Jim's Book, Stephanie's dog, King's concert, My life...

I've been reading my pastor's book The Leper's Among Us about homosexuality and the church. It's got a lot of good insight, and as he has actually ministered to several men in the church who now have families (not, as the book says, that heterosexual marriage is a benchmark for a "recovering" homosexual) his writings don't sound distanced or preachy.

Jim has a lot to say, and though the spoiled reader in me wants flashier, shinier, better produced presentation, the content of this book is fantastic.

Now for something completely different...

We are getting a dog today! He's an australian shepherd-lab mix and named...this is awesome beyond all reason...Chewbacca, or Chewie for the less nerdy.

I think home church is already having positive impact on me and only after two weeks! I am becoming more caring about other people (the term other-oriented is too soulless for me, essentially, I give a shit now).

What is the best thing about putting yourself last? All this other cool stuff gets some airtime for starters, and as anybody who has a shred of honesty in them knows, it's the self that derails the happy train faster than anything else.

For instance, I really really wanted to go see the Kings of Leon at the end of this month, they're one of my favorite bands and the supporting lineup has another fave (the stills, both are in this month's playlist).

I have plenty of money to do so, but I decided to do something special for my wife instead, she has no idea how awesome this Christmas is going to be...but doing it sapped any of my spare cash for the next few months.

I won't be buying any more records til next year probably, and the concert is definitely out. But do I miss either of those things?

The answer is simple, I don't miss those things nearly as much as I look forward to the look on Lacey's face this December.

Monthly Mixtape

October: Brown Paper Packages...

This is another lazy month,

a list of ten songs,

with some words,

Read em and weep.

Or listen.

A New Decade - The Verve

Why don't I listen to Oasis? Two reasons, their douchebag frontmen and The Verve. And no, none of the other descriptions will be this brief, but I will strive for brevity...sort of.

Lola Stars and Stripes - The Stills

The Stills debut album Logic Will Break Your Heart, besides having a great title, is loaded with great songs that are romantic without being too messy or too dissonant, political without being preachy or obscure. The music is lush without sounding overproduced, don't ask me how, it just is. I'll try to use the word "without" less frequently.

Powder Blue - Elbow

Elbowing their way into my top five bands, this is the band we almost got when Keane and Coldplay were talking about merging back in the 90's before either made it big (didn't know that? Yeah, we almost had a 21st century version of the Beatles). Now both bands pale in comparison to Elbow, who perhaps has the worst name, but hands down has the best catalog. Disagree? Give em a listen.

Arizona - The Kings of Leon

Sadly, the Kings new album wasn't released early enough last month for me to use a track from it, maybe next month. In their honor (they are coming to town this month, with fellow mixtape companion, The Stills) I've got one of the best tracks from their third album released just last year, or maybe early this year. I'm not sure, it hasn't been long though.

Lights Out for Darker Skies - British Sea Power

Besides the Kings of Leon, British Sea Power has the best third album release of the new generation of rock n roll. While their peers have been making mistakes (Interpol, The Storkes, etc...) they've released three solid albums, with Do You Like Rock Music? being their best yet.

Profanity Prayers - Beck

Let me start things off by saying I'm a big fan of Danger Mouse, and I think he is exactly what Beck needed to wash the muck of his last album off his hands, out of his hair, and from whatever other crevices it may have clung. I seriously hated The Information. But Modern Guilt is a great enema to that diarrhetic piece of sonic trash. Hyperbolic? Listen to it and get back to me.

All You Do is Talk - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

BRMC is another reason I need to give up the top five list concept. This song is from their newest album, which was not well recieved by critics, and I'm the only fan I know so I'm not sure how diehards felt about it. I thought this was the best song from it though.

All These Things that I've Done - The Killers

The main reason for putting this song up is that Nike commercial from the Olympics. If you missed it, find it on youtube. The other reason is it may remind you of when they didn't suck. Their performance on SNL last weekend was pitiable. Brandon Flowers looked like an ostrich in desperate need of some prozac (if you saw it, you know what I mean) and the music was snooze worthy.

