Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Happy Wilco Day!


Wilco (the album) is released today. Though there's a good chance that if you know who Wilco is you've been listening to it for weeks either streaming on wilcoworld.net or via NPR's blessed first listen dealio. CLICK HERE

The album is possibly the most subdued Wilco has produced. And it is produced. That is, it's subdued until you give it several listens and new textures and layers are unfurled. At first I wasn't sure. Now...I'm a believer. Excellent album worthy of a spot in the Wilco catalog for sure.
Paste Magazine has declared today Wilco (the Takeover) @ their website. Check it out for all things awesomely Wilco.

I loved this bit from Magnet Magazine about some of Tweedy's lyric writing. I now feel the need to own a typewriter:

Tweedy also began to rethink the way he approached lyrics, questioning his insistence on writing in the conversational voice. He relaxed his rule against committing lyrics to paper: If you couldn’t remember it, it wasn’t worth singing in the first place. “I used to want to write songs that anybody could sing, but then I started to think it was OK to write songs that only sound right when I sing them,” says Tweedy.

He began to realize mysterious things happened in the spaces between words, and that when you arranged them in certain ways, you could create magnetic fields of deep suggestiveness. He experimented with collage and cut-up techniques, snipping words out of newspapers and magazines, tossing them in a hat and drawing them randomly to see what sentences they made. He would write a page of lyrics, then switch all the nouns and verbs. To break up the boredom on the road, Wilco and crew would participate in an old surrealist word game called cadavre exquis(“exquisite corpse”). A typewriter would be set up in the back of the bus, and whenever someone felt like it, he could go back and type a sentence. The one rule: You could only see the sentence typed by the person before you; all the rest were kept covered. Some of this accidental poetry would make it into songs, such as the line “Please beware, the quiet front yard,” fromSummerteeth’s “She’s A Jar.”

Meka's Commentary on #3 (we find out gender today)

Mom & Dad: "Meka, do you think the baby's a boy or a girl?"

Meka: "Pinkalicious baby!"

Mom & Dad: "What?"

Meka: "That's silly.  That's disgusting."

Friday, June 26, 2009

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Father's Day Gifts

Church Directory Portrait

I've heard some people say that theirs turned out awful.  I'm shocked at how well ours DID turn out.  They gave us a free 8 x 10 and we didn't get suckered into buying any.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Touchstone Charging the Pre


This is a great little quote from a review of the Pre at the Buffalo News CLICK HERE for the full story.

...charging the Pre is almost half the fun, if you splurge on a $70 “Touchstone.” You place the Pre on this small charging station, and it uses magic to radiate power through the phone’s back. (The scientifically minded can replace “magic” with “electromagnetic induction.”)

cradle to cradle



so, i would like to HIGHLY recommend this book. it is a fast, fun and incredibly informative read. and i promise it is worth the money to experience this book as an object even without the information inside. it is made and feels (for the better) unlike any book you've probably ever read and that speaks to what the book is about.

written by two environmental heavy-weights in chemistry and architecture with excessive creativity and vision, this book reexamines the way things are designed and consumes, and gives countless ideas of how things could be designed for better quality of life and, most importantly, to cause NO destruction (not less destruction) to the environment. it manages to cover a lot of information but never feels like a laborious read and sheds light on how even current trends in environmentalism just do not accomplish anything particularly significant and covers a lot of history of how we ended up doing things the way we do because of processes in the industrial revolution. it also gives fascinating examples of instances of success in design and rethinking production so that it never feels negative, hopeless or too preachy. it is by a chemist and an architect but has little to do with advanced chemistry and even less to do with architecture, focusing on environmentalism and ideas.

it is a seriously wonderful book. and again, you will want to show the book as an object to everyone you know, in addition to sharing the information. it is on amazon for 9 bucks...just sayin'.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Coffee Central

Got some Papua New Guinea Decaf roasting for Pastor Mike, a whole lot of coffee ready to be roasted & the tea kettle warming for a press of Kimodo blend.

