I have had insomnia the past few nights, so last night I fought it with the best weapon I had: NyQuil. I love that stuff, mostly because when I have a cold it makes me drift off into a soft warm blanket of grogginess where my cold has no room to hang out with me.
I don't usually have dreams when I take that stuff, and maybe it was just because Michael Farrow said something to me about it on Facebook, but man was it a cool dream. It started in a big cafeteria which seemed to double as an elementary school classroom, and our friend Rachel Wilson was the teacher. Kate was really excited to see Rachel, but after a few minutes I told Kate, "I have to go - I have to time travel." Apparently I was a time cop...though it's been forever since I've seen that movie.
I don't know how I did it, but I ended up making it into the past, and together with my partner headed into a toy store, of all things. Our perp had just been there I think, but all I was concerned with was finding a copy of the game Risk. I think we were in the 70s based on the colors people were wearing, so I knew it had to be there. After some looking, I found it and bought it for $40, along with an expansion (I was surprised it was that expensive and that it had an expansion). Then, I woke up.
Weird.
7.07.2009
6.30.2009
the temptation of relevance
I've been reading in the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen as part of my practicum pre-requisites starting in the fall. The entire Asbury College (where I'm doing my practicum...not the same as the seminary, where I am) campus is reading this book this fall, and so I have to as well.
It's a small book, and I'm only about 50 pages in, but already I'm struck by the Nouwen's ability to destroy my idea of what a "Christian minister" should look like. In the first part of the book he mentions that one of our biggest problems as Christian leaders is the desire to be relevant. We want to matter in people's lives; we want to be people whom our congregations can come to with all sorts of needs. Check this:
Um, yep...
It's a small book, and I'm only about 50 pages in, but already I'm struck by the Nouwen's ability to destroy my idea of what a "Christian minister" should look like. In the first part of the book he mentions that one of our biggest problems as Christian leaders is the desire to be relevant. We want to matter in people's lives; we want to be people whom our congregations can come to with all sorts of needs. Check this:
In this climate of secularization, Christian leaders feel less and less relevant and more and more marginal. many begin to wonder why they should stay in the ministry. Often they leave, develop a new competency, and join their contemporaries in their attempts to make relevant contributions to a better world.
Um, yep...
6.10.2009
I'm not much for politics...
Well, I kind of am, and I was a supporter of Obama after Clinton dropped out. One thing about Obama that I was really impressed with was his use of alternative media. In other words, he cruised the Tubes, which I also tend to frequent. All that aside, I found this this morning, and I don't know whether to think it's weird, funny, or inappropriate.
6.05.2009
An Awesome Night; or, How I Almost Touched Chris Martin
Last night was the long-awaited Coldplay concert in Cincinnati. I bought a ticket when they first went on sale and have been waiting for this with eager anticipation. So, after my optometrist appointment was finished, I hit the road for the Riverbend Music Center in Cincy.
I was kind of overwhelmed by the amount of people there. The venue itself is not too large, but to have a lawn seat would've sucked. It was pretty packed. To explain why it was such an awesome night, besides just being a Coldplay concert, please examine exhibit A:
This was my seat. Though it was near the back of the covered/seated portion of the amphitheater, it really wasn't all that bad. I arrived pretty much as soon as the gates opened just so I could get acquainted with the place and I ended up hanging out at my seat by my lonesome for twenty minutes or so. It was then that a guy and a girl showed up, whom I asked if they were my seat buddies for the night. Sure enough, they were, and so we struck up some conversation. They were pretty cool people...though I can't for the life of me remember their names.
This is where the story gets great. As we're making great conversation, a guy dressed in all black walks up to us and greets the guy and girl. They have a conversation kind of right in front of me, so that I was sort of included even though I didn't really know them. Turns out the guy in black is part of Coldplay's lighting crew, and he and the girl grew up together. Despite being a little awkward I end up in the conversation too, and we have a good chat for ten minutes or so. It's at this point that the girl says, "Hey...did end up getting the tickets?" I had a slight idea where she was going with this, and sure enough, the guy says yes and pulls out an envelope with some tickets in it. He pulls two out and hands them to the couple, and then asks where their guests are. She had mentioned to me previously, and now tells the guy in black that they couldn't make it because they had to go to a wedding. So, he looks at me and says, "Hey, are you alone, or are you with these guys?" I tell him I'm kind of by myself but am also sort of with my two new friends, jokingly. He then pulls out another ticket from the envelope, hands it to me, and says "Here you go."
I'm thinking, "Wait...what?"
We talk for a few more minutes, and he says that he needs to go work, but that he'll show us to our seats first. So we start walking down. And walking. One section after another, we continue to creep closer to the stage. The three of us look at each other, mouthing "No way...this is not happening." We kept walking...and walking...and then, as we get to the FIFTH FREAKING ROW he stops, points, and says "Here ya go."
