Booyah Achieved

I finally got a Real Blog

2008-04-08T11:22:00.002-07:00

haha, I made the switch to Wordpress. Please update your links to:

joshmickelson.wordpress.com

And Please blogroll me if you haven't!

New Tattoo!

2008-04-07T13:26:00.004-07:00

I got this done from Colin over at Faith Tattoo. Go see him if you want some work done!

Bad Day

2008-04-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

So last night I went to the Emergency Room on 18th and Gilpin. Weird. I have never had a medical emergency in my life where I didn’t just wait for a doctor’s appointment (ok, ok, except for when I lost my finger).

I have had a stomachache all week, which I have been able to deal with just fine. Well last night around 7:30pm, I start getting these cramps below my stomach in my intestine area. They were horrible. I can honestly say I have never felt anything like that before. It was like someone had a knife in my abdomen and was twisting it around. Being the stubborn male that I am, I thought, “Ok, it will pass, just ride it out”. I laid on my couch another 15 minutes then ran to the bathroom and had a bowel movement, and realized it was full of blood (sorry for being graphic). That was my queue to head right on over to the hospital.

I won’t bore you with all the details, but I am fine. After numerous tests it turns out my intestines were just inflamed and causing the sharp pains. The blood was actually a result of taking too much peptol bismal and wasn’t actually blood. All is well, and I already feel much better today. I have some medicine and have to adhere to a specific “bland” diet for the next couple of days.

All is well.

Hello, Dear Wind.

2008-04-02T07:53:00.001-07:00

I went of to the Traylor’s house for dinner last night. Jon and Crystal are back in town for a few months to secure Jon’s visa status here in America. I am excited about this because they really are nice genuine people with a great outlook on life. Rock and roll!

Ps - I started a poem last night that I really like so far.

Blistered Avalon

2008-03-31T08:51:00.001-07:00

Okay, I am going to apologize in advance for this post, it’s going to be all over the place and random.

First off, I read this article and thought it was crazy:

Scientists are developing a male birth control pill

This weekend, I went climbing again and a guy gave our group some pointers. I thought that was very nice of him. He was especially encouraging to me since I am a big guy. He told me that climbing is almost all technique. He said that there are pro-climbers who can barely do a pull-up.

Cityprayer on Saturday morning went really well. Our little youth band is extremely tight and we get the job done. I am excited to see where that goes. Mark did a great job leading on Sunday and Saturday.

I went to the BoulderChurch bible study on Saturday night. We talked about guilt brought from Religion and burdens associated with it. I really enjoy that bible study; it’s a little challenging because there isn’t a lot of common ground. So we didn’t really even get past how we definite guilt and whether or not it’s a good thing/natural.

Lastly, I am officially deeming this week my “Cleansing Week”. I am going to get my diet back on track, not watch any television and work on quitting some other unhealthy habits. I feel inhibited physically and spiritually, and I am ready to get back on path. Pray for me if you are into that. I feel very confused about my direction and identity lately. I really think it’s a good thing, and I am excited to push through this awkward time.

Yes!

2008-03-31T07:50:00.002-07:00

2008-03-27T10:01:00.001-07:00

Last night was my first experience at Casabonita. I have lived in Denver for 6 years now, and never had the pleasure of partaking in this fine establishment. If you have never been, let me list some of the things you are missing out on:

-Cave Divers in Corona shorts
-Cheese enchiladas that are $12, but taste like the AIDS virus
-Instant diarrhea
-Exploring the caverns
-Gorillas
-Some random girl trying to sell me an energy drink from her car as we left
-Awesome trinkets in the gift shop
-Being corrected by the Police officer for “exploring” a little too much…hah
-Getting the feeling that every single employee there sleeps with every other employee on top of the food you are eating, and then makes fun of you as you ingest.
-Flattened pennies

I hope after reading that, you are jealous and want to uncover the many mysteries of Casabonita!

I'll Meet You in the Ground

2008-03-25T07:39:00.002-07:00

I hopped in bed at about 9 last night and continued reading On the Road for about an hour and a half. That book is so incredibly easy to read. It’s like the pages turn themselves as you are reading about Sal’s journeys.

After reading, I thought of a cool idea. I am going to start a poem in my new my moleskin where I only write one line a day. I’m sure by the end of the poem it’s not going to make a whole lot of sense, but I feel like I have one sentence that describes my thoughts every day. We’ll see how it turns out.

I notice that when I force myself to write and process my thoughts, everything seems much clearer. Obviously, blogging is a great outlet, but I think it’s also important to have a personal journal where you can write whatever you want with no censorship.

Anyway, thanks to Mark and Judi for the nice pen and moleskin, and to Bone for the sweet lighter so I can smoke my pipe as I write ;)

There is hope for me yet!!!

2008-03-24T13:12:00.004-07:00

Thanks Mel for the article:

(CBS) Imagine re-growing a severed fingertip, or creating an organ in the lab that can be transplanted into a patient without risk of rejection. It sounds like science fiction, but it's not. It's the burgeoning field of regenerative medicine, in which scientists are learning to harness the body's own power to regenerate itself, with astonishing results. Correspondent Wyatt Andrews brings you to the scientific frontier.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three years ago, Lee Spievack sliced off the tip of his finger in the propeller of a hobby shop airplane.

What happened next, Andrews reports, propelled him into the future of medicine. Spievack's brother, Alan, a medical research scientist, sent him a special powder and told him to sprinkle it on the wound.

"I powdered it on until it was covered," Spievack recalled.

To his astonishment, every bit of his fingertip grew back.

"Your finger grew back," Andrews asked Spievack, "flesh, blood, vessels and nail?"

"Four weeks," he answered.

Andrews spoke to Dr. Steven Badylak of the University of Pittsburgh's McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine and asked if that powder was the reason behind Spievack's new finger tip.

"Yes, it is," Badylak explained. "We took this and turned it into a powdered form."

That powder is a substance made from pig bladders called extracellular matrix. It is a mix of protein and connective tissue surgeons often use to repair tendons and it holds some of the secrets behind the emerging new science of regenerative medicine.

"It tells the body, start that process of tissue regrowth," said Badylak.

Badlayk is one of the many scientists who now believe every tissue in the body has cells which are capable of regeneration. All scientists have to do is find enough of those cells and "direct" them to grow.

"Somehow the matrix summons the cells and tell them what to do," Badylak explained. "It helps instruct them in terms of where they need to go, how they need to differentiate - should I become a blood vessel, a nerve, a muscle cell or whatever."

If this helped Spievack's finger regrow, Badylak says, at least in theory, you should be able to grow a whole limb.

Advances That Go Beyond Theory

In his lab at Wake Forest University, a lab he calls a medical factory, Dr. Anthony Atala is growing body parts.

Atala and his team have built, from the cell level up, 18 different types of tissue so far, including muscle tissue, whole organs and the pulsing heart valve of a sheep.

"And is it growing?" Andrews asked.

"Absolutely," Atala said, showing him, "All this white material is new tissue."

"When people ask me 'what do you do,' we grow tissues and organs," he said. "We are making body parts that we can implant right back into patients."

It's very much the future, but it's today. We are doing this today.

Dr. Patrick ShenotDr. Atala, one of the pioneers of regeneration, believes every type of tissue already has cells ready to regenerate if only researchers can prod them into action. Sometimes that prodding can look like science fiction.

Emerging from an everyday ink jet printer is the heart of a mouse. Mouse heart cells go into the ink cartridge and are then sprayed down in a heart shaped pattern layer by layer.

Dr. Atala believes it's a matter of time before someone grows a human heart.

"The cells have all the genetic information necessary to make new tissue," Atala explained. "That's what they are programmed to do. So your heart cells are programmed to make more heart tissue, your bladder cells are programmed to make more bladder cells."

Atala's work with human bladder cells has pushed regenerative medicine to a transformational breakthrough.

In this clinical trial at Thomas Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia, Dr. Patrick Shenot is performing a bladder transplant with an organ built with this patient's own cells. In a process developed by Dr. Atala, the patient's cells were grown in a lab, and then seeded on a biodegradable bladder-shaped scaffold.

Eight weeks later, with the scaffold now infused with millions of regrown cells, it is transplanted into the patient. When the scaffold dissolves, Dr. Shenot says what's left will be a new, functioning organ.

"The cells will differentiate into the two major cells in the bladder wall, the muscle cells and the lining cells," he explained. "It's very much the future, but it's today. We are doing this today."

Repairing The Wounded

Today, one of the biggest believers in regeneration is the United States military, which is especially interested in the matrix that regrew Lee Spievack's finger.

The Army, working in conjunction with the University of Pittsburgh, is about to use that matrix on the amputated fingers of soldiers home from the war.

Dr. Steven Wolf, at the Army Institute of Surgical Research, says the military has invested millions of dollars in regenerative research, hoping to re-grow limbs, lost muscle, even burned skin.

"And it's hard to ignore this guys missing half his skin, this guy's missing his leg," Wolf said. "You start asking the question, is there somebody out there with the technology that can do this for us?"

"You mean regrow the tissue?" Andrews asked.

"The answer," Wolf said, "is maybe."

At the burn unit at the Brooke Army Medical center, the very idea of regeneration brings a glimmer of hope.

Army Staff Sgt. Robert Henline was the only survivor of an IED attack on his Humvee north of Baghdad.

"It's a great idea," Henline said, talking with Andrews about the military's investment into the new technology. "If they can come up with something that's less painful and can heal it with natural growth, without all this scarring, it's definitely something to check into."

Regeneration Race Goes Global

Several different technologies for harnessing regeneration are now in clinical trials around the world. One machine, being tested in Germany, sprays a burn patient's own cells onto a burn, signaling the skin to re-grow.

Badylak is about to implant matrix material - shaped like an esophagus - into patients with throat cancer.

"We fully expect that this material will cause the body to re-form normal esophageal tissue," Badylak said.

And in a clinical trial at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, patient Mary Beth Babo is getting her own adult stem cells injected into her heart, in hopes of growing new arteries. Her surgeon is Dr. Joon Lee.

"It's what we consider the Holy Grail of our field for coronary heart disease," Lee said.

The Holy Grail, because if stem cells can re-grow arteries, there's less need for surgery.

"It's a big difference from open heart surgery to this," said Babo. "If people don't have to go through that, this would be the way to go ... if it works."

The Business Of Regeneration

Corporate America, meanwhile, already believes regeneration will work. Investment capital has been pouring in to commercialize and mass produce custom-made body parts.

The Tengion Company has bought the license, built the factory, and is already making those bladders developed at Wake Forest that we told you about earlier.

"We're actually building a very real business around a very real and compelling patient need," said Dr. Steven Nichtberger, Tengion's CEO.

