2.25.2008

Haven't had time to post lately with tax season... but definitely had time to take in Cat Power's "Jukebox." And what a rockin' cover.

12.10.2007

Human... a worthy listen.

12.09.2007

Interesting article on Romney, politics and Mormonism. I've recently established friendships with some local Mormons. Mormonism is a faith I've never much investigated other than reading and hearing the major bullet points on why their belief system is unbiblical. Whenever I've tried to engage Mormons before, they've been very disinterested in dialogue and typically shut off whenever I'm seeking answers on their beliefs.

Now that I've built some solid friendships, it seems to have opened a door for those discussions I've been seeking out. Last night I went to a Christmas party at their church and was able to meet some of the local missionaries who are here from various parts of the country. I'm set to have a discussion with some of these missionaries here in a few weeks which I will be duly preparing for.

I've been cautioned by some of my friends on not 'wasting my time' b/c supposedly such discussions won't do any good. I couldn't disagree more.

If nothing else, what an opportunity to worship God by loving people who I believe are teaching a false gospel.

Last night, one of them joked that I was a 'dry Mormon'--meaning, i'm Mormon but just don't realize it yet. What I found intriguing is what sparked that comment. She said that b/c I was helping clean up after the Christmas party and it sort of surprised them, I guess, that I would hang around to do that. Is this the first time they've been exposed to a Christian who gives of himself in such a manner? I wasn't thinking anything about it when cleaning up. I just saw a need and plugged in. Wouldn't any Christ-follower do that if the circumstances allowed for it? I wondered if she was just being myopic, if she hadn't been exposed to other Christians or if the Christians she had been exposed to hadn't displayed love like that.

I will try to post some comments on my meeting with the elders in a few weeks.

11.11.2007

The rest of the London pics are up!

10.31.2007

Back from London. Beautiful city. And a very successful trip despite coming down with a cold on the first day. Here are a few pics. Working on getting the whole bunch up but need to resize and all that.

Liz and myself outside of Buckingham Palace. Liz was amazing. I used to work with her back in NYC at Morgan. She's turned out to be an incredible friend and was so kind to let me stay at her flat for the whole week.

Behind me here is C.S. Lewis' house, The Kilns. My friend Amy who is in Belgium right now was able to come up for a couple of days so we took a trip to Oxford. Two diehard Lewis fans parading through all of the great sites where Lewis spent his time while living and teaching at Oxford. This was the highlight of my trip to England. Lewis has had such a huge impact into my theological and apologetic development so it meant a great deal to be at these sites which also included the pub Eagle and Child where the famed Inklings met every week to take in a few pints and wrestle with their writings.

As Liz had to work during the day, I spent them walking nonstop--discovering all I could about London. Hampstead Heath, where I'm standing in this picture is a beautiful park in the north part of London. It's has a very natural and quaint feel. Different from the other parks in London which are very kept.

Next to all of the C.S. Lewis exploring in Oxford, another top highlight of this trip was seeing my prayer-buddy Victor when I passed through NYC on my way back to Denver. Our friendship is a testimony to God's sovereignty. I became friends with him about 2 weeks before I moved from NYC to Denver having no idea that our short tenure of NYC friendship would turn into an incredible weekly fellowship of prayer and encouragement. And so, since June 2006, Victor and I have been praying weekly for each other over the phone and seen God move in some amazing ways through that prayer time. Victor is a beacon of faithfulness and encouragement in a world of Christians who seem to diminish such qualities. I look forward to seeing how God will continue to minister to us in our prayer life.

9.07.2007

8.25.2007

So I've totally been out of posting... what else is new? That said, here are a few artists i've been taking in as well as some visual entertainment.

M.I.A.'s a rather new comer to the hip-hop scene but she gets major props for how she got there. Concocted her own first album a few years ago with a few hundred dollars in equipment and her career took off. i think her lyrics and use of rythm in her vocals has an acute creativity. every syllable seems uniquely and perfectly placed. very gifted.

Here's a group that's been around a while... Air. Although they've put out a lot of great music since the "Virgin Suicides" soundtrack, that's when i think the really began to get notoriety. I've really enjoyed this one release called "Air V" that came out in '06. What I appreciate the most is how each album is so different from the others. it's like you're not listening to the same artist except that the music is just as good.

Tegan and Sara - Simple, catchy, energizes me while i'm painting the house.

"Touch the Sound" -- intriguing documentary which follows Evelyn Glennie through a fanciful exploration into the world of sound both manufactured via instruments and what we sound under-appreciators would call "noise polution" (i.e. airport foot traffic, window a/c units, etc.). The Scottish Glennie has a wonderful personality and she's pretty much as enjoyable to watch performing as her music is to listen to. she exudes so much passion and energy in just the playing. If you haven't heard of her, I suggest some quick reading. She's the world's first full-time solo percussionist who also happens to be profoundly deaf.

"The Painted Veil" -- while mostly set in a remote village of 1920s China, the real beauty in this film is the underlying message of reconciliation and forgiveness. It is, essentially, the Gospel with some tweaks. But the core message of love overcoming the worst of offenses is the theme. It is rare that a movie will even bring a tear to my eye but i'm not ashamed to say that this one brought a few.

7.13.2007

Back in 1999, while living in Virginia, I sat down with my girlfriend at the time and watched Elizabeth which had just been released on video. Memories of my British history lessons came back to me as I watched the movie--recalling the treacherous and violent Queen Mary who thankfully met her death earlier in her reign than later. And then the ascension of her sister Elizabeth to the crown. After the depressing history of the Britons in years prior, Elizabeth was a breath of fresh air and I remember adding her to a list of historical figures I would like to have met.

