Thursday, April 8, 2010

Grrrrr Texas


Today I discovered two things Texans don't do well: 1) Design highways, and 2) Drive on their poorly designed highways.

These shortcomings made for a scary trip to DFW Airport to see Wife's mom. I've never made such an amazing evasive maneuver as I did today. Afterward, as I gasped for oxygen and tried to loosen my death grip on the steering wheel, Wife told me I did a great job and she was proud of me.

I think we can all learn a lesson from Texas drivers:

Drive the speed limit (or less), don't tailgate, and don't slam on the brakes on the interstate.

By the way, Texas legislature passed a law last month that drivers ages 18-24 must complete a driver education course to apply for a license. We're checking to see whether this affects us, since we're already licensed in other states. Bleh.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

New things


Here in Texas, the television shows this really annoying commercial for Jack-In-The-Box. The company's creeping-looking spokesman talks about how he likes trying new things. Then he bungee-jumps off a bridge and falls to the pavement below, ending up with his pointy hat sticking into the ground. "New things," he says less-than-enthusiastically.

This commercial weirds me out every time. First, the spokesman guy/thing looks scary to me. Second, if he's going to bungee-jump, he shouldn't do it over concrete, and he ought to make sure his setup man is reputable. Third, even if he somehow manages to survive the death jump, he should think about quitting this "new things" way of life.

Pingpong ball head, ice cream cone hat, no pupils, big red smile... Creepy, no?


All this is intended as an opener for tonight's remarks about a couple new things Wife and I have experienced recently...

1) We bought a
new vacuum. We have been waiting for months (I know, it's gross) for the finances to buy one, and today was the day. Wife used it immediately when we got home. Our next big purchase: a fan to blow the air around the apartment.

2) For the
first time ever, I beat Wife in the game of Battleship today. In fact, she only sank one of my boats, and didn't hit any others. (We had a controversy after the game over one of the spaces, which was marked differently on her board than on mine.) The important thing, though, is that I won. Finally.

3) Wife and I, along with our friends, have begun writing a
new musical about the hardships of graduating college without a job. We're all in the same boat, so we're teaming up to spread the... er... joy.

Well, that's about all. Hope you weren't expecting anything monumental.
What's new with you?


Bahhhhhhh!


Question: What is the easiest song to get stuck in Stephen's head?

Answer: Benny and the Jets.





Buh buh buh Benny and the Jetsssssssss... BENNY! BENNY! BENNY BENNY BENNY BENNY and the Jeeeeetsssssss...

Over and over and over and over since yesterday! Darn you James Marsden and Katherine Heigl!


What song has been stuck in your head lately?

Monday, April 5, 2010


A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I did nothing creative today. I have to say it is a rare day when I don't do something creative. Sometimes it's music, sometimes I make an artistic project (I include coloring maps in this category), occasionally I'll read a poem or some fiction. I don't normally engage in a BIG creative endeavor, but I usually do something artistic or imaginative during the day.

We are created in the image of God, who is THE Creator. The ability to create, and appreciate creation, is a big part of what sets us apart from the rest of nature. It's very important that we nurture that aspect of ourselves. Our society has made it WAY too easy to stay in a logic-filled, down-to-earth, here-and-now bubble, staying indoors with our computers and televisions.

Remember nature? Trees in bloom, hot sun, cool clouds, how rain can feel good instead of being a nuisance? Remember books? Those collections of other people's ideas and stories, printed with ink that you can smell on pages you can feel? Have you ever really listened to music that is new to you? If you begin to explore (especially in other cultures), you will find that the world of sound is endless. Have you ever perused an art gallery, or even flipped through an art book, and stopped to notice the details of a particular painting?

We need to continue finding new ways to stimulate our creative side (yes, we all have one). It's a crucial way to connect with our Lord, and to grow personally. I'm gonna do better tomorrow.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Come, let us with our Lord arise!


Come, let us with our Lord arise,
our Lord who made both earth and skies,
who died to save the world he made
and rose triumphant from the dead;
he rose, the prince of life and peace,
and stamped the day forever his.

Happy Easter everybody!

Wife and I visited our prospective church this morning for their service. I played a violin solo during the offering, and we *gasp* sang in the choir! There was no choir special or anything, we just stood with the choir at the front during to singing. Yeah, we rocked the hymns.

After church we came home and made ourselves a delicious Easter meal! Check it out: ham, deviled eggs, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and rolls. MmmmmMmmm! Then we took an Easter lunch-induced nap. This evening we went to Columbus Avenue Baptist (a big church in town that we frequent) for the Mwangaza Children's Choir, an incredibly cute choir of kids from Uganda. We got there a little late (I'm pretty sure they changed the time and didn't tell us), but it was a fantastic concert. I learned that during foreign children's choir concerts, Wife sits on the edge of the pew, eyes wide, with a big grin on her face. Don't worry... we didn't steal any kiddos.

We came home, and had a delightful Sara Lee strawberry cheesecake and coffee while we watched Get Over It, an Easter classic (haha) with Kirsten Dunst, Ben Foster, and Martin Short. Funny flick.

We missed family, but got to talk with them on the phone. It was a good Easter.

What did you do?

Saturday, April 3, 2010

The Power of the Cross

My new favorite song is The Power of the Cross by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. Incredible lyrics, so powerful...


Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood

This, the power of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath-
We stand forgiven at the cross

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Every bitter thought,
Every evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees;
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
"Finished!" the victory cry.

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

This, the power of the cross:
Son of God- slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Friday, April 2, 2010

HoSWWMP


True story: About an hour ago my wonderful wife and I finished watching the movie version of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. She is still speaking with a British accent, calling me darling, and apparently thinks my name is Earnest. (I convinced all this was precipitated by that strawberry Oreo milkshake.) I considered writing a blog about a few of my love's quirks, but she shared some a few days ago.

So instead, I present to you, in honor of this week's warmer weather........


Highlights of Stephen's Warmer Weather Music Playlist (HoSWWMP)*

Jack Johnson has the most songs of all the artists on the playlist (14 of 73 songs), because his music was just made for warmer weather listening.

John Mayer comes in second. While John's songs aren't quite as adept to hot weather as Jack's, they are excellent for the spring warmup.

The HoSWWMP contains a decent number of what I call "Classic Rock" artists, such as Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jon Bon Jovi, Queen, and U2.

I've even included a few country songs, a category dominated by Rascal Flatts.

Of course, there are the quintessential summer-type tunes: Girls Don't Like Boys (Good Charlotte), Summer Girls (LFO), Story of a Girl (Nine Days), a couple of Smash Mouth songs, and Drops of Jupiter (Train).

Everytime We Touch by Casada tops the dance portion of the list. I get the groove each time it starts up. If you haven't seen my video, you've missed out.


And the #1 warmer weather song is... Pinch Me by Barenaked Ladies.


So there you have it folks. I'm interested... how is your playlist different? Do we have any similarities here?




*Please note that Stephen's Warmer Weather Music Playlist includes, but is not identical to, Stephen's Summer Jams or Stephen's Summer Evenings Playlist. He is completely free to blog about those and still avoid redundancy.