Tengion believes regeneration will soon revolutionize transplant medicine. Transplant patients, instead of waiting years for a donated organ, will ship cells off to a lab and wait a few weeks to have their own re-grown.

"I look at the patients who are on the waitlist for transplant," said Nichtberger. "I look at the opportunity we have to build bladders, to build vessels, to build kidneys. In regenerative medicine, I think it is similar to the semi-conductor industry of the 1980s, you don't know where it's going to go, but you know it's big."

morbid

2008-03-24T11:43:00.001-07:00

Easter

2008-03-24T06:50:00.002-07:00

I have non-Christian friends that hassle me for celebrating Easter. They think I am clueles to all of the pagan incorporations the holiday has. My rebuttal is, "who cares?". I take Easter, and the time leading up to it, to remember the death of Jesus and the great sacrifice He made.

Anyway, here is a really cool article I read on Jesus Manifesto. Thanks Adam for the link:

The Scandal of Easter
Written by Mark Van Steenwyk : March 18, 2008
Easter is coming. On Sunday, we remember the day that our Lord wrested free from the confines of the grave. It is the day when the final Enemy, death began its own march to the grave.

Holy Week is an odd time of year. My family didn’t celebrate Holy Week. To me, it was simply a day of pastel marshmallow bunnies and birds (I think Peeps taste nasty) , colored hard-boiled eggs, and jelly beans. Nothing more. Pretty lame as far as holidays go. The only one in my family who really liked Easter was my sister Chantel, but only because she loved coloring the eggs so much.

As I got older, I began to notice peculiar things about the season leading up to Easter. I noticed that on some Wednesday about a month before Easter, people got smudges of ash placed upon their foreheads. Vaguely, I knew that the ash thing had something to do with Easter. And I think I knew that Easter had to do with the day that Jesus went up into heaven or something.

I embraced Christianity in my teens. I had the weepy camp experience and got really involved in church. My faith meant a lot to me. And I really really loved Jesus. My family wasn’t really into Jesus and church at the time, so I felt like it was MY thing. That made it all the more special to me. Around that time I realized that the smudgy ash day was Ash Wednesday. Our church didn’t celebrate that stuff because we believed it was dead religion. But I secretly thought it was kinda cool. I also learned that Holy Week was kind of a big deal. Especially Good Friday, which was about how Jesus died. Lutherans and Catholics had other special days during the week, but we charismatics and Pentecostals and low church evangelicals really only focused on two days: Good Friday and Easter. Cross and Resurrection. They were all that mattered.

It was on the Cross, you see, that Jesus took all of our sins upon himself and then died. He took our just punishment. And on Easter Jesus rose from the dead–a sign that his sacrifice was accepted by God. And it showed that Jesus is more powerful than sin and death. If we believe that he died on the Cross for our own sins, we too can be resurrected some day.

The nice thing about all of this is that God takes me just as I am, right? Once I trust in his sacrifice on my behalf, I can trust that, some day, I will join him in Heaven. Right? That is what Easter is all about. It is about me being accepted as I am. What I do with the rest of my life matters…but not as much as the joyful recognition that my afterlife is secured.

Easter is that day when you appear
Sweet Jesus
To whisper sweet nothings into my ear
Sweet Jesus
And to forgive my sins, my dear
Sweet Jesus
Like drinking too much beer
Being insincere
And forgetting you all year
Sweet Jesus

Show me the path
Sweet Jesus
Away from God’s wrath
Sweet Jesus
Give my soul a bath
Sweet Jesus
So that I can laugh
For all the junk I hath
From plying $atan’s math
Sweet Jesus

You make me white as snow
Sweet Jesus
So merrily I go
Sweet Jesus
To maintain the status quo
Sweet Jesus
Like keeping down the low
Having too much dough
Or killing all my foes
Sweet Jesus

The scandal of Easter is that it has been used to reinforce the status quo. Instead of seeing the Cross and Resurrection as a death to the old way and the opening of a new way, it is tempting to see them mechanistically. If we believe, our slate is cleaned. And we can continue on as though nothing has ever happened.

And so, because of Jesus’ death, I don’t have to change my life. I’m not responsible for changing the corrupt systems that I’ve inherited. I don’t have to worry about the poor. I don’t need to DO anything. Jesus took care of all that on the Cross. And when he rose from the dead, he made it possible for me to go to the Kingdom of God when I die.

This way of seeing Easter permeates the Western understanding of Christianity. But is this how Jesus understood his death? As he gathered disciples and set his face towards Jerusalem, he called his followers to take their cross and follow him. In his final week, he cleanses the Temple, speaks against the teachers of the Law, and predicts the destruction of the Temple.

His death was an act of judgment against a corrupt system. And in his resurrection, ascension, and pouring out of the Spirit, a new way is opened up for us to speak prophetically to the domination system (the global web of institutions and governments in the hands of the few that oppress the many), resist the powers, and live in the Kingdom. Here. Now.

I don’t mean to diminish the reconciling work of Jesus on the Cross. By no means. Nor am I advocating that God will only forgive you if you do stuff for him. I am merely suggesting that we need to drop our transactional understanding of the Gospel. To follow Jesus is to walk in his way. His death and resurrection opens up for us a new way. We, filled by the Spirit, are called to live and move in the way of Jesus. Let us remember Jesus’ death and resurrection by taking up our cross and experiencing a new way of life.

2008-03-22T20:56:00.003-07:00

The testosterone is pumping at Mark's house tonight. Six hairy men are playing Rock Band and being loud. It's hard to believe that literally 5 hours ago, Mark was sitting up here in his PJs watching "Titanic".

HB JOSH

2008-03-21T07:34:00.001-07:00

I got the best birthday gift ever – I found out that I am Dog the Bounty Hunter’s account representative for his yellow page listing. I left him a voicemail yesterday. Too bad he is racist and stuff…

Ava Adore

2008-03-20T08:00:00.001-07:00

And I'll pull your crooked teeth
You'll be perfect just like me
You'll be a lover in my bed
And a gun to my head
We must never be apart
We must never be apart

There's No Point Trying to Fight it

2008-03-18T08:16:00.001-07:00

Last night Brandon and I took his co-worker friend, Paola, out around Denver. Paola is from Mexico and is just visiting here this week for some work training. It was really fun to walk around downtown and look at your city from a visitor’s standpoint. I drive by some of these landmarks everyday and don’t even give them two thoughts. We really do live in a beautiful city. I also decided that I need to marry a foreign girl because their accents are so damn cute! Paola was trying to say that our pizza is “better” here in America, but it came out as “Bear pizza in America”. We gracefully informed her that we do not serve bear meat on pizzas here (lol).

I think I drank too much coffee, because on the ride from dropping off Paola, I puked…haha. I don’t even know why, my stomach just felt gnarly, so I asked Brandon to pull over and got sick on someone’s lawn. It was pretty classy. The good news is, I felt like a million bucks after all that coffee was out of my stomach.

Today was my first day back at riding my bike to work. It felt good, and I arrived to the office with a lot of energy. On the light-rail, I continued reading On The Road. Reading it made me want to pop my thumb out and hitchhike to San Francisco.

Sidenote: The new Ours album is released today. Do yourself a favor and pick it up. It is really incredible.

Make that Wall Your Biotch, Chris!

2008-03-12T11:31:00.001-07:00

I have been climbing/bouldering fairly consistently for the last month or so. It has been a really great workout and the sense of accomplishment you feel when you make it through a problem is like no other. Last night, a few friends and myself went to Paradise Rock on 62^nd/Washington. This gym is home to a few pro-climbers and is pretty impressive. We decided to go the cheap route and do bouldering instead of rope-climbing. I must say, it was the most challenging spots I have ever been to. None of us were able to finish even one problem. Nevertheless, it kicked my butt and I feel nice and sore today! My hands are calloused and my shoulders are destroyed, but it’s a good pain!

Anyway, I said all that to say, you (the reader) should come climbing with me. Such a fun buddy sport!

I hope this sticks.

2008-03-07T11:21:00.001-07:00

Abby and I decided that we are going to start our very own e-book club haha. We are going to mutually read an article, short story or book each week and discuss it on Fridays. I am excited because this will be motivation for me to turn the T.V. off and actually use my mind when I am at home. This week’s discussion will be on:

Christopher’s Article about post-Collegiate life

Kafka’s “Hunger Artist”

I think I would totally do this

2008-03-06T09:21:00.001-07:00

Get Malaria for $4000

It's in Seattle, Do it Abby!

One of the best blogs I've read in a while:

2008-03-05T16:56:00.002-07:00

Stuff White People Like

Go Now in the Light of Your God

2008-03-05T10:36:00.000-07:00

Did your mother ever say "If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all"? My mom sure did. I was thinking about that phrase the other day, and decided that I should give it a shot. I have been trying to make an attempt at letting only love come out of my mouth. Unfortunately, I have been failing miserably. Even this morning, I was on my way in to work and someone cut me off, so I immediately thought out loud "What the hell is this douche bag's problem?". Not a very loving thing to say I suppose. I think it's going to be a process though, I am becoming more aware of the things I say and trying to make adjustments. It's not even a matter of my Christian belief-system, I just want my mark left on this world to be that of love. It's so easy to make jokes at other's expense, or vent out frustration by making biting remarks. It seems like the real challenge in life is controlling your tongue. I am not saying that one should be dishonest with themselves, and bottle up anger, sadness or whatever emotion you are feeling. I just think it's important to have control over the way that is exposed in your life. Anyway, hopefully this blog doesn't sounds pompous or conceded, I just wanted to make my new resolution somewhat public so my friends can hold me accountable. LOVE YA'LL

lol

2008-03-05T08:47:00.002-07:00

Forcing Love

2008-03-05T08:45:00.001-07:00

He has spoken

2008-03-04T10:13:00.001-07:00

[10:05] Jonas: eff bloggginggggggggggggg
[10:05] Madison Prep: yea but your blogs are always good to read
[10:05] Madison Prep: so keep it up biotch
[10:06] Jonas: my blog is for fun not to earn your political vote whore!
[10:12] Madison Prep: ead
[10:12] Madison Prep: there are no politics
[10:12] Madison Prep: you are the don
[10:12] Madison Prep: and that's that.
[10:12] Jonas: fair

03.01.2008

2008-03-03T10:57:00.000-07:00

Me eyes opened as the sound of the radio pierced my ears. There was a smile on my face because I knew the day stored something great for me and my friends. I crawled out of bed and made some unintelligible noise directed at Chris who was reading a magazine on my couch. After showering and getting ready for the day, we biked over to Brandon’s house where he offered us bagels and orange juice. We ate the oily bread and talked about our lives.