The movie did an amazing job of this portrayal and I soon found myself quite enraptured with the acting talent of Cate Blanchett. I've since seen almost all of her movies and have not been disappointed yet by her performance. I only wish her role in "Lord of the Rings" was more prominent.

Now comes the second installment of her role as Queen Elizabeth I. "The Golden Age" comes to theaters on October 12th after its Toronto Film Festival debut.

What fascinates me about this story line is its uncanny resemblence to The Godfather series. Don Corleone was his own monarchy of sorts. The last scenes of murder--the squelch of rivalry. What does it take to assume and retain such power and influence? A rare breed of men and women. So rare they're legends. To play such characters must be extremely challenging--convicing an audience that you could be that legend if they use their imaginations. Not that the Oscars mean anything these days, but if they did, I'd hope this will get Blanchett Best Actress.

7.05.2007

Why do I never get tired of this album?

Update (7/13/07): This is one of the things I miss about living in NYC... I could have been here.

6.11.2007

I realize Amy Winehouse has fallen somewhat mainstream, but she still deserves a spot here, if for no other reason then that I've fallen head over heels with "Back to Black."

6.10.2007

Rarities and more... including a song about my home state. Don't care for the state but the song kicks!

they say that God makes problems
just to see what you can stand
before you do as the devil pleases
and give up the thing you love.

also, been trying to get around to see this movie.

4.30.2007

Looking forward to seeing her... here.

4.25.2007

So I'm driving along the curvy Adirondack roads in upstate NY back in the summer of '05 and some obscure dj from some obscure radio station decides to play "Guns of Brixton" by Nouvelle Vague. Well, this, of course, is a cover of the Clash but it might as well be an original because it's pretty damn unique sounding. From the vocals to the instrumental choices, you sense the spirit of the original recording, but this little angel has its own personality.

Well, that was from NV's self-titled album (2000). They've since put out another gem, "Bande a Part" (2006).

From their website, NV describes themselves as follows:

"After the unanticipated worldwide success of Nouvelle Vague's eponymous debut album (more than 200,000 copies sold, concerts in over twenty countries, universal media approbation et al...) it seemed obvious that we had to continue the project. Keeping to the original concept - re-arranging the greatest, but rarely covered early '80s post-punk numbers in an original and personal way - we tried to once again re-evaluate music that was seldom considered in terms of 'real' songs.

"I then had the idea to set these songs in a very different dimension, namely the Caribbean between 1940 and 1970. Just as on the first album I'd imagined a young Brazilian girl singing Love Will Tear Us Apart on a Rio beach in the '60s, this time I envisaged a young Jamaican with his acoustic guitar singing Heart Of Glass in his Kingston township suburb."

He envisions a Jamaican on his guitar. I envision "Breakfast at Tiffany's" redux with Varjak at my side and Holly taking my drink order--b/c my imagination is weird that way.

They're much more popular now--and it seems whenever I'm in Guess I hear them played.

4.13.2007

PLUG's Female artist of the year, Neko Case, has an uncanny vocal resemblence to Emmylou Harris. For you poor, misguided readers too ensconced in your modern music to know Harris' music, this is a compliment to Case.

I sure hope her hair is really that color. Somehow that just makes her music sound better.

Visit Neko here.

4.08.2007

I had been planning for a long time to see "The Lost City." And finally got around to it.

My only regret is that I didn't see this picture sooner. Andy Garcia does an amazing job weaving the Cuban culture with the policital dynamics of the late 50s. Quite aptly named, by the end of this movie you'll be filled with a sense of remorse over what Cuba lost post-revolution with the likes of Castro and Guevarra. As goes hand-in-hand with all socialist revolutions there is a tragic death of the arts. The music and performance arts that drive the beginning of the movie become the obituary that leave us shaking our fist at the Revolution and its leaders. One need look no further than the Third Reich and the Soviet Union to see cultures lost in the name of social equality via Marxist philosophies.

Freedoms are not independent of each other. When one deteriorates at the hands of government, they are all quick to follow. Socialism is inherently the confiscation of freedom. And so with every socialist regime comes liberty's eradication. From the arts, to religion to life itself. Every such form of government is damned to self-destruction and the people with it.

I couldn't help but reflect on Ayn Rand's "We the Living," and it's haunting pictorial of the Russian Revolution.

Kudos to Garcia for his boldness to reflect the evils of such political philosophy. I don't know his personal politics, but any movie that cuts harshly at the blind surrender to the Che bandwagon gets my vote.

On an unrelated note--don't bother with this movie. What a serious disappointment on every level.

3.22.2007

I like 'em...

Even if they are a bunch of green whackos... eclectic flavor, no sappy lyrics, they paint during their concerts and they're playing the Larimer on May 10.

3.13.2007

Good heavens, I had no idea!

12.13.2006

Bummer, I've been outbid again!

11.27.2006

Every now and again I like to revisit my old favorite music artists and check out some of the music of theirs that I haven't before. It can be an older album... sometimes it's a new album (e.g. you can bet I'll be revisiting the Pumpkins with their comeback album due to be released in 2007).

Lately, I've been going back to Bjork material. In particular her album, "Post" from 1995. Timeless material.



Here are lyrics from "Army of Me."

Stand up
You've got to manage
I won't sympathize
Anymore

And if you complain once more
You'lll meet an army of me

You're alright
There's nothing wrong
Self sufficience please!
And get to work

And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me

You're on your own now
We won't save you
Your rescue squad
Is too eshausted

And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me

11.26.2006

Hmm... great news. At least now I know when to plan my 2008 vacation.