yeah and stuff

Hello. I have been engaged in an interview process with Minacs. The next step is to actually have an in person interview, and I am awaiting their reply. Please pray that I get this interview, and God willing, this job.

In other news, I have been spending a lot of my time reading and enjoying music. Reading is fun now because whatever I read is my choice, and is read at my own pace. I love it. And music is always good. Here is a list of what I have been enjoying lately.

[READING:]

I am reading Thomas Pynchon's V. This is a fun, complicated book. Pynchon is a great author, I'm surprised that I never encountered him in University. Read this book, as well as Gravity's Rainbow, both are considered masterworks.

I am also reading lots of Manga. I blame this on Rach and on going to Anime North. I picked up a couple classics, including Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira, the first Manga translated into English. Also Masamune Shirow's cyber-punk Ghost in the Shell. I have also been reading some more recent Mangas such as Kohta Hirano's Hellsing and Hideyuki Kurata's Read or Die, both highly recommended.

[LISTENING:]

Lots of good stuff, however some recent stuff I've been enjoying:

Thrice- The Alchemy Index [all four volumes are excellent, progressive, and spiritual. Beautiful music.]

Kevin Max- The Blood [a collection of spiritual songs from Kevin, aka K-Max, aka the only member of DC Talk to do something worthwhile in his solo career (oh! snap!)  This is great for personal reflection, worship, and various other activities...]

The Human Flight Committee- Oh, When the Animals Unionize [received this from the Tollbooth for review. It is quite enjoyable, been listening nonstop for a couple days. Progressive punky goodness, obvious mewithoutYou influences, but more poppy with a flair for some Anberlin or Emery styled sections.]

I have also been enjoying espresso from my awesome new Breville Espresso Machine c/o Steve Hayes. It is awesome, just like him.

And Rach just made delicious chocolate chip cookies. Cookies and milk time. Oh yes.

velvet

I bought a book today that I assumed I was going to hate.

You see, I have become rather fascinated by what is unofficially known as "The Emerging Church" and, under its official title, the "Emergent." (Technically these are different things despite being so similar in name).

This movement contains both positive and negative elements and is difficult to contextualize. For example, my exposure to the Emerging Church began with Mark Driscoll, one of its founders, who is now one of the foremost critics of others within the movement. The above linked article is a decent overview but has its flaws.

I have heard that the Emerging Churches are saving Christianity... I have also heard that they are heretical neo-liberals. But wait, Mark Driscoll is highly conservative in his theology. Get it? Hard to pin down.

There's this guy named Rob Bell who is really important in the "Emergent Village," the apparently more liberal minded "official" stream of Emerging Churches. He wrote this book called "Velvet Elvis." Some people love it, others, including most of my friends of the reformed persuasion think that it is heretical trash.

Of course, if there is one thing that I have learned in university it is that I have to critically analyze texts for myself. And if there is one thing I've learned in the bible it is that I have to test all things and hold on to the good.

With this in mind I can honestly say that I am led by the Spirit of God to read this book, so I bought it... It's hard for me to really explain, but the only thing I've been able to think about in my devotions lately is this book. I wake up and the front cover is in my mind. It's the only thing I've been able to think about, "I must read this book."

I'm surprised, challenged, thoughtful. Two chapters in and it has me on my toes, it in one hand the bible in the other. A lot of what it has to say is valid and worth consideration, and some of it is postmodern questioning for the sake of asking questions. It's not all heresy, but I'd have to say that some of the ideas presented are heretical. So I'm going to hold on to the good and reject the bad. I don't hate it... I don't love it either.

Expect more thoughts later.

