How Do You Spell Awesome?

W.H.O.
What could be better than seeing the 5th & 10th Doctor together? Man I love this show!

What I've Been Digging: August Edition

Akira Yoshimura - On Parole: Sadly, this is only one of his twenty books that have been translated into english. Though he focuses on Japan and Japanese culture you can still find yourself understanding and knowing the characters in his books. They are so real and vivid I found myself thinking I knew the guy in real life. This was my second time reading the book and I still found myself going nuts over the end.

Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars: The experience is better live, but their mix of reggae and African music styles is up beat and positive without being overly sentimental. Whenever they sing about heavier issues they do it without any sense of feeling sorry for themselves. Even though they did form in a war torn country.

Sagami: I only go there once a year for my birthday, and it never disappoints. The sushi chef's are top quality unlike a lot of the junk you get in the supermarket. They know what they are doing and know how to make a great presentation. I recommend when you order the meal get the salad with ginger dressing and finish it off with green tea ice cream.

Torchwood: A spin off of the new Doctor Who Series it is a disappointing X-Files. I enjoyed it to a point and am not sorry I watched it. At the end I realized I didn't like any of the characters (there wasn't a decent one in the bunch) and they ripped off a lot of the typical story lines like people falling through time and a man releases satan to destroy the earth. When I heard they were giving the character of Captain Jack I thought it'd be great because you enjoyed the character and wanted to find out about his past because he was a time agent and for some reason was missing two years of his memory. I enjoyed it, but would only really recommend it for die hard sci-fi fans.

Sitting Out On My Porch: Sorry, this is something you'd have to experience yourself. There is something just so relaxing about it.

Pop! Goes My Heart: I haven't seen the movie Music and Lyrics yet. From what I've heard it's actually kind of funny for a chick flick. When my friend showed me the video for 'Pop! Goes My Heart!' I couldn't help laughing because it is so 80's!

OK! I Admit It!

I can't take it anymore! I have to let it out! I really enjoy Avril Lavigne's new single! Darn it's poppy catchiness! Darn it's clever hook which makes me want to bop my head or dance around my living room! Darn you Avril Lavigne for your precocious cutiness!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ25-glGRzI

Thinking Blog Awards

Much appreciation to Art for choosing me for the thinking blog awards. It feels good to make the cut. I have to admit I am having the same problem he did. Who do you chose? I read many blogs for many different reasons. I read one because he's a good friend and it gives me added insight into him as a person. Others because I can't help, but violently disagree with them which forces me to think outside of the box. Plus the bugger chose one I would have chosen. Thanks a lot Art! So here they are, in no particular order:

Millinerd: Matt and I go way back to highschool. We got back in touch with each other a few years back and he encouraged me to start blogging as well as helped guide it along a little bit. Since I am not a theologian and his knowledge about art greatly goes further than my own I am finding new things to learn and discover. My faith expands from knowing him.

Looking Closer: Faith and Art, too thinks I wished were looked at more by the general church family. I never knew how many other Christians are also interested in seeing faith and art meld until I discovered his blog.

Pomomusings: He's one I greatly disagree with, but I can't help checking his blog daily. I can't take his intellect lightly. It'd be foolish and I'd wind up loosing big time. I appreciate his youth and enthusiasm.

Art: At the risk of sounding like a butt kisser I chose Art because he's another blog I check out on a daily basis. He always leaves thought provoking comments here. So take that as a lesson to you non-commenters out there. You too can win a thinking blog award from the Cube Rev if you let us know what you think here.

Ron Silliman: I chose him mostly because of the shop talk. Poetics, language, etc.

Here are the rules:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote

Tag! 7 Songs I'm Digging

Just 7? Come on Whiskey, why only seven? Where's the fun in that? Considering all the music I listen to in a given day I am not sure I can pick just 7 for just right now. Sigh, ok, I'll try my best.

The Pogues - If I Should Fall From Grace With God - Seriously, is there any real suprise why I'd pick this song? I'd been playing Pogues music all the time the past few weeks and usually this one'd be on the top of the list. Though it sounds negative, I think there is a deeper metaphor than God and me falling from grace. Considering the brilliant poetic mind of Shane Macgowan I don't think I'll ever truly get it.