Nana Brought Over Uncle Todd's Old Ballerina Skirts


Friday, June 12, 2009

The Mutability of Futility

Now, this is usually the type of thing I do immediately before I get proven wrong in spectacular fashion (especially since the Reds are facing the pitiful Hochevar). If that's the case, this will be available for all to see so they can throw my words right back in my face.

Or, more likely, I'll just delete the post by midnight and never speak of this again.

Nonetheless, without further delay I want to draw your attention to the single worst Reds lineup I've seen this year.

Willy Taveras
Alex Gonzalez
Brandon Phillips
Laynce Nix
Ramon Hernandez
Jay Bruce
Jonny Gomes
Ryan Hanigan
Adam Rosales

Now, I don't mean that this is the worst lineup because it's the worst personnel (though that's certainly part of it); I just mean that in terms of optimally utilizing what you have on the roster, this is just miserable.

Who knew our family was in the Chinese food business?


Free Food for Families, 7 Nights A Week! AroundAnderson.com

http://aroundanderson.com/?p=1021

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Recovering Gardening Addicts 12 Step Bible

Not really. But thumbing through a recent catalog from CBD, Christian Book Distributors, here are some of the kinds of Bibles being peddled:
- Thinline Bible (as opposed to the fatline, those stink)
- The Open Bible
(doesn't have a cover? Can't close? How's this a good idea? How does it work?)
- Leadership Bible
- Life Principles Bible
- Life Application Bible
- Life in the Spirit Bible
- Journaling Bible
- New Spirit Filled Life Bible
- Chronological Bible
- Key Word Study Bible
- Companion Bible
(this Bible is your friend since you probably don't have any)
- Scofield Study Bible III
(must be Revenge of the Study Bible)
- Annotated Reference Bible

- Apologetics Study Bible
- Giant Print Edition
- Super Giant Print Reference Bible
(take THAT Giant Print & Reference ones!)
- Chain Reference Study Bible
- The Evidence Bible
- Large Print Wide Margin Bible
- King James 1611 Edition
- Daily Bible
- Recovery Devotional Bible
- Women's Devotional Bible
- Men's Devotional Bible
- Couples' Devotional Bible
- The Journey
(trying to trick you into not realizing it's a Bible?)
- True Identiy: The Bible for Women
- Life Recovery Bible
- New Believer's Bible
- Compact Bible (for shortys? T?)
- Celebrate Recovery Bible
- Ultraslim Bible (not to be confused with the Thinline Bible, both of these are necessary)
- American Patriot's Bible (I just threw up in my mouth)
- Women's Study Bible (not the study women Bible, to be clear)
- Woman, Thou Art Loosed Bible
- Conversations - The Message Study Bible
- Remix 2.0 for Students
- Amplified Bible
- Parallel Bible
- Economy Bible
- Economy Bible, Mass Market Edition
- Pew Bible
- Updated Reader's Pew Bible
- Witness Bible (like if you saw a crime and are going to have to testify?)
- Gift and Award Bible
- Minister's Bible
- Serendipity Bible
- Adventure Bible
- Hands on Bible
- Illustrated Study Bible for Kids
- Children's Bible
- Backpack Bible
- Explorer's Bible (totally different than the Adventure Bible, duh)
- Children's Ministry Resource Bible
- True Images: the Bible for Teen Girls
- A One Minute Bible for Students (I actually appreciate this one and give it out free to our students)
- Metal Bible
- Duct Tape Bible
- Axis: A Study Bible for Teens (right...because if it's for teens you have to try to brand it with a word that has X in it)
- The Geneva Bible, 1560 Edition (take that KJV 1611 version! You thought you were vintage! Ding dong!)
- Biblingual Bible
- Here's Hope New Testament
- Serenity Bible (unfortunately not the Serenity Now Bible. That would be awesome)
- Go Bible (cheerleader's Bible?)
- WowBible
- Talking Bible (these last three are all eBibles. There's an app for that.)
- The One Year Bible (did this one. Actually a good way to read through the whole thing.)
- The Power of a Praying Woman Bible
Alright...so that's a ridiculously long list and it doesn't even scratch the surface. I was just talking in with Pastor Mark the other day about when it's appropriate to get a new Bible. He said about once every 3 years or when you wear it out. Of course, you can't throw out your "old" Bibles. So what do you do with them? They sit on a shelf. I have an RSV that was presented to my dad on June 12, 1960. I'm not getting rid of it. But I also can't read it. It would fall apart. And Chip Mahaney and I were talking about how getting a new Bible does help boost some motivation to keep reading Scripture everyday. But some of these? Come on... just marketing.