From there, we piled into Chris’ flesh colored pick-up truck, affectionately called “the peen-mobile”. This is a 1980s Japanese vehicle that is not made for three people to occupy. Brandon sat in the middle on the way there, and I on the way back. Let me just say, 4^th gear is no fun. Anyway, we made it to “The Spot” in Boulder after the snug ride. Our bikes were piled up in the back. We walked into the building, strapped on our climbing shoes and started working through some “problems” as the bouldering nerds like to call it. It was such a different experience from my first time climbing. You don’t realize how much you rely on ropes until they are taken away. Despite the ground being padded, eighteen feet is a long way down. After two hours of destroying our backs and forearms, we headed out.

As the “peen-mobile” pulled up to Tim’s house, he was sitting on his porch studying and drinking some scotch. We joined him for a cigar and a glass. The smoke billowed through our beards and hair as we talked about heaven, hell, hiking and Tim’s recently deceased landlord. Afterwards, we ditched the peen and hopped on our bikes. I couldn’t help but notice how much nicer drivers are to cyclists in Boulder. We weaved in and out of lanes until our path ended at “The Mountain Sun”. There we shared a pint and some of the best fries my mouth has ever encountered.

With no specific plan or destination we embarked on a long bike ride through Boulder (after a quick stint at the bike shop for some new cages). There we rode, three in a row, making our way through the crowds of runners and roadies. I felt so graceful and so awkward all at once. The air outside was fresh and clean. My palms were aching from the leaning of my weight on them. Driving through the park as the hippies banged on their djembes and other hand drums, I felt a release. Through the sweat my body poured out the stress of my life and the thoughts that consume me.

That night, we sat around in Tim and Jaime’s living room and discussed the important stuff, like love and God. I didn’t really get any answers, but it felt good to be a part of a community. I am truly grateful for the relationships I have in my life through church and life. Days like these make me feel honored to be alive.

Star Wars Love

2008-02-28T22:31:00.001-07:00

Sanctified By Glory and Fire

2008-02-27T09:49:00.000-07:00

I have been struggling lately in the issue of God’s wrath versus God’s Grace. They are both very evident in both the New and the Old Testament. It talks in Revelations about how the earth is going to see a wrath from God that has never been seen before, but it also says in Colossians that every one of our sins was nailed to the cross with Jesus and we have atonement for said sins.

I look at it like a father who loves his children, but still holds them accountable for their actions. Obviously a fair father wouldn’t just let their kid be disrespectful to his/her mother, or get away with stealing from the local gas station. Does he still love that child when it’s all said and done? Of course! Correction still has to happen, however. This is the balance of life I think, learning from correction and learning from forgiveness. I was listening to a song by Delirious last night and one of the lyrics was “Sanctified by glory and fire”, we are atoned by the glory of his love and the fire of his correction.

I will be honest, I still struggle with the idea of how his forgiveness/wrath is played out. Does Adolf Hitler face judgment for the millions of lives he was responsible for taking? Or were his sins nailed to Jesus’ hands just like mine? It is confusing stuff. I am reminded of the story of Jonah. Jonah refused to obey God and deliver his message to this city, so God had him swallowed by a whale. In three days, the whale spit him out, and as he was sitting on the beach God, in essence said, “I am going to give you another chance, go give the same message to this other city.” Jonah obeyed, and gave this intense message about how God was going to destroy their city in 40 days because of their lifestyles. The city fixed their lifestyles and the bible says that God’s wrath passed over them. In effect, this really encompasses what I am wrestling with in my head. His wrath is evident and real, but the choice is in our hands. In effect, he gave both the city AND Jonah another chance at it. Jonah could have given up on his Lord and walked away from that whale with his tail between his legs, but he chose to correct himself.

Anyway, I am not even close to having stuff figured out, I just heard a message last night on the subject and it’s been going around in my head all day. It’s good for me though, because I feel like God is bringing correction in my life that is necessary. It’s too easy to just keep going through life, taking the easy route. I feel like true liberty comes from accepting that what needs to change, and not taking it lightly…oh and feeding the poor ;-)

How do these exist and I don't own them?

2008-02-22T16:17:00.001-07:00

The Lady Will Have Something of Equal or Lesser Value

2008-02-22T12:47:00.001-07:00

How is it that Chipotle is capable of making you so happy or so sad? It really is the best value in the modern day restaurant industry. You get a burrito filled with Grade-A products, excellent hot sauce and it’s the size of a small baby. The endorphins pump through my head like a little boy who got his hands on a B.B Gun when I eat it.

That said, when you get a bad burrito, it feels like you have just been shot. Today was free-burrito day for Dex employees. It was a promotion our local Chipotle was doing for us to improve their customer base. I decided to be a nice guy and grab a burrito for one of our receptionists since he wasn’t able to leave. Now, I am going to go over what I normally get, and what he ordered.

My typical burrito:
-Chicken
-Hot Sauce
-Green Chile
-Sour Cream
-Cheese
-No Beans

My co-worker’s burrito:
-Chicken
-Black Beans
-Corn
-Sour Cream

Obviously, my burrito is the superior product. However, the employee accidentally mislabeled our burritos. So as I bit into that hunk of Mexican glory, I was disappointed to taste the blandest piece of nothingness ever. It was awful. Now don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for the free burrito, and I will continue patronizing Chipotle. I just wanted to point out how much of a let-down it is to get not get your order.

I would marry Chipotle if it was a hot-lady.

Nothing like putting things into perspective...

2008-02-22T11:04:00.002-07:00

I will Marry This Woman

2008-02-20T15:58:00.001-07:00

American Christianity

2008-02-18T10:50:00.000-07:00

I just read this on a blog this morning, and thought I'd share, some of it seems a little pretentious, but overall, a good read:

"Christians traditionally have been worried about getting Jesus wrong. American Christians are not so worried. There isn't the sense that this is a life-and-death matter, that you don't mess with divinity. There's a freedom and even a playfulness that Americans have...the flexibility of the American Jesus is unprecedented. There's a Gumbylike quality to Jesus in the United States. Even turning Jesus into a pal among born-again Christians—that kind of chutzpah is unknown historically." -Stephen Prothero, American Jesus: How the Son of God Became a Cultural Icon

I recently gave a series of messages where I attempted to answer this question: What does it mean to be a Christian? I talked about the Christian as the convert, the believer and the disciple. Those messages are available as archived audio at the Word of Life site.

What I said in those messages was a general treatment of the subject dealing with broad truths pertaining to what it means to be a Christian irrespective of time or place. But as we actually attempt to live out a Christian life we don't do it in a vacuum, but in specific times and cultures, and each age and culture presents its own particular challenges to living the Christian life, whether it's as a 4th century Roman, a 7th century Byzantine, a 13th century Italian, a 17th century Russian, or a 21st century American. So let me share a few thoughts that are pertinent to what it means to be a Christian in the specific context of contemporary American life.

These thoughts have been formed as I have traveled among churches and Christians around the world for many years and have thus been able to gain something of a global perspective on American Christianity. And I have developed these thoughts, not just through travel and my own thinking, but through a dozen or so serious conversations over the past two years with European, Australian, Russian and Indian Christian leaders on the topic of "American Christianity." Here are my thoughts:

Consumerism is the drug in the American culture that we eat, drink and breathe.
There's no avoiding this. And if we are serious about living authentic Christian lives we must acknowledge the elephant in the room...or shall I say the Leviathan in the mall. At its heart the American Dream is a consumerist dream -- the dream of owning and acquiring certain things as the presumed way to happiness. Of course this flies in the face of the most basic truths taught in the Old and New Testaments regarding morality, values, how we should live, and what will ultimately make us happy. If we make the mistake of twisting the gospel into an endorsement of our cultural assumptions we have committed a grievous error that will distort the gospel as severely as did medieval superstition. It takes a concerted effort on the part of the American Christian not to be seduced by the ubiquitous lure of consumerism. It takes real conviction not to allow Christianity to be commandeered into a spiritual means to a materialist end. Consumerism is our antichrist, our beast, our false prophet and it takes tremendous moral and spiritual courage to oppose it.

America is a great nation and great nations tend to get confused about God.
It was Dostoevsky in his spiritual/political novel, Demons, that helped me to first see this. Dostoevsky (in the voice of various characters) explains that every great nation must believe that God is their God -- that they have God on their side. The necessary sacrifices for continued greatness required of citizens by empires, especially as it pertains to war, can scarcely be made unless the name of God can be invoked as their God -- whether that makes God Greek or Roman or French or English or Russian or German or American. Great nations inevitably make a proprietary claim upon God. They make him their God so that God's chief duty is to maintain the interests of the nation. Of course this immediately appears as preposterous, unless it's your nation we're talking about. America is just as susceptible to this kind of delusional thinking regarding God as the other great nations that have gone before us. On a related note: American Christians tend to think, if not actually, then emotionally, of America as a kind of Israel. So that the prophets' messages to Israel in the Old Testament are generally applicable to America. But I would suggest that America is more analogous to the Roman empire in Paul's day than the kingdom of Israel in Jeremiah's day. The inheritor of Israel's vocation as stewards of God's kingdom is the church, not any political state. I remember the time that an important European pastor asked me not to teach on the kingdom of God, because, as he said, "You American Christians all think America is the kingdom of God." Though I protested that I did not think this, I understand how he arrived at that opinion.

Political partisanship has stolen the prophetic voice of the American church.
I recently had a lengthy discussion with several Australian Christian leaders who had just returned from a conference where the topic was how the Australian church could best position itself to speak into the politics of the nation. They concluded that the model of the American religious right was a perfect example of what not to do. The mistake the American evangelical church has made is not in being involved politically, but in becoming openly partisan with one political party. The end result of that action is to steal our prophetic voice. One party presumes our loyalty as their de facto religious wing, while the other presumes our hostility and regards us an enemy. Consequently neither party trembles at our voice or seriously questions among themselves, "but what will the church say?" When the church as an entity becomes a lapel pin wearing partisan of any particular political party it sacrifices its prophetic mantle. The church has a dismal historic record when it comes to its use of political power. God has given the sword of political authority to the state, but the keys of spiritual authority to the church. We should be very wary of trading our spiritual keys for the political sword.

Making Christianity popular in America is not the same thing as making Christians out of Americans.
We Americans are easily impressed by all things big and successful. We find it almost impossible to gainsay that which has massive popular endorsement. So the assumption is that if a particular message can fill churches and arenas and propel books onto bestseller lists, then it must be a good thing. But there is always the danger that we are using Christianity to endorse the cultural assumptions of the age by simply creating a Christianized version of what is already popular, instead of engaging in the more difficult work of transforming the culture through the rigors of a costly and demanding Christianity. Jesus was quite willing to sacrifice popularity for the sake of genuine discipleship -- we must be willing to do the same. The metanarrative of the gospel is, in fact, quite different than the metanarrative of American dream -- though as it is often told in popular American Christianity you may not know it. Vigorous Christianity has always been a subversive and transcendent counterculture movement.