Christ Tomlin - Amazing Love - Probably one of my favorite praise and worship songs. It was Chris Tomlin wasn't it? It's hard to tell sometimes since a bunch of these guys sound alike. Anyway, one of the most moving and original worship songs out there.

The Hooligans - Black Thorn Stick Set - One of my other favorite bands. They put on a great show and this is one of their best. A song that goes back about 100 years, but still rocks out. You can't help but get up on your feet and dance!

Rich Mullins - Creed - Probably one of the best song writers around. He didn't go into the whole CCM crap and wasn't afraid to do his own thing for God's glory. He boldy worked with different sounds and styles. Bringing in instruments of all types. Probably one of the greatest musical talents of his or any time. Though Awesome God is his biggest song I don't think it was until Creed (and others from the album) that we see him trully mature as an artist.

Fishbone - Party At Ground Zero - A silly ska song that is catchy. It's just good old fashioned fun.

Luka Bloom - Dancing Queen - Yes, this is a cover of the Abba song, but the guy makes it sound so heartfelt and pure. It's just him and his guitar. One of the best singer songwriters no one has ever heard of.

Hmmm, now what for the last? Do I go with jazz? A punk classic? Too many choices, but I think I'll go with....

Mike Cross - Whiskey 'fore Breakfast - As a homage to Whiskey for the Monkey, what can be better than whiskey 'fore breakfast? There are two versions: an instrumental and the more bluegrass hootenany style. I prefer the latter. I heard The Hooligans play it once and it's become one of my favorite songs. It's funny and catchy.

Hmmm.... I tag Jenn, Art, and Jasdye and anyone else interested.

Who Influenced Lewis?

We are watching Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe at church. The person teaching the class had a few of Lewis' books set up for people to thumb through with one exception. At the end was a beaten up old book called Phantastes by George Macdonald. According to the teacher Lewis was taking a long train ride and picked the book up at the station. The book is still in print, but if you don't want to shell out the $13 to buy it there is a free down loadable version. The book was written in the 1800's so there aren't any copyright laws to worry about. Enjoy. I wonder how people reacted to a minister using fairy tales and fantasy to get the message of Christ across?

UPDATE:
Just for the record, some wisenheimers got a little confused. It's CS Lewis.

Just For Laughs

I am sorry I haven't been publishing here as often as I'd like. I wish I could blame it on time, but it was more a lack of inspiration and out right laziness on my part. I have a few irons in the works and will have more regular posts shortly. If any of you want to be a guest blogger please feel free to send me your ideas at cubicle.reverend@gmail.com and we will work something out. And for a few good yucks, here's Jeff Dunham & Peanut.

Over Rated / Under Rated: Burroughs Vs. Mitchell

I admit I am totally stealing this idea from a magazine I read a few years back. I want to say it was the Utne Reader, but I am not too sure. Every so often they'd look at what was popular at that time and what is going unnoticed. Since I don't have any other ideas I figure it wouldn't hurt to do a few of my own from time to time. For the first I am looking at non-fiction writers.

Over Rated: Augusten Burroughs
This guy is the big man on campus right now. On top of the best seller list for an infinite number of life times this guy got rich telling all about his struggles with alcoholism and growing up in a wacko Doc's house. The premise sounded promising and potentially quite an amusing and touching book. I bought it with much glee just to give up on it with about 30 pages left to read when I realized I just didn't care what happened and I didn't believe a word the guy was saying. Having grown up on fantasy and sci-fi novels I have no problem dispelling disbelief if it's well done. This book doesn't cut it at all. For a book that is supposed to be about his life I am not sure if I believe he's telling the truth. More than likely he is, but I still find it hard to believe. They just finished making a movie based off the book. I'll probably go see it and be amused, but not too overwhelmed by it. Snakes on A Plane is a much more convincing premise.

