new holiday

HAPPY ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND COMING OUT ON DVD DAY!

In some respects, I think this holiday may just overshadow Lord of the Rings Return of the King coming out on DVD day, as the theatrical release of ROTK was quite disappointing (no fun extras!)

But Eternal Sunshine gets a thumbs up no matter what. I love that movie!

GO GET A COPY TODAY AND CELEBRATE!

A-whoo-hoo.

to every season...and such

a time for class, a time for a lecture, a time to have your cell phone on, and a time to get kicked out of film class...

Got kicked out of film class today...So much drama right now in my life, that just had to be the icing on the cake. My prof has a rule that if your cell phone goes off in class, she will kick you out and you will receive an F for the day. So my phone - which hardly ever rings - decided to go off during class (thanks for calling Jerica! hehehe) and alas, here I am...kicked out of my class with an F for the day. Joy.

So, with this unexpected amount of extra time, I figured I'd take some time to blog. A few things to write about today. Nothing of any great importance, but some stuff worthy of noting!

For those of you who are looking for a couple new worship songs, check out Mars Hill Music. It's awesome. There is a song by a guy named Troy Hatfield (formerly of Homesick, and some other bands I can't remember the names of) and the other is by Aaron Neiquist (formerly of, well, Aaron Neiquist - GO SOLO ARTISTS!). Both guys are worship leaders up at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, MI. They're really great songs, and they only cost a buck a piece. Check out the website here:
http://www.mhbcmi.org/worship/index.php

Here are a few albums that I've either purchased or rediscovered recently, that I think you should check out as well!

Garden State Soundtrack: This is such a great array of music. Artists include Remy Zero, The Shins, Frou Frou, Nick Drake, The Carey Brothers, Iron & Wine (great version of "Such Great Heights"), Thievery Corporation, Coldplay, and Simon & Garfunkle.

Turin Brakes, Ether Song LP: This was a recommend by Zach Braff - the writer, director & lead in Garden State. It has a very similar feel to Remy Zero, and they have one song called "Rain City" that is on the O.C. Soundtrack as well.

12 Stones, Potter's Field - I just picked up this album, kind of at random to be honest with you. It's alright. It's not something that I'd suggest everyone go out and pick up, but it's entertaining. I enjoy the song Lifeless.

Rediscovered Remy Zero, Villa Elaine - GREAT album. The song "Fair" that is on the Garden State soundtrack is also on this album. Defintely worth the time to check out. Great band. They also sing the theme song to Smallville, for those of you interested in that sort of thing.

Also, I'd like to mention that the first single "Vertigo" off the new U2 album has been released. You can download it now LEGALLY at iTunes. You can also watch the video at http://www.U2exit.com

Movies:
I haven't really seen many new movies lately. I just saw "Usual Suspects" for the first time. GREAT movie!
But I would like to mention that Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind comes out tomorrow. YAY! Also, for those of you interested (which I've learned are not many) Shawshank Redemption is being rereleased in theaters in New York, LA & Chicago. It is playing at the AMC River East in Chicago right now - worth the drive in my opinion. Alas, I have found no one else who finds it worthy.

Alrighty, my homework is lying on the floor, crying out to me to be read. Guess I should work on it, hey?
Until next time...

comments

Another fellow blogger posted this on his blog, and I thought since I have received a few of the same comments, I would do the same. For those of you who have said to me, "I've gone to your blog, but I can't comment." - do not lament! You too can comment! If you hit the button that says "Post a Comment" you will then be prompted to sign in. Do not be annoyed with yet another set of usernames and passwords...Simply look towards the bottom, note the section that allows you to post annonymously, and comment away.

Sometimes it get a little lonely here at my little blog...I'd love to hear your thoughts! And thanks to the troopers that do come and comment annonymously!

I'll post later as I have some fun CD reviews, as well as movie news.
Until then...Peace.

the life aquatic

Well my friends, it has been some time since I've posted.

Nothing to substantial to post about, however, I couldn't help but post about the new Wes Anderson movie that's supposed to come out around Christmas called "The Life Aquatic". It looks great, as I love the Wes Anderson style of movies (he did films such as Royal Tenanbaums, Rushmore, and Bottle Rocket). It's got a stellar cast, a good portion of them being "regulars" in Wes Anderson movies. Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Angelica Houston, Cate Blanchet, Jeff Goldblum, William Defoe, as well as others. It's a movie about Bill Murray - and oceanography who leads a team of deep sea divers, adventurers & documentary film makers, when he finds out he has a son and has to learn how to be a father to him (Owen Wilson plays his son). I was so intrigued by the trailer. Should be a good one...

Check it out at http://www.apple.com/trailers

It looks hilarious.

