called Lackluster and see what you think. It's just good ol' poppy rock and roll right up the middle. It's not gonna change your life (like say, Radiohead's The Bends, or u2's Joshua Tree, or Paul Simon's Graceland, or Over the Rhine's Good Dog Bad Dog: the Home Recordings, or Bob Dylan's eight minute spoken word poem Last thoughts On Woody Guthrie, or John Lee Hooker's Real Folk Blues, or Neutral Milk Hotel's in an Aeroplane Over the Sea, or Guided By Voices Bee Thousand, or My Bloody Valentine's Loveless, or Arcade Fire's Funeral, or the Bealtes' Sgt. Pepper, or the Actual Hoots Of Joy's legendary live performance in Upland, Indiana circa 1995, or the first time you heard Led Zepplin, or everything Neil Diamond ever recorded, that last part was sarcasm) but it is a good record of good songs. No frills. Melody, harmony, guitars and hooks. That stuff never goes out of style. Neither do sandwhiches. Which by they way, where's that sandwhich I ordered like ten minutes ago? Geez.
This is coming out of your tip.
After listening for a while I rememered where I knew him from. I already have one of his albums from five or six years ago and I forgot about it. This is a sure indication that I have far too many cd's. But my friend birty has even more so that will be my justification. Birty and I often speak about life and the world and we've often discussed the desire to simplfy our lives. To reduce. But when we say that we never mean music.
I'm rambling because I've not eaten lunch and my blood sugar is low and my brain is getting all skittish and goofy. So if this post annoys you I'm sorry. Bring me a sandwhich or something.
Soooo- Check out this album by Aaron Sprinkle called Lackluster and see what you think. It's just good ol' poppy rock and roll right up the middle. It's not gonna change your life (like say, Radiohead's The Bends, or u2's Joshua Tree, or Paul Simon's Graceland, or Over the Rhine's Good Dog Bad Dog: the Home Recordings, or Bob Dylan's eight minute spoken word poem Last thoughts On Woody Guthrie, or John Lee Hooker's Real Folk Blues, or Neutral Milk Hotel's in an Aeroplane Over the Sea, or Guided By Voices Bee Thousand, or My Bloody Valentine's Loveless, or Arcade Fire's Funeral, or the Bealtes' Sgt. Pepper, or the Actual Hoots Of Joy's legendary live performance in Upland, Indiana circa 1995, or the first time you heard Led Zepplin, or everything Neil Diamond ever recorded, that last part was sarcasm) but it is a good record of good songs. No frills. Melody, harmony, guitars and hooks. That stuff never goes out of style. Neither do sandwhiches. Which by they way, where's that sandwhich I ordered like ten minutes ago? Geez.
This is coming out of your tip.
4.5.05
Nic Armstrong & The Thieves is the greatest rock and roll band in the world ever, at least this afternoon anyway.
Of course my assessment of things like "greatest rock and roll band in the world ever" changes on a regular basis. But for right now... just this moment, they are the greatest ever. Check them out!
3.5.05
Deep Thoughts - by Jack Handy
If they ever come up with a swashbuckling School, I think one of the courses should be Laughing, Then Jumping Off Something.
God and Mowing
Mowing the lawn has to be my all time least favorite religious activity to engage in. And I imagine it will remain so unless and until I am ever martyred for my faith. Even then it would be a close call. So I wrote the post below to make it fun and exciting.
(And yes, mowing the lawin IS a religious activity. It is inherently theological. Discuss...)
(And yes, mowing the lawin IS a religious activity. It is inherently theological. Discuss...)
Lawn Care League Season 9 Underway!
Yesterday afternoon was opening day. It was the spring classic. The great competition for which sports fans the world over wait in anticipation: the first match of the 2005 BLCL (The Blosser Lawn Care League) season. Now in it's ninth season, the BLCL still only has two teams in active competition: Mower and Grass. But the limited number of competitors only testifies to the elite nature of the league.
The predictors, and prognosticators had been pontificating for weeks, their endless speculation and calculation reaching a furious high on Monday, just before the filler-up-ing of the ceremonial gasoline tank, the honor of which fell once again to yours truly, the founder of the league as well as co-owner of both clubs.
Most of the pundits had been saying the smart money was on team Mower. They quoted their statistics, "After eight seasons, team Mower is undefeated", ""team Grass has not yet made a post season appearance", "Grass has nothing to withstand the multiple horsepower of Mower's spinning blades of death". However, there were also a few experts that were holding out for an upset. "Team Grass has grown a lot in the off season", "reports from the preseason workouts say Mower is looking a little rusty", "Mower has dominated for years, but the effects of age are sure to kick in" "Everyone knows the mower offense is not as sharp as it once was, and how far can its performace slip in a league of this caliber before its dynasty ends?"