Crazy times

Get ready for a long post.... this one will be what we did this weekend/why Queen's sucks/life lessons etc.... so sit back and relax.

first the run down of the weekend:

Friday

• leave at 5:45pm after working til 3:30pm, cutting it super close
• 7:45, arrive in Toronto, buy bus pass, head to Rotate This, a great indie record store. They were closing about ten seconds after we arrived so I just told the guys what I was looking for and they happily helped me find it before they closed.
• around 10-ish we get to my Dad's and hang out for a while before going to sleep

Saturday

• Go downtown around 12pm, go shopping on Queen for clothes etc. Hang out at Chapters. Lose bus pass. Cuss out losing bus pass. Buy new bus pass.
• We then went to the Delta Chelsea for the wedding and pulled the getting changed in the bathrooms.
• The wedding was great... I've decided that the most romantic thing an engaged couple can do is go to someone else's wedding... it's a way to prepare/take it in... it means more now that it will be happening in our lives as well.
• Eat food and drink alcohol. Briefly evangelize a man at our table, following lead from another brother who we had never met before.
• Best beef tenderloin ever
• Rachel's friends are awesome people

Sunday

• Hang out with James, an old friend who is now a professional graphic designer. It's great to see him again. We indulged in a bit of nostalgia with the consumption of Saint Cinnamon buns. Mmmm....
• Took dad out for late fathers day at Swiss Chalet, also got him a cd, a family love affair!
• Went back to dad's, got hair cut (and how!) ate supper
• Back to the station to come home.
• 11:00pm arrive home

Some observations:

• Dad and Geannie are quite fun, although our schedule was packed I feel we had a lot of time to hang out, perhaps it's that I'm more comfortable now, but it was also just really fun too!
• Losing track of people sucks
• Weddings are awesome
• Rachel is awesome, and I am even more thankful for her now
• Good music is just good music

Loot list:

• 2 American Apparel fine jersey buttoned leisure style shirts (for the purposes of looking professional and feeling comfortable at Con Ed placements
• Scott Pilgrim and the Infinite Sadness (volume 3 in the hilarious alt-rock/anime digest comic by Bryan Lee O'Malley, funny and up to par with his older stuff)
• Bible Doodles (a weird little stapled chapbook of sorts by Craig Thompson. It contains about 40 pages of short graphic stories based on the bible from his non-believing but raised in the church perspective. Never heard of it before but I love his stuff a lot. Probably a collector's item of sorts)

CDs:

(this is more than I've bought in a while, although following this I'm going to cut back again... I think this time I should go at least a month without buying any records at all. After all, soon enough I will have to buy essential items, like food, rent, etc. instead of just buying music... I do love it but recognize that I can be too gung ho about it. With that in mind, the last cds for a while:)

Aphex Twin- On (British EP) [this was a find! Rare-ish 1993 EP, the original British version. None of the 4 songs were ever released on anything again and it has become quite rare now. "On" was the first extremely successful single by Aphex Twin. Jarvis Cocker of Pulp directed the music video too!]

Aphex Twin- Richard D. James Album [self-titled I guess?! Often critically considered as his best work, and it is quite good stuff, Jungle style beats over ambient piano and samples... creates a very unique atmosphere.]

The Appleseed Cast- Low Level Owl Volume 2 [Unfortunately couldn't find vol 1, this album is mostly instrumental, it is great chill out music]

The Appleseed Cast- Two Conversations [a lot of people love it and it contains their best known song, I haven't really heard it yet though]

Bear Vs. Shark- Right Now, You're In The Best Of Hands... [first of only two bvs albums, not as classic as Terrorhawk but songs like "Ma Jolie" are among the best. A great record.]

Neutral Milk Hotel- On Avery Island [similar to bvs this band had only two records, a great debut followed by an absolute classic. This is the debut, what I've heard is good, very different feel from their second and better record though]

PART II: Why Queen's Sucks

They put my placement in Bowmanville... How on earth am I going to get to Bowmanville everyday for 6 months, hmmm? ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Holds back urge to cuss out Queen's)

Well anyway, it's late and I should sleep, been awake too long and I have lots of laundry to do tomorrow. Took some fun pics that should make it up on facebook soonish, keep your eyes open for those!

Gradiduationedzes

Lis10in: The Smashing Pumpkins- I of the Mourning Everyone called MACHINA/The Machines of God the worst Pumpkins record. I disagree... Don't let your appreciation of this record be tainted by your Adore disappointments. I would say that I dig this more than Adore and also more than Gish. The lyrics are Billy's best too. It's too bad the production is so processed though. Got it for $4.99 so I ain'ts complainins

The past few days have been quite packt (like sardines in a crushd tin box). Thursday was my gradiduation from Trent University. So now I can prove to you that I can speak good. So, tso good. The ceremony was... um, distorted by hail the size of ice cubes which enjoyed cutting my fingers open. Following was some dinna avec Dad (from TO) and Rach at Hot Belly Mamma's, one of teh best restaurants in this town.