It is still the American scene in the drama of world history and the opportunity begs for authentic Christianity to take the stage.
China and India are waiting in the wings, but it is still America's hour to shine on the world's stage. That means that what the American church does, for good or bad, is amplified around the globe. Just as Paul's letter to the Romans in the 1st century takes center stage in the New Testament epistles, so the "American Epistle" will have tremendous influence upon the global church in the first part of the 21st century. I still have great hope for the American church. We have our problems and our blind spots, but I am hopeful as I see these issues being increasingly acknowledged and courageously addressed by a new generation of Christian leaders. I pray that God will give grace to the American church to model a more costly, and thus a more authentic Christianity to the global Body of Christ over the next few decades.

Anyway, these are some of my thoughts regarding being a Christian in America.

BZ

PS

Heavenly Day

2008-02-18T10:44:00.001-07:00

I have a lot to do today at work; however I couldn’t help but make a blog entry.

Last week I spend a lot of time daydreaming about my childhood. Going up to my uncle’s cabin and fishing for walleye until the night was old, cuddling up to my mom as my father spoke to his congregation, having this confidence in my heart that I knew exactly where I was heading and precisely what I wanted to do. There is this certain clarity/joy that seems to only emit from childhood. I am not sure if I can ever get back to that place, but it would be nice to be so in touch with myself again.

That said, I can’t complain. I am happy with whom I am today, and maybe when I am 40, I will envy this time in my life. I really think that any point in your life can be the “golden years” if your attitude is right. God has placed so many little wonders and beauties all around us.

Anyway, I had a nice week and weekend. Last night, we just sat around, played guitar and sang with the “Remedy” group after our small group. It was oddly relaxing. I felt like I could just sit there forever and sing until I had no more sound in my lungs. My good friend, Brandon got back into town on Saturday. We went up to Boulder and attended “Boulder Church”. It was a good evening and I really feel like I take a lot from that group. I am glad Brandon is back, I needed a bike riding partner again, haha.

Ps. I got this song off Abby’s blog, I just listened to it 4 times in a row. Enjoy:

Christopher Walken for President

2008-02-14T09:33:00.000-07:00

For Mark...haha

2008-02-11T13:49:00.000-07:00

Out of Breath

2008-01-30T11:07:00.000-07:00

My friend Brandon approached me this morning and asked if I’d like to start training with him for the Bolder, Boulder. It is a 10k race held in May in Boulder. We are going to start running before work 3 days a week and cycling more. I have never competed in anything like this, so I am excited to see what I am capable of. Plus it is a good motivator to take my “healthy lifestyle” to the next level.

Rock+Roll

-Josh

Man Loses 400+lbs

2008-01-28T14:15:00.000-07:00

This is ridiculous:

http://www.hemmy.net/2007/07/02/david-smith-amazing-weight-lost-story/

who's in charge in here?

2008-01-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

What a lovely weekend.

It included:

-Vegetarian Tamales
-Dancing to “American Girl” by Tom Petty
-Watching random indie movies on my couch with Renee
-Jamming with Christine, me on acoustic, her on violin. We are going to learn “Wagon Wheel” by Old Crow Medicine Show…haha
-Playing music for church
-Small group

Water fountain talk

2008-01-24T09:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday at work, a guy called me "Henry". How is that even close to my real name? I understand if he called me Jason or John, but Henry? Srsly.

We have our big all employee meeting at the Denver Performing Arts Center today from noon to 7pm. We were supposed to dress up for it, so I look like a sexy beast. I will take a picture, don't worry.

song

2008-01-23T16:42:00.001-07:00

I wrote this poem/song about Russia, and for some reason it came out really negative. Anyway, I still kind of like it, and have some ideas for melodies and such:

The sun’s going down on a football field,
The kiosk will show it’s back to the moon.
All night there will be a beautiful lady,
Selling some gum and some booze.
With her pale white skin,
She smoke once again,
And let the embers burn down to her lips

There’s peace on the streets tonight,
The kids huffing gas will be alright,
I know times are tough,
And this world seems rough,
But everything will be complete

All the smoke billows up in this 4 by 4 room,
Up through the air to the trolley bus lines,
At home there’s a hopeless man,
With some gum in his pocket, and booze in his hand.
With his cracked, dry skin,
He’ll die once again,
And follow the ghost of his wife.

Is this a good mixtape for a pretty little lady???

2008-01-23T13:06:00.000-07:00

Tears for Fears – Head Over Heals
Wilco – Impossible Germany
The Album Leaf – Fear of Flying
Band of Horses – No One’s Gonna Love You
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Devil’s Waitin’
Asubi Seksu – New Years
Derek Webb – The Very End
Dr. Dog – (forgot the title)
Hammock – Raising Your Voice…Trying to Stop an Echo
Iron & Wine – White Tooth Man
Jade Day – Small Reality
Jens Leckman – Black Cab
Patty Griffen – Heavenly Day
Radiohead – Nude
Ryan Adams – Come Pick Me Up
Travis – 3 Times and You Lose
Rosie Thomas – The One I Love (R.E.M. cover)
Bob Dylan – Visions of Johana

Drunk History

2008-01-21T08:45:00.001-07:00

this is amazing:

Interesting entry..

2008-01-19T20:02:00.000-07:00

Here is a post that Adam made on hxc. I thought it was worth sharing on my blog, it is a very interesting read:

I'm of the opinion that religious devotion can be categorised neither as belief nor as knowledge.

Knowledge implies the definite, verifiable, and universally observable interpretation of reality within empirical parameters. I gain knowledge of a physical phenomenon from testing it under laboratory conditions, repeating the results, verifying them in the eyes of others, and gaining some agreeable conclusions which fit the data. It doesn't even need to be that complex, if I can see along with five other people that a tree stands direction in front of me, then I know that a tree is there. Knowledge is the certain awareness of objective reality as it is observed and agreed upon by humanity.

Belief, conversely, describes the act of subscribing to a possibility and treating it as a probability. "I believe that the States will invade Iran this year," for example. I could "believe" in the Loch Ness monster, but how does that affect my existence? How does it impact my everyday living? How does it inform the decisions I make? Belief is merely a conclusion based on personal interpretations of data. In this manner, people "believe" in God, but that doesn't necessarily mean it matters one way or the other to their general existence.

Religious devotion is neither belief nor knowledge. It is faith. Faith can never be knowledge in that it is both objective and subjective, and not exclusively one or the other. The act of having faith is objective, and the source of that faith is perceived through subjective interpretation. Faith, then, is based upon personal experience. This is not knowledge, which describes reality inasmuch as it is directly experienced within our realm of immediate perception (via the five senses), nor is it belief, which is a personal conclusion based on personal views of evidence. This may make it sound as though faith is somewhere between belief and knowledge, when in fact it transcends the two. Knowledge and belief are our ways of making sense of the reality we directly perceive, whereas faith is concerned with the entirety of reality, both seen and unseen. Faith sees the interconnected nature of the subjective and the objective, and how they inform each other. Faith is not a dormant belief, but impacts a person's existence on every level.

In this regard, agnosticism is the most rational and "scientific" viewpoint. Science and other empirical forms of study do not acknowledge the intervention of a deity, but neither do they discount such a thing. It's simply not in their function to do either, but rather to examine and investigate the laws of nature as they are.

Atheism, on the other hand, exists in my mind as an affirmative belief. If one considers themselves an atheist, then they are essentially declaring that all we can directly perceive is all that can possibly exist. Everything we behold with our five senses, in some way or other, essentially defines the sum of objective reality. When it comes down to it, our concept of "God" is our own way of subjectively relating to the unseen objective state of all existence. We use anthropomorphic terms to describe Him (such as that, for example), but that is essentially what God is. It is fundamentally useless to describe God as a singular "being" in the traditional sense of the term, and much more fertile to behold Him as the source, the ground of being itself. The Christian doctrine of Trinity is especially vital in this regard, to describe the way in which God (Reality) relates to us as human beings, by serving as an eternal community Himself. We are made in the image of community, for the purpose of community.

So, in my mind:

Faith: The state of being in relationship with God/Reality.
Agnosticism: The unawareness of God, with the acceptance that we do not behold all of objective reality.
Atheism: The unawareness of God, with the fervent belief that humanity beholds all of objective reality.

Ecumenical

2008-01-17T16:19:00.000-07:00

I was just having a conversation with my friend Adam regarding disagreements within the church. What sprung the dialog was a conversation I had with someone a few weeks back. They implied to me that Brian McLaren is a “heretic” and “the enemy”.

To me, it’s really fascinating that people can carry this staunch I’m right, you are wrong attitude. It actually makes me a bit self-observant and I wonder what positions in life I take that way. It is a tough pill to swallow when you are trying to make an honest attempt at being open to new ideas and progressive in your faith, and someone pounds down the “iron fist of truth” on you.

So what does this word “ecumenical” mean? I’ll be honest; I didn’t know when I was talking with Adam. I looked it up:

1. general; universal.
2. pertaining to the whole Christian church.
3. promoting or fostering Christian unity throughout the world.

To me, that means when I am speaking with my parents and I disagree with them on some theological point, I am still respectful of them and under the understanding that they are along for the same journey I am. Or when my pastor says a point that I don’t fully agree with, I have to realize that he still loves Jesus just as much as I do and strives to be like him under his own understanding.

Christianity is a beautiful thing, but when we try to humanize it and make our own understanding absolute, it can get ugly pretty fast.

2008-01-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

I have no clue why, but the subject of leadership has really been heavy on my mind lately. I read Mark’s blog about relevancy and progression this morning and it kind of sprung me further into self-reflection. I don’t really feel relevant in life anymore. I don’t know if it’s my own mental block or if I am created this way, but I don’t feel like a leader. I feel like a follower, and that the majority of my friends don’t see me as any kind of influence on their lives.

I don’t say to sound whiney or to seek attention, I just think it’s the culture I have created around my life. It’s funny though, because I even notice it in new relationships I have made. People who don’t even know me or my past gravitate to me differently then they would to others.

The only reason I bring this up is that I really feel like I need to seek God and spend some time alone praying about why I am really here. I know that God has a very specific calling on my life; I just don’t know what it is. Lately I have been feeling like a useless blob.

2008-01-07T09:05:00.001-07:00

On Saturday night, I went to “The Boulder Church” with my friend’s Brandon and Chad. It was a really cool experience. The church is more of a bible study or conversational format. It was approximately 15 adults in various walks of their lives talking about God and trying to figure out how He relates to our lives. It was very refreshing, and the dialog was completely open.