The concert itself was awesome. They had two other stages set up, one about halfway back through the audience and another right in front of the lawn seats (I hear they were stages B and C). I've never seen a band do that before. During Yellow they dropped giant yellow balloons on the crowd full of confetti, which of course didn't last long. One came up on stage and Chris whipped his guitar at it and it exploded on his tuning pegs. They also had five giant white balloons with projectors inside showing fisheye photos/videos. Definitely never saw that before. I also recall a point in time where hundreds of thousands of tissue paper butterflies rained down on us as black lights made them glow neon colors. I might've dreamed that part though.
I know what you're thinking. You end up going to this concert by yourself, have a "meh" kind of seat, and somehow end up in the fifth row? To which I say...yep. And, like I said, this was a completely amazing concert. Audience involvement, fun, great music of course, visuals...stupendous, unforgettable, and I almost second those who've gone before me in saying it was almost like a religious experience.
Also, for those curious, here's the set list of the evening:
I was kind of overwhelmed by the amount of people there. The venue itself is not too large, but to have a lawn seat would've sucked. It was pretty packed. To explain why it was such an awesome night, besides just being a Coldplay concert, please examine exhibit A:
This was my seat. Though it was near the back of the covered/seated portion of the amphitheater, it really wasn't all that bad. I arrived pretty much as soon as the gates opened just so I could get acquainted with the place and I ended up hanging out at my seat by my lonesome for twenty minutes or so. It was then that a guy and a girl showed up, whom I asked if they were my seat buddies for the night. Sure enough, they were, and so we struck up some conversation. They were pretty cool people...though I can't for the life of me remember their names.
This is where the story gets great. As we're making great conversation, a guy dressed in all black walks up to us and greets the guy and girl. They have a conversation kind of right in front of me, so that I was sort of included even though I didn't really know them. Turns out the guy in black is part of Coldplay's lighting crew, and he and the girl grew up together. Despite being a little awkward I end up in the conversation too, and we have a good chat for ten minutes or so. It's at this point that the girl says, "Hey...did end up getting the tickets?" I had a slight idea where she was going with this, and sure enough, the guy says yes and pulls out an envelope with some tickets in it. He pulls two out and hands them to the couple, and then asks where their guests are. She had mentioned to me previously, and now tells the guy in black that they couldn't make it because they had to go to a wedding. So, he looks at me and says, "Hey, are you alone, or are you with these guys?" I tell him I'm kind of by myself but am also sort of with my two new friends, jokingly. He then pulls out another ticket from the envelope, hands it to me, and says "Here you go."
I'm thinking, "Wait...what?"
We talk for a few more minutes, and he says that he needs to go work, but that he'll show us to our seats first. So we start walking down. And walking. One section after another, we continue to creep closer to the stage. The three of us look at each other, mouthing "No way...this is not happening." We kept walking...and walking...and then, as we get to the FIFTH FREAKING ROW he stops, points, and says "Here ya go."
The concert itself was awesome. They had two other stages set up, one about halfway back through the audience and another right in front of the lawn seats (I hear they were stages B and C). I've never seen a band do that before. During Yellow they dropped giant yellow balloons on the crowd full of confetti, which of course didn't last long. One came up on stage and Chris whipped his guitar at it and it exploded on his tuning pegs. They also had five giant white balloons with projectors inside showing fisheye photos/videos. Definitely never saw that before. I also recall a point in time where hundreds of thousands of tissue paper butterflies rained down on us as black lights made them glow neon colors. I might've dreamed that part though.
I know what you're thinking. You end up going to this concert by yourself, have a "meh" kind of seat, and somehow end up in the fifth row? To which I say...yep. And, like I said, this was a completely amazing concert. Audience involvement, fun, great music of course, visuals...stupendous, unforgettable, and I almost second those who've gone before me in saying it was almost like a religious experience.
Also, for those curious, here's the set list of the evening:
Life In Technicolor
Violet Hill
Clocks
In My Place
Yellow
Glass Of Water
Cemeteries Of London
42
Fix You
Strawberry Swing
God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (techno version)
Talk (techno version)
The Hardest Part (Chris piano)
Postcards From Far Away (piano instrumental)
Viva La Vida
Lost!
Green Eyes (acoustic)
Death Will Never Conquer (acoustic - Will vocals)
I'm A Believer (Neil Diamond Cover - acoustic)
Viva La Vida (remix interlude)
------
Politik
Lovers In Japan
Death And All His Friends
-------
The Scientist
Life in Technicolor ii
The Escapist (outro)
5.20.2009
finals...
