Back from Toronto

Actually got back about an hour ago. It was quite fun. We ran all over downtown in a big circle going to all the best stores. Everybody got something they've been wanting for a while... notably Rachel was quite excited to find an anime series box set for a mere $28 for what looked to be at least 5 dvds! As for me...

1. The Chemical Brothers- Hey Boy Hey Girl (single) purchased for the b-sides
2. The Chemical Brothers- It Began in Afrika (single) again for the b-side, but also for the original 8 and a half minute version of the title track unavailable anywhere else (the album version is a full 2 minutes shorter)
3. The Chemical Brothers- Come With Us/The Test (dvd single) has the video for "The Test" an edit of "Come With Us" a b-side and a live song. Unfortunately I can't rip the audio tracks to my compy because they're in dvd format! Argh!
4. Underworld- 1992-2002 Great 2-disc comp of all their singles and a few b-sides, all in their original 12-inch version. 16 songs, over 2 and a half hours of music. Most the songs are over 10 minutes long!
5. Suffering and the Hideous Thieves- Real Panic Formed These guys are impossible to find, I've only found two of their records in 4 years! Both at Sonic Boom in Toronto and both in the Misc. S section, it pays to sift through the crap to find treasures. This album is great, I'd say their best actually.
6. Dennis Lee- Body Music A collection of essays by my favourite poet. Rachel found this on sale at World's Largest Bookstore for $3.99! Sweet deal! Thanks Rachie.
   
7. Four shirts and one track jacket from American Apparel. I know the CEO Dov Charney isn't exactly a model citizen, but it is hard to find clothing of such high quality manufactured in a shop with fair wages, proper equipment, subsidized bus passes, etc.

We also ate dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe, which was quite nice indeed. All in all a great day, thanks guys for a good time.

Health Update- Prayer Request

A while ago I wrote that I might have a form of hyperthyroidism. This has now been confirmed, I have the most common form, officially known as Thyrotoxicosis but colloquially known as Graves' Disease. For general info on what this is go here.

Unfortunately this went too long without being positively identified which has led to a number of health complications. On top of losing lots of weight, it has drastically increased my chance of having a heart attack. So much so that I am on heart pills with a dosage twice as strong as my dad's same pills. Since heart problems already run in my family this is very bad news. Graves' itself is more annoying than harmful, but the complications it causes are bad.

I'll also have to take 4 thyroid pills a day which are very expensive for the rest of my life. (Fortunately I currently have health insurance!) Please pray for my miraculous complete healing as this sickness is from the devil.

In other news I'll be going to Toronto with Rachel and the Hayes Bros. (Steve and Michael) for some fun and frolic... and the Chemical Brothers Best of is great (duh!)

That's all for now!

beats

Well, well... lots of news some good some bad.

Found out my last three assignments are not all due on the same day, but instead staggered over a few weeks which makes my life happier. The last one is due on April 4, which makes way for...

Going to Rachel's house for easter! I get to meet the whole fam including her very British grandmother, so no "I hate that stupid monarchy" comments.

Something quite bad happened this week, but I will not divulge it here, talk to me if you want to know.

Also I have discovered the wonderful world of electronica / techno... notably artists such as Daft Punk (thanks Steve) and The Chemical Brothers. I dig the Chems a bit more, got 3 of their records and its great stuff. Dig Your Own Hole is the best record I've heard in a long time.

Enjoy your week.

Tags anyone?

Hmmm.... I am slowly realizing that I need to start work on the 3 assignments that are all due on March 30th or I'll be a sad, sad boy....

Listening to: Neutral Milk Hotel- Oh Comely AMG describes these guys as "a marching band on acid." Apt description. This song is more of a pseudo-ballad. It's long, like the American Pie of low-fi indie-rock. There singer reminds me of a less annoying combination of Violent Femmes' Gordon Gano and Jeff Suffering from Suffering and the Hideous Thieves. Highly recommended.

So I'm at Haaselton's because my Metaphysical poetry class was modified and shortened, and my facilitator job doesn't start til 6pm so I got some time. My BME belt buckle came in really fast, ordered it on Saturday and it arrived yesterday, talk about fast shipping. It's gorgeous too, 4 inches by 2 inches and excellent detail. I'm sure I will receive some comments on it (a picture of it and my toe here).

Read the first two sentences of Ephesians with Rachel yesterday... the sentences of Greek grammar tend to be long, covering at times 3-4 "verses" and entire English paragraphs. It's interesting ignoring those little superscript numbers and instead looking at the punctuation to guide my reading. That and Ephesians is the entirety of Christian doctrine summed up in 6 chapters. Very packed stuff, and since Rachel has the NKJV we got to discuss dispensationalism. We had a fruitful conversation about how to seek God, and how Christians need to be Godly in order to function as human beings.

Oh, I also plan to surprise everyone at the TCF Coffeehouse by doing something quite uncharacteristic of me...

oh my

well....... I tso fomisshed my sessay.... thank GOD.

I'm really happy that Rachie is back! We need to go to church more though! I miss going to church every week like I would miss my arm if I lost it. I need to go to church. Hopefully Steve will be more available on Sundays. And if not we'll bus it and walk! Ha!

I'm digging Counting Crows lately (the band). They right infectious pop-rock with good lyrics, if a tad too depressive, but how much "happy" music do I have anyway?

So it looks like John and I will be covering 18 Spiritual gifts in four weeks. Oh man, oh my. This will be interesting.... Mark Driscoll did it in 6 weeks, it only took him hour and a half sermons every Sunday... (AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!) At least he's funny... oh, and entirely biblical and Godly...

which reminds me that I actually have a name for my theological position. I thought that I was the only one trying to merge a Reformed theological position with charismaticism. Then I met Rachel. Then I listened to Mark Driscoll.

Turns out I am a "Charismatic Calvinist" which means that when it comes to isssues like salvation, election and eternal security I am Calvinist but when it comes to the Holy Spirit I am charismatic, but not pentecostal. I don't believe that people need to speak in tongues to have the Spirit. That is not true. Having the Spirit is the definition of a Christian.

Apparently this is a rather "cutting edge" position... a kind of reformation if you will attempting to unite all evangelicals in opposition to the Emergent. This is good. I'm glad that the Lord led me to this before I got together with Rachel and discovered Mark Driscoll, although they are a confirmation for me. If anyone is confused feel free to discuss this with me, and also subscribe to the Mars Hill Seattle church podcast and download the series on the Spiritual gifts... it's about 10 hours long but it is worth the effort.

yes.

well.

that is my update I guess. Keep it real... God bless.