Under Raterd: Joseph Mitchell
He had brief re-emergence of fame in the late nineties thanks to Stanley Tucci making a movie based on Joe Gould's Secret. Mitchell was a boring average everday guy. He didn't have a wacky life of misadventures. He wasn't a drunk or a social misfit (other than being a southerner in New York and extremely self-conscious). Mitchell wrote for the New Yorker ignoring the big news stories of the day to write about common characters, bums, rejects, street preachers, strippers, etc. because those are the stories worth hearing. He visited dive bars and cheap flop houses hoping to meet someone who was worth writing about. That's where he met Joe Gould an eccentric who came from a family of means who wandered the streets of New York looking for people to listen to in order to add their stories to his "Oral History Of The World". A book claimed to be ten times as long as the Bible. Mitchell wrote a profile of him for the new yorker which is part one of Joe Gould's Secret. The second part was written several decades later going into a more detailed account of their friendship. It is a strange book, but it is so believeable. It is a shame that Mitchell is forgotten. His writings have the truthfulness and honesty that is lacking in a lot of modern literature. No matter how strange or honest a subject is if you don't have the qualities Mitchell had all you are writing is a forgettable little story.



Pic of Joe Gould the eccentric. I also highly recommend: My Ears Are Bent & Mcsorely's Wonderful Saloon.

What I've Discovered '06

It seems every time this year every peson comes up with their best of list. Usually the lists are pretty cool with very few suprises focussing only on what came out that year. But I like to focuss on the things I've discovered whether old or new because there are a lot of great things that have been out for a while that are worth remembering as well as newer stuff people should discover.

1. Evelyn Waugh - I have been a fan of British humour for years, but I often find reading humour to be a bit of a drag. Plus many of his books were written in the 30's and talk about the upper crust of England. Not something I can exactly relate to. Plus his books are usually found in the bargain bin with everything else they are trying to get rid of. So like many things I buy the books just sat on their shelf collecting dust when necessity forced me to give it a go. Though I only read one of his books I definately want to read more. I found myself laughing out loud! He is satire at its best. It has the intelligience and wit that so many people attempt at badly these days. Seriously, how man Bush is stupid jokes can you possibly have? None are special anymore. Yet, his work is special. They do show obsurdity. The nonsense of keeping up appearances and how being proper can go very wrong.


2. Falstaff - Proof that the right comic foil can make the most depressing subject lighter. A brilliant creation by Shakespeare he is the archetype of the loveable loser. The ne'er-do-well who you cannot help but love. He may be a drunkard, a womanizer, a coward, a braggard, lazy, a thief....., but at least he admits it. He knows who he is and makes no appologies. He makes 1 & 2 Henry IV more bearable plays and not such downers that you leave them being fed a little sugar with the medicine. Much like flavor Flav. Read a bit of his noble words:

A goodly portly man, i' faith, and a corpulent; of a
cheerful look, a pleasing eye and a most noble
carriage; and, as I think, his age some fifty, or,
by'r lady, inclining to three score; and now I
remember me, his name is Falstaff: if that man
should be lewdly given, he deceiveth me; for, Harry,
I see virtue in his looks. If then the tree may be
known by the fruit, as the fruit by the tree, then,
peremptorily I speak it, there is virtue in that
Falstaff: him keep with, the rest banish. And tell
me now, thou naughty varlet, tell me, where hast
thou been this month?



3. Serenity - For the longest time Jeff has been going on and on about how great the series Firefly was. How often in your day do you hear people talk about the brilliance of some stupid tv series or other? For me it is every day. Seriously. Do I really want to spend any more of my time invested in a stupid tv show? My time is already taken up with Law and Order, Simpsons, and Without A Trace re-runs. Do I need any more? He broke me down and I watched the movie based off the series. Darn Jeffrey!!! I loved it. It reminded me of a saturday afternoon matinee movie they used to show all the time when I was a kid. It was funny, the action kept my attention, the actors were right for the part, and the writer was willing to go against the mold and kill off major characters. Ok ok, fine, I'll buy the DVD of the series. Though it will never replace Doctor Who in my number one slought.

That is all I can really think of for now. What did you guys discover this past year? It can be old or new. Please feel free to share for me to post on the blog or to post on your own. I look forward to hearing what you have to share.