On and on the specualtion continued but no one could have forseen the events that were about to transpire. Grass looked on with it's cool motionless game face as Mower went through its pregame warm ups. There was the dusting off of the cob webs (literally). The priming of the fuel injector. And then the pull start.
Nothing.
Again the pull of the cord. Nothing. Again and again the rip start pull cord technique was proving futile to regain the spark necessary to even get team Mower onto the playing surface. It was shocking. And embarassing. Not in eight prior years of competition had team Mower displayed this level of failure. Sure, there had been mishaps. In 99 there was that rock that bent the blades. But mower pushed through the pain and finished strong. And of course we all recall the injury near the end of the 01 season that resulted in a total spark plug replacement procedure. But mower was able to rehab in the off season and come back strong for 02. But this was different. There were whispers of a "Mike Tyson-esque meltdown" and a "Bo Jackson-like career ending injury". Tragically these murmurs were exactly correct. Team Mower was unable to take the field and the ol' faithful champ was retired immediately. Mower did recieve a standing ovation and said something about considering himself "the luckiest gardening implement in the world" or something like that.
After the shocking upset, Grass commented, "We just wanted to go out there and give it a hundred and ten percent. We want to thank all the fans who've stuck by us through the last eight seasons and we wanna say we believe this victory is an indication of a new direction for the club. All we can do is go out there bring our best game and God-willing we'll be there in September when the championships roll around".
As team Grass celebrated in the front yard... (well um.. I guess team Grass IS the front yard) representatives of team Mower were already hard at work recruiting new talent. Late Monday afternoon team Mower signed a hot young prospect from the Lowes organization after negotiations reached an agreed price of approximately $84. This new athlete (ironically also named "Mower") is smaller, and lighter than his revered predecessor. Critics say he has no power and he is far too quiet to attract fans, while supporters of New Mower say his low cost and eco-friendly "push" style of play harkens back to the golden age of the sport and sets a good example of responsible behavior for the kids.
Later that same evening team Mower got a chance to see their new man perform. New Mower soundly defeated Grass once again. While the victory was not as quick nor as thorough as those of Old Mower, it was a good showing by a rookie in a tough league. And everyone expects New Mower to grow even stronger as he becomes more familiar with the Team Mower system and the peculiarities of the playing surface. New Mower was quoted as saying "I must admire the tenacity of Grass and its determination to come back time and again".
After the defeat Grass was devestated and declined comment.
The predictors, and prognosticators had been pontificating for weeks, their endless speculation and calculation reaching a furious high on Monday, just before the filler-up-ing of the ceremonial gasoline tank, the honor of which fell once again to yours truly, the founder of the league as well as co-owner of both clubs.
Most of the pundits had been saying the smart money was on team Mower. They quoted their statistics, "After eight seasons, team Mower is undefeated", ""team Grass has not yet made a post season appearance", "Grass has nothing to withstand the multiple horsepower of Mower's spinning blades of death". However, there were also a few experts that were holding out for an upset. "Team Grass has grown a lot in the off season", "reports from the preseason workouts say Mower is looking a little rusty", "Mower has dominated for years, but the effects of age are sure to kick in" "Everyone knows the mower offense is not as sharp as it once was, and how far can its performace slip in a league of this caliber before its dynasty ends?"
On and on the specualtion continued but no one could have forseen the events that were about to transpire. Grass looked on with it's cool motionless game face as Mower went through its pregame warm ups. There was the dusting off of the cob webs (literally). The priming of the fuel injector. And then the pull start.
Nothing.
Again the pull of the cord. Nothing. Again and again the rip start pull cord technique was proving futile to regain the spark necessary to even get team Mower onto the playing surface. It was shocking. And embarassing. Not in eight prior years of competition had team Mower displayed this level of failure. Sure, there had been mishaps. In 99 there was that rock that bent the blades. But mower pushed through the pain and finished strong. And of course we all recall the injury near the end of the 01 season that resulted in a total spark plug replacement procedure. But mower was able to rehab in the off season and come back strong for 02. But this was different. There were whispers of a "Mike Tyson-esque meltdown" and a "Bo Jackson-like career ending injury". Tragically these murmurs were exactly correct. Team Mower was unable to take the field and the ol' faithful champ was retired immediately. Mower did recieve a standing ovation and said something about considering himself "the luckiest gardening implement in the world" or something like that.
After the shocking upset, Grass commented, "We just wanted to go out there and give it a hundred and ten percent. We want to thank all the fans who've stuck by us through the last eight seasons and we wanna say we believe this victory is an indication of a new direction for the club. All we can do is go out there bring our best game and God-willing we'll be there in September when the championships roll around".
As team Grass celebrated in the front yard... (well um.. I guess team Grass IS the front yard) representatives of team Mower were already hard at work recruiting new talent. Late Monday afternoon team Mower signed a hot young prospect from the Lowes organization after negotiations reached an agreed price of approximately $84. This new athlete (ironically also named "Mower") is smaller, and lighter than his revered predecessor. Critics say he has no power and he is far too quiet to attract fans, while supporters of New Mower say his low cost and eco-friendly "push" style of play harkens back to the golden age of the sport and sets a good example of responsible behavior for the kids.