These past two works, more than any other two weeks in my entire schooling career, having been the hardest. With several major papers to write, working full-time, and wedding/travel/immigration/moving stuff going on, I have been to hell and back it seems. I'm still not done. I have a paper due by midnight that is probably not going to be of great quality and another one due Friday by midnight. Then I'm moving out on Saturday. Kate moves out on Sunday. Thankfully Monday is a vacation day, and then Tuesday it's back to work.
I will get to sleep...when I'm dead.
I will get to sleep...when I'm dead.
5.11.2009
an odd dream
I haven't been remembering any of my dreams for the last couple of years, but when I do they're usually pretty awesome. Here's the dream I woke up to this morning:
I was getting ready for work in the morning, only I was at my childhood home, back in the room I shared with my brother for most of my life. I was doing the usual pick out a shirt and tie routine, got all dressed, when I could tell our dog (actually Chad and Meredith Brooks' dog) needed to go out. So, I took Emma out into the back yard, and she had to pee so bad that she actually peed behind her, right onto my shirt and pants. It was gross. I was covered in pee. I went back inside, cleaned up in the shower, was freaking out because I was late for work, and asked Charles if I could borrow a shirt and pants. He said no. I started freaking out on him, and finally he let me borrow his rattiest shirt and crappiest pair of pants. At least I had clothes on, I thought - and then I headed to work.
Work was actually the Anglican church I used to go to regularly (and still pop in occasionally), and my boss was Father Peter, whom I knew, and another guy whom I didn't know. Apparently I was some kind of intern, and along with me was Josh Vrooman (buddy from college whom I haven't seen in six or seven years). I told Father Peter my story and he barely believed me, but we had no time to talk because it was almost time for the children's choir presentation (???). He grabbed us and ran us over to the other side of the big room we were in, where a children's choir amassed in front of us and started singing. Josh kinda got into it - he started doing the hand motions and tried to get me to do the same, but I wasn't budging.
And then I woke up.
I was getting ready for work in the morning, only I was at my childhood home, back in the room I shared with my brother for most of my life. I was doing the usual pick out a shirt and tie routine, got all dressed, when I could tell our dog (actually Chad and Meredith Brooks' dog) needed to go out. So, I took Emma out into the back yard, and she had to pee so bad that she actually peed behind her, right onto my shirt and pants. It was gross. I was covered in pee. I went back inside, cleaned up in the shower, was freaking out because I was late for work, and asked Charles if I could borrow a shirt and pants. He said no. I started freaking out on him, and finally he let me borrow his rattiest shirt and crappiest pair of pants. At least I had clothes on, I thought - and then I headed to work.
Work was actually the Anglican church I used to go to regularly (and still pop in occasionally), and my boss was Father Peter, whom I knew, and another guy whom I didn't know. Apparently I was some kind of intern, and along with me was Josh Vrooman (buddy from college whom I haven't seen in six or seven years). I told Father Peter my story and he barely believed me, but we had no time to talk because it was almost time for the children's choir presentation (???). He grabbed us and ran us over to the other side of the big room we were in, where a children's choir amassed in front of us and started singing. Josh kinda got into it - he started doing the hand motions and tried to get me to do the same, but I wasn't budging.
And then I woke up.
5.05.2009
a good story
I was walking along the Golden Gate Bridge and I saw this guy on the bridge about to jump. I said, "Don't jump!", and he turned.
He said, "Nobody loves me."
I said, "God loves you."
He said, "Well, I believe in God."
I said, "Are you a Christian or a Jew?"
He said, "A Christian."
I said, "Me too. Protestant or Catholic?"
He said, "Protestant."
I said, "Me too. What denomination?"
He said, "Baptist."
I said, "Me too. Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?"
He said, "Northern Baptist."
I said, "Me too. Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist."
I said, "Me too. Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist or Northern Conservative Reformed Baptist?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist."
I said, "Me too. Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region or Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Eastern Region?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region."
I said, "Me too. Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879 or Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region of 1912."
I said, "Die, heretic!" and I pushed him in.
--Found in the 1996 Grace Brethren Annual. I love my job for getting to look through obscure periodicals and finding gems like this.
He said, "Nobody loves me."
I said, "God loves you."
He said, "Well, I believe in God."
I said, "Are you a Christian or a Jew?"
He said, "A Christian."
I said, "Me too. Protestant or Catholic?"
He said, "Protestant."
I said, "Me too. What denomination?"
He said, "Baptist."
I said, "Me too. Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?"
He said, "Northern Baptist."
I said, "Me too. Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist."
I said, "Me too. Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist or Northern Conservative Reformed Baptist?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist."
I said, "Me too. Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region or Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Eastern Region?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region."
I said, "Me too. Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879 or Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist Great Lakes Region of 1912."
I said, "Die, heretic!" and I pushed him in.
--Found in the 1996 Grace Brethren Annual. I love my job for getting to look through obscure periodicals and finding gems like this.
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