They say the Bible is the most published and best selling book ever and I'm guessing (one of) the most under-read? Golfer's Bible, Gopher's Bible, Your Mama Bible, whatever... Should we really be marketing and peddling the Holy Scriptures? Something ironical...I have a new one ordered that's on backorder.


Tolle lege, Tolle lege.

look....

there...

wait, not too fast...

slowly...

do not provoke it...

down....

to the right...

follow the arrow

...is anybody else totally freaked out by this spinning fetus?



Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Forest City Lovers | Song for Morrie

Don't know anything about these guys. Canadians, they say. Listened to some other stuff on Myspace (who still has Myspace? Canadians and musicians, I suppose). Was underwhelmed but this video is cool.

Pre Palm?



It is interesting how appropriate the name Palm Pre is.
Pre meaning before
And Palm - after deep study of Chiromancy it seems that one holds that specific phone in the area of the hand that means they are a LAME-WAD.

Huh, before this phone obsession it could be argued that you were less lame. ...Interesting the way language evolves.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Edie Picked Out Her Own Shoes for Church

TIME article: How Twitter Will Change the Way We Live


I know many believe twitter is worthless and inane. Johnson makes some very interesting points on why twitter isn't bad and how the way twitter has developed is a sort of parable for ingenuity and development of the US American people. Whether you are an avid tweeter or you wonder what the buzz is about or have never heard of it, read the article to get a positive take of what it's about and how it's changing the way we communicate and interact.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Communion by Intinction...Sort Of

..with a whole wheat hamburger from Trader Joe's & Virgil's root beer @ the NKU Wesley Foundation & KY Director's cook out.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

ARTICLE: Why the Pre Will Fail

Can't really argue with the guy. I'm still going to purchase one when I am able.

MUST READ re: God & Sports

Wonder what God thinks about all the prayers for wins & the like? Could be something like this, from ESPN.com's Jeff MacGregor:

    Earlier, I asked [Dwight] Howard in the locker room to give me one or two reasons I should consider picking the Magic to defeat the Lakers.

    "God" was his answer, which was met with the counterargument that the Lord probably has better things to worry about than who wins a basketball game, and besides, religion and politics are usually best kept out of sports stories.

    "That's the reason, I'm telling you," Howard replied.
    -- Chris Sheridan, ESPN

Dear Mr. Howard,

Thanks for the recent shout-out. Always nice to see Myself in the papers. Or even online. As long as they spell your name right, huh?

Listen, a couple things We need to clear up.

First, and I'm not sure why I need to keep coming back to this, and not to get all Old Testament or anything: I'm not Santa. I'm not David Stern. I'm not even Jimmy the Greek. So I'm not going to intervene in the NBA Finals. I'm not even going to help set the line. OK? Nothing personal. Just not the way it works.

While I appreciate your obvious devotion, and without revisiting the ontology of the infinite whys and wherefores, I'll remind you that as the Omniscient Overseer Of All Things Everywhere, I've received an equal and offsetting request from the Lakers. Not saying who. Plus, I've already got some pretty big fish to fry and I'm booked solid.

I've got the GM bankruptcy this week, and folks out of work with sick kids, and the hopeless and the heartbroken. I've got Jon and Kate (oy), and I've got the fall of every sparrow, and the budding of all the crops and flowers and trees and on and on and on. And that's just the regional stuff.

Worldwide, I've got the Middle East and the two Koreas and all the restless 'Stans (Paki-, Afghani-, Uzbeki-, etc.), and I've got the helpless and the starving and the faithless and the homeless and the heartless and the thieves and the killers and the saints and the martyrs and Fiat trying to buy Chrysler and all the rivers running and the sun coming up and the sun going down and the endless turning, turning, turning of the stars. It's a full day, Dwight, let me tell you.