Later that same evening team Mower got a chance to see their new man perform. New Mower soundly defeated Grass once again. While the victory was not as quick nor as thorough as those of Old Mower, it was a good showing by a rookie in a tough league. And everyone expects New Mower to grow even stronger as he becomes more familiar with the Team Mower system and the peculiarities of the playing surface. New Mower was quoted as saying "I must admire the tenacity of Grass and its determination to come back time and again".
After the defeat Grass was devestated and declined comment.
2.5.05
Assigned Reading
Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller.
an excerpt:
The very scary thing about religion to me is that people actually believe God is who they think he is. By that I mean they have him all figured out, mapped out, and as my pastor, Rick says, "dissected and put into jars on the shelf". You've got a bunch of Catholics in Rome who think one way about God, and a bunch of Baptists in Texas who think another, and that isn't even the beginning. It goes on and on and on like this, and it makes me wonder if God created us in his image or if we created him in ours. And it isn't just religion, either. I met a guy not long ago who was very conservative and had opinions all over him, and he was saying why God agreed with his political ideas and why that made his political ideas right, the whole time he was talking to me I was thinking about those guys in Africa, and I was feeling like this guy with the opinions was presenting a kind of Jesus who didn't even exist. His Jesus was just an invention of his imagination, someone who more or less justified his position concerning a lot of different political opinions. Sitting there listening to him made me feel tired. People like that should have an island.
an excerpt:
The very scary thing about religion to me is that people actually believe God is who they think he is. By that I mean they have him all figured out, mapped out, and as my pastor, Rick says, "dissected and put into jars on the shelf". You've got a bunch of Catholics in Rome who think one way about God, and a bunch of Baptists in Texas who think another, and that isn't even the beginning. It goes on and on and on like this, and it makes me wonder if God created us in his image or if we created him in ours. And it isn't just religion, either. I met a guy not long ago who was very conservative and had opinions all over him, and he was saying why God agreed with his political ideas and why that made his political ideas right, the whole time he was talking to me I was thinking about those guys in Africa, and I was feeling like this guy with the opinions was presenting a kind of Jesus who didn't even exist. His Jesus was just an invention of his imagination, someone who more or less justified his position concerning a lot of different political opinions. Sitting there listening to him made me feel tired. People like that should have an island.
Secret Recipe
For your viewing enjoyment, here is one of my favorite Strong Bad emails. If you've seen this one, consider it a reprise. If you've not, then enjoy!
27.4.05
A Quote I read Today
" An artist is someone who cannot rest, who can never rest as long as there is one suffering creature in this world. Along with Plato's divine madness there is also a divine discontent, a longing to find the melody in the dischords of chaos, the rhyme in the cacophany, the surprised smile in time of stress or strain.
It is not that what is is not enough for it is; it is that what is had been disarranged, and is crying out to be put in place. Perhaps the artist longs to sleep well every night, to eat anything without indigestion; to feel no moral qualms; to turn off the telvision news and make a bologna sandwich after seeing the devastation and death caused by famine and drought and earthquake and flood. But the artist cannot manage this normalcy. Vision keeps breaking through, and must find means of expression".
- Madeliene L'Engle from Walking on Water
It is not that what is is not enough for it is; it is that what is had been disarranged, and is crying out to be put in place. Perhaps the artist longs to sleep well every night, to eat anything without indigestion; to feel no moral qualms; to turn off the telvision news and make a bologna sandwich after seeing the devastation and death caused by famine and drought and earthquake and flood. But the artist cannot manage this normalcy. Vision keeps breaking through, and must find means of expression".
- Madeliene L'Engle from Walking on Water
26.4.05
Advantage Number 137 of Having a Five Year Old Son:
Watch neato cartoons while maintining dignified, adult exterior. This one is cool. Makes me wanna run around the living room making lightsaber noises. I mean... I appreciate it for it's artistic merits. ahem.
25.4.05
Ok, we forgive you. Now don't blow it.
Renowned collegiate running back and crybaby Maurice Clarett surprised the world by being drafted in the third round by the Denver Broncos. In the past two years this kid alienated just about every one possible. He took illegal money from boosters, filed false police reports, bad mouthed his school on the eve of their national championship game, accused the coaching staff and atheletic director of NCAA violations, and sued his future employer, the National Football League. But he was also a 19 year old numbskull at the time. Now he's a 22 year old numbskull with a million bucks in his pocket. I really do hope he does ok and gets his attitude straightened out. Time will tell if he has matured or not. Perhaps the clearest indicator will not be how he handles the success, but how he handles it if he fails. Everybody deserves a second chance. Ok, Mo. Here's your second chance. Don't blow it.
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