The subject of the night was “Is God Fair?”. My immediate reaction, as was most, was of course He is. We began to dissect what the word “fair” meant, and in what context (eternal, on earth, etc). It was a really interesting conversation, and there are some brilliant minds in that group. For the most part, I just sat back and listened.

I Don't Feel Any Different

2008-01-02T08:18:00.000-07:00

I have to say it was a great holiday break. I drove back to Wisconsin with my friends Zack and Lauren. I spent Christmas week with my parents and my brother, Jon. We had a really relaxing week and I got some very needed quality time with all of them. I also got to see some old friends from the dairy state as well. We didn’t hit any weather going there or back which was great.

For New Years, I spent the evening with some of my closest friends in the world. We had a really lovely evening of just hanging out and enjoying each other. Oh….and a lot of Guitar Hero III! Haha.

Here are some pictures of the last few weeks:

I can't stop listening....sooo good!

2007-12-21T08:20:00.001-07:00

Comfort

2007-12-18T10:14:00.000-07:00

Thanks, Mel, for sharing this verse, I've been thinking about it all morning:

Psalm 27:13
I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

Christianity is not just a ticket into heaven, or a mechanism for saving yourself from hell. It is a chance to witness the goodness of the Lord in this land of the living. To see Him working in our everyday lives and capitvating our hearts.

-Josh

ps - I updated my "currently listening" section on here.

The Resurrection Fern

2007-12-17T10:23:00.000-07:00

In our days we will live
Like our ghosts will live:
Pitching glass at the cornfield crows
And folding clothes

Like stubborn boys across the road
We'll keep everything:
Grandma's gun and the black bear claw
That took her dog

When sister Laurie says, "Amen"
We won't hear anything:
The ten-car trains will take that word
That fledgling bird

And the fallen house across the way
It'll keep everything:
The baby's breath
Our bravery wasted and our shame

And we'll undress beside the ashes of the fire
Both our tender bellies wound in baling wire
All the more a pair of underwater pearls
Than the oak tree and its resurrection fern

In our days we will say
What our ghosts will say:
We gave the world what it saw fit
And what'd we get?

Like stubborn boys with big green eyes
We'll see everything:
In the tender shade of the autumn leaves
And the buzzard's wing

And we'll undress beside the ashes of the fire
Our tender bellies are wound around in baling wire
All the more a pair of underwater pearls
Than the oak tree and its resurrection fern

Fattened Heart

2007-12-06T10:24:00.000-07:00

I was reading on another blog about a reporter who did an investigation on where the little trinkets in Christian bookstores are produced. Shockingly, they found a few examples of these items that were made by sweat shops.

This sprung the thought in me; I don’t investigate where any of my belongings are made and what conditions are provided to those employees. I know, I know, this issue seems like one of those hopeless “never going to change” subjects. In my head, I think “Well at least these poor people have a job; they could be making nothing at all versus pennies per month”. That mentality doesn’t really improve anything though. It’s a stagnant way of thinking and not progressive at all.

Obviously, this issue extends past Christians, but as a believer, I think we are called to social justice. Consider this verse:

James 5:1-6: Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you. Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days. Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous one, who does not resist you.

I am sure that my closets are filled with clothing that was produced by a child who had to work a 14 hour day. That makes me a hypocrite. I think it’s time to start moving forward and thinking about these kinds of things. The world is much bigger than my comfy life here in the United States.

Interview

2007-12-05T10:50:00.000-07:00

I interviewed my friend, Jeremy Ritch off hxcboards. He is a pastor in PA that leads a really interesting life. Hopefully you enjoy!

1. Tell me about your family, life and the area you live in
That is a big questionI was born in 1975 in Cleveland Ohio, I have two brothers. We lived in Richfield OH until my father and mother divorced when I was 7. After my mom remarried we moved to Cleveland where I would live until I was 20. I grew up in a rough neighborhood and was involved in many extra curricular activities that got me in trouble. I played in bands and was active in the punk & hardcore scenes. I used a lot of drugs and drank a ton of booze, and eventually sold drugs. I lost a lot of friends and by 18 I was burnt out. After i got clean I enrolled at the U of Toledo and had a rough year there. I was kicked out of a Campus Ministry for being a bad influence. I eventually transferred to Eastern university in St Davids PA where i would stay a year and a half before being kicked out. During my time at Eastern I worked with the simple way community and started a band called Stag Thicket. I also drank myself silly. Once I was free of school I lived in various forms of housing around Philadelphia. In 1999 I joined a band called Double Down that was pretty awful psychobilly. Then after the band dissolved and became Mercury Radio Theater I started a booking management company with a friend. We had a good roster and it lasted a few years before I left to pursue ministry. I met my future wife in 2000 and started running Revolution Philly. I booked shows,did bibles studies, took kids to rehab and all kinds of fun stuff. In 2002 I was married and moved to Atlanta where I worked for Revolution and booked a lot of shows. I left Revolution in 2003 to start an ill fated Recording label. In 05 I started a media company called Floating Boy Media in Philly that does a lot of live Hardcore videos. In 05 I moved back to Ohio for 6 months before taking a job with Hope For The Rejected as a pastoring Harrisburg PA. I stayed with them until fall of 06 when I started One Church Ministries. That is where I am now.
very cool.

2. What is your vision for one church?
Right now we are meeting once a week for bible study. My vision is to get a store front or building to use as a community art space/performance space. There is a guy who is considering partnering with me to start a coffee house. I would like to not only be a ministry to hurting Christians and non Christians alike but also provide a place in Harrisburg for people to create art and express themselves through music. this will not be some cheesy Christian thing either. The art and music will be uncensored and not based on faith at all. The bible studies and other outreach will contain the faith aspects.

3. What are your thoughts on modern day church life, and how do you think it has gotten off track from what the original church looked like?
Well I think modern American church culture is nothing like Christ had spoke about. It has become a politically charged, materialistic and consumer based culture. The focus is mainly on building bigger and more high tech churches. Attracting as many people as possible to "grow" the church body. There is little emphasis on the poor, the needy and on just loving people. I am not sure how the early church was but i can imagine it was not like this. The politics are outrageous. We have Church leaders who endorse and even campaign for political figures. There is so much legalism as well in many churches that has driven thousands to agnostism, atheism and just a state of confusion. I hope that the church will return to a message of compassion, love and grace before it just destroys itself through infighting, denominational wars and just a lack of community. There are so many hurting people in the world but why should they follow a faith that is represented by a bunch of assholes with power complexes. It is sad that my friends who are gay, divorced, ex addicts, tattooed, ex cons, or just don't fit the mold who actually want to be Christians but are to angry or intimidated by it.

very true, seems like we have built up this "industrial strength Christianity" that is not open to question or thought, just the blind leading the blind. ok, I don't want to just harp on Christianity.

4. You were in a wide array of bands, as well as the business side of music. What do you think about the future of the music industry, are you hopeful? Do you think it's getting washed out?Well I have always played in punk & Hardcore bands up until my latest countryish thing. So I have always had a more DIY approach. I think the music industry is in real trouble from a corporate stand point. The companies are now run by business people not music people. They are producing records that sell and are cookie cutter types. Jobs are few and last only a few years so many talented people don't want to risk it. The hope I see is in the DIY movement which has moved from 4-track recordings and paper zines to quality MP3 recordings and internet promotion. I have worked with many bands and seen the mistakes that were made by signing their lives to a label it almost always ends in disaster. The ones that make it and do well tend to do things their own way. by releasing their own music and keeping the creativity going.It should be about more than money
agreed. 5. Hxcboards has a majority of late teens, early 20 something’s. As someone who is a bit older, do you have any advice for them?
hmmmmm, support local bands and stop comparing everything to bands from 15-20 years ago. I satrted going to shows in 1989ish and I have seen a lot of these “legendary" bands. The thing is they weren't anything back then but another band coming through. They stick out now because of what they did or what the represented. There are good bands still out there doing fantastic music. The problem is kids are fixated on being scholars of hardcore, having to download every band that ever existed to show they are the most HXC of them all. It is stupid. The bands now are only different because they weren't the first to do it. Hardcore is a young music form, it is only around 30 years old. There is more that can be done but people have to stay creative and stop living in the past. Be influenced by your roots but don't just copy cat and wish you were born 20 years earlier. love what ya got now because time flies. I would love to see more bands saying something, anything, just speak your mind and make people listen. My main complaint now adays is no one is saying anything meaningful in Hardcore

6. what are some modern bands that you think are doing something unique/impactful?
hmmm I haven't stayed up on things too much as far as hardcore. There is not many political or even socially conscience bands that come to mind. I mean guys like Paint it Black always have something to say. There is a band around here called Steel Nation who are not that impactful but they are intelligent. I mean I really haven’t seen many bands that are really challenging kids. I am also not as active as I once was. I just think there is a mentality now of start a band, record, tour and get signed. That is not what hardcore used to be about.

ok, I’m going to switch gears again. 7. I know you live a fairly simple life as far as money/lifestyle goes, how do you think one makes that transition, and what are the obstacles you face?
Well first you have to look realistically at your situation. Me and my wife make far less then most people do, because we work in the non profit sector. Our combined income is under 25k but we have everything we need. We budget our money, we do not use credit cards and we do not buy what we don't need. Both of us grew up poor and were used to not having the latest and greatest stuff so that helps. I mean you have to look at what you need before you buy what you want. Food, shelter and all that come first. I have never had money and my family growing up was poor. Now my mom and step dad have some money but it is because my step father worked his way there. He started as a low paid locksmith and after 15 years he bought the company from his boss who was retiring. Now he has owned it for 10 years and is doing ok. Not rich but they are able to finally have some things they never could. I guess it all comes down to what are your needs and what are you willing to sacrifice in order to live. I mean a lot of people I know make more than me by a lot but are in debt, struggling and just can't get by. It boiled down to them spending more than they make. They don't need the stuff they bought they simply wanted it and it is costing them.

8. I recently read an article about a couple who have 7 kids and make a total of 35k per year. Are you and your wife planning on having kids, how would this effect your current lifestyle?

We are not planning on having kids. Partly because of financial reasons. I grew up poor and in my neighborhood i saw so many lives ruined because of money. I saw so many friends get people pregnant and it ruined those kids. They grew up with nothing because there parents just kept having babies and not taking care of them. I have seen people lose homes because they have too many children. The thing that pisses me off about this is when these pro lifes get all up in arms about abortions and yet what are they doing to help. They act like girls are just lining up to get em, but where I grew up they were having babies not killing em. If some of these pro life people would start adopting these kids and not reproducing themselves like rabbits maybe we could help this problem. I mean a big part of pro life beliefs is to not use birth control and let what happens happen. that is pretty jacked up thinking.