I Think I'm In Love - Spiritualized

Spiritualized is probably in my top five bands, not that it matters to you, but I came to that realization this month I also realized as of this moment I probably have too many top five bands to actually narrow it down to a single top five. Oh, and this is one of the best eight minute songs there is, period.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Originally this song came in front of the BRMC track, hence the odd repition of the top five concept, I know it looks odd, but the list flows better now, remember, it's all about the music.

Only in Dreams - Weezer

Another one of the best eight minute songs, but not quite worthy of saying "period" at the end. Is it really sad to peak on your first album? I would say yes, only because Weezer refuses to admit it. I haven't even bothered checking out the Red Album.

Apologies...

For the last post, it was obscenely melodramatic.

Homage...

We visited a home group for the first time last night. It was fantastic. But then, I may just be really, really lonely and getting to just talk to some friendly people I share a connection with was great. Lacey and the girls seemed to have a good time as well.

The only bummer is now we're on hiatus for "friends" week. So, it'll be two weeks before we get another chance to "plug in".

Corelating human interaction with appliances seems odd, but if you think about it...a lifeless tool becames useful when it's plugged in...but I'm getting way too deep with this simple cliche.

I played a worship song on the guitar for the first time in months yesterday. The only thing is, I played it over and over for at least 3 hours.

I almost feel whole again.

If I were only perfect, life would be right now.

REPENT YOU CHRISTIANS!

The Confession booth idea for next week's outreach event has been in the back of my mind since we (me and Angela) decided to do it. I've put this post together to help others prepare. Preparation of this type is good for any kind of outreach

"Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, 

then walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyles. 

That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable."

- Dc Talk

I really don't like Christian music, mostly because it doesn't exist (Music doesn't have a soul, it can't get saved). But this quote sums up what we're trying to combat with the Confession Booth next weekend.

For those of you who are still unclear about what the confession booth is, essentially, like the confession booth of orthodox faiths, it is a place where you confess sin. The difference between this confession booth and the traditional booth is that those visiting the booth will be confessed to, not do any confessing. We, the confessors who are running the booth, will confess the misrepresentation of Christ we have committed individually and collectively as a church.

What does that mean? 

On a smaller, more personal level, apologizing for being judgmental, sectarian, unfriendly, proud, arrogant, pharisee-ish. On the larger, collective scale, admitting that protesting gay pride parades, abortion clinics, and the Democratic National Convention is not what Jesus is about. That we the body of Christ have spent too many years being the mind and the mouth and almost no time being the hands and heart.

Maybe you don't agree with this idea (that Christianity has been misrepresenting itself for ages). If so the confession booth probably isn't for you. I don't have the time to argue that point here, although I'd be willing to discuss it with anyone who has any questions, or wants to share their opinion.

Here is some of the stuff I'm going to be doing to prepare for manning the booth...

1. Re-Reading The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

Tim Keller's book has some of the best answers to tough questions skeptics ask. If you haven't read it, go get it and read the chapters dealing with objections to faith.

2. Researching Anti-Christian Thought

Do you want to know how Christians are viewed by secular society? Watch an episode of South Park, or the movie Saved. Read the Sinner's Guide to the Evangelical Right by Robert Lanham. Christians are not popular, and why? Asking yourself that question honestly will help prepare you for what you might hear next sunday. We aren't here to win a popularity contest, but if we were living our lives in a Christ-like way, we'd be more than a punch-line  on late night tv.

3. Reading Sections of Blue Like Jazz

This book inspired the whole Confession Booth idea in the first place. Chapter 11 would be a good thing to read in prep for next week, it contains the confession booth story but the whole book is an excellent representation of one man's sanctification (theologispeak for spiritual growth). If you want to know more about loving unloveable people this book is a good place to start.

I won't lie to you (whoever you are) I'm not rock-solid confident about this thing, but my worst fear is not worrying about what I'll say, but whether I'll have anyone to say anything to.

Confessions of a Journeyman Audiophile...