On Friday I hung out with my dad and we had some good conversationings. I also found the elusive Metroid II: The Return of Samus for use on my old skool Gameboy system (the original, folks). This was at the Hock Shop. The game play has some unique features... much simpler control than on Super Metroid, but also harder to master the intricacies of movement.

I also went to Emmaus with Rach and picked up the book Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches on a recommendation from Erin Doherty. It includes 5 chapters from different "Emerging" pastors about essential doctrine, etc. Each other writer then responds, so it is kinda like an academic roundtable discussion. Apparently I should like the first chapter (Driscoll) but become increasingly pissed off as I go on. We'll see. Three cheers for comparative theology!!!

Also werkt midnights last night and tonight.... sux. But next week it is all days. Yays. That is all fer nowz.

EDIT: It also turns out that this was my 500th blog posting.

you got yer eggnog in ma goat's milk!

Warning: preceding information is entirely irrelevant to the meaning of this post.

Listening to: Aphex Twin- 54 cymrv beats Aphex Twin: inspiring and confounding music lovers since 1989!

Lots of good stuff recently. School is almost over so I am in that transitional area where I am not yet working full time and I no longer have classes, aka the University student's 2 week summer... so I am whoring it out like any good 23 year old would.

This week I had lots of fun... impromptu Breakfast with Chris Jardin and Jerry Bolton, applying for the coveted (HA!) position of supervisor at Timmy Ho's, going to the 'Shwa with Bolton, Steven and Rachie (and sorry that Shane couldn't make it). Also some good readin' and a bit of studyin' to keep it all mildly formal.

While in the 'Shwa I picked up a book by Mark Driscoll, who is a mentor of sorts, entitled "Confessions of a Reformission Rev." This basically chronicles the development of the Mars Hill Seattle church. Considering I am a mad fanboy I've heard most of this before in sermons, etc. but it's nice to get it all in one place. Mark is pretty blunt, and the book has already pounded me upside the head like a large brick a couple of times.

Tomorrow is the dreaded Historical Linguistics exam. I hate this lots... mostly because I entirely ignored this class the whole semester.

In other news I am going to purposefully and consciously cut down on the music I buy... I am addicted to buying new music and I spend way too much money on cds. I am going to do this by progressively limiting both my time looking for music and the amount of music I buy. This is officially starting tomorrow, and will begin as a weekly thing (e.g. I am only allowed to look for / purchase music on a weekly basis) which doesn't sound like a lot, but is significant to me.

Also I will try to cut down on cds purchased at a time on trips... so no more buying 8 cds at Sonic Boom in Toronto when I visit it the 4-6 odd times a year. Instead I will make a specific list and stick to it, limiting those trips to only 2-3 cds, which again, would be a lot to others, but to a cd junkie like myself this is a drastic reduction. Hopefully this will have two effects, first, I will have more money for other things because I am spending less, and second, the music I do buy will be of a consistently higher quality because it will be more deliberated upon.

Anyway, that's the news from me! Also, Rachel and I will be at 6 months on Monday, which isn't really all that long, but is still significant. We'll be havin' some nice eats that night.

the summer

I AM NOW DONE ALL SESSAYS!!!!!!!

Therefore, time to make a summer reading and etc. list:

to read:

Dennis Lee, yesno
Dennis Lee, Body Music
George Herbert, The Complete English Poems (again)
Brian Lee O'Malley, Scott Pilgrim vol. 3-4
Mark Z. Danielewski, Only Revolutions

That was brief, I'm sure Rach will hit me up with some good stuff

to listen:

Still on the quest for Chemical Brothers singles and Suffering and the Hideous Thieves albums and singles. It also looks like some britpop, Pulp and Blur and currently a lot of Depeche Mode

to watch:

Want to complete my Beavis and Butt-head collection, also wanna get into the Ren and Stimpy boxsets for viewing pleasure.

to do:

Hit up Tronna with Jerry
Go to weddings
Go to Dundas Cactus Fest & Busker Fest
Go to Dundas in general
have lots of fun doing all above things!

That's all!