We won't get into the abortion discussion, because I only have 2 questions left, but. 9. As far as over-population crisis goes, what do you think are the causes of this, and what do you think is a cure?
I think it is caused by many things. Poverty, Religious views, Greed, Lack of education, and a disregard for responsibility. The cure? I have no idea. wrapped that shit up!

haha!Ok, I have really enjoyed this interview, thanks again, here's my last question. 10. You are on an island by yourself, "cast away" style. You can only take 5 things with you, what do you bring and why?
1. flint - start a fire
2. my wife -I needsomeone to talk to
3. rope - ya always need rope
4. A hoodie- it can get cold
5. my bible - it is a good book and i haven'tquite understood it all yet
my wife should be #1
haha, i won't tell her.: good interview man. thanks!
you are welcome

Best of 2007!

2007-12-04T09:20:00.002-07:00

Ok, I went through my ipod and figured out which 2007 releases got the most playtime this year, enjoy!

Radiohead – In Rainbows
Travis – The Boy With No Name
Jimmy Eat World – Chase this Light
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Baby 81
Explosions in the Sky – All the Sudden, I Miss Everyone
Wilco – Sky, Blue Sky
Rocky Votolato – The Bragg & Cuss
Iron & Wine – the Shepherd’s Dog
Bruce Springsteen – Devils & Dust
Caspian – The Four Trees
Ryan Adams – Easy Tiger
Nick Drake – Family Tree
Earth – Hibernaculum
Foo Fighters – Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
God is an Astronaut – Far From Refuge
Jade Day – Of Waking…
Jeremy Enigk – The Missing Link
Matt Pond PA – Last Light
The National – Boxer
Pinback – Autumn of the Seraphs
Pissed Jeans – Hope for Men
Rosie Thomas – These Friends of Mine
Sigur Ros – Heim/Hvarf
The Six Parts Seven – Casually Smashed to Pieces
The smashing Pumpkins – Zeitegeist
Stars – In Our Bedroom, After the War
This Will Destroy You – s/t
The Weakerthans – Reunion Tour
Wolves in the Throne Room – Two Hunters
Youth Group – Casino Twilight Dogs
Zozobra – Harmonic Tremors
65daysofstatic – Destruction of Small Ideas

rock+roll

2007-12-04T09:20:00.001-07:00

What a great weekend. I had the pleasure of helping out at “Lost 2007”, my church’s winter youth retreat. I must say, I was ministered to a lot. I really felt some things come to the surface that God is dealing with in my heart. I am excited to see what the future holds!

I am weak in this need for you...

2007-11-29T08:50:00.000-07:00

“Come to me, come to me all you sick and weary”
“Come to me, come to me and I will make you whole”

There’s a place that is brighter than the sun, and deeper than the darkest sea. Where the fields roll into the west and my mind can feel some rest. I am so weak in this need for You. My heart is green, fertile with life and ready for autumn’s harvest.

Rot away, oh fence posts of my past. The sand that the wind moves will wear you down. Seeing you go is hard, the barbs wrapped around your width are exposed. Rusting metal has its hold on something that no longer contains me.

Send me out into the rain my Lord. Pour out the globes of water onto my brow. Let the remnants run through my beard, onto my chest and to my feet. Cleanse the very ground I stand on so that flowers may bloom and fields grow.

The past is a different world.

2007-11-26T09:54:00.001-07:00

Well I would say that thanksgiving was a success. It was such a healing/rejuvenating experience to be with my family. I spent Wednesday-Thursday with my parents, my Uncle Luke, my Uncle Stan and their spouses in Omaha, NB. During the drive eastward, I had a lot of time to gather my thoughts and listen to some great music. I got into my uncle’s home and gave my parents a big hug followed by my extended family. We sat around and talked and got all caught up. The next morning, we had a big breakfast and watched football. At 4, we had our Thanksgiving dinner. The highlight of the meal was the Lefsa. I haven’t had that in a few years, and I deeply missed it!

The peak of my time in Nebraska was Thursday evening. We all sat in the living room as I listened to my mom and her brothers reminisce about the past. Stories of the life on a family-farm, stories about my grandfather I never met, and tales of early marriage life. After that, my mom suggested we sing some songs around the piano. My aunt Sharon mounted the bench, and with soft fingers began hammering the ivory keys to the tune of old Lutheran hymns and classic Christmas tunes. The air was thick with jovial melodies and love.

After the singing, we all sat down again, and my uncle Luke asked if he could read us a story he had been working on. He clarified that it was a telling of how my uncle Philipp died when he was 21. My ears burned with anticipation. I had never been brave enough to ask my mother the details about his death, because I could see the pain behind her eyes when we spoke of him. Luke, with his rumbling voice, started reading aloud as gingerly as he could, holding back the tears. His story was very concise and detailed, and beautifully written. I felt such a range of emotions. I could sense that it was a healing experience for my mother, and Uncle Stan.

I drove home feeling so much love and so much frustration. I felt as if I truly had a family to be proud of, but also felt selfish in my own life. I make things into these big ordeals, when truly I haven’t been through hardship. I am blessed, and I choose to focus on that. I think this was one of the first Thanksgivings where I really truly felt thankful. I also feel like I have a better sense of what matters in life, and what kind of legacy I want to leave this earth with.

Anyway, happy holidays to all my beloved friends! I love you all.

-Josh

Capitalism

2007-11-20T09:01:00.000-07:00

Wow, 3 posts in 2 days! I am on a blog-roll!

Found this quote courtesy of Ms. Melissa Miles. Kind of interesting.

Kevin Barnes (from of Montreal):
"The thing is, I like capitalism. I think it's an interesting challenge. It's a system that rewards the imaginative and ambitious adults and punishes the lazy adults. Our generation is insanely lazy. We're just as smart as our parents but we are overwhelmed by contradicting ideas that confuse us into paralysis. Maybe the punk rock ethos made sense for the "no future" generation but it doesn't make sense for me. I like producing and purchasing things. I'd much rather go to IKEA than to stand in some bread line. That's because I don't have to stand in a bread line. Most people who throw around terms like "sellout" don't have to stand in one either. They don't have to stand in one because they are gainfully employed. The term "sellout" only exists in the lexicon of the over-privileged. Almost every non-homeless person in America is over-privileged, at least in a global sense. "

Open wide my door, My Lord, My Lord.

2007-11-20T08:48:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I fear that I hold things back in my blog because I realize other people read it. The whole reason I started blogging was to have an online journal where I could let my thoughts out and look back on them. Now I have all these different friends with different viewpoints and I fear offending all of them. I am going to stop caring about that. Whether what I write if wrong or right, I have to be honest with what I am feeling at that moment.

I have started reading Acts on the light rail on my way to/from work. I feel so full of love this morning. To paraphrase one of the verses I read this morning, “You crucified me, and I offered forgiveness”. In the church, we always talk about forgiveness in the sense of forgiving others, which is extremely powerful. However, I think God calls us to remember daily that we are forgiven for our own transgressions, and that there is liberty in that. We need to walk this earth freely, and not feel like we are constantly paying off some sort of debt. It seems like a lot of critics look at Christianity like this condemning religion where you are made to feel bad about everything you do. I feel the opposite. Christianity is freedom. It’s coming to the enlightenment that you are loved and forgiven, therefore you can be free to love and forgive others. There are no preset expectations, just love. I sound like such a hippy right now, but I can’t contain the feeling in me. These basic truths are so hard for me to comprehend sometimes, so when I feel it in my heart, I get real excited.

Anyway, love ya all.

-Josh

Intense.

2007-11-19T08:57:00.000-07:00

I read this on another blog, and was dumbfounded by it.

"The 2006 budget showed that US military expenditures were twenty-one times larger than diplomacy and foreign aid combined, and that the United States was dead last among the most developed nations in foreign aid as a percentage of gross domestic product. One wonders what would happen if good-hearted Americans realized that a mere 10 percent of the US military budget, if reinvested in foreign aid and development, could care for the basic needs of the entire world's poor. Or if they realized that one-half of 1 percent of the US military budget would cut hunger in Africa in half by 2015. Would there be marches in the streets calling for budgetary reform?"

2007-11-17T11:34:00.000-07:00

You have new Picture Mail!

2007-11-08T14:07:00.001-07:00

Pwned

2007-11-07T10:43:00.001-07:00

You're Streets are gettin empty, and your highways filled.

2007-10-29T10:15:00.001-07:00

I woke up this morning feeling kind of cynical on life and just down in general. We all have those times. Anyway, I just wanted to comment on how healing music is sometimes. I am listening to Bob Dylan’ “Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan” and it just feels cleansing for some reason. There is this pain and angst that I can hear in this recording that just releases something inside of me for some reason. It is interesting how you can connect to God, nature, the world, people and everything else through someone else’s art. Why? Because art is made from pain, emotion and past experience.

Everybody Says I'm Mexican.

2007-10-29T08:10:00.000-07:00

Do actions by another person define relationship status? I have friends that I consider close, but then they do things to themselves that make it hard for me to engage in that relationship. My feelings towards that person are still the same, but I feel like it’s impossible for me to support them, thus distancing me. I don’t really feel like getting into specifics, but I am sad at the fact that I can foresee some of my closest friendships coming to an end, and there is nothing I can do about it. Has anyone else ever gone through situations like this? Thoughts/Suggestions?

Sorry for the negative post, just getting my thoughts down.

2007-10-18T12:04:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting article about how a U.S. troop gained conscientious objector status.

I am still learning about pacifism, christianity and what it all means to me. Stories really like this really perk my interst.

Healthy Dialogue

2007-10-10T11:52:00.000-07:00

Yet again, I have added a new blog to my links. It is called Resistance is Ruin. It is a dialogue from multiple people with different viewpoints concerning modern Christianity, Pacifism, War and government. I found it really interesting, and it got my brain pumping!

In other news, the new Radiohead is just insanely good. I am on my 4 th listen-through and it's blowing my mind. I will write a proper review once I have digested it a bit more.
Cheers,
Josh

How is it possible to have this much hair?

2007-10-09T16:21:00.001-07:00

Life

2007-10-04T07:42:00.001-07:00

I added a new url to my links section, Runaway Planet: Abortion.

Sorry to those of you who disagree with me, but I think abortion is wrong. I realize with a lot of the "educated community" that seems to make me inferior or something. Anyway, it's a really informative blog, and I figured others might enjoy it.

Thanks to Timothy at the anathallo boards for the link.

Cheers,
Josh

Is there hope for the broken?

2007-10-02T09:24:00.001-07:00

I just recently read this article and it really bothered me. Whatever your stance is on immigration and the illegal workforce, this is really sad. Why not just back-tax him and send him on his way? A little compassion and care would be nice.