"Let the great world spin forever,
down the ringing grooves of change"
-A.L. Tennyson-

I'm a month into my conversion to vinyl collecting/converting and I've already discovered that despite it's purist elements, the vinyl movement is really just another way for the American consumer to throw away hundreds of dollars on an "identity". But it's totally not like that for me, I swear.

Now I need a new turntable, which means a reciever to be able to utilize the speakers I bought last month, which means another couple hundred bucks. Or, if I'm lucky, the turntable I'm looking at has a preamp in it already. But this technical jargon is not the stuff of a good blog entry.

I'm just trying to illustrate that with anything you get interested in, if you find yourself throwing a ton of money at it, ask yourself why. I've asked myself, and the truth is that listening to music on vinyl teaches me patience, allows me to appreciate the work of the artists I enjoy more thoroughly, and also repays the music industry for all those mp3's I've downloaded.

Still, as hobbies go, this one is relatively cheap (to collect every record I desire and purchase the eqipment to utilize them I'm looking at less than $2,000). Compared to other types of art collection, that's pretty economical.

I have to remind myself that I'm obsessing over this almost every day, that may sound like it isn't accomplishing much, but it does curb the appetite. Mostly I have to remember that the resources I have under my control need to be guided towards more practical purposes for the time being (I've budgeted this whole thing, something unheard of for me). Lacey manages all the bills, I plan out a detailed and thorough plan to buy a ton of records.

I know somebody sees the irony/outright evil of that situation. I could really manage the money if I applied myself to it, but when I try to harness my energies for something they don't naturally incline themselves to, I find the results at best ineffectual and at worst disastrous.

That isn't a cop-out, it's just the way things have always been with me. I don't think I have any control over what my heart desires to do, or at least, I don't have any right now. If anybody knows some ironclad methods for harnessing uncontrollable and unquantifiable energy, let me know.

Monthly Mixtape

September: Glorious Indie Rock

This month kind of caught me by suprise, I was working a list of rap, r&b, and hip-hop but never got the ten tracks nailed down. Then I started listening to Spiritualized again and I knew I had to put Ladies and Gentlemen up this month. Everything else sort of followed...

1. Ladies and Gentlemen We are Floating in Space - Spiritualized

Spiritualized is classified as dream pop on allmusic. However, when I think of dream pop, I think boring synthesizers and electric pianos...this is definitely not dream pop.

2. Thank You Guru - Lost on Purpose

A very indie band, Lost on Purpose is so unsuccessful they haven't even recorded a full length album. Probably because nothing they've recorded is close to being as good as this track.

3. I will Survive - Art Brut

Naming yourself after an art movement isn't a groundbreaking idea, but actually embodying the ideals of the art movement with your musical style is. Especially when you have this much fun doing it.

4. Mama, won't you keep them castles in the air and burning? - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!

This guy's voice is almost irritating, but any fool knows that walking that line is a sure path to greatness, or at least popular mediocrity. CYHSY! seems like a junior Arcade Fire, but considering the greatness of that band, it would have to be taken as a compliment

5. Somewhere a Star Shines for Everyone - The Innocence Mission

My favorite track from the coolest lullaby album ever.

6. Rings of Symbols - Pilotdrift

Local boys Pilotdrift almost made good. Merging a love for soundscapes and the Beatles (otherwise known as Oasis) Pilotdrift wrote one great song, so good it carried a very mediocre debut album into much higher spheres of critical appreciation than it deserved.

7. All I Have to do is Dream - The Everly Brothers

Speaking of the Beatles, here is one of their influences. Kind of a disturbing song really.

8. Mine is Yours - Mouse on Mars

A German chemical brothers, nuff said.

9. White Daisy Passing - Rocky Votolato

Rocky Votolato is to Elliott Smith what The Dandy Warhols are to The Brian Jonestown Massacre, but I still like him. If that sentence means nothing to you, don't worry about it, just listen to the song.

10. Fraud in the 80's - Mates of State

High school teachers marry and quit their jobs to form a band, how sexy is that?