You have no idea how many requests I get. No idea. None. And that's just from the World Series of Poker. LOL. (They never check in but that they want something. You can't pick up a phone? You can't just call to say hello? And you expect me to show up for the flop? Fat chance.)

Anyway, whenever another big-time championship rolls around, I'm inundated. Like this, from last week. I'm a Nuggets fan, but still. You got the mountains. The blue skies. The Coors brewery right there. And now you want to move through to the NBA Finals? Some folks just don't get it. Sigh.

Specific requests along these lines need to be taken up with our Office of the Fates. Or, in some instances, with one of our Destiny caseworkers, all of whom can be reached through the Department of Predetermination.

[+] EnlargeDwight Howard
AP Photo/John Raoux"As you can see Dwight, on the eighth day I didn't create LeBron."

Trouble is, of course, that no amount of special pleading or loud argument will change their official position or the course of events -- determined entirely at random, believe Me, the original crapshoot and therefore infuriating -- on anything, so it's almost not worth the trouble of sitting through the menu options on their customer service line. Blown call, lucky break, bad hop, sun in your eyes, tainted clam at the awards banquet, etc., ad infinitum. Whatever. As their letterhead says: "It is what it is."

Dwight -- if I can call you Dwight -- if you're a real capital B believer in the classic sense, i.e., that I set the whole thing in motion, that I'm responsible until the end of time for the moment by moment clockwork operation of the whole mishigas -- then please don't forget that by your own definition I invented randomness, too. Chaos. Misfortune. Disappointment. And that I must have done so for a reason.

And I could tell you that reason, Dwight. I could. But then, as they say in the CIA, I'd have to kill you. Ha ha. Just kidding.

But I could if I had to. Seriously. You get the gist.

I work in mysterious ways, as you know. Take Susan Boyle. Please! Ha ha. Or OctoMom. What's up with that?

See Dwight, it's not like I don't have a sense of humor about this stuff. Especially sports. So I'll dip a toe in from time to time, just to stir things up; or look away at the right/wrong moment just to keep things lively. Rafael Nadal loses to Robin Soderling? A 23 seed? A Swede who looks like the bass player for a Branson, Mo., reboot of ABBA? In Paris?Bwaahaahahaha! Some people look at Calvin Borel and say "why?" I look at Calvin Borel and say "Why not?" Adriana Lima and Marko Jaric? An absolute platypus of a marriage, but mazel tov. Crazy kids. Talk about a miracle! BaBing! What a world.

If you're not laughing, you're crying. Am I right?

Of course I am.

Anyhoo, gotta scoot. Just remember, as Benjamin Franklin said, I help those who help themselves.

Trust this finds you well. Good luck.
-- G

Oops. P.S. My son wanted to tack on a quick note while I've got the laptop open ...

(D -- Got a favor to ask.

You know how it is with families. In My house there may be many mansions, sure, but only the one flat-screen. We're not made of money around here, after all -- just consider Paul's letter to Timothy. Be nice to splurge once in a while, I guess, but even Dad has to practice what I preach. So just keeping up with current events is tough during the playoffs. I have to watch the little set in the kitchen. And domestic peace is always at a premium, believe me, even in this household. So I'm a little behind on my current events. And while I try to remain studiously neutral on basketball, I am of course a soft touch for the lost cause, which is why I'm a Clippers fan and haven't been paying much attention.

Anyway, I just now heard from a friend that George Karl said I couldn't guard Kobe Bryant.

If you see him, would you please tell Mr. Karl in no uncertain terms that I could absolutelyguard Kobe Bryant. And tight. If I wanted to. But that I don't want to guard Kobe Bryant.

Wait. On second thought, don't tell him that. It looks pretty weird now that I write it out. Just tell him that Jesus guards and protects everybody equally, etc., etc.

Flip side, if you run into any Kobe haterz in your travels, remind them that vengeance is Mine, sayeth Me.

Hit me back. L8R, J.)

Jeff MacGregor is a senior writer for ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine. Don't forget to submit your answers to his question: "What Are Sports For?" You can e-mail him at jeff_macgregor@hotmail.com.