Other movies to look out for:
I (heart) the Huckabees
Team America (the new version of Thundercats - hilarious!)
Mean Creek
The Incredibles

worry

I was having a chat with a good friend of mine...Worry. We talked about how much people worry, and are consumed by it. I began to think about how much it has become a part of our culture, our everyday nature. We can't exist without it, or so it seems. I began to think about my own life, and how much I am gripped by worry. If I don't currently have anything to worry, I will create something to worry about. But I began to think about how one would get over this, and it occured to me that it would need to be treated as any addiction is treated. Most often "cold turkey" doesn't work. For a short while maybe, but an addict who tries to quit cold turkey usually struggles so much, they end up failing and going back. But what does that look like for someone who is trying to quit worrying? Only worry everynow and then? Only allow yourself to worry about big things, not small things? I don't think this will necessarily work...But how does one go from a culture/nature that is consumed by worry to one that is worry-free? I have no answer for this. Part of me thinks we like to worry. Maybe it's really not that hard to let go of, but we just don't want to let it go because it's our only way of feeling like we have control over something. If you think about it, we can't control the future. We can't make this or that happen. I wonder, if by worrying, it's our way of owning it. We may not be able to control how the course runs, but we can at least put forth a lot of effort worrying about it - therefore owning the course. I don't know. Just some thoughts. I know that I worry WAY more than is healthy, if there is even a healthy level of worry. But trying to figure out how to move past worry - guess I have quite a journey a head of me in figuring that out.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Hehehe...
That's all for now...Now I'll go off and worry that you don't like my entry, or don't agree...
Just kidding.

david crowder

I've been listening a lot to David Crowder Band's first CD (Can You Hear Us)...It's actually not mine. I stole it from a friend for a while...Don't worry, he knows I have it.

Anyway, there are these two songs that have really struck a chord (no pun intended) in my heart...The first one is "I Need Words" which is the first, really short song on the album. I've posted the words below because they're just so good. So simple, which is what I'm drawn to lately, but so beautiful...

"I need words as wide as sky
I need language as large as this longing inside
I need a voice that's bigger than mine
And I need a song to sing You
That I've yet to find...

I need You
Oh, I need You
I need You
Oh, I need You

To be here now...
To hear me now..."

The other song is "Obsession". I think it's such a great song musically (there is a great guitar thing througout it...I'm not sure what it's called...Noodling?) Anyway, the song just resonates with me. It's not exactly where I'm at in my life, but rather, where I hope to be.

If you have not heard this album, I highly recommend picking it up. I will eventually purchase my own copy...

what to do?

So, I have the entire day off tomorrow...absolutely no plans. There is part of me that wishes I DID have plans, but alas, I do not. However, have you ever experienced those moments where you could do ANYTHING you want, and you have too many ideas that you can't decide which would be most profitable and fun?

For instance, I have the whole day free tomorrow. Now, there are a few things I could do. I could get a lot of things accomplished that need to happen. I need to run a whole mess of errands and do some cleaning. That would be the productive thing to do. I would like to do some sort of art project - whether it be photography or some sculpture stuff. That would be the artistic thing. Then there's the same old same old - renting a movie (hey, I wonder if season 3 of 24 is out yet). That would be the relaxing thing to do. I have homework. That would be the scholastic thing to do.

What to do?

I just wish someone would call me, and make plans for me.
That would make it so much easier.
The lazy thing to do.

*Note: This post is really about nothing. The funny thing to do.
Ok, maybe it's not really that funny...

insomniac

The last line in my last entry proves to be qutie difficult tonight. It is now 4:30am, and I have yet to get any sleep in. I am not normally the kind of person to struggle with insomnia. In fact, just the opposite. I can usually sleep any time, anywhere. However, for some unknown reason, my eyes cannot stay closed tonight.

Now, I'm not some super charasmatic type person, and I'm usually really hesitant to say things like this, but I believe God kept me up for a reason. What that reason is, I'm not entirely sure, but I felt this overwhelming urge to pray for specific people. I seem to have a lot of friends right now who are going through a lot - especially in ministry situations - that are just all around crappy. Makes me think something big is about to happen, and our little friend downstairs isn't too keen on it.
But I'm not sure I've ever experienced what I experienced this evening/morning. I was completely wide awake, tossing and turning, trying my very hardest to sleep, when I finally said "This is ridiculous!" and decided to get up. The minute I decided I was just going to embrace being awake, I felt such a strong tug to pray for these dear friends in my life. And that's just what I did. These were not hour long prayers, or wordy and emotional prayers - just simple ones. Simple prayers for a God who needs nothing more than simple faith - a faith that He can and will work through every situation.

I also thanked God that in a period in my life where transition is proving to give me less and less free time, He gave me a moment with Him. It only goes to show that God's timing IS INDEED perfect - even if it's at 4 in the morning. Will I be tired tomorrow? Yes. Will I struggle to still praise him when I'm sitting at my desk punching numbers into a computer and my eyes will hardly stay open? Probably. But my hope and prayer is I will be reminded of what a priviledge it was to have this time of community with God.

Tonight came a point in my life where I needed it most...and it was so sweet.
My prayer is that I have more "insomniac" times to come...