2007-10-01T10:22:00.001-07:00

I love lazy days. It has been a long time since I have truly had one. Here was I did yesterday:

-Went to church
-Grabbed some groceries on the way home
-Napped as Dave and Caleb beat Halo 3
-Watched Swing Kids
-Watched (2) Law & Order episodes
-Watched a documentary on some famous architect (courtesy of PBS)

Hell ya!

Up-keep

2007-09-20T13:34:00.000-07:00

If you haven't noticed, all of my links and currently listening sections are regularly being edited. Let me know if I am missing anyone in my links!

Thanks,

Josh

ps, best picture ever:

This Sad and Holy Glow

2007-09-19T10:21:00.000-07:00

I feel swallowed up by finances. I made some poor decisions, and now I am going to have to get by without money for a bit. I am not making this entry to complain or anything, just observe how much money can strangle people. It is ridiculous that I feel so numb, belittled and hopeless with out have a few green bills in my pocket. I know that God has a better life for us than what I am living right now, but in a way I think this is also teaching me a lesson. When I get back on my feet, I plan on giving myself a cash allowance every week and saving all of my excess. It is time to be completely out of debt and restore the control over my life. I honestly feel beat up right now, but I know that I am going to come out of this with a greater understanding of life and myself.

I saw it in the eyes of the checkout girl -
that sad and holy glow every blue-collar knows,
like the lit windows on my childhood street
where the deep, dark secrets of the family are kept.
Beneath the mire and stench of growing debt,
the deep, dark secrets of the family are kept.
Credit is a whore who won't wake up and leave,
but believe me I'm not sleeping with her anymore.
I don't want to be a slave, I just want to be free
and honestly I'm sick and tired of people chasing me

Rock N' Roll

2007-09-14T07:05:00.000-07:00

It’s amazing how God uses places and people I wouldn’t imagine to speak to me. On Wednesday night, I went to ORCC’s Catalyst Youth Group to support Mark and Judi as they led the worship. I must say it was so encouraging to be around all of these kids and partake in their energy and excitement. M&J did a stellar job leading the music, and the sound was great! Hopefully I will be able to help them some day musically. The new Catalyst facility is extremely nice. I was rather impressed that they sunk so much money into the next generation.

The Prayer of Saint Francis

2007-09-13T15:00:00.000-07:00

I read this on another blog run by my friend Jeremy. I found it encouraging and challenging:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

2007-09-12T08:17:00.000-07:00

Block by block, drain by drain, light by light. I walk these streets gazing at the fake empires built by the rich as the hungry camp at their footsteps. I am looking for an omen as to what’s next but sometimes that seems bleak. I want to thirst for righteousness, yet my appetite is satisfied by refuse. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” – this sentence becomes more and more true daily. I want a pure heart that finds rest and solace in the simple pleasures of our Adonai. I will not find an eternal pleasure in the concrete and paper of this world. Our creator resides in the same purity that exists in that man with the dirty shirt, wondering when his next meal will be.

(I have been writing a lot of random thoughts like this just off the top of my head, hopefully you subscribers don't mind.)

Off-beat

2007-09-11T08:56:00.000-07:00

The next few weeks are my favorite of the year, that transition from summer to fall. There is briskness in the air and a certain unpronounced energy about. I don’t understand it, but it is consistently satisfying. As I pedal through the city’s cracked streets I feel like I am part of something big. Business women and crust punks all look anxious and ready. My muscles and joints ache from movement, but the cadence of this time of year is contagious and addictive, maybe even vindictive? Maybe this season sparks action. Maybe I will speak to the black school teacher I see on the train every day. Maybe I will pray with Cyndi in the cube next to me for her upcoming surgery. Maybe I will get off my spiritual ass and engage!

My bike is done!

2007-09-10T11:54:00.000-07:00

So this past month or so, I have been obsessed with researching and looking for bike stuff on Craig's List. I finally got everything together I need and assembled it all this weekend. Enjoy:

Specs (in general terms):

1985(ish) Trek Road frame, 54cm (ish)

Vuelta XRP Team Superlight Wheel Set

Formula Hub

Brooks Saddle

This thing has been a blast to ride. I went approximately 10 miles on saturday and 5 yesterday. Since I ride my bike to work every day, it's nice having a fast bike that is sweet looking and comfy. It was such a sense of accomplishment when I put it all together and troubleshooted. This is just another tool in my weight loss / healthy lifestyle!

New to it all...

2007-08-30T10:16:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of going to Rose Medical Center last night and holding the smallest human being my arms have ever held! Jonas and Tiffany had their beautiful little girl at 2am yesterday morning. Isabella is gorgeous and perfect, and she has her Uncle Mark’s hook toe! I am really excited to see her grow up and become a wonderful woman. Christian and Taylor are going to have their work cut out for them, they need to get her caught up on wedgie wars, wii tennis and sparkler bombs!

2007-08-22T08:43:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day in over a week I haven’t ridden the RTD Light-rail into work and biked. It was weird making it to work in 20 minutes in my car, I feel like a slacker. Don’t fear though, I will be hitting the gym over my lunch break, so all is not lost!

Last night, I went to a small group bible study. It was really interesting. I have never really gone to anything like that without knowing anyone in the group. I walked into the person’s house and literally knew no one. I think it was good for me to step out of my comfort zone and meet some different kind of people. The study is going through the book of Matthew and discussing it. We did chapters 1-2 last night, so it was nice joining the group as they were starting a new book.

I have to say, this new healthy lifestyle feels really really good!

...

2007-08-17T14:11:00.000-07:00

I am almost done with my first week of healthy living! I have been eating all natural, healthy foods. I have also been biking into work on my new fixed gear bicycle that I got off craigslist for $75! (see picture below). Next week, I am going to start working out in our company gym over lunch breaks. It feels really good being healthy. I am not even looking at it as a “diet”, it’s just the new me. I am excited to start going up into the mountains and hiking more.

I have felt really quiet and reserved lately for some reason. I am not sure why. I have been perfectly happy and content, just not as “out there” as I usually am for some reason. I am completely fine with this.

I think Mark, Hoshi and I are hanging tonight. Ruckus will ensue.

Interesting post from Hxcboards

2007-08-10T14:47:00.000-07:00

"Mark 1035Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask."36"What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.37They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."38"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"39"We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared."41When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

This narrative occurs in the same chapter where Jesus had encountered the rich young ruler who wanted to know the way to eternal life. At this point, James and John had still misunderstood what Jesus' entire ministry was about. They were still looking for greatness and recognition, but as He responded to them rightfully "you don't know what you are asking." There is a special significance here. At this point of the Markan story (indeed, up until the end itself), the disciples had not managed to grasp exactly what sort of fate awaited Jesus and those who followed Him. They had only recently recognised that He was the Messiah (Chapter 8), but were probably still stuck in the Jewish idea that He would be exalted in the nation and taken in glory. James and John request to be at His "left and right." What they didn't know, however, was that the people who were going to be on Jesus' "left and right" were the thieves/insurrectionists crucified with Him. His followers still hadn't understood at this point what the cost of their discipleship was, nor what was the way of it. As He tells them at the end of this narrative, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."What this implies, within the context of the passage, is that true greatness is found in servitude. Very similarly to Jesus' encounter with the rich man in the same chapter, this is a lesson that one must be prepared to give up everything for the sake of others in order to find true riches. Even after Jesus had told them of how nigh-impossible it is for the wealthy to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, His disciples were still seeking greatness and power. What they needed to learn (and what many of us still need to learn today) is that true power is not found in seeking the kind of greatness the world knows, the kind of greatness found amongst lords and rulers, but rather it lies in servitude. Jesus links His "ransom," His sacrifice, to exactly that which He expects of His followers; to lay down everything for the service of all humanity. This is at the heart of revolutionary Christianity; that all humanity is our master and also our slave. How is that for egalitarianism?And of course, we get the spiritual aspect of this teaching once again, since Jesus relates it to His crucifixion and His own service to the whole of mankind. Once again, the social ethic remains inseparable from the spiritual ethic.

Eat Your Heart Out, Paris

2007-08-06T07:29:00.002-07:00

As I was lying in bed last night, I was tossing and turning. My thoughts were racing through my head like a chase scene in James Bond. The feeling of discontent was sinking and sinking in my skin. I think the time has finally come to “detoxify” myself in the spiritual, relational, and physical sense. I feel like I constantly stuff my self with the un-needed. Like a Thanksgiving turkey, I’m bursting at the seems with no direction. I feel like in many ways, I have lost sight of my goals, so it’s time to strip back and gain focus.

Women and Children First.

2007-08-03T06:50:00.000-07:00

I am sitting here at my new desk, listening to Kid A on headphones and writing my first blog in a long time! I am sorry for my lack of contribution to this thing, but oh well, that is all in the past, right?

The job is going really well. This is my first week on the real sales floor. My mind has been flooded with information, and it’s hard to sleep at night when my brain is still running at a million miles per hour. I couldn’t be more grateful for this job. I feel invigorated and at home here. Everyone is very nice and fairly drama-free.

Caleb and I are going to the Red Rocks Amphitheatre to see Ryan Adams tonight. I am very excited! I have only recently gotten into Adams (I know, I’m behind!). His new album, Easy Tiger, has been in constant rotation for me since it came out.

Speaking of Caleb, he is back in town for a month or so. He has been working for his dad and a lawn care company to save up some money. He is staying in Dave and my apartment, and it has been great! I missed that little bugger, so it’s cool having him around.

I have been really anxious to write lately. I want to get together with Mark and get some stuff down. I really think there is too much material in us to just be content in not writing. At this point, I couldn’t care less about recording, gear or surroundings. I just want to sit down with an instrument and make some art.

You have new Picture Mail!

2007-07-12T20:07:00.001-07:00

Hell Ya!

2007-07-10T12:14:00.001-07:00

I am a bad ass salesman! I think I just made my first sale, we'll see!

Thanks + Crazy

2007-06-27T21:29:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Jonas for sending me the cigars and Travis cd. I smoked the last one in the evening yesterday. It was a Fuente Work of Art, I smoked it down to the nub...so good.

So I have been on this message board called "hxc boards" since I was in 9th grade of high school. The guy in the picture above is from that board! It's weird how the internet brings people together.

2007-06-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

I have 4 days left in my initial training here in Seattle. It has been a great experience so far, but I am very excited to sleep in my own bed and see my friends that I miss so much!

So I have been hanging out with my friend, Abbey over the past two weekends. She is a super nice girl and it’s been great to have someone familiar to hang with in this big city. She is really good at engaging my mind when we talk and making me think about things. The other night we made a fort and watched Robin Hood: Men in Tights. Anyway, if you are reading this, thanks for being a friend!

Abbey had a dream that consisted of her nailing herself into a coffin and sending it off to sea so that she could show her grandmother how to die. How song/poem-worthy is that!? I wish I had cool dreams.

Anyway, I will be seeing my friends this weekend so plan some Josh-time!

Be my memory

2007-06-19T11:23:00.001-07:00

I need to apologize for slacking on my blog the past few weeks. A lot has changed and I am excited to write about it!

First off, I have started a new job with Dex Media as a sales rep in advertising. It is a really good opportunity for me to make some money and possibly start a career. I still plan on pursuing missions work and ministry, but I think this experience is going to aid me in all of that.

As a result of the new job, I am in Seattle, WA for training. The total training program is 7 weeks! I am here on the initial training for 3 weeks, and then I go home for the week of July 4th. After that break, I come back to Seattle for another 3 weeks to do “Field Sales Training”. It is pretty hard being away from home for this long, but I think it’s good for me to hit the ground running!

This break has given me a great opportunity to get away and gain some focus. I have quit smoking (I was starting to get dangerously close to addiction), I have been reading the bible and books on theology every day. I feel like I am gaining some drive and momentum towards the person I truly want to be. I think this job is going to put me in a good financial position to hit the mission field (i.e. Music, overseas, other churches, etc.)

I have been reading this book called “Irresistible Revolution”. It has really opened my eyes to missional living and simplicity. I would highly recommend it. I will forewarn you, it is pretty liberal oriented, so if you are conservative you might need to ignore some comments.

I will try to be more consistent in blogging! I suck at life haha.

Ps. How sick is my new bike!? (see entry below) My buddy John helped me get it all restored. It’s a 1966 Raleigh, it still has the original headlight and it works! (via generator on the front wheel)

You have new Picture Mail!

2007-06-08T17:05:00.001-07:00

Bjork!

2007-05-16T09:48:00.001-07:00

I had the privilege of seeing Bjork perform last night at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

Setting: It was a misty cool evening, but really the weather was perfect and provided a nice relief to the heat Denver has faced the past few weeks. The crowd was jovial and happy, yet still contemplative and very respectful to the music.

Opener: Joanna Newsom opened the show. She is a folk singer whose main instrument is the harp. She also has a violinist, a banjo player and a percussionist. I have heard her latest cd a few times, and frankly was not impressed. She just seemed like such a try-hard with her awkward/over the top voice. I must say, my impression of her was slightly raised after seeing her live. Musically she is fantastic. Her musicianship on the harp, and every other musician on stage was fantastic. I still, however, do not like her voice, and I thought it was distracting.

Bjork: Now for the main attraction! As she took the stage, her band consisted of an 8 piece horn section (all dressed in brightly colored clown-like costumes), a drummer, a sequencer, a DJ and a pianist. The stage was covered in flags and television screens. The sequencer and DJ both used very visual controls for ring modulation and program selection; it was hard to explain with out seeing it yourself. Quite simply, Bjork blew my mind. I wouldn’t say it was the best show I have ever seen, simply because I don’t have the same emotional connection to her music as I do with other bands. I will say, however, that this was the best sounding show I have ever been to. The natural reverb of Red Rocks seemed to just love her voice. I could not believe how loud it was for an outside show. I can see why Bjork has been playing for so long. She is just way to talented to be ignored. Bjork played a mix of songs. Mainly off the newest album, Volta. She did also play songs off pretty much every other album, even Medulla (with some musical accompaniment). Her set lasted for approximately and hour and a half, and had one encore. I felt very privileged to witness a show of this caliber. I have heard she is only playing 13 shows here in her North American tour. If you ever have a chance to witness the wonder that is Bjork, DO IT!

(crappy camera phone pic)

Peace like a River...

2007-05-02T11:40:00.000-07:00

My mom just called me 10 minutes ago and informed me that Amy Fosholm passed away. Amy was a lady that lived with my family for a period of 8 years back when I lived in North Dakota. She was one of the godliest women I have ever come across. I would dare say that I probably wouldn’t be a Christian today had I not seen and experienced the love of God that was so evident on Amy. She used to sit in her room for hours up hours praying and interceding for people. I can still remember being a 6 year old sitting in her lap and praying together. Even after she moved out, she would write me letters with prayers and words of encouragement for me.

Amy was well into her 90’s and her health had rapidly depleted in the past year, so this death was not overly unexpected. Either way, it hits me hard. What will my legacy be? I desperately want to love people in the same way that Amy did. In some ways, her death re-ignites a flame in me.

Amy, you will be missed.

If you think about it, please pray for Amy and her family. I know she is in a much better place right now.

(past blog I made about Amy)

Top 5 Vehicular Music Annoyances

2007-05-02T09:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I was reading over Sean Brage's blog, and I got inspired to list my top 5 musical annoyances when it comes to listening in the car. (I was probably guilty of these at some point)

1. Constant song switching. Most of the girls I know are guilty of this. They listen to 15 seconds of a song, then switch it. I literally want to end it all when this reoccurs. (This is one I am mildly guilty of, but pretty much only when I drive in the car with Jonas and Mark)

2. Playing any form of hardcore after a loud show. The scenario: We just get done seeing Converge play at 140 decibels for 2 hours, I get in the car, and my buddy throws on Municipal Waste with the volume cranked. When this happens, I feel like putting my appendages in a wood chipper and sawing my ears off. After shows, it's either mellow music or nothing.

3. When people feel awkward by just listening to music in the car. If I am familiar with you, and comfortable, I don't feel the need to fill the air with words. I hate it when the music is constantly being turned down just to say some asinine thing that doesn't matter. Sometimes, it's best to just stay silent.

4. I am pretty good about appreciating other people's taste in music. I will admit that sometimes I get annoyed when I have to listen to certain bands for a long trip. I would list bands that fall into this category, but I think the list might be longer than the bible.

5. Over-controlling car DJs. I realize with this entry, I probably seem like a music nazi in my car, but I am not. I usually let my passenger choose the soundtrack for our journey. However, I H-A-T-E it when people are over-zealous with their DJ responsibilities. If you are in my car don't assume that everyone wants to listen to what you do. I will totally sit on your face a use it as toilet paper if this continues.

The end.

Love

2007-05-01T09:18:00.001-07:00

I apologize for my lack of blogging lately. Honestly, I think I am going through a time where I am sick of “talking” and ready to start “doing”.

I am extremely excited about this summer.

Interesting Quote

2007-05-01T09:13:00.001-07:00

"Search for Truth is search for God. Truth is God. God is, because Truth is. We embark upon the search, because we believe that there is Truth and that it can be found by diligent search and meticulous observance of the well-known and well-tried rules of search. There is no record in history of the failure of such search. Even the atheists who have pretended to disbelieve in God have believed in Truth. The trick they have performed is that of giving God another, not a new, name. His names are legion. Truth is the crown of them all."

- Mahatma Gandhi.

Pictures of my new apartment!

2007-04-26T08:43:00.000-07:00

When it comes to you, I'm lazy.

2007-04-26T08:29:00.000-07:00

On Monday, I went into the little café next door to my office, and the snow was just pouring down. It was really surreal, because the snow was dumping down, but none of it was sticking. It felt chaotic to me and invigorating.

It seems like life has really slowed down this week, which I am elated about. Last night, I watched the Nuggets play like ass and lose! Then I went home, folded my laundry, and watched the Danielson documentary: Danielson: A Family Movie. I was extremely impressed by this film. It goes through their entire career and really involves the viewer in the story. They are such an inspirational family. They make some of the most obscure sounding music ever, yet their hearts and attitudes are completely sincere and simple. They honestly just want to honor God with their music, and this is the sound that comes from them. I find that to be super interesting and beautiful.

This weekend is going to be quite busy! On Saturday, I am going to watch the Nuggets stomp the Spurs at the Pepsi Center. I am especially excited about this because it’s the first time I have ever gone to a playoff game. Directly after the game, I am going to walk across the street and watch Bright Eyes at the Buell Theatre. I am anticipating this show quite a bit. I really love his new album, Cassadaga.

PS – Last night I started writing some acoustic music for fun. I have been using a 1970’s tape recorder from Montgomery Wards. It sounds like total garbage, but it kind of has warmth to it. Regardless of sound quality, it’s really convenient for getting my ideas down.

I don't know how I feel about this:

2007-04-20T10:13:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) -- Get ready for "Spider-Man: The Broadway Musical."

That may not be the official title, but Marvel Studios is putting the pieces together for a musical on the Great White Way starring the popular superhero.

Julie Taymor, who won Tonys for direction and costume design for the Broadway production of "The Lion King," will direct, with U2's Bono and the Edge creating new music and lyrics for the project.

Auditions are taking place, and a reading is scheduled for the summer. No dates for a Broadway opening have been set.

While the Spider-Man musical marks the first time a Marvel character has been the subject of a Broadway show, it's not the first time a superhero has hit the stage. Superman was in the spotlight of "It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman," which opened at the Alvin Theatre in 1966. Despite fairly positive reviews, it closed a few months later.

Spider-Man will next be seen on the big screen, when the third installment of the blockbuster franchise opens across North America on May 4.

Copyright 2007

from cnn.com

SIIIIIIIQ!

2007-04-18T09:24:00.001-07:00

So I was hanging out at my church last night, and DJ, our worship leader approached me about playing bass this weekend for all 4 main services. I agreed, and we had practice. It was really interesting playing with in-ear monitoring, I have never done it before, and it was a nice luxury! The coolest part about the whole ordeal was this: I get to play a 1964 Fender P-bass! This is pretty much my dream guitar, and the guy who owns it was completely happy to let me use it for practice and the services. The bass played like a dream. It is heavily modded, but that vintage mojo is still there. I am really excited to play in front of thousands of people this weekend!

Rad picture message!

2007-04-13T12:29:00.001-07:00

My Evening

2007-04-12T07:11:00.001-07:00

Last night, Caleb and I watched High Fidelity, Made dinner, and ate the best ice-cream on earth. Seriously, why haven't people thought to make carrot cake flavored ice-cream sooner? I am pretty sure this stuff is going to take over the world.

PS - High Fidelity is the best movie of all time!

Good Friday

2007-04-06T08:46:00.000-07:00

It is a wet, overcast, dreary day outside today. I drove into work this morning listening to Young Mountain by This Will Destroy You as I reflected on the meaning of Good Friday, and its personal relevance to me. It really is emotional to think about the price our heavenly father paid for our redemption.

Tonight at bible study we are going to watch The Passion of the Christ. The last time I viewed this film, I was alone in my apartment with a glass of wine, so it will be interesting to watch it with others. I hope I am able to open up and let it sink in, because sometimes I get really distracted by people around me.